What great storytelling and imagination thrown into this book. I loved the premise of the unfinished writing however, drew out a bit for me as I feel like I could have guessed the romance to come towards the end. Thankyou for this opportunity for an ARC!

Let me tell you a story...

Stories with a story. A high fantasy magical journey of unlocking the secrets from the past.

The final few chapters are devasting & the epilogue makes to want to read next installment. The sign of a true good storyteller.

Beautiful prose but at times felt fluffy and unneeded. The plot was enchanting from the get go, but seemed to be a tad to long for what the author was trying to say. Overall I enjoyed this book and this it was very emotional and enchanting read.

A Story Spun in Scarlet is a captivating and magical narrative brimming with adventure, romance, and an intriguing magic system.

In a world where stories no longer have endings, Audra is compelled to abandon her former life and embark on an unforeseen journey.

What captivates me about this book is its refreshing originality. Magic intertwines with the art of storytelling, creating a narrative that feels like a story within a story—a concept that particularly resonates with me.

Renee's writing is truly enchanting, exhibiting a mastery of her own distinct style. Audra shines as the protagonist, gracefully navigating each trial on their quest to unravel the mysteries of the past. However, it's her relationship with Jaik that steals the spotlight.

Their connection is beautifully depicted, unfolding as a slow-burning romance that feels authentic and captivating.

With its whimsical atmosphere, this book is the perfect companion for a cozy fall or winter day. I'm eagerly anticipating how it will conclude!

thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for providing me the Review Copy.

I really don't know why I couldn't get through this book because it seemed right up my alley but I tried twice to read it. I really struggled. I got 31% through before I had to officially put it down the second time. I love fantasy. I really liked the concept of this book, how it's a storyteller who can't finish stories and she slowly gets her mojo back. I feel like it just went on so long. Like they were getting places in the book but yet I was still only 30% of the way through. Don't get me wrong, I am all for a loooong book. But yet I kept checking my progress and it was like I was getting nowhere. I felt like I was never going to finish the book, which felt crazy because I really couldn't figure out how there was so much to talk about truly. I also liked the writing and the dialogue. It wasn't juvenile, it wasn't choppy. I liked the interactions between the male and female main characters. Maybe I'll give it another go one of these days because, again, this really did seem like my perfect cup of tea but it just wasn't working for me.

A story about a storyteller, and what a storyteller she is! Audra crafts fantastic and enthralling tales for the children of her people, a storyteller who is gifted and graced with the ability to make her stories capture minds and hearts. But sadly she, like all storytellers, is cursed for her stories, no matter how thrilling or glorious, to never have an ending. They just abruptly stop with no conclusion. This leads her parents to renounce her for her calling and she leaves her home to venture out in hopes for finding a way to finish her stories. Audra is a clever and driven character with a lot talent. Her stories drew me in as much as the story OF her life. Jaik , her romantic interest, may be the answer to her curse and the curse that plagues all the storytellers. He is a clever farmhand who can fight and is a natural amplifier as opposed to the addictive substances one can use to hopefully finish a story in Mithra Sha. Ultimately their story may be the greatest story of all. And the book is well worth the read. Read it for all storytellers that have struggled, read it for yourself to inspire you to create great things in spite of adversity or doubt.

Creative writing????!!! This author is one of the most uniquely creative authors I have read! This book is just unique, imaginative and absolutely captivating. Not to mention this cover art!! It is perfect for a book about stories that have no end - that is until they do.

This book is lyrical, a tapestry of words woven together in a slow threading of a story or rather several that weave together. The characters are likeable, the world building is good. And overall this is a sort of cozy read, one that you don't pick up for a quick read. It is more like a cup of tea to be sipped slowly, a glass of good red wine to be savored and enjoyed. It is the type of book you sink into and just let yourself enjoy - a holiday read when you have nothing else on the agenda.

Magical, captivating, unique, imaginative.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this review copy.

With a beautiful detailed prose and intriguing complex characters, it was easy to fall into this world. I loved the unique plot (and really liked the 'luck' element) as well as the relationship between Audra and Jaik. I'll definitely be reading more by Renee Dugan!

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is exactly what I needed to get out of my fantasy. reading slump. I feel like so many fantasy novels follow the same basic premises'. But I thing the author is such a creative soul who created a world that I, as a reader, want to immerse myself in. ‘Tales of Wonder and Woe’ indeed.

I quite enjoyed the complexities of the fmc. Shes not your typical herione who is strong but doubts herself. No, in this story our FMC doesnt understand the complexities of the path that she and fate have set her on.

The famon and hardships are very well written, the picture is drawn perfectly in your mind that when you see the turning of the tide you can really see the impact that stories have on the realm.

I think I expected a large. epic battle towards the end but wasn’t disappoint with how the book ended. I see here on goodread that it says #1 of Tales of Wonder and Woe. So im hopeful for a second novel. I think this is a perfect world for more stories to emerge and look forward to reading more from this author.

Id like to thank NetGalley, Renee Dugan and Wave Walker Press for giving me a free ebook copy of A Story Spun in Scarlet.
*allthough I recieved an ARC of this book, this review is wholy my own and not influenced in any way*

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Story Spun in Scarlet is a compelling story that combines elements of fantasy, adventures, and romance. Renee Dugan masterfully and thorough created a plot that will hook you in. The world building is extraordinary, I've read a lot of fantasy books, but I've never seen a story like this. The characters are well-developed, each with their own complex backstories and motivations. I had a special connection with Audra, a talented storycrafter. Her main love interest is Jaik, with whom she began her journey.

The romance tropes:

- Strangers to Friends to Lovers (no explicit content)
- One bed trope ))))
- Tension

I've enjoyed R. Dugan's writing, she has an ability to depict scenes so vividly by explaining in great detail.

The pace:
very very slow paced, you won't be so invested in the book till 70% . The book is huge but I think it totally deserves a chance.

Overall, A Story Spun in Scarlet is a great read!

This story about the magic of storytelling. With interesting beginnings, we followed Audra, a story crafter who cannot finish stories as her magic disappears. Until — of course — she met a man and tada — she finished a story. A bit of a cliché for me. But with that, I love the banter and humor of the two. Both of the MC are not so hard to admire. And I enjoyed it! Thank youuuu!

Thank you to the publisher for this ebook ARC.

This book was really unique in how it used a really well known topic (storytelling into reality) and made it something new. It does feature amnesia and more, but it was a pretty good read.

I loved how the MC’s come together as Antagonists to Friends to Lovers, but with such a twist! The story itself unravels in unexpected ways that kept me enjoying it as I went.

It was a bit hard to continue reading it when my attention wandered away a lot - but it still got me coming back to it. Definitely worth a read if you like subplot romance but really good world building and fantasy magic.

This was a great read and I highly recommend it for anyone to put on their reading shelves. The adventure was spot on. The worldbuilding was impeccable. The characters were well-rounded. Everything that works for a fantasy novel. This was a fun read and I couldn't put it down with each chapter offering something new.

DNF, I sadly just couldn’t get into this one. I tried it multiple times but it read too much literary fiction to me which isn’t a genre I love.

I absolutely loved this book. The author did such a good job of keeping me interested from chapter to chapter and the ending had me shook. I can’t wait to see where this story goes

This was really intriguing.

It felt very YA/NA with high fantasy mix.

If I could compare, I felt it had the adventure of Chronicles of Narnia meets Throne of Glass. I don't know why, because it is NOTHING like either of those, but it felt fantasy/romantic, without the spice, but on a huge adventure, and I wanted to know more 🤣

But I just felt it was unique.

It took me a long time to finish because I found it just wasn't capturing my attention, but that is because I am more of a romantic tension, painful romantic angst girly.

I still recommend this book for fantasy YA/NA lovers.

Basically, if you love Powerless by Lauren Roberts, then you'll like this.

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! ^^