Thank you Macmillan Children’s Books & NetGalley for this e_arc in exchange for my honest review.

I read this straight after We Hunt the Flame & I think I would have struggled to regain the story if I hadn’t. Recaps at the start make a huge difference for a lot of readers.

Reeling after the battle on Sharr, the zumra must find a way to retrieve their captive ally, the lost heart of a Sister of Old, and prepare Arawiya for the return of the Lion of the Night and the war to come.

Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah, are torn between trying to rescue Altair and followihis plans, but without all five hearts they can’t restore magic.

The zumra are preparing to fight the Lion & face the traps of Basir’s father - the Sultan, who is under the Lion’s control.

Zafira has accidentally become bound to the Jawarat, a magical tome of the Sisters’ memories, and to prevent the threat of its power when it is stolen by the Lion, must risk blood magic that didn’t work well before to put things right.

This 2nd book in the duology starts off slowly, but soon picks up pace to pull you back into Zafaira’s adventures and her mission to save all that is dear to her and her people.

A fine ending to this duology, with excellent pacing, prose and adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I really wanted to love this book. I liked the plot and the narrative, but the writing style seemed to grate on me slightly as I didn't think the characters were given enough opportunity to develop, and the events of the plot moved so quickly that the reader didn't have enough time to be introspective and create character development that way. However, I think the idea of a fantasy series set in Middle Eastern mythology is great and I wish I'd enjoyed it more.

I had hoped We Free the Stars would be the impactful sequel to We Hunt the Flame, but I'm left in a puddle of disillusion following completing this book.

The book picks up excitingly from the previous book, introducing elements that had me hooked from the beginning. I love the sentience of the Jarawat and the dimension that having fully realised characters from the previous book gave this sequel reading experience. The plot felt so fresh despite being a sequel, and I was excited to see the direction that the story would take upon reading.

However there was so much unrealised potential in this book that felt all too familiar to the first. You can never truly place a characters position in the room, and when the action hits it feels so hazy and confusing to read. There's no real clarity there, just choas to read and imagine.
Then there's the overarching theme of sexism. For a world where women are supposed to have no rights, the protagonist rarely seems to suffer because of it, and the dialogue that surrounds the topic is very #GirlPower and lacks impact. The plot throughout just gets thinner and thinner, relying on repeated conversations and travelling to spur the story onwards.

It just felt unfinished. The plot overall has so many great moments that you never really get to see realised. The impactful moments are left unwritten, or rushed through so speedily there's very little time to absorb it. Like the characters, the plot just travels from place to place before succeeding or failing at tasks. The repetition of the dialogue is so frustrating to see as well. Do we need to hear that Zafira only cared for Deen like a brother for the umpteenth time? Absolutely not. Repetition is not rumination and it feels like a waste of pages where important things could be focussed on.

I have respect for the story and what it aimed to achieve. It is certainly an improvement on the first book for me. The plot is so full of potential and I have no doubt that younger readers might not see the flaws I saw and get to enjoy the story. I would recommend it to anyone who thoroughly enjoyed the first book on the promise of more Zafira x Nazir spice. It's absolutely a slow burn, but I'll leave it up to the readers to decide if the destination was worth the journey.

We free the stars brings the reader back to Arawiya as the story picks up from the ending of We Hunt the Flame.




In my opinion, We hunt the flame is more about Zafira but in We Free the Stars is Nasir. I loved that the focus changed but Zafira is still important. The relationship between those two characters is also one of my favourites aspects. As they are battling their own demons, as well as the need for each other. 

Hafash Faizal writing style is easy to read. It's fast paces, packed with details to keep my interest. Without me feeling overwhelmed trying to keep all the characters in order. 

Throughout the book, there are moments where I was thinking know Hafash can't be doing this to me. 

Another element I enjoyed in this book is the banter between all of the main character group. As they have become a family and this gives them the freedom to day things others might not. 

