“It is not a monster to be shoved into a cage, nor a daemon to be subdued. There is no storm to tame. You are the storm, Rhya Fleetwood.”

First, thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A world ravaged by a blight and being torn apart by warring clans and kingdoms, our FMC, Rhya, immerses readers into a fantasy world filled with elemental magic, a prophecy needing fulfilled, and Fae as she travels to the sanctuary of the Northlands after being rescued from her execution by the enigmatic MMC, Commander Scythe. Filled with antagonist banter and heated interactions between the two on their travels, we learn Rhya is a fierce woman who quickly learns of her true, latent identity revolving around her elemental powers while facing dangers along the way that force her to reveal her talents in an awakening of her fears and the darkness within, all while denying the turmoil that threatens to overwhelm her.

Not much is learned about Scythe and why he is content to remain dark and brooding, yet a spark ignites between him and Rhya that leads to their misconceptions being dispelled and their attraction to grow as vulnerabilities are slowly revealed. I enjoyed the dynamic take of their relationship with one of them struggling for a need of control while the other resists it, creating tension and conflict between them while facing external pressures. Yet just when I thought they would both find common ground, I felt our MMC disappear from the story just when we thought we’d get a glimpse into his insecurities warring with his attraction towards Rhya, the plot becoming solely focused on her needing to face her inner darkness filled with her fears that prevent her from fully reaching her potential and embracing the storm within.

The story has a unique take on magic in a high-stakes world and I enjoyed the found-family take Rhya finds with other characters tied to the MMC’s inner circle, yet it was slow to get into and I wanted the world building to be expanded, including why the villain wants to attack the north and is chasing after Rhya so desperately. I think the story tried to focus more on the relationship between our two characters, pitting their fierce personalities against each other beautifully, but I didn’t see how they come to accept each other as they both have differences in handling their flaws and their control over their elemental powers that still puts them on uneven footing.

Overall, the author makes you feel so connected with most of the characters and described the epic-battle scenes in a way that makes you feel like your a part of the action, leaving us with an ending that has me anticipating the next story and applauding this debut novel. However I hope our love interests finally decide on what they want with each other and I am eager to read the next chapter of Rhya’s journey with her powers and self-acceptance. #TheWindWeaver #JulieJohnson #debutnovel #AdultFantasy #NetGalley

What a breath of fresh air! We're pulled into this world during the most brutal moment of Rhya's life, and I was instantly hooked! The world building was so good! No info dumping here! The characters are fascinating! Seriously though, the side characters were the best parts! Jac, Farley. And Carys were fantastic! The magic is so well fleshed out that it's easy to understand. Elemental magic in the simplest form, yet so intriguing. I have not one single iota of a complaint about this book. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book and hoping we'll see more of Soren 😏

Y’all, put this book on your 2025 romantasy TBR! When I tell you I did not want to put this book down, I’m not exaggerating and for a book that is over 500 pages, that’s not an easy feat.

This book had all of the great components of an amazing romantasy while still being super unique. It has the strong willed FMC, the brooding and mysterious male MMC and the amazing tension and chemistry between the two. It also does a great job of balancing the intense, hard moments with moments of levity and happiness.

Now what probably intrigued me the most about this book was the elemental aspects to it. As a huge fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it was so much fun reading another take on reincarnated elements especially with the added romance, it was everything I could’ve hoped for!

Thank you @netgalley and Julie Johnson for an advanced copy of this book - I’m excited to see what’s in store for the rest of the series!

Read if you like:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Secret identities
- Elemental Powers
- Found family
- Avatar: The Last Airbender

This book had me from the first sentence...

"The noose chafes, a necklace of death."

Rhya is a faerie halfing destined for death. He is a commander of the guard with no remorse, emotion, or feeling. Before she is to be hung and put to the pyre, he slaughters all of the guards and whisks her away on his horse to lands unknown.

Penn is crude, ruthless, and a villain. He is a monster who risks everything to save her and keep her safe.

The Wind Reaver has the vibes of:
The Road of Bones - an epic, fast-paced journey
ACOTAR - two men who are leaders of different realms at odds with each other
Avatar, the Last Airbender - elemental magic

It has everything I look for in a fantasy:
-Fast-paced action
-One horse
-Morally gray broody MMC
-Epic journey
-More fantasy, less romance (slow burn)

This book is action packed right from the beginning. The journey from where she is taken to the city of Caeldera is full of danger. Everyone wants to capture her. She has no idea what makes her so important until she learns she is the Remnant of Air, and she is one of four Remnants who can restore the balance.

Even when the action slows down a bit in the middle, it's important to understand Rhya's feelings as she goes from running for her life to being left alone in a palace with nothing to do. She needs to figure out a way to live a new life in a place that is unknown to her, and she doesn't know she's welcome.

This book may be one of my favorite reads of the year at the end of this year! I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, and cannot wait to read more from Julie Johnson.

"The Wind Weaver" has utterly bewitched me, breathing fresh life into the fantasy genre I've grown to love. Julie Johnson's masterful storytelling weaves a tapestry of elemental magic, fae intrigue, and prophetic whispers that has not only captivated but stirred my imagination.

At the heart of this mesmerizing narrative stands Rhya, our wind elemental protagonist. I've found myself completely enthralled by her journey of self-discovery, which unfolds like a tempest - each gust of growth and revelation more exhilarating than the last. As Rhya harnesses her elemental abilities, I've been inexorably drawn into her world, cheering her triumphs and aching for her struggles as if they were my own.

The chemistry between Rhya and Penn, our brooding Alpha male, crackles with such electric tension that I could almost feel the sparks flying off the page. I've watched, spellbound, as their relationship evolves from icy hostility to smoldering passion with the gradual intensity of a gathering storm. This slow-burn romance adds layers of complexity to the narrative, intertwining personal growth with heart-pounding attraction in a way that left me breathless.

Johnson's world-building, in my opinion, is nothing short of spectacular. I've lost myself in epic confrontations between warring kingdoms, felt the surge of elemental magic through every page, and found an emotional anchor in the bonds of found family and friendship amidst the chaos. These elements coalesce into such a rich, immersive experience that I find satisfying.

And then there's Soren, the enigmatic water remnant, whose presence ripples through the story with tantalizing mystery. His role in the grand tapestry of fate has left me yearning for future installments, my curiosity as insatiable as a parched desert awaiting rain.

Johnson's prose flows with such effortless grace that I've found myself lost in the pages. Her writing style is so engaging that I've often lost track of time.

As I reached the story's end, I was left in awe of Johnson's finesse as a master storyteller. The conclusion sets the stage for future adventures in a way that left me deeply satisfied, yet eagerly anticipating more. "The Wind Weaver" has truly swept me off my feet, and I find myself already impatient for the next gust of magic to carry me back into this extraordinary world.

Thank you, Ace and NetGalley, for my free book for review.

I really enjoyed this!! I found the world building to be very unique and I loved the magic system. Rhya's character was fun to read and Scythe was perfectly broody. Great romantic chemistry, but I hope to see more emotional connection in future books. I loved the little tease of a potential love triangle?!? Super excited for the rest of the series.

I had a great time reading this one, although I don't think it'll be a favorite I'm definitely curious about the sequels!

One thing I will say is that this isn't the kind of book if you hate modern lingo in your fantasy romance and if you love getting a lot of details and explanations for the magic and world. There were a lot of things with the magic system that I had questions about and it felt not fully fleshed out, same with the world.

Also I'm convinced that Penn and Rhya aren't endgame, he doesn't understand her at all and is absolutely pulling a Tamlin with the whole I-just-want-to-keep-you-safe act. I 1000% believe that it'll be Rhya and Soren just based on the way he's written!

The pacing was okay and I did feel invested in Rhya's story and the side characters, so I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

I was desperately looking for a book to fall effortlessly into and captivate my entire attention instantly, and immediately after the first page of The Wind Weaver, I FELL for this book, its characters, and its addictive story.

Growing up, Rhya’s life has always been in danger. As a halfling, she is wanted and killed almost instantly in her kingdom. But when an unexpected turn of events in the form of a mysterious stranger becomes her path to survival, she realizes the world she knew was bigger and more was out there for her than she ever thought was possible.

I absolutely adore this book! If you want a story that’s not only easy to read, in the sense of it capturing your attention in every single sentence in every chapter, but also lush and vibrant with magic, destiny, and adventure—then this new fantasy is the perfect next reading escape.

It wove in elements that held my attention and made me theorize about what’s to come. From enemies to lovers to forced proximity, hidden identities, elemental magic, and found family, this story was bursting with incredible tropes but didn’t feel super trope-heavy—they were all immersed well in the story.

I am giddy with excitement for the next book and can’t wait to see what will happen!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

this was a hard read. it was giving acotar fanfic and i was not connected to the writing or dialogue, which jarringly switched from old english to modern slang. as much as i wanted to support a debut, im dnf’ing at 40%.

This book delivered on all the romantasy goodness—grumpy, broody MMC? ✅ A heroine caught in a hero’s quest through a war-torn world? ✅ Fae, magic, high-stakes battles, and betrayals lurking in every shadow? ✅

The slow burn love story was painfully slow (like, I was practically begging them to just kiss already), but the tension? Immaculate. The world-building was rich, immersive, and full of layered politics, ancient magic, and secrets waiting to unravel.

And that ending? Let’s just say book two cannot get here fast enough.

If you love enemies to lovers with actual tension, morally gray characters making reckless choices, and a fantasy world that feels lived in, this one is for you.

This one started out so strong. I was so intrigued by the elemental magic, the mysterious prince and the politics at play but the execution just…tanked.

The romance felt insta lovey one second then ice cold the next and not in a purposeful way. There was too much time wasted with repetitive plot lines when we could have been building relationships among the characters.

Honestly one of my biggest issues was about the earth remanant—they made it seem like this unknown person was important to move forward with a prophecy but then stopped mentioning them by 50% all together? Maybe it’ll come up in later books but…idk. The bad guy story and reasons for being were also a bit confusing. Like I don’t really know why he did the things he did?

I’m bummed because the magic system is so coooooool. The found family was great and I adorreeddd king Soren but…that was it I guess.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy! It’s out 4/8!

The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson is a captivating fantasy with a lush, immersive world and a headstrong heroine at its core. The story weaves elemental magic, political intrigue, and slow-burning romance into an engaging plot that keeps the pages turning. While some pacing issues slowed the momentum at times, the compelling characters and rich descriptions made up for it. The cover is absolutely stunning—its vibrant design perfectly captures the ethereal, windswept magic of the book. A solid four-star read for fantasy lovers!

*Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for an ARC for an honest review*

Okay I honestly had to DNF this book at 42% (225 pages). Typically I’m a book-a-day(or two) girl. 225 pages in 5 days is abysmal for me. And I kinda feel like it was starting to show me an inkling of actual plot. Sooo I can’t keep going. I gave this a two star tho because I did enjoy parts of it, I could see myself trying this book again in audio (provided the narrators fit the dialectic vibes here).

SPOILERS ahead!!<spoilers>
This book’s wordage was hard for me to get into with the Scottish (kinda) old time English wordage. I felt very forced and just didn’t feel like it flowed well for me. But as for the plot: it’s just everyone is fighting. Everyone is at war. She has been hunted, captured, on the brink of death, freed and kidnapped, and just goes along with it. Girl has ZERO survival instincts. Other than she can shoot a bow. Like. Blaahhhh it shouldn’t take this long to introduce all the major players. They have “kept her in the dark” which means the read is in the dark and I’m just over it.

i really enjoyed this!! i love a good elemental magic system and how different they can be. this one was cool! i enjoyed all the characters and the story, and can’t wait to see where it goes from here. i wish we had more of the main character, rhya, really exploring and learning her powers, but i’m sure we’ll get that in the next book! def recommend checking this one out when it releases april 8th!

I was highly anticipating this book so receiving an arc was really exciting, that was until I started reading it. One thing I notices straight off the bat that not only was the initial world building really confusing, it was also alot of telling- not showing. The opening scene, the first chapter or two is just the female lead overhearing a conversation between two of her captors, the were discussing the lay of the land, their exact political circumstances, and what they planned on doing to her and to be totally honest it just didnt feel organic. Learning about the world through their dialogue, only to be backed up by the inner thoughts of the fmc, adding extra commentary and little bits of background information to explain it all to the reader. It didn't feel organic. Moving on to meeting Scythe and him now taking her captive , i did really enjoy their little banter, but again, so much telling. So much that felt like unnecessary details. Overall I was disappointed.
I think this book might have done better if it was marketed for a younger group, because this did not feel like an adult novel.

The Wind Weaver is an engaging and exciting new fantasy romance.

Rhya is fae, in a land stripped of magic where being fae means certain death if discovered by the mortals. She has spent weeks on the run after her village was ransacked, and captured by a group of mortals. When the Commander Scythe arrives to oversee the execution, she finds out that the strange birthmark she bears is actually a Remnant, a mark of elemental power. When Rhya learns of the Remnant prophecy, that when the four Remnants - Fire, Air, Water, and Earth - are reunited, magic will return to the land. Rhya must decide if she can trust the prickly and gruff Commander as he leads her through the wilderness, or if she should try to flee, and risk being captured again. Their desire heats up, and more secrets are revealed, leading Rhya to question her place in a larger story.

I really enjoyed this book! I read it over two evenings, and could not put it down. I was really intrigued by the elemental magic system, and the idea that the Remnants are reincarnated until all four are reunited. Rhya and Scythe also have a unique relationship, and I enjoyed seeing that evolve over the course of the book. I also enjoyed the found family elements. Rhya is alone at the beginning of the story, but eventually finds a place where she is accepted. I also enjoyed seeing her growth as a character - from discovering this power she never even realized she had, to embracing it. I am giving this a 4.5 stars, for small reasons. I wish there was a bit more on the relationship building between Rhya and Penn. They had a very tumultuous start, and while I enjoy the push/pull nature of their relationship, I would have liked a little more pull and a little less constantly pushing each other away. The reasoning for this is explained, though, and does fit with the story. I would also enjoy more depth in the world building - though I imagine more will come in the next book in the series. Overall, this was a fantastic and enjoyable fantasy read that kept me on my toes. I am looking forward to more in this series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Berkley Publishing Group - Ace for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own!

I loved the quick chapters and high stakes but I wasn’t invested. I wanted more emotional or plot development but at 52% not much was happening so I put it down. I found myself frustrated that our FMC was reliant on multiple other male characters to explain things to her and help her navigate the world. She's theoretically a very powerful person but in the story she has limited agency and that wasn't working for me. Others in the buddy read adored it though so I'm sure many will find a new favorite with this story.

The Wind Weaver is a captivating fantasy debut by Julie Johnson that introduces us to Rhya Fleetwood, a 20 year old halfling fae. The story begins with Rhya's capture and impending execution, only for her to be saved by a mysterious stranger, setting her on an unexpected journey filled with adventure, prophecy, and self-discovery. As Rhya learns more about her true nature and becomes entrenched in a mission to save her world, the reader is swept into an immersive and fantastical experience.

Julie Johnson’s writing in The Wind Weaver is so beautiful with prose that flows effortlessly, pulling you into a richly detailed world with lush descriptions and a sense of magic that feels alive.

While the book has a lot of potential, there were a few aspects that I found a bit lacking. The main issue for me was the male main character, Penn. While it seems like we’re meant to be drawn to his grumpy, broody, and violent nature, I personally didn’t like him at all. His possessiveness, overprotectiveness, secrecy, and overall treatment of Rhya was terrible. He continually kept important information from her, particularly regarding her own powers, which felt manipulative rather than protective. I’m not sure if the author made his character this way so we would root for a different romantic outcome for Rhya or if we really are supposed to like Penn.

The romance between Rhya and Penn just really didn’t feel authentic. There seemed to be a lack of genuine chemistry between them beyond their shared magical connection. Rhya is the typical romantasy lead. She comes from a small town and knows nothing about the powers she possesses, she’s snarky and can take care of herself. Something I really loved about her character was that she had such beautiful empathy and felt so deeply. I was really rooting for her and felt like she deserves so much better than Penn. I continually found myself hoping for the hinted-at love triangle to come into play. Im really excited to see where this possible love triangle takes us in the next books.

Lastly about of MMC Penn…his full name is Pendefyre! Why Pendefyre?!

