3.5/5

i enjoyed this one! but i will say that it’s something you’ve likely read before.

it kept my attention and i was interested to see how everything would play out. the ending felt a bit weak and there were plenty of details that seemed all too convenient.

i liked the desire to include disability representation but it was more subtle than it should’ve been. if you skip a few sentences here and there, you wouldn’t see it.

the biggest surprise to me was that this is the first book in a series when i was reading it as a standalone. not the way i like to read books if you’ve talked to me about my reading philosophy, but a big THANK YOU to Del Rey and Netgalley for the eARC !!

overall, this story will feel familiar as you could guess where it’s going. but it was still a well-written entertaining read for me.

sooooo when’s book two coming out again?

I will post my review closer to publication date!!!! but just know I loved it and will be obsessing over these characters and anxiously awaiting the next book!

I truly wanted to love this book as it had representation for chronic illnesses, however, I found myself struggling to connect with the main character, Vaselie. Being chronically ill and disabled while being imprisoned and forced to dance should leave her with immense anger and frustration for her situation and not to mention the excruciating pain, she’d be in being forced to dance, but none of that came through to me, making her feel a bit flat. I liked some of the descriptions of certain decor and characters, but I felt like it was trying to be well written in a way that didn’t feel natural and despite the flourishing descriptions, I found myself struggling to imagine the scenes in my mind. The pacing of the first half made it very hard to get through, but I loved the premise. I won't be reviewing on a public platform as to not bring down the authors average and affect her debut release.

Thank you to Delrey and NetGalley for providing me an ARC .

Unfortunately, I dont think this is my genre, while I like the themes that were presented to explore, it felt empty in places. and while I wanted to like the attempted Romance, I wanted to stab whats his face.

It follows a dancer who is imprisoned for a crime she didnt commit, kept in abysmal conditions, till the kind and her former flame(?) brings her back and asks her to spy for him by posing as a dancer for a highly charged event, but first she has to deal with her body and herself because those two years in literal confinement have left her with permanent scars, medical issues and I think this book is trying to show this as a character with a disability, specifically a dancer with a disability.

I think my biggest beef is that I learned a lot through the story, like literally, there was so much information thrown at me which I dont mind, but most of it didn't really matter at the end, i.e. there were the threads of parts of the plot that might have been cut out due to edits? I liked the way this was structured, but do you know the feeling when you're watching a period piece and an actor looks like they know what an iphone is, thats the way I felt about Vasalie.

Also, thats a lot of flour, there should be a flour counter at the end of the book or something

I honestly struggle to find the right words for this book. It tore me apart and put me back together so many times. It is just one of those books that you HAVE to read.

The characters, story and emotions are so real, honest and raw. Your emotions are at all times engaged as you devour the pages.

The story was also new and fresh, with quite a cliffhanger.

I am honestly at the edge of my seat for the next installment.

I recommend this book if you love:
🌿Court intrigue
🌿Morally grey characters
🌿Slow burn
🌿Hidden identities

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this arc

📚 ARC Review: A Dance of Lies
✍️ Author: Brittney Arena
📅 Release Date: June 10th, 2025
🏷️ Genre: Romantasy
🌶️ Spice Rating: 🌶️- Warm
⭐️ Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Book Overview
Framed for murder and left to rot in the dungeons, former court dancer Vasalie Moran is offered freedom—if she spies for the king who betrayed her. But as his bloody orders grow darker, she turns to his rival brother for help. With war looming and dangerous secrets surfacing, Vasalie must decide who to trust—and how far she's willing to go to reclaim her power.

✨ Initial Thoughts
I was drawn to this book because the cover is so beautiful, but what sold me was the blurb and I went in feeling hyped. From the first chapter, I fell in love with Vasalie and her struggles and triumphs. It gave off Summer Court atmosphere mixed with The Cruel Prince energy, and I knew I was in for something fun.

💘 What I Loved
This book absolutely delivered on who even is the ship. I was left waiting and questioning at every interaction Vasalie seeing who she would end up with if anyone.
I especially loved all of the dance scenes that happen. They were so vivid that I felt like I was there watching her dance and could picture the looks and feelings the characters where feeling.
The world building was unforgettable and had so much depth. I found myself saving quotes like my life depended on it.
Did I also mention HOW MUCH I LOVE how Vasalie started to find people that she could trust and how that changed her and helped her grow as a character.

😬 What Didn’t Work for Me (Optional)
While I really enjoyed the book overall, I felt like even though I instantly connected with Vasalie, the story took some time to really start picking up. It didn’t take away from the overall experience, but it’s something I noticed while reading.

🖤 Final Thoughts
If you love character and plot driven books with terribly behaved royals that give off tension for days, I think you’ll absolutely devour this one.
And that ending….. let me tell you how I went through so many emotions and I’m already begging for book two.(How am I suppose to wait for book two when book one isn’t out!!)
Definitely one to watch — and I’ll be following this author closely!

📢 Thank you to DEL REY and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC for my honest thoughts.

Between 3 and 4 stars. I loved the ending of this book, with the action and revelations and life-or-death choices that had to be made, but it took a while to get to the exciting part.

Vasalie is a dancer, formerly the Jewel of King Illian’s court until he suddenly frames her for murder and locks her up for two years. He releases her and offers her freedom if she agrees to attend the Gathering, where royalty from different kingdoms will gather, as a dancer while in secret she will spy for him. Vasalie agrees, but she’s thrust into a world of political intrigue where no one’s motives are clear, and she finds herself drawn to men she’s not sure she can trust.

There is chronic pain representation here, mentioned in the author’s note at the beginning, and expressed through Vasalie, who loses a lot of mobility and muscle after her imprisonment and has to adjust her performances now that she can’t do as much as before. I thought that brought something fresh and an interesting perspective, and I don’t have experience with this so maybe this isn’t my place to say, but sometimes it felt like walking brought her pain but then complicated dance routines didn’t mention anything, so it felt a bit inconsistent.

The writing I feel like veered into purple prose area, where it felt like there were a lot of extraneous detail that didn’t really matter or add anything. Vasalie’s monologuing ended up a bit monotonous at the beginning and middle, where she kept talking about her stepmother (I swear the way it was written it sounded like she had a crush on her) and being the Jewel and why she’s doing all these bad things, so the writing could be edited more. The relationships were nice by the end with found family feels, but at the beginning it did feel like they all instantly liked Vasalie without any effort on her part or any discernible reason. That could have been built up better, as it ended up feeling a bit hollow.

There’s a love triangle going on, and it actually isn’t clear until about halfway who the end game is. I wasn’t particularly invested in it, because again it felt like the chemistry just appeared out of nowhere, and tbh it felt like everyone just instantly liked Vasalie. I feel like this would’ve gone over better if Vasalie was accustomed to it or she’s aware this happens, but that didn’t happen, so it felt convenient and indulgent. I did like the ending, once we hit the climax, and Vasalie’s arc was pretty satisfying. That part was exciting. The revelations were pretty well done, though not everyone’s motives actually made sense, like I could find a lot of holes.

Overall, this wasn’t bad! If you like fantasy romance and pretty palaces with some political intrigue and darkness, then I think you’ll enjoy this. But do note, this book does appear to be leading to a sequel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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

The most demanding thought I have upon finishing this: how is this a debut novel?! This is a *masterpiece*.

Second to this: how will I wait for book two?!

Firstly, the world building was parallel to some of the biggest romantasy books ever to exist. As book one, world building is to be expected, but the scale of it in A Dance of Lies is immense. There is a full kingdom, and we see its leaders, its history, its traditions in every twist and turn. The links to the gods, the fates, were incredibly well written.

Secondly, the pacing of the plot was perfectly crafted. There were clear rises and falls of tension and, in my opinion, the plot was rarely predictable. There were moments whilst reading this book that I was genuinely shocked by twists and turns in the plot. I was never once bored whilst reading, and honestly spent a lot of time when I wasn’t reading thinking about the plot or the characters!

Thirdly, I usually hate a love triangle trope- it’s rare these are done well. In this book, the relationships between characters were woven so successfully, I devoured every single trope.

“So I make myself another promise: I will find a way to live with it.”

Finally, as a chronic illness girlie, it was so incredibly refreshing to see a main character that I could truly relate to. Vasalie growing to understand and even accept herself, despite her limitations, was moving and inspirational. I felt so seen reading her story. Thank you, Brittney.

Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, a dancer who escaped one nightmare only to be trapped in another, serving as King Ilian’s prized Jewel. If you’re into morally grey rulers, obsessive relationships, and court intrigue with a side of trauma bonding—this book delivers.
First off, major props for the chronic pain representation. Vasalie’s physical struggles were written with care and realism, and it was refreshing to see a protagonist dealing with chronic illness in a fantasy setting—it added depth to her character and grounded some of her more difficult choices.
That being said… the writing didn’t completely win me over. The beginning was slow, and it took me a while to feel invested. Once the plot kicked into gear, there were definitely twists that had me flipping pages, but the pacing was uneven.
The Royal Gathering had so much potential—an arena for political tension, high-stakes diplomacy, backroom deals. But most of the time, the royals were… just partying. Every. Single. Night.
That said, the second half really picks up with plot twists and some great character dynamics. I was shocked by how certain relationships unfolded (no spoilers, but wow). I love Anton, who was flirty and clever, and Copelan, her dance partner, a lot!
So while I had issues with the pacing, character depth, and world logic, I still found myself invested. There’s something undeniably compelling about this story, even when it stumbles.

A Dance of Lies has a lot going for it: a compelling setup, high-stakes court intrigue, and a heroine thrown into impossible circumstances. Vasalie’s story of survival—framed for murder, imprisoned, and then sent to spy for the very king who destroyed her life—had so much potential to explore themes of resilience, trust, and the cost of loyalty. The writing is engaging and the pacing kept me turning pages.

That said, as a disabled reader, I found it hard to stay fully immersed in Vasalie’s journey. After two years in the dungeons, she steps back into a physically demanding, high-pressure role with barely a stumble beyond the first few chapters. I kept waiting for the story to fully acknowledge her physical limitations or show her struggle, but it never really came. Her ability to perform so flawlessly felt more like a "bounce-back" injury arc than a narrative rooted in the ongoing reality of chronic illness or disability. I think the emotional impact would’ve been even stronger if we’d seen her fail more than occasionally—not out of weakness, but because it’s human. That vulnerability would’ve made her easier to root for.

I still think readers looking for a fast-paced fantasy with romantic tension and political drama will enjoy this, but I hoped for a more grounded exploration of disability that didn't fully deliver.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Delrey for providing me an ARC on NetGalley. I am a HUGE fan of the works they publish so I was very excited to get to read this early!

A Dance of Lies was one of those reads that took me by surprise! A high fantasy story about a woman who has been imprisoned by her King, a man she thought she could trust until he betrayed her. At the start of the story, Vas is brought out of her dungeon and given an opportunity to earn her freedom and a chance to dance again at the same time.

The dancing has to be mentioned because this author does a beautiful job of depicting that kind of movement on the page. I felt like the writing flowed really well throughout the story and the pacing is pretty good for a debut. The author to me does a good job of world building and there’s no info dumping which I feel like sometimes is hard to avoid in high fantasy so I love that! I will say it was the writing that kept me going at first, the characters took me a little to get into.

Those characters did find their way into my heart and there were plenty of moments where I found myself melting for the character of Anton. This does have romance but if you’re looking for a Romantasy I would not necessarily place A Dance of Lies in that category. There’s witty banter, tense moments and kissing but this story focuses more on the politics of the court, prophecies, and high stakes quests.

That ending. Well, then. At the end of everything I read I always ask myself, do I trust this author? Meaning, trust them to tell me a story, to take me on a journey that’s worth the time. Yes, Brittney Arena you have earned my trust and have my attention!!

*A Dance of Lies* is a mesmerizing debut that weaves together espionage, romance, and treacherous alliances. Vasalie Moran, a former dancer framed for murder, is thrust into a dangerous game of deception as she navigates the royal Gathering, torn between loyalty and survival.

The novel’s rich world-building and morally complex characters make for an immersive read. With high stakes and unexpected twists, *A Dance of Lies* is a gripping fantasy that will keep readers enthralled. A solid 4-star experience for fans of court intrigue and slow-burning romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️| “𝑊𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠, 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑤. 𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.”

From the very first page, I knew. I felt it. A Dance of Lies didn’t just keep me hooked, it possessed me. Like I was working, living, breathing—but all I could think about was this book. I needed to know everything. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵.

“𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒕”

Sometimes I wanted to shake Vasalie and scream, “girl, OPEN YOUR EYES”—but I never stopped rooting for her. Her journey felt real, raw, and honestly? I wanted to wrap her in a hug and whisper that she’s enough.

“𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ,” ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠. “𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑐𝑒𝑎𝑛’𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ.”

Anton had me straight up melting. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧?? 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮?? 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩?? He didn’t just love Vasalie — he saw her. He made her feel safe and powerful and wanted. And that made ME fall for him harder than I expected. I was giggling, kicking my feet, blushing like an idiot—his scenes were criminally good. Arrest me.

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮—𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬.”

And that plot twist?? THAT DAMN PLOT TWIST. My jaw was on the floor. I screamed. Out loud. No joke. That’s how insane it was.

“𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝—” 𝙷𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜. “𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍. 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗.”

The tension between Copelan and Vasalie during those dance scenes??? I swear I was holding my breath like it was me on that ballroom floor.

“𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐯𝐚. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

I Really enjoyed A Dance of Lies! If you’re into fantasy with strong female leads, court politics, and a touch of slow-burn romance, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Vasalie is such a compelling main character — she’s fierce, flawed, and her journey is both emotional and empowering. I also really appreciated how her chronic pain and disability were portrayed with honesty and depth. It’s not something you see often in fantasy, and it made her feel even more real.

The story starts a bit slow, but once it finds its rhythm, it’s hard to put down. The tension between Vasalie and Anton (the king she definitely does not trust) keeps things interesting, and there are plenty of twists to keep you guessing. There are a few overly flowery parts in the writing, but nothing that takes away from the overall impact.

It’s a strong debut with a fresh voice, and I’d totally recommend it to anyone looking for a fantasy that’s character-driven, layered, and just a little different in the best way.

an interesting and slightly unique fantasy debut with a disabled protagonist and a romance that’ll keep you guessing until it all snaps into place. it was super fun reading about a dancer who was also disabled, i felt very connected to our fmc through her journey. definitely an original romantasy in that sense which helped keep its more tropey elements fresh.

5⭐

Thank you to Britney Arena, Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book totally blew me away - I don't even know where to start! This was an absolutely fantastic debut and a fantasy romance with the perfect combination of plot, political machinations, romance, and characters.

The world-building and lore was every well developed and very intricate. The political tension and standing in the book was very well shown and described.

I love that the author uses her own personal experience with chronic illness and pain to write the beautiful and realistic character that is Vasalie! Throughout Vasalie’s story, there is grief, anger, sadness, and acceptance of her illness — and not in a linear order! She is constantly battling with her own body throughout the story and learns how to accommodate this new pain through creativity in her dance.

The story’s supporting characters were teasing and tantalising and as much as I’ve enjoyed romantasy and its tropes enormously, I still loved being surprised at the way this story played out.

The ending had me screaming, crying, gasping and crying again. I could go on and on about how much I loved this!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for this ARC. Arena created tension, pushed her characters through their limits, and left readers with an ending where you’re asking for more! I found myself talking to the characters who rarely did what I told them to do which is fun for me since many times I can guess their next moves and the book becomes predictable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dance of Lies ~ ARC Review

I am SO glad I requested this book!!! 😍

I went into this with little to no expectations, and did not expect it to become one of my favourite reads of this month!
I didn't really know much about it, except that the cover was stunning and I found the premise of the book interesting...but this book was amazing!!!

I will say it took me a little while to get into, because there was a lot of world building and character development that needed to happen, however by about 40-50% of the way through it had me HOOKED!

The way that Brittany Arena describes the world in such vivid detail, particularly the Eastern Miridran's architecture and glass work, was stunning!
I loved the FMC, she was very relatable and I felt both empathy and anger for what she had experienced - she showed such strength of character and was able to overcome so much.
(Knowing that the author was also writing from lived experience with chronic illness made me love her characters even more!)

We sort of have two MMC's in this book, and I loved the development and growth of both characters (as much as they both frustrated me at times). Anton was giving me Rhysand energy and I ATE THAT UP! 😍

Some of the plot twists had my jaw literally on the floor and the political intrigue/power plays were very interesting to see unfold as the narrative progressed.

There were times where I felt the narrative or dialogue was a bit repetitive, or decisions characters made didn't quite feel justified or properly fleshed out, HOWEVER for a debut novel this was incredible!!

I can't wait to read the next book (because that ending actually killed me) 😭😱

Thank you Brittany Arena for sharing your wonderful book with the world!! xx

pretty cool romantasy in general. the general romance was pretty good but some parts felt underbaked, as though it could have used an extra draft. 3.5 stars, roundedup. tysm for the arc.

I can definitely see this blowing up come June! I thought this was a great debut and I know a lot of people will love this. I loved the tension between the characters, and I thought the world was really cool as well. I would say this book was more of a "set-up", laying the groundwork for the future, I was still interested and hooked throughout the whole thing.