What do you think?
Rate this book
The Jinn's Bargain
Her home is lost, her brother cursed, and hope is dwindling. Desperate, Esin Sultan calls upon the perilous powers that once sealed her family's the jinn.
But as Dark Magic bleeds across the land and allegiances rupture, the past stirs-unearthing secrets long buried within the shadows.
The Jinn's Bargain is a sweeping sapphic tale of forbidden magic and political tension, inspired by Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, and Persian folklore.
But as Dark Magic bleeds across the land and allegiances rupture, the past stirs-unearthing secrets long buried within the shadows.
The Jinn's Bargain is a sweeping sapphic tale of forbidden magic and political tension, inspired by Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, and Persian folklore.
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2025
About the author
Fetin Sardaneh
1 book14 followersFetin Sardaneh is a non-binary autistic Palestinian and Kurdish author born in the UK. They write stories rooted in cultural memory, resistance, and queer joy. The Jinn’s Bargain is their debut novel.
Fetin would also like you to know that writing about oneself in the third person is bloody awkward. No one warns you about that part when you first decide to write a book.
Where you can find them
(usually having an existential crisis or posting photos of their cat):
Instagram: @fetinsardaneh
Tiktok: @merryfets
Threads: @merryfet
Website: fetin.carrd.co
Fetin would also like you to know that writing about oneself in the third person is bloody awkward. No one warns you about that part when you first decide to write a book.
Where you can find them
(usually having an existential crisis or posting photos of their cat):
Instagram: @fetinsardaneh
Tiktok: @merryfets
Threads: @merryfet
Website: fetin.carrd.co
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 10, 2026
lowkey fire
October 19, 2025
This was one hell of a rollercoaster ride, and I loved every bit of it. It started with a bang and ended with a bang! Never a dull moment throughout.
I applied for the ARC because I'm a fan of jinns and bargains, and the blurb looked interesting. The Turkish/Kurdish setting was an added bonus. Best decision I've made in a long time!
The book had everything — political conspiracy, deception, mystery, murder, chaos (the good kind) and ofcourse, bargains. The world-building was so detailed, it painted a picture in my head. Right from the geographical terrain to the historical background, culture and magic system, everything was well thought-out. At times I felt like I was watching the story play out right in front of me.
The characters were amazing! I could closely relate to Esin and Zinar. If Esin was my past self, then Zinar is my present. But my absolute favourite was Selim; his unwavering loyalty and trust in the people he cared for endeared him to me. Additionally, all the supporting characters and the villains were well-written and did a great job of making the story interesting. Every character had their unique attributes, and it's obvious that the author has spent a good amount of time in crafting them.
The found-family trope is my favourite and was explored well in the book. At no point did it feel overdone.
The humour made me snort-laugh. It happened at unexpected times but was incorporated well in the story. The conversations flowed smoothly, and the dialogues seemed natural. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters.
I also loved the slow-burn romance between Esin and Zinar. As a reader, I know there are some feelings present, but the characters are yet to discover them. It is reflected in Zinar's silent caring and protectiveness over Esin and Esin's attention-seeking behaviour but also the sacrifices she makes for Zinar whenever necessary. I can't wait for them to realise and express their feelings.
I could go on and on about the book, but nothing I say will do justice to it. Fetin Sardaneh is a brilliant writer, and this debut deserves a lot of love and appreciation.
I can't wait to read the next book, especially after that mind-blowing cliffhanger. There's a lot to unravel, and I'm hoping not to go crazy as I wait for it. This is a must read for all fantasy-loving readers.
I applied for the ARC because I'm a fan of jinns and bargains, and the blurb looked interesting. The Turkish/Kurdish setting was an added bonus. Best decision I've made in a long time!
The book had everything — political conspiracy, deception, mystery, murder, chaos (the good kind) and ofcourse, bargains. The world-building was so detailed, it painted a picture in my head. Right from the geographical terrain to the historical background, culture and magic system, everything was well thought-out. At times I felt like I was watching the story play out right in front of me.
The characters were amazing! I could closely relate to Esin and Zinar. If Esin was my past self, then Zinar is my present. But my absolute favourite was Selim; his unwavering loyalty and trust in the people he cared for endeared him to me. Additionally, all the supporting characters and the villains were well-written and did a great job of making the story interesting. Every character had their unique attributes, and it's obvious that the author has spent a good amount of time in crafting them.
The found-family trope is my favourite and was explored well in the book. At no point did it feel overdone.
The humour made me snort-laugh. It happened at unexpected times but was incorporated well in the story. The conversations flowed smoothly, and the dialogues seemed natural. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters.
I also loved the slow-burn romance between Esin and Zinar. As a reader, I know there are some feelings present, but the characters are yet to discover them. It is reflected in Zinar's silent caring and protectiveness over Esin and Esin's attention-seeking behaviour but also the sacrifices she makes for Zinar whenever necessary. I can't wait for them to realise and express their feelings.
I could go on and on about the book, but nothing I say will do justice to it. Fetin Sardaneh is a brilliant writer, and this debut deserves a lot of love and appreciation.
I can't wait to read the next book, especially after that mind-blowing cliffhanger. There's a lot to unravel, and I'm hoping not to go crazy as I wait for it. This is a must read for all fantasy-loving readers.
May 14, 2026
4.75⭐️ so this book was amazing.
It is very rare to find a fantasy book with such an interesting world and also an incredible protagonist.
It has everything I look for in a fantasy book, the worldbuilding was very well done with showing rather than telling us about the world.
In this book we follow Esin the daughter of a Mîr (which is sort of a king ) who after her home is lost and her brother cursed calls upon a jinn using forbidden magic.
Esin was probably my favorite part of this book, her and other characters such as Selim and Zinar were complex and interesting.
Also I can’t fail to mention the long slowburn between Esin and Zinar whose realtionship was just the best. Their dynamic was one of the bests I’ve read in a long time and I can’t wait for the second book to know what is going to happen with them since the book ends in a cliffhanger.
It is very rare to find a fantasy book with such an interesting world and also an incredible protagonist.
It has everything I look for in a fantasy book, the worldbuilding was very well done with showing rather than telling us about the world.
In this book we follow Esin the daughter of a Mîr (which is sort of a king ) who after her home is lost and her brother cursed calls upon a jinn using forbidden magic.
Esin was probably my favorite part of this book, her and other characters such as Selim and Zinar were complex and interesting.
Also I can’t fail to mention the long slowburn between Esin and Zinar whose realtionship was just the best. Their dynamic was one of the bests I’ve read in a long time and I can’t wait for the second book to know what is going to happen with them since the book ends in a cliffhanger.
April 30, 2026
Let me start this by saying that I am not an ARC reader, Internet personality or anything like that. I am just a random sapphic fantasy fan who found out about the book on social media. I have never read this kind of indie book before... And I was completely blown away.
I am very picky about character work. Everyone in this story has a distinct voice. I need lots of sensory details to immerse myself in a story, and this has tons. I need to be allowed to use my brain to fill in blanks. This book allows me to do that without being convoluted or vague. Overall an excellent debut and I eagerly await the second book.
I am very picky about character work. Everyone in this story has a distinct voice. I need lots of sensory details to immerse myself in a story, and this has tons. I need to be allowed to use my brain to fill in blanks. This book allows me to do that without being convoluted or vague. Overall an excellent debut and I eagerly await the second book.
December 20, 2025
A sapphic masterpiece, devoured esin and zinar omg
May 8, 2026
When I was a kid, I always loved reading, because it could transport me to another world without me even having to leave my chair. I especially loved fantasy because I could picture myself amongst the heroes, working to save the day. I still really do love reading, but I think that my tastes in literature have changed, since being older now means I have to accept harsher truths about the world, and I use books to aid me in that.
