Lola St. James has lived an anonymous life for four years, since her prominent father lost a high-stakes competition and made her a target. She was kidnapped by thugs and then rescued by the Thief, a young man who has magic that helps him go incorporeal, among other things. Since that time, she has worked closely with him in his thieving, an excellent partner because of the emotions they feel in their shared heart.

When her father didn’t pay her kidnappers and the Thief took her, Lola was considered dead. Since then she’s gone by a pseudonym and hidden away so people won’t discover otherwise. While she considers the Thief her best friend and a special partner, she still wants to become one of his gang the Tentacles.

When an important theft goes awry, she has to compete herself in the same competition her father lost. The Liar’s Dice Tournament is run by the Liar, the Thief’s estranged brother, and competing could expose Lola and the Thief’s plans, but they need information. And being in the Liar’s headquarters could give her time to find out his secrets and free her and the Thief from their need to share a heart.

Even though she’s warned about the Liar and his magic abilities, Lola finds herself attracted to him. She ostensibly gets close to him to discover important information. But as they get to know each other, Lola she realizes the Liar may be just as cursed as his brother, the Thief.

As the days go by in the tournament, the stakes become even higher, and Lola finds herself confused — about her own past, about the two young men, about the magic they wield. Is there any path through this maze of lies and magic that can lead her to the truth?

I was definitely intrigued by the premise of Den of Liars. I love fantasy, magic and heists, mixed with romance. This promised a Caraval-type plot and vibe, so I was all for it. At first, I was a bit nervous it wouldn’t live up to expectations. It felt like it was trying too hard for a little while. But then it (and I) got into the groove and I was all in. An entertaining page-turner. (I’d say it’s a 4.5 stars to Caraval’s five, but that’s pretty great!)

Definitely recommend.

3.5 stars - liked it but I felt like the first half dragged on. The book felt a little too long (which is why it took me so long to finish) and it was repetitive. It felt a little confusing as things jumped from past to present and different POV without notice. I loved Nic's character though, his interactions with Lola were certainly swoony!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to download this book, I was really looking forward to reading it but I wasn’t able to get it loaded on my kindle to read. I assume it’s a user error although netgalley wasn’t able to help.

This has a lot of great elements in it, a heist, a game of tricks and cunning, and an enemies-to-lovers romance. I thought it was fun and pretty well paced, with a nice amount of romance and deviousness. I also appreciated that there wasn't a love triangle. Though the FMC was torn between the brothers, one relationship was a friend/sibling dynamic and I thought that was refreshing.

I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel and rooting for Lola to come out on top.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for the copy.

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 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.

This was such a fun, twisty read with a cool concept. I liked the world building and the magical casino vibes. That said, I wanted a bit more depth from Lola and felt like her story could have had a stronger resolution. Still, it’s fast-paced and super entertaining perfect if you’re in the mood for a romantasy read.

Romantasy girlies, gather round, because I don’t think DEN OF LIARS is receiving nearly enough attention and you will love it. Romantasy is not the primary genre I read, but I had to snap up this arc when I realized the author was someone I knew slightly in college. Once upon a time, I remember being in awe of @jessicaolson123 because she said she was going to be a writer, and at the time that was something I secretly wished I could do but was afraid to try. Obviously a lot can happen in 15 years, and I loved seeing her knock it out of the park with this one.

DEN OF LIARS is, at its heart, a story about unpeeling layers of deception and false belief to get at the heart of something. As the heroine joins a game at a casino run by the mysterious and powerful Liar with the scheme of pulling off an unprecedented heist, she learns everything she’s been taught is not necessarily what it seems to be.

I’ve read stories about games of intrigue that have left me confused, but DEN OF LIARS pulled me deftly through the intricate world the author has created. I didn’t always know what was around the corner (which is a good thing), but I knew which way was up, if that makes sense. And the heroine, Lola, was fully developed—courageous, passionate, and at times, morally grey. The story left me giddy in moments of romantic tension and reflective at other times, as Lola examines what she’s been told in contrast to her actual experiences. I’m eagerly anticipating the chance to learn more about these characters and what their futures hold when the next book is released.

I received a copy of DEN OF LIARS from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A sharp, high-stakes fantasy full of secrets, sibling rivalry, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Once the tournament begins, it’s all magic, lies, and heart.

“If anyone ever tells you to distrust everyone but them, they aren’t interested in truth. Only control.”

Perfect for fans of Caraval, Six of Crows, or These Violent Delights.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

“At the Liar’s Den … secrets are power”

A tournament is held at the famous Liar’s Den every year, and only the best liar wins. It involves challenges that will make others question their own truths, magic dice that help one weave the most realistic of lies, and lots of pomp and circumstance for the cameras and press. Only the most cunning will succeed … oh and the stakes? Just your deepest, darkest secret.

Lola’s entire life was ruined by her father losing the Liar’s Den tournament which forced her into hiding when she was a child. Now, she has to participate herself by attempting the biggest heist of her life.

I absolutely loved this book and it hooked me in from beginning to end. I think this is quite a unique story and I haven’t come across a similar concept before. It felt almost like a mix of the movies Now You See Me, The Greatest Showman, and Ocean’s 8. That might sound like a weird combo but I swear it works! The vibes are very much casino, glitz and glam, cons, heists, tricks, and lying.

My favorite trope of enemies to lovers makes an appearance with the broody, mysterious MMC that is painted as the worst of the worst at the beginning of the book. But is he really who he seems to be?

There is also some beef between brothers. The Liar’s brother, the Thief, is actually Lola’s partner in crime but there is a magical barrier that keeps him from the Liar’s Den casino. He and Lola are thick as thieves but now that she is on her own will she be able to tell the truth from fiction? Which brother will she choose? Who is telling the truth? This book has you constantly questioning:

“What if you have fallen for a con?”

The pacing of this book was great and I cannot say that there was any part of the plot that slowed me down. I inhaled this book and I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing this book for review via NetGalley!

From the beginning, I was hooked. The world building is exquisite, the storyline was addicting, and I never wanted to give it up! Lola is a thief, working with her best friend, the Thief, to try and save his life-and hers- from a curse that has bound them for the last four years. When she enters a tournament that can change their lives forever, it's host is The Liar, the brother of the man her heart belongs to. As the two of them get closer, and as the game turns into more than she bargained for, feelings get mixed up and it's up to Lola to determine what she'll do. Choose her heart, or the man who owns it.

This book was one of the best YA fantasies I have read in a really long time. It has a gripping plot, the characters felt so real, and I couldn't stop reading. Lola is a really relatable character, and isn't the perfect MC which makes her all the more amazing. The love triangle in this book isn't the normal two people loves one person. They both love Lola, just in completely different ways and it fits so perfectly. The enemies to lovers was on point, the tension was so palpable, and you can NEVER expect what will come next. Also, we also get some Liar POVs and they were so good. I cannot wait for the second book and I beg to not wait long to find out what Lola will do next, what will happen with The Liar, and how the Thief will take what comes next!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for giving me a chance to read this ARC because I absolutely loved it!

I DNF'd this book after giving it a decent chance. I am giving it 2 stars because while I hope that someone out there likes this book, I feel like this is a disservice to the heist trope. Since that is one of the core elements and a trope I am familiar with, having it fall flat brought my enjoyment down significantly. In addition, the trio of main characters that the story revolves around have an interesting dynamic initially that unfortunately gets mishandled so badly it starts feeling like another boring love triangle. The Liar's POV somehow gives away too much while still feeling shallow; Astra/Lola is somehow brilliant at heists yet makes ridiculous mistakes one after the other right from the beginning; and the whole "Liar's Game" is absurd both in setup and execution. I think the thing that really tipped me over though into DNF'ing was when the previous year's winner (I forget her name) INSTANTLY becomes Lola's ally and friend right from the beginning, for no discernible reason. There's some 'alliance' they form early on with sharing information, but it feels like an afterthought the author added in to try to explain how they got so close so quickly.

And this is just my own soapbox, but in order to be a true HEIST there needs to be a whole TEAM, not just 1-2 people!!

Den of Liars – Jessica S. Olsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a five all around. I don’t even know how else to explain it… it’s just so worth the read. Every chapter, every reveal, every page… had me holding my breath. It’s packed with betrayal, secrecy, magic, and so much suspense I literally had to remind myself to breathe.

Now let me just say, I am NOT built for suspense 😅 so this book had me struggling in the best way. Like, it was suspense after suspense after suspense… plot twist… then more suspense! I’m not kidding, I had to put it down a few times just to emotionally prepare myself BUT also couldn’t not read it because I had to know what was going to happen next. It had me like “I’m scared” and “I need to know” at the exact same time lol.

It’s technically YA, but the way Jessica S. Olsen writes?? You’d never know it. The writing, the tension, the pacing, the way everything connects it’s so good. I’m obsessed and absolutely a fan now.

I don’t even know what I need to say to get y’all to pick this up! but seriously… go read it. Immediately. It’s definitely one of my favorite reads this year.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Publishing Group, and of course Jessica S. Olsen for the chance to read this early!

This story follows Lola as she enters a magical game put on by a character called the Liar. This book very much gave me caraval vibes with the magical casino and contest. This was a fun YA read and had a blast buddy reading with Cierra! I wanted our characters to have a bit more that made me want to root for them. Unfortunately I just found myself not caring much about what happens to the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC!

Lola is entering a magical casino to risk her secrets to potentially save herself and the friend she loves. She meets the Liar, who runs the casino and has many secrets of his own.

Loved aspects of this book - magical realism, some enemies to lovers, secrets and lies throughout. I struggled with some of the pacing and the development of our main characters. I wanted Lola to have a bit more depth and was hoping for a bit more resolution for her.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book will be a huge hit for people who enjoyed Phantasma and Caraval. Ultimately, I thought it was fine. I'm a little over the trope of a woman caught between two brothers, though I will say that the magic was very very cool.

This was a great read! I usually stick to one genre of books but it was nice to have the chance to read something different and I will be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future

The very New Orleans-esque setting was not super well developed, but the casino felt magical and in line with the rest of the book. The plot of the two brothers was not initially very interesting (felt kind of bland), but I found myself more enthralled as I went through the book.

Maybe I am just easily fooled, but I did not see any of the twists coming in this book.

The romance is kind of unexpected and yet also does work very well--- I also really appreciated the side characters and the fun they brought to the book.

I really enjoyed this. I thought that the concept was intriguing and when I read it it gave me Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody vibes (a series that I also highly recommend). I liked getting to know the world, which was well-realized by Olson, and the characters which felt real with motivations that felt legitimate and compelling. The pacing was a little slow for my taste, though it does pick up around the middle whereafter I was absolutely hooked and flew through the story. Secrets and magic abound, backed by an interesting plot and very atmospheric writing. I want the second one immediately, but I know that I have to be patient (*sobbing*).

Everyone has a secret. What would do to protect yours?

I received this book as an EARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story from the beginning. Although it kinda seemed to move a little slow until about halfway and then I was thoroughly hooked. I didn’t put it back down. Watching Lola grow and become more her own person was the best part. There is definitely a slow burn in this book, and I would be lying if I said I was just a bit disappointed in that area. But, all in all it’s good read. Secrets, treachery, lies and magic. What’s not to like? 🖤🔥🐦‍🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 Overall
💖 1/5 Spice

This was honestly such a fun read. What a unique concept and cool magic system. I found myself constantly unsure of who to trust, and it kept me really intrigued. I always enjoy books with a challenge or game of some sort, and this was exactly that without being too high stakes.

I’ll definitely be picking up the next one once it’s out!