Faizal concludes her series with the same wonderful fantasy world-building and characters from her first book. The characters in these books resonated with me as a reader and I really appreciated the narration style used. This book also puts a different spin on the Arabic world and I loved how the terms were brought into it. For me, there was just enough context and I felt like I was learning something special along the way. I think this series will appeal to many YA ages and beyond.

Beautiful writing and imagery. As good as the first one for sure, if not better. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves fantasy worlds!

(This review refers to the first title, We Hunt the Flame, as well.)
It’s always refreshing to find a fantasy universe that is not based in Anglo-European culture. The Arabic roots of this duology are clear and interesting, and include vocabulary and mythological creatures. We have Sarasins, hashashins, ifrits, and other creatures from the desert.

Many of the classic YA fantasy tropes are there—Chosen One, self-doubt, misunderstandings, loss, younger siblings who surprise the protagonist with their self-reliance and ability. (Zafira, her sister Lana, and their mother bear strong resemblance to Katniss, Prim, and their mother in The Hunger Games.) No love triangle though, which is refreshing!

There is love, however, in many forms. Love of country, love of community, love of family, and friends. And yes, romantic love as well. Some characters lose people they love deeply. All of this in the quest to restore magic to Arawiya.

These are long books, and complex. Although the lexile is accessible and listed as “high-interest, low-lexile”, getting through this duology is definitely a commitment.

The first book definitely left me with questions; most of them were answered satisfactorily in the second.

While parts of the resolution were bittersweet, the overall closure is satisfying. I will read these again some day.

Who might like these books:
Fantasy fans, people who want to experience a taste of Arabic culture (albeit in a fantasy world). There are strong men and women alike. Our main characters are definitely flawed individuals, but they learn, grow, and change.

Possible objectionable material:
There are battles, death, and blood. Indications of unmarried sexual activity.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher, for the eARC of We Free the Stars in exchange for my honest review.

If he’s the darkness, then you’re his moon, and the moon wasn’t made to be caged.

I don't even know what to say. How does Faizal do it? I did not think it was possible to love this installment even more than I already love We Hunt the Flame but I DO SO MUCH. The world has expanded, this journey was wrought with so many emotional ups and downs, our two main characters are evenly matched, facing even more darkness than the first book and yet stoic as steel.

The tension between Zafira and Nasir was through the roof and I LOVED it so much. Altair and Kifah are still hilarious. Lana was wonderfully sharp. I will forever treasure this story and these characters, I love ALL of them so much. Hafsah's writing is beautiful and precise, there's so much to take away about love, life, loss, and grief, and I am so proud to have been on the street team for this book and that it, along with We Hunt the Flame will always have a special place on my bookshelf to revisit Arawiya whenever I wish.

I absolutely adored We Hunt the Flame and I was really looking for to We Free the Stars but it didn't quite hit the mark as I'd hoped. It was still very good, but not as good as the first.

I was lucky enough to win an arc of We Free the Stars from a YallStayAtHome giveaway!

This book was an incredible follow-up to We Hunt the Flames (which was an even better read the second time!). However, and it may have just been the formatting of the eARC, it was sometimes hard to follow the path of the story. The narrative jumped between various locations and actions, and there were many times I was confused over why a characters was doing something or going somewhere because it was very abrupt.

Now that the Arz has fallen and the battle on Sharr is over, the zumra must return to the kingdom and finish what they have started. They must return the hearts of the Sisters of Old to each caliphate and restore magic to Arawiya.

This duology was kind of a slow burn for me, partly because there were a lot of terms that were unfamiliar to me, and I had trouble keeping track of all the characters and factions. Still, I'm glad I persisted as it was a very satisfying ending. I think if I had had a glossary of sorts that helped me keep track of the characters and the cultural terms (food, political structure, different beings, etc.) it would have deepened my appreciation of this story. The author did a great of the main characters, but having a summary of each one as I got to know each one would have helped me better understand the nuances of the relationships as this book was truly all about the relationships. As I alluded to earlier, I absolutely loved how it all ended and slowly became more and more invested in all the characters. This was a story that I started out reading but ended up getting the audio halfway through and I very much enjoyed listening to and reading along. The narrator did a great job with the voices and it helped me keep track of the characters a bit better. This is a duology that would probably benefit from a reread and I may do that in the future this time with a combo of reading and listening. I'm glad I read this as I haven't read much about Arabian culture/mythology. I think fans of the Six of Crows Duology or the Gilded Wolves Trilogy would probably enjoy this.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am so glad that I was able to read this book before it’s release. It was a very emotional, but extremely fitting sequel for WE HUNT THE FLAME and Hafsah has outdone herself with the book. Angst, Love, Friendship and an interesting villain. Everything you ever want from a book!