Hafash has ended the story in a way that feels right for the characters and the reader. I will miss the characters and this world. 




Overall We Free the Stars is perfect for any fans of YA Fantasy.




My Rating for We Free the Stars is 4.8 out of 5. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillian children books for gifting me a copy of We Free the Starts for review.

I just found the characters rather flat. Their entire personalities seemed to boil down to one thing (for example, the one who annoyed me the most was Nasir, who was just constantly "I'm an unlovable monster who's weak.") And I'm not a big fan of "broody" characters, as they rarely have other characteristics, and yet are deemed love interests?

Unfortunately, in the course of the book, they only seemed to dig their heels in more about their single, frustrating characteristic in this book. Nasir, despite actually having no part in any of the four stages of creating the weapon that damages Zafira's village, blames himself for it. And Zafira believes him. If he had even thought for half a second about it, he would have seen it wasn't his fault. But, it causes relationship drama, I guess? (I HATE relationship drama based on miscommunication or ridiculous logical inconsistencies like this. You can TELL it's there just to add "drama.")

Altair, with his quippy nature hiding secrets, was at least the most complex character of the first book, but in this book he started off with another logical fallacy. There was a battle at the end of B2 against the big bad. It was chaos and deadly, and they had to flee. He was captured, and has decided he must have been left behind because no one liked him (despite Zafira basically saying he was a friend in B1). So he listens to the big bad.

This all happens within 60 pages, and the book is almost 600 pages long. I'll be honest, at that point I was bracing to fight through and probably would have DNF'd if I hadn't been buddy read it.

It was mostly the characters for me. I was the sort of teenager who was described as 14 going on 40, and who had no interest in a relationship. When a book's core cast can mostly be described as "characters who make bad decisions and are going mad for love", it's hard for me to connect as that was not me - and is not me. I did really like that Kifah was described as aro(!!) and would have loved to see more of her rather than as a supporting cast member. However, the focus of the book was on Zafira and Nasir (and the odd POV chapter from Altair, but it was like he was often forgotten.)

Unfortunately, I mostly just wanted to shake Zafira and Nasir, tell them to <em>think</em> before acting, and to just <em>talk</em> it through so I didn't have to sit through yet another set of chapters about them pining but not communicating so coming across issues. The bulk of the plot seemed to be taken up by their relationship while they didn't seem to do anything against the big bad for chapters at a time (the chapters are very short, which only made it feel like less action because you'd read 5 chapters back to back of them pining, and then, oh wait, only 20 pages have actually passed).

They took a long time to go after the big bad, who was holding Altair captive PLUS the thing they needed. And then it failed and they spent a while regrouping before other stuff happened (including a plot point I find pretty annoying in the midway of books because it is SO rare for a character to be actually killed part way through, so there's no tension or emotional punch in it for me.)

"We're a zumra. We hunted the flame together, found the light in the darkness, but we are far from done, laa? Now we unleash it. We free the stars, shatter the darkness holding us captive, and return the world to the splendour it once was."

This, ladies and gentleman, this is how you write a sequel. I had the highest expectations for We Free the Stars after loving We Hunt the Flame but it took every single one of them and knocked them out of the park. The battle on Sharr may be over but the war to defend Arawiya is just beginning. Zafira, Narsir &amp; Kifah are headed to Sultan's Keep determined to restore the hearts to each caliphate and return magic to the kingdom. But the Lion is hot on their heels, and with Altair as a prisoner knows the Zumra's loyalties will be tied between trying to rescue their friend and completing their goal. Relationships will be tested, sacrifices will be made and old faces will make a surprising return, but it will take the Zumra working as one if they are to defeat the Lion and return magic to Arawiya.

