How does Thea do it AGAIN. After the rollercoaster of emotions from the Hurricane Wars, A Monsoon Rising hit every mark.

First let’s start with the cover. IMMACULATE. NO. NOTES.

This book primarily focuses on Alaric and Talasyn’s relationship and their journey to stop the void fell. The growth and unraveling of each character’s protective walls was beautiful and honestly, hot. The spice they both deserve is filled in this book. Minimal enemies in this enemies AND lovers romantasy but honestly I’m here for it.

The action scenes were so well done as well. Tying together the reminder that these people are at war and the drama within it is written so beautifully.

The cliffhanger at the end has me crying for another book and I can’t wait to see everything fall together or apart (hopefully not because I am a Talaric Stan now) as the story continues.

Maraming salamat Thea and NetGalley for this arc!

This book was so good! The pacing was perfectly done and I feel like it’s all coming together so well! The plot is slowly unfolding and you can see where it’s going and I am so excited to keep reading. This series has been one of my favorites of 2024 and I cannot recommend it enough! The character development was fantastic and I love the back and forth between Alaric and Talasyn that makes it impossible to stop reading.

This novel embodies everything a sequel should be! A Monsoon rising proved to be the perfect addition to its predecessor The Hurricane Wars. Guanzon crafted such complex, relateable characters. I adored the arrange marriage trope between the two main characters. No one writes angst and betrayal into poetry quite like Thea Guanzon. Alaric says “my wife” so many times but everytime made me pause and squeal. The world building was so well rounded in the first book but this edition created such a magical, whimsical, and brutal world.

i’m not sure the words exist to sing the praises that this book deserves. i am not sure i have read a book that BETTER encompasses the moral dilemmas, the internal struggles, and the absolute base NEED that two people that shouldn’t be together experience.

every page was laced with tension, pining, and the BEST banter i have read in a while. talasyn and alaric are absolutely careening into a tricky, messy, hot romance, and i am SO here for it.

i’ve seen a couple reviews complaining that this whole book was “will they? won’t they?” and i don’t understand….. isn’t that why we’re here?!? i WANT to feel the pulls they experience both for each other, and for their peoples. the first book was about the backstory, the politics, the set up for the overarching problems. This is the book where they start to have to FACE these issues head on, together, and do their best not to fall in love along the way

in book one, i tolerated alaric and LOVED talasyn. in this book, i loved talasyn, but i would have taken an arrow to the chest for alaric. Watching him come undone, and try to be a better man than his father DID THINGS TO ME. no MMC has made me feel the way that alaric did (except wilder hawthorne but that’s a different story). his internal struggles between his people and talasyn. my god man. she might have fallen first (whos to say really) but he fell HARD. i love when a stoic man cracks for her and her alone.

you’ve gotta read it. you’ve just gotta. this book was so heart-wrenchingly perfect. i can’t believe we’ve gotta wait SO LONG for the next book.

“be kind to me, wife”

thanks netgalley for the eARC of this book

Absolutely amazing!! I was so impressed and loved this next book in the series. The story picks right back up and kept me entertained throughout.

Talasyn and Alaric pick up where they left off in The Hurricane Wars training their magic to prepare for the Moonless Dark. While they gave in to their mutual attraction on their wedding night, they have now spent time apart and know they each need to focus on their own priorities; which doesn’t include lusting after their spouse. However, once they’re thrown back together to train, no amount of logic or guilt can keep them apart.

I don’t know, man. These books have my number. I was hooked right away and love Talasyn and Alaric’s love / hate relationship. They clearly want to be together, but each have their own justified reasons for knowing they shouldn’t act on their feelings. Fortunately for us though, they never last too long without caving. I’d say the world building could be a bit unclear / confusing at times, but not overly imperative to enjoying the story. Now we just have to wait for book 3 after that cliffhanger 😫

For me, this was a pretty perfect fantasy romance book. I find that frequently book twos in series like this can be a real drag; however, I think this second one was even better than the first in the series.

Its true enemies to lovers. There are really really good reasons why the two are enemies and why they can't fully give in and trust one another. So the will they wont they doesn't feel artificially dragged out and the stakes actually get higher and more exciting the more they settle into a romance.

I very much enjoy our FMC. She's smart, loyal, empathetic, and stubborn. I'm really rooting for her and I enjoy they way she propels the story forward. Now our MMC...perfection. Tall, dark, handsome, virgin, *HATES HIMSELF*, is desperate for love, and is obsessed with our FMC. Absolute chefs kiss. Thea Guanzon, the woman you are.

I love how character driven the story is, while still clearly operating within an interesting plot and beautiful settings. I also enjoy how unique the magic system is. It's complex enough to be interesting, well explained enough to make sense, but not over dwelled upon to be boring. I also thought to spice was very well done, it was fun and exciting but also gave us some really good insight into the characters, their motivations, insecurities, and desires.

Big recommend for the series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of A Monsoon Rising to read and provide my honest review! I have been patiently awaiting A Monsoon Rising for over a year and it was everything that I wanted it to be and more! A Monsoon Rising was an incredible continuation of The Hurricane Wars. Thea Guanzon has a way of writing that completely transports you to another world. I love the care and details she puts in to creating the culture of her characters. I want to go to Nenavar and experience the cuisine and opulence. I loved the way that Thea continued to build her world and the magic of her characters. I was completely enamored with the story.

I absolutely adore the tension between Talasyn and Alaric (and the mutual pining). Banter is my favorite form of communication and it is incredible between them. It makes the tender moments between them so much more meaningful. Talasyn and Alaric’s relationship is so challenging and complicated and it’s development is so incredible to watch. I’m at the edge of my seat watching these true enemies become lovers. This is such a slow burn but it’s so worth it when we get little glimpses of affection.

Although I just finished A Monsoon Rising, I couldn’t put this book down, I cannot wait until book 3!! I will be counting down the days for the next installment of The Hurricane Wars.

I did not realize this was book 2 in the series and have not yet read book one. I do plan to eventually read the series however it may not be in the time frame the publisher needs for my review to be impactful

Oh my god, I will simply die having to wait for the next book with the cliffhanger that is served.

In my honest opinions, this book has its ups and downs. One of the ups is of course the chemistry between Tala and Alaric! When I say it’s spicy and they simply cannot keep their hands off each other in some moments, I mean it. And I love to see a couple who are seen as equals.

The world building is great, who doesn’t love a good magical battle (with dragons), warring nations and some good old betrayal plots. Personally, those betrayal plots are what excited me the most.

Some of the downs was the amount of information is thrown at you that would be hard to remember. If you read this book, I recommend brushing up on the previous book before hand.

Sometimes, the plot is very stretched. In a way it feels like the author is trying to stretch the plot for this big event to be at the end of the story and adds filler in the whole rest of the story to make it work, when honestly the big moment was not even my favorite part of the book. The coronation at the beginning and the very last few pages are what really got me hooked. Any part with the Sardovians too! Man, who doesn’t love a rebel plot.

A Monsoon Rising is much more focused on the relationship development and the romance between Alaric and Talasyn than book 1 was. I usually do prefer more politics or action in my fantasy, but I found myself unable to put this down and I really was invested in their relationship. I think some will call this a “filler book” since the plot doesn’t advance a lot until the end, but I surprisingly didn’t mind because I was having such a good time. That being said, I do like the direction the plot is headed in and I hope there is a lot more action in the next book. And speaking of the end… I need book 3 immediately!

This book is almost a five-star. It more than makes up for the struggle of the first book in the series with multiple spicy scenes, political tension, and character development. While the first book set up world-building and focused on the ongoing war on the continent, this book focuses on the budding relationship between Alaric and Talasyn as they attempt to work together to save their homes and people. The cliffhanger at the end of the novel was well done, yet again by Thea Guanzon, and left me wanting more and engaged in the story. This book cemented my interest in the series, and I eagerly await the next book.

Will Alaric and Talasyn ever come to a compromise on their ideals for the future, or are they destined to be star-crossed lovers forever? Will Talasyn's friend be found? Will the Continent and Dominion become one?

So I actually ended up reading this a different way and probably would've preferred reading this ebook. It wasn't as good as the first book as to be expected usually!

I devoured this book like a woman starved. The tension between Alaric and Talasyn was exquisite, and chapter 20 was perfection. Even after the Voidfell, there was enough conflict to keep me on the edge of my seat. I *need* to know what happens next, but alas, I'll have to wait for book 3.

I did not expect to love this book so much. The first book was amazing, but this book blew me out of the water. The main characters' story and relationship expanded much throughout this book. The world-building continued to amaze me. Overall the experience of reading this book was fantastic, and I am so grateful for getting to read it early.

4.75 stars!!

not sure how to explain this specific feeling but this book feels like watching your two favorite people fall in love: slowly, sweetly, tenderly. somehow in the midst of WAR, on the brink of BETRAYAL, all i could do was smile softly at the absolute adoration and longing between talasyn & alaric. i loved it so much even though i was also extremely stressed the whole time. because the fantasy elements ..... they were getting intense and i knew things were about to go down.... and all i have to say about that without spoilers... is the cliffhanger is CRIMINAL! CRIMINAL to leave us hanging like that 😩

thank you Harper Voyager & Netgalley for the eARC! this is my honest review.

I had the pleasure of reading Monsoon Rising, a beautifully immersive fantasy novel by Thea Gaunzon, and let me tell you, it was such a whirlwind of a read (pun intended). Thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC. I'm so glad they did!

It is a captivating fantasy novel that mixes magic, adventure, and rich world-building. Set in a world shaped by powerful monsoons, the story follows Vaya, a complex and determined heroine who’s torn between duty and personal desires. The book’s atmosphere is lush. Gaunzon’s vivid descriptions make you feel like you're right there, caught in the storms. The magic system, tied to nature and ritual, is unique and adds depth to the story.

The characters are well-developed, and the dynamics between them, including the hints of romance, felt natural. The pacing kept me hooked from start to finish, with a good balance of action and introspective moments. I really enjoyed the emotional depth and thought-provoking themes about balance and change.

Overall, Monsoon Rising is a fantastic read for anyone who loves immersive fantasy with strong characters and a magical setting. Highly recommend!

One word for this book: delicious.
The newly weds continue their slow burn from book 1 and frustratingly still can’t see what is right in front of them. I was shouting into my book like watching a horror movie unfold.
And while both of our lovers are still keeping so many secrets from one another, enemies lurk around every corner, known and unknown.
What do the dragons really have to do with everything?
What happens if shadow and light have a child together?
What really happened to Tala’s mother?
When will Vela turn on Tala? (We all know it’s gonna happen right?!)
I cannot wait for the next book especially after THAT ENDING ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

4 stars!! ⭐️

I ate this UP just like I did THW! Our little lovebirds made some moves in this book, and boy was I here for it! I loved the development of Tala and Alaric’s relationship in this book, and the spice was spicing. This book had me giddy.

The plot, however, left me a tiny bit disappointed. I felt like not a whole lot happened in this book until the very last bit and then I didn’t think the ending/cliffhanger made much sense. And while I understand that’s the point of a cliffhanger to some extent, I wish there was a liiiitle bit more clear context to this one.

That being said, the world building was still *chefs kiss* and as was the character development. I can’t wait to read the next book, and am sad I will have to wait so long for its release!

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an early digital copy of this book. This is my own opinion.

Gah. Gahhhhhh. This book. My reading updates for this were all just incoherent screeches because I was losing my mind.

A Monsoon Rising has
🌩️ tension and banter
🌩️ court politics
🌩️ subterfuge
🌩️ some seriously sexy costumes
🌩️ DRAGONS
🌩️ A HUGE EFFING CLIFFHANGER (this is the second installment of a trilogy, so it’s expected.)

First and foremost I want to say that I have read LWABOC and I think this might be better? Like…Thea was the first fic author I ever read, so she has my undying loyalty for that, BUT I would love this book even if I wasn’t already obsessed with her writing, and it takes a lot for me to get so into a book. (Seriously I wish I had a physical arc to annotate. My poor kindle had to put up with a lot of highlights 🤣)

Anyway moving on. The tension between these two idiots (I say this lovingly) just crackles and if I actually had time to, I probably could’ve read this book in one sitting, and it’s pretty long. The pacing was just *so* good. And every time their relationship moved forward and took two steps back I cackled because I can’t wait for everything to blow up in both their faces

I cannot wait for the next book, and I would definitely suggest this for fantasy fans.

Anyway, don’t mind me off to go reread LWABOC and screech about this book some more.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harper Voyager, and Thea Guanzon for this arc. (Seriously thank you so much getting this arc was the most excited I’ve been all year.)