Hafsah Faizal’s debut and New York Times bestseller We Hunt The Flame was one of my favorite fantasy novels of 2019. It was a lush and magical page-turner with instantly likeable characters, an exciting plot, and an enemy to friends slow-burn romance that I was desperate to read more of.

We Free The Stars became an extremely anticipated sequel and not just because the way the first book ended. I loved the Zumra—what the group calls themselves in the first book—and needed to know how the events of the first book would affect their world. I also needed to know if Zafira and Nasir would allow themselves happiness and admit their feelings for each other. The few questions that were answered at the end of the first book were replaced by a great deal of others. I had high hopes for the sequel, I wanted to see more of Arawiya even though I knew it was only a duology, and my time with Zafira, Nasir, Altair and Kifah was short.


Macmillan/FSG
Overall, the book doesn’t disappoint—it’s exciting, with excellent worldbuilding and the same characters we got to know and love. At the end of the first book, the Zumra escaped Sharr with a clear way of how to restore magic to Arawiya. But as the Lion captured one of their own and found a way off his prison island, their time was running out to do so before he made a move.

As the stakes expand we get to see the crew in their element, fighting and taking a stand against the Lion and darkness in Arawiya. Zafira’s tether to the magical Jawarat made her internal struggle to fight against its evil demands all the more interesting to read. In the first book, her pure heart guided her through the darkness on Sharr, but now is put to the test as her more dark impulses are brought to light by the book’s connection.

I also loved Nasir’s transformation. When we first met him in We Hunt The Flame, he was a jaded assassin, angry with his father’s orders, and weighed by guilt for following them. But with a path forward and a group of people who care about him—who he cares about in return—he became even more delightful to follow along. I loved his relationship with Altair—though his newly discovered half-brother was missing for most of the book— and how it changed him. And I loved how he cared about Zafira from afar. Their relationship was definitely one of the better parts of the book.

The amount of strong women in the book who push against the expectations of the men in their lives and the structures set on them was refreshing to read as well. I loved every character, but Hafsah’s female protagonists and secondary characters were a joy to read. I loved Kifah, Lana and Yasmine and the friendships and relationships that flourished apart from the men in the story.

Though it took some time to get too, Hafsah doesn’t pull her punches on the action. The story trudges along and then blasts ahead at full speed, taking off with little time to catch your breath. The book is merciless in its plot turns and character reveals, making us sympathetic for someone one moment to vilifying them in the next. It’s as if the author wanted to squeeze two more books into this one.

Though the book takes place soon after the events of the first book, I think the sequel could have benefitted from a summary. I was a bit lost in the first few pages as I tried to remember what happened and I even had to go back and skim the first book, which took a bit of time as it’s over 450 pages. And this book is almost 600 pages! I’m usually overjoyed at large books, especially when I really enjoyed the first in the series. But there were bits of the beginning that slogged, especially after the excitement of the first book. I kept waiting for things to start—though when they did, almost 60% into the book, I was grateful for the momentum. It did make me think that maybe the book would have been better if it was split into two? Or maybe I was just reading too slowly. Either way, my enjoyment did suffer a bit at how long it took me to read just half. I was excited to get to the characters again when I started but was a bit disappointed when I wasn’t falling into it as fast as the first book.

Once the book picks up, and we near a turning point, I feel like there’s a payoff. I won’t spoil anything because that would be rude but there’s nothing sweeter in this series than a protective Nasir. His 360 from angry princeling to caring brother and friend (because Nasir would never be so forward to call himself anything else toward Zafira) is fun to read. I just wish we got more of it! And Altair deserves a few books of his own—I would have loved to read about his machinations as spymaster before the events of We Hunt the Flame. In fact, I think we definitely deserve more in this series. But I’m content to imaginings for now.

