“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”
We Hunt the Flame is a 2019 young adult fantasy romance book by Hafsah Faizal and the first entry in her bestselling Sands of Arawiya series. The story follows Zafira, a hunter who disguises herself as a man and stalks the forests of the Arz to feed her people, and Nasir, the son of the sultan tasked with mercilessly killing those who oppose his autocratic father. Both are legends, both are living a lie, and both know the terrible consequences of their true identities being revealed. As war brews on the horizon, the two embark on separate adventures to retrieve an artefact that can restore magic to the world. A gripping high fantasy series full of epic world-building, adrenaline-pumping action and unexpected slow-burning romances, join us at What We Reading for the best books like We Hunt the Flame!
Dance Of Thieves (Dance Of Thieves #1) – Mary E. Pearson
First up on our recommendations of books like We Hunt the Flame is Dance of Thieves, the YA fantasy romance series by Mary E. Pearson. The series kicks off with the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dying and his son, Jase, becoming its new ruler. All initially bow to him, however, a new era led by a young queen is set in motion that soon makes her the target of the dynasty’s growing resentment.
At the same time, an infamous former street thief named Kazi is sent by the queen to investigate the settlements in Ballenger territory. But, when she arrives, she quickly discovers there is more to Jase than she first thought. The pair quickly become ensnared in their game of cat and mouse, locking themselves in a game that may end up costing them their lives as well as their hearts.
An Ember In The Ashes (An Ember In The Ashes #1) – Sabaa Tahir
For anyone who loved the Arabian-inspired settings of We Hunt the Flame, Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ash series is a great follow-up read. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not swear total loyalty to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones. Struggling to make a living in the empire’s backstreets, Laia and her family do not question their rulers. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
But when Laia’s brother is arrested on charges of treason, she is presented with an impossible decision by a band of rebels: in exchange for help in rescuing him, she must become a spy in the empire’s greatest military academy. There, she meets Elias. He is the most gifted soldier in the empire and, secretly, its most reluctant. The two quickly realise their fates are joined and the choices they make will change the destiny of the empire forever.
Onyx And Ivory (Rime Chronicles #1) – Mindee Arnett
After her father attempted to assassinate the high king years ago, Kate Brighton has lived as an outcast, carving out a life as a member of the Relay, the imperial court’s courier service. Only those skilled in riding and bow-wielding make it in the Relay; when the darkness falls, deadly flightless dragons known as nightdrakes hunt. That is when she stumbles upon a caravan attacked by these dragons and its sole survivor, Corwin Tormane, her childhood friend, her first love, and the person who condemned her father to death.
The two are quickly forced to put the past behind them. Daytime attacks by the drakes are just the beginning of a more sinister threat growing across the kingdom. The implications of these threats will thrust both Kate and Corwin into the midst of a civil war brewing across all of Rime. For fans of the enemies-to-lovers adventure in We Hunt the Flame, Mindee Arnett’s Rime Chronicles duology should have all the ingredients needed for a great follow-up read!
Check Out The Best Books For Fans Of House Of The Dragon
These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) – Chloe Gong
No list of books like We Hunt the Flame would be complete without mentioning Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. This imaginative retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet whisks readers to the heart of Shanghai in 1926. A blood feud between two gang factions has gripped the city, with former flapper Juliette Cai leading the Scarlet Gang and Roma Motagov at the head of the White Flowers.
But when those on both sides of the war begin clawing their throats out, rumours begin to swirl about contagions, madness and monsters lurking in the shadows. As the bodies start to mount, Juliette and Roma are forced to put their grudges, guns and murky past aside to ensure there is a city left for either of them to rule over.
Check Out The Best Books Like These Violent Delights
Uprooted – Naomi Novik
Agnieszka adores the quiet village, picturesque valley and the forests and bright rivers she calls home. Yet, standing on the borders is the corrupted Wood, full of malevolent power. She and her people rely on the old wizard, known as the Dragon, for protection. In return, he asks for a terrible price: one young woman passed over to serve him for ten years. For many, it is a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
With the next choosing fast approaching, both Agnieszka and all the local townspeople know the Dragon will take Kasia next. Beautiful, brave and graceful, Kasia is all things Agnieszka isn’t and is her single best friend in the world. Yet, when the time for choosing comes, Agnieszka learns she has been fearing the wrong things. It isn’t Kasia the Dragon chooses. For readers looking for another book like We Hunt the Flame that has a good mix of magic and mystery, Naomi Novik’s Uprooted should be on your TBR list!
Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) – Shelby Mahurin
Another book similar to We Hunt the Flame nominated for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Serpent & Dove is a 2019 book by Shelby Mahurin. Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven, and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, swearing off magic and living off of what she could steal. In Cesarine, witches are hunted, feared and burned.
Having been raised on the one principle: ‘thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’, Reid Diggory’s life was not meant to cross with Lou’s. But a wicked stunt soon forces them into an impossible union. The war between witches and the Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s enemies bring with them a fate far worse than fire. But, caught between what she is and her growing feelings for Reid, she is forced to make a choice that will change everything.
This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) – Tahereh Mafi
To the world, Alizeh is a humble servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient kingdom forced to hide in plain sight. The crown prince Kamran has heard the prophecies surrounding the death of his king. But he could never imagine the servant girl with the strange eyes whom he has become enthralled by being the individual who would uproot his kingdom.
This Woven Kingdom is a fantasy trilogy by New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi. Similar to We Hunt the Flame, it is a young adult romance that dabbles in forbidden love, and its Persian-inspired backdrops are sure to capture the same magical feel present in Faizal’s books.
A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin (A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin #1) – Roseanna A. Brown
For Malik, the Solstasia festival offers a chance to escape his war-ravaged home and begin a new life with his sister, Nadia, in the affluent city, Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Nadia, he is forced to strike a terrible deal in exchange for her freedom: kill Karina, crown princess of the city.
But Karina has deadly plans of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated and her court teeters on the verge of open mutiny. Gutted by the loss, she begins to dabble in dark magic to resurrect her mother, a process that requires the beating heart of a ruling king. As Malik and Karina’s paths begin to cross, they embark on a course that will end in them destroying one another. Attractions flare and ancient evils begin to stir, but which of them will be able to complete their mission? Another one of the best enemies-to-lovers books like We Hunt the Flame, Roseanna A. Brown’s A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is a fantasy duology inspired by Western African folklore following two characters destined to murder each other, despite their growing attraction.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
