This was a really fun heist novel centering around a group of asexual teenagers. The main character Jack ist confident, sassy and just so much fun. I really liked reading from his point of view.
The writing is comprehensible and engaging and I'll look forward to reading other works by this author.

thank you netgalley for giving me an arc of this book i absolutely adored it and every character.
i felt very represented in this book as an aroace person and seeing the nb rep too made me so happy. the plot didn’t at once feel boring or overwhelming. while i did kinda predict stuff a lot of it i didn’t so it was great to have a mix of both. this is my new favorite 2022 read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so good, oh my gosh! It confused me a bit though, because it wasn't much like it was desctibed (like Six of Crows), but overall enjoyed the charecters and representation. The plot felt a bit simpler that I would have hoped for, but was otherwise good. 4/5 stars from me.

SO GOOD?!?!?!
OMG
everything i wanted in an novel and seeing my sexuality being represented was so nice.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this novel!

While this wasn't the wild adventure I thought it would be, it was still an enjoyable read! Honestly, I was more excited to find a book with asexual representation than I was about a heist book but adding the heist plot line made me even more excited. Unfortunately, while the representation and the characters were fantastic, the plot just... wasn't for me. I definitely think others should give this book a chance to decide for themselves. I feel like some people are going to love this one and I am just disappointed I'm not one of them. Still, the writing itself was good, again I loved the characters, I just wanted the heist to be more of a focus, more action involved.

Aces Wild is a fast-paced YA adventure sure to keep you entertained!

When Jack's mom is arrested, he is determined to do whatever he can to get his revenge on the person who the person who caused it. Enter: a group of ace teens teaming up for a casino "heist." While they are scheming and having fun, the friends also become closer than ever before and learn things they never new about each other.

I enjoyed this book and found it a fun and easy read. However, I think comparing it to Six of Crows is overreaching and lead me to have higher expectations. Although I did love the characters, I never felt as connected with them as I would have liked. The plot was also very simple and straightforward, and I wish there was more going on at times.

I would still recommend if you're looking for a light read with ace representation! Overall I thought this was a cute book and was worth my time, it just wasn't very extraordinary.

“My name is Jack Shannon, and this is not a love story. It’s a confession.”

The minute I got into the group banter I knew this was going to be a favourite. If I like the characters the book is gold. For the million time I adore found family.

"[georgia]: he’s so acute
[jack]: guys don’t be obtuse
[remy]: no she’s . . . right . . . angle."

Comparing this book to Six of Crows is a bit of an understatement . The shenanigans happening in this book are not as high stakes and even though in both books the characters are teenagers, in this book they never done this kind of things before. So it felt kind of right the way things happened.

I also enjoyed the ace rep. It was there but it was not the focus of the book.

"She didn't say that it would be easy, or that it wouldn't hurt - but I lived. Even when I didn't think I could do it when I just felt sorry for myself. I figured it out, and I lived."

"I used to think that love was something simple, in an unatainable kind of way. Love was the Holywood ending - the sunset kiss and the fade to black. I didn't think it was something I was allowed to have. I didn't think it was something I wanted."

This book was so much fun, and I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED the representation! Was it slightly ridiculous at times? Yes. Did I care because I was enjoying it so much? Nope! Get your hands on this book asap!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

What happens in Vegas when an all-asexual online friend group attempts to break into a high-stakes gambling club? Shenanigans ensue.

When I heard about this book I had to read it. A QUEER HEIST? YES PLEASE. I am so glad that it lived up to expectations.

I loved that all the main characters in this book were ace and their little queer found family was perfect and relatable. They made fun of each other, they bickered but when it came down to it, they had each other’s backs. The characters themselves were well rounded too.

I felt the ending was a little disappointing, though I am not sure where else the plot could have gone. It moved along at a good pace and I found myself wanting to see how it all panned out. The writing was easy to read and I feel like the descriptions of Vegas casinos were perfect. All in all a great read and perfect for your Pride Month TBR

Having a bounty of canon asexual representation was something I've known I needed, but didn't realize how lovely it could really be. DeWitt weaves together a new take on heist with fresh air and engaging writing.

As an ace, I was so excited to read this book. Group of asexual friends going on a heist. And it's been compared with “Six of Crows” by my favorite Leigh Bardugo. You've sold that book to me already.

So, the book tells us about Jack, whose mom gets arrested in Las Vegas for her family ties to organized crime. Why did the police arrest her? Because of her ex, Peter, a rival casino owner. So, that's why Jack asks a group of his ace internet friends to come and infiltrate Peter's casino.

This book has an amazing representation of asexuality. I loved all those characters. But, nevertheless, I was really bored with the plot. “Aces Wild” is not really about a heist and you shouldn't compare it with “Six of Crows”. This one is more about internet friends finally meeting for the first time.

I wish we had more books about asexuals, but characters are not enough. In addition to them, we also need an interesting and exciting story.

What happens in Vegas when an all-asexual online friend group attempts to break into a high-stakes gambling club? Shenanigans ensue.

As I read this, it started to feel less like a book and more like a first person account of a heist. I could easily picture the settings and characters, and it read like a movie. The characters were all well written and interacted easily with each other, which is a feat considering they had never met in real life before.

Jack Shannon is the son of a casino owner, who is sentenced to jail on several accounts. Pulled from his school for the summer, he is brought to Vegas, where his eldest sister and stand-in mom has to decide what to do, while dealing with lawyers, a distant dad and their mother’s rival, who is intent on buying the Golden Age. Jack has nothing better to do than spy on him, and when he discovers that there may be more to the story than he realized, he enlists the help of his friends, an online chat-group of asexual teens from accross the country.

This read like a contemporary novel and less of an active heist, which was really interesting, and allowed for more information to be introduced. As someone who knows next to nothing about what happens in casinos, this was really easy to read and very informative.

There is also no romance in this novel, which was wonderful. As an ace person, being able to read about characters who just solve crimes and spy on people instead of making out in darkened halls and have sappy reunion scenes, was amazing. There are still mentions of a crush, but it’s not a major plot point, and simply adds some rest to the story.

I can easily say that this is one of my new favourite books. Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree and the author for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As someone who likes to read and promote queer books, a book about a group of ace teenagers committing a casino heist together was obviously going to be my thing. I’ve known this book would be a load of fun from the second I heard of it, and I’m glad to say I was right.

Jack Shannon is the son of a Las Vegas casino mogul, and he spends his school days running a secret blackjack ring. Until the day his mum is arrested for the family’s ties to organised crime. Jack knows who would have ratted her out, and he wants revenge. But that’s not something he’s going to be able to do alone. Luckily his only friends, an asexual support group he met online, join him in his plans. Jack has to try to save his mum, whilst also learning what it means to be in love when asexual.

I won’t lie, this book isn’t quite as heist-heavy as it sounds. They do commit some kind of heist, but this book does read more like a contemporary than a heist novel. That’s not a bad thing though, as it blended the elements of both so well. If you’re looking for a traditional heist, you won’t get that. But if you’re okay with something a little lighter? You’ll love this.

Obviously, an important aspect of this book is the asexuality of many of the characters. There’s plenty of discussion on how people view asexuality and how it can relate to relationships. If you’re asexual, you can still experience romantic attraction. And if you’re aro, you may experience sexual attraction still. Within the spectrum, there are so many different ways to be ace and aro, and even aro people may form relationships of some kind. Jack is a teenager, and he’s still learning about himself. He knows he’s asexual, but there’s still a moment where he questions is this something that any of us will grow out of? And that was really interesting.

This isn’t a romance-heavy book. Jack even starts the book by saying that this isn’t a love story. But there are still romantic moments. Jack has feelings for his friend Remy. You get to see a lot of cutesy elements you can expect from a teenager having a crush and a lot of the humour too. Especially when their friends get involved. My favourite thing about this relationship is that it s a guy/enby relationship! So many books featuring an enby character in a relationship have them paired with girls. It was so nice to see an enby/guy ship, and I really hope to see more of them in the future.

One thing you do get a lot of in this novel is a discussion about where people belong. Jack doesn’t feel like he belongs in his school, not even always that he belongs with his family. But he has found himself amongst his friends and in Vegas. I actually quite liked that as it showed that different people need different things and the growing closeness between him and his family too.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I’m so glad that I had an opportunity to read this early and if you’re a fan of queer contemporary and light heists, definitely check this book out.

aces wild: 80% friendship, 17% heists, 3% mentions of moms.

when i first heard about this book many moons ago, i nearly fell out of my seat due to the premise alone. a mostly aspec cast going on a heist, getting into messes and whatnot. sign me up , please and thank you!

and now here we are today, i’ve just finished reading my arc of this lovely little gem. this book may not be my perfect cup of tea (odd pacing, lackluster ending, etc — we’ll get into that.), but what i can tell you is that it does a few things i adored. first, as i think all my fellow aspec people adore (this is just a personal theory via anecdotal evidence, don’t take this as gospel haha), we’ve got a beautiful little found family happening. i love how it’s portrayed a little community of aspec characters, all with varying experiences/labels, who have bonded over together about their shared niche and nerdy interests. a group who happens to be brought together because they’re ace and not because that’s their only shared trait.

but okay, let’s move on our main man jack. because boy oh boy is he a character. he grew on me throughout the book for sure, mostly because i truly related to his unstoppable disaster ace energy. it’s truly a vibe, and i was here for it. however sometimes his narration was a bit much, especially when trying to break the fourth wall. unfortunately, it just brought me out of the story more than enhancing it.

and okay, while we’re at it, lets mention a few things that irked me. i guess the obvious one is that the ending felt… unfinished. we didn’t receive much of a conclusion with a will they/won’t they situation. as much as that final chapter attempted to tell us not to worry about it, i just can’t?? i also just found the pacing to be a bit off. this was mostly in tandem with the ending, which just felt a bit rushed. i guess i just wanted to learn more about our aces wild group as flawed but fleshed-out individuals (and their group dynamics) before heist shenanigans began. we really didn’t get much.

but, all in all, despite its flaws, i think this book is a beautiful little addition to an ever-growing index of aspec literature. i cannot wait to see what amanda dewitt writes next. this was a strong debut from an author that is definitely on my radar now.

This was such a fun heist book! This will be a huge hit with teens who are sick of every book centering on romance (like my own teenager). Jack and his rag tag group of Aces were fantastic and I loved Kerry and Beth. Fantastic read!

Thank you to Peachtree Teen via NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for a truthful review.


Aces Wild follows Jack, our charismatic lead and heir to a Las Vegas Casino legacy. When his mom gets arrested for ties to organized crime, he leaves his private school where he runs an underground blackjack ring and heads to the twinkling vegas strip. Set on redeeming his mom, and with his eye on her jilted lover, Peter Carlevaro, he gets together a team for a heist. This team comprises of asexual teens he met online, and his best friends for two years. Delightful hijinx ensues.

Our narrator Jack is a dazzling voice. He carrie’s the reader through the story with charm. Each character is lively, and so endearing. Most engaging are his gang of teens, especially Lucky, with her fiery quips, and Remy, the sweetest love interest I’ve met in a minute. This cute, clever, and refreshing story is diverse and informational without ever being preachy. It not only was exciting and packed with action, but it covered family and found family without ever getting too heavy. Representation matters, and this book is filled with asexual characters that are all distinct and have different experiences!

The teenagers had such realistic conversations, and it felt very in touch with modern tech and lingo.

The only thing that makes this not a five star read is that, while the story is extremely compelling, I don’t feel as though the heist was taken to the extremes it could’ve been. At first, I was nervous it was going to be too exaggerated, but I think that I was a bit underwhelmed by the heist packaging of the novel. For a tale of friendship and love, it hit all the marks, it just felt like it was a different story than what was promised to be delivered.

hey, I was able to read this early through net galley, as a precursor.

the review:
As someone who is both ace and loves six of crows, this book really caught my eye because of its cast of characters. And I have to say, it didn't disappoint. The characters, while all ace, had varying backgrounds and personalities that allowed them to really shine, especially under the context of the plot. It also deals with issues that ace people deal with, like invalidation of identity, and infantilization. Overall, I wasn't a big fan of the plot, but I loved the characters. As someone who thrives off of character driven plots, this was right up my alley :)

I love heist stories and this was a nice one, but the heist is nothing when compared to the great cast of characters. I love all of them! My babies! Overall a really enjoyable read, and I feel like I can't say any more without spoiling some of the fun of this wild ride.
It'll come out in September, and I think everyone should check it out!

I loved this book from the beginning.

The characters were amazing, especially the friend group. I haven't read many books that I can think of with Ace/Aro rep. It was very nice to see these relationships grow together and see how they helped each other be better people in the end.

The plot was so good, as was the pacing of the book. The only flaw I found with this book is that I saw the big "twist" at the end coming so it just wasn't surprising to me. Otherwise, this book was fantastic and a great read.

THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY! Except for the part that i fell in love with this book.

I have to say, the idea of an ace main character was crazy to me but a whole friendship group full of beautiful ace people? I lost my mind, some pages were like looking at a mirror of my own feelings and i felt so valid. Reading this book gave me so much comfort it was almost like they were my friends. I got attached to all of them.
The story is definitely much more character driven and that can be a good or a bad thing depending on your own taste. In my case i did feel like the plot was a bit predictable, but that didn't bother me that much because I loved the dialogues and the character dynamics.
The ending is pretty solid but leaves you wanting more of them, it's almost like wanting to check in to see how are things and how they are doing cause honestly, the plot of the book got solved but I still wanted more funny conversations and cute moments between them. They essence and energy is incredible and found family trope is definitely my favorite so this was a book i enjoyed with all my soul.

I ended up giving this 4.5 stars (rounded up on gr rating) because i wanted the heist/plot part to be a little bit more developed HOWEVER it isn't something that stuck out as a criticism and didn't let me enjoy the book overall since the characters/friendships are so beautifully developed.