I loved reading this book. Talasyn and Alaric are such great characters because they are so strong apart from each other, but they also make each other better. I really enjoyed seeing their dynamic change throughout this book and how they are so honest with each other while also keeping massive secrets from the other.

If you were wanting more spice in the first book, then you will be so happy to read this book, because the spice was fantastic! There were a couple of times I was letdown by the plot, but all-in-all, it was a really fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of A Monsoon Rising.

oh my GOD what an epic sequel

I really enjoyed The Hurricane Wars but wasn't quite obsessed with it, well after reading the sequel consider me OBSESSED. I am hooked, I am in it, I am READY for book 3 and book 2 hasn't even come out yet!! A Monsoon Rising exceeded my expectations and I'm so thrilled about it.

I FLEW through this book; I could not put it down and desperately needed to know what happened next. Just like the last book, the stakes were high so I was on the edge of my seat while reading. The tension between Alaric and Talasyn is top tier, I love their romance so much and definitely grew more attached to these characters through this book.

I wish I could say more but honestly this book left me speechless. I just loved it so much. The ending had me screaming. I need book 3 like immediately. I'll be rereading this when it's released so I can be back in this world again with everyone else :)

⭐️5/5 EASILY
🌶️1/5

I am actually flabbergasted by how good this sequel is. It's very rare to come across a sequel that can hold up to the first book, but Thea did it! I'm not going to go too much into the book as it is a sequel and I don't want to spoil anything, but what I will say is that this picks up where The Hurricane Wars left off and it has an INSANE cliffhanger! You get so much Alaric and Talasyn time and you get to see more of the side characters that we love. I had the absolute best time reading this. There were times that I had to hold my breath because it was so tense and others when I was squealing and acting like a school girl. I absolutely LOVED it and I love these characters so much! I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you to @harpervoyagerus for sending me the arc. I can't even begin to tell you how appreciative I am. This is a prized possession of mine.

3.75 stars rounded up! I feel like I say this about every book, but "A Monsoon Rising" is sooo hard to rate. I love a lot about this series: the fantasy world inspired by Filipino culture, the witty banter between the characters, and the unique magic system (plus, this book has dragons!). And while the character relationships are better developed in this book, I still think the plot could benefit from tighter pacing. That's the only reason I'm not rating it 4+ stars.

I love how this book picks up where the first one leaves off. I read "The Hurricane Wars" and "A Monsoon Rising" back-to-back, which is perfect for this series' immersive setting. If you like the concept of castles nestled amongst rainforests and scrumptious descriptions of tropical cuisine, I highly recommend you read this series! I also like how the tropical islands and the shadowy mainland complement both of the MCs' personalities. This book has the epitome of a grumpy/sunshine romance, and I like how their native countries reflect that.

And speaking of romance, it's sooo much better (and spicier!) than in the first book. Personally, I thought the constant "will they/won't they" part of the first book's romance was overdone. And this is coming from someone whose favorite trope is enemies-to-lovers! Thankfully, the characters are more accepting of their feelings and each other in this book. And it shows! Some of the spicy scenes had me blushing. I'm so happy this book embraces its place in the new adult genre.

The only reason I'm not giving it 4+ stars is because of the pacing in the last 25%. I feel like so much of this series leads up to one crucial event, only for it to resolve in the span of two chapters. After so much build-up, the resolution feels too easy. Additionally, this central plot point wraps up around the 85% mark, and the story continues for another six chapters. I can see why the author extended the story (it sets up a major cliffhanger!), but I think the ending would benefit from tighter pacing.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book! I think it's perfect for readers who love a grumpy/sunshine relationship, a Southeast Asian-inspired setting, and a book that's equal parts romance and fantasy. 3.75 stars, and kudos to the author for this series!

I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

This book was so addicting. I loved the first book in this series, but this one brought the spice and fire! Every time I had to put the book down, I was counting down the seconds until I could pick it back up again. Our two main characters Alaric and Talasyn are back with even more tension than before. When a potential apocalypse is brewing in the horizon, the two have to overcome their differences and work together to save their countries. Add in the already tense political climate between the Night Empire and the Dominion court, the stakes are higher than ever. This book has everything from training montages to banter and bickering. Truly on my list for book of the year, I enjoyed it so much! This book was so addicting. I loved the first book in this series, but this one brought the spice and fire! Every time I had to put the book down, I was counting down the seconds until I could pick it back up again. Our two main characters Alaric and Talasyn are back with even more tension than before. When a potential apocalypse is brewing in the horizon, the two have to overcome their differences and work together to save their countries. Add in the already tense political climate between the Night Empire and the Dominion court, the stakes are higher than ever. This book has everything from training montages to banter and bickering. Truly on my list for book of the year, I enjoyed it so much!

This book was so good! I love the South Asian and steampunk inspiration in this series and the enemies-to-lovers between Alaric and Talasyn is so well done! And the cover of the book? Beautiful.

Picking up right where The Hurricane Wars left off, Talasyn and Alaric continue to struggle to combine their magic to save the world. The first part of this book felt very slow, and I was worried it wouldn't live up to the first. However, the last 75% had me on the edge of my seat and staying up way past my bed time. I'm pretty sure I said "one more chapter" to myself about 20 times one night.

The spice REALLY picks up in this one, and I am here for it! This book is really all about their relationship development, so tensions and libido are consistently high.

Honestly, just as good as book 1. And I CANNOT wait for number 3.

I am an “Alaric stop pissing off your wife” advocate.
The ending was not what I was expecting I need book 3 asap but also the way the tension built between the two throughout the book!! Wow

Thank you so much to Thea Guanzon and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for the eARC of this title. I was so excited to get an early copy of this sequel! I loved the Hurricane Wars and this one was no exception! Loved reading more of this fabulous universe and you will too! Brilliant writing from Thea. Definitely recommend.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I need the next book in the series. I can't believe that Thea Guanzon left me in a big cliffhanger ever! Like, how can I operate? I literally need the next book so I can know. Like right now, please and thank you.

Beside my mini rant about getting the next book in the series, let's talk about how amazing this book is and why you need to read it as soon as possible. First, this book outshine the first book. It literally made me more invested in the series and where it is going next. Second, the tension and the banter between Alaric and Talasyn are off the charts. You can just tell that they want to be together, but they won't give in since they are political rivals. Third, the spicy scenes between Alaric and Talasyn are off the charts. It's so steamy and hot! Readers are going to be fed in this book. Lastly, the endless battle between the two kingdoms is never ending. There are so many things that's going against them. It's going to be ugly in the upcoming books in the series. I can't wait!

Note: book finished, reviewing in progress and incoming. I appreciate the patience and the opportunity!

I am currently very physically ill and not able to read very much or some days even at all. I apologise to anyone this review might inconvenience, but I thought I might do a placeholder until I am well and can finish reading and write a proper review. I didn’t want it to potentially expire before I could post something. I will edit this when I am well enough to read again. Again I am sorry and hope this doesn’t affect my standing.

I'll be honest... I read A Monsoon Rising almost immediately after finishing the first novel, The Hurricane Wars, so some of the plot lines bleed together for me.

That being said, AMR was stronger, writing-wise than THW but weaker in terms of overall storytelling. I'm rating AMR higher because I was better able to connect with the characters, I appreciated some of the additional world-building, and I'm a sucker for a halfway decent love scene. But, I do think some fans might be left disappointed with this second installment.

I found that AMR lacked some of the political turmoil that was originally stirred up in THW and, while that made the book easier to follow overall, it felt as if Guanzon was pandering a bit to the TikTok girlies who just want to spend their days "shipping" Alaric and Talasyn.

All in all, I'm happy I read this and I'll definitely be continuing the series, but it won't be a must-read for me.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this e-arc!

Finally getting around to writing my review for this a month later... oops. I was SO excited to be approved for this arc on Netgalley because I loved The Hurricane Wars when I read it at the end of 2023! It's such an intriguing fantasy world to step into and the characters are sooooo fun to read.

After the ending of The Hurricane Wars (and Talasyn and Alaric's infamous wedding night) I was so excited to dive back into this world and see where our characters are at. During A Monsoon Rising, our two main characters spend a majority of time preparing for the Moonless Dark - the big catastrophic event that only they can put a stop to if they combine their powers - but there are secrets being kept on both sides and lots and lots of tension (which was one of the best parts of the book, I love tension LOL).

I just love how Thea Guanzon writes interactions between Talasyn and Alaric! Their interactions were truly impeccable. I was giggling and swooning in equal measure and I loved seeing how their dynamic shifted throughout the story. I also loved seeing the state of their world after the war was won... or is the war really over? It's an interesting landscape that both of our main characters have to navigate and I'm really interested to see where the story goes next (especially after that ending).

I had so much fun reading this!! Thank you to Netgalley and Thea Guanzon for the e-arc!

