Ace of Spades is a YA contemporary thriller that follows the story of Chiamaka and Devon, two students who attend a private school called Niveus Private Academy, as someone named Aces attempts to ruin their lives by revealing all their secrets. Make sure to look up trigger warnings, as this book deals with some heavy topics!

This book was spectacular! First of all, Ace of Spades is described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out, an LGBTQ, own-voices, dark academia thriller! I can confirm that this description is 100% accurate and that this book is 100% worth the read!

I personally haven't read many thriller books, but this one had me hooked! Once I got into it, I could not put it down! This plot simultaneously scared me, stressed me out, excited me and had me on the edge of my seat. It was beautifully written and well-thought-out, I did not see the plot twists coming. It also did an incredible job of exploring themes of racism and homophobia! I wouldn't change a thing about the plot, I loved it from start to finish! I also liked the romance in this book and how it took a backseat to the main plot!

As for the characters, I found them very compelling. Chiamaka and Devon had very different personalities, yet they were both interesting, flawed and relatable. I especially related to Chiamaka, as she was someone who knew her worth and worked so hard to be on top, even if the odds were stacked against her by something she couldn't even control. She was a bad bitch who was willing to do anything to get to the top and I loved her for that! I also enjoyed reading from Devon's perspective! He saw the world for what it was, a place that was not always good, especially to people of colour. His realist point of view was refreshing to read, he never sugarcoated his reality, no matter how harsh it was

I have nothing but good things to say, I would most definitely recommend this amazing book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This was the best YA book I have read in ages! I read it in less than a day as I could not put it down. I will be recommending this to everyone once it comes out. The comparison to the movie Get Out is spot on, so anyone who thought that movie was brilliant will love this book. Faridah is such a talented writer. She created two unforgettable main characters in Chiamaka and Devon and a supporting cast of truly evil, despicable, and terrifying people. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

E-ARC provided by Fierce Reads

Going into this, I was so excited. Get Out is one of those movies that I could watch over and over due to the simple fact that it sends chills down my spine every single time that I watch that movie. Of course, Gossip Girl is one of those shows that I watched when I was younger, and while I was watching the question of who Gossip Girl was running through my head throughout all my days and then we found out who it was… and let me tell you that Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide is one thousand percent worth the read. This book is a YA thriller that follows two black students (the only black students in the entire school) that attend Niveus Academy and begin to receive harassment messages from someone that calls themselves Aces. The two students are Chiamaka and Devon and let me tell you that I absolutely loved both of these characters deeply. I found myself relating to both of them so deeply because I was able to resonate with a lot of the internal struggles that these two encountered throughout the story. Faridah did an excellent job building well-rounded characters that really did come off the page and I felt as though I actually knew them and was going to school with them. When I do read books of this genre I tend to feel that these kinds of stories come off as rushed with not as much character building, but this book did not run into any of those issues. I think that while this book did have a great mix of storyline correlations from Get Out and Gossip Girl the story didn’t feel as though I could piece everything together if I had already viewed the other media which I absolutely loved and going through it at the rate that I was I found myself guessing how all of this was going to end up (Big shocker, I was dead wrong.) This book had me going through all of the emotions where I was on the edge of my seat and being angry alongside the characters, for how crazy some of the people in the story actually are. As a BIPOC that grew up in a lot of schools that were mainly white domination I absolutely found myself relating to both of the characters and the different thoughts that would run through their head while they were at this school. I would have to say that the definite highlight of this book for me would be the two main characters and just the journey that they both go on throughout this story, it was everything that I as the reader could have asked for. Both Chiamaka and Devon have a special place in my heart. This piece of art will keep you engaged all the way up until the final page when you sadly have to say goodbye. This is Faridah’s debut book and I can’t WAIT to see what else she has in store because I will absolutely be picking up anything that she puts out in the future. There is no doubt in my mind that this absolutely a 5 star read!

This YA thriller was truly an excellent new addition to the genre. It combines compelling characters with relevant themes regarding race, queer identity, and class in the kind of elite prep school environment that is reminiscent of Gossip Girl and other teen shows. The book is plotted really well, and by the time I was catching on to the major twists, I was invested in seeing how things turned out.

I don't want to say too much about plot because it's always best to go in knowing less, but I found this every bit as excellently paced as books like "one of us is lying" and "a good girl's guide to murder" but with vastly more compelling themes.

I definitely recommend this book to others and will likely buy a copy for my classroom library.

4.5 stars

The book wasn't without its flaws but one thing is certain, which is that I just couldn't put it down, and it ruined my sleep schedule. Once the story picked up, I wanted to keep reading. Sometimes, I had to pause and take breaks because what I was reading made me feel rage, frustration, horror, and anxiety over what is going to happen next.

I don't read a lot of YA thrillers, but I know Ace of Spades would be considered one of the strong ones in the genre. I love how much mystery there was, and not only in the general plot but with the main characters and their own lives. Several times, I felt like we didn't even know them well even while reading in their POV - there were so many secrets. A couple twists made me put down the book and contemplate for a few moments. However, towards the very end, I thought there were just one too many betrayal twists, which after numerous ones, felt a little predictable.

Overall, it's an amazing debut with an intense story and a powerful message. Some content warnings include racism, homophobia, outing of a queer character, physical abuse, mentioning of suicide.

𝐼𝑛 𝑎 𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙:
Two teens are at war with a villain dead-set on destroying them

𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤:
Niveus Private Academy is home of the rich and the fake-perfects. Where Devon, a talent musician, and Chiamaka, a girl who fights to get her way to the top, go to school. All is seemingly perfect until an anonymous texter known as Aces leaks things they would rather keep hidden- and Aces will stop at nothing to see them fall.

Holy crap. I have no words for this book.
There is absolutely so much to love: the characters, the plot, the writing.
But my favorite thing?
The author shattered the idea of social norms and bias’s and instead let the characters be real people who don’t shy away from their feelings and ideas.
Yes, you have the threatening aura of Chiamaka- who uses whoever she can to get to the top- but that doesn’t stop her from kicking butt. Chi loves dresses and heels and taking the world by storm- never shying away from taking what she wants.
Devon is the more quiet one. Wanting to focus on his music and getting the best scholarship he can to attend his dream school and make his Ma happy. He’s kind and does what he can, even if it’s not the best idea, to make ends meet. He doesn’t shy away from emotion and appreciates a good heartfelt hug when he can get one. Though he is tough in his own way, I wanted to just wrap him up in a bubble and protect Devon from the world.

For the plot- it was nothing short but incredible. The main focus is on the hidden villain, one who always seems to be a couple steps ahead. Different instances happen, and you keep thinking you have the right guy- only to be introduced to another potential suspect. It’s a giant mystery, with more and more danger unfolding with every page. Once you stop, you won’t be able to put it down.

This is an amazing read, that focuses heavily on topics of racism. Other trigger warnings for it include; forced outings, manipulative relationships, homophobia, murder, gangs and a few other things. But it’s also a book that makes you open your eyes at the hardships that so many POC have to face and deal with on a day-to-day basis.

𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛: if you’re wanting a deep and dark thriller, with mystery and intrigue- then this the perfect book for you!

This book honestly left me with goosebumps. I loved reading it and I promise you will as well. This book will have you up at night gasping, crying, and rooting for characters. I don't want to give away too much but make sure this is on your TBR list.

I cannot praise this book highly enough. After the first few chapters I thought that it was going the route of “pretty little liars”, but then it turned out it took more of a “when no one is watching” direction and I LOVED it.

Devon and Chiamaka were both excellently written, their voices were so distinct and they not only behaved and spoke and thought like teenagers do but both had an ongoing trait that was really delved into (chi’s desire to be “on top”, understanding what it took to get there but realizing it was 2x as much work for her as her peers because of her race and Devon’s desire to be loved and have someone actually stick around for him), that were really fantastically explored. My heart utterly broke for Devon time and time again in this story.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Gossip Girl meets Get Out--I was sold immediately. I 100% could not put this book down once I got a few chapters in! It is twisty, dark, and it's impossible to know who to trust. I loved it and I know my students will too! Beyond the evil fun, it also spurs reflection and conversation about the insidious nature of racism in our country. This is a book with a great deal of depth and I look forward to reading more by this author. Phenomenal debut!

4.25 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Fierce Reads for the arc of this book!

At the start of their senior year at a private school, Chiamaka and Devon begin being targeted by anonymous texts to the student body airing their secrets. But what do they have in common? They don't want to connect the obvious dots (that they are the only two Black students at the school), but as things escalate and more pieces fall into place, it becomes clear that this harassment is racially motivated, and even more people are in on it than Chi and Von might think.

This YA Dark Academia had me on the edge of my seat! If you are a fan of Get Out you should definitely read this one. I loved watching the relationships in this book build up and crumble down and slowly finding out with the protagonists what was happening and who was in on it.

I also was a huge fan in the queer representation with one main character being gay and the other m-spec.

This book gave me a lot of feelings and a lot to think about. I couldn't stop talking about it for days after reading, and it kept me up at night!

Pub Date: June 1, 2021.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Racism, Homophobia, and Hate crime

Moderate: Grief and Sexual assault

I love the prompts for this book. It was fun, quick fast-paced read with a lot of different twists along the way. I love the thriller genre and I was excited to see one with diverse protagonists. It's a great summer read

***ARC provided through NetGalley***

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is one of my most anticipated releases this year and I couldn't wait to dive into this YA dark academia novel, debut. I was immediately drawn to the characters in this story. Readers follow two points of view, the only two Black students at Niveus, as their secrets are slowly revealed to the school and in the first half, there's this unease that slowly builds until the second half where the tension really starts to pick up. Then, there's a constant feeling of dread and hopelessness as Devon and Chiamaka try to figure out what's happening and why. I've never read a young adult dark academia before and wasn't sure what to expect and I was nervous there would be a lot of high school drama. I was wrong. There are elements of drama that happens in high schools but with the stakes getting higher and higher as the story continues, it's so much more than that.

Further, I was also invested in the relationships the main characters had throughout the story whether it was with friends or family. As the story progresses, these relationships are challenged and things start to change. Devon and Chiamaka feel that they can't trust anyone outside of their family and that feeling is passed on to the reader. I was questioning EVERYONE. When it comes to their families, they have to decide how much to tell them about what's going on and how anything they tell them will impact them in the long run. I can't spoil anything but the stakes are MUCH higher than you might think at the beginning of this story and I was racing to the end because I needed to have answers. And that ending... *chef's kiss*.

I really appreciate what this book does thematically; the dark academia genre is incredibly white and sometimes fails to really critique the issues within academia. This story centers Black characters and deals with themes of institutional racism and how that racism is something that is passed down over generations. I was terrified for Devon and Chiamaka as they navigated this horrific situation and I think Àbíké-Íyímídé leaves readers with so much to think about. I highly recommend pre-ordering this book if you can, or just checking it out next month when it comes out.

Just finished #AceofSpades by @faridahlikestea

What a ride this book was. The premise is that two students with seemingly no connection except that they are the only two black students at a prestigious predominantly white school are suddenly being targeted. Their secrets are being spilled and their lives are being turned upside down. Whoever describes this as a Mix between Gossip Girl and Get Out was correct.

This book did not did not disappoint. This is the author’s debut novel but you wouldn’t guess it from how wonderful the writing is.

The story is told from multiple points of view. It switches between Devon and Chiamaka. I loved how it also showed the different ways that they tried to fit in at their school. Chiamaka was trying to make it though high school but being in the popular crew and Devon was trying to make it by being invisible. However, when they become targeted, they both realize that someone has been watching their every move. Anyway, you’re have to read it when it comes out in June. Another 5 ⭐️

Thanks @netgalley for this eArc, as well as @feiwelandfriends for this opportunity . And thank you @faridahlikestea for writing stories about people like us.

#weneeddiversebooks
#weneeddiverseauthors

5/5 stars

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it did not dissapoint. The story was so incredibly crafted, the plot twists were surprising, the characters were complex and dynamic, and most of all, this story talked heavily about societal problems, like racism.

I finished this in a few hours, if that says anything about the pacing. I was 100% hooked by the story.

The characters in this story felt so real, from their aspirations to their faults.

The plot was so twisty and turny, and I kept making guesses as to who Aces was.

The romances were great, I feel like they really added to the plot while not fully taking over it.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. It was an amazing read overall!

*thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the arc*

Ace of spades really felt like an ace of my 2021 reads. This book is everything is and more. It follows the story of the only two Black students- Devon and Chiamaka, attending Niveus Private Academy. Im in awe with how well and subtly the author brought in the stark difference between the characters and how the unapologetically the complexities and situations were handled. Authors generally tend to shy away from addressing the reality but not Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. They gave it to us clear as glass, no bullshit and that was very interesting to read. Even though Chiamaka and Devon have different backgrounds the experiences they share with racism and bullying was the same.

There are so many instances where this book truly touched me. The experiences Devon goes through being gay and Black, and how he handles it were very inspiring. Even reading about Chi's experience with her sexuality, her hair and the life she comes from and the life she wants to fit in was very awe-inspiring.

With the serious tone of the book Faridah manages to sprinkle in some lighthearted funny moments and this made the book a total package.

I can't and won't stop recommending this book to everyone around me.

This book was interesting, to say the least. I read it without reading the book cover synopsis, which left me completely unprepared for the type of story it was. I was not expecting such heavy-hitting topics that I have such little experience with in my life, which is part of why I’m glad that I read this book. I’m happy to have even gotten a glance into the struggles that different people face growing up in America.

Given that Ace of Spades is pitched as a thriller, the major twist of this book was delivered too softly for my taste—the split perspective took away some of the punch of having both main characters’ reactions happen at the same time. I felt as though the twist was big enough and dark enough that there should have been a greater reaction from both main characters. Even in the little twists and turns, I never felt scared for the characters or worried about the outcome. Perhaps this was just due to my inability to relate to either character very much.

My favorite parts of this book were Devon’s mom, the epilogue (I love flash-forwards), and some good, old-fashioned confrontations. One thing that I wish we got to see more of was Chiamaka and Devon’s friendship developing.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc

This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. I genuinely couldn’t put it down, I read it in one day and ignored everything else.

Devon is absolutely my favorite character, his relationship with Andre made me cry. Devon deserves the world, he’s so passionate about his music and he has so much on his plate but he still strives to do well in every aspect he can and make sure that his mom is okay.

Chiamaka is definitely an acquired taste. I started liking her around halfway through the book, but damn her view of the world is clouded. I felt like I was watching a horror movie as I watched her trust people and refuse to think badly of them even after the evidence all pointed to their wrongdoing.

This book is just amazing in every single way. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart and it’s extremely disturbing at times, but it’s so well written and the plot is more compelling than anything else I’ve ever read.

If Gossip Girl were remade in the spirit of Get Out, this would likely be the result. Keep in mind I haven't seen Get Out, nor do I intend to, but i think I'm aware of the general idea.

While I was given an arc of this, as always the thoughts to follow are all mine.

I just need you to know that this is hands down required reading for all those looking for a good book. In fact on some levels simply calling this a good book doesn’t really convey just how great my reading experience was and how I didn’t want to start. The story picks up immediately and doesn’t let up until the last sentence of the book, all while slowly ratcheting up the tension. It’s mastery on a level that I could only ever hope to attain.

Devon and Chiamaka are the only Black students at their private school and as their senior year commences they are thrown together as a mysterious force starts to expose things about their lives that they’d definitely like to keep under wraps. What follows was a heartwarming and heartbreaking story of institutional racism, coming out, breakups, and new relationships. The book manages to tackle so much ground. I was a little impressed at how everything still managed to weave together and not feel as thought it was lagging behind at any point.

If for some reason this book wasn’t on your radar I’m happy I was able to get you to at least look into it because again, this is required reading. I don’t have a bad thing to say about this book, I enjoyed the wild ride it took me on and I am going to be slightly envious of others who get to experience the twists and turns for the first time.

On the surface, Ace of Spades seems to center on the mystery behind who is bullying and intimidating two Black students at a prestigious white prep school in such an aggressive and egregious manner that their academic careers are jeopardized, their safety is in question, and the stress from social ostracism becomes debilitating. The “who’s behind this and why” aspect of the novel alone carries the book well into the shocking revelation but what elevates the novel are the additional issues these teen characters are dealing with: sexual identity, social acceptance, first loves (and losses), peer pressure, systemic racism, and institutionalized discrimination.

While Chiamaka is an only child raised in an affluent, two-parent household with highly successful and professional parents, Devon is on scholarship, lives in a single-parent home in an economically depressed community headed by his mother who works three jobs to support him and his siblings. Chiamaka has suppressed her “realness” and reinvented herself into the mean but desirable “It Girl.” Devon, with an absentee father, feels obligated to earn money as “man” of the house and resorts to questionable activities to ease his mother’s financial burdens. Despite their opposing positions on the socio-economic spectrum, both are victims of Aces, the unknown nefarious tormentor, who targets the duo with acts of increasing maliciousness.

Devon and Chiamaka join forces to identify Aces and attempt to salvage their academic careers and social destinies, however, they are initially met with defeat because it seems as if Aces is always a step ahead of them. Through the narrative, we know these two are gifted, resourceful, and determined teens, so it is no surprise that with a little help from a few faithful friends, they discover the truth and put their own plan in action.

This is a timely and insightful novel for young adults and is sure to encourage essential discussions on sensitive topics.