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!

Beautifully written, the artistry of the world building is lovely with the dances and outfits vibrant in the story

Advertised as a romantic fantasy but there was not much fantasy in the majority of the story line and only mention of it right at the end…

The yearning was truly yearning!!!! And suspense and slow burn was killing me at times….

The end had me wanting to read more for sure, and I can foresee more of that slow burn, yearning romance continuing!

This entire book had me on the edge of my seat. The suspense made me not want to stop reading and I may have ignored several of my adult responsibilities in order to find out what Vasalie was going to do with the situations she found herself in. She’s a very relatable character and the chronic pain representation was done well. Political intrigue and betrayals are not my strong suit so I spent most of this book worried about over what I was missing (probably a lot). I genuinely flew through this book and several reveals had me gasping - I cannot wait for the sequel!

Always a joy to see more representation in fantasy, especially ADULT fantasy and well-written fantasy at that! I am *almost* sad that I read this early because now I'll have to wait even longer for whatever Arena writes next!

This book has all of my favourite things- politics, tension, yearning, romance and the most beautiful poetic descriptions of the court setting, the music, the art, the dancing 🎭.

We follow Vasalie, a former dancer with a past, being blackmailed into turning into a spy for her freedom. The character development of the FMC is brilliant- she is struggling with her chronic illness, a new development from the life she previously held, and still having the readiness to try to do what is right vs potentially losing her entire future. One of my favourite quotes:

"𝐼 𝓂𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝑒. 𝐵𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒾𝓉, 𝐼 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓌𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓁"

During the courts gathering, Vasalie is forced to perform and wow, especially at the start of the book, the writing of the music, the costumes, the way dancing can show so much of a story was just spectacular. It really captured that feeling, when you hear the first notes of music that moves you, when you take a deep breath in and then 𝓼𝓲𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓱𝓱𝓱𝓱 and you get that feeling of expanding and weightlessness. It really made me remember why I used to love dance, ballet in particular, so many years ago. 🩰

Through the story, there is more than romantic one lead and I must admit, I think at one point I was rooting for them all, until more came to light. The yearning, pining and build up of the romance is just too good.

As the political tensions rise and the plot thickens, it all comes to light in the last 8-10 chapters (don't want to review with spoilers), however this is definitely book 1 in a series and I need to find out what happens next now 😭. I devoured book 1 and took over 4 pages of notes, annotations and quotes that I loved. Reading alongside the ADOL Ambient playlist that the author put together added to the reading experience even more.

5 stars- give me more (if there is an expanded chapter of the last performance, I would LOVE to read it)

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

With increasing popularity in romantasy in the mainstream, it’s hard to find a unique perspective or storyline. I was very happy that A Dance of Lies offered an interesting take on the genre. The writing was beautiful and the character perspective was unique. I very much enjoyed the storytelling and character building.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this e-arc of A Dance Of Lies by Brittney Arena. Out 10th June!

Former court dancer Vasalie is framed for murder and imprisoned only to be offered a chance at freedom by becoming a spy for the king who betrayed her. As she navigates a treacherous world of political intrigue and uncovers dark truths about her past Vasalie must decide who to trust and how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to survive!

Overall rating: 5 Stars! I ADORED this one!

I've read a lot of romantasy now and the main reason I loved this one is because it's so different. I've not read a fantasy from the perspective of a dancer and it was refreshing to be kept guessing what was going to happen next- the plot twists kept me on my toes! As a chronically ill reader, I also highly appreciated that this contained representation and the way it was written into the story line- it had me tearing up in some places (will be sharing some quotes once officially released on my booktok).

I did find the reveal at the end to be predictable however I felt like the author intended us to figure it out before Vasalie does as breadcrumbs were being left throughout the book. Additionally, I felt there was perhaps too many dance scenes (they did drag slightly) however it added to the immersiveness of the setting!

The first book has not even been released yet and I'm already needing the second book in this series!! Highly recommend to romantasy readers!

