Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
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:
Yes
I quite enjoyed this book! It’s a YA book about 2 Black students at an otherwise all white private school. The school starts getting texts from a random source called “Aces” that seems to be targeting those two students specifically and revealing secrets about them. It’s marketed as a combination between Get Out and Gossip Girl and I would definitely say that it fits the bill. I found out after finishing it that the author started writing it during her freshman year of college and it was published by her senior year which is incredibly impressive. Also explains why the book felt a bit like it was written by someone earlier on in their career but not in a way that drastically impacted my experience reading it. I quite liked the complexity of the characters (there’s gayness too!) and there were some very cool twists and turns along the way. I’m really excited to see what else this author ends up doing in her career, I’m sure she’ll be very successful!
4.2/5
4.2/5
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this book was actually insane. i read up to the first big reveal and stopped so i came in the second time already knowing that, but i still had no idea how it would end up. i also think that this is a book where you absolutely have to read the author's note/acknowledgements at the end. the fact that micro aggressions and mistreatment of Black students (especially in predominantly white institutions such as that in Ace of Spades) is so common is despicable and i'm glad that it is talked about in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual harassment
Really good. I was scared and DISGUSTED by these white people.
Truly a mix of GG and PPL but with a different side of sickness to it. Messed up context but these happen that people choose to ignore.
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-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
plot was very predictable, but i don't rlly mind much bc i adored the characters sm. i love devon and chi and i got so attached to them that every single betrayal genuinely broke my heart even though i also saw every single one of those coming from a mile away. although the story beats were pretty straightforward, i do still really appreciate everything that this book was saying ab racism, homophobia, classism, and the critiques on the system of academia (and society in general) that works to bring minorities down in order to uphold the twisted idea of white supremacy. i think it's very important that there are ya books like these not just to educate younger audiences, but also because having this set in a high school shows just how early on these children are raised and indoctrinated into this system of oppression (like how even unwilling participants like belle and fellow minorities like tyrell can be roped into this hateful scheme bc of the circumstances that surround them) . i truly enjoyed the character writing in this book and i loved seeing their respective relationships develop. it was refreshing to see genuinely wholesome queer love stories unfold. (even if one of them ended tragically.) this book started off rlly strong for me and then kind of lost me in the third act, but i still liked the ending. i love that my babies got the happiness they deserve.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I absolutely devoured this book! It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing. There were so many things going on with the two main characters, whom I grew to love so very much. Chi was a bit iffy to my at first, but once she dropped the mask and became her true self, I was like yeah, this is my girl. Devon was so very likeable. I wanted to literally hug him through this entire book. I will say, I've never read a book that made me so incredibly angry before. This book was so powerful and so painful that I imagine it must have been so hard for the author to share so many hard truths, truths wrapped in such pain and injustice. I am do glad I picked up this book. It was truly amazing and so eye-opening. I loved the mysterious journey. Also, that ending was just chefs kiss. Muahaha! Loved it.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes