I had a bit of a difficult time getting into this one. I felt like the miscommunication was overdone and I just couldn’t get on board. This could be a better read for someone else, but it just wasn’t for me.

Although I found many parts of this book/series interesting, it was really hard for me to get into the story. I found myself not rushing to pick the story back up and I didn't feel as invested as I was anticipating I would. I think Guanzon has a lot of potential with her writing and I am interested in seeing future works of hers. Overall this story was enjoyable and I actually think book two was better than book one.

I LOVED this book so very much. IT was beautifully written. The romance was top notch, and definitely spicy. Character development and angst was just perfect.

SCREAMING!!!!! What a way to start the new year!!!! Yall when I say I was SUCKED into this story I mean I was like double headphone don’t talk to me. Reading the ebook and listening to the ending and left with an open mouth! What just happened?!? Ahhh!!!! Soooo good!

*Thank you to Voyager and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to LibroFM for the gifted ALC*

This installment of The Hurricane Wars is definitely more focused on Talasyn and Alaric's budding love in their political marriage than the impending calamity, presumably left for the third book. I think some of my disengagement with this book was from listening to it rather than reading with my eyes, but the narration was phenomenal. There is growing dread as the revolution Talasyn's been hoping for seems to fizzle out, yet simultaneously go in an unintended direction. Ultimately she'll have to choose between her country and her heart... But now we wait.

And that cliffhanger? My heart.

Thea Guanzon did not disappoint with her second book in The Hurricane Wars series. A Monsoon Rising's setting was lush and opulent, the tensions were high, and Thea brought the spice.

This is not a add to your TBR book, this is a book you should start to read now.

After being married for the convenience of political gain we start to dive deeper into Talasyn and Alaric’s characters. Learning more about their past, motives, and beliefs. In this political game Talasyn and Alaric try to cause each other the least harm possible, while achieving the goals of those “in-charge”.

Unfortunately, peace is not an option as unrest across the continent begins to rise. Deciding who to trust may be harder than they thought.
The first 15 percent of the book was slow for me, setting the stage for what to come. Once things started to happen it was one wild ride after another. Each event and interaction leaving me questioning how will this all come to an end.

Get ready for a read of romance, magic, opulence, a bit of mystery, and a cliffhanger you didn't see coming.

Thank you to #NetGalley for being able to read #AMonsoonRising

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alaric and Talasyn deliver the most epic enemies to lovers romance in A Monsoon Rising, completely ruining us and our sanity. The Hurricane Wars was superb, and so is A Monsoon Rising. I love this world and these characters so much 😍😭😭😍😭😍😭😍😭😍

Talasyn has grown so much. She has embraced her royal and political role, and she continues outwitting so many characters. And yet, despite all the political turmoil and the lack of trustworthy allies, she is still the loyal and devoted Talasyn we all know from the first book. She is fair and clever and resourceful and accepts no nonsense from anybody. She is torn within herself, especially about Alaric. Her heart is in scrambles and she doesn't even realize she has feelings for him lmao.

Alaric is our favorite Talasyn-doormat, but even he recognizes that he has feelings for her. But they are so afraid of love, and it truly breaks my heart. They are so traumatized and so love-starved that they fear love more than war itself. Because they know war. They understand war. But love? That's foreign to them. And my dear Alaric, his father has scarred him both mentally and physically that his prism of worldview is still somewhat wrong, but he really shows in this book that he does have the best intentions, that he does strive for peace and prosper, that he does want a family with Talasyn. I must say, Alaric is such a unique character. He has a kind heart yet he can be ruthless in battle. He fears love and grew up in an abusive environment without even a hint of love, yet he adores Talasyn. He is so contradictory, which makes him so fascinating. I sincerely hope that he makes the right choices in the next book and put an end to bad-choice-making male love interests!

The plot is rich and twisty, but what I loved the most in A Monsoon Rising was that we had time with Alaric and Talasyn, and that they had time to grow and come closer to each other. Don't get me wrong! There's a lot of political court intrigue, a world to save from the Void magic, backstabbing, and even a creature to save, but I loved how much their romance got to evolve, too! We had the perfect balance of romance and fantasy, and I love Thea Guanzon's vision and direction in this series.

What more can I say? A Monsoon Rising is the perfect second book in a series that will forever be legendary and epic, touching and devastating romantasy lovers of all ages and backgrounds.

