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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is about a character who is posing as a dancer but is enlisted to spy on other kingdoms. It's a pretty good fantasy romance, there are some familiar themes or moments from other romantasy books but I don't think it detracts from the writing or story. I did like the dancer/entertainer aspect for the main character's cover up. However I really liked how things played out/how the book ended - lots of drama.
This book covers some dark topics - our main characters have been through some things. I liked how these were incorporated, they were not super in depth in scene but they had an emotional impact on the writing. I do think they could have been talked about more, but I didn't feel that was necessary.
Overall it's pretty good. I'm curious where things will go from here enough to read the next one.
This book covers some dark topics - our main characters have been through some things. I liked how these were incorporated, they were not super in depth in scene but they had an emotional impact on the writing. I do think they could have been talked about more, but I didn't feel that was necessary.
Overall it's pretty good. I'm curious where things will go from here enough to read the next one.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5
Things I liked:
The romance was written so well imo! I saw one review saying that they didn't know who it was gonna be, but the love interest was the only not boring or not completely manipulative one there. So for once a romantasy doesn't have an absolutely awful relationship <3333
I also enjoyed that the premise was so novel in terms of the dance aspect of the book! I felt like it was so cool to read as someone who loves dancing. Also loved the idea of how the author wanted to incorporate disability in the book.
The payoff at the end was actually kinda good... ngl
Things I didn't like:
Why is Vasily's self-talk so goddamn awful, like the first-half of her internal monologue is "I'm such a bad person" and that's like the only thought in her head... I feel like that was her only character attribute for so long.
I don't really know if the disability was incorporated... well? With the amount that she pushed herself, I would also expect to see the repercussions of her pushing herself afterwards once the adrenaline wore off (for ex. chronic fatigue, or muscles spasms etc).
Also, it was a slight orientalist fantasy, like most, to be fair. I could tell by the descriptions and was also thrown off when the instruments played were tablas, among other South Asian instruments.
Things I liked:
The romance was written so well imo! I saw one review saying that they didn't know who it was gonna be, but the love interest was the only not boring or not completely manipulative one there. So for once a romantasy doesn't have an absolutely awful relationship <3333
I also enjoyed that the premise was so novel in terms of the dance aspect of the book! I felt like it was so cool to read as someone who loves dancing. Also loved the idea of how the author wanted to incorporate disability in the book.
The payoff at the end was actually kinda good... ngl
Things I didn't like:
Why is Vasily's self-talk so goddamn awful, like the first-half of her internal monologue is "I'm such a bad person" and that's like the only thought in her head... I feel like that was her only character attribute for so long.
I don't really know if the disability was incorporated... well? With the amount that she pushed herself, I would also expect to see the repercussions of her pushing herself afterwards once the adrenaline wore off (for ex. chronic fatigue, or muscles spasms etc).
Also, it was a slight orientalist fantasy, like most, to be fair. I could tell by the descriptions and was also thrown off when the instruments played were tablas, among other South Asian instruments.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very weak 3 star read.
A Dance of Lies seemed so promising, the first few chapters really hooked me in but it lost that draw in almost immediately and became a rather boring, repetitive story.
I found the book to be painfully perdictable, very little happened you weren't able to see coming from a mile away. I think there was one thing in the entire book that happened that surprised me.
Vastianna, our FMC, was just not likeable. If it wasn't for her constant bemoaning her own inability to do things, she maybe would have been tolerable. But after about the 30th time of reading her make promises to herself and lament over how she was trapped, I was quite over it. It also didn't help that four of the men in the book were utterly enthralled by her, and since I didn't like her, I could see no reason they were. The one good thing about her character is her physical weakness but honestly even that seemed to barely actually stop her doing anything she had to do, so really can I say it made her interesting? Also this girl spends the entire time barely able to eat and constantly feeling sick. It was exhausting to read. She was like all the bad female tropes rolled into one.
Copeland was...there. His connection with Vastianna was interesting because it was so physical but there just wasn't enough there on page, actually described, to make me believe he was falling in lust, love or otherwise with her. To many of their interactions weren't shown and were dismissed as "training over days."
Anton was the best character in this book to me. I liked his playful persona that hid someone who was clearly calculating and very aware of political manuverings. It's just a shame that we didn't get to see more from him beyond badly done flirting with our FMC. A lot of his being smart stuff is again, done of page and not really revealed till towards the end of the book. Also the nickname he gives the FMC sucks and makes no sense.
My other major gripe with this book was the weird magic, not magic, death cult, religion lady...thing. I honestly feel like the book would have been SO much more interesting if that element had not been included and it was just a straight political fantasy. The weird death lady thing just didn't add anything and felt like a weird forgettable background element right up until the last few chapters.
Overall, it's a technically fine book, but it was just a big miss for me in terms of characters and plot points.
A Dance of Lies seemed so promising, the first few chapters really hooked me in but it lost that draw in almost immediately and became a rather boring, repetitive story.
I found the book to be painfully perdictable, very little happened you weren't able to see coming from a mile away. I think there was one thing in the entire book that happened that surprised me.
Vastianna, our FMC, was just not likeable. If it wasn't for her constant bemoaning her own inability to do things, she maybe would have been tolerable. But after about the 30th time of reading her make promises to herself and lament over how she was trapped, I was quite over it. It also didn't help that four of the men in the book were utterly enthralled by her, and since I didn't like her, I could see no reason they were. The one good thing about her character is her physical weakness but honestly even that seemed to barely actually stop her doing anything she had to do, so really can I say it made her interesting? Also this girl spends the entire time barely able to eat and constantly feeling sick. It was exhausting to read. She was like all the bad female tropes rolled into one.
Copeland was...there. His connection with Vastianna was interesting because it was so physical but there just wasn't enough there on page, actually described, to make me believe he was falling in lust, love or otherwise with her. To many of their interactions weren't shown and were dismissed as "training over days."
Anton was the best character in this book to me. I liked his playful persona that hid someone who was clearly calculating and very aware of political manuverings. It's just a shame that we didn't get to see more from him beyond badly done flirting with our FMC. A lot of his being smart stuff is again, done of page and not really revealed till towards the end of the book. Also the nickname he gives the FMC sucks and makes no sense.
My other major gripe with this book was the weird magic, not magic, death cult, religion lady...thing. I honestly feel like the book would have been SO much more interesting if that element had not been included and it was just a straight political fantasy. The weird death lady thing just didn't add anything and felt like a weird forgettable background element right up until the last few chapters.
Overall, it's a technically fine book, but it was just a big miss for me in terms of characters and plot points.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes