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A Dance of Lies #2
To Dance with Death
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26In the epic conclusion to the fantasy romance duology that began with A Dance of Lies, Vasalie must journey to the realms of the dead to restore the memories of her beloved prince and stop a mounting war.
Once a spy for the ruthless King Illian, Vasalie sacrificed herself to kill him and prevent a prophesied war. But Illian’s brother, Anton—the king she allied with and began to love—struck a deal with Moranya, the goddess of the underworld, to bring Vasalie back. The his compassion, his memories of her, and all the events of the past six weeks.
Now stripped of the truth, Anton believes his friends betrayed him and accepts Moranya’s offer to rule the kingdom of the dead. But with the kingdom he leaves behind on the brink of civil war, and her cruel father threatening to invade, Vasalie realizes only Anton can reunite a fractured realm.
To save her world and the man she was coming to love, Vasalie must journey to the underworld and reclaim him. But the Anton she finds is the worst version of the arrogant, debauched king she once thought he was. To restore him, she’ll have to restore his memories first… even if it means sacrificing her own heart.
Once a spy for the ruthless King Illian, Vasalie sacrificed herself to kill him and prevent a prophesied war. But Illian’s brother, Anton—the king she allied with and began to love—struck a deal with Moranya, the goddess of the underworld, to bring Vasalie back. The his compassion, his memories of her, and all the events of the past six weeks.
Now stripped of the truth, Anton believes his friends betrayed him and accepts Moranya’s offer to rule the kingdom of the dead. But with the kingdom he leaves behind on the brink of civil war, and her cruel father threatening to invade, Vasalie realizes only Anton can reunite a fractured realm.
To save her world and the man she was coming to love, Vasalie must journey to the underworld and reclaim him. But the Anton she finds is the worst version of the arrogant, debauched king she once thought he was. To restore him, she’ll have to restore his memories first… even if it means sacrificing her own heart.
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 4, 2026
15 people are currently reading
3552 people want to read
About the author
Brittney Arena
2 books5,493 followersWith a background in both brand and visual design, Brittney has always found solace in art. However, after a challenging health journey, she turned to writing, and what began as a coping mechanism evolved into a journey of exploration, allowing her to traverse new worlds from wherever she might be.
When she’s not penning tales, Brittney spends her time obsessing over k-dramas, playing with her camera, and waging war against ungodly amounts of pet hair. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two pups, and is always ready for the next adventure, whether it be on page or in real life. A Dance of Lies is her debut novel.
She is represented by Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency.
When she’s not penning tales, Brittney spends her time obsessing over k-dramas, playing with her camera, and waging war against ungodly amounts of pet hair. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two pups, and is always ready for the next adventure, whether it be on page or in real life. A Dance of Lies is her debut novel.
She is represented by Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a great way to finish the duology. A dance of lies was one of the few recent romantasies that I feel are truly original and bring something that I haven't seen a thousand times before, and as you can imagine and I absolutely loved it. I'm very happy to be able to review to dance with death as an ARC(and so many months before!!) and I'm happy to say it loved up to my expectations.
I can say that almost everything that I loved in the first one is present here, the atmosphere is still superb, the descriptions and dialogues are great, I love love love the banter and the romance is next level. The setting, or should I say the setting of most of the story, is very different and I love that. In the beginning I was a little afraid it would be one of those sequels where the couple is separated for 80% of the story which I HATE, but I knew this author wouldn't disappoint me like that.
The only thing I can point out that wasn't a big problems but I feel like I need to say just in case you're like me and this is somewhat important to you: the side characters are not as prominent here. I only say this because I feel like the cast of characters was something the first book did perfect, and I just wanted to see a little more of them here, but I understand that's just a preference thing. Also, I feel like there was a tone shift, not a bad thing just different.
(Maybe a little spoiler ahead, not really but if you don't want to risk it skip this paragraph)I went on a journey with the ending because does everyone get the perfect happiest ending?!? But then I thought: what the hell with real life being the way it is let the fictional characters be as happy as possible, why not.
If you liked the first book, or you're looking for a good romantasy, go read it immediately!!
Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for the ARC.
I can say that almost everything that I loved in the first one is present here, the atmosphere is still superb, the descriptions and dialogues are great, I love love love the banter and the romance is next level. The setting, or should I say the setting of most of the story, is very different and I love that. In the beginning I was a little afraid it would be one of those sequels where the couple is separated for 80% of the story which I HATE, but I knew this author wouldn't disappoint me like that.
The only thing I can point out that wasn't a big problems but I feel like I need to say just in case you're like me and this is somewhat important to you: the side characters are not as prominent here. I only say this because I feel like the cast of characters was something the first book did perfect, and I just wanted to see a little more of them here, but I understand that's just a preference thing. Also, I feel like there was a tone shift, not a bad thing just different.
(Maybe a little spoiler ahead, not really but if you don't want to risk it skip this paragraph)I went on a journey with the ending because does everyone get the perfect happiest ending?!? But then I thought: what the hell with real life being the way it is let the fictional characters be as happy as possible, why not.
If you liked the first book, or you're looking for a good romantasy, go read it immediately!!
Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for the ARC.
Want to read
January 15, 2026Another absolute stunning cover!!
My most anticipated release of 2026 for sure!
My most anticipated release of 2026 for sure!
2026-releases
February 14, 2026RCT
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2026
✨ARC Review✨
This was a fantastic ending to this duology. After I finished I was in tears.
I will say, the beginning of the book dragged a little bit for me. It was hard to get back into the world. But after we are reunited with certain characters I was able to consume it so easily, to the point I couldn't put the book down.
I think the way the relationship is written is so beautiful. The lines Anton says... the lines Vasalie says... it's all so beautiful and heartwrenching. I really fell hard for their love and the sacrifices they make for one another. It's truly just beautiful. And the "spice" is done so tastefully and focuses on love rather than lust. Overall, so sweet.
I relate a lot to Vasalie with her self-doubt and body image issues, and feeling unlovable and inadequate, so being in her head was really relatable. I love her and her strength and the way she carries herself. Sometimes FMC's like this can come off as having a victim complex, but she doesn't come off that way at all, she is very sweet and just wants to love and be loved. It's refreshing.
I absolutely loved that we got Anton POV chapters, and I LOVED that they were scattered throughout. We didn't get a lot of his POV, but when we did it was impactful and helped tell the story. I thought the few chapters here and there was a great idea.
The banter and snark between Anton and Vasa was so fun, they play off of one another so well, and challenge each other. It was fun to read.
I loved where all the characters stories went. I loved getting to see kind of another side to Illian, I still am so comflicted on him, cause you see little seeds of him being "good" but in his own messed up way. I think his character is intriguing. I loved seeing Copelan again, they have such a sweet moment towards the end of the book and I was so happy we got to see that conclusion. Just great. I loved that we got to see more into Moranya and end up understanding her, was a great touch and had great depth to the character.
I loved the ending, how she was the one to risk it all. It was so beautiful and I had tears streaming down my face as I concluded this story. I think this duology is just plain beautiful and I am going to miss this love. I already want more Anton and seeing more of their happily ever after... maybe a novella at some point? (crosses fingers).
This was a fantastic ending to this duology. After I finished I was in tears.
I will say, the beginning of the book dragged a little bit for me. It was hard to get back into the world. But after we are reunited with certain characters I was able to consume it so easily, to the point I couldn't put the book down.
I think the way the relationship is written is so beautiful. The lines Anton says... the lines Vasalie says... it's all so beautiful and heartwrenching. I really fell hard for their love and the sacrifices they make for one another. It's truly just beautiful. And the "spice" is done so tastefully and focuses on love rather than lust. Overall, so sweet.
I relate a lot to Vasalie with her self-doubt and body image issues, and feeling unlovable and inadequate, so being in her head was really relatable. I love her and her strength and the way she carries herself. Sometimes FMC's like this can come off as having a victim complex, but she doesn't come off that way at all, she is very sweet and just wants to love and be loved. It's refreshing.
I absolutely loved that we got Anton POV chapters, and I LOVED that they were scattered throughout. We didn't get a lot of his POV, but when we did it was impactful and helped tell the story. I thought the few chapters here and there was a great idea.
The banter and snark between Anton and Vasa was so fun, they play off of one another so well, and challenge each other. It was fun to read.
I loved where all the characters stories went. I loved getting to see kind of another side to Illian, I still am so comflicted on him, cause you see little seeds of him being "good" but in his own messed up way. I think his character is intriguing. I loved seeing Copelan again, they have such a sweet moment towards the end of the book and I was so happy we got to see that conclusion. Just great. I loved that we got to see more into Moranya and end up understanding her, was a great touch and had great depth to the character.
I loved the ending, how she was the one to risk it all. It was so beautiful and I had tears streaming down my face as I concluded this story. I think this duology is just plain beautiful and I am going to miss this love. I already want more Anton and seeing more of their happily ever after... maybe a novella at some point? (crosses fingers).
February 16, 2026
∞ ⭐️ | 1.5 🌶️
Thank you to Brittney Arena and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I would highly encourage a reread of A Dance of Lies prior to picking up To Dance with Death. Brittney does provide a brief recap from the first book to help the reader refresh their memory of the storyline – but for how wonderful this concluding installment is to the duology, being 100% up to speed on characters, places and events is worth every minute of that reread.
The book is divided into three parts, each as entertaining and emotional as the previous. I appreciated the first part which helped set the political stage of the book. We learn about the events directly succeeding the Gathering, and the growing hostility between the crowns. The second part of the novel is heavily focused on Vasalie’s time in Moranya’s lair and underworld. Anton has been appointed as a ruler of the underworld kingdom and Vasalie must navigate court politics and find a way to reverse the deal that was struck between Anton and Moranya. Easier said than done when Anton believes his friends have abandoned him, and he has become the version of himself that he previously wanted the world to see – arrogant, devious and self-serving. The final part of the book ties in the events of the impending civil war and Vasalie’s determination to bring justice to those her father has wronged.
I was particularly excited to see how Brittney envisioned the realms of the dead. The setting was whimsical and the dynamic between Anton and Vasalie was packed with longing and yearning. I felt my heart break for Vasalie when she saw Anton for the first time and watching him in his underworld court surrounded by the chaos of drinking and revelry. The reader is also introduced to several of Anton’s own chapters, which I was dying for in the first book. Seeing and hearing his POV made my heart so full.
Brittney has a way with words. Her world building, character development and magic system is only possible because of the life she breathes into each page. This duology was wrapped up perfectly in To Dance with Death and I cannot wait till it’s out in the world and what other stories Brittney has in store for her readers!
Thank you to Brittney Arena and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I would highly encourage a reread of A Dance of Lies prior to picking up To Dance with Death. Brittney does provide a brief recap from the first book to help the reader refresh their memory of the storyline – but for how wonderful this concluding installment is to the duology, being 100% up to speed on characters, places and events is worth every minute of that reread.
The book is divided into three parts, each as entertaining and emotional as the previous. I appreciated the first part which helped set the political stage of the book. We learn about the events directly succeeding the Gathering, and the growing hostility between the crowns. The second part of the novel is heavily focused on Vasalie’s time in Moranya’s lair and underworld. Anton has been appointed as a ruler of the underworld kingdom and Vasalie must navigate court politics and find a way to reverse the deal that was struck between Anton and Moranya. Easier said than done when Anton believes his friends have abandoned him, and he has become the version of himself that he previously wanted the world to see – arrogant, devious and self-serving. The final part of the book ties in the events of the impending civil war and Vasalie’s determination to bring justice to those her father has wronged.
I was particularly excited to see how Brittney envisioned the realms of the dead. The setting was whimsical and the dynamic between Anton and Vasalie was packed with longing and yearning. I felt my heart break for Vasalie when she saw Anton for the first time and watching him in his underworld court surrounded by the chaos of drinking and revelry. The reader is also introduced to several of Anton’s own chapters, which I was dying for in the first book. Seeing and hearing his POV made my heart so full.
Brittney has a way with words. Her world building, character development and magic system is only possible because of the life she breathes into each page. This duology was wrapped up perfectly in To Dance with Death and I cannot wait till it’s out in the world and what other stories Brittney has in store for her readers!
February 16, 2026
A Dance of Lies has long contended as my favorite book - for good reason. I was unsure that any other book would match the lyrical writing, the honest description of chronic illness, and the yearning between two characters.
But I was glaringly wrong. And of course, the book to exceed all of my expectations, was the concluding book in the duology, To Dance with Death.
I read this book in one day. ONE. I refused to go to sleep until I had finished the last chapter. I stayed up until after midnight, giggling and cackling and kicking my feet like an evil little gremlin, cuddled up in my blanket. Every chapter or so, I would become the Leonardo DiCaprio meme where he points at the television. Instead, I pointed at the book, gasping over scenes, running around my room with pure delight. I loved this book.
The yearning is tenfold, sure to make a reader blush. And the tropes? Oh, the tropes. All masterfully done, in a way that feels new and yet familiar; the makings of a great book that leads the reader wanting and wanting.
