Fully-Booked
  • Book Reviews
  • Best Book Lists
  • Book Adaptations
  • Editorials
  • Book Genres
    • American Literature
    • Black Literature
    • Canadian Literature
    • Classic Literature
    • Dystopian Fiction
    • Fantasy
    • Folklore Books
    • Historical Fiction
    • Horror
    • Mystery
    • Mythology Books
    • Nonfiction
    • Poetry
    • Romance
    • Science Fiction
    • Summer Reads
    • Theatre
    • Winter Books
    • Women In Literature
    • Young Adult
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Author Interviews
    • Book Talk
    • Bookish Newsletter
No Result
View All Result
Fully-Booked
  • Book Reviews
  • Best Book Lists
  • Book Adaptations
  • Editorials
  • Book Genres
    • American Literature
    • Black Literature
    • Canadian Literature
    • Classic Literature
    • Dystopian Fiction
    • Fantasy
    • Folklore Books
    • Historical Fiction
    • Horror
    • Mystery
    • Mythology Books
    • Nonfiction
    • Poetry
    • Romance
    • Science Fiction
    • Summer Reads
    • Theatre
    • Winter Books
    • Women In Literature
    • Young Adult
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Author Interviews
    • Book Talk
    • Bookish Newsletter
No Result
View All Result
Fully-Booked
No Result
View All Result

Home > Reviews > Ace of Spades Review: Ruthless Reality

Ace of Spades Review: Ruthless Reality

Angela by Angela
July 5, 2023
in Reviews
Discussion
ace of spades book cover
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Threads
Table of Contents Toggle
  • What Is The Book Ace Of Spaces About?
  • Ace Of Spades Review
  • Ace of Spades Characters
  • Is There A Second Book To Ace of Spades?
  • Final Thoughts

Ace Of Spades Review Breakdown DEALS

  • Amazon
    $12.39 VIEW
  • Barnes&Noble
    $16.99 VIEW
  • Google Books
    $12.99 VIEW

Gossip Girl meets Get Out – Ace of Spades is a multi-awarded young adult mystery thriller published two years ago. It is the debut novel of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé that features content that readers may find disturbing. Told in two alternating point of views, Ace of Spades captures the horror and reality of racism and classism at the educational level.

What Is The Book Ace Of Spaces About?

Devon is a talented musician aiming for a perfect application for Julliard, while Chiamaka is the head girl of the student body, aiming for an unforgettable last year in her beloved school. In Ace of Spades, both protagonists yearn for a flawless senior year. As the only two Black students at the prestigious Nivea’s Private Academy, they both strive for perfection in all situations.

However, when they are both chosen to be Senior Prefects, an anonymous texter is determined to reveal the darkest secrets of these two students. Devon and Chiamaka will soon realize the inevitability of being in the spotlight, and the price they must pay for power.

From private photos to destructive issues, Devon and Chiamaka sets out to find who “Aces” is whatever it takes, even deviating from their moral identities. Racism, homophobia, alcohol consumption, car accident, violence, arson, profanity, sexual content, stalking, and bullying are just a few of its trigger contents. Gangs and selling of drugs are also mentioned.

Ace Of Spades Review

Every good thriller must start with an impression. Ace of Spades begins with the opening of the senior year of Devon’s and Chiamaka’s batch. Right from this event, Devon is introduced as someone who avoids being the center of attention and has only one friend in the entire school. Chiamaka, on the other hand, is admired by everyone for being the ‘perfect’ girl.

ReadNext

the housemaid 2025 movie

I Read Every Housemaid Novel And I Am Torn About The Casting Of The Movie

June 14, 2025
tricking each other into reading books feature

We Tried to Trick Each Other Into Reading Books We’d Normally Avoid And Here’s What Happened

April 25, 2025

Looking back, the morning assembly felt ominous already. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé knows how to set the uneasy mood perfectly, and there’s an unsettling feeling to the story immediately that signals to readers that something wrong is about to happen. The opening chapters expertly illustrate a ‘calmness before the storm’ vibe for the audience.

Ace of Spades Characters

Sometimes I feel like I’m so lost in my own world, I don’t notice the things that seem so obvious to everyone else.

I’ve worked too hard for someone to try to make me into a disgrace and a laughing stock.

The author takes the right amount of time to introduce and develop the characters. Devon is a Black American gay who grew up with his siblings and mother. He strives to graduate and work to help his family. Readers will later then realize what it takes for Devon to make sacrifices for his family. Chiamaka is a biracial Italian-Nigerian bisexual who grew up chasing what she wants. Unlike Devon, she is pretty popular in school.

Both protagonists are acquainted with one another, but it takes them time before they decided to come together and face Aces. That’s where the story truly begins to take a turn. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé makes sure to keep readers on edge while exploring the layers of these characters. Although Ace of Spades champions in having well-rounded main characters, many of the supporting characters seem to fall flat.

Hello, Niveus High. It’s me. Who am I? That’s not important. All you need to know is … I’m here to divide and conquer.

Aces

The premise of the book was just tip of the iceberg for me. There were a lot of happenings with Devon and Chiamaka that I had some trouble keeping up with. That goes to show how overwhelming life can be in those years in high school. As a result, the thrilling presence I was expecting of Aces was something lacking for me. The whole whodunnit mystery felt like a subplot more than the driving conflict of the story. Throughout the book, I see Aces’ messages as not alarming as they sound because of how Chiamaka and Devon handled their situation.

RelatedConfessions Book Review: Murder, Vengeance, Guilt

Is There A Second Book To Ace of Spades?

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé said on her official website that Ace Of Spades is a standalone book and that there is no second book to Ace Of Spades.

Final Thoughts

They treat my Black skin like a gun or a grenade or a knife that is dangerous and lethal, when really it’s them. The guys at the top powering everything.
But racism isn’t just about that—it’s not about being nice or mean. Or good versus bad. It’s bigger than that.

Ace of Spades is a mystery thriller that depicts the real horror of institutionalized racism. Characters must contend with the racism and classism of their peers, which ultimately puts Black kids at a disadvantage. It’s action-packed and thrilling that will leave you guessing until the end.

The Review

Ace Of Spades Review Breakdown

8.3 Score

Ace of Spades is a movement. Read this if you are looking for a perfect balance of suspense, thrill, and thematic mystery read. This is a must read for readers who enjoy surprising endings and readers interested in learning more about race and class.

PROS

  • Themes
  • Main characters
  • Mystery
  • Atmosphere

CONS

  • Too long and draggy at times
  • Little urgency

Review Breakdown

  • Mystery 0
  • Thrill 0
  • Main Characters 0
  • Predictability 0

Ace Of Spades Review Breakdown DEALS

We collect information from many stores for best price available

Best Price

$12
  • Amazon Amazon
    $12.39 Buy Now
  • Barnes&Noble Barnes&Noble
    $16.99 Buy Now
  • Google Books Google Books
    $12.99 Buy Now
Genre: Mystery Books
ShareTweetShare
Angela

Angela

Contributor

Angela is a bookstagrammer who loves mystery thrillers and contemporaries with hard-hitting stories and twists. She takes comfort in taking book pictures, reading book reviews, and watching movie critiques. Her all-time favourite book is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.If you are wondering what she's up to nowadays, she's probably reading in search for her next favourite book.

DISCUSSION

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

the housemaid 2025 movie

I Read Every Housemaid Novel And I Am Torn About The Casting Of The Movie

June 14, 2025
tricking each other into reading books feature

We Tried to Trick Each Other Into Reading Books We’d Normally Avoid And Here’s What Happened

April 25, 2025
shutter island rewatch change everything feature

Why Rewatching Shutter Island Changes Everything

April 18, 2025
thought-provoking books feature updated

Most Thought-Provoking Books You Will Not Be Able To Put Down

April 13, 2025
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
murderbot season 2 feature

Murderbot Season 2 Might Happen But Not In The Way That You Think

May 18, 2025
spicy books releasing in 2025 feature

10 Most Spicy Romance Books Coming Out In 2025

February 24, 2025
gripping queer horror books feature2

Romantic Chills: 15 Gripping Queer Horror Books That Will Keep You Up At Night

April 27, 2025
murderbot season 2 feature

Murderbot Season 2 Might Happen But Not In The Way That You Think

4
Fear Street Prom Queen review feature

Review: Fear Street: Prom Queen Lost The Fear Street Touch

2
books like quicksilver feature

These Books Have the Same Addictive, Dangerous Vibes as Quicksilver

2
author jonathan janz interview feature

Jonathan Janz Writes Horror That Hits You Right In The Heart

June 16, 2025
the housemaid 2025 movie

I Read Every Housemaid Novel And I Am Torn About The Casting Of The Movie

June 14, 2025
water for elephants banned feature

Why Was Water for Elephants Banned? We Still Don’t Get It

June 13, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Fully-Booked

Copyright © 2020-2025 www.fully-booked.ca

Important Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • In The Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Impressum
  • Disclaimer

Follow Us

Fully-Booked
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Fully-Booked
Manage your privacy
We use cookies to offer you a better experience, analyze traffic, and at times, serve the best possible and relevant advertisement to you. By continuing to use this site, you agree with the use of cookies in accordance with our linked policies below.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Book Reviews
  • Best Book Lists
  • Book Adaptations
  • Editorials
  • Book Genres
    • American Literature
    • Black Literature
    • Canadian Literature
    • Classic Literature
    • Dystopian Fiction
    • Fantasy
    • Folklore Books
    • Historical Fiction
    • Horror
    • Mystery
    • Mythology Books
    • Nonfiction
    • Poetry
    • Romance
    • Science Fiction
    • Summer Reads
    • Theatre
    • Winter Books
    • Women In Literature
    • Young Adult
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Author Interviews
    • Book Talk
    • Bookish Newsletter

Copyright © 2020-2025 www.fully-booked.ca

wpDiscuz
Updated on July 5, 2023