Lia Carstairs's Reviews > A Monsoon Rising

"It would be so easy to love you in a different life."

(3.5⭐)

okay im going to be so real but that was unexpectedly much more disappointing of a sequel than i ever imagined?? i was literally BEYOND hyped to read AMR but honestly? this felt like it got hit with second book syndrome and im so disappointed--and that's not to say that it was *bad* but i was really hoping for another 5 star like i gave THW🥲

reading AMR was truly a strange experience. on one hand i did adore talasyn's and alaric's interactions BUT on the other?? where was that spark i felt in their relationship back in THW?? it felt as though there was a constant glass wall in front of me while reading where i couldnt fully be invested in their relationship as i was in THW--i would literally have the silliest of grins and that heart-pounding excitement whenever i read their scenes. but here? while there were a few moments that made me laugh or go aww, it just didn't feel the same.

one thing i will say that was really well done though was the inner conflict in talasyn and alaric. individually it did feel as though their characters grew... otherwise i just didnt feel the same *obsessed* feeling i did while reading THW and honestly that just makes me really sad.

another thing is that where was the plot??😭 i genuinely feel like nothing happened really except in the last 25%ish but for the whole world being at stake, i didnt really feel any sense of urgency or high stakes while reading? and i couldve possibly ignored the lack of plot had there been something to keep me invested but there wasnt really?? its just crazy because while THW had me gripped from beginning to end and filled with tension and excitement in literally every scene, i did NOT get that same feeling at all here.

i will say the ending did make me gasp but also WHERE DID THAT EVEN COME FROM??? IT FELT SO RANDOM??? and thats all ill say about that. otherwise im feeling a whole lot of nothing after finishing this book?

still, there were some cute moments and progress in talasyn and alaric's romance and individual characters! and while im forever disappointed this didnt live up to my expectations, im definitely still going to be reading book 3 and hope that its a brilliant and amazing book to make up for book 2.


Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for gifting me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!

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edit [June 10, 2024]: oh my god??? SCREAMING. thank you so much harpercollins for the eARC im gonna cry this just made my week🥹 ALARIC AND TALASYN MY BELOVEDS🫶

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ON MY KNEES BEGGING NETGALLEY TO ACCEPT MY ARC REQUEST PLEASE🙏

i need more of my loves alaric and talasyn asap