This was a really good book, the Six of Crows Aesthetic was so strong????? Full review on my blog.
Enne Salta lives in this old-fashioned world (there’s cars, basic phones, subways, smog, skyscrapers, no internet) where everyone is born with two “talents,” one from each parent. The stronger talent is known as your blood talent, the recessive is called the split talent. Your talents are either Talents of Aptitude (like dancing or arithmetic, boring, anyone can learn these eventually) or Talent of Mysteries (I.E MAGIC). These talents were SO COOL, some people had literal powers of seduction or could detect every lie, it was so imaginative and I loved it.

Also, the currency is electricity???? You can carry it in your skin, or in orbs, and just….sldkjskljds how different?????

When her mother goes missing it’s up to Enne to go into the City of Sin and see about it. Under the influence of teenage gang lord Levi Glaisyer, sweet precious proper Enne gets. that. job. done

Ace of Spades, by author Amanda Foody, is the first installment in the authors The Shadow Game series. Foody is also the author of Daughter of the Burning City. One could call this story a mash-up of House of the Rising Sun meets Six of Crows. Foody takes readers to the infamous City of Sin (New Reynes) with the story of Erienne "Enne" Salta, a 17-year old lady-to-be orphan who must brave rowdy casinos, magic, street gangs, Ponzi schemes gone wrong, and a mire of dangerous politics as she searches for her missing foster mother, Lourdes Alfero, using Lourdes rules of survival and a trusty hand book.

"Avaric, pride and lust; these are all modest desires. What the City of Sin truly craves is destruction" - The City of Sin, a Guidebook: Where to Go and Where No To.

Foody explores the classic themes of seeking the truth and finding where you belong, all set against a rich and evocative fantasy backdrop. Foody alternates her story through two very different characters; Enne Salta, who I mentioned before. Enne, from Bellamy, is armed only with a letter her foster mother left her after going missing 4 weeks ago telling her to find Levi Glaisyer, and 17-year old Levi Glaisyer, a gang leader, a card dealer & card shark, a lover of both men and women apparently, and someone who is just one scheme away from owning the streets and having everything he's ever wanted.

In New Reynes, Enne can't trust anyone. Not Levi, who leads her into the devil's own den where she finds herself bound to a crime leader and forced to work while searching for her foster mother. Not Vianca Augustine, head of the Augustine Crime family who has a fetish for all things Mizer, and certainly not Sedric Torren, the man who may have a connection to a group that has risen out of the Shadows and may possibly be the most dangerous person Enne will face in New Reynes. Enne must also explore her blood talent that derives from her parents. Parents she never knew.

This is a story that features some interesting ideas. Mizers, who apparently were overthrown 25 years ago, monarchists, Talents o Mysteries, and Talents of Aptitude, volts, which one uses as a payment method, and orbs. All kidding aside, this story is twisted, strange, bizarre, and really shouldn't be compared with Six of Crows. Levi surely has nothing on Kez Brekker, and neither does his so called crew. One could say that Levi's crew, minus Jac, is pretty much non-existent and not even in play for most of the story. The only other characters that really matter in the long run outside of Enne and Levi, are Lola Sanguick, and Zula Slyk. I enjoyed Enne's character development. From the green and innocent girl who arrives in New Reynes, to the girl who has a whole lot of encouraging growth in a positive direction.

"She’d faced the witch. She’d poisoned the wolf. She’d strolled into the land of death with her head held high and left it a lord. She was an impossible player in a fixed game, the only person not playing to win."

I genuinely cried when my lovely friend Sheila told me she'd managed to grab me an ARC of Ace of Shades at ALAMW. Naturally, the day it arrived my Netgalley request--which had been sitting in the dreaded "pending limbo"--finally got approved. #WelcomeToMyLife. But hey that meant I had a digital copy to read on the go, so I wasn't complaining!

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018, and having read it I can say it was everything I wanted it to be and more.

Amanda Foody totally out did herself. The City of Sin comes alive on the page, the characters breathe, and in typical Foody Fashion the interactions and dialogue are phenomenal.

Enne is introduced as a wee naive lass, but quickly (to her own horror) proves to possess exactly the brand of double edged darkness a person needs to survive in New Reynes. And Levi, my poor, darling Levi, is an overly charming burnt cinnamon roll whose ambition has landed him in some seriously dark water with no rescue line in sight.

Here's a thing I don't get to say very often: Ace of Shades also has a properly unique magic system. WHAT? I know. I don't want to give too much away, because it is so much fun to explore and learn about as the book goes on. I will say the magic is lineage based and while it plays a role in the story, it isn't the primary focus, which I really loved. Most of the main cast don't even have magical talents. Most fantasy focuses heavily on its worlds' magic systems, but in Ace it's just a piece. Not everyone has it, it plays a role in the political history of the city, and it certainly has a role to play in the plot, but it isn't the center point of the world or the book.

Other Reasons to Read Ace of Shades:
- Charming AF bi man of color LI
- Normalization of women exploring themselves because some ladies masturbate too y'all
- The slowest of all slow burn romances. Seriously. The wick on this is a mile long. (CURSE YOU FOODY)
- Basically 1920s gangsters but instead of sending you to sleep with the fishes they force you to bet your life on a card game no one ever wins
- Some of the most original and thorough world building I've seen in ages.

It's a fairly quick paced read that leaves you desperate for answers, and for every answer it gives you you end up with two more questions. By the end you'll be begging for the sequel and sobbing with the rest of us while Amanda makes tea out of our tears.

The cover and description were enough to make me so excited to read! The world building and characters are wonderful! Very diverse YA fantasy that deal with various aspects of sexuality, drug addiction, gambling, mild torture, violence, crime, and pedophilia. So it is probably not suitable for younger teens.

ACTUAL RATING 4.5 Stars

"If I'm not home in two months, I'm dead."

WHOA! What a way to start out with a bang! Am I right? The opening line of ACE OF SHADES instantly had me wondering what had happened and what was to come. Welcome to the city of sin, is right.

"Playing nice is the same as losing in this city."

Going into the book, I wasn't expecting the amount of world building that took place. There was nothing in the synopsis to make me think otherwise. So despite my desire for wanting to read and know more, I had a bit of trouble getting into the story at first. After getting the hang of who was who, what "time era" we were looking at (picture the 1920's and Dick Tracy, this is at least the visual that I got), things started to move along quicker for me.

"They say the city is a game, only the reckless play."

The characters in this book posses blood talents, one inherited from each side, and are passed down from family to family. I thought this was a really neat way to give the characters powers or talents, one I haven't seen before, but it took some time to remember all the details.

"Sometimes we're not who we want to be because we're supposed to be something else."

Amanda Foody created such a diverse and unique world. I really enjoyed the the two main characters, watching the romance build and she did a superb job of keeping me on my toes during the whole book.

"...respect and fear were two sides of the same card."

I read Daughter of the Burning City, at the end of the year and it was probably one of my top 10 reads of 2017. Amanda captured all my favorite things about fiction into one in that book: Fantasy, Murder, Mystery and Suspense. So to say I was looking forward to reading ACE OF SHADES would be an understatement. Despite my slow start, I adored this book and cannot wait to read the rest of this series. The ending left me wanting more but wasn't such a terrible cliffhanger that I'll die without book 2 immediately. Overall this book was fantastic, it definitely did not disappoint, if you're looking for fresh fantasy novel with diverse characters and a lot of fun, I highly recommend picking this one up.

"Secrets were the deadliest of weapons."

Drunk Review:

So, this book falls into a lot of the typical YA fantasy tropes, but tbh, i didn’t hate it. I will say that Foody really isn’t shy about sex. She talks about female masturbation… twice. Which I was pumped about. I think this is a unique story with seriously slow-burning romance.

Characters: So Enne is an awesome woman. She starts off as a *scarequotes* Lady, and struggles with that but i could totally see her shift in believeable ways. Levi… Levi was Levi. My little bisexual child. I say child because he kind of acts like one. Idk… I related to him bot not nearly as much as Enne. ALSO, i love the female frienship that develops. Also, also, Vianca is terrifying.

Plot: So pacing issues were a Thing. However, I will say there are several what the fuck moments. The good kind. At one point i screamed out loud “in the FACE?!” My notes are all over the place with this one.

Writing Style: Her writing is good. If you liked Daughter of the Burning City it’s a similar style.

World Building: I really, and I mean REALLY, loved the magic system in this. The bloodlines etc.

DNF at 25% - fake swearing, so-so worldbuilding, too many "missy" references and too little reason to care about any of the characters.

ARC provided by publisher.

Although Ace of Shades got off to a slow start, I loved how this book played with my expectations. The story eventually sucked me in so that when I turned the last page I wasn’t ready for it to be over. I started to get an idea of the shape of the overarching plot by the end of the book and I’m so excited to see what happens next!

Foody brought the world to life brilliantly, I could see everything so vividly. Also, this story would translate beautifully to screen. And I want to try some of those drinks. I thought that the magic system was interesting. Having an individual’s name be indicative of their talent was a unique twist. However, I was a bit confused as to the various levels within each talent. I also wanted more information about the magic system in general so I’m looking forward to seeing it explored further in future installments.

The characters were so very morally gray and I loved it. Enne was an interesting protagonist. I enjoyed her journey in this book. In general, the book was a lot darker than I had expected from a YA novel. I personally loved it but some of the themes may be a bit too dark for younger readers. The one negative of the novel for me was the time frame because it felt a bit rushed. In my head, the action took much longer than 10 days. However, I could understand why Foody went with a shorter time frame.

Ace of Shades was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It has high-stakes card games, political intrigue, dark magic, and morally gray characters galore. I’d recommend this one if you’re looking for a darker YA fantasy.

The cover of this book really drew me in, and a friend of mine had such high praise for this book. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

(Look at the cover. Isn't it pretty? And that tagline! So dramatic - I like it :D)

Okay, to quote myself, "holy guacamole, Ace of Shades is so good. I'm already (impatiently) waiting for the next book. Don't tell anyone but I think this is even better than Six of Crows!"

When reading Six of Crows, it took me so long to get into the story. I had no idea what was going on, I thought Kaz was an old man, I didn't know Inej was female - I was so confused. When I reached 38% I finally started understanding what is happening. The incredibleness of the later parts of the book made up for it... but yeah.

Ace of Shades is equally brilliant - but the fact that it was so easy to understand made it even better. I was hooked from the moment I started reading the book, and that's something that rarely happens!

"What? This city?" He inhaled deeply through his nose. "That's the smell of opportunity. And maybe a little piss."

The world building was unique and amazing - New Reynes, "The City of Sin", is filled with casinos, street gangs, and scary clubs, and it's a really interesting place. I loved everything about it - from the history of the city, to the currency <3 A revolution happened not long ago and the royal family was executed (and I would love to know more about that, since Enne's history is connected to it) and the people use volts (orbs of electricity) to pay for stuff - how cool is that?

She was a blade disguised as a girl.

In the first chapter, we are introduced to Enne Salta, a dancer, who wears dresses and has really good manners. Amber @ The Literary Phoenix mentioned Enne in the guest post she wrote for my blog last December, and when I saw her description of Enne, I already knew I was going to love her. As Amber mentioned in one of her posts, girly girls don't appear a lot in YA fiction anymore. In many YA novels, girly girls are portrayed as weak, gigglish and dumb. Enne is girly and badass, and I hope to see more girls like Enne in YA books.

And Levi! Sweet, warm Levi. He is tough on the outside, but inside, he's a softie <3 At first, he agrees to help Enne only because he wants his money, but as the two get to know each other better, Levi's feelings for Enne grow, and helps her not because of what he will receive in return, but because he really cares about Enne. The two of them are so adorable, and I hope to see more Lenne (Envi? Do they have a ship name?) moments in the second book of The Shadow Game.

Overall rating

★★★★★

OMG THIS BOOK. <3 Everything about this is super amazing, and I loved it so much! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series (also, Amanda Foody said she's working on some Ace of Shades short stories, and I can't wait to read those as well). The book's coming out on April 10 in the US, AND on May 17 in the UK. Go pre-order it now because it's. So. Good.

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.

REVIEW

This book is insanely good and I need to buy a physical copy ASAP! The world was so interesting and unique. All the characters are likeable. Also, that cover is absolutely phenomenal. This book is full of action and intrigue.

I've been looking forward to this book for a while now! ACE OF SHADES is the first installment of a trilogy, so I can imagine there is a lot more to be seen and discovered in New Reynes, or The City of Sin.

Levi and Enne are the main characters and I just want more. Levi is obviously bisexual, and there is some nice representation there. Enne can be quite emotional, but she's also determined and brave in some pretty horrible situations.

Foody has created an interesting concept of "sinful" cities and places. Knowing this the reader knows that the characters are going to experience pain, but she also weaves in the importance of loyalty and friendship.

I wanted to love this book but it didn't capture my attention the way that Daughter of the Burning City did - I gave up about 5 chapters in. The backdrop just was as dark and mysterious as the former book, which was what I loved most, even though that seemed to be the intention. And Enne wasn't a character I could connect with at all. She was insufferable and a little bland, definitely not someone I could see caring about long term. Levi was slightly better but couldn't help be connect to Enne, which would have been necessary to continue.

This was just as compelling as Amanda Foody’s first book, Daughter of the Burning City, and the world was just as well developed. It was so completely different, though, and it kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. I loved the characters and I can’t wait for the rest of the series!!

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.