The Scarlet Star

Songs of the Adriels, Book 1

By: Jennifer Kropf

Narrated by: Dana Allen

He’s a beast trapped in a palace, and she’s a beauty tangled in his web…

Nineteen-year-old Ryn Electus is captured and brought to the palace for a twelve-week trial period along with three of the fairest maidens in the kingdom to try and "steal the heart" of a young, tormented King with a deadly secret. Unfortunately, the King appears to have no interest in the maidens and keeps getting himself into trouble.

But the King isn’t the only one with a dangerous secret. Ryn has been living in hiding all these years, until she’s dragged from her home and put on a public stage where she finds herself in the crosshairs of the Intelligentsia; a council of sages who serve the seven Celestial Divinities and conspire to destroy people like her. If the sages discover who Ryn really is, she’ll be dead by morning.

Things gets even more complicated when Ryn learns what Xerxes is fighting against, the internal wars he’s waging on his own, and why he keeps getting himself into trouble.

However, shortly after Ryn arrives at the palace, an old priestess opens Ryn’s eyes to see the workings of false gods at war who are influencing the kingdom of Per-Siana at every turn, dragging the people into destruction and causing chaos. Ryn is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the gods, until she unexpectedly gains the favour of an ancient god who’s been “silent” for decades; the God Original, the first God, enemy of the Celestial Divinities, who beckons Ryn to shake up the very foundations of the domain.

Thus begins a battle fought in the shadows alongside a war of gowns and politics waged in the spotlight.

©2025 Jennifer Kropf (P)2025 Jennifer Kropf

A girl finding herself in faith!!

This book gave me chills and empowered my mind and gave hope! Wow is really a sliced through all the other titles I had been looking through.

Must Add to Your TBR list!!!

This is a fantastic rework of the story of Esther! Easy to read and the characters are easy to love. Check it out yourself,

LOVED!

I love everything Jennifer Kropf writes and this was no different! Such a fun read!!

Omg. So invested. I lost sleep!!

Sort of like a fantasy mashup of the story of Esther and the beauty and the beast. The narrator was fantastic and the storyline amazing!! WARNING THIS ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER. I didn’t know when I started and I feel emotionally broken knowing I have to wait for the next one!

I love this book!

This is definitely one of my new favorite books. Jennifer Kropf has done an amazing job at depicting the good and evil influences. I highly recommend 👌