Sorycrafters are the name of the game in this tale. The telling of stories that bring things to life and have shaped the landscape of the country. Then something happens so that the storycrafters can’t finish a story and that causes hard times.

We follow Audra a storycrafter fresh out of training who is unable to complete a story but goes from village to village in hopes of finding an answer to why this is happening. She meets Jaik. A farmhand who doesn’t know of his own power and together they get into all kinds of shenanigans and end up on a quest to figure out why this is happening and to see if they can fix it.

This was an interesting magic system based on storytelling. It does start slow because of the world building but it’s worth it. Happy to see this world continues.

*Thank you Net Galley, Wave Walker Press, and R. Dugan for this ARC.

I was whisked away to the enchanting realm of Mithra-Sha, where the art of storytelling has tragically lost its finale. Audra Jashowin, our protagonist, is a relatable figure of perseverance amidst adversity, embarking on a quest for meaning after familial rejection. Her path crosses with Jaik Grissom, a charismatic farmhand whose peculiar gift breathes life into their shared stories, igniting a glimmer of hope for their world. Their journey is a tapestry of danger, discovery, and deep connections, revealing a complex mystery tied to their histories. This story intertwines elements of fantasy, romance, and adventure, crafting a plot rich in imaginative world-building and a novel magic system.

📚 ARC Review 📚

A Story Spun in Scarlet by Renee Dugan is a trip to a land where stories hold magic and power. Audra is a Storycrafter whose cloak lost its color since she cannot finish a story anymore until one day she can when she encounters Jaik. This sets them on a path that's full of danger and turns into an exploration of her past. I love the writing and how there are stories within stories in this book. It's very slow paced and the world building unfolds leisurely which makes it easy to follow. There are a few interesting plot twists to be had that will drop your jaw. You'll also fall for our dynamic duo pretty quickly because their bantering is adorable and sweet. This was definitely an interesting change of pace from my normal dark and depraved books lol.

❤️ Clean fantasy romance with zero spice
❤️ Cinnamon roll MMC
❤️ Strong willed FMC
❤️ Stories as a magic system
❤️ Good vs evil
❤️ Biblical connotations

I’m writing this straight after finishing and my thoughts are a mess.

I’ll start at the beginning - it took a while for me to fully get into this story. It felt a bit like the introduction may have gone on a bit long for me as I wasn’t engaged in the story until Jaik appeared and then the pace picked up and I began to get more into he’s tory. That said, it did feel a little long in places throughout.

The characters were well fleshed out, including side characters and Audra and Jaik’s friendship and banter was great to read and the way their relationship developed felt so genuine.

The prose was a little more flowery than I usually like but given who the POV character was it made sense and really fitted well.

The plot was engaging although a little confusing at times and a lot happens in the last 20-30% of the book so I was kind of scrambling to keep up. The plot twist was hinted at but I’ll be honest did not see the full extent of that coming whatsoever and in some ways it may have dulled some of the events from earlier briefly although it was well foreshadowed. I will say the ending absolutely gut punched me and was absolutely beautifully done.

I would like to thank Netgalley for the for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Love unfolds against a backdrop of magic and mystery. The author skillfully intertwines enchanting realms with heartfelt emotions, creating a story that is both tender and thrilling.

The amount of detail in this book is incredible. It’s definitely not a quick plot, it takes its time to build which explains the size of the book itself.

The characters' chemistry is palpable, and the imaginative world-building adds an extra layer of allure. A perfect blend of wonder and magic, this novel sweeps readers into a realm where love knows no bounds.

In the end, it was a wonderful escape.

Free ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a great potential but I really felt like it didn't show through in the storyline at all.
The stories are creative and really nice, but maybe have too much twists for the short stories they are.
The regular plot is okay, but is written with a lot of difficult terms and some typos, making it hard to get through the story.
In addition there is one major inconsistency, which basically is a big part of the whole storyline. Storycrafters can make a lot of things, but not living ones. However they dangers the main characters face are being wanted and dangerous living creatures from unfinished stories.

I felt like the writing could have been less difficult and the plot could have been better. I even thought about DNF, but kept my hopes up and continued reading. Even though I was hoping the story would get better throughout, it just didn't which did affect my rating. Therefore I unfortunately am able to give this book just 2,5 stars.

"Let me tell you a story."

This book...blew me and my expectations out of the water. I have never read anything like it, and I am certain that I never will.

Audra Jashowin is a Storycrafter. A person who tells stories that reap magical rewards, whose magic sustains the country of Mithra-Sha. One day though, Storycraft up and disappears, which brings about a depression of sorts to Mithra-Sha and leaves the country starved, full of illness, and on the verge of collapse. Stories no longer have endings, and without endings, there can be no magic to heal the country. Audra's family casts her out, her friends ignore her, and so she leaves her home to travel to find a place that feels akin to home. What ensues is a lonely road traveled, until one day Audra tells a story...that has an ending, and that ending leads her to a new beginning with a man who seems strangely familiar. A man who seems to be straight out of her stories, and straight out of her memories.

I honestly wish I could read this book again for the first time. The pacing was fabulous, the world colorful, and the uniqueness of the story stole my breath. And that ending? WOW. WOW WOW WOW.

Renee Dugan, I am in love with this story, and I cannot thank you enough for writing a man who can COMMUNICATE!

Stunning! Everything about this book is stunning! From Audra’s narrative style to her stories, everything about this book is perfection! To the point where I don't have words to describe how strongly I feel about this book.

Not only did it get me out of a massive reading slump, but it also ended up being the best book I picked out so far this year!!

Highly recommend!!

This book is excessively long, at over 600 pages with way too many of them being unnecessarily deep descriptions. It doesn’t pull you in and gives very little information on the main character until way too far into it. While the writing is beautiful it’s beautiful like a cake that’s not meant to be eaten. Never got into it but I read every page anyway just so I can be 100% sure I’m being honest when I say it doesn’t improve as you get further in.

When you’re a reader - and by reader I mean someone who reads a lot - many books fade into the fog as you read past them. This book? This book is a tale woven from threads too vibrant to fade away. You’ve read the synopsis, you know what it’s about, so I’m not repeating that here. You want to know if this book is worth your time. Not only is this book worth your time, it is a gorgeous tale of mystery, betrayal, loyalty, love, and hope. Audra and Jaik’s story absorbed me from the moment they met. Renee Dugan’s writing is so beautiful and descriptive, you can see the story unfold in your mind so easily. I loved riding along as they traveled to the Illusionarium and Erasure. I have seen a few reviews where folks were struggling with the descriptive language and world-building. It’s so worth the time. I received an ARC from NetGalley for this book, but I will definitely be buying a physical copy of this book! I ABSOLUTELY cannot wait for the sequel. I will be reading this one again at some point.

A world where stories are magic? Sold! I thought this story was very unique and engaging. Audra was such a simple yet complex character. At times I felt like Jaik in the beginning, confused and not understanding the importance of what had happened. Yet I felt like the author at times wanted the reader to be lost and not quite understand until the story further developed. I though the writing style was beautiful and the stories within the story were creative and well written. I enjoyed this book immensely and am grateful I was able to read it. Thank you again!

This was a fun adventure! I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story a lot. Some were shocking and some were predictable, but all in all it was fun.

I felt it was quite long and that it was difficult to keep my momentum while reading it. Some things were over-described and there was a lot of repetition of concepts. I’d be very rich if I got a nickel for every time they said “luck’s coin”. I also was not feeling the nickname he gave her.

I did feel this was a bit too YA for my taste, but fully recognize that this could be amazing for others.

The characters were great and I think Renee did a really great job building this world.

I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a YA fantasy with a splash of romance!

•

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Renee for this ARC!

Omg. This book. THIS FREAKING BOOK. i know the size may seem daunting but don't let that stop you from this. This was AMAZING. The WORLDBUILDING the MAGIC SYSTEM the FREAKING CHARACTERS. Just I have no complaints. No I have one complaint and that is WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?!?!?!?! I swear, knowing this is the first in the series is what's keeping me alive right now. I have never read a book by this author before but now I have to go devour everything else because DAMN.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This is the best one I've read so far.

This was so expertly woven together that I could not step away. I was so invested in Audra figuring out what felt off, and was rooting for her from page one. No one knows why, but the Storycrafter magic no longer works to give stories their endings, and has caused devastation for the people. Crops no longer flourish, goods no longer sail across the oceans with safety and experience, and mistakes are far worse than ever before, resulting in death and destruction.

When Audra meets Jaik and is finally able to finish a story, she doesn't know what to do, except that she absolutely needs to escape the town she's on, and she MUST take him with her. Of course, he thinks she's a creep and refuses...but she has her ways. Now they're on the run from the soldiers inevitably send by the Sha to capture them, and realize that they will need to work together much better if they're going to outrun word of her finished story and get to safety.

With a plan on place, Audra and Jaik face the wilds and travel towards the coast where Jaik knows someone who can sail them to where they need to go. Along they way they're plagued by a mysterious soldier who seems to know them, but while Jaik vaguely knows him, Audra has no memory of him at all. Something is very wrong, and she will stop at nothing to find out what.

Audra and Jaik grow undeniably closer on their quest to find answers, and the truth that is revealed is bigger than they ever thought possible, yet drawn down to a single Master Storyteller. It's been clear that information has been missing in weird ways, but they never expected everything to change upon their meeting in a Tavern the night she was able to finish a story, all because of Jaik's presence in the room.

This was a long one, but it was riveting and compelling and kept me coming back for more. The emotion of the characters was so real, and I felt the agony and pain over the decisions to be made; the love they had for each other, and the impossible sacrifices they must make. The ending absolutely destroyed me and I had to finish it with tears!

Thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for this ARC copy!

The instant that I saw this cover I knew it was going to be a book that I wanted to read and after the synopsis I was completely sold. A story about stories, fantasy, unique magic system, realistic forced proximity sitationship. If you are looking for spicy this is not the book for you but if you want to smile and kick your feet and also hold your breath action and stress then you will definitely enjoy this book.

My only complain about this book, and why it is a 4 and not a 5 star read, is that it could have been 350-400 pages easily. The intricate and beautiful descriptions were wonderful in the beginning but over time it became cumbersome. It would go from slow, to complete chaos, and then suddenly we are just back on the road again learning bits and pieces about the characters at a time. If the pacing had been just a little smoother this definitely would have been a 5 star read for me.

I still highly recommend this book book, but just go into it knowing that it is a very long story, and you will travel from one end of the world to the other with many different stops and stories in between.

I was first drawn to A Story Spun in Scarlet by R Dugan because of the striking cover, but as soon as I read the synopsis I was all in, and knew that this was a book that I needed to read. A world where stories have lost their endings leaves storyteller Audra Jashowin without a purpose, and a falling out with her family leaves her without a home. When she moves to the city the last thing she expects is to actually be able to finish a story, but thanks to an unexpected encounter with Jaik Grissom , a farmhand with an unlikely knack for weapons and fighting , that is exactly what happens. It seems like he is a natural amplifier, gifted with the ability to strengthen Audra's talent , and maybe with the power to reverse whatever happened to the magic of stories in the first place. Together the pair embark on an adventure that will see them travelling through danger and fleeing from the law, through the wilderness and across the high seas and uncovering a past that will shock them both.
This is a long book filled with descriptive writing which will not be to everyone's taste but personally I really enjoyed it. I loved the premise and thought the author did a wonderful job of expanding on her central idea. The characters were great individually but it was the relationship between them that really had me hooked, I loved the banter and the smoulder of the slow burn romance. The book was not without its flaws however, most notably the rather theological undertones that became evident later in the book. I also found the pacing a little inconsistent at times which sometimes slowed the pace just a little too much.
Overall this is a book that I did enjoy and would recommend to readers who like to dive into a long immersive read.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wave Walker Press, and the author for an eARC to review.

This is the first book I've read by Renee Dugan, and I can confidently say she has an excellent way of using words. Her writing style fits the feeling of the book so well. I can tell Ms. Dugan is a gifted storyteller, and that gave her the ability to write the characters and their storytelling abilities so well.

Yes, the book is long but packed with countless details that create a beautiful story. The stories within the story are also so good. It took me a while to get into the book, but I was invested once I did. You must take your time with this book to fully appreciate it. I myself am going to give it a re-read.

I really felt for Audra and Jaik, and as a reader, I need the author to make me feel connected to the characters, and Ms. Dugan did just that. The romance between Audra and Jaik, though not overly focused on, adds just the right amount of sweetness to the book.

4/5 stars

A storyteller who lost her purpose, Audra Jashowin runs from the unending stories of Mithra-Sha and hopes to start fresh with her stories (even if she has no endings). That is until she meets farmhand, Jaik Grissom; a person who seems to bring out the creativity in her and helps her unlock the endings of her stories.

This was such an amazing read! Filled with compelling lore and an intriguing plot, R. Dugan's A Story Spun in Scarlet has such a uniqueness to it that allows it to stand out as a Fantasy novel and prove itself a strong start to a series I never knew I needed. Telling a tale without an end is every storyteller's worst nightmare and Dugan weaves this into an amazing story that had me devouring it from cover to cover. Audra is a compelling protagonist who feels very three-dimensional with her personality fiery and witty as well as compassionate and caring; she doesn't hold back her true self and doesn't apologise for it. Jaik is just as memorable with a snarky, confident personality that dominates each scene he's in.

If you're a high fantasy fan who wants to explore a world with neverending tales, the dangers that come with an ending and a new series that is on par with Stephanie Garber, Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas (to name a few) then A Story Spun in Scarlet is the perfect book to read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Wave Walker Press and author, R. Dugan, for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Regrettably, my journey through "A Story Spun in Scarlet" by Renee Dugan came to a premature end at the 70% mark, as the over-bloated length of the novel proved insurmountable. Despite my initial enthusiasm for the story, the excessive descriptions and limited points of view that we only got form the main character ultimately weighed it down, leading to my decision to DNF.

From the outset, the narrative felt inundated with superfluous details and meandering descriptions that did little to enhance the story. I found it extremely odd that we spent so much time reading about Audra's (aka Addie, Addie-cat, Ahjay, tiger) inner turmoil but hardly anything about how the heck these characters were surviving in the wild for months at a time with barely any supplies. So rather than adding depth to the story, these excessive elements bogged down the pacing and left me grappling with a sense of tedium. What might have been a concise and engaging tale was overshadowed by the overwhelming verbosity of the prose.

Reaching the 70% mark, I found myself trapped in a cycle of repetitive plot points that failed to propel the narrative forward. Instead of building tension or fostering anticipation, the repetition contributed to a sense of stagnation. Despite my initial determination to soldier through out of sheer stubbornness, I ultimately found that my waning interest eclipsed any desire to see how the story concluded.

The potential for an intriguing plot was obscured by the novel's own length, and as a reader, I struggled to maintain the enthusiasm that initially drew me into the tale. The book itself had a lot of potential, especially when it came to the unique magic system that revolved around the power of storytelling and the profound impact it has on this world and its inhabitants, especially after this magic is lost all of a sudden.

Basically, A Story Spun in Scarlet became a casualty of its own excesses, with an overextended length that detracted from the narrative rather than enhancing it, and perhaps with a more judicious edit and a streamlined approach, the story could have flourished, but alas, it was not to be, at least for me anyway.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

3.5 stars. This a story about stories, and how the spoken word can be magical all on its own!

Audra Jashowin is a storyteller without a purpose. When all the tales in the land of Mithra-Sha lose their endings, Audra flees from her family and the only home she ever knew and she arrives at long last in a city of fresh starts and second chances.

There, she finds an adventure greater than she ever dreamed... jaik grissom might be the key to bringing back the power of all stories. Together they must discover the truth of the lost stories of mithra-sha.

I loved the unique storyline of this book! The idea that people can speak stories into existence was super cool! And then the journey of figuring out what happened to all the story crafters of the land was a cool idea. However it was just too long. The book feels really dragged out and I wish she would have shortened it a bit and made this a series with a huge cliffhanger!

I can tell Renee is a great writer, the prose is really poetic and beautiful, but sometimes I felt myself getting pulled out of the story as it started to feel too wordy. I wish she would have done a bit more to explain the world and the magic system as it felt a bit underdeveloped. I could tell she knew the world but it didn't always come across. Stuff didn't always seem to fit the same "era". It seems like this is a medival type of era, however they also have airships and rifles but it's not explained how they came to be. Which again comes back to I feel like the world building and magic system could have been explained more.

I really liked the two main characters, I think she did a great job of making them lovable characters and I was rooting for them the whole way! I wish there was a bit more spice and/or tension .. it doesn't say whether this is supposed to be YA or adult so I think that also needs to be more clear. But even for a YA book the romance was not enough and I think she needed to have more tension filled moment between these characters.

I liked the idea of the epilogue ... but unfortunately I didn't love the way she ended it! Since I got the arc so early, I know she changed the ending. And I actually was able to read both endings and the new one is much better. Super glad she changed it as it feels more like it's leaving it open to be part of a series where the original felt like the story was over and it was very abrupt. So I'm glad she made the change! But it did feel a bit confusing, as I don't quite understand if she does or doesn't remember them and is just pretending because when he walks in she says "and all at once, I remembered"

I definitely liked this enough that and I want to read the second one cause I do want to know what happens to our two main characters!

Thank you NetGalley for the sending me the ARC digital copy in exchange for an honest review!