A Dance of Lies, cover and summary really interest me, especially when I read that there was a disability and chronic illness representation involved. However, I found myself struggling to connect with the story and the characters early on. The beginning felt slow which made it difficult for me to stay fully engaged. It wasn't a bad read, I will try to reread and give it another chance later. I appreciate the arc.

Brittney Arena has written a captivating and beautiful fantasy book that will capture readers attention!

A dancer. A king. A lie that destroyed her life. A bargain to clear her name. A challenge to meet. A life to be reformed. Trust destroyed.

"I am no princess bound within a tower. I am a shadow. I can be broken and put back together."

"My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I'm no princess bound within a tower. I am a shadow."

"Abandon.
It means giving up your freedom, your instincts, your boundaries." He narrows the space between us. "It means that you lend your partner a key to the areas you've locked away. It means you surrender everything you want, everything your are, in lieu of the dance"

What will she give up to gain a free start again? What about the man who once was her protector, her guardian, her admirer? How will she survive him a second time?

This book is so beautifully written it is easy to fall into the story and not want to put the book down. A unique story of a dancer, the King's Jewel, who is framed and convicted of murder. Sentenced to the lightless dungeons, bound to the wall by chains for two years her body, soul and mind are broken beyond recognition. But he calls for her. Brings her back to the castle and tasks her with one job - earn a spot as a dancer and become his spy at the Gathering of Crowns. And for this task he promises her, his "broken toy" that she will have her name cleared. And she will do anything to never return to the dungeons. But he has tasked her with the impossible, dancing is a thing her broken body cannot do - or so she thinks.

A story about what the human spirit can endure and how broken souls can be mended and come out stronger. A story about beauty, resilience and survival in its purest form. And a story most of all about learning to trust again- learning the steps of a the dance that happens in the heart.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

The beautiful imagery?! The character development?! The ROMANCE?! The ENDING????!
I'm absolutely dying for the sequel to be announced and this book hasn't even come out yet. Please read this book upon its release. It's addicting and so well crafted!

I wasn’t quite sure with the idea of our FMC being a dancer, as I’m not really into dancing myself. However, I actually enjoyed her character, and I liked how the dancing was used to include disability rep. It showed the adjustments that need to be made sometimes in order for us to perform well, and I thought this was done well, and consistent throughout the whole story.

I also liked the overall plot, I thought this was really easy to follow and had some twists and turns along the way to keep my interest.

There were a couple of things which I felt had been thrown in for the sake of it, like certain characters’ personalities/traits. Maybe we need some more background which we will get in book 2 though. I also am not 100% sold on the ending, but again, will wait until book 2 to see how that turns out!

Characters - 8/10
Atmosphere - 8/10
Writing - 8/10
Plot - 8/10
Intrigue - 8/10
Logic - 8/10
Enjoyment - 8/10
4⭐️

A triumph debut by Brittney Arena!

First, some personal context - I am in the thick of grief, so any book has struggled to keep my attention. NOT THIS ONE. I think that it really says something that this was the first book in perhaps weeks? months? that was un-put-downable for me. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it.

The writing style was immersive and sweeps you away. You are immediately intrigued and ensnared by Arena's writing and Vasalie's story, and it only gets more immersive as you go. Again, I won't summarize the plot for you because that's what blurbs are for, but in a market seemingly saturated with heroines who inexplicably know how to do and be everything, it's refreshing and relatable to have a heroine who struggles, who isn't perfect, who makes good and bad choices and reckons with the consequences of either. Vasalie is a dynamic character with nuance and development over the course of her story. She is supported by a cast of secondary characters who also have development and depth and are not just props to move the FMC forward. I so appreciate an author who can accomplish this. And the villain(s)? Diabolical.

This book has what your girl is looking for in a fantasy. There is a carefully crafted world that is revealed over time, no info dumping in sight, but also there IS A WORLD. We as the reader understand where we are, who the parties involved are, and what they're fighting for. There is political intrigue with twists and turns that add to the story and MAKE SENSE. And honestly, what a nod to her, because there are two (for lack of a better term) microtropes that often I really don't like because they tend to be used to make the author's job easier and feel lazy, but in this story they did not feel lazy to me, it worked for me (I won't say what they are because that would be spoilers).

