Ace of Shades

By: Amanda Foody

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's 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 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 and 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.

©2018 Amanda Foody (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

I'll be listening to the next one.

Interesting young adult story but narrative is slow unfolding. Involves violence, drinking, gambling and drugs but somehow still manages to stay pretty tame.

Loved it

This had great stakes, tension, and the romance wasn’t ruling the plot but I was hoping for more than what we got. I liked that I wasn’t able to predict what would happen next. Interested in what the next book brings!

Wasn't sure what to expect

This was an interesting book. A couple of times I started to stop listening because it was slow to start but as the story progressed it got more interesting. I plan on listening to the rest of the series because it sounds like the story is is going to get deeper in the next one. The narrator is really good, her accent really brings life to the characters.

I felt every emotion.

The world building was a bit confusing.
I’m still not sure how a lot of main things work in this world, but if that doesn’t bother you, it’s a great book.
I don’t understand how the powers work or are inherited or how the money system works, but that doesn’t take away from the characters, plot, or overall enjoyment of the story.
I love the characters, for the most part, and I am excited to listen to the next book.

The narrator deserves many awards for how amazing she is in this book. With audio books, I often get annoyed at a women narrator making all the men sound too scruffy or angry, but this narrator made me forget that I wasn’t hearing the characters speaking right to me themselves.

loved it

4/5. Loved the book. It gave the God father vibe mixed with fantasy and magical touch. Narrator did an amazing job narrating it.

Entertaining but not gripping

Enjoyable but I just can't seem to care very much about the characters. I am longing for Enne and Levi to find goodness and truth and (that doesn't just have to come from romance), but it seems that the characters can only find their confidence from brutality and sluttiness. Maybe there will be more character development and morality later on (which would be made all the more sweet by the tainted world they live in). This book is a lot like Six of Crows-- like its admiring younger brother who wants to be just like it. Would have liked to see a little more originality, but I did enjoy the story and the narrator did a great job with the different voices and really immersing me in the world.

Great read..until the end

not sure at the moment I write this that thete isnt a sequel to this. the story is pretty gripping and its fantastical qualities are just enough fantasy and just enough reality that you personally can identify with these characters. then the story hits its climax and falls flat. way too many things left hanging and unanswered. there is 0 resolution so bravo for keeping the reader wanting more. feels like i walked out of a movie in the middle of it

Refreshing characters and phenomenal narration!

When I first found Ace of Shades, I went in blind, having never heard of it nor knowing any of the plot. I fell in love with this series. The characters are fleshed out and real, with a male lead that is allowed to be selfish and weak and cowardly and also brave and kind and funny. No perfect tropes or overwhelmingly beautiful people, but a rich and diverse cast who shine through with the narration. Saskia does a phenomenal job of both male and female voices, inflections, and tones. 10/10 would recommend this read!

Galleant warfear

loved it, very entertaining and can't wait to continue the story of the new crime bosses in that dreaded City

Love the narrator

Narrator does such a good job with voices. Great book to listen to... flew through it.