Hurricane wars felt like a beginning of the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric, now in this particular one, we see the full on courtship between them without completely accepting each other's position in their lives. Both are playing the game on political side with their own agendas and yet can't stop falling for each other either so we can definitely expect fireworks in the next installment. They are both allies and enemies at the same time and the readers will really feel for their constant turmoil. This definitely felt like build up for the next book in the series as it felt like there was too much happening as well as being slow at times. But the readers will be so invested that they wont be able to stop themselves without reading it all the way.

WHAT A FOLLOW UP

Phew, this book. The Hurricane Wars was excellent, but this one was EVEN BETTER 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 This novel BLEW ME AWAY

Oh my god, I loved this book so much. I’m so obsessed with Alaric and Talasyn. This was everything I wanted it to be. The ending killed me, like what am I supposed to do until book 3? Just reread it 100 times I guess lol. Definitely recommend to everyone. I loved the first book, but this one was even better. I loved getting to see different sides of the characters and watching them getting to see different sides of each other. It was so funny too watching these two try to figure out each other. I was giggling at them so often. I very much appreciate being giving an arc, now just to wait for book 3 😅

The plot of this book was so engaging I felt like I couldn’t put it down. Excellent writing and the tension was definitely there! I was KICKING MY FEET the whole time. Love !

I don't really know how to feel about this book. I feel like there were moments where I was really liking it and other moments where I felt whiplash from things happening too quickly (or exhaustion from things not happening fast enough)

- I honestly just feel very EHH about this book, like the first one got 4 stars but the world building was nearly impossible to follow at times. In this one, I understood more of the world building, and then something would happen that makes whatever I just learned to no longer make sense.
- This book further explores the complicated dynamic between Talasyn and Alaric. Married but secretly planning to betray each other, hooking up but afraid of falling too hard for the other. This was basically just a merry go round of them getting together, regretting it, then hating each other for a day before hooking up again. It was tiring.
- That being said, I do love Talasyn and Alaric, both separately and together. I think they are interesting characters who are young and tasked with impossible responsibilities.
- The EVENTS of this book were pretty good and kept things moving - I love the idea of them working and training together to save their people from the Voidfell. This kept us on a timeline and the story moved. Like this storyline was definitely my favorite. But it also took forever.
-- The events and discoveries DURING the eclipse Voidfell were really interesting, although it feels a little out of nowhere. Also... its basically How to Train Your Dragon.
- The ENDING did nothing for me. I was expecting some big cliffhanger that would have me yelling "NO I NEED MORE" but instead I do not feel anything at all. Like the cliffhanger makes me just more confused?
- I feel like there are too many people with titles and names that are brought up fleetingly and then we are supposed to remember them 100 pages later and it really makes me feel detached from anyone who isn't in the circle of main characters.
- At the risk of sounding mean, this book feels like someone had a few mental images of scenes that would be cool, wrote them down, then pretended like they fit together and made sense in context. It felt fragmented and transitions between scenes was not smooth.

This book. This series. This author! Thea’s first book was a bit of a slow burn for me, but I adored this one. Her writing seems to have matured since THW and I think this book really shows it. It’s energized, lively, and enthralling. I couldn’t put it down.

To say this was a masterpiece would genuinely be an understatement. This is hands down one of the best books i have ever read.

I just finished this not five minutes ago and a monsoon rising cemented this series as my all time favourite. Thea EXCELS in writing enemies to lovers and I will eat it up every single time!!

The banter, the spice, the angst, the magic, all of it was breathtakingly pieced together and it had me squealing and on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I devoured this in nearly one sitting, I could NOT put it down! One of the top reads of the year, if not my favourite of all!!!

I am DESPERATE for book three! I will be counting down the days until I can find out what happens to our beloved Talasyn and Alaric!!!

A Monsoon Rising, sequel to The Hurricane Wars, had some incredibly big shoes to fill. My expectations were higher than Everest, and not only were they met, but surpassed by great measure. I am so grateful to Thea Guanzon, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and honestly review the book with my own opinions prior to release.

Shall I start with the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric? Yes? Okay, then. The absolute rollercoaster between these two had me screaming one moment and swooning then next. Both Tala and Alaric give star crossed vibes and the entire book I wanted to scream at them to just be fully honest with each other. The tension. The spice. The yearning. The chemistry. The loyalties. The political intrigue. The banter! AGH. Thea’s got me in a chokehold and I will not be released until this series gives me its last word.

The magic system in this world is so unique and I love that I have to think to get my head wrapped around it. Any book that seeps into my imagination so much is tops for me.

There are so many subplots here that it would be impossible to touch on them all, but the heartbreak that is Alaric’s life could be an entire novel in itself. And for Tala … I have two words, “THE CLIFFHANGER.”

This book has a variety of elements that I believe most readers would appreciate. It has something for everyone! A Monsoon Rising is a much anticipated release for 2024, and it does not disappoint!

An epic continuation to the series that will keep you on your toes.

I love this series and getting to read it was a treat. I could not put the book down. It is engaging, fast paced, action packed. It feels like you're reading a film. The tension in this book was delicious. I feel like the author upped the stakes and made it more angsty, tension filled and so good! The plot moves and it's engaging with topics of political intrigue and you feel conflicted as a reader on who to trust and who to root for because of morality and who you can trust. I love the dynamic that we keep exploring between Talasyn and Alaric and fans of fantasy or Star Wars will want to pick this series up! You will devour it.

