This one had a good start, but then started to drag a bit. I will still probably buy it or check it out from my library because I think my feelings could be based on it being an e-book format and I want to give it a chance.

Wow, I cannot explain what a good book this is. It's one of those rare novels that I didn't necessarily enjoy reading, but can't stop talking about and recommending. I expected the plot to be more "Gossip Girl" and it ended up being a healthy helping of "Get Out." Without revealing Aces true identity, I can honestly say I never saw it coming. The pace is fast and the story is very plot-driven. It'll have you on the edge of your seat. The story reached what I thought would be the climax within the first of the three parts, so parts 2 and 3 were a wild ride I just had to buckle in for. I say I didn't necessarily enjoy reading the book because our main characters rarely get a break: it's one awful secret revealed after another. As a white person it also made me uncomfortable reading about some of the racism the characters experience. I appreciate Àbíké-Íyímídé for writing these scenes to help educate me and other white readers. One last thing I loved about this book are the LGBT character(s) and their representation. I would recommend this book.

I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. It had good parts in it and some parts I liked, but there was a lot of the story that was a bit too predictable.
It is a lot like Gossip Girl and Get Out. It also reminded me of I Know What You Did Last Summer, which is where some of it being too predictable came from with the similarities there. It's a YA contemporary thriller with a private school with intrigue and everything. This does discuss and touch on some important topics like racism, prejudice, and such. There are also m/m and f/f relationships with the main characters in the story as well.
Also for trigger/content warnings, Profanity/Language, Sexual Content, Racism, Blackmail, Suicide, Death, and Violence.
If you're looking for a thriller and you liked Gossip Girl, Get Out, or I Know What You Did Last Summer then you might like to check this one out.

Absolutely LOVED this book. I would adopt this into my classroom for choice reading or book clubs ASAP. This was one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Ace of Spades

Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Book Series: Standalone

Diversity: Black main characters, one is gay and the other is at least bisexual. F/f and m/m romances

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: Ya readers, mystery, secret society, thriller, racism

Genre: YA Thriller/Mystery

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 480

Recommended Age: 16+ (Murder, Sexual content, Getting outed, Homophobia, Racism, Mention of teacher/student affair/statutory rape mention, Blackmail, Language, Suicide mention, Death, Violence)

Synopsis: An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because 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...

Review: I really enjoyed this book. Going into the story, I felt like the book would be a lot like One of Us is Lying but then about 50% in it took a hard left and I absolutely love the twist on this. I loved our two main characters, they did well working off of each other even though they were the complete opposites of one another. I also enjoyed the character development of some of the other side characters in this book and the world building was very well done. I do have to say if you are really interested in thriller/secret society books I am highly recommending this one and I'm going as far as to say I think this should be required reading because of the topics that the book touches on such as racism in education and eugenics and its racist roots.

The only real criticism I have about the book is that the epilogue is a little short, I wish I got to see a little bit more but I'm hoping that there is a sequel to this book in the future because I would still be interested in seeing Devon and Chiamaka's journey in doing what they're doing in the future. I also hope that in the final book that the ending chapters are a little bit elongated as I felt like they were a little bit too fast-paced for the rest of the book and that there was too much happening for what short passages the arc had.

Verdict: Highly recommend and recommended reading

4.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of this to review! I know Ace of Spades is getting a lot of buzz, and definitely for good reason. I was on the edge of my seat for the last half of this book, desperate to know what happens next!

If thrillers are what you like to read in the summer, this is definitely the one for you. This book gives me a little bit of One of Us I Lying vibes with the rumors swirling around the school. However, it gets a lot darker towards the end, especially since Àbíké-Íyímídé deals specifically with racism. This may be a fictional book, but it’s scary that it’s something you could likely see happening in the real world.

Àbíké-Íyímídé is skilled at pacing her book so that just when you think it’s over, it’s not. Something else happens. While there were elements of the mystery that I guessed, the way it unfolds makes up for it. Devon and Chiamaka both had unique voices, and even if they might not be the most likeable in the beginning, you’re rooting for them to uncover who’s been putting them in danger.

There are also some great side characters here that act as foils for our two main narrators. I think my only complaint would really be that I don’t think the epilogue was necessary. It could have ended before that, and I still would have been happy as a reader.

All in all, if you’re looking for your next thriller, definitely pick this one up June 1st!

4.5 stars

Ace of Spaces is a heart-pounding and harrowing academic thriller that drew me slowly before packing a mighty wallop. Providing suspense and social commentary with equal measure, it definitely lives up to the "Gossip Girl meets Get Out" tagline.

Structured as a dual POV between our protagonists Devon and Chiamaka, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé does an exceptional job of giving each character an incredibly distinct voice. It makes for a really dynamic read, especially as Àbíké-Íyímídé really starts to pull out the big twists. I pride myself in typically being able to guess who the evil mastermind is in books like these, but Ace of Spades had my jaw on the FLOOR multiple times!

The only reason that I knocked off the half star is that there were a few moments where the pacing got a little wonky for me, but honestly this is an absolutely stellar debut! I can see on Goodreads that Àbíké-Íyímídé is already working on a second novel and you can bet that it will be on my TBR as soon as the release date drops. For now, I will settle for telling as many people as I can to pick up a copy of this book on June 1st!

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This book was so good! I was obsessed with Pretty Little Liars when I was younger and I haven't read a YA thriller since then that left me feeling the way that series did.... Until I picked up this book!

I love the way race and social commentary are incorporated and it was one of those stories that kept me on the edge of my seat, even when I'd guessed what would happen next. This was so fun.

Everyone has secrets. But not everyone has their deepest secrets texted to the school for everyone to see. Devon is one of only two black students at Niveus High, Chiamaka being the other. Devon is from the other side of the tracks, with a single mother who works three jobs to keep him and his two brothers happy. He’s a nobody, at Niveus to receive a top notch education and get into Juilliard. Chiamaka comes from privilege and she has a carefully maintained popular persona that she’s done everything to maintain. She dreams of going to Yale and studying medicine. As Ace blasts the entire school with their secrets, their dreams are going down the drain and their relationships are in tatters. They have to work together to discover who is behind all this, before things get seriously dangerous and before all the secrets they’ve worked so hard to hide are all out in the open.

Ace of Spades is so suspenseful, some serious Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl vibes, here. The switching POV chapters make it even more so, jumping from one POV to another right when something interesting happens to the other person. It kept me reading long past when I should have been getting ready for bed! Though Chiamaka is portrayed as a horrible person in the beginning, I found myself identifying with her as we got to know her. Devon is still my favorite, though, since I identify most closely with his background and family difficulties. Chi’s family is more absent from her life, aloof. They’re both complete people from the start, their secrets and mannerisms slowly revealed, both through Ace and their own internal monologues. I was barely a quarter of the way through and I was already feeling so upset by everything! In less than two weeks, everything about their life feels changed and even their futures at Niveus seem in jeopardy, much less their wider future: college, jobs. Even their lives.

As the book goes on, the tension heightens to...well, an ending I did not like. It did not fit the hype of the entire book leading up to it, not at all. It felt too easy, too predictable. The big reveal happened about three quarters of the way through the book and that was pretty shocking. But then what Deveon and Chiamaka do about it seems like not enough; it seems too gullible and trusting in a system that I know has let them down, especially Devon since his family doesn’t even have money. I found Chiamaka and Devon to be far too gullible, not being suspicious enough of coincidences and clues left in the story for the reader, that they should have noticed and questioned, too. There were so many unanswered questions! A couple bits and plotlines that were hinted at and then dropped completely. I just...the ending doesn’t measure up to my expectations from the rest of the book.

I loved the setting and how Niveus was built up to be this amazing academy before everything starts to go wrong for Chiamaka and Devon. I thought, at first, that the school was in the UK somewhere, or at least Europe, because of the descriptions. It took me quite a while and a little bit of confusion, to figure out that it’s set in America, probably near the east coast and maybe in New York. It honestly felt like an episode of Black Mirror for most of the book, with a suspicious person sending messages to everyone and people in masks following Devon and Chi. Niveus was supposed to be how Chi and Devon were to succeed and now everything seems to be going down the drain. I expected the both of them to be more upset than they were but everything happens so quickly after they discover what’s going on that maybe they’re in shock?

This book is an excellent example of the systemic racism the world participates in. Even if you’re rich and beautiful and successful, people will still look down on you. Even if you’re smart and talented, people will still degrade you. They will treat you like the diversity hire or the affirmative action choice and so hold it against you--as if you succeeding is because of your skin color and nothing else. As if you aren’t at least just as good as everyone else, and don’t have to work a million times harder to fight against the stereotypes. Why do people resent people of color for succeeding? Why are their accomplishments seen as less because what they look like? I really appreciated the comments and questions this book had in regards to racism and how Devon especially couldn’t see that racism could be the reason he and Chiamaka were being targeted. Which, considering they were the only two black students in an entire school of white people, and they were the only ones being targeted, is pretty willfully ignorant. I know Devon wants to get into the school of his dreams and keeping his head down and doing his work is his way of doing that but seriously.

Even though I found the ending to be lacking, the suspense build up was fun and kept me reading until the end. Though as I watched the percentage left tick down, I kept thinking, how is this gonna end? Is this the end? Is this really the end? And then the tension dissolved into disappointment. Even so, I really enjoyed the majority of this book and the concepts it dealt with, as well as the academy setting, though school wasn’t a feature. Not a lot of homework being done, or tests being taken. This is a part I weirdly enjoy about school set novels and I was missing it. I think because homework wasn’t getting done, I was getting anxious and wondered at the fact that neither of our characters were getting anxiety from incomplete assignments after years of academic excellence. I also think there should have been more suspense--more texts from Ace, more getting followed and having pictures taken, more exposure of Devon’s and Chiamaka’s secrets.

This book has many things in common with a lot of YA series that I enjoy. Pretty Little Liars, Scream Queens, Private (by Kate Brian), Gossip Girl...I definitely think others will enjoy this book as well as the important topics it touches on like systemic racism, gaslighting, and queer topics as well as many others. The storytelling felt honest and relatable, very realistic, and Chi and Devon were both likable characters, complicated and well thought out. I think that, even though the ending was not my thing, the characters and suspense building were enough for me to rate this book well. I sincerely look forward to reading more from Faridah

Let me introduce your next five star read. Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is an absolute work of art. This book is advertised as Gossip Girl crossed with Get Out and it truly delivers! If you are a fan of exposé's of any kind, this is the book for you! (Plus you get to support a Gen Z author as well so like... win win!)

Ace of Spades focuses on two main characters: Devon and Chiamaka; the only two black students at Niveus Private Academy. Their senior year starts off strong, both are nominated to be prefects for their class, Chiamaka even becoming head prefect (though that's no surprise as she has been head prefect for the last three years). However, it all starts to go terribly wrong as a cyberbully, named Aces, begins to target them specifically and things rapidly spiral out of control.

The book focuses on so many important themes such as diversity in private institutions; microaggressions; LGBTQ+ issues including coming out, struggling with your sexuality, and homophobia; as well as calling out toxic relationships (whether platonic or romantic). Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé artfully wraps up so many important issues people face today. I don't even like thrillers and this is my favorite book of 2021 so far. It is the type of book that leaves you with a sick feeling in your gut as all the clues come together, I could not put it down and I know so many others will feel the same way when it comes out.

If you are on the fence: read it. You won't regret it.

~~

Free copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review :)

This book had me on the edge of my seat. Compulsively readable and un-put-down-able, this sinister story of cyber-bullying and racism hooked me from the beginning. Full of power imbalances and an impending feeling of disaster, as I read my eyes bulged and my chest tightened. With the high-school drama at a 10, you won't be able to believe what happens. While I wanted the story to round out a bit more at the end, the excitement pulled me through and left me breathless after turning the last page.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Get Out meets Gossip Girl in this YA dark academia about 2 black teenagers at a private academy who are being harassed by someone who's dead set on taking them down.

I was highly anticipating this story, from the cover to the synopsis, it just sounded amazing. It DID NOT disappoint. I am speechless at the growing sense of uneasiness that this story created, while also making you appreciate the main characters more with each chapter. We follow Chiamaka and Devon, the only black students at this academy, as their secrets start to spread around their school bringing them together to try and figure out who's trying to take them down. I loved how things progressed and the harassment built up until the truth was revealed. The author mixed in a heavy dose of reality at every step of the story and showed us the true horrors of academia.

