Ace of Spades was a twisty (Gossip Girl type) story. The two main characters face blackmail and exposure that could ruin their future plans and reputations. The story was entertaining, interesting and the writing flowed well. I love the cover as well, very eye-catching.

This is one of those books that makes you so angry, not at the writer but that something so unjust and horrible is happening. A school turning against students and ruining their lives simply because of their race? This situation may be fiction, but things like this happen in real life too. Kids bullied, harassed, threatened because they're black or any race besides white. It enraged me, saddened me, and makes me want to do better. I hope others feel the same way after reading this.

The mystery part of the story was great, I was on the edge of my seat and constantly worried for Devon and Chiamara. I didn't trust anyone and just wanted them to get out and be safe. There were a couple things I guessed, but I enjoyed the reveals and some really surprised me.

The pacing of this is well done and the dual narration was a great choice. What a great debut and I'll be on the lookout for more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the copy.

At first I thought this was going to be another Gossip Girl, “who dun it?” I was happily surprised when it took an unexpected turn. The book’s perspective on sexuality and racism is very modern, and is thought provoking. Though I think the last few chapters felt a little rushed and some events came out of left field, I enjoyed the story and ending overall.

Niveus Private Academy is an elite private high school. Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo are entering their senior year as elected prefects, which is a great start to the new school year guaranteeing social clout and a foot up for prospective colleges. However, texts from an anonymous "Aces" begin to reveal secrets about each of them that begins the crumble of their academic, social, and personal lives.

Get Out meet Gossip Girl for sure! I was so excited about the concept of the book and Faridah Abike-Iyimide delivered! The book is written from Devon and Chiamaka's perspectives and the fact that they come from different worlds allows their respective narratives to be distinct. Devon is from neighborhood where crime, drugs, and gang activity take place; his mom has to work three jobs; Devon see Niveus and college as a means to escape the neighborhood. He is quiet, creative, and just wants to be successful enough to not struggle. He is also not out to his mom and knows that, in his neighborhood and from past experiences, being gay is damn-near a death sentence. Meanwhile, Chiamaka is wealthy (old Italian money); lives in an affluent neighborhood; her parents also work frequently, but have white collar jobs; she has been brought up to blend into white spaces. She is head-strong, hard-working, and confident in her position after scaling the social ladder. I don't want to give too much away, but by the halfway point I was looking at EVERYONE as a potential suspect and trying to decipher little clues in everything.

The only downside I found is the pacing where the book takes place in the first month-or-so of school but then the Snowflake Ball/climax scenes and aftermath felt rushed. However, this is a book that will stick with me for a while. I wish I could forget I read it, just so I can re-experience it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story about two black students at an upscale private school. Racism, homophobia, secrets. Surprises and twists await you.
The Ace of Spades sends text messages to the entire school body about the two students. WHO is that someone? What's the true purpose behind these messages?
The author covers many issues in today's society; one example, the boy's mother lectures to him on what to do and not to do when a cop stops him.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for choosing to publish this unforgettable debut.

Although a little too long, this book is a real page-turner with a lot of action, intrigue, and fully realized characters. Gossip Girl x Get Out is an incredible (and fitting) description, and for that alone it's worth the read.

4.5 stars
There’s been so much talk about this book and it’s the icing on top when it’s a debut. I love reading debut books that are extremely anticipated and Ace of Spades did not play around.

Devon and Chiamaka don’t really know each other, but they’re about to. Not just because they are elected as their senior class prefects, but because someone named Aces is anonymously out to get them, exposing their secrets via Gossip Girl style. Who is out to get them and why is everybody around them suddenly doing 180s?

As soon as I finished the first chapter, I knew this was going to get good. I’ve never seen Gossip Girl religiously, but it had that vibe of pish-posh and there were obviously shady people running amuck. Also, a new Headmaster that you know is greasy looking, if that makes sense. What caught me, too, is the contrast between Devon and Chiamaka, even though they were chosen as prefects. Devon is kind of a loner and keeps to himself at school since he doesn’t have money like everyone else. Chiamaka is the opposite with money, style, labels and the entire student body’s fear. With such a big contrast, you know something is going to go down that will turn everything upside down.

When the messages start to leak, nothing is sugar coated. Some messages are like a riddle, but it’s obvious what the secrets are. I didn’t even try to guess who Aces might be. It could be anyone because it’s hard to trust anyone they hung out with. I only trusted Devon and Chiamaka because they were legit scared and wanted to find out the truth.

It bothered me that their parents weren’t really involved in this. I mean, your kids are in a pretty dire situation. We aren’t going to address it or even throw them into the mix? I felt kind of let down by that, also by the fact they were treated like mediocre characters that didn’t really have a place in the story.

I’ve seen Get Out and I’ll tell you there are similarities to the tension and mysterious thrill in the book. The movie is creepy, but reading Ace of Spades and thinking about the movie in the back of your mind makes it all even more demented and terrifying. I think the ending could have been expanded more with a bit more umph, but I’m still astounded at the fact this is a debut and it’s really freaking good. Like, it messes with you and makes you think about it for a good while after you finish it.

I wonder what else Faridah has planned next?

What made this book different? It went there..all the way. Nothing held back. Your feelings and sense of fragility? Leave it at page one because if there’s one book that will force you to stare in to terrifying abyss of racism and systemic oppression, it is author Faridah Åbiké-Íyímídé’s ACE OF SPADES.

The first couple of reviews that crop up when you look at the novel’s Goodreads page say things like “Gossip Girl” and other seemingly trivial things. This book is not trivial. It unflinchingly dissolves the mask of civility and revels in forcing you to stare at its insidious, rapturous pages. You will not leave this book unscathed.

And you shouldn’t. ACE OF SPADES is not Gossip Girl. It is GET OUT: THE HUGH SCHOOL YEARS.

Niveus Academy is a playground and prepatory school not just for the elite, white, and economically privileged —it’s an indoctrination process for the maintaining the status quo of Black oppression through the use of Social Eugenics.

You won’t regret this read but it will undoubtedly shake you and potentially crack your foundation. 10/10 highly recommend

Wow, wow, wow I loved this book.

In this book we follow two students, Devon and Chiamaka, at Niveus Private Academy and they just happen to be the only two black students in the entire school. An anonymous texter known as Aces starts spreading the student's secrets throughout the school in hopes of getting them to drop out. Devon and Chiamaka are determined to stay in this school and expose Aces.

This book caused me so much anxiety. I was on edge the entire time. Every time a new character was introduced, I was convinced that they were Aces. Everyone had motivation, it was wild. I felt like this book was a good combination of thriller and modern horror. Fans of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and Get Out will love this book.

Ace of Spaces was a phenomenal debut tackling issues on intersectional sexuality, tokenism, bullying, and self discovery in one tripy ride of high school drama and modern day racist horror. It’s a fast pace read promising all the feels, and one heck of an ending!

I went into this book completely blind and had no idea what to expect except that people were raving about it. In the beginning it felt quite a bit like One of Us is Lying or some other YA mystery books. Then it took a bit of a Pretty Little Liars turn with the hooded person hiding in the shadows and spying, setting traps, recruiting a group of people to be Aces. But then this book took a hard left and covered some very serious systemic racism in this particular private school. I felt that the issues faced by Chiamaka and Devon are very real and serious, but I had a little bit of an issue believing the execution of the issues going on in this story. I don't want to give spoilers, but I feel as though a little suspension of reality is necessary in order for this book to truly pack the punch. If I came at it from the perspective of a YA mystery, though, this is one of the best ones I've read.

Ace of Spades is sure to be one of my top recommendations this fall. A great book club selection.

Dual narrative told by Chiamaka & Chi and Von are selected prefects senior year, they become targets of Aces. Someone is following them and sending all school text message blasts revealing things both would prefer remain hidden testing loyalties, wrecking friendships and leaving them to question if they can trust anyone. Chi & Von are trapped in a deadly plot that threatens to reveal all they have hidden and destroy the opportunities they’ve worked so hard to construct.

Readers will enjoy this thriller more if less is revealed now. Promoted as the Gossip Girl, Get Out book baby it doesn’t disappoint. Readers don’t want to miss this ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ read that moves with the power of a speeding freight train. Ace of Spades will leave readers thinking about more than the plot resolution after the final page. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus.

Devan and Chiamaka are the only two Black students attending Niveus Private Academy. Although they've had two very different high school experiences, they are both named senior prefects for the year. Then an anonymous bully, named Aces begins sending out texts, incriminating Devan and Chiamaka in various scandals. Although they weren't friends before, the two decide that they will join forces in order to stop Aces, before their futures are taken from them.

I really loved these characters and this story. The comparison of Gossip Girl meets Get Out was right on. I liked the mystery behind Aces and who was behind it. The book dives into much deeper topics than I had thought including racism, homophobia, elitism and white supremacy, in such an amazing and well done way. I listened to this on audio, and the narrators did a FABULOUS job with these characters and their voices. The suspense was palatable and I could not stop turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone!

Holy shit, what an incredible book. I already know my review isn't going to do this book justice, but here we go.

Triggers: racism, classism, homophobia, bullying, targeted hate crimes, death of a parent, car accident, stalking

This has been one of my most anticipated reads since the book deal was first announced, and even still, I was so nervous to read it since I didn’t want to end up being disappointed if the book didn’t live up to the hype that I created in my head. Spoiler alert, this book was INCREDIBLE and deserves all the praise.

Ace of Spades is told through dual narration that alternates between Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo. It’s senior year for Devon and Chiamaka, and both of them have perfect grades and have been selected as class prefects…both of which make them even more competitive for prestigious universities.

It’s also no secret that Devon and Chiamaka are the only two Black students at Niveus Academy. What should be smooth sailing for their senior year turns into an absolute nightmare since both Devon and Chiamaka are on the receiving end of virtual attacks by the anonymous Aces. The two of them must work together to solve this mystery before it’s not just their secrets that are at stake.

Let’s talk characters. Devon Richards is a gay, Black American boy who mainly keeps to himself outside of his one friend Jack. Instead of connecting with his classmates, Devon would rather focus on honing his music composition in order to get into Juilliard. Devon is an absolute cinnamon roll that needs to be protected at all costs.

Chiamaka Adebayo is a queer, biracial (Nigerian mother and Italian father) girl who is literally the queen B of Niveus and has her eyes set on Yale. Chiamaka is known for making the rules and her minions bowing down, so when the tables turn against her, Chiamaka has to dig into her old personality that she tried so hard to forget. While I wasn’t such a fan of Chiamaka at first, you better believe that I will go to bat for her any day of the week.

I’m not going to go into plot details because this is one of those books that you truly need to experience first hand. What I will say is that Àbíké-Íyímídé provides an unflinching examination of racism, classicism, prejudice, bullying, and queerness all within the context of a thriller setting.

I’ve always been drawn to dark academia stories, but I’ve always noticed that no one really wants to address the elephant in the room, which is the inherent racism and bias within the academic system. Àbíké-Íyímídé ensures that no one forgets that message in this book.

One last note is that to say this book is atmospheric is an absolute understatement especially in the second half of the book. As I progressed through the story, there was a growing sense of unease that resulted in a claustrophobic experience that led me to question everyone and everything that I was reading.

This is what I want more of when it comes to dark academia, but it’s not just secret societies with rich white people. There are very real consequences for BIPOC.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing a finished copy for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to #partner Netgalley for an advance e-copy of this book, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé's Ace of Spades, in exchange for an honest review. In this mysterious and darkly compelling YA novel, readers quickly discover that there are nefarious albeit anonymous forces at work in Niveus, the elite private school where protagonists Chiamaka and Devon both attend. As they each start their senior year, they discover a number of changes at the school including a new head master, and they both find themselves at the center of everyone's attention when they're both named school prefects.

Chiamaka, a perfect student focused on being on top in all ways at the school, is no surprise, but Devon prefers to be out of the spotlight and is caught off guard by this development. But it is just the first step in a multilayered and complex movement against them, which quickly spins into action as the first anonymous social media posts begin leaking their secrets.

"What I felt was a desperation to be powerful in a world that doesn't let girls be. Especially girls like me."

Devon and Chiamaka, very different students in their demeanor and school involvement, find themselves forced together as they work frantically to figure out how to stop the creepy persona, known only as Aces, from revealing their deepest, darkest secrets.

This pulse-racing plot moves quickly as Devon and Chiamaka race to uncover the source of the attack against them... but the more they uncover, the more they realize that things are far more sinister and widespread than they once believed, which leaves them desperate to find a way to change the game.

This is an excellent novel for teens that moves quickly and also comments on some of the darker aspects underpinning our social structures in America.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it completely delivered. Honestly, my heartbeat didn’t slow down for hours after I finished.

This book has been described as Gossip Girl meets Get Out (and even starts with quotes from both) and it’s the perfect description (although I might even throw a little Lovecraft Country in there too). I’m not sure why anyone needs to remake Gossip Girl when this property is sitting there perfect for an adaption.

The book takes place at Niveus Private Academy where everything is about getting into an Ivy League school and being the best. When a mysterious Aces starts revealing the secrets of Head girl Chiamaka and musician Devon, who also happen to be the only Black students at Niveus, things begin to escalate to dangerous levels. This book was a nonstop thriller to the point I was shouting out loud “NO DON’T TRUST THEM!”

This book deals with classism, racism and homophobia and the insidious nature of the things Aces unearths to Chiamaka, Devon and the reader are horrifying and gripping. I won’t be forgetting this book any time soon and would recommend it to just about anyone. I can’t wait to read what Àbíké-Íyímídé writes next.

I really wanted to like this one, and I am clearly in the minority with a lower review. It had so much potential and so many great aspects on the surface…great representation, some truly awful mysterious bullying that keeps you intrigued, and the systemic racism piece is also important. With all that said, the execution was problematic. The pacing was too slow, then great, then way too fast. The systemic racism is glossed over. The role of the school leadership is confusing/glossed over. Some characters are well developed and others are one dimensional. It WAS intriguing overall, but just too sloppy for me. The epilogue should not have existed and is a perfect example of how messy and rushed some aspects of this story were. Looks like it is and will be loved by others.

Ace of Spades is a YA thriller/mystery set in a private school with dual POV from Chiamaka and Devon - two students who couldn't be more different, but find themselves the target of an anonymous texter called Aces. Aces is similar to A from Pretty Little Liars, they send text messages to the whole school dropping secrets about students and overall trying to ruin their lives. But what do these two have in common to derive such treatment?

Wow oh wow, first off I LOVE boarding/private school mysteries as a rule and this was no exception. At 27 years old I can't say why I love teenage drama and pettiness but I don't hate it. Both characters have a lot of depth to them as you learn more and it just draws you more and more into the plot with every message from Aces. It was hard to tell what the ending would be throughout the book, it's not a plot line that is easy to guess.

There is also a lot of representation in this book - both MCs are BIPOC and on the LGBTQIAP spectrum. There is a fantastic conversation about race wrapped up in this book. I can't even explain exactly how great this book was, and if YA mystery/thrillers are your jam you should definitely check it out.

**Thank you to Feiwel and Friends and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This book was so good!!! Kept me on my toes because everyone seemed like a suspect. It definitely reads like a Black version of Pretty Little Liars at a Gossip Girl type of school. I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is a deeply engaging thriller. It tells the story of two black students at a top private school. Chiamaka and Devon both have bright futures, appointed as two of the four senior prefects and in the running for valedictorian. That is, until, out of nowhere, an anonymous person identifying as "Aces" beings sending text messages to all their classmates revealing their deepest secrets. What first seems like a prank quickly becomes more serious, threatening everything that Chiamaka and Devon hold dear. As they team up, their efforts to figure out who Aces is and why Aces is determined to bring them down takes them down a twisty and increasingly dangerous path, with their once certain futures, and perhaps even their lives, hanging in the balance.

I could not put this down -- I tore through the book in one day. Strongly recommended!