4 stars
First off thank you so much to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group and Del Rey for this e-arc I screamed when I got it!

This is my honest review of A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena. First off loved the premise of this book a dancer is accused of committing a crime and in order to be exonerated she has to infiltrate a very special six week event as a spy only to get caught in the cross hairs between two royals. Like that blurb alone and I was sold. Vasalie story is heartbreaking and seeing her used by so many just made my heart ache. Enter, King Anton and Im like yes now that is giving main love interest energy. Absolutely loved the chemistry between the FMC and MMC and cannot wait for the rest of the series. Like seriously when and where can I get the next book ASAP. All in all a masterful and well crafted romantasy Brittney Arena shows people what is to be strong and fight for not only yourself, but for the people you care for including an immortal king. Would definitely recommend this to anyone!

Absolutely adored this and that makes me so happy because I’ve struggled to find a romantasy I could enjoy for so long now. I read this in two sittings. The political tension was SO well written and twisty, I reallyyyy loved how the romance arc wasn’t entirely predictable from the start, and the worldbuilding was fantastic and immersive—just the right amount for the story. The writing was nice, although if I had to nitpick, I could’ve done with a little bit less repetition in Vasalie’s internalisation.

Speaking of Vasalie, I found it refreshingly honest to have a romantasy FMC who takes the realistic route when faced with a shitty situation and chooses the shitty, arguably cowardly route over the more heroic option, and to not have its ramifications glossed over to avoid alienating readers. This is not to say that Vasalie is a particularly selfish or morally grey character like those I usually tend to love, but her reactions and arc felt very genuine and realistic.

The dialogue and other characters were also really well-written and developed; there were some lines where I snorted out loud (Basile & Anton’s scene, I’m especially looking at you).

Overall, this was a really enjoyable fantasy read without a steep learning curve to get into the story that nonetheless delivers a twisty political plot and developed romance arc. I will absolutely be picking up the sequel.

A Dance of Lies is your next fantasy obsession! I cannot believe this is a debut novel - it was simply phenomenal! This story has it all - an incredible high-stakes plot, well-developed main and side characters, and all the tense, angsty, and swoon-worthy romantic moments.

Read if you love:
- Multiple love interests
- Political intrigue
- Fate and prophesy
- Feminine rage
- Chronic illness rep
- Found family

This story had me reading late into the night, furiously turning the pages. I could not peel myself away, and now that I’ve finished, I am aching to get my hands on the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey Books, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot speak highly enough of the hottest new upcoming release from Bloomsbury Publishing & Del Rey Publishing - A Dance of Lies. While slow to start, it is nevertheless important to set the scene for the rest of this lush, high stakes romantasy with secrets, betrayal and forbidden desires, reminiscent of the plated prisoner series - yet it stands completely on its own. While the romance captured my heart (and you will have to keep reading to the end to see which hero is the love interest), it was the fascinating characters, the beautiful world building and the intriguing plot that really captured my heart. A standout new release for 2025 - I already cannot wait for the sequel!!!

I just really didn't like this book. I felt it copied from other stories I have read over the years. I was honestly just bored from the start. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Inklore.

I enjoyed the world building in this story and the descriptive writing, unfortunately the story did not grip me much and I found myself putting it down to read something else. Potentially just not the kind of story for me with the dance focus and descriptions as it is not something of major interest to me but the book itself was well written and structured

This is a beautiful and fun fantasy tale. The romance in the story was well written and the world building felt realistic and magical.

Y'all. Full stop. This is one of the best books I've read in 2025! Finished this ARC by @reverieandink last night, and it's PHENOMENAL! The MMC is going straight to the top of book boyfriend lists! Book one of a duology coming out in June! And the author is from my home state of NC! So excited to see her at a few events coming up! Oh, and art was posted on the author's IG and is from the talented @spookgeist! Full review below, but y'all do not want to miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

Oh. My. Gosh. This book is phenomenal! One of the best books I've read in 2025. Romantasy girls are going to gobble this up and be begging for book 2!

Our story starts with the FMC being released from a 2 year imprisonment where she'd been framed for murder. As the former lead of the King's dance company, Vasalie is unsure as to why she was imprisoned in the first place and why she's now been released. King Illian wants her to become a dancer for the Crowns' Gathering and be his spy. Vasalie quickly finds out that everything is not as it seems and those she thought she could trust are not really who they say they are.

Our MMC makes me swoon with every word that comes out of his mouth. Don't want to give too much away here since it's initially unclear who the love interest will be. Once it's revealed, phew, that man is rocketing to the top of all of our book boyfriend lists!

The twists were twisty, the villains made me so upset with their behavior (based solely on how well they were written), the descriptive language used was pure art. I could envision everything! I absolutely adored all the dance scenes and how well I could picture them. I love the FMC and the representation for chronic illness and still being able to find her inner strength. I will 100% be waiting on pins and needles for book 2. That ending had me screaming for more!

Overall, read this book. It's amazing and I loved every second!

Incredible! I got this ARC through NetGalley and thank god I didn’t listen to the negative reviews.

This book is a hidden bakery. (And this coming from a French person is important)

The strongest point is the plot — it’s so well crafted and surprised me multiple times. The worldbuilding is pretty rich too, even though I had a few questions because some things felt a bit fuzzy. That didn’t ruin the reading experience for me though.