This book was honestly unlike anything I've read in a long time. It made me feel like I was a kid again, exploring new worlds. I got so caught up in the story that at times I was almost yelling at the page, and I fell in love with every character. It also helps that I'm a huge MDZS fan and reading a similar story but sapphic and set in a world inspired by the author's culture was really cool.
If you need me I'll be brainrotting until book two comes out.
This book was honestly unlike anything I've read in a long time. It made me feel like I was a kid again, exploring new worlds. I got so caught up in the story that at times I was almost yelling at the page, and I fell in love with every character. It also helps that I'm a huge MDZS fan and reading a similar story but sapphic and set in a world inspired by the author's culture was really cool.
If you need me I'll be brainrotting until book two comes out.
May 5, 2026
I came across this author through one of my storygraph reading challenges. Between needing a book for the challenge, the cover, and the synopsis, I knew this was the book for me. What was so unexpected was the absolutely beautiful writing. It was not only thought out but the characters were wonderful and the imagery utter perfection. Very few times do I come across a book that grabs me from the start and keeps my attention all the way to the end. Esin is a wonderful FMC! And I cant help but root and cheer for her but also be afraid at some of the decisions she made. The magic system along with the folklore added such depth and beauty to the story. Honestly i could go on forever about every detail of this book and how much I loved it but I wont. I highly recommend this not only for the representation but the delight this book really is
May 10, 2026
How could she end it in a cliff hanger 😭😭😭
October 27, 2025
This book deserves so much praise and attention! An incredible debut, and a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish. It’s got everything you could want, rich world building inspired by Turkish and Kurdish culture, an intricate magical system, dark curses, political plotting, murder, chaos, sapphic yearning, and so much more.
I had the pleasure of reading this book in its earlier stages and again in its final form and let’s just say… I rarely read a book twice, but the minute I stopped reading this one, I wanted to read it again immediately!
I loved the world building, the characters and the intricate details of the magic system. It’s drenched in symbolism that I had so much fun picking out, especially on the second read. The slow burn sapphic romance is excellent too! Esin and Zinar are a hopeless duo (in the absolute best way) and I loved their dynamic (think grumpy/sunshine trope but both of them are totally oblivious and terrible at flirting in a way that doesn’t involve their lives being in danger!). The family dynamic between Esin, Selim and Serhan was also really thoughtfully done, and I am interested to see how those sibling relationships will continue to play out given the books ending… 👀
The descriptions of the landscapes, sights, smells, colours etc are so immersive, I truly felt I was walking through a bustling market in the beating sunshine, trudging through the muddy forests, and huffing up the rough mountain terrains right alongside the characters. A beautifully crafted world that really added so much depth and atmosphere to every page.
The story is action packed, but still manages to have lots of reflective, emotional and humorous moments sprinkled throughout. The flashback to their training days was especially fun (whilst being equal parts tense and emotional in some moments!) and I could honestly read an entire spin off just about that time! I loved all the twists and turns throughout the book though, and felt that each character had the space to show their thoughts, fears and motivations through every new development of the story. No moment ever felt overcrowded and each step on the journey felt super intentional and impactful.
Overall I can’t give this book enough praise, and hope it will end up with the attention it deserves. Big thank you to the talented Fetin for allowing me to be one of the first to read this book and I hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t already! ☺️
I had the pleasure of reading this book in its earlier stages and again in its final form and let’s just say… I rarely read a book twice, but the minute I stopped reading this one, I wanted to read it again immediately!
I loved the world building, the characters and the intricate details of the magic system. It’s drenched in symbolism that I had so much fun picking out, especially on the second read. The slow burn sapphic romance is excellent too! Esin and Zinar are a hopeless duo (in the absolute best way) and I loved their dynamic (think grumpy/sunshine trope but both of them are totally oblivious and terrible at flirting in a way that doesn’t involve their lives being in danger!). The family dynamic between Esin, Selim and Serhan was also really thoughtfully done, and I am interested to see how those sibling relationships will continue to play out given the books ending… 👀
The descriptions of the landscapes, sights, smells, colours etc are so immersive, I truly felt I was walking through a bustling market in the beating sunshine, trudging through the muddy forests, and huffing up the rough mountain terrains right alongside the characters. A beautifully crafted world that really added so much depth and atmosphere to every page.
The story is action packed, but still manages to have lots of reflective, emotional and humorous moments sprinkled throughout. The flashback to their training days was especially fun (whilst being equal parts tense and emotional in some moments!) and I could honestly read an entire spin off just about that time! I loved all the twists and turns throughout the book though, and felt that each character had the space to show their thoughts, fears and motivations through every new development of the story. No moment ever felt overcrowded and each step on the journey felt super intentional and impactful.
Overall I can’t give this book enough praise, and hope it will end up with the attention it deserves. Big thank you to the talented Fetin for allowing me to be one of the first to read this book and I hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t already! ☺️
February 17, 2026
Review coming soon (?)
October 27, 2025
An exciting new voice for Epic Fantasy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Jinn's Bargain is a sweeping historical fantasy world set in South West Asia, a story unfolding against a backdrop of sultans, royal families who practice magic, tribes, political intrigue, rival courts, magical girls and demons (and jinn!) living alongside people. This is an exciting, plot driven Fantasy, perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings, and I would also say fans of YA, and/or non romantic stories would enjoy this book, as it is character and plot driven, there's not really any romance (yet!) There is a slow burn Sapphic romance present but it is in its very early stages, more of a developing friendship at this point, and probably more likely to see it blossom over the course of the series (one would presume).
Fans of Percy Jackson and themes with young adults in magical academies/ magical training camps in the woods, this is definitely one for you!
The world building is vivid, fresh, bursting with flavours and colour, and sprinkled with beautiful lines. A couple of my favourites:
Slipping silently into the trees, the forest folded around her like mourning cloth, the scent of pine sharp in her throat.
"Dreams are just memories scattered in chaos. I only have to untangle them. It's easy."
Some sparkling humour lacing the story:
"Victory will be found when your fate is sealed."
"Oh! Are you a fortune teller?" Esin perked up, as if they weren't currently standing in a cursed shop. "I love those."
"You, on your own, escaped from two highly trained assassins, and killed one?"
"I don't think they were trained," she mumbled.
A fantastic debut! 5 magical stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Jinn's Bargain is a sweeping historical fantasy world set in South West Asia, a story unfolding against a backdrop of sultans, royal families who practice magic, tribes, political intrigue, rival courts, magical girls and demons (and jinn!) living alongside people. This is an exciting, plot driven Fantasy, perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings, and I would also say fans of YA, and/or non romantic stories would enjoy this book, as it is character and plot driven, there's not really any romance (yet!) There is a slow burn Sapphic romance present but it is in its very early stages, more of a developing friendship at this point, and probably more likely to see it blossom over the course of the series (one would presume).
Fans of Percy Jackson and themes with young adults in magical academies/ magical training camps in the woods, this is definitely one for you!
The world building is vivid, fresh, bursting with flavours and colour, and sprinkled with beautiful lines. A couple of my favourites:
Slipping silently into the trees, the forest folded around her like mourning cloth, the scent of pine sharp in her throat.
"Dreams are just memories scattered in chaos. I only have to untangle them. It's easy."
Some sparkling humour lacing the story:
"Victory will be found when your fate is sealed."
"Oh! Are you a fortune teller?" Esin perked up, as if they weren't currently standing in a cursed shop. "I love those."
"You, on your own, escaped from two highly trained assassins, and killed one?"
"I don't think they were trained," she mumbled.
A fantastic debut! 5 magical stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book!
