🩶❤️ A Monsoon Rising ARC Review ❤️🩶

Thank you so much to Thea Guanzon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

A Monsoon Rising is a fantasy novel and book two in the Hurricane Wars series. As always, this review will be as spoiler free as possible, so if it feels vague - that’s why. After forming an unlikely alliance, Talasyn and Alaric now find themselves pushed closer together. But in the midst of the Hurricane Wars, can they really trust each other or will they be each other’s downfall??

I love this series so much! Talasyn is such a strong character and I love her story! Alaric is just so fantastic and I adore him! The rivals to lovers vibes in this book are absolutely stellar. This is such a cool world and the magic system is so unique

Overall this was a fantastic 5 star read! I love this series and these characters so much!! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!! This book does have some heavy moments, so please check triggers if you’re sensitive. This book was a smidge of a slow burn, but had some wonderful tension and spicy moments, so overall three flames for spice

If you’re a fan of beautiful world building, strong characters, and all the enemies to lovers vibes, then absolutely pick this series up!! As this is a continuation of the story started in the first book, I advise reading The Hurricane Wars first.

This book had no business being this good. Before I rave about how amazing it was, I need to say something. Why are you wasting time reading this review? GO READ THE BOOK RIGHT NOW!!! I’m still in shambles over that ending, but I’m going to pull myself together enough to write a somewhat coherent review. This was one of my favorite reads of the entire year. Talasyn and Alaric were amazing in the first book, but this one too it to a whole other level. The sheer amount of angst, pining, longing, and yearning in their slow burn romance was ridiculous in the best possible way. They use fighting to flirt with each other, because they refuse to admit that they have feelings for each other and are actually in love. They’re both so broken, alone, and abandoned, and I just want them to be happy. Drunk Alaric was the cutest and funniest thing I have ever read. This is exactly what I’m looking for in a romantasy. The world is vibrant and unique, the magic system is interesting and complex, the court politics and longstanding war are difficult for the characters to navigate, and the enemies to lovers romance is EVERYTHING. I’m obsessed with this story, and I might actually perish from stress waiting for the next book to come out.
🖤
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤
Read if you like:
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️morally grey, broody, damaged hero
▫️sassy, stabby heroine
▫️grumpy x sunshine
▫️arranged marriage
▫️light and shadow magic
▫️dragons
▫️reluctant allies
▫️court politics
▫️dual POV
🖤
Thank you to Avon Books, Harper Voyager, Thea Guanzon, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed The Hurricane Wars (and probably liked it even more on reread) but something was holding me back from loving it. I think I was a bit distracted by all the world building and making Star Wars connections and it wasn't until about half way when the book became something sort of exciting that I was all in. Luckily I was all in from the beginning with A Monsoon Rising. I really like being in both Talasyn and Alaric's pov. This is a real ENEMIES TO LOVERS story where both of them are planning secret betrayals and are at opposite sides of a war yet still are drawn to one another--nevermind that they are you know...married to one another.

The bulk of this book is them having to work together to save pretty much the entire world and it was sort of nice to have them teaming up instead of being on opposite sides. But the fact that they are at such cross purposes really keeps the tension super high and I was so nervous for how this book would end. Still, even though I thought I knew how this book would end, something totally surprising happened and I am absolutely FERAL for the next book.

The heart of this book is Talasyn and how much she has grown since being that rebel fighter. It is so interesting to watch her become a political leader and stronger fighter. Alaric too won me over in this book and the two of them have so much chemistry it is sort of excruciating.

I am desperate for the next book.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ok Thea, I see you with that cliff hanger of an ending! Where in the world did that come from?! How am I expected to wait to KNOW!

Ok, to start this out, this is the second book in a series and if you haven't read The Hurricane Wars yet, I recommend reading it first because this review will contain spoilers for book 1.

The political intrigue continues quite clearly in this sequel, the enemies-to-lovers are still very much warring enemies despite their political marriage. Alaric and Tala both hate and desire in equal measure and the sexual tension written through out this book is delicious. The balancing act that Alaric and Tala have to navigate is intriguing. The demands of both their own countries, Tala's secrets as she struggles deeply with the fact that all her promises are lies as she is torn between her loyalty to her homeland or the feelings that are quickly developing for Alaric. And Alaric, who despite being the Emperor still takes orders from his father, is torn between his loyalty and his own growing feelings. He wants to bring in change, but the traditions are a hard grasp on his own country.

The chemistry between these two enemies is undeniable, beneath the banter and their own self admonishing they can't seem to stay away from each other. We see the once forced political marriage start to become real as you watch their emotional depth grow and feel so authentic between them.

Thea really built on her world building in this book. You get a clearer look at the Southeast Asian inspired setting, the magic system is still slowly being forged and changed as the characters themselves manipulate it to their own desires. The overall arching plot line of the world-ender however was a little lacking despite how long it took to solve, it didn't hit as much as I felt it needed to. It's clear it wasn't going to be the end-all, but I was left with wanting...more.

Overall, this sequel checked a lot of boxes and it truly leaves you on the edge of your seats, a tipping point coming where Talasyn and Alaric can no longer ignore the scheming happening behind each others back. Just when you think you know who all the players are, Thea has thrown in a curve ball and I was left utterly stunned.

The plot is only thickening, and no one can be trusted, I highly recommend picking up this book if you were left unsure at the end of The Hurricane Wars, there is so much story left to tell.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for giving me an E-Arc, all opinions are my own.

Oh. My. GOODNESS! I thought I loved Hurricane Wars, but then I read this! It is SOOO freaking good! The drama, the slow burn and its inevitable climax (pun very much intended), and the surprises. Everything was bumped up about 10 notches for this book and I was here for it! Tala and Alaric are just amazing. Their arguing and banter is the best. I especially love when they manage to do that during intense, near death moments. It gives off Legolas and Gimli vibes, but sexier (or maybe not if you’re a Gimlas shipper). I feel like this book had really great moments of comedic relief and I loved it. The plot itself was fascinating and continued to catch me by surprise a few times. I really like the Voidfell twist, and I would love to see that somehow play out more as the series continues.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Thea Guanzon for the ARC opportunity! 🫶🏻 After the ending I basically need book 3 immediately. Pretty please? 😆

A Monsoon Rising was quite a shift from The Hurricane Wars in a lot of different ways. The focus definitely moved from the politics and war to moving the romantic progression forward.

This was entertaining and I liked the new pacing. My only gripe is that it didn’t really answer many of the questions we were left with after book one. Alaric’s character seemed to soften a lot this book which felt a bit quick but not necessarily in a bad way. The little snippets and one liners we get from a lot of the fringe cast bring me a lot of joy. I’m just curious because it felt like more could have happened in this book.

The cliffhanger ending has definitely left me on edge waiting for announcements and news for book 3!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thea really knows how to write an angsty romance, my goodness! I loved traveling back into her world and exploring more into these characters and their romance.

A Monsoon Rising is the second book in The Hurricane Wars series. The first book focused on world building and plot, while the second book focused more on the political marriage between Alaric and Talasyn and their very angsty romance. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m definitely interested to see what happens in the next installment!

Thank you to Thea Guanzon, Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager, and to NetGalley for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Hurricane Wars, this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, and it did not disappoint! The world building expands even more, which meant it took me a bit in the beginning to figure it all out, but dang was it worthwhile.

So. Much. Suspense. I feel like this is super hard to do when a book is more character driven than plot driven, but it worked perfectly. I am in love with Talasyn and Alaric, and the tension between them is *chef’s kiss*. Learning more about them both—their inner thoughts and fears—gave so much more depth to the story.

And THE CLIFFHANGER. I *need* to know what happens. I have so many unanswered questions. Thea Guanzon, you are a master, and I am praying you are already writing the next book because I can’t take the waiting!

My only regret is starting another incomplete series, because I’m impatiently waiting to find out what’s next. This is a must read for all fantasy lovers and especially those who’ve read The Hurricane Wars!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the gifted eARC!

The Night Emperor was trained and honed into a powerful weapon meant for war, so he is left floundering when a time of peace comes his way. Pushed into an alliance to end the fighting he finds himself now married to his sworn enemy, Talasyn. With the threat of the Moonless Dark looming over them, they must put their feelings aside and work together to save their kingdoms from that one magical night that could destroy their entire world. Alaric and Talasyn slowly begin to trust each other but with them each harboring secrets they can never share, can they give each other their loyalty in the end?

I was so thrilled to jump back into this world with Talasyn and Alaric. As soon as I finished The Hurricane Wars, I knew I wasn't going to forget these characters anytime soon. I loved learning more about the magical world that this story is set in with so many political moves going on. I also couldn't resist the tension that was practically sparkling between Talasyn and Alaric. Sometimes a slow-burn romance can get a little drawn out but this one did not disappoint at all. With the stunning ending of this one, I will once again have these characters on my mind for quite a while!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

by Thea Guanzon
Genre: Romatasy I Reylo I Fantasy
Release Date: December 10, 2024
15/5

When I read The Hurricane Wars a year ago I was so captivated by the writing (THE BANTER) and the true slow burn enemies to lovers that this book was. Anyone who knows me is aware that I am not "really into romance" but that is clearly a lie because the way I am absolutely feral for Talasyn and Alaric should be studied.

A Monsoon Rising hit all of the notes that I loved about The Hurricane Wars: banter, political intrigue, a slowwwww burn romance, enemies to lovers, plotting (oh the plotting is so good!), but built on it and made it probably my favorite read of the year. The spice was spicing! I didn't think that I could love A Monsoon Rising more than I loved The Hurricane Wars, but I was so wrong. I loved every moment of this book, I did not want it to end. Speaking of endings, THEA! How could you do that to us?! That ending was so good that I have been thinking about it ever since. I can't speak more highly of this book. It was such a hit in our buddy read group and I am so happy that I was able to read this with them.

Special shout out to the team at HarperVoyager for reading my delulu email and still allowing me to receive an advance reader copy AND a finished copy of this book! I preordered the Waterstones and Fairyloot editions and I can't wait until they arrive.

A Monsoon Rising continues the sweeping fantasy saga of the Hurricane Wars. Thea Guanzon has created a vibrant world of magic, war, & romance. I love the unique magic system & the world building continues to be excellent. Guanzon's characters are well-crafted and relatable. Talasyn & Alaric continue to give angsty, star-crossed lover vibes. The tension between them crackles off the page and their banter is top tier. Guanzon doesn't take the easy road in her writing which may be frustrating for some readers but she delivers an ending that leaves you breathless.

If you are looking for a fast, spicy read keep looking. If you are looking for a world that will captivate you and transport you entirely then A Monsoon Rising is the perfect read for a cozy winter escape.

OMG. Tension, pining, betrayal, ANGST. angsty little babies. I mean, there’s a LOT going on in these little creatures minds and hearts and I, for one, would not be cut out for it. But it’s simmering and it’s little explosions and it’s GOOD.
Definitely more of a character driven plot than the first book but no complaints from me on that, because I love character driver plots!

I kept my expectations intentionally low for this one upon beginning my journey through it, as the first book in the series generated quite the buzz and no small amount of enthusiasm and acclaim only to completely fizzle out and fall flat for me.  I wound up having a bear of a time getting through it.  Surprisingly, A Monsoon Rising didn’t fare as terribly with me, for a portion of the book.  The first 60% or so was meh, flip the page; but after that mark, I dare say the story blossomed into beautiful, action-packed, butt-kicking flower.  Forget the romance in this one, the build-up in the last half of the book for the general storyline was fantastic.  I really hope the last book in this series follows closely the vein that the latter 40% of AMR; if so, the struggle may have been worth it.

Talasyn and Alaric now enjoy a state of matrimonial bliss.  Each spouse holds interests in direct opposition to the other.  I’ll admit, it’s a pretty good conundrum for tension building.  If you’re reading for the romance, you’ll like the scenario.  If you’re reading for plot development, it’s a bit of a slog bog.  However.  The overarching plot must eventually come to the fore.

