HOLY SH*T! This was a blast!!!! I had seen some ads on my insta for this, so I was extremely happy when I was able to receive the Arc.
This reminded me of my childhood. Something about it really gave off
Disney Channel movie energy. Jam packed with action & adventure. Very refreshing read!!

Thank you to the publisher, the author, & to netgalley for a copy of the Arc.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

4.5 Stars

One of my recent favorites. Ross is a teenaged thief working with her mom. Longing for a life outside of heists and secrets, Ross makes plans to spirit herself away for a few months. Things go into motion and she find herself in the Thieves Gambit along with other similarly aged thieves, all to save the life of her mom.

Such a fabulous read! It reads quickly and has enough action to keep it from going stale. Great fun! Only downside was I didn’t realize it was the start of a series and now I’m hooked!

Thank you to netgalley for my early copy of this novel.
I liked the premise of the novel and was interested in the cast of characters that all went on this heist together. I also thought the scene setting was pretty good, but unfortunately where this fell flat for me was the actual action of the book - I didn’t feel like there was much of it. There was a lot of dialogue about action and completing this heist (which we learn turned out to be a farce from the MC’s mom, which, predictable, but anyways), but I didn’t find the plot to be one that moved that fast with a lot of action.

That being said, I was still into it enough to see how the story ended, so I read until the end, but I think the storytelling could’ve used some improvment. I’m invested in this author though and would give her future books a read as well. And points for the obscure kpop references (at least twice) in the novel, of course your girl really liked those.

This book surprised me so much! I’ve never read a heist type book before and I am ready to read the next another one. This was fast paced, thrilling, and such a refreshing read!

Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

First off, this book was compared to two of my favourite things: The Inheritance Games series AND Ocean’s Eight. Like y’all, we get secrets, twists, AND SPIES?!?! WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT IN A BOOK??

We start off with Ross Quest, living secluded on an Island with her mother and aunt. But when a secret mission goes wrong, and her mom is kidnapped, the perps are expecting WAY too much money in order to get her back. Bring forth the most dangerous and highly sought-after spy challenge, where the winner receives one wish and the chance to work with them for an entire year.

Ross was not expecting to trust one of her competitors, let alone fall for him; things are not as they seem for the competition. This book was just one wild rollercoaster after another (like seriously, I think I was holding my breath for multiple chapters 😬). But then we get an ending LIKE THAT, and I have to wait for the second book!?!?

Oh, without giving away TOO many spoilers, our two MCs survive (thank goodness), but that is the least of their worries. If you thought the blackmail in the book was bad, oh boy, do you have another thing coming for ya 🙈

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis is a high-stakes heist adventure full of twists. I picked it up because the premise reminded me of books like The Inheritance Games, and I’m so glad I did!

Ross Quest has grown up in a family of thieves. She is amazing at what she does, but she feels stuck. She wants to experience life. She wants friends. She wants more than just her family. When a heist goes awry and her mom is kidnapped, Ross puts her dreams for more aside and enters the Thieves’ Gambit—her only option to save her mom’s life. What follows is a dangerous, heist-filled romp that forces Ross to face enemies, impossible puzzles, and herself.

This book was so fun to read. I loved the challenges of the heists and the twists Kayvion Lewis came up with. She kept me guessing the entire book. I knew I was missing something big but couldn’t figure it out! I also appreciated that the book was about more than just the heists, exploring race, friendship, betrayal, selective honesty, and what it means to be family. The side characters are just as important to this story as Ross is—their interactions with Ross and the way she begins to care for them are essential.

I absolutely loved Thieves’ Gambit, and I will be recommending it to my friends. I can’t wait to see where Lewis takes this story next. I’m hoping for a book two!

Described as The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's 11, Thieves' Gambit is a YA heist-competition novel. There is plenty of action, some teenage angst and just enough romance added in to make this an enjoyable read. There was plenty of plot to keep me interested throughout, and this piece of the arc wraps up nicely. But as many other reviews have mentioned, we are left wide open for another installment, and there is still a lot of story to be explored. I will keep reading.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroup for a free copy of #ThievesGambit by Kayvion Lewis. All opinions are my own.

This YA heist thriller was such a FUN read! Kayvion is such an amazing story teller and it flowed so naturally! As the story progressed, I saw it in my head in more of a movie sequence than any other book I’ve read. Which I believe makes Kayvion such a rare jewel! While thrillers aren’t normally a genre i gravitate to, I found myself excited to pick it up again and again.

