Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This read was pretty decent. I liked the premise, and I really appreciated the representation for people with hidden illnesses/disabilities. The writing itself was beautiful, but some of the side characters kind of blended together for me. The plot was just okay, not something I’m obsessing over, but it held my attention well enough for most of the story.


*Thank you NetGally for the ARC*

Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this book (life-related reasons).
But I do think I've read enough to recommend this book.

We follow Vasalie Moran, a dancer turned spy, as she joins a competition which, from what I remember, needs to win.
Her orders get more and more difficult to complete and more and more brutal with time.
Vasalie is a fascinating character. A dancer turned spy (against her will), interesting backstory, the romance looks promising.
The male characters we have are - a king who made Vasalie's life a hell, a bit grumpy but still charming dancer and another more charming and dashing king.

I think you might like this book if you liked Throne of Glass or similar works.

I hope I can get back to this book soon and finish it.

Who me? Late in reviewing an arc? Never 🫣

This was great. I particularly found it refreshing to have an FMC that wasn't this extraordinary powerful being or assassin. Vasalie is just a normal girl. I also appreciate the "invisible illness" rep. Given the authors struggles with chronic pain herself it was written with care and knowledge. Vasalie has a quiet strength which builds and builds throughout the novel. She did the brave thing all while being terrified, out of her depth and often in pain.

The side characters were great.
Laurent reminded me a lot of Cinna from The Hunger Games, Anton was so cheeky, and I'm always a fan of a butler type in Basile 🤭 The last third of the book was an absolute whirlwind and I'll be looking forward to the next one. 

Synopsis:
Once a dancer in King Illian’s court, Vasalie Moran is framed for murder and left to rot in the dungeons, until Illian summons her with an offer; spy for him during the Royal Gathering in exchange for her freedom. But as his orders grow bloodier, forcing her to betray allies and question her own morality, Vasalie uncovers a darker truth. She enlists the help of Illian’s brother, the infamous King of the East. Torn between the rival kings and haunted by the secrets of her past, she must decide who to trust, who to defy, and how much of her soul she’s willing to sacrifice to survive.

Thank you to Delrey Books, Netgalley and Brittney Arena for the advanced copy.

4.5 stars!

Oh my gosh!! I just read this because it’s hinted to be the FL July adult book and I wanted to make sure I liked it in case I wanted to skip it. I’m totally NOT skipping!!

I’ll admit the first 10 or so chapters didn’t really grab me but I powered through because, like I said, I didn’t wanna spend money on a book I didn’t like. But there was a moment that everything just clicked and I couldn’t stop reading. Roller coaster ride! And like many reviews said, those last few chapters were INSANE and left you reeling.

And now I freaking NEED book two asap!! But of course we have no idea when that’s coming. 🫠🫠

I am giving 4 stars as I liked the FMC and her story, but ending was a bit random, too many things happened at once. I am still looking forward to next book.

A light fantasy debut, Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, a dancer forced into the role of spy for her king. She is contracted into infiltrating the court of the king’s hedonistic younger brother. But the longer she remains in his court, the more she calls into question everything she has ever known about the king and his motives. Dance of Lies caught my attention because of the disability representation. Fantasy as a genre still primarily features able-bodied protagonists so I am pleased that Brittany Arena was inspired to write Vasalie. Vasalie has chronic pain and fatigue and often has to push through her symptoms for the sake of her survival. While I wouldn’t say that her chronic pain was forgotten, there were portions of the text where her symptoms were not mentioned at all. The court politics were engaging and I actually enjoyed the main romance in this novel. I only wish there was a little more development prior to them falling in love. Overall, Dance of Lies is an enjoyable book and I will be reading the sequel.

I hate DNF-ing NetGalley books, and maybe I'll come back to it, but this book just is not for me.

The choppy/stilted sentence structure was really off-putting. The MC, while sympathetic, is so wooden it's hard to feel enough to really root for her. The minor and side characters are not much better.

I really wanted to love this book; it had a solid premise, and it is a far cry from being a Bad™ book. It just is not for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5/5, but rounding up to 3 stars.

A Dance of Lies is a captivating romantasy debut brimming with political intrigue, courtly deception, and slow-burn tension. Vasalie, a dancer framed for a crime she didn’t commit, is thrust into a dangerous bargain with the king—one that forces her into a world of secrets, betrayal, and carefully veiled passion.

Arena’s worldbuilding is vivid, the pacing tight, and the romance layered with both heat and vulnerability. Perfect for fans of morally gray royals, clever heroines, and stories where every interaction feels like a calculated move on a deadly chessboard.

⭐ 4.5/5 — A strong start to a series I can’t wait to continue.

This book twisted me so much that I ended up rooting for Illian toward the end. He’s just so brilliant and cunning, carefully weaving his plans until everything fell perfectly into place. I genuinely felt triumphant when his schemes unfolded exactly as he intended, it was so satisfying when he revealed his plan and had everyone dancing in the palm of his hand. It must’ve been so hard for Illian, carrying this whole book on his back 🙂‍↔️

For once, I regret not spoiling myself who will be the ML, because I ended up feeling bitter about the couple. Guess I’m just tired of seeing royalty always get the girl 🫩

By the time I got halfway through, I couldn’t care less about Vasalie, Anton, or their romance, I just wanted to know what Illian had up his sleeve. And well, he delivered… but only for a short while, because of course Anton had to be the one to stand out.

Anyway, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc 🫶🏻

This romantasy delivers court politics, espionage, and a disabled heroine whose journey is as compelling as the twists that keep you guessing until the end. Vasalie begins the story as a dancer turned spy, performing to gain access to court secrets while navigating a dangerous bargain with the king that forces her to weigh her freedom against the harm she might cause others. Her chronic illness is written with care, showing the constant presence of pain without letting it define her, and her growth into recognizing her own strength after years of torment is one of the book’s most satisfying arcs.

The political intrigue is layered and engaging, with the performer-as-spy premise allowing for dynamic, tense scenes. The second half of the novel shines brightest, when Vasalie’s character truly clicks and the pacing becomes addictive. The plot feels substantial, the moral dilemmas keep the stakes high, and the romance—particularly with Anton—will delight anyone who loves a devoted, morally complex love interest. Anton steals every scene he’s in, and the chemistry between him and Vasalie is leagues ahead of the underdeveloped and unnecessary love triangle with Copeland.

While the first hundred pages move slowly and the occasional info dump bogs things down, the pay-off is worth it. The tropes feel earned rather than forced, the politics are well-integrated, and the ending is a killer twist that sets the stage for a sequel. By the time the final chapters hit, the book is impossible to put down, leaving you with your heart in your throat and your mind already racing ahead to what comes next.

I really wanted to love this book, but truthfully it fell a little flat for me. Since I've been reading romantasy and fantasy books since high school, I feel like I have a certain expectation. Reading this was intriguing but overall felt a little boring at times with a lot of moving pieces, as another reader described it. I do look forward to reading more from this author.

I had high hopes for this book but it fell flat for me. While I think the world-building, pacing, and narrator performance were great, I simply did not feel connected or compelled by the characters or the narrative. Perhaps a more thorough editing run could have been beneficial as I found myself missing the "intrigue" part of the political intrigue. It wasn't terrible, but I was left wanting more.

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena is not only my most anticipated read of 2025, it’s my favorite. I don’t usually reach for fantasy novels, but I had to give this one a chance, and I’m so glad I did. The worldbuilding, the storyline, the character growth every piece is masterfully written. The twists are unexpected, the tension is nail-biting, and every chapter kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story follows Vasalie, who was falsely accused of a crime and betrayed by the man she once trusted most. After two years of incarceration, she’s released with an ultimatum: her freedom for a price… or death. Once his prized jewel, she had fallen for him now, she’ll do anything to be free. But what happens when the man she’s assigned to ruin turns out to be her savior?

One of the most personal and moving aspects of this book for me was the way the author wove in chronic illness representation. As someone who also lives with POTS, EDS, and MCAS, it was powerful, and cathartic. Even to see a heroine who faces those same challenges. The accuracy in how POTS symptoms were triggered, and the strength Vasalie showed in overcoming her doubts, felt deeply real. This is the first novel where I truly felt seen. I could picture myself as Vasalie—because in many ways, I was her.

This book made me cry, took me on an emotional roller coaster, and ultimately left me with a sense that I’m not alone. Like Vasalie, I am brave. I am strong. I deserve happiness.

