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.

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!

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.

Holy guacamole, this book. I read it in three sittings, thought about it endlessly at work, desperate to get back to it to get lost in the web of Abike-Iyimide's world. I am messed up, just like I get after reading a Tiffany D. Jackson novel. Except instead of questioning the trustworthiness of the narrator I was questioning the trustworthiness of the society the main characters are in. And that is even more terrifying. The most unnerving was how so much of this book I could see happening in real life, the strategic, terrorizing, racist abuse didn't feel fictional. I also absolutely loved the multi-chapter epilogue to let me properly settle into the ending as so many epilogues feel rushed with too much smushed in. Her timing is impeccable, the characters are complex and alive. Thanks to NetGalley and Usborne for an early copy!

Niveus Academy is an exclusive school for the rich and powerful. Chiamaka has made it to senior year at the top of her class with a perfect record and is hopefully headed to Yale for med school. Devon is there on scholarship as be battles to get out of his neighed through his musical talent qnd the connections at Niveus. Senior year it all goes wrong though as a mysterious Aces seems to be targeting Chiamaka and Devon and is hellbent on exposing their secrets. This book is like a YA version of the movie Get Out and it is fantastic! I don’t want to say more and give too much away but it is a powerful and important read and one that will have you mistrusting everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for letting me read an Advanced Readers Copy of this book!

Ace of Spades is the debut novel from Faridah Abike-Iyimide. The tagline reads that it's Gossip Girl meets Get Out and that's a pretty accurate description. Devon, a quiet music student, and Chiamaka, the overachieving Head Prefect, are the only 2 black high school students at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy. Starting their senior year, a mysterious anonymous texter, Aces, is targeting them with secrets they would prefer to keep hidden. Things start to escalate and fall apart, and it's a race for them to discover who is behind it all.

I enjoyed the characterization of the main characters, especially Devon, who is a quiet and introspective guy who is trying to figure out what it means to be Black and gay in today's society. He's on scholarship to the school and is highly aware of just how different he is from everyone else at the school.

This book was well written, and the plot zips along - although I kind of guessed what was going to happen, it was still entertaining to see it unfolding. This was quite the ride and I'm happy I got a chance to read it!

I was really excited to read this book and I liked a lot of things about it. The concept was great and I was compelled to keep reading to find out who Aces was. Unfortunately there were several things that I thought didn't work that were distracting and took away from my enjoyment of the story.

One big problem is the setting. I felt like the one throwaway line about how the school is "like a cross between America and England" didn't do enough to fix the author's seeming lack of familiarity with the way American teens speak (aside from things like "registration" instead of homeroom and prefects not existing in American schools, an American would say "it's supposed to be you," not "it's meant to be you" and we only know "CCTV" from watching BBC police procedurals, there are a ton of little things like that) or to make up for the fact that even the fanciest private schools in America do not have multiple libraries or mandatory balls in dedicated ballrooms that are only unlocked once a year. I'm not sure why the book isn't just set in England, or why those small issues weren't corrected in the editing process. I think it would have also helped to have a more distinct sense of an actual city or region where the school is. And there is just NO WAY that two Black American teenagers who are the only two Black students in the whole school and who have no other connection would be targeted in this way and not instantly see that racism is at the root of it. That was a suspension of disbelief that I couldn't quite pull off.

I also felt confused about Chiamaka and Devon's family relationships. I'm sure there's an explanation for why Chi has an Italian father and her parents are married but she only has her mother's Nigerian last name, but none is ever given. It also wasn't believable to me that her dad's family is racist toward her and her mother but it's just never discussed, or that Chi and her mom have never talked about her mother's family or how they felt about her parents' marriage. It also felt like a huge stretch to believe that Devon's dad went to prison and was executed within what seemed like weeks when most inmates sit on death row for decades before being executed, or that Devon just wouldn't have had any idea what his dad allegedly did or that he was executed for it almost immediately. Both characters' relationships with their parents just felt like a big plot hole to me when they could have been such an opportunity to deepen the character development and story.

In terms of character development, I expected Chiamaka to have more of a redemption arc. She's just such a shallow, misguided person and she never really comes to the realization that she needs to change her entire worldview and way of dealing with other people. While I did like that she is tough and knows what she wants in life, I felt like that could have still been the case without her ending the book still seeing every interaction with another person as purely transactional. I was glad she didn't forgive Belle, but I wish Belle's hinted at remorse would have been better used to show that her wrong actions were what mattered. Devon is an absolute sweetheart, but his memory gaps started to feel like an excuse for not filling in more of his somewhat hazy story. Oh and their use of social media: the idea that he would tweet about the school and then not look at twitter again for more than 24 hours made no sense. (Also American teens abandoned Facebook years ago, so Chi seeing Belle's post there felt off.) And why do they type their initials at the end of every text message? The formatting of those text exchanges may have just been off in the digital galley so maybe that was for the sake of clarity in this early version.

It was disappointing that not one single person in the entire school or town could be trusted to be anything less that pure evil, and the villains ended up feeling cartoonish for lack of contrast. The fire and explosions remaining unexplained at the end felt like a huge loose end that could have served the story a lot better with an explanation. The sudden change of headmasters is also never explained but should have been.