5 stars

This is the perfect combination of serious social issues, disturbing thrills, sinister moments, and fast-paced excitement. I loved it!

The two main characters share perspectives, and they are both fantastic: Black, queer, high achieving, and rightfully suspicious of the truly wild activities they think just MAY be going on around them and are - in fact - focused on them. While the novel has more of a teen drama set in a fancy school vibe at first, the chills start and then do not stop. What works especially well here is the way in which the author reveals information. So much needed info is right there in readers' faces, but like the characters, we may be a little slower to see the bigger picture. When that bigger picture is revealed, it is so sinister and smart, and it is unquestionably worth the wait.

This is one of the vaguest reviews I've ever written, but I'm too scared of inadvertently revealing details that are better left discovered by individual readers to get more specific. What I can say is that I loved this novel and cannot wait to read more from this author. I'll be recommending this highly to students, friends and family, and readers of this review. Enjoy!

A gripping, terrifying, complicated thriller about the only two Black students at the sinister Niveus Academy. I can't think of better comps than the ones already given in the description: Gossip Girl and Get Out.

ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Abike-lyimide is a YA thriller about two students, Devon and Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully. Described as Get Out meets Gossip Girl, this book was one wild, messed up ride.

I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this one, but as an avid thriller-reader, it fell a little short for me in some instances. The slow-build was arduous and rather repetitive and, despite having an epilogue (which I loved!), I felt that there wasn’t much closure.

However, I’ve rounded my review up to 4 stars because the second half was fast-paced and had me turning pages, and the story had a lot of great aspects to it and characters that I was constantly rooting for!

With this being Faridah’s debut novel, I’m very excited to see what she comes up with next!

Publication Date: June 01, 2021

*** special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

Posted to Goodreads and The StoryGraph: 04/02/21
Posted to Instagram (Bookstagram): 04/09/21

thank you usborne for providing this ARC for me!

5/5 stars

let me start this off by saying, never in my life has a book ever moved me or affected me the way this one has. i was living in the worst nightmare i’ve ever been in vicariously through these characters. and i think that’s a very special thing to be able to feel, i felt the story in my bones. throughout my entire life i have always gone to predominantly white schools, i vividly remember being the only black girl in my elementary school for years.

i was originally going to make this review a spoiler free review, but i don’t think i can hold it all in. jamie is the epitome me of every black person‘s fear, somebody you can trust somebody who gets close to you only to use your secrets and your emotions against you in the worst way possible. the fact that he engaged with chiamaka romantically and sexually, filling her head with these false narratives only to stab her in the back and literally tried to kill her is sickening. everything that devon went through from being outed to the constant physical abuse and being backstab by one of the people he considered his best friend was hard to read but so engaging and it drew me in every second. this book had my heart racing, and i cried and so many times!

i never expected this book to have it’s constant twist and turns like bella being related to the girl that they hit with the car, and even the car accident being staged, that’s insane. i will say that i did have a little inkling that bella was related to the girl or was the girl! i also felt like the news people were evil, so i was right on that. but i originally thought that jamie was aces from day one and i am glad i got some of it right, but the fact that it was an entire secret society and organization is in sane and beyond anything i could’ve ever imagined. and i had a feeling that headmaster word was in on something that i did not expect it to be aces.

chiamaka is very personal to me, because she is me to fault. i relate with her so much in the sense of being nigerian, and the fact that my middle name is chiamaka and sometimes people address me as that. and constantly trying to fit in with white people but having to keep your circle small because you can’t really trust many people. recently with all the racial tensions i’ve build some walls and installed in my head the narrative that all people are racist until they prove that they’re not. and i feel like reading the story really almost proved that to me. you can’t trust everyone around you and not everyone wants you to be safe. but back to chiamaka, the elements of her mom braiding her hair, and the nigerian food, and not being ashamed about being nigerian but not wanting to show it to the world either because people just don’t understand.

overall this book really affected me in ways i didn’t know a book could and i will be reflecting on it for a long time. It was the perfect thriller that hit so close to home. and for that it gets five stars for me.

this book was absolutely FANTASTIC! fast-paced, thrilling and so, so engaging. i loved the characters so much—devon in particular, who i could relate to greatly. i think the ending was wickedly poetic and this SCREAMS netflix series or movie, so i hope someone picks it up. PHENOMENAL book! i can’t wait until it releases, so i can support it.

Ace of Spades is a gripping, dark academia, ya novel that follows devon and chiamaka: the only two black students who attend niveus, a highly prestigious and elite private school. This impressive debut novel was exciting and full of suspense!

