This was a fantastic romantic fantasy story that was a lot heavier on the political intrigue and romance, than on fantasy elements. Vasalie, the FMC, is a very strong and resilient character that is able to fight through chronic pain due to her prior imprisonment, and working to overcome her abusive former employer/king/maybe previous love interest. All of this makes Vasalie a relatable character, who many readers are going to connect with!

There are some great twists and turns in both the plot and some character reveals, as well as with some love interest aspects. Because the story is not heavy on fantasy elements, it is easy to devour this book in 1-2 sittings.

Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

As a debut, and the start of a new series, this book truly is captivating.
My favourite fantasy stories come with intricate world building, political intrigue and high stakes. A Dance of Lies delivered on all points.

The scheming, the betrayals and the deception - absolute chef’s kiss. The romance complimented the storyline without being the focus of it, which I appreciated as I got so invested in Vasalie’s character development and the plot that Brittney Arena delivered that I would have been disappointed if romance overtook it - but that isn’t to say this isn’t a must read for the romantasy lovers out there.

The pace was slow, but easy to fall into without being bored - then gives you an ending that is delightfully dark and will have you desperate for the sequel and answers.

A Dance of Lies is a testament to how well Brittney Arena can compose a story and what we can expect from her in the future. I didn’t quite believe that this is her first book, and I cannot wait for more.

I’d initially requested this debut ARC due to a friend mentioning they knew the author, and I’m so grateful they mentioned it! From first look at this cover, I was expecting to have a visually beautiful world laid out and wasn’t disappointed! If only I’d known the MMC’s vibe really gave Cardan from The Cruel Prince, I’d have picked it up even sooner!

Our FMC, Vasalie, is a dancer. Wrongfully charged with murder and having served two years in atrocious conditions, she’s now being offered a chance at freedom if she only does what her captor, the king and her former focus of infatuation, asks of her: attend an event spanning multiple nations and dance, while enacting various tasks. This is all complicated by the fact that her imprisonment has left her with chronic pain, which while I can’t speak to, it seems the author fairly represented based on her personal experience.

While some of the events and tropes in this story have been done before, I really enjoyed this take on them. The inclusion of the chronic illness and how she worked with it, along with the detailed descriptions of the dances (to where I could actually visualize what was going on) and the settings (stained sea glass windows, see the cover), led to a deeply immersive story. The MMC and other side characters really fleshed out this story as well; lots of found family and some great tension.

Some of the language may have been self-indulgent at times, but still nothing compared to another popular romantasy book (lookin’ at you, Powerless), and I felt like it all fit and flowed in a way that really WORKED.

Our FMC’s inner monologue was occasionally frustrating, when she clearly wasn’t getting something that we as the reader could intuit, or when she was making some LESS THAN IDEAL decisions, but all the other elements more than made up for it for me.

Also, this is the first in a series (unsure on how many books there’ll be), so be prepared going into it that it does clearly lend to a sequel. All in all I’ll give this 4.25 stars, and am looking forward to reading more!

Thank you to Brittney Arena, Random House Publishing Group – Del Rey, and NetGalley for this eARC!

Honestly, I found the writing hauntingly poetic and atmospheric. I especially enjoyed the way the author portrayed dance, with each performance carrying its own emotion and story. Although I don’t typically choose books centered on dance, I found myself completely captivated by the way it was woven into the story.

One element that didn’t quite work for me was the character names. They felt too Russian in tone and didn’t seem to match the world the author created, which occasionally pulled me out of the experience.

Still, it is a very strong debut with a unique voice. I don’t think I will be interested in the second book in the series as I don’t vibe with Russian names, however, I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

This breaks my heart to write but I couldn't get through this book. It has a lot of promise, and I value the chronic illness representation in the main character, but I had a difficult time being interested enough to read on. I stopped at 30% and couldn't continue. But I just want to say, what didn't work out for me may very well work out for another, so please don't be discouraged by my rating. Give this a try because I've also seen reviews of people who really enjoyed this book. I just wish I was one of them.

Thank you to Del Rey/Random House Publishing, Brittany Arena, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

Overall, I loved this book! Two of my own chronic illnesses overlap with the authors’/are similar (EDS and POTS, although my POTS symptoms are luckily fairly mild). While I am not a dancer, I used to be a competitive swimmer and was briefly into weightlifting, so having something that used to make you feel so strong and beautiful now show you what your physical limitations are was VERY relatable. I also completely understood it feeling ok/closer to “normal” some days while barely being able to complete basic steps the next day. Some of the dance-specific aspects were also not new to me as I grew up with a sister who was a ballet dancer, and I’ve been to more rehearsals (and performances) than I can count before I was able to be left at home.

As for the storyline, at first I was a little confused with not knowing who the love interest is until well into this book, but in hindsight, I like that this book is focused on Vasalie (the FMC) and her story- everything else is a bit secondary to that, including romance. I liked thinking it could be one character, then a different one, then even a different one after that when really those male characters brought up throughout the book seem to each represent different parts of Vasalie’s story, so even when thinking about them, that still brings everything back around to her.

While I am anticipating romance might have a bigger role in book 2, I LOVED the amount of court politics that occurred in this book! After following Vasalie’s story, the politics seemed like the next primary focus/storyline, and as much as I love action scenes in fantasy stories, I EAT UP tense and dramatic political drama in whatever form or political system that comes in! In this story, that comes in through all of the various crowns and their court members.

While the beginning was a little slower going than I anticipated, I appreciate the amount of time and care that was dedicated to properly explaining Vasalie’s physical condition at the start and just how much was needed to get her back to doing even the most basic dance routines. I was hooked by about 1/3 into the book and would have finished it faster if not for my work schedule that week! I was shocked multiple times in the last few chapters and am looking forward to reading book 2 when that time comes!

Thank you to NetGalley, Brittany Arena, and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great read, I really enjoyed the slow burn, and the sibling rivalry. very enjoyable fantasy read!

Thank you to @prhaudio and Netgalley for the ALC and eARC of A Dance of Lies so I was able to tandem read this!

I love how the author used her own personal experiences to talk about chronic illness and disability, I thought it was written into the story really well and I loved the representation that our main character brought. I loved Vasalie’s resilience and determination to keep fighting and finding new ways to work with her body. I also enjoyed how I didn’t clearly know who her love interest would be until probably 50% through the book.

I love court intrigue so I enjoyed that this book came from an espionage angle. Vasalie was forced by the king who wrongfully imprisoned her to become his dancing spy and infiltrate the other courts. It led to some really cool moments that I don’t think we see as often in Romantasy because our FMC wasn’t physically strong so she had to find different ways to accomplish her tasks.

I also really enjoyed the moral dilemmas for Vasalie, she was worried from a young age that she would grow up like her heinous father and each subsequent task she does for the king pushes her closer to that fear.

I do think the beginning is REALLY slow and it almost had me putting it down initially but I kept at it and I found that I had a great time by the end! I think it does the Romantasy formula well while also throwing in some enjoyable curveballs! The ending was a major plot twist that I’m excited to see how they remedy it in the next book.

3.5 / 5

I really enjoyed how beautifully written the descriptions in this book were. I was able to easily picture characters, scenes, outfits, etc. with clarity. I also don’t feel like things were over described and it flowed nicely within the chapters. There’s a lot of political upheaval in this book and I enjoyed how it all played out. One of my main paint points of the book however was the pacing felt choppy and the characters aligned with each other a bit too easily for everything that was happening.

The main FMC has PTSD from past events and I thought how she would have flashbacks because of it was portrayed well and in a realistic way. In general I liked the main character, but her inner talk was a bit frustrating at times as I felt it was very repetitive for her to repeat how she was a no one and broken. I adored the MMC and the fun he brought to the tense atmosphere and how he pulled out a more playful, sarcastic and witty side of our FMC. I was a bit surprised that this book was the first in the series, but I do have interest in reading the next one.

Vasalie & Anton
Fantasy Romance
Royal Courts
Dancer
Chronic Pain/Disability Rep

I saw a lot of people talking about this one and I was intrigued by the storyline!

I really enjoyed this one!

The book starts where Vasalie has been in captivity for two years, and when she's finally released, she has to overcome her trauma along with dealing with physical pain and health issues.

I love Anton and his mysterious ways! The flirting and the banter is so good!

I love the dancing within this one, it's fantastic! And learning more about these characters is great.

I didn’t realise this one wasn't a standalone, so now I'm eagerly awaiting book 2!

