A Dance of Lies is beautifully written and already one of my favourite reads of the year - I still can’t believe this is a debut. This emotional romantasy is rich with depth, and the character development is spot on.

The story follows Vasalie, a fierce and resilient FMC who was once King Illian’s prized dancer (his “Jewel”) before being imprisoned for a murder she didn’t commit. She’s then offered a chance at freedom - spy for the king while posing as a dancer at the Royal Gathering. Vasalie lives with chronic pain from her past, but her creativity in choreography gives her a powerful edge.

There’s political intrigue, slow-burn romance, tangled loyalties, and questions of trust. And that ending?! I already can’t wait for the next book.

A dance of lies was an amazing, mesmerising read! A romantic fantasy with political drama, courtly betrayal, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. Vasalie was this famous dancer who gets thrown into prison for a crime she didn’t commit, and two years later, the king who put her there drags her out with a deal: spy for him or stay locked up. Classic toxic ex-king behavior.

What I really liked about this book is how personal it felt. The author writes about chronic illness in a way that’s raw and real without turning the character into a trope. Vasalie deals with chronic pain while trying to survive literal court conspiracies, which made the stakes feel so much higher. It’s not something you see often in fantasy and it was done so well.

Also, the romance is that slow-burn, “should I trust you or kill you” kind of vibe — you know the one. I ate it up. The world-building isn’t super dense, but it works for the story, and the political tension keeps you guessing.

Seriously, this is on my list of fav fantasy series. If you love royal drama, sibling rivalry, court politics, and the slowest of slow-burns so intense you’ll want to scream, this book checks all the boxes. This is PACKED with tension, secrets, spying, mysteries, and betrayals (upon betrayals). There’s something special about stories that center on the arts, and this one blends the dance world within a fantasy in a way that marries the two together beautifully, totally unique and enchanting!

I absolutely adored Vasalie, our dancer-turned-reluctant spy, and the way the author wove in disability/chronic pain representation from her own lived experience, making it feel authentic and empowering. Also, we need to talk about King Anton, the KING of the best one-liners. In all honesty, all the characters (even the ones I mistrusted or loathed) were so much fun, they just kept me second-guessing the entire time.

Brittney Arena, I am totally a fan! Cannot wait for book two!

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7351172990

A king takes his coveted Jewel and locks her away in the dark for two years, only to bring her back to the light so she can be a pawn in his game. His demands for her freedom. So, Vasalie Moran finds herself playing as her king’s spy during the royal Gathering, posing as the dancer she once was but can no longer truly be.

Her time in captivity has resulted in nerve damage and a heart condition that renders Vasalie’s body a new kind of prison, one that she can never escape. But despite the fact that her limbs might never gain back full mobility, she has to endure and complete her king’s tasks if she wants to be set free.

Despite the low rating, I did enjoy this story, but in the end it just didn’t stand out enough; there were many elements that were very reminiscent of Throne of Glass and Fourth Wing, which I would have been fine with if the author had something new to bring to the table. It felt like I didn’t know who was telling this story—that it could have been anyone. And I got the sense that because this is a debut, the author and publisher were attempting to appeal to what they know readers like because it has already been done, hoping to ride Rebecca Yarros’ coattails onto the NYT Bestseller list.

Vasalie, I will admit, was a decent protagonist, but I wanted more of her past to influence her character’s motivations; it was there in small doses but I didn’t get enough to feel like her trauma had depth. I also needed to feel more settled in her body because she’s the narrator and the author made a point to create this woman whose ability to wield her body is directly tied to her means of staying alive only for it to turn against her and become a cage. She’s a dancer, and therefore should be very aware of the way a body is supposed to feel and move, so I expected for her condition to play a bigger role in the performance and practice scenes. There wasn’t enough of a struggle as she grappled with learning how to use her body in light of its limitations for me to feel like it was adequately represented on the page.

I do think this will find its way onto a lot of shelves and do well with the romance-driven fantasy girlies because it was a good palette cleanser, the world building wasn’t complicated, and it’s an overall really easy read. The story had enough going for it to keep my interest through the end; I read 90% of it in one sitting and I can’t say that I didn’t have a decent time, so if that’s what the publishers were going for, then they definitely achieved it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey for this e-ARC.

What a wee gem!

Vasalie has spent the last 2 years in prison for a crime she didn't commit. King Illian releases her and says he will give her her freedom in exchange for her spying for him and doing some tasks at The Gathering, an event where all the Crowns in the land attend and are entertained by dancers.

The way the dances were described they just sounded so beautiful!

This book was full of family/inter country politics, back stabbing, deceit, friendship and a wee sprinkling of romance.

I thought the pacing was spot on, with it building and building until the last few chapters of the book when everything came to a head.

After the ending I desperately hope there's going to be a sequel!!

Certainly would recommend this book. I would say it would be a good entry book into the fantasy genre for someone. There's no dragons/magic/faeries, just royal families, dancers and Fates.

♾️⭐️

This is to all those people who gave the book 3 stars or less;
Have we read the same book?!?!
Jeeeez who cares about what happens to the flour after her performance?!
It's a FANTASY Book.

Now, this was easily one of the best books l've read this year.
An extremely captivating story, very character driven as well as plot driven, as the political intrigue unfolds and the plot comes to bloom in fully.

This book is a gracefully woven story about a dancer becoming the tool of a power hungry King.
While the only thing that keeps Vasalie alive, is the thought of how her stepmother sacrificed herself to grant Vasalie her freedom, her past slowly catches up to her and she finds herself consumed between the bloodthirsty intrigues by the Crowns of the Kingdom.

1000% recommend!

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!