Brittney Arena, thank you for creating a heroine and a story that healed my younger self.

And I have to add—the worldbuilding is phenomenal. The stained glass imagery, the intricate society between crowns and dancers, and the elegance woven into every ounce of lore behind the fate of Morta every detail felt alive. This is fantasy at its most vivid and imaginative.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Dance of Lies is a debut fantasy romance novel. We follow our FMC, a former court dancer, who is forced into espionage by the king who once betrayed her, promising freedom in exchange for completing tasks at royal gatherings for his benefit. As the missions grow darker and more violent, she uncovers a deeper, more personal threat tied to her past. Caught between two rival kings, our FMC must navigate betrayal, secrets, and shifting loyalties. To survive, she must decide how far she's willing to go and what part of herself she’s willing to sacrifice.

This novel was a refreshing and original addition to the fantasy romance genre. I really appreciated how Arena wove elements of her own experience into the protagonist, creating a flawed yet compelling heroine whose strength lies more in her resilience and intellect than physical power. In a market saturated with formulaic plots and repetitive character types, this story stood out with its distinct voice and emotional depth. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience and I’m very excited for the next book in the series!

Wow this one surprised me and I can’t wait to read the next in the series! This book follows Vasalie a kings dancer who ends up imprisoned falsely for the murder of another lord. Desperate to secure her freedom she agrees to go to the gathering of the three kings and spy for King Illian. Once there Vasalie ends up in a tangled web of court politics that kept me flying through the pages. With twists and turns galore I was hooked, I will say that this isn’t very action packed more focused on court politics but I love that. Vasalie as a character was unique as well seeing her struggle with something she loves but do it anyway was nice to see. I enjoyed this author writing it was easy to understand and kept me entertained,for a debut novel I was pleasantly surprised. With that said I have already followed the author to see when the next book comes out with that amazing ending.I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

DNF'd at 62%.

It's an odd choice to market a book as having disability rep and never actually reference the disability or have it impact the character in any way. Vasalie's (fmc) limitations from her imprisonment were quickly pushed to the side and buried, which felt very unrealistic.

Otherwise, this is just trope-heavy romantic fantasy at its core, and unfortunately, it's just not interesting enough for me to care.

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓡𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓸𝓶 𝓗𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓟𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓖𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓹 - 𝓓𝓮𝓵 𝓡𝓮𝔂, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓐𝓛𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷.

3.5 ⭐️

Unfortunately, this book has left me with very mixed feelings.

I LOVED the world building and the concept of the book was unique. I appreciate the author giving more exposure to disability in romantasy, but the execution fell flat. Ultimately, I felt little emotional towards the characters and the love triangle. I was overall, just expecting more. The writing was okay, with a bit too much fluff in some parts, although it did improve as the book progressed. I did also, really love the FMC.

Overall, just an okay read.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with eArc for an honest review.

A Dance of Lies is a debut brimming with courtly intrigue and espionage. The drama of the setting really reflected the intensity of the plot. I thought that the depth of the writing was perfect for the high stakes events of this book, with Vasalie at its core. The author’s representation of disability through Vasalie was, I thought, really nicely done. It was great to see a romantasy heroine with chronic pain who’s limitations were integral to her every action.

The slow burn romance Arena writes is a perfect companion to the opulence of the courtly setting and I really enjoyed watching this play out. At times. I felt as if the pacing was a little slow in parts, particularly where there was a focus on the setting, but this worked really well for the romance in the novel.

Overall, I thought this was an amazing debut and I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this book.

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena follows Vasalie, the preferred dancer of King Ilian. She's beautiful and talented, but she is also the King's prisoner. Desperate to survive her King, Vasalie is thrown into his cruel world: one where she must work for him to overthrow his brothers so he may reign completely. A Dance of Lies feels similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses. It isn't the story itself that makes the two feel similar rather than the vibes.

I was living in the shoes of Vasalie Moran in this book.....It was trauma-drenched royal drama with a side of forbidden tension......oohhhh!!!! The tension was so good and I was eating it up.....I loved all the characters, even the hateful ones....The best thing about it is the lyrical way author wrote...it's giving dreamya and whimsical vibe.

All my thoughts (and feelings!) are on the blog 👇