My head is still reeling.
Okay, I’m going to try to compose my thoughts professionally even though I’m still fangirling over this amazing book.

Firstly, the book was amazing. It’s compelling, it’s fast-paced, it demands to be read.
I was hooked right from the beginning, and I never wanted to stop once I was pulled in.

Secondly, the dynamic between these two characters is just so intriguing. They are on opposite sides of a war, and to them they each are right. It’s so interesting, because who the hero is, and who the Villian is really depends on who is telling the story. At least in some cases.
I would say in this story, Alaric and Talasyn are both victims. They’re both pawns, they’re both lied to, and they are both so alone. I can’t wait for the next book because they both need to realize that and truly alliance with each other and turn from Urduja and Gaheris.

Thirdly, and lastly, this book was beautifully composed. It was masterfully written. Especially for a debut novel. As someone who has been abandoned by their mother, and has known hunger, I relate to these characters so much. These are parts of you that you don’t grow out of. They become you. They shape you, and I can see so much of how these things have shaped both of these characters.

I have already given a glimpse of a review on my Instagram account and people have preordered it at my behest. This will be the next big book release, and I hope people are ready for it.

So I’m a bit all over the place with this one. Overall a fun read but left wanting more.

There wasn’t a heavy amount of plot in this. It’s definitely a good set up for the next book though. This felt very foundational and first-book-in-a-series-y. Lots of world-building, background setting, and character exploration (which is typically something I love). I would expect the next book to be much more plot heavy (hopefully) because I see a lot of potential.

I didn’t know going into it that it was a Reylo fanfic. This didn’t bother me at all as I felt like I didn’t have fanfic blinders on to expect certain things to happen certain ways. Knowing it after the fact, though, does make the world-building and events make a little more sense. I haven’t been reading fantasy in a hot minute so it took me a bit to get into the world. Knowing the background probably would have helped but that’s on me. There’s an extensive magic system and political court that I loved, but I wanted to know more about the other elements.

I enjoyed the writing and I think the author is adept at creating exquisite, vivid scenes. It’s easily imaginable and tangible. For the most part I liked the main characters. Nothing new though about them. I do think there was lots of comparisons between her smallness and his largeness which is a big yuck of mine. Also I wish there was more relationship exploration outside of just their grandmother/fathers though. It seemed like friendships were going to be important only to be briefly mentioned or forgotten about altogether. And while this is certainly enemies to reluctant allies to possible lovers, I think the change was fast. The constant “why do I feel this way” and “I shouldn’t be thinking about them this much” was super early for my taste.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC. All opinions are my own and freely given. Pub date: October 3rd, 2023

The hurricane wars

I want to start by saying thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything I wanted and more out of a fantasy book. I requested it, certain I’d fall in love and still, reader, I was stunned. Do you ever start a book and know within the first 50 pages it’s going to be 5 stars? Because this was that for me.

An absolutely gripping debut from Thea Guanzon, The Hurricane Wars is perfect for any reader who wants real enemies to lovers. Not the “mild dislike to lovers” or “misunderstanding to lovers” that has become fairly commonplace (thank you marketing), this book is true “I tried to kill you multiple times and still might to reluctant allies to eventual lovers” and Guanzon does an amazing job of it. The tension is perfectly built, keeping you on the edge of your seat and the dual pov nature of this book is amazing. Not to mention, the world-building in this is out of this world. Having read Guanzon’s work before (iykyk) I was so excited to read this, especially knowing not only her talent but the level of detail she puts into her writing and worlds, and I was definitely not disappointed. The cultures and politics are a major player in this and I especially love that they didn’t take a backseat to the romance. This wasn’t a “romance or plot” book, both elements were so well done and woven together so seamlessly that I truly have no complaints. I devoured this book. Additionally, I am just obsessed with her writing—in some scenes, the colors and description were so vibrant I felt like I was standing right there.

Guanzon also does an amazing job of blending traditional fantasy elements (magic, political contention, arranged marriages) with technology that borders on sci-fi with its level of ingenuity and depth. As both a writer and a reader, I can truly appreciate her talent for describing and inventing technology that does not exist and managing to get the point across without being confusing or being overly specific. My only complaint for this book was that it wasn’t longer, and because of that, the note that it ended on felt slightly anticlimactic to me. However, I do like that it overcomes what I see so often nowadays where books in a series are written as separate complete stories that tie together, even if they follow the same characters and a larger plot, often due to dynamics of the publishing industry i fear. This is the kind of book that you finish and then immediately drive to the bookstore to buy the sequel. I am aware that this is part of a series and I will anxiously await the next one (even though this one isn’t even out for 3 more months!)

I just realized I got this far in the review without mentioning the absolute genius that is this magic system. First and foremost, I am weak in the knees for light vs dark lovers, especially when they start as enemies. The magic felt unique and interesting and especially given how it was tied into the technology, it was very well done. I could gush about this book all day, but I’ll wrap it up here.

TL;DR :

If you love:
✅ enemies to lovers
✅ arranged marriages
✅ political strife
✅ rich and vibrant culture
✅ tall, dark, and broody
✅ light vs dark (literally)
✅ magic and technology

then I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Thank you again to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a copy of this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am quite tempted to make my entire review about how obsessed with Alaric I am. He is going down in my list of book boyfriends, and let me tell you, he's fighting for one of the top spots.

The Hurricane Wars was an epic debut with vibrant world building, unique magic, complex characters, and the most delicious, angsty, enemies to lovers romance.

When I say "vibrant world building", I mean VIBRANT. Guanzon created such stunning visuals with the tech, culture, and geographical layout of this world. I really hope any reader who reads The Hurricane Wars is able to appreciate these intricately woven scenes!

Our main characters, Talasyn and Alaric, are two people on the opposite ends of a war, yet they are each other's mirrors. And oh, how palpable the tension builds between them. I. AM. OBSESSED.

This book resolves in what I felt was a unique choice. It feels more like the end of an episode of Star Wars or one of the parts of The Hobbit because rather than a firm "period" ( . ) at the end of it, it is more of an "ellipsis" (. . .) and I kind of like that about it. It makes me eager for what's to come!

4.25/5 Stars!

This book has a little bit of everything when it comes to Fantasy/Romance. Some may wonder if that means there is too much going on, and to that I say: fear not and buckle up for actual enemies to lovers, a slow burn, a unique magic system, a looooong set-up of world-building (but one I found really paid off) and much more.

This being book one of a series, you are in for a lot of world-building and an introduction to terminology and geography and all of those tedious bits - and it does feel tedious at times. Do not make the mistake I did: really try to slow your roll and absorb the lay of the land. Otherwise, you will end up feeling lost and will have to go back and figure out who is who time and time again. When will I ever learn? The bright side is it pays off. If you get to the 25% mark and you're thinking "is this worth it, this is lowkey boring and I'm not even sure if I care about these characters, do they even have any personality?" then you are not alone. I, too, was in your shoes. I encourage you to push through to 50% and if you are still feeling those things, you can call it a day because chances are by that time you can safely say this book isn't for you, but my bet is that by 50% you will be in it, just like I was, turning page after page to see what happens next.

What I am loving about this: I am still thinking about this book. So often I can read a book and go, okay, on to the next, but I am days removed and my mind is still consumed by thinking about what may happen next.

Alright, so the not loving it parts: I would have to include the beginning, where I really struggled to click and/or attach to the characters and where I had to slog through the world-building. It has a lot of military talk going on and that wasn't particularly my jam, but was doable. [side note: I looked up what a coracle is in a basic Google image search and I am rolling imagining them zooming around in those things.] And while I begrudgingly accepted the amount of set-up, I also found that there should have been more when it comes to describing the magic system and its uses in the war and in society. Perhaps this is to come in future books but it definitely should have gotten more attention in this book.

Then there is my lack of trust in literally any character that you aren't reading from their POV (this is most likely a me problem?). So while you are probably meant to care about her MIA friend, I really do not. It is a dual POV, which is fine and dandy in my book, but that leaves every other person as a shady character.

Maybe the biggest and nearly fatal flaw is that I think the reader is meant to care about the FMC's "homeland" of Sardovia, and by the end, I most definitely did not. Burn it to the ground, for all I care. It makes me think that maybe the author should have sprinkled in a few more compelling anecdotes about why the FMC cares because, really, I can't fathom it. Stockholm syndrome maybe? Or, is there a trick up the sleeve that I am missing? The author will need to make me care in book two or else I might be lost as a reader. Either way, I can't wait to find out.

So I said that the set-up to this book is a bit of a slog, right? I strongly feel it is worth it in the end. I can't get over how great it was. A rocky start but as you go the story really takes hold and the humor begins to find a groove and what do you know, the characters do have personalities, even if I don’t trust 99% of them. Hurricane Wars highlights the author's heritage and aspects of her culture and that aspect absolutely shines. It is very much headed to the category of "yeah this series ROCKS but you have to get through the first book". The potential is there, even more so considering this is a debut novel. After finishing this book, the stage is set, there is still some left to explore, and it leaves you craving book two.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title!

I don't think its possible to put into words how good this book is. From the first page until the last you are captivated by the unyeilding push and pull of Talasyn and Alaric. If you're unfamiliar with Thea's writing, its so hard to describe the magic and emotion that goes into every single sentence. She's a poet and a lyricist and you couldn't possilby feel more immersed into this world she has created in Hurrican Wars unless you fell right into the jungles of Nenavar yourself.
Alaric and Talasyn both draw you right in from the start. They're both stubborn and ferocious and deeply haunted and there's no greater recipe for an ETL romantasy than that. Thea lays so many intricate twists and turns in this story that you're always racing to the next page to see what is going to happen next. This is a heated and tension building slow burn that ends with the most delicious and beautifully written pay off.
If you were a huge fan of LWABOC, you will not be disappointed. Thea keeps the heart of that story alive while taking you on a whole new adventure and I cannot wait for the next two installments of this trilogy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC.

I received an e-arc of The Hurricane Wars. The world building and magic system was unique. Both MCs are strong and likeable but are definitely chess pieces on other peoples boards! The tension between these enemies. 🥵🥵

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

This was a good read but it did take a while for it to start getting interesting. I think around 160 pages. I had to keep pushing myself to keep reading because honestly the first portion was just dragging on for me. One you get past that third of the way mark though, it’s good. When I read fantasy books; I want to be intrigued fast and I just wasn’t with this one.

I really like Alaric’s character. I think he’s a good guy villain. I feel like he did try. Tala on the other hand honestly just annoyed me. She really played with his feelings and I didn’t like her at all. One moment she wants him and then she shoves away. She did this so much and it was repetitive and somewhat annoying. I think the plot is interesting and I’m excited to read the next book and see Alaric grow. I also have high hopes that Tala will grow up and stop being immature in my opinion. I think she will be a great character if she just lets Alaric in. I don’t think he’s as bad as she thinks he is.

All in all I liked the book. I think anyone who likes fantasy books would enjoy this. It’s slow burning and it did leave me wanting more for the relationship in this book. I think their “magic” is really cool. I did get a little confused with the world building but that’s more a me thing than the book not explaining it well. I think it was written great and has wonderful potential.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

I received a ARC copy for my honest review.

The cover of this book is so beautiful. It took me almost 150 pages to really get into the book and form an understanding of the differing empires and all the characters. The character development in this is top notch. I couldn’t recommend this masterpiece enough.

A political fantasy and a love story; an ode to Southeast Asia--what's not to love? This book fills a gap that I've wanted the book industry to fill for ages. Do you know how satisfying it is to be doing the Leo DiCaprio finger-pointing thing constantly at a book? Thea writes about tarsiers and taho without directly naming them, and uses traditional Filipino names for female characters (Urduja, Tala). I cried tears of joy. I felt seen. Being a Filipino living in the US, I crave connection with my motherland constantly. I am very excited to recommend this book to all my American friends.

So...elephant in the room. I read other reviews, and the main gripe is the jargon. "It's too wordy, too many names, it's Reylo fanfiction, etc etc." And as someone who did read the fic lwaboc AND the Star Wars Legends novel "The Courtship of Princess Leia", which the fic was loosely based on, I can see how someone with fresh eyes might find themselves utterly perplexed. The first few chapters are a lot to process. You have names and terms thrown at you every which way, and you're smack dab in the middle of a war. The prose is elegant; perhaps too much so, which is why a few readers find the book highfalutin. But once you get past the action-packed beginning chapters, you're in for an intriguing political romance.

If you want true enemies to lovers, where they are actually ENEMIES WHO WANT TO KILL EACH OTHER, this is the book for you! Talasyn is a formidable main character. Not at all weak or insipid, she challenges Alaric on the battlefield and out of it.

I am vibrating with so much excitement and impatience not just for my hard copy of the book this coming October, but for the second book as well.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review this book :) All opinions are my own
Enemies to Lovers? Forced Proximity? Slow Burn? Dark shadow boy? This book has it all.
This book was so good. I loved the beginning and the fact that the main character was actually on the losing side of the war for once. It is not often that we get to see the main character lose. The second half of the book had me pining for more, getting excited over so much as the two touching hands. I was rooting for this couple so hard the whole time. There is also a unique magic system involving "aetherspace." The culture in this book was done so well, I actually felt like I was in Nanaverre experiencing festivals and in the palace. Thea Guanzon does an amazing job of immersing you in the world without spending forever world building, she scatters bits and pieces of it throughout her story. Highly recommend, cannot wait to get this book when it releases!

This was exquisite. Mesmerizing and immersive are perfect descriptors. This world, magic, and romance was beautiful and endearing.

I was so excited to read this book, but it ultimately didn’t live up to my expectations. I loved the premise and the world, and thought the world-building was done well, but despite the uniqueness of the world, the plot felt predictable. Furthermore, the romance really let me down. It was built on tropes and it felt like the characters had no real meaningful connection. All I felt existed between them was lust, nothing close to budding love and true feelings for each other. However, I probably will still read book two and hope the series gets better as it goes on!

This is literally how enemies to lovers should be done. I did think they fell for each other a LITTLE fast but the guilt they felt at falling for their sworn enemy more than made up for it. I did think the first third was a little slow especially considering it was on a battlefield but it definitely picked up and, by the end, I couldn't put my phone down no matter what was happening outside. The two leads were very well written and I am so excited to see what happens in the next novel when Alaric finds himself in close proximity with his father once again.

***4.5 stars***

This book was so good. I want to start by saying that, unlike so many books being marketed lately (and especially the ones on BookTok tbh), this one is a TRUE enemies to lovers slow burn. The romantic leads are literally mortal enemies who try to kill each other repeatedly and not always in a fun, sexy way. And the slow burn is SLOW. I know this might not be for everyone, but I personally adore slow burns and I hate being told a book is one only for it to basically be insta-love. You don't have to worry about that here.

Let me just start listing things I liked. I liked how strong Talasyn was throughout the book. How loyal. How selfless she could be. I loved that she could and did hold her own with more powerful oponents. I loved her sass and sarcasm, her insults, her relatability.

I also loved Alaric. I mean, we all know we love tall, dark, and brooding male main characters and Alaric 100% ticks all of those boxes. He's morally gray, he's complicated, he's grumpy, and he's just a little bit of a softy on the inside. He's definitely going to be the next shadow-bae (I think that's what the internet is calling them these days? I'm too old for this--basically, he wields shadows and he's hot, just like all our favorites like Rhysand, Xaden Riorson, Ruhn Danaan, etc etc etc etc).

The banter in this book is top notch. Watching Talasyn and Alaric spar with weapons and with words never ceased being an utter delight. One of my personal favorites (that I really hope stays in the final version) was "His Royal Ninnyhammer."

On top of all of that, this book adds in a perfect recipe mixed of: interesting magic, war-torn countries, action scenes, duels, dragons, rich worldbuilding, forced proximity, arranged marriage, and so much more.

The only reason I didn't give this book five stars was because, honestly, the pacing was kind of a mess. The beginning of the book repeatedly has long time jumps that felt jarring and was mostly just to rush along the whole enemies to lovers things. However, I really don't know if there was any other way to do this, and it really didn't bother me especially once I got into the thick of the book.

I can tell that the next book is going to be even more fun than this one was!

I knew the moment I read the synopsis I would love The Hurricane Wars, and it was everything I hoped for an more!

The lush descriptions immediately pull you into a world at war, exploring themes of colonialism and genocide. I loved the duality between the ancient environment and battles with new and dangerous technology. The magic system was so unique and creative, and the plot seamlessly changes from battles in the field to those between diplomats. The political intrigue in this book i top notch. If I had to try to summarize this book I’d say it’s a mash up between Star Wars and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Talasyn and Alaric (major Reylo vibes) are the perfect embodiment of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Every scene between them simmered with tension and yearning. I absolutely adored them - both struggling to meet familial expectations and do right by their people. I NEED the second book and cannot wait to see what happens next!

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

I received an Advance Reader Copy of The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was an epic tale of war, found family, old grudges, magic, and enemies to lovers. I read this in one day and could not put it down! Tala is a strong, scrappy, and brave FMC who is fighting for her homeland despite having been raised in less than ideal conditions. I loved her friendship with Khaede and Khaede’s relationship with Sol. I was craving more interactions between them and ended up heartbroken. I still have hope that she will be a deeper part of the story to come.

The beginning world building was a bit intense at times but it felt necessary to lay the groundwork for the conflict through the book. The story spanned multiple regions and the unique culture, people, animals, and environment was described so well with each new setting. At times it truly felt as if I was hiking in the jungle along side them.

This story has so many intriguing layers and history that you could read it multiple times and discover things that slipped by on previous reads.

I loved the duel point of view. Once Alarics voice was included I had a hard time putting the book down. The interactions between Tala and him had me laughing, cringing, raging, and often wanting to strangle the both of them. I can not wait to watch their relationship unfold.

I want to thank NetGalley, Harper Voyager Publishing, and Thea Guanzon for early access to this masterpiece. Book 1 hasn’t even released and I’m already anxiously awaiting book 2!

I have been seeing this book pop up a lot on my updates from several of my fellow readers. Some of them have been glowing while others have been slightly not so glowing. Most of the reviews point out that this was once fanfiction with Rey and Keylo Ren being the main characters. Either way, I wanted so much to read this book. The premise and the world-building are eye-catching and reel you into a beautiful, lush world filled with war and strife with the horrors of war being felt from the pages. Homes and beautiful worlds are being torn apart by the Night Emperor's need to assimilate the rebellion and force them under his control.

Not only does this remind me of Rey and Keylo Ren, but I also see Zuko and Katara in the characters as well. Both Emperor Palpatine and Fire Lord Ozai have the same parallel as they do with the Night Emperor. All three seek to control the rebellion and force the people into their fold, into their slavery.

Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect. The characters and their world are lush and beautiful. The magical system could be considered to be Avatar: The Airbender - esque in its feel. Talasyn or Alaric are each other's yin and yang with their magic - Shadowforge and Lightweaver - setting them apart. Talasyn, an orphan, is the only Lightweaver. All of the others had been killed off by the Night Emperor. They had been trying to keep her abilities out of the hands of the Night Emperor. Unfortunately, fate would have other plans and set her on the path with Prince Alaric, one of the most powerful Shadowforges.

I don't want to give too much away especially since the rest may contain spoilers. So, I will leave it as it is and tell you to read this book the moment it comes out. It is worth it. The world-building. The characters. Talasyn and Alaric will draw you in and make your stay to the very end.

*Disclaimer: Thank you to the author, her publishers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.

The Hurricane Wars is a heady, political, action-packed fantasy with two characters who are forced into an alliance (aka: an arranged marriage) even though they're heirs poised on opposite sides of a decades-long war, and despite having started out intent on destroying one another. Talaysn is a wily solider who can access light magic. Alaric is an inscrutable prince of the Night Empire who can summon shadows. Similar to The Bridge Kingdom, the two of them are brought together by circumstance and necessity, forcing them to band together for the peaceful survival of The Continent.

However, things are never as simple or as smooth as they seem. Not only are there secrets to unravel, political schemes to dodge, and rustling feelings to subdue, but there is a magical storm brewing in this world that Talaysn and Alaric must learn how fight. Not to mention win. And soon...or else they'll all be doomed.

I found this to be engrossing for the most part. I particularly liked the Filipino history that was infused into the setting and climate. There was also some satisfying commentary on the sacrifices of war, the degradation of colonization, the drive to protect and preserve culture. I liked the enemies to reluctant allies to lovers of it all too, of course. That's my literary catnip!

I did struggle to fully settle into the world building, though. It felt a little helter-skelter at times, with there being too much information dispensed at once sometimes and then at other times not enough. The bare bones of the magic system were there, rife with names, with functions, with potential, but it never took off or developed to the extent that I was hoping it would. That made it hard to fully immerse myself in this world.

That said, this was an enjoyable read overall and it had a lot of tropes that will resonate with folks. And that cliffhanger! Oof! You'll be clamoring to know what happens to Talaysn and Alaric next!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Typically, I give a summary of the plot. I won't this time since the author does a great job writing it herself. In fact, she does an excellent job writing this book as well (shocker!!). Like many other fantasy-war books, this one is full of politics and violence and magic and alliances and everything you would expect. I love how Guanzon integrates Filipino culture and history into Talaysn's and Alaric's story. Granted, I'm not too familiar with Filipino culture and history, but I can see threads of it woven into the book. The author takes a lot of time to describe the environment, what people are wearing, the food, etc.--personally, I don't like all the details, but that's just me. And I will admit that it does feel info-dumping (though with an uncommon magic system, of course that's what the author must do to explain a new world to readers).

The characters are very real in their feelings and perspectives. At one point, Talaysn and Alaric are arguing about how the war started. Since they're on opposing sides, of course they each think that their perspective is right. Talaysn is a particularly interesting character because she was raised as an orphan, only to find out that she's actually royalty. But she never loses that anger inside of her. Instead, she lets it consume her (sometimes in bad ways, other times in helpful ways). Alaric is interesting too because he's so used to following his father's orders, so seeing him grow outside of that is awesome. It's an enemies-to-lovers relationship, but it doesn't feel forced or fake. Their negative feelings towards each other are justifiable and real.

Overall, this book was very long, but intriguing to read. I would recommend it to people who like fantastical war books.