THE CHEMISTRY.....THE CLIFFHANGER..... MY HEART!!!!

Okay so let me preface this by saying that when I requested this ARC, I hadn't read the first book. However, I devoured that within a couple days. Then devoured this one. Thea Guanzon has TALENT. The imagery is just beautiful, the characters are well rounded. This book gave us SPICE. It is very character driven rather than plot driven, which I enjoyed because the characters are great. I enjoyed A Monsoon Rising, it was a lush fantasy perfect to cozy up on the couch with, fireplace going, mug of tea in hand.

Thank you Net Galley, Harper Voyager and Thea Guanzon for the opportunity to read this ARC, it was a pleasure! Best of luck with release day!!

Remember back when I reviewed The Hurricane Wars, the first book in author Thea Guanzon’s epic romantasy series, when I said the wait between books 1 and 2 would feel unbearably long? Well, it was. But now, having finished the second book, A Monsoon Rising, I can safely say that however long the first wait felt, this one is going to feel so much longer.

A Monsoon Rising picks up where The Hurricane Wars left off, with snarly princess Talasyn, and broody prince Alaric still working together on their aethermancy to save the world from the Moonless Dark, the upcoming eclipse that will trigger a potentially world-ending disaster. There’s just one tiny problem: this marriage of convenience conducted for the sake of two empires just took a turn for the physical and neither of them are handling that especially well.

Like the first book, A Monsoon Rising focuses largely on the politics surrounding Alaric and Talasyn’s situation, now with an even greater focus on their relationship — especially as the two work together and live together, and start to fall for the other in spite of their best instincts, all conveyed with Guanzon’s trademarklush descriptions that really immerse the reader in the world. She keeps things moving while also making room for the juicier parts of the story — be they juicy in the angsty sense or in the…ahem…spicy sense — to unfurl with the kind of slow-burn needed to keep the audioence’s heart racing.

Fans old and new of Guanzon’s work will not be disappointed, and the countdown is already on for book 3.

A Monsoon Rising hits shelves on December 10, 2024. Special thank you to Harper Collins for the advance copy for review purposes.

One of my most anticipated reads this year! Ive been waiting to find out what happens to Talasyn and Alaric and once again I’m left wanting to for more. This book immediately follows Hurricane wars as the two of them navigate through their marriage all the while working together to stop the voidfell but also simultaneously planning to betray each other right after.

I love this book! I read it in 24hours! Alaric is just 😍! I feel like the story had a great pace, where the action was steady and didn’t leave the reader bored. However, it left me wanting more! I can’t wait till the next book comes out!


Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this book! ❤️

What can I say about this book, other than I was really nervous going into it because of how much I loved the Hurricane Wars, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I adored it once I sat down to actually read it!

The characters are the characters we love, the humor and banter between these two is just beautiful and the continued love building between them is just astounding.

We once again see Alaric and are feisty main character Tala as they somehow navigate through their marriage of political alliance with some feelings that sprung up in the first one.

This book does have some spicy scenes in it, but for more... Spicy seasoned readers it isn't too much.

For old pros 2.5/5 🌶️ for strictly YA readers 3 or 4/5 🌶️

As for my rating overall? 5/5⭐ easy. I didn't feel any of the clunk that some second books feel, instead I felt fun, giggles, and swooning as I kicked my feet and grabbed to my husband about them!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Hurricane Wars was good but not my favorite, but I was interesting in reading the sequel.

And I’m so glad I did because even though I still don’t understand all the politics and magic of this world, Alaric and Talasyn’s relationship and banter is… dare I say, elite?

Their bickering banter genuinely made me laugh, and they had soft, cute moments (when he’s drunk and smiles fully at her and then just says her name for no other reason than he wants to? He’s a goner, folks), and they have such good tension and chemistry. They really are an amazingly written couple.

The plot in this book felt incomplete, as it just kind of… ends. I was expecting much more drama and reveals between Talasyn and Alaric. I am genuinely curious how that will play out, seeing as they’re both planning on betraying each other while also being convinced they can save either too.

Safe to say I’ll be back for the third book, what a great time this one was.

It’s almost criminal I have to wait for the next book after this book has literally destroyed me!! This book was more character driven which i appreciated and I was swooning with all the banter between Alaric and Tala!!! The CLIFFHANGER left me wanting more and I will be anticipating the next release!

In A Monsoon Rising, the dynamics between the main characters have changed quite a bit, but has only increased the stakes. Rather than enemies-to-lovers, now they are reluctant allies, torn between trusting one another, both beholden to other loyalties and struggling to face one another in the shape of their new relationship. I found those intracharacter dynamics the most interesting aspect of the novel since overall the plot was less quick-paced than in The Hurricane Wars, and unfortunately it felt a little like middle book syndrome.

This book was exactly what I needed and I loved how the romance of the MMC & FMC really developed in this one. And their chemistry was just off the charts. The tension the banter it was just perfection. And of course the world building and the writing was just so beautifully done it made me feel as I was there inside the story myself!

Rating: 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this sequel and am obsessed with the enemies romance between Talasyn and Alaric. 🔥 Lots of great politicking and reveals and keeping secrets while falling hard for each other, but of course not telling the other person.

My only complaint is that the spice ramped up a ton and I feel like it came close to overpowering the plot, which was annoying. But that ending?! It did not go how I was thinking it would and now I need book 3 asap!

Content: multiple open door (high explicit), some language

I don’t think I will recover from that ending. The story is all consuming. Talasyn and Alaric are facing a lot in this book and keeping so much from each other while fighting falling for each other. The cliffhanger at the end has me desperate for book 3. I need to know what happens. I need our morally gray MMC to burn the world down. I was expecting Khaede to be a bigger player in this book but I’m sure we will see her in the next. I can’t wait for book 3.

So good! I'm already waiting very impatiently for the next. I knew it would be good and it was, it just went on a different direction than expected. Absolutely worth the read and highly recommended

Thank you so much to HarperVoyager for my arc!

"If there's anything I believe in," he said, "it's your stubbornness.It annoys me quite frequently, but it can move mountains.I would have no one else by my side tonight"
Talasyn rolled her eyes."I'll hold you to that the next time we argue"

It’s just me, Alaric, Talasyn and the Monsoon🥺

This was such a good continuation to the series, no second book syndrome here thankfully. A Monsoon Rising picks up where The Hurricane Wars left off and continues with serious politicking and trying to prepare for the upcoming disaster that Alaric and Talasyn are preparing to combat with. Since Hurricane wars already established the world completely this book focussed more on relationship between Alaric and Talasyn making them emotionally entangled to complicate the delicate situation further.

Alaric and Talasyn..oh boy! the chemistry phew..I think this book has one the BEST enemies to lovers chemistry ever written, the banter, the burn, the angst!! it was thoroughly enjoyable that I daydreamed about plucking these characters out of their chaotic world and putting them on a small island so they can happily live ever after ;) I love how their relationship was built super slowly precariously balanced all the time. The romance had all perfect vibes and the spice was definitely more in this one but it is still very well written without being over the top

I realized I enjoyed Alaric's POV the most in this book, it somehow made the story well rounded as if we already know how Talasyn would act so we are waiting to see it from Alaric's POV. The final stand off they were working towards was well presented, I really had fun reading these chapters, it was not high stakes nor low stakes..it was just enough for me. However, the ending still gutted me and I have this sense of impending doom about how things will be unfolding in the next book because there are still a lot of secrets waiting to unraveled! I am still cautiously optimistic for a HEA aka begging the author for a HEA ;)

If you liked the first book, you will love this one. It is nice to see their relationship grow and get more of the world building.

I loved the hurricane wars so I was really excited to get this ARC. It did not disappoint! I love the characters, the setting, the magic system, all of it. The ending had me screaming and I cannot wait for the next book!!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

For book 2 I really found myself drawn into Alaric's POV as we learn more about his childhood/backstory.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Dual POV
Romantasy
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Banter
Marriage of Convenience
Diverse Characters
Family Drama
Political Intrigue
Who can you trust?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?

I was there for the sexual tension and yearning! However, their romance kept drawing out (a continuation from the first book) and I found myself becoming frustrated and over it and the lack of spark that was present in the first book.

🔥Steam level: Open door

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

This was a slow burn story because the plot really wasn't there throughout the book. Instead, it felt like we were just meandering along with the characters. Another issue for me was how this story revolved around the upcoming Voidfell, but there never was any sense of urgency or tension as the date of their possible extinction came closer every day. Heck, they are even throwing parties.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

The ending of course left me gasping, so I'm looking forward to the final book in this trilogy.

Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this gifted ebook.

This sequel is everything a reader could ask for and more.

Seeing Alaric and Talasyn’s relationship grow was so beautiful. The book starts out still very much enemies-becoming-lovers, but as events unfold, we start to see changes in how they interact with one another. And seeing them grow as individual characters is even more of a treat. This book is perfect for those who love both character and plot driven stories and Thea weaves both of them together perfectly.

I want to go into details so bad, but I think this book is best experienced with everything as a surprise.

Thank you SO SO MUCH to HarperVoyager for providing me with an e-arc of this book. It truly made my year 🖤

A Monsoon Rising is everything a second book in a series should be. The tension? Palpable. The stakes? Raised. The spice? STEAMY!

Book 1 (The Hurricane Wars) was already my top read of this year, and I had high hopes for Book 2 and Thea delivered! The beautiful, lyrical writing, the romance, the high stakes…the book has everything a romantasy reader could want. And it’s so well done.

The Hurricane Wars is set in such an intricate world that it could be easy to get bogged down in the details, but Thea immerses you onto the page with ease. You can almost feel the breeze on the beaches or the cold air flow on the ships when reading this book. It’s one of my favorite parts of these books.

My other favorite part of these books? The romance (obviously).

Even with an established relationship, Thea perfectly balances a continuation of enemies to lovers while also deepening the relationship between Alaric and Talasyn. They still have their qualms, and grapple with their feelings for one another as they navigate their arranged marriage.

Something I love so much about this series is that it all feels so organic and natural. Nothing feels forced or written for the sake of a trope, everything happens because it should and because it adds something to the story.

Alaric is the simpest of all simps and all other book boyfriends need to take note. Seeing his descent into obsession in book 1 was amazing, but seeing him book 2 was even 👏 better 👏

Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy of the book :) It truly made my year, and I will be turning this series as a comfort read for a long time.

Thank you so much to Thea Guanzon, Netgalley, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

In a world where book trilogies can suffer from the infamous second book syndrome, I’m more than thrilled to see that A Monsoon Rising enhanced all that was established in its predecessor.

AMR immediately follows up from the conclusion of The Hurricane Wars. From there, the story continues as Talasyn and Alaric prepare for their marriage to be legally official, as well as their preparations for saving their respective lands from the Moonless Dark. 

While THR did suffer from a slow start, in retrospect, the amount of world-building, character interactions, and political intrigue did its job with allowing this book to focus more on developing Talasyn and Alaric’s relationship. There were numerous on-page scenes with them together compared to THR, and I still smile when I think about the classic “stranded somewhere alone with your nemesis” arc that I loved watching in Filipino dramas growing up. But, by far, my favorite part of this installment in the trilogy was how deeper the politics of the world went. Due to having both Talasyn and Alaric's perspectives, we get to see their respective, albeit reluctant, scheming to bring each other's downfall.

My only gripe is wanting more out of Alaric’s connections with other people aside Gaheris. While I'm fascinated by the level of trauma that Gaheris inflicts on Alaric, I think there weren't enough scenes spent with developing Alaric's own group of friends. I'm hoping this will be addressed in book 3 since I did like what I managed to get out of Sevraim (best smug wingman by the way).

Overall, if you loved The Hurricane Wars, then you'll more than likely love A Monsoon Rising as well. Especially for a certain "who hurt you?" moment that I ate up every second of.

ABNSJDHDJDJDJDJEN I KNEW IT WOULD END SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT IT STILL MADE ME GASP 😭. I had no real expectations from this book and was just going into it knowing I loved the first book. This book is absolutely one of my top books this year no doubt!! Watching the individual growth of both Talasyn and Alaric as well as the shifting of their relationship as they’re gradually forced together and put in situations that place them solidly as enemies and some how draw them closer?? I was hooked from the very beginning and was flabbergasted when the book ended because I don’t think I’ve been this frustrated at a cliffhanger ending since Mark of Athena came out (both are beautifully done but now I have to wait 🫠). I cannot wait to see how the story progresses and I will absolutely be rereading this soon!!

I enjoyed it but I could not tell you why.

For some reason I just can’t get a firm grip on the world building or keeping track of multiple political people, so big reveals and plot twists were lost on me.
I enjoyed doing the audio for the first book, so this might be a “me problem” having done this one not on audio where it helps me more with names and places.

The main relationship between Alaric and Talasyn is so frustratingly back and forth that it's gripping, it’s the one thing that does keep me hooked.

Unfortunately, even since book one, both their personalities have felt very YA to me and that just doesn’t sit well especially with how spicy book two got.

Overall there’s just enough hiding somewhere between the pages that keeps me reading. The pacing is pretty good and seeing what happens to Alaric and Tala keeps me intrigued.
So I’m hoping whatever happens in the next book will solidify if I’ve actually loved all of it or not!