Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) via Netgalley. In no way has the publisher or the author influenced my review, all opinions are my own. Also, this review contains spoilers for the plot and the characters in the book so do not read if you don’t want to be spoiled. You have been warned.

I could really see the Spirited Away parallels in the book. A girl who ends up whisked away to somewhere unlike she has ever been before with an evil witch cursing her and her making her mark in that new world while finding out who she really is and what strengths lay hidden within herself. While nothing can replace the original for me, I loved seeing the little bits and pieces in the book remind me of a certain scene in the movie or a certain character.

Enne really annoyed me as a character at first. She was waaaaaaaaay too naïve, when she came to the city. She knew how horrible the city could be and still came l she and this world are way too obsessed with title and labels. I really only started to like her as a character when she is in her way to the Shadow Game and she ends up killing Sedric (which didn’t come as a surprise), taking control of her destiny and surrendering to her powers and her fate. I just say that the coin she keeps from Lourdes and the one she replaced it with must have something to do with her Mizer blood. It must be some sort of identification for Mizers, as only Mizers seem to be able to see the purple eyes and feel the warmth.

Levi was quite the interesting character for me because I seemed to have a love/hate relationship with him. I liked how he would tease Enne and could be gruff with her but in the end he would always comfort and help her. I can understand his obsession with money because he wanted to get that debt paid off, but I don’t like his thrill seeking side or addictive personality. I did like that he was a bi character though. He really does have an addictive personality and I think he has an addiction to gambling and adrenaline which is why it didn’t really make sense to me at the end of the book where he decides while he likes Enne, she’s too much of a risk. I know Levi is just thinking with his common sense for once but I’m quite upset that he considers Enne a threat and he’s drawing his line in the sand. His family is just as much attached to the monarchy as hers is.

Vianca was kind of an odd amalgamation of characteristics. She was ruthless, evil and cunning, she was a staunch monarchist (which seemed like such an odd twist for her character), she was feared but also feared herself, she really does seem to care about Levi, but then tricked him into her scheme in the first place. For me, the most intriguing thing about her was her omertas. I have a few unanswered questions about them too. Who is the third person who has the omertà? The friend that was on the bank account said it was another boy, so I wonder if it is a character we’ve already met? I couldn’t really tell towards the end but does Enne’s Mizer powers trump the omertà? Just how unbreakable is this curse? How is Vianca going to use Séance in the future? Why is it so dangerous for Vianca to find out Enne is a Mizer? She is a staunch monarchist so wouldn’t she be thrilled? Other than the fact that she would have a Mizer under her power to do whatever she wants. But is that really the only threat? Or more?

The friendship that Enne had with Lola, that hating each other to becoming friends was really cute and I feel like it was really needed in the story. The blood oath was interesting as was the fact that it technically made Enne a street lord. Is she going to set up her own empire? I have a feeling people are going to find out she is a Mizer and the monarchists are going to want to set her up as the new Queen with Levi as her orb marker. This was what I think Lourdes was setting her up as, to become the new Queen of the new monarchist empire she was trying to set up. But why was Lourdes so involved with the monarchists in the first place? She obviously had ties in her previous like to the monarchy and the Mizers if she was entrusted with Enne. But does Lourdes want to re-establish the monarchy to keep Enne safe or because she actually believes in it. I believe Lourdes was a lady-in-waiting or as her talent is a Protector, some kind of bodyguard? She was connected to them somehow as a young girl which would have to mean she grew up in service or a lady but I don’t get that kind of feeling from her as a character.

I didn’t really like Lourdes much but I must admit she is quite the enigma of a character. I felt like she cared for a Enne but also that she was basically grooming her for her Mizer heritage. She kept so many secrets from Enne which in the end me out her in more danger than if she had kept her in the loop. Speaking of Lourdes, I’m not exactly sure she’s dead. If there isn’t a body then to me she isn’t dead. Just because one supposed friend who turns out to also be the friend of Vianca says she’s dead and that she lost the Shadow Game doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s dead. My biggest proof is that wouldn’t Enne have felt the break of the protection bond? Another curiosity to explore in the next book.

One mystery that never was solved that I’m really interested in was who wrote Enne’s Guide book. That book is mentioned again and again throughout Ace of Shades and Enne relies quite heavily upon it but the author is never mentioned. Did Lourdes write it? Enne did say she found it in a shop in Bellamy, but what would such a place that is so prim and proper have a guide book about the City of Sin in it? It is a mystery which I hope doesn’t turn into a plot hole and does eventually get solved. Another mystery that was mentioned but kind of forgotten was where all of the bolts that were supposed to be in Enne’s account went? Did Lourdes give it to the Pseudonyms

The pacing of this book wasn’t necessarily bad because things were always happening and the days were progressing but I felt like there wasn’t very much traction happening in the overall storyline. It just felt like each day up until the deadline for the Shadow Game they were doing the same thing over and over. Enne would try to find some information on her mother, would find out something and then question something else; while Levi would just try to find a way to make money out of nothing to pay off his debt. I felt like the strong actually started moving along only when we got to the Shadow Game, which also happened to be the most interesting part of the book.

The Shadow Game itself was my favourite part and I definitely liked the entire book more after the Game. The Shadow Game was really interesting to me and I loved that the author spent the time to really flesh it out. It did take about me about 3 times of re-reading the rules to really understand the concept of the Game but it was well worth the time spent. It is so intricate, the fact that you essentially enter a magical contract by showing up to play the Game, that you bet with your life force, that you see your past, present and future in the cards, I loved it so much! I do wonder if that’s how these members of the Shadow Game has such long lives; they are sucking the life force from the players and using it themselves. I also wonder if Levi’s life has been shortened by half because Enne lost half of the orbs. How were these globes created? Why did they have such hatred for the Mizers that they killed them all lock, stock and barrel?

One other part I’m interested in is the history of the Mizers. It seems universally accepted in the book that the Mizer Kings and Queens were tyrants who controlled the people but I wonder if that is really true or just what they are meant to believe. Why were every single last Mizer except for Enne killed? Did it have to do with their power to create volts? I’m hoping in the next book we get some more of the history of the Mizers as Enne starts to learn more about her family history.

The epilogue was really intriguing and I can’t wait to see where it goes. Harrison, the prodigal son is coming back to burn down his mother’s empire. Will Vianca be happy to see him back? Will he be a help or hindrance to Enne and Levi? Will he give in to the temptation and take over the empire? Why did he receive a call from one of the people on Shadow Game? There are so many questions that need to be answered, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Overall while it didn’t quite live up to my expectations it was still a really good start to the series. I really loved it towards the end of the book so I’m hoping the sequel will carry on in the same vein and I will adore it. I love the world building and the atmosphere and I’m looking forward to spending more time in New Reynes with Levi on the run as a criminal and see Enne really come into her own power.

Take a card and stake your soul with Ace of Shades, book 1 in The Shadow Game series.

Enne (pronounced like the letter “N”) has no choice when her mom, Lourdes Alfero, doesn’t come back from her trip. She has to go to New Reynes to find her. With her handy tourist guidebook, she sets off to find Levi Glaisyer, the only name her mother left behind.

New Reynes is called the City of Sin for a reason. The South Side of the city is considered “safer” — this is where rich tourists go to vacation. The North Side, where Levi is the Lord of the gang called the Irons, is dangerous. There’s other gangs (the Scarhands and the Doves), plus notorious mafia casino families. Enne’s guidebook strongly advises not going to the North Side. But she must.

Ace of Shades switches from Enne’s and Levi’s perspectives. While Enne needs Levi to help her find Lourdes, Levi needs Enne to pay him for his help in order to pay off a large debt that if left unpaid, will cost him his life.

Told over the 10 days Levi has to pay back his debtor, we follow him and Enne through this magical, dangerous, Vegas-meets-carnival adventure. If you liked Caraval, and want more of the same, you have to pick this one up.

So when I first started reading Ace of Shades, I’m like ya this is good. Next thing I knew it had sucked me down the rabbit hole and I could not stop reading. I flew through the rest of the book in a day. With two great protagonist, there is never a dull moment.

I loved Levi! He was such an interesting character because despite is attitude of seeming to only care about himself, he actually cares a great deal more than he lets on. One of my favorite things about him is how confident he is in himself. Not just in his card abilities but in his whole person. He finds someone attractive, he goes for them. Doesn’t matter male or female or their lot in life. He is very clever and as the Iron Lord he needs to be. He’s trying to juggle his employment to a ruthless family monarch and his role overseeing his territories.

Enne is also a great character. She shows up to the City of Sin as very prim and proper and we see those layers get peeled away like an onion. He transformation is interesting because you wonder how much is the city influencing her and how much was already ingrained in her that she didn’t realize. I love how she doesn’t take crap, even when she knows her chips are down. She has a fiery temper and she also has this confidence about herself as well. Her and Levi aren’t necessarily supporting each other as much as complementing each other. Like a perfect palette of colors.

As far as romance is concerned. Welcome to the never ending slow burn. There is plenty of tension to keep you going.

ways something happening. It doesn’t matter if it has to do with Enne or Levi, the action keeps you enthralled. I really could not stop reading. There wasn’t a good breaking point, where I’m like okay this place is going a little slow I can get up and do something else for a bit. I had to keep reading and know how things were going to end. The writing is great and all of the supporting characters contribute something as well.

I don’t want to give away much of the story because it is a partially a mystery as Enne searches for her mother. Discovering things about the city and the people running it as she goes along. Which Levi becomes a part of too.

I really loved the book and can not wait for book two. I need it!

*Thanks to the Publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.*

Trigger Warnings: Nudity, Guns, Knives, Death, Prostitution, Smoking, Pedophilia.

“If you must visit, reader, then I implore you: remain only on the South Side. Do not cross the Brint. Do not believe their smiles. Do not stray into their lairs. Or you may never come out.“


My Thoughts

The city of sin known as, New Reynes has an alluring, and dangerous atmosphere that will pull you in before you have the chance to rethink your choice.

The book did have a few flaws and plot holes left unanswered that are questionable, but overall it was an okay read. Even though I didn’t love it or completely dislike it, I admit that each chapter was addicting.

PLOT

At first you’ll get a bit disoriented with all the information she’ll be giving all at once. For Instance, the history and description of the political affairs of the New Reynes.
We learn that there was a revolution that took place 25 years ago where the Mizers, who were monarchists, had ruling families in the kingdom who were slaughtered, along with other radical families who supported them.

I wish she elaborated on the political parties, and crime families she mentioned a bit more. She would mention it, then quickly change the subject after. Which felt a bit rushed since we weren’t properly introduced. I’m like “Ummm..ok? Elaborate more on this huge topic you just dropped on us, so we could understand or don’t mention it at all??”


Also, Amanda didn’t properly execute certain scenes, many were questionable. We’re expected to accept the situation without question which wasn’t quite appealing for me.
I don’t want to elaborate more because *spoilers*.

In the book it also mentions the phrase “Mucking” in numerous occasions, which we assume to be a cussing word? It grew annoying & over used to be quite honest. I’m sure the Author had a reason to do so, maybe to create her own word for her world, but the whole time I was thinking use the damn cuss word already.


REP

I LOVE the diverse rep, especially Black Bisexual Protagonist in this book. I also admire the feminist undertones within the book about Women not needing a man & normalizing female pleasure because it’s not only for men. Within today’s society Men are the default when thinking of self pleasure & women are often overlooked or scrutinized.


WORLD BUILDING

Her writing is simple and sweet, yet offers the audience so much within a few sentences. I admit that the world building does need a bit more work, but personally the characters & idea of New Reynes made it enjoyable. You can envision each scene the characters are in, but on a huge scale like the city itself, is a bit difficult. I had to refer to the city map a few times.

The magic/talents in this world was SO interesting by the way! I loved the creative idea of blood and split talents.

CHARACTERS

I also thought the relationship between Enne & Levi was a bit cliche and random. I felt that the mutual attraction between Levi & Enne was a bit forced into the story to have romance. Plus the sexual tension between them was pretty HIGH at times & when those scenes seemed sudden and completely out of nowhere??

Although, I do enjoy a bit of romance & sexual tension between characters, but WOW what a coincidence, two people of opposite genders get close & BOOM they HAVE to be attracted to each other.

I want to mention that Levi is a character who has a tough exterior with a soft & caring interior which are my favorite types of characters I just love. He wasn’t afraid to show his soft and caring side despite male masculinity having to be proven as strength.

Enne, the protagonist I thought was a bit difficult to resonate with personally and annoying at times, but her character development was refreshing to see.

I give recognition to Amanda for her great character developments though. Each character learned a lesson & grew.


Final Thoughts

Sadly, this novel didn’t live up to my expectations despite the hype around it. Amanda had so much more potential & I wish she would’ve showed us more of it. I’m aware of this being the first novel in the Shadow Games Series, so maybe the sequel will be better.


My rating is....

3.2/5

I was so excited to snag a copy of this book that was getting so much buzz. I'm always on the lookout for a new (to me) YA fantasy author to try, and this synopsis held a lot of promise. A SOC feel? Count me in! There ARE some general parallels, but it stands on its own two feet. Yes, there are rival street gangs, the hero is troubled with a dark past, but I never felt like I was reading the same story. This is not a heist book...the story is powered by Enne's search for her missing mother, and the danger that crops up as a result of her search. Some skeletons are better staying buried, but she doesn't realize that until it's too late. Mommy dearest has been hiding some explosive, wicked secrets, and now she's gone and left Enne to stumble upon the hidden trip wire.

To be perfectly honest, Enne wasn't impressing me all that much in the beginning. I was starting to wonder if I would even feel invested about what happened to her. Raised in a very conservative and wealthy background, it has shaped her to be pretty prissy and judgemental. She was also naive, sheltered, and more than a bit of a snob. So you can see why I wasn't immediately welcoming her with open arms.

If you feel similarly, no worries, because Enne pulls off one mother of a transformation. Or a metamorphosis might be a more apt word. She was like a completely different person by the end of the book after the City of Sin got its claws into her. *big gusty sigh of relief* It's amazing what stepping outside of your pampered upbringing and jumping into a pool of sharks will do to you.

Amanda Foody's world consists of Mizer Kings, blood/split talents, volts and orbs, mafia families, warring street gangs, and omertas. The city reeks of bad decisions and despair, and Levi is just another lost soul trapped by his circumstances. He may appear to be in a position of power because of being the head of the Irons gang, but no one knows how low he has sunk. Enne shows up on his doorstep looking for help at just about the worst moment imaginable. He's scrambling to climb out of the hole he's dug himself into before he's buried alive. The last thing he needs is a girl who's ignorant to the danger that surrounds her. But she brings with her a surprising lifeline that could be the answer to all of his prayers.

Enne's staunch morals are stretched and bent until there's nothing left. Not just through seeing the seedy side of humanity, but experiencing the world from a whole new desperate perspective. When you're downtrodden, helpless, and attacked, you either put your gloves on and fight, or you get dealt a blow that there's no coming back from. She chooses to adjust...to fight. And along the way, she makes discoveries about herself that change the rules of the game she never could have been prepared for.

I thought the concept was a solid one, the fantasy world composed on many interesting facets. However, it took me a while to become emotionally invested, and that's not just purely because of the information dump or the unlikable character traits. The romance felt rather abrupt as opposed to organic. And I'm not entirely sure that I was ever shown that Levi had it in him to have led the Irons to be the top gang on the streets before he hit rock bottom. I was told that he had the brains and cunning to once lead them to the top of the pack. What I was shown was something else entirely. He seemed to be stumbling through every day without a solid plan in place. When he finally did have success within his reach, well...let's just say that he has a way of self-destructing without even trying.

This wasn't quite at the level I was hoping for, however, I'm definitely curious where the story will go after how things left off. Once you're situated in the intricacies of the politics, and the magic, it makes for some fast paced reading. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy strong elements of magic and suspense.

3.5 stars.

The premise of the story isn't particularly unique (worse, you can feel it straining to try to be), but it's fun to read and the pacing is well above average. I liked the world building as well, even if it was a little unclear what exactly was being built (magical Las Vegas/Old West Saloon/SUPER weird take on Oliver & Company?)

On the whole, the plot itself is fine as long as you don't think too hard about what's happening. Lots and lots of plot holes, though none so bad that they're unforgivable.

The characters are a bit thin. Enne is annoying and Levi is pouty and Lola and Jac are woefully underdeveloped stock characters. The villains were fine, though none are anyone we haven't met before in a similar story. Bizarrely, the most interesting person in the book is Lourdes, which seems problematic since we've never actually met her. It feels a little like that ancient computer game Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?...You just know that after all the near misses and time spend hunting, actually finding her (and you KNOW they will, "presumed dead" or not) is going to be a letdown.

Overall, some problems quality-wise, but I liked this. I'd read another.

4 ★ – SINFULLY EXCITING AND FUN

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody was a fascinating and entertaining read. It’s sinfully exciting, quite unique, and wonderfully magical.

I had such a great time reading this book. The world building intrigued me from the very beginning. It was creative, mesmerizing, and whimsical! Although there were a few confusing parts here and there, I really enjoyed reading about the different kingdoms, gangs, talents and basically just everything that existed in the City of Sin. The writing style was descriptive and easy to read which made it so much easier to get lost in the story and I loved that about this book. The plot was interesting, fast-paced, and thrilling. There were a few unexpected twists here and there that caught me off guard so that was definitely fun. I loved the romance — it was one of those slow-burn types and the pining on both sides were so heartfelt, believable, and well-developed. I really rooted for the Enne and Levi and cannot wait to see where their relationship will be in the next installment.

I have to be honest and admit that I had quite a difficult time with one of lead characters. Enne Salta just got under my skin and annoyed me throughout most of the story. She was naive, stubborn, arrogant, and just not someone I would want as a heroine. I thought there was no way I would like her, BUT — towards the end of the story, I did go through of big change of heart. Her character development was not an easy one, but in the end, I definitely thought Enne was one badass heroine. Levi Glaisyer was an interesting character and I liked him a lot from the very beginning. He’s complex and broken, but also very caring, protective and sweet. He’s definitely my favorite and I loved his POV. The other characters and villains were pretty awesome and I enjoyed getting to know them all so I’m really excited to see where everyone will be in the sequel.

All in all, this was an amazing beginning to a thrilling new fantasy series. There were a few things that weren’t explained as clearly as I would want, but that didn’t really affect my reading experience. I still had a great time spending a few hours in the City of Sin and I definitely will be coming back for more.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I ended up liking Ace of Shades a lot more than I expected to. I read Amanda Foody's debut, Daughter of the Burning City, and I was incredibly underwhelmed, which was really disappointing because I had such high hopes for it. Despite this, I still found myself really intrigued by the synopsis of Ace of Shades, so I thought I would give a shot anyway, and in my opinion it was a definite improvement from her previous book!

This story takes place in the New Reynes, more commonly known as the City of Sin. Within this city is a large divide between the North Side and the South Side, with the North being the more downtrodden area that is run by various crown gangs and the South side being the more 'reputable' area. Foody really seems to have taken her time in creating her world and giving it an extremely solid foundation. I would have liked slightly more detail regarding the larger aspect of the world, as well as how regular citizens lived, but overall I really enjoyed her worldbuilding.

One area that confused me about Foody's world, however, was exactly what time period this book was meant to take place in. I couldn't tell if it was just a made-up fantasy world with its own sort of time-period, or if it was meant to be a real-world time? There were modern elements such as cars, electricity, and other modern items, but the way that the clothing, mannerisms, and societal norms were described made it feel more early nineteenth/late eighteenth century. This doesn't really affect the story itself, but it was something that I kept questioning in the back of my mind and did leave me feeling somewhat uncertain throughout the book.

The main characters that we follow are Enne Salta and Levi Glaisyer. The supporting characters in this book were also very interesting, but didn't play quite as big roles as I would have liked, so I won't say all too much about them here. Enne travels to New Reynes in order to track down her missing mother, Lourdes Alfero, and is shocked by the loose morals that seem to be so prevalent. Enne herself is rather snobbish, pretentious, and has extremely strong manners, so it was entertaining to watch the culture shock that she experienced in this new, more uninhibited city. Once in New Reynes, she slowly uncovers more and more secrets about herself and her mother, and by the end of the book she must come to terms with who she really is. I found Enne's character development to be really well-done and well-paced. There was a very obvious transition as Enne goes from someone who refuses to do thing that aren't 'appropriate' to someone who realizes the world isn't quite as black and white as she thinks.

Levi is from New Reynes itself and lives on the North Side where he is the Iron Lord of the Irons crime gang. His gang is currently struggling with money and pressures are coming in on all sides demanding money, putting Levi in some dangerous situations. Enne stumbles into the company of Levi and he becomes her guide, and well... without spoiling anything, we'll just say that things start to take off at that point. Levi is tough, as a crime lord must be, but he knows how to wield his power in an effective manner that earns him respect. I really liked Levi's character, but I will say that it seemed as if Foody sort of talked up his danger and intimidation level. Levi certainly seemed like a guy I wouldn't want to mess with, but he hardly seemed as scary as everyone made him sound. I would call him a softer edition of Kaz Brekker. Despite this, I still really loved his character and the bisexual representation and the diverse representation.

I was really pleased with the pacing of this book. The story isn't overly fast-paced, but it isn't slow either. There seemed to be a wonderful balance of action and events that pushed the plot forward in addition to plenty of character development and focus on the more thematic elements of the story.

Despite all of the wonderful things about this book, I did have a few issues. One of my biggest frustrations was Foody's in-world word choices. For starters, 'missy' was used far too often in relation describe Enne. I'm not sure if it's just an in-world thing to call a woman a 'missy' or if this is actually done in some places, but this drove me crazy. Some examples that confused me:
"I found this missy asking about the whiteboots and Pup"
"There's a missy here to see you"
"The missy in question sat on the couch, her back straight as a billiard rod, her legs resting to the side with one ankle tucked.."
"Terribly sorry, missy."
At first I thought a 'missy' meant a young girl, but then it was used in different ways and I was really unsure. I did a count on my Kindle and found fifty-one usages of missy, which is about fifty too many.

Also, Foody's made-up curse words were... not good. I am all for some good in-universe curse words that fantasy likes to do, but it has to be done really well, and this just wasn't. This might not be a big deal to many people, but it just really annoyed me. 'Muck' is one of the most common ones used, but it sounded so horrible because it really just sounds like a censored version of f*ck, which made it sound dumb. It drove me crazy. It was used in the same way as f*ck in most places, but there were a few where it sounded more like the word muck itself: "And walking straight into some muck." So how is this word supposed to be used? It confused me about as much as 'missy' confused me. I know this is just a minor gripe, but it was something that bothered me and sort of pulled me out of the story.

Overall, I still really enjoyed Ace of Shades and ended up giving it four stars! This is a fun, entertaining book with solid characters and an interesting storyline.

AHHH! This was such an entertaining book! I am so excited for more people to read this book!

One of my favorite things about this book was the world the author created. The City of Sin was such a dark and intriguing place. I loved learning about the evil that was lurking around every corner. The author's descriptions of the city were so detailed and vivid that I could really picture myself walking the streets with the characters. I also loved the magic system of this world. The idea of the people in this world having two talents based on their family's lineage was so interesting! I thought it was fascinating that the talents and family names also correlated with social class. That was an unexpected element that added another level of creativity and complexity to this immersive world.

As much as I loved the world and the magic, I will admit that it was a bit hard to understand at first. I had a hard time wrapping my head around some of the elements of the world since there was SO much to learn. There were times where I just had to accept things even though I didn't fully understand them. However, by the end of the book, I definitely had a strong understand the City of Sin and the magical elements. The ending left me dying to read the second book so I could learn even more about the world!

Another wonderful thing about this book was the characters. I fell in love with all the different characters and wanted nothing but happiness for them. Enne, the main female character, was a character that had such strong growth throughout the story. She went from being a whiny and stuck up girl who was all about etiquette, to a badass queen of the City of Sin. I loved watching Enne transform into the strong girl I knew she could be. I will admit that were times when I felt like she was too good at everything, but I was able to look past it because Enne's transformation was just so cool to read about. Levi was such precious and lovable character. Levi was a bit immoral at times and put up this tough wall for the world to see. I loved reading from his POV and realizing that he was actually a guy who cared A LOT about the people in his life and had a lot of fears too. He turned out to be such a sweet and protective guy! I loved that he was a stone-cold badass on the outside, but warm and gooey cinnamon roll on the inside. ALSO, I LOVED THAT LEVI WAS BI-SEXUAL!!!! LEVI IS MY FAV!! I loved all of the other characters in the book too. They were all so unique, intriguing, and well developed. I cannot wait to learn more about them in the next book!

The romance in this book was definitely a slow-burning romance, AND I AM HERE FOR IT. I ship Enne and Levi SO FREAKING HARD. Watching their relationship developed warmed my heart. I WANT THEM TO MAKE OUT AND BE IN LOVE!!!! I know the relationship will take time to fully develop, BUT I AM HERE FOR IT. Their few romantic moments in this book were swoony, so I cannot wait to see how it will be in the next book. IT WILL PROBABLY KILL ME, TO BE HONEST.

Overall, this was such an addictive, immersive, and mesmerizing book. I was completely entranced by the story and I never wanted the book to end! This book sucked me in and never let me go. I NEED BOOK TWO, NOW!

4 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

My eyes! My eyes! I wanted to love this book because the title and the cover had me salivating, but I could barely bring myself to sludge through this garbage. Flat characters, boring plots, stupid decisions, special snowflakes - all of the YA tropes in one place. It gets a star for the diversity representation, but that's it. And it would have been amazing if the title had been a play on words and one of the mains was actually ace. But nope, typical love drama over three books type of mud.

Linked review NOT spoiler-free! https://codicesandcompendiums.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/review-ace-of-shades-by-amanda-foody/

When this book’s synopsis first started circulating the YA book community, I was unspeakably excited for it. A book about dangerous gangs and gambling, with a bi young man of color as one of the protagonists? Sign me up! Unfortunately, this book suffered the same problem I have with the author’s debut, Daughter of the Burning City—it has a lot of cool ideas at play, but the execution leaves a little bit to be desired.

THE PHOTOGRAPH OF LUCKLUSTER CASINO MATCHED THE STORIES OF NEW REYNES: RED LIGHTS THAT FLASHED WITHOUT FLAME, WOMEN OF LOOSE MORALS DANCING ON STREET CORNERS IN SPARKLING, SKIN-TIGHT CORSETS, GAMBLING DENS BECKONING PASSERSBY WITH SEEDY SMILES AND THE ALLURE OF FAST FORTUNE.

Amanda Foody proved with DOTBC that she’s capable of weaving some very aesthetic settings, whether it’s a twisted carnival city of sin, or a slum full of casinos hiding wicked gang lords and thieves. I love a good casino or gang slum setting, so that was one of the first things that piqued my interest about Ace of Shades.

“SO YOU CHEAT,” SHE SAID, THE CONTEMPT OBVIOUS IN HER VOICE.
“WE MAKE A BUSINESS OUT OF WINNING.”
My biggest problem was that I couldn’t ever fully buy in to the characters. The story alternates perspectives, and first, we have Levi Glaisyer, lord of the Irons gang, orb-maker, and criminal genius. More than anything, I adored the diversity of his character being an unapologetically bisexual young black man, which is a role I have so rarely seen in YA fantasy. (Speaking of diversity, I’d also note here that Enne’s mother, Lourdes, is a gender-fluid character, which was a nice added bonus, despite not being a prominent piece of the story.)

On the other hand, where similar YA fantasy characters would often seem vicious and hardened, Levi also stands apart in a bad way: he is a teddy bear to a fault. Despite the fact that we’re told he’s an infamous gang lord in “The City of Sin”, where he holds his own against multiple other gangs and crooks, none of Levi’s actions actually made me feel that he was capable, much less the ruthless criminal I was expecting. Levi is a really lovable and warm character—I just didn’t find him to be particularly three-dimensional.

PRETTY OR NOT, LEVI WONDERED IF HE HAD EVER MET SUCH A DELICATE, UNPLEASANT CREATURE.
The other protagonist of the book is Enne Salta, who I unfortunately disliked from front cover to back, no matter how hard I tried to enjoy her chapters. She comes onto the scene incredibly uppity and snobbish, and never fully loses that trait, even though a week’s time in the story tries to transform her from a boarding school ballerina to a terrifying assassin. Again, much like with Levi’s progression, it all felt very insincere and forced to me.

Another complaint I had about the story is minor, but applied to the entire cast of characters pretty evenly: the made-up swears in this book are nearly unbearable. I personally don’t usually mind when a book replaces curse words with made-up terms, as long as it’s used sparingly, but after a handful of chapters, I was sighing inwardly every time a character said “mucking” or “shatz”.

ALL YOU KNOW ARE STORIES, ENNE TOLD HERSELF. AND NOT ALL STORIES ARE TRUE.
On a happier note, I enjoyed quite a few aspects of the story. There are a lot of moving parts to the plot (almost too many, to be fair), and quite a few of them felt very “new” and unique to me, such as the volt orbs for currency, or the inherited talents that each individual has (one from each parent, with one talent being stronger than the other). I was genuinely impressed by a lot of these details and would certainly be interested in learning more about the history of the world. I wish we had been given more back story to the world that New Reynes takes place in, but this is only the first book of the series, so hopefully, future installments will provide further explanation.

All in all, I thought this book fell right in the middle of the scale—I enjoyed myself well enough to finish the story, but I don’t feel any pressing need to continue the series or learn what happens next. That said, I can easily see this story becoming a quick favorite for a lot of readers—especially anyone who enjoys casino settings, and does not mind slightly underdeveloped storytelling and world-building. While it wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, if the synopsis of Ace of Shades interests you, I would certainly recommend picking it up and giving it a try.

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Harlequin Teen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and world building that Amanda Foody has created. While I told myself I wasn't going to start yet another series I couldn't help myself after reading the synopsis of this book. I am super interested in seeing what unfolds throughout this series. The magic system and talents of this world were so intriguing and different, as were, all the characters. Unfortunately, now I must wait for the second installment.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received this E-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

I am going to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. I had read part of Amanda Foody's other novel (The Daughter of a Burning City) and wasn't a huge fan of her writing style or the characters involved. Ace of Shades is a big step up from that and I am quite glad I had the chance to read it, even if it took me a while.

It took a good one hundred pages for me to get into this book, but once I was in, I was fully committed. Though Enne bothered me at the beginning, her character development throughout the novel was well written and in the end I loved her a lot more. Speaking of characters, I would sell my soul to ensure the happiness of one Levi Glaisyer. He quickly became my favourite characters and it makes me endlessly happy to have a black canon bisexual protagonist in a fantasy novel. He is a dynamic character, with many different layers, one who doesn't shy away from being outwardly fragile. His POV left me wanting to go and give him a hug (because let's be real, who wouldn't want to). The entire cast of main characters in this novel were ones that I came to love in the end. Jac and Lola add more dynamics to this group of misfits, and I am rooting for them to overcome everything that's coming their way.

Even side characters, like Enne's gender-fluid adoptive mother Lourdes, were added in seamlessly. She isn't an often present character, but her character develops in ways I hadn't seen coming. I need to know more about her in the future, and I hope that we will be given more of her backstory in future books.

There is a lot of violence in this book, its definitely not for the faint of heart-if you aren't a fan of reading that sort of thing, I'm not sure how much you would enjoy this.

The world building and magic aspects can be hard to follow at times, it is definitely a book you need to give your full attention to when you read it. The city of New Reynes is just part of this bigger picture, that in all honesty I am still a bit confused about. This being the first in a series there are a lot of questions I'm left with, but that is to be expected. I can't wait to see where Foody takes the story in the next book, how all of these plots will come together- can I just ask that no harm come to Levi? .. ya I knew that was a long shot too.

People don't play this game to win, my dear.
They play this game not to lose.

*An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Harlequin Teen*

ACE OF SHADES by Amanda Foody hits shelves April 1oth!

Ace of Shades is the Las Vegas AU of your dreams. Set in New Reynes, the City of Sin, during the 20th century our story follows two POVs of equally kickbutt characters, Enne Salta and Levi Glaisyer. Enne is on the hunt for her missing adoptive mother named Lourdes who told her that if she doesn't return in two months then she's dead. With only Levi's name as a source of help Enne struggles to stay afloat in the city uncorrupted and elegant, but when secrets about her past and true identity come to the surface Enne has the character arc of a lifetime. Levi on the other hand is a charming, cunning con man and lord of a gang called the Irons. When Enne enlists him for help he is neck deep in a failing scam business and is receiving hints of an invitation to the Shadow Game, a game where no one comes out alive. The stakes are high and the sexual tension is higher.

I absolutely loved this book! The setting is incredibly fleshed out and atmospheric. The violence is gritty and the characters don't shy away from clever maneuvers and escape tricks. One of my favorite parts were the villains. They were truly chilling in a way most fantasy novel villains are not. I am possibly most excited to see the return of most of them in the sequel, or the romance picking up. Despite this story being a high stakes fantasy there was much more manipulation and trickery involved when exploiting or seeking advantages than actual magic. This doesn't mean there isn't any magic involved though. On the contrary, magic is literally in the character's skin as they carry volts around in their arms. I still don't completely grasp this in the technical fashion, but I cannot wait for the sequel to discover more about this interesting world and political system.

Let's talk the romance: Levi and Enne have this beautiful, angsty burn of a romance. I was itching for more but I do appreciate the fantastic pacing of the novel. If I was writing it myself I would've struggled so hard holding back. These characters have so much chemistry and are both individuals I find to be compatible. Can book two come faster please?? And the diversity! Levi is bisexual and black and Lourdes is stated to be a cross-dresser or possibly even gender fluid. The diverse aspects are natural and inclusive throughout. Amanda Foody is brilliant.

Of course, this book isn't flawless, though it comes very, very close. My only critique would be on execution of the history of New Reynes. I had to take a break from the book for school, and when I came back a HUGE ball was dropped the next chapter in and I had to flip back a bunch to remember why that particular information was significant. The history comes all at once in the beginning so pay attention! I wish the characters had recapped a bit for my sake but hopefully they will in the sequel. Overall, this book is excellent and gripping. The last fourth of it was especially thrilling and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend for anyone, even if you aren't a fantasy fan. It doesn't read as much like a fantasy as the book it's compared to (which is a very high fantasy I've heard), Six of Crows. I have not read that one but I think Ace of Shades stands alone in excellence. And can we talk about this cover?? So eye-catching and perfect for a bookstagram photo.

Pick this up one up at your bookstore or online as soon as you can! You'll be thinking about it for days on end.

My Goodreads review is up now: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2279927305
I will post a bookstagram and brief review on release day to my Instagram (instagram.com/sydneys.books), my Twitter (twitter.com/sydneys_books) and my Facebook page (facebook.com/sydneys.booksIG).

Ace of Shades succeeds on every level. What few criticisms it might garner reflect more of my own personal preferences for a perfect five-star read, rather than shortcomings I think many other readers would share. Usually when I enjoy a book to such an extent I struggle to pick out parts to highlight in a review. This time, however, several aspects stood out as exceptional and reminded me what a difference it makes when even the most common genre conventions are handled with grace.

So far 2018 has been a banner year for strong female protagonists in YA. That trend continues with Enne, the young woman central to Ace of Shades. From the very beginning she brought to mind another favorite fantasy character: Sansa Stark from A Song of Ice and Fire. Like Sansa, Enne possesses a superior sense of poise and grace that serves as a defense against those who seek to take advantage of her naivete. Beneath those proper manners, though, hides a steely determination that grows as her time in New Reynes stretches on. Enne doesn't grow a backbone: she grows into the confidence she always had. To some that might sound like a subtle distinction but it's an important one, especially considering some of the trials she endures. That suffering doesn't "create" a strong young woman; she already existed. But the environment of New Reynes is ripe for an assertiveness unwelcome in her sheltered, cultured upbringing.

As I've expressed in past reviews, insta-love rarely works for me. Thankfully, Ace of Shades features some great slow-burn chemistry between Enne and the leader of the Irons, Levi. While they're never exactly enemies, the pair do make a gradual and believable progression from wary, selfish allies to friends with a clear attraction to one another. Foody leaves ample room for further development (or twists!) in future novels without playing a coy, will-they-or-won't-they game.

I also adored the general idea of the Shadow Game. To avoid spoilers I won't go into too much detail, but it seemed to draw a little inspiration from gladiator games...just with a magical twist. It also promises to function as the central problem for future books in the series; certain mysteries are solved in Ace of Shades, but their answers spawn further questions and complications that draw you deeper into the story. Beyond the (quite honestly terrifying) concept of the Shadow Game, I enjoyed how its introduction actually answered some of Enne's questions about her mother and satisfied the reader's curiosity while opening the door to larger conspiracies.

Lastly, Foody evokes a gilded decay in New Reynes, split into the prosperous South Side and dingy, crime-riddled North Side. Her writing captures the unique blend of excess and corruption that shapes many of the conflicts in Ace of Shades. Most important for a continuing series, she's crafted a vibrant world that I look forward to returning to with plenty of unexplored corners to reveal in future books. Despite opening with a foot chase, I did think that Ace of Shades was a little slow to start and I would have liked to see some of the supporting characters fleshed out more thoroughly. However, overall I was deeply impressed with the start of this new series and I can't wait to read what happens to Enne, Levi, and their friends next!

First of all, let me thank Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for the chance to read and review this book: Ace of Shades, pre-release. As always, these thoughts are my own. This review is spoiler-free and no main plot points are revealed.

I give this story 3.5 stars.

Synopsis: 
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.



I have not yet read Six of Crows, but I've seen this story compared to it a few times. I leave it up to you to judge for yourself.

Let's talk about the good things first. 

That Cover, People. It's amazing.
All the editions I've seen of this book are just stunningly beautiful, and the decor inside the book is just as beautiful. The chapter headings and the fonts are perfect for this story.

Character:
"She was a pistol wrapped up in silk. She was a blade disguised as a girl."
Um, actually, no. While Enne Salta was an okay main character, she was dissatisfactory because we generally want a MC who is clever-- maybe not as a clever as we are, as readers, but at least a little clever. Enne... well, she's not. She's not stupid, but she is really really naive to a point where she's not really believable. She wanders into gang fights, she's pretty oblivious,  she never wonders about anything, and her inner monologue felt pretty detached. I never connected with her.

"Street Lord and Con Man"
Enter Levi Glaisyer. He's a criminal genius, lord of the Irons gang, and his talent has to do with money. (both in cheating card players and in the currency, which was one of many details that intrigued me-- more on that later)

Except. He's a teenager, supposedly. He doesn't think, act, or look like a teenager. Even a worldly, hardened teen doesn't act like an adult, they act like a worldly, hardened teen. In that, Levi immediately put me off. His character is not realistic, in that he's the sweet, gentlemanly-like love interest for Enne. He doesn't seem capable, or realistic, as a street lord.

Worldbuilding
This story has some fascinating tidbits that I want to bring up. The magic system is very cool, though not explained, and the city itself is (and is supposed to be) Vegas. Nothing wrong with that. 

Their money is volts, and are contained in glass orbs, which is just really really cool. 

The city is divided up in a pretty confusing manner and I never really understood the street lord + talent + actual streets thing.

This feels like book two to me, except that there was a lot of info-dumping. If this had been the second book in a series and the first book had been about Lourdes, that would have been much more interesting. Maybe it will still happen, who knows.

Plot
Honestly, this story seemed a little confused about the plot. It switches from being a rescue mission/ mystery to a boy meets girl to an assassin story to another rescue mission. If just one of those elements had been taken out, it would have been less cluttered and more easily understood. Again, if this was the second book in a series and the first book had been about Lourdes, wow. I would have loved that.

Conclusion:
I think this book is worth reading because of the new and fresh ideas Amanda Foody throws in. For me, it fell in the middle of the scale, but if you don't mind a little underdeveloped characters and storytelling, and a few token 'gender fluid' scenes, you will love this story. And, apparently, if you need a story with a shadow of Kaz in it, this might help.

I really wanted to like this book, but one chapter in and I was already having trouble getting myself excited to finish it.
Starting off the book, I could not get into the writing. Then, I could not connect with either of the main character. Levi is supposed to be a street Lord, and honestly I just couldn't see it. Then there was Enne who, well I can't pin point exactly what I didn't like about her, but no matter what I never connected with her, which became a problem when the whole story revolves around her looking for her lost mother. After not being able to connect with either of the main character this book became hopeless for me. I didn't care about Enne's mother or if she was found, so I was was just pushing myself through to see if there was anything that would catch my interest other than that, which nothing did.
I hate writing reviews like this where I feel like I am going on and on about what I didn't like, because I think readers that can connect with the characters can enjoy this book, but for me I could have done with not reading it.

Amanda Foody's debut novel Daughter of the Burning City majorly impressed me, so I was couldn't wait to get my hands on her sophomore novel, Ace of Shades. Additionally, with comparisons to Six of Crows, one of my favorite books, it was hard for me to not want the book. As with her debut, Amanda Foody wowed with her fascinating and unique story.

Ace of Shades began with the protagonist, Enne, arriving on the harbors of New Reynes, the City of Sin, in search of her missing mother. Enne's characterization was one of my favorite parts of Ace of Shades. At the beginning of the story, she was a sheltered, young, very prim and proper young woman who had never experienced much darkness in her life. She was essentially tossed into the middle of this city known for its sinfulness, with the gambling, the gangs, and the wars. Watching her navigate this city was a little scary at first because I wasn't sure if she would make it out alive. Sure enough, she easily fell into pitfalls throughout the first half of the book, a major one being when she became magically tied to a notorious and sinister leader of the city. It made her character growth realistic for me. So many times in novels you come across these heroes/heroines who don't seem to struggle when they find themselves in a new world and it irritates me, so I found it quite refreshing here that the heroine came across many obstacles and most of the time didn't overcome the obstacles. As she searched for her mother and became more familiar with the city, she grew by leaps and bounds, becoming a stronger and braver version of herself. Along the way, she also discovered more secrets about not only her mother but also herself. Though her mother wasn't physically present in the book, Amanda Foody managed to flesh out her character through Enne's memories.

Besides Enne's POV, we are also privy to Levi's voice. Levi was a mysterious Iron Lord who had his own gang despite his young age. I was pleasantly surprised by his character over the course of Ace of Shades. He initially came across as this tough and hard-to-gauge character, but underneath all the roughness was a boy with a very soft heart. Though he thought Enne was a nuisance in his side, he quickly became protective of her and helped her on her mission. There was a romance between the two that slowly started brewing and simmering in the book, but as of now, it was very much to the sidelines. I am entirely too eager for more of these two though because the potential there is amazing judging from all the banter. There was also a whole slew secondary characters here, who though not as compelling as Enne and Levi, made for an interesting addition to the story.

The world building here was also well-done. Amanda Foody has a gift for creating atmospheric settings and she certainly managed to bring New Reynes to life. I will sometimes the world went right over my head, but I didn't find that to be too jarring. I was also completely fascinated by the magic system in the book - everyone is born with talents that are indicated by their last names and as with any magic some had talents that were powerful than the others. The gang dynamics and the politics of New Reynes was another element that I completely dug. I also appreciated the diversity in the story and how natural and thoughtful the diversity was - there were people of color and characters who identified as LGBTQ.

I had a really good time reading Ace of Shades and I'm definitely excited to read more of this series. Ace of Shades ended in a good spot with parts of the story line wrapped up, but also left threads open-ended for the subsequent books which I appreciated because I'm not one for cliffhangers. I definitely recommend this one if you're in the mood for a more unique and rugged YA fantasy series!

My Rating: 5/5 This book was perfect!

Characters: 5/5 I found the characters so dynamic and interesting! I definitely feel like most of the characters aren’t black and white at all. They all are a shade of gray and that makes them even more interesting. They are unpredictable. If I had to survive in New Reynes, I would definitely want to do it with a group like Enne’s. I really liked Enne, especially in the second half of the book. She was adaptable and interesting. I’m curious to see how she changes in book 2!

Setting: 5/5 I love the city of New Reynes. Like the characters, the city is a shade of gray. Be careful who you trust and who you make an enemy out of. But it isn’t all bad, You might just discover more about yourself than you’d ever think. The book has a map in it so that you can better see where everything is in relationship to each other and also which sections are owned by which gang or family. Throughout the book, you really get to know how the city works. The world building was amazing in this book.

Plot: 5/5 This story had twists and turns all throughout. It was an adventure and a mystery. It kept me sucked into the book from start to finish and I can’t wait for the second one!

Relationship: 5/5 I’m a sucker for a hate to love relationship! The relationship in this book was more of a Mistrust to Trust relationship and it was just as good. I thought the romantic relationship was well developed. I also enjoyed the platonic relationship building as well! Enne comes into this city alone and unknown but by the end of the book she has a group of Ally’s and Quite a few enemies!

*I was provided the eARC of this title courtesy of NetGalley and Halrequin TEEN in exchange for an honest review.*

When I found out Amanda Foody was writing a book about shady, morally gray characters involved in dangerous schemes and shenanigans set in a fantasy version of Vegas, the book instantly jumped to the top of my "to read" list. I love her writing style, and her ability to write female characters who can be feminine without being weak and helpless. I dove into <i>Ace of Shades</i> with excitement and an open mind.

And came away disappointed, and slightly annoyed.

*The world building was strangely reminiscent of several different settings from other novels. There were echoes of Bardugo, of Chee, of Garber, and nothing was "different" enough to make it stand out. In fact, I felt like it paled in comparison to all its inspirations.
*Some of it is confusing. There are talents (two kinds?), oaths and anti-oaths, allegiances, deposed royalty, politics, a weird monetary system, and that's just the start. Unfortunately, this requires many, many info dumps. The huge chunks of explanation and exposition slow down the plot, and take the focus off the characters in an effort to tell the entire backstory. It also keeps Foody from being able to delve very deeply into character, because she's too busy explaining the world.
*And in a strangely contradictory point, I was interested by the talents. The talents are inherited from each parent, and are reflected in the family names. This was, perhaps, the highlight of the book for me, seeing how the social system works based on family names and traits. I hope this idea is more deeply developed in the next book.
*The characters aren't compelling enough to make me <3 them. Naturally, because of the nature of the story and setting, it's easy to draw a connection between Foody's Enne and Levi and Bardugo's Inej and Kaz Brekker. But they definitely WEREN'T Inej and Kaz. They weren't compelling, and Levi especially was less than convincing as the leader of a vicious street gang. And though I didn't <i>hate</i> Enne, she suffers from the YA female character "ordinary-girl-turned-extraordinary-goddess" cliche.
*(It's important to note, though, that Enne does undergo quite the character arc, which I found to be refreshing. She starts out as a naive, prissy, proper girl, and, out of necessity to survive, adapts to her surroundings and becomes a rebel in her own right.)
*And, now we come to the thing that annoyed me the most. The made-up curse words. Seriously. Mucking? Shatz? The lack of originality is almost insulting.

That said, the book <i>was</i> entertaining, and I can see how it's creating a lot of buzz. It'll be popular with a lot of YA readers. I think Amanda Foody has a lovely writing style, and a way of making it easy to immerse yourself in her stories. And because of that, I didn't completely hate this book. It was *just* interesting enough for me to finish, and maybe even enough for me to read the next installment in the series.