I went into this story expecting a fun, light mystery but that’s not exactly what this is and I was pleasantly surprised.
Ace of Spades touches on so many dark topics, while still being a compulsively-readable thriller.
We have a Gossip Girl like character, Aces, who targets the only two black students at Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka. We follow along as they try to uncover the mystery of who is behind the harassment. There were a lot of secrets, lies, very unlikable characters, and deep conversations. There is talk of drugs, abandonment, homophobia, racism, bullying, gaslighting, incarceration, death of a parent, white supremacy, assault, etc..
I thought it all came together so well, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. I was surprised to learn this was the author’s debut and am excited for what she will come out with in the future.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC and all opinions are my own*

Ace of Spades is perfectly pitched as Gossip Girl meets Get Out. There are only two Black students at the elite, private Niveus Academy and it seems like somebody - or everybody - has it out for them. This is eerie and full of suspense - I felt like I was waiting for a jump scare;. the evil in this book is so insidious, unsettling, and unfortunately real that I couldn’t help but be constantly on edge.

How good is this book? I could barely put it down and read it in one day! From the beginning I felt deeply invested in Devon and Chiamaka and their stories. They are the two Black students at a private school catering to the rich and powerful, but they're not friends. Chiamaka, whose family is wealthy, feels a part of the world and has worked hard to be at the top of the school's social hierarchy. Devon knows he doesn't fit in -- he's from the poor side of town and is on scholarship, practicing for a shot at Julliard. Both Chiamaka and Devon have big dreams but just as they're on the cusp of seeing those dreams realized, the unthinkable happens -- they become targets of a hateful, anonymous smear campaign and school-wide bullying. It soon becomes clear that they can't trust anyone except each other.

I rage read this book and felt so much anxiety for the characters that I was sweating profusely the entire time (ew, I know, but true). This is a psychological thriller and mystery but it's rooted in very real, systemic issues like racism, classism, and homophobia. The wide reaching effects of racism are revealed not only in the practices of the corrupt academy, but in Devon and Chiamaka's families, friendships, and romantic relationships. There's so much pain and the story is very intense, but it's also fierce. A truly powerful and unforgettable novel.

CW: racism, homophobia, slurs, abuse, bullying, suicidal ideation, outing, blackmail

I really loved the book the main reason I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars, is because it took me awhile to get into the story. But once I did, the story took off and never slowed down. The twist and turns just kept coming. And I really loved the 2 main characters. I would definitely read more books by this author. And I would really recommend this book if you want a book with a lot of twist and turns.

I am sorry to say that this one just didn't work for me. The inconstant plot/story, and the characters were just kind of meh. I thought that this was going to be a wicked thriller that I was going to fall for but it just didn't work. This was just a mess of characters that showed up and didn't know how to do anything. The writing was poor and I just don't know what else to say about this one.

This was an excellent book, especially for a debut from such a young author. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once it got going, I was absolutely hooked. I loved the alternating chapters and how the two protagonists eventually must work together to solve the mystery of "Aces". I think high school students will love this book.

Overall: Fast-paced social commentary with a dark academic mystery? Sign me up all over again.

Pros:
Dark Academia. I am very hit-or-miss with dark academia and this book is definitely a hit.
Social Commentary and Mystery Mix. The way it mixes the social commentary with the mystery elements of the story.
Pacing. This book is the definition of fast-paced need to know what is happening next.

Cons:
Length. Either a pro-or-con depending on your mileage for this one. Some sections seemed better than others as a result.

This book. I haven’t finished a book in less than a day in a long time. This was a grittier version of One Of Us Is Lying, with a fuck-ton of racism throw in. Like on every page. It was a tough read in some ways, because of shit Devon and Chiamaka deal with, but that didn’t stop me from blowing through it. It was gripping and had my heart racing in parts—in anger, in fear, in sadness.

But last lines are very worth it.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was a great read. I featured it as Book of the Day on all my social media platforms, and I’ll include it in my monthly roundup of news releases for my Black Fiction Addiction blog.

Chiamaka and Devon have nothing in common except three things: they both attend the prestigious high school Niveus, they are both black, and someone is out to ruin their lives. This book is told in the popular dual narration, Devon and Chiamaka are both the narrators and each chapter is told by them in first person. As seniors at Niveus, both are awarded the role of prefect which seems to have status, and later seems to have some implication about who is up for valedictorian, although that isn’t clear at the beginning. Almost immediately after the announcement of the prefects, anonymous text messages begin swirling around the student body. Devon and Chiamaka are the topics of the texts, and the texts are revealing some details of their lives that neither of them want revealed.
Eventually Chiamaka and Devon team up to find out who is out to ruin their futures, but it doesn’t happen easily. Chiamaka is from a wealthy family and is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it. Devon is from “the wrong side of the tracks” and has had to work hard every day of his life to be able to attend Niveus. They don’t see eye-to-eye on many of the decisions they make together, even up to the climax of the book. However, they do learn how to work together and even form a friendship.
The book is mainly set in the high school with scenes in Chiamaka and Devon’s house and occasionally in one of their friend’s houses. There are a few flashback scenes were the reader discovers more about the main characters’ pasts, including a scene that makes Chiamaka look like an accomplice to murder. The author does a good job of keeping the reader in the dark about who is actually behind the attempt to ruin Chimaka and Devon’s lives, but if you’re paying attention, you will definitely pick up on at least one or two potential suspects.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. There is good character development, and it was not easy to predict the ending, which I feel is THE essential element of a good mystery novel.

I know that “can’t put it down” is now a cliche, an overused phrase that makes people roll their eyes. That said? I spent every minute I wasn’t reading it (mostly thanks to my job) thinking about what was happening, what was actually going on, who was responsible...?

This is the kind of book that won’t let go of your attention. So if I were you? Take the day off work or school.

Highly recommended.

Unfortunately, I was less than thrilled with this thriller. While I was properly horrified by the events in the story and the trauma Chiamaka and Devon were put through, I didn't find the storytelling to be all that shocking. There wasn't really the element of surprise and it resulted in me not really feeling any suspense while reading. The Gossip Girl meets Get Out description is way too telling of the plot. Good writing, great realistic main characters, just no suspense or thrill or in this thriller.

"Ace of Spades has been pitched as “Get Out meets Gossip Girl”. And while the description is accurate, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s debut is incredibly well-done in a refreshingly unique way. The dark academia thriller centers queer Black characters, dedicated to “all the Black kids drowning in the sunken place, desperately trying to claw their way out.” Much like the movie it’s compared to, Ace of Spades contains many allegorical parallels to the real experiences of Black people in predominantly white institutions. The fear and horror that the book elicits is not in its mystery, but in its status as a fiction that parallels a contemporary reality."

[rest of excerpted review included in link below]

I am speechless. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé created a THRILLING MASTERPIECE with this one and I know this book and my reading experience of this book is going to stay with me forever. There was so much to love with this novel. The character development was amazing. Chiamaka and Devon really grew throughout the course of the book and developed the tools to learn more about themselves and their blackness, and that alone was a delight to see. What I really appreciated, though about this book was the representation of what gaslighting and trauma looks and feels like when it comes to race. I think this book will really connect to Black people who grew up in predominantly white environments- the juxtaposition of feeling both hyper=visible and invisible AT THE SAME TIME was done so well with this novel.

Though this book deserves to be a 5 star read (just because the concept and the plot points were SO creative), I did wish that more of the side characters received a resolution at the end. I love a good cliffhanger, but the ending wrapped up so quickly. I think it would have also been cool to get more details about how the main characters processed their experiences throughout the book.

There are a lot of heavy topics in this book (trigger warnings for sexual assault, gaslighting, bullying, violence, and racial trauma), but if you can make it through you will be rewarded with a truly captivating thriller you won't be able to put down.

This hands down is my FAVORITE book of 2021. I absolutely adore everything about it. The writing was impeccable and I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The description of this book as Gossip Girl meets Get out is spot on and really describes the feel of the book. I enjoyed the representation and the important discussions that went on in the novel. I cannot wait to read more by Faridah Abike-Iyimide!

Wow wow wow. I apologize in advance but I don't know how else to articulate how good this was! Any book I read half of in a day is a winner, and this was no exception.

Comped to Gossip Girl and Get Out, this dual POV story follows the only two Black kids attending Niveus Private Academy. In their senior year at the elite private school, the pair suddenly become the target of an anonymous figure named Aces. Every corner of their lives are scoured and their secrets exposed with incriminating videos and images. Any shred of privacy or safety they once had is gone. What follows in a dark and twisty mystery that is so well written and nuanced.

This was such an intense book. It was so hard to put down because I needed to know what came next. As each secret was spilled, I had this awful sense of foreboding that would keep growing. There's this ominous undertone to the story that had me believing there was no way this could end well for Chiamaka or Devon, but it's such good storytelling. The mystery of Aces was so intriguing. As the two investigate Aces identity, you are taken down so many twisting revelations that you can't trust anyone. It's so nerve-racking! And the way it integrates race and white supremacy was truly so well done.

The two main characters in this were fabulous. They come from two very different worlds and yet I found both to be so relatable as their worlds crashed down around them. Chiamaka is a wealthy and popular fixture at Niveus. Half Italian on her Dad's side with both her parents as doctors, she is relatively new rich for the school but she is queen bee regardless. Senior year is going to be her year. This is when her best friend finally realizes he's in love with her, she'll be crowned queen at the Snowflake Ball, and she will get into the university of her dreams. Devon is at Niveus primarily due to good grades and a scholarship. His Mom is working herself to the bone to keep him there so he can make something of his life instead of selling drugs like other kids in the neighbourhood, including his ex-boyfriend. Devon only has one friend, but all he needs in life is his music and the dream of joining Juliard.

I was lucky enough to receive both an e-ARC and an early audio version from Raincoast Books and the publisher respectively. I chose to do the audiobook and was so glad I did. First, the narrators for the two main characters were fabulous. Their voices suited the story so well and sucked me in with every chapter. Second, I think listening to this made the story that much more intriguing. Hearing the fear in their voices made me want to root for them so much more and hope with an almost desperation that they get a happy ending.

Faridah is definitely an author I'm going to be watching from here on out. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

Easily one of the best books I have ever read, I am utterly obsessed with this book! Ever since I read it, I have been recommending it to anyone who will listen. This book is everything and then some.

The comp of Gossip Girl meets Get Out is so accurate but also, it;s much more. It's that but better. I think everyone should read this book, it was an instant five star read for me. Each page I read, just further proved that to me.

I really loved both of the main characters, the way they are completely different from each other but yet found themselves in the same situation. I kept wanting them to become best friends and while that doesn't really happen until the end, I realized that is okay. Because that is the journey they have to go on as characters and it was quite honestly so beautiful to see their growth. The ending had me in tears, it was perfect.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I am so very much looking forward to another book from this fantastic new author!

Best book I have read all year. Such an amazing book that dealt with so many topics in such a good way. It was interesting and thrilling and had my heart racing throughout all of it.

Oh my goodness you guys…this one gave me all the Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars vibes. It is SO good!!

Chiamaka and Devon attend the prestigious Niveus Private Academy and are selected to be prefects for their senior year. Everything appears to be going great until one day, Aces starts sending out anonymous text messages about them to the student body, spilling damaging secrets. With no sign of Aces stopping and not knowing who else to trust, Chi and Devon join forces to put a stop to Aces before its too late…♠️

I really recommend this one to anyone who was a fan of #gossipgirl or #PLL It also tackles racism, white supremacy, privilege and sexuality. The author’s note at the end is also really powerful. It was 5⭐️ for me!!!

WOW. This book is by far one of my favorite books I have ever read!! it was powerful, suspenseful, and incredible!!! 5/5 stars!!