First off thank you for the chance to read! I have been eagerly awaiting this book. So I’ll be honest I’m sort of torn when it comes to a review. 1. I felt like it was such a long book. I read it in a day but it just seemed to drag and I found myself skimming through parts to try and get to something interesting. If you are more into fantasy than romance this would be good for you. If you are here for romance then fantasy? You might struggle like I did. I almost DNF at around 50% just because I was getting so annoyed with not knowing who our mmc was. I get that it was like acotar vibes and you didn’t know but honestly would have preferred to just know and get more interactions. I did truly like the fact our fmc experienced pain and struggles. It made her more human. So often in these stories you read about females who are suddenly capable of everything. It was nice seeing someone who wasn’t. Who was scarred but still kept going. Honestly though I just wish this had been one book. This seemed like such a nice open and close story so I’m kind of disappointed by the ending. It left me more annoyed than interested. My feedback would be just make this one story. Let us have the happy ending. You can write other books just don’t leave us with the whole amnesia thing (sorry it’s my least favorite trope). I still will probably read the second book just had such high hopes with how this was going

My overall feeling about this book is that the plot is too scattered. I like the premise but felt it did not follow through. The build up to Morta was exciting but in the end felt too....casual? I appreciated how the main characters disability was handled.

I love a good royal court setting and thoroughly enjoyed the Gathering! I cannot believe this book is from a debut author; this book had me HOOKED and I knocked it out within a day. I also loved the cliffhanger even though it broke my heart to a million pieces.

Also cover art is amazingly gorgeous and deserves praise too!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

Vasalie Moran, a dancer unjustly imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, strikes a deal with King Illian: spy at a royal gathering in exchange for her freedom. This dangerous task forces her to betray those around her and uncover dangerous secrets.

I’ll be honest—at first, I wasn’t enjoying the book much. The first half felt slow, and the pacing seemed off. But around the 60% mark, everything changed. The unexpected plot twists and captivating romance made it impossible to put down.

This makes it tough to fully rate the book, as I only became truly engrossed later on. Despite a slightly rushed ending, I'm looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 3.75

I have mixed feelings about this book. The beginning of the book was tough for me to get through because not a lot was going on and I understand Vas was getting acclimated to the real world after her imprisonment but it was too slow. Around the 50% was when it started getting good and I was hooked. Did I agree with some choices she made? No but I can understand where she was coming from. I did enjoy the spying and when she started to work with Anton. I liked their dynamic and romance it had me giggling. I will say the ending felt rushed. There was too much going on and I'm not gonna lie I got confused, especially pertaining to the prophecy and fates. Thank you del rey for the opportunity to read this arc!

To mention, I received a free E-ARC copy of this book. This review is strictly my opinion and no-one else's.

Vasalie Moran is more than meets the eye. She is a strong, powerful force that gets what she needs, and gets out. Until she is presented with a set of tasks that promise her something that not only she has sacrificed for, but her loved ones as well. She falls into this dance between kings of old and new, but will she perform how they want her to? Or, will she perform in the way that will save her kingdom - and her life.

I think this book was absolutely transcendent. From the world building to the intricate detailing on the arts, Arena paints a picture so well that you can't do anything but watch - or in this case, read. The pacing contributes to the fact that you can't put it down, but it also pulls you in so deeply that you want to savor the story of Vasalie.

The fact that this was Arena's debut novel adds to my shock brought on by the ending of this book. At first, I thought I could predict the ending, but just like in the three kingdoms of Miridran, nothing is what it seems.

I recommend this to the Rhysand lovers and the Leo groupies, to lovers of mysterious trials, and of the arts.

“They deserve to burn, and I want to strike the match.” ★★★★★

What an absolutely phenomenal debut. A Dance of Lies is filled with rich world-building, beautiful prose, incredible tension, heartbreaking betrayals, quite the love story, and also perfectly captures the pain and resilience of living with chronic illness. I cannot believe this is a debut, and I am so excited (and scared) to see what comes next!

