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flora_arns 's review for:

A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena
3.75
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Fast-paced and intriguing, this is a strong debut romantic fantasy featuring a main character caught between her desire for bloody revenge and the urge to run far away from her trauma.
Vaselie is a flawed yet relatable lead, coping with the impacts of both emotional trauma and physical disability, as she finds herself a spy at a summit of nobility and caught between two competing brother kings. Forced to earn her exoneration, Vaselie must consider how far she is willing to go for one of two things: revenge, or freedom. Or perhaps both.
I enjoyed the tense political intrigue of this book, interspersed with a slow-burn romantic subplot that fit well within the greater story.
The worldbuilding and lore was woven in among the theme of dance, but I still found myself somewhat confused by the twist at the end and the speed at which the exposition happened.
The reveal of the magic system and Anton’s immortality was hinted at during the story, and while I enjoyed the exploration of Morta’s mythology, the last few chapters felt somewhat disjointed and rushed.
As I read an ARC, I would love to see the ending expanded on and contextualized further in the final book!
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