Ace of Spades also tackles heavy topics surrounding racism, homophobia, and mental health. It approaches these topics in a refreshing and powerful way, fully capturing the experiences of two very different black characters.

I did not feel like this book was scary, but it definitely captures your attention, and the mystery keeps you invested.

My only critiques:
1. I wish the antagonists were a little more complex because as the plot goes on, I couldn't help but feel like the story was becoming more predictable.
2. The story builds up suspense for almost the entire novel, but the climax felt a little rushed. I felt like everything was resolved a little too quickly. (it kinda just felt like 'and then this and this suddenly happen and then the end') But I did like the epilogue!

Overall, I did really enjoy this debut novel, and I highly recommend it!

This thrilling YA debut by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé follows Devon and Chiamaka, the only two Black students at Niveus Private Academy. During their senior year, an anonymous bully named Aces begins sending horrible text messages aimed at Devon and Chiamaka. The text messages evolve into them being followed and put into harm’s way. As their friends begin abandoning them and their dreams begin to shatter, Devon and Chiamaka decide to take matters into their own hands and are determined to figure out who is behind everything before it’s too late.

This book is not what I was expecting, but I absolutely loved it. It angered me, broke my heart, and left me with so many thoughts that are sure to stick with me. The synopsis says Ace of Spades is a mix between Gossip Girl and Get Out, and although I haven’t seen Get Out, I agree that it definitely mirrors Gossip Girl. It addresses sexuality and racism as central themes as Devon and Chiamaka learn more about themselves and the truth about their classmates and school. I loved the rotating POVs from both of our main characters, and I am so glad I got to watch them come together even though they were not friends at the beginning of the book. This was an intense thriller that left me needing to find out what was going to happen next, and I was not expecting Aces to be who they ended up being! I am so glad I snagged Ace of Spades when I saw it was “Read Now” on NetGalley, and I absolutely recommend checking it out when it gets published!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC of Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé!

CW- racism, racial slurs, homophobia, hate crimes, car accident, bullying
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Ace of Spades is a ya thriller that follows two black teenagers as they work to find out a mysterious person who is sending all of their secrets out to the school.
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I am certain that this will be a loved book this year. It was a really good look at systematic racism and the micro(and macro) aggressions black teenagers face.
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This book had great plot twists! I was expecting very few of them, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
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Overall, I would recommend this to fans of thrillers, and even horror.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I LOVED this book! This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021, and it is AMAZING. I am scared of everything, and this book was not scary at all. It was so interesting and the plot twists were so hard to predict. I did not see so many things that happened at the end coming. This book is truly a masterpiece. I will be recommending it to anyone over the age of 16. My only request would be that the author or publisher including trigger warnings because there are some very graphic scenes and flashbacks.

This book scared the hell out of me. Horror should be added as one of the sub genres. The story starts out so normal with both our main characters, Chiamaka and Devon, the only black kids in a privileged private school being selected for leadership roles. The gossip girl tagline quickly becomes evident in the first few chapters and I was geared up for a thrilling but fun ride and out of nowhere the plot hits you in the face. My biggest nightmare was brought chillingly to life with Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé‘s writing (I can’t tell you what it is because spoilers) and it was liking sitting in the driver seat of a car with no brakes waiting for the crash. The adrenaline rush was insane and I thought my heart would beat itself out of my ribcage. It was stunning and goose bump inducing and so insanely good!!!! I did have some issues with the way it ended, though. It felt a little rushed, with the climax feeling a little unrealistic and some loose threads to tie up but but but but don’t let that deter you from picking up this incredible debut. I absolutely recommend it and would definitely advise preordering it as soon as you can.

Ace of Spades written by Faridah

Suggested reading age- 14-16+ and above

My rating- 3.1/5

*Use of explicit language
*LGBTQ storyline

Review - Fast paced, running, very thrilling with the mystery aura throughout till the very end, but somehow the plot did not work for me , it was subpar.

The book talks about racism, white supremacy, how popular organisations/institutions are spoiling the life of the minority. When you will read the book, my Review will become more clearer, I don't want to spoil it for anyone planning to read it.

The book has 2 protagonist and a very mysterious antagonist that will be explained at the end of the story. I really wanted to like the book, but I just could not. I did not find the book very unique, I feel it has a lot of potential to be developed into something epic, but this just didn't work for me, it was somehow predictable and the mystery plot, the antagonistS plot is not very Bona fide. Please read again what I said, the antagonist part was not very Bona fide.

