4.5 stars
This is one of those books where the pages turn themselves even though it is long.
The pacing is steady and the world-building is incredible.
The characters have depth and it is rich with good characters.

Rhya lives in a quiet life in a quiet town in the territory of Anwyvn... where maegic is feared and aggressively pursued to extinguish. She is a halfling and eventually finds herself on the run and hiding until she is ultimately captured. She is rescued by a strange man that seems keen on keeping her in the dark about where he's taking her or why.

Things I LOVED
-Elemental magic that's ultimately supposed to form tetrad of bonding
-Reasonably broody, guarded, and fiercely protective Pendefyre, LOL... goes by Penn...
-Rhya is completely unaware of her powers, the source of her mysterious birthmark, or the history/prophesy she is potentially part of... she's capable, curious, sharp tongued, and a force to be reckoned with
-Potential second love interest?! *shrugs shoulders*
-STRONG found family vibes
-Piecing the story together with the Rhya

Things I didn't love so much
-The slowest of burns due to a TON of reluctance and avoidance
-Half told pieces of story everywhere (I am very sure they will all come together eventually, but that doesn't mean I don't hate it now)

I really enjoyed this book and I certainly recommend it to people that enjoy found family, forced proximity, prophecy, elemental magic, excruciatingly slow burn, and maybe potential hella complex love triangle.

Thank you NetGalley and Julie Johnson for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫 is book one in the Reign of Remnants series by @julie This is a spellbinding Adult Romantasy that takes place in a worn torn kingdom where magic is a death sentence.

🖤 One Horse
🖤 Kidnapping
🖤 Elemental Powers
🖤 Morally Grey Hero
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Worn Torn Kingdom
🖤 Slow Burn

Rhys has been kept in the dark her entire life about who she really is. Thinking the mark on her chest is just a simple birthmark. It's wasn't until a random encounter with Officer Scythe (aka Prince Penn) that she starts to learn about her true purpose and the prophecy.

So I am actually team Soren, even though we onlybsee tiny snippets of him. I just love his personality and humor. I also appreciate that he wants Rhys to know about her wind power and how to control it, where Penn kept discouraging her from using it and was keeping her in the dark.

Thank you acebook, berkely, and netgalley for the e-arc. My thoughts and review are my own.

I’m so glad I got a chance to read this book ahead of time as it was on my TBR list since last fall. This book was wonderful and an absolute heart wrencher but in the best possible way! I can’t wait to read the next in the series. This has everything a great fantasy romance should have…

❤️Cheesy, but tension filled romance
❤️Unique magic system
❤️Wonderful world building
❤️Epic Twists
❤️Single POV
❤️Slowburn

Thank you to NetGalley, Ace, and Ms. Johnson for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Overall I'd say this was a solid romantasy entry. I really liked the foundation of the magic and world building, and (once Rhya arrived in Caldaera) the cast of supporting characters was great. Rhya herself was a lot of fun, ignorant (understandably so) but not stupid. Penn (which I much prefer to "Pendefyre") on the other hand was infuriating. Constantly pushing her away than chastising her for being reluctant to pull back in, his emotional incontinence was giving me whiplash. He brought the book down a full star for me. IDK if this is set up as a triangle for real but I'm definitely team Soren all the way. For one thing, Soren actually tried to help her and teach her rather than just telling her to bottle things up.

Anyways, despite Penn being overall a grumpy, indecisive curmudgeon, I enjoyed the book a lot overall and would love to read the followup, especially to find out (A) who/where is the Earth remnant and (B) whether Rhya will come to her senses and go for Soren. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

The Wind Weaver opens with a bang as we find our MC Rhea in Mortal danger. At master until she is rescued by the man who she thought was going to kill her.
This jump starts an action-packed story full of magic and a slow burn romance. I had a great time while reading this. On the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next and you know when they were going to kiss aleady!! I loved the side characters and and the magic is super intriguing.
.
After the way this one ended, I'm extra excited to see where the next book is going to go!

I don't know what kind of fairy dust Julie Johnson has sprinkled into this novel but it has THE strongest grip on my every thought. I am in shambles because I know waiting for book 2 will be the struggle of a lifetime.

This book held me captive from the beginning as we dive into the world of Anwyvn head first. We start the story out with Rhya Fleetwood, our MFC, hanging by a noose, her life literally dangling in front her eyes. From there it is a whirling roller-coaster of twist and turns as we follow Rhya into the clutches of a menacing captor, or so we think, leading into a tension filled slow burn with a scorching hot MMC, Commander Scythe. We learn that Rhya has untapped power in the form of Air itself, making her one of the four Remnants fated to save Anwyvn from the blight that is plaguing the realm.

I was so intrigued by Rhya's character. Her ever growing deep emotions, her stubbornness but also her kindness. I am so excited to watch her grow into her power and become even more of an epic heroine. Scythe has some internal issues it seems he needs to work through and a hefty amount of therapy. His controlling nature is evident especially after we learn of his background story. He does have some redeeming qualities but I do not know if they outweigh his red flags. I feel in my bones there is a trope (that I have 50/50 feelings on) that is just waiting to happen in the coming books. It makes it even harder to wait for the next releases.

The amount of highlights I have in this book surpasses all of my highlights ever combined. (I can exaggerated but it is a lot) I was very impressed with the writing of this story, the language used and the plot points that kept my interest, steadily climbing, peeking, exploding, only to climb even higher. There was an inkling of a drop about 3/4 of the way into the book, but I feel like the author was giving us, and the characters a chance to catch our breaths after everything that had unfolded. My eyes could not read the words on the screen fast enough to keep up with my heartbeat in the most thrilling moments. I had drastic amounts of anxiety. The world building as well as the foreshadowing was well written and so were the side characters. I appreciate how no character was safe from a timely demise, there is a war going on afterall. Make sure to have a tissue box nearby. The ending was a combination of what the heck just happened and I cant believe its ending like this, I need more immediately. I highly recommend adding The Wind Weaver to your TBR.

Overall I give this story an excellent 4.5/5 and am super excited to continue this series!
*please check your triggers, some things mentioned were unexpected for me personally*

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble reviews submitted
Youtube review will be Friday Reads on 4/8
Blog post goes live April 9th per Blog Tour Date
Imgur link goes to Instagram post on April 9th per Blog Tour Date

**TL;DR**: A fun romantasy that fans of ACOTAR will enjoy
**Source**: NetGalley - Many thanks to the publisher!

**Plot**: A halfling girl is captured and on the brink of death is saved by the last person she expected.
**Characters**: I liked them! I don’t think they were anything wild and new, but I enjoyed them nevertheless.
**Setting:** A fantasy world where magic has been destroyed and surprise surprise the world is drying up and dying.
**Fantasy**: Fae Magic is our primary source of power with a few unique creatures tossed in for fun.

**Thoughts**:

In all honesty - the romantasy genre is drenched with books very similar to The Wind Weaver. A firey prince, a lost girl with no idea of her powers, a prophecy, etc. Thankfully The Wind Weaver can stand on it’s own in the crowd for me and I had a lot of fun with it. Rhya is a halfling in a world that hunts down and kills her kind. Rhya has been hunted and captured and waits with a noose on her neck when the Commander Scythe arrives to check her. And to her surprise he frees her.

Not only does he free her but they take off on the run to reach the snowy mountains of a neighboring kingdom. Along the way they fight off soldiers, giant centipedes, run from bandits, and avoid trolls. In that, I think is the strength of this book. The journey is filled with danger, the centipedes alone had me kicking my feet I was having so much fun, and I felt like the characters acted (for the most part) how I would expect.

Of course the journey ended and we reached our capital city, meeting the almost required ‘Soren’ of the story along the way. Here my enjoyment dropped off a bit. I wish we’d gotten a more unique story or a twist, but I had so much fun in the first 50/60% I didn’t mind. I’ll definitely be continuing, and if you enjoy this type of fantasy romance, this is a great of it’s kind. I’d recommend it for other fans in the genre!

Let's talk about The Wind Weaver...✨

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕎𝕀ℕ𝔻 𝕎𝔼𝔸𝕍𝔼ℝ 🌪️
Epic Romantasy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
🚩

Rhya Fleetwood is set to hang, just for being a fae halfling, but instead ends up "rescued" and slung over the horse of the mortal army's fiercest commander. To what end, she does not know, but her fate is somehow irrevocably entwined with his in ancient prophecy.

The Wind Weaver is one of those epic romantasy tales that you don't realize you're craving, but then spend 12 hours reading non-stop. Everything about it is designed to pull you in. The world-building is lush, the monstrous creatures make your heart pound, the slow-burn is YEARNING set to 11, the spitfire banter sets both your heart and mind on fire, and the mystery is constantly unraveling. I could not get enough.

It's definitely one that will have you taking notes and stringing up theories.

Additionally, the found family vibe is EPIC. Every interaction is completely entertaining and/or heart-warming, and Rhya is as sharp as they come; holding her own in the company of brutes with admirable umph.

For me, though, what I loved most, was the way elemental magic was explored as true force-of-nature magic. Dangerous. Not at all easy to control. Requiring years of mastery and experience. Also, I loved that this really wasn't a whimsical story. It has very dark moments, depth, and the love/trust is earned over time; this is not a love/lust at first sight romance.

I finished this book at 2:30am, absolutely reeling and wanting the next book.
Which is to say... run, don't walk! This one's a gem.

This reminded me in some ways of A Broken Blade, another classic romantasy involving a prophecy with a main character who discovers that they are a chosen one with powers necessary to save themselves and others. Or maybe it's just the use of the term halfling and the idea that their existence is forbidden! I would say this borders on YA/NA Romantasy rather than epic fantasy.

For fans of highly snarky FMCs and lots of found family/side characters. I found the magic system intriguing but not highly developed--which is okay for a book 1! The series may develop it further as it goes on. This was definitely a longer book, slower paced for a majority of the book with a lot of side plots and additional characters. Expect a winding read with a lot of back and forth in the main relationship, where every two steps forward comes with a step backward. Lots (LOTS) of angst in the main romance. I also really would have loved some female friendships/relationships with the FMC, or at least some female characters other than the FMC who weren't stereotypical in a negative way.

For 200 years, man has hunted down any who are Fae or have any Fae-like features indicating they are halflings, and remove them.

Rhya has only known war and trying to keep safe due to being a halfling. That all changes when she’s caught.

She’s about to be executed when the Commander Scythe arrives, sees the odd tattoo on her chest and takes her with him to none other than the notorious Northlands where she learns more about herself and what she is.

That is such a vague recounting of what this book is 😆 There’s a lot more that goes on, but it’s a slow build and so let’s say you don’t read the synopsis before reading this book, you have no idea what’s happening until later in the book. Sometimes, that would bother me, if not done well. This was done very well.

You’re thrown right into a devastating moment of Rhya’s life at the start of this book. Will she live or not? The way she survives is shocking and then we carry on our merry way to the Northlands. Along the way, Rhya helps us learn more about the world and the people in it.

I loved the narrative in this because I felt rather lost, but Rhya helped me enjoy the story while also slowly learn the world and about herself and her past. I wasn’t left in the dark up to the end of the book. It was an interesting way to learn about the world and to build it for me. Made it more intriguing when we learn it from Rhya’s perspective, but then when she experiences the other parts of the world she was told were evil, well, let’s just say, nothing is as it seems.

The romance is definitely a slow build. I won’t say much on it because there’s a lot of push and pull, and then, let’s just say, I don’t think the romance is going to go the way it is playing out to be, or making it seem like it will go. And I am rooting for a certain character.

There are moments that have ACOTAR and ACOMAF vibes. When that happens, I get worried it will remind me too much of that series, but it didn’t. It had similar vibes, but it’s definitely its own story and magic and world. If you do love ACOTAR, though, then you’ll love this series!

And Soren is my favorite by far. Oh do I love that male 😻

I love elemental magic, and this has four main ones. There’s also a prophecy because of course there is 😆 but I loved it. When I thought there couldn’t be more, there was more. Made for a wonderful world and story, and a great read. It was a great slow build for the series and makes me look forward to the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this was giving major ACOTAR vibes with elemental fae, soul bonds, and court politics.

rhya was a bit naive in the beginning for me, but her assertion and character development were so well done. the enemies to lovers burn was delicious and I’m enjoying the possible sprinkles of a love triangle developing!!

the ending was super fast paced and once I hit about 75% I couldn’t put it down.

thank you so much to Berkley romance and Ace publishing for the arc!

what to expect
⟢ fae and halflings
⟢ court politics
⟢ elemental magic
⟢ enemies to lovers

This was an interesting one. I do think it did not need to be so long, but it was a gripping read. Action packed and fast paced. The romance is slow-burn, but let's be real, we all secretly love the slowest of burns. The magic system was interesting. The character banter was entertaining. And the cover, extremely eye catching and beautiful. I am looking forward to the next one for sure :)

This was such a fun read! It did, admittedly, have a bit a slow period after initially kicking off with quite a wild start. Once it got moving again, though, it was fantastic. I will also note that the slow period was during a travel period for the characters and a lot of world-building was done during this time. Once this was complete the story really picked and never slowed down again. I read the remaining 70-75% in one sitting and could not put it down. The FMC and MMC had the best chemistry and their journey from enemies to not-quite-enemies to something more was the actual best. I cannot wait for the next book!

Julie Johnson's The Wind Weaver is the first installment in the author's Reign of Remnants series, blending epic fantasy with a slow-burn romance, elemental magic, and an intricate world-building. 200 years ago, there were four Fae kingdoms: Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire. They were ruled by those known as Remnants. Then, during the Cull, mortals like those called Reapers rose up and have been killing fae ever since. Set in the war-torn realm of Anwyvn, where fear of "magic" drives the persecution of halflings, the novel introduces readers to Rhya Fleetwood.

Rhya, a halfling marked by a mysterious birthmark, faces the noose in a society that despises her kind. Her execution is interrupted by Commander Scythe (Prince Penn), a mercenary figure whose motives are as shadowy as his demeanor is intimidating. Rather than salvation, this rescue thrusts Rhya into a perilous journey across the barren Northlands, where she must confront both external dangers and the untamed power within her.

As a Remnant—one of four souls destined to restore the balance of magic—Rhya’s path is fraught with high stakes, from mastering her wind-wielding abilities to navigating her growing attraction to the untrustworthy Scythe. The Northlands, with their harsh terrain and lurking dangers, serve as a fitting crucible for Rhya’s transformation, while glimpses of courtly drama hint at broader conflicts to come. The Wind Weaver explores power, identity, and the courage to embrace one’s true self.

Rhya’s struggle to control her magic mirrors her internal battle to define her place in a hostile world, making her journey a potent metaphor for self-acceptance. This story is classic romantasy. A young woman who has no idea who she is, the brooding anti-hero who takes her under his wings, a third dangerous man who pushes her buttons, and elemental magic, something that is the hallmark of those called Remnants.

It is a story of a found family of soldiers who end up protecting her, and a dressmaker who becomes her best friend. The romance between Rhya and Penn is a slow burn, heavy on tension and light on resolution, due to a war that has now descended upon this world. I may have mentioned Soren, and I am curious to know whether the author will make this a love triangle or not, especially given the events at the end of this book.

It was cute! I wound up reading it in a single day on my weekend. Light read and the protagonist is indeed the special one but she’s not an all powerful world saver at this point so she was interesting. If you’re looking for a fantasy romance this is a solid choice. I will absolutely read book two!

The Wind Weaver swept me away (pun intended) with its lush world-building, elemental magic, and slow-building enemies-to-lovers romance. From the first intense scene when Rhya, a halfling, is bound and awaiting execution simply for existing, the fear, tension, and unrest set the tone for the rest of the book. The hatred for halflings in this world is brutal, and Rhya’s capture by the king’s men makes it clear that survival is going to be a fight every step of the way. Saved by a shadowy figure whose motives are anything but clear, Rya quickly learns it's not a rescue out of kindness, but one that drags her deeper into danger. Rya also discovers that the unusual mark she was born with means she's a remnant, one of four born with elemental magic and an enormous amount of power.

Rhya is a fantastic protagonist, and her character development is one of my favorite parts of the book. She’s fierce and defiant, but there’s also a vulnerability to her that makes her easy to root for. She grows so much as she learns more about her power and works to harness her abilities, and I like that her physical journey parallels her emotional one.

The romance is a slow-building one with major enemies-to-lovers, touch her and die vibes. Rhya and Scythe definitely don’t start on good terms, and his treatment of her, even though he actually saved her from execution, is unkind and borders on cruel. I actually wondered a time or two if he was supposed to be her love interest. lol Scythe is gruff, morally gray, and he doesn't even explain why and where he's taking her. However, as they spend more time together, the walls between them start to fall. There's so much chemistry and sexual tension between them, and the angst is fantastic. There’s also a lot of pain in both of their pasts, which adds depth to their bond and the growing trust between them. And their banter is fabulous. The dialogue and banter with all of the characters, really, is a strength of the novel.

Rhya encounters many others throughout their journey, several of whom begin to form a makeshift family that’s equal parts messy and heartwarming. The found family aspect brings so much warmth and a bit of humor to a world that’s otherwise dark and full of mistrust. There’s also one particular character who stays pretty mysterious, and I’m so curious to learn more about them in the next book. I can already see the potential for a love triangle forming, and honestly, I’m not complaining!

The world-building is great, too - layered and immersive, with elemental magic that's powerful and dangerous. I loved learning more about the Remnants, their unique connection, and the prophecy that these four will save the world from the blight that threatens to take over, and I feel like we've only just begun to learn everything about this fascinating world and the magic. With political unrest, deadly prejudices, brewing war, and supernatural threats, the plot and world are as layered and compelling as the characters.

I thought this was a fabulous start to the Reign of Remnants series! It’s packed with action, suspense, and emotional stakes, and I'm eager to read the next book to find out what happens to my faves. I have a feeling I'll be in for a wild, unpredictable, and swoon-worthy ride.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ace for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

The human kingdoms of Anwyvn fear maegic, killing halflings on sight. Rhya Fleetwood's execution is interrupted by Commander Scythe, who brings her to the Northlands. Everything she thought she knew about this world is incomplete, and there's more to her than even she knew. Her ability to call the wind and the birthmark on her chest means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic…or die trying.

This is book one of the Reign of Remnants. Rhya is at death's door in the opening, blindfolded and with a noose around her neck from the people ready to kill her for being a half-elf when humans want nothing to do with even halflings. When Scythe arrives, he's surly, angry with the hunters and soldiers that had taken her prisoner. Though he makes short work of them, he doesn't provide any answers and makes for the North at a breakneck pace. We slowly learn about the different kingdoms, the superstitions, and the creatures in the world. Rhya has more skills than she is willing to reveal to strangers, but still has little understanding about the maegic she has.

It's not a spoiler to say that Scythe isn't who he appears to be when he first shows up in the story. Travel to the north is difficult, and even there it isn't entirely safe. There are various factions eager to kill the fae and one kingdom born of dark magic who would love to kill fae and absorb their magic. Being a Remnant means Rhya has more magic than most, even if she can't control it. When she uses the magic, it comes out as a storm and exhausts her. While the first half of the book involves getting Rhya to a place of safety and belonging, the second involves solidifying that place and finding a way to control her power. There are emotional pulls as well, so the romantic element ebbs and flows as both resist it at turns and grow closer.

While some questions are answered, others are still ones that remain. Death and destruction follow some of the battles, and there are interpersonal tensions that challenge Rhya. Life isn't easy for her as a Remnant, and she still has a long way to go before she will learn what that means. Four Remnants are part of the prophecy, and one has never been found yet. There is a natural pause at the end of this story that will feed into future novels of the series.

This is a fantastic romantasy! Perfect amount of world-building without being bogged down and an interesting magic system. I’m not much of a spicy reader, and this book did not focus on spice scenes, which was perfect for me. There were some parts that were a little slow and I feel it could be edited down from 500 pages to maybe around 400 instead. But, that still did not hurt my enjoyment of the book and I’m looking forward to more in this world!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and I’ll be spotlighting this book on pub day!

This book was freakin amazing!! It was jam packed with action. This is book 1 of the Reign of Remnants, and I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes. This one really planted visuals, the world building and cast of characters. I know who i'm rooting for!!

If you like:
✨Elemental Magic
✨Found Family
✨Fae / monsters
✨Slow burn
✨Forced Proximity

I will be thinking about this book for days! Weeks! Months!

This was such a fun romantasy, and an excellent start to the series! Rhya has been raised in the Midlands, a war-torn country that lacks maegic and hate faeries. As a hafling, she is hated and hunted, until she is rescued and taken against her will by Penn, a broody, grumpy stranger to the Northlands. It’s while she’s there that she learns of the history of Anwyvn, the prophecy of the fated tetrad, and the magical destiny awaiting her. It had me hooked from the first page, and I found myself completely invested in Rhya and Penn’s story. (And while I love Penn, I think I’m actually on Team Soren). You need to read this immediately if you love action packed romantasies filled with prophecy and magical destiny, morally complex characters, slow-burn forbidden love bursting with tension, and the most lovable side characters ever. I can’t wait for the next book!
🏹
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🏹
Read if you like:
▫️strong, stabby, sassy heroine
▫️broody, grumpy hero
▫️slow burn, angsty romance
▫️faeries and elemental maegic
▫️prophecies and destiny
▫️reluctant allies
▫️court politics
▫️found family
🏹
Thank you to Ace Books, Berkley Publishing, Julie Johnson, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.