Daughter of the Salt King is a must-read for fans of The Daevabad Trilogy. It is the story of Emel, a daughter who is thought of as a commodity by her greedy and powerful father. Emel’s father controls salt, which is worth more than gold in the desert. When Emel learns that her father has a jinni helping him, she befriends him. However, Saalim is just as bound as her and they must work together to try and create a different future. 

Daughter of the Salt King has excellent world-building, capturing the heat and grit of the desert. Magic is something to be feared in this world and salt matters more than gold. The political power plays, life at court, and relationship between Emel and Saalim make it very difficult to put this book down. The narrator did a wonderful job with bringing the characters to life and her voice was pleasant to listen to. 

One of my favorite parts is the depiction of the love between Emel and Saalim- a slow-burn, achingly desperate love. I loved how realistic and tender their romance felt. After that ending, I can’t wait to find out what happens next and will be eagerly awaiting the sequel! I would highly recommend The Salt King for fans of S.A. Chakraborty, fans of lush world-building, and slow-burn romance. Thank you to A.S. Thornton, CamCat Books, and Netgalley for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.