I loved The Hurricane wars so much that I was actually afraid of the high expectations I had for its sequel. But I’m glad to say it end up being so much better than anything I could hope for!! I guess I loved even more than I loved book one (and I love it so much that I have five editions!)
Talasyn and Alaric are my favorite fictional couple at the moment, end this trilogy is my favorite romantasy ever ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this arc

I was super excited for the sequel after reading Hurricane Wars and was delighted to receive an arc. I have a lot of feelings after reading that and feel a little book hungover. It was intense to the day the least. Gonna be thinking about this for a while! I think it’ll be really well received and those waiting for the sequel are going to be obsessed.

Thank you do much for this arc ! I screamed when I got approved since I loved the first one so much! This was even better and I can’t believe I have to wait so long for book 4! The magic , the couple the marriage of convenience ! That trope is one of my favorite I love when they start catching feelings . Thanks so much !

🌶️ yes

This book. This couple. This magic system.

Ugh. I loved this book.

- angsty forbidden romance
- Dragons
- Political intrigue
- Enemies to reluctant allies
- Dual POV

There is so much softness in this book that tries to buffer out the dark pain constantly in the corner of the main characters eyes. Two dreamer who are essentially never allowed to sleep. UGH I just wanna hold them real tight and protect them from the world.

Tala and Alaric race to try a save their countries from the Voidfall together while also playing on separate sides of another brewing war.

Most of this book takes place in the grey area between them that they try so hard to preserve and cherish while ultimately knowing they will be the ones to destroy it.

I love the way Thea write ls this hard yet soft romance.

I still am obsessed with the magic system.

I’m ignoring the last five pages for my sanity.

Thank you for the arc

- will post to social media the day of release

WOW. This book was one that I just couldn’t put down…and the cliffhanger…. I’m speechless. I’m actually sad that I’m gonna have to wait like another year for the third book to come out.

This was such an incredible follow up to Hurricane Wars. It’s got a unique magic system, enemies to lovers, romantic tension, chemistry/banter, two POVs, a beautiful pacific island/Philippines inspired world, political intrigue, dragons. Also, THE PLOT and not knowing which character to root for because the whole ecosystem of this book is complex and very morally grey… I mean, all of it was just incredible.

This sequel was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. Finished it in 2 days (im a slow reader ) so excited I got a chance to read the second book. It's just as great as the first one maybe even better! Thank you netgalley

To give this books a fair review I am going to the read the first book in this Series “the Hurricane Wars” before I review this book and then I will be back to update my review since this book doesn’t release until December.

I’d like to thank Thea Guanzon and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC and I like to give it a honest and fair review

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon.
This is the sequel to The Hurrican Wars, set up the relationship and training between Talasyn and Alaric. The chemistry there, wow. bickering, arguing, head butting, oh my.
Warning: this is a cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of A Monsoon Rising. After re-reading Hurricane Wars I was excited to re-enter this world and revisit the enemies-to-lovers angst of Talasyn and Alaric. While I enjoyed the first book, I think this one blew it out of the water. I loved the world Thea created in Nenavar, the political intrigue and plotting, the romantic and international tension building concurrently, and the plot twists with impending doom and uneasy peace as the backdrop. Thea's descriptions of the places, outfits, buildings, weather, magic, countries and food were lush and vivid and transported her readers completely into the world she created. I loved the way she built up the conflict between the MCs' growing affection for each other and their duties to their countries based on the Hurricane War. I also enjoyed their banter and constant conflict with each other. I felt that the pace dragged at times in this book, and I despise cliffhanger endings, but overall I think it was the best in the series so far, and I can’t wait to see how Thea concludes this series (hopefully a trilogy).

I absolutely loved the plot premise and characters of this book. The lust and attraction between the 2 main characters is amazing, but who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers book? I will add I do get a steampunk vibe from this book or is that just me? I do have two complaints about the book. First, people, places and things have unusual names, and I had a hard time remembering who or what names were for. I wish the book had a glossary as a quick reference. Second, I struggled picturing what was happening in several scenes and would have to re-read some sections. I just felt confused alot. So additional description would have been appreciated to better set the scene. I did read book 1 in the series first, which I would recommend doing before reading this book.

"Monsoon Rising" by Thea Guanzon transports readers into a captivating world where magic and romance intertwine seamlessly. Set against the backdrop of a fantastical realm inspired by Southeast Asia, the novel weaves a tale of adventure, love, and destiny.

Guanzon's storytelling prowess shines through in her creation of a richly imagined world filled with mythical creatures, ancient prophecies, and enchanting landscapes. The protagonists, navigating their way through trials and tribulations, are drawn together by fate and bound by a powerful, forbidden love.

The chemistry between the characters sizzles with tension, complemented by Guanzon's skillful depiction of their emotional depth and growth. As they unravel mysteries and confront adversaries, readers are treated to a journey that is both thrilling and deeply romantic.

"Monsoon Rising" is a must-read for fans of fantasy romance. Thea Guanzon blends magical elements with a compelling love story, offering a mesmerizing escape into a world where the forces of nature and the power of love collide in unforgettable ways.