I am highly impressed and happy that this one didn’t fall prey to second book syndrome. The highs and lows kept me on the edge of my seat, my heart raced with every interaction between Talasyn and Alaric, fear ate at me over what will come to pass between all the plotting between them, with others, and against them. And the ending has me dying knowing how long it will be until the third book will likely come out.

Thank you to for granting me this highly anticipated ARC that left me completely speechless and lived up to my own anticipation!

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion given voluntarily. I have read the first one and it was extremely hard to get through with the throw up of information constantly and I was hoping the second time around the author grew out of that. Fortunately the information dumping wasn’t present but unfortunately the very descriptive monologues were also present. I wish the editor was more thorough in scaling back on literal pages of descriptions of rooms, what the character was feeling or seeing. The plot is strong enough to compel me to read the third book but I just wish there wasn’t so much fluff. The plot does not come into play until sixty percent of the book and then it leaves a huge cliffhanger. I understand it’s to further the series but when the plot isn’t even part of the book till the last few chapters it leave me feeling confused on why there was so much.

IT’S HERE! I was sooooo lucky to get an ARC of A Monsoon Rising (The Hurricane Wars book 2) from @theagwrites @harpervoyager and @netgalley. I have been WAITING for this book since last year when I read the ARC for THW and YOU GUYS IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

The stakes are raised, the spice starts spicing, the plot is getting thicker and my man Alaric…bless him, he just wants to show is wife some affection for goodness sake. Talasyn, on the other hand, doesn’t even know where to begin with accepting and coming to terms with the fact that she might feel something for this man.

I’ll try to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but there is one thing in particular that really stood out to me in this book. There is a lot to say about the miscommunication trope and many people have strong feelings about it (myself included! Like can we please just act like adults??) This book portrays the secrecy trope where both MC’s explore a romantic relationship while carrying HUGE secrets from each other, knowing that they’ll eventually have to betray each other. Talasyn and Alaric’s emotions are portrayed SO WELL when it comes to them harboring these secrets from the person they care about the most.

Alaric has the absolute BEST character development and storyline in this book. Talasyn refuses to believe she has feelings for him while he begins to just roll with it. He loves messing with her and poking fun at her and has some of the best one-liners 😂 this man had me cackling.

The ending 🤯 THE ENDING?!? Bombs are dropped and the cliffy’s are hangin! You guys don’t wanna miss this!!! I can’t wait for everyone else to read it!

This is for sure going to be my favorite book of the year!
I have read many enemies to lovers but never have I felt them have such a genuine reason to be enemies. I understood their inner conflict throughout the whole book and the angst was perfection.
I felt such compassion for both main characters and underwood why the acted the way they did.
The world building was unique and I loved the folklore aspect of it. This was such a magical experience being able to read this and I don’t know what to do with myself until the next one.

I cannot express how much I enjoyed this. I devoured in less than 24 hours, because I just couldn't stop reading. Talasyn and Alaric are such enchanting characters to follow, and are written so genuinely and so earnestly that you cannot help but not only root for them but really be in their shoes. The writing is so beautiful and masterfully done that you feel as though you standing with them, solving problems with them and truly experiencing their lives with them. Similar to the writing I also found the pacing to be spot on, I never felt lost or confused as to how and why the story moved in which it did. The Hurricane Wars was a such wonderful read that I truly dragged on to make it last with how much it captivated me that I was excited to see how A Monsoon Rising would hold up to a book that made me feel things I hadn't in a while. And oh boy did it far exceed my expectations. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good book, fantasy, romance, political intrigue, do not get me started on the political intrigue, and of course a swoon worthy MMC. I will be gushing about this from now until the end of time.

I loved the first book in this series and was so excited to get an ARC of the second installment. The author does an excellent job of writing enemies to lovers. The tension was undeniable. I really enjoyed seeing Talasyn and Alaric's relationship develop and grow. It speaks to their overall personal growth as they learn to work together toward for the greater good. Forbidden romance and enemies to lovers are my favorite tropes and the author's mastery of writing them is undeniable. The world building is excellent, the magic system awesome, and the political intrigue is riveting. This stuff can get really heavy quickly and Guanzon does an excellent job of providing depth while making it accessible and easy to understand. I was expecting a cliffhanger as I knew the series wasn't over, but that was a real doozy! Fans of the first book will absolutely not be disappointed by this second installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I was so excited to get the chance to read an early copy of this highly anticipated sequel to the Hurricane Wars!
It doesn’t disappoint. If anything, the writing and the world and the characters and the relationships get even better in this book. Such a joy to read, and after that ending, cannot wait for the next installment.

So excited to be approved to read this early thank you NetGalley and publisher

I smashed this book as soon as I got that approved email my kindle didn’t leave my hands

The story was even better then the first book the writing is just beautiful and the characters development is done so well

Just when you think you know what’s going to happen next BAM surprise cliffhanger!

I am seriously so excited that I was selected for an ARC copy of this book. I loved the first one so much and this one was even better! I love the world in this series and the romance is sososo good. This author will forever hold a place in my heart and I will automatically purchase anything. I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy of this for my shelf. Absolutely Amazing!

I just finished A Monsoon Rising, I NEED BOOK 3 NOW, MY POOR TALARIC 😭 (yes, I made a shipname for them, I NEED THEIR HEA 😭)

The writing in this book >>>>
The pining >>>>
The bickering >>>>>

The cliffhanger! It came out of nowhere for me honestly and it threw all my predictions out the window, I have NO idea how it's gonna proceed after this??!!

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

A consistent continuation of the first book and a pleasure to read. In this volume, we see Talasyn and Alaric’s relationship develop from extremely reluctant political alliance to something else. There’s some other stuff going on, mostly a world-destroying event ominously called the Moonless Dark, but the real plot is this developing relationship. It is a delight because Talasyn and Alaric are imbued with their own sympathetic feelings and motivations, making this far superior to the average romantasy in my opinion.

I’m not try to maintain a pinkies up, holier-than-thou approach to fiction here. Just to remind you, this is a Kylo Ren/Rey fan fic with the serial numbers filed off. (The faults I found with first book, namely the puzzling lack of world-building, are resolved knowing this is a Star Wars fan fic.) This absolutely continues (and for those who have read the original fan fic, we see a lot of the same events like example, the nurse the masquerade scenes), but I think the work has moved beyond its rather amusing origins, much like the Shadowhunters series.

The Hurricane Wars was one of my favorite reads of 2023 and it’s an understatement to say I was ecstatic to receive this early copy of A Monsoon Rising!

This fantasy series is the epitome of the enemies-to-lovers trope done right. Every step forward Talasyn and Alaric make in their relationship, is followed by two steps backwards. Each of them realizing their end goals, and the end goals of their families, do not include a happy ending together.

Their romantic angst and tension were so palpable. While this book still included the political intrigue and incredible world-building of the first book, Talasyn’s and Alaric’s relationship was the main feature. I absolutely adore them both and kept shouting for them to be honest with one another! Their banter and continuous sparring was everything.

I enjoyed their growing closeness as they learned how to work together to prevent the dead season, and loved the reveal behind the void sever. I was expecting there to be a cliffhanger, but that ending took me completely by surprise! This story isn’t even out yet, and I already need the third book in my hands.

I seriously cannot recommend this series enough! It has a highly creative world and magic system; a fast-paced, high-stakes plot; and a Reylo-esque romance. Easily one of my top reads of 2024!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my god. THAT ending?! Thea, how dare you?! I’m obsessed.

Thea has really done it again! I tried to stretch it out because I didn’t want it to be over, but it was difficult and I kept coming back to read more. I absolutely loved it. Possibly more than book one. This series is one of my absolute favorites.

The book picks up where The Hurricane Wars left off. Talasyn and Alaric were separated and reunite when she arrives for her coronation as the Night Empress. We get both of their POVs and they’re still dealing with their feelings about their wedding night. They are constantly fighting their attraction and their duty and thoughts of betrayal. Thea writes true enemies to lovers so perfectly. A lot of the book focuses on the upcoming Moonless Dark and what that entails for the couple. I LOVED what the Moonless Dark turned out to be, I did not expect that AT ALL. Absolutely brilliant.

This was my most anticipated book for 2024 and did not disappoint. Fans of The Hurricane Wars will love this one too, if not more. A Monsoon Rising has everything I love in a book : angsty forbidden romance, a rich world, fantastic world building, political intrigue, excellent SPICE and a seriously fun magic system.. oh and dragons! I know this isn’t even published yet but I’m already anxiously awaiting the next book of this saga. Definitely 5 stars for me. So many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager & Netgalley for the ARC. I’m forever grateful. 🖤

There is tension
There is banter
There is spice
This is everything I needed and more !
Enemies to lovers which this book killed it at
This was set at a great pace too and I didn’t not want to put it down

[ 🅐 🅡 🅒 • 🅡 🅔 🅥 🅘 🅔 🅦 ]

#tropes

🖤 Forced Proximity
🖤 One Bed
🖤 Enemies To Lovers
🖤 Magic System
🖤 Secrets
🖤 5 Peppers
🖤 Court Of Mist/Fury Vibes

I was so excited to get a chance to read this book, book two in the Hurricane Wars series. I absolutely loved book 1 AND will devour up everything that Thea Guanzon puts out. This book ruled my life for the weekend I spent reading it. The action, the tension, the push and pull and oh my gosh steam it was giving off! Sweaty palms and heart racing level the ENTIRE BOOK. I loved every single second of this book and didn’t want it to end. Each character as usual brought something to the table in this book as well and I enjoyed them individually as well. Talasyn and Alaric were literal perfection! I needed, craved and want more of them…I want to leave all of this vague because this is book 2 and a lot happened and I just simply want to say these two..WOW with all of it. Let’s also say OMG with that ending… I cannot wait for more in book 3…I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book. This series needs to be right on your TBR now if it isn’t already…You have no idea what your are missing if it isn’t.

Pub Date: December 10, 2024

Thank you @netgalley ,@avonandharpervoyager and author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t think it was possible to like book two more than I liked book one but Thea Guanzon has proved me wrong!!

After being separated in the run up to her coronation as Night Empress, Talasyn and Alaric are finally reunited. With their wedding night still fresh in their minds, they attempt to navigate their marriage and political alliance to the best of their ability. Talasyn’s world is fundamentally changed due to several factors outside of her hands. Alaric for his part has his own inner struggles due to the experiments his father has been doing on the sariman, the bird who can nullify their aethermancing abilities. With the Moonless Dark fast approaching they must put aside their distrust of one another and work together to save all of Lir - or else.

A Monsoon Rising is a masterclass in writing believable enemies to lovers. Talasyn and Alaric, while married and attracted to one another, still grapple with the personal and political ramifications of their attraction. The sexual tension is so well written and when they do give in it’s very satisfying to read. There were more spicy scenes in this book and they didn’t feel overly gratuitous or out of place. They all served a purpose and added to how this exceptional story played out.

The flow of this book was perfect in my opinion. There was a feeling of time passing and things being done by either side whilst separated. I enjoyed reading how both struggled with the ideology of their chosen side. It made them more human and believable to know that they struggled with the choices that they each made.

As ever the writing itself was flawless. Honesty, Thea could write a phone book and I’d buy it. Her way of crafting sentences and describing atmospheric details is just beautiful. I could read it all day (and I did!).

Also that cliffhanger. Holy moly. I cannot wait to see what happens next!!

If you like enemies to lovers then this is the book series for you. Seriously. I cannot overstate how much I loved this book.

Thank you so much to Thea Guanzon and HarpervVoyager for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Monsoon Rising


I cannot get over how fantastic A Monsoon Rising is!!!! The perfect sequel to the The Hurricane Wars, we are hit with even more political drama and games, so much action and of course romance!!!

We left our better halves at the end of The Hurricane Wars fighting their growing attraction and navigating politics as leaders of their respective countries. Talasyn’s path follows the footsteps of her ancestors as she uses her power to understand more of her heritage and the path that led her to now. Alaric’s journey is quite literally darker as we learn all is not what it seems in Kesath and that his past mirrors Talasyn’s. Gaheris holds a tight leash to our Night Emperor who finds its harder and harder to keep away from his newly crowned wife and Empress.

Sevraim stays silly but we also see such a wonderful loyalty that is much needed for our broody emperor. He’s enjoying the vacation of the lifetime just before he and the rest of the continent believe to be wiped out by the Moonless Night. we see in his sparring with our esteemed Emperor that while he has his quips, he is also very powerful (and made of husband material) in his own right.

Elgabi- listen I know we love a good shadow daddy but how about a DILF (GILF maybe??? If we get out of this mess cleanly enough??) He’s so sweet and the best father for Talasyn. His scenes made me laugh and also had my little heart breaking because he just wants to protect his daughter, once lost and now returned but with so many missing years😭✋🏼.
Get Alaric more drunk is my campaign for book three btw.

Khaede escaped and I am eager for her return (hopefully) in the next installment of the trilogy. How will she handle Talasyn’s role as Lachis’ka and Night Empress and more specifically WIFE to Alaric???? Is her and Sol’s child safe and well? So much is left unsaid and I really hope we get more answers in the next book.


Romance:
Holy MOLY I feel so warm thinking about how spicy this book is??? In book one, we are barely touching on the growing attraction between Talasyn and Alaric only to be dropped into a literal volcano of lust and attraction and dare I say a growing affection for the other??? Their banter and arguments are so perfect and Holy cow does it just fan the flames. Only their respective secrets are keeping these two from truly blazing in bed and as rulers.
I don’t know which scene was the best- I loved the more tender moments and scenes where the one is unsure only for the other to surprise them and oh how lovely is it T-T. Insane. Glorious and perfect. These two are my favorites for ever and ever

Politics:
Honestly my head spins when books discuss politics, but something about Thea’s writing makes it so easy to understand. Both Talasyn and Alaric are put in impossible situations, navigating them the best they can while hoping that their actions and secrets don’t come to light, and if they do…well let’s hope their affection for each other and their countries is enough. I do hope we get a nice fight scene between the two only to be quelled by their overwhelming attraction to each other. Urduja, Gaheris, and Vela are all villains in my head but to say that is too black and white of me. Their are several groups and peoples to be factored in, and depending on your perspective , each are correct. Urduja is protecting what has been hers for so long, playing the long game. vela idk what you’re fighting for but everyone is a pawn except you. Gaheris, bro is stubborn and I supposed being left by your wife can do that to you but Jesus a whole war??? Can’t you just chill or eat a cookie like the rest of us smh.


World building

Honestly this just grows more and more intriguing ESPECIALLY in AMR like wowowow!!! We have legends and so much history and culture to explore that it flows so well in between the plot and the dialogue. The Moonless Dark was absolutely insane and will live rent free in my mind

Thank you SO SO much for this ARC of a Monsoon Rising!! I cannot express my gratitude for this book and my endless appreciation for Thea and her team for supporting her 🥹🩷

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! I loved the first one, and love the second just as much. How dare you, Guanzon, keep giving me this little world of strife and love only to snatch it back at the very end. I hope you enjoy the suffering you have brought me while I eagerly await the next chapter in this saga.

THE ENDING. WHAT IN THE WHAT.

Sevraim nearly stole the show in every scene he was in. His comments had me laughing so hard the entire book.

Alaric, ugh, I love him. I just want to give him a hug and slap upside the head for saying the wrong things.

Tala, my girl, she just needed to stop thinking the worst of Alaric & show him the right path.

I need book 3 NOW because what did I read?! What happened at the end?! I expected more pages but there were NONE and I need to know if my babies are okay😅

What can I say about my highly anticipated sequel? It’s usually so hard to match that love I feel for the first book, falling in love with characters… to me A Monsoon Rising succeeded and more. I fell deeper in love with Alaric and Talasyn. This sequel really solidified my love for this series! We see more of the dragons, more traveling in the world, and the writing remained as rich and vivid as I remembered it from the first book. If I had to say anything negative it is simply that I NEED MORE. The ending certainly made me want to toss my kindle when it didn’t give me at least one more chapter.