rep: black bi m/c, sapphic m/c (lesbian but never really states on page), gay m/c

Queen of Volts was an epic conclusion to an epic series, and one of the very few series that I have actually finished and I think that just boils down to it having such a compelling story, an innovative world, and some really nuanced characters and some really great character dynamics, relationships, and romances.

I really enjoy reading about morally ambiguous characters and this is filled to the brim with them. My favourite character from this series is a hard one to pick, but I think I lean quite heavily towards Lola - our sapphic, grumpy, history nerd, and while I didn't necessarily enjoy her arc in this novel, her chapters were the ones I looked forward to the most because I just enjoy her as a character.

I really enjoyed the well-crafted story, and it is a consistently good aspect of this series - loads of moving parts, minor characters that play an important role, small trivial mysteries that are actually crucial to the whole story. So, I did really enjoy the mystery and the game unfolding and playing out, and all the little threads coming together. An excellent conclusion to an excellent series. A hugely enjoyable read that I'd highly recommend.

Queen of Volts is the third and final book in The Shadow Game trilogy. After the dramatic ending of the second book, King of Fools, our favourite (and not-so-favourite) characters find themselves caught in another game, this time larger and far more dangerous. With friendships ruined and allies turned enemies, it may be this is one game that can’t be beaten. 

This book felt like a satisfactory ending to the trilogy, with each character rounding off their stories in a way which made sense for their journeys and personalities. This book also introduced some extra PoV characters which had me questioning that move at the start, but as the book progressed really helped add to the story. Harvey’s in particular was one which I didn’t like initially but ended up being one of my favorites towards the end.  And what an ending. I loved how all the pieces fell into place and each character had their moment, both of heartbreak and sacrifice but also of success and reward. It really felt like a strong closure for a solid series.

That being said, for all the last half of the book gripped, thrilled and wrapped things up, I really struggled to get there, even considering DNFing at one point. Part of that was due to my not being in the mood for this kind of book at time of reading, but another was that the start of the book is slow and seemed to struggle to find its feet. I think part of that was due to characters dealing with the ending of the previous book but needing to maneuver themselves to where they needed to be at that midpoint. This was particularly true for Enne and Levi whose actions seemed out of character and place initially but then found their feet again. 

Even so this was an enjoyable read and I love these characters, even the new ones. The magic in this world is a delight to read with the various talents and seeing those talents used for good and nefarious means was intriguing. I also enjoyed learning more of the world and would happily read a book or two about the revolution and Great Street War. A strong ending to an excellent series. Amanda Foody continues to be a delight to read and I’m excited to read what she comes up with next.

This is one of those times where I’m clearly not quite the target audience. I have enjoyed this trilogy but whatever those who have got really invested see is invisible to me sadly. (It’s possible that now I am more invested in adult fantasy that YA fantasy has to go above and beyond to keep my attention but that’s on me.)  Otherwise this was fast paced, slightly heavier as regards emotional themes than the previous books and still a fun fantasy adventure in a world that is well crafted.

QUEEN OF VOLTS is an ambitious series finale that kept me avidly reading through to find out how Enne and Levi would survive given the impressively high body count of major players across the previous two books (and this one does not let up on killing people).

This book has a scope beyond the other two, even though it's a similar size to KING OF FOOLS. Part of this is due to the sheer number of characters - including 5 POVs - which allows the book to follow many more plot threads, wrapping you in the intricacies of the schemes and manipulations.

Also, YES to Lola and Sophia finally getting POVs. It took me a while to warm to Harvey, but he had a fun character arc that hooked me eventually. Plus, lots of minor characters from the other books suddenly got a lot more page time (Poppy and Delaney being the best of those)

I really liked how big the story was, because it meant seeing more of the world and the characters. With so many secrets to reveal, having that many POVs let it come out in jigsaw puzzle pieces the reader could put together.

It's also really twisty. In the previous books, the shape of the showdowns (while shocking) were predictable. You knew what the major components would be, even if not the cost - i.e. the Shadow Game in the first book. This book however, with so many moving pieces, had the opportunity to change direction in the last moment, using pieces of information laid down in other POVs to make it feel satisfying when the change occurred.

I also, strangely, found the last few chapters really funny. Once the action was done, the lack of tension seemed to give the story space to be very wry, and I found myself giggling a lot - which was not what I was expecting given how little I'd laughed in the rest of the books. Still, it was a nice tension-less way to end it, reminding me of the hysteria often felt once all the tension is gone.

