*Thank you to NetGalley and Indie Girl Press for providing me this book for an honest review*

Unfortunately I dnf'd this book. It seems like it's not even a complete novel. The world building doesn't even exists. It seems like it's an idea for a book, not a complete book.

This REALLY feels like an early draft, not a polished/finished work. The pacing, the writing style, the flatness of the main character...it was difficult to make myself finish the entire book, as there was nothing really to make me want to continue reading. Especially since the first third of the book is pretty dull.

This is one that I wouldn't have finished at all if I hadn't agreed to a review.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digtial copy of this book.***

Thank you Netgalley and Indie Girl Press for allowing me to read the eARC of A Knot of Lies and Rebellion in exchange for my honest review.

I feel bad giving a review of a book I couldn't finish, but there was something about this book I couldn't get into. The main character was written in a way that just made me unable to connect with her or her struggles. I didn't' find myself believing the romance that seemed to blossom overnight.

There were moments in the parts I read where the writing really did shine, but unfortunately I just couldn't connect with the book.

Rating: 2.5 🌟
Plot twist: 1🌟

Ah... I don't really like to give negative reviews, especially for ARC but that book just didn't do it for me.. I'm sorry.

I found the writing style kind of strange, some sentences were not cohesive, or they were written in a very weird order.

The book sounded very promising, however, it became painfully predictive in the first few chapters. And it kinda went on flat, not much plot there...

The FMC was... confusing? I think that's the kindest word I can say to describe her.


The romance in the book was average, the FMC kinda crushed on the MMC after barely exchanging 3 words, I'm all for love at first sight but that didn't feel like it.

There is some hope in the plot and storyline but it just wasn't executed properly. It pains me to say it, but this is probably one of the worst fantasy book I have read this year. :(

However, I'm open to read other books from the author, purely as I'm interested to see if there was a hiccup with this book and editing, or it's something else all together.

i thought the plot was rather slow and I had a hard time getting not the story, I did really like the characters that I met and I think they were what saved this for me. However, I think if the story picked up a bit more on the plot I’d enjoy this much more

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I cannot, in many words, describe how I dislike the female lead of this book. This is the first for me this year, encountering someone as pretentiously independent yet all throughout annoying kind of character. I am all for female power and all but Emeuri is just the kind of character who is unnecessarily rude, rebellious, overrates her emotions and useless.

The premise of the story and how Emeuri was introduced was so promising. However, once she started joining the other casts, it became pretty obvious that her role on the story is to assume a figurehead of someone who is witty and can think on her toes pretty quick. What she did was to make mistakes over mistakes that honestly, I have to skip paragraphs just to proceed to a scene where another thought/character is involved.

The plot became predictable by Chapter 5 and though this is an attempt to introduce a political theme and the gores of war, the lack of transition variations made it difficult to appreciate the story as a whole. You can only describe blood in so many words and then couple that up with a female lead whose first contribution to the fight is nausea 😮‍💨 The supposed touch to romance was also unnecessary and lacklustre. Like, how can you start with flirting and then full blown Romeo and Juliet confession in a span of a week? Heck even the flirting lasted for one horse ride 😳 😭 ..then the death scene 🙄 The characterizations were not evwn fully developed but they died, lol

The title and premise of this YA book was pretty interesting, especially as a lover of fantasy fiction, but when I started reading I struggled to get through. I couldn’t tell If this was going to be more romance or adventure since the title and synopsis hint at rebellion but halfway through the book there wasn’t either. The book started to feel generic without any surprises or twists.
There are big time gaps that make it hard to get into the story. The MC had feelings that seemed to come from no where. She was yearning for Moran who she barely had a couple interactions with. She confessed that her new friend Kes was like family, but there wasn’t more than casual interaction between them as well and I didn’t get any emotion from them. It was definitely “telling rather than showing”. The dialogue with the characters seemed in-organic most of the time as the author would explain the interaction and then the characters would have dialogue matching what the author already described so it felt very repetitive. I found myself wanting to skip chapters because of the this reason. There wasn’t much world building or descriptions so it was hard to imagine the world. Two and a half stars because of the few action scenes near the end of the book but those were very rushed. Some of my very favorite books are YA but this one felt like it was meant for a much younger audience. Overall this book has some potential but I probably wouldn’t recommend.

I really did enjoy this book, the main character felt like a very real person with flaws but also a fire within her to make a better world for her family and she never gave up. The relationships between the people were very realistic and I like that the romance didn't overpower the whole book. It was quite political and showed the bloody side of things which was very interesting and sad at times, also how everyone under a rule such as the sovereign will suffer just in very different ways.

Intriguing read. I enjoyed the social and fantasy elements. The book started at a slow pace but soon picked up and I was completely immersed. Would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Star Rating: 3.7/5⭐

A quick-moving fantasy set in a kingdom with a strict caste-system. Emeuri is a very stubborn FMC of the lower class who competes for (and wins) the opportunity to become an attendant to a high daughter. Being an attendant is a great honor and could lead to essentially advancing to middle class.

Being thrust into the high class world of Iridan is a bit of a shock for Emeuri, and she gets to see for herself the massive disparity between the lower class and the elites. Any mistakes could send her straight back home, disgraced.

Despite the gravity of her situation, Emeuri really presses her luck as far as mistakes go and is rather cavalier about the entire thing. I found myself getting irritated at her for all the little things she clearly did wrong. She was constantly in her head about how this whole thing was such a big deal and how failure wasn't an option, but made mistakes that were avoidable or took actions that were downright obstinate. Which, I get that the whole point of the book is rebelling, but at the point in the story where she wasn't part of the opposition and didn't want to go against the grain because of the consequences, it seemed out of character. Now, that did have a part to play as her actions sort of lead her to become part of the opposition to the sovereign, so I can't fault that too much.

The story is fast paced, and even more so once we hit a tipping point at about 60% of the way through. The last 30-40% is a mad dash to the end, which I think conveys the desperation of the characters beautifully as they throw themselves against the unfair establishment. The descriptions are well-written and very vivid, and I didn't find myself getting bored at any point in the story.

As far as romance goes, there are hints of it, but it's definitely not the main focus of the story, and only comes into play a bit as motivation for Emeuri.

Overall, if you liked Red Rising by Pierce Brown or Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard for the rebellion against unfair hierarchies, but want all of that in one book with a very stubborn FMC, give this one a shot. It'll scratch that itch without stretching it over 3-5 books.

⭐️2.5/5 stars.
While I did not enjoy this story, I think some fans of The Selection series may actually like it. It felt a little like the Selection, but if it was through the maid’s point of view. The writing style was sort of similar too.
I think the world building was also interesting, I just thought the main character wasn’t great. I don’t know if I thought someone else should have been the protagonist or if it was just the character fell flat. For most of the story, it felt like the plot was happening to and around her, that she didn’t really have an active role. And when she did try to have an active role, it felt forced, not quite believable with the character development we’ve previously seen.
I thought the ideas and concepts in this story were good and could have serious potential, but it may have needed to be developed a little more. Also, there were a handful of times were sentences or similar ideas just reworded were repeated within a few pages of each other.
Again, I really think this story had a good, marketable idea and I saw where the story was trying to go, it may have just needed a little more time developing.
Still, I think there are people who will find this book and enjoy it. I just sadly wasn’t one.
Thank you to the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing the ARC for my honest review.

A knot of Lies and Rebellion
Earc: NetGalley
Publisher: Indie Girl Press
Publication Date: 22 Nov 2022
Genre :Sci Fiction and Fantasy, Teens and young adults

I had a hard time getting sucked into the novel because the plot moved quite slowly at first. This was mostly caused by the activities leading up to Emeuri's visit to the palace. Though the book really took off around the 30% mark! Emeuri, a low-level employee who is hired to serve as a High Daughter's attendant, is the main character of J. Collette Smith's novel A Knot of Lies and Rebellion. She learns, however, that life in Iridan is not precisely as it looks when she is at the palace.
There isn't a lot of romance in this novel; in fact, I'd say it takes a backseat to the main plot, which I found to be rather enjoyable. By the time the book's climactic showdown arrived, I had been utterly immersed in the characters because they were so well-developed and multifaceted. I read this enjoyable fantasy book in about two days. It reminded me a lot of contemporary fantasy stand-alone books that frequently feature fae. Although there were no supernatural beings in this, there was a split fantasy world with a hierarchy, a main character who felt outcast and wanted to prove herself, as well as a forbidden relationship.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #scifictionandfantasy #youngadults

*an e-ARC of this book was given to me via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review*

A Knot of Lies and Rebellion by J. Collette Smith follows Emeuri, a low-level worker who earns a spot as attendant to a High Daughter. However, while in the palace, she discovers that life in Iridan is not exactly as it seems.

When I first saw the summary of this book, I was really intrigued! I love the fantasy genre so I was excited to see how this one would unfold.

The plot was rather slow in the beginning and, because of this, I had a hard time becoming immersed into the story. This was mainly due to the events that built up to Emeuri going to the palace. At around the 30% mark though, the book really picked up! I warmed up to Emeuri and I enjoyed reading about her experience in the castle as an attendant. I also really liked the different side characters that were introduced as they added variety and made the plot more interesting. Though there wasn’t a lot of romance, the small hints of it had me rooting for the relationships!

The most significant thing that affected my enjoyment of this book was the writing style. I found that the writing felt a little awkward at times, and the phrasing/descriptions weren’t always the strongest. Other times, though, I really liked it, so it wasn't the most consistent in that manner. Another thing that I wanted to mention is that there often was repetition, especially when describing a big revelation or discovery. This wasn’t that big of a deal for me and, considering that this is an unfinished copy, I’m sure it will be improved. I just wanted to point it out as sometimes it made me feel disconnected from the storyline.

I liked Emeuri as the main character, especially in the beginning while she was at the castle. However, at times, I felt frustrated by her and the mistakes/choices she made regarding something that she worked so hard for. I did really like the dynamic between Emeuri and her family though! I also wish that the world was a bit more developed so that we could learn more about the different regions and their backgrounds.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but did not love it! I've read many fantasy novels and I was simply not as pulled into this particular story. However, it has a lot of potential and positive features, so I would still recommend trying it out.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 stars

Political intrigue is one sure way to win my heart and this book had it in bunches! I really loved every aspect of this book. The world building was well thought out, the main character was both relatable and enjoyable (a rarity these days in YA), and the romance felt as if it progressed realistically.

The characters in this book were very interesting and enjoyable. As a relatively new fantasy reader, I did find this a bit difficult to understand at the beginning, but it started to make sense later on in the book. I look forward to revisiting this book again when I know more about the fantasy genre.

I was given a copy of this earc thanks to netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

There was some tabbing issues with the format of this book. We would be in the middle of a sentence and it would break off like a new paragraph was forming. It happened quite often. Maybe an editor can fix this before release date?

This was an easy low fantasy read. While the main character Emueri started out strong, she really fell flat for me by the end. Usually there is character growth, this was a character decline. I’ve never read about a more useless character. She failed at everything she did. It was frustrating to read her pov throughout this book.

Her whole purpose in the beginning was to give her family a better life. She talked about it all the time. She is supposed to serve a high daughter, she’s given multiple warnings and threats (specifically to stay away from a certain boy). But when said pretty boy looks her way, she’s like “meh. Hell with it.” Like… family isn’t so important anymore?? She was supposed to be a selfless character, but only when she felt like it? I didn’t get it.

The romance aspect of it felt rushed and very shallow. No real roots here. He’s pretty. And has nice eyes. So…

The rebellion seemed like a joke. They told her all the secrets without a care in the world. *insert confused face* They didn’t even know her! But here’s all the secret information that’s been in the works for years.. it didn’t make sense. She never even played a real role in the rebellion besides make more mistakes and get in the way. They all acted like she was someone of importance when she was not. She was just a hindrance at every turn. I can’t name everything she did that irritated me without spoilers so I’ll refrain.

There was a lot of repetition. Scenes were over dramatic and cheesy. Like the author was overselling us the story. I didn’t fell anything for these characters sadly.

The final battle scene was like a circus show. It was so scattered and bizarre. Very random. And the the ending. Wah wah wahhh. It had potential but just fell flat for me. I think my biggest problem is I didn’t like the MC.

Overall nothing new or groundbreaking in this book.

2.5 stars

3.5/4 star

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC copy of this book

This was a fun fantasy read that took me around two days. It felt very familiar to many of the recent fantasy stand alone novels that usually include some kind of fae. There was no paranormal creatures in this but we did have a divided fantasy land with a hierarchy, a down trodden main character who has a desire to prove herself, and a forbidden romance.

If you like elise kova I would say the writing style and story type felt rather similar to some of her writing with a little less romance.

There isn't a huge amount of romance in this book, I would certainly say that element takes more of a back seat to the main plot which I enjoyed. The characters were well developed and multifactoral, and I was thoroughly invested in them by the final show down of the book.

Overall this isn't anything especially unique but certainly very enjoyable and well written !

Oo so the main reason I read this book was because the blurb caught my eye big time. I wasn't familiar with the author so I said why not. Happy I gave this book a chance. Absolutely loved it. Couldn't put it down. 5 star book. Highly recommend it.

A Knot of Lies and Rebellion by J. Collette Smith is a fun, engaging very exciting read.

To be honest, I wasn't too sure what to expect going into this book.
I thought the premise was interesting and the cover looked good.
I enjoyed this book. A great take on the fantasy genre.
The world building was small and character construction was set with great detail and feeling.
The action, the fantasy and romance was on point.
I believed the story was original and exciting.
Overall, this book was very well-written and a perfect read for fantasy lovers.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Indie Girl Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Quick summary: "A Knot of Lies and Rebellion" is a fantasy novel centered on a low-class serving girl who struggles to find a better life for her family. I'm rating it 3/5 stars for the unique setting, descriptive elements, and generally well-written prose.

Full review: J. Collette Smith's writing style made the novel relatively easy to read. I enjoyed the descriptions of different settings and thought the author did a beautiful job painting a picture in the reader's mind. However, several words seemed a bit off. Some of the words were too advanced for the intended audience and didn't fit the context in which they were used.

I also found the dialogue to be somewhat stilted. It was info-dumpy in the beginning and veered on the side of telling (rather than showing) what the characters were feeling. A good example of this is when the main character's father says, "Let's enjoy the delicious meal your mother has been preparing all afternoon. It is rare we get to enjoy such a luxury." His dialogue is problematic because the author had already established both of these things in the beginning of the scene, making the exchange un-organic, unnecessary, and awkward. Random inserts like these were sprinkled into almost every scene, making it feel like the readers were being talked down to.

This is also a little nitpicky, but the author used a lot of prepositional phrases. By stringing together sentences with lots of prepositional phrases, the scene would become convoluted and hard to follow. An example is the line, "As we neared the mountain in which the sovereign's castle was perched, a soft glow emanated from the trees lining the trail we were following." This clunky sentence is written in passive voice and has several prepositional phrases. It probably won't affect most readers' enjoyment, but it did make the story less immersive for me.

The main character, Emeuri, was very likable at the start of the novel. Emeuri shared a deep connection with her little brother, and she cared for her parents' well-being. Emeuri wanted a better life for her family, and she trained to be a debutant's assistant so her family would have new opportunities. I admired her hardworking spirit and dedication to make her family proud. Unfortunately, Emeuri became a walking disaster shortly after being brought to the city. She proved a terrible assistant because she made countless stupid mistakes, didn't listen half the time, and constantly made poor choices that put her in bad positions. It was disappointing to see her character arc regress from where it was in the beginning, and I honestly didn't care what happened to her by the end of the novel.

Aside from her poor decision-making and questionable taste in men, Emeuri was a realistic character. She had flaws, misbeliefs, and realistic motives. Many readers will love her feisty personality, and I believe she will appeal to a general audience.

Concluding thoughts: "Knot of Lies and Rebellion" contains stereotypical fantasy elements and beautiful descriptions of the setting. While I didn't connect with the main character or the stilted dialogue, I did enjoy the figurative language and the strong family bonds. I definitely think there is potential here, and if it had a couple more beta readers or content editors, it could be a five-star review. As it is, I'm rating it 3/5 stars and recommending it to readers who enjoy generic fantasy, class divides/rebellion, and stories with minimal romantic subplots.

Thank you to NetGalley, J. Collette Smith, and Indie Girl Press for this advanced reader’s copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.