The imagery is beautiful and poetic; it brings the land to life. (Almost literally through personification.) Unfortunately, many words were unfamiliar to me. I don't know if a glossary will be included in the final edition, but it would help to have one.

The adventure is also slow to start. It wasn't until almost 30% into the novel that the hunt started. Some of the scenes that take place beforehand weren't necessary for the plot. In fact, they resolved some of Zafira's internal conflicts soon after they were introduced. This resulted in a decrease of tension just when it was needed to build up hype for the adventure.

The characters weren't compelling. While I love the large role that family plays in both Zafira and Nasir's lives (albeit, some far less positively than others), I didn't feel invested in the stakes. Part of this may be the large amount of tell compared to show. For example, Zafira repeats to herself, "It's for their survival," instead of expressing her emotions. Part of it may be that the stakes don't feel high enough, at least not within the first quarter or so of the novel. That said, I did like what I saw of Altair's character, and it looks like he'll be given a chance to play an important role in this book.

Note: for the most part, the story is told in dual third-person narration by Zafira and Nasir. I did skim to the end, however, and Yasmine and Altair are given a voice (in brief scenes). I'm not sure who else may narrate or for how long.

DNFed @ 29%

Macmillan Children's Publish Group,

Thank you so much for an eARC of this novel. Unfortunately, I have decided to not finish this novel at this time. I read around 15 percent of the book and at this point I am not quite hooked by the characters and beginning of the plot. This plot is too slow of a start for me right now and it is making me not enjoy the story. I love some of the discussion being posed in regard to gender oppression and roles. However, other than that I do not find myself enjoying these characters much. The characters seem a little flat most of the time here in the beginning. I do look forward to seeing great success for this debut novel. I love that this own voices novel has been published by you, and I truly wish it all the best! I may try to pick up the audiobook after it releases and see if that reading experience is better for me, but for now I am going to leave this unfinished and unreviewed.

Kind regards,

Brittney

"We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves."

Wow.

Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow...

"We Hunt the Flame" is a fascinating, thrilling, tantalizing tale of adventure, magic, and forging your own destiny.

Zafira is known as the Hunter, keeping her town alive by braving the mysterious Arz and bringing back meat to eat in the unforgiving snowy terrain. Her father went mad and died because of the forest that only she can navigate. She can never be revealed as a woman. If she did, she would lose everything. Before she leaves, her mother tells her one thing: "Avenge his death, Zafira. Avenge your father and destroy that forest."

Nasir is the crown-prince... and the kingdom's deadliest assassin. Forced to do his father's bidding while simultaneously suffering the Sultan's ridicule and cruelty, Nasir tries to channel his inner Elsa at all times: Conceal, don't feel. "His mother used to say that a person without hope was a body without a soul." Unfortunately, Nasir has stopped having hope. Being the Prince of Darkness is hard.

Despite their notoriety, Zafira and Nasir should never meet. Until they are both sent on the same quest--Zaifra by the mysterious Silver Witch, and Nasir by the Sultan--to go to the island of Sharr that resides within the Arz and retrieve the Jawarat, a lost book that could restore magic to the kingdoms. Zafira plans to bring the book back, restore magic, and prove once and for all that she is worthy of her title and respect. And Nasir... Plans to kill the mysterious Hunter. Who, apparently, is the Huntress. And if he can get away with murdering his annoying companion, General Altair... well, then that's just a bonus.

A deliciously dark adventure, full of snarky dialogue, jaw-dropping plot twists, and a cast of characters you can't help but adore, "We Hunt the Flame" is a fabulous debut from Hafsah Faizal and I am eagerly awaiting the forthcoming conclusion.

My only complaint is that my ARC came without a map of Arawiya, so when I re-read in preparation for the sequel next year I will definitely get my hands on a hardcover with that beautiful map I keep seeing posted from the author's Twitter account.

We Hunt the Flame is a richly written debut novel full of beautiful world building and engaging characters. The narrative moves steadily throughout the novel, undoubtedly setting up the sequel's plot and character arcs. Readers are treated to alternate perspectives that work to marry character and plot. We Hunt the Flame feels slower, more intentional -- it is a novel that commands your attention and begs for each word to be savored.

