I was intrigued by the blurb of this story, especially hearing that it was a political fantasy. Although it had a slow start, as the story progressed, I became hooked.
The FMC is a dancer forced into a position of infiltrating another court as a spy, which I’m always a fan of, and of course this forces her into a web of lies and manipulation - and leaves the audience wondering who she can really trust.
I also really enjoyed that the romance was really only a side plot to the main story, as I was invested more in our main characters personal growth. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat by the end, and need the next book ASAP!
I will definitely be adding books similar to Dance of Lies to my TBR immediately.

This was a ride an a half in a different worldly experience and I'm blown away but everything and the twists, THE PLOT TWISTS In this are amazing!

I would love to Congratulate Brittany on a phenomenal and immersive debut novel, you have done amazing work with this story and I cannot wait to see more splendid work come from you, and hopefully another stemming from this book.

Vasalie, you are a Queen in your own right. You stole my show from the beginning and I am not yet ready to let you go, and want to see more of your development and change. You have not had an easy life, you are always challenged and can never get a breathe of freedom in.

This story is slow burn, there are many males interested in Vasalie, she is a Jewell that hasn't been treasured and she's escaped a harrowing past. There's kings, a war under the surfaces, betrayal, death, unsure who to trust, dancing- a lot of imagery to engross yourself in the theatrical side of things but it's beautiful, suspenseful and heart wrenching, quite a range of emotions were felt reading this.

Dance of Lies is a stunning debut. It’s cinematic, emotional, and impossible to put down. The writing is vivid, especially during the dance scenes, and the worldbuilding is rich yet easy to follow.

Vasalie’s chronic illness is portrayed with care, adding depth without becoming a plot device. The representation overall is powerful and meaningful. Anton, the dark-haired, sarcastic prince is an instant favourite, and the entire cast is compelling. The story is full of tension, secrets, betrayal, and unexpected twists, with a cliffhanger that leaves you desperate for book two.

If you enjoy high-stakes fantasy with romance, heartache, and strong representation, this is a must-read.

There’s something special about a debut that is this fun and easy too read!! Dance of Lies pulled me in from the first page, Brittney’s writing is fluid and cinematic, especially when it comes to the dancing, it's described so perfectly that it actually felt like I was watching a live performance! The world building was also easy to follow and fleshed out without being overly complicated.

I really appreciated how chronic illness is represented, it’s never reduced to a plot device and then forgotten. It’s a part of who Vasalie is and honestly it was cool to see long lasting effects of being imprisoned rather than it being brushed aside straight away.

And also, we need to take a second to talk about ANTON. Y'all know I am powerless in the presence of a dark haired, sarcastic, and smirking prince with a questionable backstory. I'm obsessed.

The first and last 30% of the book went super quickly and I was desperate to finish work to keep reading. The middle slowed a little but not to the point that I wasn't enjoying myself. Overall I think this is a fantastic debut and would be a great read if you enjoy lighter fantasy with a bit of romance.

Bring on book 2 asap

(4.5 stars rounded up)

If I could rate this book higher I would.

I loved this. I didn’t think I would at the start but damn once I was about 15% in I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down. From about 70% onwards I was stressed. I think my heart has been absolutely taken through the coals. I don’t think I can review this without it being led by pure emotions.

This book has representation to many minority groups - and I love that. I love that this book was so loud about it.

I think I could ramble for so long about this book. But I honestly think you all need to read it for yourself. You’ll find political intrigue, kingdoms and kings against each other, secrets, plots, lives untwined with fate, prophecies, dance, love triangles, betrayal, forgiveness, and bargains. You’ll have your heart torn from your chest and stomped on.

What a book. What a ride. 10/10.

The writing is so beautiful and descriptive.

“I am little more than a husk. A corpse. A set of bones, waiting to be buried. I’m not sure my heart beats anymore. I’m not sure I want it to.”

My mind was racing the whole time, so many mysteries and such high stakes & I did not guess the plot twists… the ending is such a good cliffhanger.

I felt connected immediately to the FMC and caring about her & the side characters.


The constant betrayal in this had me on the edge of my seat biting my nails!

I devoured this and could not put it down. Thankyou to netgalley

A Dance of Lies was such a beautifully written romantasy. Everything from the character's appearances, their outfits, the dances, the palaces; was described in so much detail which really created such pretty images in your mind.

Vasalie Moran was once King Illian's prized dancer, his Jewel, but she finds herself imprisoned for two years for a crime she didn't commit. The king then pulls her out of her isolation and expects to not only dance again, but spy for him at the next gathering of all the kingdoms. If she does not, then she forfeits her life and her freedom.