What a delight! Vasalie and the mystery around why she was imprisoned are immediately attention grabbing. We meet her grappling with the repercussions of her imprisonment and the unlikely offer to earn her freedom. She must play a very delicate balancing act with a King she does not trust at a gathering of other rulers who are playing their own deadly games. As if that was not enough she must dance with a body that has been broken and could also betray her. This story is very layered as we come to learn more about all of the characters and their various backstories. The author does an amazing job of weaving it all together until the shocking ending. Be warned this is very much that fantasy novel that will draw you in and threaten to break your heart. The love story here is slow and builds perfectly with banter and intrigue. I cannot say enough how much I loved them. Too often these types of stories completely miss the mark on the romance and the building of the relationship which this author expertly creates. It’s a beautiful ember in a very dark world. While this story very much ends on a cliffhanger I would say it really does setup where it will be going in the sequel. I will be waiting very impatiently to read it!

A Dance of Lies had some compelling elements, but overall, it didn’t fully land for me. The premise was intriguing and there were moments of tension and mystery that kept me turning pages, but I didn’t find myself completely immersed in the story.

The writing was solid but something about the characters or pacing kept me from connecting more deeply. For a Romantasy book, there were little to no fantasy elements and the world building was non existent. While I didn’t love it, I will likely give the next book a chance.

A decent read with some highlights, but not one that fully stuck with me.

I enjoyed this story. Twists and turns a plenty. I liked the FMC, except for the frequent need of her to vomit. The frequency of that detail could have been lessened. Ick. But I loved her bravery by the end. Her character arc was beautiful. I wasn’t expecting a cliffhanger with the way the book seemed to rush to the ending. But I’m looking forward to the next installment. I also was happy that rhis wasn't romance heavy. While there were feelings and some romance aspects, it was more plot heavy than centered around a relationship. I’m torn between 3.5-4 stars, so I’m rounding up. Overall, I very much enjoyed the book and flew through it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this Arc and opportunity to read it early!

A Dance of Lies completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. Vasalie is such a strong, layered character—I was rooting for her the whole way through. I loved how her past as a dancer was woven into her journey as a spy. It added so much emotion and depth to her character, and the stakes always felt high.

The world-building was rich without being overwhelming, and the tension between Vasalie and the King of the East? So good. Their dynamic was slow-burn, intense, and full of those moments that make you hold your breath.

There’s a perfect mix of romance, danger, betrayal, and magic—it felt fresh and unique while still giving me everything I love about romantic fantasy. I flew through it and didn’t want it to end.

If you’re into morally gray characters, strong heroines, and fantasy stories that keep you guessing, definitely give this one a try. I’m already counting down the days for the sequel!

Well, another romantasy down in the books. Another mixed bag affair. At this point, I acknowledge that I’m probably just a picky reader when it comes to this subgenre, and more often than not, I’m better off in “romantic fantasy” than romantasy, a distinction you wouldn’t think would make as much of a difference as it does! This one had a lot of potential, but in the end, it didn’t work for me in the way I had hoped it would.

Not a lot really worked for me with this one, unfortunately. But some of that is definitely objective. The style of writing, for one thing, felt fairly simplistic, leaving me feeling distanced from the characters and action and not able to fully invest myself in what was happening on the page. Part of this came down to what I felt was an imbalance between inner monologues and outward action/description. Yes, our main character has had a rough go of it, but there came a point in the first third of the story where I simply didn’t need to revisit some of these hardships as often as we were. All of this said, however, readers who prefer a more straight-forward style of writing or who prefer more inward-reflecting main characters may not struggle with the writing as much as I did.

I also liked the general idea of Vasalie’s disability and the inclusion of a character like this. That said, I’m not sure the execution quite worked. Again, a lot of inner narration was devoted to the struggles and adjustments that Vasalie needed to make due to this disability. However, whenever she needed to perform, it felt as if this disability suddenly, magically disappeared! The story didn’t outright say this, but the implication and depiction was that a person affected by a disability could simply “get past it” whenever it was needed. There was nothing egregious in this area, but I did think there was a heavy disconnect between the inner reflections of Vasalie’s disablity and the actual affect it had on her life (very little, especially when her dancing was needed for plot purposes).

I also didn’t love the romance. I didn’t expect a love triangle situation, so I was displeased to see one emerging fairly early on. While not the worst I’ve read, I often found myself frustrated by Vasalie’s choices. I definitely had a preference of her two choices, and I felt like she spent way too much time chasing the wrong one. Beyond that, I’m not sure if I’ve ranted about it before, but I’m so over the cutesy little nicknames that seem to now be a requirement in the romantasy genre. Authors, they’re not cute. Please stop.


