Okay, okay, okay. I've had nearly a week to sit and cobble together my thoughts on King of Fools, and I'm fairly certain I'm not there yet. The last quarter of the books was an absolute emotional rollercoaster!

Ace of Shades was one of my favourite reads last year—and my re-read last month still has it at five stars—so I was thrilled to read the sequel early. Book two did not disappoint. Admittedly, the first half or so took some getting into. It's a bit slower than the first and while it is a bit darker, the story takes on an entirely different ... feel, I guess you could say. I'll explain what I mean later. We get to explore a bit more of the equally vibrant and dark parts of New Reynes. I still adore the vibe it evokes, of 1920's Atlantic City with gangsters, casinos and a whole lot of nefarious doings happening in the shadows. And broad daylight as well, I might add.

As with AoS, the story is told through Enne Salta and Levi Glaiyser's point of view. I still adore being inside Enne's head the most, but this time we also got a point of view from Jac Mardlin! I didn't know this was happening, so I got really excited when I got to his first chapter. I kind of hoped that meant we would get Lola Sanguick, but she sticks with Enne as they build their girl gang of counters. Mr. Mardlin, however, gets to tell his own story. For those who don't remember, Jac is the Irons second and Levi's best friend. He's a big bear of a guy, but he's had issues in the past with drugs. I really enjoyed his arc as it was at times heartbreaking, but fully satisfying. Foody did a great job I think.

As I mentioned, the first half of the book moved slower than the first book, and that is because this delved a lot more into the politics of New Reynes and the place the gangs and the North Side has in grand scheme of things. The first book ended with a murder that is being blamed on the North Side as a whole. Known members of the gangs are wanted dead or alive, and this fuels a lot of how the story progresses. How to put the North Side on top with the upcoming election setting the tone. As before, Enne and Levi are still dancing around each other romantically, and not helping the situation is the fact they are both working for opposing sides. AKA, Mama Augustine and her son.There isn't the same undertone of panic as there was in the first, with Levi scrambling for money and Enne trying to stay afloat with the debauchery coming at her. The stakes didn't feel as high, until they were through the roof.

The last quarter of the book is unreal. I couldn't for the life of me put it down. It is intense, to say the least. And emotional. I had a hand covering my mouth for most of it and yelled "How could you?!" The POVs switched each time something was coming to light, making me freak out a little bit more. It took so many damn twists that everything I thought was concrete was thrown out the window. And it got dark. I mean, not to spoil anything, but a new villain comes into play towards the end, and I do not want to get on his bad side. SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!

The epilogue really sets the stage for the third book, and it has me biting my nails already. Things are going to be different and I can't wait!

Ace of Shades introduced me to a character I fell in love with in Enne and King of Fools continues her journey in ways I found absolutely fascinating. But it wasn't just Enne who gave me a fascinating story. All of the new characters introduced were just so rich and vibrant that they seemed to leap off the page. If there's one thing Amanda Foody does well, it's writing female characters that you love, hate, admire, or want to be best friends with.

I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

This one fell victim to the sequel curse. It rarely kept my interest and I wound up skimming a lot of it.

King of Fools, by author Amanda Foody, is the second installment in the authors The Shadow Game trilogy. It's the morning after Erienne (Enne) Salda and Levi Glaisyer survived the so called Shadow Game. The chancellor was assassinated by Levi Glaisyer and the mysterious character known only as Séance. The duo are now wanted dead or alive with the newspapers crying out for blood while the Senate has called for a complete extermination of the gangs of the North Side before the political election in three months to maintain their appearance of control.

In the 10 days Enne Salta has spent in this morally decrepit city of Sin, she's lost everything--her mother, her innocence, and her identity. Though she is determined to uncover more of her mother Lourdes’ secrets, Vianca Augustine demands she use her new persona as Séance to further Vianca’s political goals. Enne is forced to become a proper street lord, and use her underlings, like Lola Sanguick, to inspire the North Side to the monarchist cause. Thanks to Vianca's omerta, Enne has no choice but to obey, but that doesn't mean that she and Levi don't have their own plans which doesn't include helping Vianca.

As they consolidate their power in the North Side, and new players like Tock and Grace join Levi and Enne's gangs, their partnership eventually blossoms into a power that leads to them becoming the richest pair in the North Side. But, being rich tends to put a rather large target on your backs. They also attempt to bring all of the gangs of the North Side together in order to save it. But the true test of their relationship comes when Vianca orders Enne to commit murder once again—and break Levi's heart in the process.

While Enne and Levi are the primary narrators, Jac Mardlin, Levi's second-in-command, is given a job that brings him into contact with Vianca's competitors and enemies the Torren's including Sophia who he spends most of the story with. Jac desires his own narrative, and his own future, and is willing to trust Sophia in order to get the legend he desires. Levi's life is a gigantic mess who’s love for a good gamble and dangerous interludes with just about anyone who catches his fancy, continuous to get him in trouble only this time it’s more than just his life on the line if things go south.

Enne's life has fundamentally changed so much since arriving in Sin City, that you will barely recognize her when all is said and done. Enne transformation continues to change with each new obstacle thrown her way. She comes to accept that she now belongs to the grit and allure that is the seedy underground. It's fair to say that this book has a rather large cast of characters mainly because the author sends Enne to the South Side in order to fulfill Vianca's demands.

This book adds on to the myths of New Reynes and the politics, delving more into the war that killed the Mizers and the gangs themselves like the Doves, Scarhands, Irons, and Enne's new gang called Spirits which just happens to be an all girl gang. King of Fools is a game of politics, whether it be Levi retaking the Irons, the interactions between the street lords, or the scheming of the Families to sway the election in their favor. As usual, the ending of this book left me bereft and curious as to how the author is going to resolve the issues that she has created.

I was provided an advanced reader copy of King Of Fools by Netgally for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that ACE OF SHADES was without a doubt, my number one read of 2018. That being said, I was absolutely over the moon to be approved for an ARC of KING OF FOOLS through Netgally. I went in to this book with such high expectations and you know what? Amanda Foody absolutely delivered.

To be honest, a 5/5 star rating just doesn't do this book justice. While the pacing of this novel differs drastically from ACE OF SHADES, I didn't find it any harder to get in to - as I've read some reviewers did. KING OF FOOLS takes place over several months as oppose to just a few days in the first book. Personally though, I think that's what really made this book feel so much more alive. The motives and the story line made more sense because it developed so much more naturally. It would have been foolish to think that everything that happens in this book could have happened quickly. And yes - SO MUCH happens in this book. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, something changed - making the stakes even higher and far more dangerous.

KING OF FOOLS was everything I wanted it to be, building from my love of ACE OF SHADES and making me fall even deeper in love with the city of sin and the characters I'd become so attached to. I will, however, warn you: This book will break your heart. I had a feeling I knew what was coming but nothing prepared me to read it or the tears I spilled by the end of this book.

Amanda Foody is a devilishly incredible author, who made me feel every kind of emotion by the time I finished KING OF FOOLS and all I can think is: How can she POSSIBLY wrap up this story in one more book?

I promise you: You will not be disappointed with your return to the Shadow Game.

This is the sequel to Ace of Shades by Amanda, which I read and reviewed last year a little bit before publication. I was very excited to be approved for an early copy of this book because she refers to it as her “girl gang” book, and she was not wrong! While there were definitely issues with the formatting of the eARC that sometimes caused hiccups in my reading experience, the story was totally worth it, and I’m dying a little bit inside because I have to wait.

Absolutely EVERYTHING I wanted it to be. AND. MORE! This sequel kicks off right where book one ends and I was hooked from page one. I was so caught up in the secrets and the plots and the twists and turns! This book was an action-packed, feminist trip and I was a stressful mess the entire time I was reading! Enne’s street gang was an amazing badass girl gang of lovable criminals. Honestly canNOT wait for book 3. If you enjoyed Ace of Shades, then you have nothing to fear. King of Fools totally lives up to expectations. And if you haven’t read Ace of Shades yet… what are you waiting for!? Go! Do it!! Now is the time… haha, sorry. I just really love these books, guys.

Starting where Ace Of Shades left; the reintroduction to the world, and political intrigue instantly draws the reader back into New Reynes, and the chaos that ensues. As each character formulates a strategy, and discovers their preordained path it takes a moment to unravel where we left, and where the second novel began. The world built within the short span of ten days left a sense of craving for more as ometras, orbs, and talents created a rich alternative universe.

The addition of various characters at the beginning created a strong start as stereotypes are challenged, and feminism reigns. The potential seen in each individual is outstanding as each character is diverse, sassy, outspoken, and unapologetically themselves. As the complexity of the street gangs extends the personal relations falter, and it is difficult to see when new characters are introduced, who they are, and the role they play. Switching from one central character to the next lost the connections made, and left the reader searching for dialogue. The overarching plot of the Iron Lord, and the immediate success of the Spirits despite the minimal effort stole the spotlight from what could've been a power hungry strong female orientated gang.

The novel was centered entirely around politics in comparison to the first, and the extended timeline stole the fast paced charm despite the conclusion. Personally creating an extremely slow paced novel. It was difficult to view the actions of the Iron Lord as realistic as bargains are gained, and never retained; yet somehow his relations never falter. His exterior banter when viewed through alternative points of views were witty, and enjoyable within the first portion. Whereas his point of view was stressful, and his flaws are consistently pointed out by others but are never truly addressed other than a simple emotion of annoyance, and an apology that never truly demonstrates character growth. Creating an effect of two separate personalities.

The romance was the main balance against the politics occurring. For the first portion of the novel the relationship the Iron Lord maintained felt extremely unnecessary, and was built to create an emotional reaction from the initial love interest rather than for character development. There was a dissociation between the love interests that truly demonstrated how in love with the idea of each other they were rather than who they are. Seen especially when Séance simply fell for Iron Lord despite his entire relationship with another character for the majority of the novel simply because he showed interest once again. Never questioning who he was with or whether he was genuine.

Would recommend to the mature audience of young adult fiction as addiction, narcotics, violence, murder/attempted murder, sex, gambling, and PTSD are common themes. With ironically alternative cursing. (Highly recommend snooping through previous reviews of Ace Of Shades as a quick update as to where the first novel ended, and as a refresher to the complex universe. Especially as the deck of the Shadow Game is extended.)

Thank you to Harlequin Teen for providing me with an eARC via netgalley in exchange for a honest review. King Of Fools was my one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I was beyond excited to have this opportunity.

I received this copy in exchange for an honest review. I'd like to extend my gratitude!

I quickly read book 1 to prepare myself for King of Fools! What a fun series and king of fools kept the ball rolling. Book 2 is a smoother book to get into.

I enjoy Enne as a heroine and the more.i read the more I liked her.
Levi is fun and I'm very much rear for the concluding book of this trilogy.

GIRL GANG!

I'd recommend this series to my friends that enjoyed six of crows and the gilded wolves series

Title: King Of Fools

Series: The Shadow Games #2

Author: Amanda Foody

genre: YA

Pub date:April 30,2019

Pages: 384

Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all...



On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.



Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.



As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive...



Or die as legends.


My thoughts:

rating: 4.5

Would I recommend it? yes

Would I recommend the series? yes

Would I read anything else from this author? yes

Wow this was so much better then book 1 , and the characters seem more real then they did in the first book as well,other thing I liked about this one was while Ace OF Shades was slow and it was hard to get into this one I didn't have that problem with at all, it was so easy to get lost in the story that there was times I didn't want to put it down.

the more I read the more I grew to like Enne as well as Levi, and now i can't wait for book 3 to come out if there is one to see what happens to Enne and Levi, with that said I want to think Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my honest opinion.

I started writing my review around 30% into the book because I believed that for the first time in my life I was going to DNF a book. It started off so slow and Levi was driving me insane with how selfish he was being. I pushed through and I'm actually glad I did. Like Ace of Shades this book really picked up the last 30%-40% of the book and I couldn't put it down!

That being said though, I do not believe a trilogy should have to use its second book to set up the world-building. After reading King of Fools I now know more about the talent system in play, the currency of volts, what a Miza talent is, the political system and more about the street war/revolution that left New Reynes and the rest of the empire like it is today. This honestly felt more like the actual beginning of the series. Ace of Shades left some holes and came across like a prequel after reading King of Fools.


The Good:
Two words: Girl Gang. I am all for girl power and these girls were definitely formidable opponents in the street war. They had brains, beauty and the skills to help slip into high society and the political atmosphere while also being able to hold their own with the other gangs. They were my favorite part about this book and if it weren't for them Levi wouldn't be able to pull off his crazy schemes. The girls were an excellent addition to the streets.

The side characters were amazing. We got so many new characters in King of Fools, all of whom were intriguing and really added to the story. Grace, Sophia, Lola, Narinder, and Tock made for an interesting cast, but I wish I knew more about their pasts and how they got to be who they are in New Reynes. We know bits and pieces about them but I'm hoping they'll get fleshed out more in the next book.

It was so nice to get Jacs' point of view! He intrigued me in the first book, but was forgotten a lot of the time so it was nice to see him front and center here. Watching his friendships with some of the other side characters grow into healthy relationships was a nice change from his somewhat toxic friendship with Levi.

The Bad:
Levi drove me insane. I wanted to skip almost every single one of his chapters/sections. While has always had the tendency to be selfish, his redeeming quality was that he cared about his friends, like Jac and Enne, and was willing to do whatever it took to help them out. Well he lost that quality and instead decided to only care about himself and the street legend he wished to be. He puts Jac in blatant danger to his health right off the bat which pissed me off. Jac has always been a good friend to him and loves him for helping him beat his drug addiction, but even he was ticked off at Levi's plan. And don't even get me started about his relationship with Enne. I thought he actually cared about her and wanted to help her, but he immediately put her aside for a new relationship and never really thought twice about how his plans affected her and the plans she had. Just when he seemed to get back on track though the end of the book arrived and he was right back to being selfish again.

The made-up curse words finally got to me. I'd seen complaints in other reviews about this, but I never really noticed it much until this book where "muck" appeared on almost every page. This is supposed to be "Sin City" with a bunch of illegal activity going on, so I bet they actually cuss versus clean-cussing. It was a tad funny/annoying when a character would say "muck" and the people around them about treat it like it was the worst thing to ever come out of someone's mouth. Give me the real words or not at all.

Just when I thought I had the talent system all worked out and finally knew what A "Mizer" was/did there some more lingo thrown at me that wasn't really explained. An example would be "Mystery" talents or something like that which seemed important to the political aspect of the story but was never really thoroughly explained.

Final Thoughts:
That ending was insane. Foody knows how to captivate my attention at the end of her books to leave me wanting to read the next one. I'm interested to see how they dynamic between Jack-Enne-Levi will go and what new challenges the political atmosphere might bring.

Great follow-up. I just love the characters and the plots twists in this series. I would really love to see a graphic novel! The fan art is great as well!

Enne's ARC on this sequel was my favorite part of this book. Lola and Grace and the rest of Enne's street gang were awesome and I am hoping the next installment continues to focus on them. The end of the book leaves you breathless and waiting for the next part of the trilogy.

**I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for a free review**

Foody's City of Sin has never been better in the dazzling sequel to Ace of Shades. I was promised a "criminal girl gang" book and it more then delivered; I loved Grace, Sophia, and Tock SO MUCH. Every twist and turn was meticulously plotted and carried out with gangster gusto.

After the Shadow game ends Séance and Levi find themselves with a price on their heads along with other gangs of North Side. Vianca has a new plan which will force Levi to give up his dreams of being street lord and put Enne in his place, something she never wanted. Enne and Levi must work together and come up with a plan to save the Northside gangs without getting killed in the process.

King of Fools is the exciting second novel in The Shadow Game series. The story picks up right where book one left off, with the end of the shadow game and the death of the Chancellor. This book will have you questioning if the game is really over or if there are just new rules and players. Enne, Levi, and the other gangs all have bounties on their heads and will have to work together if they want to stay alive. We get to meet some interesting and powerful new characters, some will join them in their attempt to take down Southside, and others will become new enemies. Enne and Levi's debt to Vianca becomes even more dangerous, their relationship becomes more strained, and a criminal and political battle of epic proportions is underway as the city seeks a new leader. This novel sets up all the players for the next game and not all of them will end up on Enne and Levi's side.

This is the sequel of Ace of Shades by Amanda Fool, which I absolutely loved. The setting and characters are what make this series unique and intriguing. I was engrossed with the dialogue and character development in the first book and I felt it was lacking in this one. King of Fools is more about the multiple plots and twists rather than the witty interchange between the characters. This book was much darker and more difficult to follow because all of the different agendas each character was pursuing. I didn't have small chuckles and smiles in this book like I did in the first one and I missed that.  However it didn't lack in the pure evil of the Tomen family and Vinca. The description of their wickedness sometimes gave me chills. I appreciate the author's vivid writing of settings and describing the evil that lurks throughout the City of Sin. Overall I gave this book 2.5 stars of 5 because I missed the sprinkles of wit and personality in this dark plot. It does leave for a third book in the series that I will skip. I felt that multiple plots was confusing at times to follow and I am just ready to be done with New Reynes. 

This was a digital ARC provided by Net Galley. The opinions expressed are my own.

I just adore this world! The resemblance to 1930’s America, possibly Chicago or Las Vegas and then the magical system is just so unique. I love it. This second installment is just as good as the first, although perhaps a tad slow at times. But that ending certainly makes up for that!

This book starts exactly where the first one left off, with Levi and Enne dealing with the consequences of the Shadow Game. They are now wanted criminals and have pretty high bounties on their heads. So now what do they do? Do they keep their heads down and keep a low profile, yeah no, not a chance of that. Levi works on reclaiming his gang and Enne starts a gang of her own. Life should be good right? Nope, things get messy when they both make deals without the others knowledge that eventually blow up in every sense of the word. Both make horrible choices and decisions and keep secrets to themselves with horrible consequences. I wouldn’t expect anything less from them.

The story is still told from Levi and Enne’s point of view, but Jac has joined the narrative with his own story. I loved seeing things from his point of view. I love Jac and all of his issues. I love his relationship with Levi and the fact that no matter what comes between them, they still have each other’s back. Jac is unfortunately the cause of a lot of tension between Levi and Enne which I understood why he did what he did, but I still don’t have to like it.

Enne and Levi’s love story continues to be a slow one to develop. They both obviously have feelings for each other, but they also have so much more going on in their lives that they just can’t get much past that beginning stage. Plus, all of those deals and secrets they are keeping from each other does not a healthy relationship make.

The world building continues to amaze me. We get a bit more insight into the workings of the gangs and more of the different magical abilities. Enne’s gang was great not only because of their specialty but because of the fact that they are all girls. Some of the new gang characters have some very interesting abilities too. I especially liked Tock and her ability to blow stuff up. Very cool.

I really can’t say much about the plot with out spoiling things, but boy is it full of twists and turns, lots of double crosses and everyone betraying everyone and keeping secrets from each other. I almost needed a play book to keep it all straight. This plot is much more complex than the first book, and oh my god that ending just about broke everyone and everything. As I mentioned there are a few slow spots, but once you get past them you are in for a hell of a ride.

Not sure where this story is going to go in the next book, but I am sure that it will be amazingly complex with even more double dealing and backstabbing and I can’t wait.

i received this from Netgalley and HarlequinTeen in exchange for my honest review. This book was so much fun! The gangs, especially the girl gang, omertàs, magical cards, all of it was so exciting. I have no idea who to trust at this point but I hope Enne and Levi’s groups finally come out ahead. I can’t wait for the next book

The author wasn’t kidding about this being her ultimate girl gang book. It is kick ass and E our heroine alternates between lady and leader of the streets. Her mother fantastic. The plot twists with the boy she loves, on point. It was a little confusing though.
That ending though. My heart :( I’ll probably pick up the next book in the series when it comes out just because of that ending. That ending will wreck me forever. 3/5.

King of Fools by Amanda Foody is the second book in her Shadow Game series. It's an enjoyable book with gangsters and political turmoil.

Levi and Enne (the main characters from Ace of Shades) now have bounties on their heads. Levi's gang is in ruins, and Vianca wants Enne (publicly going by Séance) to create a gang of her own. At the same time, Vianca's son Harrison has a plan that could free Levi and Enne from their omertas, and the election is coming up in a few months.

Enne has her own style when it comes to creating a gang. Instead of setting up a masculine enterprise, she creates her own girl gang with skirts and lace gloves. It's interesting to read about something different.

The characters in this book are multifaceted and interesting to read about. Both Levi and Enne struggle with their own consciences and ambitions at various points, and they deal with relationship issues. Jac, Levi's friend and another POV character in this book, deals with his own wants and ambitions, even if they don't always line up with what Levi wants.

King of Fools has a lot to say about power and ambition. How the people at the bottom of society in the gangs and the people in the highest echelons of society have quite a lot in common in that regard. "Even if Harrison had exchanged casinos for opera houses and Tropps Street for Guillory, he was still running an elaborate power scheme." (~loc. 3145, quote is from the ARC and might change in the final copy).

The early middle of the book did drag slightly, but I enjoyed the story all the way through. The end of the book did keep me up a little later than I had hoped, because I didn't want to put it down. The ending was surprising and I'm definitely planning on reading the third book in this series when it comes out.