Vasalie was once an esteemed dancer in her King’s court - his favourite - until he frames and imprisons her for murder that is. Two years after being locked away in the dungeons, Vasalie is brought before her King to make a deal. If she becomes his eyes, ears and hands at a royal gathering, he will grant her freedom. Unable to refuse, Vasalie becomes his spy under the cover of an event performer, and it’s not too long until things become very very complicated…and deadly.

If Vasalie 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.

Featuring:
🔥 the sweetest female rage arch
🕯️a slow burn romance
👑 shady court politics
💛 truly amazing chronic illness rep

I am also in the camp that would say this is far more fantasy with romance than what can fall under straight romantasy. The romance is delicious and confusing and I adored it, but it’s not the main focus. The true jewels of the story are the intricacies of abusive power, court politics and Vasalie’s independent rise to fight back against those who have wronged her.

“Rise from your ashes, my dear. Don’t crumble alongside them.”

Thank you to Penguin Random House, Del Ray, and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. A Dance of Lies comes out June 10th.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for the eArc of A Dance of Lies

3⭐️/5

This book fell a bit short for me. I was very excited to read it but had difficulty from the beginning staying engaged with the story. I think the fmc ended up being a bit flat and it made it hard to connect and become invested in the story. I found my self starting to skim read a decent amount of the story just to get through it. The book definitely had potential and hopefully the author can improve on things in the next book of the series.

I stopped reading A Dance of Lies at the 50% mark. I thought I was going to love this book! The beginning of the story started off strong. I enjoyed the opening scene with Vasalie and was intrigued by her storyline. Unfortunately, I lost interest as the story progressed to the gathering. One of the things that turned me off from this book was the multiple love interests. I am very picky when it comes to love triangles and this story's didn't meet my standards. I wasn't fully invested in the characters. Due to the way the author wrote the romance, I didn't feel connected to Vasalie's relationships. Vasalie was an okay main character. Compared to other fantasy FMC's, she felt underdeveloped. I liked the disability representation with Vasalie. I did struggle wrapping my head around her suddenly being able to perform physically demanding dances. I thought the dancing storyline was unique. There were some passages where I had a difficult time imagining the dances. The writing style wasn't anything to write home about. It was a little repetitive and prose heavy at points. The story didn't progress at an ideal speed. As a result, I wasn't interested in finishing the story. I thought the world building was explained decently and the romantasy tropes were placed in correctly to draw in fans. Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

I am unsure on where to start, so I will first beg for the ARC of book 2 to be sent to me right now, there must be gods out there that can make this happen please!

This book was so amazing, I am unsure on how to proceed with my day after that cliff-hanger.

I came into the book unsure on what to expect, romantasy books haven’t be hitting the right spots for me in their writing and I was worried the same would be said about Dance of Lies; but I was far from wrong. I have finally found a book that has made me feel something, there parts of the book where I almost cried – I would have cried if I didn’t have a work meeting within 5 minutes of reading the chapter.

Birttney is such a good writer, her words on a page can do wonderful things to a person and I am so glad I was given the opportunity to receive the ARC of this book. The good things people have been saying are to be trusted, this book is phenomenal and now will live rent free in my top 10 books I have ever read.

So I really don't know how to complain... without spoilers.... so... "SPOILERS"

... The story starts out good... but when Vasalie starts catching feelings for the guy in charge of the dancers... the uptight, strict rule follower... The book comes almost unbearable. I probably would have quit reading if it wasn't for all the hype already building for this book. I feel like there should have been a little more chemistry, or make the guy a little more likable? Because instead of enjoying the story, any time she mentioned his comfort, I wanted to throw the book. I'm all for misdirection, but it was too much.
But when I got to 50% of the book, I was hooked, couldn't put the book down. Really enjoyed the friendships, loyalty and growth.
Another complaint I will make, is her murdering the king. Changing who she is. Really she can just be told to do something, and didn't stand for what she believed in....... then we find out Anton, couldn't be killed anyway.... so she really murdered him and didn't truly have to. She couldn't bring herself to poison... yet, easy enough to slit someone's throat.

Great book as a debut. I will for sure grab others by this author in the future...

DNF @ 20% Thank you to Netgalley and DelRey for the eArc! Just couldn’t get in to this one. I’m sure others will love it but I was getting confused by the character motivations… and all the flour.

