We Free the Stars cover

Romantasy

We Free the Stars

Hafsah Faizal · Sands of Arawiya #2 · 2021

With magic returning and an empire crumbling, the hunter and the assassin must outrun their pasts to save Arawiya.

Score
78.5
Spice
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Mild
POV
dual
Ending
HEA / HFN

Tropes

Content warnings

ViolenceDeathGrief & lossChild abuseDubious consentGoreTortureWarBloodKidnapping

Curated signals, not an exhaustive guarantee.

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What readers think

Readers consistently praise Faizal's opulent, image-rich prose and the layered worldbuilding rooted in Arabian folklore — the cultural specificity feels earned and immersive. Altair and Kifah are fan favourites, with Kifah's aromantic representation drawing particular warmth. The main criticism is that Nasir and Zafira's romance leans heavily on miscommunication and brooding, with some readers feeling the angst loop drags pacing across too many short chapters. Those who loved We Hunt the Flame tend to rate this highly as a satisfying, emotionally resonant close; readers who came in expecting brisk plot momentum often find the middle stretch slow.

Read it if

  • · Readers who loved We Hunt the Flame and want a lush, emotionally earned conclusion
  • · Fans of Arabian-inspired high fantasy with diverse, morally complex ensemble casts
  • · Those who enjoy swoony slow-build romance wrapped in high-stakes world-saving quests

Skip it if

  • · You need crisp, dialogue-driven pacing — Faizal's prose is dense and lyrical
  • · You have low tolerance for miscommunication-driven romantic conflict
  • · You haven't read We Hunt the Flame — this book opens mid-action with no recap

If you liked this

  • · For fans of An Ember in the Ashes — similar ancient-world magic, brutal stakes, angsty romance
  • · Like The Wrath and the Dawn but with a full ensemble cast and darker magic
  • · For fans of Strange the Dreamer's lush prose and devastating emotional beats
  • · Like Children of Blood and Bone but Arabian-inspired with a slower, moodier romance

In this series

Part of Sands of Arawiya — read in order:

  1. 1We Hunt the Flame
  2. 2We Free the Starsyou’re here
Full series profile & spice/trope breakdown →

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