behindherpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, Racial slurs, Stalking, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Death, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide attempt
bookobsessedmommy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Racism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, and Outing
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide attempt
booktechnerd's review against another edition
5.0
The first half of this book made me feel so uncomfortable because too many characters reminded me of people I knew in high school. I didn't trust any character and questioned everyone's motives until the very end. Reading this in high school would've made me extremely paranoid. I feel relieved that I'm an adult and my kids go to very diverse schools.
As for the overall story, I was grateful for the
Spoiler
protestersGraphic: Bullying, Racism, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Stalking, Homophobia, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Death, Suicide attempt, and Violence
sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ace of Spades is the story of Chiamaka and Devon, the only two Black students at an almost all white prestigious high school in America. Someone named Aces stars revealing the two student's secrets and more to the whole school. Aces is out to get Devon and Chiamaka, but who are they? and why?
My only complaint was that the "WHO DID IT?" was spoiled for me thanks to the marketing team and book listing on Amazon! I went to buy this book from Amazon (as it was on sale) and the synopsis on their website spoiled the big reveal for me.
Spoiler
I sometimes hate when the synopsis says, "this novel is X show and Y book/movie put together!", because there's either hardly a comparison or it's spot on and then the story is no longer a surprise. In this case, the examples were the film "Get Out" and the show "Gossip Girl". The comparisons were spot on and because of that, there were few surprises left to figure out on my own.Overall, I really liked this novel, I'm giving this 4.5 stars out of 5, I'm knocking off .5 stars because I guessed some of the ending on my own. I'm also knocking a star off because Chiamaka was a jerk and unpleasant, and half the book was from her point of view so I couldn't avoid her annoying personality.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to this for free on libbyapp.com
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts
deepcurvesahead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Car accident, Gaslighting, and Racism
Moderate: Infidelity, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, and Outing
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Rape, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Murder, and Suicide attempt
gaby_aldridge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, Death of parent, Classism, Bullying, Death, Racism, and Violence
marippe's review against another edition
3.5
I can "fix" the kinks in my hair, but not the kinks in this whole system that hates us.
The queer rep was very good, but characters lacked depth. The way Jaime was written was a miss for me.
Spoiler
Ok so the reveal of Aces being all the white people in the school was ehhhh. They're choosing 2 black students to terrorise every 10 years? It doesn't really make much sense. I get they want to give these black kids a dream of success just to rip it away from them but I doubt this kind of energy would be happening from the 60s.I can't see a White supremacy school being able to put up with being that kind to black people just to destroy their lives a few years later, it's kinda too smart if you get me.
For a debut novel though I do think it was good. I don't think it needed to be as long as it is (particularly the beginning, it was slow and then suddenly everything started happening.)
I think we got to the ending too easily.
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Death, Murder, Outing, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
kh_xion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
Moderate: Classism, Death, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Stalking
kdailyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Classism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Racism, Violence, Car accident, Homophobia, Outing, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Slavery, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
elizogs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
but it never fails to shock me at alllll. this book was so good because it touched on the real world impacts as well as making it a tad relatable. as well as the story not being typical -
Spoiler
aces not being one person but EVERYONE. (social eugenics) and it was so interesting and i love love loved the plot.Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Homophobia, and Suicide
if u read this book please be cautious, there are many triggers!!