Read if:
You like the show Once Upon a Time Fairytales
Magic
Story telling
Found Family
Tolkien-esque writing

This was a fun read that scratched my neverending fairytale itch.
I already have my copy (with sprayed edges by custom.sprayed.edges on insta).
It is indeed wordy, as some have pointed out. That did not deter me as I'm a huge Tolkien fan and he can basically spend 10 pages describing the bark on a tree... Dugan is descriptive but merely to set the scene & vibes of the land/atmosphere; fully fleshed. I imagine future installments will have faster pacing.
Anyhoo, this tale has it all. Mystery, adventure, romance (sans spice), found family, minsters and magic. An original tale, written beautifully.


Thanks to NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for the eARC!

⁀➷ 5 stars ☆

let me tell you a story...

this book was absolutely magical. a stunning story about stories.
i went in with fairly low expectations because of the length and the synopsis, although interesting, was a bit confusing? to me + the first couple of chapters were a bit slow and didn't really grip me, but i'm so glad i pushed through because it got so much better and i quite literally could not put it down. it's long but the pages fly by. (also, the cover is stunning)
i am quite literally destroyed. the ending had me sobbing actual tears. why was this so good???

✧ brief summary.
audra jashowin is a storycrafter in a world run off the power of stories. for some unknown reason, all storycrafters have lost the ability to end their tales, throwing the world into disarray. rejected and cast away by her family and friends, she travels from village to village in hope of finding an answer as to why this is happening. until one night, when she's telling a story at a bar, locks eyes with a mysterious farmhand, aaaaand... finishes her story. hence begins the adventure!!

✧ plot
ABSOLUTELY INSANE. the worldbuilding?? the magic system?? it was actually so unique and refreshing. seriously never read anything like it. this book is very much high fantasy so it could be a bit confusing at first but it got a lot easier as the chapters went on. i loved the whole magical system built around stories and luck being a whole thing in this book. the pacing was great, which is a lot coming from me given that my top complaint about books is usually "the pacing was off". if you're looking for a fast-paced book, this is not for you but i loved the slower pace, it really allowed the characters and plot to shine through clearly instead of feeling rushed.

i loved the little stories woven in between, it was such a fun little surprise every time. i actually got goosebumps every time audra said "let me tell you a story". and how they interwined together into the ending? i was absolutely in awe. the quest vibes were so much fun and this is such an immersive book, like you can picture everything very clearly as it happens and honestly felt like i was in the book. there were so many twists and turns in this that left my jaw on the floor and that final plot twist near the end? i will NEVER recover.

✧ writing.
the writing was so poetic and enchanting, i seriously could not pick out quotes to put in my review because every line is quote-worthy. however, i did feel like it was a bit heavy at times. i often had to re-read some parts twice because i didn't comprehend it the first time. which is honestly my fault because i was studying for exams while reading this so my brain was fried 😭 the first few chapters took the brunt of it though, so it got better after the 10-ish chapter mark. still, i love purple prose when it's done right, and this was definitely that! the writing was so atmospheric and helped set the scenes perfectly.

✧ romance.
THE ROMANCE WAS SOSO CUTE OH MY GOD. audrajaik are literally soulmates. their love is so genuine and tender and their story definitely captured my heart. the strangers to friends to lovers trope was done so well and it's very much a slowburn so i didn't feel like the romance was rushed at all. i love them so so much and they better show up in the sequel !!

✧ overall.
i'm so absolutely in awe of this beautiful story. the world and the magic system were so well developed, the characters all have distinct personalities and are lovable (except galan, he can die), the pacing was amazing, the writing is stunning and everything was tied together perfectly. i want so much more about this world and will definitely be seated for the sequel <3

──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────

thank you to netgalley and the author for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review! <3

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While this book may not have been for me, I do feel it’s a lovely story. The authors writing style is very lyrical and poetic, if a bit wordy. The characters were likable and the plot very interesting!
I would recommend this book to you if you’re into lyrical, YA high fantasy 🙂

Audra is a storyteller. Unfortunately, she fell out of favor when all the stories lost their endings. She then meets Jaik who will have the power to act on her gift like an amplifier, bringing her stories to life. Driven by destiny, they will go in search of answers to find the end of the stories but also to write their history.

It was a very interesting and rich read, even if I found it quite “heavy”. Being basic French, my notions of English were a little shaken... ^^" But I understood the whole story and that's the most important thing. The novel is poetic, very descriptive and the people who like stories full of details should find what they like.

In short, a story which I hope will eventually be translated into French! ^^

Thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for the ARC I'm exchange for an honest review.

The cover immediately drew me to this book, and the premise sounded really interesting: a story about a storyteller! Even more than that: a story about a storyteller unable to finish stories. Unfortunately, I found that this story didn't capture my attention and it was hard to focus on the story when I was reading it. And it was even harder to focus on the stories within the story; I don't think I can recall details about a single one. I gave this story 16 chapters/20%, before DNFing it because I just couldn't get into the story.

Things I liked:
- Short chapters (5-6 pages, mostly)
- Chapters have names, not just numbers
- Language wasn't very complicated, not hard to follow

Things I disliked:
- A lot of narration/description
- Not a lot of dialogue
- Very long sentences at times
- Didn't feel like I got to know the narrator very well

All in all: this story wasn't really my cup of tea, but if the things I disliked are things you like, this story might be for you!

A unique story mixing fantasy with feminism, with a protagonist with some truly unique powers. An enjoyable read.

Woof. Dnf at 20% for me. It was just moving so slow, and I can’t bring myself to dive back in. I thought the idea of her powers was really creative, I just couldn’t bring myself to care where her story went

ARC Review ~ A Story Spun in Scarlet~

*******************************************

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dugan did it again! Though it took me a bit to get into the story, once I did I fell in love. The twists and turns of this book had me on the edge of my seat and rooting for the main characters. I grew to adore the world Dugan created once again and can’t wait for more.

Thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for this ARC!

A Story Spun in Scarlet is sprawling fantasy infused with great world-building and meticulous attention to the fantasy world that Dugan uses to immerse the reader in the story. This is a novel brimming with a cast of unique characters with a focus on marginalised groups. Dugan has created a compelling fantasy that follows the well-defined hero’s quest narrative while incorporating sociopolitical themes of marginalisation and persecution.

A well-written novel where the classic epic fantasy departs for strong feminism and focus on inequality.

Dugan writes with ease, compelling the reader deeper into the intricate world-building. At times there is a sense of slowed pace where the complexities of the world-building and sociopolitical intrigue could be more concisely delivered to maintain the high action pace of the beginning.

Conclusion

A recommend fantasy for fans of epic fantasy series, sociopolitical intrigue and thorough world-building in a classic hero’s quest fantasy but with strong feminist themes. Dugan has begun a new fantasy series to watch!

Unfortunately, this book didn’t really work for me, partly because it just wasn’t really my thing at all. The story felt really cliche—the heroes are all super good, the villains are all super bad and childish, and unfortunately none of the characters were interesting enough to make up for this. Both Audra and Jaik felt really bland and nothing about them stood out to me. I couldn’t really feel the chemistry between them, and their banter was really corny to me. Honestly a lot of the dialogue just came off as corny to me as well, especially with the way characters would replace swears with some variation like ‘luck’ instead of ‘fuck’. I generally don’t have a problem with fantasy curses, but it just becomes really silly and juvenile to me when the word is obviously used in place of an obvious curse and when you have characters saying things like ‘lucking hell’ or whatever.

The world-building felt very lacking in details especially for a novel that was 500+ pages. I feel like we were not given a lot of knowledge about how the world worked in relation to storycrafting, and whatever details we were given were just haphazardly thrown out without much fleshing out done. For instance, it’s stated that storycrafters are responsible for many inventions like airships and rifles, but that just made me have questions as to how the magic in the setting worked—like are these airships or rifles akin to what we’d see in the modern world with similar infrastructure or just magical items with no logic backing them? And if storycrafters were responsible for inventing them, where did they get the ideas from?

I’m not really sure how to best put this, but basically the world felt too much like a generic fantasy setting to feel like a world that was heavily influenced by storycrafters, even though the narrative was saying that the setting was. I guess if everything was written in a more ‘magical’ way it would’ve seemed more believable to me.

I also felt like this novel did not need to be as long as it was. I found myself bored throughout many parts of the story.

A lot of the main plot beats in A STORY SPUN IN SCARLET also strongly mirror another one of the author’s works that I read a few years ago—THE CHAOS CIRCUS. I don’t want to give too many details because of spoilers, but when the reason behind the lack of endings for stories was explained, all I could think was how similar these two stories were. I also wasn’t really a fan of how a lot of the main events in the story seem to have some sort of ‘destiny’ undertone to it, especially in regard to Jaik and Audra. I know that there’s a plot reason for it, but it just wasn’t really my thing.

Overall, this book just really wasn’t my thing. I didn’t think it was horrible—the concept was interesting, the writing was fine, the characters were decently developed. I just ended up not really enjoying it. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic fantasy story with some plot twists.

I'm so sad that I didn't enjoy this as much as i thought i would!

I just couldn't connect with the story itself and the writing just wasn't for me.

The plot had originality, mystery and intrigue.
However, the novel's lengthy prose proved to be too much for me. It was all descriptive paragraphs with little dialogue.
That being said, preferences in writing style are inherently subjective, and while the heavy emphasis on description may not resonate with all readers like myself, it may be for you.
The author's vivid imagery and meticulous attention to detail in the narrative provided a clear image of the world in my head. This was one of the bonus of this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

4 stars

I loved this book! The plot was interesting and original. Each twist and turn in the story adds depth, making you really care about what happens next. And that ending? Get ready for some tears.

The writing is beautiful and poetic. The author's words paint a vivid picture in your mind, making you feel like you're right there in the story. It's emotional and adds a lot to the overall experience.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Audra is a strong and determined character who you can't help but root for. She's tough on the outside but has a soft side too, which makes her really relatable.

Jaik is kind and caring, and you can't help but like him right away.

Audra and Jaik's relationship is the heart of the story. Their love feels real and will make you believe in happy endings. Their story will stay with you long after you finish reading.

« Let me tell you a story. »

I’m speechless. Wiping the tears off my cheeks, wondering how I’ll ever fill the hole left in my heart by Renée Dugan’s characters.

It had been a long time since I loved a story that much! After the first paragraph, I knew it would be a 5-star read.

First, it’s insanely well written. The number of sentences I highlighted because they were just so PRETTY is extremely high.

Second, it’s BRILLIANT. The twists and turns and how everything connects… brilliant.

Third, the CHARACTERS. I often find myself annoyed by the FMCs. Audra is not one of those annoying FMCs. She’s real, raw, flawed, caring, loving, creative and strong minded. I loved her. And what can I say about Jaik 🥹😍 Newest book boyfriend, here to stay. This man will stay rent free in my head and heart for a long time; fierce, true, loyal, funny af, he is EVERYTHING.

That book is a thick one, but do yourselves a favor and dive into it anyway.

The fact the main character has my name just drew me in completey im absolutely obsessed over this book

Thanks to netgalley and Renne Dugan for giving me a copy of this book to review it

In a world without endings, we met Aura, who is a storyteller and can't finish a story. Now, after being diswoned, she is desperate; and then she finds someone who could help her... Jalik.

This book was amazing, Renee Dugan has a great ability with words and the world she created for this universe is really good. I loved the way the romance is not the first thing in the story, but has its onwn protagonism, the magic system is amazing and loved how Jalik and Audra brought the best of the other,

Also, I didn't know this was a series so here I am, waiting (im)patiently for the second :D

This is a very good YA fantasy, with a sassy FMC and interesting side characters that compliment the story.

This was a good paced story and I loved how unique it was, I would love to read more by this author.

A Story Spun in Scarlet is my first time reading anything by Renee Dugan, and I can see why her work receives such high ratings. This tale follows a storyteller named Audra Jashowin who lives in a world where stories no longer have endings. Something broke magic storytellers possessed by telling complete stories, leaving the kingdom of Mithra-Sha facing poverty and starvation. Then, one day, Audra encounters a farmhand, Jaik Grissom, and rediscovers her magic.

Let me start with some of what I truly loved about this book:

- Audra is such an amazing main female character. She is strong, independent, and fiery, yet she has so many insecurities to work through. The fact that her actions have consequences, sometimes of the life altering variety, and that she is forced to face the reality of her choices just makes her all the more endearing.

- Jaik is just the calming presence of the story, and he balances Audra perfectly. They are such an incredible match romantically that I never missed the fact that this is a clean read and things never progress beyond kissing on the page.

- The ease with which we were able to get to know the diverse cast of supporting characters, even those who joined late in the book. Each one found a place in my heart.

The one thing I didn’t love:

- Dugan writes very poetically, which at times lends itself very well to a fantasy story. However, towards the middle I found it made the plot drag a bit with all the descriptions. I had to push through to the end, but I will say I am glad that I did because it was worth it.

Let me just speak briefly about the ending in case my opinion of the pacing is causing you to think twice about reading this tale. The ending is worth it. I cried through the last several chapters, which is not something I usually do when reading. There’s sometimes a moment that will get me emotionally, but this book came together so beautifully in the end that I was a mess for nearly three chapters. So, don’t let the length or pacing scare you, the ending is everything.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: None, just some kissing

This book is quite the sweeping tale, and it is a wonderful romance. If you like banter, found family, and a sassy main female character, read A Story Spun in Scarlet.

This story was a slow burn read that took a little bit to truly capture me, but once it did I loved it! It has such a unique magic system and world building. I thought the character.s were well written and enjoy the little hint of romance. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!


I loved A Story Spun in Scarlet. Renee Dugan’s writing style is so beautiful, almost poetic. This book is beautifully written. It was difficult for me to get hooked during the first chapters, the information and explanations made me stop a few times before continuing it , but I’m so glad I did. Around 40% of the book I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it. I found the characters really enjoyable and I loved the way they cared for each other. They felt so real. So human. Overall, I thoroughly loved this story and the author's writing style.