Zafira hunts to save her friends and neighbors from starvation, but in a caliphate where women have little power, she conceals her identity and masquerades as "The Hunter" in order to survive. When the Hunter is called upon to join a dangerous quest, Zafira chooses to show the world she is the Huntress -- and will sacrifice everything in order to restore magic to the world. Nasir is a hunter of men, commanded by his cruel father, the Sultan. Nasir believes his path will always lie with death and his life will always be one of suffering. When Zafira and Nasir's destinies collide, they will need to decide who they want to be and if they can really change and trust.

Zafira is the Demenhune Hunter. Dressed as a man, she safely enters the Arz, the forbidding evil woods encroaching on the lands, to kill game and bring back the meat to feed the starving people in her caliphate. 

Nasir is the son of the corrupt sultan. He is used by his father as an assassin to kill of any political enemies that might try to undermine his power over the five caliphates in his land. 

The books starts with a mission for each character that enables the reader to learn about the characters' rich, yet devastating backgrounds and special, intricate abilities. Both come from families that have suffered loss and are finding ways to grieve. They are troubled young people and only through a quest of sorts will they find a sometimes respite and a path for growth... The Silver Witch has come to Zafira offering an opportunity to bring back magic to the world. She must travel to the desert island of Sharr and find a powerful talisman to "end the magic drought." Nasir has also been tasked to travel to the island, but his goal is to steal book for his father. There are so many hidden motivations to sift through. The book really heats up when they get to the island!

There are three things I really liked about this one. The author changes the lengths of the chapters in different situations. Some are contemplative and a good deal with each character. Some are focused on fight scenes and are quick to shift the perspective back and forth between Zafira and Nasir. I felt like the dream sequences were done well. Zafira is especially affected by the magic on the island and sees visions of the monsters they encounter in the real world and in her mind. The diverse crew that joins up on the island is filled with characters that all bring particular gifts to the quest. 

While the explanation of the world building is in this one is necessary, it made for a bit of a rough beginning. We get the political makeup of world as well as the class structure, but it was heavy at times. It might have helped to spread it out over several chapters. In reference to what I said earlier about chapter length, the first several were a longer and more dense. 

Overall, We Hunt The Flame is a vibrant tale of growth and depth populated by monsters and friends, human and otherwise.

I loved this book more than I thought I would. It started slow and I couldn't tell where it was going, but when it picked up, I was hooked. I liked that the relationships were given time to develop and didn't feel forced. This book left a hole in my heart when I finished it and I couldn't read anything else for a few days. I cannot wait for the next one!

*ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

This book took me a hot minute to get into but once I did it was a wonderful time. Faizal has added so much into this world breathing life into it without leaving me confused in the dust. There were quite often moments where I was confused by a certain word and yet Faizal was there in the next paragraph easily explaining what that word meant without making the explanation seem out of place. I am just stunned by how beautifully written this book was. The story itself gave some great turns that I did not see coming and yet seemed to also somehow fit. I highly suggest this book to anyone who loves fantasy and wants to fall in love with a new world.

Oh, holy hell, This book. Never in my life did I think that I'd read a book so bleak, and so maddening, and love it so damn much. I don't know know what kind of magic Hafsah Faizal wove to create this story, but it worked. Oh, it worked.

This isn't a happy story. Sure, there are portions of it that are lighthearted. There are moments of light in the darkness. However, this is a story about war. We Rule The Night is a lightning fast read. There isn't a moment to breathe really, from the second you read that first sentence. I know it's kind of cliche to say things like "ALL THE FEELINGS." but that basically sums up this book better than anything else I could say to you. This story is full of intense emotions. It's bleak, it's frustrating at times, but it's beautiful too. The women in this story are stronger than I could ever be, and I loved them for that. I can't thank Hafsah enough for writing a book that doesn't try to make her female characters badass assassins, but just takes women who are already amazing and makes them even more impressive as they grow. I felt like I knew these women intimately by the end, and that's why this book stole my heart. Read this. I'm sure that you'll love it too.

I was grateful to get an ARC from NetGalley for this highly-anticipated debut. I had been looking forward to the release for months, and I was psyched, because it's impossible not to judge this book by its gorgeous cover. The deep indigo sky, silvery crescent moon, and wind-whipped assassin all bring to mind the Arabian Nights, and I was ready for caliphate politics, palace intrigue, deceit, and daring. That it touted itself as an enemies-to-lovers romance was just an added bonus, a Middle Eastern "Romeo & Juliet" that was sure to thrill and tantalize.

But it didn't.

Clearly Ms. Faizal is a talented writer - her description is lavish and as boundless as sand in the desert. Her characters are likable, especially lovelorn Deen and loyal Yasmine, and I appreciated the feminist overtones. I loved the way she interspersed colloquialisms throughout the novel - even though I didn't know what all the words meant ("Yalla", "Shukrun", etc.), it wasn't hard to look them up. Perhaps in the finished version there can be a glossary earlier on or footnotes for readers who aren't as experienced with Middle Eastern nomenclature and mannerisms.

Additionally, while I enjoyed the world-building, there were parts where the Arz felt like Naomi Novik's sinister Wood from "Uprooted", but I even liked the similarity and felt the Arz was a kindred reinterpretation, rather than a blatant rip-off.

However, strangely enough, it is the secondary characters that felt fully fleshed out and worth commiserating with, whereas I felt that I never really fully got to know Zafira or Nasir. Other reviewers have commented that the protagonists felt 1-d, and I have to agree, because it was almost like Kristen Stewart in "Twilight" - 1 emotion, 1 thought process, 1 mode throughout the novel. Prince Nasir had this Zuko-from-Avatar feel going for him that I wished had been more developed, because I loved the idea of his neediness and quest for redemption. Zafira was admirable in her quest to avenge Baba and feed her village, but I didn't buy the immediate chemistry between her and Nasir, and I found parts of the sultan's plot confusing and too labyrinthine to follow.

The first third of this book is snail-paced, and I almost DNF'd after nearly a hundred pages of lengthy exposition. I get that the author was painstakingly trying to lay the foundation, but I also think it will make it difficult for other readers to get invested.

For a debut novel, it was enjoyable, if clunky. I firmly believe Ms. Faizal can hone her considerable skills and take the less-is-more approach with the sequel. Again, I thank NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to pre-read!

This is an epic book. The world building is rich and colorful and the characters are fascinating. I can't wait for it to release so I can recommend it to the fantasy readers at our library!

In a failing land that is eroding after losing its magic, Zafira hunts to provide food for her people while knowing that she cannot reveal her identity as a Huntress, rather than a Hunter. At a breaking point she is offered a lucrative deal - travel to a dangerous land and discover a hidden artifact, and return magic to her people. Never mind that the person who offers her this deal is shady and obviously dangerous, the reward is worth the risk. Across the world, others are plotting their own pieces of the puzzle in hunting down magic, or taking advantage of a land without it.

Part post-apocalyptic adventure and part fairy-tale, "We Hunt the Flame" is an engaging story with the best of everything. The Eastern setting is beautiful and lush, home no matter where the reader is from. Our main character isn't perfect, but it's that's half the adventure. The obvious smoldering teen romance is offset by characterization - most importantly, the fact that there are many characters, all of whom are worthy of having an adventure worth reading about.

Hafsah's blessing is also her curse. The author has a way words. You can almost feel the work that was placed in her word choices and the way a scene is deliberately described. I truly appreciate that the effort in attempting to create a setting that while foreign in nature, carries an impact for the reader. But this level of detail to description, can weigh down a plot that has little action. The careful descriptions, and the (at times) excessive metaphors had me wondering what she was trying to say.

I found that I was always waiting for something to happen and when it did, it was anticlimactic.

Cheers for the female protagonist who I hope will grow into a more rounded, active character as the story progresses. Cheers for the detailed descriptions of the Muslim culture.

I have to preface this review with the fact that I was highly anticipating this book. I'd heard so much about it and everything about the characters and plot sounded right up my alley. I personally love character driven books and while this one was pretty well balanced with its characters and plot it had such marvelous characters (which I L O V E) which made this book so much more enjoyable for me. I really enjoyed the writing of this book so much. It had beautiful prose that were easy to get into and it felt like the worldbuilding and plot were set up well. There were times that I utterly lost track of time reading because I got so engrossed into the story and characters, and I remember PHYSICALLY having to drag myself away from a particularly cute character moment in the book to go do some work. I definitely think this book deserves the hype and recognition it's getting in those areas but I still had a few parts that let me down a bit.

To start, while I do think the plot was pretty well done there were a few moments where I felt a bit bored or I felt like a big event was a bit anticlimactic, or even too small of a build to it. Some of these less exciting moments were necessary but I honestly think some could've been cut, however, that might just be my love of the character's fun, lighthearted banter getting in the way. I also felt like sometimes there wasn't enough of a strong foundation put in place for relationships. I found it a bit hard to believe that after knowing two people that she hadn't interacted with much for about two days Zafira really cared about them. That was just something that bothered me a bit in the beginning. I think my final issue was how long it took to get to the very exciting part of the story. While I think the worldbuilding and character introductions were necessary I also wish that the main advertised plot started earlier than halfway through. Overall while I did have a few issues with this book I really loved the characters and I am very interested in seeing where this series goes in the future. I think the author is very talented and I'm glad I'll get to see these characters again and see where their relationships go.

What do you do when you finally read a book that gives you 1: life, 2: a dire need to marry an assassin (which is not very safe but you gave up that lifestyle long ago), 3: an epic adventure that satiates the insatiable need for hate-to-love tropes, 4: laugh out loud one-liners that help you laugh through the pain, and 5: just overall so perfect that you can’t put it down for 5 SECONDS???? Yeah, I have no idea. Probably just stare at a blank word doc trying to put words to how real the afterglow of reading this book is. But here is my attempt at translating all of the scribbles and notes that happened throughout the journey that was We Hunt The Flame.

“Be as victorious as the name I have given you, and bring the desert to its knees.”

The story follows Zafira Iskandar, resident badass of the caliphate of Demenhur and otherwise known as the notorious “Hunter” that everyone reveres and fears at the same time. Disguising herself as a man, Zafira braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people while running the risk of being exposed as a girl and her achievements being rejected. Nasir Ghameq identifies more as the Prince of Death than his born title of Prince of Sarasin. He assassinates those who defy his father, the king, and if his non-assassin-like compassion stands in the way of his duty, he awaits a much darker punishment from his father. “Both are legends in the kingdoms of Arawiya--but neither wants to be.”

“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”

In the once magic-filled world of Arawiya, magic has disappeared, leaving the world as an empty husk in its wake. As days go on, war is brewing faster and the Arz is growing quicker, swallowing the land in darkness. Zafira is tasked to find an artifact that can bring magic back and defeat this darkness. Nasir has the same quest, in addition to killing the Hunter. They both believe they know what trials lay ahead of them, but little do they know that something much darker and more ancient awaits them.

“Sunlight was always faint in the caliphate of Demenhur, because the sun didn’t know what to do with the snow that should be sand.”

The first thing I fell in love with about this book is the writing. Hafsah’s writing style is so lyrical, so intriguing, that you can’t help but get sucked into the story. Filled with beautiful descriptions, heart-racing adventure, heart-pounding intensity, and sprinkles of the perfect amount of comedic relief, We Hunt The Flame was truly such a treasure to read. I found myself not being able to put the book down for too long at times because of how invested I was in the story and didn’t want to leave the intensity and excitement. Also, often times comedy can be added haphazardly and tastelessly to a story, which lends itself to distracting from the experience as a whole, especially with a story of this caliber and grandeur but that was not the case with this particular tale. If anything, it makes you fall in love with the story as a whole and with the characters even more.

“...you’re officially a murderer. Welcome to the club.”

Speaking of characters, the zumra (squad) were truly what brought the story to life. They all had qualities that were unique to each of them (Zafira’s tenacity, Nasir’s compassion, Altair’s mischief, Kifa’s bravery, Benyamin’s wisdom), yet they all balanced each other out by providing the strengths for the others’ weaknesses. They prove that it doesn’t matter who you are or what circumstances you are coming from, it’s your actions and what you have to offer that truly matters. They are literally the definition of having the ability to face and overcome your adversities becoming one of your greatest strengths.

