We Hunt the Flame is a young adult fantasy by Hafsah Faizal. I should point out that I have known Hafsah for several years now, ever since she was a book blogger and then a graphic designer in the book community. I have been a big fan of hers since day one, so when I heard she is writing a book, I knew I had to get a copy ASAP! And when I heard it was going to be an epic fantasy, I was even more excited. We Hunt the Flame is the first book in the Sands of Arawiya series, and I have to say...it did not disappoint. This book is a long one. It clocks in at almost 500 pages, and it sets up what is going to be a crazy awesome fantasy series. I am already salivating for the second book.In We Hunt the Flame we meet Zafira, who hides as a male hunter at the start of the novel. I will admit that it took me a while to gain my bearing in the world in We Hunt the Flame. There are lots of names and lots of unfamiliar terms. I referenced the glossary and pronunciation guide several times while I was reading and it really helped me. There is a romance in We Hunt the Flame and it is a wonderful slow burn romance. I will admit, at times it was a bit too slow burn for me. And in fact, that is my only negative about the story.. the pacing was a little slow for me at times. Zafira receives her quest/objective really early on in the story but I didn't feel like the story really picked up speed until the second half. Zafira sets out on a quest to find a magical artifact that will restore magic to her land, and hopefully save her land and people from the dark place they have fallen to. Umm... yes please! That is so up my alley! But it did take a while to gain speed in the story. The first half was full of beautiful prose (the whole book was) and wonderful world building, but not a ton of plot progression. That being said, the slow start to the story didn't really detract from my enjoyment because I was still enjoying getting to know the world.I also really enjoyed the characters in We Hunt the Flame. You can check out my casting of the main characters below, but I will let you in on a little secret...Altair was my favorite. I just loved the levity that he brought to the story. He is a wonderful counter point to the awesomely broody Nasir and the very serious Zafira. I am so anxious and excited to get my hands on the next book in this series. I need to know what happens next. If you are a fan of fantasy, this is a must read book for you. If you are a fan of dark fantasies, this is a book that I think will become your next favorite read. I loved that Hafsah was not afraid to go to some really dark places in We Hunt the Flame. And that ending! It totally killed me and left me craving the second book at the same time. If you love a great cast of complex characters and an epic fantasy, this is the 2019 read that you need to get your hands on immediately. I really enjoyed We Hunt the Flame.