With a host of unforgettable characters and unbridled sensual escapades, Confessions of a Sheba Queen is a triumphantly erotic retelling of an indomitable woman prevailing in a man’s world.
During a raging sandstorm along a riverbed in the ancient lands of Saba, a powerful jinni born of smokeless fire gives birth to a half-human daughter. Bilqis does not inherit her mother’s magical abilities, but the fire of her jinni blood does imbue her with other powerful gifts. As she undergoes her rites of womanhood and her insatiable sexual hunger is awakened, it becomes clear—this is the key to her “great destiny” prophesized at her birth. But it could also lead to her total undoing.
Bilqis comes to understand that her supernatural talents have the power to make men, and women, and nations prostrate themselves in utter devotion to her. When tragedy strikes, she leaves her home to seek revenge against the tyrannical god-king whose reign is a plague upon his land and people. Armed with only her body, courage, and wits, she quickly masters the art of seduction, all the while resisting the mind-consuming call to stay locked in an endless cycle of carnal passion.
Destiny soon intervenes, and what began as a quest for vengeance becomes a mission to heal the land of Saba from a twisted, corrupt regime and to see it become the wealthiest kingdom in all the land. Yet, it is only after meeting the already legendary and wildly attractive King Solomon that Bilqis discovers her greatest battle is not with others, but with herself.
new release ~ GODDESSES INC ~ American Gods meets Sex in the City new release ~ THE MAGIC OF SYMBOLISM: Enrich Your Writing With Hidden Meaning
Autumn Bardot is the author of stories about fearless women and dangerous passions. She's a wife, mom, grandma, and teacher.
Because that doesn't keep her busy enough, she created Write Better, Author Smarter, a podcast and YouTube channel for new writers with writing tips, author tools, and inspiration.
Autumn writes best at home in her sunny Southern California backyard and while vacationing at the beach. She bakes great chocolate chip cookies, drinks too much coffee, buys too many shoes, and loves to write stories about courageous but flawed women who succeed despite the odds. And Autumn always spices it with a healthy dollop of romance!
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Autumn Bardot really has outdone herself in this amazing erotic historical fiction read. Her writing is brilliant, easy to read, and an amazing storyteller. This is not a genre I would normally gravitate to but she has done it with such creativity encompassing historical elements and characters we know about in this fictional work of art. So beautifully done though erotic, not vulgar or overdone.
The story is centered around Bilqis who is a gifted with special gifts passed down from her mother who is a jinn - with special powers, strength and abilities. Her mother brought in special teachers to ensure that Bilqis was well rounded in education that include world geography, mathematics and the knowledge and control of her sexuality in negotiations and dealing with people. Bilqis mother was murdered and Bilqis set out to avenge her mother's death. Using her gained education, strength as a woman, she was able to rise and avenge the death of her mother and became the Queen of Saba.
Under Bilqis rule, the kingdom prospered well and Bilqis set out to visit King Solomon to negotiate trade deals. There, a love story blossoms.
I truly enjoyed the brilliant writing by Autumn Bardot in this amazing page turner of a book. Amazing and highly recommend.
Thank you HFVBT and the author for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Confessions Of A Sheba Queen By: Autumn Bardot
*REVIEW* ☆☆☆☆☆ First, let's take a moment to admire this gorgeous cover! Don't you love it? As for the story, Confessions Of A Sheba Queen was a phenomenal read. Even though I knew it was erotic historical fiction, it still surprised me. It's a genre I've never read, and it's not bad-just different. Some of the scenes are blush inducing naughty, but the erotica fits the story. The author does justice I think to the overall vibe, and nothing is vulgar or overdone. The heroine, Bilqis, is half human and half jinn and discovers that she is a very sensual person with strong carnal urges and desires. Stunningly beautiful, Bilqis attracts men and women. She lives comfortably with her jinn mother in a hidden away village until tragedy forces Bilqis to pursue her destiny, which an oracle foretold long ago, in the name of revenge. The king of this land, Saba, is a corrupt horrible man, and Bilqis seeks him out because he is the cause of her sorrows. She has no weapons except her body and mind, but Bilqis knows how to use what she has. She wields her assets like a sharp edged knife to control men, women and anything else she desires. Bilqis realizes her sensual abilities are the key that unlocks untold power and position. Eventually, Bilqis sees her destiny with more clarity-to make this nation of Saba respectable and thriving again. Upon meeting King Solomon, Bilqis desires him, but he might be her biggest challenge. Bilqis must fight the lustful demons within if she wishes to fulfill her true destiny. This story was so engrossing and well written that I could not put it down. Autumn Bardot has written an amazing insightful story about a remarkable uninhibited woman who made no apologies for herself. Bilqis is a very strong independent woman with a wonderful sense of self acceptance. I love this character and was emotionally invested in her story. Don't be afraid of the erotic part of this story because it's not what you might think. Confessions Of A Sheba Queen is obviously meticulously researched, leading to a tastefully crafted story. I highly recommend this book!
