We Free the Stars: Hafsah Faizal (Sands of Arawiya, 2)

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On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone. Cons- I don’t know what to do with my life now that this series is over. Also, this book made me cry in the middle of a livestream From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows. The side cast of characters--if they can even be called that--were just as well developed as the main pair. Kifah especially had her moment in the sun: the revelation about her sexuality never reduced her to a stereotype or seemed like a forced add on. Altair, for all his snark and charisma, remains layered and deep. Zafira’s younger sister Lana was an ingenious addition to the main cast, for she forced Zafira to come to terms with the fact that Lana had grown up, and that how we view people is not always how they are.

Faizal’s strong debut develops its engaging premise with evocative worldbuilding and memorable characters. . .Lush descriptions of setting and food offer a vivid atmosphere, and the slow-brewing romance is an engaging contrast to the harrowing emotional and physical journey at the heart of the story.” — Publishers Weeklyi cannot wait for this to be out in the world. a tempest of tea is hafsah's best release in my opinion, and i need to see the world appreciating it for what it is. i'm so excited for what she has in store for her sequel. and more than anything, is it weird to say i'm so proud of her for writing this book, i just want to see her career go places, and this is a great start to it. Overall, the 'Arabian' take of this book was taken straight out of Aladdin, which anyone who has basic understanding of Arab culture will know to be COMPLETELY unlike Arab culture (and many of the elements were taken from India instead). TLDR: the so-called 'Arab' nature of this tale is just hogwash. You don't give people turbans and throw some sand around and call it Arabia. This duology finale favors beautiful prose and melodrama over clear storytelling, enough that even with such an exciting fantasy-world setting, it's hard to recommend. Many writers talk about how important it is to invite the reader on the journey with them. You know when this is done well as a reader because following the story is effortless. In We Free the Stars, everything from the dialogue to the large massacre scenes are hard to follow. Important scenes are not built up to, like when Zafira makes a decision about how to treat the Ifrit ruler when Ifrit rights were barely mentioned before. Other scenes are not logical, like when someone who was thought dead is found alive, there's strange behavior around it instead of a satisfying reunion. The battle on Sharr is over. The Arz has fallen. Altair may be captive, but Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are bound for Sultan’s Keep, determined to finish the plan he set in motion: restoring the hearts of the Sisters of Old to the minarets of each caliphate, and finally bring magic to all of Arawiya. But they are low on resources and allies alike, and the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return. After the events at the Sharr, Zafira, Nasir, and Kifah are determined to continue their plan to restore magic to Arawiya. However, they have to do it without Altair. He is now the captive of the Lion of the Night. The impending return of the Lion of the Night is hanging over their heads. Unfortunately, they area also low on allies and resources.

Jinan whistled. “I’m going to need to take a look at those ship plans when we get to the fancy palace, then. What’s the rush?” The romance made me miserable. Genuinely. There was no actual bonding and relationship development between Nasir and Zafira. The foundation of their relationship is non-existent. Just a lot of miscommunication, weird tension that doesn't even feel romantic, just uncomfortable, and also a few make out seshes sprinkled in to legitimize that they are in fact in love even though they barely know each other. Their whole relationship was cringe to be honest.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. We Free the Stars conveys a complexity of emotions I can scarcely put into words. People live and die, betray and save each other, close themselves off and open themselves up. It's not so much what happens, as it is how does each character react to it, and why. So thank you Hafsah Faizal, because whilst you have given me my new favourite series, every fantasy book will now pale in comparison. The second book in the Sands of Arawiya duology by the masterful Hafsah Faizal--the follow-up to the smash New York Times bestselling novel We Hunt the Flame. Where it took me a minute to get into the first book, I was immediately hooked in We Free the Stars. There was something constantly happening or about to happen. There was also a decent amount of action in this book, which is always fun, while still having time to let the fantastic characters shine.

The follow-up to the New York Times bestselling novel We Hunt the Flame! After the battle on Sharr that closed We Hunt the Flame, Zafira and Nasir return to a ghostly Sultan’s Keep, low on resources and allies alike. The dark forest has fallen, but the kingdom teems with fear of the Lion of the Night’s return. As Nasir fights to command the dark power in his blood, Zafira fights against a very different darkness festering through her bond with the Jawarat. The second book in the Sands of Arawiya duology, by the masterful Hafsah Faizal. We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal – eBook Details 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. She lifted an eyebrow at him. “I’m fourteen, and I can weave a needle through your remaining eyelid.” Not only was there an unfathomable amount of repetition, but the sense of humor was absolutely painful. It was very immature if you ask me. There were constant sexual jokes and innuendo, and it wasn't funny, whity, or refreshing. It was annoying. This is a YA book, and regardless of that fact, even if it were an adult book, having that much of something becomes tiresome. It's lazy and effortless humor and the constancy made me so disconnected from the book. And besides, the only people who would laugh at those jokes over and over and over and over again, are middle school boys, therefore, it is invalid in my eyes. If you had any (valid) complaints or concerns about We Hunt the Flame, know that this book has none of those flaws. WHTF was Hafsah's debut, and the writing reflected room for growth, as all debuts do. But the growth in Hafsah's writing is immediately obvious in We Free the Stars. You can easily tell she's working on her craft and constantly pushing herself to write the best book, instead of settling on 'good enough' to get something written. The writing, pacing, and mechanics are all well developed in this sequel. Not to mention, her use of symbolism is so on point, I want her to win awards for that alone.Lush and striking, hopeful and devastating, We Free the Stars is the masterful conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya duology by New York Times–bestselling author Hafsah Faizal. She was the bladed compass, honed by the Lion and wielded by the Jawarat. She was ruin, she was havoc, and she reveled in it.”