3.75 - really enjoyed this arc! Thank you💖🩰

A little hard to get into at first however I soon became hooked. A totally shocking ending that needs rectifying!

Your heart really goes out to Vasalie throughout and even at 96% I couldn’t see what would happen, it really felt like such a defeat. Her heartbreak and pain throughout her life and performances was very well written, she’s giving Tisaanah from Daughter of No Worlds!

Not sure how to feel about the choice of love interest, and the dance scenes were very flowery and lengthy which I found hard to imagine. Some of these characters are absolute arseholes who you can’t even love to hate, I just hated them, but the friendships she makes balance these out well.

I always get a bit lost when fate and prophecies are involved and Morta was a slippery character so I’m a bit unsure.

Will definitely read the next one if there is one!

Full TikTok review: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNeo5DPq9/

I went into this book completely blind and it blew me away. I was immediately invested in Vasalie’s story and loved her character development. The plot kept twisting and keeping me on my toes. Everytime I thought I had all of the pieces figured out, there would be something else that surprised me. The world building was so beautiful and the characters were complex and flawed and so endearing. I just wanted to keep learning more about them and more backstories. And that ending?!? It was not what I expected at all but it was so good. I cannot wait for the next book! <3

I quite enjoyed this debut novel! It was fast paced and each chapter left me eager to continue. I am surprised for a debut novel that book concluded the way it did, but it definitely left me questioning the stakes and needing more!

The novel follows Vasalie, a dancer who was convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, only to be released from prison on the condition she becomes a spy for the very king who convicted her. While at the 'Gathering', a meeting time period between all the ruling kingdoms, she must do the King's bidding in order to secure her freedom. Along the way she uncovers the truth of her purpose there and must decide whether or not to go along with it.

I really appreciated the chronic illness/disability representation in the story. At times it did feel overly exaggerated/stressed on in nearly every chapter—I have the same illness—however, I recognize everyone tolerates pain differently and I shouldn’t take away from others experiences. Take my warning/critic as you will.

This is a ‘romantasy’ novel, with love (but not spice which I also loved—too many romantasies are focusing on spice rather than plot) often overshadowing the fantasy elements. At times I wasn’t sure who I should be rooting for, but to me that adds to the mystery. If you love fast paced stories with twists and revelations, A Dance of Lies is definitely a novel for you.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.
3.5/ 5 stars
Despite its captivating premise, this story falls short of its full potential. The pacing often feels slow, causing the narrative to drag. I felt like it didn’t pick up until 30-35% into the book and that’s the point where I normally DNF a week. The central plot, revolving around the themes of deception and betrayal, occasionally delivers moments that could have been truly captivating, but ultimately fails to make a lasting impact. The twists and turns that are meant to surprise and shock the reader instead come across as underwhelming.

I really appreciated the representation of disability through the female main character.

The cover and name of this one drew me in immediately. I'm so happy I got to read this one early! I think this one will really connect with a lot of people.

Vasalie is our heroine and we start off with her at her lowest point. She accepts a deal to get out of her prison cell. Become a spy and earn your freedom.

I really felt the tension increasing as her tasks got harder and more morally complicated. How far would you be willing to go if it meant your death otherwise? I could feel myself tensing up during some of these scenes and felt the same mixed emotions she did.

We are also following her recovery journey after being locked away for so long. She struggles to feel at home in her body when it doesn't function the way that it used to. She needs to be creative to impress with her dancing in a way she's never had to.

And finally there's the romance! I can't say much here without spoiling, but it takes a while before you truly know who her love interest is. I think I figured it out pretty early, but the author did a great job keeping us unsure who to root for. This is a true slow burn though so not much happens between the leads in this first book. I'm really excited to see how the second book goes after that great twist at the end! Heartbreaking (in a good way!)

I also really enjoyed the amazing descriptions of the palace. I almost feel like it was another character in the book.

I am very excited to read the sequel and I will definitely be picking up a copy of this one when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a review copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Despite the intriguing premise of A Dance of Lies by Britney Arena drawing me in, it unfortunately did not live up to its potential. The story arc had promise but the pacing felt stilted with little to no build up to what should have been pivotal moments in the book. The characters felt flat and the prose dramatic yet boring at the same time. Deception and Intrigue were the main themes of the plot and yet everyone seemed to read like an open book.

4.5. Rounded up. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

In a world full of struggles for power, a dancer fights to survive after being stripped of her strength. I loved the FMC, Vasalie. The representation of disability in the story was so well done and I loved the powerful way Vasalie navigates her choices, and ultimately her decisions. Without spoiling the story I will say that the imagery, feeling, and plot sucked me in and didn’t let go. It took a few chapters, but once I was invested I devoured Arena’s world and story. I am only sad I have to wait longer to see how this twisty tale continues.

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena.

Vasalie is pulled from her prison cell to stand before the King she once danced for as his Jewel. He has a task for her - attend the Gathering as a performer and spy on his brother. The only problem? After so much time spent not being able to move about in her cell she is a shell of her former self, pain and fatigue plaguing her and hindering her abilities.

