4.5 stars

Smart, searing, fast-paced, and unexpected, this book took my breath away. I was hooked from the get go. Dark, and suspenseful, I enjoyed every moment of this wild ride. I can't wait for more from this author!

Oh my gosh is to a complete binge worthy read. If you loved YA in the past or if it's ur current genre you need to read this book. This book is amazing and it's a must read for everyone.

An incredibly compelling, page-turning story that I constantly found myself not wanting to put down just because I HAD to figure out what happened next! I was super into the dark-academia vibes this book gave off. I also loved the social commentary woven throughout. Everything from race and privilege to being a teen and the pressures of expectations and peers.

I will say, the ending was slightly anticlimactic. The reveal and build up was well done but it ended quite suddenly and could have been worked out a bit more.

I knew absolutely nothing about this book before I started reading it, and I am so glad for that. At first, it just seemed like a regular book about rich prep school kids and the difficulties of being the one poor kid thrown into the mix. But then things took a very dark turn. Another review I saw described this as "Gossip Girl meets Get Out," and I think that's probably the best way to pitch the story without giving too much away. It's a fast-paced, YA thriller that I immediately need to add to my classroom library.

This was really good! I rarely read thrillers but I loved this dark academia setting. This books covers so many important topics like racism, internalized racism, homophobia, generational trauma, classism, and more. This is a very dark story so please use caution if these topics are triggers for you. Things just kept getting worse and worse for these two characters that it felt a little bleak and exhausting at times, but I imagine that’s the point. The author keeps things engaging with her excellent pacing, twists, and character development.

I wish the Devon and Chiamaka would have opened up to each other and become friends early on especially as they are clearly the main victims. But then again their backgrounds are so different. Also sometimes internalized racism can prevent you from reaching out to someone of your own race because you desperately want to stay under people’s radar and not stand out. This book really hit hard on how microaggressions, blatant racist remarks, and stereotypes can really affect the way children (and adults) see themselves and their “worth.”

We eventually see these two reach a point where they do form a strong support system for each other and others, and that was really beautiful. I wish there had been some lighter moments in the story but we get a fantastic ending and epilogue that really made me want to throw my fist in the air in triumph.

Seriously, this books had so many twists and turns. I had no idea who was Aces and was on the edge of my seat. The author also did a fantastic job of tackling a lot of heavy topics without it making feel like a trauma checklist. There’s an intersectionality to all the themes. Overall, I highly recommend for thriller and non-thriller readers!

This book was so amazing, it's hard to know where to begin!

The story starts out like a typical YA, with the popular girl and non-popular boy each starting out their senior year at the private school they go to. Although they are both the only black students in the school, they have nothing else in common. From there, things quickly change when an anonymous texter named "Aces" starts spreading gossip and secrets and turning their lives upside down.

There wasn't a dull moment in this book. As each secret gets revealed, the stakes get higher and higher and things fall apart more and more for Chiamaka and Devon. The story goes beyond a normal thriller and discusses so many important things like bullying, racism, homophobia, and classism.

I know this is a popular Bookstagram read and I'd just like to add to the hype and say you need to read this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was really excited for this one. Suggested it as a book club read and so i attempted to read it for said book club. But i couldn’t get into it. I read about 30%, but wasnt super intrigued by the story line. It seemed done before (very Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl like)

This was unreal, truly. Chills after chills after chills and it was so difficult to read but Faridah is an EXCELLENT writer. This book met its pitch of “Gossip Girl meets Get Out” exactly and though the Black trauma was not easy to wade through, it’s one of those stories that felt too easy to be actually real. I had to remind myself that I wasn’t reading a historical encounter but I wouldn’t be shocked if a true story like this popped up on the news one day. I’m really looking forward to Faridah’s future works. A lot of young debut authors struggle to hold their light when compared to other authors in the industry, especially to ones who have been writing for years, so when I found out that Faridah is only 22 and has been on the NYTimes best selling list for 10 weeks already, I was shocked. AOS reads like a third novel of a well-known and well-established author and that just speaks volumes to the talent, to the way she brought Chiamaka and Devon to life in a stand-alone and yet gave you everything you needed to leave feeling unsettled. I cant recommend this book enough.

A well written suspense book with fun characters. The pace of the book connections to the imagination and picks up further in the book. A recommend read for YA. We have copies of the book in our bookstore.

Really good example of how to do dark academia in a diverse setting, complete with lies, beyrayal, and secrets. I really enjoyed the dynamic that characters had with each other, as well as the way the author blended issues that African American students face in academia. It was really a breath of fresh air to finally see non-white kids in dark academia.

This is dark academia at its finest!

This has been hyped by literally everybody in the bookish community; and now I know why. It was such an incredible story that needed to be told.

The social commentary on racism within the education system (and beyond that) was interesting and definitely eye-opening to read about. There were so many incredible quotes that stuck with me; I eventually want to reread the book and annotate it.

Which speaking of, I loved the writing style. It made the pacing super quick that there were never any slow moments.There were so many twists and turns, I didn’t see coming (well I saw one thing coming, but that was about it) but I kept wanting to know what would happen next, I was so freaking addicted.

I adored the queer rep in this. Devon was gay, Chiamaka was queer. It was refreshing to see two POC queer main characters being represented in a YA novel. I also loved both Devon and Chiamaka so much; each of them deserved the world.

Trigger warnings for racism, homophobia (there’s an outing involved), violence and more. I would advise you to read a full trigger warning list before reading.

