Upon finishing Thieves’ Gambit, I entirely understand why it has the hype that it does. This is a book that received a million-dollar advance across auction with multiple publishers interested; it successfully combines elements from multiple popular books while still feeling fresh, and fills a void left behind by series like Heist Society and The Inheritance Games. Personally, I just love when a book is authentically global, taking part across multiple cities across the world without each location feeling like a placeholder. These characters are genuinely familiar with spots in France, the Bahamas, Switzerland, and elsewhere, so the globe-trotting aspect is vivid and larger-than-life. I had mixed thoughts about certain choices, but overall loved the book and will recommend it widely. A lot of it feels familiar already, but enough of the atmosphere and “little things” felt fresh that it’ll release with a bang.

First, I’m immensely grateful to Thieves’ Gambit for actually living up to its “for fans of” premise. If y’all read the blog regularly, you know how frustrated I was by Portrait of a Thief promising to be a heist book but then skipping over all of the logistics and promises of the genre in favor of internal conflict; I thought the stakes and the actions didn’t match, and therefore didn’t make any sense. Thieves’ Gambit, meanwhile, matches the characters’ focus with what they’re risking, so therefore feels much more satisfying. You’ll pick it up expecting a no-holds-barred global espionage thriller, and that’s what you’ll get. Many YA books take on a competition structure, but few lately have done it successfully. (Cue eyeroll towards Lightlark.)

It’s very classically action-packed, so the pacing will hook even the most reluctant readers. We start with Rosalyn assisting her mother while stealing artifacts, diamonds, and the like. While curled up to hide in a piece of furniture, she clicks into an email from a gymnastics camp she’d love to go to and reflects on how she’s trapped in the family business. Ultimately, she decides to strike out on her own—but doubles back to join a “dangerous” thieves’ competition when things go awry during a job. She must win the ultimate prize, as it’s the only way to save her family.

PLOT

The romance was eh and the prose was fine, but this book will be popular for its plot, which is 90 percent fabulous. I can see multiple comps throughout it that mean it will have a pretty wide variety of appeal (and for those unfamiliar with publishing, comp titles tend to be the reason a book will do really well $$-wise when acquired!) Those who love the cleverness of Rick Riordan and Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s challenges will thrive in Thieves’ Gambit. Pair the global intrigue of Heist Society with a light dash of Squid Game? Sure. When in doubt, this will be my go-to reluctant reader pick going forward. It pulls from a wide variety of popular media without feeling mishmashed or stale.

The competition itself pulls thieves from all corners of the world (some rivals) to compete to be a mysterious organization’s appointed thief for a year, with the winner receiving “their ultimate wish” at the end. There’s a love interest, an enemy, and an assorted other cast with unknown motivations (who did, admittedly, feel muddled at times.) The ensemble played off each other, so I loved the complexity of its dynamic. 

Where Thieves’ Gambit excelled was in the cleverness of its execution. We get a challenge; it seems impossible. Rosalyn must use her wits to solve the case, even when unknown obstacles and twists are thrown her way. Reading each chapter of the game was such a joy, as it was so mentally satisfying and well thought-out up until the ending. The book succeeds on a micro level, and it also didn’t pull punches, which I appreciated. People get injured and nearly killed. There are real consequences and stakes that propel each character. The pacing reminded me of James Dashner or Ally Carter, i.e. an actual domino effect that means each chapter hinges on the previous.

CHARACTERS

Where the book struggles most—and fails to grab me—is in its internal and emotional arcs, which are so heavy-handed and telegraphed that they fail to feel authentic. You can tell exactly how carefully Lewis has placed specific statements to show the goals of each character, so each trajectory feels overly obvious throughout the book. Because of that, it feels like these conflicts are plugged into a formula rather than feeling genuine, and some of the quote-unquote betrayals are eye-rollingly obvious because they’ve been mapped out the entire time. I loved Rosalyn and how creative she was in her solutions, and readers of Jennifer Lynn Barnes will absolutely love her too, so I occasionally thought that you really had to suspend belief in order to believe that she could be so naive to something later revealed as a big twist. I also loved one character, who was there teaching himself how to be a thief; his logic and strategy were so compelling to me.

The characters were endearing, and I appreciated how intricate and complex Rosalyn’s relationship was with her mother, especially when things go awry. The familial conflict will resonant with many as she navigates questions of loyalty versus autonomy.

THE ENDING

I didn’t enjoy the ending. I thought one of the betrayals was incredibly clear, and that Rosalyn was too smart for its convenience. She was way too quick to trust, considering the stakes of the game, which felt a little off. Similarly, I really struggled with the supposed raised stakes of the final challenge in the Gambit. On a moral level, it felt weird that the thieves’ would suddenly have such a hard time with this one challenge but not the others; honestly, it felt extremely naive of them to suddenly think this was wrong to do, but not examine the consequences of their previous actions and how they might ultimately lead to similar outcomes. So the ending felt pretty silly and superfluous to me, because you kind of all knew what you were getting into? How was this supposedly bad but not the rest? 

The previous tasks were just handled so well that I thought the ending really flopped, as there was nowhere near the same level of creativity and impact. It felt like Lewis got to the end and panicked, and didn’t really know how to get from the middle to the big reveals, so some of the climax felt somewhat thrown together. In that sense, I was disappointed by how it all came together, which would normally be the KISS OF DEATH for me and a book, but I loved the middle and experience enough that I still considered this a fun, fabulously entertaining read. It’s smart despite its bumpiness, and I’m hoping the sequel will be even smoother and more capable.

OVERALL

Although it does feel like everything is plugged into a structure we’ve seen before and a lot of the book feels overall relatively obvious, the execution was done well enough where the book feels crisp and appealing. The macro layout of it is familiar. The middle was so good, which is where most books sag for me, so I think ultimately if you’re like me and despise the ending, you’ll still love most of the book and it will be a winner. Do I think the payoff’s there? No. But everything else is so well done that I don’t entirely care. It still annoys me a little bit, but I’m choosing not to be a brat about craft. It’s such a net-positive.

Thieves’ Gambit is a delightful, plot-heavy, and international read that will hook you from the first chapter and entertain you the whole way through. That’s all I want and need, and it’s why so many people will pick up and love this one. Definitely buy this for teens, classrooms, libraries, friends…oh, and it’s optioned for film too.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewistells the story of Ross, a teen from a notorious family of thieves for hire, who is desperate for a normal life. Unfortunately, events conspire to draw her further into her life of crime as she enters a competition for young, promising thieves intent on winning a very valuable prize. Things are not always what they seem, and Ross is unsure who she can trust.

Though I didn’t feel connected to Ross immediately, I eventually grew to appreciate her and her competitors, enemies, and friends. The competition was the highlight of this story for me, and the fantastic ending was worth the slower start.

This read like Hunger Games meets Ocean Eleven, and I quite enjoyed the ride.

Thieves’ Gambit releases September 26, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced reader copy.

(Review posted on Instagram within a week of release date.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5/5 STARS

Genre: YA mystery/adventure

Similar Books:
The Inheritance Games

Synopsis:
Raised in a theiving family, a girl enters a gambit to pay her mother’s ransom.

This was such a fun book! It has the puzzles of The Inheritance Games mixed with the heists of Oceans 11. I love books with competitions and this one did not disappoint. It is fast paced and so full of twists and turns that I couldn’t put it down. The different heists were very creative and very enjoyable to watch unfold. The ending leaves potential for a sequel and I really hope there is one!

Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted copy! 🥷

4.5 stars

This was such a fun and entertaining read! Action, adventure, mystery, and a bit of romance too! The Gambit was like a cross between the Italian Job/Ocean's Eleven and the Amazing Race (and a little Hunger Games too). I loved the variety of characters and how diverse they all were. You never knew who was truly working with you or against you. The secondary characters added great tension and humor to the story. The book was fast paced and kept me engaged and guessing. I did figure out one of the plot points earlyish, but even that one I didn't realize the full extent of until the big reveal.

Ross was such a fantastic character. She was smart, quick on her feet, and showed so much grace under pressure. She was also a wonderfully relatable teen, who wanted to spread her wings and leave the nest. It was her complex relationship with her mother that really intrigued me and set the emotional stakes very high. I wasn't as invested in her connection to Devroe though and the romance aspect felt a bit forced between them.

I both listened to and read the ebook of Thieves' Gambit and the narration by Jade Wheeler was amazing! She did such a fantastic job with the variety of characters and accents. I had no problems differentiating between all of the characters. Definitely recommend enjoying this one on audiobook if you can!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

Note: Thieves' Gambit is part of a series (maybe a duology, but probably a trilogy). Readers should know that while the main action of this book is wrapped up, the larger storyline is not complete. The book does end on a cliffhanger, but not a gut punch/rip your heart to shreds cliffy.

CW: violence (guns, knives, etc), fighting, life threatening situations, kidnapping & ransom, theft, death of parent (past), grief

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

The Thieves' Gambit was such a fun read! Lewis did a fantastic job of creating a tense and action-packed story that is hard to put down. Everything about this book was intriguing: the plot, the characters, the setting. What I liked most about the Thieves' Gambit were the characters. I liked the complexity (and diversity) of the characters and not knowing who to trust. The ending was WILD and I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers for the ARC.

I’ve been hearing nothing but amazing things about this book so I couldn’t wait to pick it up. Thankfully, it lives up to the hype. This book started off with a bang and grabbed my attention immediately. I couldn’t stop reading. It’s very fast paced and very easy to read and I really loved our MC, Ross.

I was so excited to receive an early copy of Thieves’ Gambit. It sounded right up my alley. I was right!

Ross is part of of an infamous thieves family. Who knew there was such a thing. Anywho…Ross gets herself in a pickle and needs to win the Gambit competition for the prize money to save her Mom (who has been kidnapped).

This was such a fun ride although a bit predictable. The games were super fun and enjoyable. It’s a blast and obviously there’s another book coming. I will be reading it for sure.

Yes this one does read YA and there’s a bit of romance here too.
A fun and entertaining read.

4.5 stars rounded up. I've seen a lot of early buzz comparing Thieves' Gambit to The Inheritance Games books, and if I'm honest, that's really what intrigued me in the first place. And to be fair, I totally get the comparison. The plots are completely different, but the essence of the books are similar. Honestly, I kind of got some Caraval vibes as well, without the fantasy elements. And once I started this one, I did not want to put it down. It was the epitome of a fast-paced, action-packed read.

The Thieves' Gambit (event, not book title) is basically an international competition aimed at crowning the best teen/new adult thief in the world. Entrants will perform outlandish and spectacular feats of thievery as part of the competition, with the winner granted one wish. And in a competition amongst thieves, you know there are going to be lies and deceptions, as well as twists and turns. Loyalties will change. What you think you know will turn out to be false. And the betrayals will leave you reeling. So basically, this book was awesome. Based on the ending, it's clear that Thieves' Gambit is meant to be the first book in a new series, and honestly, I'm totally here for that. I'm glad things didn't wrap up with a nice pretty bow, because I totally want to spend more time in Ross's world. I'll be on tenterhooks waiting for the release of book 2.

Than you so much to Lewis, Penguin Teen, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I don't think I've ever read a book before where the media comparisons are spot on PERFECT. Inheritance Games meets Oceans Eleven absolutely describes this teenage heist competition novel. But I should warn you, make sure you have plenty of time to sit down with this one because you won't be able to put it down.

You can't trust anyone, the rules of the game are constantly changing, and nothing is as it seems... Just a completely delectable book and I can't wait to read more!

Thanks to #netgalley and #penguingroup for this ARC, my first!
Described as The Inheritance Games meets Oceans’s Eleven, this book is non-stop action. I don’t know that i would categorize this as a mystery//thriller as indicated but nonetheless, this book does have some suspenseful moments. The story is told through the eyes of Rosalyn”Ross” Quest. A Bahamian girl who comes from a long line of Thieves. Being that much of my family is from the Bahamas, it gave me a personal connection to the storyline. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters. Lewis does an excellent job of character building with less attention paid to world building. I wish there was a bit more puzzles/riddles/etc throughout the book. Sometimes it seemed as though the characters would find a solution to an issue offscreen or with very little detail for the reader. However, this still made for an enjoyable read and each heist brought a new element of suspense. I’m assuming there will be a sequel given the ending so I look forward to reading more about The Quest Family and their partners/enemies in crime.

