The Hurricane Wars

The Hurricane Wars #1

by Thea Guanzon

The heart is a battlefield.

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion--one that could save their world...or destroy it.

An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Fantasy Romance, Audiobook, Adult

472 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2023

About the author

Traveler, 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!

Reviews

[lisa (fc hollywood's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

After having to suffer endlessly at the hands of this book, I finally dragged myself over the finish line to free myself of this dreadful read that cost me a pair of glasses, numerous braincells, and three weeks of my life that I will never get back. This review is a rant about my terrible experience with The Hurricane Wars and it might contain mild spoilers, so read at your own risks.

I will start this review by saying that I wasn't aware that this was a Reylo fanfic until the 70% mark (thanks Mai), and while I try to put aside any prejudice I may have about published fanfiction, this may explain for the numerous problems (and calamities) this book has.

Initially, I was captivated by the worldbuilding of the world, until I realized that the author was just dumping a bunch of information over and over again. The politics and powers of Nenevar were described numerous times in the book, from the beginning to the very end chapter the descriptions were the same, just in different words. Mind you, this book is 480 pages, it was incredibly laborous to read through the hundreds of descriptions of things over and over again. When put in perspective, the world in this book reads like a transition between the fanfiction and an original work: in fanfictions, the characters and events are portrayed in a world that is already set, by consequence almost no worldbuilding is necessary. It may explain for why the world created by Guanzon is so poorly done.

The same things can be said about the characters. Like in many published fanfictions, the characterization is very lackluster (which is comprehensible because in FFs characters are already built). I cannot tell you more about the FMC other than that she has auburn hair, graceful form, olive skin, and a stubborn face. The MMC is even worse: tall form, black hair, big hands, and nothing else. For fantasy, I don't necessary like books that are character-driven, but unfortunately I don't like those that are driven by characters that are flat as an A4 paper, either, lest it be for 480 pages.

My biggest problem with this book lays in the tropes it has. When I heard that this book contains the arranged marriage trope, I was very excited because I LOVE that trope, so imagine my appallment when I realized that this is a colonizer romance. Yikes. When I say that common sense doesn't exist in this book, I mean it. The FMC, despite agonizing about how the MMC's and his army colonize her people, kill her comrades, massacre innocent people, still feels attraction and sympathy towards him. Like, I don't know, maybe you should consider your friends who are killed/oppressed before screwing your colonizer. Moreover, in my opinion, this book borderline contains an apology of colonialism, because, no, being a colonizer isn't sexy (despite many internal POV saying how it's necessary), and no, coercing the FMC into a marriage for the sake of being spare from colonization isn't either. I don't know what it is with an increased popularity of colonizer romances, but please, no more.

Overall, this would be your jam if you like Reylo colonizer romance with no substance. Otherwise, save your braincells and your time.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for this e-ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

Visit me on Instagram: @loverssrequiem

Bottom-line:: I honestly thought that, if I stayed through 90% of this bullshit, I would deserve a long, intense, well-written sex scene, not a half-ass scene with more incomprehensible metaphors than actual sex.

[Elle]

This book is either a sweeping epic fantasy or takes place in Florida, impossible to know which

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐⭐ Check out more of my opinions on Enemies to Lovers books on my blog Enemies To Lovers Source ⭐⭐

🖤🖤 Follow me On Bluesky for more book ranting 🖤🖤


2 stars. I don't actually go into books not wanting to like them, but sadly some of my most scathing reviews end up going towards my 'most anticipated' books of the year...and that's how this will pan out. I know this one will ruffle some feathers, given that it's one of the most anticipated SFF books of the year for many.

That said, I will talk about what didn't work for me, and then go into why I think it's going to be some folk's favorite book of 2023.

So let's just get this out of the way first- this is a Reylo fanfiction with the serial numbers filed off. Fanfiction getting published is starting to be quite a trend, and it's fantastic news for fanfic folks. I am beginning to realize that these books do not work for me.

The problem with fanfiction is that you are walking into a fic with all of the background of the characters and the world they inhabit. The goal of MOST fanfiction is to see the two characters you like get together. It's wish fulfillment. It's creative exercising with existing material; it's transformative and beautiful. But fanfics are not novels. They are often written without the patience and context that novels have, even if they are AUs. Because you are walking into a fic knowing the end goal and have a full understanding of the characters, details are often skipped in favor of putting the two characters together. This becomes paramount above all else.

When you are reading The Hurricane Wars, you can feel the 'fanfic-ness' of it all. Thea Guanzon does an amazing job at the beginning providing some details on the world and the war that is going on around it, but after a blast of 1-2 chapters, things start to drop off very fast.

While the early chapters attempt to expand outward for a brief moment, the book only begins to shrink inward. Side characters that seemed like they had the potential to become interesting turn into pawns to move the main characters (Alaric and Talasyn) where they need to go to fall in love, or sounding boards for the main characters to outwardly express how they feel. Plot points start to feel contrived and hard to believe. Conflict becomes muddied and rushed in service of seeing our protagonists fall in love.

The farther you move in the plot the harder it is to believe- and the more those 'fanfiction' cracks set in. Guanzon makes some small attempts to build the world, but that world will shift and bend awkwardly to ensure that our leads are pushed together into a fun romantic setting. The book basically is set in two halves: an epic war and chosen one adventure- and then a heavily tropey rom-drom. The whiplash I got from this was astounding, and it required a lot of the story's characters to make absolutely bonkers choices to get them there. The shift does not feel organic and it's hard to connect with if you were not expecting it.

The romance is 'enemies to lovers' they absolutely DO try to kill each other as advertised, but the shift from murder to 'wow, I can't stop thinking about them' is instant. Alaric and Talasyn start to make highly unbelievable decisions and go from wanting each other to die to have heart palpitations when they are near each other with absolutely no reason for them to do so. Alaric becomes obsessed with Talasyn in a romantic way pretty quickly and she responds similarly- the two are actually sitting there worrying about each other despite having like 2 conversations. This isn't the fascination and understanding that Reylo had- they don't even get to a point where they can relate on anything before they start to develop an affection for each other.

The characters change their opinion of each other as soon as it becomes convenient, but those feelings are far from earned.

I probably would not be so hard on the romance if this book was not advertised heavily as THE enemies to lovers book. I think this will please romantasy fans who are used to a certain pace and plot structure (SJM books, A Broken Blade, From Blood and Ash, etc) but is not really suitable for anyone looking for a quality fantasy story OR a well-paced 'Zutara' 'Delena' style E2l romance.

And that's where the second half of this review comes in. The Hurricane Wars is checking all of the boxes for a solid romantasy. Just enough plot to move things along and keep you guessing, a medium to fast burn with a ton of pining and EXTREMELY trope-heavy elements. If A Court of Thorns and Roses was your Count of Monte Cristo, this book is for YOU, and you are going to be obsessed over it.

I also want to give the author props for making Talasyn and Alaric their own characters. I did not read the original fanfic so she may have already made those changes, but they do not resemble Rey or Ben too much, there was clear effort in separating the two despite them both having some elements of the original characters ingrained in them.

I think I went in with the expectation that this book was going to match my interests, but ultimately this is a trope heavy romantasy that is marketed a little awkwardly (I feel like the publishers are trying to push it to a She Who Became The Sun, The FoxGlove King, One Dark Window fanbase VS a From Blood and Ash fanbase). I am not that audience. I found myself going from overjoyed and ready to give THW 5 stars to feeling like it was a genuine chore to read.

I also learned to just stop trying with fanfiction books. You can file the serial numbers off of them, but they will always have that hint of episodic nature that will typically sacrifice a coherent story for the sake of getting your faves together. And that's fine. Just not for me.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a book where i think the story bit off a little more than it could chew. as a debut novel, i suppose its not too terrible. its definitely a start. but i think its simply a matter of the synopsis confidently promising more that it could realistically provide.

i do like the concept. its not exactly unique, but it is entertaining enough. i think the lack of cohesion between parts I and II really do a disservice to the story. i found part II more interesting and more developed in comparison, but i think part I really could have set up a completely different (and more engaging) story if it had been utilized more effectively.

and while i never disliked the characters, there also wasnt really anything compelling me to like them either. they do get some more complex characterization as the novel progresses, which helped me get more into their story, but some readers may say it comes a bit too late.

but all in all, even with some hiccups, i am walking away from this with a general positive feeling. and although i dont think i will continue the series, i dont regret picking this up.

thank you, harper voyager, for the ARC.

↠ 3 stars

[rina · Rating 4 out of 5]

yk a lot of people hate this book, but i liked it. lemme just ignore all the 1 star ratings and rate this based on enjoyment 🙈🙈 it's the slow burn enemies to lovers, arranged marriage trope in fantasy, and women who can kill that makes me lose all sense of reason every. single. time. makes me weak in the knees.

[Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went from being so unbothered to absolutely reeling at the romance, it has me in a chokehold

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75!

“Do you make it a habit to compliment everyone who's trying to kill you?"
"Not everyone." His eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. "Just you.”

I really enjoyed this but although it had some moments which made me reluctant on as to what to rate it.

The hurricane war ~ the clone wars 🫢

It was a really fun book to read especially when it comes to the world building the author did the base work perfectly which will definitely avoid it from being messed up in the following books and I feel like building a foundation of the world building in the first book is ESSENTIAL because it just shapes the whole series so loved that. I liked the world building when it came to this book!!
.
The writing was not really like amazing but it was still very enjoyable, I read this book very fast and enjoyed it but some parts of this book were just okayy I wanted to cultivate more from this book but it didnt have much to offer, people who are new to romantasy may like this book wayyy more because it is enjoyable tbh but not like anything amazing.

The romance and the plot would 60/40 the first forty percent was all about the plot and introductions, how to move forward with the story and all along with the actual plot and tbh it was enjoyable but NGL I was bored with (I love books with good plot) but this ones romance was just better because I seemed to enjoy it way more after the 40% mark I'd say the romance really did help me because that slow burn was 🤌

The characters Alaric was like Alex from people we meet on vacations but make him broody and i loved Alex so I was bound to love Alaric he was a cinnamon roll but a broody cinnamon roll so yeah I was bound to like him, no complaints from him. Talasyn on the other hand was a conflicting character there were some moments where I liked her others where I felt she was getting on my nerves and the latter happened a lot so I'm not really that big of a fan for her.

It did remind me of star wars.....more like the sequel trilogy

Overall, it was an enjoyable book!! Let's see where book 2 takes us!
~~~
I heard similar vibes to star wars and I bought it because star wars is so damn good and the clone wars is also my favourite animated show ever!! This also better not be like the final three movies...(I wouldn't know they were so forgettable)

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had I known this was a converted Reylo fanfic, I would not have requested it. The beginning was slow. I was ready to two star this like I did with every other YA romantasy I read this year.

I also wasn't really sure where Thea's Filipinx heritage was going to come into play, because the story felt very white, as so much fantasy is.

Things eventually pick up. I think Zana ended up enjoying it more than me, but there are parts I liked. Tall man and small woman aside, the story really begins to come into its own once we let go of Talasyn's pretentiousness. Alaric is always going to be an asshole.

For those that read enemies to lovers and dabble in romantasy, this will be an easy read for you. However, I can often find things to nitpick. Some of the flowery descriptions could use some editing.

This book converted me somewhere around the marriage of convenience trope. I would've given an extra star for more smut. That glorified handjob is not it.

I won't be continuing the series, but it's the least offensive of the colonizer romances I read last year, of which there were several. Please stop this trend.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager

[bookish · Rating 1 out of 5]

If death eaters were book this is it. sucked the life out of me.

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️ I really wanted to love this but I struggled to care about the characters, the romance or the plot. The pacing was off and slow to get into. I don’t think this was for me but I have heard the audiobook is a lot better if you’re thinking of picking it up!

[lila · Rating 2 out of 5]

disclaimer: it’s been almost three months since i read this so take this review and the little details with a grain of salt, because i’m writing this purely based on memory alone (and the few notes i took while reading this).

in short: lemme check off what all this book had. purple prose? check. enemies to lovers? check (if you wanna call going from wanting to kill each other to kissing each other in one single moment “enemies to lovers”, then yes). reylo fanfic? check (and read like it too, many times, so bear in mind). fantasy romance? check check check.

this took me SUCH a hugely long time to warm up to. the starting was so info-dumpy that my head was spinning and i was bored to death — all i was wondering was when this torture was gonna end. well, it did. around 25% in — by which case i’d have already dnfed had this not been an arc. i had to slog through 100 pages and it took me 5 days. 5 DAYS, y’all. and if you know me you know i can read 500 pages in a day. the pacing was absolutely a mess and i totally get why so many dnfed this before the 15% mark — this was just too tough to get into.

the writing was also rather… too flowery, as if the author’s trying too hard. there were so many extra sentences which were so unnecessary and it felt like she was increasing the page count and number of words just to appease someone — to which i’d say, PLEASE DON’T. the author really loves describing things in agonizing detail and it boggled my head.

the enemies to lovers “progression”?? nonexistent. as soon as i start thinking i’m gonna like this, they start pulling this shit where one thinks of murdering the other and right after that they’re like “oh, his/her eyes are so fucking pretty, his/her mouth looks like a ripe cherry i just wanna bite it” wtf. gimme some good etl deliciousness and i’d eat it up, but this ain’t it. thankfully it’s not just advertised as them wanting to kill each other because they DO want to kill each other, but the progression just isn’t for me. i wanna see more conflict, more internal fights rather than them staring lovingly and all mushy at each other’s eyes, the hot dark broody shadow daddy and this badass sjm ripoff (so cliched, or maybe i’ve just outgrown this sry not sry).

i did like a few things though, like the tension between alaric and talasyn. the build-up was pretty good and i have no doubt so many people are gonna eat it all up — the way this was done just isn’t for me, unfortunately. the big “reveals”?? the side characters?? they had no role here other than just being there. the mcs were pretty interesting — alaric and talasyn — but i felt like they were doing nothing except just being there. for no reason. i do have to say that i liked that there wasn’t any icky power imbalance where one mc — alaric, to be particular — had something over the other and held some power over the other, which always makes me not believe in the romance. so here, i can genuinely see myself liking the romance if it’s better done in book two. they kinda reminded me of one of my absolute fav couples — dyna and cassiel from divine blood (beck michaels) — so they had/have so much potential, and if i were to read on, it’d be just for them.

CAN WE PLEASE PETITION AUTHORS FOR MAKING A GODDAMN MAP. please. this is getting too much for my head — and i’ve read so many fantasy/fantasy romance books and yet i find myself saying this so many times.

i wanna add that there was so much italicization done to the words that it pissed me off. yes, a few times, i can take it. but more than 100 times? yes i counted and lost track, i’m sorry about that. i was originally interested in seeing how this was gonna continue in book two but the more i think about it… the less eager i am. there wasn’t any buildup to the climax and it honestly rather bored me.

i would say that people who thought this was boring in the first 25% — it does end up getting better, but not enough to waste time on, imo.

side note: that cover is so fucking pretty and was definitely one of the reasons i wanted to read this… what a shame this didn’t completely deliver though. :(

thank you to netgalley and harper voyager for the arc! i’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Angie]

✨ 25% DNF ✨ Well, that was disappointing


"Do you make it a habit to compliment everyone who's trying to kill you?

"Not everyone. Just you."

^The one quote I enjoyed.


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ romantasy
✨ wartime story
✨ 'chosen one' journey
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ instant hate and attraction
✨ shadows vs light
✨ marriage of convenience
✨ slow burn
✨ he falls first
✨ 1 open door 🌶️ scene
✨ interesting magic system
✨ angst
✨ ends on cliffhanger
✨ Southeast Asian inspired world
✨ TW: child abandonment (past), death of parent (past), parental abuse, violence, there may be more but since I didn't read the whole thing I'm not sure.


My Thoughts:

I am so sad about DNFing because this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I gave it my best shot but unfortunately, I couldn't force myself to continue the story. And look, I LOVE romantasy, wartime stories, and enemies to lovers. This should have been my cup of tea. But sadly, it fell short in every way possible.

*And for those of you who may not know, this story is based on a Reylo fanfic that the author ended up turning into an original story. I want to state that I have not read this fanfic, or any other Reylo fanfics, so I did not go into this with any sort of bias.


Here are the reasons I DNF'ed:


The world building was confusing and convoluting. It's an entirely new, fantasy world in the middle of a decade-long war; so along with brand new terms/names, we are thrown into a complicated situation. There was a lot of info dumping and the history of the war/world building wasn't fleshed out in a way that makes it easy for the reader to follow along.


The MCs, Talasyn and Alaric, were two dimensional and boring. I really don't know what else to say besides I never felt connected to either of them nor did I truly feel like I understood them. Not sure what they want or what drives them. Perhaps I didn't get far along in the story but by 25% I should have wanted to keep following their journey, but I didn't.


There was no chemistry between Talasyn and Alaric, so the romance fell flat and felt forced. This is supposed to be enemies to lovers because they are on opposing sides of the war and wield opposing magic, but from the moment they lock eyes, the 'connection' is instant and they don't really try to kill each other like they're supposed to - and there were multiple times they could have! The shift is instantaneous and doesn't quite make sense. The loathing I expect from the enemies to lovers trope just wasn't there.


The dialogue between Talasyn and Alaric was juvenile. When they’re in the middle of a fight they banter with quips and snarky comments about how much they hate each other with some familiarity so it seems as if they've been at this for a while even though they've recently 'met' in battle. I honestly felt like I was reading about young teenagers instead of soldiers who are 19 and 26 years old.


What is the plot? ‘Chosen one’ storyline? Ending the war? The romance? After 25% I still didn't know. I even skimmed ahead and to the end to find out what happens and honestly, not much.


For a wartime fantasy story, it felt way too lighthearted. From the dialogue to the overall tone, I didn't feel the gritty, dark wartime vibes I expected. The most impactful thing that happened was Talasyn's friend's death at the beginning but after that, I never felt a single emotion.


The writing had a couple of issues.

1. There’s so much telling vs showing. For example, the amount of times there are conversations that supposedly take place but don't have dialogue is shocking. Instead of dialogue, it'll say something vague like, "she explained the situation" to signify a conversation has just taken place. And as I've stated before, there's a lot of unnecessary info dumping that doesn't dive into any complexity of this world.

2. There's a lot of instances where the author panders to the reader. Talasyn has big 'Chosen One' energy, so whenever she starts to get closer to discovering more about her past, she has moments where she's like "something inside me was being pulled....but no matter" to signify it's obviously very important but instead of listening to her gut she ignores it. The same thing happens whenever she's around Alaric. I was constantly rolling my eyes whenever this happened, and it occurred quite a lot. Basically, you can expect no plot twists here because the author gives you so many clues ahead of time.


Overall, The Hurricane Wars just didn't do it for me and if reading a book feels like a chore by 25%, I DNF for my own sanity and to make sure I keep my love of reading alive. I'm clearly in the minority since so many others seem to love this book, so who knows, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did.


Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC and Harper Collins for providing a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

[ellie]

this is so painfully juvenile i genuinely would like to know how this got approved for publication…

if you told me an 11 year old wrote this for a piece of homework for school, i would without a doubt believe you.

i was on page NINE, and predicted the plot twist about the heroine correctly because the author not only spoon feeds you the clues, she has a whole big ass banquet laid out for you, a handmade bib you can wear that she designed for you herself and coos at you like you have the IQ level of a slug.

there was no subtlety or nuance to the storytelling— the heroine randomly tells us she feels a deep tether to this random country she’s never been to and doesn’t understand why. so i was like “cool, thank you for telling me she’s the lost heir to the throne of this country. didn’t even have to finish the first chapter to figure it out🙏🏻”. then the following page, she overhears a conversation and is assaulted with images said conversation stirs up, and she is like “wow so random? wtf? what was that”.

so i was like “those are her memories of that random ass country she is the long lost heir to, i take it??”

the author doesn’t even TRY to lay out the clues for you in a nuanced manner. a slap across the face would have been more subtle, to be honest.

so i am dnfing. i don’t have time for juvenile ADULT books. if i wanted to be spoon fed the plot, id pick a book that has the target age of 7 years old :)

and i only just found out it’s a Reylo fanfic… no wonder Ali Hazelwood is publicly gagging about this book any chance she gets.

thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well after my audiobook re-read, figure it's time to write a more proper review ("proper" being used loosely here) considering I have minimum 5 copies of this book on my shelf right now 🤪.

🌀🐉🌖

THW is my kind of adult fantasy. We've got two extremely touch-starved sexy people on opposite sides of a war, who "reluctantly" enter an ✨arranged marriage✨ to (i) smooth over some political business and (ii) basically save the world from an impending natural disaster. Throw in some opposing light/dark magic and our two main characters incapable of not being at each others throats (in more ways than one 😏) and I am standing at attention 🫡 . as was Alaric

Arranged marriage trope will always get me, and I am not ashamed to admit that. While it does take a little bit for things to pick up, once things start progressing between Alaric and Talasyn I struggle to stop reading and must keep devouring so that I can continue to squeal and kick my feet as I watch this tumultuous alliance turn into everything I could want and more.

I do feel it's my duty to add the disclaimer that I came into reading this book as someone who has read the original story this was inspired by an ungodly amount of times, and could recite the whole thing verbatim if I needed to. It is a god-tier comfort read for me. And I adore Thea. As such, it's fair to acknowledge that I am most definitely coming into this with a personal bias, and with some a priori knowledge that helps me have a better grasp on the world that Thea has set-up. But that doesn't make me any less hooked to know where this new story is going and see how these characters stories continue to be fleshed out.

If I thought about it long enough it's probably between 4-5 stars from me, and to be fair I will list a few of my minuscule gripes.
- Multiple relatively large time jumps where (arguably) a lot of individual character/plot development likely occurred, which I'm generally never a fan of.
- Felt lacking on the background of the Night Empire... which although their Emperor is half of the story, I feel like we only scratched the surface of what is going on in there. But, to be fair, this is the first of a trilogy (lol knowing Thea it's going to end up being 10 books) so I am fine working under the expectation that we'll get more in future instalments.
- I am torn as to whether this would've benefited from the first book being more focused on Talasyn and Alaric's individual stories pre-meeting (in line with those previous two points). While I am a simple person, who just wants my two hot baddies to be at each others throats, I also think it would've help give the characters personal journeys more substance and really propped them up for their behaviour we see when interacting with one another. Particularly for Alaric, while I love my hard-exterior-grown-man-boy, I also think there are times that his actions/thoughts don't align with what you would expect based on his upbringing for the past 26ish years.
- Last one, towards the end we get a lot of the "he/she could never feel the same way I do about them/it's all a ruse" line of thinking for both of them... which is one of my least favourite devices in many "enemies to lovers" romances (having Poppy AKOFAF war flashbacks).

ANYWAYS, I love this book and will sing its praises as well as gremlin Talasyn and her Night Daddy Alaric with his gauntlets (which must stay on) from the rooftops for as long as I live.

A Monsoon Rising here I come 🫡

🌀🐉🌖
thank you Harper Colins Canada for the ARC 🧎‍♀️

I don’t even know where to start. I need to take some time to summarize my thoughts and inappropriate and not-useful one liner notes into a coherent review.

IT WAS EVERYTHING I COULD HAVE EVER WANTED AND MORE. STRAIGHT TO THE GOD TIER!!!!! (not that I had any doubts)




the way that men acted when the joker came out? this is my joker except i will be SO much worse

update: march 15, 2023

THIS COVER ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!??!?!?
THE COLOURS, THE DRAGON, THE DETAILS, THE GLOVES

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the premise of the book was interesting and the magic was unique, but on the other hand the pacing was inconsistent and I couldn't connect to the characters. The beginning of the book was so slow and there was a lot of info-dumping. The pacing was inconsistent the whole book and the plot dragged at times. The world building was interesting and I liked the light magic, but the world building was confusing and I still don't understand it completely. I had a hard time connecting with the two main characters and I felt that the character development was lacking. Talasyn was okay, I liked how resilient she is, but she is annoying at times and I didn't connect with her. I had mixed feelings about Alaric, he's protective, but I didn't like the decisions he made and he felt a bit flat to me. The writing was flowery and there were too many descriptions which distracted me from the plot. The romance had potential, but there was no progression of the enemies-to-lovers relationship, they went from hate to love too quickly. I also didn't feel much chemistry or a connection between the characters. The banter between the main characters was good at times, but it didn't make-up for the lack of chemistry. Overall this book was okay, it had an interesting premise, but the execution was lacking and the pacing was inconsistent.

[Baba Yaga Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

My problem with this book isn't that it's Reylo fan fiction with the serial numbers filed off. In fact, the reason I decided to pick it up in the first place was precisely that I had read, and enjoyed, the first few chapters of said fan fiction.

My problem is that it reads painfully juvenile in almost every aspect. The prose is mostly fine, if a little repetitive and rife with genre clichés, but the dialogue between the main leads becomes truly insufferable after a while. I don’t understand what’s the point of writing an adult romance if your protagonists speak and act like immature teenagers. The banter between Alaric and Talasyn reads like something you would find in a young adult book about petty high school drama, not what two heads of state at war with one another would say.

One of the reasons I usually have a hard time immersing myself in romance fantasy novels is that I feel like authors want to tackle epic plots with heavy themes (war, death, oppression, genocide), while maintaining an overall light-hearted tone. The thing is, you can’t turn a story about an epic war to resist colonization into a romantic comedy. The result is jarring, and at times, borderline grotesque. There is a scene where Alaric, the Night Emperor who’s trying to conquer Talasyn’s kingdom, is publicly called out by a nobleman who rightfully accuses him of being a genocidal war criminal. Instead of sympathizing with her compatriot, whose perspective she supposedly shares, Talasyn is too busy focusing on how hot and fearsome Alaric looks while duelling him. Am I supposed to find this endearing?

This book is also way too long. In nearly five hundred pages, very little happens in terms of romantic progression. The two leads go from hating each other’s guts in the beginning, to hating each other’s guts at the end, only now they’re—spoiler—married and forced into something resembling an alliance. Most of their interactions consist in a hundred repetitive scenes where they exchange petty, childish insults while secretly lusting after one another. You’d think that two twenty-somethings trained in politics and international relations would realize that seducing the person whose help they desperately need is a better strategy than antagonizing them; but alas, them acting according to logic would prevent the author from stretching this into a full trilogy.

I’ve seen a lot of people say that The Hurricane Wars will appeal to fans of Sarah J. Maas. Personally, I’m not so sure: compared with Maas’s recent books, this is very tame in terms of sexual content. If you like the kind of YA fantasy where the main couple spend most of their time brooding and exchanging retorts instead of actually developing their relationship, this might be the right book for you.

[siu]

this book needed so much more development. it's very obvious that this was originally fan fiction, which isn't bad but there are things to consider when making it into a novel. the characters are not developed enough for me to care about their journey. it's easy to breeze over this in fanfics because readers are already well-versed in the universe and actively seeking fics with their favorite ship. in taking this work and publishing it into a book with original characters, that was lost here. there is also so much world-building shoved down your throat at the beginning of the novel, so with me already feeling detached from the characters, i kept wanting to DNF so often. so sad bc this novel had so much potential for the best enemies to lovers with the way they were pitted against each other

[Julezreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

In dem Moment als ich das Cover zum ersten Mal sah, wusste ich: Dieses Buch MUSS ich lesen. Ich würde sogar so weit gehen und behaupten, dass dies eines meiner liebsten Cover jemals ist. Leider konnte das Buch mich jedoch inhaltlich nicht so sehr überzeugen wie die Optik. Der Einstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir schwer, ohne einleitende Erklärungen werden wir ins Geschehen geworfen und müssen uns einiges selbst erklären. Was ich zunächst als Startschwierigkeiten wertete, entwickelte sich zu grundlegenden Problemen. Zu keinem Zeitpunkt hatte ich das Gefühl, im Buch anzukommen, was hauptsächlich daran lag, dass ich die Welt sowie die Charaktere nicht greifen konnte. Das Originalmanuskript zu "The Hurrincane Wars" war eine FanFiction, wo die Autorin sich darauf verlassen konnte, dass Welt & Figuren bereits bekannt sind, in dieser Übertragung verfährt die Autorin für mein Empfinden ähnlich. Aus diesem Grund konnte ich die Welt & ihr System nicht verorten, das Setting konnte ich mir nicht vorstellen. Für mich besonders bitter: Zu keinem der Charaktere konnte ich eine Bindung aufbauen. Es gab Momente, in denen ich das Buch abbrechen wollte, nun bin ich jedoch froh erwähnen zu können, dass es sich definitiv mit den Seiten steigert und ich für die Reihe viel Potential sehe. Nichtsdestotrotz hat es meinen persönlichen Geschmack nicht getroffen.

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 2 out of 5]

bruh i should’ve just left this as a dnf omg

it wasn’t exactly terrible, actually pretty decent but the lack of characterization is why it gets 2 stars. if you’re going to publish your fan fiction you need to remember to give these characters personality. this is now your story so you can’t use the source material characterization as your own. i just feel like a lot could’ve been edited out and that this could’ve been a stand alone because there is no real conflict until the very last page. this book was written with enemies to lovers in mind first and the plot… not even in mind.

[Readaholic Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What you can expect to find in The Hurricane Wars
-romantasy
-enemies to lovers
-marriage of convenience
-slow burn
-angst
-she's sassy
-he falls hard and fast
-diverse characters (set in Southeast Asia)

Talasyn a lightweaver is fighting as a soldier against the Night Empire in the Hurricane Wars. Prince Alaric is uses his Shadow magic and hasn't met his equal until he fights Talasyn in the battle field. Soon these two discover that when their magic is combined they create something powerful. With a threat looming in the near distance these two must decide if they are willing to come together to defeat a threat larger than both of their forces.

From the moment I started reading The Hurricane Wars I was intrigued. I will say that it did take me a bit to get into the book as the word building is extensive. But what kept me coming back was the chemistry between Talasyn and Alaric - gah how I love these two! Talasyn is amazing in her own right - she doesn't take crap from anyone and isn't afraid to voice her opinions. And Alaric is absolutely gone for her - it was so much fun to watch!

I have to say that the writing by Thea Guanzon is so lyrical and beautiful. I had passages after passage highlighted because of the vivid imagery. And let's be honest - nothing makes me love a book more than a marriage of convenience trope. The slow burn between Talasyn and Alaric was slooooooow, but the tension and angst was always there which I love in a romantasy.

There were so many twists and turns in this book and I am already dying to read book 2. If you're looking for an enemies to lovers, fantasy romance with diverse characters I highly highly recommend The Hurricane Wars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But sometimes it’s the blow that molds us. Taking it. Letting it ring against our defenses, until we are assured in the knowledge that, when it’s over, we will still be standing."

i was a few chapters in when i knew that this would be a 5 star, 207 highlights later and those last chapters had my heart screaming in both joy and misery ughh i want to slap and hug these two goofballs, new fav couple acquired <33

reading The Hurricane Wars has once again reminded me that i should completely ignore GR average ratings because the way this is now one of my favourite reads ever and definitely a top read for this year?? not only did the characters have me in a chokehold but the world, politics, and plot had everything i adore in books and so without a doubt i loved this. and here i was at first a bit apprehensive to read THW because it had been an ancitipated read and then the mixed reviews i saw were scaring me so i held back on reading it for 7 MONTHS and wasnt going to read it anytime soon had it not been for one of my best friends absolutely loving this and getting me as excited as i had been previously when i first heard about THW, and oh if she wasnt right!!! seriously THE LOVE I HAVE FOR THW??? ALARIC AND TALASYN MY BELOVEDS MY HEART AND SOUL🥹🫶

She and Alaric moved together, seamless and in fluid tandem, as though they were each other’s mirrors, as though they were waves in an ocean called forever, their shadows lengthening on the stone.

im genuinely just so in love with talasyn and alaric, the things they made me feel!!! just!! my loves!! they completely own me. from the moment their characters were introduced i immediately connected to them and loved their banter and automatically knew theyd go onto my list of top favourite characters of all time. talasyn, my fierce, brave, angry, sarcastic lovable warrior queen. her feelings are so raw and genuine, i just want to give her a big hug. i adore how fiercely she loves all those around her and that unwavering bravery she has in the face of what she technically should be fearing👏 an absolute legend this girl!! i can already picture how her encounter will be with gaheris when she faces him for the first time and girl😭 i just know itll be hilarious and alaric will be 5 seconds away from a heart attack (but also secretly cheering for talasyn and falling in love with her all over again🥹) and when i say im so ready for the scene in book 2 (that will probably happen) of talasyn finding out just how abusive gaheris and standing up for alaric and alaric just staring in shock and awe and so much warmth that he isnt alone anymore i-🥹🥹 anyways yeah <3

but yes talasyn!! literally one of my fav protagonists and not only is she brave, but her wit and development in politics was so so amazing to see, especially for someone who only JUST fell into this world of politics. oh and also the amount of times she made me laugh out loud?? its no wonder alaric fell for talasyn because i mean who wouldnt???

which speaking of... ALARIC THE MAN THAT YOU ARE !!! just HOW can someone be so sweet, kind, understanding, compassionate and also infuriating at the same time (talasyn found him so but deep down we all know she loved his teasing/being annoying). literally love how this whole book consisted of alaric having such a soft spot for talasyn and freaking out over his attraction to her and how she turned him into "blushing moron" (help im still never getting over that). with talasyn all thoughts would just disappear and i dont blame him at all🤭 oh i love how he's just so gone for her and im always such a sucker for "he falls first" and always will be, my precious soft boy <3

these two literally had me giggling, swooning, gasping, ripping my hair out, screaming, and basically all other 293572957 emotions. the amount of scenes ive highlighted and screenshotted??? absolutely unreal but thats what talasyn and alaric have done to me!! their romance absolutely ATE like a true enemies to lovers (and still enemies!!!!) that slow burn was sooo burning and all that tension 🫸 the chemistry was off the charts and i was here for it every step of the way, all that angst!!! the 'i want to murder the other' (although let's be honest, it was really more of talasyn being the bloodthirsty and violent one and poor alaric trying to bring peace LOL but he did enjoy antagonizing her so he's partly to blame as well) to then 'wait why do i care so much about what they think' and the 'i can't believe i can't stop thinking about the other' please every step of their relationship had me so invested and THAT ENDING MY GOD this author is 100% having fun torturing us like this sos i need book 2 ASAP

i almost forgot!! the side characters!! oh how i love love LOVE elagbsi, he's the sweetest🥹 thea im telling you right now that if you kill him at ANY point in THW trilogy, i will cry because that's just too cruel😭 talasyn's grandmother is so calculating and cunning, she's an amazing ruler and though i don't like some of the decisions she made, i cant deny that she's so smart for that and no wonder she's queen because i mean damn the way she was always 10 steps ahead??? omg

there's no way i can end this review without sharing at least some of my favourite scenes/lines so: (possible spoilers)

She didn’t want to leave. She had no desire to go back to her chambers and spend what she already knew would be a sleepless night agonizing over everything in deafening and lonesome silence. She wanted to remain here, with Alaric—to let him annoy her and distract her from the complicated tangle that her life had become, even if he himself was the knot at the center of it. She wanted to bicker with him in a language she’d grown up speaking, free to use turns of phrase that only the people of the Northwest Continent would understand. She wanted to check the wound on his thigh that the old metal blade had wrought, to make sure that it didn’t fester. She wanted to tease another vague almost-smile out of him. She wanted him to not be angry at her anymore.

"I will still work with you,” Talasyn said, hating how she couldn’t bring herself to so much as squirm away from his grasp. “But you won’t ever convince me that the Night Empire saved Sardovia from itself. I told you once that vengeance isn’t justice, and I hold to that. Whatever better world you think you’ll build, it will always be built on blood.”

I would give anything, he thought, for this not to be the last time. For her to smile at me again, and laugh like the war never happened. After a while, it sank in that she was laughing at him, and he shot her a withering glare. This served to set Talasyn off even more. She clutched at rough bark as though for dear life, practically howling while Alaric flushed red underneath the mud that caked his skin.

Alaric watched in amazement as Talasyn reached for another rice cake and shoved it into her mouth at the same time as the second half of the venison strip. By the gods. He was unable to tear his gaze away. She ate like she fought. Relentless and without mercy.

“You, um …” She trailed off. Licked her lips again , because she’d been put on this earth to torture him. “You’re a good instructor,” she said hoarsely, her brown eyes trained on the craggy patterns in the tree trunk’s rough bark. “You’ve been very patient. So—thank you.”
Alaric wasn’t prepared for this, for her shy, faltering praise. Warmth flooded his cheeks and crept all the way up to the tips of his ears. He was grateful that the sun had set, grateful that it would be difficult for her to see how she’d reduced him to a blushing moron with a handful of kind words.

You’re just like me, Alaric thought, uncertain whether the revelation soothed or unsettled him. We’re both hungry. We both want to prove ourselves.

She saw the Night Emperor. She saw the boy who had shared her loneliness. She saw the Master of the Shadowforged Legion she had battled on the ice and amidst a ruined city through which the stormships raged. She saw the man who had chucked her under the chin, who had so patiently taught her how to make a shield, whose dry remarks had sometimes made her laugh. She saw her first kiss, the first time someone else’s hands had touched her and made her burn. She saw danger, in more ways than one.

In Valisa, she had said to him once, her expression wistful, the way it always had been whenever she spoke of her parents’ homeland, when you wished to propose to the one you love, you’d take them somewhere with a lovely view, some place that has meaning. You’d hold their hands in yours and look upon their face, and you would tell them, “The stars guide me home to your heart.”

The officiant gestured over their joined hands. “These are the hands that will love you for all the years to come and comfort you in times of sorrow,” she told them. “These are the hands that will work alongside yours to build an empire. These are the hands that will hold your children and help you carry the world. These are the hands that will always reach for yours.”

But this wasn’t just someone. This was Alaric, her husband, her enemy, her dark mirror, and the Lightweave in her veins soared in triumph, recognizing him for what he was, calling out to his shadows, and everything was golden, was eclipse, was forever, was theirs alone.

anyways as you can tell i love my two idiots🥹❤️ talasyn and alaric have already managed to capture my heart and i cant wait to see what these next 2 books bring in this trilogy. thea guanzon, i hope you understand just beautiful of characters you have created and i WILL be sending my therapy bills if you make them suffer a lot!!! now manifesting the wait for book 2 wont be so torturous <3

[tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars 💫

“Do you make it a habit to compliment everyone who's trying to kill you?"

"Not everyone." His eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. "Just you.”

someone tell me why it took me so long to realize that the cover was silhouettes of talasyn and alaric?? i looked at it so many times like 'ugh i love the art it's stunning' and never once saw what it was actually supposed to be.

me reading all the low rating reviews like 👀😧
never, during my time reading this book, did i think that this book deserved anything lower than 3 stars. obviously an unpopular opinion, but i did enjoy reading this.
as many people have said, the first half was slow. it was heavy with world-building and politics, character interaction was on the rare side, and the prose was... difficult to get through. but i'm telling you that if you just stick it out and get through it, it DOES get better.

expect enemies to lovers, romantasy, arranged marriage. i do have to say that the romance is SLOW-BURN. i think people are so used to everything happening so quickly when they see the enemies to lovers tag because the mcs don't actually hate each other. i hate when a book is advertised as enemies to lovers when it's really just lovers in denial. in this book, talasyn and alaric do not take one look at each other and fall. in fact, they spend a majority of the time trying to kill each other. stop complaining about how slow the romance is and how long it takes for them to get anywhere when this is ENEMIES to lovers.

i, for one, liked how they bounced back and forth between infatuated and 'i'm going to slit your neck in your sleep'. as we learn, both love and hate are very strong emotions, and the way they feel so fiercely about each other makes everything so much better 🤭 idk how to describe it, but GOD when the way they DESPISED the other, the way that first kiss was so 🤭 stop this review is all over the place- trust me, this romance cannot be put into words.
i think what was so good was thea guanzon's ability to nail those character interactions. all i wanted was to see more talasyn and alaric, more of that derogatory humor and snide remarks, more of those snuck glances and their sharp banter.

the prose and style of writing is a particular one. i liked the flowery phrases and prolonged descriptions, it made the islands of nenevar and sardovia and even the night empire so much more real. this south-asia inspired world was so clear in my eyes. however, i can see how it would come off as rather repetitive and tiring to some, so if you aren't a fan of things like whole pages describing the decadence of Filipino foods, beware.

quotes:

“Until we meet again, Lightweaver." His gray eyes were back to being hard and impassive. "In the meantime, do try not to let more falling rocks get the best of you when I'm not around to help.”

“Without restraint, in times of good fortune and in times of trial, in light and in darkness, and in life and beyond, in the Sky Above the Sky where my ancestors sail, where we shall meet and remember, and where I will marry you again.”

“I hate you," she spat.
Alaric sneered at her. "See? Already you are acclimatizing so well to married life.”

“Someone finally understood. Someone could give voice to all the things that he could never put to words.”

"The innocent hopes for a better father soon gave way to self-reproach for not being a better son."

"Judging from the scene I walked into beneath the plumeria trees, I truly believed you were well on your way to the business of heir-making. I was so proud.”
“Do you prefer to die by my magic, or shall I toss you out of my ship?”

"These are the hands that will love you for all the years to come and comfort you in times of sorrow. These are the hands that will work alongside yours to build an empire. These are the hands that will hold your children and help you carry the world. These are the hands that will always reach for yours.”

“You,” Alaric said, “are a beautiful little idiot.”

“You’re always beautiful. Even when you want to string my guts up like paper lanterns.”

pre-review:
i actually have no idea what to rate this 😳 rtc

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

✩ 2 stars ✩

“Do you make it a habit to compliment everyone who's trying to kill you?"

"Not everyone." His eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. "Just you.”

What to Expect:
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ War & Politics
➼ Arranged Marriage
➼ Elemental Magic
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Originally written as a “Reylo” Fanfic
➼ Morally Gray MMC
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Dual POV

The popularity of this book is a testament to the absolute chokehold the “enemies to lovers” trope has on the book community (I am not immune). The second half was undoubtedly better than the first, but it could not fully salvage this book for me. I had to start over twice before I felt like I had even an inkling of who, where, when or what was even going on and only continued because I was so baffled that it could be that confusing and still gain so much hype. If you want to know what people mean when they say “info dumping,” read this book. I actually think the next book will be much better now that the initial world building is out of the way, but sheesh, that was rough.

[BookishByTammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. It might not going to be your next obsession but it was still a well built world with a believable enemies to lovers storyline.
I did read this via audio so maybe that made it easier for me to understand.

The characters and their motivations made sense, the FMC grew up an orphan and then joined the Sardovian army to fight the night empire as they try to take over the continent, the MMC is the heir to the night empire and we can tell he was treated badly by his father while growing up and made to follow in his footsteps with all ‘weakness’ beaten out of him.

The arranged marriage between them made sense, the relationship was slow burn and I’m glad Talasyn didn’t get too caught up in her feelings to remember the death and destruction Alaric caused, it would have been disappointing if she brushed over that but she held him to task and kept her morals while fighting the growing attraction she had.

The world is described well enough for you to visualise it, it’s mostly set on the sunny islands of Nenavar with jungles and dragons, however they also have warships powered by magic which gave if a sci fi fantasy feel.

The book was well paced to me, I wasn’t ever bored however something was missing from this book that kept me from truly loving it, maybe it needed a mission for the two of them to embark on (the trip to the belian nexus point was fun but very short) maybe it needed some trials for Talasyn to complete to become the Lachis’ka.

I will continue the series because I am invested in the characters and their romance but I’m also invested in how they will solve the voidfell issue and im praying for the downfall of Alaric’s dad.

Im also hoping the magic system will be explained further because at the moment I’m still a bit foggy on what enchanters do exactly and rainsingers, windcallers, thunderstuck etc were mentioned but not once did we come across any.

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

My worst fantasy read this year is Fourth Wing, and this is close second.

[Addicted To Books - Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

English Review (the Italian One below)

I can consider myself truly privileged to have read this masterpiece 6 months before its release date! I immediately thank Netgalley, HarperVoyager Uk and Thea Guanzon for allowing me to read this ARC!

The Hurricane Wars is a book that has had my attention for quite some time, and when I saw the cover reveal of the US and UK covers (both masterpieces) I wanted to read this book as soon as possible, and so when I received the ARC I started it without hesitation and it was a fantastic read!

The Hurricane Wars is one of the fantasy that contains one of the most beautiful and best written enemies to lovers romance of all time... plus it is also a perfect slow burn, full of tension, political intrigue and another trope that I love: the arranged marriage!

The two main characters are perfect, they are well built, very vivid, real and full of feelings! The double POV allows us to enter the mind of each of them and allows us to understand and appreciate them even more.
Talasyn and Alaric have phenomenal chemistry! Both come from difficult childhoods and both fight in the Hurrican Wars for different reasons and when their worlds collide everything starts to fall into place!

Another very important element of this book is the Worldbuilding: The Hurricane Wars is a Filipino-inspired fantasy and the world created by the author is perfect! Nature, technology and magic coexist creating an extraordinary environment and Thea's writing makes everything magical and extremely smooth!
The plot is never boring or obvious and all this is combined perfectly with the romance which is one of the best I've ever read in a fantasy novel! These two little idiots will make you fall in love and... wait until you read chapter 38 *sneaky eyes

I can't wait to read the next book to return to the fantastic world created by Thea Guanzon and find my two beloved idiots!
The Hurricane Wars is out everywhere on October 3, 2023! Don't miss it!

Italian Review
Posso considerarmi veramente privilegiato per aver letto questo capolavoro 6 mesi prima della sua data di uscita! Ringrazio subito Netgalley, HarperVoyager Uk e Thea Guanzon per avermi permesso di leggere questo ARC!

The Hurricane Wars è un libro che mi incuriosiva da parecchio tempo, e quando ho visto il cover reveal delle cover US e UK (entrambe capolavori) volevo leggere questo libro il prima possibile, e così quando ho ricevuto l'ARC l'ho iniziato senza esitazioni ed è stata una lettura fantastica!