I love Autumn Bardot, I love Historical Fiction, and yes, I love a well written Erotica. All three are here in Confessions of a Sheba Queen and I’m loving it!!
What Autumn Bardot has done here, is create a brilliantly written historical fiction with some very tasteful, and incredibly hot erotica mixed in. It isn’t all sex, and there is this fantastic world building and page-turning plot that I am just obsessed with. I want to read this book again when I’m finished writing this review.
Richly descriptive, captivating, and passionate, Autumn Bardot has written something I don’t think I’ve seen before. I could keep going and going, if you couldn’t tell. The characters are fantastic, the writing…everything. Confessions of a Sheba Queen is not something you want to miss out on. If you enjoy historical fiction, magical realism, and well-written erotica, grab this book. Highly recommended!!
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from HFVBT in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Autumn Bardot newest novel, is a captivating historical erotica.
Confessions of a Sheba Queen, is the phenomenal empowering story of Bilqis, a half Jinni. Bilqis who’s mother is a Jinni and her father an unknown human. This cinnamon hued, breathtaking golden eyed girl, who’s life was foretold to have a Great Destiny, by an Oracle. Residing in a small village of the kingdom of Saba, her mother spares nothing in her education. Tutored in mathematics, history, geography and economics, including in the sexual arts.
When her Jinn, momma is brutally murdered under the orders of a tyrannical corrupted King. Bilqis rises up with newfound strength and seeks vengeance on those who have committed this unthinkable crime along with the compassion to heal the land of Saba.
Seeking a trade deal for her people during a visit the fabled king of Solomon, she brings a decadent caravan of riches the likes of which is astounding.
This is richly descriptive book that is both passionate as it is engaging. Bardot, has truly created a whole new genre in writing, historical erotica, with a touch mystical realism. A bold astounding seductive tale bring to life an historical legendary Queen of Sheba. The books pace was brisk and vividly rendered, you will be completely carried away. The characters are well developed and narration is fluid.
Exquisitely written this page turner of a book is by far one of my favorites by this brilliant author.
Historical Fiction ~ The Impaler’s Wife ~ Dragon Lady ~ The Emperor’s Assassin
Historical Erotica ( Cleis Press) ~ Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths from around the World ~ Confessions of a Sheba Queen
Phew! Is it hot in here? Because that was one sexy read! Wowza!
I am a huge fan of Autumn Bardot's books. She chooses the most badass women from history to write about and I'm always inspired and fascinated by them. With Confessions of a Sheba Queen we meet Bilqis, also known in history as The Queen of Sheba. Her mother was a full jinni and knows her daughter is destined for greatness. To help prepare her she teaches her how her sex can be used for power as well as pleasure. She also hires tutors to help her learn, though at that time education was for the men only. Bilqis is only a half-jinni but witnesses her mother's power when growing up.
When Bilqis' life changes tragically she takes it upon herself to exact revenge and sets out to find the men responsible and to confront the man who ordered it. Her journey takes unexpected twists and turns and when she is finally face to face with King Soloman she must use all of her talents to fulfill her great destiny.
This was another phenomenal book from Autumn Bardot! I absolutely cannot wait for her next one to see who she is writing about next.
If you like to read about strong women who overcome adversity to create their own destiny, you should definitely pick this book up. If you aren't a fan of sex in your reading then you may want to steer clear because it's a hot, hot read!
Well, Ms Bardot has done it again. Another fantastic tale in the historical fiction category. I admit I had heard stories of the Queen of Sheba, but this story made me research on Google. And, she is right on the mark with her research. In fact, one of the first adult movies I saw as a kid was “Solomon and Sheba” and I thought that was risqué. It was tame and used two fair skinned actors which was ludicrous. This book may be too sensual for some, but the actual love scenes are almost poetry as she writes them.
I could picture the deserts and the mountains, the oasis and the people as if I was in the book with them. Stories of jinni have always fascinated me and having jinni, oracles, seers and magicians in this land is believable. Afterall, these were people that worshipped a bull. Egypt at the time had many religious icons that were animals. When she met Solomon, one God was a strange way of thinking for her. I think this version of “Solomon and Sheba” would make a powerful movie. So, I encourage everyone to read this book.
Sultry, seductive, and wonderfully written; this Historical erotica was impeccably researched and wonderfully naughty. Unable to put this down, I finished it in one day!
Bilqis, a beautiful young woman is half Jinn and with it comes the powers of seduction. Hidden in a small desert town in the ancient lands of Saba, Bilqis and her mother are comfortable and happy. When her Jinn mother is brutally murdered under the orders of a corrupt King, Bilqis knows it's time to chase her destiny. As a young child an oracle foretold great things about her and now it's time to see if they will come true. Bilqis seeks vengeance so she decides to travel to the capital using her feminine wiles to exact revenge and gain new friends and lovers along the way. Achingly beautiful, witty, and in full command of her body (as well as everyone elses) Bilqis is admired by all (even her enemies want to bed her rather than kill her). Filled with trysts, conquests, surrenders, and blush inducing scenes; this is one of the best eroticas I've read in years! I look forward to reading more of Autumn Bardot's historical erotic romances!
Confessions of a Sheba Queen takes you to another time in a faraway land. The story is entertaining and full of sensuality. I was immersed into the story of Bilqis. You follow along on her journey of revenge and ultimately fulfilling her destiny. She becomes empowered through her trials. I really liked Bilqis. I thought she was a strong character that made no apologies for who she was. We need more of that! There are many pleasures she indulges in. These scenes are very sexy, erotic, and bit graphic. I enjoyed them! Scorching hot! The story is well written. It has a nice balance of erotica and storytelling.
This book was hard to put down. I was hooked! This is easily one of those guilty pleasure reads that you can get lost in. I look forward to reading more from this author! I give this 4 stars.
**Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng**
This cover is simply beautiful. Honestly...a contender for best cover of the year.
The story follows Bilqis who is the daughter of a powerful jinni and a human. She destined for a great destiny which was prophesized at her birth. When tragedy strikes, she leaves her home to seek revenge and complete her destiny. Armed with only her body, courage and wits she must master the art of seduction and the art of revenge. Eventually, her quest for revenge will turn to a mission to heal the land and lead her people to prosperity.
I really enjoyed this. Yes, it is erotica so there is a LOT of smexy scenes. And when I say a LOT times that by two. Bilqis is half-jinni and she likes to do the deed...a lot. Which I applaud her. She had no shame! YOU DO YOU GIRL!
Minus the sexy scenes, the story was really good. I did enjoy watching Bilqis grow into a woman and take the reigns of life. She was a strong character and she was not perfect and that made me like her more. She realizes her flaws and tries her best.
There was SOME romance near the end there, but I'm glad that was not the main focus of the story so that made me happy. It took the majority of the book to get that romance anyways. I was meh about him, so if the romance never blossomed I would not have cared to be honest. Not that he was bad or anything. I didn't fully trust him and...I liked her being a wild spirit and having smexy time with whomever she wanted. haha. She didn't let the romance dominate her life though, so I was content with the romance because she is still an independent woman in the end and the story is about her journey to her destiny not about him.
I LOVED HER PETS! The camel was cute and that leopard cub! Awww. They were adorable. They were fun!
My only hang-up, I guess, was the use of modern words and terms here and there, especially during the smexy times. I got used to it after a while and it no longer bugged me. I could be wrong and the words/terms were used, but it felt modern. But yea - again, I got used to it and it didn't hurt the story or characters.
In the end, I really liked this book. Lots of smexy scenes (which I expected) and they were hot but they didn't diminish the story. The story was there and strong and our main heroine was awesome. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
This cover, just, wow. I think I need to learn how to up my makeup game! Like dang, I am LACKING in skill! But anyways, let’s move on. This book, just, wow. I know, repeating myself? Again?! Aren’t I sick of it? Nope! My statements stand! This cover and this book, just, wow!