I'm so happy I did not listen to the naysayeers and continued with the series. A Monsoon Rising was the perfect sequel to an average romantasy debut with great potential. This book has all of my favorite elements of a romance, sexual tension, bickering, reasonable miscommunication and two stubborn MCs. I'm so excited to see where our MC ends up. And that ending OMG, did not see it coming.

My only negative is, the ability of the fantastical to keep me engaged. Its not something I think much of and for a romantasy that ok. I look forward the the continuation of the series and future books Thea writes.

This was a fantastic sequel to The Hurricane Wars that continues to expand the world, as well as continue the slow burning tension, and denial of their feelings, between Talasyn and Alaric.

There were also plenty of peaceful, lighthearted moments to break up the bleak situation that the rebels find themselves in, all while maintaining a cohesive story.

I also appreciated the length of the book, with some romantasy books being longer than needed, this was an easy book to breeze through because there was always either the plot being driven or character development.

Monsoon rising review

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


This is purely a Romantasy. The plot appears to be about Alaric and Talasyn coming together to save the world from the void, but their relationship has been at the forefront of the story. I enjoy enemies to lovers, but this misses the mark. The first book, while it had middle book syndrome, did a good job starting their relationship. At over 60% in book two, they still love/hate each other. They have intimate scenes and then Talasyn still hates him or there are times when both recognize their feelings and are like “idk what that means”… BFFR. She as a character just grates on my nerves. It’s hard to leave a review on this since it is book two, I don’t want to spoil anything.

Also- I HATE Elagbi’s relationship with Talasyn. You can’t make me believe for a second that this man loves her as a daughter… as if they’ve spent all 19 years together?! He treats Alaric and Talasyn’s relationship like their teenagers and not adults. It’s weird. I do understand his dislike of Alaric is because he is the “enemy” that they have to take out, but Elagbi is doing too much.

The entire plot of book 1 and 2 were for Alaric and Talasyn to save the world from the Voidfell. So tell me why when they FINALLY make it to the Darkest Night that it was anticlimactic? It was like watching the Longest Night on GoT. It was like two chapters and nothing happened. The plot twist at the end wasn’t even mouth dropping. Don’t think I will continue the series. I do not recommend- the premise is enticing but the book didn’t live up to expectations.

"Let them know, beyond the Shadow and the turning of the stars, that you are mind."

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed book 1 of this series but Guanzon REALLY improved her writing on book 2! I absolutely love seeing authors grow from book to book instead of coasting or - heaven forbid - getting actively worse (IYKYK).

This had everything I love about middle books in trilogy. It had angst, characters coming into their power, significant plot movement, and - of course - betrayal.

ALSO, it had some unexpectedly excellent spicy scenes. Lost half a star for the mutual and deliberate denial going on just a little too long.

If you liked Hurricane Wars but were unsure about continuing because of the number of times Alaric's narrow hips were referenced, I can firmly state that you have nothing to fear from Monsoon Rising and should absolutely check it out.

*Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins for this ARC. All opinions are my own.*

Thank you NetGalley and Thea Guanzon for the ARC of A Monsoon Rising!! This was everything and MORE than I could’ve asked for!! I always get excited when a new installment comes out in a series but usually the hype is never as good as the first book but I’m happy to say this book DELIVERED!!

This was a great follow up to last year’s hit, The Hurricane Wars. The story picks up immediately following the first book. A Monsoon Rising is split into three parts. One improvement over the first book is that each part retains the same feeling.

The action and story is tighter and the pace more focused than the first book. The ending!! Wow. I can’t wait for what comes next in this series. Overall a very good follow up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I was very looking forward to a sequel in this series, and this book did not disappoint! In fact, this book features even greater writing, a more vivid universe, compelling people, and deep connections than the first one.

This book mostly focuses on Talasyn and Alaric's relationship and how they come to see each other for who they really are. As we learn more and more about each of them and how their pasts and present influence their behavior, it becomes increasingly tragic and amusing at the same time. Additionally, the sexual tension between them is expertly handled, and it is quite enjoyable to read when they finally give in. I must admit that Alaric's plot and character development in this book are the greatest in the whole.

The cliffhanger conclusion is going to drive me crazy because there are still so many unresolved questions and story points. I am in desperate need of the next book in this series!

Everything I could have wished and anticipated from "A Monsoon Rising" was well exceeded. This book was incredible, and I read it all at once. You'll be thrilled with this book if you enjoyed the first one. And if you haven't read this series yet, I heartily suggest it to anybody who like fantasy novels with captivating romance, thrilling action, and amazing fantasy realms.