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of A Story Spun in Scarlet, and then I stupidly deleted the wrong book off my NetGalley Shelf and unfortunately it had been archived by then.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.

This was a story weaved through storytelling. With a romance that was not the main storyline and a magic system that I fell for so hard. This was full of life and an exciting journey that I will not soon forget. And knowing that this is only book one. I am super excited to read the upcoming stories set in this world.

dnf. too long and not hooked by the writing style enough to continue on as i was so throughly confused by this plot, and with it being a series, i can’t see myself getting past the first book: unfortunately i think i’m just not the right audience, but i would recommend to some mutuals.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wave Walker Press, and Renee Dugan for the ARC and a wonderfull read.

"A Tale Woven from Threads of Magic": The Review of R. Dugan's "An Old Magic Story in Scarlet"
A good fantasy romance novel of an author, A Story Spun in Scarlet by R. Dugan, steers us through magic chronicling of hurt and the inflexible will of storytelling. Luck will then drive us, and in our wake the hearty reader, to the glistening kingdom of Mithra-Sha where StoryCrafters be arbiters through aristocratic metaphor: to be generous with the fertility of the land and democracy of the soul.

Word-Painted World: Dugan's prose is lush and full, really bringing Mithra-Sha to life. One feels the hundred-degree heat of the desert sun but also the lushness of enchanted forests and tension that hangs heavy in the air, promising failure that looms: failure in being able to complete stories. This unique magic system might be a bit weird, but it's certainly cool.

Audra is quite a complex and a relatable protagonist. She burned with an imperfect heart, her independence a dare to peck at a flaw in her heart, which sucked out her self-belief. In that sense, it looked as though she carried both twin fears: creative inertia and authentic courage; that was bound to set things racing with the fight, victory, and emotion that must go with it and sure to warm the cockles of your heart.

A smoldering slow-burn romance, Audra and Jaik's love story is a fire of words left unspoken. Layers of dynamics—respect, light banter, and mutual vulnerability—all wrap around the love story. Though not a single scene of the events is scripted, it is absolutely clear how emotionally connected to them we are, and it makes one long for their well-being.

The Pacey Plot Line: The climaxing storyline keeps the reader glued on to the book with the right mix of adventure, politics, and the looming threat of yet another unstable kingdom. And the plot unfolds—twists and turns leave you wondering what trials Audra might face next.

A Must Read for the Fans of Fantasy with a Hint of Romance: Threads Spun from Scarlet is a highly enticing page-turner novel. Dugan beautifully weaves in world-building and the ensemble she calls into play, creating the most genuine, flawed characters in her tales. The novel has been promised to be filled with exploration of transcending limitations, the glamour of stories, and the losses we endure for those we love.

RECOMMENDATION: Overall, "A Story Spun in Scarlet" is a pretty good read. It is beautiful and thought-provoking, and the story remains long past the placement of the final pages. So grab this book with a cup of tea on the side and lose yourself in a world where stories can change absolutely anything.

A solid 4 stars. The writing is absolutely stunning and the relationship between Audra and Jaik is catnip to anyone who loves friends-to-lovers. The plot was a slow, lush wander that didn't waste a single word... up to about the last quarter. The last quarter is why I knocked off a star. It bogs down something fierce. Beats that were so well-earned up to that point turned into a slog, and at the end, it felt like Audra had made very little progress at all.

Despite the payoff being... lackluster, to say the least, this was such a lovely story about stories. I felt truly submerged in the fairy tale atmosphere, and it was wonderfully earnest and never asked me to laugh at all the tropes and aesthetics I love. The dynamic, cinematic visuals were top-tier.

All in all, I would heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves stories, the telling of stories, and/or romances about the ship healing together.

I really thought I would live this book, but it was just too slow moving for me. The magic was a little unclear to me (that could definitely be a me problem though). I wanted to love it, but it didn’t hold my attention.

