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.

An amazing second installment to the Hurricane Wars series.

Talasyn and Alarics relationship developments were the strong point in a very strong book. The overarching plots advanced nicely as well. I did think that the Eclipse plot line resolution was a bit ridiculous but thankfully, every other part of the story progressed more realistically.

I can, honestly, breathe a sigh of relief. There have been a lot of second books lately that have missed the mark completely on their original stories. Thankfully, Thea managed to avoid this with A Monsoon Rising.

I’ll start with the character development. I will always LOVE that Alaric continues to call her Talasyn. With that point out of the way, the dynamic between Talasyn and Alaric was central to the overall plot. They really grew as a couple despite themselves and all of their secrets. Thea managed to convert the struggle both felt towards each other and how much they wanted to want each other even as they tried to outmaneuver the other.

Talasyn’s struggle with the Allfold rebellion reached a pinnacle point in this book. The unexpected development gave an added layer to the conflict.

She did it again. Love how to story picks up right where we left off and we get right into more action. I truly felt like this book just kept going and kept me entertained and wanting more the whole time. However the ending seems a little like I saw that coming but now we are left with this huge cliffhanger and I’m needing more!

A Monsoon Rising, by Thea Guanzon, continues the story of Talasyn and Alaric and their unique love story. The book begins shortly after the political marriage of the two happens and they are training for their role in the night of the Moonless Dark. The two are trying to negotiate a life together when each has their own agenda and secrets to hide. They are strongly attracted to each other, despite their conflicting agendas. Their marriage progresses to a cease fire and even to loving the other without really admitting it to the other. They encounter conflicts from living separately, storms, the aftermath of Voidfall on their citizens, Talasyn’s need to reinstate her beloved country and Alaric’s father’s plan to end Talasyn’s magic. Most of the book is about the two of them working together to protect their world against the major Voidfall problems on the night of Moonless Dark. The book ends shortly after that night, moving on to Book Three material. There is a strong miscommunication trope in the book, although the miscommunication is more a misleading, lying, secrecy type. The characters are strong and interesting. The intended audience for this book is people who like enemies to lovers, miscommunication, fantasy, spice, romance, and political intrigue. The book is a good read, and it keeps your interest even though most of the book is character driven rather than plot driven. I gave the book 4 stars

Overall, I recommend A Monsoon Rising. It was a fun, interesting read, building on the two characters’ previous situations and love story. I’m looking forward to the conclusion of the story in book three

This was one of my most anticipated sequel reads for 2024. I admit the beginning is a little slow outside of the first opening scene and there was not a lot of plot development to follow, but it really picked up in the second portion onwards. Every time I had to stop reading, I was just itching to ditch responsibilities to pick it back up to finish.
Thea really put Alaric and Talasyn through it with this book. The ending was phenomenal and the last page legit caught me with my mouth open.
I really liked Thea's descriptive writing throughout the book. From the details to the outfits to the spread of all the delicious sounding foods. I really wanted to be there to have a taste!
Sev still remains my favorite character and comedic relief. Please protect him at all costs.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this trilogy will conclude in the last book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

‘I couldn’t kill that rebel […] one word from you and I let my guard down. I couldn’t kill you, either, all those times before… what am I, if I’m not a weapon? What have you done to me?

Hurricane Wars was a top read for me so I went into Monsoon Rising with the expectations that sequels don’t always live up to their predecessors but I was so wrong. If anything Monsoon Rising surpassed Hurricane Wars! The romantic tension, banter, world building and political intrigue made it such a good read.

Monsoon Rising picks up where the Hurricane Wars left off with Talasyn and Alaric training together to stop the void severs destruction. While they form a tenuous alliance in their mutual goal they have influences from both sides saying that in the end they must betray the other.

I loved watching Talasyn and Alaric fight their growing feelings for one another as they are forced to work together to save both their homes. The tension and the banter with these two was so spot on! This book delved much more into their relationship then the first and leaned more heavily on the romance and chemistry between Alaric and Talasyn then the politics, although the political intrigue is still a major part of the plot. So much has been set up for the next book and I cannot wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Words are FAILING ME with how much I loved this sequel!!!! The Hurricane Wars was one of my favorite books last year, so I had pretty high expectations for A Monsoon Rising. And let me just say, this sequel hit every. single. mark.

