Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group in exchange for an honest review. This book was a good read and I can't wait to see it on the big screen.

4/5 stars, a unique thievery read that was quite thrilling

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group & Nancy Paulson Books for the arc through netgalley and a physical arc in exchange for an honest review!

When I was told that this is a young adult heist novel all centered around a competition that all the contestants may not survive, I was hooked. This description reminds me of my favorite movie of all time (that is extremely underrated if I do say so myself) called Now You See Me, where a set of magicians set out to create elaborate tricks in a competition-style at times. While I knew that it was going to be slightly different as it's young adult, I was still surprised by how committed the author was to creating a thrilling writing style. This really worked out for the story in the end.

Though I was very excited, I feel that there were times when the plot could have flowed a little smoother. I really did like all the heist scenes and the different competitions the participants had to engage in, but some things involved in the plot were a little strange. One, was the reason for the main character Ross to be there, her mom gets kidnapped and her family of thieves cannot get her back without her entering this competition. Haven't they been doing this for generations? As well, the final plot twists at the end came a little bit out of nowhere for me, and the romance felt disjointed from the rest of the story that was trying to be told. Not every book needs romance and I think this one could have definitely gone without it.

Ross herself isn't a bad character, though at times she does make some rash decisions that set her up for intense moments. But I think in comparison to the other thieves she's competing against she is just a little forgettable, though I do understand why she is the main character. The supporting cast is pretty typical of young adult books, at least trope-wise, but they were all still really fun to read about and I liked their collection of interactions.

Overall, I would recommend this book because of the heist plot and how fast-paced the book was, it definitely was interesting. There were just certain things I think could have been omitted or changed in the story and it would have been even better, but I still had fun reading this!

[TW: death of a parent, kidnapping, manipulation, threat of torture, stealing, parental abandonment, knife and gun violence, bleeding, emergency room visit]

I have so many fantastic things to say about this book that I couldn’t possibly put it all in this review but I’m gonna try my best.

I typically am not the biggest fan of YA, however, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. I love a smart show-not-tell FMC and Ross was the perfect example of that. She was a very interesting character from the get go and I only grew more invested in her as she formed relationships with her competitors.

The overall writing style was incredibly addictive and fun. Everything was very fast paced and I found myself getting lost in the story on multiple occasions. Definitely did not want to put this book down.

Also really appreciated the diversity and representation in this book. Each character felt like their own individual while still having a believable common connection.

The only small critique I have is that the ending felt just a bit convoluted and required some suspension of belief. However, I enjoyed the overall plot and characters so much that I didn’t really mind at all.

Overall a fantastic book and I can not WAIT to read the next one!

Unfortunately, I DNFed this book about 20% of the way in. It just wasn't for me, I wasn't drawn in by the story at all and didn't feel like continuing. Maybe one day I will try again, as I am a big mood reader, but I just found it difficult to get through the first couple of chapters.

Finally a novel that actually has heists.

The heists/missions were the most fun and engaging parts of the story. The race to each ‘finish line’ was intriguing.

Unfortunately, outside of them, the writing felt hollow along with the personalities and actions of the stereotypical side characters. A side-plot that didn’t interest me at all and left me near begging to get back to the action. Inconsistent pacing was definitely a hinderance. Plenty of times there would be no sense of urgency or real care in their down time for why any of them chose to be apart of the gambit.

Ross, the main character, seemed like two different people. Intelligent and supposedly smooth on jobs but switches immediately to someone that’s clumsy and without a lick of sense once she starts a gambit mission. Everything being obvious from the start but suddenly she can’t make the math, math. lol She’s in need of some major character development.

If the next book were to continue the fast pace and engaging writing of the last 15% and keep the focus on the heists then I’ll definitely read the next book. I mean, I like heists and those were the best parts anyways. This definitely has movie potential and I think this will be one of the ones where, depending on the production studio, it will be better than the book.🤷🏾‍♀️


Thanks to NetGalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for providing a copy for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A handful of teenagers who’ve perfected the art of the heist, and one grand prize to be claimed.

Ross Quest is the youngest member of a great thieving dynasty. Not one to make mistakes and able to calculate 10 steps ahead of her target, she has never known failure for as long as she’s been stealing. But when a job goes wrong and results in her mother being captured, her freedom banking on a high dollar ransom, Ross’ only hope is the Thieves Gambit - a highly prized and higher stakes competition that pits the worlds greatest thief against thief across the globe.

