I’m not sure any combination of words in this review will do justice to how incredible this book is. This is without a doubt one of my absolute favorite reads of 2023. I devoured this, and every time I took a break I was sad I was that much closer to the end.

From the very first page, this story sweeps you into the wind of a fast paced, high stakes, war torn fantasy novel. The way the author is able to describe the scenes made it very easy for me to see everything as if I was watching a movie in my head. The flow is perfection and i truly could not put this down.

This is probably the truest enemies to lovers story I’ve ever read. These two HATE each other which makes the slowest of slow burns hit all the more harder.

There’s not one aspect of this story that I did not love. It’s incredible and will be in my top recommended reads for a long time. I can’t wait to see how the author continues this series!

I ended up having a pretty good time with this book! It's a true enemies to lovers romantasy - the main characters attempt to kill each other multiple times and despite having some conflicting feelings here and there early-ish in the book, they really don't become lovers until quite near the end. I honestly prefer slow burns for enemies to lovers, I think it feels much more realistic.

As many reviews have noted, the initial worldbuilding in this book is quite the slog. It really wasn't until 20-30% that I honestly understood anything that was happening. I was really worried that the rest of the book would be a similar experience but thankfully everything got better and much more digestible.

I was super excited about the inclusion of dragons and was really excited to see how they would be incorporated....and they end up being merely a blip in the book. Perhaps they will play a bigger role in subsequent books since this is clearly a series set up, which I would be happy to see!

After the first 20% or so, the writing is pretty digestible - I think fans of Fourth Wing will like this a lot if they can get past that initial world building. And yes, this is definitely Reylo fan fic - if that's going to bother you, I guess I suggest not reading?? The inspiration is pretty clear from the outset but honestly I don't mind that and I think the inspiration was blended well into the world that Thea Guanzon creates.

I liked all the relationships that we got to experience with the characters and am glad the book was dual POV since I think it allowed us to get to know both characters and at least a little bit about their motivations, even though I still have some questions about Alaric's.

Read this for:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Political Marriage of Convenience
- Reylo fanfic
- Slow Burn
- Asian inspired fantasy
- Forced proximity
- War

If you liked Fourth Wing and think you can handle the slightly more complex world building, I do recommend this one! I'm excited to see where this story goes next and am so glad we are in a world in which these stories are being told!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I was very surprised that I ended up liking The Hurricane Wars! I'm definitely not a huge fan of romantasy, but I thought that the romance was executed really well in this one. Sure, the actual romantic scenes and situations were pretty predictable, but the huge lead up hooked me right in.

Talasyn is your typical stubborn, author self-insert, ~Strong Female Character~ suffering from lots of trauma. Alaric is also your typical broody, shadow daddy suffering from mommy and daddy issues. So, really, there's nothing new here.

But somehow, it all worked for me. I honestly don't know why. And I'm speaking as someone who dislikes the romance genre in general.

I had a couple of bookish friends DNF this novel in the first 25-30%, so ymmv. But I actually loved that section of the novel. Sure, the prose has sprinklings of purple in it, but I didn't find it too distracting from what the author was trying to convey.

But I'll admit, it was slightly confusing at first because the author threw everything at the reader all at once, and there was a huge action scene in the beginning that made it hard to acclimate to the world, the characters, and the magic system.

But I stuck with it, and it paid off.

The world building and magic system were so engrossing and they were both deeply intertwined in such a comprehensive manner. As a fantasy lover, I absolutely loved this! It was so cool to see how certain characters (Alaric and Gaheris with the Shadowgate, Talasyn with the Lightweave) lived with their magic and how they used it. I also loved how magical technology was a huge part of this world, with the aether hearts powering the ships and the stormships with their storm powers. So, so cool!

Since the arc didn't have a map, it was really hard to understand the geopolitics (which was a really huge deal in this story), so it was hard to make out who the players were. But at the end of the day, it turned out to be Everyone vs. Kesath, the Ultra Mega Colonizer Shadow Empire.

After the 40% mark, the story turned into a typical romantasy with the marriage of convenience trope up the wazoo. There weren't really any plot twists to throw a wrench into things, which is why this isn't a solid 4 or 4.5 stars for me.

And as much as I hate the colonizer romantasies that are cropping up like mold this year, I actually ended up liking Talasyn and Alaric's relationship. It wasn't overly offensive. Both are on (mostly) on the same level, without a terribly skewed power imbalance that usually makes colonizer romances feel majorly icky.

I will say though, I absolutely <i>hated</i> how the author used italics so liberally to emphasize certain words. (See what I did there? lolll) It feels very amateur fanfic and I seriously hope she stops doing it in the rest of the series. Like, okay, readers understand what you're trying to say/emphasize because of context clues, duh!!

Also, constant descriptions of Alaric's silver/flint/grey eyes, his tousled dark waves, pale skin, broad body, blah blah blah Adam Driver, yes, we get it!!! Maybe this is just a romance genre thing and I'm not used to it. Idk.

Anyway, if you'd like to give BIPOC-authored romantasies a try, The Hurricane Wars is a good place to start.

I'm definitely staying around for the sequel.

And as an Asian-American from Maritime Southeast Asia, I appreciate the little tidbits scattered throughout the story! (ex. soy "pudding", ikan, etc.)

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.

Wow. I've been hearing nothing but incredible things about this book and all the hype has totally lived up to it so far. This romantasy was everything and I loveeed it. I didn't realize it was Reylo fanfic until afterwards but I totally see it now!

This was fun-bad at first but now it's just bad-bad.

The writing in this is just awful. It's SO repetitive, the world-building is clunky, and the foreshadowing is heavy-handed as hell. I try to give a new fantasy read the benefit of the doubt at first, especially when it comes to world-building elements, because I've read plenty that really take off and become something fun and wonderful after a rough start. <i>The Hurricane Wars</i>, unfortunately, never hit that point for me. As soon as big plot developments make me roll my eyes, I know it's time to put the book down.

This is also the most obvious Reylo-Fanfic-Turned-Book that I've read so far. The political dynamic of the Allfold and the Night Empire is a straight ripoff of the Rebellion and the Empire, just on a continental scale instead of a galactic one. I'll give the author points for expanding a bit on the magic system, but "aether" is still very much The Force. Our MC/Rey stand-in is an orphan who was abandoned in a remote city and made to fend for herself, with only flashes of memory connecting her to her past. I didn't get far enough to figure out the love interest's whole deal, but I certainly have a few guesses.

Definitely disappointed because this was a super hyped one for me, but I really couldn't get past the writing.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyage as well as NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

-enemies to lovers
-an epic fantasy war
-a marriage of convenience

These characteristics made The Hurricane Wars one of my most anticipated reads for the year. I was thrilled to receive an arc.

While the premise and tropes hooked me in, unfortunately I struggled with this one. The world building was not fluid and left me confused at numerous points. The characters themself seems a bit juvenile though this book is dubbed as an adult fantasy. I was left wishing that we had more happen.

I am hoping that the next book matures a bit in both its writing and with the characters.

The Hurricane Wars is officially one of my new favorites of all time. It was beautifully written with characters you can really connect with, and it surely kept me on the edge of my seat.

This book was ok. It checked all the mandatory boxes of a YA fantasy series and for this reason it didn't feel unique or engaging. Coupled with a clunky writing style and stereotypical characters, I was not captivated enough with this one to desire continuing with the series at large, but mine is merely one opinion.

》ARC Review: The Hurricane Wars《

The Hurricane Wars is the first installment of a fantasy romance series that brings excitement, thrills, and a healthy serving of angst. While this book ultimately wasn’t for me, it absolutely will be for many others.

The story was originally published a “Reylo” fanfic, and the Star Wars inspiration is heavily felt to the point of distraction (for me!) within this book. Nevertheless, this book absolutely delivers in making the enemies-to-lovers trope-led protagonists actually feel like genuine enemies, creating an intriguing atmosphere, filled with anticipation wondering how the two’s intertwining arcs will develop.

