Zafira lives in a caliphate where women aren’t treated equally to men. The golden domes were cut with rays of obsidian from the volcanic mountains of western Alderamin, their spires ending in curves shaped like water drops.” “The tan stone had been polished to a gleam, competing with the minarets rising to the skies.

In a genre that is oversaturated with European inspired worlds, it was refreshing to step into a world full of sand and minarets, Arabic words, bright colors and exotic spices. I loved the Arabian-inspired world building. “Lattice screens and lush cushions sprawled across the creamy stone in soft sighs of color.”

The writing was gorgeous, and the story was the kind that needed to be enjoyed rather than rushed. Why? Because it was just written so beautifully. I ended up reading and having to take frequent breaks so that I didn’t read too quickly. However, this was a book that needed to be read slowly and savored. I’m the kind of reader who rushes through books to find out what is going to happen next, hurtling towards the next chapter and ultimately the end. Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds - and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine. While Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya - but neither wants to be.

If Zafira is exposed as a girl, all of her achievements will be rejected if Nasir displays his compassion, his father will punish him in the most brutal of ways. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people.

We hunt the flame author