Reviews with content warning for Grief - We Hunt the Flame

Dark and magical this book was filled with Middle Eastern characters, myths and magic. Zafira the hunter kills to help others live, while nasir the prince is an assassin so people die because he lives.

When the mysterious silver witch turns up and serves a quest to save the magic that was lost when the six sisters of old fell. Journeying across the deserts and fighting monsters and darkness brings this unlikely group together with truths unexpected revealed along the way.

The family links had me in shock as I saw none of them coming at all, as well as what seems to be a slow forming romance between our MCs. I can’t wait to see how this ends in the sequel of the duology.

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raisinglebarre's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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chasinggrace's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I’m going to eat up a fantasy duology EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Is the plot of this book kind of “basic”? Sure. It’s the typical “vengeful woman and cold-hearted man become reluctant allies in a quest to find an Ancient tome that will free magic and save the kingdom,” and I loved it all the same.

I also found myself caring for the side characters as well. Each had a purpose, versus just being there for comedic relief.

I will say, the two main romances were predictable, but I was

sad all the same when Deen was killed. I also did NOT see the familial connections coming - Altair being Nasir’s half brother? The Silver Witch being his mom? The Lion being Altair’s dad? It all shook me lol

.

The epilogue has me very eager to pick up the next book. My only critique is that this book needed an Arabic glossary. I could make occasional assumptions, but Arabic words were used so freely that at times I felt like I lost important details.

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mariebrunelm's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Zafira is a huntress from a poor, snow-laden village. Only she will brave the darkness looming ever closer and bring back game to feed her family. Lured by the chance of bringing back magic, she ventures on the other edge of the dark, not knowing what she will have to face. Nasir is a prince, but also the King's most ruthless hashashin. He doesn't question orders even when he may not come back. A mysterious book is what leads them both farther from their home than they have ever been, but they’re not the only ones looking for it.

This fun YA novel had excellent vibes and a SWANA-inspired world-building that I relished. There was a lot of banter between the characters, which I'm always happy to read, although at some point it almost became a little too much. Does every interaction have to be lined with irony ? There was also a slow-burn romance that I didn’t exactly care for but that's because I don’t care for romance generally. I loved the prose, the language (and the glossary that had a pronunciation guide included), and the fact that it wasn’t too fast-paced for a YA novel. One could even say that not much happened, at least in the grand scheme of things. The characters face danger upon danger, but there is also quite a bit of space devoted to quiet moments and more-or-less deep conversations. As much as the world-building was developed, the narrative itself was a lot lighter. Perhaps I would have enjoyed more balance between the two, but that’s really me being picky. I enjoyed how the author wrote her characters, and even though they carry their fair share of trauma, their dynamics made We Hunt the Flame a fun and enjoyable reading experience.

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medditeranean_b00kw0rm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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lupalionessa's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Upon my reread of this book, it truly has become a comfort read for me, thus the 5 stars. Technically the pacing, etc. should make it a 4 star but this book scratches all of my itches and therefore I love it.

Within the first few chapters, continuing on throughout the book, it is evident what pieces of media inspired Faizal. The Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone, LOTR, and Assassins Creed are all pieces of media referenced, in ways some may say are heavy handed. But, I love all those series so it was nice to have those tropes again, this time in the wonderfully crafted land of Arawiya.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll blush, you’ll flip through the pages quickly! Can’t wait to read the sequel finally. I love Altair the best btw.

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