Reading that description had me so excited to read this, and for the most part it was really good, albeit rushed. I loved the various heists and the intensity of not knowing if Ross would pull off each steal before time ran out. I especially loved the dynamic between her and her childhood rival - besting each other at every turn with an undeniable chemistry and begrudging respect towards each other (that unfortunately did not pan out how i would have liked). That being said, I did feel the overall plot of the book was rushed, and at times, the situations Ross found herself in seemed to be solved so conveniently that it broke any kind of immersion i had in the scene.

Another review said that this book was written for the screen rather than the page and i completely agree. if this was a movie, it would have been a 5 star movie, but as a book it didn’t grip me in the way i had initially hoped, so only 3 stars.

Billed as “The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven,” I knew Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis would be high on my list to read.

Ross Quest is a 17-year-old member of a family of thieves. When her mother is kidnapped, Ross joins the gambit in order to win the prize money she needs to pay the kidnappers.

I have always been a fan of books with puzzles as far back as The Westing Game or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The Thieves’ Gambit has all the makings of a good mystery from backstabbing teens to outrageous missions. It has brought together all the best thieving families in the world making for a diverse group of teens all trying to outdo each other and win the prize. There’s even a bit of romance.

The end was just so twisty and I did not see it coming so now I’m anxiously awaiting book 2.

At seventeen, Ross Quest is a master thief who longs to escape the family business. However, when her mother is captured, Ross enters the Thieves' Gambit, a risky competition offering a wish as the grand prize. Amid dangerous heists, she faces childhood rivals and a charming competitor vying for her heart. Will she adhere to the family creed of ‘Trust no one’, or will she learn the value of trusting others?

This book left me feeling conflicted. On the one hand, I love a good heist tale and when there were heists, it was fun, especially in the middle. I liked seeing Ross learn to work with a team, and I thought I would see her grow as a character in learning to trust people.

But that isn’t how the story ends. And that is part of what left me conflicted. I didn’t feel like Ross changed or grew at all. The story ends with her at the same point she began, so it left me feeling unsatisfied. I’m not entirely sure I liked her. There seemed an unusual focus on ethnicity. “Finally another black person in the room.” “You were my first white friend.” It almost felt like the author went down a checklist to ensure she had a diverse cast. The end felt rushed and left me unsatisfied. (Also so annoyed I’m not sure if I want to read the second book to find out what happens next.) The romance felt forced and out of place.

So, the heist part was fun. For the most part, the writing was good. Pacing wise, the beginning felt like it dragged, the middle was fun, and the end was rushed. I would recommend it to readers looking for a YA adventure and see for themselves if they enjoyed it or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you hate cliffhangers, pause now and read this book after book 2 is already out, because that ending was quite a doozy. This whole book was a wild ride, really, in the best possible way. There was action, there was intrigue, there was romance, there was even more action, somehow. I had the time of my life reading this and am so excited for the sequel, when it eventually comes out. The characters were all well-drawn (even the side ones!), and Ross's motivations and inner life so detailed. Yeah, sure, she's a thief, but damn was I rooting for her. An excellent read all around.

This is the ultimate “let’s throw these characters in a situation and see what happens” in a way, and I kind of love it. I’d read the summary of this book multiple times and I’m still not entirely sure I knew what I was getting into. I’d say it was fairly easy to almost immediately suspend my disbelief about a competition of teen spies, but where this book really shines is the human connections that happen between all the thefts and heist plotlines (which in all honesty were the least interesting part of the story in the end). There were so many twists and turns and even though I managed to guess most of what happened, I was never completely sure. If you’re looking for hardcore heist material, this might not be the book, but if you’re looking for complex and twisty characters and relationships, this might be just the book for you!

First of all, I cannot wait for the sequel because this book absolutely did not end up going the way that I expected. Second of all, this book is wild. Although the teen spy thing is not something I’ve personally read, the various aspects of the plot and gambit-related things aren’t the most original, but more of a callback to the classics of the spy genre in general. I think what sets this book is the characters, but more specifically the interactions that they have. Ross’ desire for community outside of her family is a thread that winds throughout the entire book and what works so well about this is that even though her specific circumstances are very unique, it’s the kind of feeling that you can relate to, especially at 17 (at least for me). Getting to watch the characters interact, building and breaking relationships is both a little cathartic and fun, bridging all the less-satisfying details.

All in all, I think this book pretty well lives up to my expectations and sets up the storyline continuing in a way I could have never fully guessed. Some of the plotlines and portrayals of characters are a little elementary, but I’ll chalk that up to the spy genre in general. If that’s your kind of thing, then I’d definitely recommend this book!

Kayvion Lewis’s new series, Thieves’ Gambit, is a stellar globe-trotting heist adventure. I love books with a game at its center, and while I sometimes take my guessing a little too far, this book delivered on the game, the characters, and setting the stage for a great series. The book is being compared to Inheritance Game and Oceans 11, and it’s well deserved comparisons, while also creating a unique new crime world.

Ross Quest comes from a family of thieves and has been raised to be fiercely independent. As she tries to spread her wings toward her own future she is hurtled into a secret game to save her mother. Her other competitors are all vying for the prize of a single wish.

I can’t wait to read more in this series. Thieves Gambit is a wonderful escapist YA novel. I highly recommend it!

I love a good heist story, and the comp titles of Ocean’s Eleven and The Inheritance Games set the bar high for this novel.

Ross comes from a long line of thieves, and she’s been trained in the family business from a young age. When her mother’s life is suddenly in danger, Ross has no choice but to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a cutthroat competition pitting her against other master thieves from around the globe. With the exception of raising the dead and defying the laws of physics, the winner is granted any wish.

The competition sends the contestants to exciting locations – London and Egypt to name a couple. Each heist is dangerous, challenging, and impossible to accomplish at first glance. But these competitors are clever and creative. Ross gets to a point where she has no choice but to trust other players. How can you trust a group of thieves? I questioned every player’s motives and actions – were they honest? Playing Ross and everyone else?

And that ending? Wow. So many unexpected revelations that show characters in a different light. It looks like a sequel is in the works, and I’m totally here for it.

Filled with exciting heists, unexpected betrayals and alliances, and even a little romance, this novel kept me glued to the pages. I’m excited to see where the sequel goes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This action-packed young adult thriller carries all the propulsive action of a summer blockbuster film. With a premise that feels at once unique and familiar, filled with characters you love and want to trust (but aren't sure if you can), a heroine who is the craftiest of them all, and a jaw-dropping ending that will leave you clamoring for the sequel, this book is one that deserves all the buzz across the book world. Ross is a character that deserves to jump to the top of readers' lists of favorite YA heroines. I loved the fact that she came from a thieving family, but wanted to see what a normal life would be like. She was such a smart and resourceful character, and I'm looking forward to seeing where she goes next in this series.

Interesting story about a family of thieves. On a gig, Ross’ mom gets kidnapped and she has to join the thieves gambit to win prize money to win her back. Going through the gambit Ross has to learn to trust others, maybe? Or does she have to figure out how to win on her own.

Setting: all over the world
Rep: black protagonist; multiple BIPOC side characters

This was an enjoyable heist story but at times it felt a bit convoluted and I occasionally lost track of characters and motivations.

I wanted to love this book — but I had a hard time getting into it. It was just very slow at the beginning, which made it hard to stay focused on reading it. I loved the premise, and expected a bit more from the story itself.

Thank you so much to Penguin and. NetGalley for this ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I heard anything being compared to The Inheritance Games and I'm immediately there. This book had a lot of promise with the premise, and because of that, I think I expected the pacing to be a lot better than it is. For a book that was marketed as being something thrilling, it moved awfully slow. It was nonstop later but I think it gave me a bit of whiplash. I think more consistency would have made the book a lot better but I will be tuning into the rest of the books!

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @penguinteen for an early copy of Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Release date: September 26th, 2023

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112974911-thieves-gambit?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jIJrxahmu2&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

Thieves’ Gambit is a fast-paced and exciting novel centered around Rosalyn who joins a secret thieving competition to win money to rescue her kidnapped mother. Competing with other teenagers from known significant thieving families worldwide, the challenges were exciting and thrilling as each competitor fought to win. There were lots of betrayals, twists, and amazingly crafted heists, which ended quite unrealistically.

It was fun seeing Ross make friends with her team as this has been her wish ever since, to make friends as she feels so alone with only her family to count on, regardless of what her mom says – “Trust no one”. This, by the way also applies to her with how the ending came to be.

I found Devroe sketchy from the very beginning, and I was actually pleased that I was right not to trust his character (all these betrayals in the novel got me having trust issues too 😅). I felt that regardless of how hard he pursues Ross with all is charm and flirting, their chemistry was way off.

But I enjoyed the ride. The ending was a revelation although quite disappointing and a cliffhanger. A good beginning to a series of books.
Looking forward to the next one!

Fantastic. Kept me on my toes. First 5 star book in a few months. I can’t wait for the next one! Thank you for sending me an ARC.

This book has a very interesting premise. I was initially interested based on that; however, the beginning of the book moved too slow for me. By the end it was clear this would become a series. It's just one of those times when I didn't feel like that was necessary. The book could have easy gotten by with less set up in the beginning in order to hook readers faster.

I would likely still recommend for readers interested in competition books that are willing to commit to a series. Sadly, I am not right now.