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awatt12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Blood, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, and Gun violence
slavicjedi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Racism, and Homophobia
spooderman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Car accident, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Racism, Racial slurs, Outing, Mental illness, Slavery, Cursing, Stalking, Body shaming, Colonisation, Misogyny, Gun violence, Vomit, Death, Violence, Torture, Murder, Abandonment, Bullying, and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Confinement, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Drug use
Minor: Eating disorder and Pregnancy
jen1804's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
***********************************
This is one of those books which I think will stay with me forever. It’s a gossip girl/pretty little liars/get out vibe, dark academia story, which features the scary possibilities that institutionalised racism can demonstrate.
This is a suspenseful thriller with an excellent plot and well developed characters who have realistic feelings and emotions. I found the whole thing rather reflective, making me think about my own white privilege. There are some absolutely chilling moments and I gave some audible gasps.
In my heart I hope that the sick, calculated and wide spread hatred represented in this book is completely and utterly fiction, but I know that it does indeed highlight the racism that is still very much a prominent thing of this century. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé does a fantastic job of demonstrating the everyday issues that those existing in darker skinned bodies must deal with, whilst also elaborating on it in a more dramatic way through the social commentary of institutionalised racism within a high school.
The pacing of the novel was perfect and I felt engaged all the way through. I also enjoyed the exploration of the LGBTQ+ difficulties and especially how it intertwined with race and culture.
Check trigger warnings before reading as this book covers a lot, but it does so in the best possible way.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
Graphic: Death, Outing, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Hate crime, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Violence, Homophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gun violence, Stalking, Body shaming, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
lironore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Classism, Car accident, Outing, Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Drug use
val_so_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Racism, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Homophobia, and Drug use
brie333's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It was a great read. That being said, check the cws, don’t let TikTok fool you. This gets deep.
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Outing, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Forced institutionalization
deidra_shadetreereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The plot and the main twist don't work without it being set in the U.S. but you can tell the world is built off a combination of television worlds. I don't like when you can tell the author is writing about something they don't know. So I could never fully sink my teeth in and suspend my disbelief that Chiamaka and Devon weren't completely tipped off that something was up as the only Black people period in this whole school off top. I guess that that was too trusting for me and I didn't ever believe that Chiamaka had made it to the top, besting all those rich white kids, because of anything she'd done. She definitely believed it though and she was supposed to. Devon had the right energy for the most part but again, I couldn't fully believe that it took until senior year for him to perk his antennas. Though it did make more sense for him to keep his head down considering his former school and neighborhood situation to be fair.
With these things being so intertwined and my main problems with the book, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars. It's not a bad book and the writing is fine. I knocked it out in a couple days so I'd say it's very readable in that regard. I wouldn't read another YA thriller set in a U.S. high school by Àbíké-Íyímídé but I read something else!
Graphic: Car accident, Homophobia, Racism, Gaslighting, Outing, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Chronic illness and Classism
evelynyle_88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First, I wanna say thank you to Miss Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for creating the world about Niveus Private Academy. This book is beyond perfect! Well, at the start... it feels usual, but after you read about 40 pages of the story, the chills started. I can imagine myself; there... being Chiamaka Adebayo. I positioned myself as her as I read the whole story.
Ace of Spades simply stole my heart! This book is a brilliant book. Disturbing, giving so many chills, brutally-emotional, scary at some points.. but this book is brilliant. Even scarier even there's no ghosts in this story.
This book is the one to read and I hella can't put the book down even for only five minutes. The story, the characters, the settings, the plots... are perfect and sickeningly good! This is why I put this book in the front line of my Spooktober reads. Spooky things not always comes from ghosts thingy, am I right?
I never find the thriller-mystery book that left chills so much; even now.. when I write this review and finished reading this already. This book leaves a gasp for me and makes me smirk at the end; the epilogue.
What a perfect of twisted 'oh' ending. All hail, Ace of Spades! ♠️
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Car accident, Blood, Racism, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Alcohol, Stalking, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Murder, and Vomit
Minor: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
mxkanteven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The way it lays out the horrors and intricacies of systemic racism and how deeply entrenched it is in all facets of society.
It’s uncomfortable, sickening, and bracing. I love it.
Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Outing, Bullying, Car accident, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Death, Murder, and Suicide