The biggest mystery of We Hunt the Flame is why it doesn't have 457635873658 awards.

Based on ancient Arabia, the land of Arawiya is crumbling. A forest of dark silence and tempting whispers eats the edges of its map, and the trees are more persuasive and swallow more acres every year. Very few people dare walk the black forest, and only the Hunter Zafira has come out with her sanity in tact. Worse, magic is leaking out of the land and the people, so if the forest doesn't get them, their land's cursed eternal winter will. When the mysterious Silver Witch appears before Zafira and offers her the chance to return magic to the people and banish the forest, Zafira grabs at the opportunity...only to find that she isn't the only person the Silver Witch has given this mission. The Prince of Death is on his way.

I haven't read high fantasy in quite a long while, and We Hunt the Flame reminded me of why I like the genre. The world building, the magic system, and the characters were meticulous and precisely written. I got lost in the beauty of the language and the images it conjured. I love the message of hope behind the title, and the dynamics between the characters were amazing. In typical YA fashion, the two leads do fall for one another. I'm not usually a fan of enemies-to-lovers, but Faizal pulls it off with panache and believably.

I'm already eager for the next book, and I'm so glad we already have a release date! 2020 is looking bright!