It’s a fantasy that mixes political intrigue like in HOTD with a setting close to that and some Greco-Roman mythology vibes. If you liked The Bridge Kingdom, RUN for this one.

The romance is not the main plot and I actually really liked that, especially since you don’t know who the male lead is until quite late.

I didn’t give it a 5 because the main character is a bit too naive for me. She’s not the sharpest and I couldn’t quite figure out why because she’s actually painted as a pretty resourceful woman.

Still, I’m super hyped for the sequel, and I’m glad there’s a bit of magic sprinkled in even though science plays a big role.

i'd like to preface this book by saying it reminded me why i hate men 🫶🏻 almost all the men in this book were shitty people.

i loved the disability rep that the author included in a dance of lies. i feel like we don't get many books that include any form of disability (especially in a fantasy context) so this was refreshing. i also love how vasalie was traumatised, as an added layer to her complexities. i really like that despite her disability, she does the best she can, and never stops trying. i absolutely loved vasalie's character development. she came so far from a scared, timid and beaten down person to a strong and determined woman.

anton is easily my favourite. i loved him from the first moment he was introduced. i really loved his witty banter and flirty charm. i hated copelan and illian with a passion -- they're the reason for my statement at the beginning of this review. they're horrible people and i want nothing more than endless suffering for them.

as this is a romantasy, i feel like it has to be mentioned: i loved the banter and tension. these two things are very important when reading anything heavy in romance (for me). it's my life, blood and air.

and the plot twist at the end was quite surprising. i didn't see it coming.

I stayed awake until 2am on a work day to finish reading this because the hits and suspense would just not stop and I had to freaking know how it ended!

This was without a doubt a 5 star read for me. There were times where I did think to myself ‘does it have to be this long?’. It’s not until the end when you realise yes, yes it does have to be this long. There is so much going on, so many characters, interconnecting storylines and world building. It’s setting us up for an epic book 2 and I really don’t want to have to wait.

easily my favorite 5 star read of the year, the characters are immediately intriguing and the story pulls you in. A must read and worthy of the 'most anticipated' title!

It makes you feel every emotion you could, the details woven so perfectly into the story that pulls you right in and makes you ignore all your chores just so you can read 'one more chapter' until the end.

This honestly starts off a bit slow, but it does pick up and become very intriguing! There are quite a bit of morally gray things happening, but the main character has a lot of doubts herself, which is what makes her likeable. There was a lot of description, as well, which was really immersive. I greatly enjoyed it!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC!

A tale of betrayal, revenge, and political intrigue? Sign me up! A Dance of Lies opens with a broken-spirited Vasalie, imprisoned for a murder she didn’t commit. From the first page, it’s clear she’s a pawn in a much larger game, and the story wastes no time in dropping us into that tangled web.

Brittney Arena’s world of crowns and glass castles had me immediately. Her prose shines brightest in the lush, visual descriptions: the use stained glass was a standout for me, both aesthetically and in how it tied into the depicting a surreal and almost impossible world. The politics unfolded gradually, drawing out the tension in a way that felt layered and compelling.

Vasalie herself is heartstrong and determined, and I appreciated her quiet resilience. That said, some of her internal monologues began to feel repetitive, especially in moments where the narrative needed more tautness; it softened the tension instead of tightening it.

As for the romance… I’m a bit torn. Anton was a complex foil to Vasalie, and his arc felt satisfying in its ambiguity. Copelan, on the other hand, left me confused, I struggled to understand his purpose in the broader story. Maybe more to be explored in book 2?

The prophetic threads that emerged later in the book were mesmerising, but I did wish they’d been woven in more gradually instead of arriving in a rush. Still, I’ll be picking up the second book to see how this story unfolds...!

This was unexpected. Vasalie is continuously and increasingly forced to make violent acts against those around her by the king. She must get out. But the path to that is as uncertain as it is dangerous.

A captivating story, which, despite having moments where the narrative slows down, especially in the first chapters, has a certain something that makes it captivating and won't let you put it down. For this being the author's debut, it seems she has a lot of potential.

"Dance of Lies" by Brittney Arena is an intriguing debut novel that starts off a bit slow. The first 25% of the book feels like it takes its time to build momentum, and I found myself struggling to get fully immersed. However, once the story picks up, it really takes off, and the second half became quite gripping. The plot twists and character development in the latter part of the book were a pleasant surprise, making for a much more enjoyable reading experience.

While you can tell it's Arena's debut novel, with some areas feeling a little unpolished, there’s clear potential in her storytelling. By the end, I was really invested in the characters and their journey. It’s a solid start for a new author, and I’m excited to see what comes next from her. If you're patient with the slower beginning, you’ll be rewarded with an engaging and exciting conclusion.

One thing is for sure: I appreciate the disability representation in A Dance of Lies. But the story structure was kind of predictable. I do believe this romantasy will find its young audience when it releases.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me this ARC!

Soft DNF the story is just not gripping me at the moment, i find my self becoming bored with the where its going its very slow paced, i feel interested in some aspects and might come back in the near future.

Thank you netgalley

Let’s just say… I CANT WAIT FIR BOOK 2!!! This is such a beautiful fantasy book!! Ugghhh I’m speechless!