4.5/5 stars

Whenever I see a book super-hyped on social media, I’m hesitant to believe it because I’ve been burned several times by disappointment. The Hurricane Wars is absolutely worth the hype, and is yet another example of the golden age of non-Western epic fantasies we’ve been treated to lately.

The world Guanzon has created is rich, colorful, lush, and completely unlike anything I’ve encountered in other books, with multiple fully-developed cultures full of their own folklore and traditions (based on SE Asia). The aethermancy magic system is really unique, though my one complaint here is that there didn’t seem to be much of a cost or limit (with the exception of the cages) to using magic, so that could make things tricky in later books if there are situations that could easily have been solved by magic but weren’t.

The story moves pretty fast, and she throws you into the action almost immediately while ripping out your heart (no spoilers, but iykyk). I took off half of a star because there were a few scenes with Talasyn and Vela at the beginning that felt a little on the nose (I’m assuming in the interest of moving the plot forward quickly), but it obviously wasn’t enough for me to seriously downgrade the book.

And then there are the characters themselves—Talasyn and Alaric both have rich, well-developed backstories that don’t simply involve secretly simping for one another. Talasyn is spirited, full of rage, and yet still somehow able to yearn for something better because she refuses to accept that she can’t make a difference in her world. Alaric is moody and self-righteous, and completely loveable even though he’s supposed to be a “villain.” Both characters are prickly and extremely slow to trust or see the best in people because they both had extremely rough childhoods (Talasyn “orphaned” and Alaric abused and abandoned).

While this is a “romance” between the two, it is very, very slow burn because of all of the above, and also because there is some very real baggage the two both carry that still keeps them as enemies for the whole book. It was both extremely frustrating (can’t tell you the number of times I wanted to yell at them both to stop being idiots and kiss), and yet I really appreciated that Guanzon didn’t just gloss over their baggage because it absolutely isn’t the kind of thing that should be easily resolved. And while I know chapter 38 will be living “rent free” in a lot of people’s heads (ok, maybe mine too), I think my favorite moment is their parting conversation from Alaric’s point of view (my heart absolutely melted and I really, really hope he follows through). Also, more romances like this showing the guy’s POV too because Alaric’s confusion and reactions to Talasyn were the best and had me cackling.

And speaking of that ending, I am DYING to read the next book because there are a lot of big stakes left open. I have a feeling the sequel will be every bit as engaging as this one was, so I can’t wait!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the early copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVoyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I want to start this review by saying that I am not a Star Wars fan, nor have I read the fanfiction this novel originated from. That being said, I don't think it was obvious that this book was initially fanfiction, and the world feels original.

The Hurricane Wars is not a bad book by any means, and I definitely think this book will succeed and find its target audience, but I did not enjoy reading this. I read the first ten percent of this book three times and contemplated DNFing it. Because of all the rave reviews, I decided to push through and continue reading, but this book never stood out to me at all while reading. I don't usually read fantasy romances, but from the ones I have read, this book does not offer anything new or exciting to the genre.

At the beginning of the novel, you are thrown into a world with no introduction to the characters at all. The author assumes you already know/care about the characters, almost like fanfiction with your favorite characters would. I had a difficult time rooting for the characters, and it felt like I hardly knew them at all. For example, Talasyn's friend, Khaede, goes missing early on in the book. Readers see Talasyn struggle with the absence of her missing friend, but it is hard to care that Khaede is gone when they barely interacted with each other. I would have loved to see this novel explore female friendship more in-depth, as Talasyn and Khaede's relationship would have been exciting to read if the author had added more background behind the characters.

As for the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric, I did not like them together (or separately either). Maybe this book is making me realize that I don't like the enemies-to-lovers trope anymore because I found their constant bickering and hatred of each other annoying and childish. I've seen enemies in young adult books acting more mature than them.

Given the title, I thought this book would be more intense and action-packed. The majority of the book focuses on Talasyn and Alaric's arranged marriage, which is formed to establish a political alliance. I expected the issues with their marriage to take up only a small portion of the text, but it took up the entire book, and I found it incredibly boring to read. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, but nothing did. The plot is almost non-existent, and I did not find the ending satisfying enough to encourage me to continue with the series.

