Kayvion Lewis’s Thieves’ Gambit delivers a fun, fast-paced YA heist story with satisfying twists to keep engagement high, even if some of its plot elements feel a little predictable. Ross Quest is an engaging protagonist, torn between her longing for normalcy and the dangerous legacy of her thieving family. The international competition premise has been done before, but is unique enough to be compelling. The romance can feel a bit forced. Fans of The Inheritance Games will enjoy this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I loved this book and I loved book 2 this author is now on my auto buy list.

This was really fun! I loved the Inheritance Games, so when I heard this was that plus Ocean's Eleven - sign me up! It was incredibly bingeable and I never wanted to put it down. I really enjoyed Rosalyn Quest as a character. It was fun seeing her go through the competition and growing as a character - I could truly feel her growing from someone who trusted no one to becoming more vulnerable and realizing how important it is. The mystery and thriller aspect was SO MUCH FUN! This book had me at the edge of my seat. The romance was okay - I think I just enjoyed the story more overall, so it didn't grip me as much as I normally would have liked but that could have been because it was more of a subplot. And the ending???!!! I was staring at a wall for so long. Overall - really fun read, easy to digest, and kept me entertained throughout. It was a great time!

I read Thieves' Gambit in about a day on my phone, so you KNOW this was some propulsive YA storytelling, I found some of the characters to be flat/underdeveloped, but the plot was intriguing enough to keep me going.

I love a good heist story. I love a good competition. A book that combines them both? AAAHHHHH it was perfect. A bunch of teenagers from the top thieving families in the world are brought together for the Thieves’ Gambit, and the winner gets one wish… and of course, drama, intrigue, and betrayals upon betrayals ensue.

I love a good heist and this book had one. A fast paced action-adventure with family drama. A twist ending that's expected of this genre.

Oooh... very nice. I love that it's 'heist-y' without being blantianyly "I'm a master thief and can do anything". The strengths make sense, and the different characters are fun too. Can't wait to see what happens in the second book.

I had a great time reading Thieves' Gambit! It was fast-paced, full of action, and kept me hooked from start to finish. The heists were fun and clever, and I really enjoyed the twists along the way. If you're into thrillers with a bit of danger and strategy, this one's worth picking up. Solid 4 stars from me! Definitely a series that I will continue enjoying.

***Thank you NetGalley, Nancy Paulsen Books, and Kayvion Lewis for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The concept? ICONIC.
The execution? A little wobbly, but still a fun ride.

A high-stakes international heist competition with murder on the table and a girl trying to save her mom? Yes, that’s my kind of chaos. Thieves’ Gambit gave off major Inheritance Games meets teen James Bond with trust issues energy, and I was ready.

Ross is a fierce, smart protagonist with a lot of pressure on her shoulders - emotionally and logistically. I liked her determination and snark, and the premise had SO much potential: shady alliances, enemies-to-maybe-something-more flirtation, and a competition with a magical wish as the prize?? Love it. But the pacing felt off, some twists were too easy to spot, and a few emotional beats didn’t land as hard as I wanted. I needed more grit, more clever heist mechanics, and less reliance on tropes (looking at you, insta-flirt romance tension).

Still, if you love fast-paced YA thrillers with a stylish edge, found-family-ish vibes, and a heroine who literally has to steal her way out of disaster, this is a fun weekend binge.

Thieves’ Gambit is a fun, fast-paced read that feels like Ocean’s 11 meets a YA heist novel. The concept is clever, and the action keeps things moving. I liked the high-stakes competition and all the twists along the way.

While I wish there had been a little more depth to the characters and relationships, it was still an entertaining ride for fans of smart schemes and thrillers with a twist.

Solid 3 1/2 stars for me

I mostly read this because it was compared to The Inheritance Games and I loved that series and wanted to read more books like that one. I thought that the story was good and had no major issues with characters or plot I just felt like when I picked it up I enjoyed what I was reading but once I put it down I wasn't hurrying to pick it back up.

Thieves Gambit has a mix of genres including romance, YA Action and mystery. Expect a thieves gambit competition and quests. So, there are nine teenager thieves and they are competing with each other. Other thieves just want fame but Ross’s reason for entering the competition is different from them. Would you enter thieves gambit if the prize is wish for anything in the world? Well one of competitor is Ross’s nemesis while other is the handsome man . I liked author’s writing and the book was engaging.

Thanks to the Publisher

The Quest family is famous for their high-end thieving business. Unfortunately for seventeen year old Ross Quest, her family's line of work means that she isn't allowed to go to school or hang out with anyone outside of her mom and her aunt, since no one but family can be trusted. When their latest job goes south, Ross must suddenly find a way to secure one billion dollars. Desperate, she joins the Thieves' Gambit, a thieving competition for teenagers where the winner is granted one wish without any limits. In order to save her mom's life, Ross must beat out her other competitors and come out on top.

This book captured my interest right away. Unfortunately, I had a really tough time keeping track of all of the characters, especially once Ross met her fellow competitors. The middle dragged for me, but the twists at the end made me want to read the next book in the series. The YA genre has started to become really hit or miss for me, so I think younger readers may be a lot more invested in this story than I was, especially during the parts where I got a little bored. Overall, this was a pretty good heist-packed book for summer!

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Nancy Paulsen Booksfor an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

DNF @ 29%

This is not for me. A bit too cringe, not that thrilling, and just seems exactly like so many books and movies I’ve read before. This a lot more on the younger side of the YA genre and something that maybe i would’ve enjoyed in middle school, but not as an adult.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and the author for a copy of this book

This book is everything—fast-paced, dangerous, high-stakes, and so addictive I literally could not put it down. Think: elite teen thieves, a deadly competition, and twists that had me gasping out loud.

Kayvion Lewis understood the assignment. The vibes are international spy meets heist movie with just the right amount of tension and romance. I’m already dreaming about the sequel.

If you love The Hunger Games, Ocean’s 8, or just want something that reads like a movie—go grab this. You’ll thank me later.

Rating 3.5

I think this would be better as an adult book. But if you suspend your disbelief and think of it like a CW show, it works just fine as a YA book. I like the characters. The romance was ok, but I liked the dynamic between Ross and Noelia more. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

This was such a fun, quick, and intense read. So many different elements came together perfectly. I will definitely be reading more by Kayvion Lewis

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

If you want a book with high stakes and diverse characters, then this is the book for you. Ross's family had one rule. Trust no one that wasn't a quest. When Ross tried to branch out and leave her mom behind, she ended up joining the Gambit instead to save her mom's life. There she comes face to face with noelia, her archenemy, and several other thieves all looking to win this year's gambit. It's simple really, win each phase and you win a wish. But when Ross starts to fall for the handsome devroe, things really take a turn. I love the high stakes feel to this book and that ending had me reeling for more. I cant wait to see what the future has in store for Ross, devroe and maybe some of the other characters!

4.25/5 stars! This book really works as a YA mystery story. It felt like a combination of Fourth Wing's competition, Hunger Games, and a comedy. I liked it a lot and it was ridiculously fast-paced. I want to see what comes next from this author.