Just finished The Wind Weaver and I'm OBSESSED with this explosive fantasy debut that had me in its clutches from page one. Following Rhya, a halfling with mysterious powers, as she's captured by the enigmatic Commander Scythe, the story had EVERYTHING that I love: phenomenal, vivid worldbuilding that felt shown rather than told, BANTER that I was addicted to, and a slowburn romance with that fantastic tension. The elemental magic system felt unique, and I definitely hope we get more of it.

I just have the TEENIEST of complaints that I was so hooked and then we had a huge slow down around 1/2-3/4 mark that felt like it dragged in comparison. OTHER THAN THAT, I loved this so much. Definitely here for more.

I think this has so much of what readers love in romantasy books. Our FMC has the coolest powers, a prophecy, slow burn enemies to lovers.
But I struggled to connect with the FMC and also with the romance. Maybe it was just me. But overall this series has a lot of promise!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for my ARC!

3.5/5

A lush, emotional fantasy perfect for fans of fierce heroines, found family, and slow-burn tension — The Wind Weaver will leave you absolutely hooked.

I’m beyond thankful to have received an ARC of The Wind Weaver! Even though I didn’t finish it before the official release, I’m so grateful for the opportunity to experience this breathtaking story early — and I absolutely adored it.

The Wind Weaver gave me major Plated Prisoner vibes in all the best ways — especially with a main male character who felt very reminiscent of Slade. I also have a strong feeling we’re being set up for a second male character to appear later in the series, and I’m already dreaming of a Rhys-like redemption arc!

The FMC completely stole my heart. Watching her grow into her powers — with the perfect mix of sass, strength, and vulnerability — was captivating. I also loved how the found family element was already beautifully woven into the story, adding even more emotional weight and connection. Julie Johnson has built a world that hooked me from the very first page, and I can already tell this is going to be a series I completely obsess over. I’m counting down the days until I can add a book trophy to my shelves!

If you love lush fantasy worlds, fierce heroines, slow-burn tension, strong found family vibes, and a touch of wild, delicious chaos, this one is an absolute must-read.

Thanks @berkleyromance & @acebookspub for the free book! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley #BerkleyBookstagram

I love when a fantasy book has easy-to-understand world building! That, plus a side character that you just connect with (I’m talking about you, Jac). Veryyyyy slow burn romance.

🚨 Spoiler 🚨 I didn’t feel any connection between the FMC and MMC. They disliked each other from the beginning and then suddenly were in love (besides the connection from the bond). I’m predicting a Tamlin/Rhysand situation here!

Wow! I loved this so much. I’m dying for book 2! This book will grip you from the opening scene and never let go. The pacing is flawless. Julie Johnson has weaved a fascinating world with an intriguing magic system complete with dynamic characters.

I love the heroine, Rhya, and I can’t wait to discover her potential as she continues to explore her power. We also meet a broody, tortured, protective MMC in Penn, and then we meet Soren who has so much charisma he leaps off the page in every scene. That’s just scratching the surface, as each additional character’s personality, and the found family that develops between them, only further enriches the story.

I both didn’t want to stop reading, and wanted to draw it out as long as possible. As of now this is one of my top reads of 2025! I’m a big fan.

**Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing me an advanced copy! All opinions are my own.**

The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson is book one in the Reign of Remnants series and if you haven't picked this one up yet and you enjoy a good Fantasy, I think you should.

Rhya is our fmc and when halflings like her are killed on sight, she has been trying to stay alive but when she is captured and being prepared for execution, the mysterious Commander Scythe shows up in the camp and after realizing she has a mark on her chest...something he has been looking for for a while. As Rhya finds herself now in the hands of someone she fears even more and has no idea what he wants from her, she has to figure out how to get away from him and survive.

As Rhya learns more about what the mark on her chest means as well as just who Commander Scythe is, she also finds out more about herself and the blight ravaging the realm. She needs to learn how to use the power inside of her but it isn't easy and at the same time, with everyone having their own agendas, Rhya has to figure out who she can trust and whether it's her or her power that is important to them.

I enjoyed this book and thought Johnson did a great job of developing the story. The relationship between Rhya and the Commander was done well and comes across as an enemies-to-lovers type trope based on how it begins. I didn't really love how he treated Rhya because he could have changed his approach sooner but it will be interesting to see where this goes in the next book.

There is plenty of action in this book as well. Rhya is on the run, the group is fighting monsters at every turn, and of course there is magic so things move along at a good pace. I also thought the secondary characters added to the story and helped move things along as well.

All that to say, I enjoyed this book and will be picking up the next book when I can. If you are looking for a new fantasy romance to dive into, consider picking this one up.

The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson ⭐⭐⭐

Vibes:
Worn torn world 
Captured by the enemy 
Chosen one 
Fae vs. humans
Creative and terrifying creatures 
Protective MMC 
Slow burn

I struggled to be invested with the story in the first 40 percent. That's a lot of the book! The last ten percent hooked me and made me want to read the next book to see what happens with certain characters.

The author really spent time with a lot of aspects of the story instead of rushing through the plot. I enjoyed the way she described magic and how it felt and how to use it.

If you are a person who likes a trickle of world building at a time, this will be for you. Many people like learning a little bit at a time with the main characters, but I'm learning that I'm not that person. Give it all to me in chapter one.

There is a lot of adventure, politics and a found family element that was really nice. There is a certain side character that seems way more interesting than the rest of the main characters. I didn't connect with the main female character for half of the book and the narrator made her sound really whiny in some parts.

This book reminded me a lot of A Court of Thorns and Roses - not the whole series, just the first book. Which makes me wonder if book two is going to be incredible like that series.

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced ebook. It is available now!

If you’re craving a fantasy that feels like stepping into an epic saga with enemies-to-lovers angst, elemental magic, and a found family that sneaks up on you, The Wind Weaver delivers on all fronts—and then some.

From page one, we’re thrown into a brutal world where halflings like Rhya are hated simply for existing. Set to be executed, she’s yanked from the noose by a brooding stranger named Scythe, who clearly didn’t get the memo that rescuing someone usually comes with basic kindness. Instead, he’s all silence, scowls, and vaguely threatening vibes. Naturally, I was immediately invested.

As Rhya’s forced into a journey she doesn’t understand (with a man who won’t give her any answers), she starts to uncover her own power—turns out that mark she always thought was a birthmark? Yeah, it’s a magical brand tied to a prophecy, ancient elemental powers, and the fate of the world. No big deal.

What really works in this story is the slow unraveling of both the world and the characters. The elemental magic system is fascinating—tied to remnants, chosen individuals with immense power—and the political tension and supernatural threats around them feel high-stakes and immersive. You can tell we’ve only just scratched the surface of what this world has to offer, which makes the series potential seriously exciting.

Rhya is fierce, stubborn, and just vulnerable enough to make you want to protect her while also cheering as she takes back her power—literally and figuratively. Her character development is one of the best parts of the book, especially as she starts to bond with the gruff, morally gray Scythe. Their romance? It simmers. It’s slow-burn, tension-filled, and toeing the line between “I might stab you” and “I’ll die for you.” (Also, there may or may not be a mysterious other male character creeping in with strong love triangle energy—and I’m not mad about it.)

I also loved the messy, endearing found family vibe that starts to form as more characters join Rhya’s journey. It brings warmth and humor to balance out the darker moments, and gives the story a bigger emotional core than just the romance.

If I had one small gripe, it’s that the book does feel long—like we got a trilogy’s worth of story packed into one installment. The pacing could’ve been a bit tighter in places, and I wouldn’t have minded more time deepening the romantic development instead of racing from one magical reveal to another.

Still, this was a fantastic start to the Reign of Remnants series. With everything from prophecies to one-bed tropes, blights to banter, this story grabbed me from the first chapter and didn’t let go. I’m already counting down the days for the next one.

I don't know why I do this to myself, start a romantasy series that I just know I'm going to love without the whole series being released. Now that I've read The Wind Weaver, I need the next installment ASAP. I loved, loved, loved this book so much. It had all the pieces it needed, and Julie Johnson made me actually feel like I was right alongside Penn and Rhya. The earth, wind, fire, and air elements made it all the more intriguing, and I'm now completely invested in knowing what happens next. All the stars.

I may be at the point where I’ve read too many romantasy books this year. They all seem to be blurring together. I swear I read the blurb before I grabbed the ARC for review, but for some reason I thought there would be dragons in this book. Maybe because of the cover? I don’t know.

ANYWAY, The Wind Weaver doesn’t have dragons, but it does have elemental powers, magic, and the fae. There are also complicated court politics and an enemies to lovers storyline. I will admit to being a little taken aback at the beginning of the book, because the FMC, Rhya Fleetwood, is basically being tortured and is mentally preparing for her death at the hands of soldiers whose orders are to kill all halflings. Enter in the mysterious Commander Scythe, who upon seeing a birthmark on her chest kills all the soldiers and spirits her away. I won’t call it a rescue, because this man is not helping her out of the goodness of his heart, and he isn’t kind to her either. I won’t say the reasons why he takes her with him, because that would spoil so many plot points, just suffice it to say that he has REASONS.

For the most part this book is a fantasy adventure with the two main characters evading the enemy, meeting up with allies, and trying to make it to the safety of Commander Scythe’s (who by this time is revealed to be someone else altogether) home. I’m pretty sure readers don’t glimpse another female character until at least past the 50% mark. I wasn’t sure if this was an actual romance because when I say this is an enemies to lovers storyline the emphasis should definitely be on enemies. These two are adversaries to their cores. And to be honest despite Scythe’s gaslighting from the middle to the latter part of the book, he really gives Rhea no reason to believe he’s on her side or trying to help her in any way.

Despite that, I was glued to the page because the world-building is well done. I liked the history and aspects of the elemental magic and their users. The secondary characters are fleshed out and interesting. I especially liked one particular secondary character (I won’t mention names, you’ll know if you read the book) and was almost hoping that I was mistaken and HE would actually be the love interest. But alas, no. All signs point to Commander Scythe, now revealed as Penn, as being who Rhea is destined for.

If you are hoping for spice, you’ll need to keep that hope alive for book two. This is not an especially sexy romance. Once Penn and Rhea arrive at their destination there is some relationship building, but mostly just misunderstandings and Penn treating Rhea like a child who needs to be protected for her own good. It was frustrating.

Will I read the next book in the series? Probably. The ending was left in such a way that I really need to find out what happens next and if the earth elemental will be found and how will they fit in with the three already revealed. I’m such a sucker for a cliffhanger.

I had the best time reading this book and couldn’t put it down. As a huge Fleetwood Mac fan I knew from the dedication that this was going to be a fun read. I gave this book 4.75 stars. I clearly enjoyed it but adding a bit more complexity would have made this even better for me. I’m looking forward to the next book! Thank you Net Galley ❤️

I left this off my review but I found one copy edit on page 274/424 it reads “he may across” it should be “he may come across”

My username for StoryGraph and Fable is neens_kozlowski

This was a true romantasy and I loved every second of it. This book was a true enemies to lovers with so much chemistry and tension between the MMC and FMC. I thought the magic system was so interesting and loved the elemental magic that was incorporated into the story. The story has even pacing and flowed very well. The character development that we see I. Rhya was just so beautiful. She comes such a long way in this story. I loved this so much! Beautifully written story. The cover is also very designed and looks gorgeous!

Overall I did really like this book. Loved the main characters. Super solid secondary characters. A much bigger world I'm excited to find out about. And there's a lot of story left to tell. But is this book a Romantasy? I suspect it WILL be in future books. But at times, this definitely felt like a YA book. I think the cover screams YA as well. Without getting into spoilers, I feel like I might know where this series is heading. And I'm excited if that is indeed where it goes. If it ends up not being what I suspect....then I'm not sure how I feel. At times the MMC was a bit too much of an asshole. There were definitely scenes where I wasn't rooting for him. He has a lot of growing up to do for sure. All in all, I'm super curious how this series will continue and I will definitely be reading book 2.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️

First half of the book - five stars. The two leads were on a journey and deliciously mean to each other, which was super fun to read.

Second half of the book - three stars. We jumped from enemies to pining so quickly with no real explanation. The pacing was weird and the tone didn't match the first half of the book at all.

Also, so much about this book reminded me of ACOTAR that I could not stop imagining the MMC as Tamlin even though he is supposed to look totally different. I'm not sure what that says about his future as a romantic lead?? 🤣

This book has so many of my favorite romantasy tropes: a girl finding out she has magic, a broody guy who saves her and takes her home with him, a prophecy, a found family, an evil king that might actually be nice, and a pinch of spice that I hope will be more in the next book bc they were so rudely interrupted!! I loved Rhya's personality, and how she stayed kind despite her circumstances. As for the men we meet, I might just have two additions to my book boyfriend list as well!

This was such a great start to the series, and I can't wait to see where it goes! Definitely recommend!

3.5 stars

I really appreciated the world this story is set in. Although it feels familiar and recognizable as a fantasy worldscape, it still managed to have certain distinguishing elements that I thoroughly enjoyed. In particular, I found the descriptions of the city of Caeldera to be breathtaking! I think Johnson truly can bring a picture to life with her words without making it feel like we're reading a tourist guide. The magic system is also intriguing and makes me wish we had learned more about how it works beyond our main characters because it feels like there is still plenty to uncover.

As for our main girl, Rhya, I will say I truly enjoyed her growth but from the get go, I did vibe with her. I feel like even though she was ignorant of what was going on and the secrets of her world, she still had a feisty personality that we see being torn apart as she grapples with self doubt and uncertainty regarding her powers. The ending was a wake up call for her in the sense that it proved that she should not be fighting against who she is but rather embrace it because she is worthy of her powers.

The side characters were also very entertaining and joyful, but I wish that Rhya had had more occasion to form female friendships too. Whilst I found our Guild members endlessly funny, I felt that a more profound and deeper connection was missing (even though we got Carys and her handmaidens). However, these characters sort of sing praises to a love interest, Scythe, who I don't believe deserves them.

