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Thank you to NetGalley for an honest review!

<b><i>“A story worth telling warrants a little destruction.”</i></b>
<p></p>
<i><u>A Dance of Lies</u></i><i>, by Brittany Arena</i>

⭐⭐⭐.5 - DNF at 44%

If you want to be swept into scheming, worldbuilding, and a story of a character navigating politics, this is a great book that centers around themes of rising up from the ashes, from the perspective of a dancer. I went into it thinking it was more romance heavy, but this is more of a side plot than a main focus. I did crave this story to have more of that dynamic, but if you don't mind that aspect I highly recommend. I loved the representation of different abled bodies, and working through chronic pain - one of the best I have read!

- 🍷Political Scheming
- 🍷Royals and Courts
- 🍷Forbidden Love

Wow, this one blew me away and I genuinely liked it more than I even expected to! It was exactly what I was in the mood for just what I was in the mood to read.

Oddly enough I’ve followed Brittney for years on Goodreads, so it was so cool to see that she had written her own fantasy novel - and I was lucky enough to get an ARC!

I…couldn’t put this down!! I truly read it in less than one day, including staying up super late to read and it picking it up during work breaks. It fully captured me, and was everything I want in a fantasy. Also, I don’t know if I’d fully categorize this as Romantasy, there’s definitely a romantic subplot but to me it has way more elements or political intrigue that reminds me of Cruel Prince.

Also, there were several points where I full on GASPED when I put the pieces together before it was revealed. Arena did a really good job at dropping Easter eggs for the reader to slowly see the puzzle reveal itself.

I think I was a little thrown at the very beginning because the story starts two years after Vasalie was imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit, but Arena effortlessly explained the backstory and showed us who Vasalie was and how she got to this point.

I liked Vasalie a lot. Obviously she’s incredibly strong, and I did question some of her decisions at times, but it’s clear that she is a character who is also grappling with the impacts of her decisions and evaluating what her options are. She’s trapped in a no-win situation really, and is just doing her best to survive.

By around 85% I genuinely wasn’t sure if there would be a sequel to this, and I’m so excited that it looks like there will be!! And no massive cliffhanger, thank you Brittney because those are the worst! This was a great debut and I can’t wait to read more!

ALSO the King’s name here is Illian and my name is Jillian and I didn’t put the pieces together until like 10% in on why his name sounded weirdly familiar to me 😂

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this eARC!!

This started out interesting but turned out to be rather disappointing.

Vasalie was imprisoned for something she didn’t do and had to spend two years in the dungeons. Now the king needs her for some spy mission and frees her even though he was the reason she was imprisoned to begin with. He threatens her to either do as he says and gain her freedom or stay in the dungeons. So the stakes were high going in, and I was intrigued.

Unfortunately the story slowed down so much once she got to the island, it kept dragging on from there and was just a really basic romantasy that bored me.

Vasalie was an okay main character at first, but I just didn’t connect with her at all. She got sent to the island to get all this information because she’s a dancer and that’s the perfect disguise for a spy, I guess. Since she had a disability from her time in prison, I was interested to see how that would play into her mission because she was often in pain and hadn’t danced in two years because she was locked up. So dancing all the time and doing random side quests on top of that would probably be a real challenge for anyone if they had been in a tiny cell for two years. Or so I thought. Because Vasalie could do it all. And yeah, she talked about how she’s in pain a lot, but she still never really failed in doing any of the many tasks she was given. Idk that felt so convenient to the plot, like talk about her disability for a bit but never really let it hold her back because she’s so strong and special; it just rubbed me the wrong way.

There was also a lot of repetition. I really didn’t need every dance she performed explained to me in great detail; once would’ve been more than enough. I also understood that what happened to Emilia was traumatising for Vasalie when it was brought up the first time. And sure, she didn’t have an easy life, but she kept going on and on about it and if I have to read about it in every chapter, it just loses all meaning. It turned her into an annoying and whiny character.

The multiple love interests gave me nothing, I didn’t like a single one of them.

So all in all, looks like this wasn’t for me.



Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was good until it wasn't. I think I'm just not really into books where there are gods that grant stuff and are a major part of the story. Plus the romance threw me off completely, I never knew who she was going to end up with because it felt like she was flirting between 3 guys and she tried to end up with the one I didn't like at all so I was really dissapointed.

3.5 stars

To start, THIS COVER IS STUNNING - the biggest reason I requested an ARC for this book!!! Okay now for the review…

The overall gist of the story is not unique, but I thought the focus on dancing for the main character was an interesting aspect that made the book different from other fantasy romance stories I have read. I both loved and disliked the dancing scenes in the book, as I felt like even with the super descriptive writing, sometimes I still found it difficult to really picture in my head and that’s what makes dancing so beautiful - being able to see a story through the dance. Another aspect of the book that I liked and thought made it a little more unique is the continual mention/focus on glass. It both made the visuals on my head more vibrant but I also found it to be interesting. There were a few things in the first half of the book that felt random to me and didn’t make sense but by the end of the book I guess I understood why it maybe was the way it was. Either way I don’t want to spoil anything and by the end I wasn’t too hung up on any of them. This book had a few slightly darker scenes than I was expecting, which was totally fine with me, but maybe read trigger warnings before starting if you’re sensitive to anything! The ending of the book was definitely not something I saw coming and I’m really interested in what happens next in the story! The book really picked up towards the end and was more exciting to me as the reader. While this is a fantasy romance in my opinion, it’s not spicy or overly romance focused.

A Dance of Lies was an excellent debut fantasy romance, and I think it’s going to be the next big series. It had a morally grey heroine who is willing to do whatever it takes to survive (who also has chronic pain and battles through it every day), treacherous courts filled with false friends, shaky alliances, secrets, and betrayals, and a slow-burn, forbidden romance that had me in a chokehold with its flirting and banter.

Two years ago, Vasalie was King Illian’s favorite court dancer, until she was framed for murder and thrown into the dungeons. Weakened and sick from her ordeal, she is brought before Illian and offered a deal: dance at the six-week royal Gathering and act as his spy and earn her freedom afterward, or spend the rest of her life in the dungeons. Left with little choice, Vasalie accepts. But as Illian’s orders become more dangerous and she’s forced to betray the people she’s come to care about, she seeks a way out of the situation she’s trapped in and finds an unexpected ally in Anton, Illian’s brother and rival king for the Miridranian throne.

I absolutely devoured this book. The world is intriguing, and the pacing will keep you on the edge of your seat. Vasalie is so compelling, and I loved watching her transform into a badass woman who will fight for herself. The side characters are amazing, and I loved the friendship and humor that they brought to the story. This book is packed with high-stakes political intrigue, and will emotionally devastate you in the best way possible. I’m a shell of a human and need to next book immediately.

Thank you to Del Rey, Random House, Penguin Random House, Brittney Arena, and NetGalley for the ARC.

📔A Dance of Lies
✏️ Brittney Arena
📆 June 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
💃 fantasy romance
💃 chronic pain rep
💃 court politics
💃 spying, intrigue, & betrayal
💃 prophecy & hidden identities

I enjoyed this read. I really loved the representation of sometimes silent disabilities such as POTS. The world was unique and I found the use of dance a beautiful addition. However, the characters felt a flat for me. I wish there had been more of an exploration of the healing journey Vasalie had to go through after being pulled from her cell. It felt as those the time between that and the Gathering was glazed over a little bit. Overall, an enjoyable read!

DNF @ 26%

I wanted to have a good time with this. I wanted to see a character that thrives where disabilities were found. However, it didn't always fall this way. I know I only made it a quarter of the way through but what reason is there in continuing this book? The author had to have had the thesaurus next to them the entire time they wrote this book because there were way too many fluffy words that I had to look up myself. The author really should have toned down on that. I also struggled hard to find any reason to care for our FMC who fell flatter than a one dimensional character. The woman lacked any emotions or real substance for someone who was falsely accused of a crime and then thrown in to jail for two years. Overall, I just found I couldn't keep reading this book. I wanted more tension and perhaps further details on the dancing since everything else is so overly described. We spend the first quarter of the book just meandering and describing everything with so much detail anyway that it almost feels like she was doing this to make up for something else.

a gorgeously written debut packed with court politics, trauma, and tension you can feel in your bones. Vasalie’s resilience, broken body and all, had me rooting for her through every twist, betrayal, and gasp-worthy reveal. If you love slow-burn intrigue, morally grey royals, and a heroine who refuses to stay down, this one’s for you

4 ⭐️ happy release day!!!

𝘈 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 follows our main character, Vasalie, a (approximately) 25 year old dancer who has faced some significant trauma in her life, but still perseveres. When we first meet Vasalie, she is at the end of a two year prison sentence for a crime she never committed. She is removed from her cell by the same man who put her there in the first place, Illian, the King of the East Miridran. From here, she is offered another impossible choice- spy for him at the upcoming gathering of Crowns as a dancer once again, and earn her freedom. But is it really a choice at all? When your only options are to comply and push your already broken and malnourished body to its limits and dance, or die in the darkness that has been your only home for two years. Inevitably, Vasalie agrees, and this is where this story really begins to shine.

𝘈 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 is a book filled with political scheming, court intrigue, self-discovery and healing. I absolutely LOVED Vasalie as our main character, and her resilience was truly inspiring. While I didn't always agree with all of her choices, every decision she makes you have to take into context the trauma she has endured. In the end, I understood exactly why she responds the way that she does in every situation. The writing was well done and easy to follow, and Arena's imagery was so thorough that I had no trouble imagining the intricate dance performances that are essential to this book.

This book has two potential love interests, although it is not a why-choose nor a traditional love triangle. The romance felt organic, and it was executed very well.

Overall, if you are looking for a book with high-stakes, political scheming, healing, love, and rage, then this is the book for you. Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this eArc in exchange for my honest review!

I really wanted to like this. The concept is so intriguing but the prose was painful. Overwritten, over-reliant on figurative language, trying too hard to be vibey.—and at the same time read really juvenile, even though this is an adult fantasy.

I am in the minority here, but this did not work for me at all. From the beginning it was giving Throne of Glass vibes - too many similarities. The beginning was also super rushed, it didn't give me time to actually understand any of the background or care about our MC, Vasalie. And in regards to Vasalie, I found her both boring and self-centeret. Lastly, the writing just tried way too hard.

Dance of Lies by Brittany Arena

Vasalie was a dancer, the jewel in the kings court. Now she is stuck in his dungeons, framed for a murder she didn't commit. Until one day, she is brought out before the king once again. He wants her to enter the royal gathering as a dancer, to spy for him. In exchange he promises her freedom. Vasalies body is broken from her imprisonment, but there is a different strength in her. The gathering turns out to be a maze of politics and intrigue. How will Vasalie navigate through these unexpected turns? Who can she trust? Who will she become?

I was blown away by this! It is a unique story, beautifully written. The world building is elegant, simple and complex, at the same time. We get some glimpses of the history and mythology of the world, but I expect more in coming books.

The characters are layered and interesting. I loved some and hated some, so safe to say they made me feel. Vasalies character arc builds slowly but steady through the book. As does the plot. I love the first POV and that we figure things out at the same pace as the main character. The pace is medium-slow, which I feel suits the story and the theme perfectly.

The dances and performances are beautifully portrayed, creating something poetic. But this book also has a solid, well thought out plot with lots of twists and turns, which you get to follow through Vasalies eyes. I loved her unreliable narration, a lot of clues are dropped through the book and then comes together at the end in several gasp-moments. Not all is as it seems, or as Vasalie sees it…

I was on the edge of my feet for the last 15 percent, and gasped and muttered so much that my kid had a laughing fit on my expanse. Apparently I am an entertaining reader!

So happy I got this ARC! Cant wait to read the sequel!

A Dance of Lies is about Vasalie, a dancer once upon a time for the king, as she was called ‘The King’s Jewel’ until she was accused of murder and now she is held in prison, so what would happen when the king himself gives her the chance to be out?
I finished this book in under 24 hours, it was amusing and quick fantasy read, however I think it was low on fantasy, I would recommend if you want some lighthearted fantasy with exuberant plot, and the world-building was so easy to understand and not complicated as used to in most fantasy-focused books.
I first thought that this was going to be a standalone, but now that I finished it and figured out how it ended, I am curious about what will happen to Anton.
Another thing I liked, is the chapters, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book with short chapters and the yearning was there.
I don’t like comparing books or being wronged about comparing them, but maybe if you loved The Inadequate Heir & The Endless War duolgy (part of the Bridge Kingdom series), you’ll like this one?
Definitely reading book two, I am surprised about this book being the author’s debut, I think you should give it a try!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.

This book. THIS BOOK. I want to start off by saying I have been sobbing for the past 30 minutes while finishing and afterwards, like I am BROKEN. That ending ruined me. I honestly was like "I stg if *this specific thing* happens, I am dying" but no. IT WAS SO MUCH WORSE. That being said, obviously my crippling sadness and sobbing equates to it being a 5 star read. Honestly infinity stars.

First off, I was hooked within the first 10% of the book. I was just drawn right in instantly with who Vasalie is and everything she had been through. And THE TWISTS? Don't even get me started on the scheming in this book because MY GOD I was always trying to figure out the next move or what was happening. Another thing I loved was not knowing who the actual love interest would be. Like I was going BACK AND FORTH MAN (I won't say whose team I am on, but based on the fact that the ending absolutely shattered my heart, if yk yk). And the romance? UGH the yearning, the tension, the wanting and flirting. It was all AMAZING. Also, it 1000% gave me Celaena vibes from the TOG book, but instead of her being a secret assassin, she’s a dancer. Vasalie is one of my now favorite FMCs and I literally would die for her. She also literally screams Elide vibes, like they would DEFINITELY be besties.

