A Monsoon Rising

Tensions simmer but never ignite in Guanzon’s underwhelming sequel to The Hurricane Wars. Though Sardovia and the Night Empire are now reluctant allies thanks to Talasyn and Alaric’s arranged marriage, the relationship between the two nations remains volatile. Still, each needs the other to survive the Moonless Dark, which threatens to destroy their world. This means that Talasyn must play nice with Alaric, even as her allies plot to overthrow the Night Empire. Meanwhile, Alaric’s father presses him to keep his new wife hostage and do whatever it takes to protect their people. Both of their missions are threatened by their mutual desire, however, leading each into a tug-of-war between their hearts and their loyalty to their families. The balance between romance and politics is off this time around, with the angst-heavy love story taking center stage as the brewing war is shunted to the background. As a result, the stakes feel lower than in the first installment. Fans will hope the next book is a return to form. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Dec.)