I JUST READ A GEM ASDFGJKLH. I've heard a lot of people say that this book is one of the best 2018 releases so far and I immediately wanted to read this book. I only hesitated because it's the first book of an ongoing series and I'm just not patient enough to wait for a year for the next book release. So I set the book aside and let procrastination take over. In the end, I couldn't resist it anymore and I started reading it. And well, I couldn't stop reading after that. Now I can really say that this book deserves all the hype. It's one of my favorite 2018 releases, maybe even a close second to The Cruel Prince. I read this book so fast because it's the kind of book that will never let you go until the last page.

WHY I'M CRAZY ABOUT ACE OF SHADES:

• It reminded me so much of Six of Crows. Have I told you I'm so in love with Six of Crows and all things Leigh Bardugo? No? Now you know. It has been less than a month since I read SoC but I miss it so much already. Ace of Shades made me feel those Six of Crow-ish vibe with the whole City of Sin going on—casinos, gangs, cons. I love cons so much. I don't know what that makes me but I don't care hohoho

• The world-building. Yeah the world-building in books always catch my attention. Ace of Shades really offered a very good world-building with the notorious New Reynes and the whole political scheme that surrounded the whole story.

• The "talent" thingy + the currency. I SO SO LOVE THE BLOOD AND SPLIT TALENT CONCEPT. I don't know what to call it exactly because it's not a magic system. It's just a unique concept I love so much. It's unlike anything I have ever read and it's a fascinating thing to inherit talents from parents. The "volts" currency also intrigued me because it's a unique concept too. Oh I love authors who can come up with original concepts. I'm loving Amanda Foody.

• I love the characters especially Enne and Levi. Enne's character development is so excellent. She changed so much and became a very fierce missy on a course of 300+ pages. She's my new spirit animal. Levi, on the other hand, does not have the same angst as Kaz but he's charming in his own way. It's also aggravating how Enne and Levi obviously like each other but they can't seem to confront their feelings. Just kiss already, will you? *ships them to the ends of the world*

• The Shadow Game. A mysterious game that results in mysterious deaths? Just my kind of thing.
• There's a lot of blood and murder in this book. You all know that's the perfect combination to make a perfect book. For me at least. 💁

Now I can't wait to grab the second book. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A YEAR TO READ IT. IN AZKABAN. Wish me luck.

If people would just tell people how they friggin' feel I could rate this book higher. That tedious dumb-ery aside, entertaining.

“People do not play this game to win, my dear. They play this game not to lose.”
One thing I want to get straight about this book. THIS IS NOT SIX OF CROWS. I know that on the book it says "house of the rising son meets six of crows" but the only similarity is the atmoshere that New Reynes has with Ketterdam. Now since that's out of the way. This book is good. I am a sucker for the characters who choose the wrong instead of the right, and I'm even more of a sucker for changing perspectives. And did I mention that this book offers both? well, it does. Enne and Levis character dynamic is one that intrests me so I was sucked in right away. A preppy girl that has no choice but to follow a crime lord? sign me up. I also love how Ennes charater goes through so much development. from barley getting out of her confort zone to diving right into it. My only problem with the world was how the 'talents' worked. I was a little confuzed by it a first, but then later on the book explained it more thank goodness. I still wasn't the biggest fan of thats how the magic worked in the world. concluding this review I give it a thumbs up and an even 4/5 star review. needless to say I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of King Of Fools!

No kniha má rychlý rozjezd a je napínavá od začátku do konce. Těším se na další díl.

Fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series need to look no further for their next read! Ace of Shades is a dark fantasy novel taking place in a world where nothing is quite what is seems and everything is, quite literally, a gamble. When Enne, a ballerina in training from a very posh boarding school, goes on a quest to find her mother she doesn’t expect to find herself trapped in ‘The City of Sin’ but that’s exactly what happens. With no allies but the somewhat trustworthy and very charming crime lord Levi, Enne starts to find a side of herself she didn’t know existed. In a world full of unique magic and seductive world building, Ace of Shades is the Caraval and Six of Crows crossover we’ve all been waiting for. –Maddie M.

*I was given a eARC of this book via Netgalley, this is my honest review*
The City of Sin...

"Don't reveal your emotions.
Trust no one.
Never find yourself lost."

If the discovery of New Reynes was slow at first, it quickly became addictive. Amanda Foody created here a dangerous and dark city, where secrets have more power than money and where you can lose your life before you know it. Imagine a world of smoke and poisons, songs and pistols, games and tricks... and there you are, in New Reynes. We enter it as tourists, just like Enne at the beginning of the book, cautious but curious. But as the book goes on, we become players. And the city plays a dangerous game! That is what Enne will learn, just as Levi, who thought he knew the city well. But what he knew was only the beginning, and a new game just started!

A steampunk/magical vibe

While reading this book, I felt like a mix of old Far West towns, steampunk, and magic. I won't lie, it also reminded me a lot of Six of Crows, sometimes a bit too much, but not enough to be a real bother. Like, there were similarities, but enough differences too.
In this world, people have two talents, inherited from their parents: a blood talent, stronger, and a split one, weaker. These talents can help them with their job, like being a math genius or making orbs (a part of what represent money in this world). Others can get you killed. During this book, we will discover more about each character's talents, as well as the most dangerous one. I really enjoyed the part magic had in this book, present, but not too much. Just enough to tip the balance and make things more interesting!

Characters you can only love!

I will be honest, at first, I hated Enne, I could not stand her, her thinking, her reactions. She was always crying and complaining. But then, she transforms through the book, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. She becomes so much more than what she was (or maybe, she just uncover it). And in the end, I loved her and I wanted to keep following her adventures. 
As for Levi, the second main character, I loved him from his first appearance. His doubts and his hopes, still so pure even after years in the City of Sin. He was great from the start, and stayed great all through the book!

" Her guidebook had been wrong about one thing: the most dangerous part of the City of Sin wasn't the beckoning of the card tables or the threat of the gangs. it was the allure of Levi Glaisyer's roguish smile."

We also meet Jac and Lola, sidekicks that I hope we will learn more about!
As for the enemies of our heroes, they are simply terrifying and ruthless! Their powers are dangerous and you'd better stay out of their way. Unfortunately for Enne and Levi, they have a third talent: to make powerful enemies!

In a few words

New Reynes was magical, dangerous and dark. It twists all souls that enter and we will follow how it changes sweet innocent Enne into something else, someone else. After a slow beginning where it was hard to really get into the world and the story, I was captivated by the plot, the characters and the City itself! The Shadow Game just started... and I can't wait for the next move!

See you for a cup!

Elise

Liked the concept, enjoyed the magic system. But the writing and the characters just didn’t stick with me.

4.5 Stars

This book was such an excellent choice to start off the reading year. I had so much fun reading this, to the point where I didn't want to put it down.

I really enjoyed Enne and Levi as characters', and their dynamic together was very fun to read. The setting was excellent with a Las Vegas flavour that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also liked the idea of the volt system for currency, that was something new I'd never seem before.

The only real problem I had with the book was that it wasn't quite developed enough.

Apart from Levi and Enne (and perhaps Lola to an extent), the rest of the character's didn't feel quite so alive and three dimensional. Even Jac left a lot of unanswered questions about who he was. Similarly, the world was a little underdeveloped as well, we don't know how a lot of the 'normal' aspects of everyday life have come about as local norms. I spent a lot of the novel waiting for an explanation of the origin of the Shadow Game, and never really got it.

I am hopeful that, as this is a trilogy, we'll get more development in the future books - of which, I will definitely be picking up!

Lastly, I just want to say, whoever compared this to Six of Crows should really rethink that comparison. Just because they both involve heists and magic doesn't make them in anyway the same. It's a disservice to both authors.

Overall, definitely a series I can see myself continuing to read with great pleasure.

3.4/5 stars, full review to come! Really cool world idea and fun characters but I needed more backstory, card games aren’t very interesting to read for an action scene, and I didn’t care about the gang politics.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5