One of the big selling points of this series for me are the characters. We keep the three main POV's from book one:

Zafira is struggling, struggling with her feelings for Nasir and the near constant battle she must fight to keep herself from falling under the Jarawat's spell after binding herself to it at the end of book one. She is still the resilient girl we know and love, but in a world without the Arz, where she no longer needs to be the infamous Demenhune hunter, is no longer sure of her worth. She questions her role in this new world, as well as in the Zumra. But Zafira is the strongest of them all, whether she knows it or not, and their plan to defeat the Lion cannot work without her.

Nasir is still devastated from the events of Sharr, finding out Altair was his half brother and then having to leave him in the hands on the Lion has left a heavy toll on him. He finds it hard to instil the trust and faith in himself that Altair did, and with still struggling to control his new magic, is unsure if he will be able to defeat the Lion when the time comes. His relationship with Zafira is something he struggles with, not used to having feelings, let alone speaking them aloud. He will need to open himself up, more than he ever has before if he is to bring magic back to his country and keep the woman he loves by his side.

Altair, my sweet sweet boy. He still can't quite believe that his friends left him in the hands of the Lion, and the more time he spends with his father, the more he finds himself almost sympathising with him. As his father takes him more and more into his confidence Altair has a decision to make, side with his father and betray his Zumra, or try and play a game that will more than likely end in his death.

Though Kifah doesn't get a POV we still learn a lot about her history, and whether she knows it or not she is the glue that holds the Zumra together. But her loyalties become tied when her Caliph requests her return, meaning abandoning her friends and their goal. We also get introduced who a whole host of new characters as well as some of my favourites from book one re-appearing Afya, Zafiras sister and Yasmine her best friend. Faizal writes characters that are incredibly realistic, you will have no issue relating to and bonding with them, and even the smallest character has a part to play in the story.

Faizal has a writing style that I just loose myself in, lush and beautifully descriptive, I don't think I could ever get bored of reading it. We Free the Stars was one of those books that I desperately wanted to finish and at the same time never wanted to end. The plot wasn't rushed, we got the perfect balance between the everyday kind of scenes as well as the battles (and let me tell you they were epic.) It's a special author that get's that balance right, but if i'm being honest I could read a whole book of the Zumra just going about their everyday lives and never get bored. I loved the slow scenes, the scenes where they were travelling or deciding their plan to defeat the Lion, the interactions between all the characters make these really special and I could't get enough of their dynamic. The action scenes however had me on the edge of my seat, white knuckled. I was so unsure whether I would get the happy ending I wanted and the characters deserved, so I wont lie when I say I was a nervous wreck reading them.

If you know me then you know I am a sucker for anything folklore/cultural based and I couldn't get enough of the Arabian culture that Faizal dived into with this series. She really takes us on a deep dive of Arawiya in this book. Her world building is honestly astounding and I loved travelling through the different Caliphates with the Zumra and learning about the different races that live there and their traditions. The world and characters are so well imagined, so real that they simply bleed off the page and you find yourself right there along side them both in the quite scenes and the action filled ones.

The romance, hoo boy the romance. I'm not sure 'swoon' covers it, but I swooned nonetheless. I loved the relationship between Nasir and Zafira from the first book ( enemies to lovers suckers listen up) and the progression in this book was brilliantly written. They both hold a power over the other, knowing each others feelings but never being willing to act on it, or speak it a loud. There was sooo much angst, honestly the rigmarole of emotions this book took me on was crazy, but I just couldn't get enough of them together and their scenes were steamy, as well as being sweet. They're both afraid of their feelings, Nasir not sure he deserves to love and be loved that deeply, and Zafira afraid of loosing someone she cared that much for after seeing her mother react to her fathers death. While romance does play a large part in the plot, Faizal spends the same amount of time building up the non-romantic relationships, the ones between the Zumra who are almost like a family to each other, Zafiras with Afya and Yasmine as well as Nasir and Altair after finding out they were brothers in book one. I loved seeing these relationships getting enough focus to make us as invested in them as the romance, if not more.

To say this is a debut series is just astounding, I cannot find one fault with this series. If you love a lush and flowing writing style, world building to die for, a fantastic bunch of characters and enemies to lovers that has some steamy scenes, then I can't recommend this series more. I would say that without a doubt I will pick up anything else the author writes. My second 5* read of the year and one I know without a doubt will make my top books of the year.

I literally devoured this book in two days because after <i>We Hunt the Flame</i> I just <i>had</i> to know what happens next.

I love the story and all of the characters and their dynamics. I'm just so engrossed with everything they do, I really like them. TBH, I didn't expect to enjoy this duology as much as I did since it's not my typical read but it's because of books like these two that I still try YA every once in a while.

The conclusion to the <i>Sands of Arawiya</i> duology was intense and had me on the edge of my seat (intensely cross-stitching while listening to the narrators bring the story to life) from start to finish. I loved all of the small twists and turns this book offered and although some of them were predictable, I still enjoyed them. What I actually really appreciated about the end of this story is that after the big baddie was defeated we actually had some time with the characters to see the aftermath of everything that happened and the last few chapters were the sweetest.

Altair's storyline is one of my favourites, he's my favourite character out of all of them XD. I loved how his story progressed and I just needed to include this in my review.

As for Zafira and Nasir, I really enjoyed reading about them and how their relationship developed more throughout the book. They didn't have it easy, especially with Zafira's book drama (that's all the context I'm gonna give). I also found their mutual pining kinda funny.

Overall, I loved <i>We Free the Stars</i> very much, it was an amazing conclusion to the duology and would gladly read Hafsah Faizal's next book.

I had high hopes for this book, having loved the first book "we hunt the flame" and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Gripped from the start, and all the way through. Highly recommend

What can i say about this book? It was truly amazing! I had all the feels, happy, laughing, crying, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. So beautifully written and the perfect ending to the duology.

Sequels are hard to live up to, but this book continued taking me into the journey. Hafsah really knows how to write relatable characters that completely made me invested.

I wanted to like this book. I struggled to care about the second book. When compared to the first book. I don’t know whether that was down to the book or the fact that I don’t know the source material so that’s on me.

We Free the Stars picks up straight after the first book with Zafira and Naris returning from Sharr in order to finally return magic to the land, however the Lion has his own plans, and it is a race against time to stop him.

I really enjoyed the writing style of the book especially the way the characters were portrayed and how they dealt with their emotions about everything that was happening to them, I also liked the focus on the different relationships between the characters throughout the book. The book is told from three perspectives and I liked the addition of Altair’s chapters just because he is such an interesting and secretive character and has such a fun personality compared to the others. There is also focus on Zafira and her link to the book, the effects it has on her mentally and it was really well written how she struggles for control and power especially as she had to deal with loss of her identity/purpose and so she had to find a place for herself in the changed world which was harder for her as a woman. As the characters return back home, Zafira reunites with her sister and best friend and I loved the different types of relationships she had with them and the complicated emotions/feelings when she was around them.

The book is slow paced and long, so even though quite a lot happens, and it is a good sequel, I still found the plot lacking as at times it felt dragged on and as if nothing was happening. The book does focus a lot on characters and their development and emotions and sometimes the plot itself is just boring, I was also disappointed with the ending of the book because I thought the villain was built up only for the ending to be anti-climactic and I also wanted to see more magic throughout the book.

3/5

I’ll start this by saying I really enjoyed We Hunt the Flame and thought We Free the Stars was even better! The writing is better and the characters’ reactions and choices are all distinctly real. It was deeply emotional and well done.

This very much felt like a slow-burn romance. The slow, chaste nature of it reminded me of regency era romances and I was 100% there for it.

The magical elements were really well done

I really appreciated the inclusion of an ace character.

