Chiamaka and Devon must face an anonymous entity revealing damaging secrets about them. This is a dark tale that gives little hope.

Ace of Spades is an expertly-paced contemporary thriller/mystery that its target audience will devour. There is also strong nostalgia to dark academia classics such as Cruel Intentions and the Heathers that will make this book appealing to readers who grew up during the release of that media.

The novel's dual POV is perfect in the sense that its characters have a balance of a separate life but also an interconnected plot and enough interaction with one another that you don't feel as if you are reading two different novels. Aces is also a truly terrifying bigger than life force as PoC readers know all too well about the deep, extensive reach of systemic racism and the teaching of racism by dominant groups.

My only reason for not giving it five stars is that at times Chiamaka's physical description was a bit inconsistent. For example, she's described as having loose curly, brown hair, and then in another chapter, she talks about her kinks as if she has coarse-textured hair? I believe her appearance was supposed to serve as a commentary on whiteness in beauty standards, but it fell a little flat for me as I couldn't get a good picture as to how she really looked,

There were many excellent aspects to this book - strong characters, an intense and thrilling plot, and strong writing. I will say many of the plot twists were quite obvious from as early as the first third of the book, which made this more of a “how did this happen” narrative rather than “what will happen.”

However, overall it was so disturbing for so much of the book, with very little redemption at the end, that I found it a very difficult read. Potential spoilers to follow. Aside from younger siblings, every single person the two main characters know betray them to some degree - parents, friends, teachers, love interests, etc. because of this, it was emotionally brutal. While I often enjoy novels that tackle dark and painful issues, I was not prepared for it based on the comparisons to books like Gossip Girl, and the way it is marketed in a sensationalized manner that let me to think this was entertainment. I think a content warning would be appropriate, specifically for the cult dynamics, allusions to rape, and chronic abuse.

Because of this experience, I am not publishing this review on social sites, as my perspective may be biased.

WOW!! The bar for YA thrillers just rose y'all.

This is a killer thriller and had everything I wanted - intrigue, drama, action, you name it! And with a blurb that summarizes it as Gossip Girl meets Get Out? You know I was into it. And even better, this book lives up to that blurb. This is a racially motivated thriller that touches on systemic racism, elitist institutions and gatekeeping, and homophobia within the Black community. I will continue to sing this book's praises because just... WOW!!

This book was incredibly, incredibly well done. Chiamaka and Devon were so well written, flawed and compelling. The vibes from Gossip Girl and Get Out were definitely there but this story was all it’s own. With twists and turns only black teenagers in America could understand. Ace of Spades is thrilling, emotional, powerful and more queer than I even hoped! I usually don’t love thrillers but I loved this one! A definite must read!

First, I would like to say that this book is BEYOND amazing. We follow Chiamaka, Niveus Private Academy’s it girl. She is the top of her class and is fawned on by all her classmates, but she has had to work hard to get to where she is and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. We also follow Devon, a quiet student who has always stayed out of the spotlight at Niveus, until now. This book is absolutely Gossip Girl meets Get Out. Chiamaka and Devon are the only two black students who go to Niveus Academy and at the start of their senior year someone called Aces starts sending extremely personal and damaging messages to the whole student body about the two of them. There is not much more that I can say without spoiling the story and trust me, you DO NOT want to be spoiled for any of this book.

I thought that this book was outstanding. The story, the characters, the plot, and the LIES were so gripping and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read this (which took me less than 48 hours might I add. I could not get enough of this book!!).

I think what really needs to be discussed with this book is the racism, as it is the whole point of this story. I think many will go into this book thinking, “oh this would never happen in real life,” but I know for a fact that it could. I grew up going to huge schools that only had a few black students in them but were full of conservative racists who would go out of their way to belittle them. Aside from focusing on the exact situation that takes place in this book, racism is something that is very real and is deeply rooted in people’s lives, as the story shows. Everyday horrible things happen to black peoples and any story that highlights how f*caked up that is, is an important book to read.

I got so invested so fast. Within five chapters I was fuming and firmly ready to punch a bitch and defend the two protagonists with my life, which is exactly why I’m telling you guys that you need to read Ace of Spades by @faridahlikestea when it comes out June 1st 2021

I’ve been having a real obsession since fall of mysteries that happen in private schools, and holy fucking shit was this... a little different? But I’m the best way possible. Ace of Spades is of Gossip Girl met Get Out.

I sat my ass down in English, opened the eARC that NetGalley had very kindly given me, and read it in one sitting. The only time I ever looked up was to write this review, part by part.

The story is horrifying. One read through gave me so much stress and fear and anger, although I’m sure it is only a fraction of what black people go through everyday living in America.

I cannot find the words to tell you how important it is that you read this book. It may be a work of fiction, but I highly doubt that it is not rooted in the truth. A little like the Handmaiden’s Tale, I suppose, in the sense that the story is terrible but wonderfully told and incredibly intense and cruel but never untrue. Never really wrong. I’ll stop it here before I start to cry of frustration, because I don’t know if I’m making sense anymore. I’m trying to summarize this book without giving away the brilliant plot. It’s something you want to believe is far fetched but know with the state of the world might be the truest thing.

Chiamaka is a brilliant and clever girl, and I love that she’s portrayed as beautiful, intelligent and popular. Devon is so talented and resourceful and so full of heart. And I’m so so glad for the LQBTQ rep hand in hand with BIPOC rep. We’ve seen enough of the white gay boy coming out trope. And this is a story about hate, systemic racism and classism so well told, by a black female author. Look at the news. Look at the world. You need to read this book. It’s even a contemporary fiction, to make the lessons easier to swallow. I’m so grateful for NetGalley and US Macmillan for giving me an eARC of this book, and guys please please get your hands on this as soon as you can.

This book is gonna make a lot of people uncomfortable. And it should.

It’s about two kids from separate social spheres who don’t have much in common - Chiamaka is rich, Devon is poor, Chiamaka is popular, Devon is not, etc... but they’re both Black and actually the only Black students at their school.

It starts with a text exposing one of their secrets, and it snowballs. Stuff about their life, super secret stuff, is getting leaked around the school. Things in their life start to fall apart and they finally band together to figure out who is targeting them - and why.

It’s not super revolutionary, but it’s pretty fast-paced and each chapter leaves you wanting more. The two POVs are both really good, with well-developed characters who both have plenty of problems and things to focus on outside of the Aces scandal stuff. There’s a good amount of side characters who all are well-realized as well.

Without spoiling anything, the texts are just one part of racism the two face, systemic and deep-rooted, and they find out a lot more than they were expecting when they begin to look for answers. It’s really tough to read and even tougher to see the parallels in real life. The way that Black peoples’ colleagues, employers, teachers, and even friends can be so performative but still be racist. The idea that there’s so many people that don’t believe Black people have the ability or the right to achieve whatever they dream and even the right to have dreams in the first place. It’s definitely upsetting and it should be. I think white people who read this will be inspired to reevaluate what racism and white supremacy are, and that it doesn’t take a white hood to be racist and wrong.

I honestly want to like this book more than I did. It has a great premise with a twist on the "all-knowing secret-revealer" and the books attempts to address issues of race and homophobia. That said, one protagonist is well-written and rounded. His backstory is a bit of a troupe, but builds on it enough that he adds to and progresses the narrative in meaningful ways..

The other protagonist exhibits problematic behavior in terms of how she uses other people. This behavior is never examined or even pointed out. Not every character needs to be sympathetic, but it makes the dynamic described in the epilogue less palpable and believable.

The discussion of racism would have been greatly enhanced with more illustrations of the subtle ways in which racism is seen.

The attempts in this book are admirable, but the execution is lacking.