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Twisted Thorn #1
The Scars Within
One girl. Two brothers. A school built on secrets. And a bond that could burn the world
down.
Scarlet Thorne has been broken. Burned alive and survived.
Now she’s a wild card with forbidden magic and a dragon with no memories—enrolled in
Mageia War College only because she has nowhere else to go. She’s supposed to stay quiet.
Stay controlled. Stay away from too much power.
Too bad control has never been her strong suit.
She never expected to find purpose. Or friendship. Or to fall for two brothers with secrets of their
own. Caught between the welcoming, charming Shayde and the unpredictable, dangerous
Rhodes Wylder, Scarlet must guard her heart as fiercely as her life. Falling for either of them
would be a mistake. Falling for both? That could be deadly.
But love isn’t the only fire rising. Someone is hunting Scarlet from within the college walls.
Professors are dying. Whispers swirl that she is the one destined to destroy them all. And the
more Scarlet digs for truth, the more her own darkness threatens to break free.
Her magic is illegal. Her past is a secret. And her heart? Already split in two.
As dark truths unravel and betrayal cuts deeper than any blade, Scarlet must confront the
trauma she’s buried, the power she never asked for, and a fate that may cost her everything.
The Scars Within is a spellbinding romantasy packed with slow-burn heat, found family, snarky
banter, and a dangerous romance that scorches through every page. Perfect for fans of Fourth
Wing, Powerless and Throne of Glass. Read only if you’re ready to fall hard—and risk
everything.
🔥Romance that burns and betrayal that leaves you bleeding
🔥Grumpy - sunshine twin brothers
🔥Found family & fractured loyalties
🔥Elemental powers, bonded dragons & magical assassins
Scarlet Thorne’s story is loosely based on the author’s mental health journey.
down.
Scarlet Thorne has been broken. Burned alive and survived.
Now she’s a wild card with forbidden magic and a dragon with no memories—enrolled in
Mageia War College only because she has nowhere else to go. She’s supposed to stay quiet.
Stay controlled. Stay away from too much power.
Too bad control has never been her strong suit.
She never expected to find purpose. Or friendship. Or to fall for two brothers with secrets of their
own. Caught between the welcoming, charming Shayde and the unpredictable, dangerous
Rhodes Wylder, Scarlet must guard her heart as fiercely as her life. Falling for either of them
would be a mistake. Falling for both? That could be deadly.
But love isn’t the only fire rising. Someone is hunting Scarlet from within the college walls.
Professors are dying. Whispers swirl that she is the one destined to destroy them all. And the
more Scarlet digs for truth, the more her own darkness threatens to break free.
Her magic is illegal. Her past is a secret. And her heart? Already split in two.
As dark truths unravel and betrayal cuts deeper than any blade, Scarlet must confront the
trauma she’s buried, the power she never asked for, and a fate that may cost her everything.
The Scars Within is a spellbinding romantasy packed with slow-burn heat, found family, snarky
banter, and a dangerous romance that scorches through every page. Perfect for fans of Fourth
Wing, Powerless and Throne of Glass. Read only if you’re ready to fall hard—and risk
everything.
🔥Romance that burns and betrayal that leaves you bleeding
🔥Grumpy - sunshine twin brothers
🔥Found family & fractured loyalties
🔥Elemental powers, bonded dragons & magical assassins
Scarlet Thorne’s story is loosely based on the author’s mental health journey.
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2025
1198 people are currently reading
18197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
dnf
July 15, 2025DNF @ 20%
I started skimming and that was my sign that this book isn't for me. This is said to be "for fans of Fourth Wing and Powerless" but the "inspiration" is so heavy it took me right out of the story. If I wanted to read those stories, I would reread them.
Other things that made it difficult for me to continue:
- names like Hogboom and Skuttzlezwagon
- the FMC reading "Throne of Steel"
- the war college having a pseudo-Starbucks and the FMC pretty much being a barista
- there being espresso machines and milk frothers but quills for writing and torches for light
- juvenile dialogue like the FMC calling people "Miss Leader-pants" and "miss-talks-a-lot"
- a literal cafeteria food fight
I started skimming and that was my sign that this book isn't for me. This is said to be "for fans of Fourth Wing and Powerless" but the "inspiration" is so heavy it took me right out of the story. If I wanted to read those stories, I would reread them.
Other things that made it difficult for me to continue:
- names like Hogboom and Skuttzlezwagon
- the FMC reading "Throne of Steel"
- the war college having a pseudo-Starbucks and the FMC pretty much being a barista
- there being espresso machines and milk frothers but quills for writing and torches for light
- juvenile dialogue like the FMC calling people "Miss Leader-pants" and "miss-talks-a-lot"
- a literal cafeteria food fight
November 12, 2025
5⭐️ THIS IS SO UNDERRATED!!!
This follows Scarlet, who has over come absolute horrors (major mental health rep in this), and finds herself accepted into Mageia war college, where you learn to channel your magic.
This is elemental magic, so you can channel one of the four elements, no one has channeled all four in centuries and having more than one element is against the law as it makes you too powerful and dangerous
Scarlet meets the Wylder twins, Rhodes and Shayde who are polar opposites, Shayde the bright bubbly friendly one and Rhodes (MY ABSOLUTE FAV) the dark, brooding one and finds herself in a bit of a love triangle with them
There are murders happening at the college, and people think scarlet has something to do with it. This is the general gist without revealing any major plot points
This book has TWIST AFTER TWIST at the end and ends on a big cliffhanger! The slow burn in this was 10/10, alongside the world, the dragons/dragon riders etc all of it was perfect
Lakota is just 😩🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
I LOVED this, the writing isn’t anything to shout home about the dialogue can be a bit juvenile and mismatches the fantasy word at times, but I actually don’t care because the side characters (Laney 🩷) main characters, plot and pacing were all sooo good and I need book two NOW
If you love fourth wing and zodiac academy you’ll love this
This follows Scarlet, who has over come absolute horrors (major mental health rep in this), and finds herself accepted into Mageia war college, where you learn to channel your magic.
This is elemental magic, so you can channel one of the four elements, no one has channeled all four in centuries and having more than one element is against the law as it makes you too powerful and dangerous
Scarlet meets the Wylder twins, Rhodes and Shayde who are polar opposites, Shayde the bright bubbly friendly one and Rhodes (MY ABSOLUTE FAV) the dark, brooding one and finds herself in a bit of a love triangle with them
There are murders happening at the college, and people think scarlet has something to do with it. This is the general gist without revealing any major plot points
This book has TWIST AFTER TWIST at the end and ends on a big cliffhanger! The slow burn in this was 10/10, alongside the world, the dragons/dragon riders etc all of it was perfect
Lakota is just 😩🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
I LOVED this, the writing isn’t anything to shout home about the dialogue can be a bit juvenile and mismatches the fantasy word at times, but I actually don’t care because the side characters (Laney 🩷) main characters, plot and pacing were all sooo good and I need book two NOW
If you love fourth wing and zodiac academy you’ll love this
March 21, 2025
The Scars Within was clearly written with BookTok in mind, but at what point does inspiration cross the line. There were just too many familiar elements to overlook, making it hard not to compare.
That said, I did enjoy the book! I was invested in the story and genuinely wanted to see what happened next. Will I pick up book two? Maybe.
The real issue is that when a book borrows so heavily from others but doesn’t quite live up to them, it ends up feeling underdeveloped. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened here. The foundation was there, but the execution fell flat for me.
That said, I did enjoy the book! I was invested in the story and genuinely wanted to see what happened next. Will I pick up book two? Maybe.
The real issue is that when a book borrows so heavily from others but doesn’t quite live up to them, it ends up feeling underdeveloped. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened here. The foundation was there, but the execution fell flat for me.
September 8, 2025
I saw this was a love triangle and really wanted to like this one-unfortunately it just fell flat for me. I thought it was going to be a DNF around 40%, but since I did want to find out about the unknown POV I pushed through with the audiobook. The writing just felt jarring and cringey through most of the book, and I didn’t feel connected to the characters. Also, as it’s very similar to Fourth Wing I found myself comparing the two most of the time. I liked Rhodes as a character, I just didn’t feel like he was fleshed out enough as one of the main characters. Not sure if I’ll read the second one- we’ll see.
August 24, 2025
Dnf on pg 355!
I tried so hard to finish this book, trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. But when the author basically re wrote the xaden and violet scene with the daggers, I draw the line there.
Let me start off by saying, I went into this book completely blind, only knowing that there is dragons. I didn’t know until 20% in, after I looked this book up, that it was “heavily” influenced by fourthwing. I looked it up because the similarities were so strong and I started questioning what I was reading.
This was basically the same playing pieces just “mixed” around. Honestly it’s closer to a fan fic. She basically took FW and IF blended it up and spit this out. I wrote down multiple scenes that mimic fourthwing and its time line. So unfortunate that this was a copy cat of fourthwing.
The writing was also very juvenile, trying way too hard to be relatable. I almost thought I was reading a ya or younger. A “food fight”? Seriously? And he took them to the principals office? Like what?! Okay I’m done I need to chill out 😅.
The audiobook narrators are amazing, the 1 star goes to them 🙌.
I tried so hard to finish this book, trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. But when the author basically re wrote the xaden and violet scene with the daggers, I draw the line there.
Let me start off by saying, I went into this book completely blind, only knowing that there is dragons. I didn’t know until 20% in, after I looked this book up, that it was “heavily” influenced by fourthwing. I looked it up because the similarities were so strong and I started questioning what I was reading.
This was basically the same playing pieces just “mixed” around. Honestly it’s closer to a fan fic. She basically took FW and IF blended it up and spit this out. I wrote down multiple scenes that mimic fourthwing and its time line. So unfortunate that this was a copy cat of fourthwing.
The writing was also very juvenile, trying way too hard to be relatable. I almost thought I was reading a ya or younger. A “food fight”? Seriously? And he took them to the principals office? Like what?! Okay I’m done I need to chill out 😅.
The audiobook narrators are amazing, the 1 star goes to them 🙌.
January 2, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ I’ll be honest — I only read this because I have the ARC for book two and wanted the context before continuing the series. Unfortunately, this first book didn’t really convince me.
At its core, The Scars Within follows a young woman who survives brutal captivity and is then sent to a war college where magic, dragons, and combat training are meant to prepare students for an ongoing conflict. That sounds like it should work… but the execution didn’t land for me.
The book felt like Harry Potter x Fourth Wing… but for kids. While it wants to be a dark romantasy dealing with trauma, war, and survival, the execution constantly undercuts itself with juvenile writing and behavior that made it hard to take seriously.
We’re told the FMC spent a year locked in a shed, starved and abused, yet her biggest fear is that her new school friends won’t love her and will leave her — like her father did when she was a baby… a man she doesn’t barely remembers- I’m sorry, but make it make sense. The emotional priorities felt wildly misplaced given the severity of what she supposedly endured.
The tone is all over the place. One minute we’re tackling heavy topics like trauma and captivity, and the next there’s an actual food fight in the cafeteria. These characters are all 21+, yet they consistently act like they’re in middle school, which completely broke immersion.
The writing often felt juvenile, with modern dialogue and goofy moments that clashed hard with the darker themes. The characters in general felt far younger than their stated ages, making the world feel unserious.
On top of that, the book pulls very heavily from Fourth Wing — from the war college setting to the overall vibes — to the point where it felt more derivative than inspired.
And then there’s the romance. I hate love triangles, and of course… what do we have here? A love triangle. It added nothing for me except frustration and felt like another trope thrown in for the sake of it.
The combat aspect didn’t help either. Before the FMC even begins formal training, she mentions that she learned a few basic combat moves from reading about a legendary heroine in a book called Throne of Steel (yes… really). Subtlety was clearly not invited.
The dragons were honestly the only part I really liked. They were the most interesting, consistent element of the story and the one aspect that actually felt like it had potential.
There are moments where the story shows flashes of what it could have been, and I can see what the author was trying to do with the trauma-focused narrative. But overall, the book couldn’t decide what it wanted to be — YA school drama, dark fantasy, or romantasy — and instead of blending those elements, they constantly fought each other.
I’ll still read book two because I’m someone who has to continue a series—especially now that I have the ARC—but as my first read of 2026… it can only go up from here.
At its core, The Scars Within follows a young woman who survives brutal captivity and is then sent to a war college where magic, dragons, and combat training are meant to prepare students for an ongoing conflict. That sounds like it should work… but the execution didn’t land for me.
The book felt like Harry Potter x Fourth Wing… but for kids. While it wants to be a dark romantasy dealing with trauma, war, and survival, the execution constantly undercuts itself with juvenile writing and behavior that made it hard to take seriously.
We’re told the FMC spent a year locked in a shed, starved and abused, yet her biggest fear is that her new school friends won’t love her and will leave her — like her father did when she was a baby… a man she doesn’t barely remembers- I’m sorry, but make it make sense. The emotional priorities felt wildly misplaced given the severity of what she supposedly endured.
The tone is all over the place. One minute we’re tackling heavy topics like trauma and captivity, and the next there’s an actual food fight in the cafeteria. These characters are all 21+, yet they consistently act like they’re in middle school, which completely broke immersion.
The writing often felt juvenile, with modern dialogue and goofy moments that clashed hard with the darker themes. The characters in general felt far younger than their stated ages, making the world feel unserious.
On top of that, the book pulls very heavily from Fourth Wing — from the war college setting to the overall vibes — to the point where it felt more derivative than inspired.
And then there’s the romance. I hate love triangles, and of course… what do we have here? A love triangle. It added nothing for me except frustration and felt like another trope thrown in for the sake of it.
The combat aspect didn’t help either. Before the FMC even begins formal training, she mentions that she learned a few basic combat moves from reading about a legendary heroine in a book called Throne of Steel (yes… really). Subtlety was clearly not invited.
The dragons were honestly the only part I really liked. They were the most interesting, consistent element of the story and the one aspect that actually felt like it had potential.
There are moments where the story shows flashes of what it could have been, and I can see what the author was trying to do with the trauma-focused narrative. But overall, the book couldn’t decide what it wanted to be — YA school drama, dark fantasy, or romantasy — and instead of blending those elements, they constantly fought each other.
I’ll still read book two because I’m someone who has to continue a series—especially now that I have the ARC—but as my first read of 2026… it can only go up from here.
September 7, 2025
The phrase “rock bottom” was used no less than a dozen times, 4 of those were in the 1st 15mins. This book is rock bottom. Repetitive word usage was the theme of the book. Stupid character names such as Salt, Pepper and then lame jokes about them..so terrible. Phrases that were more contemporary but they are using quills and riding horseback. Save yourself, skip it.
November 4, 2025
4⭐️ a romantasy book with a love triangle between 2 brothers 👀, betrayal, academic war/training college setting, dragon riders, elemental magic, & beautiful mental health representation!
I haven’t seen mental health rep (TW: su*c*dal ideation, depression) like this in a romantasy ever and I thought it was handled really well :)
That ending!!!??? 👀
I haven’t seen mental health rep (TW: su*c*dal ideation, depression) like this in a romantasy ever and I thought it was handled really well :)
That ending!!!??? 👀
June 6, 2025
I was really excited to get this book and read it. I was happy to support a first novel and I do hope she keeps writing and finishes the series. However my expectations were a little too high. The over arching story was good. I think the plot points were good and the twist at the end was good.
However the delivery wasn’t my cup of tea. I felt that nothing was really developed. I didn’t really care about the characters that much or what happened to them. Like at the end when a Laney died I just wasn’t sad, because the development of their friendship was lacking.
I felt that we jumped from scene to scene really quickly and I desperately wanted more from the scenes. For example the shower scene made me smile at first but then it was over in a page or two. And I don’t think the relationship with both brothers was interesting. Again under developed. I didn’t really care about either of them. So when she finally got with Rhodes, I wasn’t excited. I didn’t long for their scenes or anxious wait for their first kiss. It was just blah.
I also had a hard time with the story being set in the “past” but then also had modern things too. For example they still used torches for light in dark passageways, but they have a fancy coffee maker? If they have electricity for coffee makers why not in hallways?
And they had dragons but rode a horse to the village? And then went line dancing? But they also had villages, cottages, and castles. I had a hard time staying in the story when things that I see as modern kept popping up.
I also just rolled my eyes at the name of the fantasy book within this book “Throne of Steel”? I don’t have any issues with reading books that are similar to other books, but that was a little too much.
It was a good idea but the again the delivery didn’t work for me.
However the delivery wasn’t my cup of tea. I felt that nothing was really developed. I didn’t really care about the characters that much or what happened to them. Like at the end when a Laney died I just wasn’t sad, because the development of their friendship was lacking.
I felt that we jumped from scene to scene really quickly and I desperately wanted more from the scenes. For example the shower scene made me smile at first but then it was over in a page or two. And I don’t think the relationship with both brothers was interesting. Again under developed. I didn’t really care about either of them. So when she finally got with Rhodes, I wasn’t excited. I didn’t long for their scenes or anxious wait for their first kiss. It was just blah.
I also had a hard time with the story being set in the “past” but then also had modern things too. For example they still used torches for light in dark passageways, but they have a fancy coffee maker? If they have electricity for coffee makers why not in hallways?
And they had dragons but rode a horse to the village? And then went line dancing? But they also had villages, cottages, and castles. I had a hard time staying in the story when things that I see as modern kept popping up.
I also just rolled my eyes at the name of the fantasy book within this book “Throne of Steel”? I don’t have any issues with reading books that are similar to other books, but that was a little too much.
It was a good idea but the again the delivery didn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2025
I found the writing choppy and really hard to get into. I really had to force myself to finish it. It just seemed like snippets of other popular romantasy books I’ve read made into one, nothing original or new. A bit disappointing.
August 22, 2025
Overall, I think this book has the bones to be a great story. Unfortunately it’s just not quite there as yet.
I truly loathe when books are compared, generally unfavourably, with massively popular books. Mostly because the basis for comparison is usually just similar tropes. Here, however, it really does read like fourth wing fan fiction. One or two similarities are easy to brush off, but it’s a clear inspiration throughout even down to the ‘earn these daggers by fighting me’ But whatever. Art imitates art imitates art so.. meh. It’s fine.
The FMC is a survivor. And you’ll know this because she tells you every other page. She also likes coffee. A lot. Again, you’ll be reminded of this every other page. Just in case you were in danger of forgetting. Maybe you’re thinking of comparing her to other girls. But don’t worry, she herself will tell you, literally, verbatim, that she’s not like those other ladies. She’s a reader, and we even find out what’s she’s reading. (Throne of steel, in case you were wondering) and one of our MMC’s is reading a high fantasy series with fae and sex and bat wings… 🙃 An ancient dragon is comfortable telling her which MMC he’s ’shipping’ for her. Yes, that’s a direct quote.
Cringy things aside, there are some more obvious editing issues within too. During a sex scene the MMC is simultaneously placing his mouth on her bean, but also capturing her moans in his mouth, quite the talent. During a fight scene with the main villain, our FMC is wearing a ball gown, shoeless, but also has her ‘boots scraping along the floor’ when hit with elemental magic a page later.
We all have differing opinions and the things I found issue with certainly don’t change the bones of the story, and if you’re a better reader than I, with a better ability to ignore those things, you may well love this one.
I truly loathe when books are compared, generally unfavourably, with massively popular books. Mostly because the basis for comparison is usually just similar tropes. Here, however, it really does read like fourth wing fan fiction. One or two similarities are easy to brush off, but it’s a clear inspiration throughout even down to the ‘earn these daggers by fighting me’ But whatever. Art imitates art imitates art so.. meh. It’s fine.
The FMC is a survivor. And you’ll know this because she tells you every other page. She also likes coffee. A lot. Again, you’ll be reminded of this every other page. Just in case you were in danger of forgetting. Maybe you’re thinking of comparing her to other girls. But don’t worry, she herself will tell you, literally, verbatim, that she’s not like those other ladies. She’s a reader, and we even find out what’s she’s reading. (Throne of steel, in case you were wondering) and one of our MMC’s is reading a high fantasy series with fae and sex and bat wings… 🙃 An ancient dragon is comfortable telling her which MMC he’s ’shipping’ for her. Yes, that’s a direct quote.
Cringy things aside, there are some more obvious editing issues within too. During a sex scene the MMC is simultaneously placing his mouth on her bean, but also capturing her moans in his mouth, quite the talent. During a fight scene with the main villain, our FMC is wearing a ball gown, shoeless, but also has her ‘boots scraping along the floor’ when hit with elemental magic a page later.
We all have differing opinions and the things I found issue with certainly don’t change the bones of the story, and if you’re a better reader than I, with a better ability to ignore those things, you may well love this one.
August 5, 2025
ALC 🎧 Book Review 🤍
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s definitely Fourth Wing vibes in another font…
Although, I didn’t really mind. The story was just pretty flat to me though, like stuff was happening, but I don’t feel like I really connected at all.
I totally understood the mental health msg, loved that & relate heavily, but I just wanted something more genuine? I feel like everything was handed to her, like we knew we were gonna get the twins, the biggest dragon, a never heard of magic????
The twist at the end was also like, just thrown out there… Like I don’t think it was ever hinted at?
Just very weird & Fourth Wing coded… Without the shock value.
This read like a fanfic— Which I’m not against, but multiple ToG references (Throne of Steel), hints of the MMC reading ACOTAR, the too similar storyline to FW… Just felt very “I wanna be relatable”. I hope that book 2 we can get a more fresher plot. The whole Crimson Wraith just felt so sidelined (I want to be interested, but I just couldn’t) to a point where I couldn’t care less about anyone who 🪦 And more so interested in her job as a barista lmfao.
Ellie Gossage & Garrett Kiesel did a good job narrating!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s definitely Fourth Wing vibes in another font…
Although, I didn’t really mind. The story was just pretty flat to me though, like stuff was happening, but I don’t feel like I really connected at all.
I totally understood the mental health msg, loved that & relate heavily, but I just wanted something more genuine? I feel like everything was handed to her, like we knew we were gonna get the twins, the biggest dragon, a never heard of magic????
The twist at the end was also like, just thrown out there… Like I don’t think it was ever hinted at?
Just very weird & Fourth Wing coded… Without the shock value.
This read like a fanfic— Which I’m not against, but multiple ToG references (Throne of Steel), hints of the MMC reading ACOTAR, the too similar storyline to FW… Just felt very “I wanna be relatable”. I hope that book 2 we can get a more fresher plot. The whole Crimson Wraith just felt so sidelined (I want to be interested, but I just couldn’t) to a point where I couldn’t care less about anyone who 🪦 And more so interested in her job as a barista lmfao.
Ellie Gossage & Garrett Kiesel did a good job narrating!!
September 12, 2025
DNF- What was this??
Inconsistent and just odd world building.
Cringey dialogue, annoying main character “little miss talks a lot” and then not even2 lines later “little miss prissy” or something idek.
There is inconsistency in the plot and the characterisation, she has no education? Her aunt loves her but didn’t realise she was missing for ages??
There is also a weird amount of coffee discussion????
Inconsistent and just odd world building.
Cringey dialogue, annoying main character “little miss talks a lot” and then not even2 lines later “little miss prissy” or something idek.
There is inconsistency in the plot and the characterisation, she has no education? Her aunt loves her but didn’t realise she was missing for ages??
There is also a weird amount of coffee discussion????
July 17, 2025
I should have spent the time reading fourth wing again… this was a poor attempt at copy cat
October 23, 2025
don’t read this
September 3, 2025
Enjoyed the presence/evolution of the mmc but that’s about it.
I wouldn’t say this was just inspired by books like fourth wing… there’s a lot of literal copy + paste. I mean a LOT. The writing and actions are extremely juvenile and often cringy. Anddd it’s very predictable, despite finding everything out in the last 15 minutes of the read none of it was shocking lol
I wouldn’t say this was just inspired by books like fourth wing… there’s a lot of literal copy + paste. I mean a LOT. The writing and actions are extremely juvenile and often cringy. Anddd it’s very predictable, despite finding everything out in the last 15 minutes of the read none of it was shocking lol
December 13, 2025
***Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead***
Possible triggers: Assault, Attempted murder, Attempted suicide, Childhood trauma, Death, Depression, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hostage, Kidnapping, Mental health, Physical abuse, PTSD, Poisoning, Self-harm, Torture, Violence
Overall star rating (out of 5⭐️): 3.75
Spice level (out of 5🌶️): 2.5 (one scene, open door not very explicit)
Content review: This feels like a first draft of a fanfic of Fourth Wing. Don’t get me wrong I ate this up in two days and enjoyed myself. I’m just a sucker for the very basic tropes, stereotypes and love triangles 😂
Narrator review: Good narrator, not the best I ever listened to but also not the worst. 3 out of 5
Tags: betrayal, dragons, fantasy, magic, prophecy, romantasy, young adult
Tropes: he falls first and harder, love triangle, one horse only, academy setting
❤️ Love interest: Rhodes Wylder x Scarlet Thorne
Possible triggers: Assault, Attempted murder, Attempted suicide, Childhood trauma, Death, Depression, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hostage, Kidnapping, Mental health, Physical abuse, PTSD, Poisoning, Self-harm, Torture, Violence
Overall star rating (out of 5⭐️): 3.75
Spice level (out of 5🌶️): 2.5 (one scene, open door not very explicit)
Content review: This feels like a first draft of a fanfic of Fourth Wing. Don’t get me wrong I ate this up in two days and enjoyed myself. I’m just a sucker for the very basic tropes, stereotypes and love triangles 😂
Narrator review: Good narrator, not the best I ever listened to but also not the worst. 3 out of 5
Tags: betrayal, dragons, fantasy, magic, prophecy, romantasy, young adult
Tropes: he falls first and harder, love triangle, one horse only, academy setting
❤️ Love interest: Rhodes Wylder x Scarlet Thorne
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
4.5⭐️
The Scars Within delivers a gripping blend of magic, danger, and tangled emotions set within a brutal dragon‑filled war college. Scarlet is a hard-hitting, damaged heroine whose forbidden power and painful history make her very easy to root for. Rhodes and Shayde are twin brothers with very different temperaments, bringing tension and vulnerability as Scarlet tries to balance loyalty and attraction with secrets surrounding them. The worldbuilding feels vivid, the pacing stays tight, and the tone will resonate with readers who enjoy the intensity of Fourth Wing. That last twist and cliffhanger hit hard and set up an exciting continuation.
The Scars Within delivers a gripping blend of magic, danger, and tangled emotions set within a brutal dragon‑filled war college. Scarlet is a hard-hitting, damaged heroine whose forbidden power and painful history make her very easy to root for. Rhodes and Shayde are twin brothers with very different temperaments, bringing tension and vulnerability as Scarlet tries to balance loyalty and attraction with secrets surrounding them. The worldbuilding feels vivid, the pacing stays tight, and the tone will resonate with readers who enjoy the intensity of Fourth Wing. That last twist and cliffhanger hit hard and set up an exciting continuation.
March 25, 2025
This book had me chomping at the bit almost every chapters. I adore Rhodes and Scar. Lakota is feisty and I’m here for it. The plot twisted, unexpectedly… a few times. If you love dragons and war colleges, secrets and betrayal, this is for you. Scar’s journey is one of trials and tribulations. She finds her self worth and turns her life around with strength and determination! I enjoyed this read so much and I’m looking forward to finding out more of Scar and Rhodes story. 🖤
January 8, 2026
“I’d no longer be the girl who had nothing and meant nothing; I’d be the girl who rose from nothing and came out on top of the world.”
✨ Academy / war college
✨ Elemental magic & dragons 🐉
✨ Slow burn tension
✨ Found family 🤍
✨ Prophecy & plot twists
Mageia is a brutal war college where wielders train for service. Elemental power is everything, survival is never guaranteed, and mages are supposed to be extinct.
Scarlet Thorne enters carrying trauma, secrets, and a past she’s still trying to outrun, accepted more for her bloodline than anyone’s belief in her ability. Scarlet is immediately relatable, guarded, stubborn, quietly determined. Watching her navigate Mageia, uncover her magic, and slowly reclaim her sense of self is deeply satisfying.
“This may seem silly to others, but picking your mug of the day is a small piece of joy that nobody can take from you.”
The magic system is layered and engaging, and once dragons enter the picture, the stakes jump instantly.
Romance-wise, this leans hard into slow burn tension. Scarlet’s interactions with Rhodes and Shayde are charged in very different ways, and the emotional push and pull adds another layer of intrigue without overpowering the plot.
“With Rhodes, I felt an undeniable tension festering. But with Shayde, the feeling was more like a spark, a spark of hope, excitement, and the opportunity to get out of my own shell.”
The found family thread adds warmth and emotional grounding, and the mental health representation feels thoughtful and well handled.
And the plot? Twisty. Ruthless. Escalating fast. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story pivots, more than once.
“Shayde is a calm, steady breeze. Rhodes is a storm strong enough to wipe out the world… With Rhodes, I can see myself being lost. But with Shayde, I can see myself being found.”
“I’m going to prove everyone who underestimated me wrong.”
This was an immersive, easy-to-read academy fantasy with dragons, emotional depth, and enough surprises to keep me hooked until the very last page.
Chaos, vibes, and opinions are all my own ✨ please give credit if you share.
✨ Academy / war college
✨ Elemental magic & dragons 🐉
✨ Slow burn tension
✨ Found family 🤍
✨ Prophecy & plot twists
Mageia is a brutal war college where wielders train for service. Elemental power is everything, survival is never guaranteed, and mages are supposed to be extinct.
Scarlet Thorne enters carrying trauma, secrets, and a past she’s still trying to outrun, accepted more for her bloodline than anyone’s belief in her ability. Scarlet is immediately relatable, guarded, stubborn, quietly determined. Watching her navigate Mageia, uncover her magic, and slowly reclaim her sense of self is deeply satisfying.
“This may seem silly to others, but picking your mug of the day is a small piece of joy that nobody can take from you.”
The magic system is layered and engaging, and once dragons enter the picture, the stakes jump instantly.
Romance-wise, this leans hard into slow burn tension. Scarlet’s interactions with Rhodes and Shayde are charged in very different ways, and the emotional push and pull adds another layer of intrigue without overpowering the plot.
“With Rhodes, I felt an undeniable tension festering. But with Shayde, the feeling was more like a spark, a spark of hope, excitement, and the opportunity to get out of my own shell.”
The found family thread adds warmth and emotional grounding, and the mental health representation feels thoughtful and well handled.
And the plot? Twisty. Ruthless. Escalating fast. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story pivots, more than once.
“Shayde is a calm, steady breeze. Rhodes is a storm strong enough to wipe out the world… With Rhodes, I can see myself being lost. But with Shayde, I can see myself being found.”
“I’m going to prove everyone who underestimated me wrong.”
This was an immersive, easy-to-read academy fantasy with dragons, emotional depth, and enough surprises to keep me hooked until the very last page.
Chaos, vibes, and opinions are all my own ✨ please give credit if you share.
January 10, 2026
3.75 stars - Still collecting my thoughts on this one! It had a decent storyline, the plot kept me intrigued, and I really loved Scarlet enough that I’ll definitely read book two.
I didn’t exactly jive with the writing style, but I will say I loved the mental health representation and how strong of a character Scarlet is despite the hell she’s gone through. I thought the author represented her mental health well and I truly felt for her reading this. I wanted to give her a big hug!
For the romance: my one thing is though this is advertised as a love triangle I kind of felt like one side was gonna win the entire time, so I wish it had more balance where it’s not so obvious who’s going to be the right one. I like when I have to struggle on who’s the better one for her instead of it being so evident.
Apart from that this was a good read, I like where it’s headed and I look forward to more!
I didn’t exactly jive with the writing style, but I will say I loved the mental health representation and how strong of a character Scarlet is despite the hell she’s gone through. I thought the author represented her mental health well and I truly felt for her reading this. I wanted to give her a big hug!
For the romance: my one thing is though this is advertised as a love triangle I kind of felt like one side was gonna win the entire time, so I wish it had more balance where it’s not so obvious who’s going to be the right one. I like when I have to struggle on who’s the better one for her instead of it being so evident.
Apart from that this was a good read, I like where it’s headed and I look forward to more!
December 15, 2025
4.5
The Scars Within completely surprised me in the best way. If Zodiac Academy and Fourth Wing had a baby, this would be it. The academy setting, the dragons, and the intensity had me hooked from the start.
Knowing why the author chose to pull on certain themes added so much depth to the story and made the emotional moments hit even harder. I did not see most of the twists and turns coming, which kept me fully engaged the entire time.
Rhodes quickly became a favorite for me. I loved him so much and finished this book wanting more immediately.
Highly recommend the audiobook for this one. The narration really brought the story to life and made it even more immersive.
If you enjoy dark academy fantasy with dragons, unexpected twists, and characters that stay with you, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
The Scars Within completely surprised me in the best way. If Zodiac Academy and Fourth Wing had a baby, this would be it. The academy setting, the dragons, and the intensity had me hooked from the start.
Knowing why the author chose to pull on certain themes added so much depth to the story and made the emotional moments hit even harder. I did not see most of the twists and turns coming, which kept me fully engaged the entire time.
Rhodes quickly became a favorite for me. I loved him so much and finished this book wanting more immediately.
Highly recommend the audiobook for this one. The narration really brought the story to life and made it even more immersive.
If you enjoy dark academy fantasy with dragons, unexpected twists, and characters that stay with you, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
December 10, 2025
5⭐️/ 3🌶️ AAAA! The wait for Book 2 is literally going to kill me. BUT….the good part about it will be the re-read of this one.
I completely & utterly fell in love with the characters of this book. Our badass FMC Scarlett is the most broken girl, but she is also the strongest girl at the same time.
She has been through the most unimaginable pain in her life—both physically and mentally/emotionally. I absolutely cannot imagine being in her shoes. She has been abandoned and literally left to die, time & time again… shes been left to feel unloved, unwanted, & unworthy. But through it all, she continued to fight. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was fighting for all the time… and lost hope many times. But thank goodness she never fully gave into those negative thoughts. While I cannot relate to her literal life experiences and pain… I CAN unfortunately relate to her mental pain and struggles. And one thing I loved about this book was that, while I think we do usually have similarly troubled FMCs overcoming tragedy, as our featured heroines in most Romantasy books… I think what made Scarlett so different was just how deep those wounds went for her mentally. She truly struggled deep inside; and multiple times dealt with the idea of wanting to end it all. That kind of desperate rock bottom low was just utterly heartbreaking… but I think for many of us, it is also what makes her relatable and even more inspiring.
Then you have our twin MMCs Shayde & Rhodes… who could not be more different. And you fall in love with them both at different times and in different ways. I definitely had my own favorite throughout the story (and to avoid any spoilers, I won’t say who she ends up with…but…I got my way). 😜 Her man had some of the most romantic, swoony lines & I just love his heart. But most importantly I love them for each other.
And then our dragon: Lakota?!? Probably my favorite book dragon to date! I have a lot of favorite moments with other popular book dragons in the past, but this guy takes the cake! He’s snarky & has his “grumpy old man” moments, but he’s also got the flirty, witty banter that you like in enemy-to-lover romances…I love that playful sarcastic side. I love that he says it how it is. But he also has the most sweet, kind, & caring side too. He truly LOVES Scarlett and the way he shows that love, the way he supports her & encourages her, the way he reminds her that she’s not alone…. It just completely melted my heart. He literally has no bad side to him. I loved all the sides of his personality and I can’t wait to see more of his character.
Then we have all of the wild twists and the mystery involved in the plot. Some of them I DID guess early on…BUT I was never sure if I was right. I constantly second-guessed myself until the final reveal of some of those mysteries. Some of them though…. NEVER saw coming! And I cannot wait to have more questions answered when the next book comes! This debut author is definitely one to watch!!! Highly recommend this for my Romantasy girls. You will have alllll the feels. All the yummy highs & lows.
I completely & utterly fell in love with the characters of this book. Our badass FMC Scarlett is the most broken girl, but she is also the strongest girl at the same time.
She has been through the most unimaginable pain in her life—both physically and mentally/emotionally. I absolutely cannot imagine being in her shoes. She has been abandoned and literally left to die, time & time again… shes been left to feel unloved, unwanted, & unworthy. But through it all, she continued to fight. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was fighting for all the time… and lost hope many times. But thank goodness she never fully gave into those negative thoughts. While I cannot relate to her literal life experiences and pain… I CAN unfortunately relate to her mental pain and struggles. And one thing I loved about this book was that, while I think we do usually have similarly troubled FMCs overcoming tragedy, as our featured heroines in most Romantasy books… I think what made Scarlett so different was just how deep those wounds went for her mentally. She truly struggled deep inside; and multiple times dealt with the idea of wanting to end it all. That kind of desperate rock bottom low was just utterly heartbreaking… but I think for many of us, it is also what makes her relatable and even more inspiring.
Then you have our twin MMCs Shayde & Rhodes… who could not be more different. And you fall in love with them both at different times and in different ways. I definitely had my own favorite throughout the story (and to avoid any spoilers, I won’t say who she ends up with…but…I got my way). 😜 Her man had some of the most romantic, swoony lines & I just love his heart. But most importantly I love them for each other.
And then our dragon: Lakota?!? Probably my favorite book dragon to date! I have a lot of favorite moments with other popular book dragons in the past, but this guy takes the cake! He’s snarky & has his “grumpy old man” moments, but he’s also got the flirty, witty banter that you like in enemy-to-lover romances…I love that playful sarcastic side. I love that he says it how it is. But he also has the most sweet, kind, & caring side too. He truly LOVES Scarlett and the way he shows that love, the way he supports her & encourages her, the way he reminds her that she’s not alone…. It just completely melted my heart. He literally has no bad side to him. I loved all the sides of his personality and I can’t wait to see more of his character.
Then we have all of the wild twists and the mystery involved in the plot. Some of them I DID guess early on…BUT I was never sure if I was right. I constantly second-guessed myself until the final reveal of some of those mysteries. Some of them though…. NEVER saw coming! And I cannot wait to have more questions answered when the next book comes! This debut author is definitely one to watch!!! Highly recommend this for my Romantasy girls. You will have alllll the feels. All the yummy highs & lows.
July 30, 2025
This gave me EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR in a book! The Scars Within by Ang T. Dalton was thought provoking, emotionally cleansing, perspective changing..... I honestly don't think I can write a book review good enough to properly give this book the recognition it deserves.
This book meant EVERYTHING to me. The author wrote a "Before You Read" note in the beginning of the book describing how this book is her journey and battle with mental health. She wrote about the darkest and lowest point in her life and turned it into a breathtaking romantasy. This isn't a typical fantasy romance, this is a survival guide for those struggling or have struggled with mental health.
I ugly cried, reflected on my past, cheered, screamed. I felt seen, heard, acknowledged. The Scars Within has become my favorite book, my most cherished story, and my survival guide.
This book meant EVERYTHING to me. The author wrote a "Before You Read" note in the beginning of the book describing how this book is her journey and battle with mental health. She wrote about the darkest and lowest point in her life and turned it into a breathtaking romantasy. This isn't a typical fantasy romance, this is a survival guide for those struggling or have struggled with mental health.
I ugly cried, reflected on my past, cheered, screamed. I felt seen, heard, acknowledged. The Scars Within has become my favorite book, my most cherished story, and my survival guide.
December 21, 2025
4⭐️
The writing was a bit disjointed but I had a good time reading this. Thanks for the rec Poppy 👌🏾
The writing was a bit disjointed but I had a good time reading this. Thanks for the rec Poppy 👌🏾
April 29, 2025
ARC Review!!! The Scars Within by Ang T. Dalton is a powerful story about survival, healing, and about pulling yourself out of the trenches and fighting to become the person you are meant to be. Yes, this is a romantasy set in a war college environment with a love triangle involving brothers, elemental magic, dragons, forbidden magic, rewritten history, deceit and betrayal, beautiful found family and more, but at its core this is a story surrounding the struggles of mental health, the path to overcoming your darkness, and the ups and downs along the way. The FMC in this book is loosely based on the author’s own mental health journey, and it seriously was so touching and moving; I was tearing up multiple times throughout this book.
So our FMC, Scarlet, has been abandoned, broken, and has been left to crawl her way out of rock bottom to save herself. After fighting for her life, she has nowhere to turn to except for Mageia War College, which is a college that specializes in training elemental magic wielders. All Scarlet needs to do is stay quiet, below the radar, and stay in control, but those things have never come easily for her. Upon arriving Scarlet immediately is caught between Shayde & Rhodes Wylder, twin brothers who could not be more different. As this complicated love triangle persists; it turns out Scarlet is being hunted from inside the school, strange magic is occurring, professors are dying, prophecies are being foretold and Scarlet’s own darkness is an omnipresent threat. The magic Scarlet has is illegal, her past is a secret and she doesn’t know who to trust.
Although I really enjoyed the plot, the mental health representation in this book is really what blew me away. The author was able to capture the feelings of anxiety and depression so profoundly and I truly felt so moved by this book. Scarlet’s journey was inspiring, raw and real and I really feel like so many people will be able to relate to her story and to find strength and hope in it. I also thought the writing really excelled in these parts of the story.
This was a fantastic debut novel, and my only small critiques are that I was not totally sure of the general time period because there did not appear to be modern technology, but there were modern coffee machines and drinks, and sometimes I felt that the writing tone felt a tad young and had some millennial humour, which is not my favorite. (That is 100% a personal preference andI know some people love that.)
So our FMC, Scarlet, has been abandoned, broken, and has been left to crawl her way out of rock bottom to save herself. After fighting for her life, she has nowhere to turn to except for Mageia War College, which is a college that specializes in training elemental magic wielders. All Scarlet needs to do is stay quiet, below the radar, and stay in control, but those things have never come easily for her. Upon arriving Scarlet immediately is caught between Shayde & Rhodes Wylder, twin brothers who could not be more different. As this complicated love triangle persists; it turns out Scarlet is being hunted from inside the school, strange magic is occurring, professors are dying, prophecies are being foretold and Scarlet’s own darkness is an omnipresent threat. The magic Scarlet has is illegal, her past is a secret and she doesn’t know who to trust.
Although I really enjoyed the plot, the mental health representation in this book is really what blew me away. The author was able to capture the feelings of anxiety and depression so profoundly and I truly felt so moved by this book. Scarlet’s journey was inspiring, raw and real and I really feel like so many people will be able to relate to her story and to find strength and hope in it. I also thought the writing really excelled in these parts of the story.
This was a fantastic debut novel, and my only small critiques are that I was not totally sure of the general time period because there did not appear to be modern technology, but there were modern coffee machines and drinks, and sometimes I felt that the writing tone felt a tad young and had some millennial humour, which is not my favorite. (That is 100% a personal preference andI know some people love that.)
October 5, 2025
I really wanted to love this one, but I barely made it through the first chapter. It's giving AI. Not saying it is, but it's giving. The author cannot decide on what tense she should use, and the constant tense shifts drove me mad. "I heard someone shout" -> "nothing can stop me now" -> "I keep moving forward" -> "I tried to speak"
Is this happening right now? Or is she telling me what has already happening? I don't know. Also the FMC is so rude, she's been through a lot, but I haven't read anything to make me root for her so far.
I know a lot of books have em dashes, but there's a page with 7 em dashes. It just doesn't look good, it's too much. It also haas very repetitive prose, and it doesn't set the scene well. I agree with other reviewers that it reads like a fourth wing fanfic, which is ok if is was a fanfic. But if a reader hasn't read fourth wing, they'd be completely lost. Also I read that she gets the biggest dragon, has a "take my daggers" fight scene, and has an unseen power? I don't care if you're inspired but copy paste, really?
Is this happening right now? Or is she telling me what has already happening? I don't know. Also the FMC is so rude, she's been through a lot, but I haven't read anything to make me root for her so far.
I know a lot of books have em dashes, but there's a page with 7 em dashes. It just doesn't look good, it's too much. It also haas very repetitive prose, and it doesn't set the scene well. I agree with other reviewers that it reads like a fourth wing fanfic, which is ok if is was a fanfic. But if a reader hasn't read fourth wing, they'd be completely lost. Also I read that she gets the biggest dragon, has a "take my daggers" fight scene, and has an unseen power? I don't care if you're inspired but copy paste, really?
December 2, 2025
Did we all dnf after the espresso machine?
January 3, 2026
The Scars Within is truly a Romantasy you will devour that sucks you in from the beginning! It’s striking and viability with a mental health representation which a lot of readers can resonate with. I thought this read was good and entertaining and makes me excited to start the 2nd book soon as I have the opportunity to read The Darkness Within early ☺️
The only thing that was a bit of a downfall for me was I thought some moments throughout this book had vibes from fourth wing, acotar, and the book named mentioned in here “Throne of Steel” reminded me of “blood & steel” and wasn’t sure how I felt about those moments.. the writing style also felt a bit more YA to me. Overall I liked the love triangle in here and intrigued to see how book 2 will unfold ☺️
The only thing that was a bit of a downfall for me was I thought some moments throughout this book had vibes from fourth wing, acotar, and the book named mentioned in here “Throne of Steel” reminded me of “blood & steel” and wasn’t sure how I felt about those moments.. the writing style also felt a bit more YA to me. Overall I liked the love triangle in here and intrigued to see how book 2 will unfold ☺️
August 5, 2025
Just finished and??? One voice,no name, no face and yet… they knew too much (ughhh WHAT?!). The secret POV is driving me INSANE (literally lol)!
This war college romantasy with DRAGONS (yessssss DRAGONS) does not play around, secrets spilled, more hidden, plot twists out of nowhere, and again this mystery POV had me side eyeing every character like hmm (I was questioning everyone).
Scarlet Thorne is a walking trauma response with a spine of steel, and I love her for it. Then we’ve got the Wylder brothers: one brooding menace, one sunshine boy. And yes, Scarlet’s stuck in the slowest of slow burns. Painfully slow.
And the prologue? Yeah, that one emotionally sucker punched me!
This war college romantasy with DRAGONS (yessssss DRAGONS) does not play around, secrets spilled, more hidden, plot twists out of nowhere, and again this mystery POV had me side eyeing every character like hmm (I was questioning everyone).
Scarlet Thorne is a walking trauma response with a spine of steel, and I love her for it. Then we’ve got the Wylder brothers: one brooding menace, one sunshine boy. And yes, Scarlet’s stuck in the slowest of slow burns. Painfully slow.
And the prologue? Yeah, that one emotionally sucker punched me!
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