Princess of Lies

by Alyssa Pickering, Kelly Chong (Illustrator)

A PRINCESS WITH FORBIDDEN MAGIC. A PRINCE SWORN TO DESTROY IT.

In a court where magic is a death sentence, falling for the wrong prince could be her undoing.

Valerie has been raised to be the perfect princess. Poised, obedient and betrothed to the Crown Prince Aleksander thanks to her father’s schemes. Yet Valerie is hiding a dangerous secret – forbidden magic that makes her Alek’s sworn enemy. To keep her family safe, she must win his heart.

Alek has spent his life preparing to rule. His duties weigh heavily on him – especially marrying a princess and protecting his kingdom from those who wield magic. He never expected Valerie, or how falling for her might change everything he’s ever known.

His brother Will is a notorious rake. Charming and reckless – until he discovers Valerie’s secret. Instead of turning her in, he helps her control the magic she once feared. But Valerie soon discovers that Will may be a greater threat to her heart than her betrothed is to her life.

With the kingdom’s Blood Inquisitor closing in, Valerie faces an impossible choice: follow her duty, or risk everything for the truth of who she is. Because if she fails, it’s not just her life at stake – but her family, her kingdom and the future of magic itself.

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Ebooks

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication December 1, 2026

About the author

Alyssa Pickering has been obsessed with stories for as long as she can remember. When she wasn’t reading fantasy books, she was writing them—especially ones filled with romance. After a brief academic detour to earn a BS in Human Development and an MA in Family and Community Services, she remembered her preference for imaginary worlds and began drafting her debut novel.

When Alyssa isn’t fighting her cat for control of her laptop, you can find her eating sushi or educating her sons on the lyrical genius of Taylor Swift. And while she loves a good slow-burn romance, her favorite will always be the childhood-best-friends-to-lovers story she shares with her husband.

Reviews

[fey]

⠀ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎# ⋮ 🏰 pre-read ‎ ୨ৎ .ᐟ‎‎ 
⭐️ ──⤿ started on : 30.10.26, finished on :

it’s so hard for me to find good fantasy books 🫩 i’ve read good things about this one but the fact that there’s a love triangle makes me nervous little a bit, cuz i always love second mcs more than the first mcs :(

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎🗡️ ── ໋݂ ⟡ what to expect :
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ‎ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 𑇛 love triangle
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ‎ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 𑇛 convenience marriage
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ‎ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 𑇛 enemies to lovers?
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ‎ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 𑇛 hidden secrets
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ㅤ ㅤ ‎ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ‎ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 𑇛 grumpy + sunshine

ㅤ⤿ thank you to netgalley and wayvard publishing, for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Honey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read!

I'd do whatever I needed to do, even if it killed me. Even if, in the end, I knew it likely would.

This book opened strong so I was instantly hooked.

Now I won't lie... this books premise isn't super unlike other books I've read in the genre so I did find myself guessing a lot correctly about where the book was going and what reveals were going to happen, but I still enjoyed the journey nonetheless, and there was one thing that I didn't guess!

This book takes place in a country ruled by a King who has outlawed magic. Valerie has been betrothed to the Prince since she was a child and it is finally time for her to marry. She finds herself meeting someone when an excursion goes array... who turns out to be her betrotheds brother... Yes, that's right, we have ourselves a little love triangle and I wasn't mad about it.

Now I am team Will for sure... he is fun, dangerous and their banter was great.. but I also liked Alek, he was sweet and safe. Our FMC Val could be naïve and frustrating at times but she has also spent her upbringing isolated in her house so it makes sense given the circumstances. I liked the kingdom politics, the tension building between both sides and the reveals toward the end. I really liked the relationship between Val and her brother Eddy too it was so wholesome.

I thought the world building was good and it was an easy fast paced read and I can't want to see where this story goes! I believe this is book 1 in a planned trilogy. I will say this book was pretty YA (no spice) but I don't believe this trilogy is planned to be YA so this may change in future books.

Overall definitely recommend picking this one up when it is released!

Quotes:

"I feel the need to clarify, that showing up at the palace is not in accordance with my wise, prior admonition to stay out of trouble."

"I wanted to keep you safe, too. You were my best friend. I would have done anything to protect you."

Because for the first time in my life, it didn't feel like I was waiting for the end. It felt like a new beginning instead.

"Neither, actually. I was referring to the one where I keep you for myself and enthral you so thoroughly you forget my brothers name."

[Heather Pacella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

Lady Valerie Gracey, promised to the heir of the Aurorian throne as a child, has been shaped over the years into the perfect future queen: she is dutiful, educated, and skilled in navigating court politics. When she is summoned to the palace to begin the betrothal celebrations, she is relieved to find that her future husband, Crown Prince Aleksander, is the stuff of fairy tales. He is handsome, kind, and willing to do whatever it takes to keep Auroria safe, especially from the magic-wielding Magiseri causing devastation throughout the kingdom. But Valerie is hiding a devastating secret - she has magical powers of her own, and if anyone were to discover them both she and her family would be executed. Her only solution is to win Alek’s heart and secure his hand in marriage, all while avoiding detection in a palace teeming with those who would see her kind eliminated.

An unfortunate incident on the way to the capital exposes her magic to an alluring stranger, and Valerie soon realizes that hiding her abilities will be more important than ever. But when she discovers that this mysterious stranger is none other than the carefree, rakish Prince Willem, brother to her betrothed, Valerie is sure that her days are numbered. However, Will is nothing like the rumors swirling about him around at court - he refuses to reveal her secret, instead helping her learn about the magic she has spent her whole life hiding. As Valerie spends more and more time with Will, she finds herself increasingly torn between the two princes. When the ruthless Blood Inquisitor begins to suspect what she really is, Valerie is forced to make a devastating choice between her heart and her duty, with the lives of her family - and her people - hanging in the balance.

Princess of Lies is the first book in a new romantasy trilogy by debut author Alyssa Pickering. My thoughts on various aspects of the story are given below.

