Ace Of Shades
author : Amanda Foody
Series : The Shadow Game
Genres : Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication : April 10th 2018 by Harlequin Teen
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…
I absolutely adored this book ! I started this book with high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed at all !
Story
We follow Enne Salta, a proper young lady who gets herself lost into the city of sins, New Reynes. She came to look for her mother, who went missing. But a young woman, who has been pampered all her life, well wandering into this city can only be really dangerous. She finds herself in a bad situation and is “saved” somehow by a thug called Chez, who leads her to his gang boss, Levi.
Somehow, Levi decides to help her (well, skam her would be more true) and together they start to investigate about her mother.
She was a pistol wrapped up in silk. She was a blade disguised as a girl.
The plot picked up quickly and I’ve been swept by this story ! This book is mesmerizing, the story is amazing and I’ve really been impressed by the magic !
New Reynes can easily be compared to Las Vegas : the city of sins. That being said, I think the comparison can be stopped here.
So we follow our two main characters into this enigmatic chase, with Levi trying to save his ass and also providing for his gang.
About the world building, the author described it perfectly, with vivid colors and I could almost smell the street. That’s how effective her descriptions are !
I also enjoyed the talent part. Everyone has two talents : the main one, the strongest is your blood talent, while the second one is your split talent. It can be compared to magic in a way.
She was the girl who’d come afraid to the city that could smell your fear. 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.
The ending was so intense ! The scene with the shadow gale got me on the edge of my seat all along !
I can’t wait to read the sequel ! I just hope it will live up my expectations !
Characters
- Enne has changed so much ! She has grown throughout the book, her character growth is incredible ! She arrived as candid as a newborn and became such a cunning and badass woman. She learned so much about life in general and about her past, and who she is.
- Levi kind of stole my heart. He is a thug, leader of an infamous gang. But he seems so lonely ! Trapped by Vianca, he is far from being free.
He also changed so much thanks to Enne. - Vianca is definitively an awful character. She is an evil and cunning woman.
- Lola is another interesting character. But I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil.
Sometimes we’re not who we want to be because we’re supposed to be something else.
Overall I really loved this book !
About the author
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