Fast paced, fun story of clever crooks one cannot help but adore. Teens engage in clever heists, but still manage to bring drama to their every decision. Fans of Oceans 11 will love this caper!

Fast paced and alluring. Gave off divergent and America ninja warrior vibes and I loved every minute of it will definitely be reading more by this author

I was very excited to read this, as it felt like it could be a nice book to start out the fall season with. I must say that the beginning was really interesting. However, once I hit the 20% mark it just started to get boring for me. The ending did leave a bit of a cliffhanger, so I do want to read the second one. I think that the hype was what let me down because I was expecting a story that I did not get.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my arc copy of this!

This book was a combination of the Hunger Games and the Natural Series. I was hooked. I thought the plot was so unique and I loved the diverse set of characters. There is a great mix of thrill, action, suspense, mystery, and even a tiny bit of romance throughout the book. I can't wait to finish the series!

Thieves' Gambit is a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled thriller that throws readers into a world of high-stakes heists and fierce competition. At the centre of the story is Ross Quest, a seventeen-year-old master thief born into a legendary family of thieves. Her life takes a dramatic turn when her mother’s life is put at risk, forcing Ross to enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a dangerous competition with international criminals, where the prize is a wish for anything in the world.

What makes this book stand out is its relentless energy. From the very first chapter, the stakes are high and the pace rarely slows. Ross is a skilled and resourceful protagonist, and her talent for pulling off audacious heists keeps the action fresh and exciting. The series of international heists adds a globetrotting appeal, as each new setting brings with it a different set of challenges and dangers. The competition itself, where anything goes—even murder—is thrilling and dangerous, with plenty of twists to keep readers guessing.

Ross’s character is engaging, with her sharp mind and internal conflict over the family creed, “trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest.” This mantra becomes harder to follow when she’s faced with competitors like her childhood nemesis and a charming rival who might be after more than just the prize. The tension between survival and trust runs through the entire story, forcing Ross to navigate not just dangerous heists, but complicated relationships as well.

The addition of romance adds an intriguing dynamic without overshadowing the action. The smooth-talking love interest brings a spark of chemistry to the story, but Ross is smart and wary, keeping the romantic subplot from becoming predictable or distracting. Instead, it enhances the stakes as Ross grapples with her growing feelings and her need to protect herself—and her family.

One of the highlights of Thieves' Gambit is its diverse cast of competitors, all with their own motivations and backgrounds. It gives the story a rich, dynamic quality as Ross tries to outwit them while also questioning who she can trust. The competition is ruthless, and the constant push-pull between betrayal and alliance adds complexity to the plot.

While the book excels in action and tension, some of the character development feels a bit rushed, especially when it comes to Ross’s relationships with the other competitors. A deeper exploration of the characters’ backgrounds could have added more emotional weight to the story. That said, the focus on heists and survival is what drives this narrative, and it delivers on that front.

In short, Thieves' Gambit is a rollercoaster ride of a novel, perfect for readers who love high-octane action, clever cons, and the thrill of danger around every corner. It’s an exhilarating story that will leave you breathless until the very end.

A YA heist novel that will have you on the edge of your seat. Between the great action and the ending that leaves you waiting for book #2 you can't go wrong with this one!

this is exactly the type of book i love. it was addicting, fun, hilarious, entertaining, and unputdownable. i loved everything about it! the heists, action, mystery, and competition had me completely immersed in the story and i loved seeing how friendships and bonds started to form between the characters! the ending had my jaw on the floor to say the least… i can’t wait to see how this continues!! 🙂‍↕️

Thank you to Kayvion Lewis, Nancy Paulsen Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was good. The twists kept me guessing. I kept thinking I knew what was going to happen and I was wrong.

The romance wasn't the best. It was like there was zero chemistry. I know I am probably one of the few who feel that way. The pop culture references at first were entertaining, then they just got annoying to be honest.

Firstly, I received an arc from NetGalley.


The blurb says it all. I love the characters and diversity of names chosen. Read it and let your imagination take you for an action packed ride.

Fast paced YA book that brings together friends, family, theft, heists and one massive game designed to pick the best young thief. Trust nobody is a lesson Ross Quest has heard all her life; but sometimes you have to trust, the question is who? One thing to keep in mind is not everything is what it seems. This would be good for fans of Ally Carters “Heist” series or Jennifer Lynn Barnes “Inheritance games” series.

Dramatic and cleverly written for the most part; although I found the last part of the book a bit confused and rushed in preparation for book two. Even with this i’m looking forward to the next instalment and thankful for a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my review.

Ross is a teenager, but not your average one. And neither are the other 7 teenagers going against her in the annual high-stakes competition, Thieves' Gambit. A competition where teenage thieves have the chance to win the ultimate wish, except, only one of them can obtain it. And when your a thief, you know this isn't going to be easy...

