This was SO GOOD. Like, I can barely think of the right words to talk about how much I loved this.
I think this book just solidified my absolute die-hard love for a good pirate story.

Now, when I started reading this, I didn't know that it was the second in a series of standalones, so I cannot wait to pick up that first one, because I feel like there was a few toss backs to characters or maybe events from that one? But A Tale Tole By Traitors was still a complete and full story understood all on its own.

The characters, oh my god, my beautiful, wonderful people. This may be one book in a very short list where I actually enjoyed every single character, even the "evil" ones? They were well-written. They were complex. They had depth and emotion and you felt that on the page, even if it's not from the character's POV.

Speaking of POV, I am obsessed with Ryker's POV's in here. I would die for this pirate. Enough said in that sentence without spoiling anything from the story.

The length of this book? Barely noticed because it was packed with incredible adventure. There was no boring spots. Page after page, I was sucked into the story, just desperate to know what happened next.

You , too, will love this if you are looking for a swashbuckling pirate adventure, riddled with secrets, betrayal, beautifully complex relationships, and a whole lotta love.

Increíble!
Tengo que decir que después de leerlo me he leído directamente también el primero y los dos me han encantado.
Magia, acción, romance y suspense dirigido a un público juvenil que puedo quedar encantado con este mundo de fantasía, muy bien diseñado.
Capítulos intentos y detallados, siendo una historia con mucho trasfondo, pero que a veces se puede hacer algo pesados y/o lentos.
En resumen, un libro con un gran potencial comercial en línea con las tendencias actuales.

I want to thank the author and netgalley for this ARC. This book caught my attention and was quite captivating. I had a great time reading this story

“My life’s take ended - and began - with fireworks”

“Our tale would not end where we had left it in Amere-Del, cut off the moment our lives had been offered up as a prize for peace”

I loved it !!! I absolutely loved it!!! Pirate romantic fantasy adventure with a long list princess who forsake her people and her kingdom in order to be free and now is threatened to get back to save the life of her best friend and a pirate captain whom they talk about in legends who wants to use her to protect his crew. This book was tension. It was plot twists after plot twists. It was secrets and betrayal. It was hidden identities. It was founding family where you think you’re alone in the world. It was finding love amongst those you consider enemies. It is pure adventure in its best form !!! I loved every second of reading it. The scheming, the frustration, the action, the battle and the characters’ dynamics. It felt like being back in an amazing Tanya’s book !!! The pirate setting of the whole thing made me long for more books in this sub genre !!!! I love it deeply!!! And the author made it so easy for me to get straight into the story without thinking too much about it!!! Add the double pov which made Lio so much more of a badass FMC who’s willing to sacrifice almost everything for her freedom but not those she loves. And made Ryker … oh such a great morally grey book boyfriend !!!!! I loved him !!! And, to be fair, the nickname “sweetheart” will always do it for me !!! I can’t wait to read more from this author !!!

“And this is the sort of danger you desire … that leaves you half-drowned and bedridden?” “ If you’re a part of it?” His grin returned in a blink. “You’re bloody right I do, sweetheart”

“Why did you come after me?” … “Because I saw that look in your eye, at the railing this morning. And I couldn’t help but think you’re a woman who’s used to asking for help and being ignored … so you must’ve stopped asking … I figured it was time someone listened”

Before I start my review, I’d like to thank NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this ARC!

4.2 ⭐️

When I first started this book, it was hard for me to get through it. I don’t know if it was me or because I didn’t read the first book but I am so glad I didn’t give up! The plot twists, characters, and world-building had me hooked after the first 25% of the book! The complex characters and development throughout the book made them feel so human-like and I felt an easy connection towards them! This a fast-paced action packed adventurous book that will be raved about for years to come! I do love the found family trope in books and this one definitely delivered. I am purchasing the first book immediately! For anyone confused, it is a series of sequential standalone’s.

This book includes:
Pirates 🏴‍☠️
Betrayal 🎭
Slow Burn 🔥
Rebellion ⚔️
Found Family 💕
Adventure ⚓️
Plot Twists 🧩

I really enjoyed this book, this series was my introduction to Renee and thank you for NetGalley for that introduction and my ability to review this book!

This series is soooo good and such a good read!

I haven't read that this is a series of standalones, so I've also read "A story spun in scarlet" and I can't decide which one I love more! R. Dugan style, her way of telling a story and the pace of it are absolutely my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wave Walker Press and author Renee Dugan for this eARC

Another masterfully crafted tale by Dugan.

A Tale Told by Traitors has all the things I’ve come to expect from this author - wonderful writing, well developed characters, an exciting, high stakes plot with lots of turns and twists and of course her ability to keep the tension high and the reader fixed throughout the whole book without any dips or boring interludes.

I loved the connections it made to book one with the characters and events yet didn’t rely on prior set up and stayed completely separate as a story.
With the setting in Amere-Del which we have only heard about Dugan creates a new world within the world she’s created in book one and we get to discover all these new places, customs and characters.

Now on to the story itself - what is there not to love? Pirates, intrigue, rebellion, betrayal, a group of quirky misfits, found family and an epic love story and lots and lots of adventure!

The only reason I downgraded to 4.75 stars is because the identity of the Incendiary was clear from the moment they were first mentioned, and with that the ending was also set up. Still the journey to said ending was amazing and I loved every second of this book!

wow. wow. wow.

i needed a couple days to write this because of how much i felt. i wanted to gather all my thoughts and emotions.

ok so when i first started reading, i did not really know what to expect. i went in completely blind and was caught off guard that it did not immediately pick off from where the first book left off, but as i read more, i was so impressed by this new story and the point of views. the new (and old characters) we meet and grieve, the relationships that flourish and end too soon, all the nerve wracking tension and breathtaking plot twists. it all captivated me from the start.

“Bastyan, the secret ingredient I had not expected … but one that had made the night among the sweetest I could recall in all my life.”

bash and lio were so different. and despite being captor and captive, they were still so endearing. i rooted for them the entire time and fell in love with them, with their strengths and especially their weaknesses, the more i read. i fell in love with their friends, the sailors and pirates. i grieved with them and wanted nothing more than for them to be free and live their lives together.

this was such an amazing adventure. i laughed, swooned, cried, got angry, felt so much of everything. this was yet another phenomenal story and showcases renee dugan’s writing skills and excellence. never once was i bored, leaving me blown away with this great second installment. i cannot wait to see what’s next for this fantastical world and beloved characters.

"Give me strength"
"Everything I've got is yours."

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Given how much I loved the first book in this series, I was a little nervous. Audra's perspective in book one was so engaging, and I loved the worldbuilding around Storycraft, so moving away to a new character and world was daunting. But I didn't need to worry! This novel is just as compelling as the first.

Lionyra is a great protagonist - far from a Mary Sue, she balances being relatable, entertaining, and troubled. I loved the occasional dual perspective, and I thought this brought a nice depth to Lionyra's narrative.

I've been really into piracy stories lately, and this definitely hit the spot! But this was well-blended with romance, found family, and an intriguing and multi-layered world.

While this does make reference to the events of the first book, it reads as an independent story, and I would definitely recommend giving this a go.

Books with similar vibes - A Gathering of Shadows by V E Shwab, Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb, A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne, and The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S A Chakraborty.

I received an ARC of this book and then realized it was #2 in the series. So of course I had to read the first. I enjoyed the first, but this one? I was so excited to learn that this book is from Lio's perspective, as I always wondered what happened to her after Addie fled the city. This gives us Lio's journey while Addie brought back storycrafting. The timelines are simultaneous and interwoven in places, quite well I might add. The story had adventure and romance and pirating. Yes, pirates. I wasn't quite expecting that but I'm here for it. I could see the growth in the author's writing between book 1 and book 2 and enjoyed that, as well. I got the vibe that this writer has some brilliant works to come. The book does set up for a third, hoping to read that. It also ended it quite nicely so it could go either way on whether it continues to a trilogy. Looking forward to finding out. All in all, I quite enjoyed this.

A Tale Told by Traitors is a richly imagined and gorgeously written tale of love and loyalty.

Lionyra Vara has been hiding a secret. Working as a baker in the far reaches of Mithra-Sha, she helps her friend Audra escape with the mysterious man who helped her finish the first story in years. Unfortunately, the little stunt she pulled to distract the guards caught their eye instead. She is delivered into the hands of the vicious and lethal Del's Own Blade. Turns out, Lio is actually Alyona Graven, the Delina and heir to Amere-Del. Meanwhile, Ryker Kassian is a pirate saddled with debts. When he hears word that the missing heir to Amere-Del might be hiding out in Mithra-Sha, he plans his longest con yet, with the goal of capturing her and ransoming her back to the Del. But plans don't always work out, and the pair experiences mysterious cities, adventure, and a brewing revolution. Will Lio and Ryker be able to work together, or only work to save themselves?

I LOVED this book so much! It is a fantastic follow up to A Story Spun in Scarlet. While a separate story focusing on new characters, it does help if you read the first book as there are little easter eggs and spots where the two stories overlap. There is plenty of adventure, excitement, a long journey, and tons of swoony romance. The writing is exquisite, and there are lots of little twists and turns to keep things interesting. I loved the pirate focus in this book, and the shift to Amere-Del. Lio is a fantastic character, and Ryker is wonderful. They are both hiding things, and both are scarred from their pasts, but seeing them learn to love and trust each other was beautifully done. A true fantasy adventure, this is definitely a favorite series of mine.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Renee Dugan, and Wave Walker Press for the advanced copy of this beautiful book. All opinions are my own.

I love this idea pirates and secretes and story telling. It so much fun and a little different from what I usually read so Renee Dugan has made it on to my list of auto buy authors.

A Tale Told by Traitors was filled with adventure! I loved that you start right in the middle of the action! The author does such a good job of world building you can truly imagine the story. While not necessary to have read the first book in the series, it may have added to the character development a bit as there were parts that felt as I should know more. The story keeps you intrigued throughout the entire telling, even during the slower parts. I loved the ending - definitely one to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC, all opinions are my own!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book.

For the first part of the book I was not invested in the story but then BOOM I just couldnt stop reading. I mean, the plot twist was so great it totally blew my mind and the love for this book started then and grew page after page.

I seriously hated the Lyonira the first part of the book but she magically redeemed herself afterwards and I couldnt be more proud of her journey.
There isn´t much to say about Ryker… only that now I have a pirate book boyfriend.

The book was constantly entertaining, specially after the first 30% and it was a really great read for me.

Highly recommended

A brilliant YA fantasy book! It has everything you could want in a story . Cannot wait to delve into more Renee Dugan books.

The world/character building was amazing, I want to follow these characters on ever adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Overall Enjoyment: 3 stars ⭐️
Romance: 4 stars⭐️ (no spice)
Plot and worldbuilding: 3 stars⭐️

This book is about pirates, romance, found family, and treachery.
This book is a lot different from the first book, but I feel like you need the worldbuilding of the first one to understand it better. So, in my opinion, reading the first book is recommended even if it is a standalone.

What I loved:
A badass FMC who did question her life and the violence and tried to turn her life around.
A slow-burn romance and found family.
Mental health rep in this book. They go through some bad things and it is talked about. The consequences of those actions are mentioned and dealt with. The effects of those experiences aren't ignored or pushed back, but they share and talk about it. It was refreshing to read this in a fantasy book.

What I didn't love so much:
This book felt too long and not long enough at the same time. Some parts felt overexplained and dragged out and in some parts characters died and I didn't care enough because I barely knew (or remember) who they were and what role they had. There were a lot of characters and different places and reading it on Kindle didn't make it easy to flip back to a map or the character guide. Which made it a confusing read. Also, the pacing felt a bit off at times.

Overall feelings:
I loved the premise of the story and the journey the MC's took in this book. And I still recommend this book, definitely if you like a character-driven story. There is a lot of action, but also a lot of inner thoughts as all the action is happening. But I feel that this book could have been better split up as a duology and fleshed out a bit more in some places. I think this is one of those books I might like better on reread because I have a better understanding of the world, places, and characters.

I didn't hate this book and I consider rereading it. But I would recommend reading this book with full attention and not in between things. I read it over a period of 2 weeks and this might have attributed to the confusing feelings I had.

I hope my review helps you pick up this book and give it the right attention to enjoy it the most. Because it's certainly worth the read.

I tried to read this and realized it was a second. Went to Amazon got the first but it didn't help. I couldn't get I to either of the books and didn't finish them.

I will say this every time I read a pirate or nautical story: I’m a sucker for them. I really enjoyed a view into Lio’s story and background and how the book picks up after the events of her helping Audura escape. I was not expecting her to have the story that she does and I can’t help, but feel for her because she’s being forced to go back to the place she fled from. Then to watch her fall in love with the last person she wanted to is just so beautiful. I like how as we got further into the book we started to see how the story from the previous book is intertwined into this one. I fell in love with so many of these characters that didn’t get happy endings like they were supposed to and it hurt. I absolutely loved this. If I could have devoured this on audio I would have finished it much faster than I did. Absolutely recommend, but be sure to read the first book before reading this one ;)

3.5 stars
While A Tale Told by Traitors started strong with an intriguing premise and a few twists I appreciated, it didn’t quite live up to the first book. The pacing felt slow in many sections, and some characters came across as flat or underdeveloped compared to their earlier portrayals. Although there were moments of excitement and good worldbuilding, overall, it lacked the depth and engagement I expected after the promising beginning. A decent read, but it didn’t quite capture the magic of its predecessor.