ARC Review: Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Ace of Shades
By: Amanda Foody

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Published on April 10th 2018


Summary: 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. 

First off a HUGE thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin publishing for giving me an advanced copy of this book!! This does not influence my opinions at all and all my thoughts are entirely my own. 

Ok so when I first read the summary for this book I was completely and utterly hooked!! I thought OMG I want this book and I want it now!! Casinos, street lords, all in the devious city of sin... yes please!!  Which is why I was so excited when I got approved a copy of this book.

  Ace of Shades is one hell of a ride! I knew right after I finished the first chapter that I was going to love it (and low and behold my instincts were right..)

 First off the story in itself was an amazing concept (I absolutely and utterly adore street lords in books and Levi is no exception)! I loved the way the story flowed easily as I read it but wasn’t boring and had some very good twists that I frankly did not see coming in the least but what really won me over was this book AMAZING characters!!

 I loved Enne and I think I just grew to love her even more as the book went on? In the beginning she was a bit of a shy dainty thing (which is to be expected considering she lived a sheltered life and all) and Levi just saw her as this pretty girl who was in over her head but she was actually pretty badass towards the end! Like you go girl ain’t nobody gonna tell you how to live your life. In fact the book got a tad dark towards the end... I’m just going to leave it at that because *ahem* spoilers! 

 Plus I LOVED Levi as well! He starts off as this strong, young ambitious whirl wind who wants to conquer the city and take it for his own and I love that side to him! But the really amazing part of this book was all the character development and the closer you looked the more you saw how Levi was barely scrambling to keep his club together and was falling into his own pit of self destruction. The only person who remotely understands what Levi is going through (*pretends to be shocked*) is Enne who ends up in a dangerous deal that connects the two in more ways than one. 


 and speaking of Levi and Enne....

 The sexual tension between those two was AGONIZING!!  (*fans self*) Every time they had a moment my heart would melt and I would be like this is it there going to kiss... okay maybe they just needed a moment.. OMG will you two just get over one another and kiss already!! 

 UGH there was SO many beautiful moments between the two and I just wanted them to get out of their own heads and forget about their problems for two seconds and lock lips! Is that too much for a girl to ask?

 Regardless of the lack of smooching I still loved the two and sensed that they would die for one another (unless maybe the only thing that could save them was a kiss in that case Im not so sure) and I loved every time they were together (I swear my heart did a little flutter when I would read a chapter they were both in even if it wasn’t a romantic or anything, I just loved them!) 

 This book is dark and gritty and not afraid to push the limits or to get violent which is what I thought made this story not only good but great. They weren’t afraid to go deep and to explore the characters greatest weaknesses and even exploit them in the worst ways imaginable. I couldn’t stop reading this (no seriously this came before homework. Its so bad how skewed my priories are... yet SO worth it because this book people!) 

 If you have not read this book do yourself a favor and make sure you have a copy (it comes out April 10th) I highly recommend to lovers of Six of Crows (this book reminded me a lot of this fan fav) and Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins! PLEASE READ IT! 

So lets chat!

(AKA discuss all things bookish with yours truly)

Have you heard of Ace of shades? If not what are you doing with your life? Are you going to read it? If you’ve already read it please tell me what you thought in the comments below! If not- again please read it! Wanna just talk random books that cool too, comment below!

-BubblyBooks