The writing was also overly wordy and descriptive, which made the book something confusing to understand. So many sentences could have been cut out or more concise. This flaw got better as the novel progressed, but it definitely hindered my enjoyment of the book

Overall, I understand why The Hurricane Wars will appeal to others, but this book is not for me . I didn't care for the plot, the characters, or the world, and nothing blew me away.

The fates of two bitter enemies with opposing magical abilities are swept together in The Hurricane Wars, the spellbinding debut in a fantasy romance trilogy set in a Southeast Asia–inspired world ravaged by storms, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and R. F. Kuang.

I was looking for more like R.F. Kuang and I found it! This was very well written, the world is well realized, and the characters leapt off the page. Definitely hoping for a sequel.

"The Hurricane Wars" by Thea Guanzon is a gripping dystopian novel with intense action and a thought-provoking exploration of power and survival.

My head is still reeling.
Okay, I’m going to try to compose my thoughts professionally even though I’m still fangirling over this amazing book.

Firstly, the book was amazing. It’s compelling, it’s fast-paced, it demands to be read.
I was hooked right from the beginning, and I never wanted to stop once I was pulled in.

Secondly, the dynamic between these two characters is just so intriguing. They are on opposite sides of a war, and to them they each are right. It’s so interesting, because who the hero is, and who the Villian is really depends on who is telling the story. At least in some cases.
I would say in this story, Alaric and Talasyn are both victims. They’re both pawns, they’re both lied to, and they are both so alone. I can’t wait for the next book because they both need to realize that and truly alliance with each other and turn from Urduja and Gaheris.

Thirdly, and lastly, this book was beautifully composed. It was masterfully written. Especially for a debut novel. As someone who has been abandoned by their mother, and has known hunger, I relate to these characters so much. These are parts of you that you don’t grow out of. They become you. They shape you, and I can see so much of how these things have shaped both of these characters.

I have already given a glimpse of a review on my Instagram account and people have preordered it at my behest. This will be the next big book release, and I hope people are ready for it.

So I’m a bit all over the place with this one. Overall a fun read but left wanting more.

There wasn’t a heavy amount of plot in this. It’s definitely a good set up for the next book though. This felt very foundational and first-book-in-a-series-y. Lots of world-building, background setting, and character exploration (which is typically something I love). I would expect the next book to be much more plot heavy (hopefully) because I see a lot of potential.

I didn’t know going into it that it was a Reylo fanfic. This didn’t bother me at all as I felt like I didn’t have fanfic blinders on to expect certain things to happen certain ways. Knowing it after the fact, though, does make the world-building and events make a little more sense. I haven’t been reading fantasy in a hot minute so it took me a bit to get into the world. Knowing the background probably would have helped but that’s on me. There’s an extensive magic system and political court that I loved, but I wanted to know more about the other elements.

I enjoyed the writing and I think the author is adept at creating exquisite, vivid scenes. It’s easily imaginable and tangible. For the most part I liked the main characters. Nothing new though about them. I do think there was lots of comparisons between her smallness and his largeness which is a big yuck of mine. Also I wish there was more relationship exploration outside of just their grandmother/fathers though. It seemed like friendships were going to be important only to be briefly mentioned or forgotten about altogether. And while this is certainly enemies to reluctant allies to possible lovers, I think the change was fast. The constant “why do I feel this way” and “I shouldn’t be thinking about them this much” was super early for my taste.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own and freely given. Pub date: October 3rd, 2023

The hurricane wars

I want to start by saying thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything I wanted and more out of a fantasy book. I requested it, certain I’d fall in love and still, reader, I was stunned. Do you ever start a book and know within the first 50 pages it’s going to be 5 stars? Because this was that for me.

An absolutely gripping debut from Thea Guanzon, The Hurricane Wars is perfect for any reader who wants real enemies to lovers. Not the “mild dislike to lovers” or “misunderstanding to lovers” that has become fairly commonplace (thank you marketing), this book is true “I tried to kill you multiple times and still might to reluctant allies to eventual lovers” and Guanzon does an amazing job of it. The tension is perfectly built, keeping you on the edge of your seat and the dual pov nature of this book is amazing. Not to mention, the world-building in this is out of this world. Having read Guanzon’s work before (iykyk) I was so excited to read this, especially knowing not only her talent but the level of detail she puts into her writing and worlds, and I was definitely not disappointed. The cultures and politics are a major player in this and I especially love that they didn’t take a backseat to the romance. This wasn’t a “romance or plot” book, both elements were so well done and woven together so seamlessly that I truly have no complaints. I devoured this book. Additionally, I am just obsessed with her writing—in some scenes, the colors and description were so vibrant I felt like I was standing right there.

