disclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

content warnings: blood, gore, body mutilation, self harm, violence, murder, SA mentions.

rep: m/m/f polyam romance, Filipino m/c (in a fantasy setting), pan m/c's, trans masc LI

plot? what plot?

Mistress of Lies had a really interesting premise and I feel like the world and the politics had so much potential. Yet, unfortunately, the execution was poor and the politics shallow. The magic system was probably one of the only things that was sort of expanded upon. At the center of this novel though was the romance - it was a romantasy through and through with the 'plot' & politics took a massive back seat. While I enjoyed the romance and there was some good tension, at times, there was so little development of this that it felt insta-lovey which i'm not a fan of. Mistress of Lies is a victim of telling rather than showing. We were told over and over that Shan was this incredibly intelligent woman who was consistently underestimated and she was someone who had a hard time trusting people - yet what we saw on page was actually the complete opposite. It's a novel that relied on aesthetics rather than substance. Anyway, if you are a fan of romantasy with a fast-paced and engaging relationship, then perhaps give this a go. If you're looking for a political fantasy, then steer clear.

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright is a gripping fantasy novel that blends blood magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance into a thrilling narrative. The story follows Shan LeClaire, a cunning and ambitious Blood Worker who takes drastic measures to protect her brother. This sets off a chain of events that entangles her with Samuel Hutchinson, a reluctant investigator drawn into a world of magic and danger.

The novel excels in its world-building, crafting a society divided between the powerful Blood Workers and the oppressed Unblooded. Multiple perspectives explore themes of legacy, rebellion, and destiny, making for a layered and thought-provoking read.

With its dark atmosphere, morally complex characters, and slow-burning tension, Mistress of Lies is a must-read for fans of fantasy with a touch of horror and romance. If you enjoy stories of power struggles, secret alliances, and characters forced to confront their nature, this book delivers.

Mistress of Lies was a debut dark fantasy that weaves together a murder mystery, Gothic vibes, and rich political intrigue. All of elements I absolutely loved in my reading. 

The story unfolds in a European-inspired kingdom ruled by a "vampire" King who demands regular blood tributes in exchange for protection. The realm is governed by nobles and "bloodworkers" who wield blood magic to enhance their special and physical abilities. Nobel and citizens who born without this gift, known as the "Unblood", serve the aristocracy. When a serial killer targeting the Unblood plagues the streets, the King assembles a special team to investigate. 

The storytelling is engaging—angsty, intense, and lush. However, the plot progression wasn’t as fast-paced as I’d hoped. Some sections get bogged down in overly detailed descriptions of minor intrigues, while crucial plot points and conflicts are sometimes rushed or glossed over. 

The female main character is a master of mind games and espionage. She is morally grey and standout with a layered personality—proud yet simmering with repressed fury. Alongside her, several supporting characters effectively represent trans, queer, and racial minorities who frequently face injustice. 

I’m still unsure whether her polyamorous relationship with Samuel and Isaac was entirely necessary, but their dynamic plays a key role in driving the plot forward. 
Overall, this debut novel offers unique elements and deserves a chance to shine. 

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit from Little Brown Book Group UK for providing copy of this ebook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it.
Release date : 15 August 2024

4.75/5 stars! This book had one of the strongest starts of a fantasy book I've read in years. I loved Shan and her feminine rage is phenomenally handled. My only complaint is that I wish there was a bit more world-building. But the magic and the characters blew me away.

I DNF’d this one early on as I couldn’t engage with the characters and love triangles just aren’t working for me.

I thought this was a really fantastic start to the series. I loved the fantasy setting, the unique take on vampires, the world-building was great. The poly romance elements were really fun and I found myself really excited to see where the story goes both in terms of fantasy plot and romance. I do think we could have spent a bit less time building up the intrigue elements in this first one - while it is important to keep things from feeling rushed, it was a bit slow to hit the main action. I will definitely be continuing the series though.

I knew I was going to enjoy this book but I was surprised by how much it drew me in. I couldn't put it down!

This was an incredible read! The world building was interesting and unique. The characters were so well written and relatable.

The LGBT representation was well done, as was the relationships between the characters.

Im so desperate for book two now!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with this arc

Shan, Isaac, Samuel: three flawed characters on the grey/dark grey moral spectrum who do not know a lot of limit when they want to achieve their goals.
A polyamorous story, an investigation, but also a game of power, lies and deception.
It starts strong, drags a bit at time, but it never failed to keep my attention. Loved these characters and hope to read more stories set in this world soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

"𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘪𝘧 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺."✨

The characters in Mistress of Lies are not perfect, they are not beautiful people, they are aware of it and they are not afraid to hide it.

Shan the protagonist is exactly the kind of person who knows what she wants and is not afraid to get her hands dirty to get it. She is intelligent and always has ready moves and countermoves that she adapts to every situation.

Isaac is Shan's ex and is a much more complex character than he seems: he is determined, knowledgeable and has no problem becoming the king's right-hand man to achieve his goals.

Samuel, on the other hand, is that character in the middle who manages to bring out the best of the characters present under the thousand masks worn by Isaac and Shan. Of the three, he is the most 'innocent' and straightforward, and it is these qualities of his that make the two characters definitely protect him from a false and brutal environment.

I loved the polyamorous relationship! Despite the fact that all three protagonists want to achieve the same goals in different ways and that trust is not always present between them, I cannot imagine them without each other! Despite their different ideas together Shan,Samuel and Isaac simply fit together perfectly: there is chemistry, there is tension, there are moments of sweetness and I still want more!

The world building was brilliant. The romance was sooo good and loved everything about it. I really liked how diverse the characters are. I really enjoyed this book ✨

*UNRATED DUE TO DNF*

DNF at 36%.

Now, I'm not usually someone who DNFs books, but I have been trying to read this one for a while as I got sent an arc copy back in June of last year. I tried to pick it up twice and have just had to admit that this book simply isn't for me.

I'm just not feeling particularly attached to the characters or the story, and I honestly don't really have much of a grasp on the magic system either. I think that this book will definitely find its audience, especially if you want a slower-paced, regency style gothic story, but I personally just couldn't get invested in this book.

Thank you again to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for sending me an arc copy in exchange for an honest review! (I'm sorry that it took me so long to review!!)

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright is a novel with intriguing twists and a complex world, but it didn’t fully convince me. While the premise is promising, with a protagonist fighting for the truth in a landscape of lies and betrayals, the pacing can feel slow at times, and some character choices didn’t completely engage me. That said, the author has certainly crafted an interesting world, and for those who enjoy stories of political intrigue and tension, it could still be an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC!

This book started off so strong for me - it throws you into the action, the magic system is so compelling and the politics sounds complicated enough to be satisfying rather than mind boggling, however by about 50% I found myself really pushing to keep going.

I didn't find the characters easy to invest in and I found their story quite lacking and found it difficult to really care. I did however, like the POV changes as it helped break up the narrative and the storyline a little bit.

Overall it was a good read, however it was very difficult to want to continue with - Sorry!

Unfortunately I didn't love this one. The characters felt flat and the romance took up way too much of the overall book. The plot was more telling than actually showing and just boring overall

GOD DAMN... This book may just be my newest obsession.

Mistress of Lies never stops from it’s first line and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. With its super high stakes political intrigue, highly messy and morally grey characters and dark world, I was gripped. If you’re looking for a group of characters that will do ANYTHING for the ones they love, look no further.

With murder, blood magic and an eternal king the stakes are high, the plots devious and the twists will have you holding your breath.

I started reading “Mistress of Lies” for the first time around October, but I ended up putting it aside because something didn’t feel quite right. At the beginning of January, I decided to give the book another chance, and now I understand what my initial issue was: the very first part of the story.

Specifically, I think the pacing was the real problem, especially when it came to developing the relationships between the three main characters, Shan, Samuel, and Isaac. I’m a big fan of slowburn, and I felt its absence here. Taking the slowburn approach, in my opinion, the characters could have had a more solid development.

That being said, I must give credit to the author for the spicy scenes in the story. I really enjoyed those.

If you were to take out the romance, the core plot is captivating. It’s about revolution, putting an end to a monarchy that’s become increasingly dictatorial, social injustices, and mysterious murders. All elements I usually love, and especially in the final part of “Mistress of Lies”, I truly appreciated them.

A special mention goes to Anton, Shan’s twin brother. Among the secondary characters, he was the best, and overall, he was my favorite. Since I plan to read the second book in the series, I hope to see more of him in the story and for him to play a significant role.

Final shoutout to the queer and poly representation. Midway through the story, I thought it was heading in one direction, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Once again, I’m looking forward to the publication of “Lord of Ruin” to learn more.

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC of this book!

I wanted to like this book, I really did. I gave it a chance, but sadly it didn‘t get me hooked. Something about the characters felt a little flat to me and the concept didn‘t draw me in.

Perhaps it just wasn‘t the right timing, I’ll probably give it a shot at a later time. It might just not be the book for me.

A villainous heroine finds herself plunged into a seductive world of power, politics and murder in the court of the vampire king in this bloodthirsty debut from an unmissable new voice in fantasy romance. Perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten and S.T. Gibson.
Mistress of Lies ticks all the boxes for what I enjoy in a great fantasy, and it's unsurprising that this was one of my top tier reads of 2024. A vilainous heroine gets entangled in a web of secrecy, lies and betrayal as she tries to navigate the court of the vampire king.
K.M. Enright delivers a bloodthirsty debut with a murder mystery at heart, set in a city where unrest is brewing. I loved our heroine's mettle as she tried to manoeuvre and claim her place in the upper society. The sibling relationship with her brother was well portrayed, and I enjoyed the system of blood magic and the horrors that were gradually revealed. Looking forward to finding out how this series continues, in particular the poly relationship, as this was left on an interesting cliffhanger.

Mistress of lies started as a captivating read, starting with murder, mystery, corruption and intrigue in a dark and sensual world.

The book features a strong cast of characters each with strong motives.

I found that the politics started strong but then felt quite stagnant throughout most the book as we instead spent quite a lot of time focusing on character interactions which begin to feel quite grating as the interactions felt overly sensual for no reason- not something that interests me. Almost reminding me of A Dowry Of Blood.

The magic was a cool system, the magic, politics and inequality creates a dark and captivating story for justice.

Towards the end I found I begin to tire of the book, I would still consider giving book 2 a try as the start was very promising for a great book overall.

The individual threads of this story ties into one beautiful woven tapestry of a captivatingly beautiful and deadly, romantic tale with a clever twist on blood magic!
A remarkable debut I immensely enjoyed and really looking forward to reading the sequel!