Title: The Sea SpinnerAuthor: Julie Johnson
Series: Reign of Remnants #2
Pages: 544
Publication Date: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Ace
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
Blazing with reawakened magic, a young woman challenges the tides of fate in this highly anticipated installment of Julie Johnson’s romantasy series.
Everything changed for Rhya Fleetwood in the battle of Fyremas. Her grief is heavy, her rage volatile. Caeldera lies in ruins. Her friends are dead or wounded. And Pendefyre, their newly crowned king, is shutting her out. The Remnant of Fire needs all his focus for his kingdom, his people, and—perhaps more than anything—his insatiable need for revenge.
When a twist of fate leads Rhya to the last place she expected—the Water Court—the novice wind weaver is forced to confront the limitations of her untrained power as well as her increasingly complicated relationships. For enigmatic King Soren of Llŷr is as different from Penn as sparks are from the sea. The more insight he offers into the maegic that binds them together, the more confused Rhya feels—about her future as a Remnant, about her deepest desires, and about her role in the coming war.
Enemies circle close, ready to strike. And if Rhya isn’t careful, she’ll lose more than just her heart.
She’ll lose her life.
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I was so excited to read The Sea Spinner after reading and loving The Wind Weaver, the first book in the series. It was such a fantastic read, and so is this one. This book picks up right where the first left off, with Rhya dealing with everything that happened and trying to figure out her place in it all while things around her continue to escalate. I loved the characters, where the plot went, where it seems to be heading, the continued world-building, and, of course, the slow-building, swoon-worthy romance.
Rhya is such a compelling protagonist, and her growth really stood out to me in this one. She’s gone through so much, and it seems like she’s healing and becoming happier and more self-assured as her story continues, even though she’s still carrying a lot. I liked seeing her start to come into her own and gain more confidence in herself and her abilities. I also liked how her feelings and the weather were connected, like a physical manifestation of her inner self. It made her emotional journey feel even more powerful and added so much to the tone and vibes of the story.
The Water Court was such a great addition, and I enjoyed learning more about it and the people there. They added so much to the story and said a lot about the leadership and politics of the different kingdoms. I think Rhya quickly learned that things are not always as they seem, and her opinions on people and places change quite a bit as she gets to know the new city she’s in and the people who inhabit it. I’m a sucker for found family, and this one was fantastic. The dynamics were great, and I loved the banter and strong relationships. Of course, my favorite relationship was the romance between Rhya and a certain someone.
This has a love triangle that reminds me a bit of ACOTAR, and that’s great because it’s the only kind of triangle I enjoy. We have the Tamlin character, who initially seems good but slowly shows a ton of red flags. It’s a deceptive love based on his wants and needs, and he seems to want to control Rhya and squelch who she is. The Rhysand character (my fave) initially seems like a walking red flag, but he actually treats the Rhya like a partner and equal and gives her autonomy while helping her heal and embrace her power. It’s done well here, and I am wholly team Soren. I also really loved how the romance is more of a slow build and focuses on their emotional connection, not just their physical attraction to one another. The banter, yearning, and angst are fantastic, and the chemistry that builds between them is so swoon-worthy.
The plot kept me really engaged, with several unexpected twists and turns, and I loved getting to explore a new part of this world. It was vivid and immersive and atmospheric. The stakes feel higher and ever-increasing, and there’s a great balance of action and softer, character-driven moments that kept me invested. And the ending!! My word that wasn’t what I expected. I’m so curious to see where the story goes now because Johnson has a way of turning everything on its head and going in directions I would never expect.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- love triangle
- found family
- forced proximity
- slow burn romance
- elemental magic
JULIE JOHNSON is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wind Weaver. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found sitting on the beach near her home in her native Massachusetts, adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, and avoiding reality by disappearing between the pages of a book. She published her debut novel on a lark, just before her senior year of college, and she’s never looked back. Since, she has published twenty other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen different languages and appeared on bestseller lists all over the world.
You can connect with Julie on her Instagram (author_julie), in her natural habitat (the bookstore), or in her exclusive reader group (The Johnson Junkies).