Now as for the disability part of this book, while yes there were panic attacks (which honestly were accurate as someone who has severe anxiety and uses those specific coping mechanisms sometimes) it was okay for an anxiety rep in my opinion. Like yes she has anxiety, and the nightmares just hit home, but it didn't truly show the darkest parts of anxiety, at least, not to me with how severe mine is. She is 100% a woman though who has gone through hell and back and has monsters who follow her in the dark, so don't discredit her on her trauma and the nightmares that haunt her. Also, while I can't speak on the physical disability of her dancing, I think people need to remember, dancing was a passion of hers. It was literally life or death if she didn't dance. So yes she was in immense pain. She never stops thinking about the pain. But she has to become accustomed to it if she wants to live. She couldn't dance the same way she did before, which is exactly why she said she had to use props to make up for it. So her disability never went away. She learned how to cope with the pain and live alongside it.


Thank you to NetGalley and Brittney Arena for this ARC and I am so looking forward to the sequel after that ending!

This book took me by surprise, and I loved it from the very start.
The author successfully creates a rich and immersive world filled with heartbreak, secrets, betrayal, detailed world-building.
It had great characters and immersive setting.
The writing was captivating and I was sucked in quickly.

3.5 stars

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The writing and descriptions were beautifully done, creating an intricate atmosphere. The political tension was intriguing to read.

The main character, Vasalie, has endured a great deal. She was wrongfully imprisoned for two years for a crime she didn’t commit, and I tried my best to understand her position and hesitation. However, I couldn’t help but feel that she played into King Ilian’s schemes, a mere pawn in his manipulations throughout the book. I wanted her to look ahead and take some action. Some of the reveals were so obvious that I couldn’t understand why she failed to put it together. Considering her upbringing under the ruthless General, I expected a little bit more from her. On a side note, I found it puzzling why the staff trusted her so much.

Among the characters, Anton stood out as my favorite. He was charming, funny, and possessed a touch of mystery. His interactions with his friends revealed his true nature, making him the most intriguing character to read.

The central theme of the book revolves around learning to trust oneself and others again, healing, and persevering despite disabilities. I plan to continue the series, as Vasalie has the potential to grow and develop into a powerful player.

3.75/5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

I really did enjoy this book. The beginning was a bit slow for me but it then picked up and boy what an ending! I've seen a lot of reviews that question the FMC's ability to dance with her so called disability. I personally think the author did a great job of showing us how she continues to dance with a body that can no longer do what it once used to. The description of the dances and the props, setups, etc that she uses really blew me away. We also have a young girl that lost her family/support system early on and then is taken advantage of by her king. One who then wants her to spy on his brother kings while he plots to overthrow their thrones. This first book was more magical realism for me as there really isn't a true magic system or fantastical elements until the very end. We have political intrigue, a bit of a love triangle, family drama and banter. Her banter with one of the characters was a lot of fun! I'm looking forward to seeing how the author continues this as the ending was just heart breaking and wide open for so much more!

Oh my gods this book! As an ex-dancer and POTS girly myself this was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I screamed when I got approved for the ARC, but reading it? It blew me away!

The prose is beautiful and the world building so vivid. The chronic illness representation and descriptions in this felt so accurate and I related to it a lot. The secrets and lies and constant twists and tension had me hooked, and I’m a sucker for political intrigue, espionage, and fantasy with a royal court setting combo. I had no self control on the second half of the story and just binged it because the plot kept twisting and building.

The dancing scenes were exquisite, they always made me miss dancing so much, the art of it, being a form of expression, how you can communicate with someone else with it because words aren’t needed, to even the costume creating processes. I often feel sad about leaving dancing, and when I think about retaking it I worry my body won’t cooperate but Vasalie’s own dancing journey, her strength and determination, and not letting her condition define her definitely felt really inspiring and left me thinking. I loved her and her sharp wit and her character development was amazing.

The ship hopping in this had me dizzy and so confused but I loved it. This is very slow burn, and it’s a very sensual book rather than sexual, but there’s heat and yearning to spare, and lust and obsession are really heavy themes here.

I devoured this fantasy debut, it is incredible! Those last chapters, had me losing my vision from moving too quickly in reaction, and the ending? How could you do this to me? @reverieandink I literally cannot wait for book 2!

Hopefully I’ll be able to find this book here, because I need it on my shelves, it just has such a deep meaning to me and staying colors to my heart, and I loved it so a trophy is needed ✨ and I want to make another post with quotes in it.