We Hunt The Flame has definitely been my favorite read of 2019 thus far and I think it’s also safe to say that my all-time faves bookshelf has made room for another addition. I wholeheartedly believe that this story will enthrall readers with its charm, mystique, wonder, and plot twists to sate anyone’s need for the surprise element. Oh, and did I mention a villain that you will instantly love to hate? I truly hope that you will pick up We Hunt The Flame after its release on May 14th!

I have been waiting so long to read this. I had every intention of loving it to pieces. But that did not happen. I feel so heartbroken about it. I have known this author for years, and she is adorable. And her book sounded incredible. And look gorgeous too. While parts of it was amazing, not all of it was. At least not to me. Sigh.

I wanted to completely love We Hunt the Flame. But I did not. I enjoyed it so, but no love. Took me many days to finish it. And I just did not have the excitement for it that I wanted to have. But even so. I'm so glad I got to read it. And I will still be getting my stunning hardcover of it, to look at. Giving this book three stars.

Not two, because I truly did enjoy parts of this book a whole lot. But also not four, because I didn't love it. My mind feel conflicted right now. I am not sure how to put my feelings for this book into words. But I will try my best. What I really enjoyed about this one was the setting. I adored this world and all the characters living in it. I liked that this place was separated into five different places where everyone had their purpose. The people were all different and diverse. All exciting to read about. And I very much liked getting to know more about this world, about the magic that it once had. I liked reading about the different cultures. I very much enjoyed reading about all the different food. I don't know much about this culture, but I really want to know even more about it all.

But sadly, I did not like the writing in this book. It was not horrible, but it was not good either. It was sort of a mess for me. It made it harder for me to read this book, as I could not focus for long. But. What I loved about the writing was the Arabic words included. They were written so so well and I always loved learning the new words. I very much enjoyed that. I only had an issue with all the words put together, as I did not manage to connect the way I wanted to. I truly wanted it all to get better, but it never did, not for me. Sigh.

This book tells the story of Zafira and Nasir. It is told from their point of views. I enjoyed getting to know both of them. But gosh, how slow the beginning of this book was. It took ages before the adventure finally started. We got to know the characters a little before that, know all the things about their lives so far. And that's something that bothered me. The romance is supposed to be about Zafira and Nasir. But more than a hundred pages is focused on a boy in love with her, and her somewhat caring for him. It hurt my heart.

Okay, it was not really a love triangle at all. Since the two main characters did not know about each other yet. But I will admit that it hurt my heart to read so many pages about Zafira having an almost boyfriend from home. And then learning about Nasir and his past, about a girl in his life too. It was a little too much for me. Because for me, personally, I do not want to read about past relationships. I so don't want to read about an almost relationship either, when I know the real romance of the book is still to come. It just hurts.

But anyway. I have already written too much about that. I will not say too much about this book. Only that we get to know Zafira and Nasir a whole lot. She is the hunter of her village of snow. They have no food. Only she can get it for them. But almost no one knows this famous hunter is a woman, in this town of men with power. And Zafira is afraid of letting anyone know. She does not want to be forced into marriage. She only wants to save the town by feeding them, save her family and her friends. Zafira simply tries her best.

Nasir is the Prince of Death. The son of the sultan. His assassin. He is the person killing everyone that the sultan wants gone. Criminals, innocents, it does not matter. Nasir must kill them all. And because of this his heart is all kinds of dark and broken. I must admit that I was expecting him to be more dark and broken than he was, haha. After he met Zafira, he was not very dark at all, and I wanted more darkness from him. Instead he was more of a lovesick boy. Sigh. But I still liked him. A whole bunch. Just, no love.

This book also tells of Altair. The sultan's general, whom ends up travelling with Nasir. They are hunting the hunter, whom have been sent on a mission to save magic. They are all going to a dark island full of danger. It was sadly not as exciting as I wanted it to be. Sigh. I wanted more death and pain, haha. But it was still interesting and exciting at times. Anyway. Altair. He was a little bit dramatic and way too rude at times. Yet he was also the character that I liked the most, I think. He was the fun one, and I adored him.

