That was quiet enjoyable. This was my first dark academia book. I liked the premise but I didn't think the characters were memorable enough.

this book is so amazing, i loved how complex and unpredictable the plot was. the characters were so likeable and i loved how natural the lgbt representation was. this book kept me completely hooked and i read it in 1 day, it was so good.

It seemed like everyone was talking about Ace of Spades, and now I can see why. After a slightly slow start (I loved the writing style from the get-go, but wasn't immediately grabbed by the plot), I was completely gripped - from the end of the first third onwards, I couldn't put this book down. It was so tense. The narrative went to some really interesting places, with plenty of surprising twists and turns - and an important message underneath - but still flowed really smoothly.
I found myself really invested in the stories of our two main characters, Devon and Chiamaka - even if there were a couple of instances where their decisions fell into the YA trope of being frustrating to read as an adult!
I found Ace of Spades to be both a really engaging read (I felt so anxious throughout this that I'm hesitant to call it "fun") and have something valuable to say. I look forward to reading Àbíké-Íyímídé's other work - I hope there's a lot still to come!

I feel like this book is a mix of Pretty Little Liars mixed with S.T.A.G.S by M.A Bennett.
Also for fans of young adult mystery writers such as Karen M McManus.

I'm not too sure how to rate this book, while I enjoyed and appreciated some of the themes such as systemic racism, academic pressure, and bullying to name a few there were some issues I had with thin plot holes mostly. There are so many topics raised here, real life and important topics that I wish perhaps a little more time or page space had focused on them. For example: Devon's grief and feelings towards his father being a death row inmate, seeing his mother go through financial hardships supporting him and his siblings, His having to become involved in gang activity to help his family. Chiamaka's somewhat internalised racism stemming from her paternal grandparent's disdain and constantly trying to fit herself into the beauty standards of a very white private school.

Devon's character did seem the more fleshed out POV out of the two that we see. Both characters Chiamaka and Devon are in a lot of ways morally grey in their actions, making them perhaps more realistic and gripping to read about.

The main problem that I had while reading this book was that a lot of the plot felt very "done before" when it came to Aces and their actions. So, unfortunately, there weren't a lot of plot twists that felt original or surprising for me. The hit and run, blackmailing and saboteur type messages to name a few.
I think for younger readers just getting into the mystery genre would enjoy this perhaps a bit more.

One of the other issues I had in terms of plot was down to believability. I think there are a few pitfalls where this book relies on some of the typical YA tropes such as parents being mostly absent in order for story advancement.
Small things like finding it really unbelievable that Devon had a huge event from his life that he didn't remember. Yes trauma can suppress memory but I just found that it was used to be convenient to plot rather than having any other significance. Also how cool and collected Chiamaka is at the start of the story, believing her perfect year would consist of being crowned snowflake queen and having Jamie as a boyfriend when she'd already experienced the guilt of being involved in a hit and run. It just doesn't seem realistic to me that these would be her priorities after that? However that's just how it seemed to me.

I really didn't get anything out of the romance plotlines for either character. I think readers in the LGBT community being able to see themselves and their sexuality here is important, however I didn't feel that the characters had much chemistry with each other. Especially with Chiamaka and Belle, there was a lot left unanswered there. What happened to Belle after Chiamaka confronted her? Was she at the ball? etc.

The ending read very abrupt to me. It already seemed unbelievable in parts because of this news crew's readiness to immediately do an exposé bust with only two kids and not seem to ask any other adults involved. But also because of the protest that randomly showed up for a few sentences to support Devon and Chiamaka, only to then disappear and we hear nothing more about how that arose or what came of the outcome.

It's a little frustrating to rate this book because while I really wanted to see the discussion about systemic racism and white privilege in academic settings I felt like the execution and some of the plot holes mentioned made it slightly less enjoyable for me.

Ace of Spades begins as a generic YA high school novel dealing with the small trivialities of the students of Niveus High, that is before the malicious social media chat starts to become more focussed on just two students - Queen Bee Chiamaka and scholarship boy Devon. Both are poles apart in terms of friendship circles and academic subjects, but their race binds them together and this is what gradually manifests as the reasoning behind them being targeted. At a prestigious school standing out isn't necessarily a good thing. Àbíké-Íyímídé explores themes of most obviously race, but also sexuality and entitlement in an engaging and compelling way.
As the mystery unfolds you will race to the devastating conclusion of the novel and be left wanting more.