Me cringing so hard at the latest “clever” nickname to pop up in my romantasy read
So yeah, this was kind of a bummer of read. Nothing was horribly wrong with it, but on the other hand, nothing was really great. More general fans of romantasy (i.e. less picky ones) will likely enjoy this one, especially those who like love triangles/less defined romantic interests. However, if you’re just a casual fan, I’m not sure this is the read for you.

Rating 6: Unfortunately, this one just didn’t click with me, feeling at once too familiar and too remote to become invested in.

thank you so much to the publisher for the early, physical copy! all opinions are my own!

you have to close the stadium.
this book is PHENOMENAL in every sense of the world. a very rich and diverse world. amazing side characters. a plot that you have no idea where it's going, so hard that you don't know who is the ship and who is the villain. and a main character i was rooting for since the very beggining. starting with the fact that AT LAST A BOOK ABOUT DANCERS THAT DEPICT HOW DANCING REALLY IS AND HOW TIRING AND ALSO BEAUTIFUL IT CAN BE, she is so real with her emotions and feelings. since i know the chronic illness aspect comes from the author herself, i know she was well written in that regard.
the plot twists had me GAGGING. and that ending... yeah no, bring me the second book RIGHT. NOW. that i know it will murder me the same way as this first one :O
and please read it. this is such a good book i'm pretty sure it will end up being a fave of the year... and my life.

Tried a chapter, unfortunately I wasn't into it.
I didn't vibe with the main character and the writing wasn't doing it for me.
Sad to DNF because I was anticipating this release, the premise had a lot of potential and disability rep included.
DNF 4%
arc provided by Netgalley

4.75 stars!

AHHH! One of my new favorite romantasy books! Arena really fleshed out the world and I enjoyed the descriptions we got of everything Vasalie was seeing. On that same point however, some things felt overly descriptive, like words were thrown in just for word count. That didn't take away from my love for this. Vasalie's character growth over the course of the novel was amazing. She grew into a strong, determined woman and I am so proud of her. Now, Anton, my man! I freaking loved him so much. I immediately clocked that he was going to be the love interest when she first danced with him. His love for her is so pure and they are honestly perfect for each other.

Now, that ending was just rude. I may or may not have sobbed like a baby and felt sick to my stomach. I need book 2 ASAP because these things need to be resolved!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for an e-ARC of this book!

Vasalie is a dancer whom spent years as a king’s jewel, performing, all whilst running from her past. Until the king she so loved, Illian, threw her in a cell under the guise of murder. She spent two years there, chained and left physically and mentally destroyed. This book felt extremely respectful and perfect at portraying disability. Vasalie whilst having to survive as a spy/assassin for Illian with her life at risk at an important with her physical disability, whilst a mental battle also rages.

I found a lot of realism in Vasalie’s struggle and her perseverance; while I cannot speak as someone with a physical disability, I can speak from experience with chronic and mental illness. I also know the author has experiences as well and talks about it openly which is why I feel as if it is a hopefully a solid representation.

While first person POV isn’t always my favorite, I did enjoy the authors writing and could definitely picture locations and what was taking place. The author does a great job of transporting you, especially emotionally with the plot. However at times Vasalie’s inner monologue felt very repetitive, constant reminders of past/what had taken place and the same emotions as if we as readers have already forgotten,, ie, repetition about revenge and feeling dramatic, trust me with what she went through we couldn’t possibly forget what’s at stake and how much we want her to succeed.

I will definitely read book 2, the ending felt a bit left field and i’m curious to see where it will go.

"Your story is not a kind one...
But though you've suffered your own fire, child, you won't always smell of smoke..."

I fell in love with A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena within the first few pages. I love the spoonie rep in this book and the main character. It was easy to connect and find myself seen in so many ways. Ways that I haven't seen represented well enough before. From the mental to the physical, it was relatable. I enjoyed the court intrigue and politics. There's so much to say about this gorgeous book it's hard to put it just in this small space.

I can't wait to have a physical copy of this book SOON! I plan to read it again and make annotations, and write a more in-depth review for you all. For now though, please consider putting this on your radar if you haven't. Pre-order if you haven't yet. Pre-orders help the author out so much!

Brittney is one of the sweetest souls I've ever met. Her own experiences woven into the fabrics of this story. I'm so glad I can help support a friend and a fellow spoonie where can. Can't wait for the sequel!