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The Edge of Glass #2
A Dance of Lies, T2 : To Dance with Death
Not yet published
Expected 12 Nov 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
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Brittney Arena
2 books5,685 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 - 30 of 1,163 reviews
August 23, 2026
i feel so hollow now
August 21, 2026
3.75-4!
Even though A Dance of Lies has put me in a slump and turned out to be my 2 star read, I decided to finish the series.. and what a comeback!
I do love to be surprised and this was a pleasant one. Everything that book 1 lacked, this had. The story was more interesting, there was genuine tension and the romance was up a threshold. There was serious character development and thankfully less political intrigue. I felt that book one was very ambitious but that ambition ended up making book 1 feel ambiguous instead of interesting/entertaining.
I’m not a fan of amnesia plots but I thought it was well done despite feeling a tad drawn out. I thought this book was more about two people finding their way back to each other above all else.
Well done 👍🏻
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
Even though A Dance of Lies has put me in a slump and turned out to be my 2 star read, I decided to finish the series.. and what a comeback!
I do love to be surprised and this was a pleasant one. Everything that book 1 lacked, this had. The story was more interesting, there was genuine tension and the romance was up a threshold. There was serious character development and thankfully less political intrigue. I felt that book one was very ambitious but that ambition ended up making book 1 feel ambiguous instead of interesting/entertaining.
I’m not a fan of amnesia plots but I thought it was well done despite feeling a tad drawn out. I thought this book was more about two people finding their way back to each other above all else.
Well done 👍🏻
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW
April 3, 2026
➸ 5 stars
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley, random house publishing / del rey and of course, brittney arena, for the advanced readers copy!! <3
✨ forced proximity
🪞 second chance romance
🔹 fall in love again and again
🪞 yearning
✨ glittering underworld court
this review will contain spoilers for book one, especially in the quotes!!
“If I must die, in his arms is where I want to be. Between his lips is where I want to exhale my last breath.”
this book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and i loved every second of it. i immediately fell in love with a dance of lies and i can say the same for its sequel, to dance with death. this duology has truly become one of my favorites.
a dance of lies was a book that caught me by surprise; it was unlike anything i’ve ever read before and i could not predict one thing. going into this book i had no clues how things would play out, how the characters would solve all the problems, how this story would progress. now that ive finished the book i can say my answer would simply just be beautiful. immediately picking up from where book one left off, we are thrown back into all the politics and sacrifice that occurred during the ending of book one. we follow our lovely vasalie and our lovely side character trying to figure out how to stop war from breaking out and trying to get a certain someone back. everything seemed impossible yet the progression was so intricately woven together into a beautiful story.
“When I hold you, I feel like something I’ve lost has been returned,”
i was so immersed in this story, it felt like i was THERE while reading the book. i found the underworld setting so cool and the descriptions were amazing!! one of my favorite parts of the book was exploring ansa, the scenes of vasalie and anton secretly exploring the city will forever remain in my mind, i loved them so much!!! vasalie and anton are one of my favorite couples ever and every time i think about them my mind just plays the words “fall in love again and again” in the background because they are the literal DEFINITION of those lyrics. there was so so much yearning and adoration for each other; they will forever stay in my heart.
“You, have driven me mad. Mad with all the ways I want to punish you, please you. You occupy every corner of my mind, every chamber of my heart, and I am tortured because of it. I have never wanted someone so much in my life. Be with me, Vasalie. I need to make you understand what I feel for you.”
“Vasalie, you have altered my very existence. My world is made brighter from your presence. I am fortunate to so much as hold you. Disappointment is not a word in my vocabulary—not with you.”
“I love you, Minnow.”
their love is so so precious to me and i’m currently tearing up rereading these quotes again!!!! and i did shed some tears when i read the word minnow bc i am so emotional over them I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!! i could reread these books again and again and i feel like each time i would love them even more. this duology is everything to me. this book is art.
(more) favorite quotes:
“A flush paints her cheeks, flaring brighter. Is that a temper he detects? Oh, please let it be a temper.”
“We all saw how infatuated he was with you at the Gathering. And it wasn’t mere physical attraction, Vasalie. It ran much deeper than that. I don’t think even a Fate could erase what drew him to you in the first place.”
“How very fast your heart beats for me, dancer.”
“Anger spurs it, Majesty.”
“His mind and memories may have changed, but the heart of my king—my immortal king—still beats.”
“Shall I lend you a cravat to wipe up all that drool? You must have been dreaming of something rather delicious. I do hope it was me.”
“His heart is wounded, enclosed in a shield of glass, but I need only find a crack where I might pry my way in.”
“What will you give me in return?”
“I don’t have much to give,”
“I disagree. There are a great many things you refuse to give me.”
“Such as?”
“A kiss. At a time of my choosing.”
“And in this moment, he is so irrevocably beautiful that my lungs refuse to fill, and I can do nothing but watch him. Long for him. He shines tonight—not from his jewelry, his decadent attire, but wholly from within. It’s as if coming home lit him up like the lanterns along the water’s edge.”
“I wish, so badly, that I could tell him that every angle of him is worthy of being loved. Even the worst ones. Even now. He reminded me of that when I needed it most—reminded me that all my scratches and dents, all the marred facets and shards that cracked deep into my soul, were what made me art. Like his stained glass—broken fragments fitted back together again to make something infinitely more lovely.”
“A mosaic of beautiful imperfections, and yet his heart still radiates, and so does his passion, his humor. His brilliance.“
“You loved him even as he was, and he, in turn, fell in love with you once more.”
“Admiring me so thoughtfully, are you?”
“Committing every detail to memory,”
“Soak in every moment. That, I would do. But not just today. Here and now, caught in the sea-glass green of his eyes, I vow to myself—and then to him, later, in the privacy of our bedchamber—that I will cherish every moment together. I will cherish his smiles, his concerns, his jokes, his tears. I will value every day waking up to him, knowing that this future is balanced on the edge of a knife. That it almost wasn’t ours. Every second of our future was fought for, and I will never forget it.”
“It is the most precious of belongings, no? Time affords us the ability to make moments and memories that shape us to our very selves. I might return to a world of pain, but I wouldn’t want to miss out on all the things I want to do before I die.”
𓈀 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley, random house publishing / del rey and of course, brittney arena, for the advanced readers copy!! <3
✨ forced proximity
🪞 second chance romance
🔹 fall in love again and again
🪞 yearning
✨ glittering underworld court
this review will contain spoilers for book one, especially in the quotes!!
“If I must die, in his arms is where I want to be. Between his lips is where I want to exhale my last breath.”
this book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and i loved every second of it. i immediately fell in love with a dance of lies and i can say the same for its sequel, to dance with death. this duology has truly become one of my favorites.
a dance of lies was a book that caught me by surprise; it was unlike anything i’ve ever read before and i could not predict one thing. going into this book i had no clues how things would play out, how the characters would solve all the problems, how this story would progress. now that ive finished the book i can say my answer would simply just be beautiful. immediately picking up from where book one left off, we are thrown back into all the politics and sacrifice that occurred during the ending of book one. we follow our lovely vasalie and our lovely side character trying to figure out how to stop war from breaking out and trying to get a certain someone back. everything seemed impossible yet the progression was so intricately woven together into a beautiful story.
“When I hold you, I feel like something I’ve lost has been returned,”
i was so immersed in this story, it felt like i was THERE while reading the book. i found the underworld setting so cool and the descriptions were amazing!! one of my favorite parts of the book was exploring ansa, the scenes of vasalie and anton secretly exploring the city will forever remain in my mind, i loved them so much!!! vasalie and anton are one of my favorite couples ever and every time i think about them my mind just plays the words “fall in love again and again” in the background because they are the literal DEFINITION of those lyrics. there was so so much yearning and adoration for each other; they will forever stay in my heart.
“You, have driven me mad. Mad with all the ways I want to punish you, please you. You occupy every corner of my mind, every chamber of my heart, and I am tortured because of it. I have never wanted someone so much in my life. Be with me, Vasalie. I need to make you understand what I feel for you.”
“Vasalie, you have altered my very existence. My world is made brighter from your presence. I am fortunate to so much as hold you. Disappointment is not a word in my vocabulary—not with you.”
“I love you, Minnow.”
their love is so so precious to me and i’m currently tearing up rereading these quotes again!!!! and i did shed some tears when i read the word minnow bc i am so emotional over them I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!! i could reread these books again and again and i feel like each time i would love them even more. this duology is everything to me. this book is art.
(more) favorite quotes:
“A flush paints her cheeks, flaring brighter. Is that a temper he detects? Oh, please let it be a temper.”
“We all saw how infatuated he was with you at the Gathering. And it wasn’t mere physical attraction, Vasalie. It ran much deeper than that. I don’t think even a Fate could erase what drew him to you in the first place.”
“How very fast your heart beats for me, dancer.”
“Anger spurs it, Majesty.”
“His mind and memories may have changed, but the heart of my king—my immortal king—still beats.”
“Shall I lend you a cravat to wipe up all that drool? You must have been dreaming of something rather delicious. I do hope it was me.”
“His heart is wounded, enclosed in a shield of glass, but I need only find a crack where I might pry my way in.”
“What will you give me in return?”
“I don’t have much to give,”
“I disagree. There are a great many things you refuse to give me.”
“Such as?”
“A kiss. At a time of my choosing.”
“And in this moment, he is so irrevocably beautiful that my lungs refuse to fill, and I can do nothing but watch him. Long for him. He shines tonight—not from his jewelry, his decadent attire, but wholly from within. It’s as if coming home lit him up like the lanterns along the water’s edge.”
“I wish, so badly, that I could tell him that every angle of him is worthy of being loved. Even the worst ones. Even now. He reminded me of that when I needed it most—reminded me that all my scratches and dents, all the marred facets and shards that cracked deep into my soul, were what made me art. Like his stained glass—broken fragments fitted back together again to make something infinitely more lovely.”
“A mosaic of beautiful imperfections, and yet his heart still radiates, and so does his passion, his humor. His brilliance.“
“You loved him even as he was, and he, in turn, fell in love with you once more.”
“Admiring me so thoughtfully, are you?”
“Committing every detail to memory,”
“Soak in every moment. That, I would do. But not just today. Here and now, caught in the sea-glass green of his eyes, I vow to myself—and then to him, later, in the privacy of our bedchamber—that I will cherish every moment together. I will cherish his smiles, his concerns, his jokes, his tears. I will value every day waking up to him, knowing that this future is balanced on the edge of a knife. That it almost wasn’t ours. Every second of our future was fought for, and I will never forget it.”
August 18, 2026
4.25⭐️ A heartwarming and very satisfying conclusion to this duology!!
I’m usually not a fan of the amnesia trope because it often feels like the author didn’t know where to take the story next. But it was handled very well here. I didn’t think it was possible to become even more emotionally invested in Anton and Vasalie as they fell in love all over again, but this book proved me wrong. I appreciated how the author didn’t force them to recreate the relationship they had before, but instead allowed them to embrace all the changes that resulted from circumstances beyond their control. Vasalie and Anton had to fight for their happy ending, and it was beautiful to see how their unconditional love for one other quite literally transcended death.
Although the political conflicts could have been explored in more detail and several interactions between Anton and Vasalie could have had greater emotional impact, the romance was so compelling that I found myself not really caring about anything else besides their relationship. Between the lyrical writing and swoon-worthy romance, this duology was such a magical and memorable read!
I’m usually not a fan of the amnesia trope because it often feels like the author didn’t know where to take the story next. But it was handled very well here. I didn’t think it was possible to become even more emotionally invested in Anton and Vasalie as they fell in love all over again, but this book proved me wrong. I appreciated how the author didn’t force them to recreate the relationship they had before, but instead allowed them to embrace all the changes that resulted from circumstances beyond their control. Vasalie and Anton had to fight for their happy ending, and it was beautiful to see how their unconditional love for one other quite literally transcended death.
Although the political conflicts could have been explored in more detail and several interactions between Anton and Vasalie could have had greater emotional impact, the romance was so compelling that I found myself not really caring about anything else besides their relationship. Between the lyrical writing and swoon-worthy romance, this duology was such a magical and memorable read!
August 25, 2026
✨A true bond never breaks. Not by sickness or by sword, and not even when death cleaves its axe.✨
What an absolute delight of a book, despite the gloomy title. Cuz isn't falling back in love and finding your way back to each other against all the odds the most satisfying kind of love story?!! 🥺💗✨
What to expect -
🪄 Slow-burn fantasy romance
🪄 Amnesia trope
🪄 Falling in love all over again
🪄 Slowest of the slow burns ❤️🔥
🪄 Dual POV
🪄 Journey into the realm of the dead
🪄 Waterfall scene 🥵🤌🏻✨
🪄 Found family
🪄 HEA
This picks up right where the first book left off, and we have our MMC being stripped of a huge part of his memories while our FMC must work against the Fates to bring his memories back, even if it means following him into the realm of the Underworld.
Wow, I just adored this one so much, and reading both books back-to-back made me realize how much the author has improved in her craft and how much stronger this book is compared to the first one!!! Trust me when I say I did enjoy the first one too, but it loses itself to this one cuz the yearning, the tension, and the slow burn in here were perfection!!!! I'm not usually a fan of the memory-loss trope, but if it's written like this, I think I might give in very easily🤭
The Underworld as a setting was so fascinating too because there were completely different rules to it, and the souls were separated based on the lives they led. Yet there were also some faults within that system, and it was such a mystery as to how one is assigned their ranking there. I quite liked the unraveling of those mysteries and learning more about the Fate that controls it all.
The found family?!! PEAK!!!! Gustav, Laurent, Queen Sadira, Sundar, Copelan, and Basile were all such wonderful characters, and I just loved how they became as much a family to Vas as they were to Anton. And Sundar is such a favorite! The way he adores Anton and thinks of him as a brother even though they aren't related by blood, and would stake his life for him - he just got himself an admirer for life😌
Overall, this was such a wonderful conclusion to this duology, and I absolutely recommend checking out this world if you're craving a slow-burn fantasy with an amazing cast of characters who'd all readily give up their lives for one another, and a satisfying ending after everything they've gone through.
Other quotes I loved -
“I love you, Minnow.”
“What would you wish of me?” he asks. “Tell me you want the moon, and I will cast a reel and lure it forth."
"When I hold you, I feel like something I’ve lost has been returned,” he says.
"If there is a room full of books and I’m not invited,” he says, “they better believe I’ll bust my way in.”
“What a gift it is to choose our family, especially when the world tries to take it away."
"I love him. I love all the broken pieces. They mirror my own. Those who should have loved us did not, and we had to find our own way."
"We are made of the most resilient cloth. We will not be defeated, so long as we do not kneel.”
✨Pre-read:
I just cannot stop thinking about how book 1 ended, so here we are!!
The amnesia trope is usually not my fav but I recently enjoyed a book with the same, and I'm hoping that's the case with this too🤞🏻🤞🏻
What an absolute delight of a book, despite the gloomy title. Cuz isn't falling back in love and finding your way back to each other against all the odds the most satisfying kind of love story?!! 🥺💗✨
What to expect -
🪄 Slow-burn fantasy romance
🪄 Amnesia trope
🪄 Falling in love all over again
🪄 Slowest of the slow burns ❤️🔥
🪄 Dual POV
🪄 Journey into the realm of the dead
🪄 Waterfall scene 🥵🤌🏻✨
🪄 Found family
🪄 HEA
This picks up right where the first book left off, and we have our MMC being stripped of a huge part of his memories while our FMC must work against the Fates to bring his memories back, even if it means following him into the realm of the Underworld.
Wow, I just adored this one so much, and reading both books back-to-back made me realize how much the author has improved in her craft and how much stronger this book is compared to the first one!!! Trust me when I say I did enjoy the first one too, but it loses itself to this one cuz the yearning, the tension, and the slow burn in here were perfection!!!! I'm not usually a fan of the memory-loss trope, but if it's written like this, I think I might give in very easily🤭
The Underworld as a setting was so fascinating too because there were completely different rules to it, and the souls were separated based on the lives they led. Yet there were also some faults within that system, and it was such a mystery as to how one is assigned their ranking there. I quite liked the unraveling of those mysteries and learning more about the Fate that controls it all.
“Besides,” he adds, his gaze touching the stiff line of my shoulders, “nothing relieves tension like a night spent being adored in every imaginable way. And adore you I would.”Anton, the man that he is, oof!! He might've lost his memories, and he might've even lost a vital part of himself that makes him who he is, but even the godforsaken Fates cannot take away his attraction to Vas or that longing to take care of her. And I just loved seeing that, and how the author portrayed the idea that no one can come between two souls who are fated for one another because they'll always find their way back to each other, no matter the struggles.😍✨
“You,” he cuts in, “have driven me mad. Mad with all the ways I want to punish you, please you. You occupy every corner of my mind, every chamber of my heart, and I am tortured because of it. I have never wanted someone so much in my life.” Another breath, this one weighted. He touches his forehead to mine, a prayer on his lips. “Be with me, Vasalie. I need to make you understand what I feel for you."Also, I loved how the author contrasted the words Anton utters here with the similar lines he used in book one with Vas. It was so moving to see those moments placed side by side, showcasing that he's still the same person underneath it all. Ohh, and his flirtiness was the same too🤭
"This time, you will not be a powerless criminal, a damsel in distress. You will be a threat. Yes, that’s the reminder I needed. Not a damsel, not a victim, but a threat to anyone who might try to take Anton away from us - even if that person is Death herself."And my girl, Vas?!! My absolute favorite in this series. She really has grown so much, and I was just damn proud of her. From being someone who was confined by her body to feeling proud of it, and from having her whole life controlled by the men in her life to fighting for the man she wants - she's come such a long way!!!! And she absolutely deserved that happy ending🥺
"And now I love him for who he is today. For all his cracks and chips. For all the ways he was broken, shattered, and fitted back together. A mosaic of beautiful imperfections, and yet his heart still radiates, and so does his passion, his humor. His brilliance."She was so resilient and persistent, and I adored how she never wavered from her path and never gave up on Anton, even when he made it extremely difficult to continue liking him. (Trust me, that's only for a while cuz even without his memories of her, he cannot help but be fascinated by her. 😉) I just loved these two so much, and I loved the way everything was wrapped up.
The found family?!! PEAK!!!! Gustav, Laurent, Queen Sadira, Sundar, Copelan, and Basile were all such wonderful characters, and I just loved how they became as much a family to Vas as they were to Anton. And Sundar is such a favorite! The way he adores Anton and thinks of him as a brother even though they aren't related by blood, and would stake his life for him - he just got himself an admirer for life😌
Overall, this was such a wonderful conclusion to this duology, and I absolutely recommend checking out this world if you're craving a slow-burn fantasy with an amazing cast of characters who'd all readily give up their lives for one another, and a satisfying ending after everything they've gone through.
Other quotes I loved -
“I love you, Minnow.”
“What would you wish of me?” he asks. “Tell me you want the moon, and I will cast a reel and lure it forth."
"When I hold you, I feel like something I’ve lost has been returned,” he says.
"If there is a room full of books and I’m not invited,” he says, “they better believe I’ll bust my way in.”
“What a gift it is to choose our family, especially when the world tries to take it away."
