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The Hurricane Wars #3
This Shattered Tempest
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26The highly anticipated conclusion to the
New York Times
bestselling Hurricane Wars trilogy makes landfall— and as the winds of war sweep through Lir, Talasyn and Alaric must confront the truth of their hearts and decide whether duty or desire will lead them forward.
When the storm swallows the world, who will be left standing?
Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together.
That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…
Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.
When the storm swallows the world, who will be left standing?
Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together.
That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…
Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.
496 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 6, 2026
15313 people want to read
About the author
Thea Guanzon
8 books3,467 followersTraveler, fangirl, dungeon master, cat lady, and iced coffeeholic residing in Metro Manila. Somehow also a No. 1 International, New York Times, USA Today, and Indie List bestselling author!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Want to Read
January 3, 2026Ok, I won't actually rate it before I read it, but I already know. 5 stars.
Read
January 4, 2026It was going to come out in January, then May, AND NOW OCTOBER?!?!?!??!?!? Why, Thea, must you do this to us? 😭😭😭😭
Want to Read
March 23, 2026omg the title and release date! 😭 this is my most anticipated read of this year please please be good! 🤞🏻
Want to Read
April 17, 2026My excitement for this is unparalleled.
I may actually be experiencing a panic attack.
ON MY WAY TO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET AND PLACE SOME BETS BECAUSE I GOT THE ARC AND THE GODS ARE CLEARLY SMILING UPON ME
I may actually be experiencing a panic attack.
ON MY WAY TO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET AND PLACE SOME BETS BECAUSE I GOT THE ARC AND THE GODS ARE CLEARLY SMILING UPON ME
April 19, 2026
This Shattered Tempest is everything I hoped it would be! I absolutely loved this book, and this series has become one of my favorites! Every single book in this series just got better and better. This was a true enemies to lover’s story. When Talasyn and Alaric met, they were truly trying to kill each other and then as they got to know each other, they wanted to kill each other as much as they wanted to kiss each other and I devoured that dynamic. I became just as obsessed with them as they became with each other. They’re one of my favorite couples. Not only are they incredibly strong and intricate amazing people on their own, but together they are magic. Their relationship is filled with a hunger and a passion that will set you on fire.
This book starts off immediately when A Monsoon Rising ended. Talasyn and Alaric have been dancing around the issue of dealing with their divided loyalties, but time is running out and sides will have to be chosen. They entered this political relationship as enemies who set out to destroy each other only to find themselves falling for one another instead. With war now on their doorstep, they’ll each be forced to make difficult decisions and face the consequences of their choices. Loyalties are tested and betrayal seems imminent. Will they choose love or will they choose duty?
I felt like I was reading this book while someone was squeezing my heart the entire time. There was this constant crushing sinking feeling in my chest. It hurt to read and yet I couldn’t stop reading it. I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing I wasn’t going to be prepared for anything that came after. The yearning and the guilt Talasyn and Alaric felt in this was palpable. You could feel the desire between them as much as you could feel the weight of the burden of the secrets they were keeping from each other.
I think the growth Talasyn and Alaric displayed from when they met to where they are now in this book was so well written. We got to watch them grow, and fall in love, and hope, and dream, and push each other to become better versions of themselves and try to redeem themselves. It was truly beautiful to witness that happening. Thea did such an amazing job not compromising any aspect of this story. The romance, the character development, the plot, and the political aspects were well thought out. Everything was written together so seamlessly, and it was a true joy to read. Also, I loved that there was an epilogue at the end!
If you love enemies to lovers, political intrigue, reluctant allies, redemption stories, second chances, and wonderful side characters you absolutely MUST pick up this series!!!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review is based solely on my own opinion, and I’m honored for the chance to read This Shattered Tempest by Thea Guanzon.
This book starts off immediately when A Monsoon Rising ended. Talasyn and Alaric have been dancing around the issue of dealing with their divided loyalties, but time is running out and sides will have to be chosen. They entered this political relationship as enemies who set out to destroy each other only to find themselves falling for one another instead. With war now on their doorstep, they’ll each be forced to make difficult decisions and face the consequences of their choices. Loyalties are tested and betrayal seems imminent. Will they choose love or will they choose duty?
I felt like I was reading this book while someone was squeezing my heart the entire time. There was this constant crushing sinking feeling in my chest. It hurt to read and yet I couldn’t stop reading it. I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing I wasn’t going to be prepared for anything that came after. The yearning and the guilt Talasyn and Alaric felt in this was palpable. You could feel the desire between them as much as you could feel the weight of the burden of the secrets they were keeping from each other.
I think the growth Talasyn and Alaric displayed from when they met to where they are now in this book was so well written. We got to watch them grow, and fall in love, and hope, and dream, and push each other to become better versions of themselves and try to redeem themselves. It was truly beautiful to witness that happening. Thea did such an amazing job not compromising any aspect of this story. The romance, the character development, the plot, and the political aspects were well thought out. Everything was written together so seamlessly, and it was a true joy to read. Also, I loved that there was an epilogue at the end!
If you love enemies to lovers, political intrigue, reluctant allies, redemption stories, second chances, and wonderful side characters you absolutely MUST pick up this series!!!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review is based solely on my own opinion, and I’m honored for the chance to read This Shattered Tempest by Thea Guanzon.
April 23, 2026
ARC REVIEW
If you enjoy political intrigue & scheming, real enemies-to-lovers, right & wrong dilemmas, and political marriages YOU NEED TO PICK THIS UP.
I'm so happy I got to read this in April instead of waiting for the book to come out (Oct 26th). This was such a good ending, I'm pleasantly surprised by the plot and tension still present in this third instalment. It's not easy to create a story with a political marriage that continues on having a meaningful plot and tension between our MCs but Thea did it!
First of all, let me say I REALLY appreciated the fact that this book picks up right after the end of Monsoon Rising.
Second of all, I think if I reread the epilogue I'd cry??? it was also so long I didn't expect that.
I personally added Alaric Ossinast to my list of pathetic MMCs along with Arin of Nizhal & Cyrus of Nara if that tells you something about the INSANE YEARNING quotes we got in this book!!!
I'm generally a big fan of 3rd person narration so this was right up my alley but I really enjoyed the inner monologues both from Talasyn but also from Alaric.
The plot of the book really picks up from 60-70% and you start to get a bit stressed-by then I had to finish the book right away. I was so worried about the ending because this is still a reylo inspired series but I mean again the EPILOGUE???? I loved the redemption aspect.
I think both Alaric & Talasyn had a lot of character growth in this book, they matured along with Thea's writing. This story was the embodiment of enemies-to-lovers until the end, it created so much tension, heartbreak, and distress from my side. Talasyn evolved into somebody that has hope & dreams, Alaric grew into his role as Emperor but also as a son and a husband.
Easiest 5 stars, now we wait for the special editions 🧍🏻♀️
If you enjoy political intrigue & scheming, real enemies-to-lovers, right & wrong dilemmas, and political marriages YOU NEED TO PICK THIS UP.
I'm so happy I got to read this in April instead of waiting for the book to come out (Oct 26th). This was such a good ending, I'm pleasantly surprised by the plot and tension still present in this third instalment. It's not easy to create a story with a political marriage that continues on having a meaningful plot and tension between our MCs but Thea did it!
First of all, let me say I REALLY appreciated the fact that this book picks up right after the end of Monsoon Rising.
Second of all, I think if I reread the epilogue I'd cry??? it was also so long I didn't expect that.
I personally added Alaric Ossinast to my list of pathetic MMCs along with Arin of Nizhal & Cyrus of Nara if that tells you something about the INSANE YEARNING quotes we got in this book!!!
I'm generally a big fan of 3rd person narration so this was right up my alley but I really enjoyed the inner monologues both from Talasyn but also from Alaric.
The plot of the book really picks up from 60-70% and you start to get a bit stressed-by then I had to finish the book right away. I was so worried about the ending because this is still a reylo inspired series but I mean again the EPILOGUE???? I loved the redemption aspect.
I think both Alaric & Talasyn had a lot of character growth in this book, they matured along with Thea's writing. This story was the embodiment of enemies-to-lovers until the end, it created so much tension, heartbreak, and distress from my side. Talasyn evolved into somebody that has hope & dreams, Alaric grew into his role as Emperor but also as a son and a husband.
Easiest 5 stars, now we wait for the special editions 🧍🏻♀️
April 29, 2026
✨Thank you Net Galley & Harper Voyager for this arc in exchange for an honest review ✨
I enjoyed The Hurricane Wars because of the world building but I didn’t care much for A Monsoon Rising and felt like it fell short in some main elements. However, This Shattered Tempest picked it up like 10 notches! I loved it! Totally worth it in my opinion.
The relationship between Alaric and Talasyn continued as it was in A Monsoon Rising, but Alaric’s character arc I thoroughly enjoyed the most.
The stakes were higher and higher with betrayals, battles, and… more dragons 🐉 🙂↔️
The truths that came to surface had me that I didn’t expect nor did I know what was to come of Alasyn but it was goooooood!
As a whole, I’d recommend this trilogy for anyone who is interested in epic battles, betrayal, political intrigue, unique world building, magic, and enemies who don’t become lovers until the very end but when they do 😭 … sobbing.
I enjoyed The Hurricane Wars because of the world building but I didn’t care much for A Monsoon Rising and felt like it fell short in some main elements. However, This Shattered Tempest picked it up like 10 notches! I loved it! Totally worth it in my opinion.
The relationship between Alaric and Talasyn continued as it was in A Monsoon Rising, but Alaric’s character arc I thoroughly enjoyed the most.
The stakes were higher and higher with betrayals, battles, and… more dragons 🐉 🙂↔️
The truths that came to surface had me that I didn’t expect nor did I know what was to come of Alasyn but it was goooooood!
As a whole, I’d recommend this trilogy for anyone who is interested in epic battles, betrayal, political intrigue, unique world building, magic, and enemies who don’t become lovers until the very end but when they do 😭 … sobbing.
April 28, 2026
Thank you Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!
WOW, what an epic conclusion! This is a review for the 3rd book, so be aware of any spoilers for the 1st two.
Plot:
Talasyn and Alaric have been navigating their political marriage and growing connection as they try and find a way to bring peace to the lands. The thing is, they are both harboring secrets from each other that would alter their trust and disrupt any plans for said peace. War and battle is brewing and upon their doorstep and they must decide what is important: their destiny-bound love or the fate of their nations?
Thoughts:
I have been on this Hurricane Wars journey from the beginning! I know its fan fiction origins and it brought me immense joy being back in this world. The characters are so perfectly toxic and passionate for each other and I could not get enough of them together. The battles were epic and beautifully written, like a dance being described. Sometimes the politics was lost on me, but that could honestly be a me problem. Lastly, the intimacy scenes this author write are absolutely stunning! The way she crafts their romantic passion is poetic and sensual in a way I haven't read very often in this romantasy day and age. So good!
I HIGHLY REC this entire trilogy and her other works as well!
WOW, what an epic conclusion! This is a review for the 3rd book, so be aware of any spoilers for the 1st two.
Plot:
Talasyn and Alaric have been navigating their political marriage and growing connection as they try and find a way to bring peace to the lands. The thing is, they are both harboring secrets from each other that would alter their trust and disrupt any plans for said peace. War and battle is brewing and upon their doorstep and they must decide what is important: their destiny-bound love or the fate of their nations?
Thoughts:
I have been on this Hurricane Wars journey from the beginning! I know its fan fiction origins and it brought me immense joy being back in this world. The characters are so perfectly toxic and passionate for each other and I could not get enough of them together. The battles were epic and beautifully written, like a dance being described. Sometimes the politics was lost on me, but that could honestly be a me problem. Lastly, the intimacy scenes this author write are absolutely stunning! The way she crafts their romantic passion is poetic and sensual in a way I haven't read very often in this romantasy day and age. So good!
I HIGHLY REC this entire trilogy and her other works as well!
April 18, 2026
“Write a review”
As if there’s enough words available to describe my love for this book and this series, don’t be naive Goodreads 😤
As if there’s enough words available to describe my love for this book and this series, don’t be naive Goodreads 😤
April 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tropes: Fantasy Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Arranged Marriage, Slow Burn, Political Intrigue, Betrayal, Found Family
I legit screamed when I found out I received an ARC for this book. Not even joking. I have been waiting so long for this book to come out, and I read it so quickly once I got a copy. I thought about rereading the first two books before diving into this one, but I couldn’t help myself and immediately started it.
Guanzon does a really good job of subtly reminding you who everyone is and what happened in the previous books without making it too obvious or annoying, which is what I needed since some characters come into play that we haven’t seen in a while or have only heard about in passing.
Alaric was absolutely FERAL in the first few chapters trying to get Talasyn back after that cliffhanger at the end of the last book. SO feral, and I was here for it. The push and pull between Alaric and Talasyn in this book is like trying to balance on a tightrope. The love they have for each other is so obvious, but circumstances have put them on opposite sides of the war, and you feel how much they don’t want that to be the case. It seems like an impossible situation for both of them. And I’m not going to lie, I truly didn’t know how Guanzon was going to pull off a HEA for this trilogy. There is just so much history and bad blood between these two.
What I liked about their story is that they both do some not-so-great things to each other that warrant feelings of betrayal, but then they are both like, “But I did something similar to them, so I can’t take it too harshly.” It was a bit comical at one point. Both of them want the other to be safe but are also plotting each other’s demise. It’s very all over the place, but not in a bad way.
There are some instances of betrayal, but I do like how Guanzon was able to have them communicate with each other and have honest conversations, even if it took them a bit to get there. Also, the smut in this book was absolute fire.
I absolutely loved Alaric and Talasyn’s reunion. Alaric is just a sad boy who needed some love in his life, and no one ever gave that to him except Talasyn. I love how much Talasyn fought for Alaric and believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself. Alaric is down so bad for Talasyn that he will burn down the world for her, but also make the world a better place so she doesn’t get mad at him.
Overall, this was a perfect ending to The Hurricane Wars trilogy. I devoured it and enjoyed every second of it. It has all the elements of the past two books, but in a more high-stakes situation with even more slow burn and yearning between our beloved main characters.
Tropes: Fantasy Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Arranged Marriage, Slow Burn, Political Intrigue, Betrayal, Found Family
I legit screamed when I found out I received an ARC for this book. Not even joking. I have been waiting so long for this book to come out, and I read it so quickly once I got a copy. I thought about rereading the first two books before diving into this one, but I couldn’t help myself and immediately started it.
Guanzon does a really good job of subtly reminding you who everyone is and what happened in the previous books without making it too obvious or annoying, which is what I needed since some characters come into play that we haven’t seen in a while or have only heard about in passing.
Alaric was absolutely FERAL in the first few chapters trying to get Talasyn back after that cliffhanger at the end of the last book. SO feral, and I was here for it. The push and pull between Alaric and Talasyn in this book is like trying to balance on a tightrope. The love they have for each other is so obvious, but circumstances have put them on opposite sides of the war, and you feel how much they don’t want that to be the case. It seems like an impossible situation for both of them. And I’m not going to lie, I truly didn’t know how Guanzon was going to pull off a HEA for this trilogy. There is just so much history and bad blood between these two.
What I liked about their story is that they both do some not-so-great things to each other that warrant feelings of betrayal, but then they are both like, “But I did something similar to them, so I can’t take it too harshly.” It was a bit comical at one point. Both of them want the other to be safe but are also plotting each other’s demise. It’s very all over the place, but not in a bad way.
There are some instances of betrayal, but I do like how Guanzon was able to have them communicate with each other and have honest conversations, even if it took them a bit to get there. Also, the smut in this book was absolute fire.
I absolutely loved Alaric and Talasyn’s reunion. Alaric is just a sad boy who needed some love in his life, and no one ever gave that to him except Talasyn. I love how much Talasyn fought for Alaric and believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself. Alaric is down so bad for Talasyn that he will burn down the world for her, but also make the world a better place so she doesn’t get mad at him.
Overall, this was a perfect ending to The Hurricane Wars trilogy. I devoured it and enjoyed every second of it. It has all the elements of the past two books, but in a more high-stakes situation with even more slow burn and yearning between our beloved main characters.
April 22, 2026
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
“Drowned out by the raw, clamoring instinct to kill all those who threatened to harm his wife.”
Gutting me from the very beginning by starting the book off with a “My Wife” moment; Thea Guanzon, you savage!!!
I would like to preface by saying that I went into this book largely blind. It has been almost 2 years since I’ve read A Monsoon Rising and I did not reread the series before beginning. I did not remember off the top of my head a lot of the side characters and a lot of the main arcs right at the beginning. Yet I never felt lost or that the author was recapping. She managed to jog my memory about things without actually just stating it.
With that out of the way, I could not put this book down. I was eager for every moment that came out of it. Feeling Alaric unravel into madness at the beginning was so satisfying. Thea did a great job of writing the emotions of these characters in such a way where it felt raw and real.
The dialogue was funny and made sense, we had some nice light hearted moments between Elagbi and Alaric.
“It was a certainty, as cold and bleak as plunging through ice sheets into the dark water below.”
At the 47% mark I was so anxious for them. There were so many devastating secrets between them that were on the precipice of being revealed with so many awful consequences to follow that I could not see a way out for them. I was honestly worried about how this book (and series) was going to conclude.
I will say that I enjoyed the journey that followed.It was well earned and I think played appropriate homage to the all of the plot points we’ve been exposed to since this series started. Bringing the series back full circle was a great conclusion.
The vocabulary in the book was amazing, I picked up a few new words which is rare.
“Drowned out by the raw, clamoring instinct to kill all those who threatened to harm his wife.”
Gutting me from the very beginning by starting the book off with a “My Wife” moment; Thea Guanzon, you savage!!!
I would like to preface by saying that I went into this book largely blind. It has been almost 2 years since I’ve read A Monsoon Rising and I did not reread the series before beginning. I did not remember off the top of my head a lot of the side characters and a lot of the main arcs right at the beginning. Yet I never felt lost or that the author was recapping. She managed to jog my memory about things without actually just stating it.
With that out of the way, I could not put this book down. I was eager for every moment that came out of it. Feeling Alaric unravel into madness at the beginning was so satisfying. Thea did a great job of writing the emotions of these characters in such a way where it felt raw and real.
The dialogue was funny and made sense, we had some nice light hearted moments between Elagbi and Alaric.
“It was a certainty, as cold and bleak as plunging through ice sheets into the dark water below.”
At the 47% mark I was so anxious for them. There were so many devastating secrets between them that were on the precipice of being revealed with so many awful consequences to follow that I could not see a way out for them. I was honestly worried about how this book (and series) was going to conclude.
I will say that I enjoyed the journey that followed.It was well earned and I think played appropriate homage to the all of the plot points we’ve been exposed to since this series started. Bringing the series back full circle was a great conclusion.
The vocabulary in the book was amazing, I picked up a few new words which is rare.
April 24, 2026
This Shattered Tempest is the perfect conclusion to The Hurricane Wars trilogy, and is my favorite of the three. With each book, Thea Guanzon makes me love this world and characters even more. The worldbuilding dives deeper, the politics and hidden machinations come to a climax, and the characters are left to make decisions that will change their fate forever.
Alaric and Talasyn continue to be two idiots in love, navigating the reality of falling for someone that you are expected to betray. Feelings get hurt, secrets come to light, and they are forced to examine what truly matters when everything is over and ashes are all that is left. The journey of personal growth is realized in how Alaric and Talasyn make different choices than they would have in the previous two books. Which I believe shows just how much they broadened each other's outlook on the world around them.
The amount of yearning and longing in this story is exquisite, yet excruciating. There are portions where they are happy together, and others where they are enemies once more; but the yearning never stops. I cannot tell you how many lines I highlighted, purely because I wanted to reread them over and over. There are so many moments that left me teary eyed, and those scenes made this story even more emotionally impactful. No matter the context, Alaric and Talasyn's fates are forever intertwined, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
This Shattered Tempest releases on October 6, 2026. Which leaves plenty of time to read the first two books, if you haven't already! Thank you Harper Voyager for gifting me with an eARC (via Netgalley), all thoughts expressed are my own.
Alaric and Talasyn continue to be two idiots in love, navigating the reality of falling for someone that you are expected to betray. Feelings get hurt, secrets come to light, and they are forced to examine what truly matters when everything is over and ashes are all that is left. The journey of personal growth is realized in how Alaric and Talasyn make different choices than they would have in the previous two books. Which I believe shows just how much they broadened each other's outlook on the world around them.
The amount of yearning and longing in this story is exquisite, yet excruciating. There are portions where they are happy together, and others where they are enemies once more; but the yearning never stops. I cannot tell you how many lines I highlighted, purely because I wanted to reread them over and over. There are so many moments that left me teary eyed, and those scenes made this story even more emotionally impactful. No matter the context, Alaric and Talasyn's fates are forever intertwined, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
This Shattered Tempest releases on October 6, 2026. Which leaves plenty of time to read the first two books, if you haven't already! Thank you Harper Voyager for gifting me with an eARC (via Netgalley), all thoughts expressed are my own.
May 1, 2026
This series was the ultimate slow burn and it took its time, but this book in particular…WOO! We got the spice! This book was everything I was wanting and look for in a romantasy book. Heck, I’d even go to say this everything I think anyone could want from a conclusion to a series. I’m jazzed up about it, can you tell??
We got tension, we got romance, we got stolen moments, we got people being sneaky, we got war, we got unexpected things happening, there is SO MUCH happening and I enjoyed literally every minute of it. The pacing never slowed down for a second. I’m obsessed with the magic system, the worldbuilding, and the interactions between characters. Obsessed with Alaric. Seeing a softer side to Talasyn was nice. Seeing both of their growth in just this book alone was incredible. This was phenomenal and I have no complaints.
The ending in particular had me on the edge of my seat and then swooning at the same time.
I would highly recommend this series and especially this book!!!
~I received this eARC free from NetGalley. Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and Thea Guanzon. My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
We got tension, we got romance, we got stolen moments, we got people being sneaky, we got war, we got unexpected things happening, there is SO MUCH happening and I enjoyed literally every minute of it. The pacing never slowed down for a second. I’m obsessed with the magic system, the worldbuilding, and the interactions between characters. Obsessed with Alaric. Seeing a softer side to Talasyn was nice. Seeing both of their growth in just this book alone was incredible. This was phenomenal and I have no complaints.
The ending in particular had me on the edge of my seat and then swooning at the same time.
I would highly recommend this series and especially this book!!!
~I received this eARC free from NetGalley. Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and Thea Guanzon. My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
April 25, 2026
hey so i’m currently BAWLING MY FUCKING EYES OUT solely because it’s over!!!! review to come once i’ve reached some semblance of peace and stability through taking it out on my reading journal. i’ll probably do a re-read soon by doing the whole series - this experience would’ve been even better had i not needed the first hundred pages to remember who all the side characters were
April 23, 2026
A sweeping conclusion to a beautiful trilogy. Full of tension, political machinations, and Alaric “my wife” Ossinast. Couldn’t get enough of this. Thank you to HV for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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May 4, 2026Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This, folks, is how you write a redemption story. Ms. Guanzon got the memo; she understood the assignment, and she executed it beautifully. I say this as someone who has been burned by badly-handled redemption stories in the past. Yes, there is a certain amount of pain required; change can't happen otherwise. But there's pain for the purpose of character development and pain for the sake of pain, the latter being a truly sucky experience for the reader (What can I say? I get emotionally attached to fictional characters). So yes, I expected this book to hurt. I knew there would be a point where everything fell apart, and I would have to buckle in and hold on for dear life. It did, and I did, and I'm happy to report that I got to the end in one piece. Along the way, I got a beautiful story about a character who messed up, yes, but who also fought like hell to get back to the person they loved without sacrificing their ideals along the way. I got a story about a character who also messed up, but not so badly that it erased all prior character development. Ms. Guanzon successfully forged a path for her two main characters that gave them room to make mistakes while also allowing for a believable resolution to both the romance and the larger conflict. And she did it without sacrificing the plot.
I just about squealed when I saw on social media that this book was up on NetGalley. I may have actually squealed when I got the email saying my ARC request had been approved. I devoured it in about 24 hours and don't regret a single second I spent on it. It's a safe bet that I will be rereading this as soon as it comes out in October so I can highlight the heck out of my Kindle copy because there are SO MANY lines that I loved. I will probably also write an updated Goodreads review with spoiler tags so I can talk about specific scenes in detail.
As I mentioned earlier in my review, Ms. Guanzon didn't sacrifice plot for character development (we get both!). There's plenty of action and political intrigue to keep you turning the pages. If romance is your thing, she delivers on that too (side note for my friends who don't like reading the spicy bits: I thought the sex scenes in this book were, on the whole, shorter and less detailed than in book two, but there were more of them). There are funny bits and great side characters and ethical dilemmas and times you'll wonder if there's any way Alaric and Talasyn will ever be able to find a way out of what is truly an impossible situation. I did get a little tripped up by the multiple place names (eg. The Nenavar Dominion aka Nenavar aka The Dominion or The Sardovian Allfold aka Sardovia aka The Allfold), especially during high-action scenes when I didn't want to have to stop and think about which country was which. I would adore a glossary of terms in addition to the map, which can be very hard to successfully navigate on a digital device, especially on a phone screen (how I do the majority of my reading).
Bottom line: I loved this book and would happily recommend the series to anyone who loves romantasy, Reylo, or well-told redemption stories.
Heat index: 6+ fairly brief sex scenes with some explicit imagery.
Profanity meter: occasional mild profanity.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy). All opinions are my own.*
I just about squealed when I saw on social media that this book was up on NetGalley. I may have actually squealed when I got the email saying my ARC request had been approved. I devoured it in about 24 hours and don't regret a single second I spent on it. It's a safe bet that I will be rereading this as soon as it comes out in October so I can highlight the heck out of my Kindle copy because there are SO MANY lines that I loved. I will probably also write an updated Goodreads review with spoiler tags so I can talk about specific scenes in detail.
As I mentioned earlier in my review, Ms. Guanzon didn't sacrifice plot for character development (we get both!). There's plenty of action and political intrigue to keep you turning the pages. If romance is your thing, she delivers on that too (side note for my friends who don't like reading the spicy bits: I thought the sex scenes in this book were, on the whole, shorter and less detailed than in book two, but there were more of them). There are funny bits and great side characters and ethical dilemmas and times you'll wonder if there's any way Alaric and Talasyn will ever be able to find a way out of what is truly an impossible situation. I did get a little tripped up by the multiple place names (eg. The Nenavar Dominion aka Nenavar aka The Dominion or The Sardovian Allfold aka Sardovia aka The Allfold), especially during high-action scenes when I didn't want to have to stop and think about which country was which. I would adore a glossary of terms in addition to the map, which can be very hard to successfully navigate on a digital device, especially on a phone screen (how I do the majority of my reading).
Bottom line: I loved this book and would happily recommend the series to anyone who loves romantasy, Reylo, or well-told redemption stories.
Heat index: 6+ fairly brief sex scenes with some explicit imagery.
Profanity meter: occasional mild profanity.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy). All opinions are my own.*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a worthy and satisfying conclusion to the Hurricane Wars trilogy. The stakes were there, the emotions were there, and it ended in a sweet, but not unrealistic.
It’s been days since I finished and I’m still not over it. This has been one of my favorite series, one that I own the most copies of, and I’m so sad that it’s over. However, I’m also relieved that it ended well and wasn’t drug out like many series seem to be.
Each character goes on a journey to discover themselves outside of the roles that they have been forced into. For Talasyn, she finds herself and what she truly wants on a journey to reclaim her powers. As an aside, thank you Thea for not taking away her powers permanently. I hate the trope where the female character loses her powers and is just okay with it.
Alaric also figures out what he wants outside of his father’s shadow and his role in the war. His journey isn’t quite as moving and he spends more time concentrating on his feelings of betrayal and hatred. But when it matters, he chooses what he truly wants over the past. I loved the idea of him breaking the cycle in the epilogue. He overcame his fear and the trauma of his childhood to make the next generation better.
This series was obviously a romance but it’s also a portrait of war and what it does to everyone involved. No side in the war was innocent and that’s what Talasyn realizes towards the end. All three countries have made mistakes. It’s not black and white. She chooses peace and love over the Allfold, a place she was willing to give her life to for the majority of the series. All the characters, mostly children/young adults, have been molded by this war and they have to decide where their loyalties lie and their goals for the future. The older generations are blinded by their need to destroy and conquer at all cost.
The pacing in the beginning felt a little slow, but that may have been me not quite in the mood for it. There’s a dramatic rescue and a lot of politicking at the beginning before the action really picks up. By forty to fifty percent in, I was hooked. There were many twists and betrayals. Talasyn came into her own and started scheming like the greats.
The mystery of what happened to Khaede is finally solved and at certain points, I wished it had not. She had become jaded by the war and what she had lost, almost as a foil to Talasyn. She does seem to move past it in the epilogue, which I am glad was longer than average. It was lovely to see the characters happy and a world not at war.
This may be a spoiler, but it also felt inevitable, so whatever. I felt like Alaric’s father should have had a worse death. I was happy that he was finally gone after all the terrible things he’d done, but it felt underwhelming, which could have been the point. Sometimes revenge isn’t always satisfying. The other major death was almost sad, almost. It felt inevitable as well.
More sad than those, was the fate of Bakun, although he deserved to be free after all the time he’d been alone. I really enjoyed the connection between him and Talasyn and her respect for the autonomy of dragons in general.
Overall, this was not a let down in the slightest and everyone should be excited to read it in October, although it may be wise to reread or at least skim the first two books. I forgot a lot of names and it took a minute to remember who everyone was.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC—this was one of my most anticipated reads for the year! I may even have to reread the first two and read this one when I get my physical copy in October.
It’s been days since I finished and I’m still not over it. This has been one of my favorite series, one that I own the most copies of, and I’m so sad that it’s over. However, I’m also relieved that it ended well and wasn’t drug out like many series seem to be.
Each character goes on a journey to discover themselves outside of the roles that they have been forced into. For Talasyn, she finds herself and what she truly wants on a journey to reclaim her powers. As an aside, thank you Thea for not taking away her powers permanently. I hate the trope where the female character loses her powers and is just okay with it.
Alaric also figures out what he wants outside of his father’s shadow and his role in the war. His journey isn’t quite as moving and he spends more time concentrating on his feelings of betrayal and hatred. But when it matters, he chooses what he truly wants over the past. I loved the idea of him breaking the cycle in the epilogue. He overcame his fear and the trauma of his childhood to make the next generation better.
This series was obviously a romance but it’s also a portrait of war and what it does to everyone involved. No side in the war was innocent and that’s what Talasyn realizes towards the end. All three countries have made mistakes. It’s not black and white. She chooses peace and love over the Allfold, a place she was willing to give her life to for the majority of the series. All the characters, mostly children/young adults, have been molded by this war and they have to decide where their loyalties lie and their goals for the future. The older generations are blinded by their need to destroy and conquer at all cost.
The pacing in the beginning felt a little slow, but that may have been me not quite in the mood for it. There’s a dramatic rescue and a lot of politicking at the beginning before the action really picks up. By forty to fifty percent in, I was hooked. There were many twists and betrayals. Talasyn came into her own and started scheming like the greats.
The mystery of what happened to Khaede is finally solved and at certain points, I wished it had not. She had become jaded by the war and what she had lost, almost as a foil to Talasyn. She does seem to move past it in the epilogue, which I am glad was longer than average. It was lovely to see the characters happy and a world not at war.
This may be a spoiler, but it also felt inevitable, so whatever. I felt like Alaric’s father should have had a worse death. I was happy that he was finally gone after all the terrible things he’d done, but it felt underwhelming, which could have been the point. Sometimes revenge isn’t always satisfying. The other major death was almost sad, almost. It felt inevitable as well.
More sad than those, was the fate of Bakun, although he deserved to be free after all the time he’d been alone. I really enjoyed the connection between him and Talasyn and her respect for the autonomy of dragons in general.
Overall, this was not a let down in the slightest and everyone should be excited to read it in October, although it may be wise to reread or at least skim the first two books. I forgot a lot of names and it took a minute to remember who everyone was.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC—this was one of my most anticipated reads for the year! I may even have to reread the first two and read this one when I get my physical copy in October.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley (I cannot tell you how stupid excited this made me), so I get to review the conclusion to the incredible series before it is published several months from now.
I will attempt to keep my review as non-spoilery as possible.
The third and final book picks up immediately after the events of book 2, and SO much is happening. Book 3 is definitely action and story packed. The book flows very nice, and storylines that began in book 1 start moving fast towards their conclusion. Before starting book 3 I did a re-read of 1 and 2, to make sure I wasn't going to be missing anything critical, and it seems like the author did a great job on closing the loop on all of her plot points, side characters and especially the main characters Alaric and Talasyn.
The story moves away from the Dominion and returns to the continent, and this creates a fantastic catalyst for both setting up the endgame, and creating new motivations for our FMC and MMC.
I would personally say the first 29 chapters are pitch perfect for the story Thea Guanzon created, and really paid tribute to the characters and world she created (plus the end of chapter 29! I struggled to set down the book and go to bed at a reasonable time for work).
However...the third act of the book had a lot of convenient events that happened concurrently and really stood out - but mostly because they didn't feel fleshed out, or setup properly going into it. The world building wasn't fully there, which made what should have been some pretty epic events fall a bit flat, and didn't have the emotional impact they deserved. Also the timeline of these events, were so quick that their value was a bit undermined. As the reader we knew what needed to happen but our character did not, and the journey they went on to find their new motivations; while striking, dangerous, thrilling and hard earned, landed a bit flat because they occurred over very few chapters and felt way too condensed, even in terms of the book's ongoing events.
The last half of the third act, and beginning of the fourth act was jam packed of action and lovely twists and turns. The book quickly returned back to something fantastic and thrilling and I couldn't get enough of it. Thea did an incredible job of tying up her trilogy, and I don't recall any dropped or forgotten storylines and arcs, and I started to get sad when I realized the book was winding down for it's conclusion. :)
The epilogue will make the romantic out there really pleased as well.
Overall 4⭐
If the author ever decides to flesh out the third act by adding in some additional world building to give it more weight and room to breath, this would be an easy 4.5-5⭐ book.
Highly recommend.
I will attempt to keep my review as non-spoilery as possible.
The third and final book picks up immediately after the events of book 2, and SO much is happening. Book 3 is definitely action and story packed. The book flows very nice, and storylines that began in book 1 start moving fast towards their conclusion. Before starting book 3 I did a re-read of 1 and 2, to make sure I wasn't going to be missing anything critical, and it seems like the author did a great job on closing the loop on all of her plot points, side characters and especially the main characters Alaric and Talasyn.
The story moves away from the Dominion and returns to the continent, and this creates a fantastic catalyst for both setting up the endgame, and creating new motivations for our FMC and MMC.
I would personally say the first 29 chapters are pitch perfect for the story Thea Guanzon created, and really paid tribute to the characters and world she created (plus the end of chapter 29! I struggled to set down the book and go to bed at a reasonable time for work).
However...the third act of the book had a lot of convenient events that happened concurrently and really stood out - but mostly because they didn't feel fleshed out, or setup properly going into it. The world building wasn't fully there, which made what should have been some pretty epic events fall a bit flat, and didn't have the emotional impact they deserved. Also the timeline of these events, were so quick that their value was a bit undermined. As the reader we knew what needed to happen but our character did not, and the journey they went on to find their new motivations; while striking, dangerous, thrilling and hard earned, landed a bit flat because they occurred over very few chapters and felt way too condensed, even in terms of the book's ongoing events.
The last half of the third act, and beginning of the fourth act was jam packed of action and lovely twists and turns. The book quickly returned back to something fantastic and thrilling and I couldn't get enough of it. Thea did an incredible job of tying up her trilogy, and I don't recall any dropped or forgotten storylines and arcs, and I started to get sad when I realized the book was winding down for it's conclusion. :)
The epilogue will make the romantic out there really pleased as well.
Overall 4⭐
If the author ever decides to flesh out the third act by adding in some additional world building to give it more weight and room to breath, this would be an easy 4.5-5⭐ book.
Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
so here we are, at the end of talasyn of sardovia and alaric ossinast’s story. THIS SHATTERED TEMPEST put my heart through an emotional wringer, but man, what a beautiful conclusion to this trilogy.
talasyn and alaric’s relationship is front and center, with plenty of angst to go around as they struggle to reconcile their feelings for each other with their political duties and with secrets that threaten the future of their marriage—all the while having to weigh the purpose that was laid out for them by their elders against the true desires of their hearts.
but there is definitely no shortage of action and political machinations in this volume; there is, after all, a war going on, and there’s court intrigue, family drama, intense combat scenes with evocative sequences involving this world’s elemental magic system. whole chapters lean into the mystical and the mythical, weaving the ancient lore of the land, the eversea, and the moons with matters of the human heart, and oh, did i mention how many dragons are in this? SO MANY DRAGONS.
this story has always been special to me for many reasons, one of those being that it’s only a fictional world inspired by my homeland (obligatory “uy pilipins!!!”) but i truly cherished the echoes of my culture, and there’s a particular reference in this one that knocked the wind out of me in its simplicity and its impact. i’d really miss this world, and i’ve grown more attached to the characters than i had thought (special shoutout to sevraim, who has thoroughly charmed me. you alright with me, legionnaire!!)
i’m not ashamed to say i cried through the last 50 pages of this book. there are so many moments where i’m screaming at our protagonists through the page, begging them to just understand each other, but the payoff of the emotional journey and character development they both go through is absolutely worth it. they were enemies brought together by fate and circumstance, and now they must do the work to stay together, despite grief and betrayal, in the middle of a war started before they were born.
hell of a final line. it’ll stay with me for a long time.
*alexa, play being alive*
thank you to netgalley and harper voyager for the arc!
talasyn and alaric’s relationship is front and center, with plenty of angst to go around as they struggle to reconcile their feelings for each other with their political duties and with secrets that threaten the future of their marriage—all the while having to weigh the purpose that was laid out for them by their elders against the true desires of their hearts.
but there is definitely no shortage of action and political machinations in this volume; there is, after all, a war going on, and there’s court intrigue, family drama, intense combat scenes with evocative sequences involving this world’s elemental magic system. whole chapters lean into the mystical and the mythical, weaving the ancient lore of the land, the eversea, and the moons with matters of the human heart, and oh, did i mention how many dragons are in this? SO MANY DRAGONS.
this story has always been special to me for many reasons, one of those being that it’s only a fictional world inspired by my homeland (obligatory “uy pilipins!!!”) but i truly cherished the echoes of my culture, and there’s a particular reference in this one that knocked the wind out of me in its simplicity and its impact. i’d really miss this world, and i’ve grown more attached to the characters than i had thought (special shoutout to sevraim, who has thoroughly charmed me. you alright with me, legionnaire!!)
i’m not ashamed to say i cried through the last 50 pages of this book. there are so many moments where i’m screaming at our protagonists through the page, begging them to just understand each other, but the payoff of the emotional journey and character development they both go through is absolutely worth it. they were enemies brought together by fate and circumstance, and now they must do the work to stay together, despite grief and betrayal, in the middle of a war started before they were born.
hell of a final line. it’ll stay with me for a long time.
*alexa, play being alive*
thank you to netgalley and harper voyager for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Shattered Tempest is a perfect wrap up to the trilogy, with each book being better than the one before. This book picks up directly after the events of Monsoon Rising. While there are a few slower stretches, this book is overall fast paced as Talasyn and Alaric continue to navigate a world in which their responsibilities and goals put them on opposite sides of a war, while their hearts and interwoven magic draw them together.
Both characters are required to go on their journeys of personal growth. For Talasyn, this requires her to rediscover her lost magic and her connections to her dead mother, all while considering what it is she truly wants for herself – versus what other people want from her. For Alaric, this requires him to look at his empire and his father’s crippling expectations of him to determine what kind of future does he want for his people – one of continued war or of peace. Even when they are apart, they are making choices that are shaped by the other.
I enjoyed that even when our characters were separated by distance, war, and misunderstanding they were pulled together by their shared “eclipse bond” which forced them to be together and share hard truths. It was through these interactions that the fine line between love and hate was evident.
I also liked that throughout the story, no matter how angry our characters were with each other, they were almost more angry with themselves as they recognized that while the other person had made choices and mistakes that were causing pain and in some cases death and destruction, they had made similar choices and were not faultless.
Other positives: Dragons! The return of some past characters! HEA!
Overall 4.5/5. My only rationale for not rating this a perfect 5/5 is that the reader is the repeated inner turmoil from Alaric and Talasyn about how deeply they care for the other person, but that the other could never care for them in the same way. Other problem I had – and this may be largely a me issue versus a problem with the series itself – I had a hard time keeping track of some of the characters and places. Some characters had multiple names, which in itself was not a large problem, but I often felt myself having to search back through this book or the previous two in order to remember who the other person was in relationship to our main characters. I also was felt wanting a little more world building when it came to the other magics – for example the lightning and the fire magic we see wielded within the book. This seemed interesting and added depth beyond light, shadows, and void that would have been interesting to learn more about.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Both characters are required to go on their journeys of personal growth. For Talasyn, this requires her to rediscover her lost magic and her connections to her dead mother, all while considering what it is she truly wants for herself – versus what other people want from her. For Alaric, this requires him to look at his empire and his father’s crippling expectations of him to determine what kind of future does he want for his people – one of continued war or of peace. Even when they are apart, they are making choices that are shaped by the other.
I enjoyed that even when our characters were separated by distance, war, and misunderstanding they were pulled together by their shared “eclipse bond” which forced them to be together and share hard truths. It was through these interactions that the fine line between love and hate was evident.
I also liked that throughout the story, no matter how angry our characters were with each other, they were almost more angry with themselves as they recognized that while the other person had made choices and mistakes that were causing pain and in some cases death and destruction, they had made similar choices and were not faultless.
Other positives: Dragons! The return of some past characters! HEA!
Overall 4.5/5. My only rationale for not rating this a perfect 5/5 is that the reader is the repeated inner turmoil from Alaric and Talasyn about how deeply they care for the other person, but that the other could never care for them in the same way. Other problem I had – and this may be largely a me issue versus a problem with the series itself – I had a hard time keeping track of some of the characters and places. Some characters had multiple names, which in itself was not a large problem, but I often felt myself having to search back through this book or the previous two in order to remember who the other person was in relationship to our main characters. I also was felt wanting a little more world building when it came to the other magics – for example the lightning and the fire magic we see wielded within the book. This seemed interesting and added depth beyond light, shadows, and void that would have been interesting to learn more about.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Thea Guanzon, and Harper Collins for an e-ARC of This Shattered Temptest! This rocked my world in the best way possible. One of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did NOT disappoint.
- "There, at the onset of downfall, Alaric had chosen her. What was she supposed to do with someone who had a heart like that? How could hers, so battered and closed-off and self-righteous, even hoped to compare? But - she longed to try"
What I liked:
- The romance in this. is. breathtaking. I highlighted more quotes than I have in any other book so far this year. The angst, the betrayal, the love, the smut, the yearningggg. This is gonna stick with me for some time.
- BIGGG my wife and my husband energy + Alaric razing the earth to find Talasyn after she had been kidnapped. So good.
- DRAGONS + Bakun the Worldeater being the hero of this story! So amazing I loved the Nenavar lore that we got.
- Side characters carrying yet again even though I missed Elagbe. Just every character being morally grey made for a fascinating plot. Urduja, Idith, Khaede, Sevraim, Sancia. They added so much to the story and had their own motivations and arcs. Chefs kiss.
- Alaric and Talasyn are also both morally grey and have their own regrets and mistakes. It makes them more compelling as MCs.
- The plot had me on the edge of my seat. So much going on in such a wonderful way. Truly this story contained layers and I was hooked the entire time.
- We got so many awesome battle scenes! So much action.
- The politics of it all and how everything worked out after so much strife and trauma. The ending didn't feel too easy, it felt earned.
- "The fate of the world gradually altered, little by little - the hand of death redirected, over and over again - all because the human heart was greater than whatever cage sought to contain it" Just encapsulates the beautiful moments that brought this story to its thrilling conclusion.
- The epilogue. Was everything. Just filled my heart and soul and gave me everything I wanted and more.
What I didn't like:
- Even though I absolutely loved this book and gave it 5 stars, there were some things I would have changed. But this is really just nitpicking at this point.
- This is gonna sound crazy, but I wish the kidnapping plotline had gone on longer! We've been sitting on this cliffhanger for a year and it was resolved within the first 8% of the book
- There were some moments in the story that felt a little out of character and like the writing style changed a little. Such as Talasyn referring to Alaric as "her king". Just seemed a little out of character for her and didn't fit with the past writing style.
- "There, at the onset of downfall, Alaric had chosen her. What was she supposed to do with someone who had a heart like that? How could hers, so battered and closed-off and self-righteous, even hoped to compare? But - she longed to try"
What I liked:
- The romance in this. is. breathtaking. I highlighted more quotes than I have in any other book so far this year. The angst, the betrayal, the love, the smut, the yearningggg. This is gonna stick with me for some time.
- BIGGG my wife and my husband energy + Alaric razing the earth to find Talasyn after she had been kidnapped. So good.
- DRAGONS + Bakun the Worldeater being the hero of this story! So amazing I loved the Nenavar lore that we got.
- Side characters carrying yet again even though I missed Elagbe. Just every character being morally grey made for a fascinating plot. Urduja, Idith, Khaede, Sevraim, Sancia. They added so much to the story and had their own motivations and arcs. Chefs kiss.
- Alaric and Talasyn are also both morally grey and have their own regrets and mistakes. It makes them more compelling as MCs.
- The plot had me on the edge of my seat. So much going on in such a wonderful way. Truly this story contained layers and I was hooked the entire time.
- We got so many awesome battle scenes! So much action.
- The politics of it all and how everything worked out after so much strife and trauma. The ending didn't feel too easy, it felt earned.
- "The fate of the world gradually altered, little by little - the hand of death redirected, over and over again - all because the human heart was greater than whatever cage sought to contain it" Just encapsulates the beautiful moments that brought this story to its thrilling conclusion.
- The epilogue. Was everything. Just filled my heart and soul and gave me everything I wanted and more.
What I didn't like:
- Even though I absolutely loved this book and gave it 5 stars, there were some things I would have changed. But this is really just nitpicking at this point.
- This is gonna sound crazy, but I wish the kidnapping plotline had gone on longer! We've been sitting on this cliffhanger for a year and it was resolved within the first 8% of the book
- There were some moments in the story that felt a little out of character and like the writing style changed a little. Such as Talasyn referring to Alaric as "her king". Just seemed a little out of character for her and didn't fit with the past writing style.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As the conclusion to the Hurricane Wars trilogy, I was excited to request an arc of This Shattered Tempest, and even more excited to read and review it!
After neutralizing the threat of the Moonless Dark, Talasyn and Alaric find themselves, enemies on the opposite side of a war. Despite love, family, and loyalty tying them to opposing nations, they can’t deny their connection. Will they be able to find each other at the end of the war, or will the conflict tear them apart?
Experimentally, I started this arc without rereading the prior books, as I would typically do when reviewing sequels, to see how well it would read after so long and I’m happy to report falling back into the story was effortless. We begin with fairly plot-significant action scenes and the story maintains a really strong throughline to the end. The action felt really well written - battles felt like I was truly immersed in the dangers of a warzone. The conclusion is also particularly strong - in the last 30%, the story moves at a breakneck pace and I couldn’t tear myself away.
In a lot of ways, this installation of the series felt the best to me. Beyond the incredible emotional catharsis of completing the series and achieving an HEA against impossible odds, everything about the story from the writing, plot, characterization, steam/spice scenes and pacing felt improved from the previous books. [Note: this book is much spicier than the previous books, but the spice is of excellent quality].
However, not only did This Shattered Tempest feel solid in a technical sense, emotionally it absolutely broke my heart and pieced it back together. The anguish of Talasyn and Alaric deeply caring for each other yet betraying, plotting against, and lying to the other is a large part of the story and it is devastating. In every scene together, there is a strong juxtaposition between love and happiness, among other pleasant feelings, and deeply felt guilt. Their pain is palpable and adds significant emotional weight to the pressures of war.
Despite the grief it takes to get there, the ending is absolutely lovely and this series will hold a place in my heart. Talasyn grows so much from her time as a no-name rebel for Sardovia, and Alaric comes into himself as a ruler and a man who deserves love, forgiveness, and affection. They might be willing to burn down the world for each other, but they also want to see it be better, happier, and safer. To anyone who enjoyed the previous books, I can’t recommend This Shattered Tempest enough.
✨ 5 stars! ✨
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for providing an ARC. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
After neutralizing the threat of the Moonless Dark, Talasyn and Alaric find themselves, enemies on the opposite side of a war. Despite love, family, and loyalty tying them to opposing nations, they can’t deny their connection. Will they be able to find each other at the end of the war, or will the conflict tear them apart?
Experimentally, I started this arc without rereading the prior books, as I would typically do when reviewing sequels, to see how well it would read after so long and I’m happy to report falling back into the story was effortless. We begin with fairly plot-significant action scenes and the story maintains a really strong throughline to the end. The action felt really well written - battles felt like I was truly immersed in the dangers of a warzone. The conclusion is also particularly strong - in the last 30%, the story moves at a breakneck pace and I couldn’t tear myself away.
In a lot of ways, this installation of the series felt the best to me. Beyond the incredible emotional catharsis of completing the series and achieving an HEA against impossible odds, everything about the story from the writing, plot, characterization, steam/spice scenes and pacing felt improved from the previous books. [Note: this book is much spicier than the previous books, but the spice is of excellent quality].
However, not only did This Shattered Tempest feel solid in a technical sense, emotionally it absolutely broke my heart and pieced it back together. The anguish of Talasyn and Alaric deeply caring for each other yet betraying, plotting against, and lying to the other is a large part of the story and it is devastating. In every scene together, there is a strong juxtaposition between love and happiness, among other pleasant feelings, and deeply felt guilt. Their pain is palpable and adds significant emotional weight to the pressures of war.
Despite the grief it takes to get there, the ending is absolutely lovely and this series will hold a place in my heart. Talasyn grows so much from her time as a no-name rebel for Sardovia, and Alaric comes into himself as a ruler and a man who deserves love, forgiveness, and affection. They might be willing to burn down the world for each other, but they also want to see it be better, happier, and safer. To anyone who enjoyed the previous books, I can’t recommend This Shattered Tempest enough.
✨ 5 stars! ✨
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for providing an ARC. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Shattered Tempest by Thea Guanzon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am so glad I got to read this early because honestly… waiting until October? I would not have handled that well. This was such a strong conclusion, and I didn’t expect book three to still carry this much tension—but it really does.
It picks up right after A Monsoon Rising, which I loved. No weird time jumps, no trying to remember what happened—you’re just immediately back in it. It honestly felt like picking up your favourite show right where you left off, fully locked in again.
And the epilogue… yeah. I was not prepared for that. It’s long, but in the best way, and it hits so emotionally. I already know if I reread it, I’ll spiral a little.
Alaric Ossinast has officially secured his place on my list of “pathetic (said with love) men who yearn so intensely it becomes a personality trait.” The level of longing in this book??? Unreal. The quotes alone were enough to emotionally ruin me.
I’ve always loved third person narration, and this one worked so well. Getting both Talasyn and Alaric’s inner thoughts added so much tension and depth—you understand exactly where each of them is coming from, even while everything around them is actively falling apart. Watching them grow while also watching everything unravel was… a lot (in the best way).
What really stood out to me is how well the political marriage storyline holds up this late in the series. Usually that kind of tension fades after the first book, but here it doesn’t. It stays central the entire time—betrayals, shifting alliances, constant uncertainty about where they stand with each other. It never feels like it loses its weight.
That said, the plot really ramps up around the 60–70% mark, and that’s when it fully takes over your life. Like—you’re not putting this down. You will be staying up way too late telling yourself “just one more chapter” (I absolutely did). I needed to know how it was going to end, but at the same time didn’t want it to end at all.
Both Alaric and Talasyn show so much growth here. Talasyn really comes into herself—she has hope, agency, something to fight for beyond just survival. And Alaric… you really see him step into everything he needs to be—not just as emperor, but as a son and as a partner in a way that actually feels earned.
And through all of it, this stays true to enemies-to-lovers until the very end. It’s messy, tense, emotional, and just a little bit painful in the best way.
Easy five stars.
Now I wait for the hardcover to come out so it can match the rest of my books!
Thank you Net Galley & Harper Voyager for this arc!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am so glad I got to read this early because honestly… waiting until October? I would not have handled that well. This was such a strong conclusion, and I didn’t expect book three to still carry this much tension—but it really does.
It picks up right after A Monsoon Rising, which I loved. No weird time jumps, no trying to remember what happened—you’re just immediately back in it. It honestly felt like picking up your favourite show right where you left off, fully locked in again.
And the epilogue… yeah. I was not prepared for that. It’s long, but in the best way, and it hits so emotionally. I already know if I reread it, I’ll spiral a little.
Alaric Ossinast has officially secured his place on my list of “pathetic (said with love) men who yearn so intensely it becomes a personality trait.” The level of longing in this book??? Unreal. The quotes alone were enough to emotionally ruin me.
I’ve always loved third person narration, and this one worked so well. Getting both Talasyn and Alaric’s inner thoughts added so much tension and depth—you understand exactly where each of them is coming from, even while everything around them is actively falling apart. Watching them grow while also watching everything unravel was… a lot (in the best way).
What really stood out to me is how well the political marriage storyline holds up this late in the series. Usually that kind of tension fades after the first book, but here it doesn’t. It stays central the entire time—betrayals, shifting alliances, constant uncertainty about where they stand with each other. It never feels like it loses its weight.
That said, the plot really ramps up around the 60–70% mark, and that’s when it fully takes over your life. Like—you’re not putting this down. You will be staying up way too late telling yourself “just one more chapter” (I absolutely did). I needed to know how it was going to end, but at the same time didn’t want it to end at all.
Both Alaric and Talasyn show so much growth here. Talasyn really comes into herself—she has hope, agency, something to fight for beyond just survival. And Alaric… you really see him step into everything he needs to be—not just as emperor, but as a son and as a partner in a way that actually feels earned.
And through all of it, this stays true to enemies-to-lovers until the very end. It’s messy, tense, emotional, and just a little bit painful in the best way.
Easy five stars.
Now I wait for the hardcover to come out so it can match the rest of my books!
Thank you Net Galley & Harper Voyager for this arc!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC REVIEW:
Cue depressive Bella Swan stare out of window for month on end, because HOW CAN I NOT BE IN A BOOK SLUMP AFTER THIS?!
This series will forever have a special place in my heart! Thea’s a master at giving her readers an immersive reading experience with her lush world building, depth of character development, thorough, well rounded political intrigue, as well as some fantastic banter & a delicious yearning romance.
She’s created such deeply broken and lonely main characters who find their way to one another not on their own, but by force. Yet they and only they, are the ones who’ve been able to heal one another’s broken pieces and to open up their hearts to a plethora of new feelings and emotions. It was so beautiful to read the progression of these characters throughout all 3 books, because WOW.
Every book I felt like I was there. In the wars,in Nenavarene, on a storm ship,in the in between, or in Kesathese. Theas ability to draw you in and care so deeply for these characters, even the side charters, is nothing less than impressive. She tiny delivers on all fronts as an author for her readers and fans, this series was remarkable.
Being on this journey with these two characters who’ve been used as nothing, but pawns in other nations agendas and political gain, and watching as they finally choose for themselves and break free of their past traumas, was beautiful to see come to fruition. Thea makes you and her characters work for the realization and reconnection in this book! There were so many points I was getting frustrating with Talasyn and Alaric because you just wanted them to REALIZE and STOP FIGHTING the emotions they buried. Ugh, made me want to scream at them through my Kindle 🤣. That’s how you know the author has you INVESTED in her story. For people who hate the “miscommunication trope”, It’s not miscommunication, it’s breaking down 100’s of walls they’ve built from what they been told to do, who to be and when to fight. It’s watching them finally break free of those chains and watching them come into their own realization of what they want to choose for themselves rather than the cycles of letting those in “power” or their families choose for them. I also loved the slight parallels between Alaric and his father in respect to their wives, during a certain point in the book and seeing what Alaric would chose or who’d he’d become. It was a great little connection!
Also, Thea has created the fictional men of all functional men!!! Alaric had me SWOONING! I now have to tell my husband he’s neck and neck with a man on paper 🤣.
Again, thank you Thea & NetGalley for this Arc read. It made my year so far!
Cue depressive Bella Swan stare out of window for month on end, because HOW CAN I NOT BE IN A BOOK SLUMP AFTER THIS?!
This series will forever have a special place in my heart! Thea’s a master at giving her readers an immersive reading experience with her lush world building, depth of character development, thorough, well rounded political intrigue, as well as some fantastic banter & a delicious yearning romance.
She’s created such deeply broken and lonely main characters who find their way to one another not on their own, but by force. Yet they and only they, are the ones who’ve been able to heal one another’s broken pieces and to open up their hearts to a plethora of new feelings and emotions. It was so beautiful to read the progression of these characters throughout all 3 books, because WOW.
Every book I felt like I was there. In the wars,in Nenavarene, on a storm ship,in the in between, or in Kesathese. Theas ability to draw you in and care so deeply for these characters, even the side charters, is nothing less than impressive. She tiny delivers on all fronts as an author for her readers and fans, this series was remarkable.
Being on this journey with these two characters who’ve been used as nothing, but pawns in other nations agendas and political gain, and watching as they finally choose for themselves and break free of their past traumas, was beautiful to see come to fruition. Thea makes you and her characters work for the realization and reconnection in this book! There were so many points I was getting frustrating with Talasyn and Alaric because you just wanted them to REALIZE and STOP FIGHTING the emotions they buried. Ugh, made me want to scream at them through my Kindle 🤣. That’s how you know the author has you INVESTED in her story. For people who hate the “miscommunication trope”, It’s not miscommunication, it’s breaking down 100’s of walls they’ve built from what they been told to do, who to be and when to fight. It’s watching them finally break free of those chains and watching them come into their own realization of what they want to choose for themselves rather than the cycles of letting those in “power” or their families choose for them. I also loved the slight parallels between Alaric and his father in respect to their wives, during a certain point in the book and seeing what Alaric would chose or who’d he’d become. It was a great little connection!
Also, Thea has created the fictional men of all functional men!!! Alaric had me SWOONING! I now have to tell my husband he’s neck and neck with a man on paper 🤣.
Again, thank you Thea & NetGalley for this Arc read. It made my year so far!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Review: 5 stars — After the shocking ending of A Monsoon Rising, my anticipation for This Shattered Tempest could not be overstated. This book exceeded all of my expectations. The emotional angst, betrayal, and yearning was perfectly woven into a an epic trilogy finale worthy of the rest of the series!
“What did it mean, to fight for the same cause from opposite ends?”
This Shattered Tempest begins right where A Monsoon Rising ended. The first 10% is incredibly fast-paced and tense, setting the propulsive tone for the rest of the book. Talasyn must face the consequences of her loyalty to the Sardovian Allfold, while Alaric grapples with the consequences of his loyalty to his corrupt father and Kesath. Both are playing a dangerous game with their hearts as the survival of their countries are at stake…but are they capable of putting aside the string of betrayals to save everything and each other?
“The winds of circumstance were blowing her own heart in all directions.”
Because this book is so tightly plotted, this story does not let up for a moment. Thea Guanzon’s writing shines the most when Talasyn and Alaric are ANGSTY. There are both small and large moments in this book that made the emotional journey so worth every bit of heartache. And believe me, your heart will ache over their internal distress at each other’s inevitable betrayal. These two characters don’t have an easy path but the payoff was scrumptious! Talaric’s emotional connection is apparent in many ways and this often yielded some of my favorite prose in the book. There’s so many new favorite quotes from this series in TST.
That epilogue?! Emotionally, it was perfect for their story. It had me thinking the journey this series takes readers on and how the emotional distress is worth it. I highly recommend this series if you love being sucker punched with angst and yearning to get an eventual HEA!
The Hurricane Wars series is a strong mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance elements that I think many readers will enjoy now that the series is completed. I am so happy I got the chance to return to The Hurricane Wars world early. This Shattered Tempest comes out October 6th of this year and you’ll absolutely want to see where Talasyn and Alaric end up!
Thank you to the publisher Avon and HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the digital advanced reader’s copy. This did not affect my review in any way!
“What did it mean, to fight for the same cause from opposite ends?”
This Shattered Tempest begins right where A Monsoon Rising ended. The first 10% is incredibly fast-paced and tense, setting the propulsive tone for the rest of the book. Talasyn must face the consequences of her loyalty to the Sardovian Allfold, while Alaric grapples with the consequences of his loyalty to his corrupt father and Kesath. Both are playing a dangerous game with their hearts as the survival of their countries are at stake…but are they capable of putting aside the string of betrayals to save everything and each other?
“The winds of circumstance were blowing her own heart in all directions.”
Because this book is so tightly plotted, this story does not let up for a moment. Thea Guanzon’s writing shines the most when Talasyn and Alaric are ANGSTY. There are both small and large moments in this book that made the emotional journey so worth every bit of heartache. And believe me, your heart will ache over their internal distress at each other’s inevitable betrayal. These two characters don’t have an easy path but the payoff was scrumptious! Talaric’s emotional connection is apparent in many ways and this often yielded some of my favorite prose in the book. There’s so many new favorite quotes from this series in TST.
That epilogue?! Emotionally, it was perfect for their story. It had me thinking the journey this series takes readers on and how the emotional distress is worth it. I highly recommend this series if you love being sucker punched with angst and yearning to get an eventual HEA!
The Hurricane Wars series is a strong mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance elements that I think many readers will enjoy now that the series is completed. I am so happy I got the chance to return to The Hurricane Wars world early. This Shattered Tempest comes out October 6th of this year and you’ll absolutely want to see where Talasyn and Alaric end up!
Thank you to the publisher Avon and HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the digital advanced reader’s copy. This did not affect my review in any way!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have to say, getting approved for the ARC of the final book in a series I have devoured the first two of had me yelling at the top of my lungs, and the speed in which I consumed the third is no different. Full disclosure: I did not reread or even review the first two entries before diving into the third, and a good year and a half separated me from A Moonsoon Rising with This Shattered Tempest. While I felt a little unsure in my footing at the beginning, namely with the court politics, charcters' names, and various titles, it was no time at all before I was right back in this world. I want to say this is an advantage that could be lended to the book directly - if you are unsure about trying it out after the longer publication between book 2 and 3, have no fear, there is plenty of context and explanation provided before you feel like an expert again.
An issue that can come with romantic relationship focused series is that by the time they are established, and one is reading multiiple books of them being together, things can get rather stale. The appeal of romance heavily rests in a "will they/won't they" push and pull, and by the time they do the "will" portion of the dynamic, tension dissipates. I am so pleased to say that worry is not present in this book, nor is it done in a manner that felt pulled out of no where or not a natural trajectory for the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric. This is not a "third act breakup" that has you rolling your eyes because it was included for the sake of the formula, but legitimate strife that's been present in the plot since book one, and seeing the way it evolved to its conclsuion was delightful.
This book has it all: dragons, yearning, political intrigue, elemental based magic, simmering war that boils over, beautiful outfits described in detail, believable charcter development, plot twists, and espionage. if you're a fan of the first two novels in this series, This Shattered Tempest will NOT let you down. Also, we get characters actually attempting to communicate! It's amazing! Thank you for having them actually have conversations, even if they're vitriolic!!
Thea Guanzon could publish her grocery list and I'd be first in line. I want to thank her, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange of an honest review :)
An issue that can come with romantic relationship focused series is that by the time they are established, and one is reading multiiple books of them being together, things can get rather stale. The appeal of romance heavily rests in a "will they/won't they" push and pull, and by the time they do the "will" portion of the dynamic, tension dissipates. I am so pleased to say that worry is not present in this book, nor is it done in a manner that felt pulled out of no where or not a natural trajectory for the relationship between Talasyn and Alaric. This is not a "third act breakup" that has you rolling your eyes because it was included for the sake of the formula, but legitimate strife that's been present in the plot since book one, and seeing the way it evolved to its conclsuion was delightful.
This book has it all: dragons, yearning, political intrigue, elemental based magic, simmering war that boils over, beautiful outfits described in detail, believable charcter development, plot twists, and espionage. if you're a fan of the first two novels in this series, This Shattered Tempest will NOT let you down. Also, we get characters actually attempting to communicate! It's amazing! Thank you for having them actually have conversations, even if they're vitriolic!!
Thea Guanzon could publish her grocery list and I'd be first in line. I want to thank her, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange of an honest review :)
April 25, 2026
This third installment of the Hurricane Wars was everything I wanted it to be and honestly, this whole series just keeps getting better with each book. It has firmly landed on my favorites list.