If you haven't read this yet, I HIGHLY suggest you do. It's such an amazing read and truly one of my favourite reads of 2021 so far.

This is ABSOLUTELY gossip girl meets get out, and it totally met all of my expectations. At times I found the plot a little drawn out, but given how wrapped up I was in the story, I didn’t mind too much. Add in incredibly and nuanced Black and Queer characters and I am so here for it. YA at its finest for sure, but I’d hand this one to so many readers. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!

There's no better description of this book than Get Out meets Gossip Girl. It was so intense, but kept you guessing at every point. I loved how unsettling this book was along the way. However, I did feel like there were points where it tended to drag on. The further I got into the book though, I couldn't put it down!

Whoa. 4.5 stars.

In a dark mix of Gossip Girl meets Dear White People (and I've heard Get Out, but haven't seen that movie), Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé brings us a twisty thriller full of secrets, betrayal, and suspense. 

At Niveus Private Academy, Chiamaka and Devon are the only two black students. They're also the only two targets of anonymous, life-ruining texts being sent to the student body. Unsure of how far the texts will go and what secrets will be uncovered, Chiamaka and Devon try to uncover who is behind Aces and who they can trust so that their futures aren't destroyed.

This book was intense! Holy smokes. I didn't expect such dark themes in a YA book, but if we're honest about it, racism is always dark. If you like thrillers, this is a must-read. Loved all of the unexpected twists!

It's a 5 ⭐️ for me!
*read on audio, received the ARC from NetGalley*

I was originally drawn to this book because of how it was marketed- a Get Out x Gossip Girl mystery/thriller combination. I had no idea the scope of this book!!

Ace of Spades follows two POVs- Devon, a musical genius and soon to be Julliard student, and Chiamaka, the Queen of Niveus Private Academy, who's got a first class ticket to medical school. In their senior year, both students have risen to the top of the class in their own ways and ultimately plan to stay there, until someone anonymously starts sending out cryptic texts and videos revealing secrets the two never thought would come to surface. To find out the origin of this anonymous voice, Devon and Chiamaka must learn to work together or lose everything.

I LOVED this book so much!! It's been a long time since I felt like I could gush about a YA book and confidently say it is a five star, but this book is a FIVE STAR BABY!!! Not only is this book thrilling, but also the mystery- the plot twists- were everything!! I was so engrossed experiencing it on audio, and absolutely loved the storytelling. Ace of Spades talks race/racism, and classism (among other topics which we won't spoil) in such a real way that I was convinced this was based on a true story. I also loved the LGBTQ rep and how damn normal it was just to love and be loved (thought obviously this isn't a romance y'all I was still swooning)!!

This book opened the door to the question: could this actually happen in the world we live in today?

Faridah also has one of the best author's notes I've ever read. I cried hearing it from her own voice. I highly recommend sticking around in the audio to hear it. Overall this book is compelling, fast-paced, more mystery than thriller and hard to put down. Highly recommend!!

*Please look up trigger warnings if you need them as there is some sensitive content in this book*

xx
-Christine

Damn! That was tense. And good. If Get Out and Pretty Little Liars had a baby, this would be it. Nice character building and believable mystery/horror. Ending seemed a bit rushed and unlikely.

I enjoyed the beginning but as the book went on I liked it less and less. In a way it is surprising the author is Black because the female MC felt like a white character is blackface. I did not finish the book.

After the announcement of the senior prefects, an anonymous texter who goes by the name Aces begins revealing scandalous information about them. Two students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are being targeted hard. Suddenly, their futures are not looking so bright as their social and academic lives begin to crumble. When Aces shows no signs of stopping, the two team up to unmask the perpetrator and salvage what they can of their reputations.

This book was such a thrilling read! From the beginning, I was shocked by how quickly it delved into drama. Devon is a complicated character. He’s a kid trying to make it out of a hard situation. Of course he has skeletons, but don’t we all? I felt such sympathy for him and wanted to punch Aces in the face several times. Chiamaka was less likable, but even coming from a place of privilege, she had her own issues to overcome. By the end, I was rooting for her too. This book is laced with layers of social commentary and psychological thrills. It truly had me guessing and even when I thought it was all figured out, the ending got me again. I will say that this book has some intense content. Warnings for violence, sexual assault, outing, drug use, and more. I wouldn’t recommend it to the faint of heart. Very well written and engaging, this thriller is perfect for those who crave a twisty, dark, and far too real exploration of what it takes to get to and stay at the top.

This book was a compelling, impossible to put down story. I was immediately sucked into the lives of the characters and what was happening at the school. I tore through it in about 2 sittings. It is definitely a book that is out to make a statement and it's so important. I love that the author crafted this incredible story with a message that rings true, unfortunately, still today in schools. 4/5 Because it was upsetting at times, but so so good.

Popular over-achiever Chiamaka and aspiring musician Devon are the only Black students at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy. They aren't friends, but when someone starts spilling their secrets to the whole student body via anonymous texts, they're forced to work together to figure out who is behind the prank--and to stop them before even worse secrets get revealed.

I definitely expected this book to be a fantasy based on the cover and the fact that it's at an elite private school, which was incorrect! It's more thriller/mystery. Atmospherically, it had a great creeping sense of danger and doom that escalated all the way to the end. The unmasking of "Aces" was really interesting, although I wish the reveal had happened a little earlier to give more time for a satisfying conclusion. Regardless, this book kept me guessing through the very end!