Because I only really care about the world building and plot, I’ll shift focus.  Otherwise, I’ll descend into a deep pit of nitpicking and criticism.  The whole point of this story, really, is the aversion of a  global catastrophe.  Secondary to that, Alaric’s father seeks to take Talasyn’s power somehow and use it for nefarious, presumably world-dominative purposes.  For a fantasy novel, these two conflicts pique my interest.  With the multiple layers of intrigue and conflict, and the absolute cliffhanger dropped at the end, I’ll definitely keep reading the end of the trilogy.  

Overall, I'm teetering back and forth between 3.5-4 stars on this one. The first half bored me to tears, but the second half really picked up the pace and kept me on the edge of my seat.

My thanks to NetGalley for the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this eARC.

While I had high hopes for The Hurricane Wars, it fell extremely flat for me and I was a bit let down by it. So I was hoping this would pick it up. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me.

Our two main characters just don't click with me at all. And they still come off extremely bland and lifeless. The romance between them doesn't do anything for me and sadly, I just did not enjoy my time with this one.

This book is a sequel Hurricane Wars and if you enjoyed the first book, this book will not disappoint you. I loved this book so much. I’m so obsessed with Alaric and Talasyn. This was everything I wanted it to be. The ending killed me. I would definitely recommend to everyone. I loved getting to see different sides of the characters and watching them getting to see different sides of each other. Now I just have to wait for book 3.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVoyager for the ARC.

I adored Hurricane Wars and was counting down the days for this book because I had to know what happened next. Now I will be counting the days to book three because oh my god that cliff hanger had me gasping and clutching my pearls in horror.

Monsoon Rising was a perfect continuation of the story; I loved learning more about the characters, watching the enemies fall in lust or maybe love, and learning the truth about the void magic. The only thing that stops it from being 5 stars for me (would rate 4.5 if I could) is that there enough parts in the book that seemed either overly explained or unnecessary that it had a bit of a vibe of aiming for a specific page count so added enough fluff to make those extra 15 pages happen. Overall this is a highly recommended from me if you read Hurricane Wars or if you are seeing this review and you haven’t then you should.

I had trouble putting this one down. What a great follow up to Hurricane Wars. Finally starting to see their relationship come together, although there’s still a bit of “talk to each other already!” And that ending. Going to be holding my breath waiting for the next one!

In A Monsoon Rising, Theo Guanzon brings us an exciting mix of enemies-to-lovers romance and political intrigue. This sequel to The Hurricane Wars continues the journey of Alaric and Talasyn, whose lives have been forever changed by war.
The story dives into a world where love and loyalty are constantly put to the test. Talasyn is now married to Alaric, and she struggles with her new role as his empress while dealing with plots from her own allies who want to tear them apart. As they face the looming threat of the Moonless Dark, a magical disaster, their relationship grows more complicated, caught between duty and desire.
Guanzon does a fantastic job of creating a vivid Southeast Asian-inspired world filled with rich imagery and complex characters. Alaric's challenges as a leader and Talasyn’s journey of self-discovery add depth to the story. The magical elements, like the blending of light and shadow, reflect their relationship's ups and downs.
What really stands out in A Monsoon Rising is its focus on trust and betrayal. As Alaric and Talasyn tackle external dangers, they also have to sort out their feelings for each other, leading to some intense emotional moments. The stakes are high, not just for their love but for the future of their nations.
Overall, A Monsoon Rising is an engaging continuation of the series, packed with action, romance, and political twists. Guanzon skillfully weaves these elements together, keeping readers hooked from start to finish. Fans of fantasy and romance will definitely enjoy this enchanting story!

Happy publication day!!!🥳
I am so thankful to have been given an arc of this book.
I didn’t want it to end. When I read Hurricane Wars, I wasn’t entirely drawn in and couldn’t stay focused when reading it! During Monsoon Rising, it was the opposite! I wanted more!🥹