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

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a predictable and aggressively YA heist novel?

Pre-reading:
I want this to be a romp of a YA so badly. Apparently, she was bought for a movie and she’s not even out yet.

Thick of it:
Who puts Twizzlers inside of pretzels?

It’s giving aggressively YA

The metaphors in this are so clunky.

Oh, not a cat book. (It’s not one. I’m just trigger-happy.)

Wow, can’t wait for the love interest to betray her to get a mother knows best moment. (If I can open the book and tell you the plot, something’s gone wrong.)

It’s very Boomer trys to use slang.

So her mother def rigged that kidnapping. (Sighhhh why do I still try to read YA?)

Painting the soles of flats doesn’t even make sense because they would wear off instantly.

Serial killer sin

I love Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal.

But like the other girl is just gonna have already taken her artifact and give it to what’s her face as thanks for saving her life since she’s already disqualified from continuing. (SIGH.)

That’s a fun card game.

Oh, you know what would be fun? If she loses the game, but she uses her teammates to get her mom back. (I mean basically, that happens too.)

Red isn’t too flashy? I don’t believe you.

Hey, you know what doesn’t sit right with me? A man having multiple objects to drug drinks and the author trying to make it romantic. Like girl, that’s rapey as shit. I do not like.

I love that money doesn’t exist as an obstacle in this book. (Not.)

A cinnamon boy sin

Ew, queen.

So has everyone’s fam been kidnapped and that’s why they’re all playing and they’re all gonna quit the game and save their parents? (Honestly, a better book.)

I’m bored.

This is a heist book. I shouldn’t be bored.

I don’t care about this romance. They have no chemistry.

Why do these children have so much goddamn money? Like I know they’re thieves, but it’s annoying at this point.

I just can’t take this seriously. Do not trust a 17-year-old boy. He’s got no frontal lobe.

I don’t think that’s having trust issues. I think that’s I don’t want my family member to get professionally murdered. I’m cool if you wanna double-check me on that.

What are these bad guys? They don’t make any sense. It’s to the point that it makes the book feel plothole-y because it’s just so unbelievable. I know it’s a YA, but there should at least be some threats to these characters.

That is literally the plot of Spy Family.

I feel like this book is aggressively fine. It’s not bad. It’s not good. At no point did I feel the need to pick it up and keep reading. I was never like wow, I don’t want to finish this, but it was never like wow, I have to keep reading to find out what happens. It doesn’t feel like there’s any stakes. And that might be fine for a romcom or litfic, but that’s literally the point of a thriller, so if you fail that, you fail being a thriller.

God this book is predictable.

His desire for revenge doesn’t even make sense. What did he think the organization was gonna do? Invent a miracle cure overnight? That doesn’t make any sense.

Wow, their company’s LinkedIn must be messy. You screwed us over. Want a job?

Post-reading:
Guys, I’m too old to read YA.

I can’t do it anymore. I’m too much of a cynic. But then books like Divine Rivals and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder exist and I’m like no wait, there’s still hope!

But then books like this exist. You know, I don’t like writing negative reviews. I want books to be good.

The characters in this are flat and one note. They are diverse without it feeling like pandering or virtue signaling, so good on you, book. It seems like that’s almost impossible for YA to do these days. There’s a romantic subplot in this. Who knows why because the characters have no chemistry. It’s very insta love, and it goes nowhere. Quite frankly, she had more sapphic chemistry with her bestie.

There’s no banter in this book. How do you write a heist novel without banter?

Most damningly this book has no stakes. At no point was I worried for the characters. They’re never actually threatened. The plot is extremely predictable. You have read this book before. The heists aren’t clever, and maybe I’ve been spoiled by Six of Crows, but nothing felt smart. Nothing felt very gadgety. Nothing felt like a betrayal or double-crossing. And what’s wild is that those things are in this book. They have gadgets. There is a big character betrayal. They just feel so obvious or unbelievable that it makes no impression on the reader. And to thrill a reader is literally the whole point of a thriller.

It’s a fun concept, but it’s badly executed. It’s very skippable.

Who should read this:
Young YA thriller fans

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson-YA whodunnit
* Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo-OG fantasy YA ensemble cast heist series
* Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson-aggressively YA boarding school whodunnit
* Nightbreaker by Coco Ma-urban fantasy YA dystopian competition
* Five Survive by Holly Jackson-YA locked door thriller
* The Stranded by Sarah Daniels-YA dystopian thriller
* How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie-campy, YA revenge thriller
* Spy Family by Tatsuya Endo-campy, found family spy thriller

First I would like to thank Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Ross, thief, who is part of a notorious family of thieves but just wants a life outside the thieving world. When something happens to her mother, Ross is forced to enter into a global secret competition to get her mom back. While in the competition Ross finally gets a little freedom and learns things about herself and her life that will impact her future.

