After having it on my shelves for a good year it will be a soft DNF, as I'm really hoping to get back to it some day and liking it. The story has a lot of potential and the cover of the book is absolutely gorgeous. However, at this point of time I just couldnt get through the first chapters dialogue and pacing. It felt a bit choppy and unnatural, but perhaps that has been fixed in the published copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
A nation tries to fight the rule of a tyrannical eternal “king”.
Huh. Sounds familiar.

***Thanks to the publisher for the e-ARC! I also read the by audiobook I bought on Audible.***

DNF @ 41%

So. Here’s the thing. This has so much potential, but it’s just terribly boring. It’s trying to do too much and the characters are pulled in so many different directions that I don’t feel inclined to keep reading because there’s nothing likable about any of them.

This is a much more romance forward book than I was expecting, despite knowing this was a MMF polyam book. I thought this would be more vampire and polyam like Silver Under the Nightfall or A Chorus of Dragons. But there isn’t any yearning or discovery along the way, we’re simply told that the characters find each other attractive and it’s just so surface level to me. This book is primarily told from two POVs, with the 3rd only getting the epilogue from what I can see. And the audiobook is only told by a single narrator.

The book does start off with a bang but then it takes a huge step back and it’s so dull. It starts with patricide and then we’re navigating court politics and playing detective and I just don’t CARE.

Shan dispatches her abusive father and rises to power like she’s always wanted. But there’s nothing in her POV that would suggest she’s as smart as we’re meant to think and it just makes her sound obnoxious.

Samuel (yes, these names sound too similar in audio and it was driving me nuts) is a bastard son and was working in the slums as an accountant before being plucked from obscurity and revealed he’s of noble birth. He also has a powerful secret. He’s good and kind but I really find it hard to care for him because he’s TOO innocent and naive.

Then there’s Isaac to round off the trio and he’s the Royal Blood Worker for the king and former best friend (and lover?) of Shan. I don’t know if there’s something later in the book that make people seem to hate Isaac most but he’s the most intriguing character to me and the only one I actually like. I don’t know at this point in the story why he’s people’s least favorite.

There’s blood work and blood magic in this book and commentary on Blood Workers vs the Unblooded. The king is a vampire of sorts. He’s ancient and demands a sacrifice (yearly?) where he drains their blood and stays eternal.

We’re told a lot of things in this book but rarely see things happen. I wanted more from this story that it’s not giving.

How is Samuel supposed to ingratiate himself into high society if he’s not given lessons and tutors and all that? He’s just dumped into the upper class and expected to know everything and no one even thinks to teach him or make sure he knows what’s going on when he’s introduced into society. And he’s supposed to investigate these people?

This book is long (15 hours on audio) and between the story not keeping my interest and the audiobook narration (by Christine Allado) being mildly annoying because the accent is..odd, I just can’t see myself finishing this book and coming out of it with a rating that made this worth my time.

This was gripping right from the very start, I loved the MCs and their interactions and the slow progress of their relationships. In no way did I see the twist at the end coming? But it made so much sense and it was set up so well, oh my gosh

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This needed a lot of work. The world-building needed to be flushed out more. The magic system left me confused. The romance was lacking. This wasn't strong in the mystery element, the fantasy, nor the romantic element. I won't be continuing the series.

I could not get into this book. It was so poorly written, the characters were annoying, the premise of the magic and use of blood was interesting, but didn't go anywhere worthwhile. Not for me. Do not recommend

I struggled to connect with the writing style and characters, and felt myself losing interest and not being hooked by the premise. thank you for this opportunity.

There was just something about this book that didn’t grab me! The premise of the story is good - who doesn’t love witches and vampires and blood magic? - but unfortunately most of the middle of the book really felt like nothing happened. There was so much potential for things to be epic, and I hope that the rest of the series fulfils that more!

Oh, boy. This one was a trainwreck.

Plot: ★
Characters: ★

I have many issues with Mistress of Lies, but I'll try to keep it short. I can't fully unpack many of the issues without spoilers, so there will be a spoiler section below if you want to know all of my grievances in detail.

To summarize, Mistress of Lies has a glaring issue with sending harmful messaging regarding political/societal revolutions, resorts to telling and not showing regarding character development and relationships time and again, and has glaringly obvious twists and villains. It also suffers from repetitive words that don't accurately depict the situation/character (I'm looking at you, demure).

Use of the word "demure" to describe the main character, Shan: 12

And yet:
"Shan dressed soberly, demurely, a change from her normal attempts to impress."

You're sending me mixed signals here, Enright.

Mistress of Lies might be right for you if you are craving a polyamorous LGBTQ+ romance novel and are okay with not analyzing the actual plot or intended (or unintended) messaging regarding revolutions.

Mistress of Lies gets 2/5 stars, with the 2 stars being for the okay writing and the fact that I could read it entirely without DNF'ing. Thank you, K.M. Enright, Orbit Publishing, and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Here on are spoilers, people.

[
The revolution.

To summarize, Shan wants to end the current king's reign by replacing him with Samuel. Many people don't like that idea, because it wouldn't help the Unblooded (normal) people with all their woes. It's like a slight fix that wouldn't fix the actual issue. Then there are the rebels who are willing to do anything to get rid of the king because he is repressing and killing a ton of Unblooded.

Samuel leans more toward the rebels at the beginning of the book, but then flips to Shan's side towards the end. Isaac (big spoiler) has been killing bigwigs of the government/people who repress the Unblooded, so he is obviously on the rebels' side. Isaac is the book's villain, which sends a weird message regarding repression and revolutions. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

A good example is a fight towards the end of the book between a rebel and Shan. During the fight, Shan asks the rebel if she is satisfied with all of the killing due to Isaac's actions. The rebel states:
"Satisfied? People were suffering while you partied!

Shan replies with:
"And what did you do?" Shan said. "But cause death and destruction?"

So the idea is that it's okay that Shan was partying while Unblooded were dying and being repressed because that's better than people dying while trying to make things change. Again, icky. We don't want people to die, Shan, but not doing anything or doing tiny things that don't result in change will not stop Unblooded from being killed (but maybe it doesn't matter to her unless it's in front of her face).

There's also hypocrisy from Shan and Samuel regarding WHO can kill and murder and get away with it. After it's revealed that Isaac has been helping the king kill Unblooded, Shan and Samuel have nothing but sympathy for his plight.
"Did you really think we'd abandon you?" Shan asked, and the way Isaac glanced away broke Samuel's heart."


Like I said, the messaging left a bitter taste in my mouth. Writing about revolutions and corrupt governments is very difficult to handle with taste. Maybe we shouldn't touch the topic unless you put your all into ensuring that the message you send out through your writing is well thought out and not harmful.

And, end of spoilers.

4.75/5 stars! This book had one of the strongest starts of a fantasy book I've read in years. I loved Shan and her feminine rage is phenomenally handled. My only complaint is that I wish there was a bit more world-building. But the magic and the characters blew me away.

This book was okay. I had some high expectations and I think that was my downfall. It wasn't bad. But I wasn't hooked. I wanted just a little more from it.

The descriptions of the setting were incredible though. And the magic was so unique. I'd read another book by this author.

I’m rounding up… this is like 4.3 stars and I’m rounding up because the concepts, triad, and other blood (vampiric but also not) elements. I want to say it’s perfect, but that would be a lie. It has some minor flaws, but so do many books I rate 5 stars. Usually because they speak to me, connect with me, or are just macabre enough to be my kind of thing. Mistress of Lies is one of those. I’ve read a lot of books, and a lot of paranormal vampire books (as well as even more fantasy books) over the years; but none of those vampiresque books have ever been quite as distinct as Mistress of Lies.

I was having trouble finding reading time at first, and as the book progressed I realized that I loved the dynamic between our three characters so much I was savouring it. Then the last 50 pages was intense, wild, and so great I stayed up to 3am to read it!
In fairness, I may also be obsessed with the lack of focus on sexuality or gender conformity in the bedroom. As a bisexual woman there are just attractive people to me. What pieces they have is not relevant. I love the way Enright quickly portrays this message to readers and keeps it consistent throughout. Our characters don’t ever get hung up on liking a man or a woman, just people, no gender specifics needed. It’s refreshing and a huge boon for me to read characters who think about romantic partners in a way close to how I do.

As for plot, we have a lot of it. I am proud to say I called who the murderer was about halfway through. I didn’t guess the whole set-up; but definitely had a moment when I was sure it was a certain person. A few wrenches thrown in had me doubting myself at times, well played Enright, but in the end being correct when I was tickled me a little bit. (lol) It’s important to note that I didn’t feel cheap having sorted it out early which was really great and a nice change to how I usually feel about murder mystery type plots.

The cake was iced for me when I randomly stumbled upon an Illuminate crate exclusive in my home city for an amazing price! Beautiful sprayed edges, gilded hardcover, and amazing artwork front and back means I now have the perfect copy of this. The ultimate praise I can ever give a book is to add it to my personal physical library, and to add a fancy version is even better.

Who will like this?
Well you need to be okay: with unique romantic arrangement’s, with macabre magic involving blood and/or a sense of sacrifice, with questionable morality, and kings whom are almost likeable even if slightly evil. There’s a lot to unpack here and I just cannot wait for book 2!

Final thought:
If you read the opening two chapters and are turned off by the ceremony the King takes part in the public square then please be forewarned this slightly gothic, fairly bloody (not gory… but blood sacrific-y) book is not likely to be for you. If instead you’re intrigued, and wanting to know more then please read on and enjoy this unique fantasy (almost but not quite) vampire book with flawed characters I think you’ll get caught up in. I know I did!

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

The cover is beautiful, the plot is intrigue - on the paper it sounded so good. Unfortunately, this book suffered from the extreme case of telling and not showing, thus, boring me to tears.

I absolutely ADORE this book! I am frothing for book to come out this summer! The men are so hot and I cannot wait to see what happens next! The way this ending threw me... Yes PLEASE.

I can see why many readers love this; this is a dark political fantasy with morally grey characters and the potential for an interesting romance moving forward in the series. For me, this didn't hook me as I was expecting. I found the world building undeveloped and leaving me wanting more. I loved Shan, she is a great example of the strong, fierce female main characters that I love but found Samuel a lot less interesting. Overall, this is one of those books that keeps you reading while you're in it, but once it's put down I didn't find myself wanting to pick it up.

I won't be continuing the series, but I wouldn't discourage anymore from picking this up if it sounds intriguing.

I enjoyed Mistress of Lies overall and would rate it 3.5/5. The book pulls you in with its sharp, atmospheric writing and a plot full of deception, power plays, and dark secrets. Enright does a fantastic job of creating a richly detailed world, and the story kept me engaged throughout. I especially loved the protagonist’s sharp wit and the morally gray choices that made her feel refreshingly complex. One line that stuck with me was: “Truth was always a weapon. You just had to know when to unsheath it.”

That said, while I was invested in the story, the ending left me wanting more. It felt a bit rushed and didn’t quite deliver the emotional impact I was hoping for. The romance, too, fell a little flat—it had potential but lacked the depth and chemistry needed to make it feel fully convincing. Still, Mistress of Lies is an intriguing and well-written read, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for whatever Enright writes next.

3 stars!

Mistress of Lies immerses readers in a world steeped in blood magic, power struggles, and a touch of romance. Shan LeClaire takes center stage as a determined and complex character, fighting against her father’s legacy while navigating her own path. Samuel Hutchinson, by contrast, finds himself swept into the intrigue of vampire courts despite his initial reluctance.
The world-building is vivid and compelling, drawing you into its shadowy landscapes and political tensions. However, the pacing is uneven—it starts off slowly but builds momentum as the story progresses, keeping you engaged through its twists and turns. While the character development could have been deeper in places, the narrative still offers enough substance to keep you invested.
Overall, it is a solid choice for fans of dark fantasy, offering a blend of rebellion, legacy, and a dash of romance. It’s an intriguing read that will resonate with those who enjoy moody, atmospheric storytelling.

Decent enough fantasy with an interesting concept. I didn’t feel too attached to the characters though, author should take a couple of years to polish their craft.

DNF @ 33%

The premise of this book was really appealing, and the Illumicrate edition of this book is *gorgeous*! However, the amount of plot lines made this novel feel stretched too thin, alongside inconsistent pacing. I do appreciate the representation in this book, and that was written very well. However, I wish the investigation took more of a center stage compared to the relationships, which seemed to steal the spotlight.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was looking forward to this one but ultimately this fell a bit flat for me. Started out pretty promising with the FMC taking charge of her family's business and wanting to bring up its standing. I was super intrigued by the inclusion of two other characters until it became apparent it would be a love triangle pretty early on, and then the progression of the story seemed to slow down a bit, and it was hard to keep my attention locked in.


Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit book for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.