I thought the little love interest really made the whole story just go up a notch! As a female, we love a little romance to warm up our thrillers! I thought the twist at the end was cleverly done. The whole plot was unique and I loved it all!

My only critique would be that I felt like the writing suggested that race was a huge factor in the characters. And some maybe racial stereotypes. I think as a reader, you don’t want to make any certain racial group feel ostracized. I believe we should just all treat each other with kindness and respect, no matter our race.

I really enjoyed this high-paced action thriller and like everyone else, I couldn't believe that cliffhanger at the end. I need book two now!

When seventeen-year-old Ross Quest plans to run away from her master thieving family, things take a turn for the worse and now her mother's life hangs in the balance. The only way to save her mother, is to enter the Theives' Gambit. The prize for winning, a wish for whatever you desire. Ross must go through series of dangerous heists and learn to go against the biggest rule that she knows, not to trust anyone.

This book was definitely high-paced, and I was holding my breath during some of the heists, wondering what was going to happen next. Nothing was what it seemed and at the end, I was shocked by the revelations and how it would cross over into the next book. 2024 can't come soon enough!

Thieves' Gambit is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to review Thieves' Gambit. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is Covert Affairs meets Oceans Eleven if the characters were all teenagers and I loved it. It's suspenseful, thought-provoking, and has just enough realism to keep you invested in what happens to our motley band of characters.

Through growing up in a hurry Ross Quest has to learn some hard lessons and fast, who to trust, what's real, and most importantly to rely on her instincts even when her heart is screaming at her.

If you're looking for a book full of cons and thievery look no further, this one is spectacular, and that ending, can I just say I hope this is the beginning of a very very long series?

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ross Quest has been told her entire life that she should never trust anyone unless they are a Quest. In her seventeen years of life–seventeen years spent as a successful thief with an incredible ability to escape–this advice has served her well, but when a heist goes wrong and her mother is taken, Ross is left with no options and enters the Thievers’ Gambit. Only the best of the best are invited to partake in this contest, a contest that comes with an amazing prize, as well as some serious danger. Unfortunately one of her rivals is also one of the competitors, a rival with a bit of a vendetta. Determined to win the competition and the prize, a prize that could free her mother from her captors, Ross soon discovers that she may not be able to follow the family advice if she hopes to come out victorious in the end, but not following it could lead to disastrous, and deadly, results.

Thieves’ Gambit was like Oceans 11 with some of The Skulls thrown in. It is a novel full of twists and turns with some big surprises and revelations along the way. There were some moments in which the narrative seemed a little slow, but for the most part this novel kept me hooked, wanting to know how the characters would overcome the obstacles in front of them, if they did at all. The characters themselves were intriguing. I liked the diversity within the group as well as the fact that each one brought something different to the story. I especially had a fondness towards Ross; she is a strong female character that surprised me with her inner strength as well as her maturity. While I expected there to be some sort of big “aha” moment(s), I was rather surprised by some of the revelations made at the conclusion of Thieves’ Gambit.

Thank you NetGalley, Nancy Paulsen Books, and the author for an eARC of Thieves Gambit in exchange for my honest review!

Rosalyn "Ross" Quest is a skilled thief and comes from a long line of skilled thieves. But when a job goes horribly wrong and her mother gets captured, Ross has one month to obtain $1 billion as a ransom for her mother. In order to do so, Ross accepts an invitation into the Thieves Gambit--a cutthroat series of trials where the world's most notorious families of thieves and con artists compete for a single wish granted to the winner by The Organizers. During the competition, Ross must break her one family rule to never trust anyone who's not a Quest in order to form alliances that will advance her in the game.

I thought this book was fun and fast-paced. For YA readers who enjoy the younger side of YA, then I think this is for you.

Thieves Gambit felt a little bit like a Disney Channel Original Movie to me. I think I would have loved this more if the stakes felt weightier/more intense, and the motivations of certain characters had better pay off. The ending was good, albeit predictable, but definitely will leave the reader curious to know how things pan out in the sequel.

If you like the vibes of Ocean's Eleven or the reality tv show The Mole, then I think you'll enjoy this one!

3.5/5 stars

Thieve's Gambit was a super fun spy-feels read. It started off a bit slow for me and I think there was a lot of building the characters, world, conflicts, etc. in the first one. I'm so excited for the next book because of the amazing ending. I loved the concept of the book where thieves compete for money and go through a series of challenges. I also loved the shifting levels of trust and alliances. The characters were so fun and diverse. The settings were engaging and exciting. I think if kids are willing to stick with the beginning they'll love this one.

