A Dance of Lies

⭐️ Rating: 3.75/5📚 Tropes: disability rep, betrayal & secrets, dancer turned spy, rival kings, court intrigue, low spice but heat & tension💌 Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!(I also have the Fairyloot version, which is absolutely stunning)I struggled to rate this one. There were a lot of things I loved, the banter, the world, the disability rep. But there were also things that made the experience less enjoyable for me: the pacing and the lyrical writing.Vasalie, as the main character, was interesting. Her resilience is admirable, and her having ups and downs make her more relatable. Especially how she uses dancing as her creative outlet and comes up with ideas was interesting to read.I mostly struggled with the pacing and writing. Multiple times the lyrical writing just confused me and took away from the overall flow of the book." A discordant melody winds around me, low and vibrating. Textured, like the brush of snakeskin. Like the hum of chapel bells during a storm, and there’s no set tune ."I'm still not sure what this actually means. :(The book hints at multiple love interests, but it wasn't as annoying as one might think.I usually hate love triangles, etc., but I didn't mind it here. I just wish we had gotten to know the final love interest more. There were a lot of teasers for a backstory, but we never really learned all of it-just bits and pieces, which made me care less about him.There wasn't any spice in the book but lots of tension and banter, which I really enjoyed." He kissed me like it was inevitable. I suppose we had been dancing around each other all this time, and yet we moved like it was a challenge. "Overall, I enjoyed the book and will definitely read the second book. I just hope we get less of the lyrical writing in that one.

What a fantastic debut!I really enjoyed this story. The fmc, a dancer who has spent the last two years imprisoned after being betrayed by her royal protector, showed such strength and resilience. I loved that she’s written as being someone who now suffers from a weakness equivalent to being a chronic illness sufferer. I love that she doesn’t instantly recover from her trauma, but has to deal with it in different ways throughout the story, and that it continues affecting her relationships with others. It was so much more realistic than it would have been to have her instantly trusting and falling in love.The characters were written really well, with their motivations and actions very nuanced and realistic encompassing good and bad aspects to both their personalities and behaviours.The political intrigue and manoeuvrings of the various courts were really interesting to follow, and I loved seeing how things all played out. And I’m really looking forward to continuing this series when the next instalment comes out.The writing was very smooth and the pacing of the book was excellent, and very impressive for a debut author!Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book.

This storyline really swept me away and was truly unlike anything I've read before. This has everything I could want from a romantasy, and I enjoyed every moment of it!I loved the FMC so much, she's depicted as such a complex heroine.. fierce, intelligent and emotionally resilient. She battles with some pretty deep physical struggles, flawed in a way that feels so raw, but it does NOT hold her back from surviving a world full of deception. She is not merely a damsel in distress waiting to be saved, she takes risks and owns her power- she is unapologetically strong.The plot is so addictive! Full of court politics, hidden agendas and tension. This is a high-stakes storyline full of shifting alliances, secret motivations and betrayal. The plot twists had me gasping on more than one occasion!The chemistry between the FMC and her love interest really elevated the story. The tension between the pair was charged, complex and beautifully messy. The slow-burn was perfection, it felt so natural and earned.If you're a fan of a strong female lead and morally grey politics where no one is truly what they seem then a dance of lies is a must read. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena 🩰This was a beautifully written enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance that had me utterly captivated.FMC Vasalie was once a dancer in King Illian's court, until she was wrongfully acused for murder and left to rot in a cell. Or that was the case until King Illian decided to blackmail her, and use her as a spy for his own twisted gain.After two years in a cell, Vasalie's body is weak and unable to perform the way it used to, and the way she would like. However, she has to dig deep to overcome the sickening pain, and her morals, in order to ensure her freedom.Her main aim is to get to King Anton, Illian's brother, but along the way Vasalie must decide who she can trust and what is truly worth fighting for...The world building in this book is fantastic, and the mixture of characters introduced throughout the story are both interesting and full of depth, leading to an entertaining and mesmerizing read ✨️I don't want to divulge any further or give any more away, suffice to say this is a truly unforgettable story, filled with secrets, passion, betrayal and how ultimately, power in the wrong hands can have catastrophic consequences.The book also ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so now I will be eagerly awaiting book two 😉

"scars are powerful things, because they show your resilience"I thoroughly enjoyed this debut romantic fantasy with it's beautiful map and cover. Immediately engaging and mature, I found it to be refreshingly realistic in Vasalie's physical condition and ensuing struggles after her confinement which really added depth to the narrative. I found myself rooting for Vasalie from the outset and really appreciated both her friendship with Laurent and her growing involvement with Anton and his court. The stakes were high and there were lots of twists and turns and intrigue - it felt like the story could have actually gone in several different directions which I really appreciated.Well written, it has solid worldbuilding with several different nations and their leaders involved. With themes of control, friendship, betrayal, freedom, resilience, power and, of course, lots of dancing, there is plenty to keep your attention in this well-crafted story. I did find the last part to be a little overlong but there was a lot to wrap up and overall it was an excellent read, one I definitely recommend!4.75 stars, rounded up to 5 stars for Amazon