"I love him. I love all the broken pieces. They mirror my own. Those who should have loved us did not, and we had to find our own way."
"We are made of the most resilient cloth. We will not be defeated, so long as we do not kneel.”
✨Pre-read:
I just cannot stop thinking about how book 1 ended, so here we are!!
The amnesia trope is usually not my fav but I recently enjoyed a book with the same, and I'm hoping that's the case with this too🤞🏻🤞🏻
August 21, 2026
“Love does not erase pain. But real love, true love, makes it all worth it.” 🧑🏼🩰🪞🖤
i am in LOVE with this duology. as a girl who danced for 16 years of her life and has eds, mcas, and pots, this duology means the absolute WORLD to me. i sincerely wish this series could have been longer, but i do think that this book wrapped it up beautifully.
the plot!! 🧑🏼🩰
now that anton has lost his memories of her and everyone else he’s loved, vasalie must travel to the afterlife in order to find a way to make him remember. in order to do this, she has to act like she is a soul and not an alive human and dance for anton every night. will she be discovered? will anton regain his memories?
usually the amnesia trope annoys me, but honestly, i think it’s starting to grow on me. this book’s amnesia trope is written in a way that will intrigue you. you’ll want to keep reading. i was constantly at the edge of my seat, holding my breath…. all the things! i wanted anton to remember so badly!
the characters!! 🪞
vasalie will always be one of my favorite fmc’s of all time. with her and i sharing chronic illnesses, she’s just someone i can really resonate with. i also love how heart-strong and determined she is. she doesn’t ever let her pain get in her way!
of course, anton is such a great mmc. he may have been annoying in this book, but that’s only because of obvious reasons. i did enjoy being frustrated with him though! that definitely kept the book interesting as well.
the ending!! 🖤
i LOVED the ending. as i said previously, this book really wrapped up the duology perfectly. it ended exactly as i had hoped, and also somehow better than i had hoped! i’m going to miss these characters and this story greatly, and i cannot wait to read it all over again someday.
would i recommend this series? ✨
yes!!! especially if you’re someone who struggles with chronic illnesses. i hope this duology can resonate with you as it resonates with me!
would i read it again? ✨
clearly yes!!!
i am in LOVE with this duology. as a girl who danced for 16 years of her life and has eds, mcas, and pots, this duology means the absolute WORLD to me. i sincerely wish this series could have been longer, but i do think that this book wrapped it up beautifully.
the plot!! 🧑🏼🩰
now that anton has lost his memories of her and everyone else he’s loved, vasalie must travel to the afterlife in order to find a way to make him remember. in order to do this, she has to act like she is a soul and not an alive human and dance for anton every night. will she be discovered? will anton regain his memories?
usually the amnesia trope annoys me, but honestly, i think it’s starting to grow on me. this book’s amnesia trope is written in a way that will intrigue you. you’ll want to keep reading. i was constantly at the edge of my seat, holding my breath…. all the things! i wanted anton to remember so badly!
the characters!! 🪞
vasalie will always be one of my favorite fmc’s of all time. with her and i sharing chronic illnesses, she’s just someone i can really resonate with. i also love how heart-strong and determined she is. she doesn’t ever let her pain get in her way!
of course, anton is such a great mmc. he may have been annoying in this book, but that’s only because of obvious reasons. i did enjoy being frustrated with him though! that definitely kept the book interesting as well.
the ending!! 🖤
i LOVED the ending. as i said previously, this book really wrapped up the duology perfectly. it ended exactly as i had hoped, and also somehow better than i had hoped! i’m going to miss these characters and this story greatly, and i cannot wait to read it all over again someday.
would i recommend this series? ✨
yes!!! especially if you’re someone who struggles with chronic illnesses. i hope this duology can resonate with you as it resonates with me!
would i read it again? ✨
clearly yes!!!
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
To Dance with Death by Brittney Arena
Publication date: August 4th 2026
Thoughts
What a way to end April reads! I loved this book not only was it the perfect ending to the duolgy but the perfect ending 🙌🏻 now I won't lie, it did start off slow but once it picked up I couldn't book the book down! The descriptive setting was just so beautifully done! Vasalie and Anton have got to be one of my favourite couples when it comes to romantasy, their second chance romance in this book was everything THE SLOW BURN WAS SLOW BURNING 🫠 actually what made it even better was that it wasn't the cliché second chance where they're separated for the majority of the book and I love the author for that, best believe I ATE IT UP! If you enjoyed the first book and miss the atmosphere as a whole let me tell you we're thrown right back into the political glittery court! Thoroughly enjoyed this! I can't wait to see what else this author puts out!
Plot Summary
After sacrificing herself to stop a war, Vasalie is brought back to life—but at a cost. The man she was beginning to love, Anton has lost all memory of her and now believes he’s been betrayed, choosing to rule the underworld. With her world on the verge of collapse, Vasalie sets out to bring him back, but the man she finds is cold and unrecognisable, and to save him; and their kingdom she must restore his memories, even if it breaks her heart.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC
My Bookstagram
To Dance with Death by Brittney Arena
Publication date: August 4th 2026
Thoughts
What a way to end April reads! I loved this book not only was it the perfect ending to the duolgy but the perfect ending 🙌🏻 now I won't lie, it did start off slow but once it picked up I couldn't book the book down! The descriptive setting was just so beautifully done! Vasalie and Anton have got to be one of my favourite couples when it comes to romantasy, their second chance romance in this book was everything THE SLOW BURN WAS SLOW BURNING 🫠 actually what made it even better was that it wasn't the cliché second chance where they're separated for the majority of the book and I love the author for that, best believe I ATE IT UP! If you enjoyed the first book and miss the atmosphere as a whole let me tell you we're thrown right back into the political glittery court! Thoroughly enjoyed this! I can't wait to see what else this author puts out!
Plot Summary
After sacrificing herself to stop a war, Vasalie is brought back to life—but at a cost. The man she was beginning to love, Anton has lost all memory of her and now believes he’s been betrayed, choosing to rule the underworld. With her world on the verge of collapse, Vasalie sets out to bring him back, but the man she finds is cold and unrecognisable, and to save him; and their kingdom she must restore his memories, even if it breaks her heart.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC
My Bookstagram
August 29, 2026
A satisfying ending for the Edge of Glass duology! ✨
Most of this second book happens in the Realm of the Dead and that change of setting made it feel very distinct from the previous book.
I love how vividly the author describes architecture and character's outfits. These descriptions are detailed but never boring or overwhelming, and this helps to really paint the picture of how this world looks and what sets it apart from other fantasy worlds.
I'm glad that once again we got to see Vasalie dance, and have to improvise and be creative with her outfits and dances.
"Pain will not defeat me"
From now on, some spoilers for the ending of the first book!
I'm not a fan of the memory loss trope in general, although here the twist is that Anton didn’t lose his memory entirely. Instead, his recollections of the facts were changed, so he now falsely remembers his friends betraying him. This made him bitter and changed his personality, so Vasalie has to find a way to bring him back to his old self.
When we finally learn the reason the goddess had for changing Anton's memories, it was weak and not satisfying in my opinion. It felt like just an excuse to have the characters fall in love all over again in the second book. I also thought the ending resolves too fast in the final chapters.
Despite that, the book was entertaining and there were many moments I loved.
The bathtub scene will go down in history as the hottest scene without containing any spice 🤭
It's safe to say I love Brittney Arena's writing, and I can’t wait to read her future work!
Thanks to Del Rey via NetGalley for providing an eARC
Most of this second book happens in the Realm of the Dead and that change of setting made it feel very distinct from the previous book.
I love how vividly the author describes architecture and character's outfits. These descriptions are detailed but never boring or overwhelming, and this helps to really paint the picture of how this world looks and what sets it apart from other fantasy worlds.
I'm glad that once again we got to see Vasalie dance, and have to improvise and be creative with her outfits and dances.
"Pain will not defeat me"
From now on, some spoilers for the ending of the first book!
I'm not a fan of the memory loss trope in general, although here the twist is that Anton didn’t lose his memory entirely. Instead, his recollections of the facts were changed, so he now falsely remembers his friends betraying him. This made him bitter and changed his personality, so Vasalie has to find a way to bring him back to his old self.
When we finally learn the reason the goddess had for changing Anton's memories, it was weak and not satisfying in my opinion. It felt like just an excuse to have the characters fall in love all over again in the second book. I also thought the ending resolves too fast in the final chapters.
Despite that, the book was entertaining and there were many moments I loved.
The bathtub scene will go down in history as the hottest scene without containing any spice 🤭
It's safe to say I love Brittney Arena's writing, and I can’t wait to read her future work!
Thanks to Del Rey via NetGalley for providing an eARC
physical-tbr
August 3, 2026my first ever publisher gifted book i’m screaming
August 24, 2026
“what a gift it is to choose our family, especially when the world tries to take it away.”
I NEED 5 MORE BOOKS OF THESE CHARACTERS JUST HAPPY AND THRIVING. they mean so much to me!!🫶🏽
this book reminded me that love and kindness and hope really can change the world.
there’s so much about this story i love and i don’t even know where to start.
but ANTON!! just when i thought i couldn’t love him anymore than i did in the first book.. this book happened. because of the curse we see a different side of him but i still fell in love with that side as well. i’m just like vas fr. his kindness and gentleness alongside his cocky and flirty nature is just so precious to me!!!
vasalie is THAT GIRL! and i LOVED her growth in this book. she learned that her pain was what made her strong and ohh was she strong. she would do anything for her people and i love her for that.
their love was so real and tangible. you can’t help but root for them!
all the side characters are amazing too. they all feel like a family and i just want to hang out with them.
the ending was perfect and i think ill be thinking about this couple for a very long time😌
🔥SPICE🔥 vague open door on pages 296-297, 298. not much details are shown.
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
I NEED 5 MORE BOOKS OF THESE CHARACTERS JUST HAPPY AND THRIVING. they mean so much to me!!🫶🏽
this book reminded me that love and kindness and hope really can change the world.
there’s so much about this story i love and i don’t even know where to start.
but ANTON!! just when i thought i couldn’t love him anymore than i did in the first book.. this book happened. because of the curse we see a different side of him but i still fell in love with that side as well. i’m just like vas fr. his kindness and gentleness alongside his cocky and flirty nature is just so precious to me!!!
vasalie is THAT GIRL! and i LOVED her growth in this book. she learned that her pain was what made her strong and ohh was she strong. she would do anything for her people and i love her for that.
their love was so real and tangible. you can’t help but root for them!
all the side characters are amazing too. they all feel like a family and i just want to hang out with them.
the ending was perfect and i think ill be thinking about this couple for a very long time😌
🔥SPICE🔥 vague open door on pages 296-297, 298. not much details are shown.
🤐NO STRONG LANGUAGE🤐
May 14, 2026
2.5-3⭐️
‘To Dance With Death’ follows up ‘A Dance of Lies’ with high stakes and tension fueled romance. This is a very well written romantasy, 1st person pov book, compared to the repetitiveness that the romantasy genre is turning into. I love that there’s disability rep, diverse characters, with lush descriptions.
This review is going to come across a lot harsher than it should be taken, as it was all preference for me.
(Note, book 1 spoilers are going to be a given for this, since it’s book 2)
I’m a firm believer, and i had been since the first book, this only needed to be a standalone. That after Anton brought Vasalie back from the dead, after surviving the Gathering and taking down their enemies— they should have been together and it wrapped up with that— there didn’t need to be the memory loss plot, a prophecy from gods, or the plot with Vasalie’s dad becoming king. idk, it felt too ambitious of a plot considering the FMC had nothing to really give it past her job as a dancer/spy, she came across as forced into the plot and I had a hard time believing the stakes/actions in this book, I was left unconvinced.
Other points that didn’t work for me, and truly i think romantasy fans will love this and while I liked the first book, this felt the exact same essentially —
— ‘To Dance With Death’ is basically book 1 re-hashed with Vasalie having to dance to accomplice her goals. While it was super cool for book 1, I was more so bored with it this time.
— Memory loss trope during an established relationship is not my thing. It’s one thing for a book 1 with characters we aren’t familiar with to have memory loss that goes along the plot, but in this case it came across frustrating and not entirely written in a satisfying way. But after the book 1 cliffhanger i had to know what was going to happen.
*ARC courtesy of netgalley*
(spoilers)
idk i may be petty but i wouldn’t have been able to get over the fact my man slept with multiple people even though he’d lost his memory. that would take me yearssss, i am nowhere near as forgiving as vasalie regardless of nuance. like girlie had to watch him do so multiple times 💀 it’s just crazy to me that when a girl loses her memory in a book, the guy yearns and works to win her back and never leaves her side, it’s almost romantic- but here it felt the opposite. i sadly found this so annoying than interesting to find it rewarding to finish.
i feel bad writing a not so stellar review since this author is local to me 😭 the first book had so much promise and i’m obsessed with my FairyLoot edition
‘To Dance With Death’ follows up ‘A Dance of Lies’ with high stakes and tension fueled romance. This is a very well written romantasy, 1st person pov book, compared to the repetitiveness that the romantasy genre is turning into. I love that there’s disability rep, diverse characters, with lush descriptions.
This review is going to come across a lot harsher than it should be taken, as it was all preference for me.
(Note, book 1 spoilers are going to be a given for this, since it’s book 2)
I’m a firm believer, and i had been since the first book, this only needed to be a standalone. That after Anton brought Vasalie back from the dead, after surviving the Gathering and taking down their enemies— they should have been together and it wrapped up with that— there didn’t need to be the memory loss plot, a prophecy from gods, or the plot with Vasalie’s dad becoming king. idk, it felt too ambitious of a plot considering the FMC had nothing to really give it past her job as a dancer/spy, she came across as forced into the plot and I had a hard time believing the stakes/actions in this book, I was left unconvinced.
Other points that didn’t work for me, and truly i think romantasy fans will love this and while I liked the first book, this felt the exact same essentially —
— ‘To Dance With Death’ is basically book 1 re-hashed with Vasalie having to dance to accomplice her goals. While it was super cool for book 1, I was more so bored with it this time.
— Memory loss trope during an established relationship is not my thing. It’s one thing for a book 1 with characters we aren’t familiar with to have memory loss that goes along the plot, but in this case it came across frustrating and not entirely written in a satisfying way. But after the book 1 cliffhanger i had to know what was going to happen.
*ARC courtesy of netgalley*
(spoilers)
idk i may be petty but i wouldn’t have been able to get over the fact my man slept with multiple people even though he’d lost his memory. that would take me yearssss, i am nowhere near as forgiving as vasalie regardless of nuance. like girlie had to watch him do so multiple times 💀 it’s just crazy to me that when a girl loses her memory in a book, the guy yearns and works to win her back and never leaves her side, it’s almost romantic- but here it felt the opposite. i sadly found this so annoying than interesting to find it rewarding to finish.
i feel bad writing a not so stellar review since this author is local to me 😭 the first book had so much promise and i’m obsessed with my FairyLoot edition
August 8, 2026
To Dance with Death picks up right where A Dance of Lies left off and was everything I was missing from the first book. The plot was engaging and most of the questions I had at the end of book 1 were finally answered in this. The heart of this book is the emotional connection and conclusion to Vasalie and Anton’s story. Vasalie didn’t give up on Anton at any moment and despite her heartbreak works through Anton’s heartbreak. Their moments in this book were filled with tension and love and I really enjoyed where it ended! This was a really nice ending to this duology!
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!
February 18, 2026
4.25⭐️ this was a perfect ending to an amazing duology. We pick up where book 1 left us hanging.
This is a true slow-burn. Which fed my soul.
Ms Arena knows how to tug at the heart strings. And she can write some good banter and yearning!!
I don’t want to give too much away, since you need to read book 1 first and too much of what I loved would spoil it.
I will forever adore this duet. Please, give this series a chance if you like fmc’s who are a bit on the softer side, disability rep, and the “bad boy” exterior with a gooey center.
Thank you Bloomsbury and Brittany Arena for the e-arc.
This is a true slow-burn. Which fed my soul.
Ms Arena knows how to tug at the heart strings. And she can write some good banter and yearning!!
I don’t want to give too much away, since you need to read book 1 first and too much of what I loved would spoil it.
I will forever adore this duet. Please, give this series a chance if you like fmc’s who are a bit on the softer side, disability rep, and the “bad boy” exterior with a gooey center.
Thank you Bloomsbury and Brittany Arena for the e-arc.
August 29, 2026
5 ⭐️
i have indeed bumped it up to a 5* bc I love the romance sm
”What would you wish of me? Tell me you want the moon, and I will cast a reel and lure it forth. If being able to kiss you demands fidelity on my part, then Vasalie, you shall have it.”
Spoilers for Book 1 ahead!!
Oh my god, I am at a loss for words. Truly. I can only say that this was an absolutely beautiful read, and I am in awe of how much I loved this one. Yes, there’s political intrigue, yes, there’s elements of the supernatural interwoven throughout the series, but really, this felt more like a romance story, and a really beautifully told one, at that. I cannot stop thinking about this one.
The love story between Vasalie and Anton is something that will linger with me for a very long time. To turn a bookish trope I absolutely abhor and turn it into something so moving and poignant, Brittney deserves all the praise. I liked the first Dance of Lies book, but this one I especially loved. I will write my review for the first book soon, but I had to jump straight to this one.
Vasalie and Anton are the epitome of soulmates. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful romances I’ve read in a very long time. If they aren’t soulmates, I have no idea what they are. They have set the new benchmark for romantasies for me. The amnesia trope isn’t anything new, but it is so incredibly rare to see it be executed well, and this one handled it perfectly. I cannot ask for a better execution, and it might have even softened my disdain for the trope a little.
We really get exposed to Anton’s worst traits. Even as the worst version of himself with his hedonistic persona amplified, at his core, Anton is still the same person, with the same capacity for goodness. He still remains such a massive green flag with the way he treats his subjects, and especially the way he behaves around Vasalie. That is something that will forever be engrained into his personality, and I just fell so hard for Anton after that. I don’t know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I think I might have even preferred this version of Anton. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Anton we got in book one, but he just felt too perfect to be real.
I really liked this flawed, broodier and grumpier version of Anton. There was just something about this version of Anton that became more charming and human to me, which is ironic, because he should’ve been more unlikable. Even with part of his soul lost, he’s still the same Anton. Still the same green flag, however more bitter and resentful. His goodness just cuts through all his more negatively amplified traits. Even at his worst self, that feeling of safety constantly stays with Vasalie, and I think that alone is very telling of Anton's character, and how much of a green flag he is. He really is the standard.
Time and time again, he treats Vasalie with so much care and tenderness, it just moved something in me that I can't really put into words. But at the same time, I loved how strong Vasalie is as well, not wanting this Anton to take advantage of her heart, and treat her like some disposable toy. Not that Anton would ever do that, but I love seeing her make her boundaries clear with him. They just have such a healthy relationship.
Even the parallels hit me in the feels. It’s so angsty yet so worth the read, and I loved seeing Anton fall in love with Vasalie again. To love someone at their worst and still fight, that is pure devotion. I cannot praise the romance enough, and I could dedicate my whole review to the romance alone.
I admit, I didn't care so much about the political intrigue over the series, but the romance was so strong it genuinely overlooked any issues I had, and propelled my love for this series, which is why I'm rating it so highly. This one just feels like a duology that gets better the more I think about it. This is the definition of falling in love with someone again, and how you do it properly.
Going back to the individual characters, I just have such a soft spot for Vasalie since I am chronically ill myself, and I resonate so much with her hidden pain. I wish we got to explore more of the chronic illness rep, but she is so strong yet someone that continues to remain soft-hearted and kind despite everything she’s gone through. I love seeing Vasalie put herself first, which felt more prominent in this book than the last. She does all she can to save Anton, but at the same time, she also has these moments where she chooses herself, to dance for herself, to put herself first, and I really admire that about her. She is someone I genuinely strive to be, and I find that so inspirational. I also have so much respect that she plays hard to get with this version of Anton, and makes him work for her affection. The way they handle their romance was so well done.
I am extremely satisfied with how this book ended and I am so excited to read more of Brittney’s books! I will absolutely do a reread of this because I can’t get enough of the romance.
i have indeed bumped it up to a 5* bc I love the romance sm
”What would you wish of me? Tell me you want the moon, and I will cast a reel and lure it forth. If being able to kiss you demands fidelity on my part, then Vasalie, you shall have it.”
Spoilers for Book 1 ahead!!
Oh my god, I am at a loss for words. Truly. I can only say that this was an absolutely beautiful read, and I am in awe of how much I loved this one. Yes, there’s political intrigue, yes, there’s elements of the supernatural interwoven throughout the series, but really, this felt more like a romance story, and a really beautifully told one, at that. I cannot stop thinking about this one.
The love story between Vasalie and Anton is something that will linger with me for a very long time. To turn a bookish trope I absolutely abhor and turn it into something so moving and poignant, Brittney deserves all the praise. I liked the first Dance of Lies book, but this one I especially loved. I will write my review for the first book soon, but I had to jump straight to this one.
Vasalie and Anton are the epitome of soulmates. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful romances I’ve read in a very long time. If they aren’t soulmates, I have no idea what they are. They have set the new benchmark for romantasies for me. The amnesia trope isn’t anything new, but it is so incredibly rare to see it be executed well, and this one handled it perfectly. I cannot ask for a better execution, and it might have even softened my disdain for the trope a little.
We really get exposed to Anton’s worst traits. Even as the worst version of himself with his hedonistic persona amplified, at his core, Anton is still the same person, with the same capacity for goodness. He still remains such a massive green flag with the way he treats his subjects, and especially the way he behaves around Vasalie. That is something that will forever be engrained into his personality, and I just fell so hard for Anton after that. I don’t know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I think I might have even preferred this version of Anton. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Anton we got in book one, but he just felt too perfect to be real.
I really liked this flawed, broodier and grumpier version of Anton. There was just something about this version of Anton that became more charming and human to me, which is ironic, because he should’ve been more unlikable. Even with part of his soul lost, he’s still the same Anton. Still the same green flag, however more bitter and resentful. His goodness just cuts through all his more negatively amplified traits. Even at his worst self, that feeling of safety constantly stays with Vasalie, and I think that alone is very telling of Anton's character, and how much of a green flag he is. He really is the standard.
Time and time again, he treats Vasalie with so much care and tenderness, it just moved something in me that I can't really put into words. But at the same time, I loved how strong Vasalie is as well, not wanting this Anton to take advantage of her heart, and treat her like some disposable toy. Not that Anton would ever do that, but I love seeing her make her boundaries clear with him. They just have such a healthy relationship.
Even the parallels hit me in the feels. It’s so angsty yet so worth the read, and I loved seeing Anton fall in love with Vasalie again. To love someone at their worst and still fight, that is pure devotion. I cannot praise the romance enough, and I could dedicate my whole review to the romance alone.
I admit, I didn't care so much about the political intrigue over the series, but the romance was so strong it genuinely overlooked any issues I had, and propelled my love for this series, which is why I'm rating it so highly. This one just feels like a duology that gets better the more I think about it. This is the definition of falling in love with someone again, and how you do it properly.
Going back to the individual characters, I just have such a soft spot for Vasalie since I am chronically ill myself, and I resonate so much with her hidden pain. I wish we got to explore more of the chronic illness rep, but she is so strong yet someone that continues to remain soft-hearted and kind despite everything she’s gone through. I love seeing Vasalie put herself first, which felt more prominent in this book than the last. She does all she can to save Anton, but at the same time, she also has these moments where she chooses herself, to dance for herself, to put herself first, and I really admire that about her. She is someone I genuinely strive to be, and I find that so inspirational. I also have so much respect that she plays hard to get with this version of Anton, and makes him work for her affection. The way they handle their romance was so well done.
I am extremely satisfied with how this book ended and I am so excited to read more of Brittney’s books! I will absolutely do a reread of this because I can’t get enough of the romance.
September 1, 2026
2⭐️ - This one unfortunately did not work for me. I don’t always love the memory loss trope and this was sadly one of those times. It took too long to resolve and the resolution fell a bit flat for me. I also didn’t enjoy that it changed Anton so much. I could not forgive him for sleeping with and touching other women. I struggled to get over that.
Vasalie, ahh I loved her in the first book but she seemed like a completely different person in this one. She was just portrayed as so weak. It just didn’t seem fair to her. Her life had been hard enough. I also couldn’t understand her just getting over Anton sleeping with and touching other women. I understand what the author was trying to do with showing Anton without love but ugh it just broke my heart. Some people may be able to get over that and enjoy this one.
I also struggled with the pacing a bit. The first part dragged a bit for me. Then the resolution of the memory loss, the battle, etc was too quick and clean.
I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one but I think others may not feel that way. I did enjoy the writing style and loved the first book so I’m hopeful that future books from Brittney will land better for me!
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the arc!
Vasalie, ahh I loved her in the first book but she seemed like a completely different person in this one. She was just portrayed as so weak. It just didn’t seem fair to her. Her life had been hard enough. I also couldn’t understand her just getting over Anton sleeping with and touching other women. I understand what the author was trying to do with showing Anton without love but ugh it just broke my heart. Some people may be able to get over that and enjoy this one.
I also struggled with the pacing a bit. The first part dragged a bit for me. Then the resolution of the memory loss, the battle, etc was too quick and clean.
I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one but I think others may not feel that way. I did enjoy the writing style and loved the first book so I’m hopeful that future books from Brittney will land better for me!
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the arc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
I really enjoyed A Dance of Lies last year, so I was excited to jump back into this world and spend more time with the characters. And while I did like this sequel overall, it just didn’t reach the same level for me as the first book.
The beginning and the ending were definitely the strongest parts. The first 20% pulled me in right away, and the final stretch was fast paced and packed with action. But the middle really dragged for me. It actually took me over a week to finish, and I ended up reading two other books in between because I kept losing momentum.
A big part of the issue was the shift in focus. Most of the story takes place in the underworld and centers almost entirely on Vasalie and Anton. What made the first book so engaging for me was the rich cast of secondary characters and all the political intrigue. Those elements are mostly missing here, and I really felt that absence. I missed Copelan, who is barely present in this book. The opening worked well because we still had some of those interactions, but as the story progresses, everything narrows and becomes much more isolated.
I also found parts of the middle quite repetitive. A lot of the interactions between the main characters revolve around relationship drama, which didn’t feel as compelling as the more politically driven plot of the first book. The central conflict, Anton losing his memory, also ended up being resolved in a way that felt a bit too simple given the stakes.
The ending picked things up again, and I enjoyed it much more than the middle. It’s much more dynamic, though I can see some readers feeling that the political resolution is rushed. Considering how important that aspect was in the first book, wrapping it up so quickly felt a little underwhelming.
Overall, I’m still glad I got to return to these characters and this world. I just wish the sequel had kept more of the political depth and strong supporting cast that made the first book stand out, instead of leaning so heavily into a more typical romantasy direction.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The beginning and the ending were definitely the strongest parts. The first 20% pulled me in right away, and the final stretch was fast paced and packed with action. But the middle really dragged for me. It actually took me over a week to finish, and I ended up reading two other books in between because I kept losing momentum.
A big part of the issue was the shift in focus. Most of the story takes place in the underworld and centers almost entirely on Vasalie and Anton. What made the first book so engaging for me was the rich cast of secondary characters and all the political intrigue. Those elements are mostly missing here, and I really felt that absence. I missed Copelan, who is barely present in this book. The opening worked well because we still had some of those interactions, but as the story progresses, everything narrows and becomes much more isolated.
I also found parts of the middle quite repetitive. A lot of the interactions between the main characters revolve around relationship drama, which didn’t feel as compelling as the more politically driven plot of the first book. The central conflict, Anton losing his memory, also ended up being resolved in a way that felt a bit too simple given the stakes.
The ending picked things up again, and I enjoyed it much more than the middle. It’s much more dynamic, though I can see some readers feeling that the political resolution is rushed. Considering how important that aspect was in the first book, wrapping it up so quickly felt a little underwhelming.
Overall, I’m still glad I got to return to these characters and this world. I just wish the sequel had kept more of the political depth and strong supporting cast that made the first book stand out, instead of leaning so heavily into a more typical romantasy direction.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC releasing August 2026.
This is the second part of the duology, following A Dance of Lies, which I was also very grateful to ARC read and loved. I am so happy with how the author chose to write this book - and it was sooo good. A little slow to start, but then I couldn’t put it down.
This book picks up shortly after the first ends, Vasalie is brought back from the dead after Anton makes a deal with death herself. In making this deal, death takes all his memories of Vasalie and the happenings of the last months - including all the politics, betrayals etc. She takes away what made him good - which in part is his love for Vasalie. Locked up for his own good, he thinks all his friends and allies have betrayed him. On the other hand, Vasalie must leave him to continue their mission to let the syndicate know of her father’s treachery and Illians betrayal (before his death) - to try and prevent all out war. But her father is always two steps ahead - arguing his way out of the accusations. So the syndicate decides that Anton has 30 days to present himself to them and validate the accusations (that he can’t remember), and that Vasalie is to go back to her father’s household. There in starts the time clock that sees Vasalie going to any depths to get to Anton and break the curse dealt to him by death, prevent war and defeat her tyrant of a father.
This is the second part of the duology, following A Dance of Lies, which I was also very grateful to ARC read and loved. I am so happy with how the author chose to write this book - and it was sooo good. A little slow to start, but then I couldn’t put it down.
This book picks up shortly after the first ends, Vasalie is brought back from the dead after Anton makes a deal with death herself. In making this deal, death takes all his memories of Vasalie and the happenings of the last months - including all the politics, betrayals etc. She takes away what made him good - which in part is his love for Vasalie. Locked up for his own good, he thinks all his friends and allies have betrayed him. On the other hand, Vasalie must leave him to continue their mission to let the syndicate know of her father’s treachery and Illians betrayal (before his death) - to try and prevent all out war. But her father is always two steps ahead - arguing his way out of the accusations. So the syndicate decides that Anton has 30 days to present himself to them and validate the accusations (that he can’t remember), and that Vasalie is to go back to her father’s household. There in starts the time clock that sees Vasalie going to any depths to get to Anton and break the curse dealt to him by death, prevent war and defeat her tyrant of a father.
April 6, 2026
✨2.5 stars ✨
“Vasalie, I think I will keep you forever. Would that be all right with you?”
This review may contain spoilers for book 1 ‘A Dance of Lies’ please read on with caution.
What to expect in this
* Sequel to ‘A Dance of Lies’
* Dual POV
* Romantic fantasy
* Life/death
* Political intrigue
* Memory loss
* Fates
First off, thank you to Del Rey for the e-arc copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I was super stoked to get back into this series as I adored book one.
In the first book, I absolutely loved seeing Vasalie and Anton relationship grow and Vasalie grow as a character so this book was an interesting one in far as direction take.
I’ll say it straight out, I’m not the biggest fan of the amnesia/memory loss trope. I think a lot of the time it dissolves the whole previous past development and I think that in this case, it’s kinda showing that. In this case, Antons memory loss made him a completely different person and I wasn’t the biggest fan.
It took me a little while to kind of catch my bearings and dive back into the story but I feel that Part 2 was where I was vibing the most. I felt that this is where we got most of the romantic tension and unravelling secrets which I always like.
I will say that this book was a bit of a hit or miss moment unfortunately (it’s killing me to say it). I think the book would have benefitted from more revelation moments between Anton and Vasalie rather than an all of a sudden “I remember!” (that’s not actually how it went but like you get my jist)
Unfortunately, not a win for me but 100% see where people are going to love this! There was some epic romantic scenes in this I will admit!
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
“Vasalie, I think I will keep you forever. Would that be all right with you?”
This review may contain spoilers for book 1 ‘A Dance of Lies’ please read on with caution.
What to expect in this
* Sequel to ‘A Dance of Lies’
* Dual POV
* Romantic fantasy
* Life/death
* Political intrigue
* Memory loss
* Fates
First off, thank you to Del Rey for the e-arc copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I was super stoked to get back into this series as I adored book one.
In the first book, I absolutely loved seeing Vasalie and Anton relationship grow and Vasalie grow as a character so this book was an interesting one in far as direction take.
I’ll say it straight out, I’m not the biggest fan of the amnesia/memory loss trope. I think a lot of the time it dissolves the whole previous past development and I think that in this case, it’s kinda showing that. In this case, Antons memory loss made him a completely different person and I wasn’t the biggest fan.
It took me a little while to kind of catch my bearings and dive back into the story but I feel that Part 2 was where I was vibing the most. I felt that this is where we got most of the romantic tension and unravelling secrets which I always like.
I will say that this book was a bit of a hit or miss moment unfortunately (it’s killing me to say it). I think the book would have benefitted from more revelation moments between Anton and Vasalie rather than an all of a sudden “I remember!” (that’s not actually how it went but like you get my jist)
Unfortunately, not a win for me but 100% see where people are going to love this! There was some epic romantic scenes in this I will admit!
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
August 27, 2026
4.5 ✨
What a beautiful second book in the duology! I’m not normally a fan of the ‘amnesia’ trope in books but this one was done so well!
What a beautiful second book in the duology! I’m not normally a fan of the ‘amnesia’ trope in books but this one was done so well!
March 27, 2026
4.5 ⭐️/5
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t think I could love this sequel more than the first—but I did.
If you love LONGING, YEARNING ( I MEAN A YEARNING FMC) and emotional intensity, this absolutely delivers. SO DEEPLY ROMANTIC, I am swept away and in love with the world, the story and our main couple..
A perfect conclusion to a must-read duology for anyone who enjoys deeply romantic stories in enchanting settings. I NEED MY PHYSICAL COPY ASAP PLEASE!!!!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t think I could love this sequel more than the first—but I did.
If you love LONGING, YEARNING ( I MEAN A YEARNING FMC) and emotional intensity, this absolutely delivers. SO DEEPLY ROMANTIC, I am swept away and in love with the world, the story and our main couple..
A perfect conclusion to a must-read duology for anyone who enjoys deeply romantic stories in enchanting settings. I NEED MY PHYSICAL COPY ASAP PLEASE!!!!
July 19, 2026
after the ending of the first book, there was no way i was going to wait to get my greedy eyeballs on this story, so when i got approved for it, i basically ditched everything i was supposed to be doing.
i have loved vasalie from her first scene on the first page of the first book. she’s strong and smart and i loved reading her navigate her life within the confines, but keeping true to herself. anton is a damn delight and even this “new” version of him had me swooning. together these two have banter and chemistry for days and i won’t spoil a thing.
plot wise, it’s much more layered than expected. there are a few underlying threads that i didn’t even realized i wanted resolved, not to mention the main story. of course the romance aspect is everything i could have wanted for these two and i know i’m being extra extra greedy when i say i could have read another 2382837 pages of vasalie and anton together.
overall, this was such a satisfying adventure and i can’t wait to see what brittney comes up with next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
i have loved vasalie from her first scene on the first page of the first book. she’s strong and smart and i loved reading her navigate her life within the confines, but keeping true to herself. anton is a damn delight and even this “new” version of him had me swooning. together these two have banter and chemistry for days and i won’t spoil a thing.
plot wise, it’s much more layered than expected. there are a few underlying threads that i didn’t even realized i wanted resolved, not to mention the main story. of course the romance aspect is everything i could have wanted for these two and i know i’m being extra extra greedy when i say i could have read another 2382837 pages of vasalie and anton together.
overall, this was such a satisfying adventure and i can’t wait to see what brittney comes up with next.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To Dance with Death brings to conclusion a duology that will remain forever cherished in my heart. A love that began in A Dance of Lies, one of the greatest reading experiences I’ve had. I went into that book without any expectations and left it utterly exhilarated by it. It also left me with massive anticipation for this sequel. A sequel I heartily loved, even if I did find myself at times stressed reading but that just fortifies how much I came to care for our leads. They had me in love, in awe, and yes, even in stress, and maybe that’s the way it should be.
This sequel continues the determination left in Vasalie in the last book: she will do whatever it takes to restore Anton’s memories so he can retake his rightful place as king to save his people from an incoming war.
Vasalie shines so bright and beautiful within this journey. This is her journey to reclaim her agency and power, and she does so with so much resolve. She is a character full of resilience. Even with a wounded heart, even if she believes her own future may be bleak, she still fights for her causes. In this case, to see Anton restored and a kingdom saved. Similarly to Anton, she is willing to sacrifice anything and everything to achieve her selfless goals. Even at the cost of heartbreak. She courageously pushes forward through every rip of her heart, but she also steadies herself as she fights to get Anton’s memories back. Actually, it becomes less about his memories and more about finding his true self still at his core, a core she hopes to unbury so he can lead and save his people as both he and they deserve. Over the course of these two books, Vasalie has flourished as a heroine, all while remaining a soft heroine, one full of love, courage, kindness, and a resiliency that inspires.
I’m always nervous about amnesia plots, but this one began quite well. I felt so badly for Vasalie as she attempted to navigate the underworld of souls to fully restore Anton. She has to witness his countless dalliances along with a disposition so unlike his true self, one presenting as uncaring and unfeeling, and it wounded her over and over. I appreciated how the narrative always acknowledged and validated how hurt she is over this even as she understands the Anton she witnesses is not his true self. And I understood too, but I also found myself quite frustrated at how long this cycle went on for. I just missed the true Anton and wished the amnesia plot didn’t take as long as it did to resolve, because for too much of this work, Anton felt like a different character. And yes it makes sense given what he sacrificed to save Vasalie, but I cannot help but miss the playful rakish charmer who cares so deeply and selflessly. In his place is a broody, self-destructive, and at times cold man that did not shine quite the same. One whose true self is masked similarly as he was in his initial encounters with Vasalie, but the mask felt too different here. He becomes too unfamiliar. To be fair, Anton is without certain memories, and it has affected the way he wears his mask this go around. Not to mention, given all that has transpired, it’s impossible not to be unchanged in some way, regardless of lost memories. This book leans towards a heavier tone, amplified by its main setting of death which may contribute to the darker shift in Anton’s character. He now resides in a realm where souls exist but slowly lose their connection to previous life and loves. Anton is still mortal and of flesh but the parallels between the souls and his own is poignant, and we see how he tries to sever all connections to languish in a place of escape. An escape from discovering what he has lost, or perhaps buried deep within himself. And I get it and I appreciated the purpose of the amnesia plot, but it simply resided in the narrative for far too long and I missed Anton for all of it. Which in turn affected my engagement and enjoyment of the romance.
A romance I still love, even if I felt it missing a component, it’s a love I never wavered in believing. Seeing Vasalie never give up on Anton, no matter how steep the hill to climb, is the stuff of true love. She believes in him, just as much as he did in her when their journey began.
One of my favorite parts of the first book is the rich supporting cast, it feels a lot more condensed this go around, at times I missed certain characters who only pop up in the end, but at the same time, having a bit more focus on a character like Sundar is a very welcome addition. He was one of the highlights for me! And with the love story at the heart of this journey, I do appreciate the main focus stays on Vasalie and Anton. Who receive a beautifully fitting and highly earned ending. I was so happy with the ending, in fact! The ending is perfect!
All in all I loved it, it does not shine quite as bright as its predecessor but it beautifully completes an experience I’ll treasure always.
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
_____
Quick thoughts before full review: Another one where I’m torn on how to rate. I loved it, I loved it so much but there’s a certain thing that frustrated me almost as much and I’m not sure if I really shook it off by story’s end. But still…I can confidently say I loved it. Not as much as the first book, but still an overall beautiful sequel (minus the thing that frustrated me arghhhh) and a duology I’ll forever treasure.!
This sequel continues the determination left in Vasalie in the last book: she will do whatever it takes to restore Anton’s memories so he can retake his rightful place as king to save his people from an incoming war.
Vasalie shines so bright and beautiful within this journey. This is her journey to reclaim her agency and power, and she does so with so much resolve. She is a character full of resilience. Even with a wounded heart, even if she believes her own future may be bleak, she still fights for her causes. In this case, to see Anton restored and a kingdom saved. Similarly to Anton, she is willing to sacrifice anything and everything to achieve her selfless goals. Even at the cost of heartbreak. She courageously pushes forward through every rip of her heart, but she also steadies herself as she fights to get Anton’s memories back. Actually, it becomes less about his memories and more about finding his true self still at his core, a core she hopes to unbury so he can lead and save his people as both he and they deserve. Over the course of these two books, Vasalie has flourished as a heroine, all while remaining a soft heroine, one full of love, courage, kindness, and a resiliency that inspires.
I’m always nervous about amnesia plots, but this one began quite well. I felt so badly for Vasalie as she attempted to navigate the underworld of souls to fully restore Anton. She has to witness his countless dalliances along with a disposition so unlike his true self, one presenting as uncaring and unfeeling, and it wounded her over and over. I appreciated how the narrative always acknowledged and validated how hurt she is over this even as she understands the Anton she witnesses is not his true self. And I understood too, but I also found myself quite frustrated at how long this cycle went on for. I just missed the true Anton and wished the amnesia plot didn’t take as long as it did to resolve, because for too much of this work, Anton felt like a different character. And yes it makes sense given what he sacrificed to save Vasalie, but I cannot help but miss the playful rakish charmer who cares so deeply and selflessly. In his place is a broody, self-destructive, and at times cold man that did not shine quite the same. One whose true self is masked similarly as he was in his initial encounters with Vasalie, but the mask felt too different here. He becomes too unfamiliar. To be fair, Anton is without certain memories, and it has affected the way he wears his mask this go around. Not to mention, given all that has transpired, it’s impossible not to be unchanged in some way, regardless of lost memories. This book leans towards a heavier tone, amplified by its main setting of death which may contribute to the darker shift in Anton’s character. He now resides in a realm where souls exist but slowly lose their connection to previous life and loves. Anton is still mortal and of flesh but the parallels between the souls and his own is poignant, and we see how he tries to sever all connections to languish in a place of escape. An escape from discovering what he has lost, or perhaps buried deep within himself. And I get it and I appreciated the purpose of the amnesia plot, but it simply resided in the narrative for far too long and I missed Anton for all of it. Which in turn affected my engagement and enjoyment of the romance.
A romance I still love, even if I felt it missing a component, it’s a love I never wavered in believing. Seeing Vasalie never give up on Anton, no matter how steep the hill to climb, is the stuff of true love. She believes in him, just as much as he did in her when their journey began.
One of my favorite parts of the first book is the rich supporting cast, it feels a lot more condensed this go around, at times I missed certain characters who only pop up in the end, but at the same time, having a bit more focus on a character like Sundar is a very welcome addition. He was one of the highlights for me! And with the love story at the heart of this journey, I do appreciate the main focus stays on Vasalie and Anton. Who receive a beautifully fitting and highly earned ending. I was so happy with the ending, in fact! The ending is perfect!
All in all I loved it, it does not shine quite as bright as its predecessor but it beautifully completes an experience I’ll treasure always.
Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
_____
Quick thoughts before full review: Another one where I’m torn on how to rate. I loved it, I loved it so much but there’s a certain thing that frustrated me almost as much and I’m not sure if I really shook it off by story’s end. But still…I can confidently say I loved it. Not as much as the first book, but still an overall beautiful sequel (minus the thing that frustrated me arghhhh) and a duology I’ll forever treasure.!
February 25, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
🫶🏽 Summary:
To Dance with Death is the conclusion to the A Dance of Lies duology, following Vasalie as the cost of sacrifice finally comes due. With the realm on the brink of war and the man she loves lost to the underworld, Vasalie is forced to do the unthinkable: descend into Death’s domain to reclaim what was taken and try to restore what was broken.
As gods, kings, and old enemies move their pieces, Vasalie must navigate shifting alliances, dangerous bargains, and truths that cut deeper than any blade. The underworld reveals its own rules, its own cruelties, and its own twisted sense of justice and not everyone who returns is the same as they were before.
This is a story about love tested by loss, memory, and power, about choosing hope in the face of impossible odds, and about whether saving the world is worth the pieces of your heart it may cost.
🖤 Vibes:
💀 Journey to the underworld
👑 Queen energy FMC
🖤 Love tested by sacrifice
🔥 High-stakes romantic fantasy
🕯️ Gods, death, and dangerous bargains
🗡️ Political tension & looming war
💔 Memory loss / changed lover
🌒 Dark fantasy atmosphere
✨ Found family & purposeful side characters
⚔️ Fate vs. choice
😭 Emotional damage (but in a cathartic way)
🌹 Bittersweet → hopeful payoff
📝 My Review:
Wow. I knew after I finished the first book that I had to jump straight into the second, and I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Del Rey for allowing me an ARC copy. This book doesn’t come out until August 4th, 2026, but wow… it is absolutely worth the wait.
We continue the story with Vasalie and Anton, and can I just say 👸🏻 she is a literal queen. The way Illian comes back into play in this book and how she handles him? Major boss energy. We also get to learn so much more about the underworld and what it means to deal with Death, and honestly, I feel like the way Brittney wrote this was really unique within the romantic fantasy genre.
There were twists and turns I genuinely did not expect, and I loved that every single character served a purpose in the story. Nothing felt wasted. It all came together in a way that made the world feel fuller and more complete.
And that ending… it absolutely tore me up. Everything turned out in such a perfect, almost fairytale way… everything I wanted to happen, happened exactly how it should have by the end. The part with the codex coming into play literally wrecked me.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: if you loved the first book, you will absolutely love this one. We get new settings, deeper character development, and a chance to truly understand even the most unloved characters.
🫶🏽 Summary:
To Dance with Death is the conclusion to the A Dance of Lies duology, following Vasalie as the cost of sacrifice finally comes due. With the realm on the brink of war and the man she loves lost to the underworld, Vasalie is forced to do the unthinkable: descend into Death’s domain to reclaim what was taken and try to restore what was broken.
As gods, kings, and old enemies move their pieces, Vasalie must navigate shifting alliances, dangerous bargains, and truths that cut deeper than any blade. The underworld reveals its own rules, its own cruelties, and its own twisted sense of justice and not everyone who returns is the same as they were before.
This is a story about love tested by loss, memory, and power, about choosing hope in the face of impossible odds, and about whether saving the world is worth the pieces of your heart it may cost.
🖤 Vibes:
💀 Journey to the underworld
👑 Queen energy FMC
🖤 Love tested by sacrifice
🔥 High-stakes romantic fantasy
🕯️ Gods, death, and dangerous bargains
🗡️ Political tension & looming war
💔 Memory loss / changed lover
🌒 Dark fantasy atmosphere
✨ Found family & purposeful side characters
⚔️ Fate vs. choice
😭 Emotional damage (but in a cathartic way)
🌹 Bittersweet → hopeful payoff
📝 My Review:
Wow. I knew after I finished the first book that I had to jump straight into the second, and I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Del Rey for allowing me an ARC copy. This book doesn’t come out until August 4th, 2026, but wow… it is absolutely worth the wait.
We continue the story with Vasalie and Anton, and can I just say 👸🏻 she is a literal queen. The way Illian comes back into play in this book and how she handles him? Major boss energy. We also get to learn so much more about the underworld and what it means to deal with Death, and honestly, I feel like the way Brittney wrote this was really unique within the romantic fantasy genre.
There were twists and turns I genuinely did not expect, and I loved that every single character served a purpose in the story. Nothing felt wasted. It all came together in a way that made the world feel fuller and more complete.
And that ending… it absolutely tore me up. Everything turned out in such a perfect, almost fairytale way… everything I wanted to happen, happened exactly how it should have by the end. The part with the codex coming into play literally wrecked me.
Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: if you loved the first book, you will absolutely love this one. We get new settings, deeper character development, and a chance to truly understand even the most unloved characters.
