The Little Queen of Sheba

by Fatimah A. Bass

With a gruesome turn of events, Princess Khawla of South Sheba is forced to flee from her own country after her cruel cousin, Hunter, takes over the throne. She must seek shelter with the young, renowned King of North Sheba in order for her, as well as her beloved cousin, Salem, to escape the evil plots of the new Crown Prince. But the road to safety isn’t often a safe one – Khawla must face the ruthless Lost Kingdom, a country dedicated to taking South and North Sheba down, and uncover deeply buried family secrets that could change Sheba as she knows it. In the end, Khawla is faced with one decision –

Saving herself, or saving her kingdom.

[This novel was written when the author was 13 for viewer information]

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult

413 pages, Paperback

Published March 11, 2024

About the author

Fatimah A. Bass is a Canadian author and teenage storyteller passionate about creating diverse narratives celebrating various cultures and histories. A practicing Muslim, she draws inspiration from her faith, nature, and the vibrant people around her. With a love for writing, sword fighting, and books, her stories weave together fiction, adventure, and timeless human emotion. Fatimah values authenticity, creativity, and empathy, which shine through in her work. In her spare time, she can be found contemplating life's mysteries or procrastinating something or the other.

Connect with her on Goodreads for updates on new releases and insights into her writing process, or reach out via email at: fatimahbassbooks@gmail.com.

You can also find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatiii.writes/

Reviews

[star ⚘]

Only read the draft last year. such a flex to be the first to read besides Fatimah (the author + good friend) 🫶🏻🫶🏻

written by my Fatimah? Ofc it will be 5 stars

[حالم Haalim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im emotionally connected to this book 😭🥹 The story is heavily inspired from Turkish History. So if you love Turkish Historical dramas, this one is for you. I was expecting a very straightforward plain story between 3 4 characters. I really didn't expect the plot twists (which made the feeling even better). I also didn't expect so many different characters perspective. I love it when i get to read so many characters in a book.

Each women in this book were different from each other but so beautifully written. It was hard not to be impressed by them, They make you look up to them. Khawla, Salem, Lina, Halena, Victoria, Mariah, Nalaa, Tilaahun, all showed quiet strength. But I have to say my fav were Lina and Victoria💜😍. Lina who was just a child but helped the princess escape and stood against the crown king even if it cost her life. Cant say much about Victoria without spoiling the fun ( So Go, READ IT)

I however, did not like the dream aspect of the story but I do understand that it was necessary as the story is heavily inspired from Turkish heritage. Another thing I didn't like was how Atlan's potential was lessened to make Khawla look more admirable. When they plan to take over the fort. Atlan didn't plan anything rather it was more of a suicidal mission, even though before that every tactic to defeat the enemy was created so brilliantly by Atlan. Especially how they get the upper hand in the War.

P.S I Love and adore the name "Bint Asad" Everytime He calls her with that name out of formality, I loved it🥹🙈 ( Again IDK Y, Im emotionally connected with this book)

[layan ليان (on hiatus)]

Yeah so… DNFed at 50%

When I say I had to pause, inhale like my life depended on it, and wrestle every ounce of civility into submission just to get through each paragraph without collapsing off my bed in sheer unadulterated cringe… I mean it wallah.

I was hyped for this book. I wanted and needed to adore it. At some point I tried gaslighting myself, didn’t work.

”He sucked in his cheeks slightly, as if to keep from smiling.” wallah I doubled over and I wheezed for 15 whole minutes, because this is how I imagined it in my head:

https://pin.it/7pbJZiNUa

I literally am so speechless, I don’t know what to say. The only bearable part was Salem. That’s all.

RTC? I guess?

____

pre-read
I’ve been genuinely in love with fantasy and historical fiction that incorporates Islamic and spiritual themes. It’s been my niche interest for the past three months, and I’m INCREDIBLY proud of Muslim authors who are carving out space in this subgenre <333

[Salmaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow, u know this book made me really think about how strong these peoples faith were compared to now . DEFF recommend this book. LIT CHARACTERS LIT STORY LINE , ehehehlitaltan AND ABSOLUTLY amaZING PLOT .PLZ MAKE MORE OF THESE KIND OF BOOKS . IM RATING 5 STARSSSS . ANNDDD followiingggggg.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was super descriptive and the ending was perfect! the character's were well written and the plotline was super interesting. definitely reccomend.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been in a reading slump for the past while (ugh) but I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO READING THIS AHHHH.

Okay, first of all, the way each setting was described? Amazing. From South Sheba to the Lost Kingdom, I felt like I was there. And the main character was pretty awesome, I mean who wouldn't appreciate a badass, sword-wielding Muslimah?? Khawla was rebellious without being bratty (I hateee when authors try to make a girl spunky but end up making her a brat), she had her flaws, as any well-written character does, but her strengths shone through. I also really liked Nalaa, despite first thinking I'd dislike her lol (lowkey shipping her with General Murad I MEAN C'MON THEY CLEARLY LIKE EACH OTHER).

All in all, it was an enjoyable read, would highly recommend to anyone looking for good Muslim rep.

[Farhana Faruq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final read this! It has been on my list for awhile. What an amazing read!! This is a fictional YA novel. Pretty much about Khawla 's adventure from one land to another, some good and some horrible. I really enjoyed how unpredictable the whole storyline is and loved the pace of the novel. Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure and historical fiction.

[Shireen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! Beautifully written, with a storyline that isn’t an ordinary type of book. Here’s my challenge to all those that read this book — try not to cry! 😭 loved reading it, an emotional roller coaster that keeps you wanting to know what happens next.