A solid sequel to Thieves' Gambit with a lot of exciting heist action, forbidden romance, and angsty relationship twists between friends and family. The main characters are complex and dynamic.

On the other hand, there is almost zero world-building. Since its set in modern-day Earth, that generally works out fine, but it feels like some of the settings are cardboard cut-outs. It keeps the action going, like most thrillers.

Heist Royale was the absolute perfect follow-up to the highly-anticipated Thieves' Gambit. Kayvion Lewis continues to serve up a voice, a plot, characters, and pacing sure to keep you ripping through the book.

One-word review: Thrilling
Emojis: 🫣🤔🤫
Rating: 5 🌟s

My Top-Ten-Style Review of Heist Royale, book 2 of Thieves Gambit, by Kayvion Lewis:

10. Book 2's competition-driven plot is a masterstroke. It keeps the suspense at a peak and the pace brisk, leaving you on the edge of your seat.

9. The competition, a high-stakes battle for the organization's leadership, is the heart of book 2. It's a thrill to see all my favorite characters again, especially as they're teamed differently than in book 1. The changed dynamics are a refreshing twist, adding an extra layer of excitement to the narrative.

8. The different parent-child relationships are very intriguing and act as a foil for the character's growth and development as the story progresses.

7. I adore Ross and find Devroe incredibly hard not to like. Despite everything they have been raised to think and feel, they realize there is much more to life than their parents taught them.

6. The characters are detailed and developed as much as any late teens trained since birth to be cons can be.

5. I loved all the beautiful themes of friendship, family, and even the enemies to lovers' romance.

4. The characters, each unique in their own way, contribute to the diversity of the story. This diversity adds an authentic touch to an otherwise larger-than-life narrative, making everyone feel included and part of the journey.

3. The end surprised me, and I loved it. The unexpected twist, which I won't spoil, added an exciting and satisfying element to the conclusion.

2. The pacing is breakneck, and plenty of thrills and spills keep me glued to the page.

1. What I love the most about this series is the clever solutions to completing the quest. Heist Royale is full of ingenious solutions that will impress and engage you.

There are super fun ocean eleveny parts and there are the parts where you remember it's a bunch of teenagers running incredibly high stakes cons and, idk the suspension of disbelief has limits, you know?

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Heist Royale, the sequel to Thieves’ Gambit, is a fast paced continuation of the Gambit’s cons and heists. Ross Quest finds herself, friends, and family at the center of another Gambit which creates lots of fun and thrilling sequences.

The relationships are explored some more with some exploring characters from the 1st book that we wish we knew and saw more about which I throughly enjoyed. Did I wish of more of the romantic banter between Ross and Devroe, yes absolutely but I enjoyed getting to know more of the other characters a bit better. I did enjoy the different locations that were part of the Gambit which made each one fresh and interesting.

Overall I truly did enjoy Heist Royale and if you enjoyed the first one you’ll definitely like this one! It is the most amazingly written and character universe out there, no but it’s good, fun, and creative which had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Ahhhhh this was just such a great read. I just didn't want this book to end and I was sad to turn the last page. I'm so excited to see what's next from this author.

Heist Royale is the second in a series by Kayvion Lewis and is as good as the first. This literary teen version of the Oceans 11 series is excellent fun, with a likeable cast of characters and numerous plot twists. I would love to see this series continue and would really love for Hollywood to buy the rights and make a movie. Great summer read.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A much anticipated sequel to Thieves' Gambit didn't disappoint. I love the progression of relationships and friendship as well as the characters' growth. The plot remained fast-paced an managed to grab and hold my attention with numerous twists and turns, so this book was definitely the one who successfully avoided the dreaded "second-book syndrome."

✨4.5 stars rounded up✨

This was such a good sequel to Thieves Gambit! It had all the action packed twists and turns I was expecting. I was constantly kept on the edge of my seat and I loved every minute of it! Highly recommend!!

A huge thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC!

"Heist Royale" by Kayvion Lewis is a riveting and adrenaline-charged thriller that catapults readers into a world of high-stakes theft and cunning deception. The novel follows Ivy Sinclair, a master thief who is coerced into participating in the Heist Royale, an exclusive and perilous competition where only the most skilled thieves can survive and claim victory.

Lewis crafts a compelling narrative filled with pulse-pounding action, clever twists, and intricate heist plans. Ivy is a dynamic and multifaceted protagonist, whose intelligence, agility, and determination drive the story forward. Her complex relationships with fellow competitors and the secrets she uncovers add depth and intrigue to the plot.

The book's fast-paced and engaging writing style keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning pages to see what happens next. The world of Heist Royale is vividly depicted, with elaborate settings and high-tech gadgets that enhance the excitement and tension of the heists.

Themes of trust, betrayal, and survival are expertly woven into the narrative, making Ivy's journey not just a thrilling adventure but also a poignant exploration of her character and motivations.

Overall, "Heist Royale" is a spectacularly entertaining read that will captivate fans of action-packed thrillers and heist stories. Kayvion Lewis delivers a masterful blend of suspense, strategy, and heart, ensuring that readers are thoroughly engrossed from beginning to end.

