this book was eh alright. it could definitely be engaging and is an interesting plot that i hope isn’t remotely based in current reality but it kinda felt … i don’t even know cheesey perhaps? the build up was nice but the ending felt inconsistently sappy like the mood changed suddenly because the author wasn’t quite sure how to wrap it up in a happy way.

was an entertaining read but i can’t say i fully understood the hype ( )

Course recommendation. Deals with a lot of heavy topics. Two leaders at the school start receiving mysterious texts. Mixed reviews on this one.

This book well exceeded any expectations I had. Take a splash of Pretty Little Liars high school drama and mix it with all of the unsettling tension of Get Out.

We meet our two main characters, Devon and Chiamaka, at the start of their last year at a prestigious high school. They come from completely different backgrounds and have wildly different life goals ahead of them. Devon is quiet and reserved, trying to stay under the radar. Chiamaka is used to running the school without having to break a sweat. They both become targets of a mysterious entity trying to spill the darkest secrets of both students, as well as anyone attached to them.

I’m not always a fan of stories that flip point of view between characters, but this author handled it effortlessly. The characters have to make the choice to sit by and watch their life be destroyed or try to risk it all to fight back. The moments Chiamaka had with her parents, particularly her mom, felt so vulnerable and real.

The last third of this book had me losing sleep trying to figure out who or what was behind the secret persona spilling the secrets. The payoff at the end was well worth the build up. I’ll absolutely be on the lookout for more from this author! ( )

"Ace of Spades" is a fabulous, dramatic thriller that focuses on the two only Black students at an elite boarding school. These students are successful at the school and think that everything is going perfectly -- until they each receive text messages threatening to expose their deepest, darkest secrets.

The book reminded me of typical over-the-top teen dramas (like Pretty Little Liars and The OC), but with the added benefit of shining a light on issues of racism. I appreciate how the book highlights some of the issues dealt with in Black communities and LGBTQIA+ communities without it being didactic.

It's fun, exciting, a little bit over-dramatic, and overall a great read. ( )

Wow—this book is phenomenal. Excellent writing. It’s also culturally very important.

This is one intense and disturbing thriller. It’s hard to put down, and it’s not easy to sleep until you finish reading it.

It didn’t take me long to conclude that POS Jamie is a psychopath. Early in the book, I was already shaking my head and thinking, “Chiamaka, he’s not worth your spit.” Glad she figures that out.
Similarly, it didn’t take me long to notice that Jack is a homophobe. I thought, “Devon, please ditch this asshole. He’s not worthy.”
I was so glad when Chiamaka and Devon start associating with each other—I was waiting for that.

Though I have white privilege (I’m pale, Celtic, and Ashkenazi), I often think, “White Americans are psychopaths.” This novel—like the history white supremacists don’t want anyone to learn—is one of those things that inspire that thought. ( )