We are thrown right back into the tension with war pressing in. Every decision matters, and you can feel how much weight sits behind each choice the characters make. Loyalties are stretched thin, and there is this constant sense that betrayal could come from anywhere. It really keeps that underlying tension simmering the entire time.
One thing I appreciated (Thank you, Thea) was how the story brought me back up to speed. It had been a while since I read the earlier books, and while I didn’t remember every side character or detail, I never felt lost. The reminders are woven in so naturally that it feels like your memory is just slowly coming back rather than being handed a recap.
The emotional core of this book is intense. The push and pull between Talasyn and Alaric is constant. They care deeply for each other, but at the same time they are still working against one another, keeping secrets, and making choices that cause real damage. That contrast between love and betrayal is what drives so much of the story, and it is done so well. The longing never really lets up, whether they are close or completely at odds.
This is a redemption story at its heart, with both characters trying to figure out who they are and what they are willing to sacrifice. Add in the political tension, shifting alliances, and strong supporting cast, and it makes for a story that feels layered and complete.
And the epilogue…
What to Expect:
* enemies to lovers
* heavy yearning and emotional tension
* political intrigue and shifting loyalties
* reluctant allies
* redemption and second chances
* strong supporting characters
Favorite Quote: “Drowned out by the raw, clamoring instinct to kill all those who threatened to harm his wife.”
If you love a romantasy that is painful and powerful, with high stakes and characters who constantly challenge each other, this is it!
We are thrown right back into the tension with war pressing in. Every decision matters, and you can feel how much weight sits behind each choice the characters make. Loyalties are stretched thin, and there is this constant sense that betrayal could come from anywhere. It really keeps that underlying tension simmering the entire time.
One thing I appreciated (Thank you, Thea) was how the story brought me back up to speed. It had been a while since I read the earlier books, and while I didn’t remember every side character or detail, I never felt lost. The reminders are woven in so naturally that it feels like your memory is just slowly coming back rather than being handed a recap.
The emotional core of this book is intense. The push and pull between Talasyn and Alaric is constant. They care deeply for each other, but at the same time they are still working against one another, keeping secrets, and making choices that cause real damage. That contrast between love and betrayal is what drives so much of the story, and it is done so well. The longing never really lets up, whether they are close or completely at odds.
This is a redemption story at its heart, with both characters trying to figure out who they are and what they are willing to sacrifice. Add in the political tension, shifting alliances, and strong supporting cast, and it makes for a story that feels layered and complete.
And the epilogue…
What to Expect:
* enemies to lovers
* heavy yearning and emotional tension
* political intrigue and shifting loyalties
* reluctant allies
* redemption and second chances
* strong supporting characters
Favorite Quote: “Drowned out by the raw, clamoring instinct to kill all those who threatened to harm his wife.”
If you love a romantasy that is painful and powerful, with high stakes and characters who constantly challenge each other, this is it!
April 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager publishing for the e-arc!
My goodness, the title does not lie. My heart shattered so much while reading this book!
Alaric and Talasyn return to finish the war their families have started, and seeing their growth as a couple but also as individual people felt like a punch in the gut, a welcome home hug, then another punch. It was a lot.
Starting off with Talasyn’s kidnapping during the coronation, seeing Alaric’s reaction and the internal war with his emotions felt real. Then being essentially gut punched with the lightweave being taken from talasyn, I had to put my kindle down for a bit.
Her navigating life without it for the time being while struggling with still being a spy for the Sardovian Allfold, which was pissing me off so much. I understand they wanted freedom from the Kesathese Empire but what they kept expecting her to do and what they were willing to do to her if she didn’t obey them, they turned into their own enemy in my eyes. That just made me so mad, so when she turns the canons on them towards the end, I felt so satisfied.
Alaric finally getting a backbone and taking down Gaheris, that was perfect right there. The tyrant in the shadows, finally gone, I loved how ms. Guanzon wrote him, just hated him as a character.
Talasyn’s grandmother, while I did not care for her in the slightest and while I was somewhat happy she was offed, how she was didn’t sit right with me. I wanted to hear more answers from her, to see her try to reconcile with her granddaughter, but sadly that wasn’t the case.
Talasyn’s growth into the goddess (Alaric’s words no doubt) she becomes, I enjoyed it. While she never struck me as a girly girl, she still allowed herself to be soft and vulnerable, especially with her husband later in the book. She is still a badass, but gentle and loving too. I loved how she ended up and finally got her happy ending with the man she truly loves.
My goodness, the title does not lie. My heart shattered so much while reading this book!
Alaric and Talasyn return to finish the war their families have started, and seeing their growth as a couple but also as individual people felt like a punch in the gut, a welcome home hug, then another punch. It was a lot.
Starting off with Talasyn’s kidnapping during the coronation, seeing Alaric’s reaction and the internal war with his emotions felt real. Then being essentially gut punched with the lightweave being taken from talasyn, I had to put my kindle down for a bit.
Her navigating life without it for the time being while struggling with still being a spy for the Sardovian Allfold, which was pissing me off so much. I understand they wanted freedom from the Kesathese Empire but what they kept expecting her to do and what they were willing to do to her if she didn’t obey them, they turned into their own enemy in my eyes. That just made me so mad, so when she turns the canons on them towards the end, I felt so satisfied.
Alaric finally getting a backbone and taking down Gaheris, that was perfect right there. The tyrant in the shadows, finally gone, I loved how ms. Guanzon wrote him, just hated him as a character.
Talasyn’s grandmother, while I did not care for her in the slightest and while I was somewhat happy she was offed, how she was didn’t sit right with me. I wanted to hear more answers from her, to see her try to reconcile with her granddaughter, but sadly that wasn’t the case.
Talasyn’s growth into the goddess (Alaric’s words no doubt) she becomes, I enjoyed it. While she never struck me as a girly girl, she still allowed herself to be soft and vulnerable, especially with her husband later in the book. She is still a badass, but gentle and loving too. I loved how she ended up and finally got her happy ending with the man she truly loves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
THANK YOU NETGALLEY GODS!!
do you know the definition of a perfect trilogy? look absolutely no further as Thea has written it.
this series will 100% be living in my mind rent free, Thea is BRILLIANT! absolutely BRILLIANT! this book was the perfect culmination and end to one of the best series of our time!! I SAID OUR TIME, Thea is a GODDESS. she’s my empress, you know?
let’s take a minute to talk about OUR man, Alaric. this is without a doubt one of my all-time favorite MMC’s—I DO NOT SAY THIS LIGHTLY. he is a simp, he is down bad, he is a lover (not a fighter), he is talasyn’s perfect equal. she wrote the perfect pair and you can see it in every single one of their interactions—darkness, lightness, stubborn, serious, etc. AND!! the way they grow?! even looking back from book 1 to now, dear god the care and thought Thea put into every book is so apparent!! I also must give a shout out to Sevraim—the loyal, hilarious side character of my dreams. many of my highlights are from him which is no surprise.
I also want to point out some of Thea’s beautiiiiful descriptions regarding love, betrayal, and more. LIKE C’MON. the descriptions?! i mean she is describing wind and memories and battles and my heart breaks.
I CRIED INTO MY SOUP OVER THIS BOOK. I even took a 2-day hiatus because I was in emotional turmoil over this book, IT WAS HITTING ME HARD. it was the saying goodbye to this incredible series and then obviously the heartbreak of this specific book ha hahahaaa. this is not for the weak but my god is the outcome so good, this is Thea at her best. this is Thea making her mark forever. I truly can’t get enough of this world, these characters, and Thea’s mind, a legitimate masterclass of a trilogy. easily a top read of 2026.
this Shattered Tempest is coming to wreak havoc on your soul and take over your mind on October 6!!
do you know the definition of a perfect trilogy? look absolutely no further as Thea has written it.
this series will 100% be living in my mind rent free, Thea is BRILLIANT! absolutely BRILLIANT! this book was the perfect culmination and end to one of the best series of our time!! I SAID OUR TIME, Thea is a GODDESS. she’s my empress, you know?
let’s take a minute to talk about OUR man, Alaric. this is without a doubt one of my all-time favorite MMC’s—I DO NOT SAY THIS LIGHTLY. he is a simp, he is down bad, he is a lover (not a fighter), he is talasyn’s perfect equal. she wrote the perfect pair and you can see it in every single one of their interactions—darkness, lightness, stubborn, serious, etc. AND!! the way they grow?! even looking back from book 1 to now, dear god the care and thought Thea put into every book is so apparent!! I also must give a shout out to Sevraim—the loyal, hilarious side character of my dreams. many of my highlights are from him which is no surprise.
I also want to point out some of Thea’s beautiiiiful descriptions regarding love, betrayal, and more. LIKE C’MON. the descriptions?! i mean she is describing wind and memories and battles and my heart breaks.
I CRIED INTO MY SOUP OVER THIS BOOK. I even took a 2-day hiatus because I was in emotional turmoil over this book, IT WAS HITTING ME HARD. it was the saying goodbye to this incredible series and then obviously the heartbreak of this specific book ha hahahaaa. this is not for the weak but my god is the outcome so good, this is Thea at her best. this is Thea making her mark forever. I truly can’t get enough of this world, these characters, and Thea’s mind, a legitimate masterclass of a trilogy. easily a top read of 2026.
this Shattered Tempest is coming to wreak havoc on your soul and take over your mind on October 6!!
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