Racism is a very real aspect , that continues to be part of the society, along with white supremacy. I along with many others are against racism and strongly believe that everyone is equal.

I stand with #BIPOC Authors, It's just that as as story, as a plot this book did not work for me and I am so sorry to say that I do not recommend it.

I would like to thank @netgalley
And @macmillanusa for the e-arc.

I throughly enjoyed this book. Without posting spoilers, my feelings for this story were up and down. There were a few slower parts but otherwise it was a great read and I can’t wait for publication day!

Disclaimer: I got this book in exchange for an honest review.

OKAY, THIS WAS A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NOVEL! This book is an incredible page-turner!! I couldn't put this down and it deserves ALL THE HYPE. My heart was beating half the time and I loved the twists in this one. It tackles sex, lies, and combatting racism. It's set at Niveus Private Academy. Devon is my favorite protagonist in this!

This book was absolutely bonkers in the best way, it was twisty and kept me guessing up until the very end like a good thriller should, and I know it was comped to Get Out but that was far more apt than I realized going in. I know dark academia as a genre tends to be very white and I don’t wanna step on anyone’s toes as a white reviewer by saying any more than that this was refreshing and absolutely necessary. I can’t wait to help get this in the hands of people who need it.

Wow what a debut! I was already intrigued with this book cover and even more so after reading the blurb!
An anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game. This was fast paced and suspenseful, it has all the best elements of a good YA! Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

This book starts off unsuspecting and quickly grows darker and more wild than you were expecting. I was on the edge of my seat and very eager to get to the end to figure out the mystery. At times it was hard to read, but several moments of joy and hope for the future interspersed throughout to really feel empathetic for the main characters, what they're going through, and how they going to get out of it.

The first review I saw of this book said "Gossip Girl meets Get Out" and I was like ???? How ???? And then I read it and OH MY, that's how. Two students at Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka, are the only two black students at this prestigious school. They don't run in the same circles, most certainly don't talk to each other, but have the same goals of getting into the best colleges possible. Not even a week into the beginning of senior year, someone starts spreading some nasty messages about these students. Throughout the story, you'll follow along with Chiamaka and Devon as they share their stories, work to stop whoever is doing this, and end up in a terrifying situation.

I give Ace of Spade 5/5 stars... Here's why:
- Black queer voices!!!
- Dark academia
- terrifying ending
- I thought I had it figured out, I thought it was going to be too easy... and then omg.
- strong character development
- the path the main characters took in the epilogue

What I didn't like so much:
- I felt like there wasn't an obvious true reason as to why there's a new headmaster
- I wanted more closure from literally everyone. I wanted every single person whose name got mentioned in the story to give me closure. We only get the main ones of course.
- I wanted to know more of the after effects post big ending, prior to the epilogue

Overall, I just loved this super page turning read. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an advanced ecopy of this book in return for an honest review. Ace of Spades comes out on June 1, 2021 (GO GRAB A COPY).

Wow, I flew through this book in one day! Ace of Spades was described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out and I think this is a great description. This was a thriller but was not predictable, there was so much more to the story than I expected and it made me want to keep reading just to find out what was going on. The main characters were so well written and complex and messy. I think that some YA authors are really great at writing about systemic racism in a way that is accessible and important. Abike-Iyimide does this really well, she has created a school and plot that is fictional but the scenario is not too far off from the racism that BIPOC students experience at elite institutions all over the world. I also loved that there was a happy ending for Devon and Chiamaka. I loved this debut and I can't wait to read more from this author.

What happens when Gossip Girl meets Get Out? 👀⁣
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That’s how ACE OF SPADES is being marketed, and it’s a very accurate comparison! I love YA, and especially YA thrillers, and this didn’t disappoint. We follow Devon and Chiamaka, the only Black students at Niveus Academy, as they try to find out who is behind the racist bullying they face at school. ⁣
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Overall, ACE OF SPADES had chapters where I was hooked and others where I was distracted by clunky character introductions and plot points that didn’t blend well. Still worth the read and I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a major hit. It would also be a *perfect* book to adapt as a miniseries. ⁣
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Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an eARC in exchange for this review. ⁣

Sitting down to write this review, I have literally thought, “where do I even start?” This book grabs your interest with what you think is a typical high school mystery and leaves you with one of the most gripping stories you will ever read. The author does an amazing job of tying you to these characters and guiding you through their day-to-day life, while trying to survive the circumstances around them. This rollercoaster of a story tore me apart and put me back together again. I finished it a week ago and have found myself still thinking about these characters and wishing I had more to read about them.