Fun, fresh take on magic systems with a plot that flows easily and a world that is well-built and well-supported!

Den of Liars swept me into a world of glittering danger where secrets are currency, and it left me mildly feral with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger ending. Set in a unique and magical world with a casino where secrets are worth everything, Den of Liars is like a YA fantasy mash-up of a heist movie and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a twist of emotional complications and just the right amount of morally grey angst.

Lola is a thief with something to prove, a stolen heart, and a part in a deadly tournament where secrets are currency and losing isn’t just risky, it's deadly. Her internal conflict between loyalty and desire, her hunger to belong, her trauma, and her need for control drive her. She’s strong, but also soft in places, and that mix was great. And both brothers, th eLiar and the Thief, are complicated, wounded, frustrating, and fascinating in their own ways. The way they are with each other had major Damon and Stefan (TVD) vibes.

The romantic tension in this book sparks from the moment Lola locks eyes with the Liar. Their dynamic is so gripping in that “I don’t trust you, but I definitely want to kiss you” kind of way, and the fact that his brother, the infamous Thief, happens to be magically bonded to her complicates things beautifully. It's not a love triangle in the traditional sense, but there's a lot of tangled feelings and complex backstory to keep things emotionally layered and filled with conflict and obstacles. And the banter is fantastic!

I also loved how the magic system is woven into the setting. It’s dice-based, tied to secrets, and feels fresh and clever without needing a giant info dump to make sense. The idea of gambling with truths instead of coins is fascinating and a little terrifying, and the tournament was super suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat. The world-building as a whole was immersive and atmospheric, as is the writing style.

Den of Liars is immersive, clever, and addictively romantic. If I’m being picky, I do think the first few chapters are a slower build, but once the tournament starts, the plot kicks into gear and doesn’t let up. I flew through the second half, hooked on every twist, double-cross, and charged glance between Lola and the Liar. If you like high-stakes magic, thieves with hearts of gold (or secrets), intense slow-burns, and a heroine who’s just trying to survive in a world where truth is the most dangerous weapon, roll the dice on this one.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this.

OH. EM. GEE. This was such a fun reading experience. The of Caraval’s magic and trial set up but with a six of crows type heist. The story was fun and the characters were also a great time.

Lola is a thief who shares a heart with Enzo who has the power to become non-corporeal. She is stuck in a tournament ran by Enzo’s brother “The Liar”. Hijinks occurs and it ended with a cliffhanger that will make you want the next one now!

My only qualm is that this book is YA but it got a little risqué like how “A Theory of Drowning” did.

I’m really sad I didn’t like this one more as I love heist stories. Unfortunately I found the world building to be lacking and the magic system was a bit confusing. I also had trouble connecting to the characters. For being a cutthroat competition there was only really one person antagonistic to Lola so that made the stakes feel fairly low. I did like learning about the characters through their memories and I liked the glitzy setting. Overall I enjoyed this one. The cover is great too!

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!!!