When I first began this book, I wasn't sure. I wasn't used to the writing style and I often felt confused about where our MC was as it kept jumping from one place to another, making it difficult to imagine the setting and be emersed in the world. But then I realised, I'm just not used to fast-paced action thrillers as I haven't read one in a while. I'm used to reading lots of world building in long fantasy books.

BUT, and this is a big but, when the story started going, when the plot began plotting, I was in. It was so addictive, I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen. And that made it so fun, because Kayvion Lewis, wow, she really took us on a ride, she really kept us guessing who was going to win each challenge! I still had no idea what was going to happen next.

The fact that this book is set all over the world, from Paris to Cairo, it made it so vivid and just, so iconic. Like wow, these kids are world-master spies in this deadly competition, how fun, how intriguing!

This book's ending though, I can't even begin to explain how amazing it was. Because it made me want to pick up the next book although it's not even out yet. I actually cannot wait for what's going to go down in 'Heist Royale'.

ALSO, Thieves' Gambit is going to be adapted into a film and I am so excited! I can't imagine a book that needs to be a movie more than this one.

Thank you Netgalley and the Penguin Group for this amazing arc!

I went in without knowing anything about the book. Imagine growing up in the family business but the business is theft. Is this a story about heists? Yes but the real story is about family, trust, forgiveness, and personal freedom. No spoilers from me. Just know that you will identify with Ross so much if you were raised by a toxic parent. I’m 51 years old and saw so much of myself in Ross. Being raised by a mother with BPD affected my entire life. Watching Ross struggle with loving her mom while realizing the toxic hold she has over her and then fighting to protect herself and who she wants to be made me so happy to see. I wish I could have been as brave.

Thank you net gallery for the free copy of this book. The story was fast, and action packed, and I got sucked in quickly. I liked the story and the characters. I could just imagine it playing out like a tv show in my head I cannot wait to read the sequel.

3.5/5 rounded up. Extremely fast paced. You could almost picture it as a show or movie while you were reading.

Can I just say, wow? Like, oh my gosh. I was reading reviews for this book on Goodreads, and it seems like people love to hate this book AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. I'm telling you now, I LOVE this book. I really really love it. It was everything that I want in and novel and honestly just so much dang fun to read. 

So, to start off, I think a lot of people don't like the characters that much, but Devroe and Ross are my absolute favorites. I loved all of the side characters and I'm not sure why people found it so bland. Devroe, of course, with his cute puppy-ish-ness was my number one. Noelia is a close second. Ross would be next up in my line up. Each of these characters felt layered and complex. They had backstories and reasons for their actions and were so darn frustrating sometimes that I wanted to reach into the book and slap them. But here's the thing: that's what makes the characters great. They were frustrating and real. 

With the plot, the only part I was actually bored during was probably the beginning. I wasn't invested at all until Ross started the gambit. After that, though? All I wanted to do was read, which is sooo hard when you have a stage 5 clinger (aka my toddler). I read this book literally any time I had free time and probably shirked off on way too many chores just to finish this book. The gambit was so much fun to read about. All of the different heists and thieving that they have to do literally made me want to happy dance with how entertaining it was. When I got to the end? Mind blown. Yes, there were many parts that I was expecting. Yes, a lot of it wasn't shocking. The parts that were shocking, though? Their shock value was up to a hundred. I was not expecting it one bit. 

Okay, the one thing that I have to gripe about is probably the writing style. It took me a long time to get used to the short cutoff sentences that seemed very choppy. It annoyed me a lot of the time, but once I got used to it about a quarter of the way through, it didn't impact my reading at all. 

Overall, this novel was fun, sooo very binge-worthy, and an absolute thrill. I loved the characters and the plot, but the writing style was an acquired taste. There is very minimal romance and it is in no way spicy, so don't go into this book hoping for that. 4.5/5 well deserved stars. I have already bought my book trophy on Amazon and pre-ordered the second one (Heist Royale) for my shelves. A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun to read! The stakes were high, the competition fierce, and the twists unexpected. I cannot wait for book 2!

Quick paced and enthralling! Perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Not totally memorable but good for a weekend or afternoon palate cleanser.

Thank you net gallery for the free copy of this book. The story was fast, and action packed, and I got sucked in quickly. I liked the story and the characters. I cannot wait to read the sequel.

Thieves Gambit by Kavion Lewis is a thriller and suspense book for Teens/YA. This is book one in the series. A young thief from a family of famous thieves chooses to enter a game which pits her against a former friend and a potential for romance. Her Mom was kidnapped, and she needs to win the game so she can use the wish to have her mother returned. I was very surprised by the plot twists and I can’t wait for the second book to come out. The ending is what I would consider a cliffhanger.

This book had a unique concept and it was well written. I loved the characters and everything came together nicely. Looking forward to next book. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book