Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Aces Wild: A Heist

An absolutely fun read, and so refreshing to read an ace-positive book, let alone an ace-centric one.

Protagonist Jack is a bit of an aspiring Kaz Brekker, though in personality he’s a bit more like Wylan. There is more of a “heist vibe” than a specific heist, and the vibrant setting provides all the highlights of Vegas without ever having to go to Vegas. Win-win.

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patricktreads's review

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adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

While heists and chases are not my typical direction, I was completely enthralled the entire time. I had an inkling to the twists, but Amy still got me. I loved this work. The narrator was a little distracting at first. They sounded a little old, but the more I listened the more I became accustomed to the voice. High recommend.

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melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition

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tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Thank you to Peach Tree Teen and Netgalley for an arc of this book.

When Jack's mom gets arrested for shady dealings in Las Vegas, he invites his online (and also Aspec) friends to come help him take down the man that he swears got his mother sent to jail.

This book was unfortunately a disappointment. I know a lot of people read and reviewed before me and I was so scared because the concept of this is brilliant and the idea of 5 aspec MCs is a dream. I thought the plot was missing some things and the writing style didn't really grab me the way I wanted it to.

Now, there were some issues in the originally release netgalley arc that I heard have been changed and updated. I thought that the version I downloaded came after these changes and was supposed to be more up to date, but I didn't notice? There were still some problems with it. The whole hearing aid part is uncomfortable and least and ableist at best. There were a few discussions about being asexual which I think was one of the complaints I read about? They weren't super in-depth, which I thought was fine--but it did feel like every one of the friends were sex-repulsed. I would have liked for there to be mention that that is not representative of all ace people. Jack said he looked like "a prisoner of war" at one point after getting hit in the nose and that's..... bad. That is bad. I don't know how else to describe it.

I think without the problematic aspects of this book it would probably be 3 or 3.25 stars for me. The problems did take it down a bit for me. I would love to see more books with multiple aspec characters so one like this doesn't feel so heartbreaking if it ends up falling short.

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nobeliumreads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

4.0

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

When Jack Shannon’s mum gets sent to jail, he knows the one to blame is Peter Carlevaro; crime boss and rival casino owner on the Las Vegas Strip. Determined to take him down, he recruits his best friends, a group he met on an online asexual support forum, on a heist. Together, this group of asexuals work on finding the key to sending Carlevaro to jail too.

A book I’ve been dying to read since I first heard about it and one I found myself enjoying.

The writing is relatively good, and there were a lot of funny moments that I laughed at, especially between or about Jack and his friends, and Jack’s narration is quite amusing. I loved their friend group and their dynamic, and though I would have loved more about each friend individually, I thought they were pretty fun! There were lots of moments between them that I thoroughly enjoyed, like Gabe and Jack’s ‘guy talk’, and I really liked how Jack made an effort to get closer with Georgia when he felt he wasn’t as close to her as the others. The plot is fairly simple and though the plans did seem slightly juvenile (especially when you consider they’re going up against a crime boss), I didn’t mind it too much. Jack’s crush on one of his friends was also adorable to read.

I did have some issues with the book. One, I personally wish that we’d seen the discussion between Gabe and Lucky about what he said to her, which was disappointing, rather than just being told they were all fine and had resolved it later on. And, I do think there wasn’t as much heisting as I would have liked; it’s not as tense or suspenseful as I would have expected from a book about a heist and it felt as though a lot of the actual important action was done off-page and just mentioned later. As I said earlier, considering they were going up against a crime boss, you would expect a more complex plan than what was presented.

Despite those issues though, I did enjoy the book a lot! I will admit it’s particularly because it’s about a group of a-spec friends heisting together and until I have that myself, I will live vicariously through this book. However, I do think it’s still a fun and amusing read with great asexual reputation as long as you temper your expectations about the actual heisting!

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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

True to his family history, Jack Shannon runs a blackjack ring at the private school he goes to. After all, none of the other clubs really grabbed his interest. However, when his mother is arrested for her ties to organized crime, Jack is forced to go back to Las Vegas. Where his sister thinks it’s time for their family to get straight, Jack has other plans.

Jack knows that his mom was sold out by none other than Peter Carlevaro, a rival casino owner and his mom’s past lover. So, Jack hatches a plan to figure out what’s really going on. To do so, he recruits the asexual support group he’s become friends with online over the past few years. Nothing like a little high stakes heist to really cement a friendship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced copy of Aces Wild to review! A group of asexual teens going on a Las Vegas heist together? Sign me up! Sounds like something right up my alley.

The upfront nature of asexuality is probably the best thing about this book. Jack and his friends are unapologetically asexual, and I am here for it. Let’s bring more characters like this to YA! Jack also has a romantic love interest, and I love that they make the distinction between sexual attraction and romantic attraction. They’re different, people! And a lot of people don’t seem to understand that.

Unfortunately, for a book that’s advertised as a heist, the heist part is lacking. Jack’s heist doesn’t happen until the last quarter of the book. There’s a lot of build up to it, which is fine! I just wanted more heist when the book has it in the title. I went in expecting something like Oceans 11, but got something different.

Some other reviewers have also pointed out aspects of the story that are ableist. Specifically the fact that they use a hearing aide as part of their heist, for Jack’s sister whose deafness isn’t mentioned until it’s convenient. I recommend checking out some of those reviews (you can find one here) to learn more.

Here for the asexual representation, but not at the detriment of other kinds of representation. Let’s keep that in mind for the future!

All in all, if you’re looking for a heist book, maybe go in another direction.
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We definitely wanted more heist in a book promising heists. And it had so much potential! But there are other issues with it, too; stay tuned for a full review to come!

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pagesofnay's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

While this book took a little while for me to get into it, it was definitely worth it in the end. I really loved the entire friendship aspect throughout the book. This was a very fast and super fun read.

Moving on, the heist wasn’t this ‘omg super awesome adventure’ type of heist. This was a group of like modern day teenagers trying to potentially pull of a “heist”, which I felt this book captured very well.

The characters were all super great. My favorite was either Lucky or Remy. They are all asexual, hence the title name (along with the whole blackjack thing).. Remy is non-binary and they’re able to read Jack like a book. Gabe is the oldest (18) and constantly teased for being ancient. Georgia is the mediator and very good at handling feelings. Lucky had the most personality and I loved it. Jack needs therapy and maybe some more group hugs.

Overall, I loved this book. It made me laugh and while it was somewhat predictable, it was still enjoyable and amazing to see more asexual representation in such a fun book.

Thank you NetGalley and PeachTree Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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arthur_ant18's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ace Wilds: A Heist is an ebullient romp that thrives on its central crew's contagious charisma. From the start, Jack is an engaging and messy protagonist who has a habit of thinking he's smooth enough to wrangle together schemes, then tripping over his own chaotic energy. His first-person POV does a good job of bringing you into his teenage head and rooting for him as he introduces you to his underground gambling club, the shady layers of his family, and his support group buddies. Once those buddies make their debut, the fun only heightens with their uproarious banter—mainly the in-person kind, but we get to see a bit of it on Hullabaloo as well.

This isn't an original opinion, since it seems to be shared by virtually everyone who's had the chance to read Aces Wild, but Lucky is my personal favorite in the group. The moment when she threatens "I'll eat your kneecaps" is a splendid encapsulation of her feisty and biting attitude. Remy, who is both ace and nonbinary, is amusing as the target of the adorable crush that Jack ends up growing on them. Admittedly, I do wish the last two members, Gabe and Georgia, had more distinctive personalities. I liked the interactions they had as a pair, but I didn't really get much of a sense for who they are as separate people.

The ace and aromantic representation in this circle is an extra plus, although it wasn't as fleshed-out as I would have wanted. Jack's narration mentions on several occasions that asexuality is a spectrum, but there's never a point where the concept is truly dissected to display the experiences of ace people. Granted, I don't think it's the book's intention to teach readers all the ins and outs of the spectrum, but some additional nuance would have been preferable.

As for the plot device of Jack's sister Kerry's hearing aid being turned into an earpiece for the heist, it definitely leaves me feeling uncomfortable. This flippant inclusion of hearing aids, which play vital parts in the lives of the deaf people who use them, is unnecessary. Aside from a brief reference to Kerry having had a cochlear implant installed in her ear, there's nothing in the writing for her character to realistically designate her deafness and the challenges that come with using cochlear implants.

My biggest problem, intriguingly enough, isn't with the book itself, but rather the misleading marketing. When you promote something as "Six of Crows goes to Las Vegas," you better damn well deliver an intricate, extensive, and electrifying heist that measures up to the Six of Crows themselves and Ocean's 11. The thing is, Aces Wild's heist is very much a background element despite the book's subtitle being A Heist. Sure, Jack and his pals partake in a bit of pre-heisting in preparation for the main heist, but the interrelationships that comprise their found family is what really drives the book. The main heist doesn't even happen until the tail-end of the story. Thankfully, I'd heard this criticism ahead of reading the eARC, so I was able to set my expectations. Again, this isn't an issue in the book itself. If it wants to concentrate on the characters' repartee and emotional growth, that's laudable. It's the PR that requires revision so it can authentically advertise the product and avoid the pitfall of disappointing consumers purely because of erroneous publicity.

Overall, Aces Wild: A Heist is saddled with some flaws, but it’s worth picking up if you’re in search of an ace-representing YA book with loads of hilarious chemistry thrumming amongst its leads.

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irlchaosdemon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

All you need to know about Aces Wild is that it features an all ace found family, a non-binary supporting character/LI, an accurate portrayal of internet friendships, and a good ol’ heist

If you’re coming into this novel excited for the plot I would probably say,,,, don’t (though the ending saved it a little bit). The selling point of this novel is really the found family, representation, and vibes!

Overall, Aces Wild was an admittedly not perfect but a very fun and quick read and if the blurb interests you, I say go for it ;)

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