If you love fantasy stories with plenty of politics, scheming, multiple potential bad guys and more than one love interest, this book was written for you.

Set in a magic-free universe, this book has excellent world building and character development, delivering political intrigue and so many twists you don't know who to trust and what to believe.

Vasalie's journey is heartbreaking but also empowering and I think she might be one of my favourite FMCs in a long while.

I couldn't put it down and I've been left with absolutely no idea where the next book will go but I need to find out as soon as possible.

This might be a book that gets bumped up to 5 stars the longer I sit with it.

Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing Dance of Lies around 50%.

I was completely sold on the premise and was hooked at the start of the book! A dancer framed for murder by her own King has to become his spy at the royal Gathering – sounded like a top tier book for me, but it did not deliver.

One of my main issues comes down to the characters, especially the male characters. At this point in the story, I’m not completely sure who the love interest is meant to be, I think I have a good idea of who it will be, but either way none of the options have been endeared to me in anyway. I’m not rooting for any romance. It also feels like maybe the author is trying to set-up an almost love triangle without setting up a love triangle.

I also became frustrated with Vasalie at various points. I become annoyed over the repetitive mention of her guilt, and the constant mention of secrets, especially her internal thoughts when in conversation with certain characters. And, I found that characters trusted Vasalie way too easily, like sharing secrets that hardly anyone knows kind of level in a very short time.

Honestly, I’m not sure I care for any of the characters and when I feel that way I struggle to connect with a book.

Another issue I faced was the plot. When I was considering DNFing it felt like a bit of a slump, the classic not much is happening in the middle of the book. When I actually DNF’d I had just read the scene in the kitchen (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve read it), but it wasn’t enough to draw me back in. I guess I was expecting the plot to move a long a bit more than it actually was. I’m a big fan of court politics and intrigue, but it was taking too long to get to the interesting parts and potentially big reveals.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, and was excited at the start, so it’s a shame it ended up not being a book for me. When there are so many other books I’m wating to read, I can’t continue with a book I’m not enjoying hoping it will get better.

When Vasalie Moran, once a celebrated dancer in the King’s Court, finds herself unexpectedly dragged from the prison cell where she has languished for two years, she knows that freedom never comes without a cost. The very man who betrayed her, King Illian, offers her release on one condition: she must serve as a spy for the royal court.
With no alternative but to accept, Vasalie is thrust into a month-long royal gathering, where she must carry out the King’s covert and increasingly dangerous orders. As she navigates the court’s treacherous politics, she turns to King Anton, Illian’s estranged brother and sworn rival, in hopes of forging an alliance. But the deeper she becomes entangled in their conflict, the more uncertain her loyalties grow. To survive, Vasalie must decide who she can truly trust, and how much she’s willing to risk to reclaim her freedom…

Dance of Lies is the brilliant first instalment of a romantic fantasy duology filled with tension, court intrigue, glittering palaces and cunning schemes. Firstly, I have so much appreciation for how the author portrays chronic illness. Vasalie was such a refreshing FMC. Her determination felt real, and I loved that she wasn’t the typical strongest, most powerful, or prettiest character we usually see in romantic fantasies.

The aesthetics and world-building in Dance of Lies are also so gorgeous. The beauty of the sea glass town of Philam and palace on the Isle of Anell is depicted so vividly, it’s captivating, and pulls you right in.

At the start, my thoughts on it were more mixed - I almost did a complete 180 the more I read! The beginning felt a bit repetitive in places, and the pacing was slower. But as the story progressed I started enjoying it a lot more. After the first 20%, more characters are introduced, and the plot really starts to pick up with more depth and intensity. There's political drama, yearning, and plenty of unexpected twists that kept me hooked all the way to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC, I’m looking forward to the second book and the conclusion to Vasalie’s story!

Thank you to the author and publishers for the ARC via NetGalley. This did not influence my review and all opinions are my own!

Let me start this review off by saying that any ratings less than 5 stars for this are *criminal*. If I could give this 250 stars out of 5, I gladly would. This book is going to consume my thoughts until the sequel comes out. I literally told my partner ‘this is going to be a good book’ after I was about 15% of the way in!

Let’s discuss the main point of the book: the disability/chronic illness representation. I cannot put into words how thankful I am for this representation, particularly with the being popular prior to its release. Becoming chronically ill at 26 was not something I expected to happen to me, but this can cause so many feelings varying from loneliness, to guilt. This book made me feel so much less alone. Having a strong FMC who is able to battle through her chronic pain and fatigue is incredible, and whilst I’ve seen other reviews say it’s ‘unrealistic’ that the MC has these issues and is still able to dance, I feel the point that the author has tried to convey has been missed. Disabilities do not define us, and although they can be life-limiting and incredibly restrictive, we are still able to do some things. Vasalie is a really good example of someone who is able to do these things, but essentially ‘pays for it’ later. Although she may be able to complete the dances, her pain and fatigue are worse for days afterwards, which is a very real thing with chronic illness. It also demonstrates how those who are in chronic pain will often ‘mask’ the pain or ‘adapt’ to it. We don’t have the luxury of just ‘not doing things’, because it’s not realistic, and I think this book is a perfect example of how we may ration our energy when needed. The author’s lived experience is very clear within the writing, and to those of us who are chronically ill, it all makes sense. Having this representation is just so incredibly uplifting and inspiring.

The characters are just beautiful. I would give my entire heart and soul for Anton to live a happy healthy life. And Vasalie is such a strong character, to have lived through so much and still be capable of love and affection is a true testament to who she is. I found it really easy to relate to her and I would defend her to the death.

The plot is something that I found really intricate and interesting. There were a lot of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and I was surprised at each one! Although the ending tore my heart out repeatedly; the last 10-15% had me in absolute ruins, and I will be needing therapy for sure! The anger and upset I felt at various different points was really a good testament to the excellent writing as the author had a really good way of dragging me in and holding me completely.
I also found the pacing to be great - it was consistent throughout, and there were no ‘down’ periods. It was really easy to read and devour and I’m sad I’ve finished it now.

I cannot thank the author for the most genuine and realistic representation of a person who can have so many different struggles, but is deserving the title of a ‘main character’. This is one of the easiest 5/5 star ratings I’ve given.

Rating: 5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

“My protector is gone, revealed to be a monster. But I remind myself that I am not a damsel. I’m no princess bound within a tower.”

A Dance of Lies is Brittney Arena's debut novel and what a debut it is. This book is the first part of what will be a duology.

A book that appealed to me mainly for several reasons. I love political games and interweaving lies and truths through a book. In addition, the book promised a story full of betrayal, choices, dancers, music, intrigue and a protagonist finding her way in this world.

Yet that was not the biggest reason why I just wanted to read this book, no it also proves that you can learn to deal with pain. It is a way for the author to deal with her own pain and sympathise with a dancer colliding with the new limits of her own body. It is a heartwarming story for someone who knows what this is like. How it feels to no longer be able to do what you used to be able to do and have to learn to deal with the pain. Because it is there, despite everything you do.

Although the beginning of this book was rather slow going and it took me a while to really get into the story, this soon got a lot better when the political game really got going. It is a true romance and even though I am not a fan of romance, it also kept me gripped. For me personally, there were just a bit too many possible romantic interests (can a girl really be that pretty?) but then again, I know the yearning pleases other readers. There is no smut but there is steamy!

Lies, truths, revelations and so much more. If that's what you love then this book is totally for you.

An easy and fun read but lacking in substance in both plot and character personality with little in the ways of plot twists.

Rating: 5 Stars 👑

A stunningly IMPRESSIVE debut. Filled with a string and resilient protagonist, Vasalie who’s been through so much and lives with an invisible chronic disability, A DANCE OF LIES 💃🏻🩰 is written by an equally talented author who also lives with chronic illness. 🙏

The world building is phenomenal, so is the court intrigue and political themes of the novel. Prose wise, it is delectable with not one, but two love interests. The dance scenes, and political scenes with the three kings and other royals in this universe completely swept me in.

The characters are intriguing, and filled with their own agendas. The love interests, especially Anton was my favorite. Vasalie, and her experiences during the time of The Gathering will stay with me for a long time. After that explosive ending, I can’t wait for the sequel.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.

Firstly a huge thank you to Brittney Arena, Bloomsbury Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with the opportunity to read this eARC of A Dance of Lies.

A Dance of Lies took me a few chapters to embed myself within the story, but then I was hooked. Brittney’s writing and prose is absolutely beautiful, it’s descriptive and poetic and created such a vivid world and I like to think was a nod to Vasalie’s artistic flair.

Vasalie is a fantastic lead, she’s strong and resilient but also fragile and broken. Her inner monologue was heartbreaking at times as you mourn with her for the loss of her strong dancer’s body that took years of practice for her to hone. Yet she finds a way to cope with the hand she’s been dealt, to create beauty in different ways. You can tell how much heart and pain has gone into her character and I wasn’t surprised to read that Vas was influenced by Brittney’s own experiences. It was beautifully done.

