Okay, you put a heist, thieves, general mayhem in plotting and I am immediately down to read. I really enjoy books that feature that type of story and character dynamic. This one did not disappoint at all. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed this young adult heist novel. I will definitely be looking into this author's other books as she publishes.

The ultimate challenge among coming-of-age thieves: with increasingly challenging, dangerous international heists in which only one winner can emerge.
Rosalyn “Ross” Quest, at age 17 and living with her Mom and aunt on an isolated tropical island, only really wants to escape in the quest of a normal life outside of thieving, starting with gymnastic camp and then on to college. But her attempt to escape at the end of a heist ends with her Mom being taken hostage, and the ransom asked too high for the family to pay. Ross’ only hope is to accept an invitation to the deadly Thieves’ Gambit competition as the winner gets one wish granted. Ross finds herself against a group of highly trained peers, including a childhood arch enemy from Switzerland and attractive Brit. She tries to adhere to her Mom’s constant warning to trust no one, but she needs to forge alliances in order to survive the Gambit.
Ross has not just her peer to content against, but also unexpected perniciousness by their family elders. Suspense rules the day! This coming November 12th the sequel launches- Heist Royale!

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

4.5 stars! What a fun read! Fast paced, with lots of plot twists. Likable characters and fantastically unlikable characters kept me enchanted! Can't wait to read the next one! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ross Quest is part of a prestigious thief family. She has trained with them her entire life and it shows with how well she excels at nabbing things. Her mom unfortunately gets into some trouble and Ross has no other choice than to risk it all and enter the Thieves' Gambit.

The Thieves' Gambit is several rounds of dangerous heists where all the participants are the best thieves in the world. Some of the participants will be eliminated each round, if they manage to survive stealing whatever the task items were. With the competition getting slimmer and slimmer, Ross must figure out who she can trust since the goal is in sight.

I have heard great things about Thieves' Gambit and have to agree with all the hype. I really enjoyed this book, it is a heist thriller, and an interesting one at that. I will for sure be picking up the next installment because I must see what happens next. If you are a fan of YA Mystery/Thrillers you will love this book!

This was such a fun YA read… You first get introduced to Ross Quest. She and her mother are quite the renowned mother and daughter thieving duo based out of the Bahamas. At 17, Ross is feeling the itch to be her own woman and maybe break from the nest. She decides to just go for it and set off on her own path until a job goes all the way wrong and her mother is kidnapped.

The only way to get the ransom money is for her to participate in the Thieves’ Gambit. Only the most talented kids of the biggest thieving rings around the world are invited to participate in the Gambit.

What follows is such a fun caper with tons of twists and turns. The Gambit rounds and the competition are take-no-prisoners intense. Ross is challenged by not only all those around her, but by her own inner voice, to do things differently and force a change to the way the Gambit has always been played.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have fun with this one! The second comes out in a couple months @kayvionclewis I can’t wait! Thanks @netgalley and @penguinteen for this copy.

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This book definitely gives off Inheritance Games and Ocean Eleven vibes. The FMC has major trust issues that the MMC calls her out on. There are major heists which are fun. I am giving it 3 stars because there is a lot of telling you rather than showing you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group an ARC in exchange for my honest review

This book was really intriguing. It had a lot going on and it made me think of some really great books and movies (like Inheritance Games and Ocean's 11).

The main female character, Ross, was a character I didn't love, but I didn't dislike her either. She clearly has trust issues, but based on her upbringing, it's no surprise.

There was quite a build up to the last challenge. However, compared to the first 80% of the book, the last challenge wasn't as detailed and ultimately felt so rushed.

This is the first book in a series, so I'm curious where it goes from here. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thieves' Gambit is out now and the second installment is coming out in November!

I think this is a decent book and I loved the premise but unfortunately this book is not for me. the writing felt a bit juvenile with the constant “I did this” then “i did this” which made it hard to connect to this book

*Thieves' Gambit* by Kayvion Lewis is a thrilling young adult novel that masterfully blends high-stakes heists with intricate family dynamics. The protagonist's journey through a dangerous world of thieves is both suspenseful and emotionally resonant. Lewis's sharp writing and well-paced plot keep readers engaged from start to finish, making it a must-read for fans of action-packed, character-driven stories.

Prepare to be captivated by Thieves Gambit, a thrilling heist tale penned by Kayvion Lewis. Follow a fierce rivalry between the world's top thieves, where one must risk everything, even her mother's life. With heart-pounding action and suspense, fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Ally Carter will be hooked, while the clever twists will evoke memories of Oceans 8. Get ready to be charmed by this young criminal mastermind who is bound to capture your heart.

I liked this one! It was a fast paced book that I couldn’t put down.
A short book summary: Ross Quest is a master thief planning to escape her legendary family, but when her mother gets kidnapped during a heist, she enters the Thieves' Gambit—a deadly international competition with a wish for anything as the prize. With her childhood enemy and a charming competitor in the mix, Ross must decide who to trust and who to deceive to save her mom and win the Gambit.

The beginning part of the book was a little confusing because there are just so many characters and it’s hard to keep track of who is who but it gets easier as the book goes on. I liked this one quite a bit and always looked forward to coming home and reading it. I’m looking forward to reading the second book

3.5 stars for Thieves' Gambit...and an excitement to see what happened next!

From the synopsis:
The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world's best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother's life.

That is what I was expecting going into this, and it didn't disappoint in those aspects. You get the thrills and excitement of high stakes heists, but you also get some good ole teenage drama, because this is a YA about teenagers, after all. Remembering that bit before going in definitely made it a more enjoyable read for me, not expecting there to be anything overly complex when it came to the story telling or the character dynamics.

A couple of things I did take an issue with was the pacing in the last, maybe 20% of the book. And like, I get it, you reach certain high points in the plot and there's only one way things are going to go, but it felt a teensy bit rushed in those last few chapters. A few more chapters to just add some more detailed scenes in those final pivotal moments would have made them stand out more for me.

A non-spoilery add on: I totally pegged certain characters for doing certain things (which had me shrieking at the book "I KNEW IT" when something happened), and I don't know if that's more the predictability of the plot building, or if that's just I read too many of similar type stories that I can see it coming from a mile away.


This book is already out for all to enjoy, but I'd still like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this.

I knew this was going to end on a cliffhanger and I knew there would be twists. BUT ALL OF THAT?! How dare the author not already write everything about this duology or series because I need to continue on already. And now I have to wait for this book to officially drop before getting any news about the next. The wait will be EXCRUCIATING.

Anywho. This did give off The Inheritance Games vibes for sure but I also felt some of that authors The Naturals series between these pages too. I can definitely see the oceans eleven aspect as well. Definitely dive in if you like Jennifer Lynn Barnes and heist movies for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC

A fun and easy ya heist thriller. It was The Inheritance Games meet Ocean's Eleven and I found it really enjoyable. It was full of little twists and kept the suspense. The pacing didn't always keep up, but it still kept my attention. And what was that cliffhanger? Excited for the next book!

The description was spot on - this is Ocean's Eleven meets Inheritance Games! Overall, I devoured this book and there was lots of little twists and turns that made it *chefs kiss.* However, I did sometimes find myself wondering "How did we get here?" and felt like there was very minor plot holes that left me with some more questions than answers (especially in the last few chapters). They weren't big enough for me to dislike the book, so will absolutely be reading #2 when it comes out! I recommend this book!

If you're in the mood for a light and fun read, "Thieves' Gambit" by Kayvion Lewis is a solid choice! When it comes to the heists, this book truly shines. It claims to be "The Inheritance Games" meets "Ocean's Eleven," and it definitely delivers on that description. I loved the diverse mix of characters from around the world and watching these teens navigate the gambit was a total blast.

I did, however, have a few complaints regarding the writing and pace. A few sequences felt a little too drawn out, while others just skimmed over details I wished were more fleshed out. The narrative felt a little jumbled because of the uneven pacing. If the flow had been smoother, I could easily see myself devouring this in one sitting!

The writing wasn't bad, but it felt like two different styles between the high-energy heist scenes and the slower, more introspective moments between jobs. I also felt like the players weren’t fully immersed in the game until the heists kicked off. Given how they were described, I expected them to be more deeply invested in the gambit from the get-go.

I loved seeing the bond Ross formed with some of the other players, but I wish we got to see more of those relationships develop on the page. She went from trusting no one to suddenly working with these non-family members pretty quickly, and it mostly happened off-page.

The ending and plot twists were pretty predictable, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how Ross handles the aftermath of the gambit in the next book.

If you're looking for an easy, entertaining read with some fun heist action, give this one a try!

I really enjoyed this! I expected a twist but did not predict the one that came. And the cliffhanger?! I cannot wait for the next book to be released!

This book had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the mystery, the treasure Hunty-thief aspect that was going on. The twist at the end was also something I hadn't figured out, at least definitely not both parts of it! I loved seeing the relatable aspects of Ross such as wanting to get away from her mom and be her own person, struggling to trust because of a past mishap, and being disappointed in your parent because they lied which is something that happens in the real world. This was a very new take on a Hunger Games competition type book, but I appreciated that it wasn't all about murder, but that there was action/danger involved in the situation. All of the double crossing kept you on your toes, and the witty back and forth all made for a book that kept me hooked from the beginning. I'm excited for book #2.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and Nancy Paulsen Books for a copy of the ARC.

In this gripping story, a group of teenage thieves compete in a thrilling game of skill and strategy, each with their own compelling reasons for needing to win. Each character's unique backstory and complex family dynamics add depth to the story, revealing the motivations behind their desire to win. At the center of it all is Ross, a fiercely determined and agile protagonist who drives the plot forward. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I'm sure the fans of The Inheritance Games and movies like Oceans 11 will enjoy this one.

A YA novel that reminded me of Heist Society and Oceans Eleven with a strong layer of Hunger Games and Survivor. Like those you have to suspend belief and enjoy the ride. A diverse collection of characters with issues that reluctantly come together to survive. It was a fun read with some strong language and hints of a romance.