Loved everything about this book. The world building was great, characters had depth and  we're relatable.
I was feeling everything with them.

‘Queen Of Volts’ is the final book in The Shadow Game trilogy, returning to the City of Sin one last time, where the final game is about to begin. Days after a corrupt election and brutal street war, twenty-two of the most notorious people in New Reynes are elected to partake in one final game. Enne Scordata and Levi Glaisyer are desperate for forge alliances and bargain for their safety, but while Levi offers false smiles, Enne faces a world where her true identity has been revealed.

I knew from the moment I requested this title on Netgalley that I was going to adore the contents within, having been a huge fan of The Shadow Game series since it’s first novel: Ace of Shades. However, it was bittersweet excitement, knowing that this title was the last in the series, but nevertheless, I absolutely adored this book from start to finish.

Enne was a badass from the first chapter, highlighting her strength and resilience throughout the story. However, there is an element of realism to her character, having weaknesses and faults that the other characters encounter. She’s a ruthless young lady, but she can also be stubborn and selfish as the plot develops. Nevertheless, she’s still a delight to read about.
Levi continues to impress within this final instalment, his own weaknesses shining through the pages but still providing strength when his comrades needed it. He put his life on the line for those around him, becoming the legend he’s always wanted to be and it’s always been a joy for me to read those chapters written in Levi’s point of view; It’s incredibly easy to route for him.
However, one of my favourite characters in this instalment was Harvey, who previously I hadn’t considered being interested about. He shows his own weaknesses and limitations in this novel, revealing a softer/squidgy side to him, and that made him entirely human. It was brilliant to see this side to him, finding myself routing for him was something I never expected but I adored it. It truly made the novel all that more special.

The writing itself is notoriously Foody in this novel, being full of lengthy details that brought the City of Sin to life and got its engines running. Everything felt real; the characters, the locations, the emotions. The stakes were high and the use of language placed you right in the fray.

Overall, I adored this novel. The characters are some I hold very dear to my heart and it’s been a joy to discover more about them in this final instalment. If I could have it my way, this series would never end.

I really really loved Ace of Shades when it first came out. It was a combination of a lot of things I love, including a good dose of Six of Crows vibes, which definitely sold me on it. Plus, it was different enough from those things to draw me in and keep me hooked. When King of Fools was released, I was a little bit less impressed, if only because I felt like the story was a touch too convoluted compared to the relatively simple and riveting first novel. So when the final instalment in the trilogy came out, I was a but apprehensive- I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype I felt when I finished the first book.

Thankfully, it was a really good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were definitely the element that held my attention- I love how Foody crafts her characters to seem so multifaceted. Enne is simply fascinating, and it was interesting to see how she was coping with the fall out from the previous novel. It was nice to see some of the vulnerability shining through, especially since she’s grown so much since the start of Ace of Shades. It felt like a good and satisfying character arc, to see her go from slightly naive to cunning and seemingly ruthless, to scared and trying to survive again. And then obviously there was Levi, who I just love. Again, having an insight into his thoughts was riveting, and I thought Foody did an amazing job of showing how he was grappling with his feelings for Enne, while also hating what she’s done. I did like seeing bits of Lola and Sophia and some of the other characters too, but while I thought they were well-developed and interesting, they didn’t quite hold my attention as much as the main characters, but there’s probably a reason for that… (potential minor spoiler ahead)

And that reason was likely the romance. I have two romance tropes that are a true guilty pleasure- fake dating and hate to love stories. Somehow, this book gave me both of these things wrapped up in a neat little bundle. AND I WAS LIVING FOR IT. There was something truly delicious about seeing Enne and Levi angsting and pining all over the place and it was just amazing. 10/10 for the romance.

In terms of the plot, it was a touch confusing at times, and hard to follow in places. The whole concept of Bryce’s game was really awesome, and when I first realised the huuuuge stakes involved in this game of what is essentially Assassin, I was giggling with glee trying to figure out how the hell this was going to pan out for all the characters. It was a little bit like that episode of GoT when all my favourites went beyond the Wall for a whole episode- I was terrified of taking my eyes off the page in case I missed anything. I was sure I was going to have to watch some of my favourites dying in one another’s arms. It did turn out to get confusing in places though, as people tried to find loopholes or just played the game. It was hard to always know what was happening, and I think that definitely made the ending a little fuzzy for me. While I enjoyed it, it was convoluted at times, and I think the ending could have definitely done with a bit more fall out from the game itself. Without giving away too much, it felt a little too neat.

For me, the politics was a definite highlight. All of the intrigue and manipulation and things really added to the worldbuilding. It’s a city full of people playing games and a load of criminals tricking one another, so the politics combined with the game added so much underlying tension to the plot and I craved it so badly! In all honesty, I’d love to read some spin-off stories set in this world, because there’s so more to be tapped into here!

Overall, I’m giving Queen of Volts a 9/10. I really loved seeing all the characters again, and I was so invested in them living through the Shadow Game that I was on the edge of my seat reading this book. And the romance arc was simply amazing. However, I found the ending a little too neat and the plot (particularly as the book headed towards the ending) convoluted in times. However, the game itself was so intense and I loved it a lot. I’d happily recommend this series to anyone who loves to read about criminals and high stakes!

I did not realise that this was the final book in the series when I received this ARC. The story does a good job of catching you up on what has happened before, but I felt that I was missing a lot of the series by not knowing the previous books. I look forward to reading book 1 and 2. and learning more about Levi and Enne. I really love that this series is set across a chessboard - a enemies to lovers series.

Queen Of Volts by Amanda Foody is the final instalment of a trilogy, this I unfortunately didn't realise this when I requested the ARC as I have not read the previous books. I had read Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody and loved it so was excited to be approved for this book!

I was worried about starting at the end of a trilogy but thought I would give it a go, the author has done a great job at catching people up that it gave a good base for someone who had not read the first books. 

I loved the characters in this book, they are all so individual and if I had read the previous books I no doubt would have had a really strong attachment to all of them. 
The world building is so descriptive and I loved feeling like I had literally stepped off a page and into a new world. 

This is a young Adult book that will appeal to all ages, I am definitely not under the age bracket for YA but I still loved it, I can’t wait to read more of Amanda Foodys work, I’m not sure I will go back and read the first books as I now know how it ends but I would definitely recommend giving this series a go from the beginning if you can like it was intended!

Thank you for providing me this advanced copy!

I read this for a blog tour. 

I had to go back and read the first two books before I read this because it has been a while and I couldn't remember who all the players were. I'm glad I did as it reminded me what a great story this trilogy weaves.

Set in a Las Vegas/New York/New Orleans mash up city (New Raynes) replete with gangsters, gamblers, ruthless street gangs and eerie buildings, there are mysteries, conspiracies and deadly secrets around every corner and someone invariably wants you dead.

Enne and Levi have been through a lot and the newest deadly game they've been thrust into might just be the one that finishes them off.

With high speed cars, undrinkable cocktails, sky high heels, and death stalking their every move, the stakes have never been higher and even Levi can't cheat his way out of this one.

Tremendous fun, fast paced, clever, funny and very enjoyable.

Queen Of Volts by Amanda Foody is the final instalment of a trilogy. Now, I didn't realise this when I requested the ARC, so have only read this book. I needn't have worried about jumping in a trilogy. The author has cleverly provided enough information to fill anyone in if they make the same mistake! There is an awful lot of worldbuilding and characters in the book, but boy, I was in there immediately.
The characters, and many of them there were are all as interesting as each other, they each bring their personalities good, or bad and enhance the story.
The author has managed to blend a few genres together to create this trilogy and, I have certainly found it blends successfully.Its urban, blended with dark fantasy and the world building was excellent. We hear the story from at least five different points of view so we can get into the nitty gritty and feel actually involved, instead of standing on the outside looking in.I always prefer when a book drags me totally into that world and I easily lose three hours, the best feeling ever and I experienced that with Queen Of Volts.
I think it is a Young Adult book that will appeal to all ages (I am so far away from a young adult I am proof it will!). A gripping and very entertaining book. I'm off to find the other two now! 
Thanks to Sian Wilkins at Harper Collins and NetGalley for the copy of the book to write my review.

Queen of Volts is the action packed conclusion to Amanda Foody's Shadow Game series. It pics Enne and Levi's story not long after the end of the previous book and they're both struggling to deal with the emotional fallout of everything they've been through. Their relationship is more strained than ever and the trust between them has been completely broken so rather than working together they're now each choosing their own paths. You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out if they manage to work things out or not but there were definitely moments where I wanted to bang both their heads together.

Although the initial game has ended a new, and even more deadly, one has started with all of our favourite characters being forced into taking part. The stakes have never been higher and it's very unlikely they'll all come out of this alive, especially if they can't find a way to work together against a common enemy.

I'm keeping this review deliberately vague because I'd hate to spoil the story for anyone but there was so much action the story kept me on the edge of my seat. While I didn't always agree with the choices some of the characters made it was always easy to understand why they did what they did. We get a few extra points of view in this book which meant we were able to see things from even more angles and that also helped unravel a few secrets and tie some of the ongoing plot threads together.

This was a great conclusion to the series and I'll definitely be waiting eagerly for whatever Amanda Foody publishes next.

I cannot get over this book, it was packed with action from the very beginning and it was just the best final book in the series. In this book you get to see even more POVs - Levi and Enne like usual, but also Sophia, Lola and Harvey as an added extra, it was great to get into the minds of even more characters and see what they were thinking during the whole process. I never thought I'd like a series where more and more POVs were added in each book, but for this series it works and totally changed my mind - it really helps you to see all the different points to the plot as the new game begins.
In this book you finally see all of these drips of information morph into one big spectacular plot, with so many crucial points in previous books all making sense. Whilst reading this I had multiple 'lightbulb' moments, when I finally saw just what Amanda Foody had been planning and hinting at - it all came together and made this into the perfect finale to a series.
The final moments of this book were sheer brilliance, and I think that Amanda gave us the best ending to the series there could have been, I won't spoil anything, but for me it was amazing and just what I wanted when I finished this series.

Ok, I’m going to preface this by saying I’ve not read YA since my beloved His Dark Materials series when I was a wee lass so this was like venturing into new territory for me. I also admit that I didn’t know this book was part of a series when offered a review copy so I went in completely blind - again my fault! 

That being said I did enjoy the aspects of the story and there was enough recap at the beginning and throughout got me to grasp what was going on. The five perspectives are interesting and atmospheric enough to keep you interested but I did feel that maybe some parts were slightly too long. 

I did like the representation of differently cultures and LGBTQ and the fact that it didn’t shy away from difficult topics. However I do feel that this is on the older end of the YA spectrum and suitable for those maybe 16 and above due to some of the themes and violence there in. 

All in all it was a fun read out of my comfort zone but probably something I would let revisit on a personal level.

Foody wastes no time, plunging you straight back into the darkness and brutal nature of survival prevalent in New Reynes. You’re thrust straight back into this tumultuous world and reminded of the often tragic consequences of the dangerous games played. 

The Shadow Game series is such a refreshing, well imagined YA fantasy series that truly transports you and Queen of Volts is no different. You feel like you’re getting the dirt of New Reynes right under your fingernails and can vividly picture the vast, vibrant and complex cast of characters that populate it. Foody has real skill at crafting characters that slowly find their way into your heart, in all their flawed, messy glory. No one here is perfect or indeeed claims to be perfect. I loved how we got some new POVs and characters from the previous books, further expanding the many plot threads that Foody expertly spins into an extremely satisfying web. However, my heart still belongs to Enne and Levi, as we’ve seen them grow and change over the course of this journey. They’re bad to the bone, but also deeply caring and protective of their found families. Their relationship has always sparked with great chemistry, witty banter and jus the right pacing. 

 This series has always been so shrouded in mystery and finally, after precisely drip-feeding us, we get to marvel at the full picture. After I finished this, I immediately wanted to reread the series to pick up on all the little breadcrumbs previously left behind. That has to be the hallmark of a special series and I definitely believe that The Shadow Game series deserves a lot more love. 

Foody’s writing is mischievously deceitful in its trickery. Every time you think you know where something is going, trust me you don’t. Even here, there are plenty more shocking moments to be revealed, many with such emotional intensity. I also like how they always add more depth and texture to the overarching plot; they’re never just there for the sake of it. The pacing is also immaculate, which is a tricky balance to find. 

Queen of Volts is such a brilliant conclusion to a stand-out fantasy series that deserves so much more love.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an independent review. 

A fantastic ending to the Shadow Game Trilogy, the gang are more divided than ever, but have to work together when faced with new threats, despite being pitted against each other in a new game of cards. 

The characters are brought out more than ever and we are given a chance to really see their points of view. Enne, no longer the innocent, sheltered kid from Bellamy after killing Jac, now scarred and quick to react and fight. Levi is in mourning for his best friend, but still handling the Irons. Meanwhile, the Scarhands and the Doves are both leaderless and Sophia's split talent talent has left her parentage in question, and is now bound to Vianca’s son. Lola feels betrayed by Enne and Harvey is confused, with a huge story that develops in this book. 

