ARC Review: "Ace of Shades" (The Shadow Game #1) by Amanda Foody


Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.


Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems. 

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.






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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

"Ace of Shades" is one of my anticipated reads for 2018! After reading "Daughter of Burning City", I really wanted to have the chance to read more of Amanda's books!

The story takes place in a world where the regime of a ruthless magician family has ended, there's 'democracy' and people have two magic talents in their bloodline. Enne Salta travels to the City of Sin, which is truly a Las Vegas gone wrong, in order to search for her missing mother.

Her meeting with Levi Glaisyer, a mob-kind-of boss, will thrust Enne and Levi in a world of secrets and a race through nine days in order to uncover both the mystery behind Enne's mother and Levi's dark secret.

First of all, I need to stress out that this book is nothing like the "Six of Crows" duology. Don't expect a character like Kaz or Inej. Sometimes pitching a book with a similar one, makes the new book lose some of its own spotlight. Amanda Foody manages to create a world where magic is dangerous, there's intrigue, mystery and romance. Both Enne and Levi are not perfect and their flaws and wrong choices, make them seem even more real.
I don't know how I would survive in their stead but the final chapters were the most emotional and heart-breaking I've read so far in 2018. You have to be strong and ruthless in order to survive here.

New Reynes is not Ketterdam but I would visit both cities with great caution. Overall, this book was amazing, I loved the banter and chemistry between Levi and Enne and the mystery of the final chapter will be something to greatly anticipate!





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 Masters in Accountancy from Villanova University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from the College of William and Mary. Currently, she works as a tax accountant in Philadelphia, PA, surrounded by her many siblings and many books.

DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY is her first novel. Her second, ACE OF SHADES, will follow in April 2018.

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