TW// Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, and Suicide Ideation.

CW// Off-Screen Death and Flashbacks of Death, Outing of Queer Character, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, and Physical Violence.

When reading a book makes you feel like you’re on the verge of passing away and crossing the border into the afterlife out of pure disbelief of what you’re reading, then you know it’s a good fucking book. Ace of Spades is truly the thriller novel of the year, with its fast-paced nightmarish plot keeping readers on the edges of their seats. I tore through this book in a mere 7 hours and my brain hurt not just from reading it all in one go, but from replaying the ‘what-the-fuck-did-I-just-read’ events of the story over and over in my mind. Whew, where do I even begin?

PLOT
Set in the elite private school Niveus Academy, this book follows the lives of our two main characters, Chiamaka Adebayo and Devon Richards, as they enter their senior year of high school and prepare for the next step in their lives: college. However, both fall victim to an anonymous texter who seems intent on revealing all their secrets. Both Chiamaka and Devon are affected by this in that if all their secrets are revealed, it will affect their futures and they won’t be able to go to the colleges of their dreams. To prevent this from happening, both are intent on uncovering the identity of their harasser. However, whatever they both thought of the ‘anonymous texter’ turns out to be something a lot more sinister, as it progressively turns into a fight not just for their futures, but for their lives. Àbíké-Íyímídé was brutal and unforgiving in writing this nightmare story and makes sure that the message of the story is very clear: racists are racists. This is not a book that humanizes or sympathises with racists, it also lets everyone know that even people who ‘aren’t racist’ but sit back and let it happen are just as monstrous as the racists themselves.

RACE & CLASS
What I really enjoyed about this book, apart from its very compelling plot, is the exceptional way in which intersectionality was included, particularly the intersection of race and class. Through two interchanging perspectives in the book, Àbíké-Íyímídé clearly displays the hardships Black people go through compared to the privileged lives of white people. Devon is not a wealthy person, and his mother works 3 jobs to support him and his little brothers. He only got into Niveus by the grace of a scholarship, and for that, not only does he feel like an ‘other’ compared to all his wealthy white classmates, he’s also treated as an ‘other’ by his own Black people for attending a wealthy white school that Black people rarely get into. As for Chiamaka, despite the fact that she has generational wealth, she as a Black person also feels like an ‘other’ when attending school, as she feels the need to police her Black identity so she doesn’t stand out from her white classmates. Racial micro-aggressions are clearly present in the book and have definitely affected Chiamaka in the sense that she seems ashamed of her Black and African identity. She insists on straightening her hair every day for school, everyone calls her ‘Chi’ instead of Chiamaka, she doesn’t correct her friends when they mispronounce her surname, and she feels embarrassed at the thought of having her white friends eat Nigerian food. Unfortunately, this is a reality for so many Black people, and Àbíké-Íyímídé takes care to detail this.

RACE & SEXUALITY
While Black people are ultimately the victims in this book, that does not exempt them from also being bigoted. Àbíké-Íyímídé draws attention to the homophobic ways of some black people, and how being a queer Black person can actually be a danger to your life. Compared to our main character’s white queer classmate who doesn’t feel any worry being openly bisexual, there will always be that fear that any Black person they meet will be homophobic, or worse, violently homophobic.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
One of the best books I’ve read all year, I recommend this book to everyone who comes across it. This is definitely one of those books that will make you wish you had the ability to erase your memory so you can read it and be bulldozed over with shock all over again. Note: if watching the movie Get Out scared you, this book will thoroughly fuck you up.

Thank you to Usborne Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Devon has always been flying under the radar, mostly kept to himself and he liked it that way, especially since he's one of the few scholarship student which makes him feel like he doesn't belong with his peers. That's why he couldn't be more surprised, when, on the first day of senior year, he's chosen has a prefect since it's pretty much a popularity contest… What isn't surprising though, is that Chiamaka is chosen as Head prefect, after all, she's the most popular girl in school.
Speaking of Chiamaka, she had to fight her way to the top and she regrets nothing.
But weird things start happening, and it starts with Devon being outed by a mysterious entity calling itself "Aces" and their next target is Chiamaka and that makes no sense since the two barely know each other. The only thing they have in common is that they're both Black. But that couldn't be why they're being targeted, right?...

This was truly excellent. It kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I was STRESSED. I just jumped into this book without knowing much about it and regretted nothing. The characters were amazing in a layered and flawed way. The two points of view completed each other so well, and the whole thing was perfectly paced. I saw very few things coming and it was just so good. It really went deep into the heart of institutionalized racism and how it's anchored to our society. It was truly mesmerizing and infuriating.
Basically, a must read.

Thank you to @usborneya for sending me a early copy in exchange for review!

So here we go.. here is my review of Ace of spades! At the weekend I received a suprise package and it was... Ace of spades and yes I did read it from that night and finished this morning!! 😅

A book that grips you, unputdownable, keeps you guessing and is JUST SO DAMN GOOD!!! That’s what Ace of spades is.. @faridahlikestea what a terrific Debut novel this is and I already need more books from you like... yesterday hahahah
This book is a thriller at a private prep school with a shocking twist thrown into the mix... but oh this book goes so so deeper, it tackles so many different themes in this book from institutional and systematic racism, Being LGBTQ+ and POC, And the disturbing nature of white supremacy.

It’s very rare for a YA thriller to come along and just blow me away as much As Ace of Spades has just done but seriously you all do not want to miss out on this Novel when it releases June 10th 2021 this I can already have a feeling will be on the top of many peoples lists at the end of the year!! Including mine that’s for sure!

P.S just a little disclaimer Devon and Chiamaka love them both!

I knew this would be something amazing when I first spotted it back in September, and I'm so glad I got to read this because it was seriously just that good. If there was a single book that embodies the word 'unputdownable', this would be the one for sure.

The good:

✧ Whoever pitched this as Gossip Girl meets Get Out absolutely hit the nail on the head. It also gave me a lot of Pretty Little Liars vibes. That description was part of what pulled me in in the first place, and I didn't know how those two seemingly different worlds would mesh together but they did, and it worked amazingly. It has everything you know and love from that genre of teen high school shows, but uses the themes of Get Out to explore institutionalised racism, and it's just perfection.

✧ The plot? Absolutely insane. Every attempt to put the book down to go and do something else was a miserable failure because not a single chapter was wasted. I needed to know what happened next! Aces, the anonymous texter, at first seems cruel albeit relatively harmless, but it doesn't take long to realise that it's not just someone with a petty grudge. As everything amped up, I physically felt the fear and the sense of dread portrayed by Àbíké-Íyímídé's writing. Like, at one point I actually felt my chest tensing up as I worried for the main characters!! This plot really had me in a chokehold in the best way possible!

✧ The characters were so good. From the protagonists to the antagonists, they all felt so real. Relationships tugged on my heartstrings, betrayals punched me in the gut, and the two main characters, Chiamaka and Devon, were people that I rooted for the entire time. Everyone was so well characterised that it all felt highly believable.

✧ This plot was an interesting and unique way to explore racism. While I loved that, what I liked the most was how the blackness of the characters was depicted. Even whilst having to assimilate into the whitest of spaces, the main characters felt unapologetically black, especially Chiamaka, and it felt so comforting to see all the little details added in: Chi using coconut oil in her hair, her relationship and feelings towards her hair, eating traditional Nigerian dishes, watching TV whilst her mother cornrows her hair. I felt so seen. I loved every minute of it.

✧ I really loved the LGBT rep in this book. I especially loved seeing a relationship, with a character newly exploring that side of her sexuality, that didn't come packaged with some kind of trauma. The character talks about how it felt easy and comfortable for her, without having to worry about the implications. I know we don't yet live in a world where LGBT relationships are always allowed to be as 'simple' as their heterosexual counterparts, and that is a very real issue, but I also feel like we need positive depictions of LGBT relationships like this.

The bad:

✦ The only criticism I have is that now I have to wait patiently for Àbíké-Íyímídé to release her next work! And for June to roll around so that I can get my hands on a physical copy of this book!

I really can't praise Ace of Spades enough. Àbíké-Íyímídé is truly one to watch, and I hope everyone gets to read this when it finally comes out later this year.

I'd like to give a massive thanks to Usborne Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ace of Spades is about two Black teens attending a private school, whose lives become infinitely more difficult when an anonymous texter starts leaking their secrets. It is thrilling and emotional, dealing with issues like institutionalised racism, homophobia, and socio-economic issues.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I have to say I am impressed. It dealt with so many themes that I wasn’t expecting (I was mainly here for the dark academia vibe) but Àbíké-Íyímídé manages it beautifully.

Following Devon’s and Chiamaka’s stories was intense as the stakes grew and the tension built up. I liked Chiamaka’s arc but I connected with Devon’s more. I really felt for him and his struggles, numerous as they were. I appreciated reading about a male character feeling comfortable crying, too, as that doesn’t happen often. I’m happy he found a little bit of joy amidst the chaos. And I also really liked how the friendship between Devon and Chiamaka grew organically.

I guessed one of the plot twists but the others threw me for a loop. I was literally reading with my mouth open in horror. The climax was a little bit rushed for me but I loved the conclusion so much. I definitely want to read more from this author.

4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! It gave me Gossip Girl x Pretty Little Liars vibes, which i LOVE !!!

the storyline was brilliant and constantly had me wondering what was happened, and there was soo many twists and turns that i did not see coming!!!

this book had everything too, and talked about so many important things. this is definitely a must read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was amazing!
From the plot twists, the discussion of institutional racism and the dark academia elements, there is so much to unpack with this book!

First and foremost this book follows Chiamaka, a protagonist who is so unapologetic and rightfully confident as head girl and also Devon, a musician focusing on his music, wishing to pursue a high achieving college. These two characters and their perspectives were so in-depth and flushed out - it was so easy to envision them and they felt so real.

The context of this book and the discussion of racism, black mailing and all of the events taking place was terrifying and this book had so many layers. I can't believe that this is a debut!! The continuous plot twists also constantly left me at the edge of my seat and just when I thought I had a theory about a certain character, I was always proven wrong.

I loved how thought provoking and in depth this book was - it was such an important read and its one that I would definitely love to reread physically!

Fans of novels by Karen McManus, Maureen Johnson and Holly Jackson... you’re not going to want to miss this. Ace of Spades is some akin to Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars meets Get Out.

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 so clever. Unputdownable is a massive understatement. This is definitely a must read thriller of 2021.

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 the definition of high stakes. Honestly if you’ve seen Get Out you’ll 100% understand the “WTF” vibe of utter wrongness the story evoked, and Ace of Spades is just as evocative.

That meme of Tiffany Haddish holding Kevin Hart was me holding Devon and telling Aces to back the eff off. My heart genuinely shredded for him throughout the whole story and I felt immensely protective of him. His story was guttural and I loved his character. He’s the quiet boy in class who’s doing everything he can to help his mum and chase his musical dreams of getting into Juilliard. Chiamaka was a more morally grey character, representing all the kids out there who play a persona in high school because of peer pressures. Both she and Devon were juggling parental expectations and legacies, and it was so well drawn, I was stressed out alongside them.

And can we take a moment to cheerlead over how INCREDIBLE the queer rep was here! For me, Ace of Spades is one of the best mystery/thrillers to champion queer relationships and identities - it felt positive and encouraging.

Was it a perfect thriller? I had some doubts and questions, particularly why Chia and Devon didn’t speak to their parents before nearly everyone and anyone else, and what the outcome was for side characters like Dre, Belle and Jack. However, I feel my enjoyment, the story’s unputdownable-ness and its delve into an own voices exploration of institutional racism strongly outweighs any issues I had by the end. For a debut, it’s very impressive and one of the most entertaining and mastered mysteries I’ve read this year. It’s powerful, polarising and truly petrifying. I recommend it 10000% and have preordered Illumicrate’s special edition box of the book.

Thank you kindly to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I don't read a lot of fantasy novels, but when I do, I'm always lucky to come across gems like this. I don't even have the words to describe how this novel made me feel but I'm so grateful the author finished writing this. What a book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange of an honest review!

OH SHIT, WHAT A GREAT DEBUT.

Ace of Spades follows two characters, Chiamaka and Devon, who are the only Black teens in the Niveus private school. They come from different worlds: Chiamaka is the most popular girl in school, with rich parents, while Devon is invisible (which he doesn’t care about) and has to watch his mom struggle with multiple jobs to keep him in Niveus. With college applications knocking on their door, Chiamaka and Devon needed their final year at school to be perfect. However, when Chiamaka and Devon are chosen as Head Senior Prefect and Senior Prefect (not unexpected for Chiamaka, but very much a surprise for Devon), an anonymous bully starts leaking secrets all around the school – and they are the main target. Discussing themes such as institutional racism, white supremacy, privilege, being LGBT+ and poor in a POC community, Ace of Spades brings on a brilliant twist of the Dark Academia genre, and I am here for it.
Lemme tell you, I DEVOURED this book. I’m a slow reader, alright. Usually I take 9-15 days to read a chunky one, but I read this book in 3 or 4 days. And only because I was way too scared to read it past midnight lmao. And yes, I usually run away from thrillers and horror books, because I’m a coward, but this one was just so great and compelling that I found myself at the edge of my seat, eager to finish it. The twists???? Amazing. The build-up tension???? Amazing. The ending???? PERFECT.
The author’s writing is just great. The pacing flowed so well, and even though the e-ARC didn’t tell us whose chapter it was, I could easily distinguish Chiamaka’s and Devon’s POVs because their voices are so distinct. And THEM1!!!!! Chi and Devon are such incredible protagonists. They made me laugh, made me cry (a lot), made me feel TERRIFIED for them. Devon is so sweet and loving, and Chiamaka might seem arrogant at first, but she’s doing whatever she can to stay on top, which includes masking who she truly is, because it’s the only way girls like her can win respect inside that school. Both of them have so many hopes for their future, and they make mistakes, they trust too much, but that’s exactly what makes them real and compelling. I absolutely love them, and I wish this book was longer, because I didn’t want to say goodbye.
That’s not much else I can say without giving anything away, except that I vehemently recommend this book. And I can’t WAIT to see what other cards Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé has to play.

#AceOfSpades = high school drama with all the usual characters that quickly becomes something much bigger & it is *brilliant*. Pitched as "Gossip Girl meets Get Out", I was hooked by this timely story of institutional racism. Thx @Usborne for a proof & congrats @faridahlikestea! https://t.co/wDUW58LtJE

Wow, this book really messed with my brain!!!
In the beginning I thought this was exactly like Gossip girl, but in the end it was so much more!
This turned quickly from rumours being spread by an anonymous source just like in GG to more of an Élite kind of feel. In part 2 and 3 I was so in panic I had to put it down a few times, it felt like reading a horror or thriller!
All the secrets and horrible truths revealed in this left me so shocked, even more so because after the news in the last few years (and me watching more news as I get older and trying harder to educate myself) it felt really close to reality too.

This isn’t just a thrilling Gossip Girl retelling, where rich kids try to outsmart even richer kids. This is about systematic racism and white supremacy.
It’s not a comfortable read and it’s not supposed to be.
Chiamaka and Devon are the only two Black kids at their school and they slowly realise that while they have not much else in common they must work together to solve Aces secret.
They come from two very different worlds socially. Chiamakas parents both being doctors and living in a giant mansion, while Devon is living on the outskirts of town, sleeping in one bed with his two brothers while his mother is working three jobs.
I loved Devon, he’s a rather morally grey character, but learning about his background story and his struggle with his sexuality you just feel for him and understand his actions so much.
Chiamaka is the typical spoiled rich girl on the outside, but while reading you get to know her and her struggles and somehow you come to love her as well, even though she’s a bit of a bitch. 😂
I loved that they were so different from each other and it was so cleverly done. Because while Chiamaka seems to be super privileged and is supposed to have it so easy to get and live the future she wants to, in the end it doesn’t matter.

For me the pacing was a little off. It was rather slow in the beginning, and a little too fast in the last part, especially the last chapter. In the end there were quite a few fray ends too. Some things were just left without getting addressed another time (for example: what about Chi’s parents, Dre, Belle?), which was a little unsatisfying for me personally.

All in all this was a very powerful debut novel though and a very fast paced, quick read that makes you think even after finishing it. Queer, Black dark academia, a book you will not be able to put down once you start!
I believe this would make an amazing TV show too.

Firstly can i just say that when you have
a baby it is NOT a good idea to stay up late and finish a book. However i couldn't help it, i HAD TO KNOW what
happened.

This book is about kids at high school and a mysterious person called Aces is revealing secrets. It started off with a
very similar storyline to One Of Us is Lying, but let me tell you, that this book is IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN. Plot twists,
the ending that i didn't see coming, the subject matter. The fact that I was uncomfortable reading this really shows
how powerful of a message it portrays. Serious note, even whilst writing this review, my chest is tight, my eyes water,
because i get it. I'm part of an ethnic minority one that is not represented in a positive light at all. It hurts and its such
an important topic to talk about!

A note to the author.... WOW WOW WOW. I read a lot of books. I
don't get surprised easily! However your writing style, the
topic, the emotion and passion that i could feel through
reading thank you for writing this!!!

Lost one star in the end because i found the ending a little unrealistic... i dont want to spoil it but part of what happened, i expected more of an uproar!

yoooo this was so brutally good. it took me a while to read, partly because I was just really busy with uni work but also because it was so insanely good and brutal and just aaah. I couldn't just read this in a few sittings. I really had to think about everything I read. Ace of Spades challenges systematic oppression and white supremacy in a dark academia setting which is extremely unsettling. I was so angry while reading this, it's crazy to think these things actually happen still. Ace of Spades was everything I thought it would be. Read this, please

'Ace of Spades' is one of my most anticipated books of 2021 and it did not disappoint. I loved this book so much and I want everyone to read it when it comes out on June 10th.

Firstly, lets talk about how beautiful the cover for this book is!! I am obsessed with both the UK and US cover for this book as they are both so beautiful and I love them.

'Ace of Spades' follows Chiamaka and Devon, who are the only two Black students at an all white private school but a mysterious online group called 'Aces' starts sharing their secrets to the school and trying to ruin their lives.

This book was so insanely good. I started reading this in February but put it down because I wasn't in the mood for it and didn't want to force myself to read it when I knew I would love it when I was in the mood for it. Then yesterday I picked it up again, and blew through the whole thing so fast and loved every second of it. This book makes you feel every emotion. I loved Chiamaka and Devon and just wanted them to experience only good things after every awful thing that they are put through in this book. The last chapter made me cry a little bit because I was just so proud of Chiamaka and Devon.

The plot twists in this book were insane!! I was on edge the whole book until the very last page because I didn't know what was going to happen next.

I just loved 'Ace of Spades' so much and I want to just talk about this book so much. I can't wait till this book comes out in June so everyone can read it and I can finally talk about it with people. I can't wait to read more books by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé because 'Ace of Spades' was incredible.

Thank you to Usborne Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ace of Spades is a brilliantly-twisted, YA dark academia thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Marketing this book as "Gossip Girl meets Get Out" was a great move because it had me intrigued before I'd even read a page. Thankfully, the book did NOT disappoint!

The story is told through the POV of our two MC's: Chiamaka and Devon. Aside from being the only Black students at Niveus - an elite, private school - they don't have much in common. Chiamaka is the rich, "popular" girl and her entire social life has been meticulously curated to cement this status. Devon, on the other hand, comes from a lower socioeconomic background and has no desire to be 'seen', preferring to focus on his musical talent instead.

Things seem to be going well until Aces, an anonymous texter, begins exposing secrets that always seem to target Chiamaka and Devon. After multiple incidents that severely impacted the pair's relationships, Chiamaka and Devon realise they have to work together to uncover the truth - before Aces reveals something that could change their lives forever.

Reading the first few pages, I thought this was going to be another YA book with lots of teenage friend/relationship drama. I could not have been more wrong. Ace of Spades had all of that and more. Very quickly, this book veered from light-hearted, teenage angst to an anxiety-inducing, racially-charged horror. There is an artful exploration of so many intersections, including race, sexuality and class. I loved the queer rep - it felt authentic, intentional and thoroughly fleshed out - a stark contrast to the usual "let's chuck a few queer characters in for the *diversity* and then forget about them."

Faridah's pithy and direct prose, coupled with a surprising plot, made Ace of Spades a delightful read. This is a debut novel and after reading it, I have every faith that this won't be the last I hear of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

Thank you to NetGalley and Usborne for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*** Although I was sent an ARC, I ended up pre-ordering a physical copy because I loved it that much!

A powerful, chilling look at systemic racism with endlessly compelling characters and a pacy, twist plot that, at times, left me breathless. No spoilers but...wow. I need everyone to read this and get to the second half so we can TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK.

Some beautiful LGBTQ+ representation too with some moments that felt like a punch in the gut and others that are so sweet, so endearing, that they had me shouting, 'yes!!!".

It takes a special kind of mastery to write as crisply as this and to develop characters the way this author does, uncovering layer after layer after layer. Definitely one to watch.

Ace of Spades is a deeply moving, riveting thriller that everyone should read.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Not all YA stories are this good. I think that's why I keep reading them; to discover stories that don't just fill pages but resonates with what happens in this world and to tell stories about them. The writing, characters, and representation were amazingly done in this book. The story made me so angry and indignant for how helpless the characters were made to feel.
This book was engrossing without one moment of distraction. It took a while to get used to Chiamaka's character, but I was fully invested in the book once I realized something more than teen-pranks in play. I'd ask everyone to read this book because it is gripping and has a strong plot. I highly recommend this book to fans of Thrillers and YA fiction.

I was kindly provided an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Advertising this book as a gossip girl meets get out is really accurate, and I think it sums up the book pretty well.
I devoured this book in one sitting because I was so intrigued and involved in the story, it is brilliantly crafted : the tension, the characters, the suspense. This book targets real and serious issues, and it does it very well.
The plot unfolds quite well, yet, the ending seemed a bit rush and simplistic compared to the rest of the book which was so clever and that's the reason I don't rate it 5/5 stars.
Overall, it is a powerful book, and I am so glad there are books like this one hitting our shelves.

This book scared the hell out of me. Horror should be added as one of the sub genres. The story starts out so normal with both our main characters, Chiamaka and Devon, the only black kids in a privileged private school being selected for leadership roles. The gossip girl tagline quickly becomes evident in the first few chapters and I was geared up for a thrilling but fun ride and out of nowhere the plot hits you in the face. My biggest nightmare was brought chillingly to life with Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé‘s writing (I can’t tell you what it is because spoilers) and it was liking sitting in the driver seat of a car with no brakes waiting for the crash. The adrenaline rush was insane and I thought my heart would beat itself out of my ribcage. It was stunning and goose bump inducing and so insanely good!!!! I did have some issues with the way it ended, though. It felt a little rushed, with the climax feeling a little unrealistic and some loose threads to tie up but but but but don’t let that deter you from picking up this incredible debut. I absolutely recommend it and would definitely advise preordering it as soon as you can.