What I loved:
- The Gambit, I love thief/heist stories and this global competition seems to epitomize all of the best of those stories
- Shoes, Ross and some others have an affinity for particular footwear and I would love to see the shoes featured in the story
- Group, I loved how the competitors were a diverse group of young people with different backgrounds and beliefs
- Villain, depending on how you interpret the book there are multiple villains and that made the end of the book interesting and a great tee up for the next in the series
- Series, this is a book with a good ending but also a great set up for the next in the series and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

This was a great book about a young person figuring out their life while participating in a life or death international thieving competition. It will keep you on your toes with a lot of good twists and turns throughout. I am looking forward for the next book in the series and I cannot wait to see what is next up for Ross.

4.5 stars

This was my most anticipated book of the year and it did not disappoint! There are so many fantastic elements: teen master criminals, a potentially deadly competition, twists and turns, and a hint of romance. I love all of these and they were put together so well into a fun and exciting story.

I want to be a member of a notorious family of thieves, learning multiple languages, traveling, and having all kinds of cool tools to help steal these priceless items. The main character Ross has been learning the family trade since birth and has a lot of cool tricks up her sleeve. I also appreciated her wrestling with family obligations and breaking free to be her own person. I think a lot of teenagers go through this as they finish high school and poor Ross has it even more so after being raised in isolation.

The pacing is great, there are a lot of adventures and games, and I can't wait to see what else Lewis comes up with!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for the copy.

I have to say despite the “Thieves’ Gambit #1” listing on goodreads I wasn’t expecting quite such a dramatic cliffhanger type ending that will have me waiting a frustrating year or so to know what happens next. I don’t regret devouring this one but I am a little annoyed as patience it’s my best quality. I really liked the main character and found her to be interesting and compelling. The storyline was a little predictable and I’ve never been so heartbroken to be right. Ross Quest is a teenage master thief and the first rule her mother taught her is that she can’t trust anyone not named Quest. She has started to plan for a different kind of life so she can meet other kids, make friendships and live a more typical life. But when a job goes horribly wrong she’s left with no other choices than joining the Thieves’ Gambit which has a final prize of one wish to the winner. I’ll definitely be anxiously awaiting book two in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was an exciting thrill ride from the start. 17 year old Ross Quest has been molded from very young in the family business. She is a master thief but wants to enjoy the life of a normal 17year old kid. After Ross’s mother is captured She must take part in the Thieves Gambit in order to get money to free her mother. I absolutely loved the characters and the pacing of the story. With action on almost every page as a reader you can’t help but read it in one seating.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thieves’ Gambit delivers on what it promises: a tournament-style heist novel with the kind of action and intrigue that'll have its YA-audience turning the pages. Alongside satisfying action sequences, Kayvion Lewis also throws in a healthy dose of romance and family drama. Thieves’ Gambit moves, hurtling the protagonist and her reader into a conclusion that will be difficult to escape. Don’t worry, this is just book one. Lewis will be back with more Ross Quest and her shadowy world.

It'll be interesting to see Lewis develop wisdom in her main character. In Thieves’ Gambit, Ross is a naive but adept protagonist, who despite her aptitude for heist-related shenanigans is painfully vulnerable to the manipulation of others. Her ability to escape relatively unscathed (physically) is unparalleled—but where will she actually land emotionally and professionally after that harrowing conclusion?

Recommended for young Ocean Eleven (2001) fans and readers of The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Barnes or The Loop by Ben Oliver. If you like heists: few write it better in YA than Leigh Bardugo in the Six of Crows duology. I’ve heard Hunger Games referenced as a description: take it only as I think it’s truly intended: as a sub-genre indicator that the novel has a tournament-style premise. I wouldn’t recommend comparing the two.

Y’all. This book. THIS BOOK. It was absolutely enrapturing. I loved every second. It’s not often a book feels like watching not just a movie, but a cinematic MASTERPIECE, and this book completely nailed that and more!

The main character, Ross, is a pro at her thieving craft, but just wants to be a normal 17 year old. I think we can all, at any age, relate to that vibe of just wanting to fit in. Ross is just so real and I really loved her.

Though she very much wants to be normal, Ross’s mom’s kidnapping thrusts her from just not a regular kid to WHAT IN THE WORLD IS NORMAL? Ross must compete in The Thieves’ Gambit to win a wish to save her mom.

This book is such a fun and fast paced book with unexpected twists and turns on every page. The dynamics and power shifts and motives were so fun to figure out, and honestly, I was so surprised at every little reveal. The stakes were high, and the emotions higher.

This book was such a masterpiece. I knew it would be good, but I honestly wasn’t expecting this perfection. Kayvion Lewis wrote a masterpiece and I can’t wait to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC! The opinions expressed are my own.

I’m now obsessed with this book, as soon as I read it was Ocean’s Eleven meets The Inheritance Games and found out it was a series. It’s a heist, a competition, romance, and coming of age, all rolled into one compelling and fast paced book. The characters are diverse and nuanced, and the plot tightly written while still leaving you guessing. The culmination left us on a bit of a cliffhanger with more questions than answers, guaranteeing we’ll all be reading the next book.

This book was a fast-paced, thrilling rollercoaster ride! I was hooked from the first page and breathless until the end. If you love a good heist story, you'll love Thieves' Gambit. I sure did!

Definitely will not want to put this book down!

There are twists and turns at every turn. The heists, the betrayals, and so much more. You will definitely be rooting for Ross and her chance to “escape” her life and lead a normal one.

Do not skip this one. This is a binge worthy book for sure!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I was excited for this book and while I did like the writing I had a difficult time staying engaged. It wasn’t really all that exciting and I could tell what was going to happen next. I guess I was hoping it would keep me guessing and it really didn’t. Not a bad story but I had a difficult time connecting to the main character.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

4.5 stars
Thank you Penguin for this ARC
Heist books are always so fun to read and this was no exception. Every heist, plan, and sneaky thief move had my heart pounding, and was just so exciting to read.
Ross and her Mom regularly perform heists, while they are very good at it, it is a lonely life. Ross's Mom constantly hammers into her brain the importance of never trusting anyone, and as a result Ross is incredibly lonely. Her plan to get away and make some friends is quickly botched when her Mom ends up getting kidnapped. Her only solution to get one billion dollars for the ransom is to enter in a cut throat competition between thieves.
This is a really enjoyable book, and truly is such a fun read. I would never have made it past round 0, I would definitely have failed and gotten stuck in the first room. It is so fascinating to see how different characters came up with different plans and ways to steal and lie. I would never have been able to think of a quarter of what they came up with!
There is of course a bit of romance, and while it did feel a bit fast-paced, I enjoyed their chemistry. Devroe is very persistent. I almost thought there was going to be a sapphic romance between Ross and Noelia because of the chemistry the two of them had, and their past.
I absolutely adored how diverse this book is, it's so rare to see this type of genre have this set of characters. Everyone felt so fleshed out and actually read as BIPOC.
Bad parents continue to be one of my favorite elements for books to have, I love that we are getting to see more morally grey or just truly sucky parents in books. (Seriously guys, I hate the trope of parents being infallible)
At times it did read more like it was made for a movie, then if it was made for a book. (This is odd, but does this make sense) I almost think it might make certain scenes easier to follow along when watching then when reading.
The ending was a bit of a let down, it was one twist then another. With two back to back twists it was hard to be invested and still find care for how everything went down. I also was a bit confused by some of the later events in the big just plot wise, there were a few holes. (Like the fact Ross has never worn an evening dress or similar attire but can walk in heels easily) The ending definitely felt a bit abrupt, I still have tons of questions.
I can't wait for the next book, and I would definitely read more of Kayvion Lewis's writing.
Highly recommend, perfect for fans of heist books similar to Ocean's Eleven.

Thieves Gambit by Kavyon Lewis is a wickedly intelligent YA thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and left me wanting more of this world and the characters. I found it completely addictive, and I loved that about it!

The characters are all morally gray and exceptionally well developed with so many conflicting layers that I could easily relate to them even though - could I really, considering they live in a world of crime entirely foreign to me? The subtle nuances brought each character to life in ways I never expected.

The pace is fast, and the narration is in the first person, with the main character Rosalynn (Ross) Quick telling her tale. Sometimes, I wished the narration had been in third, but then something would happen, and I realized the genius of keeping it in first.

I love the intelligence behind cons, and this story delighted me with an entire game of thievery and cons - from beginning to end. I never tire of witnessing characters outwit one another, so I find this story so addicting. I’m not sure if there is a plan for more stories, but I would love to read them if there are. The ending left a small opening for that but was also conclusive enough to be a satisfying standalone.

Ross is the daughter of a well know thieving family. She is desperate to go out on her own, get a normal life, but her plan to do so goes horribly wrong. With it being her only option left, she may just have to participate in a dangerous game for the rich to enjoy.

This felt so fun and cinematic. I had a blast reading it and I read it incredibly quickly. There’s a found family aspect to it that I loved, I thought it was so sweet. But, the plot twists never really felt surprising to me. It felt like I knew what was coming, it was just the matter of waiting for it. For a mystery novel, it didn’t feel like a mystery to me.

If hearing that Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis is billed as The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven isn’t enough to pique your interest, well then you might want to see a doctor because something must be wrong with you, lol. But seriously, this really is one heck of a wild adventure.

Rosalyn (Ross) Quest might only be seventeen years old, but she already a master thief. So good in fact that she’s been invited to take part in a special tournament of sorts: The Thieves’ Gambit. And while she’d had no intention of accepting that invitation (quite the opposite in fact as she’d been planning to slip away from her mother, taking time away from thieving to try her hand at being a normal kid for a little while) but when a job goes horrible wrong and her mother’s life is suddenly on the line, Ross sees the competition as her only way to save her mother.

This is a seriously intense and fast paced adventure and Ross is an engaging and likable protagonist. My understanding is that a movie adaptation is already in the works and if the movie turns out half as good as the book it should be a blockbuster. I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Thieves’ Gambit.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R236PNRGAWBCKU/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

The Oceans Eleven and Inheritance Games vibes that I got from this book are absolutely immaculate.

This is fast paced YA heist thriller packed with action and adventure, it was an absolute thrill to read! All the suspense, twists and turns have left me speechless. Reading this book was a total thrill since I never knew what to expect and when I tell you that some parts made my jaw drop I am serious.

It was honestly page after page of mystery and had me filled of pure curiosity and expectation of what would happen next. I also, really loved the characters, especially how diverse it was! I thoroughly enjoyed that all of them were likable (expect Lucus ofc) and had just such different personalities. They were so well written as well as the story and it was so much fun seeing Ross go out there and start making friends and connections with people her age. Her and Kyung-Soon were so adorable, and so pure 🥲 I love them so much as well as Mylo. The whole friend group was just so wholesome.

This was definitely a 5/5 for me and I recommend it when it releases tomorrow!!

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

Ross Quest is a master thief in a family of master thieves, but she wants to try something new—until her mom is put in grave danger, and she pulls out all the stops to win The Thieves’ Gambit, a cutthroat competition where the world’s greatest young larcenists pull off impossible heists in exchange for a prize, one that is Ross’ only chance of saving her mom. But how far is Ross willing to go to win—and who can she trust?

I have been waiting for a book of this caliber for so long! I could not get enough of each eccentric character, not only their styles, personalities, and skillsets, but also their backstories and motivations, drip-fed to us one excruciating cliffhanger and detail at a time. The suspense was top-notch—my chest was clenched the whole time as I waited for the next double-cross, the next sabotage, the next narrow escape, the next high-octane fight, the next selfless act. And the ending had my jaw on the floor; it’s not often I’m left blindsided in the best way imaginable, but this did it.

There were moments when the theme about trusting others was a bit overt, as well as tropey moments (think, “crush at first sight with the strikingly handsome, uncannily gentlemanly, devilishly charming boy” or “go with the crush to a formal event as part of the mission”), which aren’t always my favorites, but I know other readers will fall in love with seeing those story beats get hit.

And can I just say how cool the name Ross Quest is?

Go read Theives’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis as soon as possible!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for providing me with an eARC of this title. This in no way changed my opinion of the book**

Thieves Gambit is the newest from Kayvion Lewis. It follows a teen named Rosalyn Quest, who comes from a family of masterful thieves. Due to this, Ross has been sheltered, learning she can only depend on her mom and aunt. She makes a plan to escape and breakout on her own, but it goes wrong and her mom ends up kidnapped. When the kidnappers demand a ransom of one billion dollars, Ross ends up competing against other teen thieves in what's known as The Gambit, a high-stakes game where the winner will be granted a wish of their choosing on the condition that they sign a contract with the organizers for a year.

The synopsis compares it to Ocean's Eleven and The Inheritance Games, which I think are good indicators of if you'll like this, but I'd add a little of Squid Games. You don't know much about the organization and it's motivation, you're not quite sure if people end up dead or cut and it's high stakes the entire time. I REALLY liked this title and I'm glad there will be a second book. I also liked seeing Ross develop as a character, seeing her learn who she is on her own without her family behind her and finding out who she can trust or can't. There's also some romantic tension with a fellow competitor. I think this will be a big hit when it's released and would recommend reading it. It grips you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the end.

I Voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced copy of this book. All Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wow what a great roller coaster ride. Its one of my favorite reads this year.

Hands down the best book that I’ve read all month and definitely will be a favorite for the year for me . As soon as I started reading this book,I felt like I was running . The book reminds me of the Netflix show Lupin mixed with the Ocean 11 movies . Imagine you are apart of a family of thieves and you know no other life. You have no friends. Just your mom and aunt .You are taught to trust no one no matter what . As a teenage thief, Rosalyn is tired of feeling lonely . She loves her family but she wants more out of life. She’s finally built up the courage to leave her mom , when her mom is kidnapped . The only way for Rosalyn to get her mom back is by paying 1 billion dollars . Which leads to her entering the Thieves Gambit . If she’s able to beat out 11 other contestants in 3 different phases she will be granted one wish . These teens get down right dirty and show they will do anything to win . This story was so fast paced. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next . This is a book I must have . A great read that had my imagination running .