(The waterfall scene, oh my!)
I won’t spoil the ending, but it was everything I could have wanted, and more.
Bravo, Brittney Arena!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Brittney Arena for the digital ARC.
But I was glaringly wrong. And of course, the book to exceed all of my expectations, was the concluding book in the duology, To Dance with Death.
I read this book in one day. ONE. I refused to go to sleep until I had finished the last chapter. I stayed up until after midnight, giggling and cackling and kicking my feet like an evil little gremlin, cuddled up in my blanket. Every chapter or so, I would become the Leonardo DiCaprio meme where he points at the television. Instead, I pointed at the book, gasping over scenes, running around my room with pure delight. I loved this book.
The yearning is tenfold, sure to make a reader blush. And the tropes? Oh, the tropes. All masterfully done, in a way that feels new and yet familiar; the makings of a great book that leads the reader wanting and wanting.
(The waterfall scene, oh my!)
I won’t spoil the ending, but it was everything I could have wanted, and more.
Bravo, Brittney Arena!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Brittney Arena for the digital ARC.
February 16, 2026
Thank you Brittney Arena and NetGalley for the eARC
This was the perfect conclusion to an incredible duology!
I loved every minute of this book and I adored getting to know Anton's character more. Getting his POV without it being too much and genuinely adding depth to the story made it more meaningful for me.
I loved all the characters in this story and I thought Vasalie was a relatable FMC. Her strength throughout was truly admirable. This book added depth to all of the characters and it was amazing to see where the stories went for each character.
I’m sad this is over as I really enjoyed every moment of it, it is truly a beautiful story. I felt every emotion whilst reading this and I couldn’t put the book down, it really was an addictive read.
This was the perfect conclusion to an incredible duology!
I loved every minute of this book and I adored getting to know Anton's character more. Getting his POV without it being too much and genuinely adding depth to the story made it more meaningful for me.
I loved all the characters in this story and I thought Vasalie was a relatable FMC. Her strength throughout was truly admirable. This book added depth to all of the characters and it was amazing to see where the stories went for each character.
I’m sad this is over as I really enjoyed every moment of it, it is truly a beautiful story. I felt every emotion whilst reading this and I couldn’t put the book down, it really was an addictive read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Can I start off by saying that this series is AMAZING and CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED?? I absolutely adored A Dance of Lies and was ecstatic when I got approved for an ARC for book 2!
I cannot go into much detail without giving spoilers for the first book, but I truly loved this one just as much as ADOL. While the pacing felt very slow at time, the yearning we get from Vasalie had me kicking my feet. Her faith and trust in Anton was written so beautifully and I loved the relationship between the two. In fact I loved everything about these two characters, from their struggles, flaws, etc. I couldn’t put this book down, not even to write my own which is a testament to the author’s writing!! This series is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you Netgalley for the free eARC!
I cannot go into much detail without giving spoilers for the first book, but I truly loved this one just as much as ADOL. While the pacing felt very slow at time, the yearning we get from Vasalie had me kicking my feet. Her faith and trust in Anton was written so beautifully and I loved the relationship between the two. In fact I loved everything about these two characters, from their struggles, flaws, etc. I couldn’t put this book down, not even to write my own which is a testament to the author’s writing!! This series is definitely worth picking up!
Thank you Netgalley for the free eARC!
February 15, 2026
Oh my goodness-she is just such an amazing writer!! I’ll be honest-I wasn’t sure with some of the choices she made at the beginning of this book, but once it took off, I was hooked yet again, and the ending more than made up for any angst she put me through. I was literally sobbing happy tears at the end!! Such a satisfying conclusion if you loved the first book as much as I did!! This series is now at the top of my all time favorite lists! I hope Fairyloot prints this book!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks Netgalley
Wonderful world building , full of dance, magic and fantasy vibes 🩰
Love the characters and beautiful , lyrical writing
Good strong character names…
Wonderful,, events and full of great action and details
Such a unique book 💕
Loved even more than first book 💕
Wonderful world building , full of dance, magic and fantasy vibes 🩰
Love the characters and beautiful , lyrical writing
Good strong character names…
Wonderful,, events and full of great action and details
Such a unique book 💕
Loved even more than first book 💕
Want to read
January 22, 20261) A Dance of Lies ★★★★☆
The conclusion to Brittney's adult fantasy romance duology will be published in August 2026 :)
The conclusion to Brittney's adult fantasy romance duology will be published in August 2026 :)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews