After reading the first Thieves Gambit I was excited to see where the second book would take us. I just couldn't get into the story line unfortunately. The only part that I really enjoyed was when they are in the casino trying to win tokens- that part felt thrilling and had me on edge of what would happen. Everything else I just couldn't get into. Im also still kind of confused by the ending and felt like it just abruptly ended. I think some people could enjoy this but overall the first was better than the second.

Thanks to the author, Penguin Group, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book is set to release 11/12/2024

I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC of this novel, especially since I loved the first one. This is just as expressive and fun as the first one and maybe even more well written. I could feel while reading how much the characters had gone backwards in their character arc. I do think the plot was a bit rushed but the finale made it all worth it. Thank you to Penguin Group and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy.
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

This was good, complete with suspense, danger and a little bit of a budding love story.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the chance to read this eARC.

this was a great follow up to the first book and a fun fast paced read. relationships were expanding on more which was needed. lots of action and jaw dropping moments in this one as well!

After the Gambit, Ross has to deal with the threat of her family being destroyed. Now, Ross finds herself in the middle of a competition similar to the Gambit in order for her family to control the underground Organization.

With the second installment, the readers get more of the friendship between Ross, Milo, and Noeila. I must say that I am now a fan of Noeila, and I can’t say that was the case in the first book. There are so many twists and turns and of course challenges that I never wanted to put the book down. I wanted the book to continue. Hopefully, there is another book in the works.

Thank you to Kayvion Lewis, Penguin Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis picks up six months after Thieves’ Gambit. Ross finds herself in the middle of a power struggle, leading to another Gambit to determine who will lead the Organization. This is just as thrilling and action-packed as the first book. I loved the continuation of Ross’s friendship journey. The ending felt a bit rushed and convenient — I’m not complaining. I love a HEA. I just feel like we aren’t done with Ross’s story, so I hope there are plans for another. Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this eARC.

A solid sequel to Thieves' Gambit with a lot of exciting heist action, forbidden romance, and angsty relationship twists between friends and family. The main characters are complex and dynamic.

On the other hand, there is almost zero world-building. Since its set in modern-day Earth, that generally works out fine, but it feels like some of the settings are cardboard cut-outs. It keeps the action going, like most thrillers.

Heist Royale was the absolute perfect follow-up to the highly-anticipated Thieves' Gambit. Kayvion Lewis continues to serve up a voice, a plot, characters, and pacing sure to keep you ripping through the book.

One-word review: Thrilling
Emojis: 🫣🤔🤫
Rating: 5 🌟s

My Top-Ten-Style Review of Heist Royale, book 2 of Thieves Gambit, by Kayvion Lewis:

10. Book 2's competition-driven plot is a masterstroke. It keeps the suspense at a peak and the pace brisk, leaving you on the edge of your seat.

9. The competition, a high-stakes battle for the organization's leadership, is the heart of book 2. It's a thrill to see all my favorite characters again, especially as they're teamed differently than in book 1. The changed dynamics are a refreshing twist, adding an extra layer of excitement to the narrative.

8. The different parent-child relationships are very intriguing and act as a foil for the character's growth and development as the story progresses.

7. I adore Ross and find Devroe incredibly hard not to like. Despite everything they have been raised to think and feel, they realize there is much more to life than their parents taught them.

6. The characters are detailed and developed as much as any late teens trained since birth to be cons can be.

5. I loved all the beautiful themes of friendship, family, and even the enemies to lovers' romance.

4. The characters, each unique in their own way, contribute to the diversity of the story. This diversity adds an authentic touch to an otherwise larger-than-life narrative, making everyone feel included and part of the journey.

3. The end surprised me, and I loved it. The unexpected twist, which I won't spoil, added an exciting and satisfying element to the conclusion.

2. The pacing is breakneck, and plenty of thrills and spills keep me glued to the page.

1. What I love the most about this series is the clever solutions to completing the quest. Heist Royale is full of ingenious solutions that will impress and engage you.

There are super fun ocean eleveny parts and there are the parts where you remember it's a bunch of teenagers running incredibly high stakes cons and, idk the suspension of disbelief has limits, you know?

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Heist Royale, the sequel to Thieves’ Gambit, is a fast paced continuation of the Gambit’s cons and heists. Ross Quest finds herself, friends, and family at the center of another Gambit which creates lots of fun and thrilling sequences.

