dnf @ 55%

i was hyped for this arc, but unfortunately it just didn't deliver.

the story and characters weren't really grabbing me, and the fmc spends quite an amount of time in misery over her life. some of the motivations of characters are unclear to me, esp the king who's antagonizing her.

love that this had chronic illness rep, but i preferred to move on to other reads.

an honest arc review ♡

I struggle a bit with this one because I don't know what to say.

This book was a lot different from what I expected. While I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, the more I read, the more I realised it wasn't truly my cup of tea. The writing was truly amazing, I enjoyed the author's voice and tone. Her descriptions were vivid and immersive, as were the scenes involving dance. There's no doubt Brittney is a budding new talent with a great potential.

What was a deal breaker for me was the plot. I'm not sure what to make of it - it didn't have enough fantasy in it for me to be considered such, and I wouldn't dare to call it romance either as there was so much more to the book than that... It seemed to be pulling into many directions and not truly committing to any. Definitely an existential tion story of self-(re)discovery, however, like I said, that's not entirely what I look for on purpose in my books.

In conclusion, it's definitely the case of "it's me not you" but that's okay. I'm still grateful I got to hear about this new rising voice on the literary scene and I don't doubt we have a lot of great things coming from Brittney in the future.

Note to self: do not request romantasy arcs in the future, you will dislike them. Strongly. In my defense, I thought I was really onto something with this adult fantasy book about a disabled dancer turned spy. But I was not, because it was indeed the most basic story you can imagine.

It started out well enough. It deserves some praise that the author made an effort to bring more disability representation into the romantasy genre, and disability was discussed extensively in the beginning of the book. Protagonist Vasalie is left disabled after two years of imprisonment for a crime she didn't commit. She is called in front of the king, who betrayed her and locked her up in the first place, and is now ordered to serve as an entertainer / spy during a gathering of multiple monarchs. The first thing that really bugged me here was that the girl should be bursting with anger and pain, and the writing just transported absolutely nothing. No personality to be found, and how is that even possible in a first-person narrative? But every single character in the book saw something in Vasalie. Men in power positions wanted to use her for their own benefit while the people of the working class showed an unreasonable amount of trust towards her, even telling her secrets. Shouldn't a gathering of monarchs of different countries / regions create a tense environment? But it's actually the place where Vasalie might find love, and there is not only one but two love possible interests waiting for her. I didn't even know who I was supposed to be rooting for, and it was only made clear after the 70% mark or so. I, of course, didn't care anymore at that point.

What really threw me of was the disability representation itself, though. It just didn't sit right with me that Vasalie could always perform complicated dances when she was told to do so. As if ignoring her pain and just wanting something enough would make her disability go away. I can't speak from personal experience, but that just felt wrong for me. I will read some reviews that discuss this when the book releases.

I too have to report that the phrase "They ate it up" was used in this fantasy book, and that is of course unforgivable.

As all romantasy does nowadays this book will surely find a rather large audience upon release that will absolutely love it. Safe to say that I'm not part of it.

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

4.5 stars - this was a fantastic debut novel. I loved the character development, especially of the main female lead, Vasalie - her resistance and the portrayal of overcoming disability was extremely well done. Overall I thought the world building was creative and well imagined, but I felt like the bits surrounding the gods and the myths could've used a bit more development with how central they ended up being.

I did not see the twist at the end coming, and it definitely set things up for a sequel that I look forward to reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5/5

In BA’s fantasy romance debut, we follow a FMC desperate to survive in a world full of politics, betrayal and … dancing (which turns out, I loved!). My favorite part of this book was the imagery, I felt like I could picture every nook and cranny of this kingdom described on page. The concept of a dancer turned spy was unique and eye catching when reading the synopsis. While I was intrigued by Vasalie, I felt the pacing of the book took me out of it more than once. It’s character driven and I found myself hoping for a little more action, something to keep me on the edge of my seat more often as it did toward the end.

Overall, this book was unique and descriptive, full of twists and drama. But it wasn’t what I seek most in a fantasy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC!!!

“I cannot protect you, Vastianna Stova. But I can arm you.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this beautiful ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I am positively floored by this book. A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena is a stunning tale filled with lyrical prose, high-stakes, swoony romance, and the fight for survival. The story begins with Vasalie, a former dancer who was thrown into prison at the behest of a king she once loved. She sees no way out, until the same king comes to her with an offer.
Be his spy, in exchange for her freedom.
However, as the story unfolds, Vasalie comes to find that the cost of her freedom will be one earned in blood.
I loved getting to watch Vasalie’s character development throughout the book, it felt very natural and I adored her resilience even after everything that she went through.
Now, let’s talk love interests…
KING ANTON OF EAST MIRIDRAN – That’s it, he’s the only one that matters 😏 – You’ll just have to read A Dance of Lies to see exactly why I cannot get over this man.
All in all, this book made me laugh, swoon, and broke my heart at the end. I don’t know how I’m going to wait for the next in the series, though I am SO happy that there will be more to Vasalie’s tale. This has been my favorite book so far of 2025, and congratulations to the author on such a stunning debut! ❤️

This book absolutely floored me—I hardly know where to begin! It’s an extraordinary debut and a perfect blend of fantasy, romance, political intrigue, and unforgettable characters.

Dance of Lies introduces us to Vasalie, who escapes her abusive father and carves out a place for herself in King Ilian’s court as a dancer. She becomes his prized Jewel—an object of obsessive possession. Ilian’s twisted love for her is as cruel as it is controlling, treating her as both a treasure and a prisoner. Despite his mistreatment, Vasalie has long been drawn to him, desiring his approval and affection. The dynamic between them is reminiscent of Midas and Auren in the Plated Prisoner series, offering that same dark, complex tension.

After Ilian imprisons Vasalie for two years for a murder he knows she didn’t commit, he releases her under the condition that she serves as his spy at the Royal Gathering, posing as an entertainer. Once she enters the court, his control tightens further, and his commands become increasingly ruthless. Vasalie soon finds herself entangled in political schemes far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

At the Royal Gathering, she develops a complex relationship with Copelan, the Master of Ceremonies and her new dance partner. Their dynamic is full of twists, and without giving too much away, I was completely shocked by how their storyline unfolded. She also forms an alliance of sorts with Anton, King of the East and Ilian’s younger brother. Anton was one of my favorite characters—he’s charming and flirtatious, though Vasalie, with good reason, is wary of him at first. Watching his role in the story evolve was such a highlight—I absolutely couldn’t get enough of their interactions.

Vasalie’s growth throughout the book is remarkable. She faces chronic pain and health challenges yet never stops fighting. Her resilience and transformation into a stronger, more empowered version of herself were so inspiring.

I’m already counting down the days until the sequel! This was a phenomenal read that I’d recommend to anyone who loves fantasy romance with layers of political intrigue and dynamic character development.

DNF @ 33%

I am SO sad about this being my first DNF of 2025, but unfortunately I struggled so much with A Dance of Lies. I hate to call it boring because it has such a fascinating and compelling premise, but being in Vasalie’s head was exhausting. Some other reviewers have pointed out how redundant the prose is and I agree. I feel like half of what I did read could have been edited down to be more concise.

I did really love the concept of this novel though. A disabled dancer becoming a spy for the person who threw her jail? Chronic pain rep? Political intrigue? Incredible! It’s just the execution that doesn’t match up.

Sad that this wasn’t my cup of tea, but I hope it’s yours! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A dance of lies is a swoon-worthy romantasy by debut author Brittney Arena, and I was with this story all the way!

The story follows Vasalie, a court dancer in King Ilian’s palace, and the story starts her release from confinement after she is thrown in prison after being falsely accused for killing a court official. I had forgotten a large chunk of the blurb by the time I started on this, so I immediately had my eyes pealed for the male lead, though it became quickly evident that it was definitely no Ilian, thank goodness, because what a jerk! Still, with both Copelan and Anton, the romance is not quite so obvious!

