ehh..not my favorite

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.

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

Art of Death is a new adult urban fantasy by author Becca Vincenza, and is the first book in the curse breakers series. Art of Death was a quick, but action packed read that really got me interested in this new series. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in the curse breakers series, Secrets of the Dead, which is out now as well. Fans of fast paced, action filled stories will devour Art of Death. There is a smidge of romance in this one as well, but it is not an overly heavy part of the story. I wish there was a bit more romance, but the romance that was there was good, and I am hoping to see even more in the second book. In Art of Death we meet twins, Rowan and Abel. I so loved the two of them, both together and as individuals. We see so many dysfunctional and unhealthy sibling/family/friend relationships in young adult books, that it was pleasantly refreshing and wonderful to see how well Rowan and Abel get along. You can tell they really care for each other, and not simply because they happen to be twins. We see a lot more of Rowan in Art of Death because she is on a mission to rescue her twin brother Abel. I think that is why I felt a deeper connection to Rowan in this story. I really enjoyed learning about the curse that plagues Rowan and Abel's family and I really enjoyed learning more about necromancers. They are a branch of magic that has always intrigued me and one where I have not read too many books featuring a necromancer as the main character. Most of my encounters with them have been as secondary characters in a more ensemble cast set up. It is nice to see them front and center. In fact, I would love to hear other book recommendations that you have for me featuring necromancers. (Leave them in the comments below) Art of Death is a great first installment to the curse breaker series. I can't wait to read the sequel and see what is going to happen. Becca Vincenza does a great job writing a fast paced tale that grabbed me immediately and did not let me go until after I had finished the last page. I am eager to read more from her. 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs