This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021, and it definitely delivered! Ace of Spades is a YA thriller that follows Devon and Chiamaka, two black teens at an elite private school who find themselves victim to an unexpected cyber attack that threatens to out all of their deepest, darkest secrets. This is a thriller with a different vibe, very reminiscent of the film Get Out. Rather than a "whodunnit, gotta find the killer or I'm next" feel, what this story does is pull the reader into the protagonists' experience of 'this is too bizarre to be real.' They find themselves in the middle of a strange social attack that only gets more insane as they begin to realize the true extent of what's really going on, and I think the ability to create this 'I'm in the twilight zone' feeling is really incredible. This book is intense, witty, and incredibly written, and I finished it in no time at all.
I also loved the representation in this book (two Black, queer teens main characters), and Devon and Chiamaka were wonderful protagonists. They are well fleshed out characters, each with a strong voice and unique personality. In many ways the two are different, leading them to clash when they are trying to work together to figure this thing out. Devon is a poor, quiet, Black-American scholarship kid, a loner who has spent most of his high school career overlooked by everyone. Chiamaka, on the other hand, is a rich Nigerian-Italian who has fought her way to popularity and has a real cutthroat personality. But there's also a lot that connects these characters, and their developing friendship was one of my favorite parts. I do wish the book had taken more space to deal with this aspect, though there were a lot of other important moving pieces. Still, I loved what was there. This book is told in alternating first-person POV and both characters were enjoyable to follow.
I also loved the representation in this book (two Black, queer teens main characters), and Devon and Chiamaka were wonderful protagonists. They are well fleshed out characters, each with a strong voice and unique personality. In many ways the two are different, leading them to clash when they are trying to work together to figure this thing out. Devon is a poor, quiet, Black-American scholarship kid, a loner who has spent most of his high school career overlooked by everyone. Chiamaka, on the other hand, is a rich Nigerian-Italian who has fought her way to popularity and has a real cutthroat personality. But there's also a lot that connects these characters, and their developing friendship was one of my favorite parts. I do wish the book had taken more space to deal with this aspect, though there were a lot of other important moving pieces. Still, I loved what was there. This book is told in alternating first-person POV and both characters were enjoyable to follow.