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.

All you need to know is . . . I’m here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do. —Aces

When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too.

Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures.

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?

With heart-pounding suspense and relevant social commentary comes a high-octane thriller from debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

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Published Jun 27, 2023

448 pages

Average rating: 7.76

336 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

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Readers say *Ace of Spades* by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a gripping YA mystery that powerfully explores racism, homophobia, and systemic injustice with...

Ashaleedwc@gmail.com
Feb 12, 2026
8/10 stars
I forgot I was reading YA, so I give this study grace. This books takes you on a journey you hope isn't true, but dramatizing what it's like to be Black in all white spaces. This book brings you into the System at a young age. I love the ending. I wish more characters had the ending they deserved.
DilonW87
Dec 26, 2025
10/10 stars
Loved this book from start to finish. The story was like if you mixed Get Out, Gossip Girls, and Pretty Little Liars. The way the author used social eugenics and racism to tell this story was brilliant. Also liked the fact that she didn’t never name the state or city that the story was taking place in, which made it very relatable. I enjoyed how she told the story through the eyes of the two main characters, and was able to keep my attention with the minor characters in their lives. Definitely would say this is one of the best books I read this year.
BoogReads
Sep 18, 2025
6/10 stars
I like the flow of the book, varying between the perspective of the two man characters. Not the biggest fan of some of the unrealistic details that appear in the book. However, not a bad read at all.
TheCyberGal
Sep 03, 2025
7/10 stars
Good read written from a young adult late teen perspective but still enjoyable enough for adults. Great theme and relevant topics that plague society today.
whothehelliskaitlin
Dec 23, 2024
Going to come back to this book to finish it at a later date. 171/432 pages read.

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