Sincerely,
*Alaric's Guava

*You will know what that means once you read the book.

What a fantastic continuation of Hurricane War!
I love this one so much more. There was action, love, plotting...so many great things! This was truly a pleasure to read

4.75 ⭐️ rounded up
So I would recommend reading this shortly after the first book, because it took me a moment to get back into the nuances of the storyline.
I love the banter between Alaric and Talasyn, yes it gets a bit repetitive - but when they stop fighting their feelings it’s so great. Each ruler also is working to become more and move forward, but they are also puppets to their families and courts. It’s interesting to see the different court politics and to see the main characters grow and grow together.
This book ends on such a cliffhanger that I truly need to know what is happening next and where the storyline goes! Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced ebook of this book.

The Hurricane Wars was my first ever high fantasy series and rated it 4 stars. Starting book two in the series I was a little nervous jumping into it as it felt like the ultimate high fantasy that I have ever read. I found some moments that were difficult to read. I was hoping more of a connection with the main characters in their romance, but they ended up as a tease. It would slowly build but the outcome of it was a disappointment. I had fun reading this book and I knew walking into high fantasies, I would be getting less of romance and for this particular book, I knew this wasn't the main focus. Overall, the plot was clever, the worldbuilding was out of this world, but the characters didn't stand out to me and my thoughts about them are equally the same as The Hurricane Wars.

4/5 Stars!

My last read for 2024 and it did not disappoint!

Although, this one is just as slow as the first one (despite them being "together" now) the moments between Alaric and Talasyn make it all worth it in my opinion! I feel like Thea should add "High Fantasy" as one of the tags on the book since the world building is INSANE but it is also a lot to remember and can become confusing after a little while. Especially when Alaric calls Talasyn different names!! Like I said though, the relationship and banter between the two mcs makes the experience more enjoyable and definitely outweighs the slower parts.

AND THAT ENDING??? I was convinced that this was a duology and spent a good few chapters being like "this can't be the end???" and IT WASN'T! I will definitely be sat for the third installment, I need to know what happens! And I hope Alaric fucking burns the world down to get Talasyn back!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Thea Guanzon’s Monsoon Rising is a richly woven tale of political intrigue, elemental magic, and personal ambition set against a lush, Southeast Asian-inspired world. Following the success of her debut novel, The Hurricane Wars, Guanzon crafts another vivid narrative that immerses readers in a setting bursting with life, danger, and beauty.

At the heart of Monsoon Rising is the story of a young diplomat, torn between loyalty to her kingdom and the burgeoning threat of an elemental force that could upend everything she’s ever known. The protagonist’s journey is both external and internal, as she grapples with her own evolving powers and the ethical dilemmas posed by the alliances she must navigate.

Guanzon’s prose is both lyrical and precise, capturing the tempestuous nature of the story’s themes. The depiction of monsoons as more than mere weather—living, breathing entities tied to the land and its people—adds a layer of mysticism and depth to the narrative. The world-building is exceptional, with every detail, from food to architecture, evoking the cultural richness of Southeast Asia.

The political intrigue in the novel is particularly compelling, with layers of betrayal and alliances that keep readers guessing. The nuanced relationships between characters—friends, lovers, and adversaries—are handled with care, adding emotional resonance to the high-stakes plot.

While Monsoon Rising stands as a strong sequel, it also builds upon themes introduced in The Hurricane Wars, expanding the scope of the world and deepening its mythology. However, readers new to Guanzon’s work can still find this book an accessible and thrilling entry point into her universe.

Overall, Monsoon Rising is a captivating blend of magic, politics, and cultural homage that cements Thea Guanzon’s place as a rising star in speculative fiction. Fans of lush world-building and morally complex characters will find themselves swept away by the storm she conjures.

‘my wife’ MMC? CHECK.
atmospheric worldbuilding with dragons and light magic and matriarchal kingdoms? CHECK.
arranged marriage of convenience with their greatest enemy, both of whom are actively scheming against one another? CHECK CHECK CHECK.

i loved the hurricane wars for the tension, the banter, the lush worldbuilding and the way thea managed to straddle the line between sci-fi and fantasy effortlessly (yes, i know this is a reylo fic, BUT SHE SLAYED THE TRANSFORMATION OF IT INTO ITS OWN FANTASY STORY) – but i struggled a bit in the first one with sudden pacing shifts. BUT THIS ONE IS PERFECT. it’s fast-paced, slow when it’s meant to be – like in secret caves during typhoons – and filled with all of the things i loved about the hurricane wars, but somehow even more polished and enthralling than in book one.

this sequel picks up right where the first book left off, as our MCs try to navigate their own magic in an effort to save both of their people, giving them a common goal – but what comes after? watching these two clumsily deny and grapple with their growing feelings for one another while secretly scheming against them with their respective factions is EXHILARATING. it’s like mr. and mrs. smith, but less toxic, more fun, and with SPACESHIPS AND DRAGONS.

it’s painfully sweet as alaric embraces his feelings for his feral wife, and endlessly amusing to watch talaysn try to deny her own feelings for the man she’s actively plotting to overthrow.

it’s delicious, it’s filled with all the best kinds of tension and chemistry, and it’s a vibrant, detailed world that makes for the kind of deeply immersive reading experience that those of us who hate to sacrifice an ounce of romance or fantasy in our romantasy books will appreciate.

even more so if you’re a reylo fan – though this does stand perfectly fine all on its own.

A Monsoon Rising really helped up the stakes of The Hurricane Wars series - book one gave us an introduction to the world and then this story really helped build the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric. Their development was very necessary as I found that they were not super believable before going into this sequel and the need to constantly work together on the impending threat of the Voidfell. I also found the characters a bit more enjoyable this time - Talasyn had a bit too much not like other girls in the first novel but I found her more compelling here and the conflict between her growing feelings and her resistance allies. Alaric had a lot of development here as well - there were multiple lines of his that I highlighted especially his views of himself and his father.

This left me very excited for the next one and that ending wow such a great cliffhanger.

Okay WELL I absolutely loved The Hurricane Wars, so to say this one was somehow even better?? An impossible ask, but Thea Guanzon delivered! The enemies to lovers tension was higher than ever, and the politics happening alongside the relationship made the stakes even higher. I love that we get both of their POVs because it gives us a chance to see what they're both thinking--and wish we could punch them in the face for trying to convince themselves they aren't in love, haha. The ending was so good in the best heartbreaking kind of way, and my impatience for the next book knows no bounds! I would genuinely inject this into my veins if that were possible.

Romantasy lovers, if you haven't already checked this one out then you absolutely must. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll throw the book across the room because you love it so much and the idiots are so stubborn. Definitely one of my favorite 2024 reads, and one I'm positive I'll be rereading in 2025 too!

Great read I loved it and was very excited for this book after the first one can’t wait for more from the author.

Enjoyed this way more than book 1 and just waiting for the main plot lines to happen but how can this end in another cliff hanger! Need book 3 quickly!

4.3⭐️

The way I yelled at that ending 😤

This was so much fun, kept my attention, and I'm loving the direction this series is going - so good!!

Also, some nice spicy scenes in there 🥵

Guanzon’s writing in A Monsoon Rising is both lyrical and precise, drawing readers into a world where every word resonates with emotion and meaning. The monsoons are not merely weather events but living, breathing forces intimately tied to the land and its people, infusing the narrative with a captivating sense of mysticism. The world-building is rich with detail, from the food to the architecture, bringing the cultural vibrancy of Southeast Asia to life.

The political intrigue also shines, with layers of betrayal and shifting alliances that keep readers on edge. The relationships between characters—friends, lovers, and enemies alike—are nuanced and emotionally complex, adding depth to the high-stakes plot. While the pacing and tension falter in places, the emotional resonance and the intricate world-building elevate the story, showcasing Guanzon’s undeniable skill for immersive storytelling.

Although the resolution left some things to be desired, the novel’s vivid prose, compelling relationships, and rich cultural backdrop make it a strong addition to the series, leaving me eager for what comes next.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I so desperately wanted to love this sequel. After reading The Hurricane Wars earlier this year, I felt we had the perfect set up we needed to be ready to receive A Monsoon Rising. However, while reading I couldn’t help feeling this story did not live up to the hype. With each chapter, I felt as if the plot became more and more lost. When we finally reached the climax of the story, it was over in an instant, took a turn no one was expecting, the turn had no impact on the story and I was no longer invested. Underneath so many moving parts there is some amazing world building happening, but it lacks the support it needs as the characters lack depth and conviction. Instead of expanding on the tension that was built up by its predecessor, it felt like another set up story for what will come next. Which is… anticlimactic.