My most recent bookhaul. The tagged book is the 2nd in a duology and I already have the 1st.
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We Free the Stars | 
My most recent bookhaul. The tagged book is the 2nd in a duology and I already have the 1st.
pickSo many beautiful quotes from the books. ❤️
I still think Zafira is a bit annoying...
But, Nasir 😍
An apt ending...
pickA terrific sequel that rivaled the first novel. Truly a captivating and enthralling story, beautifully capturing love and pain. The slow progress and growth in the aftermath of violence and trauma. This book, along with the first, NEEDS to be on everyone‘s bookshelf.
pickI‘m often not impressed with duology‘s but this one totally delivers. I loved the characters and was sucked into the action and the storyline. Beautifully written to be honest. This will be an author I will pick up again.
pickWow. I honestly don't know what to say about this book. It, like the first book, had some elements that reminded me of other books, but it presented them in such a way that I didn't mind them. It's been a long time since I have gotten a book hangover, yet this one had given me one. If I didn't have other books to read, I would reread these.
pickI loved it! It was the perfect ending to the duology.
- Kifah is best girl.
- Action-packed!
- The twists! Can't remember the last book that made me exclaimed multiple times.
- The aroace representation is chef's kiss. That's reason enough to add this to my favorites.
"Darkness doesn't need to be destroyed. We need the dark as much as we need light. It makes us bold, as much as it makes us afraid. Darkness needs only to be tamed."
𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴.
Hope was the beast that could never be slain, the light that blazed in every harrowing dark. 𝘈 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭.
"We were not born to fight, but our cradles were built from struggles and hardship. Pens, swords, sticks—weapons shoved into our fists as soon as we're old enough to grasp them. So we fight, because the world will cut our throats otherwise. We fight, because we won't go down without one."
There were moments before moments, in which the world was framed in startling clarity, a defined 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 hurtling toward a horrible 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳. Moments in which the powerful were powerless, in which promises became failings.
She remembered her oath: to die fighting. She remembered Umm's words. 𝘉𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
Being rich and distinguished made no difference when people screamed.
"Affection isn't measured and defined by tangible contact for me.
I wasn't always so certain. I used to think I hadn't found the right person yet. To be with another is supposedly an inherent desire of us all, is it not? Something we're meant to do. I... I have never felt that pull. That ????. Laa, I thought I was daama broken. Heartless."
"I've never known love, but it's hard enough between blood. Carving out one's heart for a stranger and wishing for theirs in return is no easy feat."
About 23% . . .
Argh! So frustrating but already so, so much better than the first book!
This doesn't seem right. 🤔
"Tears aren't a measure of heart. We grieve in different ways."
"I'll take you with me."
"Then we'll both die."
"You seem to have no trouble being the end of me."
“Knowing you can lose something is what makes it more precious.”
"Strange, isn't it," said Nasir, who was never one for contemplation. "How the darkness brought us together, and the light will let us fall apart?"
Zafira shook her head, looking among them. "We're not falling apart. We hunted the flame on Sharr, set free the stars across the skies, but it was only ever the dawn of our zumra. Now we make sure that light doesn't go out. Forever. Together."
"We are all that stands between Arawiya and an age of darkness. An assembly of forty from different walks of life." His eyes flicked to Zafira‘s and away.
"An archer a without a bow. A general without an army. A warrior without allegiance. Villagers without homes."
The wind echoed his call, charged the air with its howl.
"And you,"Altair added, his tone mellowed by what Nasir realized was respect. "A king without a throne."
"I know death as well as I know the lines of my palm. He rides for us today. We can flee and let these streets run red with our cowardice, or we can die with swords in our hands and zeal in our hearts. Be a force eternalized in history."
"I wasn't born to fight."
"No,"Zafira agreed.
"Neither of us were. We were not born to fight, but our cradles were built from struggles and hardship. Pens, swords, sticks—shoved into our fists as soon we're old enough to grasp them. So we fight, because the world will cut our throats otherwise. We fight, because we won't go down without one."
He was a prince, an assassin, a monster, but in the end he was still a boy.
pickBeautiful ending to this dulogy. The slow burn has been is so well written; was stuck between the feels of letting them be and putting them together because of how different their lives are. What struck me was the easy description on lifestyle difference between growing up essentially poor v as a Royal. Ending came and went down quick for all the buildup, thou it did fit. Jawarat was amazing to witness character growth. Nasir conquered his abuse
“I wasn‘t born to fight.”
“No.” Zafira agreed, “Neither of us were. We were not born to fight, but our cradles were built from struggles and hardship. Pens, swords, sticks -weapons shoved into our fists as soon as we‘re old enough to grasp them. So we fight, because the world will cut our throats otherwise. We fight, because we won‘t go down without one. Do you understand?”
bailedI liked the first book, but I‘m 50 pages in, have no idea what‘s happening and don‘t care enough to try to read all of this before the library wants it back. Not for me right now. #netgalley
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“We Free the Stars” is just as good as “We Hunt the Flame”. This was a monster of a book to get through, but I think part of the reason it took me so long to finish it was that I didn‘t want this story to end. This book was simply beautiful and even touches on themes of racism and sexism. The slow-burn romance was very well done and I will miss these characters. Overall, this duology was incredibly well-written and I highly recommend.
pickFinally finished this duology and it is amazing 🥰
I didn't get as into this one as much as the first but I love this world, the characters, the story, the writing...everything.
Highly recommend!
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
As always, thanks for the tag @Andrew65 ?
I'm still in my "I want to read but don't want to read" mode so my goal this month is going to be simple:
? Read at least one chapter per day
That's it. If I get further than that...fantastic! If not, I at least get a little in
Join in the fun! #NutsInMay
I have an hour to myself tonight and a new diamond painting just came in the mail 😍😍
#Audiobook time!
“We‘re a zumra. We hunted the flame together, found the light in the darkness, but we were far from done, laa? Now we unleash it. We free the stars, shatter the darkness holding us captive, and return the world to the splendor it once was.”
- Hafsah Faizal
pickIt took me several chapters to become fully immersed back into this rich and complicated world, but once it had me, it would not let me go. The conclusion to the duology was very fitting. This author writes beautifully. Altair is the character who will stick with me the most.
2nd book read for the #20in4 #Readathon I might actually reach 20 hours! @Andrew65
Already the 3rd #20in4 🤯 When did that happen?
I'm not going to select a stack this month because, well, I suck at sticking to things but I do have some #audiobooks and cleaning planned for the weekend so I'm hoping 20hrs is in the cards!
Come join!!
@Andrew65
