Six months after the Gambit, Ross Quest continues to work with the threat of her family’s execution hanging over her head. There is also a power struggle within the Organization she has been tied to. Unsure of where to put her trust, she risks everything in a new deadly Gambit to secure her family’s safety while fending off dangerous foes. From Monte Carlo’s glittering casinos to Antarctica’s icy terrain, Ross must outwit her rivals in a high-stakes battle where loyalties crumble, hearts break, and only the best thief will survive.

After the first book left me disappointed, I wasn’t sure I would continue the series. However, I enjoyed book two far more than I did book one. There are complicated heists and “evil” villains to go up against. It was a lot of fun when that was the focus. I also enjoyed seeing Ross finally figure out how to be a friend, though at times it did feel as though she was let off pretty easily when it came to making amends for where she went wrong.

For me, the story fell flat with the romance. I was not onboard with Ross and Devroe, which meant his grand gesture at the end meant nothing to me. I was not rooting for them to resolve their differences. I just wanted the story to get back to the heists.

Overall, it was a fun read. It wasn’t an immediate favorite, but I would recommend it to readers looking for a YA heist story.

The second book in the series continued with the same breezy fun of the first book. While the stakes seemed high it never seemed like the main characters were ever truly in danger, which made the action sequences somewhat less thrilling this time around. But this book does well to further develop the core friendships that really makes the book worth reading.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review**

An enjoyable return to the world of Ross Quest and her friends. High-stakes gambits and lives on the line.

Heist Royale follows up 6 months after the Gambit. Devroe and Ross are working (not well) together, and Ross is certain she'll never forgive him. In fact, she might enjoy trying to get him arrested while leaving a job. Even though it backfires, and he's once again charming his way through a situation, while also flirting with her.

When Ross is kidnapped, she finds out who a lot of her jobs have been hitting. Another member of the organization, who goes by Baron. He and the Count have history, and he thinks it's the perfect time for her to be overthrown as leader. This leads to him recruiting Ross for a job, one that pits her against Devroe, as well as a formerly unknown player.

The job goes wrong, and the question of who's fit to lead the organization is one not easily answered. The best way to find out? Host another gambit, with two teams. One led by the Count, the other by the Baron. Best 2 out of 3 wins. Ross is betrayed yet again, when friends choose to work against her. Worse still, her mom is on her team, forcing her to interact with the one person she's sure she can never forgive.

High stakes action, heists, and teams constantly pulling one over on the other. Ross learns that this time, she doesn't have to be in this alone. For once, she might actually have friends that she can count on. She'll also have to confront her past, and learn what happened between Rhiannon and Diane, how their feud came to the deadly point it's reached. And that the past might not tell the story she's always believed it to.

A con thriller of a book, Kayvion Lewis doesn't disappoint with her second installment. While this isn't one of my normal go to genres, I'll definitely be watching to see if there are any more in the series, or what Kayvion might decide to do next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Penguin Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book; all opinions are my own!

This follow-up to Thieves’ Gambit DELIVERED. The perfect mix of Now You See Me and Catch Me If You Can, Heist Royale is everything you would want in a young adult, high-stakes heist novel. Fast-paced and full of intriguing heists, I really loved this one.

My favorite heist was in the casino at the final table, when Ross is fighting for her life and her secret knowledge of the Korean language saves her.

I’m so glad we were able to dive deeper into the characters and learn more about them, as this was something I missed in the first. I loved watching Ross figure out both her personal and professional lives, and how she navigated everything with Devroe amidst it all.

Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a quick and thrilling heist read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for the eARC, even though I'm about two months behind on reading it....whoops.

DNF @ 48%

Unfortunately, this just didn't and can't land for me. I really wanted to love this; I gave book one 5 stars. However, I think this is an instance for me where another book ruined the story. I truly felt the ending of book one could have been it without Count's interference in the end.

On to this book, I could not for the life of me suspend my disbelief any longer. You're telling me TEENAGERS are trying to do a full Ocean's 11 on a Monaco Casino? Absolutely not. Also, Devroe x Ros just gives me the ick. He's a super simp half the time then a jerk the others. WHY DO YOU EVEN HAVE CONFLICTING FEELINGS ABOUT HIM?!

I tried, I gave it as long as I could, but this just wasn't for me.

With the slap-my-hand-over-my-mouth-gasping cliffhanger of the last book in this series, I was so excited to see what would happen in this book, and I feel pretty satisfied with what I got. In some ways, even though this book is just as tense and adrenaline-filled as Thieves’ Gambit, it also felt a little more lowkey and more akin to a look into the characters and their growth and development. Also, I’m just a huge fan of a heist book so the fact that this lives up to its title was a true treat for me. Even though I forgot some of what happened in the first book, I was right back in the world of Ross and international teen thieves, and I just got to enjoy being along for the ride! Basically, if you haven’t started this series yet, I highly recommend it for a little fun and a bit of family angst. Also, I’m kind of hoping this won’t be the last book about Ross Quest, so fingers crossed!

love love love this ending! I think it was a great duology arc as a whole - i just wish we had a little happier of a ending for Devroe's mother AND that we got more of the life of the side character!

also the heist descriptions were so fun! i really felt like i was in a james bond movie watching it all play out from behind the curtain.

perhaps a spin off is happening??

A great second book in the series, this further the timelines and relationships among the characters further fleshing out the world in suspenseful ways.

I really enjoyed this sequel. I was hoping that it would continue right from where the first book left off, but there’s enough context to understand what happened in the gap in time. This wasn’t quite as attention holding as the first book, but still so enjoyable. I really like the way the characters interact. I hope there will be more to this series.

I really liked this follow up to the thieves gambit! It a great book and I love the relationships that developed between the two books!

The second installment was fun! I think that if you enjoyed the first book, there is a good chance that you would like this one too.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

not as strong as the first book in the series but still an enjoyable read! will be interested to see what happens next if there is another installment.

After reading and being enthralled with Thieves Gambit, I was so excited to receive a review copy of Heist Royale! Unlike other anticipated sequels, this one lived up to the hype! There were new plot twists and criminal turns of wildly imaginative thievery, but there was also the greater development of friendships and love interests which just endeared the characters to me even more. Ross faced some serious internal struggles as she wondered who to believe, who to align herself with, and whether or not she could allow herself to love--herself, her mother, or anyone else. Likewise, her friends and frenemies also were challenged to examine their alliances, among both their families and friendships. These challenges continued with further dissension within the rank and file as well as the leadership of the Organization leading to some fantastic scrambling and finagling.

The schemes themselves were unique and interesting, along with a few action scenes that would have James Bond cringing with fear. Again, twists abounded, and kept the plot moving briskly.

This is a great novel for anyone who loves intrigue and conspiracy with a touch of thievery thrown in for good measure. It has a meaty plot line, well-developed characters, and a bunch of imagination, too.

Teacher friends, while there is a romance, there is no explicit sex although there is kissing and touching. It would be appropriate for 8th grade and up, although an advanced reader in 7th grade could probably handle the content.

Enjoy the heist, my friends!

Ross Quest won the Gambit six months ago, but her wish seems to be elusive. Worse, her best friend could wish her whole family dead. The Organization is not as stable as many were led to believe. To save her family, she must risk everything. But that will require new risks and bolder heists. Will she succeed?

The plot is well developed, engaging, and nail-biting. The characters are well developed, believable, and draw the reader into the story. A fun, satisfying read, fans of the first novel and high-stakes adventures will want to pick this one up. It is necessary, however, to read the first book first. Recommended for most library collections. 5 stars, Gr 7 and up.

If you need a novel where you're sitting on the edge of your seat and where the tension is so thick, then this is the novel for you. I loved Thieves Gambit and Heist Royale has solidified that Kayvion Lewis will most likely be an auto-buy author for me. What makes this novel really good is that I was satisfied through the entire novel. There were moments when I didn't think that Ross would make it out, but there was a lot that prevailed for her aka her friends and even her mom. She differs from her mother a lot which I think works for her generation and has allowed her to amass a growth that her mother never had.

While the gambit introduced us to the characters, the royale allowed us to build a relationship with them and understand their motives. And i love a good found family.

I loved this book. I thought that this was such a great conclusion to the duology. The character arcs and the way the story progressed kept me on the edge of my seat. Even though I had an idea of where things would end up (but did not guess the ending) I felt myself enjoying every page. I didn’t feel compelled to skip ahead at all. I will definitely be recommending this series

WAs an okay book for me.
About a group of thieves who are on a Gambit for a wish.
Mystery ,suspense twists,
Good Characters.
Voluntarily reviewed.

With the unexpected betrayals and alliances in the first novel, I was excited to see where these characters would land in the sequel. I wasn't disappointed.

This story picks up six months after the events of the first novel. With a power struggle going on in the Organization, teams are formed, battle lines drawn, and Ross and some of her friends find themselves on opposite sides. The characters are tossed into circumstances very similar to the Thieves' Gambit with high stakes heists planned in locations across the globe.

I'm always a fan of heist stories, and these are intricately planned capers. Still, no matter the level of planning, something is guaranteed to go wrong and these characters find themselves dealing with dangerous mistakes and near fatal accidents. Ross is well-trained by the best (her mother) and highly sought after, so her level of distraction and a few rookie mistakes near the end surprised me, but it was easy to overlook since I was so engrossed in the story.

I like how the author uses the settings to add to the already tense situations - below freezing temps and soaring gondolas (if you're afraid of heights, you'll be holding your breath) to name a couple. Considering the cast is full of thieves and con artists, along with the characters I never knew who to trust from one chapter to the next. Sure keeps you on your toes.

The series wraps up in a way that's true to the characters and satisfying to the reader. Recommended for fans of high stakes heist stories, found family, and complex family dynamics.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

And here we go for part 2 of this saga! Once again, we join Ross as she and her friends compete in another Gambit. This time...she's fighting for her life. Hijinks ensue and we get more chemistry from Devroe and Ross. I definitely enjoyed Thieves' Gambit more, but Heist Royale does not disappoint.