I suspected I would enjoy this book, but I didn’t realize how much. The competition is fierce and fast-paced. I love the characters, even the ones you love to hate. I empathized with Ross. Her mother exerted such absolute control over her family that Ross had no one. She didn’t know how to let down her walls, to trust people, or even let them in just a little, which is exactly how her mother wanted it.

Ross was so much more than an expert problem solver and thief. Each new task in the competition was creative. With something always going on, it’s a tense read, and Lewis never lets the readers rest easy. Seriously, this book was such a blast. And while it’s not labeled as the start of a series, it’s clear there’s more to come. The only problem is having to wait for more from these characters. I hope everyone stays in touch, especially the ones Ross befriended, because she deserves that and so much more in life.

Thank you, Penguin Group, for the advanced copy.

Thieves Gambit is a thrill ride from start to finish. It's diverse cast of characters are well developed. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire book, and keeps you wondering who will win the Gambit. Lewis has a fantastic writing style that gives just enough information but doesn't give too much away. The heist's are clever and well thought out, and the reveal at the end catches you off guard. This is a fantastic story that I will highly recommend to others.

4.5 stars! Mv first ebook and mv first ARC! I loved this book so much. I had to make myself put it down. It was so easy to just keep going. I loved the diversity of the characters and the background for them. Such a unique read too! I had never read anything like this. My only two downfalls: it was a little high school-ish at times, which makes sense with the characters' ages, and the ending... left for more to be desired. I am crossing my fingers that there is another book to follow!! So adventurous and great twists! Again, such a truly unique and amazing plot. Themes of family, friendship and trust. Would definitely recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this gripping and cunning ARC!

I need a movie about this book ASAP!!! This book gave me Money Heist vibes along with a mixture of Hunger Games! I loved the main character she was a no-games type of person! Amazing debut novel and I can't wait to read more from Ms. Lewis!

What a captivating, fast paced read! I read somewhere this has already been optioned, so I’m looking forward to seeing this as a movie. The characters were all interesting and I had a good time seeing which way out MC was going to go. I was able to guess one part of the ending, but not the other. Looking forward to a book 2!

It is fast paced with non stop action.
There were so many revelations, twists and turns that I did not see coming. It was slightly predictable but a fun, quick read. The last 20% felt rushed that I had to reread a few times. But overall I did enjoy the story. I will most likely read the sequel if only to know what happens next.

There are a lot of characters that I forget who is who. There is no true development of any of the other characters outside of what Quest knows. I did not feel connected to any of the characters.

This book was a lot of fun with twists and turns up until the end. If you like YA and Ocean’s Eleven type media, this is for you!

Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis was an amazing book. It was a very clever and interesting plot setup and very enjoyable to read

Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest tries her best to live by the family credo, “A Quest can’t trust anyone in this world - except for a Quest.” She works with her mom taking on jobs for clients that involve stealing. She really wants to be a normal kid and attend a High Performance Gymnastics Summer Camp. But when a heist goes wrong and her mom’s life is on the line, she instead accepts an invitation to The Thieves Gambit, essentially an international thieving competition with major consequences, but also a major reward if she wins: she will be granted a wish. If Ross can is win the competition she can ask for the cash needed to save her mom’s life. The novel really takes off once Ross accepts her invite to the competition. This is a fast-paced, page-turner that has so many great unexpected twists and turns. Ross is a protagonist that is easy to root for. It reads as incredibly cinematic and fans of heist novels, Bond films, and high-stakes competitions will love this novel. As I did. Thank you to NetGalley and to Nancy Paulsen Books for the advanced review copy.

What a rollercoaster! This was such a fun read that had me hooked from the beginning. Thieves’ Gambit has everything: action, twists and turns, family drama, secrets, betrayal, a little bit of romance, international jet setting, and a bonkers ending that perfectly sets the stage for a sequel. I loved this book and can not wait for the sequel (it hasn’t been announced but I’m just going to assume).

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.