I absolutely devoured this for the political games alone. The romance and Intrigue in plot were fantastic too. It did feel like a fantasy world built on the plot which I loved because the focus was son the politics and the betrayal and games played between the characters and in the court.

A Dance of Lies takes you into a world divided up into three parts of a single country, ruled by three brothers, who all hate one another. The only thing keeping them together is the clause their father bestowed on the lands, they must all share the same army.

Vasalie, once a favourite dancer in the Western King’s palace, has been rotting away in the dungeon after the king framed her for murder. Confused, hurt and dying she is brought back out again to again be the king’s pawn.

She must follow his bidding as a spy during the gathering, where all of the kings and royalty of surrounding lands come together in the same place for six weeks. Her cover being a soloist dancer, except her body is far from what it used to be. She must use all her ideas and cunning to infiltrate the gathering and buy back her life by following the kings orders. But at what cost?

I loved the world building and descriptions of the dances throughout this book. I could completely picture the setting.

I didn’t feel fully convinced by relationship between Vasalie and the king at the start where they’re supposed to have been incredibly close before she got framed but this unfurls as the story develops.

It took me about a third of the way in to get into the story but after that I was completely hooked!

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.

This book includes:
- chronic illness rep
- dancers and a dance competition
- scheming royals

I really wanted to love this book. I was so excited to encounter a FMC with a chronic illness and a love for dance, but the story did not resonate with me for some reason. I think it is possible that there were just too many characters for me to feel like I connected with any of their stories of motivations. The book is well written and has heart, just didn't click for me exactly. I would still recommend it to my friends and fellow readers. i will probably give this book another chance in the future.

I received this ebook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Brittney Arena, and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted to GoodReads check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863 and it will be posted to my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/ and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Beautiful world-building, with an extremely relatable character and how she copes with her disability, along with the affect it has on her daily life and her current situation. I found myself rooting for Vasalie as the reality of her circumstances set in, and her relationships with the men in the book brought up all-too familiar parallels to real life.

The plot is intricate and twisty, much like how a good royal political thriller should be. Overall, I did enjoy the story a great deal, and I'll be recommending it to my work's Readers' Advisory!

Vasalie Moran was the jewel of her king's court. She ran away from her abusive father's home as a teen and found her way to King Illian's kingdom where she soon became his premier dancer. Only he framed her for a murder and locked her up for 2 years. Now he is letting her go with the promise he will pardon and let her leave if she spies for him at the upcoming royal Gathering.

She finds herself in the middle of a plot that has been planned for years, and an unlikely alliance with another King may be her only way of surviving.

I really enjoyed the political intrigue in this one. The plot kept me engaged throughout the whole story. King Illian did come off as very moustache twirly villain, and things became very convenient, but overall I liked the way the story went. I am excited to see how the story continues.

I was initially worried this book would feel similar to a lot of other fantasy books I've read, but I'm happy to say this idea feels fresh and exciting. I loved the way the story came together, and I did not see any of the twists coming! I can't wait for the next one!

I need the next book yesterday.

OMG WHAT A BOOK! There needs to be more hype around it because WOW.

My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.

I am a shadow.

Vasalie Moran was once a dancer in King Illian’s court, until he framed her for murder. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons, she’s suddenly called to face her king. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the six-week royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.

As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers that the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster—one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the infamous King of the East.

As the rivalry between brothers escalates, with Vasalie caught in the middle, the horrifying truth of her past comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the process.

Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhouse for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed to get me out of a reading slump. It has the slow burn, will they, won't they romance that we all love, a vibrant, chronically ill main character who grabs your heart and won't let go, and a compelling plot that keeps you turning the page to find out what is really going on. And just when you think you've got it figured out, Brittney goes and throws in another plot twist you didn't see coming. Vasalie stole my heart by the end of the book, and that ending, let me tell you - Brittney you have some explaining to do!! I cannot wait for book two! Do yourselves a favour and add this one to the top of your TBR pile! 4.5/5 stars!

I can't lie, the FMC's name being so similar to "Vaseline" really tripped me up.

Overall, this book was good. I loved seeing an author provide disability representation, it's not seen nearly as often as it should! I did not particularly enjoy every single male character swooning over Vasalie the second she entered their eye-line, but I suppose that's show business baby. The pacing felt off at times and the time jumps could've been used to further the developing romance. I'm also very much a dialogue-driven reader, so having so much of Vasalie's inner thoughts was what ultimately kept me from enjoying the story as much as I could have.

Edit: I originally gave this 4 stars, but I can't stop thinking about it. 4.5 stars now!

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena is a strong debut that pulls you into a world full of danger, political games, and emotional stakes. The story follows Vasalie, a heroine with a disability, as she’s thrown into a kingdom divided between three royal brothers, each ruling their own land. The politics are complex and full of surprises, and I genuinely didn’t see some of the twists coming.

One of the biggest strengths of this book is the worldbuilding. Everything felt detailed and alive, from the history, traditions and legends to the relationships between different countries and even the invention of new tools and weapons. Everything was so brilliantly set up and thought out, I couldn't think of one thing that was lacking! The focus on dance was also really original. As someone who knows nothing about dance, I found the scenes easy to picture and beautifully described.

The relationships in this book are also very compelling. Vasalie’s connection with King Illian, who betrays her (as is also stated in the blurb, so it's no spoiler), is heartbreaking and really well written. She also has two very different love interests, and each relationship brings something unique to the story. One of them didn’t work as well for me. He felt too harsh and distant, and their romance felt rushed. I would’ve liked more build-up on the page. The other love interest completely won me over, though—great banter, great chemistry, and a really fun character! To be fair, the first love interest had no chance after this one showed up.
Just to add; I actually despise love triangles, but this one wasn't bad at all. I'm not sure if it was really necessary, but I didn't mind it and it actually made the plot more compelling for me personally.

This book is also heavy on the angst. The emotional struggles Vasalie goes through are intense, and the story doesn’t shy away from showing how much she suffers, especially after the things she has to do to survive. The romance is also very angsty. At times, it made me feel overwhelmed, and I found the middle a bit slow because of how dark everything got. I just wanted a little more light and happiness for her. Still, the ending made it all worth it. It was shocking, sad, and hopeful all at once, and I can’t wait to read the sequel! I need to know what happens next so badly!!

My only other small complaint is that while Vasalie’s disability is mentioned and respected, I wish we saw more moments where it made her struggle or fail in the more important moments. She’s so strong and impressive, but showing those harder moments, especially during moments where she can't fail, would’ve made her feel even more real and relatable. But I don't want to say too much about this since Vasalie's struggles are based on the author's struggles, and I respect that. I'm just happy we got some disability rep! It was also very heartwarming to see her come to terms with her disability and learn that she's still strong!

I’d recommend this book to fans of angsty fantasy romance, strong heroines, vivid worldbuilding, and stories full of betrayal, politics, and emotional intensity. If you enjoy books where the stakes are high and the characters have to fight for every moment of peace, you’ll probably love this one!

Vasalie was once a dancer and then imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit! Forced to become a spy to gain her freedom, she's put in some tough situations.
If court politics are your vibe, this book will be perfect for you! Throw in a splash of rival kings, impossible choices, and a heroine who fights back!
The pacing is fast and sharp, and Arena's writing is so immersive and lush. Vasalie is cunning, layered, and unwavering in her pursuit of freedom.
I enjoyed the ride this book took us on. I was so fascinated with the writing style and how easy of a read it was.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this EARC.
Sadly I DNF’d at 20% - hate to do this to an EARC but I’ve tried and tried but just cannot get into this book.
The premise sounded great but I just found it quite flat and just could not get through it..

I went a little back and forth on this one. I really appreciated the unique POV and the disability rep. I liked the world a lot too. I just had a hard time connecting with the plot. But it’s a strong debut overall and I hope to see more from Arena soon.

I LOVED the first half of this book. I flew through it and lost sleep, but around the 60% mark it REALLY started to slow down for me and ended up taking me WEEKS to slog through the ending. I wanted to love this one so much, but unfortunately the second half just pulled the book down for me.

After being framed for murder and rotting in the dungeon for years, a famed dancer is called by her king to serve as a spy in the royal court.

A beautifully written debut with intricate politics and court intrigue. I loved the POTS representation in our fmc, Vasalie, and thoroughly enjoyed following her journey throughout this book. The pacing was a bit slow at times but once it picked up, it really picked up.

Overall a good read with stunning prose and great characters!

Thank you to NetGalley, Brittney Arena, and Random House Publishing for this arc <333

Sadly I couldn’t get this book to open on my e reader but my husband brought home the physical copy for me to read instead. Sadly I had to dnf the book at around 56%.
I just didn’t connect to the characters or story at all. I was always hoping for this to change but at 56% I just didn’t want to give it any more time. I simply do not care enough to spend more time reading.

In all honesty, this book was a struggle for me to get through. A combination of being in a slump and the slow pace of this plot. I did think the prose was well crafted, and the stained glass palace was beautifully described.

I also liked Anton's character a lot, I just wish we'd got to know him a bit more as he only became relevant in the second half of the book.

I also didn't really like the fmc. I found her inner monologues lacking vibrancy and fun (which is part of her character I know, but it made the book less enjoyable). I do appreciate the disability representation in Vasalie, and the complexities of her character as she warred with fighting for her freedom, vs fighting for what's right.

Ultimately, the last 50 pages were a blast and had be hooked! But the rest of it not so much...

As a fellow POTsie I was so excited when I read that not only did the main character have POTS but the author did as well. That being said, this was beautifully written and I was absolutely ensnared by this world page one. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a love triangle possibly coming and didn’t immediately throw the book out a window. Trust me, it’s WORTH IT.

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This was a great fantasy read. Loved the writing style.