hardcover, 422 pages

Published June 1, 2021 by Feiwel & Friends.

ISBN:
978-1-250-80081-7
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OCLC Number:
1199055930

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(8 reviews)

Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully.

All you need to know is . . . I'm here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do. -Aces

When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school's senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too.

Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures. …

8 editions

Review of 'Ace of Spades' on 'Storygraph'

This books gave me Gossip Girl vibes! But think Gossip Girl with more bullying, more danger and a lot of racism and homophobia. 
At first, I didn't like Chiamaka. She acted like she was the Queen, which she wanted to be in a way. The Queen of the school. She'd do anything to get at the top. But she is one of the two only Black students at this private school. Wheras her parents can afford the school, Devon, the other Black student, is on a scholarship. He is quite, has only one friend at school and is only comfortable when he can play the piano (or keyboard). 
Up until their senior year there was no problem with racism. But suddenly, everything changes for Chiamaka and Devon. 
It reminded me a bit of the messages in Gossip Girl and the things Blair did to get what she wants (or all …

None

Growing up, I realized quite quickly that people hate being called racist more than they hate racism itself.


I have to admit I have a bit of mixed feelings about this book, mainly centered around the major plot twist/revelation, or maybe around the way it was helpful. Still, I enjoyed it and would recommend the hell out of it. It's a compelling, well-written YA thriller that raises a lot of very serious questions and I feel does a superb job of painting the effects of systemic racism and classism on individuals. The promised Dark Academia vibes didn't kick in for me until a couple chapters in—the beginning read like just another high school YA—but once the flavor was there, it was there. The characters are complex and richly drawn. It took Devon some time to grow on me (and now he's forever in my heart); Chiamaka, on the contrary, had …

Review of 'Ace of Spades' on 'Storygraph'

ACE OF SPADES is a dark academia thriller thriller where two high-achieving students suddenly have everything they thought they knew come crashing down after a mysterious texter begins revealing their secrets one by one. 

The pacing is amazing, starting out with hints, whispers, and strange inconsistencies before building into series of much-needed confrontations and gripping turns. The eventual reveal of Aces' identity is narratively satisfying, immediately begging for a re-read once the solution is known. This is a thriller which can absolutely survive that re-read, but this review won't spoil the ending. The alternating perspectives kept things moving, and contributed to the sense of missing information as often events would happen where the other main character would get information and the current point of view character would just get rumors or partial glimpses. 

I love Chi and Devon as protagonists, especially the way they interact with (or, early on, avoid) …

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