High-stakes tournament, Magic, betrayal, religious rebellion. This book had it all. I enjoyed the fast-paced writing that also felt truly rhythmic like a metronome.

This fast-paced story blends magic, mystery, and romance, drawing readers in with its high-stakes plot and emotional depth. Though the characters take time to connect with, their development is rewarding, and the ending perfectly sets up for another book in the series. A great pick for fans of magical adventures, forced proximity romance, and intrigue.

Unfortunately I have tried many times to read this book. Each time I just can’t seem to get into it. The story just seems to be starting to slow for me and I unfortunately have decided to DNF this one. Thank you for the opportunity to try and read this ARC.

I loved this book! It is perfect for fans of CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber.

I hope that the next book includes Enzo’s POV but I loved Lola and Nic in this book. I feel like I was left with so many questions that I need answers to but in a good way. I am craving the sequel and can’t wait to read it. I don’t feel like I was left unsatisfied because I have questions.

The romance was great too. Not quite a love triangle which I usually don’t like. It was pretty clear early on that only one brother is the love interest but there is an interesting dynamic between the three of them.

This book is filled with lies, illusions, and deception and I am so excited for everyone else to read it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A glitzy, high-stakes YA fantasy with a killer concept—but not quite enough depth.

Den of Liars had all the ingredients for a standout story: a magic-infused Vegas-like casino, a tournament where secrets are currency, a morally gray cast, and a tangled web of lies, crime families, and celestial power. I loved the originality of the world and the heist vibes mixed with fantasy elements—it really felt like it could be something special.

That said, while the concept dazzled, the execution sometimes felt more surface-level than satisfying. The descriptions leaned heavily into ethereal and sparkly language (think: diamond-dusted, luminescent, galaxy-soaked everything), which created a vivid vibe but made it hard to picture anything solidly. Characters were defined more by their roles (the liar, the thief, the accomplice) than by real internal depth, and I struggled to connect with them emotionally. Some of the romance and motivations felt a bit forced or underdeveloped.

There’s definitely something intriguing here—especially the use of secrets as power and the shadowy world of manipulation and magic. I just wished the characters were more fleshed out and the prose a little less repetitive. Still, a fun ride if you’re looking for a flashy YA fantasy with heist energy and a twisty setting.

I'm always on the lookout for new books out of my comfort zone, and Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olsen had me intrigued. I was immediately intrigued by the premise: a daring casino heist, a high-stakes tournament, and a young thief caught between two powerful brothers. It sounded like the perfect mix of danger, deception, and drama, with a hint of romance.

The story follows a young thief who joins a high-stakes tournament with the intent to pull off a heist inside a magical casino. Things quickly escalate as she finds herself entangled between two rival brothers, each with their own agendas and secrets.

The first chapter? Solid. It gave just enough backstory and set the tone for what felt like a gritty, slightly glamorous story about cons and schemes. The setting had spark, the protagonist had spunk, and I was intrigued to see where it would go.
But after chapter 3… it lost me.

Let’s talk tone. One thing that really took me out of the story was how the two main characters literally parkour around the city. At least that's what I was imagining in my head while reading it. It felt like a strange fit in a book. The sudden shift into over-the-top acrobatics was kind of wild. It made the story feel less grounded and more like a fantasy action cartoon, not bad necessarily, but just not what I was expecting.

Another curveball that caught me off guard? The abrupt introduction of magic. I felt like it just sort of happened. I was left flipping back pages like, “Wait, when did this become a fantasy with powers?” It made me wish for more worldbuilding or context to help ease into that shift. I feel like we did get some backstory in the beginning but I think for my brain, it didn't do enough for me.

Why I DNF’d It
By the time I hit the third chapter, I realized this book was morphing into something I just wasn’t vibing with. The fantasy/thieves direction is cool in theory, but I realized it's not my flavor of fantasy. That said, if you’re into fantasy stories that lean into chaotic energy, thieves with secrets, and messy love triangles, this might be totally your thing.

Den of Liars had a promising setup, and Jessica S. Olsen clearly knows how to start strong. But with abrupt genre shifts and pacing that didn’t work for me, I had to call it. I always feel weird DNFing an ARC, but I also believe in reading for joy, and this just wasn’t hitting the right notes for me. Still, if fantasy thief romance & chaos sounds like your dream combo, it's definitely worth a shot!

My Rating: DNF (Intriguing premise, but not the right fit for me.) ★★
Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting but in a good way! I haven’t read many books that revolve around the casino setting before but this book used it as a fun set up for our story. The characters are interesting and quick with this wit in this magical gambling game they’ve gotten involved in. It reminded me of the first book in The Touch of Darkness series with the set up. It did have a slower start but I’m glad I stuck with it and got to enjoy this story!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off really slow, but as the book progressed so did the drama and the desperation. I ended up really enjoying the whole story. If you are a fan of heist books/movies I would recommend this book.

I loved this book so much and can't wait til it comes out! Nic and Lola were everything and the magic system was so intricate yet easy to understand.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the arc!


During the first chapter or two I wasn't sure if this was the book. Cursed brothers, a magical casino full of illusions, gambling of secrets, magical dice, tension, romance, and betrayal. Dual POV with Liar and Lola. I actually think I like Liars POV a lot more than Lola’s since she just rolls into his casino with all of these pre-concienved ideas about him.

However, as I made my way through the book, I found myself surprisingly disengaged. I was unable to forge any real connection with the characters or their journeys due to the (in my opinion) characters emotional underdevelopment.

Also was it just me or did it seem like the MMC’s were like ‘tipping their fedora’ in every single scene…. That almost caused me to stop reading right there. I did like the magic system and Legrand's advice to Astra in their last conversation.

What a great concept! Caraval meets casino royale? 🤣. I enjoyed the game aspect of this, the magic in this world and even the setting! While inside a building, that didn’t limit the enjoyment of the story for me. It was a fun quick read and I’m glad I was able to get this ARC!

Lola has concealed herself after a kidnapping gone wrong. Saved by Enzo, who she made a deal with and they “share” a heart, she enters a casino owned and run by Enzo’s brother to find the moonshard which will allegedly break their “curse”. But then of course nothing is as it seems. What’s the lie? What’s the truth?

Semi spoiler on if this is a series or not:

I always judge a story’s ability to pull me in when I can ask myself, will I read book 2? The answer here is yes!

There’s a lot to unpack still! Many questions left unanswered and I would like to know where the story goes.

I am not one for love triangles and while it may seem like that, it’s not for me. I made my choice 🤣. But there’s so much left to unpack I am ready for book 2!

Den of Liars was such a fun read! Fast paced, chock full of action, and full of twists I did not see coming. Plus I really enjoyed the magic system, although I wish there had been more background given about it and the brother's powers.

This was a great book! It was action packed book that is very well written and full of plot twist and great romance.

This was a fun, fast-paced and high-stakes story that I read quickly and enjoyed overall.

✔ The characters are very well developed - I appreciated their depth and how their characterizations tie into their motivations and decision making. To use a metaphor from the story, there is a sense of an intricate game being played and I was all for it.
✔ The world, though small (as most of the story entirely takes place in the casino) was very interesting and fun, particularly given how it ties into the magic system and tailors the magic into dice/secrets for the casino. There was something about it that felt reminiscent of Persona 5, which is a favourite of mine and endeared the world to me further.
✔ The tension between Lola and the Liar is fantastic, particularly as they dance around their attraction (emotionally and physically) while dealing with their opposing goals. I think that the writing does a great job of illustrating their dichotomous relationship without being too wishy-washy or will-she-won’t-she with the romance.

✖ I do think that some elements of the relationship between Lola and the Liar moved a bit too fast, almost instalove, in the first half of the story. This did level out and feel much more natural as things went on so I wasn’t too bothered.
✖ The first bit of the story moved very slow and made it a bit hard to get into. Things didn’t really pick up until Lola entered the tournament.

4/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Den of Liars" by Jessica Olson is a young adult mystery thriller that revolves around a summer job on a secluded island filled with secrets and intrigue. The story follows a protagonist hired to be a companion to one of the wealthy, enigmatic Sinclair family members. The suspense keeps you guessing until the very end, and the family dynamics add layers of complexity. I found the pacing a bit slow, but overall, it's a captivating read with a satisfying resolution.

I want to thank NetGalley and Jessica S Olson for sending me an eARC (Ebook Advanced Reader Copy) of Den of Liars.

Jessica S Olson never disappoints with her magical, high stakes, unique stories. Den of Liars was absolutely phenomenal and brought a whole new world of magic into the romantasy genre. In this story, our main characters are Lola and Nic. Fate and circumstances throw them together as both are trying to work out the other’s secrets. All of this while an epic, yearly tournament, the Liar’s Dice, is going on inside the Liar’s Den. Will enemies become lovers? Or will betrayal win out in the end?

This book was magical in such a wonderful and new way. In this story, magic is imbued into a certain type of metal through the different stars. Some people are also gifted/cursed with this magic and able to fill the metal vessels without the use of the stars. When this happens, they are typically gifted a magic that reflects who they are deep down.

The world in this book is very small. We stay inside of a city the entire time. Most of the book actually takes place inside the Liar’s Den, which is the casino where the infamous Liar presides over the tournament, the Liar’s Dice. The casino is beautiful and magical itself and provides however many chips you want for a price. The price of a secret. The more powerful the secret, the more powerful the chip. And, to enter the tournament, you have to bargain an extremely powerful secret.

I really appreciated the characters in this book. Olson did such an amazing job at giving them so much depth and discovery throughout the book. Not only is everything not as it seems in the beginning, we still are finding out new things about these characters at the end. This is the first in a duology, so there is still so much mystery left to be discovered. Is the villain really the villain? Or are all of the characters villains and heroes?

I am so excited for Jessica S Olson in her first duology attempt, Den of Liars. She did such an amazing job at keeping this first book enthralling all the way throughout, while also laying the perfect amount of clues and mystery that the second book is going to be just as amazing! There is still so much we don’t know!! The cursing in this book is at a minimum and the romance is only some serious kissing, no actual scenes. This book I would say is good for the young adult age range, however I am not sure about the next book as I know the duology is marked as an adult novel. I highly, highly recommend this book, and all of her others! They are all amazing and unique!!!

After just a few chapters, I was hooked on this book! This was the perfect mix of romance and fantasy.

The Liar's Dice Tournament was different and something that initially caught my eye and it did not disappoint. It was very different from other magic systems I've read about before.
I absolutely loved the tension and the banter between the Liar and Lola. Just loved the Liar overall. Excited to see where Lola goes from where we left her at the end of the book.

I am excited to see what happens in the next book!

Would definitely recommend this book to fellow fantasy fans!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for the arc! I truly believe this was a highly anti read for me and I’m so glad I received it!!

The characters in this book truly connected and flowed through each other very well. The tournament itself had me on the edge of my seat. I definitely was confused on how this story was going to go after 45% but it didn’t let me down.

Recommending to friends and family!

"A young thief attempting a daring casino heist during a high-stakes tournament is torn between two warring brothers in Den of Liars, a thrilling YA fantasy romance by acclaimed author Jessica S. Olson.

Lola St. James is the world's best kept secret. When her father's loss in the Liar's Dice Tournament - a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets - made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief's kindness came with a price: Lola's heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other's emotions because of their shared heart.

Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar's Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief's mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers' shared history, and the lies she tells herself."

I mean, dice isn't a game I'd ever play. It's too risky. Reading about other people playing it though? Yes please.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group / Netgalley for approving me for this arc!

3.75 /5 rounded up to 4 stars.

This was a very fun book that really ended up pulling me and having me on the edge of my seat! I'd recommend this book to fans of Caraval and Six of Crows, though this does get a bit deeper and darker.

I enjoyed this book more than I initially thought I would! This book is primarily told from the POV of Magnolia St. James, the daughter of an infamous crime lord who gambled and lost her as his deepest secret during the Liar's Dice tournament which results in her kidnapping and rescue by one of the Devious, the Thief. Now going by Astra, she enters the Liar's casino for a heist to earn her place as one of the Thief's Tentacles and ends up competing in the Liar's Dice tournament herself four years later. From there, she must win three increasingly dangerous challenges in order to keep the secret she bargained and win the Liar's prize. As she competes and uncovers other's secrets, she realizes what she thought she knew may not be the truth. As her attraction to the Liar deepens, she must figure out if she can trust her heart or if its the effects of the Liar's glamours. Did I mention the Liar and the Thief are brothers??

Though this story was plot driven, I would say it was more character and relationship driven. I enjoyed the character development of Lola and how her relationship with the Liar evolved throughout the book. There was a lot packed into this book and the pacing was definitely quick. As I got closer to the end, this book as harder and harder to put down!

I will say, sometimes the plot was a bit predictable but I didn't mind it as it didn't ruin the story. The magic system was unique and fun and the vibes were immaculate. The writing wonderfully paints a picture of unique scenes and settings.

Tropes featured: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, miscommunication, betrayal.

This does end on a cliffhanger and I look forward to book 2!