MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of A Story Spun in Scarlet

A Story Spun in Scarlet

by Renee Dugan

🌶️🌶️mild·Tales of Wonder and Woe #1
4.1 on Goodreads (520)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You'll be swept into a vibrant world of storytelling magic and root for characters finding purpose through shared adventure.

Synopsis

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY… 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.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

A curator's note goes here with flavor that could spoil the plot.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.14 ★ (520)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

670 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2024

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Katie Morrowick

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
forced proximityadventure romancehidden past revealed
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

adventurouswhimsicalmysteriousemotionalhopefulmagical

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

whimsicallyricalimmersiveconversational

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

page turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

storytelleroutcast/loneradventurer

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

charming farmhand amplifier

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

mutual piningreluctant allies to loversslow burn
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (5)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
traumaviolenceabandonmentfamily rejectiongrief
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasy

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

forest / wildernesssmall town / village

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

growth-focusedexpanded empathyescape

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

autumn

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

summer eveningvacationcamping tripin nature

Tales of Wonder and Woe

A Story Spun in Scarlet

#1 A Story Spun in Scarlet

A Tale Told By Traitors

#2 A Tale Told By Traitors

A Poem Penned in Poison

#3 A Poem Penned in Poison

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PagesHow long the commitment is.670
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.14 ★ (520)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Tales of Wonder and Woe #1
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about A Story Spun in Scarlet

Similar Books

Cover of Tress of the Emerald Sea

Tress of the Emerald Sea

Hoid's Travails, #1

Brandon Sanderson

🌶️🌶️·third person
fairytale retellingadventure romancecursed love interest
Cover of Fable

Fable

The World of the Narrows, #1

Adrienne Young

🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityhidden identitysurvival romance
Cover of A Darker Shade of MagicKU

A Darker Shade of Magic

Shades of Magic, #1

V.E. Schwab

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
forced proximityadventure romanceopposites attract
Cover of The HuntressKU

The Huntress

Kate Quinn

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
survival romanceforced proximityadventure romance
Cover of The Kiss of DeceptionKU

The Kiss of Deception

The Remnant Chronicles, #1

Mary E. Pearson

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
arranged marriagehidden identitysecret heir/royalty
Cover of LegendKU

Legend

Legend, #1

Marie Lu

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximityhidden identityenemies to lovers
Cover of The Unmaking of June Farrow

The Unmaking of June Farrow

Adrienne Young

🌶️·first person
hidden past revealedright person wrong timesecret relationship
Cover of The Darkest MindsKU

The Darkest Minds

The Darkest Minds, #1

Alexandra Bracken

🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximitysurvival romanceon the run