#Faridah Abike-Iyimide

[judgingbooksbycovers]

Four Eids and a Funeral

By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar.

#Four Eids and a Funeral #Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé #Faridah Abike-Iyimide #Adiba Jaigirdar #books #book covers

[creator-of-calm-queer-chaos]

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Book Review

HOLY CRAP!! It deals with such important topics SO WELL I LOVE IT!!!

Okay here you go:

Fast facts:

Title: Ace of Spades Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Pronunciation Guide: Fa-ree-dah Ah-bee-keh Ee-yee-mee-deh Genre: YA Thriller Rating: 10/10

Review:

When you mix the mystery/thriller quality of One of Us is Lying but better with the complexity of race from The Weight of Blood but better, you get Ace of Spades. I cannot put into words how much I loved this book. It genuinely held me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. It deals with genuinely difficult subjects with a skill level I have NEVER seen before. This story is supposed to be dark, and to shove the horrors of systemic racism at you so you cannot ignore them, as so many people do. If you are able, and especially if you are white, I beg you to read this book and to actually think that shit like what happens in the book is real. We see it in slightly more toned down versions more frequently, but this shit happens. It is supposed to be dark. And it is supposed to teach you a lesson about what gets hidden away.

Okay, okay, what's the plot?

Devon and Chiamaka are the only two Black students at Niveus Private Academy, a fancy high school made of white legacy students. Devon is a musician with dreams of getting into Julliard to help his mom and younger brothers get out of their struggling home. Chiamaka is a popular girl who, while her family is well off and stable, doesn't have a legacy to lean back on.

As Devon and Chiamaka enter their senior year, they are made Prefect and Head Prefect, respectively. Chaimaka is not shocked. Devon is. At first, it seems like senior year will work out splendidly.

And then Aces comes into play. An anonymous texter (or texters?) starts sending texts to the entire school with information about Chiamaka, Devon, and a few other students - information that they all thought they had buried deep.

Chiamaka and Devon end up teaming up to uncover a nasty history of racism, secret societies, and discover just how far Aces is willing to go to bring them down.

Told in a dual perspective, this book explores the horrors of systemic racism and what it means to be Black in a world of weaponized white privilege.

DUN DUN DUUUUN!!!!

Seriously though, it is a fantastic book. I read it for a book club and I cannot wait to discuss it.

It deals with some pretty heavy topics, so I will put those, along with how prevelent/how much it is discussed below the cut. Spoilers in the sense of that these topics will be discussed, but no plot details. I would suggest skimming those, or feel free to message me if you just want a yes/no answer about a specific topic.

Again, I want to highlight that this book is dark. It is supposed to be dark. If you read it and think it is a fluffy thriller, you have missed a fundamental part of it. This book is about racism and the depths of white privilege - and weaponizing race.

Check out Àbíké-Íyímídé's website about Ace of Spades here, and where to buy it: https://www.faridahabikeiyimide.com/aos

Potentially triggering topics and how long they are dealt with (spoilers in the sense of these things will come up, no major plot points are revealed. Some small scenes will be spoiled.)

Racism: The entire book (more obviously in the second half) deals with racism. This includes institutions that are explicitly trying to ruin the lives of Black students specifically. This includes benefits of having white legacy parents. This includes what it feels like to have curly hair, and the power that wearing your 'natural' hair can have. This book deals with racism, and it does not hide how terrible it is.

Stalking: Aces stalks Devon and Chiamaka. Like, explicetly stalks them. There are major invasions of privacy that happen. A character is photographed changing - levels of stalking.

Homophobia: There is quite a bit of homophobia throughout the book. A character is non-consensually outed, multiple friendships/relationships are broken because of fear of how people would treat them if they knew they were queer, and a character is beaten up (it's show as a memory) because he is gay (in this scene/memory, he remembers being called slurs)

Bullying: Most of this story is about bullying. I don't know how else to put it. People are assholes in this story.

Toxic friendships: There are many many toxic and fake friendships, including when the main character is the toxic one.