The relationships are explored some more with some exploring characters from the 1st book that we wish we knew and saw more about which I throughly enjoyed. Did I wish of more of the romantic banter between Ross and Devroe, yes absolutely but I enjoyed getting to know more of the other characters a bit better. I did enjoy the different locations that were part of the Gambit which made each one fresh and interesting.

Overall I truly did enjoy Heist Royale and if you enjoyed the first one you’ll definitely like this one! It is the most amazingly written and character universe out there, no but it’s good, fun, and creative which had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Ahhhhh this was just such a great read. I just didn't want this book to end and I was sad to turn the last page. I'm so excited to see what's next from this author.

Heist Royale is the second in a series by Kayvion Lewis and is as good as the first. This literary teen version of the Oceans 11 series is excellent fun, with a likeable cast of characters and numerous plot twists. I would love to see this series continue and would really love for Hollywood to buy the rights and make a movie. Great summer read.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A much anticipated sequel to Thieves' Gambit didn't disappoint. I love the progression of relationships and friendship as well as the characters' growth. The plot remained fast-paced an managed to grab and hold my attention with numerous twists and turns, so this book was definitely the one who successfully avoided the dreaded "second-book syndrome."

✨4.5 stars rounded up✨

This was such a good sequel to Thieves Gambit! It had all the action packed twists and turns I was expecting. I was constantly kept on the edge of my seat and I loved every minute of it! Highly recommend!!

A huge thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC!

"Heist Royale" by Kayvion Lewis is a riveting and adrenaline-charged thriller that catapults readers into a world of high-stakes theft and cunning deception. The novel follows Ivy Sinclair, a master thief who is coerced into participating in the Heist Royale, an exclusive and perilous competition where only the most skilled thieves can survive and claim victory.

Lewis crafts a compelling narrative filled with pulse-pounding action, clever twists, and intricate heist plans. Ivy is a dynamic and multifaceted protagonist, whose intelligence, agility, and determination drive the story forward. Her complex relationships with fellow competitors and the secrets she uncovers add depth and intrigue to the plot.

The book's fast-paced and engaging writing style keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning pages to see what happens next. The world of Heist Royale is vividly depicted, with elaborate settings and high-tech gadgets that enhance the excitement and tension of the heists.

Themes of trust, betrayal, and survival are expertly woven into the narrative, making Ivy's journey not just a thrilling adventure but also a poignant exploration of her character and motivations.

Overall, "Heist Royale" is a spectacularly entertaining read that will captivate fans of action-packed thrillers and heist stories. Kayvion Lewis delivers a masterful blend of suspense, strategy, and heart, ensuring that readers are thoroughly engrossed from beginning to end.

This is a sequel, and I would recommend reading the books in order, as it is a continuation from where the first book left off. It was great to see the characters develop throughout the book. However, this installment didn't have the same sense of adventure as the first one. It was hard to figure out what direction the book was going in. Plot points seemed a bit random. The ending was quite abrupt.

After last year's Gambit, Ross is stuck working for the organisation alongside the boy who betrayed her. But a power struggle reveals even more secrets and lies, leaving Ross to wonder who is actually on her side ...

With high drama and endless twists, Heist Royale is just as brilliant as the first in the series! Love the characters and their friendships, and hope there's going to be more?

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to review

I was so excited to read this one, but I think it suffered a bit from second-book syndrome. What made Thieve's Gambit so fun was the competition that pit people against each other—there were high stakes and clear goals. For me, Heist Royale wasn't quite as engaging and didn't have the same sense of adventure. The first half of the book didn't have a clear goal or direction like there had been in the first book (it was mostly just Ross running around at random jobs trying to figure out what to do), and it finally started to really pick up around 45% when they decide to have another competition. But even then, despite being told that there were high stakes (aka Diana still wanting to kill the Quest family), it didn't feel like it to me. I also was kind of disappointed in how Devroe treats Ross after all he did. It didn't really make sense to me that he could suddenly be like "hey I didn't actually kill you and your family after all, so no harm done" after his major betrayal in the first book. I'm glad things ended well for Ross and her friends in the end, but I wish that things would've been a little more exciting.

Heist Royale was very much like Thieve’s Gambit, and finishing it right after was fun. It was a moment of “is this too similar too before?” But overall worked. I liked the romance and friendship and the idea that family doesn’t mean they’re right or the best option. Happy with the ending!