Her two years in prison left her body chronically ill and struggling to do what was once was able to. I enjoyed the disability representation in this book, and how the author managed to convey the message across that you are not weak or defined by your conditions, you are strong in so many ways.

Vasalie's inner turmoil was very well written, you get to read her thought processes as she battles against what the king wants her to do while also trying to stay alive long enough to save her kingdom and enact revenge against those who destroyed her life.

I loved how the reader got to unravel the reasons behind Illian's actions at the same time Vasalie did. The plot moved really smoothly and at the perfect pace.

A Dance of Lies is filled with numerous warm and kind supporting characters, as well as ruthless and cruel ones. King Anton, another Crown introduced into the story, was probably my favourite character. His witty comebacks and flirtatious comments had me laughing multiple times.

The last 20% of the book was a great finale. So much of the reasoning behind all the character's actions was revealed and there were so many twists and betrayals and lies. I was completely shocked at one of the reveals the characters made as it changed the course of Vasalie's whole life story.

The detail put into this book is incredible as well as the complexity of the courts and their politics. This is the perfect romantasy if you love high stakes, ruthless kings, strong FMCs, witty banter and swoon worthy romance.

I really enjoyed like most of this book but the last chapter or so felt forced.
It felt like the author went "I have to have more loose ends if I want to have a second book".
There was already enough going on to warrant another book and it was just stupid.

The book was well written, full of twist and turns. It really took you along for the ride.
She made you fall in love with both potential love interests, making it hard to choose just one.

I did find some parts needlessly wordly and hard to read, but writers love to show off so its expected.

Vasalie Moran was once a favoured dancer in King Illian’s court, until she was framed for murder and locked away in the dungeons for almost two years. When her talents become needed, he offers her a deal; become his spy and he’ll grant her freedom.

As Illian’s orders grow more daring and dangerous, Vasalie is forced to harm and betray those around her, risking her alliances and new friendships in the process.

As rivalries escalate, the horrifying truth of her past comes to light and if she wants to survive, she has to learn who she can trust and how much of herself she can give up in the process.

I love a fantasy with a royal court and kingdoms with politics. Mix that in with a dancer who has a chronic disability who must must work within her own limitations to turn spy, I was hooked.

Some parts of the story are definitely predictable and I’m not sure I really felt the romance connection between the characters but I loved the politics and the betrayal which helped keep the story flowing and intriguing.

Thank you to Bloomsbury ANZ, NetGalley and the author for my copy of this book in exchange for a review

3.5 rounded up.

For me, this book had a slow start but strong finish. I struggled a bit initially to get into it and wasn’t feeling drawn to keep picking it up. Then from about 70% onwards I was hooked.

Vasalie is the King’s jewel, his favourite dancer, until he frames her for murder and imprisons her. King Illias releases her after two years and during this time her body has suffered, her life as a dancer won’t be the same. Although released from imprisonment, she isn’t free yet. Vasalie is sent by Illias to be chosen as a dancer for a royal gathering and earn her freedom by gathering information on the other kingdoms.

I love love love the disability rep. I loved that there were actually realistic consequences of being locked away. A lot of other books either don’t acknowledge these effects, or move on very quickly from it. The impacts mirrored the author’s personal experience with POTS, MCAS, EDS, dysautonomia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. I thought this was done so thoughtfully, and is such a creative way to represent disability/chronic illness, and it really connected with me and my personal experience too.

I thought the world-building was great, the political environment was explained really well. I do hope to see more of the other kingdoms in future books because this one was set mostly on one island.

There were some lovable side characters, but overall I felt that most characters were one-dimensional. They felt like they were each there just to serve a specific purpose for the FMC. I also felt that the FMC was inconsistent. A lot of the story was centred around her very strong beliefs of right and wrong, and these beliefs were a massive driver for her. Except, they weren’t.
Her whole thing is feeling so disappointed in herself for not doing enough, or doing something bad, and at many points throughout the book she talks about no matter what, even if it means her life, she will never ever do these things again…. until nearly straight after this, she goes and slits someone’s throat. It just really didn’t add up.

I was absolutely kept on my toes in regard to the love interest/s, I was actually shocked by this love triangle. I really didn’t know where things were going to end up or who to trust, and I enjoyed that. I did really enjoy the romance, my man is OBSESSED and really has a way with words.
I also loved the use of dance as a form of communication, the descriptions of touch highlighted the development of relationships and I thought that was really beautiful and unique.

𝘼 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨 by Brittney Arena tells the story of Vasalie; once a Royal dancer considered King Illian’s jewel, who was wrongfully imprisoned for murder. After two years imprisonment she is summoned by the King and offered a deal; attend the Crowns’ Gathering as a dancer and spy for him in exchange for her freedom.

I found Vasalie to be a really interesting main character. After being shackled for two years she has chronic pain and physical limitations and it’s good to see chronic pain and disability representation in a main character. The combination of childhood trauma and King Illian’s betrayal is a lot for Vasalie to process and it affects everything she does and every decision she makes.

I like that Vasalie wasn’t given a quick-fix, she endures the physical and emotional pain and learns to adapt when her body no longer performs like it used to. She’s imaginative, determined, strong yet also vulnerable, which made for an interesting character journey.

“𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙎𝙤 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝘿𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.”

The Crowns’ Gathering was where things really stepped up a notch and the descriptions of the city of glass, its characters, clothing and buildings was vivid and immersive. The descriptions of the sea glass were so beautiful I was tempted to go beachcombing in search of some coloured glass for myself!

My favourite part of the Crowns’ Gathering was meeting King Illian’s brother, the famed King of the East, Anton Orvere. Anton is flirty with deep, sea-green eyes, which I would very much like to stare into thank you very much! Anton is the reason Vasalie learns to trust and while I loved the banter between them I also loved the honest, heartfelt moments they had.

“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣,”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙩.”

There was a lot of information in 𝘈 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴 to absorb, as you would expect in a story full of political intrigue, but as the story progressed the lies unravelled and it all came together in a conclusion that has me desperate to read book two!

“𝙃𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.”

A Dance of Lies is a story of betrayal, resilience, and survival. The story follows Vasalie, a gifted dancer who is wrongly accused of murder by the very man she trusted most. After spending years imprisoned, she’s unexpectedly offered a chance at freedom but at a dangerous price.

Vasalie is a strong, resourceful, and fiercely determined FMC. Her journey to reclaim her strength and fight for her freedom is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. You will come to know the other characters and have your own feelings and opinions on each and every one of them although throughout the entire book you feel as if vasalie can’t trust anyone and it leaves you constantly on edge.

Packed with emotional twists, action, and suspense, this book pulls you into it’s story and has you desperate for more. Just when you think you have it figured out, there will be another plot twist.
The end is a heart wrenching cliffhanger that left me desperately needing book 2!!

I had a fabulous time reading this book! It was 4.5 ⭐️'s for me & I'm now just patiently waiting for the book 2

This book never lulled, I was constantly saying to myself "just one more chapter" the story really captured me. It was mixture of being character and plot driven and Brittney nailed the balance.

I actually went into this story blind, I had zero idea what it was about which I actually loved experiencing everything with no pre-conceived notions. The writing was very descriptive & poetic with lovely imagery. It felt familiar in a way that I knew what to expect but at the same time I was surprised many times (idk if that even makes sense 🙈)

The espionage/spy angle was so fun & very tension filled. Part 3 of the book I literally could not put it down & the ending!?!? Ummm I need book 2 asap x

I was constantly second guessing people's motives & I enjoy that feeling of being torn between multiple characters not knowing all the facts as a reader. Hence me constantly saying "Just one more chapter' because I needed the tea ☕️

Vas was a great FMC & I found her easy to connect to, she's is someone you constantly root for to get her happy ending. The minor characters were great & Anton's personality, charm & backstory was one of the things I loved most about this book. The ending genuinely had me gasping!!

Omg! This book is absolutely incredible

I love the world building and the unique side and use of dance. I’m no dancer myself, but the way dancing was described made me feel goosebumps.

A beautiful story, I loved every minute of this read!

Couldn’t think of a better book for my first ARC!

A Dance of Lies is a debut romantasy novel following Vasalie, a dancer turned spy who is trying to win her freedom without dooming an entire kingdom to a terrible fate.

I’m not usually drawn to books about dance, but this one captivated me with its powerful emotion, portraying passion and freedom through movement.

A dance of lies has suspense, lies, plotting, elements of fate and a very charming king that make this a great read.

Plus keeping readers on their toes guessing who the love interest would be kept things very interesting!

I will also say there was something magical about the way the setting and events were written that I really enjoyed.

Overall I’d recommend if you enjoy the romantasy genre, dance, secrets and lies or prophecies and fate!

While it took some time for me to get fully immersed in the story, I was ultimately pulled in. The pacing was slower than I usually enjoy, and I struggled to form a connection with the characters, but despite that, I couldn't stop turning the pages. There was something about the book that kept me reading until the very end.

The romance is more of a subplot, which I didn't mind. The vivid creativity woven into the dancing was such a unique and beautifully crafted element that added depth to the story. I loved the way Vasalie used her disability to her advantage.

The ending caught me off guard, not in the outcome, but in how it unfolded. I always appreciate a twist that can surprise me like that.

I really wanted to love A Dance of Lies, the concept sounded amazing, and I’d seen a lot of hype around it. A disabled dancer turned spy? Political intrigue and royal secrets? It all sounded right up my alley. And to be fair, there were some really beautiful moments in the writing, and I did appreciate how Vasalie’s disability was portrayed with care and consistency throughout.

But overall, the pacing just didn’t work for me. The story had stretches that felt really slow, and then other moments that seemed rushed or underdeveloped. I struggled to stay fully hooked, even though I was rooting for the main character. Some parts of the plot felt a little too familiar, like I’d seen it done before, but stronger elsewhere.

I can totally see why other readers connected with it more, especially if they love character-driven stories with emotional depth and rich prose. For me though, it just didn’t completely land. A solid debut with good ideas, but not a standout in the YA fantasy space.

A Dance of Lies’ Book Review
3 Stars
Thank- you to NetGalley and the author Brittney Arena for the eBook in exchange for an honest review.

In ‘A Dance of Lies’ we follow the protagonist Vasalie Moran, a professional dancer who has been imprisoned for years for a crime she did not commit. In order to escape prison and a miserable future she is tasked with being a spy for her King Illian, who is responsible for her imprisonment. After her time in prison, she is left in chronic pain and unable to physically perform as a dancer like she did before her wrongful imprisonment. I enjoyed the representation of having a disabled female lead and Vasalie finds unique ways to overcome this obstacle. Although I would have enjoyed a greater emphasis on her power of mind rather than such a strong emphasis on her ability to dance. This was definitely touched on, but a large portion of the book relied on her ability to perform complex dances. It was also difficult to believe that she would so easily gain the trust and close friendship of people and have them reveal their most private secrets in a few days of knowing each other.

Throughout the book we receive Vasalie’s point of view, which was continuously negative, and although deservedly so, it became draining and repetitive to read. There was a constant inner monologue of “I’m broken”, which in this novel I did not feel she overcame but I’m hopeful that she will in future books in the series. I would have enjoyed seeing greater character growth from Vasalie in this novel.

Vasalie is consistently praised for her brilliance but tends to make some very poor decisions, particularly toward the end of the novel. Vasalie’s decisions often negatively impacted people that were kind and friends to her and benefitted people that abused her, which is obviously going to happen while she is a spy. Although, when she is finally given the opportunity to change this situation she continued to help progress her abuser’s plans.

The novel was well written and easy to follow but the internal monologue was repetitive. This made sense for the protagonist’s state of mind but there are other ways to emphasise the characters emotions without repetition. The novel was lacking tension, and I didn’t find any characters particularly likable or memorable.

Overall, I didn’t feel strongly about this book, and I will likely soon forget it.

I absolutely loved The Dance of Lies. I’m genuinely impressed that this is a debut fantasy novel, it’s such a strong start to what I hope becomes an incredible series.

Coming from a dance background myself, I found the way dance was woven into the core of the story absolutely captivating. It added a unique rhythm and beauty to the worldbuilding that really resonated with me.

The plot is packed with twists, political intrigue, tension and betrayal that had me turning pages late into the night. Vasalie was a phenomenal FMC, intelligent, resilient, and written with so much depth. I especially appreciated the thoughtful representation of chronic pain, it was refreshing and meaningful.

Illian made for a perfectly vile villain, compelling in all the worst ways. And Anton? Such a layered MMC. His complexity, combined with the sharp, witty banter between him and Vasalie, made their interactions a highlight for me.

Even the side characters felt fully realized and added richness to the story rather than fading into the background.

I’ll definitely be looking out for book two. I need more of this world

As an ex-dancer myself, I can relate to Vas and her passion for dance, and I thought the chronic illness rep was written very well. The side characters were great - I love the found family trope.

However, this book took a while for me to get into. I didn't really vibe with the tone of the writing, and I didn't really like the multiple potential love interests.

I'm intrigued enough by the ending to read book 2 when it releases, as I'm curious to know how the conflict at the end of this book will be resolved.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book!