Thank you for this amazing ARC Del Rey Books and Net Galley, and Brittney Arena for writing such an incredible story with chronic illness representation.

*A Dance of Lies* opens with a haunting, visceral image: Vasalie, once a star performer, now a hollow shell of herself— broken, and imprisoned unjustly for a murder she didn’t commit. What begins as a tragic reawakening quickly morphs into a high-stakes court fantasy full of twisted loyalties, buried truths, and devastating betrayals.
**Vasalie/Vastianna Stova** is the emotional core of the novel—her trauma is palpable, her agency is hard-won, and her journey from pawn to player is messy, bold, and gripping. Her real identity slowly unravels, revealing layers of pain tied to her abusive father (General Stova), who once tried to wed her off for power. The irony of her becoming a spy for Illian—the same man she was almost married to as a child—is chilling. Arena nails Vasalie’s conflicting emotions: guarded longing, defiance, and fear of being controlled again.

**King Illian** is one of the most disturbing antagonists I’ve read in recent fantasy. Calculated, obsessive, and manipulative, his control over Vasalie is terrifying because it’s psychological as much as political. That reveal—that he knew who she was all along, that his “respect” for her body wasn’t kindness but a dark arrangement with her father—shatters both Vasalie and the reader. His death is both satisfying and disturbing—especially when you realize how deeply his influence has spread.

**Anton**, Illian’s brother and king of East Miridran, starts off as the “better one,” but the romantic angle felt uneven. He’s charming and principled, and he does protect Vasalie—but the steamy scenes felt rushed and slightly forced compared to the more emotionally complex dynamics with **Copelan**, the performer-turned-friend who understands her from the inside out. The romantic triangle works on paper, but in execution, Anton feels a little too golden boy for someone as scarred as Vasalie.

**Copelan** had the makings of a strong endgame match—his protectiveness, jealousy, and eventual betrayal added texture. But his cowardice in the face of Illian’s power—especially when Vasalie needed him most—made the breakdown of their bond believable and painful. His arc may continue to develop in book 2, but here, he serves as both a mirror and a caution to Vasalie: the dangers of trust.

**Side Characters** like Esmee, Gustav, Laurent, and the courtiers round out the cast with genuine stakes. Esmee’s reappearance and tragic past with Copelan deepens the trauma theme, while Gustav and Laurent serve as symbols of resistance and integrity in a world that trades people like currency.
Arena’s Miridran is divided into three territories—West (Illian), Central (Estienne), and East (Anton). This split gives a “Game of Thrones”-lite feel to the politics. The yearly crown gathering is the perfect pressure cooker, where dance performances hide espionage and masks slip.

One of the best worldbuilding elements is the **myth of Mercy/Morta**—a goddess of fate who judges the dead and grants second lives. The retelling of the first man to defy her (Eremis), and Anton’s eventual confrontation with Morta to revive Vasalie, gives this fantasy real mythic weight. It’s rare to see high fantasy use its mythos to drive character arcs this effectively.
The final 20% is **brutal, layered, and thrilling**. Anton’s fake betrayal, Vasalie’s forced assassination of the Brisendalian king, and the devastating reveal that Illian and Stova always knew who she was—it’s a relentless cascade of pain and twists.

And then: Illian kills Anton… only for Anton to return, aided by Morta. Vasalie’s self-sacrifice, jumping off the balcony with Illian, feels both tragic and triumphant. The moment she’s revived—with Anton’s goodness traded to save her soul—is beautifully earned and sets the stakes for what’s next.
Themes & Depth
* **Power & control**: From Illian’s psychological manipulation to Vasalie’s father’s political ambition, this book is deeply concerned with who gets to choose, and how that choice is stolen.
* **Found family vs. bloodline**: Vasalie chooses her allies over her heritage—fighting against both the man who raised her and the one who sought to control her.
* **Recovery from trauma**: Her journey isn’t neat. Arena portrays the slow, aching crawl toward reclaiming power—whether through performance, resistance, or rage.
Final Thoughts *A Dance of Lies* is one of those debut fantasies that feels like it's been waiting years to be written—it’s dense, raw, and unafraid of tackling dark power structures with elegance and pain. While I had my reservations about the love triangle and certain pacing beats, the emotional core and rich lore kept me invested to the very end.

If you love flawed heroines, political scheming, deep world mythologies, and watching someone crawl back from nothing to burn it all down—this is the series for you.

Would I read the sequel? Yes. Without question.
(3.25 ⭐will round it off to 4 just cause the book was a delight.)