This book shines a light on same sex relationships, it doesn't make them extraordinary, but treats them as normal, which for me is fantastic. This is how it should be. 

As a trilogy conclusion, this book pull together the loose ends, brings mysteries to a solution and provides a great storyline. The talents, the card games - seriously, this book provides the best one. All of this and more are gathered here in a well paced book that is definitely a highlight to the trilogy.

Queen of Volts is the third instalment for Amanda Foody's The Shadow Game series, and in this book we fall back into the world of New Reynes and that of Enne and Levi. 

Things are going from bad to worse for Enne, she is still not over what had happened at the Ball and she is finding it harder to keep things together as well as her friends safe. Levi is struggling, he has just lost his best friend and is still struggling to move forward. The problem is they are still in the middle of the Shadow Game and its not going to be easy to end it. 

I fell back into this world -  say fell I struggled a little to get back into the swing of it. I forgot some of the characters and what happened but after the first 80 pages I was immersed back into the world. It was fast paced and there was so much going on. The characters again were the best part of the book and it was great reading about how they all grew from the last book and how they continued to play the game. 

I admit I did struggle at times to keep up with the story, there were so many points of view with story lines that were interwoven with one another that I had to remember who was with who. It worked towards the end as it all came together and even though at times I had to read the chapter again I found that it was written really well. 

The characters were some of my favourites that I have read this year. I have to say Grace and Lola were my favourite. You got to see more of them this time round and I liked that Amanda Foody concentrated on the secondary characters as well as Enne and Levi. I always find the secondary characters are more important at times and need their spotlight. 

I will also say that my heart was ripped out again in this one with a certain part AND the fact that it happened right towards the end, I mean it was clever BUT WHY! 

I felt that this book answered the questions I had and didn't leave anything left unsaid and that it was a good ending to the series.

A little slow to get going, and five POV characters was a few too many to follow, it was ultimately a satisfying end to this series and I will definitely miss the City of Sin and its players!

*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

<b>2 sad stars</b>

Oh my god...

What happened to this series??? Or to me??

How could I go from rating Ace of Shades 5 stars because I freaking loved it, to 3 stars for the sequel, down to 2 stars for Queen of Volts. What the hell happened... was it me? Or the book? It all just went downhill after the first book for me and I really don't know why. I'm so sad about this.

So, Ace of Shades. The stakes were high. The chemistry was palpable. The book was going somewhere. King of Fools, much less thrilling, less action, the chemistry between Enne and Levi? Vanished. It felt like their new roles in the book weren't enforced enough, if that makes sense? Like yeah she's a street lord now and he's partnered up with their enemies son... but for me this wasn't made enough of a turning point, I couldn't feel the stakes rising like I was supposed to. It didn't feel like there was anything <i>at<i> stake. 
Now onto Queen of Volts. I feel like this was just a filler book. I was reading it thinking, why are we doing this? For what purpose? I was so bored. Nothing felt thrilling or exciting. I didn't buy into Enne being this feared street lord. The sequence of events felt kinda random. Like, oh! Were gonna do this now, okay! I really didn't like the multiple povs, I could've done without them. I don't like when a book suddenly adds extra povs. I just came here for some Enne and Levi action. 

I should have gone on an emotional rollercoaster with these characters and their story. But I didn't, so... there's that.

I really loved Queen of Volts so much, despite the fact that it is over 600 pages I read it in two days, because I just could not put it down. I loved the dark twist the story took and I loved the way that the characters developed. The plot just pulled me along and I could not wait to find out what happened next. 
I loved that we got to see parts of the story from more character's points of view, and despite being unsure of him at first, I really grew to love Harvey and come to look forward to his chapters. 
Although the plot is fast paced there is still loves of time to watch the characters develop, and there was a real focus on the growth of the characters in the book, and I felt there was a major be careful what you wish for vibe going on. 
The magic system in The Shadow Game books is so unique and I loved finding out more about other talents and how they worked. We also gained a bit more insight in this book about how the politics of talents worked - how do you make society fair and safe for all when there are some really overwhelming talents? 
I really enjoyed reading Queen of Volts, and it was my favourite book of the trilogy, I am so sad to leave the City of Sin behind!