I’ll start off by saying, as an ace person, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy sleight of hand, heist type books and Arthurian references. I liked all of the individual characters, though I think some, particularly Georgia, deserved more time so that we could be get to know them more. It’s a hefty cast and while the interactions were strong, I felt like we could have got even more from individual characters. Also, for a heist book, there isn’t much of a heist, just them sneaking into a casino and that’s it.

So, overall, while not perfect, a strong book that I did really enjoy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

21 meets Now You See Me in this novel about a group of ace (asexual) teens taking on the Las Vegas casino owner.

First of all I want to thank the author and #NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy in return of an honest review.

This was good. At First I was really confused by everything that was happening because Jack (our narrator) treats narrating like Zach Morris (Saved by the Bell) did—constantly breaking the third wall. However, after a while you get used to the time outs and the diverse cast of characters that you're introduced to.

We meet Jack at his highly expensive private school where he is the pit boss of an underground but totally official Blackjack club. But all of that changes the second his mom is arrested for being involved with a Crime Boss. His older sister wants to go legit, but something about this just doesn't feel right. With his friends and the determination of a Shannon, he's ready to infiltrate his mom's enemy's casino to bring them down. Simple, right?

The misfit internet friends felt believable to me because in today's age there is a high likelihood that you're going to meet friends online and that felt completely authentic to me and not at all fake. I also really appreciated that we find these kids joining together because of their love of a fandom and questioning their sexuality and having that question in common. It was refreshing to see how exactly the internet can be a good place if used correctly and that all you need is an ear sometimes.

The twists and turns that this book took along the way was good. It wasn't too suspenseful and 100% “not a love story” as Jack so eloquently put this throughout the novel. I would easily recommend you pick this book up. Can't wait to get my physical copy of the book. 4.5/5 stars

This was so fun! Ace rep is so hard to come by and this was such a good time. I’d read a whole series about them.

I loved the entire concept of the story, A heist orchestrated by a group of asexual teenagers that met because of fandom interests, sounded incredible, however, I was underwhelmed. The ace rep was great, and there was also non binary rep, but the plot fell flat, and the heist was pretty non-existent.

The character's didn't have any memorable traits, other than Lucky, the girl that lied about her age and was rude to everyone and the main character Jack, who in my opinion, wasn't written in the strongest way. His behaviour and overall persona felt forced. I think making a comparison to six of crows may have harmed more than helped, as Jack falls flat as a 'villain' that you're supposed to grow to like and support in their evil heist plans.

The other friends in the ace group chat didn't really have any characteristics, they were just there, but even Jack's siblings were only briefly mentioned and not developed on, even though they were all there for most of the story. Regardless, there was a clear connection between the friends, in the way they would banter in their group chat, which was nice to see.

Overall, I liked the concept, but couldn't really remember anything once I had finished reading, and would have loved to see more thrills and bigger stakes as opposed to standing around listening in to conversations and stealing keycards with child magic tricks.

Unfortunately, this just happened to be one of the most disappointing books I've read this year.

I was so excited to read this: the stunning cover, the exciting Six of Crows comparison, and the promise of a ragtag group of ace friends - literally what's not to like?

This fell short in pretty much every aspect. The characters were boring and SO underdeveloped. It was so hard to connect with any of them, and we didn't get much information about who they REALLY were aside from some random facts. The main character was a literal asshole to everyone, but of course, they all still.. loved.. him ?????

The "heist" was also just... not great. It didn't make much sense and was painfully unrealistic. Now, I know heist novels aren't really supposed to be "realistic", but this one just stretched it too far.

Overall, not a great book and one I'll probably just skip sharing about.

This was a brilliant debut novel.This is one of those books that's just an absolute joy to read. First, without giving too much away, this book follows a group of asexual teens doing a heist in Las Vegas.The writing is so lovely and the characters' development were captivating.

Aces Wild: A Heist is really fantastic for a debut with some really lovely and heartfelt writingI feel like this is a story everyone should read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My biggest issue with this book is that it's marketed as "Six of Crows goes to Las Vegas." As someone who loves Six of Crows, I spent the majority of the book comparing Jack to Kaz Brekker, and Jack didn't come anywhere close to measuring up. I liked Jack, but I couldn't stop thinking that Kaz probably wouldn't have made the same mistakes that Jack did. I also feel that the "heist" didn't really measure up. I would have appreciated a little less gambling and a bit more scheming.

I think I probably would have enjoyed the story alot more if I wasn't comparing it to Six of Crows. On its own, it's a good story, and I liked the twist at the end.

Aces Wild is a beautiful, diverse, and sappy story that is kind of a love story, despite what Jack Shannon will tell you. The difference being that this is not a story of romantic love as much as it is a story of platonic and familial love (with maybe, just maybe, a bit of something else mixed in).

Aces Wild begins with Jack Shannon, the son of a hotel and casino owner, watching illegal blackjack games in the club he owns in the basement of his private high school. Jack's entire world gets flipped upside down when his mom is arrested, and he returns home to Las Vegas to face his sisters, his dad, and a rival hotel owner, Peter Carlevaro, who he is sure is the root cause of his mother's arrest. Jack is determined to take down Peter, and in pursuit of that mission, decides to finally meet up with his online friends, a group of people who all began talking because they are all asexual.

I immensely enjoyed Aces Wild, and the characters all felt very real and rich to me. Aces Wild is advertised as being about a heist and compared to six of Crows, but I do not think heists were the center of the book. Moreso, the friendships and bonds that Jack had with his friends and family were. I do wish that the heist had been expended upon more and felt more high stakes, but I did greatly enjoy what was in the book. As someone who understands the very close bond of an online group chat, it was so wonderful to read about that kind of bond and the love between those friends, particularly set against the backdrop of Las Vegas, which was its own character that affected the story. This book also didn't take itself too seriously, which I enjoyed as it made for a fairly fun read, even when set against the more dark and sinister elements of this story.

As I said above, there was not much of a heist nature to this story, and I would have loved to see more of that explored, particularly in Peter's world and his secrets. I wish we had learned more about his motivations and what dirty deals he had partaken of. I also found that the formatting of the ebook was off: At times there would be a line break in the middle of a sentence, or after each sentence when it didn't seem needed. There also weren't line breaks after each individual text/message at times. This is not so much a criticism as something I hop[e the publisher can adjust.

All in all I greatly enjoyed Aces Wild- it was a fun read with wonderful asexual representation that shows the incredible love a family can hold, whether that family is blood related or not.

ALL ASEXUAL CAST HELL YEAH <3 I’ve never been this happy about seeing representation in books. AND a heist? Phenomenal. Also I’m going to go learn how to scam people and cheat at cards.

This book was beyond amazing, a true favorite of mine now. I need a million more exclusively ace books with schemes and friendship!!!
First up, our lovely cast here! The main character, Jack, is written so well in his struggles and motivations, but I LOVE this ensemble cast. Only Jack has a POV, but it's so clear how the rest of the group sees the world and I love it. I don't even know what to say about these characters other than that I loved them to pieces. The asexual rep was phenomenal because it showed that relationships (romantic for some, but mostly platonic) aren't something that every ace person is missing, and everyone there is still capable of love. Although the point of the story isn't that they're all ace, I love how the characters can bond over that across the country from one another.
Next, relationships! The main characters are all ace, but only one of them is confirmed to be aromantic and there is a romance inside the group (Jack and Remy). It's SO well-done because it shows that although romantic relationships don't have to be the norm, an ace person can be in one without compromising their sexuality. This is shown very clearly when Jack literally asks about thirty seconds into their relationship if Remy is still ace, to which they say OBVIOUSLY. It's such a wonderful and healthy relationship to see. <3 Aside from that, the friendships in this book made me feel so happy. I loved seeing how everyone from the group chat interacted, specifically how they spoke to each other about their sexualities and lives. It was just so cute and healthy.
Lastly, our plot!!! As you know from the title, this is a heist book! One thing I think it's useful to know is that most of the book involves more schemes than heists, but there is one at the end. I felt a bit confused with some of the allegiances, but I don't think I actually WAS confused because DeWitt does such an amazing job of making everything understandable.
If you read one book this year, LET IT BE THIS ONE!!!!

DNF'd around the ⅓ mark - the abundant asexual rep had me really anticipating this book, but Jack was such a nondescript and occasionally far-from-agreeable narrator (and so often out of touch with reality) that a whole outfit of more affable friends - Remy and Lucky most of all - barely redeemed his one-dimensionality. The fleshed-out online friendships and offhand ace-ness of their merry band were the best bits of what I did read so far - representation that was remarkably relatable, realistic, and badly needed - and there were a number of funny one-liners in the mix, but the overly outlandish family theatrics and me just not meshing well with Jack's actions and attitude made this a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for kindly passing on this ARC! 💫

A book set in the casinos of Las Vegas, featuring a whole crew of ace teenagers and a heist to uncover the secrets of The Strip? Literally what can you dislike about this book?!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I want you to picture a mashup of this:
1.) The lotus casino scene in the PJO movie with <i>Poker Face</i> by Lady Gaga playing in the background
2.) Found family/gambling addiction energy from Six of Crows
3.) Add in a bit of rich boy flair and make it about asexual teenagers that are a little too good at crime...

And you get the vibes of this book. Are you sold yet? Because you should be.

First, let me give you an intro to our Aces Wild:

Jack - the main character, rich boy but make it "mommy's money", blackjack extraordinare, a bit too good at gambling (seriously, its a problem)
Gabe - tall, the eldest of the group, is constantly called old and despises it (he's only 18)
Remy - a non-binary icon
Georgia - our fav astrology, crystal girl from Florida
Lucky - tiny gremlin energy, a concerningly good hacker, has very creative insults (I am absolutely going to be using "I will eat your kneecaps" in the near future)

This book starts with Jack, the son of Aileen Shannon (aka: Las Vegas casino royalty), being sent home at the news his mother has been arrested for family ties to crime. Jack immediately knows his mother has been sold out and knows exactly who to blame: Peter Carlevaro, a rival casino owner and his mom's ex lover (it's complicated). In order to take this guy down, and find out what secrets he's been holding against his mom, he acquires the help of his trusted online friends (aka: his asexual support group). As they work to infiltrate Carlevaro's casino and figure out what he's hiding, Jack must struggle with complicated family secrets and having feelings for someone while asexual (because remember: being asexual and aromantic are not the same thing.)

If you can't tell by my descriptions of the characters, they're all hilarious. They will easily make you laugh non-stop and keep you entertained the whole story. Not to keep comparing this book to other books, but the cast of characters reminds me of the ones from Heartstopper, just because they feel very relatable and I think they encapture teenagers very accurately. Of course, the scenarios aren't very true to teenage life (unless, of course, you like to go undercover in high-stakes gambling clubs in your free time? I won't judge) but regardless, the characters were amazing and I loved them. They also texted JUST like teenagers do, which is always a plus in my opinion.

The plot itself was pretty entertaining, but I honestly don't have much to say about it. I was definitely more focused on the characters while reading this book. It was really cool to see this group of online friends meet up for the first time in real life, as that's not something I've read about before. As someone with many lovely online friends, I found it really heartwarming, but amusing, to see how it all unfolded. The heist was very cool as well, I especially enjoyed Lucky on hacking/camera duty. Her commentary was quite entertaining.

Even though I didn't mind reading from Jack's first person POV, I think it would've been super cool to see the others POVs too. I'm usually not one to suggest that there be multiple POVs in a book (I find it tiring at times, especially if it's not done correctly) but I think it would've worked really well for this book. Regardless, it was amazing and I loved it lots. I can't wait to see what else this author releases!

I am so disappointed... for a book about a heist, there is very little heisting happening. The characters' friendships were so cute, but that's about it. I didn't really enjoy it as much as i thought i would.

I enjoyed this YA novel. It was sweet and the Ace element, while it was part of the drama, it wasn't the biggest plot point. We even start out being told, this isn't a love story :P (note: this is a small lie) While some of the wild activities and questionable choices were entertaining, I really liked the underlying themes of the book. Jack struggles a lot with his feelings, and through that we explore perseverance, dealing with life when it feels like the world is crashing around you, about losing everything, and embracing the people who are really important in your life. Honestly the book has a hopeful undercurrent that left me feeling good after reading it. If you like some light hearted YA (no deep teen angst here) Aces Wild is a cute quick read.

Note: I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my review, that never impacts how I review a book.

"A NOTE ON EXPECTATIONS
Let's get one thing straight: this is not a love story."

Read if you like: 21, Now You See Me, The Inheritance Games, Kakegurui

it is a very nice ya. I really like the heist movie atmosphere, here you can actually feel the vibe of for example 21 movie (some scenes are veeery similar), although in fact there are more family dramas and discovering secrets than actual burglaries and crimes. I also like that author discussed asexuality and the fluidity of human orientation – this topic is rarely mentioned in books.

The story of how one teenagers life gets turned upside down and how his group of friends helps him along the way. Well written young adult novel.

This was a fun read but I found it largely forgettable. I finished it last night and I don't think I could tell you much about what happened from memory.

First and foremost such a good asexual rep ya novel. I loved that aspect. However I wanted more when it came to the characters they didn’t seems fully developed and I had a hard time getting over the fact that they were 16 trying to heist in casinos in Vegas. Overall a fun predictable read.

I enjoyed this book even if it wasn't exactly what I expected. I was expecting a lot more "heist" plot but the true story was in the characters and their wonderful found family. This is what hooked me and made me keep reading.

The story follows Jack, an asexual teen, who's mother ends up in Jail. In order to try and clear her name, Jack travels home to Las Vegas and invites his online friends to Vegas to help him. Together they try to infiltrate the rival hotel owner and learn his secrets to take him down and free jack's mom.

The story truly was in the characters, I really enjoyed that they all were teenagers and acted like it. They made a lot of poor choices, they didn't think things through and they often had to own up to those mistakes. Jack was a bit self centered but that's usually what teens are like. I do wish there was more heist in the plot but I still enjoyed it and would read another book by this author!

Overall, read the book if you enjoy found family and storylines focusing on the dramas of friendship and family and navigating those parts of life as a teen. do not expect the main plot to be about the heist. This reminded me a lot of the movie 21 but with more focus on the characters.

4.25*

I absolutely loved the boarding school setting, found family and all the queer rep, especially asexuality, this had. Makes me yearn having my own queer friend group so much. I think having Jack as the narrator and mc was a great choice, he is such a funny and relatable character. Also the humor in this book in general was really good and definitely made me enjoy it even more.
I won't lie, the stakes on this one didn't feel that high though which is why I woudn't exactly compare it to six of crows other than both had a kind of heist.
Still I would 100% reccomend this!