think this would be perfect for fans of the inheritance games or truly devious, however, neither of those were quite my cup of tea and this wasn’t either. Lots of little moments where if you think too hard things don’t add up or don’t make sense logically. The ending was plot twist after plot twist and it just felt like it was trying too hard for me. In itself the book was interesting and a fun new concept- just didn’t feel flushed out enough.

It's no surprise the movie rights for this fun, fast-paced story have already been bought! Ocean's Eleven meets The Inheritance Games in Thieves' Gambit.

4.75 ★

Lie. Cheat. Steal. Win.

From the moment I started this book I was sucked in to a world of thievery and intrigue. It's an ultra-fun, action-packed YA story that definitely gives off Inheritance Games vibes. The stakes were high, the heists were fun, and I loved the friends we made along the way. I really don't have any complaints about this book. It definitely reads young adult (but not juvenile), so at times it does feel a bit corny or predictable, but this is easy to suspend in the wake of all the action going on. The ending was a whirlwind of twists and deceit, and I felt it was wrapped up nicely but still left room for hope for a sequel...which I would be dying to read!!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen & NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

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fast notes upon finishing: 100% inheritance games meets oceans eleven, so fun and fast paced, couldn’t put it down, loved the friendships, need a sequel asap omggg

This book was a wonderfully read, was insanely well written, and had twists and turns that I could never have predicted.

This book was just pure FUN! Such a fantastic reading experience. I loved how fast-paced and exciting the tasks of the competition were and I loved watching Rosalyn grow and discover new things about herself as it went on.

The one thing I didn’t love was the end. I rarely say this, but I think this could have been longer! The end felt like such a departure from the impeccable pacing of the rest of the book, it felt like so much got squished into so few pages. It felt like whiplash and I definitely think the final twists could have used a little more expansion.

Other than that I have no complaints! I will absolutely be waiting for the rest of this series with baited breath!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity.
This book lived up to and surpassed my expectations.

More Ally Carter/Jennifer Barnes than Karen McManus/Suzanne Collins
Smart but sensitive for young readers.

Well paced and made for big/small screen
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

this was fun! nice fast-paced ya thriller, has the old-money mystery feeling of Inheritance Games and a heist focus that would probably appeal to someone who liked Six of Crows or Little Thieves. all of these characters are noticeably young, like 16-19 age range, and the prose reads a bit younger as well - as long as you're okay with moderate (pg-13) violence, i honestly think this would be a good crossover for middle grade readers looking to get into ya. if there's a middle schooler in your life who loved the 39 Clues books, i think they'll love this.
overall i enjoyed this, it's not the best heist novel i've ever read but it's far from the worst. the stakes are high, there's a ton of tension, and all of the characters play to their archetypes really well. it feels like a very classic heist story, just with a diverse teenage cast instead of a bunch of men in their forties. i did get frustrated by the amount of miscommunication and what felt like unnecessary conflict between characters, and there's a couple switches in allegiance that felt like they came out of nowhere. this was fun though, it was a good book to kill time with (i read a good chunk of this on buses to and from the doctor and it was a nice distraction). 3.75 stars rounded up

arc provided by Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like stories about heists and thievery, then The Thieves' Gambit should be added to your list. The story is about Ross Quest who comes from a family rich from stealing things. While there's a certain amount of excitement in what she does, she also trusts no one else (The family motto is to trust no one whose name isn't Quest) and is looking to live a "normal" life. With the perfect plan in place to finally break free, things go horribly wrong and her mom ends up getting kidnapped. With a $1B ransom required to get her back, Ross enters The Thieves' Gambit where if she wins, she is able to get one wish granted. However, to win she has to beat a group of competitors that are just as good as she is that includes her arch nemesis and a potential love interest.

Overall, this was a fast, entertaining read. It's being compared to The Inheritance Games and I have to say that I enjoyed that better than The Thieves' Gambit. However, it was still worth the read and I could totally see this as a movie because of how slick a lot of the situations were (I'm thinking especially about a challenge that had to be completed in a train). The story had some twists and turns especially towards the end that set this up as the first book in a series, so it will be interesting to see what is next for Ross Quest.

I found the writing really immature and did not read the entire book. I was just disinterested and couldn't get past the writing style.

This is one of those books that I wish I could just sit and read in one binge reading session. There is so much action, so many twists, so much suspense, and a bit of swoon that I never wanted to stop reading.

The characters are amazing--so well drawn and so different from one another it was easy to keep them apart. But, I had to pay attention to the finer details to really enjoy the fun inside and participate in the heist. In other words, this novel is so well plotted and has the perfect pacing to keep me wanting to pace as I read.

The secrets and motives each character have for playing the game and wanting to win the Thieves' Gambit are not all revealed and it makes me want to have another book featuring these characters to continue on their journey. Despite their differences, they do make a great team and know when to help each other and when to do what's in their best interests. And as a reader, I never got to know who I could trust as if I were playing the game too.

4.5 rounded to 5

What an adrenaline rush!

The author hits the ground running and never lets up, hurling the reader into the world of high-stakes crime, and tying it together with teenage coming-of-age conflict. The contest posits teens who have been trained since babyhood as thieves, which means they can get along in any language and in any city, infiltrate a high-end antiquities auction, use martial arts, drive like Mario Andretti, with the ease of James Bond; they drive, fight, which is thoroughly fun wish fulfillment storytelling. The pacing is so frenetic that the romance felt a bit tacked on, but that was entirely overshadowed by heroine Ross's friendship with the awesome Noella.

All in all it reads like it was written to be adapted to a TV series. I'd watch it!

This was a fun, fast-paced read, but didn’t meet the expectations I had for it. I heard about Thieves’ Gambit from the author’s TikTok, where she talked about getting a million-dollar deal for this book. While it was an entertaining reading experience, the book felt unfinished (which may just be because I read an ARC) and better suited to the screen than to the page.

Thieves’ Gambit follows Ross Quest, the youngest member of an infamous thieving dynasty, as she tries to escape her family and ends up participating in a life-or-death thieving competition—the titular gambit. The story is high-octane series of heists, close calls, and betrayals, and the pace almost never lets up throughout. Ross has to decide whom to trust, and whose example to follow once she’s away from home. In addition to all the thievery, she has to navigate challenges in romance, friendship, and family, which is a lot to handle, even when you’re a teen super-thief who speaks several languages and can seemingly access thousands of dollars to charter a private plane without issue.

I was impressed with the plot of Thieves’ Gambit and how well Lewis was able to blend the world of high-stakes crime with your typical YA coming-of-age issues. While parts of the book absolutely stain credulity—the characters are high-school aged but infiltrate a black tie antiquities auction with the ease of James Bond; they drive, fight, and switch between languages like John Wick bounty hunters—I never felt like anything was so absurd as to completely take me out of the plot. Ross’s family conflict, though predictable, made total sense, and her friendship with Noelia was the highlight for me. That relationship felt the most real to me, and the change in it over the course of the book was compelling and fun to watch.

That being said, it did feel like the author was following a template at times. The obligatory romance, for example, never sparked for me. I want a romance whenever I can get one, but in this case it seemed like Lewis was going through the motions (he gives her a twinkling smile, he buys her a sexy dress, he storms off broodily—rinse and repeat). Devroe never came alive on the page—I saw what Lewis was trying to achieve with him, but it felt forced. Ross honestly seemed to have more chemistry with Noelia.

My other issue was the way the book felt like one long TV series. I want books to *want to be books*, and it felt like this book wanted to be on Netflix. And if it does get made into a series, I’ll definitely be watching. But I wanted the book to make better use of its medium. There were so many rich and exciting settings—the auction, the train, the final hotel—and yet, there was very little in the way of sensory description, painting a scene that allows the reader to immerse themselves fully. Instead, the book read like a list of things happening. There also wasn’t much memory or interiority, which can really breathe and thrive in books in particular. When memory was used as a device, like in the Noelia subplot, it worked well for me and made me care way more about the characters.

I probably won’t continue with this series, because it wasn’t my thing and I’m not that curious about Ross’s eventual fate. But again, if it shows up on TV some day, I’ll be watching! I think it’d be better off in that format. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is crème-of-the-crop heist material - aka my favorite! The turns kept twisting, the surprises never stopped, the suspense stayed constant. My one reserve was that there were too many players to keep track right away, but once teams were built, it got a bit easier. Give me book two now! I need to know how the next year goes!

Wow, this book surprised me so much, I just finished it and I feel like I just got out of a roller coaster.

I was already pretty much sold when I read the blurb with “The inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven” but when I started reading it I knew Thieves Gambit was going to blow my mind, I’m so glad I was right.

Ross Quest is part of a famous thieving family, she alongside her mother and aunt steal all sorts of things from the rich and powerful, but Ross is not happy with her life, she wants the normal 17 yo experience and the only way she’s going to get it is by escaping, but after her plans go sour and her mother is kidnapped she knows the only way to fix everything is by playing the Thieves Gambit, a competition where the best thieves of the world compete in various phases to see who’s the best, the winner wins a wish.

Thieves Gambit is probably one of the best reads of the year, it had so many twists and turns, impossible heists, betrayals and even romance, Kayvion Lewis had me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, I can’t wait to read the next one and see where she takes us.

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

Thanks to Penguin Teen for gifting me access to the Netgalley e-arc of Thieves’ Gambit in exchange for an honest review!

Thieves’ Gambit is a fantastic high stacks race around the world of big money and even bigger thieving skills. Our heroine, Ross, is a quick thinking teen with dreams of leaving the family - until circumstances arise that force her to choose her family first and enter into the biggest competition in the thieving world: The Thieves’ Gambit. During the mad rush of completing her tasks, secrets unveil themselves, allies are made, and betrayals are everywhere. Can Ross Quest rise above the competition and win the wish being offered to the winner?

I absolutely enjoyed this story! It’s fast paced, full of questions and mysteries, fun action, clever plans and witty dialogue. The characters are beautifully diverse and all extremely likeable, even if you’re like Ross and are unsure who is trustworthy. Watching Ross open up and begin to discover the joy of having true friends was touching and heartwarming to witness.

The writing is incredibly easy to read and the story - despite all it’s twists and turns - is easy to follow and a whole lot of fun! And that ending…. No spoilers from me but I promise, you will NOT be ready for the ending!

I greatly enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if action packed YA mysteries and thrillers are your vibe!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwaws9Rr5t-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Wow. It ended on a cliffhanger. A good one but…it was still heart-wrenching. Auntie and Ross were both such fun character to see be themselves and interact with others. I low-key wish we had more Auntie content. Ross was very realistic and relatable despite her extraordinary circumstances. I was surprised about how compassionate and empathetic she was especially as a career thief. Also I knew it about Ross' mom! I knew she wasn't really kidnapped. She gave such Mother Gothel vibes. By the way, did I mention this book has one of my favorite troupes? FOUND FAMILY 🥰. This book took me a little while to get into but once the Thieves' Gambit actually started, I got sucked in. Even though this was a rather unique premise, it touches upon the ever common YA novels themes of identity, family, first love, independence, and more. The ending was a complete yet amazing plot twist. It would the best kind that the clues are in your face but you don't notice them until the big reveal. Many questions were left unanswered and mysteries still swirl around Ross' life. However, I believe there will be a sequel! I can't wait.

I loveddd this story!!
So much action and twist!
Never dull moment and great banter!

Very thankful to receive this Arc, cannot wait for the books final release!

4/5
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for accepting my request for an ARC of this book!
“A Quest can’t trust anyone in this world— except for a Quest”
I personally can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud during the first chapter of this book! The introduction for me was certainly memorable! I enjoyed reading the story and meeting the other characters. The other characters that show up in the book I felt had flushed out backstories and motives. I enjoyed knowing that the other contestants were from different parts of the world, it made the competition seem in a way.. More realistic. The humor that was thrown in throughout the book was also a helpful break from the oh so seriousness of the plot.

If this book isn’t on your radar then it needs to be and SOON!

For those of us who compare books to other books read: this book is what Throne of Glass tried to be (in regards to action) and somehow also the same vibe of The Inheritance Games. I feel like this might just become one of the next big YA series and I hope it is because everyone should read this book!

Okay but in reality: this book has a really fun premise and it executes said premise so there will be no “oh fun!” From reading the back cover to having a disappointment after reading the book and it being nothing like that. This book will leave you feeling satisfied and also with the dread of knowing you have to wait a while for the next book to be published 😩😭.

The main character is fun, witty, and a little bit of a character if that makes sense and her inner dialogue is something you’ll be left wanting more of. And as a means to not spoil anything (because really you should go into this knowing next to nothing) this book will have you pacing around the room while you’re reading because it literally feels like you’re in a spy movie.

If you’re looking for a book that combines the games and riddles of The Inheritance Games and the crimes and heists of Ocean’s 11, then this is the book for you! Hailing from a thieving family, Ross joins a heist competition in an attempt to save her mom. This book truly delivers on the heists that Ross ends up in due to the competitions and you are not left with a moment of peace. Everything is high stakes and even I felt it when reading and I wasn’t stealing anything. The writing, particularly the heists, and Ross’s planning them are well thought out and cunning and what you want in a crime story. This book is also filled with the twists you would expect from any mystery or thriller. Not only is the plot enough to keep you invested, but Ross’s experience in this competition and character is what makes it as well as it being such an emotional journey for her. She is a main character you are rooting for, not just so she can get her mom back, because she is a great and likeable mc who really goes through it in this book.

Overall, this is a good ya heist mystery that I recommend you read! I’m already hoping for more!

Read if you like…
•YA mystery/thriller
•heists
•rivals to lovers
•cross between the inheritance games and oceans 11

Picture Ocean’s Eleven but YA. This book was very fun, fast and slightly predictable at times.

Lots of active schemes and trying to figure out who is who and what is their real goal.

Like I said the twists were slightly predictable but that is not always a bad thing. It was fun to confirm that my suspicions were true when I go to those points.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing access to this book in exchange for a review.