Guanzon also does an amazing job of blending traditional fantasy elements (magic, political contention, arranged marriages) with technology that borders on sci-fi with its level of ingenuity and depth. As both a writer and a reader, I can truly appreciate her talent for describing and inventing technology that does not exist and managing to get the point across without being confusing or being overly specific. My only complaint for this book was that it wasn’t longer, and because of that, the note that it ended on felt slightly anticlimactic to me. However, I do like that it overcomes what I see so often nowadays where books in a series are written as separate complete stories that tie together, even if they follow the same characters and a larger plot, often due to dynamics of the publishing industry i fear. This is the kind of book that you finish and then immediately drive to the bookstore to buy the sequel. I am aware that this is part of a series and I will anxiously await the next one (even though this one isn’t even out for 3 more months!)

I just realized I got this far in the review without mentioning the absolute genius that is this magic system. First and foremost, I am weak in the knees for light vs dark lovers, especially when they start as enemies. The magic felt unique and interesting and especially given how it was tied into the technology, it was very well done. I could gush about this book all day, but I’ll wrap it up here.

TL;DR :

If you love:
✅ enemies to lovers
✅ arranged marriages
✅ political strife
✅ rich and vibrant culture
✅ tall, dark, and broody
✅ light vs dark (literally)
✅ magic and technology

then I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Thank you again to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am quite tempted to make my entire review about how obsessed with Alaric I am. He is going down in my list of book boyfriends, and let me tell you, he's fighting for one of the top spots.

The Hurricane Wars was an epic debut with vibrant world building, unique magic, complex characters, and the most delicious, angsty, enemies to lovers romance.

When I say "vibrant world building", I mean VIBRANT. Guanzon created such stunning visuals with the tech, culture, and geographical layout of this world. I really hope any reader who reads The Hurricane Wars is able to appreciate these intricately woven scenes!

Our main characters, Talasyn and Alaric, are two people on the opposite ends of a war, yet they are each other's mirrors. And oh, how palpable the tension builds between them. I. AM. OBSESSED.

This book resolves in what I felt was a unique choice. It feels more like the end of an episode of Star Wars or one of the parts of The Hobbit because rather than a firm "period" ( . ) at the end of it, it is more of an "ellipsis" (. . .) and I kind of like that about it. It makes me eager for what's to come!

4.25/5 Stars!

This book has a little bit of everything when it comes to Fantasy/Romance. Some may wonder if that means there is too much going on, and to that I say: fear not and buckle up for actual enemies to lovers, a slow burn, a unique magic system, a looooong set-up of world-building (but one I found really paid off) and much more.

This being book one of a series, you are in for a lot of world-building and an introduction to terminology and geography and all of those tedious bits - and it does feel tedious at times. Do not make the mistake I did: really try to slow your roll and absorb the lay of the land. Otherwise, you will end up feeling lost and will have to go back and figure out who is who time and time again. When will I ever learn? The bright side is it pays off. If you get to the 25% mark and you're thinking "is this worth it, this is lowkey boring and I'm not even sure if I care about these characters, do they even have any personality?" then you are not alone. I, too, was in your shoes. I encourage you to push through to 50% and if you are still feeling those things, you can call it a day because chances are by that time you can safely say this book isn't for you, but my bet is that by 50% you will be in it, just like I was, turning page after page to see what happens next.

What I am loving about this: I am still thinking about this book. So often I can read a book and go, okay, on to the next, but I am days removed and my mind is still consumed by thinking about what may happen next.

Alright, so the not loving it parts: I would have to include the beginning, where I really struggled to click and/or attach to the characters and where I had to slog through the world-building. It has a lot of military talk going on and that wasn't particularly my jam, but was doable. [side note: I looked up what a coracle is in a basic Google image search and I am rolling imagining them zooming around in those things.] And while I begrudgingly accepted the amount of set-up, I also found that there should have been more when it comes to describing the magic system and its uses in the war and in society. Perhaps this is to come in future books but it definitely should have gotten more attention in this book.

