7 Reasons To Read We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A BuzzFeed Pick for "YA Books You Absolutely Must Read This Spring"A Bustle's Most Anticipated 2019 YA ReleasePaste Magazine's Top 10 Most Anticipated YA Novels of 2019"Lyrical and spellbinding" —Marieke Njikamp, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame—first in the Sands of Arawiya duology—is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.

Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.

War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.

I am so excited to be a part of the blog tour for We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal today. Faizal is one of the latest bloggers turned authors and I AM HERE FOR IT. Personally, I cannot think of a more wonderful person to celebrate. Today we’re looking at all the reasons you should pick up or borrow a copy of We Hunt The Flame, first of the Sands Of Arawiya.

1. We Hunt The Flame is culturally significant.

This book is the first book by a Niquabi woman to release to such acclaim in the United States. This is a huge freakin deal, I think. Maybe I am completely wrong and off base here, but I think that is something that is pretty darn important.

2. You’ll be transported to a whole new world.

We Hunt The Flame is a book that has the power to spirit you away. Arawiya, the Arz, and the island of Sharr are the settings of this book. These settings may as well also be characters, we get such a true sense of place.

3. It is physically impossible to not root for Zafira.

The main character of We Hunt The Flame is a girl named Zafira. She is one who feels compelled to provide for her people by dressing as a boy and entering the Arz to hunt. In fact, she has a reputation for being the Hunter. Zafira is the only one who can go in and out of the Arz at will. So, anyways, her reputation grows and she’s asked by the Silver Witch to find this book that will bring magic back to Arawiya and lift a curse upon the land. Friends, we ALL want Zafira to win.

4. You’ll want to unravel Nasir’s motivations.

So, the other main point of view character is Nasir, who is the Sultan’s son. Nasir basically follows the orders of his father and goes around killing people. He’s desperate for his dad’s approval. Anyways, Nasir ends up also hunting for the book alongside Zafira and forming an unlikely alliance with Zafira. Reading this, I was like, there’s no way Nasir can be THAT horrible of a person, why is he the way that he is. I just love a good morally ambiguous, complicated character.

5. Speaking of Zafira and Nasir, you’re totally going to ship them.

Okay, so Zafira and Nasir hate each other at first. Obviously, they’re both at odds. Only one can get the special magic book. Also, there’s a certain small matter of Nasir doing something that really genuinely hurts Zafira. BUT YOU GUYS ENEMIES TO LOVERS, yes sir. That’s the trope here and I AM DOWN FOR IT.

6. But really, you’ll actually be more obsessed with Altair.

General Altair accompanies Nasir on the trip to Sharr. However, it isn’t like they’re friends. In fact, they fight like cats and dogs. Altair, however, brings humor and some lightness. I loved that when he was in danger, he would just crack jokes. Basically, he is my overall favorite.

7. You like big books, and friends, this is one big book.

We Hunt The Flame clocks in at 480 pages and from what I understand, the physical book has small-ish print. That means this isn’t just a one night stand book. This is a book long enough to get you invested and caring about Arawiya, the characters, and the quest.

Have you read We Hunt The Flame yet? Let me know your reasons to check this one out!

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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