Her whole life, 17-year-old Ross (short for Rosalyn) Quest has only known thievery. It’s the family business. She’s been trained in all kinds of ways to pull off heists with her mom. She’s also had one phrase drummed into her head: trust no one.

While she has traveled the world and owns some nice things, life as a thief has been lonely. Ross pretty much has her mom and aunt; friends … well, that’s laughable.

She’s ready to get out in the world and live like normal people: make some friends, go to college. When Ross has an opportunity to do a weeklong gymnastics program (she uses gymnastics to her thieving advantage), she decides to sneak off to do it. Her mom will never approve, but she has a plan to make it happen. Just as she’s in the middle of her escape, her mom gets kidnapped, and the ransom is outrageously high.

Another opportunity that mysteriously appeared in her personal (and very secret) email box just days before comes back into her mind: the Thieves’ Gambit. She knows little about it except that it’s an international competition for young thieves that grants the winner any wish. And it’s dangerous. She has no choice: this is the only way to free her mom.

The competition pits some of the best thieves against each other for a series of heists. Ross can do that. But she’s dismayed to learn upon first meeting the others that one is her childhood nemesis, and another is a suave, handsome guy who could easily become a love interest — if she had room in her life for that kind of thing.

The whole competition messes with her mind more than a few times and tests her dedication to the family creed of trusting no one. Stuff gets murky and sometimes confusing. The mysterious group in charge of the event is extremely powerful and knows how to get in her and everyone’s heads. There are twists and turns for Ross and plenty for the reader.

Thieves’ Gambit is a really exciting book with nonstop action that pretty much goes up to the very last page. I did not see things coming. It’s super-entertaining. And now to wait for a second book.

I’m always itching to read heist stories and this was a pretty good one.

There’s a great group of unreliable characters here. Reading the group dynamics was a fun part of the overall book. Watching them grow together to become a team was actually really sweet.

While yes, I was able to guess some of the twists, that didn’t deter my enjoyment of the overall story.

I will say, I was expecting this to be a standalone. But after THAT ending, it’s very apparent this is going to be a series. Hold on to your hats!

I honestly went into this book with such high expectations— I had it explained to me as an oceans 11 meets inheritance games (which I loved) and maybe that was the issue— I had such high expectations so soon before reading it that it fell a little flat for me. It was very YA and I just wasn’t in the mood for that. I would love to circle back and reread it once I have a clearer head about it to give it a fair chance.

Rosalyn Quest has grown up in a thieving family. At 17, she’s already a master thief, specializing in escape plans. She’s looking for a way out to experience a normal teenage life. But when a heist goes wrong, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit for a chance to save her mom.

All of the stars for this book! There were a couple parts that were a little clunky, and I had to reread sections to figure out how we got from point A to point B, but I was too engrossed in the plot to let that take away from the story. The Thieves’ Gambit was a fast-paced heist thriller that I couldn’t put down. I loved the challenges of the competition and each of the characters in their own way. Supposedly there’s a second book that will be released next year, and I cannot wait for it!

If the overlap of competition and heists sounds interesting to you, I cannot recommend this one enough! I’ll definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelves.

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinteen for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I Liked:

-While I actually guessed a couple of the larger twists, there were a couple of small twists that still caught me off guard.

-Heist books are fun. I really enjoy how they lean into unreliable narrators.


What I Struggled With:

-While I can't nail it down exactly, there was something about the novel that left me wanting more. Maybe I wanted to see Ross and the others struggle a little more to complete the gambit challenges?


Final Thoughts:

-I enjoy a good heist story. And while Thieves' Gambit was good, it didn't blow me away. Between that and the frequency of language used (see below), I most likely won't be reading any other books in the series.


Other Notes: I didn't keep exact track of cautions while reading, but there is semi-frequent mild/moderate swearing, semi-frequent blasphemy, moderate romance, a couple of kisses, moderate violence, and a girl is asked if she has a girlfriend. Of course, I may have missed something since, as I noted, I didn't keep exact track.

Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange form my honest review.

I had so much fun with this book! I'm a big fan of heist books so this was right up my alley. The twists and turns of the heists had me invested the whole time. It was a very cinematic read and the tag of "The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's Eleven" is an accurate description. Like most heist stories there is some suspension of belief for some plots points, but that doesn't bother me as it was still so entertaining. The cast of characters for the heist competition was diverse and compelling. I loved seeing glimpses of each character and what brought them to the competition. Hopefully we get to see more of them in the sequel. On that note, the set up for the sequel was SO GOOD! Several twists as the story wrapped up (some I was expecting and some I wasn't). Excited to see how the story continues in the sequel!