April 5, 2026
Fetin Sardaneh delivers a sweeping sapphic fantasy that understands the perilous power of stories rooted in specific soil. Esin Sultan, her home lost, her brother cursed, her hope dwindling, calls upon the jinn that once sealed her family's fate, and Sardaneh renders that desperation with the weight of genuine folklore. The novel excels at the intersection of personal and political: dark magic bleeding across the land, allegiances rupturing, the past stirring to unearth secrets long buried. The Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, and Persian inspiration is not decorative but structural, informing the very logic of magic and consequence. At 530 pages, the scope allows for the complexity that forbidden magic and political tension demand, though some readers may find the density requires patience. The sapphic element, woven into this rich cultural and magical fabric, feels inevitable rather than imposed, desire emerging from the same well of necessity that drives Esin to bargain with powers that sealed her family's doom. For readers seeking fantasy that honors its folkloric roots while centering queer women in epic struggle, this offers rare and necessary territory. A remarkable, culturally grounded debut.
May 19, 2026
As a lesbian that grew up on historical Turkish tv shows this was everything my gay lil heart wanted. Took one star off because the slow burn is at a snails pace, they haven’t even realized their feelings for one another and the tension only really starts up in the second half on the book. I wouldn’t call this a sapphic centered story if more so a historical fantasy with (sapphic?) characters. I love them both tho absolutely adorable. I really hope that in the second book there’s a ton of them as a couple.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2026
In the first chapter I felt slightly overwhelmed by the many people introduced and the unfamiliar titles (for which there is a glossary, so that's fine) but the characters won me over almost instantly. The dynamic between Esin and Zinar is incredibly good (although I wish we had gotten even more interaction between them) and the author has a way with words that makes this book fun to read and warms your heart. Can't wait for the next book!
May 17, 2026
Oh god, I absolutely loved this book! Esin and Zinar had such a wonderful dynamic that I can barely wait for the next book. The world-building and the characters were so thought out that this book had it on my absolute favorites list.
December 30, 2025
I received this book as an ARC.
I just finished this book and the end was heartbreaking. Tho, hopefully there will be a book 2
In anycase, I absolutly loved it, couldn't put the book down. The dynamic between Esin and Zinar is absolutely very cute. And the first part of the book during their study time? I wanted more of it (it was warm and cute and everything I love)
I just wish the book didn't end on such a terrible note. Or if it did, that book 2 was out already and I could keep reading until (hopefully) reaching a happy ending.
In any case, if you are fan of fantasy, emotional read and sapphic love story, this book is for you.
Also, if you love "The Untamed"/"Grand master of demonic cultivation", definitively give this book a try! It will be like finding Lan Zhan and Weiyin again (but as women)
I just finished this book and the end was heartbreaking. Tho, hopefully there will be a book 2
In anycase, I absolutly loved it, couldn't put the book down. The dynamic between Esin and Zinar is absolutely very cute. And the first part of the book during their study time? I wanted more of it (it was warm and cute and everything I love)
I just wish the book didn't end on such a terrible note. Or if it did, that book 2 was out already and I could keep reading until (hopefully) reaching a happy ending.
In any case, if you are fan of fantasy, emotional read and sapphic love story, this book is for you.
Also, if you love "The Untamed"/"Grand master of demonic cultivation", definitively give this book a try! It will be like finding Lan Zhan and Weiyin again (but as women)
October 22, 2025
I've just finished reading this as an arc and genuinely it was one of the most captivating books I've read. The world building is so immersive that every single setting was completely visible to me, the action felt palpable, the dialogue was so believable. Everything about this book is wonderful (though how I'm going to get over that ending is beyond me) and I absolutely recommend reading it!
January 4, 2026
What an absolute dream book. Such a layered world build by the author in her debut novel and characters that will charm the pants off of you. If you’re looking for a new magical world to sink your teeth into, this is the book for you. A must read !
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews