I really enjoyed this one! I liked the use of elemental magic and political intrigue. The slow burn built up well, low spice, high tension. I think their might be a love triangle coming and we'll see if I love it or hate it, ha. Looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this advance reader's copy for an honest review.

4.5 stars - I loved this, a solid breath of fresh air in the romantasy genre even though the MMCs name (Pendefyre) was criminal.

*Updating with full thoughts as we are closer to release day now!*

As I said above, this book genuinely felt like a breath of fresh air. It starts exciting and the action feels non-stop, which is not to say there wasn't time for the characters to develop too. There absolutely was, and I felt like the balance of plot progression and meaningful character interactions was wonderful. It actually reminded me of The Road of Bones, in the best way! So if you enjoyed that one, you may like this too.

The story follows Rhya, a "halfling" on the run. A mysterious commander (Scythe...aka PENDEFYRE, still can't get over that name lol) saves her when she gets captured, and he seems way too hellbent on ensuring her wellbeing, and she can't quite figure out why. That doesn't stop him from being a complete grouch though, lol. As these things go, Rhya and Penn (gonna stick to calling him his nickname) begin to realize there's more than what meets the eye when it comes to the other.

Rhya has this mysterious birthmark also, and it turns out that means she's a super magical person aka a Remnant and Penn knows quite a few things about what that role of a Remnant entails. They're on quite the adventure, constantly being pursued by enemies. The action was really fun! The start of the book had essentially no other female characters (other than the FMC) which felt really odd, but eventually there are other women and I loved the found family/sisterly bond they had.

Another slight grievance is the dialogue was a bit jarring, at times it felt a bit "trying too hard to sound medieval" but then contrasted really abruptly with modern lingo.

All in all a very fun read - and I will add I haven't been this unsure about who the final love interest in a book will be a while!! So I need book 2 ASAP.

Thank you Berkley/Ace Books for the ARC!!

3.25 🌟

"He is burning for me, too.

A wildfire in his blood, in his body -- one I sparked. One I want, with sudden wild longing, to stroke until we are both utterly consumed by it. Until the past burns away, leaving space for something new to grow between us." (Ch 25)

Rhya was a hunted fae halfling. She thought herself a nobody, though she knew deep down that she was different. She had a mark on her chest, one that swirled and churned and had been there since birth. One that she was taught to cover and hide. But those that hated her kind caught her. Beaten and strung up, death was eminent. Then he showed up, more a curse than a blessing. Commander Scythe... deadly, menacing, unrepentantly brutal.

I came to hate Scythe so very much! Ugh, he pissed me off. He was an utter monster, treating Rhya so callously and brutishly. And then... he was a contradiction, but still very annoying.

As hard as I tried to keep my attention rooted to reading this book, it took me way longer than it should have to get through. The romance aspect was disconnected. Interactions between Rhya and "Scythe" were limited, but when there was, it was a whole lot of bickering, personality clashes, and belittling. Maybe she developed Stockholm syndrome? Toward the 2nd half of the book, he eased up a bit, was a little more likable, perhaps the helm he wore in the 1st half was pinching his brain *snicker*. Then he was over-protective like she was some special precious treasure, a caged bird, to protect, despite dragging her by the hair and throwing her around like a sack of potatoes in the beginning. But he had a past that made him wary.

She seemed to have an easy comraderie with his men, though. Easy onerous banter.

I would ship Rhya with the other guy instead of the MMC. I'm totally team other guy LOL.

Overall, this story fell and read a little flat and aimless for me, which was disappointing since I was so excited to read it and even more so when I got accepted to review it. The last 10% was the best of it.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and Julie Johnson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 2.5

What I loved:

- The first thing that caught my eye is this STUNNING cover. I am obsessed.
- I always love a fun adventure in a romantasy! The quests always make for a fast-paced read.

What I struggled with:

In all honesty, I considered DNFing this around 70%, but decided to push through. The marketed “slow burn” did not last for very long, and a lot of plot points seemed to be repeating throughout the book. I feel like this book could’ve been much shorter.

Read if you like:

Enemies to lovers
Found family
Elemental magic
(Potential) love triangles

Have you ever read a book and yet the more you think about it, the more you dislike it?

Rhya Fleetwood is a halfling (half fae/half human) in a world that wants anyone with a drop of magic eradicated. Rhya has no magic. Eli Fleetwood, her adopted human father, did his best to keep her hidden from the world at large. But when an army came to town and started burning their tiny seaside village, Eli told Rhya to run and not look back. Rhya fears she may never see her father again.

But even on the run, Rhya can’t hide her pointed ears forever and the army is closing in. She keeps ahead of them for days but she is ultimately trapped. Now she’ll hang and her body burned to ash–who really thinks dead fae can resurrect from a hanging? Standing with a noose around her neck, waiting for the arrival of one of the generals, she almost wants them to just get on with it already as the iron shackles are burning her wrists. Except when the general known as Scythe shows up, it isn’t Rhya who he kills. He turns on his own men, cuts Rhya down and throws her over the back of his horse. Barely hanging on to the back end of a horse is just slightly better than the hanging tree, especially when your rescuer doesn’t slow down or feel it necessary to explain himself. As far as Rhya knows, they are racing to turn her over to a different fae-hating kingdom for a worse fate than death.

Yet when they arrive in the Northern Kingdom, Rhya is surprised to find that her rescuer believes she is the prophesized wind weaver, who with the fire, water and earth weavers, will save the Kingdom from the coming destruction. Rhya doesn’t believe any of this, especially not for a no-magic halfling like herself, but if she confesses that, will he dump her body into the next ravine or leave her to the trailing enemy army?

THOUGHTS:
Let’s be fair. While reading this story, I was engrossed in the story as the whys and wherefores were unfolding. I wanted to know why Rhya was saved by Scythe and why he attacked his own men? Why was he treating her so badly while still having moments of kindness? Why Soren, the water wielder, had such a tension-filled adversity to the fire wielder? What Rhya’s wind weaver magic is and can she wield it? I was intrigued while reading the story. It was only when my brain went back over some of the scenes where things didn’t make sense. I am dropping most of my thoughts into a spoiler so as not to ruin things if you like to go into a story without being swayed by other opinions.

Let’s start with the fact that Penn (Scythe) has been undercover for years with the Southern kingdom to find the missing wind weaver. He finds Rhya and then instead of grabbing a horse for her from the army’s corral, he let’s them all go and then tosses Rhya on the back of his horse. Yes, his horse is awesome and fast but wouldn’t they go faster with Rhya on her own horse riding days at a time? And maybe sitting upright like a normal person. Can you even ride on a horse when you are thrown over the back end behind a saddle like a dead body? I want to find a stable and ask if I can try to flop over the back to see if it is even possible without falling off. This is the person he has been looking for, so why would he treat her so badly? Yes, she’s filthy as she has been crawling through bogs trying to outrun an army but his treatment was very dehumanizing. This is someone who is part of the big, important magical square and someone you need to be working with. So WTF? We do find out that both the fire weaver and the water weaver had a thing for the prior wind weaver who was killed. Even if he didn’t want to fall for the new wind weaver, you wouldn’t treat an animal so shoddy. It doesn’t make sense.

We also have the age gap in characters as only a Fantasy can provide. Penn and Soren are both over 100 years old and Rhya is 20. When she meets Soren, he is shocked Rhya knows nothing about her abilities at all and he is very derogatory to her that she hasn’t mastered wind weaving while he sits there doing party tricks with water. He has had 100 years more to practice and prepare, but he calls her pathetic because (remember-raised by humans) she doesn’t know how to wield properly.

We also have that moment when Rhya is on the run an Penn catches up with her, confesses his attraction and kisses her, convincing her to return with him. Then he spends the next few week avoiding her because suddenly he doesn’t want to get close and lose her like he lost the last wind weaver. Dude, you won’t cry less if she dies you will just cry harder that you missed the opportunity to be with her. I hate when we have that romantic moment of connection, and suddenly in the next scene, we jump back to the hated or enemy level. Once you confess that you no longer hate your enemy, unless they actually stab you in the back, move forward.

One final complaint, Soren indicates his ex-brother-in-law is King of the Southlands and very jealous of those who wield magic and is now performing black magic, stealing that magic from others in sacrifices. Soooo, why were halflings being rounded up, hung and bodies burned rather than rounded up and brought to the king for sacrificing? Seems quite the waste of battery power for his black magic.

Some of these are the usual Fantasy tropes of the young heroine doesn’t know of her abilities/raised ignorant of them. In this case, everyone in the North knows about the prophecy but no one in the South seems to know.

Soren (water weaver) also tells Rhya that they haven’t seen an earth wielder in generations but no one seems to notice that there are increasing earthquakes which are moving closer to them. They think it is an indication that the world failing. I am guessing that is the earth wielder who is floundering with her own emerging/increasing powers. Yes, her as there are currently two boys and one girl. What’s a romantacy without more couples. There is also discussion that fire and wind are more drawn to each other, where fire and water, aren’t buddies. This would leave earth and water to be our next romantic couple. Probably.

This is noted as Book #1 but no indication if it will be a dualogy or a trilogy. Am I going to grab the next book? Yes, I am. Even with the flaws in this story, I want to see where it goes and if it improves.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Okay Wind Weaver, I see you.

This book came in swinging with elemental magic, forbidden romance, and enough angst to feed my fantasy-loving soul for days. From the jump, I was hooked—Rhya is a halfling on the run, one heartbeat away from execution, and then boom: she’s snatched up by the cold, mysterious, probably-going-to-break-my-heart Commander Scythe (ugh, why are the broody dangerous ones always my favorite?).

Let’s talk vibe check:
✨ Found family? Check.
✨ Dangerous quests through cursed lands? Yup.
✨ A girl discovering her power (and battling her feelings)? Triple yes.
✨ A slow burn romance so tense I wanted to yeet them into a kiss? You know it.

The magic system was super intriguing—Rhya’s powers were such a cool twist, and I loved how her connection to the world and the other Remnants unfolded slowly but purposefully. The stakes were high, the world was gritty and immersive, and that tension between her and Scythe? Chef’s kiss.

Now, was it perfect? Not quite. There were a few slower moments, especially when we dipped into inner monologue land a bit too much, and I wanted just a smidge more info on other pieces of the story.

If you’re into elemental romantasy, deadly slow burns, and heroines figuring out they might be the literal storm, The Wind Weaver needs to be on your radar. Just go in knowing you’ll probably fall for the guy you definitely shouldn’t trust.

I ended up dnfing this one. I really liked the cover and the title. It sounded intriguing from the blurb as well! I was enjoying where the story started as the reader is thrown into an ongoing war towards the faes and half fae alike. It was pretty brutal already from the beginning! I think my disconnect was from the writing itself and no matter how hard I tried I just didn't like the characters and for that reason I decided to put it down.

First, a big thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of Julie Johnson’s novel “The Wind Weaver" – “Magic and adventure swirl through this spellbinding romantasy where a young woman reignites the embers of an ancient prophecy, unleashing a storm that could save her realm or doom them all.”

Overall this story was action packed straight out of the gate. It does slow down here and there but this leaves room for world building. Rhya is a strong willed, hot tempered half fae with a witty sarcastic disposition. The chemistry between the two main characters is intense.

There was a great balance of plot progression and meaningful character interactions which is not something we see very often. The story follows Rhya, a "halfling" on the run. A mysterious commander saves her when she gets captured, and he seems way too hellbent on ensuring her wellbeing, and she can't quite figure out why. That doesn't stop him from being a complete grouch though, lol. As these things progress, Rhya and Penn begin to realize there's more than what meets the eye when it comes to the other.

Rhya has this mysterious birthmark also, and it turns out that means she's a super magical person aka a Remnant. They're on quite the adventure, constantly being pursued by enemies. The dialogue was a bit jarring, at times it felt a bit "trying too hard to sound medieval" but then contrasted really abruptly with modern lingo. And this is something that I notice a lot in this genre. And it gets me every time.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for a copy of the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

What an amazing book!! Highly addictive! I spend through this so fast, sadly I lost my log in for netgalley or I would have posted the review sooner because this book was perfect in every ways!

Thank you to Ace & PRH Audio for the review copy!

DNF

I’m really excited that traditional publishing is so invested in the romantasy genre, I want to give every single one a try. Unfortunately, The Wind Weaver was a miss for me. I am not often a fan of amnesia type books, so if you are, you might really like this one! I found the pacing to be pretty slow, which can be normal for the beginning of a book - we need to learn the world, and that can take some time. What really began to bother me was that the FMC’s captor (and eventual love interest, I assume) knew more about her than she did. It bothered me that not only did she not have agency in the situation, being bound and captured, but she didn’t even have agency over her own self-identity. I think if the book had chosen to just explore one of those elements - Rhya learning who she is from her love interest OR being his captive - I could have enjoyed this. Based on the blurb, I think she’ll gain a lot more agency as she comes into her powers, so many readers may enjoy this one.

This wasn’t bad, but it seems like a mashup of all the Romantasy that came before it. Even some of the names or places seem a little too close to other books. If this is your first jump into the genre, I’d imagine you’d love it. A young girl who doesn’t know her power, stumbles into grumpy royalty. A kingdom on the brink of war. You know the drill. Overall not bad, but not all the unique either.

THE WIND WEAVER by Julie Johnson

Thank you @berkleypub & @acebookspub for my gifted copy. 💖 #berkleypartner #berkleyig
#penguinrandomhousepartner

✨ The Wind Weaver is the first book in the Reign of Remnants trilogy.

📖 In The Wind Weaver, magic and destiny collide in a war-torn realm where maegic is feared, and halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are hunted. Saved from execution by the ruthless Commander Scythe, Rhya is thrust into a perilous journey through the Northlands. As her powers awaken, she discovers she's a Remnant—one of four elemental beings destined to restore balance to their dying world. But harnessing her magic isn’t her only challenge—desire and danger blur as her connection to Scythe deepens. Rhya must decide whether to fight her fate… or embrace the storm within.

💭 This debut novel was a step outside my comfort zone, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. With lush, lyrical prose, Julie Johnson masterfully blends romance, fantasy, and adventure, crafting a fast-paced, high-stakes story that never drags. At nearly 550 pages, it’s longer than my usual reads, but I was fully hooked and completely invested in Rhya’s journey from start to finish.

If you're a romantasy fan who craves epic world-building, elemental magic, and sizzling tension between a fierce heroine and a morally gray love interest, The Wind Weaver absolutely belongs on your TBR. 🌬️

📌 Available now!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
4.5/5 Stars

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🌪️ Chosen One
☁️ Slow Burn
🌪️ Found Family
☁️ Enemies To Lovers

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

ˋ°•*⁀➷” Fear only means you have something left to lose”

ˋ°•*⁀➷”’I thought you did not care what I thought,’ I whisper-voice stark, eyes fixed on his, heart thundering at twice its normal speed. …
‘I would give anything not to care.’”

ˋ°•*⁀➷”’Rhya,’ Penn whispers, his voice cracking. ‘Don’t you understand? You . . . You have undone me completely. I look at you, I touch you, I sense you near me, and I . . .’ His voice pitches lower, barely audible. ‘I pride myself on staying in control of all things. I am a master at it. But these days, I hardly recognize myself. I am a raw nerve, run ragged from trying to keep myself in check each time I’m near you.’”

ˋ°•*⁀➷” Wanting you is all I do, Rhya. Waking or dreaming, avoiding you completely or seeking out your presence. I want and I want and I want . . . And . . . It. F*cking. Terrifies, Me.”

💭 Thoughts-
I absolutely loved this book I thought it was so great and that the characters were all so great and each had their own emotions and stories which sometimes is definitely not the case, so I always appreciate when an author is able to do that and not just have the charters be cardboard cutouts of each other. I loved the plot and the whole story and idea of the book, I do only wish it had just more world building and plot because sometimes I felt that it just could have dived more deeply into different aspects of the pot and world building that was going on well I was reading it. All in all though, an amazing book that I would totally recommend!

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(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

I loved this one!.

I immediately fell into this world, the authors writing is captivating and filled with vivid imagery. I was hungrily moving through the pages wanting to know more, more about the world, about the main characters, about their secrets, and about their pasts. A tantalizing slow burn heavier in the fantasy elements of high was right up my alley.

I also loved the elemental magic and witty banter through out.

I actually loved this one so much that when I wasn’t able to finish by pub day I went back and got the audiobook which I thoroughly enjoyed and felt the narrator did an impecable job of.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book and love the elemental magic. I love the tension. I love the world. I loved the magical creatures/ monsters. I am very interested in where this story will go.
Now, it says adult enemies to lovers. I will say that the main characters acted more like teenagers in their will-they-won’t-they romance. And it was more reluctant allies to lovers than enemies. And I wanted a bit more world building.
But overall I think this is a promising story and I will definitely be on the lookout for book 2!

I loved this book so much! I could not stop reading it, except for sleep and I am in need of book 2. The magic, the world, the characters, all of them were so well done and kept me immersed.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Am I a slow burn girlie now?

Why yes I am!

I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. This is my first time reading a book by this author, so I'm new to her writing. I love reading fantasy and the theme of this book stood out to me with the four elements, which is not something I read about very often. I'm used to vampires, and werewolves, witches, ghosts, etc. This story did have the same magical feel that many of the books I read and enjoy in the fantasy genre. At the beginning of the story I had a hard time becoming completely engaged. I became interested in the main male character, Penn, but there were moments when it felt like the story was dragging and I wanted it to speed up a little. The romance between the main characters Penn and Rhya was definitely a slow burn, but I would have liked more tension between the two before the build up. The way Penn treated Rhya at the beginning and then became to have feelings for her made it feel like I missed something I would have liked to see some of the small ways that made him want her. Overall, this was a decent read. I know there is more to come. I am curious about the fourth element and where they are. I have a feeling Soren will have a bigger role tied in with the fourth element in the next book/books to come.

This unfortunately wasn't a hit for me, and no one is more upset than I am. The premise sounded so intriguing to me and the magic system itself is awesome. I'm always a sucker for elemental magic. However, it was difficult for me to connect with the main character, and after the way the MMC treated her, it was almost impossible for me to be able to see him as any sort of romantic love interest. The only other female character was horrendous to the FMC which was disappointing as I think female friendships and connections are important in fantasy books like these.

Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

“You are the sentinel at the threshold of chaos. You will not yield. You will not fall.”

Unique magic systems, love triangles, he falls first, fae lore - what more could you want?! Windweaver was phenomenal with excellent prose and extensive world building. The only reason it wasn’t a 5 star for me is because I felt like there wasn’t a ton of things that actually happened in the plot per se, it was mostly world building which is great for a first book to turn into a series. The start was just a bit slow! Overall though this is a solid fantasy read and about to be a new booktok hit.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.