Then there is my lack of trust in literally any character that you aren't reading from their POV (this is most likely a me problem?). So while you are probably meant to care about her MIA friend, I really do not. It is a dual POV, which is fine and dandy in my book, but that leaves every other person as a shady character.

Maybe the biggest and nearly fatal flaw is that I think the reader is meant to care about the FMC's "homeland" of Sardovia, and by the end, I most definitely did not. Burn it to the ground, for all I care. It makes me think that maybe the author should have sprinkled in a few more compelling anecdotes about why the FMC cares because, really, I can't fathom it. Stockholm syndrome maybe? Or, is there a trick up the sleeve that I am missing? The author will need to make me care in book two or else I might be lost as a reader. Either way, I can't wait to find out.

So I said that the set-up to this book is a bit of a slog, right? I strongly feel it is worth it in the end. I can't get over how great it was. A rocky start but as you go the story really takes hold and the humor begins to find a groove and what do you know, the characters do have personalities, even if I don’t trust 99% of them. Hurricane Wars highlights the author's heritage and aspects of her culture and that aspect absolutely shines. It is very much headed to the category of "yeah this series ROCKS but you have to get through the first book". The potential is there, even more so considering this is a debut novel. After finishing this book, the stage is set, there is still some left to explore, and it leaves you craving book two.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title!

I don't think its possible to put into words how good this book is. From the first page until the last you are captivated by the unyeilding push and pull of Talasyn and Alaric. If you're unfamiliar with Thea's writing, its so hard to describe the magic and emotion that goes into every single sentence. She's a poet and a lyricist and you couldn't possilby feel more immersed into this world she has created in Hurrican Wars unless you fell right into the jungles of Nenavar yourself.
Alaric and Talasyn both draw you right in from the start. They're both stubborn and ferocious and deeply haunted and there's no greater recipe for an ETL romantasy than that. Thea lays so many intricate twists and turns in this story that you're always racing to the next page to see what is going to happen next. This is a heated and tension building slow burn that ends with the most delicious and beautifully written pay off.
If you were a huge fan of LWABOC, you will not be disappointed. Thea keeps the heart of that story alive while taking you on a whole new adventure and I cannot wait for the next two installments of this trilogy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC.

I received an e-arc of The Hurricane Wars. The world building and magic system was unique. Both MCs are strong and likeable but are definitely chess pieces on other peoples boards! The tension between these enemies. 🥵🥵

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

This was a good read but it did take a while for it to start getting interesting. I think around 160 pages. I had to keep pushing myself to keep reading because honestly the first portion was just dragging on for me. One you get past that third of the way mark though, it’s good. When I read fantasy books; I want to be intrigued fast and I just wasn’t with this one.

I really like Alaric’s character. I think he’s a good guy villain. I feel like he did try. Tala on the other hand honestly just annoyed me. She really played with his feelings and I didn’t like her at all. One moment she wants him and then she shoves away. She did this so much and it was repetitive and somewhat annoying. I think the plot is interesting and I’m excited to read the next book and see Alaric grow. I also have high hopes that Tala will grow up and stop being immature in my opinion. I think she will be a great character if she just lets Alaric in. I don’t think he’s as bad as she thinks he is.

All in all I liked the book. I think anyone who likes fantasy books would enjoy this. It’s slow burning and it did leave me wanting more for the relationship in this book. I think their “magic” is really cool. I did get a little confused with the world building but that’s more a me thing than the book not explaining it well. I think it was written great and has wonderful potential.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

I received a ARC copy for my honest review.

The cover of this book is so beautiful. It took me almost 150 pages to really get into the book and form an understanding of the differing empires and all the characters. The character development in this is top notch. I couldn’t recommend this masterpiece enough.

A political fantasy and a love story; an ode to Southeast Asia--what's not to love? This book fills a gap that I've wanted the book industry to fill for ages. Do you know how satisfying it is to be doing the Leo DiCaprio finger-pointing thing constantly at a book? Thea writes about tarsiers and taho without directly naming them, and uses traditional Filipino names for female characters (Urduja, Tala). I cried tears of joy. I felt seen. Being a Filipino living in the US, I crave connection with my motherland constantly. I am very excited to recommend this book to all my American friends.