So, I don’t think I’ve every really read any historical erotica before (unless Outlander counts?), so this is a new genre from me. And it’s a genre that I, *ahem,* think I need to check out some more of! But with anything remotely smutty there’s a good way to handle it and then there’s a not so good way to handle it. Confessions of a Sheba Queen most definitely falls under the good way of handling it. Actually, I may argue that it falls under the great way of handling it! It’s just so… elevated? That’s not really the word I’m looking for, but it’s a very posh type of smut that makes me feel fancy reading. Lol. But seriously, Bardot can write!
But even through all of these fan yourself types of scenes, the story itself is so good and interesting! I mean, the lushness of the scenery! The iconic story! Just, yes please! I love when I read historical fiction and I feel like I’m in the story. I find that so often I read these types of books and it feels like I’m sitting through a history lesson. And while this is not a bad thing, sometimes I also just want to be transported back through time and feel like I’m living through it. You know, especially with content such as this *wink.*
You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post a wide range of reviews on my blog!
First up, this is one sexy book. If you missed that it is historical erotica let me make sure you know that. I somehow did. I saw the author’s name and knew I loved her last book and honestly didn’t read much further. Was I in for a surprise. Not in a bad way mind you, but it is erotica – just make sure you know that going in. Well written, page turning erotica.
In between all of the sex is the story of Bilquis, the Queen of Sheba. She is mentioned in the Bible and I do find it somewhat disconcerting to be writing about a Biblical figure – as minor as she is – in the same review as I discuss the erotica but hey, without sex there is no procreation, right? And the Bible does tell us to procreate. The Queen of Sheba tells the story of a young woman, Bilqis who was born of a Jinni and a human. On the night of her birth and Oracle foretold that she had a Great Destiny. Thanks to this her mother provided her with an expansive education including one in the sexual arts.
One night her life is violently altered and Bilqis is pulled towards her future. Using the skills she learned from ALL of her teachers she is soon the Queen she was meant to be. There are those that still don’t trust or respect her but as the kingdom (queendom?) starts to flourish her popularity grows. She lacks one thing – an heir but she won’t marry anyone beneath her. She needs a king who is as least as powerful as she. Bilqis starts hearing about a powerful king in another land. A fair and wise man named Solomon. When he sends a letter to her by way of a hoopoe bird she decides to visit. But it will be in a caravan of riches the likes of which no one has ever seen. She plans to secure a trade deal for her people during the visit but she secures so much more.
The book was like two different books in one – the erotica sections and the historical ficton sections – but Ms. Bardot wove them together very well. It was a hot read.
I went into this blind only vaguely knowing what it was about. It's an erotic hisrorical fiction.
What a fun read. I loved Bilquis and her adventures. She might be one of the horniest characters ever but that doesn't mean she isn't a complex character. She is truly a strong and witty character. I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this.
Bilqis is born to a jinni mother in the ancient lands of Saba, what is now known as Yemen. Bilquis' birthday come with a prophesy- that she will have a great destiny to fulfill. Bilqis doesn't seems to have the same talents as a jinn as her mother, but is easily able to soak up all of the knowledge that her mother can bring her. As a young adult, Biqis learns of one of the jinn powers that she can use-her power of sensuality. After discovering the power of sex, Bilqis' world changes and opens. Then, tragedy strikes that leads Bliqis on a mission of revenge. With her mission, Bilqis learns more of the terrible King ruling over Saba. As Bilqis continues her journey, her destiny becomes clear- to end the King's regime and become the leader that the people need. The full story of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba is lost to history. I have read several other versions this amazing Queen's story, but none quite like this. Autumn Bardot is known for her strong female characters as well as erotic story lines. Confessions of a Sheba Queen definitely falls firmly in erotic historical fiction, which isn't something I normally read, but I really enjoyed this. Bilqis' story combined with the erotic story line makes for an intense and absorbing plot. From the beginning Bilqis jinn parentage and destiny add a sense of purpose to the story. Even without her jinn heritage, Bilqis' character is strong, intelligent, and willing to put others first. I liked that the jinn part of her parentage allowed Bilqis to use sex and her sensuality as a source of power and clarity in her life and allowed her to grow as a person. The sex scenes were all unique, imaginative and used very modern language. However, what I appreciated most were the ties to what little history we do know of Bilqis. I loved the lavish descriptions of the temple of Awwam and Bilqis' time with King Solomon. Richly absorbing and passionate, Confessions of a Sheba Queen creates a great blend of erotica and historical fiction.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Cleis press is known for its erotica. I have been reading their erotica for over a decade now. I would sneak looks when the book sellers weren’t watching when I was a teen trying to figure out my sexuality. So Cleis will always hold a special place in my heart and I will always give their erotica a chance.