April 23, 2026
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
To Dance With Death is a seamless part two to its predecessor that matches the captivating storyline and one-of-a-kind emotional connection I have had with all these characters. Needless to say, Arena knows exactly how to make her audience truly know loyalty, tragedy, and love.
As a sequel warrants, we get to explore new areas that expand the worldbuilding and new relationships between different characters, but as a five-star sequel accomplishes, everything new is written with purpose. To Dance with Death does this and more.
While I’m not able to elaborate on any specific scenes, I will say that there multiple moments I felt my heart actually beat a little faster or twist in trepidation. For a story to truly connect with the soul like this happens very rarely for me, though for it to happen twice with both volumes is truly remarkable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.
To Dance With Death is a seamless part two to its predecessor that matches the captivating storyline and one-of-a-kind emotional connection I have had with all these characters. Needless to say, Arena knows exactly how to make her audience truly know loyalty, tragedy, and love.
As a sequel warrants, we get to explore new areas that expand the worldbuilding and new relationships between different characters, but as a five-star sequel accomplishes, everything new is written with purpose. To Dance with Death does this and more.
While I’m not able to elaborate on any specific scenes, I will say that there multiple moments I felt my heart actually beat a little faster or twist in trepidation. For a story to truly connect with the soul like this happens very rarely for me, though for it to happen twice with both volumes is truly remarkable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.
July 8, 2026
GOD TIER. INCREDIBLE. GIVE ME FIVE HUNDRED.
I just finished this after binging it almost in one sitting and now that my eyes have stopped leaking I can write a real review. I am in AWE. This book was so magical and heartwarming and painful and and and!!!! I cannot get over it.
After absolutely loving A Dance of Lies last year, I had really high hopes for this one and BRITTNEY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
I think I spent the last 15% in tears. I truly can’t think of a better way to have wrapped up the story and I already miss these characters.
It’s such a beautifully unique and fresh romantic fantasy that everyone needs to read immediately. I cannot wait to see what Brittney writes next.
Thank you so much to Del Rey for the earc!! Pub day is 8/4, so only a few more weeks!
I just finished this after binging it almost in one sitting and now that my eyes have stopped leaking I can write a real review. I am in AWE. This book was so magical and heartwarming and painful and and and!!!! I cannot get over it.
After absolutely loving A Dance of Lies last year, I had really high hopes for this one and BRITTNEY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
I think I spent the last 15% in tears. I truly can’t think of a better way to have wrapped up the story and I already miss these characters.
It’s such a beautifully unique and fresh romantic fantasy that everyone needs to read immediately. I cannot wait to see what Brittney writes next.
Thank you so much to Del Rey for the earc!! Pub day is 8/4, so only a few more weeks!
![Profile Image for Aleksandra [semi hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1755513187i/65058031._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
dnr
July 7, 2026this is actually disgusting
Texa’s review to book 1 has it all:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Not safe
Texa’s review to book 1 has it all:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Not safe
February 23, 2026
Five enthusiastic stars for To Dance with Death, the beautiful conclusion to the epic duology by Brittney Arena.
Immediately back into this story with book 2, like I’d only set it down yesterday. (Who could forget the court dancer to the king who was thrown into a dungeon for two years and then forced into espionage for a man she despises?) it begins with a whisper of mystery. Secret tunnels. Danger. You will be hooked before you even settle into your chair.
At first, this book felt like a vibe shift from the first, different realm, different tone, different atmosphere, until suddenly it was exactly everything I loved before, and I was kicking my feet at how good it was.
Vasalie continues to be one of my favourite kinds of heroines: resourceful, observant, resilient. She doesn’t just survive—she thinks. She adapts. She endures.
And the tension? The missing memories trope is always delicious, but here it was exquisitely done. I was on the edge of my seat devouring every interaction. The “leaning”. The almosts. The charged proximity. When he calls her, “a persistent little miscreant.” 🤣❤️ Banter and yearning in perfect balance.
But the ending. It’s been a LONG time since I cried happy tears at a book (I am not a crier). This one touched my heart, deeply. Self-sacrificing love conquering absolutely everything no matter the cost.
This duology was perfect for me: romantic, tense, mysterious, and ultimately deeply satisfying. One of my favourite reads of the year, and one I will absolutely dance back to again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey / Random House for this Advance Readers Copy, thrilled to read this early!
Immediately back into this story with book 2, like I’d only set it down yesterday. (Who could forget the court dancer to the king who was thrown into a dungeon for two years and then forced into espionage for a man she despises?) it begins with a whisper of mystery. Secret tunnels. Danger. You will be hooked before you even settle into your chair.
At first, this book felt like a vibe shift from the first, different realm, different tone, different atmosphere, until suddenly it was exactly everything I loved before, and I was kicking my feet at how good it was.
Vasalie continues to be one of my favourite kinds of heroines: resourceful, observant, resilient. She doesn’t just survive—she thinks. She adapts. She endures.
And the tension? The missing memories trope is always delicious, but here it was exquisitely done. I was on the edge of my seat devouring every interaction. The “leaning”. The almosts. The charged proximity. When he calls her, “a persistent little miscreant.” 🤣❤️ Banter and yearning in perfect balance.
But the ending. It’s been a LONG time since I cried happy tears at a book (I am not a crier). This one touched my heart, deeply. Self-sacrificing love conquering absolutely everything no matter the cost.
This duology was perfect for me: romantic, tense, mysterious, and ultimately deeply satisfying. One of my favourite reads of the year, and one I will absolutely dance back to again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey / Random House for this Advance Readers Copy, thrilled to read this early!
August 31, 2026
I really enjoyed A Dance of Lies and was really looking forward to this sequel. And while it was enjoyable to a certain extent, it didn’t manage to deliver the same feeling in the end.
For example, the pacing felt uneven and often slow. But my main problem was that this didn’t feel like a natural continuation of the first book. Instead of lies, mystery and spying tied into forbidden romance and beautiful dancing, we get the main character kidnapped by her own father and much of the story is focused on the development in another realm. This is more tied to the ending of the first book, which I felt were its weakest point.
It’s a good story, but I didn’t find the duology cohesive overall.
For example, the pacing felt uneven and often slow. But my main problem was that this didn’t feel like a natural continuation of the first book. Instead of lies, mystery and spying tied into forbidden romance and beautiful dancing, we get the main character kidnapped by her own father and much of the story is focused on the development in another realm. This is more tied to the ending of the first book, which I felt were its weakest point.
It’s a good story, but I didn’t find the duology cohesive overall.
June 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of A Dance of Death by Brittney Arena. I was absolutely over the moon to receive this book, and despite being in the middle of moving, I couldn't put it down!
I ended up enjoying this duology far more than I ever expected. Brittney Arena creates a compelling story full of twists and turns that kept me invested from beginning to end. One of the standout aspects of this series is the world-building. The different worlds Arena so thoughtfully brings together felt rich, unique, and fully realized. In fact, I would happily read an entire backstory book dedicated to each of them. There is so much depth to the setting, and it added another layer of enjoyment to the story.
My biggest struggle with this book was Vasalie. In the first book, she had developed into a character I was truly rooting for, but in this installment, I found her much harder to like. Her constant pining for Anton and repeatedly having to watch him with other women became frustrating and, honestly, heartbreaking. It happened so often that I found myself hurting for her. In a way, I think that speaks to the strength of the writing—you really feel what the characters are going through. At the same time, it made me think less of Vasalie, and by the end I wasn't as emotionally invested in her as I expected to be. I understand that Anton didn't remember her, but it was still difficult to watch.
I also wished the side characters had been given a little more room to shine. They all felt like they were on the verge of being fully developed, and I kept wanting more from each of them. One thing I loved about the first book was how much attention was given to the wider cast, and I felt that was missing somewhat here.
That said, I really appreciated the ending. It surprised me in such a positive way, which is becoming increasingly rare for me as a reader. Even more than that, I loved how thoroughly the story was wrapped up. So many books leave me wanting more answers or feeling like loose ends remain, but this ending gave me the closure I needed while still leaving me satisfied with the journey.
Overall, this was an engaging conclusion to the duology with excellent world-building, plenty of surprises, and a satisfying ending. While I had some frustrations with the character development, I still found it to be an enjoyable and memorable read.
I ended up enjoying this duology far more than I ever expected. Brittney Arena creates a compelling story full of twists and turns that kept me invested from beginning to end. One of the standout aspects of this series is the world-building. The different worlds Arena so thoughtfully brings together felt rich, unique, and fully realized. In fact, I would happily read an entire backstory book dedicated to each of them. There is so much depth to the setting, and it added another layer of enjoyment to the story.
My biggest struggle with this book was Vasalie. In the first book, she had developed into a character I was truly rooting for, but in this installment, I found her much harder to like. Her constant pining for Anton and repeatedly having to watch him with other women became frustrating and, honestly, heartbreaking. It happened so often that I found myself hurting for her. In a way, I think that speaks to the strength of the writing—you really feel what the characters are going through. At the same time, it made me think less of Vasalie, and by the end I wasn't as emotionally invested in her as I expected to be. I understand that Anton didn't remember her, but it was still difficult to watch.
I also wished the side characters had been given a little more room to shine. They all felt like they were on the verge of being fully developed, and I kept wanting more from each of them. One thing I loved about the first book was how much attention was given to the wider cast, and I felt that was missing somewhat here.
That said, I really appreciated the ending. It surprised me in such a positive way, which is becoming increasingly rare for me as a reader. Even more than that, I loved how thoroughly the story was wrapped up. So many books leave me wanting more answers or feeling like loose ends remain, but this ending gave me the closure I needed while still leaving me satisfied with the journey.
Overall, this was an engaging conclusion to the duology with excellent world-building, plenty of surprises, and a satisfying ending. While I had some frustrations with the character development, I still found it to be an enjoyable and memorable read.
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