*World-building/Plot: Though we are introduced to the basics of the persecution of the magic-wielding Magiseri in Auroria (and Auroria’s overall historical conflict with Elidia, the birthplace of the Magiseri), the world-building was quite generic beyond that. We are given the overall classifications of Magiseri powers, but not much beyond that - details are fairly limited, even as Valerie begins her magical training. Valerie also frequently invokes “goddesses” that she seemingly prays to or refers to in conversation, hinting at some type of religion, but it isn’t until the end of the book that we even learn any of their names (and, again, there weren’t any more details beyond that). Though I’d consider the plot quite predictable (as a seasoned romantasy reader, there were absolutely no surprises or twists in this book), there was still a ton of tension throughout - even though we don’t know much about the world at large, we can still sense the danger that Valerie is in as she navigates her new life in the palace.

*Character Development: Lady Valerie has lived an incredibly sheltered life, essentially locked away in her family’s estate until she is summoned by the palace to marry the heir to the throne. As such, even though she is twenty-three, she comes off as naive and quite a bit younger than she actually is (she is very much a YA character). However, she does mature throughout the course of the book, as she transitions from focusing on survival to embracing her powers and wanting to help others. I did like the love triangle she was involved in with the two princes - love triangles, especially between brothers, are quite hard to pull off but it was well done here. Will, second-in-line to the throne, was every bit as irreverently charming and witty as his reputation dictates, but he also formed the strongest emotional bond with Valerie because he is one of the only people that knows her secret. Though it would be easy to say that he is the “correct” choice, he has secrets of his own, and Aleksander is a strong character in his own right. As the crown prince, Aleks feels the weight of responsibility much more than Will, and you can tell that he genuinely cares about the people around him and wants to be a good leader. However, his adherence to his father’s established rule (including the persecution of the Magiseri), means that Valerie can never be her true self around him, as much as she enjoys his company. I am interested to see how the relationships between all three of them develop in the next book, especially considering what is revealed in the epilogue at the end.

*Pacing/Writing Style: The pacing throughout was a fairly even throughout the book, though there was decidedly more action at the beginning and end - Valerie’s time in the castle tended to drag a bit, which tended to clash with her constant internal narration about how much danger she was in (to be fair, her circumstances *were* perilous, but there were time jumps of days and weeks throughout this part of the book, which detracted a bit from the overall sense of urgency.) Alyssa Pickering’s writing was consistently strong from start to finish, which was doubly impressive considering this was a debut.

Princess of Lies was a well-written, easy read that would probably be best suited for readers just beginning to explore romantasy - the limited world-building and emphasis on well-tread tropes may be less appealing to readers more familiar with the genre. However, as this book is the first of a planned trilogy, I am hopeful that there is room for Princess of Lies to become more of its “own” story in the next installments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Transworld Publishers/Wayward TxF for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fine read, but nothing groundbreaking. It definitely focused on the romance plot rather than on the fantasy plot. The court politics were interesting but rather under-developed. I wanted more plot, because it had some good moments, even though some others were rather predictable. I had a better time reading the plot than the romance. The romance was unfortunately heavier than the fantasy, and I wanted a more balanced romantasy. It like a lot of romantasies that I’ve read before, it was nothing new. Lots of tropes were used as well. Speaking of tropes, I had the impression that it had the love triangle trope but I was confused… the author clearly had a favorite, and she probably wanted the readers to have the same favorite. She put a lot of emphasis on Willem throughout the book, he was way more developed than Aleksander. And that bothered me. If it truly was a love triangle, it was not done well. The cast of characters feel stereotypical, in their ways of being and their ways of acting. Some interactions between characters (especially Valerie and Willem) were rather childish and made me roll my eyes numerous times… Valerie’s relationship with Gabrijel was the most promising of the book and it was definitely not developed enough. It deserved more depth, it was such a shame to see that relationship evolve the way it did. Also, just a little side note: Valerie was betrothed to one but acted irresponsibly with the other… it felt like cheating to me. And one last thing that I did not like very much: the lack of female characters and relationships. It was a very male-dominated story.
I would recommend this to every romantasy reader who love tropes and find comfort in reading predictable plots and stereotypical characters. And I’m not saying this with irony, there’s comfort in knowledge and I’m aware of it. Some readers love to consume the same kind of stories over and over. This romantasy is nothing new in the genre, but it was well-written and from a debut author.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Febby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorian girlies please come to the front 🙂‍↕️ OUR TIME HAS COME

but first I’ma need everyone in this royal court to take a seat at the round table because I trust NONE OF YOU

you’re all banished

Valerie is SO clever we get to see her navigating what to say, what to hide, what to misdirect with as she lies and manipulates to protect those she loves the most (and we support it, Lanie vidia le quinia)

this IS a love triangle but do not be fooled, both paths offer two completely different yet viable options and you can see the threads weaving together. it’s SO SATISFYING to see it playing out and nothing like a typical love triangle that just frustrates the hell out of you that you end up rooting for the dudes to just bin her off and get together themselves (would be weird in this case so thank you Alyssa for writing this trope so well)

HOWEVERRRR, I will stop myself there bc WILL. WILLLLLL. this smug cocky bastard shows up at 10% and I was DONE FOR.

he calls her “trouble” and I can’t even describe the noises this man pulled out of me, imagine something between a screeching cat and a deflating balloon

“I’m a man of unparalleled talents, many of which I’m more than happy to demonstrate if you ever feel so inclined.”

I am DESPERATE for book two and I have so many theories, the clown nose is firmly in place

THANK YOU so much Wayward for letting me read this early you have yet again picked up another absolute masterpiece

[Lysandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers/Wayward TxF and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this ARC! The review is personal and unaltered by external factors.

5/5

“Princess of Lies”, the debut novel of Alyssa Pickering, is an adult romantic political fantasy, and the first novel of a longer series, centring around Princess Valerie and her entering the Royal Court as her engagement with Crown Prince Aleksander moves forward. Truthfully, this book was a very pleasant surprise — like an eager little raven, I was extremely attracted by the shiny cover, particularly because of a prospective blonde male lead (and a Prince! very important!), along with the elegantly enticing description. I was not disappointed in any way whatsoever, for this book delivered everything I expected and much more.

The overall experience of reading this book was wonderfully delicate and tender, perhaps even a bit nostalgic, Valerie being a suave and delightfully innocent heroine. Compassionate and yet bold, our princess steps into a world which could be her end, as the magic she secretly possesses represents treason of the highest order. Consequently, her aim, along with the core plot of the novel, is relatively simple — have Prince Aleksander fall for her in order to ensure her safety. As she enters this new environment, the world-building and lore exposition happens naturally, the reader naturally learning both the rules of the Court and Magiseri survival. Her solace in this new world ends up not being Aleksander himself, even though reason pushes Valerie towards him, but his brother Willem, the debauched rogue Prince who not only learns all her secrets, but directly grasps our Princess’ heart. The love triangle is elegantly delivered, encompassing an intense thrill and push-and-pull game on all ends.

Valerie is a gem of a character; from the very first page, she is raw and human, the duality of her state of nervousness along with forcing herself into compliance is extremely elevated. Her survival for the sake of her family is her priority, and she will do everything in her hands to ensure that her loved ones are safe. She locks her heart from new intruders, for she cannot risk losing anyone, putting more people in danger because of her mere existence as a Magiseri. Yet, she encounters not only Prince Aleksander and Prince Willem, who move her heart in different ways, but her tutor, mentor, spiritual guardian and fellow Magiseri, Gabrijel. Romance aside, I deeply enjoyed Valerie’s relationship with Gabrijel, for it pushed forward her character development at a psychological level. Only when encountering someone like herself did Valerie understand that, in order to survive in this harsh environment, she must first accept and love herself for who she is. She is stronger thanks to him, and his contribution to the plot as a whole represents the catalyst of the series.

« ‘Be that as it may,’ he continued patiently, ‘that acceptance, regardless of the source, is pivotal in accessing your magic. I’ve said this before, but your powers, as well as your ability to manage them, are simply manifestations of what’s inside you.’ »

Crown Prince Aleksander is both complex and yet somewhat predictable — as his father’s heir, he acts flawlessly and in accordance with the laws of the kingdom, however, his narrow-mindedness in regards to politics brings him a sort of rigidity which is, honestly, refreshing in a realistic way. Not all portrayals of heirs in fantasy books show this inflexible aspect, for the limitations in Court apply to all but the King. He is naïve in a very trusting manner, having blind faith in the system his father has built and being taken by surprise when something or someone does not comply; one cannot even blame him for placing such an immense amount of loyalty towards his own father. Towards Valerie he shows a softer side, sometimes even shy, and his gradual protectiveness over her is delightfully delicious.

« Colour stained his cheeks before he responded. ‘As I said, you’re easy to think about.’ »

Prince Willem, the forbidden fruit, who knows all his assets as he suffers of no severe modesty, is elegantly yet intoxicatingly addictive. He is layered in mystery, and everything Val finds out about him and his life makes him even more enticing. The darkness to Aleksander’s light, Willem is like a shadow sneaking in our heroine’s heart, regardless of how much she fights against his advances. Moments of vulnerability and brutal truth, tensions in ballrooms, yearning after her with no shame whatsoever, passionate moments — Prince Will delivers all and much, much more. His sharpness is even more appealing as the plot moves forward. By the end, even though somewhat expected, his hidden ace move is entertainingly conveyed; his character development is hidden in the shadows of Valerie’s subjectivity, but the glimpses that escape are wonderful.

« His eyes met mine with intense frankness. ‘I know all these things and more, and yet, I don’t care. I cannot stay away from you. I have proven incapable of it.’ »

The prose, in my opinion, is a great example of how first person narration is properly executed; its structure at a technical level — particularly the length of the sentences, the cadence, the voice inflection — and the language and vocabulary are immensely dependent on Valerie’s mental state. I especially enjoyed how she uses in her descriptions much more sophisticated words and elegant phrasings when she is composed than when she is anxious or finds herself in distress, moments in which the structure breaks as its flow falls into a tense disconnect, thus naturally keeping the reader more tense as well. The perspective is obviously highly subjective, but considering the plot is rather straightforward, that does not really affect the quality; the psyche of the character gains centre stage and allows for little else to shine through, which is a spectacular way of delivering such a narrative style. Exquisite work by the author.

(A little fun side note — around halfway I kept finding some technical elements a bit familiar, rhetorical techniques and such, and sensed I have previously encountered other pieces edited in a similar manner. I paused and checked and my spidey senses were right, I recognised an editor’s signature style! I will not mention by name, as I don’t know if they want to be highlighted in a random review, but excellent work as well! I enjoy your craftsmanship a lot.)

I will recommend this to anyone who enjoys an intense chemistry with a playful push-and-pull. (And a rare blonde Prince!) Also to anyone who enjoyed “Shadow and Bone” by Leigh Bardugo and “Warbreaker” and “Elantris” by Brandon Sanderson — “Princess of Lies” will definitely not fail you. Looking forward to the next book! I have many theories.

[Niomi King · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got an email from Wayward publishing with a pre-approved 'Read Now' link, I immediately went to check the story out. I had it ready and set to go on my kindle to start reading the very next day. But this is me 🤨 and my overly curious arse just had to sneak a peek didn't I?

So the lights are all out, doors locked, and alarm is set as I climb into bed... "Just one chapter" I say to myself.

(Inner monologue cackling at me, it knows me so well 😅)

Ok, so 1 turns into 3 (6, ok, it was just 6) and I knew The Princess of lies would be one of those books where turning the pages became akin to breathing, you didn't have to think about it at all, you just did it.

I have to admit, after reading so much romance/romantacy, I have really begun to appreciate a book that truly captures a forbidden couples yearning. Don't get me wrong, i will always love a good spicy book, but it becomes a little repetitive if its not broken up a little. This book genuinely delivered for me! I could see Valerie battling her feelings for both Princes, the torment in doing what she must while holding back on what she really wants. The stolen moments together, the tension, the longing stares across rooms 🥹 so many moments will have you kicking your feet in the air, giddy with excitement to see if they both give in at last!

I enjoyed this book so much, I pre-ordered a physical copy for my book shelves 🥰

10/10 would recommend.

***Thank you to Wayward publishing and Netgalley for the eARC, it was such a genuine pleasure to have been given the opportunity to read this early. The above review is my honest opinion and has not been influenced in any way.

[Chloe - maggie_books92 · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley & Wayward for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for honest feedback!

I'm clearly in the minority but I just didn't click with the Princess of Lies. It started out promising then dropped off, but I was so far in that I felt like I had to finish... It felt predictable & I didn't love the characters, other than Will 👀

Valerie irritated me & if I read the word 'betrothed' or about Val biting her lip one more time, I was going to DNF... 😅

Will was the best part of the story for me with his yearning & flirty banter.

I'm intrigued about book 2, but I wouldn't rush to read it.

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible start to the series! This book had me up until 3am so I could find out what was going to happen. I am completely hooked and need book 2 ASAP.

I am firmly team Will, but I do have a soft spot for Eddy.

Full review below!

✨️And in a world such as this, when you harboured a secret as dangerous as mine, scrutiny was lethal, not just for me but for my family as well.✨️

I had the best time reading this and am honoured to have been chosen as a secret keeper by Wayward TxF to be one of the first to read this manuscript.

Alyssa has written a fantastic story that has been on my mind ever since (we're now about a month and a half since I first read it!).

PoL follows Valerie, our fmc, Alek, her betrothed, AND Will, Alex's BROTHER! Yes, you read that right, we have two delicious mmc's to choose from. A Prince sandwich if you will. I was instantly enamoured by Will. His cheeky demeanor, his confidence and his penchant for trouble completely ensnared me, and I haven't looked back since.

✨️‘Long time no see, Trouble.’✨️

Alek, however, said some of the sweetest lines and I honestly don't know who I want Valerie to end up with *cough* BOTH *cough*. I think she definitely has a tough choice to make.

✨️‘I may not have chosen our betrothal, but I’m choosing to be with you now.’✨️

The ending had me GASPING! I didn't see it coming and I need to know more, like, yesterday. Book two is going to be another 5 star read for sure. I'm calling it now.

✨️‘You certainly stand out but should do so unapologetically. Every goddess, living or dead, has cause to envy you tonight.’✨️

Overall, PoL is a solid romantasy debut that hooked me from the beginning. I an beyond excited for book 2 and to see what these characters have in store for us. I am really looking forward to Valerie's development, as she grows so much as a character throughout books 1 as it is.

A huge thank you to Alyssa, Wayward TxF and Netgally for this arc in exchange for an honest review. Alyssa, I look forward to more 3am message exchanges for book 2!

[Miranda · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Was this the most original book I’ve read this year? No. Did I thoroughly enjoy it anyways? Absolutely. Sometimes all you need is a new take on a good cliché, and that’s exactly what this was.

Even though I could tell where the story was going at a lot of times, I was somehow still glued to the pages and flew through this book. Like, I even read it in the car, and I absolutely never read in the car because it gives me a splitting headache most of the time. The pacing was great, and even during the parts of the book where not as much was happening with the plot, the character dynamics made sure it was never boring.

Speaking of the character dynamics, that brings me to one of the things that drew me to this book. Yes, I’m talking about the love triangle. Sue me, I’m one of the five people out there who actually like reading them. The downside here was that this definitely felt like one of those triangles where you can clearly tell who she’ll end up with. The main character’s dynamic with that brother was well done, and I liked reading about them. It was the other brother whose character (and relationship with the main character) I thought needed to be more fleshed out. Hopefully we get a deeper understanding of him in the sequel.

Overall, despite the concept of forbidden magic and a love triangle with brothers being nothing new in this genre, this book proved that when you execute those things right, the book can still manage to be very enjoyable. It also proved that I’m definitely not immune to a good cliché, even though I spend quite a bit of time complaining about them with some other books. The plot really picked up in the last chunk of the book, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how things progress in the sequel (which I’ll definitely be looking out for). If you are looking for something unlike anything you’ve ever read, this one may not work, but if you are in the mood for a fun and entertaining read, I would really recommend giving this a try!


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

~🅞🅥🅔🅡🅐🅛🅛 🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ . 75~

[Rachel Joinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly , team Will. All the way.
I’m aware book one isn’t even out yet, but I already need book two! I have so many theories about different characters that I think will be addressed in sequel - or I need them to be!! This was such a fun read! I loved that no side character was insignificant and that there were quite a few sneaky bits of foreshadowing.
I feel that I’m slightly biased towards Will as we saw more of him than we did Alek. I’m hoping the future king will have more of a chance to shine as the story continues.
I definitely feel like there’s more to Valerie’s backstory in regard to the relationship with her father and her living arrangements, prior to the castle. I 100% think I know where the plot of a certain seductive side character is headed - so look forward to reading about that too!
The scenery descriptions were very transformative and I definitely pictured myself sneaking through the castle and riding along side everyone!
I’m under the impression that as the story continues it is rumoured to become a bit spicier , however, I’d categorise this first book definitely as YA.
YA isn’t something I normally gravitate towards, but when a story line is well done I don’t mind a lack of spice. As long as you hook my interest early on, I’m yours ! Can happily report that this book did just that !
A huge congratulations and thank you to Alyssa- I’m so honoured to be amongst the first few to receive eArcs for this ! You should be very proud of yourself and it’s been such a privilege to chat to you along the way. You truly are a lovely person and deserve all the success that you’re definitely going to receive from this!
Another huge thank you to Wayward publishing - I had the time of my life being one of the secret holders ! Was truly a great experience and I’ve met so many lovely people due to it !

[Laura Vignals · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

The love triangle is not the most dangerous thing in Princess of Lies.

The dangerous thing is that every relationship Valerie builds depends on somebody not knowing the whole truth about her.
That made this much more interesting to me than a simple “princess must choose between two princes” romantasy. Valerie has been raised to perform perfection: be poised, obedient, politically useful, marry Crown Prince Aleksander and secure the alliance her father wants. Meanwhile, she is secretly capable of the very magic Aleksander’s kingdom considers punishable by death.

I liked Valerie almost immediately because she understands that court life is a performance.
She isn’t naïve about why she has been sent there or what her marriage is supposed to accomplish. She knows affection can be political currency, and at first even winning Alek’s heart is partly another task she has been given. That creates an interesting tension because she has become extremely good at presenting whichever version of herself is safest while becoming increasingly unsure which parts are actually hers.

Her magic makes that identity conflict even stronger.
It isn’t simply a cool ability she needs to learn how to use. It is proof that the person she has been trained to become is fundamentally incompatible with the society she is expected to marry into. If Alek discovers the truth, she doesn’t risk embarrassment or a broken engagement. She risks death, and her family could suffer with her.

That danger gave the court scenes a constant underlying tension I really enjoyed. Even relatively romantic developments never felt completely safe because Valerie always has something enormous to lose.
And then the book gives her two very different princes.

Aleksander surprised me.
The obvious route would have been to make him an unpleasant fiancé whose anti-magic beliefs exist purely so the reader can immediately prefer his brother. Instead, I found him much more complicated than that. He has been raised for the throne in much the same way Valerie has been raised for marriage: duty first, individual desire second. Protecting the kingdom from magic is part of everything he has been taught about being a future king.

That doesn’t excuse his beliefs, but it makes them interesting.
There are moments when Valerie starts seeing the person underneath the crown, and those were important because they prevented the relationship from feeling like an obstacle the story simply needed to remove. Alek can be caring and still represent a genuine threat to her. Valerie can begin to understand him while knowing that the truth could change everything.
That contradiction worked very well for me.

But Will is where the story became dangerously entertaining.
He has the easier charisma: reckless, charming, apparently less concerned with behaving like the perfect royal son. More importantly, he discovers Valerie’s secret and, instead of exposing her, helps her understand and control the magic she has spent so long fearing.

That changes the emotional balance completely.

With Alek, Valerie is constantly asking whether she can be loved without being fully known.

With Will, the terrifying possibility is that she can be known.

And that is so much more intimate.

I understood why Valerie would be drawn to the person around whom she does not have to hide the most dangerous part of herself. Their connection has an ease and temptation that contrasts beautifully with the carefully constructed relationship she is supposed to build with Alek.

Still, I appreciated that Will isn’t simply “the obviously correct brother.” His recklessness can be appealing when it gives Valerie room to breathe, but it can also be unsettling when she is the one who will pay the highest price if things go wrong. He can take risks more easily because society is not waiting to execute him for what he is.

That difference gave the romance more substance.

The triangle therefore worked for me because it is really about three different relationships to duty and identity, not just which man Valerie finds hotter.

And yes, there is yearning.

A lot of yearning.

The book clearly establishes that magic has been criminalised and that Valerie’s power could completely destroy her future. What I occasionally wanted was a deeper exploration of how that persecution became normalised. Who benefits? How much does the average person actually believe about magic? How deeply does fear shape the political system?

Because this is the first book in a planned trilogy, I suspect some of that larger history is being deliberately held back. Alyssa Pickering Still, the worldbuilding was the one part that felt slightly less developed to me than the character relationships.
Alyssa Pickering’s prose is much stronger when she is writing emotional tension than when she is delivering information.
The romantic scenes have a very controlled quality — glances, withheld truths, conversations where Valerie has to measure what she can safely reveal. I liked that because it fits a heroine whose entire survival depends on self-control.

The court atmosphere also benefits from that style. Valerie is surrounded by people watching for weakness, so even polite conversations can carry more tension than an action sequence.

Pickering writes longing especially well. She lets attraction sit beside fear instead of pretending those feelings cancel each other out. Valerie can want someone and still mistrust what that desire might cost her.

The pacing took a little longer to fully grab me.

The early part has to establish the engagement, court politics, Valerie’s secret and both brothers, so there is a certain amount of setup before the story becomes truly difficult to put down. Once Will knows about the magic and the Blood Inquisitor becomes a more immediate threat, however, the book gains much more momentum.

From there, the balance between romance and political danger worked much better for me.

And the ending?

Rude.

Not bad. Rude.

This is very obviously the beginning of a trilogy, and the final section leaves enough emotional and political damage behind that I immediately wanted the next book. The official early marketing has already warned readers that the ending is the kind people apparently need “therapy” to discuss, which suddenly feels much less dramatic after actually reaching it.

What ultimately made Princess of Lies work for me was Valerie.

Not the triangle by itself. Not simply the forbidden magic. Not even the court intrigue.

Valerie spends so much of the story trying to become whichever version of herself will keep everyone else safe that the central question gradually changes from Which prince will she choose? to something much more important:
What would Valerie choose if she were finally allowed to choose herself?

That is the story I want to keep reading.
Romantic, dangerous, frustrating in exactly the right places, and much more emotionally complicated than the two-princes premise initially suggests.
4.25/5 ⭐
Thank you so much to Alyssa Pickering, Wayward TxF, Transworld, Random House UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Princess of Lies. I really appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Lou (fairytales.and.fantasy) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Written review pending

[Henni (hshouldbereading) · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This is definitely a romance with a magical subplot. Imagine Bridgerton season 2 but gender-swapped: Valerie Gracey has been promised to the crown prince Aleksander of the Aurorian throne. Her sole purpose is to make Alek love her so she can secure her future and safety. But when an unfortunate accident threatens to reveal her secret - a secret that would threaten the safety of her and her family - she is saved by none other than the rakish younger prince Willem. Val needs to navigate the court intrigues and her own heart: choose Alek and a safe future under his protection, or choose Will and fight for her birthright.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow, because I absolutely hated the self-wallowing and self-pity of the FMC. She is stuck under the cruel tutelage of her father and sees this political marriage as her only way to secure her safety. She decides that her sole purpose in life is to make Alek love her (my inner feminist cried). Once Will enters the scene, the story really picks up. He is the best part of the entire book: a mix of rakish Colin and gentlemanly Anthony. Clever dialogue and top-tier banter. I imagined him a bit like Will from The Infernal Devices. At about the halfway point, I couldn't stop reading because I loved seeing Val and Will develop this profound friendship which slowly turned into love. This was truly an excellent slow-burn romance.

The only thing I didn't like is that the plot moves reeeeeally slow; the world-building is very loose; there are many plot holes and "convenient" plot twists that I just couldn't get behind. The romance really is the star of the show, not the magical subplot. The ending didn't really take me by surprise, but it was certainly the most interesting plot element of this story. I'm excited to see more of Will and Valerie in book two, though I'll admit that, given how things have developed, I might be team Alek for now.

[Larisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Princess of Lies and just sat there staring at the wall 😭 That ending has me needing book two RIGHT NOW. This is a brilliant start to a new romantasy series. I was hooked on the characters, the romance and all the secrets before I even realised it, and I LOVED it!!

We follow Valerie, a princess who has spent her whole life being the perfect, obedient daughter and carrying her family's expectations. She's betrothed to Crown Prince Aleksander, but there's one rather big problem… she has magic, in a kingdom where that's punishable by death.

I really liked her as our FMC. She's constantly torn between duty, loyalty and figuring out who she actually is outside of everyone's expectations, and I loved watching her handle court politics while guarding such a dangerous secret.

And then there's the romance… 👀

It's not just a case of choosing between two princes either. It's tied up in Valerie's identity, her responsibilities and what it costs to let someone see the real her.

The forbidden magic and constant threat of being found out made everything feel so intense, and I loved the darker side too. The Blood Inquisitor genuinely made me uncomfortable every time he showed up!

The world is beautifully described with a lovely fairytale feel, and I'm so excited to see more of it as the series continues.

Once everything started coming together, I really struggled to put it down. And that CLIFFHANGER?! Absolutely cruel. I have so many questions!

A very easy five stars from me, with characters I already care about and so much potential for what's next 💜

Thank you to Alyssa Pickering and NetGalley for the ARC 🤍

Have you read this one yet? And more importantly… Team Aleksander or Team Will? 👀

[Shelley O’Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A familiar romantasy setup that grew into something much more compelling as the story unfolded.

Valerie has spent her life being prepared for one thing: an arranged marriage to the crown prince. But when her hidden magic begins to surface, she finds herself caught between political expectations, dangerous secrets and a world she never knew she belonged to.

I really enjoyed this one! The writing is engaging, easy to get into and makes for a very readable story. While the world-building wasn’t as expansive as some of the epic fantasy I usually gravitate towards, I found myself increasingly invested in the characters, particularly as the story progressed.

The real highlight for me was the character development, especially Valerie and Will. Their banter, chemistry and growing connection were brilliant, and I loved watching Valerie gradually discover more about herself, her heritage and what she was capable of. The relationship dynamics kept me guessing, although I definitely know which brother I’m rooting for!

The story also grew in scope in the second half, with political tensions, hidden identities, magic and some genuinely emotional moments. I found myself much more hooked as everything started coming together, and the ending certainly gives you plenty to think about.

A great read when you’re looking for something engaging, with romance, magic, intrigue and characters you become invested in. And although I enjoyed the journey, I’m still firmly Team Will!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lara · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this early!
A classic fantasy, with well-known tropes and themes such as arranged betrothal, hints of a love triangle, forbidden magic, rebels and more!

Even though the book started out slow for me, it certainly reached it's height in the later half of the story, where it picked up and raised the stakes. I'm really happy with how it ended, with some questions answered, secrets revealed, enemies defeated, but with promise of what's still to come. I'm curious to see how Valerie grows as a person, with new-found strenghts and hopefully she fullfills her purpose. I predicted some reveals, but there are still some that left me surprised because I wasn't expecting them.

One of the reasons for my rating is character ages. If i understood correctly, the MC is supposed to be 23, with her love interest being 27. Unfortunately, they could've just as well be 18-20, because they didn't read like adults to me. Maybe the choice was made so more adult themes could be explored in future books, but here, they felt like teens to me.

Looking forward to the release and to potentially see where the story takes us next!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the most addictive book I've read in a while!

“And maybe I want to show you that sometimes being seen isn't a death sentence. Sometimes, it's the thing that saves us instead.”

Valerie has spent her life preparing to be the perfect princess, including marrying Crown Prince Aleksander. Just one teeny tiny problem: she's secretly capable of wielding the very magic he's sworn to destroy. And then there's his brother Will, who discovers her secret and offers to help her understand the powers she's spent her entire life hiding.

I had SUCH a fun time with this! Loved the world Alyssa has created with the magic and different types of Magiseri, all the different court politics - so much to discover.

Now this is how you do a love triangle, ESPECIALLY with brothers - pulled it off so so well. Right I know a lot of people are Team Will and I completely understand why - he is my usual type to a T with all his charm and wit and absolutely incredible banter. Yep, all over that and I do love him BUT....

...guys I have the softest spot for Alek and I just can't help it. I was why choose for most of this book but idk Alek just wooed me and he is such a cutie pie and I do genuinely think he's going to be on the good side of all this. Plus some of the shit Will pulled off.. I am struggling to look past it OOPS

Oof the plot twists towards the end too, gagged me to be honest! I trust absolutely NO ONE anymore. I'm giving every single character the side eye because you're all a bunch of SNEAKY SNEAKS and I know you're hiding something - especially a certain character that I shall not name.

So yeah, a very fun and addictive read and I am absolutely gagging for book 2!!!

Huge thank you to Wayward for the chance to read an early copy!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every thing about this book was perfect . It was such an effortless read . As soon as i picked it up i was fully immersed in the story and in a blink of an eye id read 10 chapters . The plot was thick , the pacing incredible and the magical elements utterly fascinating .

Valarie was raised to be the perfect princess with one goal in mind ,marry the prince and keep her family safe. I loved seeing her growth throughout the book , seeing her slowly wake up to the injudices of the world and start to love her true self .It was amazing to read .I am looking forward to see where this leads in the next books . I cant wait to see her become the person that she is meant to be.

Right lets talk about these Princes !

Ok im team Will and nothing anyone can say will change my mind . Dont get me wrong Alekzander is charming , hes the perfect prince but Will is a whole different ballgame . There just something extra delicious about forbidden love that calls to me . That man oose sex appeal , the longing and tension between Valarie and Will was perfect . The will they wont they had me on the perch of my seat . That moment !! Holy fire the wait was so worth it , if youve read this you will know what i mean . Sizzling is all i will say .

That plot twist at the end! I did not see that coming!
What am i meant do now? I fear the wait untill book 2 is going to be tortourous .

[Faye Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought Princess of Lies was a standalone based on the blurb and the Goodreads listing, which had no series link under the title and no mention of it being in a series. It turns out that right at the end of the NetGalley listing, it states that this is the start of a fantasy trilogy, but since that isn't stated on the Goodreads listing, I wanted to put that right at the top of this review. So even if the review isn't expanded, potential readers can see what they're getting into.

Princess of Lies is well-written but I just wasn't excited by it. It felt familiar and trope-led, and I think I just wanted something more original or interesting from the book.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Sahar.a · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this e book arc from @netgalley from random house uk, Transworld publishing.
I would like to thank random house uk for accepting my request to view and be able to read princess of lies e book arc.
This book is to be published on the 31st dec 2026.

This book immediately transported us to life of the present day for the princess Valerie and her feelings being a princess feeling trapped and without a voice and her father the king being the person who makes decision for her in her life and how she lives life as a princess.
We got to really experience the and dynamics the princess had with the king.

We were introduced in the book with Valarie’s step brothers and sister and step mum as and found out her own mum had died.
Also, got an interaction specially from one of the step brothers had with the valarie ,and really experience how close their relationship was.
She has a step mother who we got to see how the relationship was like and despite valarie having a distance relationship with step mother she managed to still have a moment with step mother while saying her goodbyes to her.

Valarie and the Prince of auroria( heir to the throne) were arranged to be married from early age, but father the king had wanted the marriage of her and Prince to be done soon as possible due to her being of age.
We did get to know that this was arranged political marriage between Valarie and alexsander.
Valarie was expected to say goodbye to her family members her step brothers and go to auroria to get ready to get married to the prince alexsander.

We did get a good glimpse of the secret forbidden Magic the princess is hiding, and how she keeps herself hidden from being revealed to anyone.
We did get to see the journey of what happend with her departing from her home to travel to the auroria to be with the Prince Aleksander, and how Valarie ended up being full of troubles she had to face along the way.

I did like it was slow burn in terms of Valerie journey into getting to know alexsender the prince, it wasn’t just instantly them getting intimate together quickly and being intense, but slow moment and very small romantic moments that were really sweet.

Valarie did get into a friendship with another prince willem , so she got to spend time getting to know him and go on adventures with him within to the book. But will get to see with willem know his intentions if he wants to get to know princess in romantic or friendship terms.

I did love the world building In the book nicely detailed of magic system and the different of types, and how it worked, it was easy to understand and follow.

Also, I loved in that this book included the plot of Valarie really getting to know her family roots with her mother and discover her magic more.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it did wanting me more from the more I got into the book, and rated this book 5 stars.

I am glad this book didn’t read like a typical romantasy book, because it made it more enjoyable to read aspects in the book that were focused on the following; high stake secrets and magic and mystery a lot of intrigue of the background of the characters and romantic and heartfelt moments between Prince aleksander and Valerie.

We did get to see Valerie bound with prince willem and High scholar which were special to see, on how much they helped her out with her journey at auroria and her secret magic.

I would say the only negative about the book was how slow it started and was little unclear at times of the plot.
But I would say the more I went into the book and It did get better and grab my attention, so this book is definitely a book you need to be patient with when reading it, but it was definitely worth the read at the end 😊.

I can’t wait for book 2, because of how it ended.

[Pía · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you, NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers, for letting me get an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

4/5 — stars

Can we talk about that cover first? Breathtaking, and the book was just as good.

It follows Valerie, who is engaged to Prince Aleksander. However, she has a problem: she has magic in a world where it is prohibited. When the second son discovers her secret, instead of turning her in, he helps her control her magic.

This was a very strong debut. There is a lot of action at the beginning, but it diminishes somewhat as the story progresses. As for the characters, I really liked Valerie, and I am team Will, but I also liked Alek. It felt like a really well-balanced love triangle.

My only issues were that I felt the book needed more world-building. Valerie prays to the goddess, but I never fully understood their religion. There were also some things left unresolved, so I am guessing there is going to be a sequel, and I can't wait to read it.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a love triangle and a good romantasy.


- Love triangle
- Single POV

[Alexandra · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I was very interested to check this out, given Wayward’s hype for it! I also love political fantasy. However, I was immediately disappointed in how tell-y this was, leaving nothing for the reader to interpret.

This book is an easy and quick read, with generic worldbuilding and plot. It’s quite similar to Thorn Season by Kiera Azar. However, in contrast to that similar book, despite being twenty-three years of age and trained for her betrothal, our FMC is frustratingly naive and impatient. I think I would have enjoyed this more if she had tried more to be a skilled political player, and more willing to learn--Gabrijel is a wonderful side character with his unconditional patience.

I absolutely hated the jealousy/other woman plotline. It was completely unnecessary, adding nothing to the story.

The plot twist at the end is easily predictable, but it did make me smile nonetheless.

Trigger warnings for misogyny, executions/capital punishment, persecution/prejudice, torture, labor camps.

Many thanks to Random House UK/Wayward TxF and Netgalley for my free e-ARC! It has not affected my honest review.

[Cristine Fetzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a short little unexpected treat. I loved the pacing, the story gets going right away and stayed moving the whole time.
The best part of this whole book was the TENSION! The plot is great but I could not set this book down for the last 50% because of the yearning and tension between two of the characters.

I also really loved the romance in this book. Their is no instalust and the relationships between characters felt so natural and continued to build throughout the story.

This book doesn’t even release for 2.5 more months but I need book 2 now! 10/10 recommend!!!

[Winona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read! There was something about the atmosphere that brought me back to how reading felt as a teenager in the early 2010s. I enjoyed how it was paced-- I feel like there was always something to push the story forward and I didn't notice any lulls where I wanted to put the book down for a few days. The characters really grew on me over time and I appreciate how the (fairly predictable) plot twist was actually not as predictable as expected! I really look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

Absolutely loved Princess of Lies by Alyssa Pickering! 👑✨

This book completely captivated me from the very beginning. I was hooked by the story, the characters, and all the twists and turns. It was such an addictive read that I found myself wanting to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the way Alyssa Pickering brought the story to life. It was an emotional, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable read, and definitely one that will stay with me.

A huge thank you to NetGalley UK and Alyssa Pickering for the opportunity to read Princess of Lies in advance. 💕

[Caira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alyssa has created a cinematic, magical and enchanted world. Princess of Lies oozes soul destroying yearning, forbidden magic, and political intrigue. This is how romantasy should be done.

Firstly, prepare for your heart to be torn in two. We have not 1… but 2 Prince MMC’s. Team Alek or Team Will is a very hard decision after reading this book. I fear I am SLIGHTLY more towards Team Will.

The MFC, Valerie, is trapped in her kingdom from her secret that burns here soul away as she holds on tighter to it. No living soul knows her secret… until one event changes that. She moves to her new kingdom, Aurorien, for her betrothal prince. Marrying to keep her father happy and her family safe, she continues to deceive all to keep her secret. We go on a journey with Valerie through the challenges of a world she has to hide from, gaining trust from her new kingdom to keep herself safe and trying to learn more about herself and her ancestors.

Everything would be okay if the prince’s brother didn’t know her secret. We have full yearning, a soul destroying connection that is forbidden, and my soul was not okay. The journey we go on with both brothers had me fighting on what MMC I would choose and who she should fall in love with.

Alek is soft, protective and romantic when he is in her company. Will is flirty, fun and has incredible humour. We definitely see more of Will in the story which swayed me more to Will’s side as he has more interaction with our MFC.

In a world where blood guards and the blood inquisitor are a stone throw away and always looking for magic, they could end her life at any moment, and living under the King’s roof where he fears magic and demands that those with magic are erased from the world with a sentence of death. It is no safe world when everyone around you believes the negative propaganda of magic.

I devoured this book and I did not see the ending coming AT ALL. I was gasping at the plot twist. I fell in love with the characters and the world, and so excited for book 2 to find out where the story goes. This was so enchanting and gripping!

* I was gifted an ARC as part of a mystery campaign with Wayward to announce the book

[faetouched · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may have devoured the ARC TWICE! It's how much I loved it. The Princess of Lies comes as a breath of fresh air in its intentions and characterisation, and that's all I can write until its officially released. That said, I'm TEAM WILL all the way! I've sent a note to the editors and I'm writing this here as well, I wish there was a lot of Will, one where he isn't saving some of the royals from the next crisis. I'm sure he was done with everyone, I want to see him live his life. I want to see what he eats and how he breaths because he sure as hell has spent his whole life living for others.

[Caro · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book.

I’m a little torn on this one because the beginning actually pulled me in quite a lot. I flew through the first 40–50%, but somewhere around there, I started losing interest and found myself caring less and less about the story. I really wanted to push through, but by the time I reached around 60%, I decided to put it on pause. Maybe I’ll come back to it one day, but for now, I just wasn’t feeling it anymore.

One thing I have to say is that Will was easily my favorite part of the book. I genuinely enjoyed the scenes with him, and honestly, I think he brought a lot of substance and depth.

I had a hard time connecting with the FMC. She’s introduced as a smart, well-read and educated 23-year-old, but there were quite a few moments where her actions didn’t really match that description for me. She sometimes asked questions that felt oddly naive, while at other times she didn’t question things that I really expected her to.
For example the FMC discovers that the version of history she’s been taught her entire life is basically a lie, and yet she doesn’t seem to question it nearly as much as I would have expected. I also found it a little hard to believe that only her tutor knew the truth about what had actually happened. For someone who is supposed to be as intelligent and educated as the FMC, I wanted her to be much more suspicious and curious about all of this.

The magic lessons also didn’t quite work for me. They felt like the main opportunity to explain the world and the magic system, but instead of discovering the world naturally alongside the FMC, a lot of the information was simply delivered through her tutor explaining things to her. It made the worldbuilding feel a little too much like an info dump at times.

Maybe I simply expected something different from the book. I went in hoping for more palace intrigue, scheming, political maneuvering, higher stakes and an interesting love triangle. There were stakes, but personally, they never felt high enough to keep me invested. After a while, I just found myself getting bored.

It also felt much more YA than I had expected, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! It just wasn’t quite what I was looking for.

And I want to make it clear that I don’t think this is a bad book! I can definitely see it finding its audience, and I’m sure there will be readers who absolutely love the characters, the magic and the overall YA fantasy feel.

For now, it’s a pause rather than a definite DNF. And who knows — maybe I’ll come back to it one day. Mostly because I still want to know more about Will.

[Ashe | mybookishhyperfix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a good time reading Princess of Lies. It hooked me from the beginning and kept me entertained throughout.

Valerie, our FMC may come across as a bit infuriating and naive so some readers may struggle to connect with her, but this is a girl who has been locked away most of her life, so it makes complete sense for her to act this way. I loved that Valerie is more a softer FMC as well. She’s not instantly a massively over powered FMC and is having to put the work in. I’m really excited to see her character arc as the series progresses!

We are also graced with not 1 but 2 MMCs 👀 I love how cheeky and bold Will is! He’s definitely the fun one and has that bad boy energy that draws you in. For a while I was team Will but then he does something that I’m struggling to forgive him for at the moment, so I may be going against the grain here but I think I’m currently actually team Alek!

Alek gives me green flag energy and I think he has a lot of promise. Although he feels like he’s not around for a lot of the book because duty takes priority for him, when he is around he treats Valerie with such respect and you can feel his feelings organically developing for her. Whereas Will and Valerie’s feelings for one feel more lustful. I’m hoping Alek will turn out to be the guy I hope he will be!!

Whilst I did think a couple of things were resolved a bit too easily and quickly, I really enjoyed the overall premise. The world building was also done really well. There was no info dumping, instead the world building was gradually introduced. I also found the magic system intriguing and loved how magic was linked to emotions. I’m hoping we get to explore the magic system more in the sequel as powers continue to develop and grow.

The Epilogue had me gasping out loud 🤯🤯 I had my suspicions about one thing, but the other thing didn’t click until the reveal in the epilogue!! There is definitely foreshadowing woven throughout for both now that I look back and I totally feel like I should have seen it coming but I didn’t!!

Overall Princess of Lies is a really enjoyable debut romantasy. It has a hooking and well thought out premise, an intriguing magic system, a well done love triangle that had me going backwards and forwards, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next😍

Thank you so much to Wayward TxF and author Alyssa Pickering for providing this ARC via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.