Review of “A Dance of Lies” with thanks to Bloomsbury ANZ, Brittney Arena, and NetGalley for gifting me the ARC for review.

🩰Summary:
Framed for murder, court dancer, Vasalie Moran secures her freedom by agreeing to spy for the very King who imprisoned her. As she navigates her new world of betrayal, bloodshed and unlikely alliances, Vasalie finds herself forced to choose between survival, loyalty and her own humanity.

📖What to Expect:
• An absolutely gorgeous cover
• Court intrigue
• Disability rep
• Low spice / high tension
• Rivalry between brothers

✏️My Thoughts:
Buckle up, friends and don’t let first impressions deceive you! In Brittney Arena’s debut Romantasy you’ll be gently lured into Vasalie’s world before being hurtled head-first into a faced paced second act full of bloodshed, deceit and yearning. It’s a wild ride with great disability rep, and a dedication that brought tears to my eyes. Out on June 3rd 2025, I highly recommend “A Dance of Lies", particularly to fans of Bridge Kingdom and Throne of Glass.

Firstly, thank you so much for providing this advanced readers copy! It is truly appreciated ☺️

Brittney Arena’s debut fantasy novel is so beautifully written, it captivated me from the very beginning and you felt truly immersed within this world. From start to finish, I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to see what would arise throughout every chapter.

“Your story is not a kind one. But though you’ve suffered your own fire, child, you won’t always smell of smoke. And yes, it may have burned you, but scars are powerful things, because they show your resilience. So rise from your ashes, my dear. Do not crumble alongside them.”

This follows dancer-turned spy, Vasalie Moran, who fled from her abusive father and joins King Illian’s Court who protects her and dubs her as his “Jewel”. That is until he frames and imprisons her for murder. He then makes a deal with her to spy on various individuals during the Royal Gathering, in return for her freedom.

Vasalie’s character development was incredible. During the story, she goes from a traumatised and broken person, but then flourishes into a strong, accomplished woman. Her story is one that people can resonate with on many levels. You go through rough patches and make wrong choices, but it’s what you do in the end that matters.

King Anton is my FAVOURITE! His character arc was elite and was so intriguing! I seriously can’t wait to read more of him in book 2!

That ending was not only cruel, but I secretly loved it 🤣

This was a 4.25 stars for me.