Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game #1) by Amanda Foody

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, Enne has only one lead: the 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.

Add to Goodreads
Buy from Amazon

  

About the Author:  Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After spending her childhood longing to attend Hogwarts, she now loves to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies. She holds a master's in accountancy from Villanova University and a bachelor of arts in English literature from the College of William and Mary.

Rating: 🌟
My Review: I am so sad that I did not enjoy this one.  I tried it three times before I had to call it quit.  First off I would like to tell you that I have not read Six of Crows so I will not be comparing the two.  

So this one started off pretty good but once that dual POV takes over and we get into the story this one fell apart for me.  Early on this one lost me in its world of info dumping, characters, and well the world itself.  I really do love made up names and terms but when it gets to the point where I need a dictionary and a float chart to keep things straight then its a little much.  

I really loved the authors first book but this one just lacked the right execution. I kind of wished that this one would have been just one POV which I think it would have made the story a little more solid. 

So in the end for me this one just did not work out at all. I had high hopes but those were dashed. 

"The relationship between Enne and Levi simmers, and dangers pile up to an exciting climax. Readers will eagerly wish for a sequel that will allow them to revisit New Reynes." -Kirkus Reviews

"'House of the Rising Sun' meets Six of Crows in Ace of Shades. Thieves, rogues, and shady characters have always fascinated me, and so I enjoyed my dive into the morally ambiguous world of New Reynes." -New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima

"Ace of Shades has it all?incredible worldbuilding, cinematic set-pieces, heart-pounding pacing, and unpredictable, deliciously messy characters. Foody's impressive and ambitious vision for the City of Sin will linger in my senses for a long time. An utter delight." -Claire Legrand, author of Winterspell

"Foody's novel is a magical tale of introspection, romance, and self-determination." ?Publishers Weekly

"The world in this promising series debut is dark but enticing. Readers who have little interest in casinos may initially be hesitant to pick this one up, but will be quickly drawn in by the intrigue if they do. The plot twists pleasingly, and character development is well crafted... Recommend to teens interested in but not quite ready for Game of Thrones." -School Library Journal

"Foody creates a richly populated world with rival gangs, ruthless Mafia, casinos, acrobats, and many different levels of society... Its cinematic, action-packed plot contains enough romance to satisfy readers of that genre while piling on danger, thrills, and plot twists." -Booklist

Don't forget to check out our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and out other social media found on the side bar! 

Did you know that comments are DELICIOUS? Well they are and if you comment on any of these posts you could win some awesome goodies! 

 Disclaimer: "All opinions are 100% honest and my own."  Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information. Buying via these links allows my site to get a % of the sale at no cost to you. 

FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored. 

Posted in: 1 Star, InkyardPress, Jessica P., Review, Young Adult