This is a sequel, and I would recommend reading the books in order, as it is a continuation from where the first book left off. It was great to see the characters develop throughout the book. However, this installment didn't have the same sense of adventure as the first one. It was hard to figure out what direction the book was going in. Plot points seemed a bit random. The ending was quite abrupt.

After last year's Gambit, Ross is stuck working for the organisation alongside the boy who betrayed her. But a power struggle reveals even more secrets and lies, leaving Ross to wonder who is actually on her side ...

With high drama and endless twists, Heist Royale is just as brilliant as the first in the series! Love the characters and their friendships, and hope there's going to be more?

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to review

I was so excited to read this one, but I think it suffered a bit from second-book syndrome. What made Thieve's Gambit so fun was the competition that pit people against each other—there were high stakes and clear goals. For me, Heist Royale wasn't quite as engaging and didn't have the same sense of adventure. The first half of the book didn't have a clear goal or direction like there had been in the first book (it was mostly just Ross running around at random jobs trying to figure out what to do), and it finally started to really pick up around 45% when they decide to have another competition. But even then, despite being told that there were high stakes (aka Diana still wanting to kill the Quest family), it didn't feel like it to me. I also was kind of disappointed in how Devroe treats Ross after all he did. It didn't really make sense to me that he could suddenly be like "hey I didn't actually kill you and your family after all, so no harm done" after his major betrayal in the first book. I'm glad things ended well for Ross and her friends in the end, but I wish that things would've been a little more exciting.

Heist Royale was very much like Thieve’s Gambit, and finishing it right after was fun. It was a moment of “is this too similar too before?” But overall worked. I liked the romance and friendship and the idea that family doesn’t mean they’re right or the best option. Happy with the ending!

After the cliffhanger at the end of the first book, I was really intrigued to see how the power dynamics within the organization but also between Ross and Devroe played out. I think it was a pretty solid sequel, with all the hallmarks of what made the first book lovable, but the romance still felt a bit flat to me, and she genuinely has the worst friends who would NOT ride for her. Overall a very easy breezy fun heist novel where Ross once again proves why she is THE Quest.

Ross Quest is back again for another high-stakes gambit, this time with her Mother on her team. This time around, the Organization pits Ross against her new friends, and the winners get to choose the manner of death for the opposing team. Ross is competing against her romantic interest Devroe, and their Mothers are on their respective teams. The targets are assets wanted by the Organization, and the gambit goals are not kept secret. Ross faces shifting loyalties and danger at every turn. Once you get past that stealing is just wrong, you get sucked into the excitement of the heist and the competition to find the best thief! I was surprised by Ross's reaction at the end because I didn't see it coming and thought it was a little out of character. Other than that oddity, I was swept back into Ross's adrenaline rush of a life! This is an exhilarating sequel to Thieves' Gambit, the first in the series!

Initially, I was not sure how much I would like this sequel. To have a power struggle for control of the Organization decided by a thieving contest between two teams of mostly teenagers is a bit of a hard sell. However, the challenges and how the teams succeeded or failed was creative. It also helps that the teenage characters -- Ross, Noelia, Mylo, Kyung-soon, Devroe, Taiyo -- are entertaining to read about and there is a great dynamic between them whether working together or against each other. The story has plenty of double-dealing and plenty of surprises. It also has a very satisfying ending. In the end, the sequel is quite good.

Great follow up book. Great for early to mid teen ages and anyone who loves young adult fiction. Action and intrigue. Loved it

I've been desperately waiting for the conclusion to this sequel. It's another great heist and I needed to know if Devroe was going to redeem himself. Won't say anymore to avoid spoilers. This was fast-paced and had some pretty great character development between book 1 and 2. I'm sad this series is ending, but looking forward to what this author writes next.

The high-stakes sequel to Thieves’ Gambit delivers a thrilling continuation of Ross’s journey, perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Ally Carter. Picking up six months after the first book, Ross is now facing the imminent threat of her family’s execution rather than celebrating an impossible wish. The tension is palpable as Devroe, the one person Ross thought she could rely on, holds the power to end the Quests at any moment. Despite his betrayal, Devroe’s lingering romantic interest in Ross adds an intriguing layer of complexity as they navigate their dangerous partnership within the Organization.

Ross’s cunning and resilience are put to the ultimate test when she becomes embroiled in a fierce power struggle within the Organization. Her chance to change her fortunes comes with a new deadly Gambit, pushing her to strike a precarious deal to safeguard her family. The narrative is a whirlwind of action and suspense, taking readers from the glamorous casinos of Monte Carlo to the perilous, icy terrains of Antarctica.

The stakes are higher than ever as Ross competes against Devroe in a battle for survival. Loyalties are strained, betrayals abound, and hearts are shattered in this gripping saga. The final clash is a nail-biting showdown against a relentless adversary, with Devroe and his mother posing a significant threat to Ross and the Quests.

This sequel captivates with its fast-paced plot, intricate character dynamics, and vividly described settings. As Ross navigates treacherous alliances and high-stakes gambles, readers are kept on the edge of their seats, eager to see who will emerge victorious in this ultimate test of wit and courage. May the best thief win, indeed.