{ about the book }
Ace of Shades by Amanda FoodyThe Shadow Game, book 1
publishes April 10, 2018 by Harlequin Teen
ARC provided by the edelweiss
ARC provided by the edelweiss
Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets… and secrets hide in every shadow.
Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.
Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.
Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…
And she’ll need to play.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Ace of Shades had a lot going for it. With brilliant writing, amazing and complex main characters, and an intricate plot, it lived up to every single expectation I had for it. But the best part of this novel?
Hands down, the female heroine, Enne Salta. You can’t help but root for this girl, who starts off the novel as a prim and put together lady. But the more time she spends in New Reynes, the more that part of her persona is chipped away. She becomes more in this book, if that makes sense. She just grows into this amazing character that I adored and respected so, so much. Foody made her a flawed and incredibly real character and I simply loved her development. She’s admirable in every sense of the word.
The world Ace of Shades is set in is grimy and dark. It’s also very wonderful because I could actually picture how New Reynes would be like, so that really says about the type of atmosphere Foody wrote and her ability to write it. It’s so clear that she’s passionate about this book because you can just feel it coming from the book! I loved that a lot about Ace and it’s one of the reasons it kept me hooked throughout.
The whole magic system, I admit, confused me a bit. I thought it was new and unique, though, definitely, but if you asked me to explain it, I’d laugh awkwardly because I really, really cannot explain it. Still!! I really appreciated the way Foody created this system! It’s so unlike anything I’ve seen and I loved the overall presence of magic in this book.
I adored the ship and I also adored how it was all very lowkey (even though that made things angsty and me constantly going, WHEN WILL YOU TWO ADMIT YOU LIKE EACH OTHER ALREADY. Constantly, I tell you). I don’t want to say any more on this aspect because it’s reaaaally something you ought to experience for yourself, but lemme tell you: Levi and Enne are a great ship and I foresee a lot of Angst (because this is never just easy) and I love them.
Overall!!! If there’s one fantasy you read this year, let it be Ace of Shades. Paired with amazing narrators, this sophomore novel by Amanda Foody won’t disappoint. It’s got great characters, compelling writing, and the promise of so much more to come. 4 stars and highly recommended!
Hands down, the female heroine, Enne Salta. You can’t help but root for this girl, who starts off the novel as a prim and put together lady. But the more time she spends in New Reynes, the more that part of her persona is chipped away. She becomes more in this book, if that makes sense. She just grows into this amazing character that I adored and respected so, so much. Foody made her a flawed and incredibly real character and I simply loved her development. She’s admirable in every sense of the word.
The world Ace of Shades is set in is grimy and dark. It’s also very wonderful because I could actually picture how New Reynes would be like, so that really says about the type of atmosphere Foody wrote and her ability to write it. It’s so clear that she’s passionate about this book because you can just feel it coming from the book! I loved that a lot about Ace and it’s one of the reasons it kept me hooked throughout.
The whole magic system, I admit, confused me a bit. I thought it was new and unique, though, definitely, but if you asked me to explain it, I’d laugh awkwardly because I really, really cannot explain it. Still!! I really appreciated the way Foody created this system! It’s so unlike anything I’ve seen and I loved the overall presence of magic in this book.
I adored the ship and I also adored how it was all very lowkey (even though that made things angsty and me constantly going, WHEN WILL YOU TWO ADMIT YOU LIKE EACH OTHER ALREADY. Constantly, I tell you). I don’t want to say any more on this aspect because it’s reaaaally something you ought to experience for yourself, but lemme tell you: Levi and Enne are a great ship and I foresee a lot of Angst (because this is never just easy) and I love them.
Overall!!! If there’s one fantasy you read this year, let it be Ace of Shades. Paired with amazing narrators, this sophomore novel by Amanda Foody won’t disappoint. It’s got great characters, compelling writing, and the promise of so much more to come. 4 stars and highly recommended!
