Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin UK for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this book does contain spoilers for Ace of Shades so please only continue reading if you’ve read that!
During her journey to find her missing mother, Enna Salta has found herself becoming allies with Levi Glaisyer, New Reynes most famous con man. After playing the Shadow Game and saving Levi’s life, Enne is forced to take on the identity of Séance, a new underworld figure that should be feared.
Now that the Chancellor of the Republic is dead, Enne and Levi find themselves playing a dangerous game of politics and crime along with having bounties on their heads. New Reynes fate is on the line and the two will do anything in order to survive.
Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Viance Augustine’s estranged son who has returned to New Reynes after hearing of the downfall of the Chancellor whilst Enne is trapped by her binding oath, doing the mafia donna’s bidding causing her to play the role of both a cunning street lord and a darling lady.
Enne is starting to lose sense of who she really is but finds herself embracing the role of the street lord, walking the path of unimaginable wealth along with Levi, making new relationships and unravelling secrets which could lead both to ruin.
It isn’t long before the two are given an impossible choice: do they sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to live or do they die as legends?
This is the second book in The Shadow Games series, and I didn’t realise until I started reading it how much I needed this book series in my life.
I’m very attached to these characters and really loved that they gave Jac more of a main role in this book, giving him his own chapters and allowing us to love him even more. I felt extremely sorry for Jac in this book (in more ways then one) and I was somewhat happy that he was finally seeing how reckless and dangerous Levi can be. I loved the friendship between Jac and Lola (who was introduced in the first book). I loved their banter and felt like it was nice to hear from the two people who never willingly asked to be part of this war.
Levi is still obsessed with become a famous street lord and is willing to sacrifice the people and the things he loves the most for this. At times I wanted to scream at Levi but then other times I felt incredibly sorry for him.
I loved the development of Enne in this book, she’s had to learn the ways of becoming a street lord and in turn has to figure out a way for people to take her seriously as Séance. I was so excited to see the transition from a lady to a badass leader and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the idea of having a girl gang and I absolutely love Lola and Grace! They’re two of my favourite characters in the whole series.
This book is a lot darker than Ace of Shades and while I loved it I felt like at points it fell into the unfortunate second book syndrome I tend to encounter. This book focused a lot on the politics side and at points I found myself not caring for it.
The ending however blew my mind and I’m not sure how I feel about Amanda leaving it like that at the end. I need to know what happens and now I have to wait until next year for the third book! I cannot stop thinking about how it all ended, and I am itching to know what trials the group is going to face!
This is a series full of twists and turns with a sprinkle of fantasy on top and I do highly recommend this series! I cannot wait for the next book!
Rating: 4/5*
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