DNF @41%

I don't know... I was so excited to read this but it was a bit of a letdown. I was bored. The romance felt 'eh' to me. And for a book pitched as The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven, it didn't feel like I was reading a high-stakes book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nancy Paulsen Books, and the author for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest (and spoiler-free) review!

I think this book had a lot of promise, and I think it set up the next book really well; however, it felt a bit like its only purpose was to set up the next book? I was immediately attracted to the idea of high-stakes competition involving phases of heists. With each player coming from a background of thieves and con artists and willing to risk it all for a wish of their choosing, I knew the competition was going to be fun and fierce.

I feel like I would have enjoyed the story more if the three missions were more equally fleshed out. The first was over before it started, the second was most of the book, and the third was a really quick wrap up with so many wrenches in the story I can now open a mechanic shop. I do have to say that I am a sucker for this tactic, however, so I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, and I did feel like you’ll enjoy this if you enjoyed The Inheritance Games, too. I haven’t seen Oceans Eleven but now I feel like I need to.

This book is incredibly fast-paced, which is a win in my book, but the dialogue is so Gen Z I almost couldn't handle it, with words like "fam," "fab," "glam," "yeet," etc. in an unironic manner, it was a little much, but I also recognize that I may no longer be the target audience for this genre, so do with that what you will.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am interested to see what happens next. Mr. Boi has quite the explaining to do; without spoilers, I refuse to believe that he is who he is painted to be. I have a hunch with all those wrenches there's quite a lot to the story that we still have yet to unpack.

This book was such a wild ride!! The beginning was a little slow at first but the book was ENTIRELY worth it. Ocean’s 11 meets Inheritance Games was very accurate but I’d also add a tiny bit of Hunger Games to the mix merely because of the high stakes and the alliances and backstabbing that goes on. This was such an incredible start to the series and I can’t wait to read what happens next after that mind blowing ending! I’m usually excited to guess what’s going to happen but this one shocked me with quite a few moments!

This book is whip-smart, fast-paced, and addicting. I was recommended this by a writers group who are all obsessed- and they’re the toughest crowd around. They were right- this is a top read this fall, and I’m dying to know what happens next! Ross does not want to be a thief (regardless of how naturally talented she is) but she’s forced into the Thieves Gambit when her mother is kidnapped. I don’t know what happens past this novel, but my current opinion is don’t underestimate Ross. I love her strength and grit, and really enjoyed watching her come into her own even if it wasn’t her plan. Bring a bunch of criminals, games, and romance— I’m waiting for this to be made into a major film or TV series. Absolutely brilliant. If you’re considering reading this, my take is to go ahead and purchase!

Thieves' Gambit is a hard-hitting heist book, especially for a young adult novel. It is the first of a series, and I am going to be early awaiting the next one.

Rosalyn "Ross" Quest is a professional thief, a part of a famous thieving family. She has been told by her mother to never trust anyone. But Ross is ready to spread her wings a little and to to a summer gymnastics camp. Unfortunately, just as she is running away, her mother is kidnapped. To save her, she must raise one billion dollars, and three only way to do that is to enter the Thieves' Gambit.

She is completing against other teens who are part of crime families, including Noelia, who had betrayed her when they were nine years old. There are three stages, and the winner gets any wish they want, but also are signed to a one year contract to thieve for the organization who organized the event.

No matter what you like, it's in this book. Capers, lasers, romance, betrayal, friendship, violence... and it is only the first book. I can't wait to read the next one and find out what happens next! Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

A little slow at first, and a little predictable, but overall a fun read. I'm a huge fan of Con Man fiction - mostly movies: Ocean's 11, Now You See Me, etc. Lately there's been a surge of this line of fiction in young adult books. Puzzles, games and tricks sort of mysteries.
I enjoyed the cast of characters, and the action really got going in the second half of the book. The players in the Gambit go on a whirlwind world tour mingling with the glamorous and wealthy. The series of phases for the players provides opportunities for multiple short cons with increasing difficulty. I found it funny they even mention "Like Ocean's 11" at one point. There are quite a few twists and turns, a good ending that lends itself to a great series setup, and it's worthy of a wide age range of readers with no objectionable content or strong language.
If you enjoyed The Inheritance Games series, you'll likely enjoy this one. There's a dash of romance here but the Gambit is truly the focus of the story. I would definitely check out a sequel.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

Okay, yes, this is once again a delayed ARC read and I really wanted to like it. It wasn't bad, and the thriller/thieving aspect kept you turning pages...but the twists at the end just felt like it was too much? And I know this was meant to set up a series while also wrapping up the first book, but I just felt disappointed by how things turned out.

Overall though, I do love how it focuses on thieving and families and all of the ridiculous skills that go into being a thief...on top of a competition called the Gambit that brings skilled thieving teens from across the world to compete.

Considering that this is exactly my kind of book - twisty mystery - I thought I would LOVE it more. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it and read it quickly, but it didn't leave me dying to see what happens next and I'm not entirely sure why that is. What I did like is that Ross eventually breaks out of her family's isolationism and works with other teens who are in the Gambit. The twist at the end did not surprise me at all, but I would've been disappointed if that's not how things went down given all that we have learned about the characters at that point. Mostly, I wish Ross could've just taken the money and gone to college as she wanted to do in her original plan. :-)

4/5 stars! I was not a fan of this cover. It felt kind of immature. This is a YA thriller, but it has some mature story themes so I didn't really get the cover. Other than that, I really liked the story. It had that competitive Inheritance Games type vibes and I rushed through reading it in one sitting.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is perfect for fans of the Hawthorne Brothers series. It’s got mystery, several twists, and a smidge of romance.