The male love interest is the reason this book is not rated more highly in fact. Scythe is beyond controlling, manipulating and toxic. I don't think he is our main girl's endgame but seeing them interact felt triggering and all I wanted was for it to end. Whilst I understand his motivations, I think this man should seek therapy instead of continuing sheltering Rhya, who continually tells him she doesn't want to be sheltered. He doesn't teach her how to deal with her powers, let alone control them. He doesn't disclose essential information. He is basically a terrible love interest.

Thankfully, Soren exists too. Soren, like Rhya and Scythe, is a Remnant and one who has control over his powers, I might add. I like that the very brief interactions he had with Rhya, he conveyed more information than Scythe, and that he convinced her to embrace her true nature rather than contain it. I remain hopeful he is our endgame here, because he seems to be a much better (and not as toxic) match for Rhya, who needs someone who doesn't try to lock her away in his tower, but rather embraces her powers.

I will definitely be continuing with this series in the hopes that Soren and Rhya get together! And I highly recommend this book to fans of ACOTAR because it definitely reminded me a lot of that series as well.

This was such an interesting fantasy debut! There were so many fantasy elements in this that were all incorporated so well together, so many revelations that were revealed at just the right moment further deepening the lore of the world, action sequences that elevated tensions and kept me hooked, I absolutely loved the world and magic, the prophecy theme was incredibly captivating. I loved the dynamic that was unfolding at the beginning and the pacing was addicting. I will say the latter half of the book or so felt almost like a different book, the tone and momentum of the story shifted and it didn’t quite land for me. I also wasn’t entirely convinced of the romantic connection and development between the main characters although I am really intrigued to see it play out in the sequel, especially with the edition of other characters (and possibly another love interest perhaps 👀)

All in all, this was a solid story with so many great themes like hidden identities, ancient prophecy, magic, fae, halflings, court politics, elemental magic, a wholesome found family and so much more, if you’re a fan of fantasy romance, this is sure to hit every mark!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy!
Unfortunately, reading books is a hobby not a job for me, and they do ask for honest reviews so ... in fitting with that brief, I could not stand this. I really wanted to get through it just for a review's sake, and I couldn't do it. DNF-ed around the 35% mark, and for an almost 550 page book, I feel like that was more than enough- especially since like nothing happened? There just wasn't anything going on? The characters and world were not interesting or original, and the writing style was just not for me. There's a difference between 'descriptive' and 'long winded' and that's all I'll say on the subject.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to read this, and I'm sorry it was not for me :)

2.5⭐
Thank you so much to Ace Books, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I was really excited for this debut fantasy and while it had a lot of potential, it sadly missed the mark for me.

This follows the heroine, who is half fae, as she is captured/rescued from hanging. She travels across the northern lands with her brooding, mysterious rescuer and slowly learns about her past, abilities, and role in everything.

This had a lot going for it setup-wise. I loved the elemental magic, the history of the fae extinction, the prophecy, really everything about the world itself. While the world building was a little clunky and dumpy at times, I was fascinated by it enough to not really care.

Where this book fell flat was in its characters. Because every character was...well... flat. There was no depth to any of them. And for a book written from a single first person POV, it's almost impressive how undeveloped even the heroine is.

This is one of those books where every character has a single personality trait that's harped on over and over and over and... And they're all worn out, stereotypical characteristics - brooding, temperamental hero who uses his "evil" personal to secretly protect his hidden city (sound familiar?..). Heroine full of snark who isn't like the last woman with her power and uses a bow and arrow to fight (👀) Then a mysterious 3rd man who the hero keeps warning her off of (seriously did no one else see this?..)

The romance is underdeveloped, angsty without any reasoning, and completely surface level.

Despite this only being a duology, I have no desire to continue with the conclusion. As a character driven reader, I need to at least care a little about even one of the characters. And that's just not the case here.

However - if this sounds like something you'd be interested in, I highly recommend the audiobook. Not only was the narrator great, but the prophecy in here is told in song and the audiobook actually features it being sung which was really cool.

What an epic fantasy! I found myself fully immersed in this story, to the point where I neglected most other responsibilities, stayed up way too late and finished in just a little over 24 hours. I don't know how I'm going to wait for the next book in the series.

The world building here was perfect. It wasn't complicated and I never found myself confused about the places or the terms. (Though I did flip to the map quite a few times.) On the romance side, it was the definition of a slow burn. The tension and banter between Rhya and Penn was absolutely delicious, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to admit their feelings. The grumpy/Sunshine trope was on full display here, and Rhya's ability to trade verbal barbs with Penn made me smile.

One of the best parts of the book was the found family. The interactions and love that grew between Rhya and the men of the Ember Guild brought tears to my eyes. And one of my absolute favorite characters was King Soren. I have a feeling he will play a big role in the next book, although for now I am firmly Team Penn.