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Cover of A Tale Told By Traitors

A Tale Told By Traitors

by Renee Dugan

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy·Tales of Wonder and Woe #2
4.4 on Goodreads (170)

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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 experience a beautifully crafted love story that proves strength can be found in softness and trust, set against an epic backdrop of adventure and self-discovery.

Synopsis

Set sail into the swoony, pulse-pounding, high-stakes second installment in the TALES OF WONDER AND WOE , a series of sequential standalones each focusing on a new romantic fantasy adventure! - LIONYRA VARA is not who she seems. A humble immigrant baker living in Mithra-Sha, Lio hides a bitter she is truly the sole inheritor of the ruling regime in the neighboring country of Amere-Del. And now, against her will, Lio is going back—to the land of her worst fears and lifelong nightmares. And she won’t be going the life of her oldest friend hangs in the same cruel balance. Their only hope for freedom is to outwit the people who seek to enslave them to the fate they left behind. But to do it, they must first find their way back to each other. RYKER KASSIAN is a man caught between desperation and redemption. A legendary pirate swimming in insurmountable debt, Ryker sees only one way to slip the noose for himself and his beloved by offering the runaway Delina as a ransom for a lofty sum. But when the lost heir offers him a chance at something more—by helping her hunt down her missing friend—Ryker seizes the opportunity without a second thought. It might be his only chance to fix everything he’s broken…and save his crew from slaughter. As their hunt takes them to hidden pirate cities, sinister port towns, and the treacherous heart of Amere-Del where revolution threatens to ignite, all of their secrets and schemes collide. Backed against the tenuous balance of an impending civil war, Lio and Ryker have no choice but to confront the bitter truths they’ve fled from, the causes they’ve betrayed, the schemes for their destruction…and a rising attraction they both deny. And with a ruthless regime seeking both their heads, they must choose which side of the line they stand on—whether they remain enemies divided, or become allies in the fight to shape their own destinies.

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.

4.43 ★ (170)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

651 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

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.

Unknown Narrator

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 proximityhidden identitysecret heir/royaltyadventure romancemilitary romancepirate romancesecret relationship
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

emotionalepicadventuroussecretiveromanticatmosphericbittersweet

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

lyricalatmosphericimmersiveemotional

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.'

pirate seasheist energypage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

secret heir/royaltybaker / innkeepersurvivor

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

morally gray mmcprotective love interestdark/tortured soul

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 piningslow burn

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
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Spice Level 4

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

emotional / lovingromantic / sweet

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

None

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (8)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
deathemotional abusetraumaviolencebetrayalcaptivitygriefimprisonment
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

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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.

coastal / island / beachship / at searoyal court / palace

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

humans only

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

immigrant experiencescarred mc/li

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.

romantic fulfillmentgrowth-focusedthe angst delivered

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

summer

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

summer eveningvacationbeach triprainy weekend

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

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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.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️steamy
PagesHow long the commitment is.651
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.43 ★ (170)
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 #2
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