A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon

Series:
The Hurricane Wars #1

Genre:
Netgalley, Romance, Romantasy, High Fantasy, Fantasy, Asian Author, BiPOC, Enemies to Lovers, Fiction, Book Series, Science Fiction, Young Adult, New Adult

Publication Date:
October 3, 2023

Pages Numbers:
480

Read Date:
June 21st, 2023

Date Finished:
June 22nd, 2023

Rating:
4.75/5

Blurb:

The fates of two bitter enemies with opposing magical abilities are swept together in The Hurricane Wars, the spellbinding debut in a fantasy romance trilogy set in a Southeast Asia-inspired world ravaged by storms, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and R. F. Kuang.

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.

Review:

I have been seeing this book pop up a lot on my updates from several of my fellow readers. Some of them have been glowing while others have been slightly not so glowing. Most of the reviews point out that this was once fanfiction with Rey and Keylo Ren being the main characters. Either way, I wanted so much to read this book. The premise and the world-building are eye-catching and reel you into a beautiful, lush world filled with war and strife with the horrors of war being felt from the pages. Homes and beautiful worlds are being torn apart by the Night Emperor's need to assimilate the rebellion and force them under his control.

Not only does this remind me of Rey and Keylo Ren, but I also see Zuko and Katara in the characters as well. Both Emperor Palpatine and Fire Lord Ozai have the same parallel as they do with the Night Emperor. All three seek to control the rebellion and force the people into their fold, into their slavery.

Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect. The characters and their world are lush and beautiful. The magical system could be considered to be Avatar: The Airbender - esque in its feel. Talasyn or Alaric are each other's yin and yang with their magic - Shadowforge and Lightweaver - setting them apart. Talasyn, an orphan, is the only Lightweaver. All of the others had been killed off by the Night Emperor. They had been trying to keep her abilities out of the hands of the Night Emperor. Unfortunately, fate would have other plans and set her on the path with Prince Alaric, one of the most powerful Shadowforges.

I don't want to give too much away especially since the rest may contain spoilers. So, I will leave it as it is and tell you to read this book the moment it comes out. It is worth it. The world-building. The characters. Talasyn and Alaric will draw you in and make your stay to the very end.

*Disclaimer: Thank you to the author, her publishers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.