This just wasn’t want I was expecting, both in a good and bad way. I was interested in the over arching plot of the prophecy of Bilqis. I looked forward to the plot. I was interested in who did what when. The plot of the book was by far my favorite part. I needed to know what happened. The plot was really strong. Even if there was half the sex scenes, this book would have stood as a full story. A lot of erotica can’t stand without the sex. Some of the sex was needed, but most could be cut and a cohesive plot would still exist.
The erotica part was just eh. Some of the scenes were wonderfully hot, but then others left a bad taste in my mouth. I am not an expect on intersex representation and I will not begin to claim I am. I just know I got uncomfortable at the fetishization of a clearly intersex character. The character had two fully working sets of genitalia, which is what so many people thing that being intersex means. The way that those scenes were written made me incredibly uncomfortable. They reminded me of the scenes from the latest book in the Claiming of Sleeping Beauty trilogy (book four, yup, should have been a sign). Outside of the really uncomfortable treatment of this character, I didn’t have any issues with the characters. The rest of the sex was pretty unremarkable. There were many combinations of sex, but no m/m. There was a m/m blowjob during a group sex scene, which I was not expecting. It was so vastly different than everything else, that I don’t really count it.
Since this is erotica, the sex is what I have to work with. There was no condom usage at all. I know it is historical fiction and condoms are hard, but I did like that there were multiple mentions to how to prevent pregnancy. There was no mention of STIs, which I know was to keep things sexy. There were multiple characters who were sterile which is one of the biggest birth control methods in the book which I just found fascinating. My biggest issue however was the lack of lube for anal anything. There was little to no stretching before the anal scenes. She went from nothing to two fingers instantly without lube. All of the men had large penises, so lube would have been needed. I also worry about infection with all of the wine and food that was used. A normal person will not notice these issues, I am just weirdly critical of sex scenes.
I am just torn on this book. It was an easy read and just sort of fluffy. It did not capture my attention in the way that I have come to expect with Cleis books, but I also wasn’t against the book. It just sort of was. The plot was more interesting than the sex throughout the whole book, which just isn’t how erotica works normally.
This one was a miss for me, but it wasn’t bad. Give it a shot if you like your porn to have a strong plot. If you are looking for something kinky or burn everything down hot, you will have better luck with another book.
I reviewed this book which was provided for free by the publisher. However, I do not receive any compensation for reviews. All book reviews are My personal and subjective opinion.
When I saw Confessions of a Sheba Queen by Autumn Bardot on the list of upcoming releases, I was elated. Bardot's previous book, Legends of Lust, was one of the first works of literary erotica I reviewed and it was love at first sight. Longing for another mythic love affair, I eagerly awaited to meet the Queen of Sheba. However, Legends was a compilation of short stories--would a full novel be able to hold my attention?
I had nothing to worry about; as rich as the erotica is, so is the story itself. Descriptions are full of lush metaphors woven with regional dialect, immersing the reader completely into the environment. I became one with Bilqis, feeling her smokeless fire, as Bardot took us on our hero's journey from birth to Great Destiny. Bilqis is a stunning character, full of complexities, conflict, and potential. So captivating is the Queen of Sheba, the grandeur of Bilqis achievements, and the goings on in her Queendom (and that's to say nothing of the sex), that I nearly forgot parts of her quest. As her pursuit of revenge turns into a mission for the people, I was surprised how quickly Bilqis was able to seemingly attain her destiny, yet still have mystery left to be discovered.
Unlike an unfortunate amount of erotica, Confessions of a Sheba Queen is full of varied sex scenes, non-repetitive language, and has reread value. Sex flows through the story naturally, intrinsically linked to the narrative as Bilqis and her passion. Evolving from shy virgin to experienced libertine, Bardot narrates consensual sexual encounters between the Sheba Queen and her many lovers as Bilqis fulfills her destiny and her lust.
You can purchase Confessions of a Sheba Queen here.
