Hyped but also enjoyable. I felt like this was rich in story and content but was missing the mark from setting it apart from the others.

It's been a few weeks since I finished The Hurricane Wars and I'm still on the fence about it. It was a book of two halves and each half seemed very distinct. The war half was a bit of a slog and I much preferred the second half. In a way it seemed the first half was a prequel as none of the side characters from the first half appeared in the second half.

My biggest gripe is that nothing really happened and when things happened they happened to Talasyn and Alaric. There was nothing that made me gasp or made me impatient with anticipation. The ending was slightly abrupt and didn't wrap anything up but nor was it a cliffhanger.

I will probably read the sequel out of curiosity but it will not be at the top of my TBR list

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

I was really looking forward to this book but I found it a slog to get through, I was just not invested. The relationship between the two main characters is enemies to lovers and I found they went from wanting to kill each other to having feelings in an instant, it just felt a bit unbelievable for my liking.

The plot itself was ok with some imaginative elements, the ending was just frustrating, a cliffhanger basically, will I read book two, I am not entirely sure, it won’t be high on my TBR that’s for sure.

All that said, I can see why some people will enjoy this Romantasy and the cover is just beautiful, it’s just not for me.

Thank you for accepting my request. I have bought the Waterstones edition of this novel.

It's fantastically written and keeps you hooked.
I enjoyed the storyline and characters

I received this ARC from HarperCollins UK and Thea Guanzon through NetGalley UK.

A MASTERPIECE! Truly set to be one of the biggest hits of this generation!

The detailed worldbuilding immerses you into the fantastical world of the Hurricane Wars and I spent the entire time getting lost in its forests, wandering its cities, and learning about the different cultures. There was also so much action, it was easy to get swept away and along for the ride!

The characters were well developed as the story went on, and the bickering and interactions between the enemies-to-betrothed-to-friends-to-rivals-to-lovers-to-married-rivals was perfect!! The push and pull of 'for political duty' versus 'for heartfelt belonging' was a ride of its own and I loved every minute of it! I also enjoyed the shifting povs within each chapter - it really made me feel all the angst and anger and awe between the characters.

I was captivated the entire time and didn't want the story to end! And the cliffhanger...I didn't see it coming but just like Alaric, I shouldn't have been too surprised. Villains gonna villain even when they're behind the curtain!

I am so excited to see what comes next for Talasyn and Alaric and so thrilled that Thea Guanzon's work is coming to life for everyone to love and appreciate!!

Well, I just ordered the special edition of Waterstones just after reading it, I think that is enough for you ?

So, Hurricane War is a book that will pictured perfectly what's happening in your head. the writing is so smooth and so well described. We fell for the characters and we are in the story since the beginning.
Maybe the minus of this books is the miscommunication between the MC but I will definitely read the second book.

PS : that's an enemy to lover so what are you waiting for ?

Thank you net galley for the arc it was soooo fun !

I've heard a lot about this book on socials such as tiktok and Instagram so I was very excited to receive an arc to review!!

I jumped headfirst into the book and was thrown instantaneously into a new world in the midst of a war, seemingly with spacecraft (that I later learnt was actually magical boats). There was a lot of world building, magic and lore just threw upon me and to begin with I didn't know what to do with the information until it was made clear later in the book.

This is a slow burn enemies (enemies is almost too tame a word for these two) to lovers, forced marriage trope book, so if you love that sort of thing it will do it for you!

I do feel that this book was just a lot of world building and scene setting for further books, but I am fully on board to see where this series go!

This books is very well written. The descriptions of everything from people to the landscape were very good and I was easily able to picture things. The characters were believable and you could feel for them. I liked the beginning of the book the best, it got me interested straight away. The middle part was kind of slow for me, I felt like it was taking a long time to read but not a great deal was happening. I like the partnership between the FMC and MMC but I think if the miscommunication goes on too much longer it will get annoying. I will almost certainly read the next book as I did enjoy it. I would say 3.5 stars, so enjoyed it but not my favourite.

You know how we’re always collectively complaining about books being sold as enemies-to-lovers when they’re just people-who-vaguely-dislike-each-other-to-lovers?
THIS is enemies-to-lovers AT ITS BEST.
The angst, the tension, the denial, the banter, the slowest (but also deepest) burn, it was absolutely perfect and I have lived in this book for three days.
The writing was amazing, the author has undoubtedly a gift for storytelling; the worldbuilding was rich, with vivid and immersive description of the magic, the lore of the world is engrossing and I can’t wait to find more about it in the next book. I really appreciated the small details about the matriarchal ways of the dominion and the originality of the magic system. The characters are also well fleshed out and complex, and not only the two main characters, I love how Talasyn draws on her anger for her magic but is still deeply caring.
I will say that I waited to be in the right mood to read it because the beginning was a bit demanding attention-wise and I would not have been able to follow the technical parts of the descriptions at the start while I was in a slump. But I don’t regret waiting for a second because once the story grabs you, it doesn’t let you go.
I’m now realizing how screwed I am because this book isn’t even out yet and I already can’t wait for the second one.

wow this book, Thank you so much to Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the e-arc!

The Hurricane Wars is a high fantasy, very slow burn, filled with so much light and dark magic, kind of enemies to lovers but also enemies to enemies, court politics, mythology and a lot of passion. I really did enjoy reading The Hurricane wars so much, it is certainly a very slow start and it took me until about 15-20% for me to really be hooked and engaged in this book but it was so worth pushing through that first part to get to what happens through the rest of the book. I mean I was up until 1am reading this because that last 30% was something indeed.

Through out this book we follow Talasyn and Alaric and with each chapter we are given this beautiful Duo POV's even mid chapter and I lived for that, give me more of this please. There are defiantly some very strong star wars vibes from this book, its something that i thought would put me off reading this but it certainly was not, if anything it helped add to imagery that the book gave off, especially with all the beautiful world building that Thea added into this story.

The way this book ended.... WHY JUST WHY... Cliff hangers should be illegal lol - I can not wait for book 2, this trilogy has so much potential and I'm so excited to see where this goes.

This was SO good. Literally everything I needed and more! The enemies to lovers trope was done so well, I've seen so many attempts and this was the best yet. I loved the characters and I am super excited for the next book. I've already preordered 2 copies and have been telling everyone to read!!
Star Wars vibes were strong in this one

This was everything I could have wanted and more.

After being a long-time fan of Thea's writing, I was overjoyed when I saw the ARC approval sitting in my email inbox!

'The Hurricane Wars' throws you straight into worldbuilding, focusing on building the storyline between the two sides of the war. The 'Night Empire' and the 'Sardovian' army. Our heroine, Talasyn is a 'lightweaver' for the Sardovian army, using her sun magic to fight her enemies in the Night Empire. Her main enemy, however, is the dark and brooding Alaric, the heir to the night empire throne- who wields 'shadow magic' and is known as the 'shadowforged'.

Alaric is the perfect brooding 'bad guy', who is secretly enamoured with the beautiful Talasyn as soon as he lays his eyes on her. The forced proximity, slow burn, and enemies to lovers tropes are just exquisite in this book.

To avoid spoilers, I will not speak of anything else regarding the plot, but MY GOD, this book is so good! I urge you to pick it up physically as soon as it is released, just as I will on the day of release! I read it in one day, and I am so glad I received a review copy. Thank you so much to HarperVoyager, best present ever!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperVoyager for the e-arc! I had the best time reading The hurricane wars! What I enjoyed the most was the world building and the romance! Both so refreshing and actually well thought! I loved the southeast Asian influences! The romance was SO GOOD. Help. Slow burn and angsty, enemies to lovers done right!!! I loved how the politics of the world pushed forward the dynamics between Talasyn and Alaric! I love them so much!!!! The descriptions and imagery were also stunning!!! I can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:1.5/5
'The Hurricane Wars' is a book in which there are neither any hurricanes nor any wars. I really, really wanted to like this. Romantasy isn't really my thing, so I was wary of going into this book, but the cover and the fact that it's set in a southeast Asia inspired world made me read this. And oh my, I was sorely disappointed.

Part 1 of the book is quite good. It's filled with action and definitely ADDICTIVE. I thought the worldbuilding was very good. The writing style is beautiful and descriptive, and it makes the book an immersive read. There are mouthwatering descriptions of food as well. The magic system is quite good, but I wish it was more fleshed out. Besides Lightweave and Shadowgate, we don't get to see the other branches of aethermancy.
I didn't care about the MCs, especially Alaric. The book has been marketed as enemies to lovers, and while they do try to kill each other on their first encounter, it's all insta lust after that.

All that action and build up in part 1 gives way to literally nothing in part 2. Everything went downhill from here. Most of the book is about the marriage negotiations and the marriage ceremony. It should've taken up 50 pages at most, but it takes 200. For a world facing a 'war' and political turmoil, the tone of the book is far too light-hearted. Wild the romance isn't necessarily bad, the worldbuilding, the magic system, the action and everything good about this book was tossed away in its favour. Talasyn and Alaric act far too childish for their age. The book feels very YA, unti and extremely explicit scene at the end. That was a complete dealbreaker for me.
In conclusion, NOTHING happens in part 2. The ending is not really a cliffhanger and not exciting enough for the reader to anticipate the sequel.

PS: I get why this has been compared to SJM's works, and will definitely work for her fans, but R F Kuang???? Seriously?! That was another reason why I picked this up, because RFK is one of my all time favourite authors, but this doesn't even begin to measure up to The poppy war. TPW is brutal and raw, whereas this is a romance disguised as a book about a war.

Okay I'll.preface this by saying I'd heard so many good things about this book before I dived in...and the hype was real!! I love a good good/bad character pairing and the chemistry was just so adorable between these two! Slow burn, magic, the training trope, single bed trope...ugh I devoured this book! The starting few chapters were a little hard since it involves a lot of world building jargon, but it picked up quite fast and there was plenty of action to keep up the pace. Eagerly waiting for the next book!!

Special thanks to HarperCollins Uk and Netgalley for providing me an early copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Very very rare I DNF a book but I just could not get into this one! Too slow of a start for me and I could not get to grips with the character and place names! Disappointed as I was looking forward to this!

Abandoned on the doorstep of a Sardovian orphanage as an infant, Talasyn's life has been intertwined with the tumultuous era of the Hurricane Wars, a relentless struggle against the oppressive rule of the Night Emperor Gaheris. Yet, amidst the chaos, she yearns for an elusive truth: the origins of her existence, the kin she belongs to, and the wellspring of her Lightwave magic, a luminous force coursing through her like golden radiance.

Alaric, scion of House Ossinast and bearer of the mantle Master of the Shadowforged Legion, has been sculpted into a weapon by his father, Gaheris. Imposed with the grave responsibility of annihilating the Sardovian Allfold alliance through the might of his armies and potent Shadow magic, Alaric's vision remains fixed on their mission: the eradication of any threat against the empire.

However, everything changes when he witnesses Talasyn ablaze upon the battlefield, wielding the very magic that claimed his grandfather's life, morphed his father into a tyrant, and ignited the tempestuous Hurricane Wars. His attempt to end her existence fails, the adversary he has come to loathe slipping through his grasp.

Yet, the horizon looms with a graver peril, overshadowing even the dire conflicts of the Hurricane Wars. As this looming threat threatens to shroud everything in darkness, can these sworn enemies surmount their enmity to combat it, or is the culmination of their long-fought battles poised to unravel?

While I am relatively new to the realms of fantasy and mythology, my horizons have broadened and I find myself enraptured by this expansion. The author's prowess shines brilliantly in crafting this narrative. The prose dances elegantly across the pages, endowing characters with vitality, setting scenes aglow with vibrancy, and granting each voice an authentic resonance. A cornerstone of the tale lies in its meticulously constructed world—the author has meticulously woven a tapestry of rich detail, replete with its own histories, cultures, and languages.

In assessing the eBook, a realm of potential for refinement and user-friendliness beckons. By incorporating chapter links, eradicating conspicuous word gaps, and adorning the eBook with an alluring cover, its presentation could transcend its current document-like demeanour. Consequently, a minor deduction from my rating is warranted.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Oh my gosh, you guys, this book! Ooof.

The Hurricane Wars is a high fantasy, slow burn, enemies to enemies but also semi-lovers, filled with magic, politics, intrigue, and passion. There really isn’t a lot to go on just reading the synopsis, so I don’t want to drop any spoilers, which is rare for me; I love spoilers, but I went into the with only a vague recollection of what it was about, and that’s made it even more magical.

Talasyn is a stubborn, fiery heroine filled with Lightweave magic, while Alaric, Master of the Shadowforged Legion, the enemy currently sweeping through the continent and destroying all Sardovia, where Talasyn grew up, is filled with Shadow magic. The two are opposites, yet they are much more alike than anyone would think.

I don’t know what else to say without letting anything slip, so just read this book, please. It’s so good! It's detailed and interesting, and the romance is swoony. Yes, there is some Star Wars inspiration in there; I’m looking at you stormships, but I decided not to hold it against this exciting tale.

This was a slow burn for me but I'm totally in for the ride now. And never have I ever feared more for two kids than for Talasyn and Alaric.
It took me about one third of the book (until the end of part 1) to get hooked, but then I was all in.
I've read a lot about this book before, from people who loved it but also lots of critique. Apparently this is based on a SW fanfiction, and the criticism was mostly that it's just the serial number filed off, and that the plot solely exists to bring the two MCs together.
I can assure you this is not the case at all. I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, and I haven't read the fanfic. I'm also quite allergic of the plot serving the romance instead of the other way around. All that said, none of what is said above applies to this wonderfully epic story imo.
It's a marvelous and fully developed worldbuilding with still a lot to discover. There's mythology and politics heavily interwoven, and it's not an info dump at the start of the book, but the reader can discover it bit by bit naturally.
The FMC and MMC (dual POV yay!) are so so interesting. It's an intriguing grumpy x grumpy pairing, but they're not just brooding and sassy for the sake of it. All of their character traits - especially the dark ones - are explained throughout the book with their background story, and my heart broke with several aspects of it.
This story will live in my head for a long while, and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2.
Right now I'm giving it a 4,75/5 stars, just because I had to work through the first third of the book. I fully expect it to become a 5 star highlight at some point though.

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for the eARC!

Very tropey and insta love but the rest was okay and it was mostly enjoyable. The writing wasn't the best and there's definitely room for improvement but maybe in the next one.