Death/murder: A character killed another character pre-start of the book (we do see this scene in a vivid memory/nightmare, more in this in car accident/death), and that haunts them throughout most of the book. We learn about a group of people who killed at least one person, though we do not know how.

Hate crimes: There is a group of people who commit terrible crimes (including murder, as mentioned above) to people of color. This is a major premise of the book, more explicitly in the second half as the characters figure out what is going on.

Drug dealing: One character dates a drug dealer and works for them at one point. The person they are dating gets arrested later in the story.

Drug use: A character is revealed to have been using drugs, and it is rumored that another character also used drugs. These themes are present for about a page each.

Car accidents/death: A character gets into a car accident with another character that kills someone, and they do not report it. This haunts one of the main characters throughout the story. The accident is described in detail for a few pages, and the character has flashbacks to aspects to this scene multiple times.

Suicidal thoughts/attempts: It is mentioned that a character tried to commit suicide very briefly (the whole conversation lasts less than five lines).

Gun violence: A character is held at gunpoint towards the end of the story. This part lasts about two pages.

Police brutality: It is mentioned that a character is killed by a police officer (we do not know the character who was killed). This part lasts for only a few lines.

Incarceration: A drug dealer above gets incarcerated, and a main character visits them in prison. A main character's father was incarcerated, and we read a memory of the main character visiting their father in prison as well.

Sexual assault: There are two instances where characters were assaulted, one where a character does not remember pictures being taken of them, and another where pictures are found of an unknown character and a character describes the photos as feeling nonconsensual and as if she was being 'used.' Each of these instances are maybe a third of a page long.

#ace of spades #Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé #Faridah Abike-Iyimide #YA books #ya literature #ya book #ya thriller #ya thrillers #book reviews #book review #books with poc mc #black mc #gay mc #bi mc #first gen mc #lgbtq mc #lgbtq poc mc #dual perspective books #bookblr #books #bookaholic #bookworm #bookish #book nerd #biblophile

[amarachireads]

Book Review: Where Sleeping Girls Lies by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

If you like YA mysteries that take place in elite boarding schools with a strong black FC that has been through tragedy, then you need to read this. This dark academia follows the fmc Sade, who is starting school in a new boarding school after the death of her sister. When her roommate goes missing, she starts to investigate what’s happening in the school and everything haunting the students and…

View On WordPress

#black authors #Blog #books #Faridah Abike-Iyimide #new release #thriller books #Where Sleeping Girls Lie #Wordpress #ya thriller

[smokefalls]

It hurts to dream, but I dream regardless.

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Ace of Spades

#Faridah Abike Iyimide #Ace of Spades #quote #fiction #ya #queerlit #thriller #2022 reads

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: Ace of Spades

Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2021

Genres: fiction, contemporary, mystery, thriller, LGBT+

Blurb: Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways and the students are never less than perfect...until now. Because anonymous texter Aces is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon, everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both - someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game.

#ace of spades #standalone #faridah àbíké íyímídé #faridah abike iyimide #2021 #fiction #contemporary #mystery #thriller #lgbt

[aphroditesmoon]

to the people who follow me for my book content, these are some authors that i no longer support:

pierce brown: one of the earliest authors to share the "i stand with israel" posts. (I guess rebellions are only cool for plot points. I loved red rising but ive always found it to be a whitewashed version of the hunger games, and b4 u go "but hunger games characters r white too!!" No theyre not. Katniss was supposed to have darker skin. The movie franchise whitewashed her.)

sarah j maas: has made it clear that her grandmother was in the IDF and is proud of her israeli heritage. I liked her when i was like 14. I grew to realise just how much queerbaiting and subtle racism there is in her books.

victoria aveyard: i loved her for a very long time, red queen was the series that pulled me back into reading and she have been one of my biggest inspiration in being a writer, but she had made a statement of standing in neutrality, and she have made a tiktok of her Starbucks order while everyone is trying to boycott starbucks for their donation to israel. I hope her words and actions are only of ignorance and that she'll learn to do better soon. but until then, I've completely lost my respect for her.

•••••••••••••••

IN RETURN: HERE ARE SOME AUTHORS WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING AND DONATING TO PALESTINE AND WRITE AMAZING BOOKS:

- Rebecca F. Kuang: The poppy war trilogy, yellowface, Babel.

- Olivie Blake: The atlas six trilogy, One for my enemy, Alone with you in the ether, Masters of death.

- VE Schwab: A darker shade of magic series, The invisible life of Addie Larue, This savage song (monsters of verity) duology.

- Chloe Gong: These violent delights duology.

- Faridah abike iyimide: Ace of Spades.

- Leigh Bardugo: The grishaverse, Ninth house.

- Tracy Deonn: Legendborn series.

- Xiran Jay Zhao: Iron widow series.

#free palestine #palestine #book reccs #authorsforpalestine #israel #booktok #olivie blake #sarah j mass #rebecca f kuang #rf kuang #ve schwab #chloe gong #faridah àbíké íyímídé #pierce brown #red rising #red queen #victoria aveyard #acotar #leigh bardugo #grishaverse #six of crows #ninth house

[wondereads]

WLW Book Recommendations

Happy Pride!

Recommendations are under the cut due to the size of this post. The books listed below are:

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Malice by Heather Walter

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (high fantasy)

Yes, this book is a monster, but it is well worth your time. Told from multiple perspectives spanning a huge fantasy world, an ancient evil is waking up, and humans must be prepared. This book does a great job of blending many different cultures into one narrative, and the way it deals with organized religion is better than any other book I've ever read. While this is a fantasy over a romance, the sapphic relationship in this book is top tier. It develops slowly and naturally; it's not big and sweeping like a lot of romance in fantasy, but the smaller things really come through.

Crier's War by Nina Varela (high fantasy)

In a fantasy world, humans are ruled over by automae, artificial beings that were initially created by humans but have now taken over as the 'superior' beings. Ayla's family was killed by the king, and she vows to take revenge by killing his own family, his only daughter, Lady Crier. I find the history of the automae very interesting in this book, and Crier's story in particular has a lot of good reveals. While this is an intense high fantasy, there is a bit of humor in it. Told from both Ayla and Crier's perspectives, I find it incredibly funny that a human girl is scheming how to assassinate a princess while said princess is experiencing her first crush on said human girl.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (high fantasy)

This book is set in a world inspired by ancient India, and tells the story of a maidservant and princess. The maidservant has a dark past that involves illegal magic and old societies, and the princess has been imprisoned by her cruel and despotic brother. This book is very much on the slower side, but some people prefer that. Similar to Priory, this book is told from multiple points of view, not just the two main characters. The unrest in the kingdom is slow and creeping but happens steadily and realistically. Also, concerning the romance, I actually quite like that the two main characters, Priya and Malini, don't exactly have a very healthy relationship.

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett (high fantasy)

One of my favorite books, The Winter Duke is about Ekata, one of the many children of the duchy of Kylma Above. All she wants to do is leave this place and her family to pursue her dreams of scholarship, but when her family falls into a permanent sleep the day before her departure, she must step up to rule. As someone who loves political fantasy, this book is right up my alley, and yours too as long as that's something you like. I really like that this book explicitly states that Ekata has zero interest in men romantically and is only interested in women. Her romance with Inkhar definitely brings out the YA aspects of this book. Ekata is forced to grow up so quickly, it's nice to see her have a crush and get flustered over it like any teenage girl.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide (mystery thriller)

At a predominately white private school, the only two Black students are targeted by an anonymous texter, Aces. Though they have nothing in common, they team up in order to uncover Aces and protect their secrets. Plot wise, this is by far my favorite thriller I've ever read. It's tense, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat, and it discusses institutionalized racism, especially in academia, masterfully. One of the main characters, Chiamaka, has a great sideplot of coming to terms with her sexuality. However, when it comes between her safety and her romance, I love that she keeps a level head on her shoulders and always chooses the former. (There is also MLM rep in this book with the other POV character.)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May (space opera sci-fi)

An intergalactic empire spreads across the universe, and it's up to a ragtag group of rebels to stop it. Eris was once heir to the entire empire, but she gave that up to be part of the Resistance, and one mission may be the deciding factor in the universe's continued freedom. While Eris is technically the main character, this is fundamentally an ensemble cast with multiple perspectives. This book has quite a bit of LGBTQ+ representation, including a sapphic relationship between two of the POV characters. While not a huge focus of the book, their relationship is sweet and touching.

Malice by Heather Walter (high fantasy)

Malice is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty following Alyce, the Dark Grace, who is reviled but used by all in the kingdom of Briar. Alyce dreams of escaping Briar until she starts to master her powers and meets the Princess Aurora. I will admit that I prefer the plot to the romance in this book for the most part, but the ending really gets me sometimes. Alyce's powers and her people's history are so interesting, and Aurora is a great, understanding, and kind love interest.

Stay tuned for more pride recommendations all throughout this month!

#books #recommendations #lgbt #pride #fantasy #mystery #science fiction #wlw #sapphic #lesbian #bisexual #pansexual #the priory of the orange tree #the jasmine throne #the winter duke #crier's war #ace of spades #seven devils #malice

[nyx-twix713]

2023 reading wrap-up for fun :)

WHAT I READ (NO PARTICULAR ORDER):

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Arch-Enemies by Marissa Meyer

Super Nova by Marissa Meyer

Skyhunter by Marie Lu

Steelstriker by Marie Lu

Heartstopper 1-4 by Alice Oseman

Never Kiss Your Roomate by Philine Harms

The Girl From the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Grown by Tiffany D Jackson

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D Jackson

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier, Val Wise, and Oscar O. Jupiter

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Garden Alchemy by Stephanie Rose

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefluer

The Book Thief by Mark Zusak

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Kings Cage by Victoria Aveyard

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

The Sprite and the Gardener by Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

A Beginners Guide to Tarot by Kathleen Olmstead

The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston

Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Wicked King by Holly Black

RE-READS:

The Renegades Trilogy by Marissa Meyer

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen

FAVORITES:

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Skyhunter by Marie Lu

#books #book wrap up #bookblr #reading

[dejwrites]

dejjjj hi < 3 i wanted to ask if you had any book recs😭😭 cause like i see the books you post about and i just know you have phenomenal taste in novels 🤭

obviously, i'm going to suggest the two books i have finished. which is terms and conditions by lauren asher (this book is apart of a series but each book can be read as a stand-alone if you want), seven days in june by tia williams, ace of spades by faridah abike iyimide.

i'm currently reading the princess trap by talia hibbert. i only have this book by her but i do have a sense that a lot of talia's books are fun read type of books. also her books are heavy on black big girl representation and i love it.

some others that are on my tbr list this year are

reel by kennedy ryan

babel by r.f kuang

before i let go by kennedy ryan

the grim reaper's lawyer by mea monique (honestly excited to read this one because i followed the author on tik tok from when they first started planning this book)

again by j.l seegars

legendborn by tracy deonn

[moonlit-sunflower-books]

some of the books i read in 2021 with random comments no one asked for

almost all of these are booktok certified™

these violent delights by chloe gong (5 stars, lovers to enemies is my new favourite trope)

our violent ends by chloe gong (4 stars, only because she broke my heart)

the gilded wolves by roshani chokshi (4 stars because i love the setting and the characters but i got bored in the middle)

the cruel prince trilogy by holly black (4 stars because jude and cardan are literally the bisexual agenda but the ending was kinda disappointing and vivi is really pissing off)

instructions for dancing by nicola yoon (5 stars because it made me rethink existence in the best way possible)

the tempest by shakespeare (2 stars; i hate the characters and the setting and it was incredibly boring and i had to read it for school and so much of shakespeare is really good idk why they made us read this one)

ace of spades by faridah abike-iyimide (4 stars, it was kind of dark but really good and really necessary)

pride and prejudice (5 stars, mr darcy is my favourite character ever written)

two can keep a secret by karen mcmanus (3 stars, the first book was better but the plot twist at the end of this was quite good)

what if it's us by becky albertalli and adam silvera (3 stars, the characters weren't particularly well explored but i appreciated the hamilton references and it was a fun read)

rule of wolves by leigh bardugo (3 stars. don't talk to me about this, it doesn't deserve a goodreads choice award.)

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo (5 stars, literal perfection /hj, broke my heart a million times over)

orlando by virgina woolf (4 stars, mostly because it's based on a true queer story)

a sky beyond the storm by sabaa tahir (4.5 stars, i'm obsessed and helene aquila's character development is flawless but it broke my heart but it's one of the best books i've read)

an ember in the ashes by sabaa tahir (5 stars, i love it so much and elias veturius owns my heart)

[dejwrld]

Deja I really trust with my life your recommendations (for your writing and the novel you are currently writing) because I am so disappointed in the books I have read lately. So I humbly come to ask for recs, I really read everything🧎‍♀️ please?

i read your post and i am curious to know what the book is called? cause i am the type of reader that need a good plot and smut balance. if the book is labeled as a romance book and it's mainly smut, i'm going to be so salty cause i could have read x reader fics for all of that lol. but yes, tik tok recs you have to take with the grain of salt and always read the one star reviews of the books on goodreads first. i listened to tik tok once with a book and it was horrible and the reason why i don't read hades and persephone retellings.

anyway, like i suggested in the other post...before i let go by kennedy ryan is really good. that book definitely moved me. however, it does handle heavy topics like depression and a miscarriage. seven days in june by tia williams is really good read also. both books to me have a perfect smut and plot & slow burn ratio. ace of spades by faridah abike-iyimide is really good also, it's not spicy but i would categorize it as dark academia because it deals with some heavy topics, but it left me on the edge of seat and i couldn't put the book down when i was reading it. if you're looking for a quick summer vibe read, i suggest one week in paradise by anise starre. it has a fake dating trope and lowkey, the male lead remind me of a tanned eren yeager lmfaooo.

listen, tik tok book recs can either be a hit or miss. you have to follow some people's recs on there very cautiously.

#⊹˳⁺ ♡ 𝓂𝓊𝓉𝓊𝒶𝓁𝓈

[starlight-and-ink]

My Entire Physical TBR

The devil’s thief - Lisa Maxwell

The grey wolf throne - Cinda Williams Chima

The crimson crown - Cinda Williams Chima

Queen of air and darkness - Cassandra Clare

Ghosts of the shadow market - multiple authors

Vengeful - V. E. Schwab

Skyward - Brandon Sanderson

We free the stars - Hafsah Faizal

Alex, approximately - Jenn Bennett

Seven devils - Laura Lam, Elizabeth May

She drives me crazy - Kelly Quindlen

Bruja born - Zoraida Cordova

The caged queen - Kristen Ciccarelli

She gets the girl - Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick

Not my problem - Ciara Smyth

Hunting Prince Dracula - Kerri Maniscalco

Gearbreakers - Zoe Hana Mikuta

Rise to the sun - Leah Johnson

Romance real - Clara Alves (this one has no English translation)

The valley of fear - Arthur Conan Doyle

Truly devious - Maureen Johnson

The vanishing stair - Maureen Johnson

The hand on the wall - Maureen Johnson

Ace of spades - Faridah Abike-Iyimide

The ABC murders - Agatha Christie

Why didn’t they ask Evans? - Agatha Christie

The hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hawthorne legacy - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Ninth house - Leigh Bardugo

The memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

Howl’s moving castle - Diana Wynne Jones

Gallant - V. E. Schwab

The mysterious affair at Styles - Agatha Christie

4:50 from Paddington - Agatha Christie

Escaping from Houdini - Kerri Maniscalco

A lesson in vengeance - Victoria Lee (bought but has not yet arrived)

Total: 36

In order of when I got them, from oldest to most recent.

#dark academia #dark academia aesthetic #light academia #light academia aesthetic #chaotic academia #chaotic academia aesthetic #books #reading #bookworm #starlight and ink

[sochaewry]

My To Be Read list !!