》The Leads《

Talasyn. While Talasyn is based on Star Wars’ Rey, she never felt like any character but her own. I never looked at Talaysn and noted features of Rey from Star Wars, I only ever saw Tala. She easily became my favorite character and my favorite part of this book.

I immensely enjoyed following her journey, she lifted this narrative and made its journey worthwhile.

Alaric. While Talasyn felt very much her own character, the same cannot be said of Alaric.
Alaric had the looks, motive, and surliness of Kylo Ren and (to me) the angsty backstory of Zuko from Avatar:The Last Airbender. He was never just Alaric in the way Talasyn was just Talasyn. His character was a constant reminder of this story’s origin, which was ultimately very distracting.

That said, I do credit his character for advancing the romancing in this part love story. I liked how it softened the edges of his character.

》The Enemies《

The book absolutely excelled in delivering the “enemies” part of enemies-to-lovers trope. Far too often I read romances with this trope and the leads are hardly enemies. At best, they tend to be rivals with a bit a banter. In Hurricane Wars, Talasyn and Alaric are truly, genuinely enemies. With their own beliefs and stance, having in place a firm line between the two. And it doesn’t simply go away because an attraction emerges. No, they are an opposite sides of a war from start to end, and I do very much find that component a fascinating one to follow as the story further develops.

》The Lovers《

While this book delivered on enemies, I wasn’t quite as convinced on the lovers side of the trope.
One second our leads are trying to kill each other, the next there is an abrupt mutual attraction and obsessive lust by part of Alaric. It was rather jarring. I would have liked a build up to it, and more importantly, more emphasis on the emotional attraction, rather than just physical. I do think we see a bit more of that from Alaric, but from Talasyn, all I got from her was how her eyes ate up Alaric. Not so much her heart.

I would have greatly appreciated more romancing, but I do think this perspective may change as the next books come along, allowing that to further develop.

》The World-Building and Pacing《

The world-building is expansive, but it’s the type to easily get lost in because it builds on top of itself throughout the course the narrative. Part I was especially tough to get through, so much focus was on the world-building that the pacing felt off— I never felt I had time to stop and get to know the main and supporting characters being introduced (and killed off). It’s the critical moment to establish a connection to the main players, instead I was left scratching my head, feeling at a standstill as the world rushed by.

The world-building makes the Star Wars inspiration all the more apparent. It’s easy to spot all the instances were lightsaber duels were happening and all the discourse of the Light and Dark side.

And then there were dragons.

Dragons suddenly appear, but are quickly pushed to the side. I never understood their importance; for me, their inclusion only served to add more unnecessary cluster to the world-building.

I do think beginning in Part II and I’d say all of the middle, up onto the final part of the book, the book finds a good pacing. I felt I could finally get to know our leads, experience their world, and anticipate readily (rather than exasperatingly) what would happen next. The pace wavers again towards the end, but the middle was strong enough to keep me going.

》The Beginning of a Journey《

The ending of the book clearly sets up for more. And I am intrigued to see if a character that went missing is found again and given their own arc— I’ll definitely be back if that happens!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 34%.

Listen. I wanted to like this so bad -- it's one of everyone's most anticipated reads for the year. But I'm a third of the way through and I cannot tell you what the main plot is supposed to be.

Twice now I've encountered a moment that made me think, "Ah, finally, we're setting up the plot! This is what the story will be about" only for the literal next page to be a time jump that summarizes what happened after that set up. (Insert Dr. Doofenshmirtz meme about having two nickels, IYKYK)

The pacing is all over the place, and there's so much telling instead of showing. When I learned that this was formerly a fanfic, it all made sense. I think this reviewer explained the fanfiction issue perfectly: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4654947360

I think you'll like this is you're a fanfiction person and enjoy that kind of writing or plot setup for an enemies-to-lovers arc.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is the start of the Hurricane Wars Series.
 
This book is set in a Southeast Asia–inspired world and it was truly fascinating. The world is threatened by storms and a war, so all the characters must face massive obstacles. I also loved the author’s note that explains a bit more about how this world came about and it has such an important message.
 
Talasyn grew up as an orphan and she is struggling in this world but does her best to fight for freedom. She also has light magic and that was so unique, and I loved to follow her along as she is learning to wield this power and to discover more about herself.
 
Prince Alaric is the emperor’s only son and heir and his task is to eliminate everything that threatens their empire. And Talasyn turns out to be exactly that, so the enemies-to-lovers vibes are sizzling and strong in this book.
 
Talasyn and Alaric are a clash of light and dark and what they can create together is beyond stunning. They are going through so much in this book, and both are equals and such strong characters and I loved that. The concept of this book was absolutely amazing and I’m in love with this book and especially the romance.
 
Overall, The Hurricane Wars is a fantastic fantasy debut, and I already can’t wait for the next installment. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

it's okay................ like a small drop in the sea that is enemies to lovers, it feels like a wasted potential. These charaters are actively in a war against one another have have killed people directly or in directly that the other loves but yet they can't kill each other because they feel some sort of ''pull'' to one another? Where is the guilt and the anger? It falls flat on its promise of any meaning full tension; they should have been genuine enemies for much longer and been more evenly matched so its not just him taking it easy on her even though they're at actual war and has killed one of his 'friends'.
Neither of them feel like leaders in their own rights, they shoulder responsibility but that doesn't make them leaders while in the war we should have seen talasyn take a more active role in the rebellion since she is quite literally a symbol of hope and she says something along the lines of ' vengeance is not justice' which I would have loved to see her make that distinction personally at some point in the war , maybe she gives mercy to enemies' soldiers instead of torture or she see's how they can't win the war and the rebellion's leadership just aims to do as much destruction as they can and she opposes this and that could have created some conflict between her and the rebellion leader once we find out her true identity.
Alaric could have been more also as they heir he should have more actually responsibility and not just a figure head, he should have had more anger with in him and we would have got to see him question his father and what the war is about and he horrified and realize that his father will never be satisfied and make plans to move against him,
The inadequacies of their leaders and they desire to make a different future could have given them mutual respect and understanding for each other, then we could have had an alliance then friendship then love .\
As it stand ther is no actual tension between the two, n lasting horror that readers feel from the war, it falls flat,

3.5 stars.

This book was harder for me to get into. When I read the synopsis I was really intrigued. When I read the authors notes in the beginning I was excited. But my brain was just not wanting to process what I was reading. It took me a few try’s to actually get started. Overall I liked it but I had a hard time reading it. I am not a huge fan of the writing style but still think the book is worth reading. I really want to like it more so I am going to give it another read through and also listen to it again in a month or so.

So this one is a tough one to review.
I did wind up enjoying it okay... but... it definitely felt much more YA than adult (save for one racy scene) and managed to employ several well used tropes.

Poor orphan girl has special powers to save her country/friends? Check.
Poor orphan girl finds our about her family and that also gives her power? Check
Enemies to lovers? Check
Political marriage? Check

So our enemies to lovers, Alaric and Talasyn have to work together, after being on opposite sides of the Hurricane war, in order to combine their opposing powers (darkness and light) to prevent a potentially cataclysmic event. And while they so, because of course Talasyn needs Alaric to help her learn to properly use her powers, they fight, they flirt, they deny their feelings.....
In the end end I felt like I had read this book a hundred times before, and there simply wasn't anything particularly unique enough to make it stand out. It wasn't a bad book by any means, but I've been there, read that.

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reylo but make it southeast Asian. Enemies to lovers but make them almost kill each other multiple times. Slowburn angst until literally the last chapter. Hurricane Katrina but make it *magical* ohhh and the cutest little pocket monkeys that just oof right outta existence?!

I loved this one. I wish we got a bit more world building but I'll take what I got and be happy because omg Alaric von grumpypants can lightsaber slice me to death. Jk, but not really.

The Romance, top notch. Slow, sexy, angsty, and sweet.
The plot, intriguing. Once we got to the thick of it I was so invested I didn't even care about half the stuff going on I just wanted my babies to all be happy and survive.

BTW, I have some thoughts about this homegirl khaede but I don't wanna end up spoiling any reveals or whatnot to come so I'm just reminding myself for the sequel to check my notes, ahem.

Muchos gracias to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my somewhat coherent thoughts.

“perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and R. F. Kuang”

“An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds..."

wellllll that was a lie lol

I will start off by saying that this wasn't bad, and my expectations were low after reading other popular Romantasy books this year. However, I do think this was marketed wrong.
As for the SJM comparison - her name has just become synonymous with the "romantasy" genre, and I have yet to read another popular Romantasy book that comes close to how much I enjoyed TOG or ACOTAR. I still went into this hopeful because it also referenced to Kuang's writing- so I expected rich layered political world building and dark morally gray characters... HOWEVER, the only thing this had in common with The Poppy Wars is that they both have asian inspired settings.

All the characters are two dimensional and this is not an "enemies to lovers" storyline, it uses the "marriage of convenience" trope. The two main characters never even knew each other before their first battle, and by their second battle we were getting lines like this:

"Alaric's voice was low and deep, with a hint of hoarseness around the edges. It shouldn't have shocked her, but it did. It made her think of rough silk and honey mead in an oaken barrel." 😐

"It was the first time he had ever said her name. He held it carefully on his tongue, as though testing the weight of it." 🫤

Likeeeee every time they talked after this they are just simping over each other, and flirting like middle schoolers, then claiming to everyone they hate each other. Which is fine, but it's not enemies to lovers. Did I mention he is built like an oak tree and that she is soooo smooooolllll? 😑 OH ANNDDDD that they are both virgins who have never been kissed.....................

It was just a lotttt lol.

As for the characters they were never fully developed and I was not invested in them, there was no found family element among the MC's comrades and the first 25% is just info dumping the MC's background and the cause of the civil war (which comes to an end around the 30% mark) The rest of the book takes place on an entirely different island nation, that the MC <spoiler>is the secret long loss princess and heir of? and no I'm not joking lol</spoiler>. The author spends a lot of time trying to explain the magic system and expand the world building, but I honestly think this time would have been better spent developing the characters.

Would I recommend this book? If you eat up romantasy books and like the formulaic banter, sure I think you will enjoy this.

If you came for epic fantasy, high stakes, and enemies to lovers I would say you will prob be disappointed.

The Hurricane Wars is primarily a romance and then a fantasy novel. The trouble is, in the beginning, it reads like Star Wars with a fantasy veneer, and then it later struggles with pacing and does not get to the romantic plot until about 25-30% of the way in (and even then at a snail’s pace). Empires of darkness. Rebellion fighters of light. A dark empire prince rises and a light magic wielder rises also to meet him. Stormships. Tactical meeting plans. Light magic training. Rebellion forces. Flying battalions. Lightning storms. If you like reading recycled stories, retellings, and/or fan fiction, then you’ll love this book.


I opened THW up knowing it was a Reylo fan fiction, so I basically asked for it. I won’t drone on and on about that aspect of the book. I’m not a fan of retellings, because it feels too much like rereading and gets monotonous. Thought it does not have as much hype as Fourth Wing, I still fell into the high expectations trap that comes with the assumption that a popular book will be interesting to me personally. Unfortunately, again, I did not enjoy a book with a lot of hype.