If you’re quite active in the bookish community during the last 6 months, chance are you’ve heard of Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. This book was pitched as Gossip Girl meets Get Out, and I was interested by that. Though I didn’t finish watching Gossip Girl, I absolutely loved Get Out when I watched it a couple of years ago. Not gonna lie, YA thriller/mystery often disappoint me since I feel like the execution fell flat compared to its premise, but thankfully Ace of Spades is different.

Ace of Spades follows two protagonists who’s as different as the sky and the earth. One is Devon Richards, a scholarship student from the “wrong side of the town” who dreamed of attending Juilliard. The other one is Chiamaka Adebayo, a wealthy, popular girl who’s basically the queen bee of Niveus Private Academy. They both led a very different life, without any connection or interactions whatsoever, until their senior year. Somehow, they’re being targeted by an anonymous entity called ‘Aces’. So, who is ‘Aces’ exactly? And why did they’re chosen as the target?

The plot is definitely the best part from this book. From the beginning, I was sucked into the story and the mystery. I was initially curious as to how the plot could be compared to Get Out, but somehow, the comparison to Get Out couldn't be more fitting. It was expected and yet surprising. As for the characters, I enjoy both Chiamaka and Devon's POV, but I think they were written to be real instead to be likeable. This is one of the few books that I've read where the protagonists doesn't have any romantic and platonic relationship between them.

All in all, Ace of Spades is definitely a must read! You won't want to miss this book.

This was SO GOOD. The thrill, the pace, the characters. Once I got into the book and had time, I couldn't put it down. it feels like a horror movie that is slowly unravelling where every person is a villain.

I loved how the book took institutional racism and generational racism where it is reduced to a GAME where they take and ruin lives in order to have fun and carry on a "tradition". This really shows how people think, and with enough white privilege, what all they can get away with.

My only complaint is that the ending felt too abrupt and it suddenly changed to the epilogue. We were going on such a fast pace so to suddenly end and jump to an epilogue which felt very different in vibe was jarring. That could have been done better.

But otherwise, brilliant book! Definitely one that everyone should read and will enjoy.

This book has been so hyped up I was really excited to read.
I really enjoyed reading this book - however it did feel a bit repetitive. It had the (now quite common) YA trope of the mystery notes and someone knowing about your secrets. This just seemed to go on for such a long time before they actually worked out who was behind the mystery notes.
I enjoyed the writing style, and it felt slightly poetic at times. I would definitely read a book by Abike-lyimide again.

When the mystery was revealed it was actually a lot darker than expected. I was left shocked and heartbroken that this 'thing' was going on. I am sure this has happened within the real world too - very scary!

Overall, despite the pacing issues at the beginning of the book I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a book I loved, but it was OK.

I don’t read Dark Academia a lot but I was super interested in “Ace of Spades” because it features two Black queer main characters which unfortunately is a bit rare for Dark Academia…

This book is about Chiamaka and Devon who both go to a prestigious private school and get targeted by an anonymous texter.

There were a lot of things that I liked such as the two POVs. A lot of times changing POVs can be hard for me but they really sounded like two different characters in this one. The easy-to-understand-and-follow writing style was also something I truly enjoyed.

There are also so many discussions about important topics, such as (institutionalised) racism, featured, which readers can learn a lot from.

I had a bit of a problem with the pacing. I love thrillers and mysteries but until the 60% mark everything was developing really slowly here. From then on, so many new things unravelled and it felt like there was this huge discrepancy from the first part to the last 40%.

I also feel like the romantic relationships, especially Chiamaka’s, developed quite fast without the readers really having a chance to understand the dynamics of them first.

I didn’t like that the first huge scandal was about a picture of two guys kissing. There are other options to create drama and gossip and I know it might be realistic but it’s also quite hurtful to see these harmful tropes being recreated again and again. I know this book is supposed to be like “Gossip Girl” but aren’t there more gossip options to explore than forced queer outings?

Ace of Spades is an incredible debut tackling institutionalised racism. It's brutal and harrowing at times but important and timely. It's Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars but so much better than both.

Review: 5/5🌟 from me!

I don’t usually read thrillers but it was one of my goals to try a couple this year as I enjoy watching them and figured it was time I read a few as well.

Ace of Spades was the perfect book to start with! Two students at Niveus Academy are being targeted by someone calling themselves Aces. It’s got a Gossip Girl/Pretty Little Liars vibe but make no mistake, this book stands proud on it’s own and feels like a fresh story.

The POV is split between Devon and Chiamaka allowing us to see how this extreme cyber bullying effects them and who they each think may be responsible. Aces is revealing secrets that could ruin the futures they’ve been working so hard for. They’re the only Black students at Niveus, but is that the reason Aces is targeting them? They need to find out.

There were so many shady characters in this book it felt like everyone was a suspect! Even characters that were being kind to Devon and Chiamaka in person were under suspicion making everything feel that much more intense. This was a rollercoaster ride of a book and one I will definitely read again!

Please make sure you read the trigger warnings for this one as Ace of Spades covers a lot of very sensitive topics.

I received a free copy of this book through @usborneya on @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Ace of Spaces’ is a brilliant book that everyone should read.

I have just finished it, and I’m struggling to find the right words to describe it. It was a darker and more intense read than I had expected, and it had dealt with some serious issues, particularly racism, homophobia, and abuse.
Set in Niveus Private Academy, ‘Ace of Spades’ is a thriller with many twists and turns. It keeps you engaged from the very first page to the end, and you for the characters and hope for some kind of resolution and happy ending. I really loved the characterization of the characters in ‘Ace of Spaces’, especially the main narrators, Devon and Chiamaka. Their struggles were intense, real and heartbreaking. I can’t imagine the situation they were in, and I could only hope that something like that would not occur in real life, and yet those issues handled by ‘Ace of Spaces’, such as racism, as so prevalent in our society. I think everyone should read this book. It’s definitely one of these books that will stay in your mind for a long time.

I don’t tend to read YA thrillers very often, but the ones I had a chance to read this year, have been brilliant, and I am so glad I had a chance to read this book.

This book deserves 5 🌟 and so much more 🤯🤧😍😭😌🥺

Set in the prestigious private school Niveus Academy, Chiamaka and Devon are the only two black students there, and both are targeted by the anonymous Aces, who is determined to ruin their lives. Ace of Spades is slick, compulsive and utterly clever. I couldn't put down this book at all!!

The story is so gripping and so well written that I was shocked when I read that this is the debut novel of the author.

I'm not going to reveal the plot but this is the story you don't know you needed in your life until you read it!

My head was spinning and my heart was in my mouth 🤯 there was pounding reverberations in my ears and tightness in my chest. The story was giving me anxiety because I was worried about characters!!!!

There is a focus on the lives of POC, including being LGBTQ+ in those communities. This was powerful, and at times terrifying, because because of how very real the things Devon and Chiamaka face are, and I know this will be a read to remember.
The ending was bit dramatic in my opinion 🙈 but totally deserving!!!

I couldn't recommend this book enough!!

Just read this book ♡

Ace of Spades was definitely an interesting book and I understand why its getting the amount of attention its receiving.

This book was addicting. I ended up reading almost 400 pages of this book in one day. I stayed up to finish this book. If you know me, you know that I rarely ever read that much in one day and I do not stay up to finish a book. However, with this I did. The writing was really captivating because the author manages to keep the reader hooked by giving a tiny breadcrumb each chapter. Besides that, I was honestly interested to get to know these characters.

I appreciated the commentary the author made on racism and how its built into many of our education systems to oppress people. The author managed to weave it into her story really well and I liked how it was crucial to this story because in many YA books, this topic is included but is never really the main conversation the book is having. This wasn't just a thriller and it talked about so many important topics. It gave an insight on the struggles that Black people have and the lengths that people will go to see their downfall.

There are a few reasons I gave this book 3 stars. First of all, this book was underdeveloped. The story had so much more potential, I saw so many things planted that could have been used to better the story. There were so many characters introduced but they were all 2-dimensional. This character was rich, that was their personality. This character was poor and quiet, that was their personality. There was some development in the two main characters but I wish that the side characters were more fleshed out because I think they had a lot of potential. The author managed to keep me hooked but never on the edge of my seat. I wanted to know what was going to happen but it took too long and I wasn't that invested in the book. The story has no reason to be 480 pages long. Nothing much really happened and I felt that each pivotal point in the story was stretched out so much.

There were so many things that the author included that didn't really have much of a connection to the plot of the story. If you look at this book as a thriller or mystery, it wasn't that thrilling. The ending was predictable in my opinion because this book was pitched to me as Gossip Girl meets Get Out and if you think about that, the ending is pretty straightforward.

Overall, this book was good. However, I will tell you that if you are looking for an extremely thrilling mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this isn't for you. This book uses the concept of a mystery to make commentary on issues that plague our world such as racism and homophobia. In that sense, it did its job pretty well but if you were to look at it as the thriller set in a rich school, it wasn't that amazing.

