Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon has officially taken the spot as my favorite slow-burn romance of the year. My favorite part of this book and the series is Thea Guanzon’s writing. Her flowery descriptions transports you into the story and immerses you into this rich world and magic system. Alaric and Talasyn are such unique and thought-out characters that I can’t help but root for them and their love. I feel rewarded for my patience for the first book as I watch their enemies-to-lover romance turn into a marriage of convenience enemies-with-benefits situation. I also adore the magic system of light and dark, such simple concepts, but thoroughly explored in this series. That being said, I cannot wait for the continuation of this series and I hope there are many more books to come because I am not ready to let go of these characters and this story.

A Monsoon Rising is a thrilling sequel that truly elevates the series to new heights. If there’s one thing I love, it’s when a sequel builds upon the foundation of the first book and takes everything to the next level—and this one does just that.

The story picks up right where the first book left off, seamlessly continuing the journey. The plot is beginning to truly pick up steam, filled with twists, revelations, and moments of intense action. The pacing feels sharper and more focused, keeping you engaged from start to finish. What I particularly appreciate is how the side characters are given more attention and development. They’re no longer just supporting players; they have their own arcs that add richness to the story and make the world feel fuller.

The writing in A Monsoon Rising is even more polished and vivid than the first book. The world-building continues to shine, with the universe feeling more immersive and expansive. The author dives deeper into the emotional lives of the characters, exploring their complex relationships and internal struggles in ways that make you care even more about their fates. The connections between the characters, both romantic and platonic, are layered and genuine, adding depth to the narrative.

Overall, A Monsoon Rising excels in every way. It builds on the promise of the first book while offering an even more compelling story, stronger character development, and a richly imagined world. This is a sequel that not only lives up to its predecessor but surpasses it in all the right ways. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed, and those new to the series will find plenty to love.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.


A Monsoon Rising fell short for me and it's with a deep sigh and heavy heart that I cast my critiques.


The decision to have this book take place during a period of peace, tense though it may be, was certainly a choice that didn't pay off. After all of the insane hustle and bustle of literal war in the first book, this sequel feels aimless, floating along with very little pushing it forward other than the chemistry between the leads and the not-quite looming threat of the Dead Season.


We really don't get any of the crazy sparring or Talasyn learning more about her aethermancy or even growth from either character. She's still loud, stubborn, and horny for Alaric. Alaric is still grumpy, brooding, and horny for Talasyn. And they have sex a lot in this book after finally learning to somewhat communicate. This really felt more like a romance than a fantasy this time and I was genuinely bored to tears by what political "masterminding" we did get.


Also, just want to put this here. I fucking DESPISE Alaric's characterization towards the end of this book. He can be all warm and quietly adoring and soft as he wants when they're alone but he turns into a rabid fucking animal when any other man who isn't literally Talasyn's dad so much as looks at her. That's gross. Him demanding she change clothes because he doesn't like how revealing her outfit is is gross. Him thinking that he owns her is gross. The amount of times his fragile male pride in this is mentioned but nothing is done to tell him he's being a prick is annoying.


Also also, still zero confirmed queer characters. We get a tailor who is just the absolute most flamboyant and snappy individual who constantly throws reads back at whoever he's talking to and is obsessed with looks. That's all.


It's not a deal breaker for book three, but wow, I struggled so hard to get through this. Please let this be a trilogy where the final book is the banger to end all bangers.

4.5 🌟 for me
That ending, the betrayal on her emotions AND the mic drop style of information. This one had a lot more of the romance (building?) than the first but still some action and a lot of the political aspects of the first.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
🌶🌶

♡ Enemies to Lovers
♡ Marriage of Convenience
♡ Touch Starved MCs
♡ "I hate that I want you."
♡ Duty vs Desire
♡ Dragons
♡ Immersive World Building
♡ Political Intrigue
♡ Prince Zuko MMC vibes

After being completely immersed in the story of these two rivals turned begrudging marital partners, I could not get my hands on book 2 quick enough. While I was gifted an e-ARC from NetGalley, I also bought the audiobook myself because I enjoyed the first one so much.

The culture, politics, and world building alone are enough to keep you engaged in this series. Pair that with beautifully written imagery, all the smoldering angst of forbidden passion, and the impossible choice between duty to your people and the desires of your heart, this book is a solid fantasy romance that should not be overlooked. Oh, and there are leviathan sized magic dragons.

Book 2 ended on a cliffhanger that will leave me anticipating the next one for months to come.

I will absolutely be recommending this series to anyone who is a fan of fantasy romance and doesn't mind a slow burn. (Fans of Pince Zuko from ATLAB, I'm looking at you.)

My heart swooshed from their silly little angsty banter and sweet monologues moments. This book did not disappoint in the romance dept!!

Unfortunately, everything else fell short for me.
• The magic system is pretty cool, but its execution left me wanting more. 
• The characters’ backstories were fleshed out, but their actions didn’t line up at times.
• Some moments felt either drawn out or too short. There were more fade-to-black ending scenes than I’d liked.

As a second installment, it is definitely setting up for something greater, and I’m looking forward to it!

Many thanks to NetGallery for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a mesmerizing sequel that captivated me even more than "The Hurricane Wars". The enemies-to-lovers romance between Talasyn and Alaric crackles with tension as they navigate a politically charged marriage and the looming threat of the Moonless Dark. The Southeast Asian-inspired world is beautifully detailed, and the plot masterfully balances suspense, action, and emotional depth. I loved the characters' inner struggles and the push-and-pull of their relationship, heightened by witty banter and heartfelt moments. The story’s cliffhanger left me desperate for the next installment! Though the pacing occasionally lagged, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. This is a must-read for fans of angsty romance, lush world-building, and spellbinding magic.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

OMGosh that cover is gorgeous! I wish I had a physical copy to display. Not reading book 1, I still found this easy to read and be caught up on. I loved everything, the banter, politics, and especially the romance. Waiting on book 3 now!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of A Monsoon Rising. This was an amazing fantasy read. I wanted to read it as soon as I read the synopsis. I've never read anything by this author before and it definitely won't be my last read from her. I believe she also wrote The Hurricane Wars, that now I want to read. I rated this book 5 stars and I would recommend reading it.

Thank you to the author and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for a review.

This sequel was slower paced than the first book in the series, which had teased several aspects to come in follow up books that still didn't feel fleshed out here. Definitely it pushed the romance plot further, but there was little build on the political intrigue/conflict introduced in the first book. Similarly, there was again mention of family histories/conflicts and aspects of the magic system without fully defining either of these, which left it feeling like a filler chapter between what will hopefully be a more rounded third book in the series. The twist at the end (though itself not very shocking) may entice to finish the series, as it promises a potential return to some of these underdeveloped aspects of the plot.

4.5/5, rounded up! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She. Did. Not. Leave. Us. On. That. Ending.

I enjoyed the first book, but this one was definitely better. The tension, banter, politics, romance....all a step up from the start. I absolutely love our little Kylo/Rey couple, they are one of the best actual enemies to lovers I have had the pleasure of reading about, and I will happily die on that hill.

I'm gonna need book three immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thea's writing remains just one of her incredible strengths, with world-building and angst next to it.
A Monsoon Rising is a perfect sequel to its predecessor and I could not have been more invested in this story,

The world is incredibly rich and lush, and the plot kept me enraptured the entire time. The pacing was a little lacking at some points but once I hit 50%, i could not put it down.

This series remains one of my all-time favourite's and Tala and Alaric are easily one of my favourite couples. The rats won.

But that ending?! Cliffhanger of the YEAR

i’m still confused how i ended up with an arc of this bad boy but i demolished it in a few days flat. it’s classic trope-y romantasy in a way that just hits so good, and it’s a solid development from the first book (i actually think i liked it better). i’m such a big fan of enemies to lovers when there are ACTUAL reasons for them to be enemies and there’s a ton of angst that comes out as a result. i will also note that once again i failed to realize that this was a middle book in the series rather than a conclusion and i am clawing at the walls of my enclosure for the third book after the way this one ended

I wasn’t able to finish Monson Rising by Thea Guanzon after reading about 30%. While I struggled with elements of the first book, I liked the premise and setup of the future plot. Unfortunately, I found myself still struggling to connect with the characters and found the pacing a bit slow for my taste. The world-building was rich, but it felt overwhelming at times, making it hard to stay engaged. I love romantasy but don't think this series is for me.

(I don’t have my goodreads review posted yet as I am going to do a reread of The Hurricane Wars and this in January and I have a whole plan for my review)


This was PERFECTION. I devoured the Hurricane Wars like a starving child, and this was no different. The story was beautifully continued and the characters were as exhilarating and riveting as I remembered. Guanzon is now a “must read” author for me. 10/10 stars.

ARC- I really enjoyed this book! I wish I had done a bit more brushing up on the characters from book one first, but I really enjoyed being back in this world! I am definitely looking forward to book 3 now!

This series is INCREDIBLE. True enemies to lovers and it just keeps getting BETTER and BETTER. I love Thea's writing so much. She's such a phenomenal writer. I also love the growth of her characters and the constant twists and turns. I always feel like I can guess whats happen and then BOOM I am wrong. The only bad thing about this book is having to wait till the next one! Thank you so much for honoring me with a copy of this. I cannot wait till the next one!

*4.5⭐️ A fantastic follow up to the first book and the cliffhanger at the end 😱 the action scenes were phenomenal and the spice scenes 🥵

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑨 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒂 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒛𝒐𝒏 (𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒔 #2)

Release Date: December 10, 2024

5⭐️3🌶

The slow burn in this book is BURNING! The arranged marriage between Talasyn and Alaric are now married; however, it is in name only. Or is it? Their kingdoms have been on opposing sides of the war for too many years, but they've joined forces in order to fight the ever expanding power of the Shadow Gate.

Alaric's Father has only ever ruled through fear and violence. However, Alaric doesn't seem to want to rule that way. Talasyn sees a softer side to him, but she's planning on usurping his rule all the same.

Alaric has been told by his father that his marriage is only a way for Alaric to get close enough to steal and or stop Talasyn's magic. Once they stop her magic, there will be no one to oppose their rule with Shadow Magic.

The slow-burn in this book is delicious! While I struggled to get into this series in the first book, the second book is definately making up for it in spades!

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Enemies-to-lovers
🍁Arranged marriage
🍁Light vs. Dark Magic
🍁Slow Burn
🍁Grumpy-grumpy
🍁Star wars inspired
🍁Reylo inspired

TW:
✨Child abandonment (past)
✨Death of parent (past)
✨Death
✨Parental abuse
✨Violence
✨Battle scenes

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC read!

#books #reader #bookstagrammer #arcreader #arcreview #arcreviews #advancedreadercopy #fantasy #darkfantasy #romantasy #readerofinstagram #newreleasebook #thehurricanewars #theaguanzon #enemiestolovers #netgalley

This book felt like a complete change of pace from book 1. Whereas The Hurricane Wars was very plot heavy and lots of world building with some slight smatterings of romance starting, A Monsoon Rising is very heavy on the romance aspect and light on plot. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, and I kept waiting for the action to start, but in the end I really enjoyed getting to see that slow burn enemies to lovers action develop more fully. The bantering and bickering between Talasyn and Alaric is absolutely top tier - even when they’re getting it on, they’re still fighting, and I found it hilarious. Back to the action part of it - it did finally pick up for the last 25% of the book, and THAT ENDING has me dying to get book 3 in my hands immediately because I now have SO MANY questions!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!