I loved the political intrigue and elements of the story as Vasalie wrestles with what is being asked of her, yet still tries to find ways to put the pieces together and to defy Illian where she can.

The last 15-20% of the book is just unbelievable! So many twists and turns, a lot of which I hadn’t anticipated and it just blew me away! I was absolutely flying through the pages as I tried to absorb it all! The characters were fantastic, the plot was brilliant and the writing was beautiful. I’m eager to see where the story goes next and to follow Vas on her journey!

4.5✨️

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley & Bloomsbury Publishing for allowing me to read this advanced copy e-book in exchange for honest feedback.

❤️ “You’re too much trouble and yet . . . you, Vasalie, are my shackles. I can’t seem to set myself free.” One of my favourite quotes from the uncorrected e-proof ❤️

What a debut novel! 👏🏻❤️ Brittney's writing & world building in this book was absolutely beautiful. It felt poetic & completely from the heart, capturing my attention from the first page!

Vasalie is strong-willed & determined despite her chronic illness / disability, battling through the pain & showing up, which shows how much of a badass she can be. It was beautifully written.

There's no spice in this book, but the lust & yearning are very suspenseful 🤭 It was actually refreshing to read a non-smutty book for a change that focused more on the characters & the storyline.

The suspense builds throughout the story & you just ✨️know✨️ it's building towards the grand crescendo 👀

There was a wee dip in pace for me just over halfway through & I found it took a wee while for it to pick back up, but when it did, IT. DID! THAT CLIFFHANGER?! 😳 I can't wait to see what happens in book 2!

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for approving me to read this early, I’m rating it 4.75 - 5.0 stars.

Wow, just wow!

I couldn’t put this down, I had to follow the deception to see where it might lead and it didn’t disappoint. Our poor FMC honestly deserved so much more, she is the heart and soul of the story and my heart breaks for the way she struggles on at every horrid turn. There is a lot happening throughout and the many characters all have roles to play that feed into a web of lies building into the scheme of the century. The way everything comes together with surprising connections and cruel acts, it really feels inevitable that things would play out this way.

I am eager to read book 2, that ending was wild!

I loved this book! It was a brilliant way to represent disability without falling into harmful stereotypes. It also felt light on the fantasy elements until the end, which really let you get to know the characters without needing a lot of exposition about how the world works. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!

Noooooo what a cliffhanger!! I need the next book now!

Vasalie is the perfect FMC. I won't mention who her lobster is as I was kept guessing. But when she realises who she loves, it makes sense because she was ready emotionally.

She starts off weak, physically and emotionally, due to the psychological and physical trauma from her cell conditions. But, she is strong emotionally by the end and ready to stand up for herself.

I love how she wasn't better overnight but she had long term health complications from her trauma. It was more realistic and it is important having a FMC in a book that people with long term health conditions can relate to. I hope we continue to see a range of people in popular books.

Illian is the perfect villain. I hated him to the point of shouting at my book!

This is an amazing first book by the author and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the arc copy of this book. i participated in the Bloomsbury Big Night In.

Dance of Lies is a debut novel with a chronically ill FMC. I found some parts of this book a little draggy, but when the action hit the action hit! There were twists and turns aplenty and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I may even have gasped out loud as one of them.
if you are looking for a high stakes fantasy adventure with political intrigue, a love triangle of sorts, duplicity and secrets , then this is the book for you.
It also has the most beautiful cover! And I would probably had bought it for that alone... Bonus that the insides match its outsides.

I found this book when I was looking for new releases for 2025 that I would maybe want to make a book cover for and the title immediately pulled me in. I then read the blurb and was so intrigued I had to ask for the ARC. I am so grateful that I was given this as I ended up loving it.

I LOVE the main character, her struggles and what she had to overcome and how she sees herself is such a relatable and powerful thing to read about. A dance of lies really if the perfect title of this book as it focuses a lot on royal intrigue which is filled with deception and lies and you get to come along as it Vasalie slowly unravels it while doing what she does best, enchant people with her dancing.

The romance is a slowburn and I would also say it wasn't as obvious to me who she was going to be interested in right away which I found very refreshing. I have tendency to know exactly who the love interest is going to be as soon as they are introduced but I could only make guesses for the most part of this book. I have t give them big props there as they did not go down the obvious route!

The writing was easy to follow and easy to get lost in so I am sure that most people who pick this book up with devour it. I have a reading disability but luckily NetGalley has a read aloud function so I could enjoy this book.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to others and I have already started on my cover design as I was very inspired after I finished reading.

The most beautiful debut ever! I loved everything about it. The setting, the relatable heroine and the unique plot . Probably a top favorite for 2025.

A story of hope after heartbreak, rife with secrets and betrayals and at the heart of it all is dancing. Beautifully written and filled with intrigue with an unwaveringly dedicated protagonist who is both vulnerable and resilient. A perfectly captivating fantasy that will sweep you away between the pages.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚

Oh my word, does Ms Arena weave some magic here. I didn't want it to end. I don't. I desperately want to read the next installment - please, say there's a next installment! - so I know what happens next!

An unusual heroine, a young girl who has been broken physically and mentally, forced to return to what she knew but be different and find it out of reach to an extent. It speaks to those who have experienced similar, and it is clear Ms Arena has, as the essence of pain that is Vasalie throughout the book is so very authentic, and it is carried through so consistently; it can only be her lived experience we are reading about. Beautifully done.

The characters are brilliantly wrought, believable, human, and consistent. They live away from the page, and in Anton I think we've found a new hero. He's maybe too good to be true, but what a wonderful man.

There is one thing that spoiled it for me, that stood out for me - the element of dance in this. It's in the title, it is what Vasalie lives for, but the prose lacks the essence of dance, It is very clear Ms Arena doesn't know much about dance forms, frequently muddles dance and gymnastics - they are not the same - and the descriptions of the dances, the two that are in the narrative, are not good. I am a former dancer, so I was expecting the dance to be more vivid not just reduced to rhythmic gymnastics and the occasional jump and pirouette. I can't see Copelan as a dancer because he's never described as one. He doesn't move like a dancer, he's isn't built like a dancer, he doesn't think like a dancer. You can tell dancers by looking at them, how they move, how they hold their head, but that's entirely lacking. The vivid costumes, you can't do a great deal of dancing in them, other than ballroom, and that's not what we're told Vasalie does. That part - a large part - of the book hasn't been clearly thought out and it is a pity.

However, that aside, the plot is great, the characters are great, I didn't want to stop reading, I didn't want it to end. Roll on the sequel.

Superb.

I love it when a book comes around, that completely surprises you.

The blub sounded interesting, but it didn't overexcite me. So imagine my surprise when I couldn't put it down.

- A FMC who's limited by her physical strength
- Court politics
- Intrigue and secrets
- Fun side characters

Errr. I need book 2.

A Dance of Lies completely swept me off my feet. Brittany Arena has crafted a story dripping with tension, danger, and deliciously dark romance. From the first chapter, I was hooked—pulled into a world where nothing is as it seems, and everyone wears a mask. The writing is gorgeous, the description of the dancing was beautiful. I swear I could see every step of their dances soo vividly in my mind. Simply stunning!

The heroine is fierce and layered, navigating court politics, deadly secrets, and her own haunting past. The representation of her disability was done so well, i loved this, and it made her all the more endearing. And don’t get me started on the love interest—a morally grey, brooding nightmare (dream) of a man whose every line had me grinning like a cat. The chemistry? Palpable The betrayals? Knife to the heart in the best way.

This book had everything I love: slow burn, forced proximity, knife-to-throat intimacy, and a plot full of twists I didn’t see coming. The final chapters left me breathless—and desperate for the next book.

If you love cunning heroines, morally complex men, and stories that balance romance and rebellion perfectly, A Dance of Lies needs to be at the top of your TBR.

A Dance of Lies is an extraordinary debut novel that puts us in the ballet shoes of an unlikely protagonist: the once-graceful dancer now turned spy/assassin Vasalie, marked by years in prison and in a constant state of physical weakness.
Based in a low-fantasy world and peppered with a smattering of romance, A Dance of Lies tells an engaging, well-plotted and lovely written story. Thanks to the first-person view, we really are Vasalie and feel her pain, heartbreak and excitement in every moment.
Author Brittney Arena has a great eye for detail and gives her characters so much life with so few lines. The dialogue is sharp and oftentimes humorous, but despite all the great beauty of splendid gowns and breathtaking architecture on show here, the atmosphere gets surprisingly dark at times.
Topics like physical and mental abuse are delicately handled, while the tension never really lets up and makes us turn page after page, eager to see what twists wait beyond. It all ends with a finale that feels appropriately gut-wrenching and sets the scene for the sequel that can’t come too soon.