Two Black seniors at Nevius, an elite private school rise to the top of their class only to be humiliated and ostracized by their peers and teachers. Every decade Nevius admits two Black students and then abuses them as seniors until they are forced to drop out before graduating. Racism, homophobia and bullying are embedded in the school's philosophy of "social eugenics." What's the point of this disturbing book?

WOW! What a great thriller! Definitely recommend. Such a powerful read and such a beautiful cover.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ARC of Ace of Spades.

Loved this book! Really great addition to the Teen portfolio and it can appeal to adult readers too. Great for fans of the new Netflix show Winx saga or Riverdale. Very unique and emotional.

Let me start by saying bravo to the author! For this to be a debut novel is amazing and I loved everything! This is the way a twisted thriller is supposed to be written!

The characters were intriguing and you will easily feel every struggle they went endured. Racism, being queer and dealing with society. All of it was written tastefully while being quite real and relatable.

June will be here before we know it and everyone should pick up this book!

This was an interesting premise with compelling and complex characters. If you liked the movie, a get Out, then this is a great book for you.

Not only does Faridah spin a unique mystery, she deep dives into her characters' developments, thereby doubly investing her readers.

Reminiscent of other fabulous thrillers like ONE OF US IS LYING and OBSESSION, with hints of CONCRETE ROSE, ACE OF SPADES's settings, plot twists and determined protagonists propel it into a league of its own..

Congratulations to the author, and many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I've been excited about this book since it was announced and it did not disappoint! This was an excellent YA thriller with a lot of twists and turns. I loved the setting and worldbuilding, and Devon and Chiamaka together. I wasnt expecting the Thing at the end. I think it's also an important book that sheds light on the microagressions Black LGBT people face. 5/5!

What a ride! A great YA thriller, with some great characters! Lots of twist and turns I was not expecting. I'm not a huge fan of thrillers but this one kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me reading long after bedtime!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was well written, chilling and powerful. The two heroes (only black students in their private school) Devon and Chiamaka had unique voices and their different personalities. They dealt with the racism, microaggressions, cyberbullying with great perseverance. When we discover identity and purpose of the Ace of Spades it was such a blow that it made the book utterly memorable. It is not often that black heroes are openly LGBTQIA and the author did a great job fleshing out their love and crush. The ending was a nice touch.

Gossip Girl and Get Out quotes to start? Count me in.

This book was a wild ride and I enjoyed every minute of it. Chiamakah and Devon are the only 2 black students at a prestigious high school living very different lives. Chiamakah is the queen bee, with wealthy parents and a horde of followers, if no true friends. Devon’s father is in prison, and his ma works as much as she can to keep him and his brothers with a roof over their heads. One thing they have in common? Aces, a mysterious texter who appears their senior year, spreading rumors about the two students to the entire school and beyond. With secrets that could ruin them and their futures, they have to come together to figure out who Aces is and to bring them down. But what happens when Aces turns out to be more than they could have possibly bargained for?

WOW this book was INTENSE! It took almost half of the book to really pick up but once it did, it moved fast and in ways I did not expect. Even if you've seen the movie Get Out and would probably be able to guess where the book was going, I think it has a lot of insightful and important commentary on systemic racism in America and still recommend everyone pick it up.

My heart was utterly broken for Devon. All the troubles and hardships he faced in his life really made me feel for him. I didn't feel as connected to Chiamaka. Her problems felt a little more superficial, though that obviously does not mean they are not as real or as important as anyone else's. The writing in Chiamaka's chapters just didn't feel quite as tender and heartfelt as Devon's. Instead I got more of a psychological tension vibe from her chapters, which I loved and think worked incredibly well for the story, but it just didn't connect me to her as much as Devon.

The set up for this book took a little bit too long for my liking which is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. I found myself wanting to put it down several times before 50/60% but I'm so glad that I didn't. The last 40% is definitely worth all the set up.

Normally I hate epilogues that go so far into the future but I think this one was great. The very last line gave me chills!

I think this was an excellent debut and I really look forward to seeing what the author does next!

This thriller takes awhile to get thrilling, gets scary and then turns back to a regular thriller. I did not anticipate the twists and turns so I won’t spoil for anyone since this won’t be out until summer. But it is definitely a fun beach read if you like your beach reads about high school drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the ARC of Ace of Spades. I thought the beginning of this book was great, if a bit drawn out, and the end of this book was good, if a bit rushed. I wish I hadn't seen the tagline comparing Ace of Spades to Get Out because it made me suspicious of every white person in the book, which took away a little of the suspense/surprise for me. Overall, though, I found this book suspenseful and intriguing with a lot to discuss.

Do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR! Ace of Spades is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s debut novel that comes out June 10th, 2021. It is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl, One of Us is Lying, and Get Out. Thank you Netgalley, Usborne, and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for the advance copy!
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The story starts on the first day of Senior for Devon and Chiamaka. They attend Niveus, a prestige private school with extremely high demands. Chi and Devon are elected to be prefects, which means all eyes are on them. However, the student body slowly starts getting secret revealing texts from an unknown “Aces”. But as time goes on, it appears that Aces is only targeting these two. Could it have anything to do with their skin color? Chi and Devon form an unlikely friendship in trying to unmask this Aces, bring them down, and restore their reputations, hopes and dreams. They learn of the deep, dark history that surrounds Niveus and wonder if they can take down an entire institution.
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This book was a crazy ride! I don’t want to give away too much, but I did not see who the real “Aces” was. My heart broke for Devon from the beginning. Chiamaka took a little longer to like because of her sassy, better-than-everybody attitude. I could not put it down after the big reveal and how the duo worked together to expose Aces. The epilogue gave me chills. It’s so important to note these issues because they are still very prevalent in our society. Bravo, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, bravo!

I received a copy of this book from Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley.

Oh, wow. This book is fantastic. It's clever and dark and thoughtful. Devon and Chiamaka are students at a very prestigious school gunning for a very prestigious position until they are targeted by a mysterious entity known as the Aces.
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This is an intense thriller that deftly handle systemic racism.

A fast paced dark academia meets Get Out & When No One is Watching.If someone doesn't already understand systemic racism, this book might just seem like pure fantasy, but for others this is a thriller that seems dangerously true.

I'm conflicted about this one. On one hand, I think its premise is really interesting and the reveal of what/who *Aces* is is very cool. On the other, I constantly was wishing for both the characters and the setting to feel more real and grounded and tangible, but that might just be a personal preference. Fans of Get Out will really enjoy it, I think!

This book was completely different from anything I’ve ever read before (in a good way). It centers around the only two students of color in Niveus Academy, a prestigious school. One student is from a wealthy family & the other is a scholarship kid from a rougher part of town. The two of them soon realize they’re being targeted for the only thing they have in common: the color of their skin. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and dealt with relevant topics such as institutional racism and the lengths that people will go to preserve what they view as “theirs”. Would definitely recommend it.

It's been a long time since I've read a book I felt like I couldn't but down, but Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé delivers. This story is centered around two Black seniors attending the very elite Niveus High. Both Devon and Chiamaka are such strong, talented, and capable students, but they have secrets which threaten to tear their future and dreams apart. When a strange figure called Aces begins to reveal some of Devon and Chiamaka's questionable actions to the student body, the two must work together to save themselves.

This book is unapologetic in its representation. With Black excellence at the center of this story, it was a refreshing take on the "ritzy school drama" trope. Chiamaka is the ultimate goal-setter, striving for the best options. She's the student who can do it all: get good grades, hold student body positions, and organize a team to help her get there. She's cut-throat, at times overly so. She only considers herself to have one true friend, with most of the friends in her circle merely pawns to help her look the part for college applications. Chiamaka is certain that Yale University is in her future, despite the anxiety that claws at her when she's alone. Devon is in some ways, Chiamaka's foil. Prior to his senior year, he was more of an invisible student. Devon may not have a lot of friends or popularity, but he is a gifted musician with dreams of attending Julliard. Devon brings a level of reality to the narrative. He isn't wealthy like Chiamaka is. Devon's mother works several jobs to allow him to attend a school which will help Devon reach his dreams. Despite Devon's challenges, he also is a straight A student with high hopes.

Another part of the book I loved was how similar Niveus High is to the high-achiever high school experience. While Niveus High feels more sinister than your typical high school (this is a thriller after all), I found myself relating to the academic and performative stress displayed throughout the book. High schools, especially those with rich student bodies, serve as a constant reminder that education has become a competition rather than a place of learning. Chiamaka and Devon both attend Niveus and feel the need to be better than their peers. The fear that they will fall behind and live a mundane life is one which many teenagers fear over, especially those who are committed to using their grades to maintain or uplift their current socio-economic standing. This pressure compounds the more minoritized identities a person belongs to. As both Chiamaka and Devon are Black and LGBT students, the pressure stays incredibly high for both of them to conform to societal expectations while also standing out. This task, of balancing excellence and remaining socially digestible to white communities, is something Devon and Chiamaka realize is impossible.

Any gripes that I have about this book is incredibly small. I found myself wondering why all of Chiamaka's relationships with other girls were met with drama and competition, while there was at least some part of the story where Chiamaka had made meaningful connections with boys. I also thought aspects of Terrill and Devon's relationship to be overly predictable, especially with how Terrill was incorporated into the plot of the novel. I had originally considered giving this book 4 stars for these reasons, but realized that these elements are more tied to the genre the book embodies than inherent flaws present in the book itself.

Make sure to preorder this book or buy this from your local library ASAP. You won't want to miss out on one of the best YA of the year. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book.

Really great book. Systemic racism is the main theme as is finding an identity and your place in the world. I had the chills the whole time, this book is very emotional and has good messages as well as bad ones. The bad ones, however, are messages that we need to learn from and take as a learning experience to abolish the thousands of unfair and horrible things this world experiences. Everyone needs to read this book, even the youngest readers because we can not shy away from teaching our younger readers about the reality of life.