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.

5/5 ☆ || June 15, 2024

WDYM IT ENDED LIKE THAT??? *deep breath* okay, let me compose myself.


A Monsoon Rising has been my most anticipated read of the year and it lived up to my every expectation. The book pics up within a week of Talasyn and Alaric's wedding night and we can see how much it's affected their views already. The entire book Tala and Alaric are battling themselves on what they want for and with each other while thinking about the duties placed on them should they survive the Moonless Dark. They downright refuse to accept their true feelings for one another but it's the most apparent thing to everyone who sees them. Now the real shit, the spice.
THE S P I C E🤌🤌 ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS 🫦These fools can convince themselves it's only physical in the beginning but by the end they started to realize it was more so. Speaking of the Moonless Dark... THE MOONLESS DARK?? BEING WHAT IT WAS?? NOT EXPECTATION THAT UNTIL THE LAST HOUR BUT I WAS STILL RIGHT!! OH MY GOD
I think Thea spared all of us with that ending because I fully went in expecting to be desperate but I was too gobsmacked to even process it was the ending.

I know A Monsoon Rising isn't even out yet but I'm already so excited to see where we pick up in book 3. I want to close that book with a tear soaked shirt and a rag full of snot LOL

A huge thank you and kiss on the forehead to Harper Collins and NetGalley for an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to December when I can blab with the rest of the world about this book.

This is book two in the Hurricane Wars series. It is a fast paced, wild, aetherspace adventure. While the same two opposing forces are at work, new alliances and bonds are formed. We have forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers, a unique magic system and a big power struggle. Talasyn is glorious heroine who you want to root for and her opposite is Alaric, who is giving definite shadow daddy vibes. Rivaling sides, families and secret plans of war are all at play in this second installment. Which side will ultimately win, light or darkness?
The way this author can seamlessly blend the idea of bonds being strengthened while simultaneously being torn apart is unreal. How you want to shake these characters and also give them a hug, you find yourself not sure which way to think and loving every minute. I quite literally could not put this book down! I am so thankful for the opportunity to be an early reader. Thank you to Thea Guanzon and Harper Collins for this early draft, even if it means I have to wait extra long for book three!

This book manages to be heartbreaking and funny in turns.

Talasyn and Alaric are preparing for the Moonless Dark and the eruption of the Voidfell. Through this they must spend quite a bit of time together. The more time they are together, the harder it becomes to focus on each other as just “the enemy”.

This book is truly a focus on these two together and seeing each other for what the other truly is. It’s equal parts funny and heartbreaking as we find out more and more about each of them and their pasts, and presents, and how it affects their actions. Expectations from external sources are almost crushing them and they manage to find a small amount of comfort in each other. There is plenty of action in the second half of the book and that ending, wow that ending. This is an absolutely stellar second installment of The Hurricane Wars series.

So much better than book one. She really locked in the world building and this stands outside of Star Wars. So romantic and loved the pacing of the plot. Can’t wait for book three

Wow. I loved it. The sequel is just as good, if not better, than the first. The pacing is great; I was gripped from the beginning to the end. The ending was more than I hoped for. I had all these theories for the end and none of them were right, in the best way. There is more spice in this book and it is...so good. I devoured this book and it was amazing. If you loved the first book, you will be very happy with this one.

I read A Monsoon Rising back to back with The Hurricane Wars, so the story is fresh in my head. It’s a worthy sequel and I really enjoyed it. The banter and tension is still on point! It does take some of the weaker aspects of the first novel and improves them, but people who read the first book a couple years ago might need a quick refresher first!

The star of this book is the relationship and banter between Talasyn and Alaric. Like the first book, this one is built on their relationship and distrust of one another. Now that they’re married through, that tension reaches a whole new level between the two. This book is a masterclass in slow burn tension and masterfully toes the line of tension with reason. Honestly one of the best done books where the characters have a legitimate reason to be in love but also not be together.

The first book was incredibly dense for the first little bit, and this book does resolve that. We get right into the plot and banter of the book right away, but I could have used a brief reintroduction to characters to remember who everyone is.

The plot and major side characters also have improved greatly in this book. Talasyn’s father and Alaric’s best friend get some additional scenes and fun lines in this book which was a nice change from the first book. The plot also has a bit more teeth behind it as some of the world building and lore expand. However, this book like the first one does primarily have a plot that leads up to One Big Thing. So keep that in mind, you’re here for the characters, tension, and banter first!

Where I wished for more was further fleshing out the other characters. I wanted to remember the side characters more but since they weren’t in the book too much I forgot who some of them were. There’s a couple scenes with our extended cast outside of the immediate friends, but some additional sprinkling of the other characters earlier in the book will really help this book close with a bang. (Trying to be vague to be spoiler free!)

If you liked the banter in the first book, you’ll love this one, if you liked the relationships in the first book then you’ll LOVE this sequel. Looking forward to the next book!

vibes: arranged marriage--what now?, awkward super powerful virgins falling in love, falling in love with the one you're meant to betray

Heat Level: 7.5/5

The Basics:

Now that she's married to Alaric, the Night Emperor, Talasyn wants to keep it purely political--especially since she's secretly a part of a plot to overthrow him. Unfortunately, their attraction to each other has already caused problems. Now more than ever, they need to remain strict and remote, with the Moonless Dark, a catastrophic, potentially apocalyptic event approaching. But the encroaching doom could make their feelings even more apparent, even as outside forces pit them against each other.

The Review:

This was the best thing the second book in a trilogy can be: better than the first (and the first was already good). Though I enjoyed The Hurricane Wars, it did at points feel very much like a set up, both in terms of the fantasy plot and Alaric and Talasyn's relationship. In a lot of ways, you get payoff on both aspects in this installment... while at the same time leaving some tantalizing threads hanging.

Well, like. A lot of tantalizing threads. Remember--this is a trilogy. We're going to have to wait for that ending!

Really, the last book ended just as Alaric and Talasyn's relationship was beginning. Here, we find them in the midst of this alliance marriage that isn't supposed to be even vaguely real. Yet they've already--well--gotten each other off. And that should be it! No repeat performances! No feelings!

Sure, Jan.

What I loved about this is that both Alaric and Talasyn are incredibly powerful beings, skilled fighters, and even growing politicians. But when it comes to their emotions--and their sexual experience on both sides--they're really just a couple of babes in the woods. It gives a delicious vulnerability and awkwardness to their interactions. I mean, of course Alaric has mommy issues (and so does Talasyn, for that matter). Of course Talasyn has the ability to beat his ass in a fight while at the same time lacking the social experience to know how to flirt. They're basically a couple of gawky, traumatized losers together. Especially Alaric. And I love that!

Y'all, he's so obsessed with this girl. And sometimes it comes out in a "I want to write her name over and over in my notebook" kind of way, and sometimes it comes out in a "MINE MINE MINE OM NOM NOM" kind of way. Both ways are good.

I'll admit, sometimes the political stuff can still be A Lot for me, but I found it a lot easier to follow this time around. Additionally, the focus on the Moonless Dark itself really allowed me to sort of... zero in on this cataclysmic moment. It's a great way to amp up the pacing and push us towards as climax.

Speaking of climaxes...

The Sex:

WELL DAMN. There was very little sex in the last book, and I suspected that would change this time around. I don't think I suspected it would change this much. We have the build up with "I'm so aroused against my own will" shenanigans. We have actual consummation, and like... a lot of stuff after that.

Alaric is pretty dirty, y'all! I was proud of him! I had to reread one of those lines to be like "Well fuck, he sure did perk up." There's some good shit here. And it really does serve the relationship. You have a really fantastic progression of physical intimacy aligning with the increasing emotional intimacy.

Another thing I so appreciated--the sex isn't like, constant smooth sailing. There's some awkward stuff in the beginning, befitting a couple of virgins figuring it out. Hell yeah.

Anyway--I really enjoyed this, and I'm super excited to see what happens next. It ends on quite the Moment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thea has done it again in my opinion. A Monsoon Rising was the perfect follow up to THW. I know a lot of people DNF’d THW because they felt it was slow to start and spent too much time on exposition, but I definitely feel that Thea world builds like no man’s business.

THW helps immerse readers into this beautiful world and set up the stage and AMR brings everything up front and center. The conflict between Talasyn and Alaric (both internal and external) is a lot more in depth and we get more character development as they both learn how to work together and keep their secrets from each other. The main conflict of this novel is easy to follow and you don’t feel like you have to backtrack to keep up or remind yourself what’s going on. The spice alone is a 5-star for me. The tension is *swoon*. Even having a general idea from reading back when it began as a fanfic, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for certain things to happen and not being disappointed.

Let me be clear, while there are certain plot points that have been carried over from that original story, The Hurricane Wars series is its own story with its own world and cast of beautifully written characters. Thea has such a way with words and keeps you hooked from start to finish, I don’t know how I’m going to survive until book three. Book one was more fantasy and this one is a true romantasy, blending fantasy and romance perfectly.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this series; I’ve loved it (and Thea’s writing in general) since the fanfic days. Would definitely recommend to anyone who is a fan of books that have it all- fantastical worlds, heart-pounding action, and a romance that will leave you breathless.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me an EArc in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait to have my physical copy when it comes out in December.

I think enough time has now passed since the publication of "The Hurricane Wars" that I can explain why that book was just short of a perfect 5-star read for me (4.75 ⭐️), and I swear it's related to why "A Monsoon Rising" IS a 5-star read. So bear with me... I promise it'll make sense.

I firmly stand by the fact that book 1 in The Hurricane Wars was mistakenly categorized as an (adult) fantasy romance. I think if you went into the first book thinking that to be true, you'd (probably, unfortunately) be disappointed... THW was a fantasy with a tantalizing romance subplot and it was a deliciously, excruciatingly slow, slow burn. Now, "A Monsoon Rising" has brought this subplot front and center. It's the STAR 🤩. Truly!! This "romance" plausibly contends with the main plot (this is probably subjective, btw). And I say romance loosely because it's still extremely angsty- you pretty much go through the whole book bracing for the inevitable shoe to drop. 🤕 Good things come to those who wait and all of that... I guess. The genesis and natural progression of their relationship is so fascinating to watch unfold and bloom. No spoilers but we're still very much in the trenches in the romance department by the end of this book. LOL sorry.

I may be incredibly biased but there's very little I didn't love about this book. I enjoyed the political intrigue, the vivid imagery, the lore, etc. I can go on... but the main thing, for me personally, will always be the representation. I wish I could go back in time and tell a younger version of me that our Filipino culture will one day be encapsulated in this beautiful story. I want every single person to be able to feel the serotonin boost of seeing the little nuances of your culture sprinkled in a novel (*think Leo Dicaprio pointing meme. lol)

"A Monsoon Rising" well-exceeded any expectations I may have had and wanted in a book 2, and it still has me in a chokehold until the next book. 😮‍💨 Btw If I've personally recommended that you wait to read THW until closer to book 2's pub date, it's not because I didn't love it. it's because I love YOU. lol thank you to William Morrow/Harper Collins for an early copy in exchange for an honest review! 💜

A Monsoon Rising
__________________________

The Monsoon comes in and it comes in HOT!

The Important Stuff:
Rating: 5 stars without a doubt but Thea has broke the scale, 10,000 out of 5 stars! Everything in this book was just perfect
Spice: 5 out of 5. Omygosh this book had me ON FIRE. The tension, the banter + the spice? And them fighting it every step of the way?? This is illegal bestie.
Romance:GOD TIER. Nuff said
Plot *chefs kiss* This world is so refreshing and beautiful, the characters are so intriguing, the relationships are PERFECT. I could read anything by Thea Guanzon just for the simple fact her plots are going to be plotting
Emotional Damage: WHAT WAS THAT ENDING. MISS MAAM. I am wrecked.. destroyed.. not that it was a bad ending of course but THE MOTHAFLIPPIN CLIFFHANGERS.

My Ramblings and Thoughts:
I genuinely did not think it could get this much better than The Hurricane Wars but gosh did it! The build up we experienced in book one exploded in book two. A Monsoon Rising has topped all of my reads this year and I can't picture anything topping this.

If there was a kingdom to enemies to lovers this would be on the throne. Everyone dreads reading those books that advertise "enemies to lovers" but you proceed to get five minutes of the enemies and nothing but the lovers. We need angst, tension, banter, and fighting in a true enemies to lovers book and this brought it all. Literally two books of enemies fighting an undeniable attraction for the other while also being so determined to follow the paths set out for them and hate the other. This right here is what I mean when I say I WANT enemies to lovers! Alaric and Talasyn are the blueprint!

A Monsoon Rising (THE MONSOON *swoon*) is an action packed romantasy that keeps you emerged from page 1 to the end. We get so much more background and growth in book two. It is so hard to see Alaric so locked into his ways throughout this series but we finally get to see him breaking out of this shell that his father encased him in. The same goes for Talasyn as she has done nothing but follow orders for some semblance of guidance of what to do in her life but now she has started wanting for herself and making her own choices. The way these characters BUILD onto each other and Grow together is just so beautiful to watch unfurl on these pages. I have never quite read of a relationship like this. This is how soulmates should feel like. They inspire each other and push each other to greater heights and I am just obsessed with this dynamic because they are so compelled to hate the other at the same time.

When it came to plot this book absolutely served it. Book one was definitely a lot slower when compared to this. This book had a lot less of them trying to kill each other and more of everything else trying to kill them which forces them to work together in more ways than one which makes it so much harder for my favorite married couple to stay apart.

The romance is what I am here for. What I live for. I have been following this story since its fan fiction format and this has surpassed even that. If you are looking for angst, tension, steam, and spice? *smacks book* This right here is for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me the opportunity to read this E-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly I know people will have their problems with this book - the plot, the dialogue - but I loved the worldbuilding and I love the relationship between Alaric and Talasyn. It's been a while since I've obsessed over a book like this and it made me remember why reading is escapism for me.