firstly, let me just say this author can write a 600 page book about a tub of butter and im gonna read it.
the writing is absolutely impeccable and I loved immersing myself in it and I will be sure to get a copy for myself.
In a world where stories can come alive and some people possess the ability to animate them into reality, audra finds herself struggling to spin tales and her journey from one place to another she tries to find a solution to her writers block.
In one of the taverns she encounters a farmhand who becomes an amplifier and the remedy to her woes.
I absolutely loved the slow burn romance and the magic system this book has built up.

The writing and narrative of this story are done beautifully, it is quite a unique plot and the way she weaves the stories within the story is magical but the journey is long and arduous to get to the end. The love story falls flat for me as the characters seem to lack a certain definition and chemistry. For a YA book, it fits the narrative perfectly, but if you are looking for more than this story, it will leave you feeling lacking.

A Story Spun in Scarlet ♦ Renee Dugan | Review

Renee Dugan‘s novel, A Story Spun in Scarlet, is full of ambition, charm, and a touch of enchantment. The premise is unquestionably intriguing: a world in which stories have lost their endings, and two unlikely heroes must solve the secret underlying these phenomena. The plot revolves around Audra, a storyteller dealing with rejection and self-doubt, and Jaik, a farmhand who has a special skill that enhances the power of stories. They start on a quest of adventure, peril, and self-discovery.

Opinion

One of the book’s finest qualities is its narrative, which contains some truly compelling scenes. The enigma surrounding the broken storylines and underlying stakes in Mithra-Sha is intriguing. Dugan‘s world building is inventive and thorough, transporting readers to a country of broken stories and rich tradition. Certain story twists and moments of tension kept me interested, anxious to see how Audra and Jaik‘s journey would play out. The story also has emotional depth, as it explores topics such as purpose, connection, and the power of storytelling.

However, while the plot has some merit, the writing style detracts from the entire experience. The text is definitely rich, featuring vivid details and beautiful uses of phrase. Unfortunately, this excessive flourish frequently made the text difficult to read. The quantity of one-sentence paragraphs disrupted the flow, making it difficult to remain engaged with the story. While these short paragraphs may have been intended to generate drama or contemplation, they often came off as disconnected and overused, disrupting the story’s pace and alienating me from the characters.

In terms of characters, the relationship between Audra and Jaik is one of the book’s highlights. Their developing bond feels palpable and genuine, with moments of vulnerability and connection that add warmth to the plot. Despite this well-crafted interplay, I couldn’t fully identify with either character. Audra‘s psychological troubles and Jaik‘s unshakable nature are intriguing on paper, but they did not elicit a strong emotional response. Perhaps this was a result of the fragmented literary style, which made it difficult to immerse myself in their inner lives.

Conclusion

To summarize, A Story Spun in Scarlet is a mixed bag. It excels in its innovative premise and intriguing relationship dynamics, but falls short in execution. The extravagant writing style, while rich, sacrifices readability and emotional connection in favor of beauty. This book may appeal to those who like sumptuous prose and the elegance of one-sentence paragraphs. Others may consider it a squandered opportunity to tell a truly unique story. It’s a fascinating read, but it left me wanting more clarity and emotional depth.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was fun and easy to read. R. Dugan brought to life an interesting world and system full of characters the reader will grow to love.

A Story Spun in Scarlet is a mesmerizing and enchanting tale full of adventure, rich writing, romance and a unique magic system.

In a world that has lost its ability to end stories, Audra is forced to leave the life she once loved and embark on a journey she never saw coming.

What I love about this book is that it feels like something I haven't read before. The magic is wrapped up in the ability to weave a good story. Its one of those books that feels like a book within a book and I think those are my favorite.

I really enjoy Renees writing, its beautiful and feels like she's really mastered her own unique style. I love Audra as a main character and seeing her navigate each trial on their journey to unlock the mysteries of the past. The best part of the book is her relationship to Jaik. The connection between the them is wonderful and believable and made of slow burn romantic dreams.

This book has such a whimsical vibe thats perfect for a fall or winter day and I cannot wait to see how it ends!

This was a good story and I enjoyed it, but it dragged. I know there is a second book and I'd like to continue reading the series, but I don't know if I can if it will be long too.

I really wanted to enjoy this story but I couldn't get into it at all. It just took too long to get past the start. I had to DNF this one.

I love stories about storytellers because thats where the real magic comes from, the real magic of escape.

The story is an emotional roller-coaster, that leaves you head and heart spinning.
The characters have incredible chemistry and the slow burn , well who doesn't enjoy a good slow burn.
I also like the idea of storytellers with silvertongues- it's all very Inkheart and I look forward to the idea of a sequel.
Thanks to netgalley for this arc . In return I give my honest review :)

A world build on stories cursed with the inability to complete any story? The world building alone was incredible. This story managed to do it without the exposition dump at the beginning and draw the reader in for a remarkable story. The story is slow building and intricate and it is a delectable journey. Don't read this for the romance. Read it for the magic.

Wow, what an incredible book! The final chapters left me completely emotional, It was refreshingly unique, especially with the storytelling powers and how they reshaped Audra's world. Audra is such a beautifully strong female protagonist who rises above incredible challenges to find the answers she seeks and the strength to pursue them.

Jaik was a wonderful character as well. I loved the chemistry between them and the magnetic pull they had toward each other. Their banter was perfectly crafted, and I cherished all the protective moments—these two need to be safeguarded at all costs! The reveals were fantastic, and each twist in the story drew me in even further. There were some truly stunning moments filled with raw emotion that brought tears to my eyes. I loved this journey from start to finish. It’s filled with action, romance, magic, and intrigue, capturing the essence of a must-read fantasy novel.

This book was so good! It was my first by Renee Dugan but I’m now going to be checking out her other books because I couldn’t put this one down! The romance between the MCs was amazing and I loved their chemistry so much. I craved when they were on page together.

Overall, I definitely recommend this one especially if you love fantasy romance!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book. Unfortunately, although it has an interesting premise, it was a DNF for me.

Hello Fellow Reader,

Now as I've gotten older I've gotten admittedly less patient with long fantasy books and boy did this feel like a long one. I do feel that Dugan could have cut down on the page numbers and the book would have been so much better, for me. Audra was a great character, smart and head-strong, something more fantasy books need. The worldbuilding was good and the magic system was unique but easy to understand. The plot seemed interesting but honestly, I couldn't focus on it enough due to the overly long details and sentences. Which is a shame as the plot seemed so interesting and unique.


Overall, perfect for those who need a long epic fantasy.

I didn't get a chance to finish this book.
And its not because it was bad or not my kind of read, becasue it is. I physically think I was burnt out reading at the time. I believe I stopped reading multiple books during that month because my brain needed a break.

anyways:
what I did read was beautiful writing. I loved the characters I got to meet and found my myself laughing out loud at the banter and loving the world. I honestly cannot wait to pick this book back up. I stopped reading it at 58%.

I didnt want to originally write the review because I did not get a chance to finish it, but what I did read I would give it 4 stars. I can see this book being an easy 4.5 stars.

Dual POV, Romantic Fantasy, Only One Horse, Grumpy x Sunshine, Dislike to Love, Touch Them and Die

This is a bit of a slow start and hard to get into but once the world building is properly set the story sucks the reader right in. This is unlike any fantasy book I've ever read before as this is a book is about a storyteller looking for stories. Lots of plot twists, slow moving chapters, and a slow burn romance full of animosity and adventure. I'm very excited to see what lies in wait next for Audra and Jaik.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I was skeptical of this book in the beginning but I’m SO GLAD I kept on with it. I have not enjoyed a book this much in FOREVERRRRRRR. The story is so unique, the way it’s written is *chefs kiss* - the amount of detail and thought that has gone into this is amazing, you can really tell just by reading it that the author LOVES what they do (and is good at it!!!) I sort of felt like I knew what would happen at the end but - NOPE!!!! knocked me out of the park. I was full of smiles and hopefulness the entire time and cannot WAIT to read the second one!!! ❤️

I was really interested in reading this ARC of A Story Spun in Scarlet, and then I stupidly deleted the wrong book off my NetGalley Shelf and unfortunately it had been archived by then. Months later, I noticed that the book was now on Kindle Unlimited so I've belatedly downloaded and read it!

The story focuses on Audra, a Storycrafter living in a world where stories have died. Storycrafters are no longer able to finish their stories, and the magic that they used to create with their tales has disappeared from the world. It takes about 10% of the book to get going, and I might have skimmed Audra's failed stories a little in that section. However, from the point that Audra meets Jaik, I was really invested in the story and in the two main characters. I enjoyed their clean romance - it was sweet and didn't include anything more graphic than kisses.

This book is a slow burn, a story that takes its time and isn't in a rush to get to the ending. The mystery about why the Storycrafters all lost the ability to finish their stories really built up over time.

I was surprised that this book was the first in a series, since this isn't mentioned in the blurb. It was only when I got to the end of the book that I realised there would be sequels. It does look like this has been corrected in the description for the second book in the Tales of Wonder and Woe series on Goodreads. A Tale Told by Traitors now clearly says that it's the second book in a series of sequential standalones, and books 1 and 2 are now linked as a series on Goodreads.

Likewise, there was nothing in the blurb to suggest the audience for this book. Based on my reading experience, it felt like YA. So perhaps including the fact that A Story Spun in Scarlet is the first book in a YA fantasy/romantasy series in the blurb might have let readers know what to expect more.

It was an enjoyable story that had a clear direction and built up gradually. I'd recommend this for fans of YA fantasy/romantasy series with standalones set in a connected world.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review after reading the book via Kindle Unlimited.

This book was incredible! I love everything about it. It weaves a creative tale that was so unlike anything I’ve read. I would recommend this to any fantasy reader. My favorite element was the acting of storytelling and I just felt like the concept of it was so unique compared to anything I'd ever read.

I cannot even begin to describe to you the beauty that is this book. R. Dugan created an incredible, detailed world with the richest magic system to have been fleshed out in a long while. The characters are absolutely incredible and beautifully flawed, each with their own distinct personalities and dreams. (Jaik is perfection. Don't tell Audra I said that.) I promise that as these characters find their adventure...their clean adventure, I might add...that you will fall in love with them, their world, their story, their book. Not to mention the twists that are thrown in along the way and that ENDING!

Guys, get the book. And anything else that R. Dugan ever writes.