In The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson, Halfling Rhya Fleetwood had been on the run for what seemed like months before she made a lethal mistake and was 
captured by the same soldiers who burned down her home and village. She knows for a fae like her, being hung from a tree is grim but not as horrific as being tortured at the hands of the men who surround her. Then Rhya’s prayers are answered. Well, kind of. A gigantic man the soldiers call Commander Scythe frees her after seeing her birthmark. But instead of letting her run off on her own, he takes her with him on his way to the frozen Northlands, away from her beloved sea and forest. And Rhya isn’t sure if Scythe intends to harm her or help her find a new home.
“Every gust. Every gale,” he continues. “From a whisper to a scream, from the lightest puff to the wildest tempest… All that resides within you. All that and still more.”
Rhya ever so slowly learns more about Scythe bit by tantalizing bit. And it turns out that he is not at all who or what he seems. He knows exactly what her birthmark means–that she is a Remnant, a fae who has maegic abilities, in her case, as a wind weaver who uses Air to defend herself and those around her. As Rhya, Scythe, and his comrades near his home of Caeldera, things turn more heated between the pair. She’s not sure getting her heart tangled up with the Commander is a good idea. But neither of them can deny the depth of what’s between them as Scythe teaches Rhya about her Air powers–and about the land he calls home. Maybe after all the loss and devastation she’s overcome, she’s found a place to call her own. As well as a man who cares for her safety and that of their found family.
‘He is conquering me, bit by bit, but there is something beautiful about the surrender.’
An action-packed romantasy with epic battle scenes and an even more epic romance brewing, THE WIND WEAVER was full of heart-stopping moments that stole my attention from page one.
“There is no storm to tame. You are the storm, Rhya Fleetwood.”
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Julie Johnson’s first foray into full-on fantasy romance was a resounding success. THE WIND WEAVER was told from fae halfling Rhya Fleetwood’s POV (Johnson named her after Stevie Nicks’ song Rhiannon!!) and began just as she evaded being hung by a band of soldiers. Her savior was icy, broody Commander Scythe–and he wasn’t quite who he appeared to be. It was as they trekked across the continent toward Caeldera, his home in Dyved, that Rhya and Scythe went from enemies to acquaintances to eventually something even more–all while fighting for their lives against evil factions.
There’s nothing like a well-written romantasy to get lost in. And Rhya’s story had everything: detailed world building, an intricate storyline, complicated relationships and backstories. But it was her own character growth that I couldn’t get enough of. Rhya had grown up somewhat sheltered from the rest of the world, but she definitely knew that her kind, fae, were hunted nearly to extinction by mortals. Watching as she not only learned about her Air powers and the other Remnants (Earth, Fire, Water) but also to see Rhya allow herself to let Scythe’s people into her life was wonderful. She could be a bit headstrong at times. But her heart was always in the right place. And Scythe’s comrades and friends all saw her innate goodness and welcomed her.
Scythe…without giving too much away, I will say that he was nothing like I thought he would be. Rhya wasn’t sure at times if he was saving her so much as taking her captive himself once she got away from the soldiers that burned down her village. But Scythe had a plan. Even if he didn’t always relay those details to Rhya. He did prove himself to be an extremely capable, highly loyal friend, although look out if you crossed him or someone he loved. Talk about a formidable foe. But the romance that grew between Scythe and Rhya (I thought) brought out the best in them both. And I can’t wait to see where Johnson takes their relationship in book two.
QOTD: Have you read anything yet by Julie Johnson? Have a favorite to share, if so?
Book Info:
Publication: Published: April 8th, 2025 | Penguin | Reign of Remnants #1
An epic, gripping romantasy debut which will steal your heart and take your breath away . . .
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WHEN THE EMBERS OF AN ANCIENT PROPHECY ARE REIGNITED, IT UNLEASHES A STORM WHICH WILL SAVE THE REALM, OR DESTORY IT COMPLETELY.
In war-torn Anwyvn, fear of maegic plagues every corner of the kingdom and halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are hunted and killed.
When Rhya is sentenced to death, her execution is interrupted by an unexpected saviour, The mysterious Commander Scythe.
But he is far more terrifying than the hangman’s noose.
In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren Northlands. Yet the further they travel, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems.
For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant. One of four souls fated to restore the balance of maegic . . . or die trying.
But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning.
A forbidden desire for the Commander burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release.
And Rhya must smother the flames . . . or let them consume her.
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