Vasalie’s journey is one of the most compelling I’ve read in a long time. She’s a protagonist who lives with chronic pain and physical limitations, which the book handles with striking authenticity. Her pain doesn’t magically go away—she adapts, she struggles, she perseveres. Watching her rise from the ashes of her trauma, rediscover her strength, and begin to define herself beyond her suffering is both heartbreaking and empowering. I loved that she wasn’t defined by her disability, but that it was still a central part of her experience—present in every moment of her life, yet never overshadowing her identity.
The world building is vibrant and rich—especially the City of Glass, which felt almost tangible in its beauty. The political stakes were high and the espionage plotline felt genuinely tense and unpredictable. I’ve read a lot of fantasy with court intrigue, but this one really leaned into the spycraft element, which made it all the more interesting.
And then there’s the romance. Or rather, romances—yes, there are several potential love interests, and while that could’ve felt overwhelming, it was handled well. Copelan, the Master of Revels, had a mysterious allure and a layered relationship with Vasalie that kept me guessing. But it was Anton, the King of the East and Ilian’s younger brother, who completely stole the show for me. Charming, wounded, and impossible not to love, his evolution throughout the story was one of my favorite parts. I adored his interactions with Vasalie, and even when she didn’t trust him (rightfully so at first), their chemistry was undeniable.

I also appreciated that this book doesn’t offer easy answers or quick fixes. It’s a story about surviving—about learning to live in a world that constantly shifts beneath your feet. There’s power in Vasalie’s vulnerability, and her story made me feel seen in ways I didn’t expect.

This book had a very slow start & it honestly did take me a while to get into it but I am super glad I pushed through the beginning bc the back half of this story was really entertaining & had me hooked!

I found Vasalie to be pretty naive at times & wished she would see the twists coming as I did but I did still enjoy her character & appreciated her growth by the end. I know she is going to be an absolute badass in the second book given how she ended things here.

I’m also a huge Anton fan bc honestly how could you not be? He was the perfect amount of cocky/confident & silly/sweet. I definitely need to see more as their relationship develops!

The cast of side characters were really fun & I enjoyed how each of their roles revealed themselves as the plot progressed.

Overall, I wish the pacing in the first half had been quicker & more interesting but I definitely had a good time & have even higher expectations for the sequel!

Thank you to Del Rey, Penguin Random House, & Netgalley for the eARC!

A Dance of Lies is Brittany Arena’s debut novel about strength, lust, dance, power, and so much more. Following Vasalie, we open immediately in a dungeon where Vas is given a chance to escape the prison cell and become a dancer once more, but at a huge cost.

This novel was thrilling and I truly did not want it to end. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t get my eyes to read faster to see what was going to happen next. The lore behind this is so intriguing and something I can’t wait to dive more into in later books. Invention and mythology goes hand in hand in this and it’s so interesting to see how it is interwoven.

The romance was to die for, I became so obsessed with a certain someone and the bantering was so natural and funny. I truly loved it and have a new fictional boyfriend.

Vas is such a strong character and is such a testament to the strength those with chronic illnesses have. You could see her struggles, but her determination to survive and help those she loves was so prominent. I know Britt took from her own experiences and you can tell how much this story means to not only her, but to readers everywhere.

This is truly a stunning debut novel that I push everyone to go read. I cannot wait to see what all ensues (especially after that heartbreaking ending)!


Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and publishers for providing me with an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower."

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-ARC of what has officially become my new favourite read of the year.
(You're telling me this is a debut novel??)

A Dance of Lies is the kind of story that immediately makes you want to press it into a friend’s hands and say, Trust me, read this." (Which is exactly what I'll be doing)

It’s got everything I love: slow-burn romance, intriguing court politics, revenge, betrayal, a fierce FMC who is no damsel. Vasalie is one of the most compelling protagonists I’ve read in a while. Her pain doesn’t define her, but instead shapes her and the chronic illness rep was so thoughtfully woven into her arc. It felt raw and real in a way I rarely see in fantasy.

And the romance? Peak perfection. I won't spoil anything, but when you meet him, you'll know.