There were a few other characters too, but I'm not mentioning them by name. But do know that they too were interesting to read about. Not perfect, not fully exciting, but still cute. This story is about a mission to save magic. While surviving a dangerous island filled with secrets. And that is all I will say about it. Parts of it were pretty good. But other parts were not. I wanted there to be more exciting secrets. I wanted way more danger. I felt like this book was a little too long with too little happening most times. I needed better.

Although I did not love We Hunt the Flame, it was still a stunning book. And I think many of you will love it the way I could not. Though I very much want to see others be unsure about it too, to know I'm not alone in feeling this way. I wish it had been perfect for me. I wish I could have loved it the way I wanted to. But I did like it a lot. And that the ending was all kinds of rude, which means I very much want to read the next book. Which I hope that I will like more. The biggest thank you to the publisher for my Netgalley approval.

This was great. I really loved the world building and magic systems. The plot moved quickly and had me eager to know how things would resolve. I definitely plan on reading later books in the series.

I hate to DNF a ARC, but this book is just not working for me. I’ve tried to get through this book for a couple weeks, and I’m only over halfway through. This was a highly anticipated read for me for 2019, and it was buzzed about everywhere. I’m sad to give up on it, but I’m just bored with the storyline and characters. I’m sure some will love this story, but it just didn’t work for me at all.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I was absolutely overjoyed to be able to read this title because it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I love it when characters have such strong personalities and their synergy makes for entertaining interactions that makes me love their dynamic all the more. The action, imagery, and enthralling plot had me hooked from the first chapter, and I’m so excited to recommend this to my peers. Fantastic read, I can’t wait to see this on shelves at last.

Quite possibly one of the best books I’ve read this whole year, We Hunt the Flame thrives on a plot constructed entirely around how the characters interact with one another. The relationship among the band of highly flawed heroes makes for a page-turner that requires a neurotic neglect of all household and job-related duties to get to the very last page, and quickly. For once, the blurb, and the hype, is actually spot-the-heck-on.

Additionally, in today’s glutted YA market full of banal gender-flipping, forbidden female tropes, and seething with the man-hating feminism of the modern culture, We Hunt the Flame manages to address, but not make the novel revolve around, a relevant topic of female inequality with a lens of truth and objectivity, even though the setting is fantastical. Some places restrict the roles and rights of women. Some men view women as inferior and cursed. Not all. Not even most. Just some.

Unfortunately, those some are the men in power, who, in this novel, have in a manner of sorts wrested power from the women in charge while they have disappeared, perhaps forever gone.

While I would love to just go on and on about all my favorite parts of the plot and my favorite character, I won’t because that stuff lends itself to spoilery-spoilerton mess, and I don’t like reading when others do that. I like going into a story with minimal knowledge.

My thanks to NetGalley for this wonderfully awesome ARC, for which I give my own opinion.

We Hunt the Flame was *seriously* hyped-up. People were bartering for ARCs, people were whining about having to wait to read it. You would think this book included the secret to immortality. Which is amazing for the author and for YA fantasy as a genre! Especially since Hafsah Faizal is a POC Muslim woman who absolutely deserves the publicity and attention. She specifically did not make her characters Muslim, because she said she didn't want to be pigeonholed into only being an 'ownvoices' writer, but the setting and characters are certainly heavily inspired by the Middle East.

Anyway, it took me a while to get into We Hunt the Flame. And by 'a while' I mean a couple of months, wherein I devoured a different book and moved to a new apartment and did a bunch of other things. The thing was, I wasn't terribly invested. When I wasn't reading about these characters, I could easily live without them and not wonder what they were up to. That's not ideal.

But as I kept reading, I understood why people loved WHtF. The writing was good, though I didn't find it too engrossing. The characters were actually realistic (for example, the main character gets pissed when a boy she isn't sure she has any feelings for professes his love and then follows her on what was supposed to be *her* life-changing mission, which is absolutely the reaction I'd have). The magic system is interesting, though I'm still a bit confused about some areas. That's pretty on-par or a YA fantasy, though.

Overall I'm giving We Hunt the Flame three stars, just because it took a lot of effort from me to really get into the story. I honestly wish I could give it more stars, but you should read for yourself and decide whether it lives up to the hype!