The 2 main characters went through so much during this book. Their load was heavy and seeing their secrets be revealed was heartstopping but also allowed us to learn more about them as characters. I was so excited upon finding out that we have a black boy who likes boys! Devon is so sweet and just wants a better life but his realistic outlook on the future allows him to come to terms with a lot of the things happening to them quicker than Chiamaka does. He was a talented musician, a loving son, a loyal boyfriend, a struggling boy. His friendship with Terrell was also lovely to see, those two together were a trip.
Chiamaka was a girl that knew what she had to fit in and wasn't afraid to do it. Seeing her persona crumble was heartbreaking as we see the depths to which their harasser goes to humiliate her. Aside form that, I loved her romantic journey.
Their epilogue were also.... Yes

I highly recommend you check this book out. It not only has the action packed plot but also intriguing characters and a mix of romance that ties it all together. I couldn't get enough of this story.

3.5 stars, technically.
"Ace of Spades" is pitched as Gossip Girl meets Get Out, and this is a 100% accurate description. The overall premise of the story is very intriguing and well thought-out. I have to be honest though, it took me a VERY LONG TIME to read this book. I'm not sure if the beginning itself is slow, or if it's because I'm still not used to reading books on my phone and that's why it takes me longer to get into the story. It's broken up into 3 acts, and I didn't feel all that invested until well into act 2. Despite how long it took for things to get moving, I still was having the appropriate/expected reactions while reading: uneasiness, anticipation, shock, disgust. It also has great representation and I love each of the side storylines.
Once the story took off, it REALLY took off. I probably read the last half of the book in just a few hours! I couldn't put it down. I think I would have loved this book more if I had had a physical copy, which is why this review is low. I'd love to reread it with that physical copy once I can get my hands on one, and see if I can get into it any faster.

"They say love and hate are the same, just at different ends of the blade"

Miss Àbíké-Íyímídé is really onto a winner with this novel

Described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out is 110% right.

This YA mystery thriller follows Devon and Chiamaka in their final year of high school at Niveus Private Academy. Devon wants to blend in whilst Chiamaka wants to solidify herself as the 'Queen Bee' of Niveus Academy. Both completely different people. The only thing that they do have in common is that they're the only two black students. (Sus already, right?) However, that all changes when an anonymous bully, named Aces, exposes Devon and Chiamaka's secrets day by day. Knowing the serious consequences of their secrets being exposed Devon and Chiamaka team up to put an end to Aces. But it becomes apparent that they are involved in a much larger world of lies and betrayals.

When I say this book is amazing, it's AMAZING. Also by a debut author as well! You would think Miss Àbíké-Íyímídé had been writing for years. I could not put this book down. Every page I turned I wanted to work out the mystery as fast as I could.

Àbíké-Íyímídé does an incredible job of authentically examining how young black people operate and navigate in white spaces and racism. I want to truly praise Àbíké-Íyímídé for not shying away from the brutal and harmful nature of it means to black and existing in white-dominated spaces. It's uncomfortable, it is frightening and does hurt. It's real. Which she portrays very well in both Devon and Chiamaka. I believe it is quite easy when authors explore the issue of race/racism in works of fiction they tend to look at the issues on a macro level. Forgetting that the individuals, the victims of racism are human too. Whilst discussing race/racism in fiction those who experience it become dehumanised within the discussion.

Yet, Àbíké-Íyímídé combats this conscientiously by highlighting Chi and Devon as individuals just like anyone else who have dreams, wishes and desires for themselves and their futures.

Àbíké-Íyímídé also does a great job of exploring homophobia, police brutality as well. Especially heightened via the dual POVs. Chi and Devon's narratives are distinct in their own ways but work brilliantly together to allow the reader to follow their journey and unravel the mystery surrounding the academy. So, as you witness Chi and Devon's unlikely friendship develop, it's great to see how much their goals and values align with one another. making you all the more route for them to their happy ending.

My only critique per se is that I wanted to know more about the side characters within the story. Àbíké-Íyímídé gives her side characters unique personalities that are memorable - that you want to know more about their motives and ideals behind their actions.

Oh, the ending as well. It left me with so many questions. But sometimes leaving the story's ending open is better for the thrill of it all.

Overall, Ace of Spades is genuis piece of work by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. The plot will have you turning the page so quickly you might not just believe. Just when you think you have pieced together the mystery, the twists and turns make the novel that more exciting.

I can't wait to see what Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé does next!

Many thanks to Fierce Reads and YALLWEST for giving me a digital ARC through their #AcesofSpades sweepstake competition on Twitter.

My review is of my own thoughts and opinions

Well, the marketing is true - this really is a mix between Gossip Girl and Get Out. When you first start reading it, you think you are getting a high school drama read, maybe with a dash of a secret society, similar to My Vengeful Hearts. However, what you then get is so much more.

My only pause on this book (and clearly not enough to knock it down a star) is I wish we found out a bit more context about Aces and how they continue to operate after so many years. However, even without that information, the idea of social eugenics is terrifying in and of itself.

And even without that aspect, this book also does a great job at touching on homophobia particularly in a community of color, microaggressions in predominantly white spaces, and the insidiousness of racism and white supremacy.

This is an absolutely fantastic and terrifying read.

Ace of Spades: 4.5/5

Thank you, Feiwel Friends and NetGalley, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

"The smell of bitch-ass liar is nauseating.

This book is incredible. I refuse to shut up about it.

Premise:
This YA thriller will have you on the edge of your seat. Previously described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out is 100% accurate, but it is also so much more. Devon and Chiamaka are complete opposites. Devon is gay and wants to blend in, while Chiamaka strives for popularity and is on top of Niveus Private Academy's social scene. The only thing the two have in common: is that they're the only two black students, but everything changes when an anonymous bully, who goes by the name Aces, exposes Devon and Chiamaka's secrets. The unlikely pair work together to find the identity of Aces and get pulled into a web of secrets, betrayal, and more.

Writing & Plot:
It isn't easy to believe this is a debut novel. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé killed it with this book. I read the entirety of it in one sitting because I could not put it down. This is the first book I truly felt the need to annotate because I tried to solve the mystery myself. Ace of Spades is uncomfortable, thrilling, and terrifying as it blatantly explores themes of racism, homophobia, police brutality, and more. It is told in the two perspectives of Chiamaka and Devon as they slowly find their way to each other and build an unlikely friendship while trying to fight their demons. Ace of Spades is 100% one of the best debut novels I have ever read.

Now, is it perfect? No. I wish there were a bit more development at the end of the book. I still have some unanswered questions regarding specific characters, but the plot 100% makes up for it.

Characters:
Gosh, I loved both Devon and Chiamaka. They are two of the most dynamic, evolved, and interesting characters I have ever read. Not one perspective was better than another. They equally shared incredible stories, which are difficult to pull off in dual perspective stories. I loved reading both points of view, and both have incredibly distinct voices that you can tell who is speaking at which time, even without prompts.

The side characters as well were highly distinct from one another. Although their personalities were unique, I wish we got more backstory about each of them and a small piece in the epilogue regarding their outcome. Most of my unanswered questions revolve around these side characters and their legacy.

Conclusion:
Ace of Spades is genius. I usually do not gravitate towards mystery and thriller, but this book may have changed my mind. The twists and turns will catch you off guard and have you gasping out loud. I could not put this book down, and I believe it will be in my top 10 reads of 2021. I cannot recommend this book enough; it is incredible.

I wasn’t very far in Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades when I started to realize that something really strange was happening with the characters. Some of the pieces of this YA novel are familiar from other books about the power of privilege and the difficulty of navigating systems of power as an outsider, but other parts are wholly original.

There’s a predominantly white private academy with a few key student honors for Senior Prefects. The narrative focuses on two students, the only Black students in their grade: Chiamaka Adebayo who has been forging a path to the top of her class, of the social scene, of every extracurricular, since she was a freshman; and Devon Richards who tries to stay as invisible as possible, banking on his talent as a musician to pave his way (and his family’s way) out of poverty.

On the first day of their senior year, they attend the opening assembly with a new headmaster and find out the prefects. It’s no surprise that Chiamaka is named Head Prefect, but everyone is shocked when Devon receives one of the other Prefect spots. This is not part of the plan, and this initial contrast between Chiamaka’s confident acceptance of what she sees herself as being owed and Devon’s complete shock was immediately compelling.

Chiamaka is surrounded by people, but they’re not really friends (at least mostly). Instead, she has a series of transactional relationships that help her to maintain her popularity—maybe her “popularity”—while doing the same for them. The one exception is Jamie, her absolute best friend . . . and the guy she’s had a crush on forever. Finally, she thinks it’s time for them to define their relationship differently. Devon, conversely, is a loner. He has one person, Jack, who has been his friend for a long time, but lately, that friendship seems to be based more in memory than in reality. Àbíké-Íyímídé develops these characters effectively as she shows how they are both so alone but in different ways.

Clearly, Chiamaka and Devon are complete opposites. The only things they have in common are their race AND that they each have secrets that could ruin all of their plans. So when someone who goes by the moniker Ace of Spades starts sharing those secrets with the entire student body, Chiamaka and Devon are drawn to each other for support and to work together to solve the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which earns its comps to Get Out. It took me a few chapters to be pulled in completely, but once the plot started unfurling, I couldn’t wait to pick up this book, which was just wild. Àbíké-Íyímídé writes the book in chapters that alternate between Chiamaka’s and Devon’s points of view, which amped up the suspense as I tried to piece together the real story behind the sabotage. The author addresses issues of race, sexuality, privilege, and class, all while developing two complex characters and a thrilling plot.

A YA THRILLER I read in one sitting!!! Following Devon and Chiamaka as they discover who was behind Aces, the text messenger that was divulging all their secrets had my nerves going bad. There were so many surprising layers to this story, fake and secret relationships, racism, murder, and a secret society. I think Ace of Spades has a powerful message that will make readers think differently about the world of academia.
Thanks NetGalley!

4.5 stars!

Dark academia, touted as Gossip Girl meets Get Out, and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé delivers! Chiamaka Adebayo and Devon Richards are the only two black students in their elite private school. However, they could not be more different from one another. Chiamaka, born in to a life of privilege, has been working hard to reach the top of the social pyramid. Devon on the other hand, comes from the wrong side of town, at school on scholarship, with only one friend, and trying to fly under the radar until he is able to get in to Juilliard. Now, as seniors, the year starts off well, as both are selected as class Prefects. However, then everything starts to fall apart when both are targeted by the mysterious Aces. Chiamaka and Devon are thrown together and need to learn to trust one another when there is no one else they are able to turn to.

The book is suspenseful and exciting, with heart-racing moments. It explores issues of race, homophobia, elitism/classism, and more. I appreciated that even the main characters are flawed and imperfect. However, I do wish that some of the other characters had more of a good/bad balance as well. Overall, this is a great YA contemporary thriller, and I am so thankful to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a chance to read this ARC!

<i>"Whispers are like snakes; they slither into your ears and threaten to poison your sanity with their venom."</i>

Oooooh, this is a tricky one to review for me.
So, disclaimer: it is clear that this was a deeply personal story for Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé to write/tell, and it shows. There are also *really important* messages to this story that are so relevant to today, and *need* to be out there in the world for readers to read. And I loved the messages, and appreciated them, and thought they were handled deftly.

But the craft of the story was what fell a bit short for me.
That is -- this was billed as <i>Gossip Girl</i> meets <i>Get Out</i>, which I can see. I mean, I haven't actually *seen* <i>Get Out</i> because I am 100% a total wimp when it comes to horror and can't handle anything more stressful than a political thriller. But I know the general premise and The Twist, so I think it's a fair comparison. To me, it felt like <i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (right down to the stupidity of the characters who just kept making dumb moves and trusting people they shouldn't and just generally doing everything wrong. Which I think is a trope of the genre, but still. Frustrating.)

But here's the thing about a book medium: you have to be really, really adept at pacing and storytelling to be able to mimic that same creepiness you get from a TV show/movie -- where it's a lot easier to do, simply because you have more tricks up your sleeve: you have lighting and creepy, ominous soundtracks, and the visual images of actors looking terrified or unsettled or sinister. (Like how every ep of PLL ended with A doing something suuuper creepy.) It's much trickier to execute in a book because you have to rely solely on the written word and the reader's imagination -- and there were times when I was reading when I just...drifted.

﹅ -- Part of that is because the book doesn't really pick up until about 60% in. That is *a lot* of set-up, especially when you're navigating two POV characters. There's about 15% in the middle where things ramp up -- but, to me, the last 25% just felt rushed and a bit predictable.

﹅ -- It was also really hard for me to get through that first 60%, because the plot seemed a bit redundant.
This is 100% a personal thing, and not at all a commentary on Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, but I had just read <i>Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry</i> and there are a lot of initial similarities between the two books. They both feature upper-class Black girls (who have a douchey white Boy Best Friend whom they're secretly in love with) who get blackmailed by an anonymous bully. Yes, the plots do diverge, but the concept wasn't fully fresh for me. Again, *totally* a personal thing.
And, given the comparisons to <i>Get Out</i>, I kinda felt like I knew what the twist was.

﹅ -- Counting this one as a "meh" rather than a negative (probably because, again, I've read some truly awful and unlikable characters lately) but Chiamaka is a bit of an unlikable protagonist. I get the <i>Gossip Girl</i> angle -- she's totally a Blair (and I think there's even a reference to her?) -- and her assertiveness is meant to contrast Devon's relative meekness, as well as portray a strong, confident Black Girl who's at the top (???) in all aspects of life, and I respect that. But, the manipulation and cruelty were a bit much -- after all, it was an eternal thorn in Blair's side that Serena was so effortlessly likable and popular -- and she did it without having to resort to backstabbing and Mean Girl games.

﹅ -- Another "not-really-either-positive-or-negative-more-of-a-I-noticed-this-and-wasn't-really-a -fan," there was a weird mix of British/American stuff going on. Goodreads tells me that Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is from London, so the Britishisms make sense: there's references to diaries (rather than a planner or calendar or datebook) and the whole concept of a prefect system is distinctly British.
But the book is set in....America? More specific than that, I can't tell you. (More on this in a bit.) And Chi and Devon didn't really seem to *do* much as prefects; it just seemed to be a way to bestow a title on them which could then be revoked.

Okay -- slightly more spoilery thoughts below, so if you want to remain unspoiled, stop reading:

✘ -- More on the Setting. This really bothered me. I get that Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was commenting on the pervasiveness of racism and white privilege and white history, but I have *many* questions about where this book is supposedly set.
1 -- We know the school was founded in 1717 -- which, I get the number symbolism, but seems *really* early in American history. I did go to Google to double-check my American History memories, and the first part of the 18th century was fraught with wars and conflict. I mean, sure, Yale was founded in 1701, but that's YALE -- not a random private high school. Were high schools even a thing in 1717? I guess it could have evolved over the years but...
2 -- This kind limits the setting to the East Coast, because colonizers/explorers didn't really get much farther than that, what with the wars with the Native Americans and all. We're talking original 13 colonies and all.
3 -- The school is set in between a rich neighborhood and a really low-income one. Yes, obviously that can happen in big cities -- like New York or Baltimore where you cross one street and the whole demeanor shifts, but IDK. I didn't get "big city vibes" here.
4 -- They're also apparently within walking distance of the ocean. Mmmmkay.
5 -- Given the pervasive racism -- that's alive enough to have families organize a camp for white nationalists in 1965 -- that *screams* South, and people still clinging to visions of Old Dixie and ruined historical narratives of What Life Could Have Been Like If The War Of Northern Aggression Hadn't Happened. Which feels like the setting possibilities are narrowed to North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia...so, maybe Savannah? IDK. I don't know many big cities on the coast within walking distance of the ocean. Something like Atlanta could be a contender , but that's in the middle of the state.
As one other reviewer said, "Especially for something that has a twist reliant on US history, it needs to have the effects of that history (gerrymandered districts, urban sprawl and transportation access, etc.) represented."
YES. AGREE 100%. I needed more details on the setting especially if it's set in the US.

✘ -- IDK exactly what year this is set, some time after 1985 (the last year referenced in the school) and....Twitter becoming normal, but I really thought these teens would have more social media savviness. This might not be a fair thing to be frustrated by, but Devon doesn't use his phone for more than texting until the end, when he "happens" to open Twitter, fire off one Tweet (without many hashtags!), and then it goes viral.
And WHY would Chi and Devon not have vetted/researched their journalist? Why would they not have looked for a Black journalist/news anchor? I saw this twist coming a mile away, which was frustrating. I work with 18 year olds, and they are *so* savvy about these things -- especially students purportedly as smart as Chi and Devon are. So for them to NOT take to social media or do their research ahead of time...just felt odd to me.

Overall, this was a "fine" read for me -- I felt like I just wanted "more" in terms of story. I actually think this might have worked as a duology -- maybe the split between books is where the reveal about Niveus happened. I get why it was one book -- horror/thrillers are usually self-contained cycles (Scream resets each time, for example) -- but I felt there was just too much set-up where not much happened, and the ending came barreling to a conclusion without much resolution. What happened to Belle? What happened to Dre? IDK.