I did like that, in making a deal with King Ilian that involved being sent to another kingdom to dance, Vasalie’s goal in agreeing was not to help some sick family member or something else self-sacrificing, as is sometimes the case with these stories, but the goal was self-serving: to leave the king’s side and his kingdom itself. I really appreciated that, and thought it gave the character more of a backbone, but her fight may have ended there. The world that’s been built in this story obviously more of a patriarchal society, and favors a theme of suppression and helplessness, so most of the time, Vasalie does not have power. A lot of the time, she is being judged and analyzed, and men looked on to determine her worth. She does not get to be the judger or the analyzer. Even when her dance partner is introduced, Copelan, she has to prove herself worthy to him, and he gets to test her worth. You get the picture. In this sense, just not a strong female lead.

But romances/guilty pleasures don’t need to have them, really, they just need sexy scenes and old fashioned drama. Just thought I would throw it out there for people with harder lines.

I thought the world was interesting, though could have been fleshed out more. And the dialogue was superb! There were times I actually giggled; Vasalie had some unexpected quips.

And the cover, of course, is fantastic. I could just imagine what special editions would look like for it.

Overall enjoyable read and I will definitely stay tuned to see what this author releases next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved the writing of this book, I think the prose was beautiful and I loved the characters and especially our FMC. Her growth throughout this book was amazing to read, the representation was important and the plot was intriguing and kept you on your toes. My only gripe with this is the fact that there are more one love interest and that's just not something I personally enjoy, even though I know it's sort of a staple in the fantasy genre. I do hope that we'll start moving away from that though. Overall, a very fun and unique read and I'd definitely recommend you pick this up! (3.75 stars)

4.5* Review - Spoilers Mentioned, But Vague

First of all, thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this eARC early! I had a wonderful time with this book.

For a debut novel, this hits almost every single point of what I personally love in a good fantasy romance.

Not only is the main character, performer Vasalie Moran, a complex and interesting woman, but she is placed within a plot that contains bountiful intrigue and tension that works for her- a perfectly fitting focal character for the story she's in. I was a fan of the respectful way her disabilities were portrayed, and the refreshing atmosphere that this character brought to the both the fantasy and romance genres as a whole.

The mysteries surrounding this novel unravel in a spellbinding way, leading to a climax that had me gripping the edges of my phone in anticipation of every next sentence. A scene towards the latter end of the book even had me in tears, which will always immediately raise a book's standards in my eyes.

All that keeps this from a full 5* rating for me is a personal gripe- the pacing at the start of the novel drags somewhat, but I understand the necessity for the build-up considering the payoff at the end. (It's well worth it! Everything connects together incredibly!)

This was a thorough delight to read and I'll be eagerly getting my hands on a physical copy when the book releases later this year.

This was a stunningly written book that I just couldn’t put down. I read the book in a matter of hours and even when I absolutely had to put the book down I was thinking about it. The story itself was very evocative, the author had me following her every word.

I felt so much for the characters, my heart broke when theirs did, I rejoiced when they did and I was angry when they were.
The relationship between Vasalie and Anton was beautifully executed and the author really showed a lot of depth to the characters that allowed me to fall in love with both them and their blossoming relationship. My heart was then ripped from my chest right at the end.

The story was not only beautiful and emotional but also tragic. Especially with the way the book ended. I was left craving more.

The author has all the marks of an amazing author and I cant wait to see what she writes next. The book was well thought out and the premise original. There were points where I was confused but overall I loved this story.
Thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read the arc of this book.

⭐️ 2

This is extremely overwritten and I usually love purple prose. Everything is too poetic or overly described and there were certain times where I believe words were simply misused in attempts to make the writing flowery. I eventually was fatigued just trying to make my way through a scene because importance was being placed everywhere, all the time, on these details that were superfluous. The repetition was irritating as well. We didn't need a constant reminder about Vasalie's situation or how she was the king's jewel once. I would've preferred some actual characterization. The characters were boring. All of them. When they are boring, I find it hard to care about anything they do. And when they weren't boring, they were cliché in the way you'd expect from any other romantasy novel. Also, the dialog never felt natural to me. Their cadence is off. It's odd but perhaps purposeful? Maybe it was supposed to be otherworldly? Either way it came across clunky. Which really sucks because I wanted to like this book so badly! This needed another edit in which a lot was rewritten or simplified because the bones of the story are interesting. The cover is beautiful! I like the name Vasalie, that's pretty. I really enjoy the premise of a disabled dancer who is forced to become a spy. But...it all falls flat. I don't believe I'd read another in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the story of Vasalie Moran, once the favoured dancer of a king, she has spent the last two years imprisoned for a crime she did not commit. One day she is given the opportunity to earn her freedom, all she has to do is spy for the man who framed her, at the prestigious meeting of monarchs. After so long in captivity though, Vasalie’s health has suffered, and she has to decide whether the reward is worth the cost, for both herself and for the future of all the kingdoms.

This is one of the best romantasy novels that I have read in a while. The characters were perfectly flawed and I was immediately captured by their depth. The world building was beautiful, showcasing a tale of fractured kingdoms and distinct rivalries. The associated politics was artfully woven throughout the story, adding a layer of complexity that did not overwhelm the plot.

I loved the main character, Vasalie. She wasn’t the perfect heroine so often portrayed in fantasy novels. She had trauma, a debilitating health condition, and didn’t always make the right choice. Her relationships with the male characters left me at the edge of my seat. I enjoyed their dialogue and discovering who she had the deepest connection with. Overall the writing in this book was phenomenal and gripping, I truly could not put it down!

I will definitely be rereading this book again in the future, a 5 out of 5 romantasy for me and 4-stars overall!

Unfortunately this book is going to be a DNF for me. Thank you to NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for graciously giving me the chance to read this arc.

I believe it’s important for me to state I stopped around 55% into the book. I do believe for the first few pages of Vasalie getting a second chance from prison and then going from there was a strong start. However for me the story didn’t deliver as it went on. For me personally I don’t enjoy a multiple love interest plot line usually. From the book’s description I didn’t realize that was the direction the author was taking though. But the way it was done in this book felt messy to me. I like to know who to root for and expected from the beginning Illian would have a comeback and be this really awesomely done villain turned love interest. But then his brother and the dancer man also ended up involved and I was very thrown off by it. I almost expected this to become a “why choose” book. For representation purposes I will give the book credit that there was diversity and there was disability representation through Vasalie. I didn’t get attached to any of the characters and this lost motivation. I don’t dislike the author’s writing style but at times it just seems like there is too much everywhere but the characters and plot development. I’m disappointed it didn’t work out for me but the cover is stunning and I do hope some people connect with this due to the representation given.

I have whiplash by the amount of prospective love interests are teased.

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 favourite, 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.

First of all, I loved how resilient Vaselie is. She is imaginative and thinks outside the box. She is also out for herself, her protection, her future - her character journey was heartwarming and heartbreaking.

<b>“But scars are powerful things, because they show your resilience. So rise from your ashes, my dear. Do not crumble alongside them.”
</b>
Not to mention, the City of Glass was vivid and beautiful.

What did frustrate me was how easily every other character naively trusted Vaselie.
Similarly, the world building was great in terms of clothing, buildings, descriptions; yet the myths that seem to belie their existence felt underdeveloped for the importance it had.

That ending. Woah. I saw certain things coming and was surprised by a few. What a great set up for another book and I know romantasy fans will EAT IT UP.
Although I know some people will hate a particular troupe.

I have to shout out the dialogue and character interactions!

<b>“Sire, after eight years in your employ, nothing offends me.”
He sends me a coy grin. “See? Dead inside.”
“That would be your fault, Majesty,” Basile retorts.
“Indeed. However, my astounding supply of charisma resurrects you on the daily. Does it not?”
“If by charisma you mean chaos, then yes, I am revived daily.”</b>

Arc gifted by Del Rey.

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to Del Rey & Netgalley for the eARC!

Such a nice debut! I thought the story was really unique, and I really enjoyed how it was based around dance. I loved the representation that this book had, and I really liked Vasalie's character & getting to see her growth throughout the book.

I thought the pacing was a bit off but I still really enjoyed the book and characters, and definitely am looking forward to reading more of the author's future work!

This book is so important. Right from the get go with the beautiful author’s note detailing her experience with chronic illness and disability to the trigger warnings listed in print in the book I knew that THIS was going to shatter the glass ceiling (appropriate given the stained glass on the cover ;) )

Vasalie is a much needed FMC in a genre that is oversaturated with the loud, Mary Sue, perfect haired, tiny waisted, big breasted sword wielding FMCs. Vasalie is disabled from being imprisoned for 2 years and her strength derives from her resilience, her compassion and moral compass, and her intelligence and silver tongue. A Dance of Lies has a strong focus on Vasalie's personal journey for freedom and autonomy that comes together in a political, court intrigue, twisty, "who's the love interest?" type story and while it's categorized adult, it's perfectly appropriate for YA readers as well--in fact I highly encourage YA readers to also pick this one up!

INSANE ending!!!! Diabolical!!!!

When I read the summary for A Dance of Lies, I knew immediately that I needed to read it. It was nice to read about a main character who has to come to terms with her new disability/illness and doesn't let it consume her, but rather she learns to work around it without giving up her passion (dance). I will say that it was a slow start to the book. While I loved how descriptive the author was of the surroundings and characters, the main plot took awhile to get into. It took a little bit longer than I wished to connect to the characters and really get into the story (probably halfway through). However, when I did, I was loving the characters and the direction the story was going. The MMCs smart mouth made me laugh and lightened the book. The ending cliffhanger was fantastic and wonderfully set up for the next book! I'm hoping in the next there will be more individual character/relationship development and more excitement to really keep you enthralled in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-Arc of A Dance of Lies in exchange for my honest review.

A Dance of Lies book review

"Your jewels are not enough. Your power is not enough. You are rich in diamonds but poor in spirit. You are lacking." Another tight breath, and then, "He does not envy you. I do not want you. You are but dust in the wind, here and gone again."

Rating: 5⭐️

Wow, where to start! I must admit that at first I’ve been attracted by the absolutely stunning cover and by the fact that the fmc was a dancer, however I didn’t think i would love this story so much!

A Dance of Lies centers around the main character, Vasalie, a former dancer and Jewel of one of the three brother-kings of Miridran who has been falsely accused and imprisoned in poor conditions for over two years. Unfortunately, the time spent in jail and the mistreatment she faced left her body severely damaged and malnourished. Thus, when a second chance arises for her, she must endure the pain and dance once again in order to win her freedom.

First off, i loved how our main character dealt with her pain, her character growth was amazing as she went from being ashamed of her “weakened” body to proudly admitting how difficult it was for her to perform while bearing the pain.
Throughout the book, Vasalie has to thread through many difficult situations, that leave her feeling anxious and conflicted and I must say I deeply felt her dilemma as it was thoughtfully and realistically conveyed!

There is also quite a vast cast of secondary characters and I really appreciated the bond Vas formed with them and how they came to help her and understand her peculiar situation.
I must say that a particular character totally stole the show and that was Anton! I don’t want to spoil his role or anything but he was by far one of the most charismatic male characters i’ve read about in a while, his humor was chef’s kiss!

Furthermore, i particularly appreciated how the story wasn’t predictable! It left me guessing who would be the love interest, if a certain character would be a villain, how the story would end, if some characters knew what the reader already knows etc.
I wasn’t expecting that ending at all, even though i was hoping for *something* to happen and it is just SO promising for book 2!
I’m just incredibly sad that I’ll have to wait for a while🥲

I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of The winner’s curse (for the political intrigues), The Pleated Prisoner (former savior becomes captor) and Acotar (for the banter, misunderstood characters, resilient heroine)

Thank you SO much to Del Rey, the author Brittney Arena and netgalley for a free e-arc of this enchanting story, all opinions are my own!


** A Dance of Lies comes out on June 10th!