A young thief attempting a daring casino heist during a high-stakes tournament is torn between two warring brothers in Den of Liars, a thrilling YA fantasy romance by acclaimed author Jessica S. Olson.
Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament–a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets–made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.
Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief's mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.
Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament–a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets–made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.
Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief's mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.
Title: Den of Liars
Author: Jessica S. Olson
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Expected Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Review:
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Macmillan's Children's Publishing group, Fiewel and Friends, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I loved the idea of this book. A casino of sorts where people gamble secrets. It was very intriguing. And I have listened to books narrated by this female author (under a different name) and have enjoyed her. So having a copy of this one to listen to (and read along with the Kindle version) was nice.
This book gave me Leigh Bardugo Six of Crows vibes. I think it was the crime boss in a fantasy world thing that made me feel that way. So the idea of the story was really great. It was written well with average pacing and lots of suspense woven throughout. But it didn't hit it's mark for me.
I'll start with the narration. Unfortunately, I didn't click well with the narrators. They had good cadence and inflection, I just wasn't pulled in by their voices for the characters they were portraying. It is dual narration with a FMC and MMC POV. I wish there had been more from the MMC's POV. I felt the book heavily relied on the FMC's POV.
Beyond the narration, I truly struggled to connect with the characters. Astria/Lola had a lot of baggage but I didn't feel like she really addressed any of it and grew from what she found throughout the book. She still seemed to be in the same place she started by the end. Nic/Liar was a better character for me. I could feel his struggle in wanting to be more than just the liar he was. But he didn't do much to change it. Both these characters had limited growth and development for me and came across as one dimensional rather than layered.
I also struggled to feel the chemistry and romance between the characters. It seemed quite forced. There was no growth there. No lead up. It just was suddenly they were attracted to each other and that was that.
I also found the world building lacking. I had a hard time understanding the magic system and how it worked. Or even how people had magic in the first place.
I did appreciate the inclusion of a disability in this book. I could feel the struggle from that character in having to deal with an eye that doesn't work quite right and glasses often getting in the way.
Overall, the book is fast paced but it just missed the mark for me with the lack of world building and development of the characters. I honestly couldn't wait for it to end.
Author:
Jessica S. Olson is the author of Sing Me Forgotten, A Forgery of Roses, and the Den of Liars duology. A former copyeditor from New Hampshire, she currently lives in Texas with her husband, four children, and carefully curated supply of snacks. Her books have received starred reviews, earned librarian/bookseller accolades, and been translated into several languages throughout the world. In her free time, she practices aerial hoop and eats peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar.
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