Somebody call Netflix because this needs to be adapted into a series ASAP!

This was an amazing work of storytelling. It took me a minute to really get into the story - the world-building was very descriptive (and lends itself to being perfect for an adaptation!) - but once the action truly began I was hooked. I was intrigued by the premise from the get-go and wanted to tease out Audra's story faster than the author was giving it to me, but like all great stories, there are twists and turns and mysteries that readers can't be privy to until the story allows it. I loved Audra and Jaik, their adventures, the creatures and villains and troubles they come across on their trek, the underlying thread of dealing with your past and mistakes...I had some favorite scenes and moments for sure, but once I took a step back I could really see and appreciate the journey this story took me on. Overall, an amazing story and I hope others find this indie author so they can experience this work of art!

For anyone looking to read a clean SJM-esque story, fans of the Grishaverse, adventure reminiscent of LOTR, or someone just looking for an epic story that tugs at your heartstrings in the best ways - check this one out!

Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this fantastical story. I loved every second of it and will 100% be buying a physical.
A Story Spun in Scarlet follows the tale of a young story crafter who is just trying to make her way into the world, until she meets someone who she cannot deny a connection to. This story will be close to my own heart as I am a writer and I struggle with a lot of what Audra struggles with as writers block plagues the minds of writers.
The story between Jaik and Audra is one that is filled with hope of a better world around them. The world building is immaculate and feels like you're within the world or at least wanting to jump through the pages to explore along side them.

When I picked up A Story Spun in Scarlet on Netgalley, I had no way of knowing this book would have such an emotional pull on me. Initially, I was lured in by the promise of a book about the core of storytelling, something that is close to me as a writer. But throughout the pages, it turned into something so much more than that. It turned into the story of two people who love each other so deeply that they will move Heaven and Earth to be with each other.

In Mithra-Sha, stories hold power, bringing the lands great prosperity. Until not a single Storycrafter can finish their tales any longer. Audra is a Storycrafter disowned by her family on a journey across the country to find the solution, unable to complete the stories brimming in her mind. Until she meets Jaik - a witty farmhand, the only known human amplifier. Together, they set off on a mission across Mithra-sha to restore Storycrafting or die trying.

But an unnervingly obsessed soldier named Galan is after them, hounding them every step of the way, making their journey that much harder. And their memories aren't what they seem - Jaik and Audra are familiar to each other, and they both have skills they don't know where they got them from. What happened to Storycraft, but also, what happened to them?

One of my favourite parts of the book was the realistic portrayal of mental illness and trauma. Although we didn't get to meet many of the characters, the ones that we did (Audra, Jaik, Naomi, and Galan) were done well, especially Audra. Dugan knows what trauma and abandonment do to a person and either has personal experience or did a lot of research. Galan's obsessive behaviour, while clearly disturbed, was quite realistic. When Audra spiralled, lashing out in ugly and manipulative ways, I could see what she was doing -- and knew I'd done the exact same thing in the past under similar circumstances. Her nightmares and the feelings afterwards are quite familiar as well. The characters are unhealthy and imperfect, but incredibly human.

I think I would have enjoyed more depth to the characters, though. Jaik was always the good guy (who was strangely unbothered to leave his pet behind), Galan was always obsessed and vengeful, and Naomi was always kind and caring. The characters introduced at the palace near the end of the book were difficult to be memorable because there were suddenly quite a lot. The ship crew wasn't given much to go off of either. Stronger characterisation and more aspects to every character could've elevated this book further.

Another thing I enjoyed while I read was the imagery Dugan used to describe Storycrafting. The prose was beautiful, the way the physical effects of the storytelling were described. The stories themselves were simple but effective, akin to fairytales - able to progress the story so much in so few sentences. It was inspiring. And then the effects that Storycrafting has; creating a gilded road from north to south, affecting weather patterns and climate, summoning airships, making fields of crops grow into bountiful harvests, creating giant golems of stone and wood. The possibilities are endless, limited only by the imagination.

But in that, I also had my frustrations, especially when they knew they were heading to particularly dangerous locations and had time to prepare but didn't. If you had weeks and such powerful magic at your disposal, and you had previously created a weapon capable of destroying monsters upon touch, why wouldn't you recreate a more stable one? Why wouldn't you craft protection, a better vehicle, magical tools? Why would the only thing you use your skills for be summoning thousands of apples as a joke? This lack of foresight was frustrating, considering they had the power at their fingertips and no reasonable explanation not to use it, and it later cost them dearly to be so underprepared.

One thing is that the book is quite long. Not just physically - the Kindle edition comes up at 665 pages - but some parts of the story can drag. This is mostly the travelling sequences, which could go on for quite a few chapters without something story-relevant happening. I found my attention slipping during the prolonged travel, while it'd been captured quite well at the beginning and at Erasure. The pacing at the end is a bit slow too, with the month-long loitering at the palace. This makes sense for Audra, but perhaps there's a way to shorten it writing-wise.

For the majority of the book, the tone is consistent - fantasy adventure, grand quest to save the world, slowly budding romance, always on the run because soldiers are after them. However, two-thirds of the way in, the tone suddenly shifts into full-on horror, including a whole abandoned fairground, monstrous versions of soulless infants and children, and a whole lot more violence, torture, and executions. After that, the tone suddenly shifts again to almost palace intrigue - the grand quest has stopped, as has the running. These tone inconsistencies were quite jarring, and it felt like I'd started reading different books.

Other minor things that didn't match the tone of the book to me included the names. Many of them were normal English names but slightly misspelt. For example, Jake becomes Jaik, Zeke becomes Ziek, and so on. And in that one scene with the snow, where the music quite literally stops when Audra gets hit, everyone holds their breath for a moment, and then the whole square erupts into a joyous snowball fight - a moment that feels quite fabricated. The recurring grounding method that Jaik uses (5-4-3-2-1) feels out of place in the medieval fantasy setting as well, since many of the grounding techniques used today were developed in the late 70's.

All in all, A Story Spun in Scarlet will transport you to another world for a good many hours with its beautiful prose, taking you along the journey with Audra and Jaik as they fall into a sweet and all-encompassing love while saving the world. I'd highly recommend this book if you want an escape from our own world and a reminder of why we love storytelling. However, don't expect a spicy romance or a quick-paced novel.

-=-=-=-=-

Content warnings
Torture, death, and gore
Multiple characters are killed on-screen, some after being tortured. There are also quite a lot of gory injuries and injuries described in detail (many from first-person POV), such as gunshot wounds, a dislocated jaw, torn ligaments/muscles, and monster bites.

Terminal illness of a child
Chapters 50 and 51 are dedicated to a young child with an incurable disease given his final wish. They can safely be skipped without missing important narrative beats.

Amnesia and loss of identity
Throughout the story, amnesia is a recurring factor, and both Audra and Jaik have forgotten who they are and lost their identity. Struggles with memory and identity and fractures of memories resurfacing through dreams are regularly shown in the novel.

Miscarriage, child death, and child monsters
There are mentions of miscarriages and children's deaths to explain the existence of horror child monsters (Misspoken Ones), from babies to young children. They are used in chapters 63 through 65.

Brownie points
Indie author
R. Dugan is a self-published author, which is an automatic brownie point in my book.

Four and a half
I found this enchanting and eagerly turned the pages to find out what exactly had caused the huge upheaval that affected stories and those with the ability to previously bring them magically to life. Imagine a world that originally came to be because He made it and then certain mortals were given that same wondrous ability. It's a magic I haven't encountered in other books so clearly had me very intrigued.
Audra is a storyteller who like her brethren cannot end stories anymore but a chance encounter with Jaik finds her not only finally able to complete a tale but realising that Jaik amplifies her ability which puts them both in serious danger. So what does cautious, sensible Audra do ? Why knock him out and kidnap him of course ! Yep from the start this story is anything but predictable and that's what kept me gripped until the poignant end although I have to state that it's also quite possibly a fabulous beginning as much as its an end.
Yes I've a couple of niggles and it's not all perfect particularly when it comes to those who are villains but I can easily overlook that because this book was so very different and I very much look forward to reading more by this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I wanted to like this book but I just can't get through it, I've tried twice and both times I've hit a wall. Maybe its the fact I don't care for the first person but I've DNF'd this book at 15%.

DNF

I could not get into this book, the prose was too much and everything was kind of dramatic, even when nothing was happening. Maybe if it had been edited down more and extraneous descriptions were cut out, I would've liked it better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wonderful story with an immersive world, no spice, and interesting characters. With the way the book ended I am definitely excited to see what happens next in the series.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC copy of R. Dugan's A STORY SPUN IN SCARLET!

First and foremost, I really loved the cover of this book. It's very pretty and not the typical YA fantasy book cover that has taken over the shelves, though to each their own regarding design.

Next, wow, this was, a whopper of a book. Notably, this book is marketed as a "New Adult/Adult" book, and I would not categorize it as that at all. I would definitely put A STORY SPUN IN SCARLET in the YA Fantasy section of a bookstore, both for how the book was written, the depictions of the characters and their behaviors, and the overall atmosphere of the book. It didn't feel adult. I think this book is struggling with a category identity by trying to be New Adult, but consistently landing in Young Adult. Regardless, I knew YA books were getting longer, but this one ran with the word count full sprint. Not a bad thing, per se, but a bit intimidating on a first open.

The beginning, for me, wobbled between being energetic and fast-paced through its scenes, and then slowing down to a crawl to discuss her days and the little minute details that didn't add much to the overarching plot as they did add tiny glimpses into Audra's values and ideals as a person and character. I really liked Jaik as a character. He was a witty and charming character who didn't let Audra get away with her sass, but maybe this is just a "me" thing, but tiger does seem... a little cliché, maybe? Not my favorite nickname.

I did really enjoy the plot concept of "Storycraft." I think it's a magic system that is unique and not really seen or explored before, but I tend to wish that there was more depth provided. The world-building was good and solid in certain parts, and then others would fall flatter or like quick explanations to just move along, rather than explore the world more. It is a fantasy book, after all.

Also, just as an aside. While I love the message of this, and I love the implications of it, I do think that utilizing the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory method and disguising is as a "farmhand thing" is a little bit of a cop out? I love that Jaik is able to ground Audra and help her through stressful and panicked moments, but the method popped out immediately to my eye, and it unfortunately pulled me from the scene. It feels like an out-of-place detail to add, when another grounding method could've been used. That's not to say I didn't like the scene itself since Jaik's casualness would ease most people's nerves, but overall, it didn't feel like it fit into the narrative.

I think the traveling scenes could have been snipped down quite a bit. That alone would have lessened the word count and made the book more approachable. They were fine scenes, and the writing was good all the way around, but sometimes the descriptions would push too far and take too long. This is coming from someone who loves lyrical and flowery writing (and writes that way themselves) but even I have limitations.

Nonetheless, I think the book is a fine read. It's pretty, has a pretty world, and has pretty characters, but it just needs more. It needs more 'umph' in certain aspects and places, and I think if Jaik had gone for a different nickname than 'tiger,' that would've been enough on its own.

The lack of spice for the romance is fine, and not a huge contributing factor for me personally, and I enjoyed the witty and snarky banter between the characters. But, typically, books pushing New Adult/Adult, have some level of spice, and if the author is set on writing books without that, then more power to them. Kissing is nice and fun, but adults tend to go for more adult things, even if it was a fade-to-black or heavily implied type of scene.

Overall, A STORY SPUN IN SCARLET is solid in its own right. It's easy to see that the author cares very much for their characters and their world. I think the writing could be a bit too flowery at times, with too much description a la J.R.R. Tolkien level tangents (not quite but iykyk), and the lore definitely could've used some buffing. Audra was a decent character with a voice and a personality, a nice change from woe-is-me, fragile damsel-in-distress type FMCs, and I always love a charming and witty MMC.

I would maybe recommend this book depending on the person asking. If someone was looking for a book with easy to digest lore and didn't mind the page count, then this one may be it!

A fantastical tale of a master storycrafter told by a master storycrafter. This novel was rich and decadent to delve into with the way it composed each micro-story held within its grasp. Brimming with description, this story sweeps you up in the way only a tale told of stories can. Descriptive, magical, this is a book written the way only a true wordsmith can write. How many ways can I say this author spellbound me with her words and the way she breathed life and magic into these chapters? If you’re only in it for the dialogue this one might not be for you…but if you’re here to be wrapped up in a slow burn, velvety soft, woeful fantasy spun together with the magic of composing with words then A Story Spun in Scarlet is definitely for you.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the brilliant Renee Dugan for the opportunity to read this fantastic book as an ARC.

This book is a beautiful tribute to the true power of words. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is not an idiom that can be used in this book. Words can certainly harm. Sword and story indeed. Jaik and Audra are a fantastic pair on the hunt for what happened to the Storycrafter power, leading them to danger and narrow escapes. The imagery, the similes, the alliteration, the world-building. The storycrafting of a storycrafter by a master storycrafter. Nothing I can say will ever do this book justice. The prose brought me to tears. It was and is beyond beautiful.

I really wanted to fall in love with this story. The blurb made me feel like it was going to be one that kept me wanting more. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t. I tried for a few days to get into it, I just couldn’t. I made it to chapter 6, and it’s a DNF for me.

Audra finds herself in Krylan where Mithran soldiers have a grudge against Storycrafters and Audra experiences this firsthand despite having nothing to do with previous Storycrafters. Time passes by and Audra has settled. She tells stories but she discovers she's failing her stories, failing to attract the attention of her audience. She's able to complete one story with her encounter with Jaik but he lowers the meaningfulness of that achievement. Jaik is going to leave Krylan for good but Audra cannot take the risk of losing him and she takes him prisoner if it means understanding why she's successful in completing stories in his presence. There are plenty of characters along Audra's journey as she learns what it means to accept love and hope. This is a lengthy and descriptive story.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

A Story Spun in Scarlet is the book for those of us who love beautiful prose. The writing was so intricate and lyrical. The story is told from the POV of our FMC, Aufra Jashowin, who was a Storycrafter in Mithra-Sha. Mithra-Sha has been struggling for years, and it all started when the tales lost their endings. For years Audra journeyed across the land where she was shunned for being who she is.

"I hadn't hoped for much more. There were no happy endings. There were no endings at all."

That is until she met Jaik. Together they swore to figure out what happened and hopefully restore the story in Mitra-Sha.

Characters: I love the character building in this book. They were so complex. I fell more in love with them the further into the book I was. Audra was strong yet vulnerable, was kind but can be selfish. I also loved how Jaik was so understanding and loving even when he didn't agree with Audra.

Themes: I loved the friendship in this book. The characters appreciated and cared for each other despite the many faults that they may have.
- "But there are risks worth taking, and people worth taking them for."
- "I don't want you to be perfect around me, Audra. I just need you to be all right."

It did take me quite some time to get through the book because of how long and dense it was. The writing though beautiful can make it feel like the story is slow and repetitive. However, I do think that this book is worth reading.

"A Story Spun in Scarlet" by R. Dugan is a fantasy that holds great promise with its compelling concept and plot. The journey of Audra and Jaik, our engaging protagonists, is one that you'll find easy to invest in. The tension between them adds a layer of depth to their relationship. However, if you're expecting a NA steamy romance, you'll find this more on the YA side of fantasy.

My main issue with the book lies in its pacing and detail. Some parts felt overly detailed, to the point of redundancy, which hindered my immersion in the story. I understand that Audra's a storyteller, but we didn't need everything described in such detail. It often felt like Dugan had a great outline for a chapter and then stretched out the narrative. This made the plot feel disjointed, which is a shame because the story is quite intriguing.

While the world and magic system were relatively easy to grasp, I couldn't help but yearn for more depth and explanation. Concepts like airships and rifles were explained well, but the broader kingdom and magic system felt underdeveloped. Dugan knew the world inside and out but didn't quite manage to translate that onto the page. This lack of depth made it challenging to fully immerse myself in the world, leaving me wanting more.

The integration of Audra's stories within the plot was unique, as they were woven into the action. While initially a bit disjointed, this narrative style was intriguing. I appreciated how they tied into the overall story later, adding complexity to the narrative.

Overall, "A Story Spun in Scarlet" has a solid foundation but falls short in pacing and world-building. Despite this, it's a decent read for those looking for a lighter fantasy novel.

This book was extremely long and extremely intimidating because of it. I find myself very intimidated by books with 500-600+ pages these days. I'm set in my ways of smaller novels. I find it hard for me to concentrate on them for that long, but that's just a me problem. Although it was really long, I kept reading a bit by bit which is why this review is late.

I would say that this book is 100% worth it, I loved Audra and Jaik's characters and their connection together. The idea of a story crafter really had me for this book. If you want a good story building, character building, minimal romance book, this is the one for you!

While I DNFed this book as the content was simply not for me at this time, I do think had I been in less of a reading slump, the slow pace and the large page count would not have made me tap out so early. Dugan has a fantastic writing style and almost compelling worldbuilding, but it falls a bit flat to me and I would love to come back at a later date and give this another shot — but right now, this has been a struggle to get through!

This one has a very slow start and it took me a very long while to get into it, but once I got into it, I found it to be very entertaining. I enjoyed the stories within the story, and the characters. It is a little long but other than that it is a good book with a lot of character growth.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e arc.

I will say it is long. I really didn’t anticipate it to be as long as it was but the story was worth it
Filled with slow burning romance, life and death moments and heart ache. All great components of a good book.
My only thing was I didn’t feel like some chapters were necessary. Felt like the filler episode of anime’s

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

A Story Spun in Scarlet follows Audra, a storyteller who never knows the end of the story. and farmhand Jaik who helps her along the way, humour moments, banter and low spice (kissing)

It intrigued me, I wanted to love this book! I picked it up and put it down numerous times. I'm not sure what stopped me from loving this!

I enjoyed R. Dugan's writing style but I didn't love it! Big reads can be intimidating but I like a challenge, this one was hard for me to get through. Lots of building and heavy moments. I hope to give it another chance in the future!

A Story Spun in Scarlet is a wonderful fantasy romance read that features Audra and Jaik, two characters whose lives come together in the most beautiful way. This is the first book that I have read by Renee Dugan, and it certainly won't be the last. The author's way with words and how she writes her story captured my attention immediately. I would say the romance is a slow burn as the author builds up the character's emotions from strangers to friends to lovers. There is magic and more in this story and I know readers will love it!