This book was also jam packed with yearning and tension and was entirely romantic not just because it has romance, but the way it's written is simply romantic, it feels like a love letter to the genre and the readers of this genre. While we're on the topic - Yes there's romance, and while I don't know if I would go as far to say it's subplot, it's lovely and it adds to the emotional depth of the characters, but it is also not essential, this book is FANTASY. It could stand on it's own if you took the romance away. But I'm glad she didn't because it was so tender and made my chest ache, and if you know me, I love a book that makes me ache.

Finally, let's talk about the chronic illness/pain representation. First I want to say that as someone who recently became a member of the chronic pain club, the fact that this had representation was a draw for me. And hearing the author speak to this enticed me even more. Mostly I am quite happy with the way this was handled. It is exceedingly rare for fantasy heroines to have any kind of flaw, let alone a disability, and I do appreciate that her chronic pain and disability was inextricably linked to who she was as a person - anyone with chronic pain or illness knows that every choice you make will factor in your pain/ability for the rest of your life, and unfortunately every other "disability rep" I've read in fantasy does a poor job of this. It's almost always a footnote for the character or a "character development tool" to show how "strong" and wonderful the FMC is for "overcoming" her disability instead of living with it. This is actually ableist and not at all good representation! But Arena does such a better job of this, in a way that really seems to honor the disabled community. There is still a lot of instances of Vasalie "ignoring" or "pushing through" the pain, but ultimately I do think this is well done and some other authors could stand to learn something.

Fat-Friendly Rating? 🩶, I would say in regards to fatness it's pretty neutral. There's quite a lot of discussion about Vasalie's body, but really through the lens of her disability/chronic pain, so yes there's body grief, yes there's discussion of ability and disability, but in my personal opinion I do think it's handled with care and respect and hopefully would not be upsetting to other readers.

As you can see, this book was an unequivocal five stars for me! I cannot wait for the sequel because THAT ENDING. Thank you Brittney Arena for giving my grieving brain something to immerse in!

Book Review

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena
Rating:
5 stars!!!

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

A Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, who has been freed from imprisonment to do a king's bidding. A dancer turned spy, she navigates the treachorous political waters of a gathering of leaders.

This was a really enjoyable debut fantasy, and I'm glad that it's not the end of Vasalie's journey.

I also love it when I can't tell who the definite love interest is going to be for a good half of the book. It.
Keeps. Me. GUESSING.

“Why do you dance?” … “because there is power in it” -Power in commanding the attention of my audience, a power I lack in every other area of my life.

I’m so conflicted with this review, the world building was EXTRAORDINARY however I had zero emotional connection to the characters, the love triangle/square didn’t sizzle and the motives linked with the plot fell flat.

I absolutely loved the representation of chronic illness/pain!

“I’m proud of surviving, of persisting, despite my pain.”

This book will be for you if you love:
💃 Court politics
💃 Vibrant world building
💃 Undercover spy
💃 Blackmail, lies & betrayal
💃 Love triangle/square with low spice
💃 Chronic illness representation

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**This book has been hinted to be included in an upcoming special edition book box**

A debut fantasy romance filled with hope after heartbreak, secrets, and betrayal, as a dancer-turned-spy must decide how far she will go to secure her freedom.

A Dance of Lies is Britney Arena's debut novel and the first installment of a new duology. Arena's writing style captured me from the very first pages and I could see some underlying hints of The Count of Monte Cristo in the first few and last chapters. The writing style is whimsical and flowing, that doesn't make you want to stop reading. The world-building and lore was every well developed and very intricate. The political tension and standing in the book was very well shown and described. The female main character isn't a fighter, rather her condition restricts her from doing things by herself. Vasalie is strong willed, but her body is weak and fragile. Not only that, but her past was extremely traumatic. The way she develops from a quivering slave, to opposing her oppressor even when it costs her was inspiring. This was an incredible read!