A review by landofkait
Aces Wild: A Heist by Amanda DeWitt

adventurous emotional funny 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

Jack Shannon leaves his Massachusetts boarding school’s underground blackjack game behind for a shot at a high-stakes game of getting his mom out of jail and putting the right criminal behind bars. With the help of some internet friends who met on Star Trek forums after bonding over all being ace, Jack sets out on a dangerous road to freedom.

This book was fun. It was a quick read that sucked me in easily. Jack is a great narrator dealt a bad hand that he tries to get out from under. His friends—ones he’s never met in real life—all leap off the page with unique personalities. My favorite friend was Remy (and spoiler, that’s Jack’s too). This also loosely explored the idea of being ace while having a crush, though a little bit more could have gone into that. Overall, a really fun read with a twist that I sort of saw coming, but still enjoyed nonetheless.