🍂' This is my list of books I intend to read, I will update it as I find more books that I am interested in and as I progress in reading (currently I only read in portuguese because I still have difficulty with the english language).

• Esta é a minha lista de livros que pretendo ler, irei atualizá-la conforme eu vá encontrando mais livros que eu tenha interesse e conforme eu for avançando nas leituras (atualmente eu leio apenas em português pois ainda tenho dificuldade com a língua inglesa).

• A Canção de Aquiles/The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller – 5% read

• Asbury Hollow (brazilian book) – Victoria Moon – 72% read

• Rádio Silêncio/Radio Silence – Alice Oseman – 28% read

• Suicidas (brazilian book) – Raphael Montes – 5% read

• Battle Royale – Koushun Takami – 15% read

• Os Sete Maridos de Evelyn Hugo/The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid – 21% read

• A Biblioteca da Meia-Noite/The Midnight Library – Matt Haig – 16% read

• A Vida Invisível de Addie LaRue/The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab – 29% read

• Meninas Nem Tão Malvadas (brazilian book) – Letícia Rosa – 20% read

• Clichês em rosa, roxo e azul (brazilian book) – Maria Freitas

• Enquanto Eu Não Te Encontro (brazilian book) – Pedro Rhuas

• Antes de Dormir/Before I Go To Sleep – S. J. Watson

• A Paciente Silenciosa/The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides

• Para o Lobo/For the Wolf – Hannah Whitten

• Garotas (im)perfeitas (brazilian book) – Raíssa Selvaticci

• Luzes do Norte (brazilian book) – Giulianna Domingues

• Uma vida no escuro/Girl in the Dark – Anna Lyndsey

• Felix Para Sempre/Felix Ever After – Kacen Callender

• Meninas selvagens/Wilder Girls – Rory Power

• Tentei Evitar: O começo (brazilian book) – João Vittor Rodrigues

• Amor à distância: Entre continentes (brazilian book) – Luanna Lima

• Alguém para você (brazilian book) – Soul Thea

• Azedo Como Limão, Doce Que Nem Pudim (brazilian book) – João Luiz

• Todos querem (muito) beijar o Karl (brazilian book) – Fabrício Fonseca

• Oliver e Gael: Um amor para comemorar (brazilian book) – Daniel Alves

• O Medo é Feito de Gelo (brazilian book) – L.S Englantine

• Quase Sem Querer (brazilian book) – Tálita Heusi

• Aquilo que coube na mala (brazilian book) – Andressa Casale

• A Busca de Ella (brazilian book) – Lara T. Vainstok

• Cool for the Summer – Dahlia Adler

• Jake Livingston vê gente morta/The Taking of Jake Livingston – Ryan Douglass

• Ás de Espadas/Ace os Spades – Faridah Abike-Iyimide

• Um ano solitário/Solitaire – Alice Oseman

• Sem Amor/Loveless – Alice Oseman

• Mas... e se ele ficar? (brazilian book) – Maria Freitas

• Sugar (brazilian book) – Vanessa Airallis

• À luz do dia (brazilian book) – Nina Spim

• Estúpido Cupido (brazilian book) – Ayslan Monteiro

• Sem Coração/Heartless – Marissa Meyer

• Rede de Sussurros/Whisper Network – Chandler Baker

• Zumbis e Garotas de Jaquetas de Couro (brazilian book) – L. A. Falcão

• Você Está Feliz Neste Mundo Moderno? (brazilian book) – Bella Triz

• As Vidas Literárias de Atlas Lefrève (brazilian book) – Dean C. Hunter

• Todo O Medo Que Sentimos (brazilian book) – V. F. Duquina

• A Raposa e o Lobo (brazilian book) – Allie Próvier

• A Princesa, o Capuccino e a Profecia de Apolo (brazilian book) – G. B. Baldassari

• Plutão ainda é um planeta? (brazilian book) – Mari Batista

• Não brinque com fogo, Ally Summers (brazilian book) – Rafa Souza

• A Melodia de Nós Dois (brazilian book) – C. Cal

• O Mal em Mim (brazilian book) – Andresa Rios

• Mais que dias numerados (brazilian book) – Keviton Freitas

• A Lista para se apaixonar por Amin Song (brazilian book) – Indie RedFox

• O Guia de Espionagem Para Cavalheiros (brazilian book) – Victoria Hope

• Eros e Apolo (brazilian book) – Dante Fernandes

• Ela nem imagina: (ou será que sim?) (brazilian book) – Maíra Cini

• De Mi (brazilian book) – Karolinny Ferreira

• Bom dia, Sydney (brazilian book) – Barbara Cusin

• Lágrimas de Diamante (brazilian book) – Alycia Carvalho

• Diário de Bordo de uma Impostora (brazilian book) – G. B. Baldassari

• As Musas/The Maidens – Alex Michaelides

• Para aqueles que vivem (brazilian book) – Juliana Giacobelli

• 100 canções para salvar sua vida (brazilian book) – Camila Dornas

• 12 segundos (brazilian book) – Leonardo de Cassio

• Abelardo: O bebê monstruoso de Adelaide Estes (brazilian book) – Filipe Tasbiat

• Abrakadabra: A Fênix Azul (brazilian book) – F. B. Vlaxio

• Açucarado (brazilian book) – Luny F.

• Alguém que você amou (brazilian book) – Rubanne Damas

#tbr #book list #bookstan #leitores #livros #livros nacionais #livros brasileiros #lista de livros #leitura #literatura independente #livros independentes #autores nacionais #autores brasileiros #autores independentes #book lover #booklover #mmoo's op

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Book Recs:

Skin of the Sea - Natasha Bowen

Ace of Spades - Faridah Abike-iyimide

People from my neighborhood - Hiromi Kawakami

The Suicide of Claire Bishop - Carmiel Banasky

Hide - Kiersten White

Baby Teeth - Zoje Stage

This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

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Title: Ace of Spades Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Publication Date: June 2021 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Genre: fiction, YA, queer lit, thriller

I didn’t love or hate this book. It was fast-paced and engaging, but I felt that it was a little predictable… only because it was marketed as being similar to Get Out. And… yeah, it was, but with “dark academia” vibes. If I hadn’t watched Get Out or went in without knowing its similarities to the film, I probably would have enjoyed the twists far more than I did.

Ace of Spades was incredibly ambitious in what it wanted to tackle, but I felt that it wasn’t as well executed as it could have been. Perhaps this would have played out a lot better if it were a duology or something, but I think Àbíké-Íyímídé wanted to address too many topics in one book. Chiamaka’s biracial identity is one that I would have loved to learn more about (because it clearly impacted her), but isn’t really touched on. Similarly, Devon’s gay identity is one the author does dive into a fair bit, but it’s generally from a position of showing how Devon has to deal with homophobia more than anything else. There were really interesting points made about the incarceration of loved ones, socioeconomic status, etc. that clearly shaped the lives of the protagonists, but they weren’t fully developed.

The cast of characters were probably the strongest part of the book, with many of them being incredibly memorable. I wish Àbíké-Íyímídé developed the side characters more, because that might have helped address a lot of the “tackling too many topics at once” issue.

Again, I thought this book was pretty engaging. I think there was a lot left to be desired, but, at the core of it, Àbíké-Íyímídé draws attention to an ongoing issue in the academy of how Black students are (mis)treated.

Content Warning: racism (specifically antiblackness), homophobia, outing, gaslighting, bullying, arson, car accident, death mentions, suicide attempt mention, toxic relationships, emotional abuse, some violence, some drug/alcohol use, sexual assault, incarceration mentions, classism

#Faridah Abike Iyimide #Ace of Spades #book review #fiction #ya #queerlit #thriller #2022 reads #booklr

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January 2024 Reading Log

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar, Derick Dillard, Craig Borlase 

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella

Simply Lies by David Baldacci 

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda 

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Flamefall by Rosaria Munda

Identity by Nora Roberts

Furysong by Rosaria Munda

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

#reading #books #reading log