Dark and gripping, Ace of Spades is an unmissable YA debut.

I'm not going to do my usual mini plot summary, because this is definitely one of those books where the less you know going in, the more you can be swept up in the twists and turns of the plot. And what a plot! This is an edge of your seat thriller, equal parts impossible to put down and hard to turn the page, as you know some new nightmare is going to befall its wonderful protagonists.

Àbíké-Íyímídé's characterisation is superb - Chi and Devon are both such strong characters who readers will root for and care about so much. They also each brought something completely different to the plot and the experience they share (trying to write this review without saying anything about the plot is SO HARD, but I really don't want to give anything away!)

If you enjoyed One of Us Is Lying, The Inheritance Games, or watching Gossip Girl, you will LOVE this novel. But Ace of Spades also explores so many serious themes such as racism, sexuality and cyber bullying, ensuring it will remain on your mind long after the last page for more than just the plot twists. It's the best YA I've read so far this year, and I'm not sure anything else on my TBR is going to beat it.

I can quite honestly say that Ace of Spades blew my mind. I went into this book with high expectations after seeing so many people rave about it and somehow it still managed to exceed them. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé has crafted a truly unputdownable thriller that expertly builds and draws out tension all while exploring institutionalised racism and the power in fighting back.

I don’t often read thrillers but if they were all as brilliantly written as Ace of Spades I don’t think I could ever put them down. I was gripped from the very first page and constantly in awe of this book’s ability to up the stakes and build tension, without ever feeling ridiculous or unbelievable. In fact, what makes this book so intense is that it’s all too real. Peeling back the layers of insidiousness present in this book invoked physical reactions in me, especially once we reached the truly rotten core.

Each of Aces’ attacks on Chiamaka and Devon left me reeling and sure it couldn’t get worse but get worse it did. I don’t want to go into too much detail with this because I think it’s best to go into this book blind and just let it blow your mind. What I will talk about though is the characters. I really appreciated the dual POV and felt that it was used very effectively to carry the story while also creating two distinct, convincing perspectives. Firstly, Chiamaka, the head girl with everything going for her. I adore popular mean girl characters and find them really fun to read about, especially once they’re given depth and Chiamaka did not disappoint. Her journey with owning her Blackness rather than squashing it down to fit in was a joy to read and a narrative clearly crafted with extreme care. Quiet Devon was really the stand out for me, which is not what I had originally expected. His character development and the exploration of how Blackness intersects with queerness, particularly in the rougher environment he lives in, was really touching and so gracefully written.

Ace of Spades left me unable to form any thoughts beyond “holy shit ?!?!?!” upon finishing and, honestly, that still stands. The exploration into the rotten core of institutionalised racism provides the perfect, insidious backdrop to this high stakes thriller. Ace of Spades is an unforgettable master class in building a palpable tension that relentlessly propels its readers forwards, all while filling them with an ever present dread. This stunning debut is a must read that deserves to become the next big thing. I cannot wait to see what Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé does next – she’s definitely one to watch.

Ace of Spades is captivating, a complete page turner that takes you on a thrilling ride, while adressing the very real and raw issue of institutionalised racism in the education system.

In a story told through alternating dual perspectives, we meet Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo on their first day of their final year of Niveus Private Academy. What starts as a seemingly normal year for them, quickly gets hyjacked by an annoymous texter, Aces, who's mysterious motives take a sinister turn.

Quiet scholorship student, Devon, dreams of going to Julliard to study music but struggles with his sexuality and helping to provide for his family. His narrative was incredibly emotionaly charged, I warmed so much to him. The author did a brilliant job exploring the varied ways in which, class, wealth and homophobia has deep rooted implications in society and it's affects on communities. By contrast, ultra rich Chiamaka knows her friends are fake and plays into it, she is fiercly determined to maintain her status at the top of the popularity ladder, but she has her own insecurities and secrets that make her a prime target for Aces.

I really appreciated the unfiltered approach the story takes. It's very rare that a YA academia book has tackling racism and white supremacy as its primary focus and that is definitely something to admire and support.

What started out brilliantly, fell flat in the excecution of the way the plot twist resolved, it was very sudden, with no real depth or believability. As someone who grew up as the only Black girl in UK private schools, I identified with the story and connected with the beautiful authors note my arc opened with, yet although I understand the need and ease of making this story so Gossip Girl inspired and American centric. I would have loved for the private school to have been based in the UK and am still confused why a British author would not choose to do that.