The plot for this one dragged so badly for me, I had to stop reading it for about a month and then pick it up again. And again. And again. When I finally got to the end, it was a relief to be finished. I avoided reading because it was a chore to get through. While I know it’s not an objectively terrible story, I just couldn’t immerse myself in the stop-and-go plot or connect with the characters. Talasyn is very headstrong and obstinate—and not in a good way. There was not a single thing I can remember she was willing to budge on. She reluctantly did everything to a degree of petulance that grated me so badly. Alaric, on the other hand, was a great character. He was mature, willing to see things from another’s perspective, and loving toward Talasyn, despite her constant rejections of him. After a while, I would have thrown her out a tower window.


In addition to characters, the political intrigue was not quite as strongly developed as it should be. There are many aspects of a world-encompassing war here that require intricate world development; however, because the book is also equally a romance, it gets in the way of the fantasy. The plot is a giant tug-of-war for dominance, and it flip-flops all over the place. Where there should be romance, it’s absent. Where there should be world development, readers get training scenarios and light shows. Dragons fly across the sky and hint at different aspects of the world building, but they’re only blips—cameos—despite the dragon adorning the cover of the UK edition. Additionally, Many events and characters briefly appear like they were shoved in as afterthoughts. Oh, and it ends on a giant cliffhanger, as one can expect.


On a positive note, I’m a big fan of cool old people in books. The Hurricane Wars has a very cool leader in it who stole the whole show for me. I can’t give details because they would spoil a major plot point, but I can say that any time the character was on page, I flew through the pages.


Overall, I give it a 3.5/5. It’s not a completely terrible book, but it’s also not a fantastically good one. The first 25% was a slog, and all the parts that weren’t romantic were also a slog. I feel like 480 pages is too long for this one. It could easily have been trimmed about 50-75 pages and got on with things. I’ll still be purchasing all the editions of the book, but I may regret that later if the next installments in the series don’t improve.


My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eArc, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

*Reviewed for Shelf Awareness*

Lifelong enemies must face each other--and their feelings--on and off the battlefield in Thea Guanzon's immersive, inventive, electric romantic fantasy debut, The Hurricane Wars. In a setting inspired by her home in the Philippines, Guanzon deftly blends fantasy and reality, creating a world shaped by colonialism, violent storms and aether magic.
Talasyn is a soldier fighting for a homeland falling under the shadow of the Night Empire. Alaric is the son and heir of the Night Emperor, destined to complete the brutal conquest began by his grandfather and continued by his abusive father. Both have been raised to know that their opponents want nothing more than to eliminate or subjugate their people. Guanzon makes clear that Talasyn is in the right, but both reader and heroine are drawn to Alaric as the author cleverly humanizes Alaric through moments of awkwardness, his surprising mercy and uneasiness with his father's orders.
Following an intense opening battle in which Talasyn faces off with Alaric and loses friends and homeland, the remnants of her army hide in an island nation while they regroup. Those islands hold the secret to Talasyn's past--including the source of her magic. When she arrives, the plot pivots to one of political intrigue and complicated family dynamics resulting in an alliance she could never have predicted.
Guanzon's compelling debut combines epic battles, intricate world building and intense chemistry. The Hurricane Wars will have fans of Hannah Whitten, Fourth Wing and Star Wars positively craving the sequel.--Suzanne Krohn, Librarian and Freelance Reviewer

Discover: This romantic fantasy debut pairs the ultimate enemies in an epic Philippines-inspired adventure that will appeal to fans of Fourth Wing and Star Wars.

I had so much FUN reading this book! It’s got intricate world building, engaging characters, a slooooooooooooooow burn enemies to lovers romance, and lots of politics and intrigues.
Is it obvious that this is a Reylo/Star Wars inspired story? Yes, but I loved it. Honestly that’s probably what made it so fun for me. That and the banter and back and forth between Alaric and Talasyn. The plot and the world were really great, but where I had the absolute best time was the relationship between these 2 idiots. The tension was completely delicious. I wanted to slap them sometimes because they were so stupid about each other, but wow was it fun!
I am 100% invested in their relationship and the story and I cannot wait to see where the next book goes.

4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While the premise was interesting I didn’t connect with the characters or the story in a meaningful manner. Some books just aren’t for us, and that’s alright.