I can’t speak personally to the representation in the book but I really loved the Arabic inspiration and inspired setting. From the sooqs in the Sultan’s keep to the date trees and sand dunes, I loved reading a fantasy set away from Western inspired countries. It made the worldbuilding richer too.

While it wasn’t as quick of a read as I expected, We Free The Stars was a worthy follow up and satisfying sequel. I’m sad to be finished with the series but I’m all the more aware of how talented Hafsah is and cannot wait for her future novels.

I had a difficult time with the second book of the Sands of Arawiya duet. While I really enjoyed book 1, this book seemed to drag for me and I'm honestly not sure why it didn't hold my interest. The relationships in general didn't seem to matter as much to me, possibly because it was all very rushed (the book's time period is so short)? While the main love interest wasn't insta-love, there didn't seem to be a maturation of the romance which was unsatisfying. The writing was lovely but dense and I did get lost in passages at times wondering what I was actually reading about. This is another duology that could have been condensed into one really good fantasy with better editing.

My Rating: 4 Stars

I have been SO EXCITED for this book. Seriously. So excited. We Hunt the Flame ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and I’ve been stressing over the safety of my man, Altair for years now. The first book in this series was a literal one sitting read for me, and I went into We Free the Stars with high expectations. I already knew I loved Hafsah Faizal’s writing style, as well as the world she’d created.

As always, let me start by talking about what I loved. This duology has a found family plotline that I love so so much. The trust and relationships between the characters is absolutely heartwarming, and the banter was on point. I thought that the story was very well wrapped up and am genuinely happy with the way that everything ended. It wasn’t quite what I expected – it was actually better. And the best part? It was OPEN ENDED. Which means…drumroll please….a spin off book. I personally think based on how things ended that Altair will get his own books.

I do want to add that I highly recommend the audiobooks for this series – the narrators are impecible. They are the same narrators (Steve West and and Fiona Hardingham) who worked on the An Ember in the Ashes series. I seriously can’t say enough good things about this combination of narrators – I will listen to anything they work on together.

While I did enjoy the way the series ended, I overall think that I enjoyed We Hunt the Flame just a bit more. The plot of We Hunt the Flame took my by the hand and dragged me along, hardly allowing me time to breathe. We Free the Stars, however led me on a meandering stroll. I was thrilled with the destination, but I wish we had moved a bit faster on our way.

Such a beautiful and lush conclusion. I was swept up in the journey and all the emotions that developed along the way. This is a must read duology!

We Free the Stars is the sequel to Hafsah Faizal’s debut novel, We Hunt the Flame. Readers return to Arawiya, and Zafira, Nasir, and others make the journey back from Sharr to begin the second part of their mission to bring magic back to their people. But of course, there will be no smooth sailing for the team as they struggle with broken alliances and missing pieces to complete the task.

The team has successfully recovered the hearts of the Sisters of Old – that is, except for one. While Altair had possession of one of the hearts, he was unfortunately kidnapped by the Lion of the Night. However, now the Lion also makes his way to Arawiya and prepares to unleash his demons (“ifrits”) and gain control. Zafira, Nasir, and the rest of the team must now work against the clock to not only return the hearts to their rightful places, but also recover the fifth heart somehow to bring magic back to the land.

As mentioned before, the group faces difficulties along the way in We Free the Stars. Altair believes that his friends have abandoned him, and is tempted to join forces with the Lion as an alternative. Zafira’s bond with the Jawarat has her questioning her own sanity. Nasir’s struggle to control the magic within him proves to be more difficult than he anticipated.

In addition to internal conflicts, our characters struggle with old relationships as well. Zafira has to mend her bond with her best friend, Yasmine, who saw Altair kill her brother Deen. Nasir desires to repair the relationship with his Sultan father, who is under the Lion’s control. We also meet new characters who have significant parts to play in the events to come (with heartbreaking ends as well).

Faizal once again demonstrates her descriptive writing ability, providing readers with the rich details needed to picture each scene and consider each emotion with which our characters struggle. The story is paced well, with bursts of action sequences in between moments where dialogue takes over. We also get more politics in We Free the Stars, since much is at stake depending on who comes out on top in the battle for power.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed We Free the Stars. It’s full of magic, wonder, love, loyalty, politics, challenges, and more.