Overall a really satisfying conclusion to the duology

What an amazing end to the duology this was! I loved revisiting Arawiya again and picking up where we left our Zumra at the end of We Hunt the Flame, was perfect as we were left with quite the cliff hanger. The world Hafsah Faizal has created is exquisite and is expanded as our characters travel to complete various missions. The plot had me reading so fast! There were so many twists, betrayals and revelations that I had no idea who would turn against who and when! We also get so much more insight into the characters. I loved getting to know more of their pasts. Nasir is my favourite and seeing him open up and stepping up was wonderful. The addition of Altair's POV added so many more layers to the story, and was crucial for our understanding of key events. Without spoilers, wow what an emotional journey our characters went on! Their growth and development was beautifully realised. Faisal has such a beautiful way with words, her turn of phrases and emotive language really sucked me in. I haven't highlighted passages this much in a very long time!
This had it all, a fantastical world steeped in lore and magic, found families amazingly twisty plot, with an immensely statisfying ending. What an amazing conclusion to the series and I would highly recommend it to all.

This is an excellent story and I'm so glad they chose to tell it in two parts.
The plot in this book is more high stakes than in "We Hunt The Flames" which makes for an exciting read, the characters are just as good as in the first book and we get to meet some new characters that really add to the story.

Would recommend!

An amazing, twisty conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology. Before starting it, I was concerned about how everything could be wrapped up in a single book, but Hafsah Faizal pulled it off masterfully.

We Free the Stars picks up pretty much where the last book ends. We are thrown back into this intricate world with Hafsah's beautiful writing. And just when you think all is well, you are thrown a curveball.

We meet some new characters, while still keeping the heart of the zumra alive. My favourite character, Altair, had a heartbreaking arc since the end of the first book, but I still love him! Zafira and Nasir's relationship continued its slow burn, torturing me over and over again. I also really liked the friendship explored between Zafira and Kifah, as well as the development of Zafira's relationships with Lana and Yasmine. (Side note: I need need NEED a novella about Yasmine and Altair meeting and eventually falling in love.)

All in all, I loved this series and the journey it took me on. I can't wait to rediscover it one day in the future. And I really hope we get more books with these characters and in this world.

This book and the zumra has been living in my head rent free since I read it. I really enjoyed We Hunt the Flame but this book was absolutely phenomenal. There is no way I can truly explain how much I loved this book and how incredible the characters arcs were. This is Zafira and Nasir’s story and I loved their arcs so much. Especially Nasir who had such incredible growth and development from the hashashin we meet in We Hunt the Flame. But I also adored Altair, he was my favourite in the first book and I loved him even more in this one. I will forever mourn Benyamin who made them the zumra but was not able to see all that they achieved.

Tears aren’t a measure of heart. We grieve in different ways.

The book starts right where we ended in WHTF and while the first book started a little slower to build the world and introduce the characters, this book takes us straight into the action and show us what the characters are doing and how they are dealing with the aftermath of the ending of WHTF. I loved that we see more of the world in this book as we travel to different places as each character continues their journeys. I loved the world building and the glimpses we get of an even wider world yet to be explored and I hope we get to see them one day too!

Zafira is dealing with having the jawarat speak to her and try to manipulate her and also trying to come to terms with the fact that her people no longer need a hunter so who is she if she isn’t the hunter. I loved seeing her battle with this, it felt so real and so relatable, trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be when you aren’t forced to be something for the sake of others. As the eldest daughter, it felt so real that internal struggle she has, can she truly live her life for herself without that guilt weighing her down. I really loved how her story ended and the choices she makes for herself. She also has to deal with the misogyny and sexism and fights against this and I just loved it so much.

One of the most difficult parts of her story was reading about the guilt and tension between her and Yassmine because of the death of Deen and that it was Altair that killed him, who is now Zafira’s friend. I loved their bond and relationship in the first book so it was heartbreaking to read the strain in their relationship in this book but it also felt real, and I loved how they started to work through it but it wasn’t magically fixed and we see that it will require work from both of them. But in this book we also see her build a wonderful friendship with Kifah and I just loved seeing them both work together and be able to turn to each other.

My blade is yours. Until every last star is freed, we are bound.

Nasir’s arc was so incredible to read in this book, I liked him in WHTF but in this book I completely loved him. No one is more surprised by this than I am especially as I am usually not a fan of the broody characters but his growth and development was just SO GOOD. I loved seeing him learn to accept himself and let other people in and that caring isn’t a bad thing. His and Zafira’s scenes were so delicious to read, truly, the sexual tension and the angst was done so perfectly and I just lived for their scenes. Nasir is completely smitten by Zafira and the way he describes her and treats her like the queen she is was just so wonderful to see. Him also learning to use his powers and realising that it isn’t something that is jut evil was also something that I really loved reading.

I loved seeing him and Altair also start to build a better relationship with each other, especially after we find out they are half brothers in WHFT and that Altair has been working to build a better world for them all. There is so much baggage between them and yet you can see how much they truly end up caring for each other.

Do you understand brother? You’ll have me. No matter how thick the night, I will always be there to light your way.

We learn a lot more about Altair in this book too and his past and all the mysterious things he did to get everyone to the Sharr in WHTF. I loved learning about his back story but it was also tragic and I just want all the happiness for him. I am so glad we see more of him especially as he is my favourite with his wit and sarcasm and yet he cares so deeply for everyone even as he feels discarded. Seeing his resentment of Nasir was so heartbreaking to read and I felt truly afraid for him at times.

We also see more of Lana in this book and I loved her so much, she is so young yet has had to grow up so quickly and an incredible healer and I loved seeing her interactions with Zafira and one particular memorable moment between her and Nasir. We are also introduced to a few new characters that I really enjoyed reading about too.

You have your duty as I have mine.

The zumra spend the book trying to save their people from the lion of the night who has made himself king and they go through a lot and have to come to terms with a lot about themselves too. But we also learn a lot about the lion too and how he became who he is now and his life is also so tragic. We see how cycles of abuse hurt everyone and that it has to end to be able to build a better world and heal rather than seeking revenge for the way they were wronged.

We will carve our names upon history, and we, too, shall live forever.

This book ties up Zafira and Nasir’s story really well and I loved both their endings so much, it felt so fitting for them. I would however love to see a spin off with Altair because I just want to see him get some happiness because he suffers so much in this book. Also there is more I want to say but I can’t because spoilers but truly I can see the spin off with him a certain character and I just need it!

This book is phenomenal and I need you all to go buy it and read it. The writing is so rich and vivid and the world is so intricate and the characters are amazing. I just loved this book so much.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Books for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy that I didn't have to wait long between books for the conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya. I love Hafsah Faizal's writing and the way she describes things makes you feel like you are there with the characters and are a part of the party along for the ride.

In this, we see POV's from Zafira, Nasir and Altair and I enjoyed that we got to see the conclusion from Altairs POV which we didn't get in We Hunt the Flame. I think Altair makes for an interesting POV and he's someone I thoroughly enjoy as a character.

However, my only downside to this was Act three felt rushed and because of that, I have to remove a star.

We Free the Stars is the anticipated sequel to We Free the Stars, one of my favourite reads of 2020. Told from the perspective of Nasir, Zafira and Altair, we are ready for one final battle. This book is full to the brim with action, emotion and tension. We have betrayals, love and death. The stakes are high.

I really enjoyed Nasir's POV, I have always found his character very interesting, and his emotional journey was well written. We also spend time with Zafria's sister Lana, and her friend Yasmine. I loved both characters, they grounded this fantasy in reality and reminded the Zumra who they were fighting for. Altair's perspective provided new insights into his character and the Lion, I only wish there was more of it.

This book, sadly, did not blow me away. I was so excited, but I feel as though the plot let it down, and I struggled to get into it in the first half. But this review is not without hope, I believe there are people out there who will be satisfied with this conclusion.

Thank you very much for allowing me to read an advanced copy of We Free the Stars.