Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

4.23 AVERAGE

whayanameis's review against another edition

4.75
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
yourlocalchickadee's profile picture

yourlocalchickadee's review against another edition

0

kikibrown_xx's review against another edition

4.0
really liked this!! thanks emslay

jasminc's review against another edition

5.0
dark mysterious tense medium-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: No
chelseyd1997's profile picture

chelseyd1997's review against another edition

3.75
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
docmobley's profile picture

docmobley's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 20%
I felt really uncomfortable reading a book with minors talking about their sex tape being distributed and a student being outed. If it were a college setting, I could get behind it. But I’m not okay with the setting and the drama surrounding it. 
makaylanash's profile picture

makaylanash's review against another edition

4.5
challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

yukonalaska's review against another edition

This was such a page turner. Other reviewers have written about most things better than me but I appreciated the depictions of trauma and how it can affect memory, sleep, etc. 

Appreciated the epilogue and author’s note!
dbg_was_here's profile picture

dbg_was_here's review against another edition

5.0
dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
”I’m here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do.”

The Story

Secrets are spilling at Niveus Private Academy, and it’s all because Aces, an anonymous texter, has plenty to share.

However, Aces seems to have a mission. Most of the secrets belong to Devon, a quiet gay musician, and Chiamaka, the resident HBIC—two seniors who have hardly ever spoken.

Well, until now. Because Aces is turning up the heat, and as petty pranks quickly escalate to sabotage, what connects these two may be the reason they’re in physical danger.

My Verdict

SNATCHED! RIP my wig
Scandalous and unputdownable.

What I Loved

  • Chiamaka is the rightful heir to the queendom. Inspired by Blair Waldorf, she rules and, later, grows with excellence. I’m a stan.
  • I found Aces to be an incisive allegory for existing villains in the US. If you pay close attention to the real history and timelines referenced throughout, the inspiration comes together.
  • “By fire. By force.” I love stories where awful people get what they deserve. 😈

What You’ll Love 

  • A twisty narrative perfect for fans of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and Get Out. 
  • Nonstop gags that just won’t let up. Whenever you think you figured it out, more treachery is waiting around the corner.
  • This book reinforces why “I’m not racist” is not enough. When many of us might perpetuate racism without realizing it, anti-racism is the only answer.

This review has been repurposed from content designed to be published on my Instagram, so it may be missing elements that would complete the presentation. To see more or follow other reviews, meet me on Instagram at @dbg.was.here. 
sugar_book_fairy's profile picture

sugar_book_fairy's review against another edition

2.75
dark informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes