ARC REVIEW: A Story Spun in Scarlet, R. Dugan

Hi everyone! Today, I’m reviewing an upcoming fantasy release: A Story Spun in Scarlet by R. Dugan!

Goodreads Description:

Audra Jashowin is a storyteller without a purpose.

When all the tales in the land of Mithra-Sha lost their endings, Audra fled from her family’s rejection and the only home she ever knew. Now, with a sense of veiled danger haunting her heels and her life as devoid of direction as her stories, 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.

A simple farmhand with a way around weapons, Jaik possesses more than a sharp wit that sets Audra’s soul aflame. He’s a natural amplifier with the talent to breathe life into her tales…into all the tales in Mithra-Sha.

Chased from their comfortable lives by a stroke of ill luck on a fateful night, Audra and Jaik embark on a journey for answers—through the wilderness and over the raging sea, to the heart of storytelling itself. Along the way, the strange bond between them deepens as they begin to uncover a mystery that lurks beneath all the broken tales, written in the shroud of their own unlikely pasts.

To mend the fractured stories in Mithra-Sha, Audra and Jaik must learn to embrace what lives at the core of their own the bravery and brilliance, the loyalty and love, and the purpose and power they both harness—together and apart.

And they must face a terrible truth penned between the pages of their quest…a tragedy that will change the course of history and rewrite the ending of their tale forever.

Release Date: 08/03/2024

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*Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review!*

What I Enjoyed:

This book is really for the people who just love a good story. It had such classic fairy tale vibes, with the story woven together to make it sound like an epic tale that would be told around the camp fire. It was beautifully written, and I loved how the magic system was based around the power of stories. I especially enjoyed how the author utilised this, and sprinkled the little stories that Audra tells with her power throughout the main plot!
Talking of the plot – it was so fun! We got to see our two main characters, Audra and Jaik, travel the whole country looking to restore the power of stories, and see the devastation that came from people losing the power of a happy ending. There was action, a range of awesome settings to see our characters in, and an overwhelming feeling of hope as our characters tried to restore what was lost. I loved the adventure these two went on, and would love to see more from this world! I would especially like to see more sea-faring escapades in future books!

I also adored our two main characters. Audra is so real to me. She is caring towards not only her friends, but the people of her country. However, she acknowledges that she isn’t perfect; she can be selfish, vain, and her trauma makes her quite closed off to others. But this is what makes her human, and I loved that we got to see her explore these faults and grow from them!
Jaik, on the other hand, is just such a sweetheart. He would do anything to protect Audra, and his trust in her is unwavering. He is loyal as hell, but he also isn’t scared to speak his mind and tell Audra when she is simply being stupid. I loved how he could go from protective and caring, to just straight-up goofy. His banter was the best part of his character for me: this man takes nothing seriously.

The relationship between these two was just so well developed. We got to see them travelling together for months on end, and saw the connection slowly blossom between them. And it was lovely to see. They became such a powerhouse couple, protecting and loving each other at all costs. I just loved how they loved each other so much!

What Didn’t Work For Me:

Despite me loving the writing style eventually, I will say it did make it really hard for me to get into the book . It was really lyrical and beautiful, but that also made it a bit difficult to get settled into the story. It wasn’t until Jaik was introduced, and the adventure fully got underway, that I fully started to vibe with the book.
I liked what we got to see of the side characters, but I just wanted more. We spend a lot of time with Jaik and Audra, which is great as it truly gave the perfect pace for the slow-burn, but it just didn’t leave enough space for other relationships to be as developed. All of the relationships between our MCs and the side characters are pre-established, so we only get to experience the main development through memories of previous interactions. This just left me feeling less connected to the friendships with the side characters, which I think could have been helped by spending more time with them!

Overall, this book was a great adventure, with an amazing magic system and two lovely characters to follow. I honestly would love to read more books set in this world! Would definitely recommend if you love a good fairy tale or a wholesome fantasy adventure!