The romantic angst is still there, but there's so much of Alaric and Talasyn working together too. It made my heart MELT. They are constantly in a push and pull with each other, so there was always tension to keep me hooked. I loved them examining their past traumas with each other and tentatively trying to figure out their feelings as well as where their loyalties lie. It's a perfect mix for an engaging, romance-heavy plot.

Not to be outdone, thought, is the actual saving-the-world plot. The inevitable threat of the end of the world also ramps up the tension, so even though there's not a lot of action or fighting scenes, I still felt like I couldn't put this book down easily. And also . . . the PLOT TWISTS?? THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING THAT WAS EVEN WORSE THAN HURRICANE WARS?!?!?!?!?!? I need the next book right now!!!!!!

This series has the potential to be in my top 3 favorites of all time. I love the emphasis on the romance, it has all the Kylo Ren and Zuko vibes with the MMC that my heart could want, and I am entertained and engaged the entire time while reading. I love these books with all my heart.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the arc!
Releases Dec 10, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: parent abuse, fighting and violence, death, three open door scenes

I felt this sequel down to the very marrow of my bones. It felt like being injected with a concentrated dose of lightning: shocking, terrifying; exhilarating. A Monsoon Rising is, at its core, an exploration of two deeply complex characters struggling to feel worthy of love. Talasyn and Alaric are recklessly brave, yet terrified of cracking open their hearts and exposing the truth of their feelings to each other. And as infuriating as that was, they remain my two perfect little idiots, and I'm still viscerally obsessed with them. Talaysn's smart-ass remarks leave me cackling, and Alaric's rizz sends me kicking my feet and squealing into my book. I wanted to drown in this novel and never break the surface, because I knew the moment I did, it was over. And this was a book I never wanted to end.

Tropes:
A MMC with a filthy mouth
Sexual tension
“Mine”
Marriage of connivence
Emotional pining
Political intrigue
Complex magic system

4.5 rounded up. I ate this up! A Monsoon Rising was much more character and romance focused. The angst, tension, and slow burn were sooo good. I loved seeing Alaric and Talasyn struggle with their feelings. It’s hard to find a true slow burn or a true enemies to lovers and this series has both which makes me so happy. I did take off half a star because the plot could’ve used more conflict or action or something. There was just something missing. The ending was fantastic though and I just know book 3 is going to be so good.

I was not overly impressed with The Hurricane Wars, but I was curious if this book would end up being better as the second book is usually either my favorite in a trilogy, or my least favorite. Unfortunately, this book ended up being a dud.

It felt like the romance took the main seat, and while I am not opposed to romance, it felt like all world-building and political intrigue was just minor fluff. I just cannot bring myself to sit through all this and hope to get back to the plot. More spicy scenes (yay for people who enjoy them! but not for me) but it just was not enough to keep me interested.

All I see in this is ReyLo and maybe it is me but it feels like the world-building sometimes struggles because it has the independent magic system but also dealing with integrating Star Wars elements.

Talasyn is once again just as annoying to me in this, and I could not care less about her. Alaric is okay, he has some issues, but overall he isn't terrible.

Will I continue this series? No, I could not even bring myself to finish this (time of DNF: 79%). It does have pretty covers at least.
If you are a romantasy fan, and can get past ReyLo (or a work derived from a pretty decent FanFic), then you'll probably like this.

I give this book 5 stars!! I loved it just as much as Hurricane Wars!!! The world building is top shelf and the food descriptions alone are enough to make your mouth water!! The banter between Tala and Alaric is laugh out loud funny and enough to cover my mouth and blush with butterflies! I loved experiencing the evolution of their relationship now that they are married! And let’s just say I had to read the spice scenes a few times because they were so good!! And lastly the cliffhanger!!!! I am already chomping at the bit for the third book!!! Thea, thank you a millions times for sharing your work with us!!! 10/10 recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️