For those hoping for a romance-heavy or spicy read, The Wind Weaver might not be the book for you. The romance is fairly light, with only one scene where things start to get physical but there is no follow through in the intimacy. This isn’t a book that leans into the spicy or steamy aspects of romance, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you may be disappointed.

Despite these critiques, I am looking forward to the next installment in this trilogy. This was extremely reminiscent to ACOTAR so I’m hoping as the story unfolds it becomes more original. It has the bones to be a great story and for a debut fantasy it was really immersive and well written. Julie Johnson has long been a favorite author of mine, and I’m thrilled to see her venturing into the fantasy genre. I’m excited to see where the story takes us next.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

4ish stars. Buckle up book tok, because The Wind Weaver is going to be huge. It has a lot of the components that will end up making this a seriously popular romantasy release: 1) the meet cute- the heroine is saved but also essentially kidnapped by the MMC and from the get go, 2) their tension is palpable. 3) The FMC has a one of a kind power that the entire world is searching for, and 4) the MMC is pretty morally gray when it comes down to protecting her. He will literally go full on scorched earth, and that's causing me some serious swoon. And I think all of these things combine to make The Wind Weaver a seriously popular romantasy release for 2025. Plus, look at that stunning cover.

The Wind Weaver features an elemental magic system, which is definitely a magic system that I've seen before, but is also a magic system that I always enjoy. The book is 500 pages, and towards the end, I did start feeling the length a bit. I do think it could've been shorter. There is, however, a TON of action. Why didn't I rate this higher? I felt like there kind of was no plot, and even though there was a lot of action, I honestly just kept waiting for some sort big reveal or twist or moment that never came. The author also did their share of telling rather than showing, which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. That said, I did find The Wind Weaver to be really entertaining. I can absolutely see myself reading book 2. And let it be known that I'm officially obsessed with Soren. I lived for all the Soren scenes and I'm hoping we get even more of him in the next book.

Thank you so much to Johnson, Berkley Romance/ Ace, and netgalley for a complimentary copy.

thank you to berkley publishing group and netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

3.75/5 stars rounded up

let me start off by saying the writing itself was beautiful, chalk full of poetic prose and world-building (though i did miss not having a map). it was easily digestible, giving me a clear vision of the scene i was reading into my head. and while all together i enjoyed my time reading this book, unfortunately many of the elements lacked originality and felt copy and paste for many books the fantasy romance genre already offers. i found the tropes and dialogue quite predictable, and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as fantasy romance is my favourite genre, it didn’t resonate with me the way i normally expect it to. i love elemental magic systems and especially the reincarnation aspect of the four remnant powers (very avatar: the last airbender esque, as has been mentioned in other reviews), but the history of how the remnants came to be was glazed over pretty quickly and i struggle to remember the importance of some key pieces to the plot which isn’t a good sign. they also mention how important it is for all of them to control their powers as the strongest living beings in the land, foremost for rhea considering she JUST learned she had this power, yet she goes through no level of training and instead is just able to harness her power without a problem when they need her most even though she had lost control every time she tried throughout the book. this is a huge plot hole for me.

the characters, while intriguing, lacked the dimension and depth i was hoping for. i was waiting for a little more oomph, a bit more of a opportunity to believe these characters had a reason to care about each other, but it kind of just felt insta-connecty. her “found family” in the princes inner circle accepted rhea right away with no background to their banter and relationship. same goes for the romance—while they continually referred to each other as enemies, you could feel the lust almost right away between the two of them to the point where it almost didn’t make sense. it was semi explained that all remnants feel a pull in their souls for each other, but that didn’t really appease me for an explanation. this was not to say there was not tension and yearning between the two as there definitely was (penn had me kicking my little feet and squealing a few times there) but it didn’t feel believable as an enemies to lovers romance. this story also could have drastically benefitted from a duel POV between the main characters—felt like a massive missed opportunity to fit in some backstory and buried underlying feelings.

this is not to say i didn’t have a good time with this one. i wholeheartedly did, and am super interested in finding out what happens next, especially since it’s probably going to focus a lot on soren (are we about to be tamlin’ed???). i’m hoping julie will really lock in on the next instalment and blow me away as we dive deeper into the premise.