So...elephant in the room. I read other reviews, and the main gripe is the jargon. "It's too wordy, too many names, it's Reylo fanfiction, etc etc." And as someone who did read the fic lwaboc AND the Star Wars Legends novel "The Courtship of Princess Leia", which the fic was loosely based on, I can see how someone with fresh eyes might find themselves utterly perplexed. The first few chapters are a lot to process. You have names and terms thrown at you every which way, and you're smack dab in the middle of a war. The prose is elegant; perhaps too much so, which is why a few readers find the book highfalutin. But once you get past the action-packed beginning chapters, you're in for an intriguing political romance.

If you want true enemies to lovers, where they are actually ENEMIES WHO WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER, this is the book for you! Talasyn is a formidable main character. Not at all weak or insipid, she challenges Alaric on the battlefield and out of it.

I am vibrating with so much excitement and impatience not just for my hard copy of the book this coming October, but for the second book as well.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review this book :) All opinions are my own
Enemies to Lovers? Forced Proximity? Slow Burn? Dark shadow boy? This book has it all.
This book was so good. I loved the beginning and the fact that the main character was actually on the losing side of the war for once. It is not often that we get to see the main character lose. The second half of the book had me pining for more, getting excited over so much as the two touching hands. I was rooting for this couple so hard the whole time. There is also a unique magic system involving "aetherspace." The culture in this book was done so well, I actually felt like I was in Nanaverre experiencing festivals and in the palace. Thea Guanzon does an amazing job of immersing you in the world without spending forever world building, she scatters bits and pieces of it throughout her story. Highly recommend, cannot wait to get this book when it releases!

This was exquisite. Mesmerizing and immersive are perfect descriptors. This world, magic, and romance was beautiful and endearing.

I was so excited to read this book, but it ultimately didn’t live up to my expectations. I loved the premise and the world, and thought the world-building was done well, but despite the uniqueness of the world, the plot felt predictable. Furthermore, the romance really let me down. It was built on tropes and it felt like the characters had no real meaningful connection. All I felt existed between them was lust, nothing close to budding love and true feelings for each other. However, I probably will still read book two and hope the series gets better as it goes on!

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!


I loved everything about this book, The characters made the love story so enticing. I would read this book multiple time! Fantasy romance! Enemies to lovers!

This is literally how enemies to lovers should be done. I did think they fell for each other a LITTLE fast but the guilt they felt at falling for their sworn enemy more than made up for it. I did think the first third was a little slow especially considering it was on a battlefield but it definitely picked up and, by the end, I couldn't put my phone down no matter what was happening outside. The two leads were very well written and I am so excited to see what happens in the next novel when Alaric finds himself in close proximity with his father once again.

***4.5 stars***

This book was so good. I want to start by saying that, unlike so many books being marketed lately (and especially the ones on BookTok tbh), this one is a TRUE enemies to lovers slow burn. The romantic leads are literally mortal enemies who try to kill each other repeatedly and not always in a fun, sexy way. And the slow burn is SLOW. I know this might not be for everyone, but I personally adore slow burns and I hate being told a book is one only for it to basically be insta-love. You don't have to worry about that here.

Let me just start listing things I liked. I liked how strong Talasyn was throughout the book. How loyal. How selfless she could be. I loved that she could and did hold her own with more powerful oponents. I loved her sass and sarcasm, her insults, her relatability.

I also loved Alaric. I mean, we all know we love tall, dark, and brooding male main characters and Alaric 100% ticks all of those boxes. He's morally gray, he's complicated, he's grumpy, and he's just a little bit of a softy on the inside. He's definitely going to be the next shadow-bae (I think that's what the internet is calling them these days? I'm too old for this--basically, he wields shadows and he's hot, just like all our favorites like Rhysand, Xaden Riorson, Ruhn Danaan, etc etc etc etc).

The banter in this book is top notch. Watching Talasyn and Alaric spar with weapons and with words never ceased being an utter delight. One of my personal favorites (that I really hope stays in the final version) was "His Royal Ninnyhammer."

On top of all of that, this book adds in a perfect recipe mixed of: interesting magic, war-torn countries, action scenes, duels, dragons, rich worldbuilding, forced proximity, arranged marriage, and so much more.

The only reason I didn't give this book five stars was because, honestly, the pacing was kind of a mess. The beginning of the book repeatedly has long time jumps that felt jarring and was mostly just to rush along the whole enemies to lovers things. However, I really don't know if there was any other way to do this, and it really didn't bother me especially once I got into the thick of the book.

I can tell that the next book is going to be even more fun than this one was!