What an amazing and well-written book! And I love the gorgeous cover. I really have to give Autumn Bardot credit for writing an amazing erotic historical fiction story. She has a real gift for storytelling and writing creatively about a character we know and story we think we know. Extra kudos for taking an erotic story and writing it in such a way that it is just beautifully done, not vulgar or over the top. She also truly did her research and while writing it as historical fiction stayed very true to form.
It was hard to put the book down once I started reading it and when I did, I had no trouble picking the storyline right back up. I really loved this story! I have no-thing negative to say about it, it was that well done. I am totally in love with Autumn Bardot's writing and will most certainly be reading more from her.
5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Disclaimer I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The Queen of Sheba is certainly a clever and crafty woman who uses her intellect and feminine wiles to reach her goals. She is determined and tenacious to right a wrong but at the same time, she helps many more people. Bilqis was trained from a young age to be well educated and this helps her on her journey. Her journey does explore her sexual side and she isn't afraid of her sexuality. But she does need to learn to control her sensual side or lose herself. Bliqis is destined for great things and the reader gets to see how her determination leads to her meeting King Solomon. Autumn Bardot puts a great deal of work and research into her stories. It enriches the experience and really brings the characters to life. She weaves an incredible tale with sensuality and magic. It was great to dive into the past and walk with them.
Read as part of the SexLit book club. This one was a fantastic erotic-historical fiction about a young woman born half Jinn who avenges her mothers murder and rises to become a the famed Queen of Sheba. Bardot does a great job of using the sexual elements to define the character, and while this is definitely an erotic novel, I found myself just as wrapped up in the main plot of her rise in power and how she handles the numerous people and politics that come with being a ruler. Both elements wonderfully complement each other to tell the story of a powerful woman that feels natural instead of cliche. Wonderful stuff, I will be checking more of the authors work.
I was torn between a 3 or 4 star on this one. It was well written. I wasn't a fan of the erotica parts (I'm not opposed to erotica. I enjoy it in fact) and they were all throughout the book, but the plot was interesting. All in all I gave the book 4 stars because of the strong/interesting plot and characters, beautiful cover, and amazing audio narration.
This is my first time reading historical erotica and I liked it a lot. I didn’t know what to expect since is my first book for this author but it was written beautifully and was very entertaining to see this characters from another perspective.
I was listening to the audiobook and the accent the narrator uses was like nails on a chalkboard. I hate being negative but I had to DNF. No rating because I didn’t finish but I am interested in getting the physical book to give it an honest chance.
I listen to a podcast called Kinky Ladies Book Club when I'm driving. They are so great, in each episode they chat about a spicy book they've read. I only got about ten minutes or so into the episode in which they talk about Confessions of a Sheba Queen by Autumn Bardot before I had to read the book for myself. I was actually so impressed with what the Kinky Ladies were talking about that I [safely] pulled over into a side street, turned the car off and bought a copy of the book to listen to on Audible immediately! (Side note: if you want to hear the names of some of the characters, or words you're not familiar with - of which there were quite a few in this book for me - listening to the audiobook on Audible is great because the narrator has the most magical accent and really brought the words to life and her pronunciations are perfection!)
I am currently only a little over halfway thought the book and to be honest, I'm so glad it's taking a while to read. I'm absolutely in love with the characters and Bilqis is a serious gem. She doesn't judge people on anything from their sexual preference to their trade or education level or social status. From where I am in the book right now, she is the best queen I've ever heard of throughout all the historical rulers I know of - I know this is a work of fiction but it's nice to think about :)
The writing is truly outstanding and incredibly descriptive without boring the reader with endless adjectives for no reason - this is one of my favorite things about the writing in this book and makes me excited to read more from this author. Another thing I love about this book is that while it is definitely smut and a sex book to its core, there is so much more to the storyline than just sex scene after sex scene. You get to see Bliqis grow from a young girl living in the country with her Jin mother and I'm enjoying watching her grow into a beautiful queen with a great sex drive yes, but also a brain and common sense and kindness to go with it. This book is a real work of art that any historical fiction lover that likes to read spicy books too will really really love! I love it when books cater to my specific niche of reading pleasures -Thank you, Autumn Bardot! You're single handidly quenching my reading needs all in the one book :)
My rating for the book so far (57% finished): 5 sandy Stars
Edit: I've finished the book and really did love it all the way to the end! 5 Stars for the whole book! Perfection!