About The Book
Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully. As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly?
Buy The Book: https://amzn.to/46q5ZEa
My Rating
This is a gripping tale, with the main characters Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo standing out as minorities in their high school. Chiamaka is portrayed as the classic, smart, ‘queen bee,’ and Devon as the music geek from the wrong side of the tracks.
The plot of the book is undeniably interesting, as it revolves around a mysterious threat targeting Devon and Chiamaka, the only two black students at Niveus Private Academy. This premise immediately captivated me, and kept me engaged throughout the book.
While the writing was commendable and entertaining, I found the book to be a bit lengthy. At times, it felt like I was waiting for something significant to occur. Additionally, the fact that Devon and Chiamaka spent a substantial portion of the book apart was somewhat disappointing, as I hoped for more interaction between them.
“But racism isn’t just about that—it’s not about being nice or mean. Or good versus bad. It’s bigger than that.”
Devon’s character was my favorite, and I felt that I enjoyed his chapters and point of view more than Chiamaka, who came across as somewhat cold. Once the two characters finally started to interact, I did not see much of a friendship form until closer to the end of the book. However, the opposites in their personalities may have been intentional, adding depth to their dynamic.
The ending of the book was shocking, and the revelation behind the attacks on Devon and Chiamaka was unexpected. Furthermore, the book’s unique approach to addressing racism was very impressive. The author was able to tackle such an important social issues in a compelling manner.
Overall, the story is an intriguing reading with engaging characters and captivating plot. It may feel a bit long, and the characters maybe could have interacted more. However, the ending, as well as its take on the topic of racism, makes it a good enough read. One quick thing is that the book features LGBT+ representation, which is something I always like to see in books.
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Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny