this is perfect for fans of the inheritance games! the plot was great! the romance, meh. very fast paced and action packed. the ending tho??? jaw dropping.

3.5 stars but round up! This book is really fun!! At first I was nervous that it would be similar to other books on the market, but I do think it was refreshing! Lewis does a fantastic job setting the scene for the heists. I particularly loved when they were in the hotel. Some of the plot is very fast paced and glosses over a bit of the character development, but the last 100 pages are lovely. Really excited to read the sequel!

I loved this book! It was all I needed at this moment. I liked the characters, it was interesting and I loved the writing style. Great book!

*Actual rating 3.75 stars, rounding up to 4*

I am happy I was able to receive a digital copy of Book 1, Thieves’ Gambit, before reading my ARC of Book 2, Heist Royale. The first book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’m excited to see where the story goes next right away!

This was a pretty solid book, and I will definitely read the sequel! I got a little confused at the end, but I think it will be explained in book 2. Even though I knew to expect a betrayal, the depths to one of the betrayals still kind of surprised me. I wasn’t expecting that, so I’m looking forward to what other prizes are in store in the next book!

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. I read it way late but WOW, I wish I would have read it and experienced release day for it. I recommend everyone go in as blind as possible, like I did!

The first 35% of this book I found really entertaining. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat, eager to see where it was headed. But as the story went on I was less and less intrigued. By the end, I was skimming.

Overall, I think it’s a decent YA read, but it won’t be a favorite of mine.

Thank you for the publisher for the gifted ebook

If you're looking for an exciting, action-packed read, "Thieve's Gambit" by Kayvion Lewis is the perfect choice. I finished this book in just one day. The premise is as thrilling as it sounds: a group of young thieves compete in a high-stakes challenge to win a coveted year-long contract, all while navigating a labyrinth of twists and turns to save their loved ones.

The action is non-stop, with each heist more thrilling than the last. The sharp character banter adds a lively edge to the fast-paced plot. I especially appreciated the competition's focus on strategy and cunning rather than violence—something that feels like a breath of fresh air compared to other dystopian favorites. (Look, I love "The Hunger Games," but sometimes I don't need all the players to die, you know?!) Reading "Thieve's Gambit" felt like watching a heist movie where the stakes are high, but the tone is light and entertaining.

This was my first time reading Kayvion Lewis's work, and I have to say, I am a fan! The diverse cast of characters and the roller coaster of a plot kept me turning page after page. If you're looking for a thrilling adventure with heart and humor, "Thieve's Gambit" is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

This was a fun read, but it did take some time to get into it. The beginning was just a little slow. However, it was written very well, the characters were engaging, and heist stories are always a good time.

I'm not always the biggest fan for YA books but this was pretty good. The entire concept of the competition was really interesting and engaging. The ending was so so so good. I really enjoyed this and cannot wait for the second book!!!! Please there be one.

(Thanks to Nancy Paulsen Books for providing an eARC to review.)

2.5/5 stars
I stopped reading this at the 57% mark. It started off with a good premise, but it felt dragged out after the first mission; they'd just scoped out the area for the second mission at where I stopped. The main character felt bland and the other characters weren't any better. I didn't feel compelled to read more.

Wow….just wow

Best book this year.



Couldn’t put it down and am reading the next book as soon as it comes out

This book had a lot of action and drama but I feel like the romance didn't work there wasn't any feeling of attraction between the main characters besides physical so some of the decisions they made didn't make sense. I did love the action in the trials but some of them were more detailed than others which left me wanting for some I'm hoping some of my issues with the book will be worked out better and the next in the series so I will continue with at least one more book to see if maybe some of what I'm having an issue with is explained. I did enjoy the action parts though and felt I connected with a lot of Ross's emotional journey.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC!
3.5 stars rounded down

So, I got this as an ARC, which I don't understand since the book had been published for a bit prior to me getting it, but whatever? XD

This is a really fun thieving adventure! I can't say the cast was super fleshed out, but they were enjoyable to read about. Each of the various trials were fresh from the other and fun to see the solutions and opponent/teammate interactions.

Not all the twists and betrayals really hit home for me. Some were well set up, but others I felt less invested in. It may fall under the fact one was less set up and more just us constantly being told there was a gut instinct about the thing.

Still fun. Still plan to read the sequel. Still recommend for those who like these type of books. There was just nothing that really made me fired up about this book vs others, you know?

I really enjoyed this story!!! It was very entertaining and action packed!!! I cannot wait to read the next book and learn more about Ross and Devroe!

I really enjoyed watching Ross (Rosalyn) grow throughout this book! It was a wild ride! My heart actually broke for her in some places. I cannot wait to see what happens with her in the next book!

Devroe is a great character as well. I cannot wait to see what happens between him and Ross in the next book!

The next book is going to be another wild ride and I cannot wait to get on it!!!

3.25 stars!

Thieves' Gambit follows Ross Quest, a thief who comes from the infamous Quest thieving family, as she enters a thieving competition called The Gambit. So much is at stake: can she trust any of her contestants? How far is she willing to go to win? How will she cope with her ex-friend being in the competition with her?

What I Liked:
- I thought it was fun to be in Ross' head as she tried to figure out her next moves and I liked how some of the skills brought up in the beginning came back to help her
- I love reading more YA thrillers with Black protagonists!
- The ideas of the heists were super interesting

What Didn't Quite Work for Me:
- There was a lot of telling rather than showing. I wish this had unfolded more like a heist movie where we see the heist play out and then the explanation came later
- Sometimes characters were just so infuriating with their decisions and they really made no sense
- The romance didn't really work for me (I'm finding this is common in YA thrillers except AGGTM) and I didn't really get why Ross liked him except that he was cute
- I also didn't really care about any of the side characters
- There's a lot of unanswered questions? But I'm going to attribute most of that to this being a series

I surprisingly did not see the final twists coming, and I think this sets the book up for a very fun sequel that I will definitely be reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you love a good heist with a character who has MAJOR trust issues, a charming, flirty, well dressed love interest, and a challenging game, then you should read this book.

This book started off in a way that drew you in and made you want to keep on reading. This book did end up having so much going on right at the end it was almost hard to follow. There were several twists, one of which I did figure out before the end and one I did not. Overall I'm going to give this book 4/5 stars.

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven . . .

With a tagline like that, it was difficult not to develop even the slightest bit of interest in what might unfold within the pages of “Thieves’ Gambit”. And, overall, the book was quite enjoyable, save for a few shortcomings that didn’t resonate with me specifically. Even with that in mind, however, I do eagerly anticipate picking up the second one.

The overall plot idea is this: Rosalyn “Ross” Quest was raised by a legendary thief in a family of thieves. With aspirations of escaping the thief lifestyle, if only for a little bit, her plans are ultimately dashed when her mother is kidnapped and Ross is expected to participate in the World’s Greatest Thieving competition in order to save her. In doing so, she finds her archnemesis, which as you might expect, also opens the avenue to a solid, plot-focused enemies-to-lovers scenario.

Kayvion Lewis manages to stay focused with the plot on the foreground throughout the majority of the book. The romance between Ross and Devroe was, to me, understated for most of the reading time, and thus would have likely benefitted from not being included at all. The whisperings, however, of an enemies-to-lover trope are too bold for many to pass up.

This book, by and large, is fast-paced and gripping cover to cover. Highly comparable to other heist-based stories like the Six of Crows, or as the tagline itself indicates, Ocean’s Eleven. It is precisely this fast-paced storytelling that makes devouring the novel so easy.

Rosalyn’s own development is tantamount throughout the book, as she establishes herself further as a bona fide thief and further cements her own prowess within the field she so desperately wanted to shy away from at the start.

Where the book lost me, to a degree, however, was the general structure of telling rather than showing. Throughout a sizable chunk of the book, it felt as if the words were intended to explain, rather than contribute to the mental image of Ross and her tribulations. This, to a degree, was a downfall for the book – but did not many it any less enjoyable, despite the disappointment that may have arose with the consistent tone.

Moreover, the characterization of several key players took a bit to play out and by the time we really got a feel for who they were, what their motivations were and how they might play into the greater tapestry of the story, the book was rapidly coming to a close. This is something that I hope to see remedied in the second novel, as we continue alongside Ross and her journey.

As many have already shared, the book is rather bingeable, and is rife with twists and turns, some anticipated and easy to read, others entirely shocking and less so.

I would be remiss to give accolades where accolades are due as Kayvion Lewis has surely laid the groundwork for what I hope to be a satisfying and gripping reading experience throughout as we continue the saga of the Thieves’ Gambit.

Many thanks to #NetGalley, Kayvion Lewis and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with a copy of #ThievesGambit in exchange for my honest thoughts and feedback.

xo

3.5! Very reminiscent of a watered down Jennifer Lynn Barnes book. I liked the diverse cast, although none of the characters were very complex / flushed out. The heist action parts of the novel were exciting and fast-paced, although the "romance" aspect was extremely lacking. However, this book set the stage for future books and I am looking forward to reading the second book!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for giving me an eArc!

WOW!!! This was a lot of fun. I had a little bit of a problem keeping my characters straight at the beginning. Mainly because the names are different. But once the characters developed a bit more, I could keep them straight. Lots of intrigue, a whole lot of back stabbing and well, A whole lot of stealing. Pure fun.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Thieves’ Gambit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 380 / Genre: YA Thriller

Ross Quest is a 17-year-old master thief born into the biz. So, of course she gets invited to compete in the Thieves’ Gambit—a competition of dangerous heists among the best young thieves in the world. And the grand prize is a wish for anything. So when Ross’ mother gets kidnapped on a job and the ransom is $1 billion, Ross is more determined to win than ever.

I am not a fan of YA literature but I loved the premise of this story. The heists were all so suspenseful and thrilling. And thankfully, the young characters were all interesting and serious about their craft so they were not a bunch of whiny immature brats, which is why I don’t usually read YA. Ross, in particular, was innocent in the ways of the world outside of her family, but had enough heart and courage to always do the right thing and figure things out on her own. I’m really looking forward to the second book in this series due out in November.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @PenguinTeen, and @KayvionCLewis for my gifted copy.