A very bingeable debut romantic fantasy!
Vasalie is a fantastic character to follow. Through the story, she goes on a journey from a broken human who can barely remember who she is and what she loves to someone with courage who knows exactly what she wants and is not afraid to take it. I also really appreciated how her disability was a constant thread and not something that popped up and disappeared whenever was convenient.

The other characters were interesting too and I enjoyed how the various relationships developed, especially between Vasalie and the two potential love interests. The author kept me on my toes - I wasn't sure who would be the one, and I liked reading Vasalie's thoughts as she questioned all her relationships - who can she really trust? Why does this person feel shallow all of a sudden?

The plot is solid too, and the politics underpinning it all were great. You could never tell which power had the upper hand, and all the twists and turns caught me off guard which I loved.
Arena's writing is lovely, lyrical and descriptive. The settings we found ourselves in were gorgeous and I could easily imagine them myself. I noted that some people struggled with too much detail and felt that it slowed the story down, but that wasn't the case for me at all as I do love some immersive worldbuilding.

Overall this was a brilliant read and a very strong debut novel! Romantasy fans who also enjoy some political manoeuvring will no doubt love this book!

Than you SO much to Brittney and her publisher for sending a review copy my way! (Let's take a moment for the STUNNING cover. *swoon*)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Dance of Lies by Britney Arena is a book that, despite its intriguing premise, doesn’t quite live up to its potential. The plot, centered around deception and betrayal, has moments that could captivate, but the execution feels flat and predictable. The pacing drags, and the characters lack depth, making it hard to care about their fates. The writing style is functional but uninspired, and the twists, though present, are not as shocking as they are meant to be

Filled with as many beautiful, dangerous and mysterious twists and turns as a professional dancer, this book left me hanging on every word...and the last words of the book...well...safe to say I can't wait for the encore.

I didn't realize this book was not a standalone...the whole time thinking, wow, she's doing a huge amount of worldbuilding for one book. But that cliffhanger indicates this is most certainly first in a series, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

As a fellow chronic illness sufferer, many parts of this story were poignant for me. I highlighted so many passages, but this one... "I am broken, I say." "You are art,' he says in response." Ms. Arena has a lyrical, beautiful writing style that fit the theme, and I could relate so much to Vasalie's transformation from feeling broken by her illness to acceptance and even an understanding of the strength it takes to persist.

We love a MMC who empowers his lady - and this story DELIVERS. It wasn't clear to me who the love interest would ultimately be until much later in the story, which added a different kind of tension. Most of the characters are morally grey to some degree, which also made it hard to discern who the "bad guy" is, and ultimately, the author doesn't really pigeonhole anyone into that beyond the true villains, and that's refreshing. I liked that Vasalie really doesn't allow herself to trust anyone til the very end, because that feels realistic given her past.

I'd have liked her journey and transformation and empowerment to happen more throughout the book so she could unravel some of these secrets and thwart the villains sooner, giving her more agency than I think she ultimately had, but I can see how this may be a long-game given this will be a series.

Lastly, can I say that the last 50 pages broke me in the best way! GAH! The romance! The tragedy!

Overall, a solid debut and I'm impatiently twirling for the sequel!

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc!

✨4.75 stars ✨

“I am broken,”
“You are art”

Oh my lord what a story. And such an unsuspected ending. I could not put the book down!

Thank you to penguin for allowing me this netgalley e-arc in exchange for an honest review. So as always strap in for this review.

I am feeling so many emotions but I’m kicking my feel like a child thinking about Anton. But we will get into that.

Vasalie was such a beautifully written character. You could see the character development through this book of her growing into seeing her strength after so much torment.

The story was so perfect. You didn’t know who was good and who was bad until the very end and you never would expect what was going to happen next. It was genuinely so addictive and I devoured the last half of the book in one sitting. I found the plot so easy to understand yet so well throughout and eventful.
A major thing I loved was seeing the moral dilemmas that Vasalie had to go through, trying to decide whether King given tasks for her freedom was truly worth hurting others.

I will say, it is not five stars just for the fact I felt the start was a bit slow. Once I got to 100 pages the book was IMPOSSIBLE to put down.

As I mentioned before, Anton. I am a fan. I’m a stan. New book boyfriend? yes.

I would say more but I’m a blabber and most of this book I was squealing, yes, some of the squeals were stressed squeals but don’t worry happy squeals of course for my hopeless romantic heart. I am planning to go and stare at a wall now because of that ending…killer. I need the next book and ANSWERS!!

Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶

Oh my goodness seriously wow! This book hooked me right away and it was just passion and dancing and twists and turns. The main character had so much at stake and I was rooting for her to get revenge and the story that unfolded I just didn't expect it all but it was amazing.
I would give it ten stars if I could and I am already needing the second book.

Castles and Crowns, dances and dust, A Dance of Lies took me far and away to a realm hosting a Gathering of royals, a dangerous political climate, and dances aplenty. Secrets and prophesies are the keys to the kingdom and a dancer who’s already been accused of murder plays a precarious role amid the unfolding mysteries and mythologies. I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic fantasy novel and found myself whisked away into its pages from the very beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️ B O O K R E V I E W ⭐️

A Dance of Lies by Brittany Arena @reverieandink

I have read this in one day because I couldn’t put it down. I am a huge Romantasy fan and this books premise intrigued me from the moment I saw it. I was delighted to receive it as an E-Arc.

It is beautifully written and the imagery of the world is just breathtaking and so vivid. I can often struggle in my mind to imagine another world with heavy world building but maybe it was the theme of dance or the descriptive language but I feel as though I saw the castles and rooms and gardens in my mind! The costumes and outfits are inspired as well and it was so picturesque.

I loved the main character, Vasalie and the fact her strength wasn’t in her body but her spirit. She is resilient, clever and she uses her abilities to stay alive in precarious situations. She is released after two years false imprisonment following years of being a prize jewel dancer of her court. During her imprisonment her muscles have wasted and she cannot move without pain. Her King offers her a chance at freedom if she can dance again at a formal gathering of heads of state and spy for him.

The story’s supporting characters were teasing and tantalising and as much as I’ve enjoyed romantasy and its tropes enormously, I still loved being surprised at the way this story played out. I try not to overthink things a sun going along and analysing a story as I want it to unfold the way the author has penned it.

I am now seriously invested in this story and will be purchasing a physical copy when it comes out and will await the next book because the ending was fabulously and cleverly written and such a cliffhanger!

Thankyou to NetGalley, DelRey and Random House for allowing me to read this E-Arc for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of my favorite things that good fantasy does is make the synopsis look like an injustice against the novel itself - it simply cannot contain the breadth and exploration needed to explain the novel. A Dance of Lies does that; yes, it alludes to kings and their feuds on the back of the cover, but not the true horror of their actions or wants; yes, it speaks of Vasalie's disability, but not her fight for survival and wit.

And yes, it speaks of a good cliffhanger. Reader, there's a good cliff hanger.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

hooked from the first chapter.
strong willed character. raw and REAL emotion!
This book totally blew me away - I don't even know where to start!
This was an absolutely fantastic debut and a fantasy romance with the perfect combination of plot, political machinations, romance, and characters.

A few beautiful turns of phrases can’t hide the fact this was bland and uninspired.

I got none of the beautiful, awe inspiring world building that is promised with such gorgeous cover. There were a few nuggets of description I really wish had been fleshed out. I still don’t really understand the magic system.

I could put all that aside if I really got swept into the inner world of our main character. Instead, I was thinking about something I’m becoming to realize in endemic to the romantasy genre. Something that becomes more and more uncomfortable the more I see it- the romanticization/sexualization of poc coded male love interests that are always referred to as some variation of savage/brutish/uncultured/uncouth compared to the typically white female lead, or the people the female lead surrounds herself with. In this one, he’s got a reputation for whoring around. (Here’s a thought. Let’s play a game! I call it “spot that stereotype”!)

Additionally, the author never lets any of the other characters begin to be on the same level as the fmc at spy games and politicking, despite the fact she’s surrounded by people who ostensibly were raised in way that would have them be more guarded about secrets pertaining to the wellbeing of their nations??? The court intrigue was spoon fed to us and not all that intriguing.

Also, I immediately hate the trope where a male love interests puts the female main character in a skimpy gown/dress under the guise of it being necessary for any reason. Gives me war flashbacks to Feyre/Rhysand.

I don’t even know if I have the words to describe how much I loved this book, and how much it meant to me. To start off I want to say that the disability rep in this book was so well done. As someone who deals with exactly what the main character, Vasalie, deals with, I felt so seen and heard by this story. This is only the second book ever that I’ve read with POTS representation so it hold a special place in my heart. Beyond that, the writing was so well done, I highlighted so many quotes. We’re following Vasalie as she essentially becomes a spy for her freedom. But she has to rely on her training in dance to gain entrance to where she needs to go so we get a ton of dance scenes and I LOVED those. She has to make accommodations to her dancing because of her disability and finds strength in that which was so wonderful to see. The castle setting with the gorgeous descriptions of stained glass truly had me wishing it was a real place I could visit. And the romance was so good. I don’t want to say too much on that front though because I think it’s good to go into that not knowing exactly what to expect. There were so many times I was on the edge of my seat and by the end my head was absolutely spinning. I can’t wait for the next book!

Vasalie lost the body she had earned, crafted through years of dancing, after being wrongly imprisoned by her saviour, King Illian. He knew she was innocent, yet he did nothing despite her being the King’s Jewel, his favorite, his chosen.
She is released on the grounds she join the entertainment on the Isle of Anell during the Crowns’ Gathering as his informant. This leads her to meeting the Master of Revels, kind under his gruff exterior, and King Anton, Illian’s greedy, wasteful, and far too proud youngest brother.

What’s to love…
- disability rep
- chronic pain rep (I love seeing this!)
- political scheming
- twists, turns, and plenty of secrets to be revealed
- character driven
- lots of dance scenes and representation
- vivid imagery

What’s not to love…
- slow start and definitely more character driven than plot driven

Overall this wasn’t a bad read, but not quite the right book for me.

Such a good bookworm a unique writing and characters.
The plot was gripping and I am excited for moew.