I've said it before - YA fiction is my escapist reading. I've found a great new author with Kayvion Lewis and her just released Thieves' Gambit - the first book in a new series.
I loved the cover - the maze, the running, the red color that turns up the heat and the title itself - I was very curious as to what I'd find.

Seventeen years old Ross Quest is already a master thief. She should be - it's the family business. Their last job goes wrong, leaving Ross with only one option - to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of world wide, dangerous heists. And there are seven other participants that want to win just as much as Ross.

We meet Ross in the first chapter. There's a lot of background in this initial chapter that I found a bit busy. With that out of the way, I started chapter two and didn't want to put it down. Ross is a great lead character - she's intelligent, dedicated and tenacious. The supporting cast is just as important to this book. They're a mixed bunch with just as many skills as Ross. Ross has history with one of the other players that's going to muddy the waters. And her attraction to one of the male players might be a problem too. The romance bits are done well and are 'clean'. They only add to the book instead of detracting.

The heists are wonderfully written, with lots of details and I could easily imagine them as they happened. Now, no heist goes the way it supposed to. Everyone lies, cheats, steals and the outcome is anyone's guest. I love the twists Lewis inserts in the plot. Especially that last chapter!

The stage is set for book number two and this reader will be eagerly watching for it.

I love heist books, movies, etc. I had high hopes coming into this book that I would enjoy it. I loved it. I thought it was well-written. The characters were interesting and I liked them. The heist stuff was well written. I thought it was really well-done overall.

HOLY SH*T! This was a blast!!!! I had seen some ads on my insta for this, so I was extremely happy when I was able to receive the Arc.
This reminded me of my childhood. Something about it really gave off
Disney Channel movie energy. Jam packed with action & adventure. Very refreshing read!!

Thank you to the publisher, the author, & to netgalley for a copy of the Arc.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

4.5 Stars

One of my recent favorites. Ross is a teenaged thief working with her mom. Longing for a life outside of heists and secrets, Ross makes plans to spirit herself away for a few months. Things go into motion and she find herself in the Thieves Gambit along with other similarly aged thieves, all to save the life of her mom.

Such a fabulous read! It reads quickly and has enough action to keep it from going stale. Great fun! Only downside was I didn’t realize it was the start of a series and now I’m hooked!

Thank you to netgalley for my early copy of this novel.
I liked the premise of the novel and was interested in the cast of characters that all went on this heist together. I also thought the scene setting was pretty good, but unfortunately where this fell flat for me was the actual action of the book - I didn’t feel like there was much of it. There was a lot of dialogue about action and completing this heist (which we learn turned out to be a farce from the MC’s mom, which, predictable, but anyways), but I didn’t find the plot to be one that moved that fast with a lot of action.

That being said, I was still into it enough to see how the story ended, so I read until the end, but I think the storytelling could’ve used some improvment. I’m invested in this author though and would give her future books a read as well. And points for the obscure kpop references (at least twice) in the novel, of course your girl really liked those.

This book surprised me so much! I’ve never read a heist type book before and I am ready to read the next another one. This was fast paced, thrilling, and such a refreshing read!

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

First off, this book was compared to two of my favourite things: The Inheritance Games series AND Ocean’s Eight. Like y’all, we get secrets, twists, AND SPIES?!?! WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT IN A BOOK??

We start off with Ross Quest, living secluded on an Island with her mother and aunt. But when a secret mission goes wrong, and her mom is kidnapped, the perps are expecting WAY too much money in order to get her back. Bring forth the most dangerous and highly sought-after spy challenge, where the winner receives one wish and the chance to work with them for an entire year.

Ross was not expecting to trust one of her competitors, let alone fall for him; things are not as they seem for the competition. This book was just one wild rollercoaster after another (like seriously, I think I was holding my breath for multiple chapters 😬). But then we get an ending LIKE THAT, and I have to wait for the second book!?!?

Oh, without giving away TOO many spoilers, our two MCs survive (thank goodness), but that is the least of their worries. If you thought the blackmail in the book was bad, oh boy, do you have another thing coming for ya 🙈

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis is a high-stakes heist adventure full of twists. I picked it up because the premise reminded me of books like The Inheritance Games, and I’m so glad I did!

Ross Quest has grown up in a family of thieves. She is amazing at what she does, but she feels stuck. She wants to experience life. She wants friends. She wants more than just her family. When a heist goes awry and her mom is kidnapped, Ross puts her dreams for more aside and enters the Thieves’ Gambit—her only option to save her mom’s life. What follows is a dangerous, heist-filled romp that forces Ross to face enemies, impossible puzzles, and herself.

This book was so fun to read. I loved the challenges of the heists and the twists Kayvion Lewis came up with. She kept me guessing the entire book. I knew I was missing something big but couldn’t figure it out! I also appreciated that the book was about more than just the heists, exploring race, friendship, betrayal, selective honesty, and what it means to be family. The side characters are just as important to this story as Ross is—their interactions with Ross and the way she begins to care for them are essential.

I absolutely loved Thieves’ Gambit, and I will be recommending it to my friends. I can’t wait to see where Lewis takes this story next. I’m hoping for a book two!

Described as The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's 11, Thieves' Gambit is a YA heist-competition novel. There is plenty of action, some teenage angst and just enough romance added in to make this an enjoyable read. There was plenty of plot to keep me interested throughout, and this piece of the arc wraps up nicely. But as many other reviews have mentioned, we are left wide open for another installment, and there is still a lot of story to be explored. I will keep reading.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroup for a free copy of #ThievesGambit by Kayvion Lewis. All opinions are my own.