A gorgeous slap in the face (that’s much needed) for white readers. Folding up the complex evil that is racism into a dark academia thriller package, this book is a must read!

In the Niveus academy, everyone reeks of money. It’s simply a school for rich white kids. But that was mostly okay for scholarship student Devon and the perfectionist Chiamaka. They’re black but that never got them any particular attention. Until everyone in school starts receiving messages of Devon’s private photos and soon later Chiamaka is targeted too. Aces seems to be exposing every secret of our main characters that they can get their hands. They have to team up eventually to catch and stop Aces. But soon it’s obvious that things are not as they seem and there are so many hidden secrets and lies.

I enjoyed reading this thriller, it was fast-paced and kept me guessing. The main characters were likable. Chiamaka was strong-willed and stops at nothing to get what she wants. While Devon was caring and kind. Also, this book is shelved as LGBT so if you want to know, Devon is gay and Chiamaka is bi. I found Devon’s part in particular well-handled.

This book had a powerful message, and discrimination against black students needs to be addressed because more often than not, the educators, too, are complicit or at least turning a blind eye. This needs to stop.

I'm so glad I finally picked this one up. It was a wild ride. It was sort of a trust-nobody type of story with lots of twists, where the only two Black students at this prestigious school are being exposed for things in their past.

If you're looking for a YA mystery-thriller, this is definitely something to pick up. I couldn't put it down and read in one day. I'm sure you will, too!

I wanted to like this book so much! Unfortunately, I only made it until about a third of the book before I abandoned it. I wasn't interested in the plot, and the characters fell flat for me. With that being said, I do think there is still value to this book, and it does dive into some LGBTQ issues that I think need a place in literature!

A great read and a wonderful mystery. I loved the characters and writing and I know my students will enjoy this as well! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved how the thriller/suspense aspects of this book revealed themselves slowly. I've been avoiding reading summaries or many details about titles lately, so while I knew this a was a prep school story, I wasn't expecting the dive into individual and systemic racism that is beautifully brought to life in this story. I loved it and can't wait to connect this title to my HS readers.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

I’ve had this book for close to year before release and was hesitant to read because I am not a huge thriller or mystery reader. Most of these kinds of stories are not told from the POC experience or envisionment, but this story is and it so darn captivating and I loved the two main characters. As a POC, I related to the underlying messages. I’d love to see this story told again kind of in the truly devious vein. I love this author and I am so glad I got the read this story and love and root for these characters. I will beg of you all to give this story a chance and to really fall deep into.

I adored this book! I loved the setting, the mystery, the drama and all of the queer black rep. This was truly a mix of Gossip Girl and Get Out. It had me on the edge of my seat from the start. I cannot wait to re-read this book soon!

HOLY FLIPPING COW

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé DID THAT

POINT

BLANK

PERIDOT

I have a video on my channel https://youtu.be/ZAK0QHqgvm8 for my full thoughts

This was the elite school thriller I would have gone bananas for in high school. Even as an adult I loved the characters (especially how ruthless Chiamaka was) and couldn’t wait to see how aces was dealt with. Great fast paced thriller!

The only two black students at Niveus Academy were on track. Chiamaka is the popular, rich girl who has med school dreams and does everything right. Devon is the scholarship kid who's working toward his own dream of being accepted into Julliard. Suddenly, the mysterious Aces starts revealing all their secrets to the rest of the school. This is a fast-paced thriller that you won't want to put down! It's a great addition to the Dark Academia genre!

I loved reading this novel, although at times it was incredibly stressful (in a good way). The realism present in the events of the novel, especially the aggressions faced by Chiamaka and Devon were very real in many ways, and I think the author did a great job of balancing the expectations, the reality, and the actions taken by each character. I did struggle somewhat with the fact that the conclusion of the novel doesn't give closure for all elements of the plot, which is challenging. Despite the big climactic finish, there was a certain sense of 'is that it?' that I felt regarding the conclusion of a few key character arcs (notably Belle, Andre, and Devon's mom). However, overall I think this is an extremely tight and well-written novel that addresses the institutionalized racism so many young people face in their lives.

This book was great! I cannot believe it is a debut. The characters were well developed and I was rooting for them hard. I really felt for them.The plot progression was also perfectly paced and kept me on my toes. I NEEDED to know what was gonna happen and who was behind Aces. I also appreciated the way the social commentary was incorporated into the book. It was seamless while also providing an ending twist that was unexpected and interesting.

Ace Of Spades is one of my allllllllllll time favorite books to read and write and post about! The link to my blog post is below...there are so many things that In could say but I feel my blog post speaks for me!

I will start by saying: I was never and will never be the fully intended audience of this book. I am a white person and will never know what it is like to be targeted like Devon and Chiamaka. That said, this book was phenomenal. This is a must read

Dark academia with a powerful message and intense pacing! This twisty thriller hooks readers and doesn't let go until the end! A deep look into institutionalized racism and the people courageous enough to fight back. It's so relevant to current cultural movement. Àbíké-Íyímídé really nailed it with this debut.

Get Out meets Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars in this AMAZING YA debut.
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Welcome to Nievus Private Academy, the best education money can buy where Chaimaka is a senior and finally made Head Prefect. This is going to be her year: the year where she continues to excel, get the boy of her dreams and go on to Yale to become a doctor. Devon is also hoping to have a great senior year composing original music in the hopes of getting accepted into Juilliard. However a mysterious & anonymous texter named Ace has other plans for both these students. Secrets begin to leak, photographs emerge and soon Chiamaka and Devon are running for their lives. It’s not safe for them at Nievus…it’s not safe anywhere. But who is Ace and why are they out to get them?
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I’ve been seeing this book all over #booktok for the past month and finally was able to read it and 🤯 THE ENDING! Like I cannot say enough great things about this novel. This was an incredibly well written mystery that I will be thinking about for a long time. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s my favorite book of the month and top 10 of the year so far. Everyone grab this immediately! *Make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end as well.
CW: classism, racism, homophobia, violence, murder, mention of suicide

This was a wonderful debut read - the synopsis of the book is on target so you knew immediately you were going to be reading about dark academia angst despite the cover not feeling thriller oriented. Be forewarned it's a slow build-up however it's a good one because it really builds on the foundation of the book. The last 5-7 chapters to the ending felt a bit rushed but in my opinion everything wraps up nicely.
So far 2021 is shaping up to be great debut read for books about racism & prejudice on my bookshelves: Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry (Joya Goffney) and Ace of Spades (Faridah Abike-lyimide) and I look forward to continuing these opportunities to read. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan (Feiwel & Friends) for the opportunity to read Ace of Spades.

This book had me reading on the edge of my seat! It started out as a somewhat typical private school bullying YA novel, but then the twists got more intense until everything we knew was flipped upside down. Fans of Jordan Peele's movies will love this book! I loved the characters and trying to figure out who could be trusted or not. The dialogue felt fresh and authentic to how teens really think/talk. My only complaint would be I think the plot slowed too much in the middle and then felt a tad rushed for the thrilling conclusion. Overall, excellent read that is exactly what YA thrillers need and teens will love.