Book Review: A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena
[ID: a book with an illustrated cover of multi-paned stained glass window. In the blue center panel, a woman with long hair and a flowing gown reaches upward in the middle of a dance with A Dance of Lies overlaid in bold white font. On either side are stained glass windows filled with illustrations of birds, crowns, trees, daggers, and a moonlit sky. Blue hydrangeas and roses are tucked into each corner. At the top is a blue rose window with white text reading Brittney Arena. The book sits on a round silver platter framed with dark blue fake flowers and purple fake flowers. A silver key sits to the right and beige candles sit on either side.]
Happy Book Birthday to A DANCE OF LIES by Brittney Arena!
I have been desperately waiting for A DANCE OF LIES ever since Brittney mentioned her WIP about a disabled dancer way back in 2021! I can’t describe how happy it makes me to see a fantasy centered on a disabled main character thrive and succeed!
Summary: Once the favorite dancer of the king, Vasalie was falsely accused of murder and imprisoned. Her king blackmails her into becoming his spy at a royal celebration. As she’s forced into increasingly dangerous deceptions, Vasalie discovers that the monstrous king she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster—one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the infamous King of the East…
Thank you to @DelReyBooks and @NetGalley for my early review copy! A DANCE OF LIES is a lush political fantasy with wonderful chronic illness representation. The world-building is incredibly immersive and the plot twists had me on the edge of my seat!
Vasalie is the main character of my dreams! Raw and traumatized after her imprisonment, she’s wrestling with her body’s new limitations after becoming disabled. It’s so emotional to see her grieve her old life and ultimately find strength and belonging in her new reality.
However, I still feel a bit undecided about the romance. I wasn’t expecting a certain twist and admit I got invested in the wrong dynamic… It went from slowburn to fastburn a bit suddenly for my taste, but I hope the sequel will give me the development I’m looking for in the romance department.
Overall, A DANCE OF LIES is just as delicious and stunning as its cover! I’m so glad this book exists and I can’t wait for the sequel!
P.S. Please be aware of the content warnings, specifically for a past toxic relationship and abuse during the MC’s backstory.