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Aces Up
Seventeen-year-old high school senior Shannon Card needs money. And lots of it. She's been admitted to Wellesley, but her dad just lost his job, and somehow she has to come up with a year of tuition herself. But Shannon's dream of making big bucks waitressing at the local casino, the Collosio, disappears faster than a gambler's lucky streak. Her boss is a tyrant, her coworker is nuts, and her chances of balancing a tray full of drinks while wearing high-heeled shoes are slim to none. Worse, time is running out, and Shannon hasn't made even half the money she'd hoped.
When Shannon receives a mysterious invitation to join Aces Up, a secret network of highly talented college poker players, at first she thinks No way. She has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.
Soon Shannon's caught up in a web of lies and deceit that makes worrying about tuition money or a high school crush seem like kid stuff. Still, when the money's this good, is the fear of getting caught reason enough to fold?
This fun, sexy, recession-proof story is a bubbly summer read with surprising depth”great for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.
When Shannon receives a mysterious invitation to join Aces Up, a secret network of highly talented college poker players, at first she thinks No way. She has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.
Soon Shannon's caught up in a web of lies and deceit that makes worrying about tuition money or a high school crush seem like kid stuff. Still, when the money's this good, is the fear of getting caught reason enough to fold?
This fun, sexy, recession-proof story is a bubbly summer read with surprising depth”great for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2010
39 people are currently reading
4932 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
August 18, 2010
Aces Up is a full house of pure enjoyment! What a great read that fans of YA and Lauren Barnholdt will feel is an absolute hit.
The cast of characters in this book are engaging and refreshing, and the story is perfectly narrated by Shannon Card delivering an adventure that's face paced, bold and energetic. I loved Shannon's wit, daring choices and mental tangents because she came across as a relatable character that was easy to sympathize for. The plot was unique for YA but I did notice some similarities to 21, except in this story the characters play Texas Hold'em which I found was fun to read as I know this poker game p.r.e.t.t.y. well.
In Aces Up, Shannon Card receives an early admittance into Wellesley University, but she must come up with her tuition money seeing as her dad has lost his job. She takes matters into her own hands and lands a waitressing job at the local casino with the help of a fake I.D . Things start to heat up when she's approached by a mysterious card player who is part of a secret poker society and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Cole gets her started with the game of Texas Hold'em, and Shannon begins to make a play towards earning her college tuition. The plot thickens as the stakes are raised from both a game and emotional front and to make matters more complicated, Max (Shannon's secret crush) has tipped his hand revealing a full suit of hearts just for Shannon.
Great story, fun twists, creative drama and fulfilling ending. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Reading books like Aces Up reminds me just how much I really enjoy the full ride that stand alones can deliver. Loved it!
The cast of characters in this book are engaging and refreshing, and the story is perfectly narrated by Shannon Card delivering an adventure that's face paced, bold and energetic. I loved Shannon's wit, daring choices and mental tangents because she came across as a relatable character that was easy to sympathize for. The plot was unique for YA but I did notice some similarities to 21, except in this story the characters play Texas Hold'em which I found was fun to read as I know this poker game p.r.e.t.t.y. well.
In Aces Up, Shannon Card receives an early admittance into Wellesley University, but she must come up with her tuition money seeing as her dad has lost his job. She takes matters into her own hands and lands a waitressing job at the local casino with the help of a fake I.D . Things start to heat up when she's approached by a mysterious card player who is part of a secret poker society and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Cole gets her started with the game of Texas Hold'em, and Shannon begins to make a play towards earning her college tuition. The plot thickens as the stakes are raised from both a game and emotional front and to make matters more complicated, Max (Shannon's secret crush) has tipped his hand revealing a full suit of hearts just for Shannon.
Great story, fun twists, creative drama and fulfilling ending. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Reading books like Aces Up reminds me just how much I really enjoy the full ride that stand alones can deliver. Loved it!
December 15, 2021
Oh boy, where to begin? This was the first book in years that I read with my laptop open beside me so I could record all my thoughts in real-time via Goodreads status updates. I know it’s been a hot minute since it was published, but I am genuinely dumbstruck that there are so many positive reviews. I couldn’t usually make it more than a few pages without outwardly groaning and/or rolling my eyes. Shannon as a main character is supremely obnoxious, childish, and selfish; because the narration is from her point of view, it automatically makes every other character in the novel one-dimensional because Shannon just describes people in whatever way she feels like seeing them that day (such as: Max ignored me? What a jerk! Max bought me coffee? OMG SO HOT. And don’t even get me started on Cole!).
I sincerely struggled getting through this, but it was so laughably terrible that at least I got a few chuckles and my husband got the kick of seeing me worked up in annoyance over the stupid things that were in here. This is not the book to read if you want to see a math genius secretly wipe the floor with people while she plays poker. This is, however, the book to read if you want a seventeen-year-old who sounds like she’s twelve yell at her parents for being laid off and also ignore ten billion red flags from every guy she interacts with.
What I Liked: Spoilers!
Somehow, Mackenzie ended up being my favorite character. She was just your standard “girl power” role best friend, and even though she’s only introduced as Shannon’s new coworker at the Collosio, she was by far the most interesting character. I would much rather read a book about Mackenzie dumping her crappy boyfriend and moving on with Felipe because that at least seemed like a dynamic plot. Shannon’s sister, Robyn, also stood a chance of being a decent character. Unfortunately, both of them were presented through Shannon, though, so we didn’t really get to see much of either of them.
What I Didn’t Like:
Where to begin? Perhaps what annoyed me most was the writing. Shannon is supposed to be seventeen and some kind of “supersmart” math whiz who also plans to major in English and creative writing in college (insert major eyeroll from me – and that’s as someone who majored in English and creative writing). Instead, she comes across like a preteen child. The narration is written in a way that is obviously trying to be “stream-of-consciousness” funny, but instead it comes across as sloppy, repetitive, and childish. There were about a dozen instances of Shannon thinking something and then immediately saying the exact same thing out loud, such as the thought narration, “It isn’t?” followed by immediately by Shannon verbally saying, “It isn’t?” The most egregious version of this was the two-for-one of Shannon thinking, “Wow. He’s really angry. I’ve never seen him this angry,” followed immediately by Shannon saying, “Wow. I’ve never seen you this angry.” It’s just lazy writing. No editor should have let that slide even once, let alone the dozen or so instances this happened throughout the book. I absolutely can’t enjoy a book that I feel is poorly written, and this was a classic example of how poor writing can just ruin a book.
More than the writing itself, the characters themselves were flat and boring. Shannon has her childish reactions to everything (including actually shouting at her parents that she wouldn’t “have” to sneak around playing poker illegally and *gasp* getting a job if her dad hadn’t gone and lost his job in the first place, thus taking away her financial ride to college), and everyone else is filtered through that lens. As a result, people like Max, the ex-best-friend-slash-crush, are either “total jerks” or “totally hot” based on how Shannon feels. Parvati, her math rival, is “crazy” and classic Mean Girl. Michelle, who appears to be the only other female member of Aces Up, is just a jealous psycho “I hate you because Cole likes you and I like Cole” girl who has no purpose but to “stare daggers” to Shannon every time they’re near each other. Robyn’s boyfriend, Leonardo, is apparently some sort of douchebag and the whole family wants Robyn to break up with him, but literally every time he’s around, he only says nice things and treats people well? But apparently he’s a douchebag? And don’t get me started on Cole. Cole goes from being “super shady” because Shannon doesn’t know him, to “super sexy” because he’s mysterious and hot and plays poker, back to being shady and “a total jerk” because Shannon doesn’t want to do the poker thing anymore. Absolutely nobody had any depth to them. What’s going on with Cole’s home or school life that drove him to the world of underage poker? Is Parvati actually this clueless about how to interact with other people or does she just seem that way because Shannon doesn’t like her? Does anyone have anything interesting about them at all? The answer is a resounding “no.”
Lastly, the relationships in this book are absolute trash. We’re supposed to come to the realization that Cole is a garbage boyfriend, but honestly, Max is, too. Cole gives off a million red flags right from the beginning, but in true YA fashion, they’re all spun to be sexy rather than signs of someone who probably dabbles in domestic abuse—like shoving Shannon out of the elevator into his hotel room, being a chain smoker (but don’t worry, Cole’s teeth aren’t yellow, they’re white, but not TOO white because that would be bad, and also the smoke doesn’t even smell bad, in fact it smells mysterious and like danger), never asking Shannon about her family or friends and never wanting to take her out anywhere other than the poker tables, only wanting to make out with her in the dead of night, and my personal favorite, Shannon’s explanation that she used to “bug” him about stuff (like… who the balls are the other members of the supposed Aces Up club) but she learns not to bug him anymore because he’ll just ignore her… What a winner. Of course, though, once Shannon decides that she is isn’t interested in cheating during the poker tournament, everything Cole does and has ever done is immediately gross and shady. Max practically deserves his own paragraph. Max is held up like this epitome of the perfect match for Shannon, but it’s all based on insanely stupid things, like “He didn’t order food without me!” or “He brought me coffee!” That’s a seriously low bar. At one point, Max compliments Shannon on being a “great orderer” at a restaurant because “most girls don’t know how to order.” What the actual F does that mean?? Nobody ever talks about the real reasons why Max started ignoring Shannon after he almost kissed her and then started dating another girl two weeks later; it doesn’t matter to Shannon apparently because he wants to make out with her now. In fact, the only male characters that were remotely interesting were other people’s boyfriends—Robyn’s boyfriend, Leonardo, and Mackenzie’s new boyfriend, Felipe. Honestly, I wanted to know more about them. But alas.
Overall: My one-star reviews are reserved for those books that just drove me crazy. Aces Up was a classic example. I know I’m about ten years too late, but seriously, don’t read this. It’s not worth your time. It was awful on so many levels, too many to discuss at length here. At the same time, I almost wish I’d read this in like a book club or something so I’d have other people to complain about it with.
Check out the review on my blog: https://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/...
I sincerely struggled getting through this, but it was so laughably terrible that at least I got a few chuckles and my husband got the kick of seeing me worked up in annoyance over the stupid things that were in here. This is not the book to read if you want to see a math genius secretly wipe the floor with people while she plays poker. This is, however, the book to read if you want a seventeen-year-old who sounds like she’s twelve yell at her parents for being laid off and also ignore ten billion red flags from every guy she interacts with.
What I Liked: Spoilers!
Somehow, Mackenzie ended up being my favorite character. She was just your standard “girl power” role best friend, and even though she’s only introduced as Shannon’s new coworker at the Collosio, she was by far the most interesting character. I would much rather read a book about Mackenzie dumping her crappy boyfriend and moving on with Felipe because that at least seemed like a dynamic plot. Shannon’s sister, Robyn, also stood a chance of being a decent character. Unfortunately, both of them were presented through Shannon, though, so we didn’t really get to see much of either of them.
What I Didn’t Like:
Where to begin? Perhaps what annoyed me most was the writing. Shannon is supposed to be seventeen and some kind of “supersmart” math whiz who also plans to major in English and creative writing in college (insert major eyeroll from me – and that’s as someone who majored in English and creative writing). Instead, she comes across like a preteen child. The narration is written in a way that is obviously trying to be “stream-of-consciousness” funny, but instead it comes across as sloppy, repetitive, and childish. There were about a dozen instances of Shannon thinking something and then immediately saying the exact same thing out loud, such as the thought narration, “It isn’t?” followed by immediately by Shannon verbally saying, “It isn’t?” The most egregious version of this was the two-for-one of Shannon thinking, “Wow. He’s really angry. I’ve never seen him this angry,” followed immediately by Shannon saying, “Wow. I’ve never seen you this angry.” It’s just lazy writing. No editor should have let that slide even once, let alone the dozen or so instances this happened throughout the book. I absolutely can’t enjoy a book that I feel is poorly written, and this was a classic example of how poor writing can just ruin a book.
More than the writing itself, the characters themselves were flat and boring. Shannon has her childish reactions to everything (including actually shouting at her parents that she wouldn’t “have” to sneak around playing poker illegally and *gasp* getting a job if her dad hadn’t gone and lost his job in the first place, thus taking away her financial ride to college), and everyone else is filtered through that lens. As a result, people like Max, the ex-best-friend-slash-crush, are either “total jerks” or “totally hot” based on how Shannon feels. Parvati, her math rival, is “crazy” and classic Mean Girl. Michelle, who appears to be the only other female member of Aces Up, is just a jealous psycho “I hate you because Cole likes you and I like Cole” girl who has no purpose but to “stare daggers” to Shannon every time they’re near each other. Robyn’s boyfriend, Leonardo, is apparently some sort of douchebag and the whole family wants Robyn to break up with him, but literally every time he’s around, he only says nice things and treats people well? But apparently he’s a douchebag? And don’t get me started on Cole. Cole goes from being “super shady” because Shannon doesn’t know him, to “super sexy” because he’s mysterious and hot and plays poker, back to being shady and “a total jerk” because Shannon doesn’t want to do the poker thing anymore. Absolutely nobody had any depth to them. What’s going on with Cole’s home or school life that drove him to the world of underage poker? Is Parvati actually this clueless about how to interact with other people or does she just seem that way because Shannon doesn’t like her? Does anyone have anything interesting about them at all? The answer is a resounding “no.”
Lastly, the relationships in this book are absolute trash. We’re supposed to come to the realization that Cole is a garbage boyfriend, but honestly, Max is, too. Cole gives off a million red flags right from the beginning, but in true YA fashion, they’re all spun to be sexy rather than signs of someone who probably dabbles in domestic abuse—like shoving Shannon out of the elevator into his hotel room, being a chain smoker (but don’t worry, Cole’s teeth aren’t yellow, they’re white, but not TOO white because that would be bad, and also the smoke doesn’t even smell bad, in fact it smells mysterious and like danger), never asking Shannon about her family or friends and never wanting to take her out anywhere other than the poker tables, only wanting to make out with her in the dead of night, and my personal favorite, Shannon’s explanation that she used to “bug” him about stuff (like… who the balls are the other members of the supposed Aces Up club) but she learns not to bug him anymore because he’ll just ignore her… What a winner. Of course, though, once Shannon decides that she is isn’t interested in cheating during the poker tournament, everything Cole does and has ever done is immediately gross and shady. Max practically deserves his own paragraph. Max is held up like this epitome of the perfect match for Shannon, but it’s all based on insanely stupid things, like “He didn’t order food without me!” or “He brought me coffee!” That’s a seriously low bar. At one point, Max compliments Shannon on being a “great orderer” at a restaurant because “most girls don’t know how to order.” What the actual F does that mean?? Nobody ever talks about the real reasons why Max started ignoring Shannon after he almost kissed her and then started dating another girl two weeks later; it doesn’t matter to Shannon apparently because he wants to make out with her now. In fact, the only male characters that were remotely interesting were other people’s boyfriends—Robyn’s boyfriend, Leonardo, and Mackenzie’s new boyfriend, Felipe. Honestly, I wanted to know more about them. But alas.
Overall: My one-star reviews are reserved for those books that just drove me crazy. Aces Up was a classic example. I know I’m about ten years too late, but seriously, don’t read this. It’s not worth your time. It was awful on so many levels, too many to discuss at length here. At the same time, I almost wish I’d read this in like a book club or something so I’d have other people to complain about it with.
Check out the review on my blog: https://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/...
September 7, 2010
I'm a big fan of Lauren Barnholdt's Two-Way Street and One Night That Changes Everything so I was surprised this book turned out to just be okay for me. It was a good book, but I dunno, something just felt off with Aces Up.
While the characters were all uniquely written I don't think I liked any of them to be honest. Shannon seemed a bit all over the place and her inner thoughts was a little to hyper and scattered while the dialog was spazzy and repetitive. I though that Cole was nothing but a shark with a sexy grin and Max was cool, but I didn't feel enough of a connection to his and Shanon's history as friends and or relationship.
The card playing was pretty neat, but for some reason it didn't work out like I imagined it would have. I think I was expecting something cutesy and fluffy and something closer to what the cover feels to me when I look at it, but instead the tone felt scandalous more then anything. Not that I mind scandalous, I guess I just didn't expect that concept in this particular read.
Still, Barnholdts signature style for writing story-lines that are unique and fresh is still very much alive in this book, the characters were different and the plot interesting. I think this was just me, any fan of Barnholdts still should enjoy this one.
I just wish I could have loved it more:(
While the characters were all uniquely written I don't think I liked any of them to be honest. Shannon seemed a bit all over the place and her inner thoughts was a little to hyper and scattered while the dialog was spazzy and repetitive. I though that Cole was nothing but a shark with a sexy grin and Max was cool, but I didn't feel enough of a connection to his and Shanon's history as friends and or relationship.
The card playing was pretty neat, but for some reason it didn't work out like I imagined it would have. I think I was expecting something cutesy and fluffy and something closer to what the cover feels to me when I look at it, but instead the tone felt scandalous more then anything. Not that I mind scandalous, I guess I just didn't expect that concept in this particular read.
Still, Barnholdts signature style for writing story-lines that are unique and fresh is still very much alive in this book, the characters were different and the plot interesting. I think this was just me, any fan of Barnholdts still should enjoy this one.
I just wish I could have loved it more:(
July 28, 2015
3 'Secret-gambling-society' Stars
Plot
Shannon has a problem. Her family is in financial difficulty and can no longer afford to send her to Wellesley 'her dream college'. So she decides to bankroll her own way and finds a high-paying job (waitress in a casino). The problem? she's underage and has to lie to get it. To top it off, Shannon accepts an invitation to join a secret gambling society (Aces Up), and finds herself tangled in a massive web of illegal activity.
The love-interests
Cole
The leader of Aces Up. He is the stereotypical bad boy and eludes a mysterious vibe that's often unsettling. He is rebellious and takes high risks.
Max
Shannon's secret crush. He is sweet and charming. But he has problems expressing and handling emotions, and has broken her heart before.
What I liked
- I liked that Cole
- All the characters had flaws.
- A solution to all the Shannon's problems wasn't gift-wrapped and handed to her at the end. I liked that she didn't
- The 'best' guy (who was not perfect) finished last.
What was missing
- Shannon was a major drama queen,
- Unnecessary rambling from Shannon. On one side this allowed you to know her thought process for every stupid decision. On the other hand it felt like....
Overall
Too often YA literature unrealistically gives the heroine cop-outs for stupid decisions. I enjoyed the message the book told;
- There are no shortcuts in life
- It's important to know when to ask for help
- Lies and secrets will always come out
Worth a read if you can handle teen drama.
May 2, 2011
I have to clarify that this is really a 3 1/2, I mean who wouldn't want to read about a secret society of poker players? seriously. This book was awesome in a light-hearted, laugh-out-loud funny, quick, and meaningful read; I really enjoyed it! Something about the writing style really appealed to me--it was like I was actually there apart of the story and going along for the ride.
I loved all the characters! Shannon was so real; I could really understand her, why she does what she does, not to mention it's really hard not to love her. Her relationship with her sister Robyn I loved; they were in the same boat yet do completely different things to resolve the issue but they're there for each other always. Mackenzie is probably my favorite character on account of how many times I laughed-out-loud at something she said. And Max--who pissed me off at times for being an ass--was a great guy.
The story itself, was slightly unbelievable at points; it just so happens that a kid at her school knows how to make fake birth certificates? I don't think so. The gambling and not getting caught, slightly believable. Despite that it was actually a great story about how taking the easy way out won't work. And had some great poker talk.
Overall, though it's short and sweet, Aces Up sends a message that I think is worth a lot and definitely worth the read!
I loved all the characters! Shannon was so real; I could really understand her, why she does what she does, not to mention it's really hard not to love her. Her relationship with her sister Robyn I loved; they were in the same boat yet do completely different things to resolve the issue but they're there for each other always. Mackenzie is probably my favorite character on account of how many times I laughed-out-loud at something she said. And Max--who pissed me off at times for being an ass--was a great guy.
The story itself, was slightly unbelievable at points; it just so happens that a kid at her school knows how to make fake birth certificates? I don't think so. The gambling and not getting caught, slightly believable. Despite that it was actually a great story about how taking the easy way out won't work. And had some great poker talk.
Overall, though it's short and sweet, Aces Up sends a message that I think is worth a lot and definitely worth the read!
December 21, 2010
I really like how the book started. And then the events that happened after that made it even better. I really liked all the characters in the book and there were some pretty funny scenes in it(or maybe that was just me thinking it was funny).
So the book is about a girl names Shannon who lies about her age to work in a casino to get money for college. She has to tutor, maintain good grades and keep up with her social life. At the casino, she meets a guy name Cole who tells her she is selected to join Aces up(a poker organization). And then a bunch of other stuff happenes cause I don't wanna ruin the book for anyone.
Anyway, the book was really good. The end was really surprising though. Which, is why I gave this book four stars. I dunno, the ending seemed surprising to me for some reason. Maybe because it is. Hmm...
So overall, the book was a good read and I recommend it to people who like to read or who like poker, LOL.
So the book is about a girl names Shannon who lies about her age to work in a casino to get money for college. She has to tutor, maintain good grades and keep up with her social life. At the casino, she meets a guy name Cole who tells her she is selected to join Aces up(a poker organization). And then a bunch of other stuff happenes cause I don't wanna ruin the book for anyone.
Anyway, the book was really good. The end was really surprising though. Which, is why I gave this book four stars. I dunno, the ending seemed surprising to me for some reason. Maybe because it is. Hmm...
So overall, the book was a good read and I recommend it to people who like to read or who like poker, LOL.
November 18, 2017
This was very cute! I liked the story and the characters a ton! I have been a huge fan of Barnholdt and her writing since I read Two Way Street. I thought the Shannon was a perfect main character, flaws and all. I loved her support system of friends and family throughout the novel. I thought the plot was great, even though it was highly unrealistic in terms of gambling and playing poker/ cheating while playing. Overall a very solid novel!
Longer review coming soon!
Longer review coming soon!
December 30, 2015
When I found out that Lauren Barnholdt had an upcoming YA novel about a love triangle mixed in with a bit of poker, I knew it was going to be right up my alley. I really enjoyed reading Two-Way Street, also by Lauren Barnholdt, so I knew I had to read Aces Up.
Seventeen year old Shannon Card (I like how her last name fits with the theme of the book) needs to get a job to pay for college. Her father recently got laid off from his job, his car got repossessed and he had to sell his beloved boat. Needless to say there’s no college fund waiting for her. Shannon doesn’t just get any job, she gets a job at a casino as a cocktail waitress where she can make the big bucks. And because one would have to be 21 years old or older to work in a casino, Shannon has to get a fake ID.
Soon after starting her job, she gets an invitation to an exclusive club - Aces Up. She is sought out by Cole, the leader of the secret club, because of her amazing math skills. Shannon doesn’t know how to play poker but Cole teaches her the basics and hones her craft using mathematical strategies.
Then there’s Max, Shannon’s best friend since they were little but the two have been divided after an awkward almost-kiss moment. Max has moved on with another girl and the friendship between him and Shannon is on hiatus. Then Max asks Shannon to tutor him in math but chemistry seems to be the topic at hand, if you catch my drift.
Shannon is making loads of money from gambling in the casino using her newly acquired skills but it’s still not enough to get her into college. Cole wants her to join him and his crew in a poker tournament, where they will basically need to cheat in order to win. Shannon is caught between a rock and a hard place and has a decision to make; either go with Cole’s plan or do the right thing and rat him out.
Aces Up reminded me of the movie 21, except in this book the game is poker – Texas Hold’em style. I think one of the reasons I liked this book so much is that I love playing Texas Hold’em (even though the hubs beats me most of the time…although I can pull off a good bluff every once in a while). Barnholdt does a great job at setting up the game rules for the reader, however, the storyline doesn’t center around poker hands.
I liked the ending; it wasn’t what I had expected but it played out well. Aces Up definitely lived up to my expectations. From the beginning, all the way to the end, I was drawn into Shannon’s world. I swallowed this book down in one gulp. Barnholdt’s books do that to me; they capture me and reel me in. She has mastered the art of tapping into a young adult mind. Reading her books make me feel 17 again, which in essence, is why I enjoy reading YA.
Most of us read books to escape and Aces Up was a great escape. This book is a perfect fit for a summer read. It’s a fast-paced, fun and entertaining read that will leave you wondering how everything is going to play out. Aces Up gets your adrenaline going; like when you’re holding pocket rockets and the flop is laid down with a pair of hockey sticks and a deuce. You’re sweating it out, waiting for that boat to come your way and it all comes down to that river card. Like with any of Barnholdt’s books, I’m all in baby!
Seventeen year old Shannon Card (I like how her last name fits with the theme of the book) needs to get a job to pay for college. Her father recently got laid off from his job, his car got repossessed and he had to sell his beloved boat. Needless to say there’s no college fund waiting for her. Shannon doesn’t just get any job, she gets a job at a casino as a cocktail waitress where she can make the big bucks. And because one would have to be 21 years old or older to work in a casino, Shannon has to get a fake ID.
Soon after starting her job, she gets an invitation to an exclusive club - Aces Up. She is sought out by Cole, the leader of the secret club, because of her amazing math skills. Shannon doesn’t know how to play poker but Cole teaches her the basics and hones her craft using mathematical strategies.
Then there’s Max, Shannon’s best friend since they were little but the two have been divided after an awkward almost-kiss moment. Max has moved on with another girl and the friendship between him and Shannon is on hiatus. Then Max asks Shannon to tutor him in math but chemistry seems to be the topic at hand, if you catch my drift.
Shannon is making loads of money from gambling in the casino using her newly acquired skills but it’s still not enough to get her into college. Cole wants her to join him and his crew in a poker tournament, where they will basically need to cheat in order to win. Shannon is caught between a rock and a hard place and has a decision to make; either go with Cole’s plan or do the right thing and rat him out.
Aces Up reminded me of the movie 21, except in this book the game is poker – Texas Hold’em style. I think one of the reasons I liked this book so much is that I love playing Texas Hold’em (even though the hubs beats me most of the time…although I can pull off a good bluff every once in a while). Barnholdt does a great job at setting up the game rules for the reader, however, the storyline doesn’t center around poker hands.
I liked the ending; it wasn’t what I had expected but it played out well. Aces Up definitely lived up to my expectations. From the beginning, all the way to the end, I was drawn into Shannon’s world. I swallowed this book down in one gulp. Barnholdt’s books do that to me; they capture me and reel me in. She has mastered the art of tapping into a young adult mind. Reading her books make me feel 17 again, which in essence, is why I enjoy reading YA.
Most of us read books to escape and Aces Up was a great escape. This book is a perfect fit for a summer read. It’s a fast-paced, fun and entertaining read that will leave you wondering how everything is going to play out. Aces Up gets your adrenaline going; like when you’re holding pocket rockets and the flop is laid down with a pair of hockey sticks and a deuce. You’re sweating it out, waiting for that boat to come your way and it all comes down to that river card. Like with any of Barnholdt’s books, I’m all in baby!
August 4, 2013
This book doesn't even deserve the OK rating I gave it. I just didn't want to be the jerk that gave it one star. Let me just start out by saying that Lauren Barnholdt has to secretly be a fourteen year old girl. There is no way she isn't. Her characters are always shallow and nondescript. I feel like she just throws a bunch of people together and calls it a book.
With that said let's start off by analyzing the plot. Which, surprisingly, was actually a really great idea if she would have pulled it off correctly. A seventeen year old girl, Shannon Card, is strapped for cash now that she isn't privileged by her fathers' losing his job, so she decides to work for her money. That is actually noble of her, but she decides to work at a casino even though she's underage. She gets a fake ID and a fake birth certificate to trick her boss into believing her. She basically tricks everyone into thinking she's working as a waiter at some faraway diner that none ever decides to visit her at. Everyone I know constantly visits me at work, what gives?
One. She's supposed to be some kind of super math genius
Two. She comes off so daft, there's no believable way she's actually a
math genius.
Three. She's pining over her best friend, Max,. They both are just
useless.
Four. Every character in this book is just horrible. My biggest
problem is her relationship with everyone. Her best friend Max
her coworker, Mackenzie, who decides that they're befriends out
of the blue. Like this girl is in high school, do you not have
any friends your own age? Her sister Robyn who is just as dumb
as her and Cole, the shady older guy who fondles her and she
thinks that makes him her boyfriend.
Shannon gets involved in this underground poker group called Aces Up which sounds sketchy as hell, especially considering she could not find any info on it. She goes along with it stupidly until she realizes she's going to get caught. Throughout the book this girl just whines and complains and says the dumbest things. She never actually proved to us she was any good in math, she just kept saying it.
Gosh this book was horrible. When I got to page 170, I realized there was only a couple of pages left and the story had not gotten anywhere. There was no climax or resolution. I didn't even read the acknowledgements, I was that disappointed.
With that said let's start off by analyzing the plot. Which, surprisingly, was actually a really great idea if she would have pulled it off correctly. A seventeen year old girl, Shannon Card, is strapped for cash now that she isn't privileged by her fathers' losing his job, so she decides to work for her money. That is actually noble of her, but she decides to work at a casino even though she's underage. She gets a fake ID and a fake birth certificate to trick her boss into believing her. She basically tricks everyone into thinking she's working as a waiter at some faraway diner that none ever decides to visit her at. Everyone I know constantly visits me at work, what gives?
One. She's supposed to be some kind of super math genius
Two. She comes off so daft, there's no believable way she's actually a
math genius.
Three. She's pining over her best friend, Max,. They both are just
useless.
Four. Every character in this book is just horrible. My biggest
problem is her relationship with everyone. Her best friend Max
her coworker, Mackenzie, who decides that they're befriends out
of the blue. Like this girl is in high school, do you not have
any friends your own age? Her sister Robyn who is just as dumb
as her and Cole, the shady older guy who fondles her and she
thinks that makes him her boyfriend.
Shannon gets involved in this underground poker group called Aces Up which sounds sketchy as hell, especially considering she could not find any info on it. She goes along with it stupidly until she realizes she's going to get caught. Throughout the book this girl just whines and complains and says the dumbest things. She never actually proved to us she was any good in math, she just kept saying it.
Gosh this book was horrible. When I got to page 170, I realized there was only a couple of pages left and the story had not gotten anywhere. There was no climax or resolution. I didn't even read the acknowledgements, I was that disappointed.
April 10, 2012
Shannon Card, seventeen-year old senior needs money. Lots of it. Not for anything bad but for college. After her father loses his job, she must find a way to earn money. And so, she finds a job at a Casino working as a waitress.
A couple of days into her job, she receives an invitation to join Aces Up, a group of college students who has an extreme talent and luck in playing poker. At first she was skeptical because she has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.
Soon, she was caught up in a web of lies and deceit. She must decide if the money she get from poker is worth the hurt on her family, friends, love and going to her dream college.
----
I really enjoyed Two Way Street also by Lauren Barnholdt and I'm really
looking forward to this novel of her.
It was fun, fast, sweet read with an excellent moral story. I really loved that Lauren Barnholdt comes up with stories that has great plot like this one which is about a secret society of poker players, its just very unique.
The characters are all very much likeable. They are all very relatable.
Shannon, is extremely smart and I find her quirky and hilaious. Cole is so hot and I can't help but compre him to Cato of THG. Anyway, given that he is hot and all he still carries a msyerious vibe around him that's very unsettling. Now, Max is the one that I like. He is achingly sweet and charming and genuinely nice though he may seem confused and doesn't know how to handle things and his feelings at times.
The plot of the story is pretty fast. It moves quickly and you would definitely not notice you're already half way reading it. I didn't encounter any dull or dragging moment while reading it.
It was a delightfully fun read and I wished it coud have been longer. I wanted to see more of each one of the characters and see what would happen next to them. This book would definitely makes you laugh, swoon with sweetness and romance and leaves you with a great moral by the time you finished it. Don't miss this one out! ;)
A couple of days into her job, she receives an invitation to join Aces Up, a group of college students who has an extreme talent and luck in playing poker. At first she was skeptical because she has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.
Soon, she was caught up in a web of lies and deceit. She must decide if the money she get from poker is worth the hurt on her family, friends, love and going to her dream college.
----
I really enjoyed Two Way Street also by Lauren Barnholdt and I'm really
looking forward to this novel of her.
It was fun, fast, sweet read with an excellent moral story. I really loved that Lauren Barnholdt comes up with stories that has great plot like this one which is about a secret society of poker players, its just very unique.
The characters are all very much likeable. They are all very relatable.
Shannon, is extremely smart and I find her quirky and hilaious. Cole is so hot and I can't help but compre him to Cato of THG. Anyway, given that he is hot and all he still carries a msyerious vibe around him that's very unsettling. Now, Max is the one that I like. He is achingly sweet and charming and genuinely nice though he may seem confused and doesn't know how to handle things and his feelings at times.
The plot of the story is pretty fast. It moves quickly and you would definitely not notice you're already half way reading it. I didn't encounter any dull or dragging moment while reading it.
It was a delightfully fun read and I wished it coud have been longer. I wanted to see more of each one of the characters and see what would happen next to them. This book would definitely makes you laugh, swoon with sweetness and romance and leaves you with a great moral by the time you finished it. Don't miss this one out! ;)
February 24, 2017
Aces up Book Review
...The book Aces Up was definitely an interesting and weird read. This realistic-fiction read was about a 17-year-old girl named Shannon who had a goal of attending college to earn a degree in math. However, the money wasn’t available so going to her dream school was in jeopardy. Shannon’s plan to earn money ends up completely backfiring and could possibly kill her dreams of going to Wellesley.
...The author Lauren Barnholdt chose to use inappropriate language throughout the whole book. Along with the language, the relationships that Shannon has in these books is definitely inappropriate. Her relationships made the book really uncomfortable to read. The plot of the story was exciting but I feel like the book would have been better without the impolite language.
...The language and the inappropriate behavior of Shannon weren't the only problems. She takes place in a lot of illegal activities such as underage poker and working underage at a casino. This book was completely different from other books I read. In fact, I would never read a book like this again. Out of ten, I give this book a 2 and I would not suggest reading it.
June 2, 2012
When I first started reading this book my expectations were sorta high, since I read a lot of good reviews. I admit, I could not put this book down at one point, but then towards the end I started getting bored as the story wasn't really going there..I read this book all in one day actually! It was a very fast, easy and simple read. The plot wasn't big enough in my opinion, and the story's ending seemed kinda empty. I would have loved there to be some giant twist at the end, but sadly the ending was really "flat" and boring.. I'd give it 2 stars or 2.5 because I was really intrigued at one point, but then it all started going downhill.
Would not recommend this book to anyone really..
October 9, 2010
It was an okay book, quick read. In the middle it gets pretty boring. I thought it would be a little bit like '21' The movie but its very different. Anyway, if your in a mood for drama and romance and comedy, then this is it
December 14, 2018
One star is honestly fairly generous. This book was poorly written, the characters were one dimensional and there were a fair few problematic jokes that made the novel come across as tacky. Do not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2010
I like Lauren Bardholdt, I really do, but I did not like this book, not even a little bit.
June 11, 2012
2.5
I'm a fan of Lauren Barnholdt's work, but this one fell flat for me. The main character was painfully naive and I just couldn't enjoy it like I have her other books.
I'm a fan of Lauren Barnholdt's work, but this one fell flat for me. The main character was painfully naive and I just couldn't enjoy it like I have her other books.
August 10, 2014
This book bothered me to no end, though this isn't really my type...Shannon is so totally annoying.
November 30, 2017
This one star is me being super generous. I'm so glad I'm free of this book.
June 13, 2012
I wanted to give this one at least a three, but my mind kinda stopped me into doing that.
The problem for this one was with the characters and plot of this whole story, which I didn`t find them likable due to certain factors and traits. Hence the two.
So, as we can guess the story was related to gambling with some romance and a slice of life. Distinguishly YA. The first book I`ve read about teenage and poker.The story started off with a high school girl name Shannon who was hired to be a coctail waitress at a casino without being revealed that she was an underaged. She worked to save money for college because of her family`s recent financial breakdown, as her father was unemployed. Until on her first day, a 'cool' guy named Cole appeared in a stalkerish manner and summoned her creepily to his hotel`s room and invited her to join a secret poker society.Doubting the man at first, her dire circumstances on finance left her with no choice but to join the gang, Aces Up. She was winning, finding that she got the talent for poker until one day the gambling maessed her life up.
So that was the short review for this book. A praise for easy to understand writing for this. It wasn`t sugar-coated or slow paced or sappy, so yeah. I couldn`t find this book boring because of the twist on the themes used. I was actually guessing that the book had nothing to do with card games only maybe only with bets, but it seemed that the title was taken a bit literal by the author.No fun there.
The characters, Shannon. My problem with her was when it comes to her characterisation. The author described her as this really smart girl, known for being a brainiac especially in Math with her excellent grades and awards but her actions in the books told me differently. What smart girl would gamble in the first place anyway? And it bothered me when she was thinking about boys in a kind of physical overthinking-manner. She was too calculative but in the end her estimates were still off. A joke there for her as a character.
Her unhealthy relationships with both Cole and Max were confusing because she was not assertive, and can be a bit of a pain when it comes to her undecisiveness especially to Max whom was nice to her later on.Instead she treated Cole, a jackass, better than her bestfriend-no-longer-because-kissing-attempts,Max. Yes, both were jerks, but it was obvious that the jackass guy was using her brain and body wanting to only make out and make money from her natural talent in poker, but the girl...Urgh..letting him do what he want because the money had lured her in. It was then when things had gone really wrong and she had made enough mess that she cried to the person whom she had ignored in the first place. I was like 'Why would she let him do that in the first place? Oh now you try to find him after you lost everything!' in my mind. Those were points that really made me looked down on her.
In short, the story didn`t really empowered girl except for the falling action part when Shannon had finally regained her rationality and being much like a sensible braniac that she should.(It was too late for me to like her characters though.)
One good thing was that the story wasn`t something conventional, and you get to learn bits about poker and gambling(Not that they will be any use to me of course).
To sum up, an easy read for those looking for something to pass your time but unfortunately there wasn`t really much to look on the characters. I`m not regretting the read though, however thought that it could be better if the characters were written more sensibly.It felt a bit too amateurish to me.
Nuff said~
The problem for this one was with the characters and plot of this whole story, which I didn`t find them likable due to certain factors and traits. Hence the two.
So, as we can guess the story was related to gambling with some romance and a slice of life. Distinguishly YA. The first book I`ve read about teenage and poker.The story started off with a high school girl name Shannon who was hired to be a coctail waitress at a casino without being revealed that she was an underaged. She worked to save money for college because of her family`s recent financial breakdown, as her father was unemployed. Until on her first day, a 'cool' guy named Cole appeared in a stalkerish manner and summoned her creepily to his hotel`s room and invited her to join a secret poker society.Doubting the man at first, her dire circumstances on finance left her with no choice but to join the gang, Aces Up. She was winning, finding that she got the talent for poker until one day the gambling maessed her life up.
So that was the short review for this book. A praise for easy to understand writing for this. It wasn`t sugar-coated or slow paced or sappy, so yeah. I couldn`t find this book boring because of the twist on the themes used. I was actually guessing that the book had nothing to do with card games only maybe only with bets, but it seemed that the title was taken a bit literal by the author.No fun there.
The characters, Shannon. My problem with her was when it comes to her characterisation. The author described her as this really smart girl, known for being a brainiac especially in Math with her excellent grades and awards but her actions in the books told me differently. What smart girl would gamble in the first place anyway? And it bothered me when she was thinking about boys in a kind of physical overthinking-manner. She was too calculative but in the end her estimates were still off. A joke there for her as a character.
Her unhealthy relationships with both Cole and Max were confusing because she was not assertive, and can be a bit of a pain when it comes to her undecisiveness especially to Max whom was nice to her later on.Instead she treated Cole, a jackass, better than her bestfriend-no-longer-because-kissing-attempts,Max. Yes, both were jerks, but it was obvious that the jackass guy was using her brain and body wanting to only make out and make money from her natural talent in poker, but the girl...Urgh..letting him do what he want because the money had lured her in. It was then when things had gone really wrong and she had made enough mess that she cried to the person whom she had ignored in the first place. I was like 'Why would she let him do that in the first place? Oh now you try to find him after you lost everything!' in my mind. Those were points that really made me looked down on her.
In short, the story didn`t really empowered girl except for the falling action part when Shannon had finally regained her rationality and being much like a sensible braniac that she should.(It was too late for me to like her characters though.)
One good thing was that the story wasn`t something conventional, and you get to learn bits about poker and gambling(Not that they will be any use to me of course).
To sum up, an easy read for those looking for something to pass your time but unfortunately there wasn`t really much to look on the characters. I`m not regretting the read though, however thought that it could be better if the characters were written more sensibly.It felt a bit too amateurish to me.
Nuff said~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2012
This review was originally published at Fluttering Butterflies
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt is not at all like I'd expected it to be. From the cover, I really expected some light, flirtiness playing poker. And while there is poker, and there are relationships in this book, I found both aspects to be quite surprising.
Our main character in this story is Shannon Card. She's 17 and she's just been accepted for early admission into Wellesley College. It's a huge thing for her, she's been working so hard for this for such a long time. But, in order for things to work out with the college of her dreams, Shannon must stockpile a lot of money. And quickly. Her dad has just lost his job and there is no way that her parents could cover the cost of tuition. In desperation, Shannon makes some very iffy decisions.
The thing about this book, was that even though inwardly I kept shouting at Shannon 'NOOO, don't do THAT' I could still really believe in her as a character and felt like the choices she made were done in a way that I could relate to and sympathise with.
So, with a tuition bill of nearly 30,000 dollars, what would you? Would you buy a fake ID and birth certificate from the shady guy at school? Would you get a job waitressing at the local casino? Would you agree to be a member of this secret-poker group, Aces Up? Would the fact that the person asking, Cole, is super hot make the decision easier or harder to decide, do you think? Shannon is all set to say no to Cole's offer. The quick and easy money seems a pretty big tempation, but it is only after Shannon is rejected by her long-term crush, Max, that she seems keen to try Aces Up. And soon everything seems to spiral out of control, as her lies start building up, and Shannon gets into a bigger mess than she'd realised. Both in her love life and in the choices she has made regarding school, her family, her job and with Aces Up.
The thing I think I loved the best about this book were the relationships that Shannon has with the people in her life. Her sister, Robyn, was really great and supportive. I found Shannon's almost frenemies-style relationship with Parvati to be interesting and fun to find out more. Mackenzie was an absolute gem of a character. I love people who are very surprising and outspoken and fun like Mackenzie is! Of course, Cole is one to watch out for. But it was Max who is was the surprise of the book for me. I was desperate to unravel more of the history between him and Shannon and find out how everything went so horribly wrong between them!
All in all, this was a very surprising read! I shall be picking up more books by Lauren Barnholdt in the future.
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt is not at all like I'd expected it to be. From the cover, I really expected some light, flirtiness playing poker. And while there is poker, and there are relationships in this book, I found both aspects to be quite surprising.
Our main character in this story is Shannon Card. She's 17 and she's just been accepted for early admission into Wellesley College. It's a huge thing for her, she's been working so hard for this for such a long time. But, in order for things to work out with the college of her dreams, Shannon must stockpile a lot of money. And quickly. Her dad has just lost his job and there is no way that her parents could cover the cost of tuition. In desperation, Shannon makes some very iffy decisions.
The thing about this book, was that even though inwardly I kept shouting at Shannon 'NOOO, don't do THAT' I could still really believe in her as a character and felt like the choices she made were done in a way that I could relate to and sympathise with.
So, with a tuition bill of nearly 30,000 dollars, what would you? Would you buy a fake ID and birth certificate from the shady guy at school? Would you get a job waitressing at the local casino? Would you agree to be a member of this secret-poker group, Aces Up? Would the fact that the person asking, Cole, is super hot make the decision easier or harder to decide, do you think? Shannon is all set to say no to Cole's offer. The quick and easy money seems a pretty big tempation, but it is only after Shannon is rejected by her long-term crush, Max, that she seems keen to try Aces Up. And soon everything seems to spiral out of control, as her lies start building up, and Shannon gets into a bigger mess than she'd realised. Both in her love life and in the choices she has made regarding school, her family, her job and with Aces Up.
The thing I think I loved the best about this book were the relationships that Shannon has with the people in her life. Her sister, Robyn, was really great and supportive. I found Shannon's almost frenemies-style relationship with Parvati to be interesting and fun to find out more. Mackenzie was an absolute gem of a character. I love people who are very surprising and outspoken and fun like Mackenzie is! Of course, Cole is one to watch out for. But it was Max who is was the surprise of the book for me. I was desperate to unravel more of the history between him and Shannon and find out how everything went so horribly wrong between them!
All in all, this was a very surprising read! I shall be picking up more books by Lauren Barnholdt in the future.
November 11, 2012
Ah, who knew I would fall in love with Aces Up? I've heard of Lauren Barnholdt's other books but Aces Up is the first of hers that I've actually read. I guess my brother really meant something when he said "That sounds good." Referring to the book.
You know those heist movies like Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen or the Italian Job? I always love those badass films. But Aces Up is well yes, different but it involves money and casino. What comes to my mind whenever casino comes up are money, middle-age men, Las Vegas and poker. Poker looks like a pretty badass game. Even more badass for a girl. So, now I'm totally in love with Shannon Card. Coincidence much that her last name is even Card? Because right now I wanna play Poker so freaking bad but that ain't going to happen because I'm bad at Math or anything number related.
So cheers to Shannon. Isn't it stereotyped that males are better in Math and females in language? At least here in where I live. Sometimes, I forget that Shannon is just seventeen-years-old because her character'sin tension between thinking like an adult or a kid. Somtimes, naive even. But sometimes, she's sure of what she wants.
So when some hot guy actually offered you in a secret organization called Aces Up, I think there's that curiosity to find out more. And if you're pretty good at Poker than that just makes it so much more interesting right?
Aces Up is such a different YA read, that explores a lot of new ideas. Never have I read anything about gambling (technically it's not gambling when money is involved, at least to me). I think this book is hilarious and witty and refreshing and just oh, so hot.
And a thing or two to learn, hot guys can actually turn out to be jerks. Note to self.
I think that Shannon's voice is funny, engaging and never boring. She's so fun to read and entertaining especially when she does this serious conversation with herself in her head. I mean you really feel like you have 100% access there right?
And Max. Really, what is this with full-of-tension-best friend-love-drama-something-happened-then-stopped-talking-but-can't-stay-away-from-you thing? I always always find this problem in books and in real life, I'm not saying it's bad. It's actually cute, I have a weakness for best friend-lovers romance.
Cole. The name sounds sexy. Mysterious. Ohhhh. Find it out yourself.
I think that Aces Up is a great read for a change, I'm now going to watch 21 Blackjack even if it's not Poker but still similar. I'm impressed by how these people actually do these fast mental math shiz while I take 1 minute to calculate a simple equation in my head.
You know those heist movies like Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen or the Italian Job? I always love those badass films. But Aces Up is well yes, different but it involves money and casino. What comes to my mind whenever casino comes up are money, middle-age men, Las Vegas and poker. Poker looks like a pretty badass game. Even more badass for a girl. So, now I'm totally in love with Shannon Card. Coincidence much that her last name is even Card? Because right now I wanna play Poker so freaking bad but that ain't going to happen because I'm bad at Math or anything number related.
So cheers to Shannon. Isn't it stereotyped that males are better in Math and females in language? At least here in where I live. Sometimes, I forget that Shannon is just seventeen-years-old because her character'sin tension between thinking like an adult or a kid. Somtimes, naive even. But sometimes, she's sure of what she wants.
So when some hot guy actually offered you in a secret organization called Aces Up, I think there's that curiosity to find out more. And if you're pretty good at Poker than that just makes it so much more interesting right?
Aces Up is such a different YA read, that explores a lot of new ideas. Never have I read anything about gambling (technically it's not gambling when money is involved, at least to me). I think this book is hilarious and witty and refreshing and just oh, so hot.
And a thing or two to learn, hot guys can actually turn out to be jerks. Note to self.
I think that Shannon's voice is funny, engaging and never boring. She's so fun to read and entertaining especially when she does this serious conversation with herself in her head. I mean you really feel like you have 100% access there right?
And Max. Really, what is this with full-of-tension-best friend-love-drama-something-happened-then-stopped-talking-but-can't-stay-away-from-you thing? I always always find this problem in books and in real life, I'm not saying it's bad. It's actually cute, I have a weakness for best friend-lovers romance.
Cole. The name sounds sexy. Mysterious. Ohhhh. Find it out yourself.
I think that Aces Up is a great read for a change, I'm now going to watch 21 Blackjack even if it's not Poker but still similar. I'm impressed by how these people actually do these fast mental math shiz while I take 1 minute to calculate a simple equation in my head.
January 11, 2012
Shannon Card sounds ridiculously young, definitely younger than her purported seventeen. Coupled with a tendency to over react, say things without thinking them through and then coming up with whopping lies, it was a wonder that she thought to get away with what she was doing.
Family stuff. There’s little to know about them. Emphasis is on her and her sister and if anything it was the only positive I could see in all this. At first glance, it’s Shannon who seems to have it all: the smarts, a goal and a plan, but events later prove otherwise. It’s Robyn who’s in fact got it together. The ups and downs and issues of trust, telling or not telling between them were OK additions, but there were too many things going on beyond the home front. Things are not helped by her tendency to be bratty. IMO, It felt like she was lording it over her family that she was doing something. Though how that was done is contrary her doing what she did on the sly. )
The Lead. (Not that much of a lead though.) The biggest thing I disliked is how I felt she seemed to feel that she was different from others. Take her screwed up interaction with Parvati, her math archnemesis, whom she saw as totally false, being fake kind and sometimes a bit little condescending. The truth is, Shannon acted fake just like the other. Or her being bothered by how her coworkers dressed up, cleavage baring outfits and over the top make up and what not, when not two pages later she’s done up in the same way.
Boys. There’s not that much to them. On the one hand, there’s Max, former BFF, who’s capable of being an ass in one moment then a sweet and present the next. I like what he could do, but he did some pretty crappy things here. That said, my dislike is not limited to him, Shannon’s simply too big a target. Drama Queen? Liar? Self Absorbed? All apply to her. Then there’s Cole. For a few moments there, I thought things would be different. I thought Shannon too would be different with him. I was wrong. It took too long for her to see what was what. That she realized that something was wrong, good. That it took that long, not so good.
2/5
Family stuff. There’s little to know about them. Emphasis is on her and her sister and if anything it was the only positive I could see in all this. At first glance, it’s Shannon who seems to have it all: the smarts, a goal and a plan, but events later prove otherwise. It’s Robyn who’s in fact got it together. The ups and downs and issues of trust, telling or not telling between them were OK additions, but there were too many things going on beyond the home front. Things are not helped by her tendency to be bratty. IMO, It felt like she was lording it over her family that she was doing something. Though how that was done is contrary her doing what she did on the sly. )
The Lead. (Not that much of a lead though.) The biggest thing I disliked is how I felt she seemed to feel that she was different from others. Take her screwed up interaction with Parvati, her math archnemesis, whom she saw as totally false, being fake kind and sometimes a bit little condescending. The truth is, Shannon acted fake just like the other. Or her being bothered by how her coworkers dressed up, cleavage baring outfits and over the top make up and what not, when not two pages later she’s done up in the same way.
Boys. There’s not that much to them. On the one hand, there’s Max, former BFF, who’s capable of being an ass in one moment then a sweet and present the next. I like what he could do, but he did some pretty crappy things here. That said, my dislike is not limited to him, Shannon’s simply too big a target. Drama Queen? Liar? Self Absorbed? All apply to her. Then there’s Cole. For a few moments there, I thought things would be different. I thought Shannon too would be different with him. I was wrong. It took too long for her to see what was what. That she realized that something was wrong, good. That it took that long, not so good.
2/5
January 13, 2015
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Eh. That's all I thought about this book. I was hoping for so much more because I loved Two-Way Street. (Review of that: Here). Because I loved Two Way Street soooo much, I bought this one. Luckily, fate didn't have me read them the other way around. The book started out fine. Like any normal YA contemporary book. Got you interested with her being underage at a casino. Which would have never happened. I had to go through numerous background checks, drug checks, fingerprinting, various legal paperwork to prove I am who I say I am, multiple interview, my references got packets to fill out (to make sure I am who I am), and various crazy things, to get a job there. It was insane.
Back to the point, underage cocktail waitress, gets invited to an underground poker group. Kind of like the book 21; Except without all the action and drama. They do poker, they win money. Then there is the typical love triangle. You know who she is going to end up with, but with the lack of communication (as always) they don't get together until the very end. The whole book felt 'luke-warm'. Nothing big really happened ever. The love "drama" was almost non-existant. The family drama wasn't realistic, and lasted a second. I did love Mackenzie, cocktail waitress friend, she was fierce and spunky. I wish this book was around her life. Now I would read that!
Then at the end of the book you wait for the poker tournament... and! Nothing happens. The book was way too predictable in my opinion. Yet, you read to hope that something crazy may happen. I mean, it's a casino! I know crazy things happen there! Oh the stories I could tell. Those stories would be more eventful than this book.
Anyway, Contemporary novels are very hit-or-miss with me. And I always preferred books with more drama than less drama. I rarely read these types of books, so I don't have many other contemporary books to compare this to. I still think everyone should give it a try. What I may not like, doesn't mean you won't. I think if I had not worked at a casino, and didn't have the experience and knowledge, this would be a fun read.
Eh. That's all I thought about this book. I was hoping for so much more because I loved Two-Way Street. (Review of that: Here). Because I loved Two Way Street soooo much, I bought this one. Luckily, fate didn't have me read them the other way around. The book started out fine. Like any normal YA contemporary book. Got you interested with her being underage at a casino. Which would have never happened. I had to go through numerous background checks, drug checks, fingerprinting, various legal paperwork to prove I am who I say I am, multiple interview, my references got packets to fill out (to make sure I am who I am), and various crazy things, to get a job there. It was insane.
Back to the point, underage cocktail waitress, gets invited to an underground poker group. Kind of like the book 21; Except without all the action and drama. They do poker, they win money. Then there is the typical love triangle. You know who she is going to end up with, but with the lack of communication (as always) they don't get together until the very end. The whole book felt 'luke-warm'. Nothing big really happened ever. The love "drama" was almost non-existant. The family drama wasn't realistic, and lasted a second. I did love Mackenzie, cocktail waitress friend, she was fierce and spunky. I wish this book was around her life. Now I would read that!
Then at the end of the book you wait for the poker tournament... and! Nothing happens. The book was way too predictable in my opinion. Yet, you read to hope that something crazy may happen. I mean, it's a casino! I know crazy things happen there! Oh the stories I could tell. Those stories would be more eventful than this book.
Anyway, Contemporary novels are very hit-or-miss with me. And I always preferred books with more drama than less drama. I rarely read these types of books, so I don't have many other contemporary books to compare this to. I still think everyone should give it a try. What I may not like, doesn't mean you won't. I think if I had not worked at a casino, and didn't have the experience and knowledge, this would be a fun read.
June 24, 2016
I ACTUALLY RATE THIS 1.5 STARS
I picked this book up because I had just finished Me Before You and I wanted something short and sweet to get me through all my emotions. Well, it was short, so there's that. I typically love almost-in-college books, so I was intrigued. Plus, SECRET POKER SOCIETY HOW COOL AMIRITE?
I wasn't right. The premise is the only thing this book has going for it. The execution was miserable. I'm not trying to be one of those people who get super bash-y in my negative reviews, but I'm not sure how to put it nicely: this is the most annoying book I've ever read in my life.
I thought the narrator was judgmental, irritating, stupid, and selfish. She treated people like crap for no reason. By the end, she learns her lesson or whatever, but I didn't care. I literally started banging my head against this book several times because I got so freaking annoyed by all of it. Maybe I should take into consideration that this was written 6 years ago, but I found the writing to be forced and try-hard (with the use of the word "obvi" and "probs" and several instances of "BFF" it sounded like a middle-aged mom trying to be "hip").
Aside from the protagonist, I thought the rest of the characters were flat. We literally don't know anything about them. The only character I even liked a little bit was Robyn, the protagonist's sister. Max, the love interest, had potential, but again SO FLAT.
I didn't care about anything that happened, but, like I said, it's a short book, so I forced myself to push through, but if it had been any longer I would have DNFed it. About 20 pages in, I started tabbing all the parts of the novel I found especially irritating, but once I started tabbing multiple spots on one page, I gave up on that.
A few years ago I read another book by Barnholdt and, at least back then, I enjoyed it. I'll most likely try one more book by her (mostly because I own one more of her books), but if that one doesn't work for me, I'll probably never re-visit this author. I initially gave the book 2 stars, but I am lowering the rating half a star.
I picked this book up because I had just finished Me Before You and I wanted something short and sweet to get me through all my emotions. Well, it was short, so there's that. I typically love almost-in-college books, so I was intrigued. Plus, SECRET POKER SOCIETY HOW COOL AMIRITE?
I wasn't right. The premise is the only thing this book has going for it. The execution was miserable. I'm not trying to be one of those people who get super bash-y in my negative reviews, but I'm not sure how to put it nicely: this is the most annoying book I've ever read in my life.
I thought the narrator was judgmental, irritating, stupid, and selfish. She treated people like crap for no reason. By the end, she learns her lesson or whatever, but I didn't care. I literally started banging my head against this book several times because I got so freaking annoyed by all of it. Maybe I should take into consideration that this was written 6 years ago, but I found the writing to be forced and try-hard (with the use of the word "obvi" and "probs" and several instances of "BFF" it sounded like a middle-aged mom trying to be "hip").
Aside from the protagonist, I thought the rest of the characters were flat. We literally don't know anything about them. The only character I even liked a little bit was Robyn, the protagonist's sister. Max, the love interest, had potential, but again SO FLAT.
I didn't care about anything that happened, but, like I said, it's a short book, so I forced myself to push through, but if it had been any longer I would have DNFed it. About 20 pages in, I started tabbing all the parts of the novel I found especially irritating, but once I started tabbing multiple spots on one page, I gave up on that.
A few years ago I read another book by Barnholdt and, at least back then, I enjoyed it. I'll most likely try one more book by her (mostly because I own one more of her books), but if that one doesn't work for me, I'll probably never re-visit this author. I initially gave the book 2 stars, but I am lowering the rating half a star.
March 6, 2013
I’ve been wearing my Chicago Public Library card out with the lendable ebooks. Anything sound remotely interesting and available for checkout? WORD. READING IT NOW. Aces Up is one of those.
It’s about a girl in a crappy little town who gets a job at the nearby casino to make money for college. That’s easy enough, you’d think. Except you have to be 21 to wait tables at the casino, and she’s 17. Time to forge all the documents. And her family thinks she’s working at a nearby diner. Obviously that will all end well.
Her first night at the casino, she realizes that she’s a horrible waitress. But she gets an anonymous note in her employee locker asking her to come to a meeting. She’s then offered the chance to learn how to play poker and, if she’s any good at it, to join in on a card-counting ring. At first she resists, but the allure of money (she’s good at it) proves too strong. She learns poker and how to work with a group to win the room.
Oh, she’s wayyyyy too young for that too. Of course everybody finds out. Of course she’s fired and grounded. Of course dating the guy who pulled her into this ring was a terrible idea. Eventually she decides to blow up the ring by pulling a fast one over them all at the World Poker Championship and making all the money to go to college in one day.
It wasn’t a bad little read, but as you can tell I don’t remember much about the girl at all. She was good at math, and I liked that. Otherwise, meh. Other characters were a bit more memorable – her sister, the waitress who trained her, the bad boy who pulled her into the ring – but still if you had $100,000 on the table I couldn’t tell you any of their names. Nothing wrong with that, especially for a quick free library read. But nothing all that great about it either.
It’s about a girl in a crappy little town who gets a job at the nearby casino to make money for college. That’s easy enough, you’d think. Except you have to be 21 to wait tables at the casino, and she’s 17. Time to forge all the documents. And her family thinks she’s working at a nearby diner. Obviously that will all end well.
Her first night at the casino, she realizes that she’s a horrible waitress. But she gets an anonymous note in her employee locker asking her to come to a meeting. She’s then offered the chance to learn how to play poker and, if she’s any good at it, to join in on a card-counting ring. At first she resists, but the allure of money (she’s good at it) proves too strong. She learns poker and how to work with a group to win the room.
Oh, she’s wayyyyy too young for that too. Of course everybody finds out. Of course she’s fired and grounded. Of course dating the guy who pulled her into this ring was a terrible idea. Eventually she decides to blow up the ring by pulling a fast one over them all at the World Poker Championship and making all the money to go to college in one day.
It wasn’t a bad little read, but as you can tell I don’t remember much about the girl at all. She was good at math, and I liked that. Otherwise, meh. Other characters were a bit more memorable – her sister, the waitress who trained her, the bad boy who pulled her into the ring – but still if you had $100,000 on the table I couldn’t tell you any of their names. Nothing wrong with that, especially for a quick free library read. But nothing all that great about it either.
August 17, 2013
I always feel bad giving books bad ratings, especially to authors that have other books that I enjoyed.
Shannon Card is 17 and needs money for college. She is supposed to be some kind of math genius, which I never really saw how.
She was kind of dumb actually.
She gets a job at a casino with a fake license and birth certificate since her father lost his job and she needs to pay for college.
Out of the blue, Cole asks her to join his poker club, Aces Up.
Now you would think a smart girl like Shannon would go 'No that's ok. I need to focus on school and my work.'
She basically drools over how hot Cole is and agrees.
Then she starts winning money, grades start dropping and she loses a $5,000 scholarship she was in the running for.
Still think she is smart?
Cole kisses her a few times and Shannon suddenly thinks they are dating and tells her old crush, Max, that she has a boyfriend.
I'm sorry but I didn't know that kissing counted as dating.
What kills me is the way she talks. She will have a thought and then she will say it. She says the exact words she was just thinking!
Thanks for wasting my time.
All the characters ALWAYS say 'totally' and 'like'. Max at one point said, "like totally." Since when was Max an airhead girl?
Shannon's thoughts range from totally to ewww with many W's.
Also she doesn't recognize Max's car after being in it only a week before. She thinks it belongs to a mobster.
I guess idiots can be math geniuses. Who knew?
Shannon Card is 17 and needs money for college. She is supposed to be some kind of math genius, which I never really saw how.
She was kind of dumb actually.
She gets a job at a casino with a fake license and birth certificate since her father lost his job and she needs to pay for college.
Out of the blue, Cole asks her to join his poker club, Aces Up.
Now you would think a smart girl like Shannon would go 'No that's ok. I need to focus on school and my work.'
She basically drools over how hot Cole is and agrees.
Then she starts winning money, grades start dropping and she loses a $5,000 scholarship she was in the running for.
Still think she is smart?
Cole kisses her a few times and Shannon suddenly thinks they are dating and tells her old crush, Max, that she has a boyfriend.
I'm sorry but I didn't know that kissing counted as dating.
What kills me is the way she talks. She will have a thought and then she will say it. She says the exact words she was just thinking!
Thanks for wasting my time.
All the characters ALWAYS say 'totally' and 'like'. Max at one point said, "like totally." Since when was Max an airhead girl?
Shannon's thoughts range from totally to ewww with many W's.
Also she doesn't recognize Max's car after being in it only a week before. She thinks it belongs to a mobster.
I guess idiots can be math geniuses. Who knew?
August 26, 2013
It was an interesting book but there were a lot of things that didn't make sense. Like, Cole was underage too... He was 18 but nobody was concerned about that, yet Shannon's only a year younger and her being underage was such a big deal! Um...
Also, at the start of the book, apparently Max had been hanging out with Shannon, Robyn and Leonardo for an entire year. They even spent a day together at Leonardo's pool, just the four of them. But in the middle of the book, Robyn and Shannon are talking about Max and Leonardo has no idea who Max is. Seriously?!
And did they kiss or not kiss at the start? First Shannon says they almost kissed, but later, she says they did.
Even little things... Why does Parvati have a peer tutor when she's supposed to be the best at math? You mean she's in the running for the best math student, but she didn't take an AP math course? Why is she so impressed that her tutor got a 5? And why isn't her tutor in the running for a scholarship if they're the same age?
Honestly, it's like the author took like 5 years to write this book and never went back to read the start! Where is the editor?!?!
I didn't like any of the main characters. Shannon was super whiny and annoying and stupid. Also, so horny and desperate, she'd do the dirty with any guy who wanted which is really kind of deplorable. The only character I liked was Robyn... and maybe Mackenzie. I'd suggest reading this only if you're really really bored.
Also, at the start of the book, apparently Max had been hanging out with Shannon, Robyn and Leonardo for an entire year. They even spent a day together at Leonardo's pool, just the four of them. But in the middle of the book, Robyn and Shannon are talking about Max and Leonardo has no idea who Max is. Seriously?!
And did they kiss or not kiss at the start? First Shannon says they almost kissed, but later, she says they did.
Even little things... Why does Parvati have a peer tutor when she's supposed to be the best at math? You mean she's in the running for the best math student, but she didn't take an AP math course? Why is she so impressed that her tutor got a 5? And why isn't her tutor in the running for a scholarship if they're the same age?
Honestly, it's like the author took like 5 years to write this book and never went back to read the start! Where is the editor?!?!
I didn't like any of the main characters. Shannon was super whiny and annoying and stupid. Also, so horny and desperate, she'd do the dirty with any guy who wanted which is really kind of deplorable. The only character I liked was Robyn... and maybe Mackenzie. I'd suggest reading this only if you're really really bored.
May 19, 2014
This story totally reminds of the movie 21. It follow the similar line except without the whole teamwork aspect.
Plot: This is about a girl who is taking matters into her own hands. Young and smart, Shannon needs money for college. After taking a job, she discovers someone who can help her make more money than she ever in thought…in gambling. I found this story particular interesting because it feels exciting knowing that a groups has a game plan to win money. The plot moves fairly quickly after the initial gambling starts and the real fun begins.
Love/Friendships: I have to say that this part disappointed me a little. Of course Shannon wold fall for the top notch gambler and not the guy right in front of her. I felt like she juggled both relationships backwards. She used her friend for cover stories and stuff and was an idiot around the other guy. Luckily for her, she got brains and began to use them. Things change and I felt like it was okay afterwards.
Ending: After all the secrecy, Shannon learns some secrets and finally gets her heard on straight. And despite all the illegal stuff she did, she managed to get out okay. I think it ended on an okay note. It was something that I expected.
Overall, this is a good book. I really enjoyed the rush of gambling at the table and hiding it from others. I don’t think I ever had guts to do such a thing like that, but man those people are not only smart but wicked good at what they do. Aces Up is a fun exciting read!
Plot: This is about a girl who is taking matters into her own hands. Young and smart, Shannon needs money for college. After taking a job, she discovers someone who can help her make more money than she ever in thought…in gambling. I found this story particular interesting because it feels exciting knowing that a groups has a game plan to win money. The plot moves fairly quickly after the initial gambling starts and the real fun begins.
Love/Friendships: I have to say that this part disappointed me a little. Of course Shannon wold fall for the top notch gambler and not the guy right in front of her. I felt like she juggled both relationships backwards. She used her friend for cover stories and stuff and was an idiot around the other guy. Luckily for her, she got brains and began to use them. Things change and I felt like it was okay afterwards.
Ending: After all the secrecy, Shannon learns some secrets and finally gets her heard on straight. And despite all the illegal stuff she did, she managed to get out okay. I think it ended on an okay note. It was something that I expected.
Overall, this is a good book. I really enjoyed the rush of gambling at the table and hiding it from others. I don’t think I ever had guts to do such a thing like that, but man those people are not only smart but wicked good at what they do. Aces Up is a fun exciting read!
January 11, 2023
Let me make this crystal clear: I didn’t like this books, which is disappointing because I had high hopes for it.
I don’t want to discourage you, if you want to read this book. Don’t read anymore of my review and give it a try. You might be surprised. I know because I’ve been discouraged from reading books too.
I don’t want to discourage you, if you want to read this book. Don’t read anymore of my review and give it a try. You might be surprised. I know because I’ve been discouraged from reading books too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2013
I liked the idea of this book, but it wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. After the big tournament was mentioned, the story got pretty boring. The ending was unrealistic and the ‘prologue’ was corny. It all felt a little too much of a happy ending for some of the serious things that had happened. I don’t think that I liked any of the characters. I had a sort of love/hate relationship with Shannon. Some of the things she said or thought had me cracking up. Whenever she was in an awkward situation, she’d overthink how to react and make things even more awkward. There were other times in the book where I couldn’t stand her. I don’t even know why really. Her personality grated on me a bit and I hated all the bad decisions she kept making.
The romance was kind of blah for me. I hated Max from the very beginning. He was a complete jerk and I didn’t like how he treated Shannon. He did redeem himself a little towards the end, but I still couldn’t get over how annoyed I’d been at him for the first 90% of the book. Cole on the other hand, I absolutely loved. He seemed cute, but of course, he then ended up being ten times more of an asshole than Max. As I read, I was hoping that she wouldn’t end up with either one of them.
The romance was kind of blah for me. I hated Max from the very beginning. He was a complete jerk and I didn’t like how he treated Shannon. He did redeem himself a little towards the end, but I still couldn’t get over how annoyed I’d been at him for the first 90% of the book. Cole on the other hand, I absolutely loved. He seemed cute, but of course, he then ended up being ten times more of an asshole than Max. As I read, I was hoping that she wouldn’t end up with either one of them.
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