Den of Liars cover reveal!

Hey, friends! It's been a minute!

It has officially been over a year since I last landed in your inboxes. Sorry for the long, impromptu hiatus! I had some things come up in my personal life, and that coupled with the fact that Den of Liars doesn’t release until 2025 made sending out newsletters feel a little pointless. I didn’t want to bore you with repetitive “…and I’m still working on the book. Writing books is hard. Send carbs.” updates since I didn’t have much else exciting to share.

BUT that is no longer the case, because, friends, we are less than a year away from the release of my next book! It is tentatively slated for next July (WHAT), which means the countdown is on!

What have I been up to for the past year besides writing?

• I’ve read a bunch of amazing books. Some favorites are: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren (romance), The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent (romantasy), Uncultured by Daniela Mestanyek Young (memoir), The Only One Left by Riley Sager (thriller), and Atomic Habits by James Clear (self-help).

• I binge-listened to the new Taylor Swift album for several months straight.

• I started taking aerial classes (hoop, silks, and hammock) June 2023, and still go to multiple hoop classes a week. Safe to say I’m obsessed.

• I finally achieved a pull-up for the first time in my LIFE after a year of actively training to do so. (I had NOODLE arms, I’m telling you.)

• I got into strength training/weightlifting to supplement the HIIT training I still love, and for all my resistance to doing it, I actually think it’s kind of fun???

• I finally caught up with the world and watched Game of Thrones. I get it now, y’all.

• My French publisher flew me to France for a book tour! I got to meet so many amazing French readers and eat so many delicious pastries. It was amazing!

But perhaps the most exciting thing for me was that I put the finishing touches on Den of Liars and sent it off to my editor. And she, in return, sent me the GORGEOUS cover art. (!!!)

As a thank-you for subscribing, I always reveal things to my subscribers first before I post to my socials, so, without further ado, I give you the cover for my next YA fantasy novel, Den of Liars:

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Isn’t she GORGEOUS?! I’m absolutely obsessed with everything about her. The purple orchids, the celestial playing cards, the stars, the way the whole thing looks like it could be the back of a playing card… it is perfection and captures the vibe and feel of the book PERFECTLY.

Speaking of… I’d also like to reveal the synopsis for the book, just so you know what you’re getting yourselves into ;)

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 price: 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 am so so SO excited for the world to read this book! It has been a ton of work over the past two years to get it to where it is now, and I couldn’t be prouder of it.

It features:

• a main character with strabismic amblyopia (the eye condition I have, which causes a lazy eye) and who wears glasses

• a pair of bickering magical brothers (Salvatore brothers vibes for DAYS)—one bejeweled Thief who can pass through any wall and enter any safe, and one cunning Liar, with the power to sense secrets and unravel lies

• a villain romance (because I can and because I want to and because YES)

• a sparkling casino filled with illusions to delight and deceive

• glittery magical cocktails

• a unique take on a love triangle—one where the main character must choose between the best friend she loves platonically and the alluring romantic love she finds in his enemy

• sexy dance between the MC and the Liar (perhaps my favorite scene I’ve ever written ever???)

• secrets kept in magical dice that are revealed when rolled

• a thrilling game of Truth or Dare

• bioluminescent algae in an underground cave

• banter, sarcasm, jokes, and barbs

• KISSING

And perhaps the most exciting thing about today is that Den of Liars is officially available for preorder! If you do, please make sure to hang on to your receipts. Like with my other books, there will be gifts that will be sent out with proof of preorder closer to release! (Please note that the hardcover is available at all of the below places except for amazon, where only the kindle version is available. My team is working on it and it should be available there, too, soon!)

Also, make sure to add it to your wish lists on Goodreads and/or Storygraph!

Thank you SO MUCH for subscribing and following along! You’ll be seeing me in your inbox more often in the coming months as I give you sneak peeks and news about Den of Liars (and its sequel coming in 2026)! I also might throw in a giveaway or two, if you’re lucky ;)