The Hurricane Wars è uno dei fantasy che contiene uno dei migliori e meglio scritti romance enemies to lovers di tutti i tempi... in più è anche uno slow burn perfetto, pieno di tensione e con l'aggiunta di un’altra trope che amo: l'arranged marriage!

I due protagonisti sono perfetti, sono ben costruiti, molto vividi, reali e pieni di sentimenti! Inoltre il doppio POV ci permette di entrare nella mente di ognuno di loro e permette di comprenderli e apprezzarli ancora di più.
Talasyn e Alaric hanno una chimica pazzesca! Entrambi vengono da un infanzia difficile e piena di traumi e entrambi combattono nelle Hurrican Wars per ragioni differenti e quando i loro mondi entrano in contrasto tutto inizia a trovare il proprio posto!

Un altro elemento importantissimo di questo libro è il Worldbuilding: The Hurricane Wars è un fantasy di ispirazione filippina e il mondo creato dall'autrice è perfetto! Natura, tecnologia e magia convivono creando un ambiente straordinario e la scrittura di Thea rende tutto magico ed estremamente scorrevole!
La trama non risulta mai noiosa o scontata e tutto ciò viene unito perfettamente alla componente romance che è una delle migliori che io abbia mai letto in un romanzo fantasy! Questi due piccoli idioti vi faranno innamorare e aspettate di leggere il capitolo 38 *sneaky eyes

Non vedo l'ora di leggere il prossimo libro per ritornare nel fantastico mondo creato da Thea Guanzon e ritrovare i miei due amati idioti!
The Hurricane Wars esce ovunque il 3 ottobre 2023! Non perdetevelo!

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy pub day to one of my fave trash reads!!!

3.5 stars rounded up.

Buddy read with Mai! Join us in our dumpster!

This is:

⭐ Reylo fanfic
⭐ author self-insert
⭐ colonizer romantasy
⭐ shadow daddy
⭐ trash

BUT I ATE IT ALL UP and now I'm questioning my judgement while my ancestors (who fought off Dutch and British colonizers) frown upon my literary choices.


---------

ETA 09/13/23:

Okay, here's the serious review.

I was very surprised that I ended up liking The Hurricane Wars! I'm definitely not a huge fan of romantasy, but I thought that the romance was executed really well in this one. Sure, the actual romantic scenes and situations were pretty predictable, but the huge lead up hooked me right in.

Talasyn is your typical stubborn, author self-insert, ~Strong Female Character~ suffering from lots of trauma. Alaric is also your typical broody, shadow daddy suffering from mommy and daddy issues. So, really, there's nothing new here.

But somehow, it all worked for me. I honestly don't know why. And I'm speaking as someone who dislikes the romance genre in general.

I had a couple of bookish friends DNF this novel in the first 25-30%, so ymmv. But I actually loved that section of the novel. Sure, the prose has sprinklings of purple in it, but I didn't find it too distracting from what the author was trying to convey.

But I'll admit, it was slightly confusing at first because the author threw everything at the reader all at once, and there was a huge action scene in the beginning that made it hard to acclimate to the world, the characters, and the magic system.

But I stuck with it, and it paid off.

The world building and magic system were so engrossing and they were both deeply intertwined in such a comprehensive manner. As a fantasy lover, I absolutely loved this! It was so cool to see how certain characters (Alaric and Gaheris with the Shadowgate, Talasyn with the Lightweave) lived with their magic and how they used it. I also loved how magical technology was a huge part of this world, with the aether hearts powering the ships and the stormships with their storm powers. So, so cool!

Since the arc didn't have a map, it was really hard to understand the geopolitics (which was a really huge deal in this story), so it was hard to make out who the players were. But at the end of the day, it turned out to be Everyone vs. Kesath, the Ultra Mega Colonizer Shadow Empire.

After the 40% mark, the story turned into a typical romantasy with the marriage of convenience trope up the wazoo. There weren't really any plot twists to throw a wrench into things, which is why this isn't a solid 4 or 4.5 stars for me.

And as much as I hate the colonizer romantasies that are cropping up like mold this year, I actually ended up liking Talasyn and Alaric's relationship. It wasn't overly offensive. Both are on (mostly) on the same level, without a terribly skewed power imbalance that usually makes colonizer romances feel majorly icky.

I will say though, I absolutely hated how the author used italics so liberally to emphasize certain words. (See what I did there? lolll) It feels very amateur fanfic and I seriously hope she stops doing it in the rest of the series. Like, okay, readers understand what you're trying to say/emphasize because of context clues, duh!!

Also, constant descriptions of Alaric's silver/flint/grey eyes, his tousled dark waves, pale skin, broad body, blah blah blah Adam Driver, yes, we get it!!! Maybe this is just a romance genre thing and I'm not used to it. Idk.

Anyway, if you'd like to give BIPOC-authored romantasies a try, The Hurricane Wars is a good place to start.

I'm definitely staying around for the sequel.

And as an Asian-American from Maritime Southeast Asia, I appreciate the little tidbits scattered throughout the story! (ex. soy "pudding", ikan, etc.)

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.

[Samantha (ladybug.books)]

DNF 15%

Oh look another 2023 anticipated release that I had to DNF 😒

There is an audience out there for this book but it is NOT me. The writing is immature, repetitive, and in need of so much more editing. The pacing is a mess. The main characters are flat and annoying. I already know I wouldn’t like the romance. I thought about hate reading it to write a more detailed review but I physically can’t read more of this.

[Carleen ☾ ☀︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

✦˚.“I bring you the whole of my heart at the rising of the moon and the setting of the stars.”⋆. ࿐࿔
. ˚　　　*　　✦　.　　.　　✦　˚ 　　 ˚　.˚　 ✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.

. ˚　　　*　　✦　.　　.　　✦　˚ 　　 ˚　.˚　 ✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.
✨ Enemies-to-lovers
✨ Light vs dark magic
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Reylo dynamic
✨ Chosen one
✨ Arranged marriage

3.25 stars ✰ ✰ ✰
ੈ✩‧₊˚Hurricane Wars is a fun, addicting romantasy novel about a female protagonist wielding powerful light magic against a dark, alluring prince from an opposing empire who is forced into a political marriage to prevent further conflict among her people. ੈ✩‧₊˚

As a debut novel, this was a solid start to a series. The writing was, at times, elaborate and flowery, with purple prose, which I found distracting and unnecessary. While I love descriptive writing, it was slightly overdone here. The world-building had some unique aspects and was pretty well developed for a first novel. The plot and pacing were a bit all over the place though. I think Thea bit off more than she could chew and the story should've been split up differently.

The characters were mostly fine but lacked the emotional depth I typically like to see. What makes a novel 5 stars is character complexity, relatability, and motivation. I was not connected to the FMC on a deeper level which lost me as a reader.

“You've been fighting all your life, Your instinct is to strike first, before anyone can hurt you. But, sometimes it's the blow the molds us. Taking it. Letting it ring against our defenses, until we are assured in the the knowledge that, when it's over, we will still be standing.”

The last few chapters were the book's best. I was not expecting the added spice 🌶️🌶️. I was squealing and gasping so many times near the end. The pinning and longing!? Incredible.

Overall I would give this 3.25 stars which is a decent rating for a debut novel. Some things could be improved but I was starting to enjoy myself near the end. I think I will really like the next book in the series so stay tuned for my thoughts on that. Please let me know your thoughts too! Did you enjoy Hurricane Wars?

“—he could only think that she was beautiful. Every part of her was beautiful.”

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚★⋆｡˚ ⋆
┊ ┊ ┊ ⋆
┊ ┊ ★⋆
┊ ◦
★⋆ ┊ . ˚
˚★

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ pre-read ✨
I heard mixed reviews about this but it was highly recommended by my friends. We shall see what the hype is about. Trying to keep expectations realistic as this is a debut novel.

[Ceceliaₓₒₓₒ | hotforbooks]

Publication: 🗓️ 𝓞𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓫𝓮𝓻 ❷

The heart is a battlefield.
Talasyn and Alaric must decide... are they fated to join hands, or destroy each other?

I have been crossing my fingers and toes hoping to get this ARC—and I got it! Squealing and can’t wait to start it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the gifted ARC.