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.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙥 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙣-𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣.”

The Wind Weaver is a fantasy romance that will captivate lovers of Avatar the Last Airbender and Throne of Glass. With captor/captive, enemies to lovers tropes, only one bed, touch her and die, and banter that had me screeching at my kindle and kicking the air like I was doing karate, this book was everything I could’ve hoped for, and more.

Rhya Fleetwood, who is inspired by the song Rhiannon written by Stevie Nicks, is a halfling trying to survive in a world where her kind are executed on site. After being captured by a group of soldiers who plan to unalive her, the brutish commanding officer kidnaps her after learning of the birthmark she bears across her chest. Rhya’s faced with the knowledge that she is one of four Remnants, fae that each harness the power of one of the four elements. As she learns to control her power, she is overcome by the feelings she’s developed for the man who’s stolen her away. What’s a girl to do?

I absolutely loved Rhya’s character and her strength and bravery despite being constantly overlooked. I love a ‘yeah I just did that, and none of you believed I could’ moment, and she really blew me away (wind pun intended). The banter between her and Scythe is absolutely elite and I found myself smiling like a psychopath while they were arguing with one another. I just wanted to take my hands and push them together with a ‘now kiss’ after they just spent the past 3 pages yelling at one another. For a man who claims to hate her, the touch her and die vibes were absolutely immaculate! *chefs kiss😘*

This is book 1 in a trilogy and there is a bit of a cliffhanger, but I am so excited to continue the series and see where it takes us!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for sending me an eARC copy of The Wind Weaver. All of my thoughts are my own honest opinion of this book.

3.75 /5 I thought it was a good fantasy debut. The magic system was easy to understand, the world building was not too intense and was easy to follow along and the premise was solid. The author's way of writing was really beautiful and poetic and I liked how it flowed well. Now on the characters side, I really liked Rhya, she had good character growth as she discovered more and more about herself and got stronger and more confident as the story developed however I felt like the slow burn was missing a bit to be fully believable. We got to see more of Penn in the first 20-30% of the story and got to see him and Rhya interact then he just kind of vanished and barely had any interactions between them which makes it hard to have anything develop. I needed more about Penn to really grasp his character which was missing for me. As for side characters I loved the inner circle and thought they helped Rhya's character growth. The pace of the story is medium slow and there were a lot of superfluous conversations and details that could've been cut as they did not bring anything to the story. It did make the story drag and I found it hard to stay fully invested and concentrated. Overall I did like the book and will read book 2. I hope we will get to know Soren and Penn more in depth in the next book.

I devoured this book. Truly. The Wind Reaver swept me away with its richly imagined world, elemental magic, and a heroine who’s as fierce as the wind she commands. Julie Johnson has crafted an epic fantasy tale that’s both high-stakes and deeply personal—and I was hooked from page one.

Let’s start with the world-building, because wow. It’s immersive in that “forget-what-time-it-is” kind of way. The political tension, the layered history, the atmospheric settings—it all felt tangible and alive. And the magic system? So clever. I’m a sucker for elemental powers, and Johnson made them feel fresh and full of possibility.

Rhya is a fascinating protagonist—stubborn, brave, powerful, and deeply loyal. But if I had one quibble (and it’s a small one!), it’s that her emotional responses sometimes felt a little too… quick. There were moments of real trauma and upheaval, but a few pages later, she seemed surprisingly fine. I just wanted more time spent in her emotional processing to make those moments land even harder.

As for the romance—oh my. Things are not simple. There’s tension. There are possibilities. There are complications. Nothing is decided yet, and I’m honestly not sure which way it’ll go. I’m intrigued, invested, and fully ready to follow Rhya wherever her heart leads.

Bottom line? This book is bold, beautifully written, and buzzing with energy. The Wind Reaver is the start of something big, and I cannot wait to see where this storm is headed.

The Wind Weaver is the first book in the Reign of Remnants series by Julie Johnson. This is a slowww burn romantasy that completely captured my full attention right from the very start. This was such a welcome because lately I have been reading books where I have to push through the first 5-20% before the story picks up and starts to grab my attention. That is so not the case here. Right from the very first page I was completely pulled into the world of halfings, and humans and fae.

The fae have been eradicated from the world, and halflings are hunted and executed. Our main character, Rhya is an orphaned halfling that is on the run and gets captured. Right before her execution she gets rescued, only to find out her rescuer has so many secrets of his own, and she is now kidnapped and being transported to somewhere in the wild northlands. Her captor is Penn and he is grouchy and grumpy and I loved him from his very first scene.

Rhya finds out that she is being taken because of the strange mark on her chest, which she learns means she is one of the four sacred remnants- wielders of elemental magic who are part of a big prophecy.

The Wind Weaver completely swept me up in its' current and captivated me. I loved this book. The romance is great, but it is a very slow burn with an enemies to lovers vibe. I can't wait to see where it is going to go in the next book. The action really ramped up in the last part of the novel and I know the next installment will be even more action packed because of how we left things.

The Wind Weaver is a fantastic romantasy with epic fantasy vibes. Fans of elemental magic, fae, and enemies to lovers romance will love this book! It took me by surprise in the best way!

This book was soo good! Julie Johnson really knows how to write romantasy. The world building was addictive and thrilling. I cannot wait for everyone to read this!

I absolutely LOVED this romantasy. The world was so interesting and fleshed out, I loved the description of the elemental magic, and the enemies-to-lovers romance was fantastic.

It was everything I want from a romantasy read with great action and fight scenes, banter that led to a steamy romance, and a cool world to explore with beautiful descriptions.

I really need more and to know what happens next!

