Den of Liars

If you combine the thrilling heists of Six of Crows and a magic system built on lies, you'll make Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson.

Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson is a YA fantasy novel about a young thief attempting a daring casino heist during a high-stakes tournament is torn between two warring brothers. 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.

I'll be the first to admit that Jessica S. Olson's novels have either been a hit or miss for me. I LOVED A Forgery of Roses but wasn't the biggest fan of Sing Me Forgotten. But Den of Liars is superb and overall magically good read. What I liked most about Den of Liars is the fact that most of the time I thought I had the mystery figured out, but in reality I was completely wrong. Olson's presents the reader with a seemingly simple narrative, only to rip the rug out from under our feet with twist after twist. ALL while presenting these adorable characters you can't help but cheer on and overly relate to. I also LOVED just the general moral dilemma that Olson presents in Lola's growing attracting to the Liar, in questioning what all she is willing to sacrifice in the name of love.

What I was the biggest fan of was the general was some of the writing style. Which is the same problem I faced with Sing Me Forgotten, in that Olson builds up this really thing with really pretty prose and it just kinda falls flat. In the sense that she makes something sound really cool and exciting, but it's overall just mundane. Also Enzo in general (sorry not sorry).

Regardless, this is a solid read for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the YA fantasy scene, but don't want to commit to a series or a 500 page standalone. Den of Liars is the perfect blend of magic, heists, and romance.