Lifelong enemies must face each other--and their feelings--on and off the battlefield in Thea Guanzon's immersive, inventive, and electric romantic fantasy, The Hurricane Wars. In a setting inspired by her home in the Philippines, Guanzon deftly blends fantasy and reality, creating a world shaped by colonialism, violent storms, and aether magic. Talasyn is a soldier fighting for a homeland falling under the shadow of the Night Empire. Alaric is the son and heir of the Night Emperor, who is destined to complete the brutal conquest begun by his grandfather and continued by his abusive father. Both have been raised to know that their opponents want nothing more than to eliminate or subjugate their people. Guanzon makes it clear that Talasyn is in the right, but the heroine as well as readers are drawn to Alaric as the author cleverly humanizes him through moments of awkwardness, his surprising mercy, and his uneasiness with his father's orders.
Following an intense opening battle in which Talasyn faces off with Alaric and loses friends and her homeland, the remnants of her army hide in an island nation while they regroup. Those islands hold the secret to Talasyn's past, including the source of her magic. When she arrives, the plot pivots to one of political intrigue and complicated family dynamics, resulting in an alliance she could never have predicted. Guanzon's compelling debut novel combines epic battles, intricate world-building, and intense chemistry. The Hurricane Wars will have fans of Hannah Whitten, Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing, and Star Wars positively craving the sequel. --Suzanne Krohn, librarian and freelance reviewer