Thanks to the publisher for the early copy.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘈𝘤𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 | 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

I was absolutely in the mood for a bingeable Romantasy, and 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿 definitely delivered just that! It blended similar vibes to 𝗔𝗖𝗢𝗧𝗔𝗥 and 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘀, both of which I loved! The initial world building and character introductions felt well done and quickly brought on fast-paced action. The relationship between Rhya and Commander Scythe (aka Pendefyre) was a delicious slow burn filled with banter and angst, and I am so curious to see where the next book leads the two! I adored the found family elements in this one; after all the hardship Rhya has faced due to being a halfling on the run, she deserved some people in her corner. I purposely slowed down in the last 10 chapters, with the hope of making this book last longer, which says a lot considering the book is 544 pages— I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I can’t wait for the continuation of this series!

Thank you for this eARC!

I really liked the premise of this novel, however I had some larger issues. This at times felt like a chore to read, not necessarily bad, but just long winded.

I will say a pro was the explaining and world building was really well done and I didn't ever feel lost so that was a great situation.

My biggest and most glaring issue with this, was a lot of times, a scene or situation I was reading felt very heavily and I mean very heavily, inspired by other novels. There is nothing wrong with inspiration! I just felt like I was rereading another novel in particular with its scenes patchworked throughout this one. HOWEVER, I think it's also potentially because I was told prior to reading, that this gave (other book) vibes, and I think that did a disservice to me as a reader and the book as its own content. Hence, why I am not referencing other book in this review.

I think this deserves to have its own place, and should NOT be comped to others. Yes fans of those other books may be the right audience but when stated 'other book vibes!!!' you automatically equate them in your mind and this shouldn't of had that happen with it.

I am going to read the second book at least with an attempt to get over this comparison and give it its due.
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As for the story itself, I did not feel the connection between our FMC and MMC, and at times the FMC fell really flat for me, as did their connection. In fact it really frustrated me, I am hoping, with the tiny bit of foreshadowing within the pages, that I'm right to feel that way about their connection and what I'm THINKING will happen is the reason why. This is not a love triangle...yet, but I remain hopeful.

I also am really hopeful there's more / higher stakes in book 2.
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Lastly, please, in the future, put trigger warnings in fantasy novels, and please include triggers for animal death and violence.

Thank you!

A new romantasy, The Wind Weaver, has elements of fae, soulmates and court politics. The ending felt rushed after putting so much into story. It's definitely a slow-burn with its love story. Interested to see where this series goes in book #2.

For fans of the this genre:
Fae and Halfling Love Story.
Court Politics.
Magical elements.
Enemies to Lovers

NEW SERIES - Reign of Remnants!

The Wind Weaver is one of two romantasy books released this year (that I know of) with a bird on the cover, and in my opinion, it's the better of the two. Though I confess, I never bothered to finish the other one.

I cannot say this book is highly original. But I had a good time nevertheless.

The story is told in a single POV. Our female lead, Rhya, has been on the run ever since her home was destroyed and everyone she loved was killed by humans who hate the fae and fae sympathizers. She is on the verge of being hanged for the crime of existing when she comes face to face with our male lead. He is, as one might predict, broody and evasive.

Their journey together is perilous. But Rhya proves herself strong and resilient, making friends along the way. There is, of course, a prophecy to be fulfilled, and Rhya finds herself at the center of that.

Unfortunately for our main leads, they have about as many enemies as they do allies. The greatest one being a madman who uses dark magic to steal power from the fae to extend his own life and shore up his power reserves. And while they have long kept him at bay, it becomes clear he won't give up his efforts to steal the greatest powers that be.

That being said, there is still a lot we do not know about the prophecy itself and how it is meant to be fulfilled. The book ends in a way that makes it clear there is more story to tell. But it also isn't a die-hard cliffhanger. I enjoyed this installment, so I will more than likely be picking up the sequel.

For those curious about the spice scale, I'd say this leans toward slow burn because all we get this time around is a lot of heated makeout sessions and heavy petting. I say this so that those who are seeking a lot of spice know ahead of time that this isn't going to deliver what they want in that department.

I enjoyed Julie Johnson's The Wind Weaver and found it interesting. Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC of this.

In the war-torn realm of Anwyvn, where magic is feared and halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are executed, her fate takes a sharp turn when the mysterious Commander Scythe saves her, only to capture her himself. Taken to the desolate Northlands, Rhya fights for survival while realizing that her captor, the blight destroying her homeland, and her own nature are not what they appear to be.

The world-building and the initial character introductions definitely pulled me in. While I was absolutely hooked the first half of the story, I have to admit the pacing felt like it lagged a little for me in the middle sections, slowing things down more than I'd prefer. On the character front, they were certainly intriguing, at least to start. I personally wasn't a huge fan of Penn – I found myself firmly rooting for Soren (Team Soren all the way)!

I don’t know if this will be something I will go back to but book 2 will decide that for me. Right now this felt very ACOTAR ish - slow, some world building, Tamlin (oops I mean Penn), not the smartest FMC. The ending does pick back up and I am interested in what will happen next.

Troupes: political intrigue, unknown power, prophecies, possible love triangle, found family
Spice 1/5
Plot 4/5
Pace 3/5
Character Personality 3.5/5
Character Growth 4/5
Writing Style 4/5
World Building 4/5

This book swept me away from the first page and refused to let go.

Rhya’s journey is both epic and deeply personal. From a death sentence to discovering the ancient force inside her. The pacing is flawless with each reveal adding more layers to the world and the characters. I was completely invested in her growth, her power, and her fierce determination to survive.

And then there’s Commander Scythe. Dark, dangerous, and impossible to resist. The tension between him and Rhya pops off the page. Their connection feels forbidden and magnetic, and watching them circle each other made for a fun time. It’s the kind of slow burn romance that leaves you aching in all the best ways.

This is the kind of romantasy that makes you stay up way too late.