Book Review: The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the early copy!
Published: April 8, 2025
Series: Reign of Remnants #1
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️
Quick Thoughts: I enjoyed The Wind Weaver because of the magic system and the worldbuilding. I’m holding out hope that the romance develops a lot more as the series goes on. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the romance, I’ll still be coming back for the side characters and to see how they make progress on the prophecy.
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What is The Wind Weaverabout?
Rhya Fleetwood is a healer, an outcast, and like the realm itself—about to die. Or so she thought.
When the ruthless Commander Scythe plucks her from the vile clutches of her executioner there’s no time to feel relief. Her new captor wants Rhya for his own secret ends and they all lead back to the mysterious birthmark which brands her as a Remnant. One of four souls capable of calling forth inconceivable elemental power.
Rhya knows she must master the wind that whispers within her and make an escape. But as she is dragged across treacherous terrain with Scythe’s formidable band of soldiers, something keeps her at his side.
Inside her, a tempest roars—terror and desire. Soon, she knows she must choose.
Follow her magic, or her heart…
The Wind Weaver Review
I picked up The Wind Weaver because I love chosen-one/prophecy tropes and it's been too long since I've had a book with those on my TBR. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the magic system and am definitely going to continue the series.
Pacing & Worldbuilding
Most of this book focuses on getting to know the characters, the worldbuilding, and establishing relationships between them. If I had to categorize it, I’d say this is mostly a character-driven book, which I wasn't expecting. There isn’t a ton of plot and the action comes at the very end.
I was concerned the worldbuilding would be dry, dense, and not unique. I'm not typically drawn to elemental magic systems for that reason, but I loved how unique this magic system is, and I appreciated that the worldbuilding wasn't done through long blocks of explanation. It's spread across short conversations and a book Rhya reads bits of throughout.
Characters
There's a great cast of side characters who quickly become Rhya's found family, and I always love the character development that comes from people learning to have others care for them for the first time.
Romance
All that said, I was not a fan of the romance. Penn and Rhya went from open hostility toward one another to Penn being absent and not interacting with her, so when the love confession felt so out of left field. He was also possessive and jealous very early in the book, which made no sense. I know his behavior toward Rhya is rooted in trauma, but it was executed in a way that made him a very poor romantic lead. By the end, I was practically begging for Soren to swoop in and save the day, because I thought she deserved way more from a romantic partner and it seemed like he saw Rhya's potential. Fingers crossed the romance will improve in the rest of the series.
So, should you read The Wind Weaver?
I'll continue to the next book to see more of the side characters and how they work together to save the world.
Definitely recommend if you like elemental magic, prophecies, and are okay with a heavier focus on character development over plot.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
The Wind Weaver FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
Sexual assault
Graphic violence and death
Blood
Grief
Mentions of infertility
Torture (Rhya is captured and brutalized in the opening)
Attempted execution and on-page hangings
Persecution and genocide of halflings, who are killed on sight
Death of children and mothers (off page)
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Forced proximity
Only one bed
Captor and captive
Chosen one tied to an ancient prophecy
Hidden or dormant powers waiting to be unlocked
Morally grey, brooding warrior love interest
Fae and halflings in a world that fears magic
Elemental magic system (wind, fire, water, earth)
Found family
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Not really. There are a couple of steamy kisses plus one longer scene near the end that gets interrupted but no actual sex scenes.
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Book one does not have a love triangle. However, it also doesn’t close off the possibility of one forming in later books.
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Yes. It is book one of the Reign of Remnants series, published in 2025. Book two, The Sea Spinner, released April 28, 2026. The full series is a planned trilogy.
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There is, though it takes its time. The two leads start as genuine adversaries, and the commander gives Rhya very little reason to trust him for much of the book. By the end, the romance starts to take root but it’s definitely not solidified yet.