A Story Spun In Scarlet is one of those books that immediately sweeps you away.
From the very beginning, I was so deeply invested in the world that had lost its magic—lost its stories—to even think of putting the book down.
Renee Dugan’s writing is both lyrical and masterful, with all the small stories Audra yells sounding like they could easily be expanded into their own books (though, they do keep that particular fairytale quality with makes me think they suit being short).
The worldbuilding was honestly stunning, with an expansive and unique world, but also not an information dump to be seen. Both parts mystical and, at times, slightly horror like, the imagery is so vivid it almost spills off of the pages.
And the characters?
I loved Audra (or tiger, Ayjay, Addie-cat or another of her many nicknames).
Her determination mixed with a hint of selfishness makes her instantly feel more relatable than many other protagonists, and I was rooting for her from the very start.
Jaik, her love interest, melted my heart. From the moment they met, he made both me and Audra smile with his jokes and teasing. I loved their relationship SO much, and how they comforted each other was honestly beautiful.
Whether it was Addie waking screaming from a nightmare or having a panic attack, Jaik was always there, calming her down and being her safe place in the storm.
Their relationship may have been one of my favourite parts of the book, but I also loved how the plot itself had as many twists and turns as one of Audra’s stories.
I was on tenderhooks for at least the last ten percent, and just worried for both of them all the time.
And to me, that’s the mark of a good author, if you’re terrified of what might happen to the main characters.
Overall, this was amazing, and anyone who loves fantasy, fairytales, beautiful and descriptive writing, or honestly even pretty covers should definitely pick this up!

I'm a huge huge HUGE fan of books that have storytelling elements (needless to say, the Storyteller's Daughter is one of my favorite tales) so I was really excited to get this book! It didn't disappoint. Engaging story, well thought out plot and worldbuilding, and relatable characters!

What an enchanting fantasy world Dugan has given us! This book gave me the same feeling I got reading the Grishaverse books the first time. Highly recommend to lovers of romantasy, whimsical fantasy, etc.

I love the idea of a world where storytellers have the power and magic to make their stories come to life. Imagine if we could wield such power, what kind of world could we make?

I really liked the way the story started it out with Audra and the other storytellers being outcasts. It felt real and true to how I imagine our society being if a group of people held the power to shape the world and create riches and comfort and then all of a sudden could not anymore. The world would no longer have use for those storytellers.

I honestly wish that there hadn’t been a romance between Audra and Jake. I think I would have liked to see Audra regain her power some other way and take on the world herself.

But overall, I really enjoyed this book and have not read anything like it before.

This was my first book by R. Dugan and also the first in fantasy. And quite honestly, I wanted to find that I didn't really care for this genre but found I was mistaken. The characters are so vivid, you're sure you know them personally. I did hold my breath on more than one occasion but also realized that a great storyteller does just that; makes you go through all kinds of emotions. I will definitely be reading another book in this series!

✅ Beautiful Cover
✅ Extensive World Building
✅ Characters with Growth
✅ 🧪Chemistry 🧪

Do not let the size of this book intimidate you. Honestly I am starting to find the longer the book is the bigger the world we are brought into. I will admit that the beginning is kind of tedious to slog through, but if you can do that you get to meet Audra and Jaik and go on this incredible journey with them. Ahhh I can’t really say much without spoiling it but I love love loved it. I will read it a million more times over if I could skip some of the wordiness 😅

I loved the concept of this book and I made it about 60% through before my kindle broke and all my progress was ruined. I enjoyed the writing as well as the approach to the character. I also loved that for the first 5 chapters I was trying to guess if I should be reading with a feminist lens or not. I loved the mystery aspect. It was subtle but there! The writing was beautiful and amazing. I hope to finish this book as a physical copy now that it is released.

❤️MJ

Consider me intrigued ok? I really liked this one, the world building had me hooked from the start and the characters only helped that feeling grow. They were pretty well written and developed to get me to care about them and their future. The story was well-paced, not too quick but not too slow either. Everything was well-balanced and I would definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the Arc! I have tried several times to read this book and I keep rereading the first 25% I cannot get into it. It reads very ya but yet it's quite confusing and very dull. The premise is really cool I just couldn't get into it. I really wanted to love it but it just wasnt for me .

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

Beautiful, refreshing fantasy perfect for fans of OUAT and Brandon Sanderson. This story had such a unique magic system. I can't wait for more.