Ace of Spades

This book really dragged me into the story right from the first page when you see Devon and Chiamaka at the top, all their dreams within reach and then the ball drops and they are suddenly going through this last year of private high school hell, not knowing why they are being targeted or by who and having a hard time trying to stop it. I had to get through it quick because it really stressed me out with all the awfulness that they were going through and how they could not trust anyone around them. This book had a real creep factor to it and I was really glad that the ending had a satisfying little bite to it. I did come away from reading though thinking how awful people can be to others and how wrong it is and how many issues happen nowadays because of this kind of hate. This book brings up issues of racism, homophobia, elitism and white supremacy. Heavy topics but very valid today sadly.

Ace of Spades is told from the perspective of Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, the only two black students at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy. They are entering their senior year and have been selected to be senior prefects, the elite student leaders of the academy. This honor puts them in the running for valedictorian and opens doors for admission to, and scholarships from, Ivy League universities. Soon after the prefect announcement is made, a cyberbully with the handle "Aces" starts sending anonymous text messages which reveal secrets about Devon and Chiamaka. These revelations sabotage their reputations and threaten their personal lives and future prospects. Aces shows no sign of stopping and as the humiliation and stress escalates, Devon and Chiamaka decide to expose the identity and motivation of Aces. The answer is more chilling than they could have imagined. Ace of Spades explores important societal issues such as poverty, racism, homophobia and white privilege. The characters are well developed and their alternating POVs enhance the fast-paced plot. This book resulted in utter sleep deprivation for me. I could not put it down. I really enjoyed this well-written original, twisty YA thriller. Thank you to #FierceReads for an ARC of #AceOfSpades