Overall, it's a good YA high school thriller that did a great job at highlighting systemic racism. I was perhaps expecting too much based on the hype but I would recommend it and read more from this debut author.

Ace of Spades is described as Get Out meets Gossip Girl and that was enough to reel me in! It only took me a couple chapters to fall in love with Devon and Chiamaka. This story was so well paced and the commentary on today’s society was perfectly woven in. It was modern while tackling heavy issues that go back decades and centuries. Can I just say how perfect technology and social media was handled without being cringey or unrealistic? Because it was amazing. I was never taken out of my reading experience thinking about how “nobody uses social media like that”.

I also loved the queer representation in this. Both of the characters have natural relationships with the opposite sex and while it is mostly accepted, you do get a bit of homophobia. The characters are both outed in a way because even though they weren’t hiding it, they didn’t come out on their own terms. Aces would posts blasts about their “hookups”. Just wanted to mention in case outing is a trigger for anyone.

The racism was the main focus of this book and it illustrates anyone can be hiding their racism. The main characters are black and spend days and years with their peers only to find out those around them had a deep hatred all along. It was so horrible but I am sure this is reality for a lot of people. I was of course rooting for Devon and Chiamaka the whole time. I loved how they came together from different social circles to take down their racist academy.

This is a ya thriller novel but any age would enjoy this ride. It was just done so well and I am going to be thinking about it for a long time.

Thank you to Usborne Publishing and Netgalley for the arc! This title was released in the UK on June 10, 2021.

At the setting of a private academy, 2 seniors, Devon and Chiamaka, are 'outed' by the mysterious Aces, one by private photos going public, the other with rumors and past sins on her quest for popularity. Meanwhile different odd things start to happen and this high school 'game' gets more ominous than it initially seemed.

I really like the antithesis of the protagonists, Devon being the quiet 'feels like he's invisible' scholarship kid, while Chiamaka is the queen of popularity, the kind we usually hate in teen movies. But that is just the surface. Beneath what people see, things are different. Exceptional 1st person POVs that delve deep into the character's psyche.

Captivating, it hooks you from the very beginning with its intense feelings, "existing too loud" as the book says. The force of its honesty glides through the powerful writing. The twisty plot is intelligently mapped out, building at an engrossing pace, emitting an ever-growing danger at every turn. Gut punches of revelations keep on coming...

There are parts where you want to scream, to cheer, that make you gasp. The author succeeds in really getting you to care, even for the protagonist that rugs you the wrong way.

Showing the ugly face of racism, and how embedded it is in society even if we don't admit it, it also condemns all kinds of prejudice and peer pressure. It advises us about being honest regarding who we are. It also asks the important question "Does doing bad things automatically make you a bad person?"

Thought-provoking, full of nail-biting suspense, this book touched my sense of justice, my hatred of racism and my belief that good wins in the end. This is undeniable a masterful thriller.

DRC provided by Usborne Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: gay Black protagonist, bisexual Nigerian-Italian protagonist, gay Black secondary character, bisexual secondary character, Black tertiary characters, Nigerian tertiary character, gay Black tertiary character, gay tertiary character.

Content Warning: elitism, classism, homophobia, racism, violence, bullying, n-word, death, mention of suicide attempt, trauma.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is the spine-chilling literary child of Get Out and Gossip Girl, with just a hint of Pretty Little Liars. A powerful and terrifying contemporary thriller, mystery novel about institutional racism.

Chiamaka and Devon are the only two Black students at the prestigious Niveus Academy. While the first three years at the school progressed normally with Chiamaka and Devon both excelling academically, and at least in Chiamaka’s case, rising to the top socially, at the beginning of their senior year, an anonymous bully named Aces starts targeting them, revealing their secrets and manufacturing lies about them. The mystery around Aces’ identity, though, runs deeper than what they think initially thought.

This is another one of those books that left me speechless because of how great it is. I was floored. I am floored! How can one express solely with words how brilliant this book is? Faridah masterfully depicted the systemic racism perpetuated at the school, while crafting a chilling atmosphere, which lingered throughout the whole novel, that made feel as if I was being strangled and my heart crushed with each page I read.

As for the characters, I hated everyone except for Devon who is a character I loved from the start; his mom; Chiamaka who is, instead, a character I learned to love as the story progressed; her mom and Terrell.

Ace of Spades was definitely what I expected, but simultaneously it was not in a really good way.