The world is vivid, the tension is THERE, and the writing is genuinely beautiful. (I found myself saving soo many quotes.)
There is yearning, rage and quiet little heartbreaks. By the end, I was emotionally wrecked and DESPERATE for the sequel.

If you love fantasy that’s character-driven with intriguing court politicals, a delicious slowburn romance, and a story you just don't want to end, then this is for you.

I’m obsessed. 5 stars.

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for providing me with an eArc of this book.

I'm conflicted about this one.
The descriptions - the dances, the costumes, the decors - were beautiful. I also really enjoyed the mythology in the world building.

The political intrigue was well done, and I found myself wanting to know more about each court.

I didn't always agree with Vas' choices, but I enjoyed how her character grows when she finally stands up for what's right, and I was glad for her redemption arc.
I loved the secondary characters, except for Copelan who I found bland. I felt like his existence's only purpose was to create a love triangle, and I found this love triangle not only pointless but also not credible.

I was really into the story but at some point it took a turn in a way I unfortunately didn't enjoy. This book is the definition of "it gets worse before it gets better" (I mean I do hope it'll get better) and that is definitely not my thing. I just didn't like what happened in the last quarter of the book, but I do think that this is a me problem and that a lot of people would love the intense twists we witness up til the end.

I do have to hand it to Brittney Arena : she wrote a book that ends in such a way you just can't help to want more. Because even though I didn't liked what happened, I just needs to know how it will all end so I will definitely be reading the sequel when it come out !

A Dance of Lies is Brittney Arena's debut romantasy following a disabled dancer, Vasalie, sent as a spy to a gathering of the Crowns. She must follow King Illian's orders as his spy or risk losing her freedom and being returned to the dungeons that altered her forever.

I struggled to rate this book for several reasons. I did enjoy the multiple romantic interests (initially - if you read this you'll see why that changes). Usually, in a romantasy the love interest is quickly identified. However, in this story you can see Vasalie experience new feelings for more than one character and I was not sure which one would become the real love interest. I also loved seeing the disability/chronic illness representation in this book. Vasalie is not physically or magically strong, but her strong will powers her on.

Overall, the second half of this book really carried the story. For the first half, I was often disinterested in the story and had a hard time convincing myself to pick this up. The second half of the book picks up pacing significantly and had me STRESSED (that's a compliment). I do feel that it is worth reading this book for the absolute insane series of events and ultimate ending that it delivered.

A video review will be posted on my TikTok @alireadsanywhere before it's release on June 10th!

A Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, a dancer turned spy that is finally after years of imprisonment for a crime she didn’t commit getting a chance at freedom. She will need to channel her stealth at a royal gathering and while not exactly sure what she is looking for Vasalie finds herself wrapped up into a world filled with secrets and deception.

Considering this is a debut fantasy it was highly successful in my opinion. Not only do we get a fabulous romantasy plot with complicated borderline morally grey characters but we also got a vividly painted world, court politics and intrigue, betrayals, scheming, and great disability/chronic illness representation. As someone who suffers from daily pain with having Lupus and RA this books MC Vasalie really resonated with me. One quote in particular really stood out to me and made me feel the most seen I have ever have with a books FMC—"So l make myself another promise: I will find a way to live with it. Because I am grateful that my heart still beats, grateful that this body, however pained, has not crumbled beneath the weight of all that has been done to it". I truly can’t say enough how much seeing this character depicted really impacted me and I thank the author for this endlessly. Along with our great FMC we are gifted truly all around amazing characters which extends to the side characters as well. The setting as stated is beautifully depicted and felt vividly immersive. We are also gifted a bit of a love interest triangle which had me throughly entertained with an amazing slow burn that isn’t overly spicy but more tension filled which I adored. I will say that the plot does play out a bit slower however the ending will without a doubt have you begging for more immediately. If you’re looking for a new debut romantasy that has twists, spies, broody morally grey characters, and enemies to lovers tension for days then you have to check out this book.

A Dance of Lies comes out June 10th, 2025.
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This felt very much like a debut. I was excited about the chronic illness rep but it really wasn't as impactful as I hoped it would be. But I did like that the plot wasn't entirely paint by numbers and I will probably pick up the second one to see if the writing improves.