Hafsah Faizal’s writing is truly a force. We Free The Stars is the final book in the Sands Of Arawiya duology, and wow, y’all, just wow. I made this book a priority because full disclosure, I think that Hafsah is an awesome person and I’ve “known” her since she was blogging at Icey Books. Usually I procrastinate on sequels and just in general, but there are some things worth doing and reading on time/early — this book is absolutely worth reading as soon as you can get your hands on it. However, you should not be a weirdo and ensure you actually read book one – We Hunt The Flame beforehand.

The premise of We Free The Stars essentially is that our favorite team has a mission to bring magic back to Arawiya. After all, they now have the hearts of the sisters and they have to put them in the minarets. Only, okay, the Lion is pretty much no longer confined. But also, the Lion has Altair in his clutches. On the upside? Zafira has the Jawarat, this book that is magic and contains a whole lot of important knowledge. On the downside? Zafira’s mother has passed and well, her home isn’t quite what she knew. Nasir has returned home and is in the presence of his father again, but of course, his father is a massive douche and under the influence of the lion.

So, there is a lot going on in Hafsah Faizal’s We Free The Stars. It took me longer than anticipated to finish reading. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing – life is busy and this book is nearly 600 pages. Also? The writing is so detailed and intricate that it just took me longer to process. I feel like Faizal chooses each word and turn of the phrase with care. So, of course it is not going to be the kind of book I read in a single night and that’s okay.

What is wonderful is that I was so invested in the story. I legit almost cried a little at the ending, it was PERFECT. I mean, there were some surprises and the way everything came together was excellent. And I have to say, the core characters within this duology are so three dimensional – Zafira, Nasir, Altair, and Kifah – I loved them all. Read this duology for a flight of fancy through the sands of Arawiya, it is a stunner of a story.

This is a beautiful second book in a duology writen by Hafsah Faizal. I loved the first book and the second did not disppoint. Full of magic, drama, friendship, trust, love and heartbreak, this book was what I hoped it would be after the first. Faizal does a wonderful job creating a complex fantasy world and characters. I look forward to seeing what she writes next! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s over. It’s actually over?? I AM AN EMOTIONAL WRECK.

I put off finishing this because I knew as soon as it was over I was going to have an ache in my heart. These characters mean so much to me, this zumra of misfits coming together in a time of darkness and overcoming to see the light shining through... I am at a loss for words. This journey is something I will never forget. I will miss Altair and his flirty banter, Kifah and her fierce and loving heart, Nasir dark and compassionate, and of course Zafira pure of heart and dark of intention.

It was an ending that made me smile through the tears because everything just felt so right. So complete. The adventure is over and it is time to move on and start anew. Nasir and Zafira are OTP. Top tier. I love them w everything I am. Kifah being the head guard for Altair was everything I needed and more. The sacrifice. The forgiveness. The love. The strength. Such an incredible journey that I’m so happy I got to be apart of.

This book was beautifully written and atmospheric. I have very little to complain about. I liked it so much I went and read the first book before reading this one a second time

Awww this beautiful book. I was so excited to read the conclusion of We Hunt the Flame, I was not disappointed. The growth and struggle of the characters. The beauty of Hafsah’s words. I can’t wait to read Hafsah next books.

While We Free the Stars is full of action, the characters were what kept me reading. Not only is this sequel brimming with witty banter and silences packed with yearning, but it's also about family, friendship, and love. About characters and family that tests our limits and twists our hearts in their sacrifices. In their quests for vengeance and pride. We can believe our feet are stuck on one road, unable to diverge even when our heart does. But can we find the strength to alter our own heading?

Sometimes we wish we could act on what our heart wants, but we are held back by duty and fear. We Free the Stars is very much a story about conquering over vengeance. Conquering over resignation and betrayal. Loyalties change and break, but what happens when we stop trusting eaach other? It's hard to mend these relationships of torn shreads of monstrous loves and human mistakes. Anger can simmer, slowly eroding the walls of our heart, until it can overwhelm us in a flood. But once we let the floodgates down, we become controlled by our rage.