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

This is a fast-paced, quick read full of mystery, betrayal, twists and turns, and heists. I feel like there are several books out there saying they are like The Inheritance Games and Ocean’s 11 and end up not feeling like them but this book is one of the few that has actually given me the same feeling. This book had me intrigued from the beginning. I really enjoyed all of the different characters in this book, especially the contestants and their different personalities. The ending of the book was huge and while I did predict parts of it the others surprised me. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun YA book! It felt like Oceans 11 and Hunger Games had a baby and its called Thieves Gambit. The book is a quick and easy read as you follow the youngest Quest as she participates in the Gambit. The Gambit is a invitation only competition between the elite of the elite in the world of thieves. Quest will test herself to limits she didn't know possible and find out the true meaning of family and friendship.

I really loved this book. Ross was just an atypical teenager at the beginning of the book, but she turned out to be so much more. I loved her courage and her thieving skill, and I love how she learned to trust her teammates even when it was hard. The different tests they had to undergo were really interesting to read and I could picture them so clearly in my head. The other characters were well rounded and easy to love or hate.

I'm so looking forward to reading the next book in this series!

4.5 stars!

This was such a fun read!! If you like competition, Ocean’s Eleven, and sneaky plans that keep you guessing, then you need to read this book! And can we talk about that cliffhanger!? I already cannot wait to read the sequel to this adventurous book. I absolutely loved the action aspect to this book. Typically I don’t gear towards action books or movies, but for some reason I could not get enough of this book. There is nothing I love more than a plan that just keeps unfolding with so many layers and I loved that this book included several heists that put me on the edge of my seat. Lewis did a great job of developing a strong female lead and I really enjoyed how friendship developed in this story along the way. This book had me guessing on who I could and couldn’t trust and definitely had me questioning who actually is friend or foe. I think this was an excellent YA book and such a fun idea/plot - this was definitely a thumbs up and win for me!

A cinematic, high-stakes heist thriller that’s impossible to put down!

This book delivers a rollercoaster of adrenaline, suspense, and just the right amount of romance, all wrapped up in a cutthroat competition where the world’s best thieves are vying for the ultimate prize.

Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest is no ordinary teenager—she's a master thief, born into a legendary family of criminals. But when a plan to escape her family's shadow goes horribly wrong, Ross finds herself in the Thieves' Gambit, a deadly series of international heists with one rule: only the best survives. The prize? A wish for anything in the world. For Ross, that wish is her mother’s life.

But the Gambit is anything but straightforward. Among the competitors are Ross's childhood nemesis and a charming, smooth-talking rival who might just steal more than the prize—he might steal her heart.

Sticking to the family creed of "trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest" becomes harder as alliances shift, secrets are revealed, and the stakes climb ever higher.

Kayvion Lewis has crafted a fast-paced, heart-pounding story! Ross is a fiercely compelling FMC—smart, resourceful, and driven by love and loyalty. The intriguing heists are thrilling, and the twists and turns left me gobsmacked.
Another amazing aspect of this story were the relationships—whether fraught with rivalry or simmering with unspoken attraction—adds layers of tension and depth that make this book more than just a heist novel. It’s a story about trust, betrayal, and the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love.

Thieves' Gambit is a must-read for fans of thrillers, smart heroines, and edge-of-your-seat excitement. With its blend of action, intrigue, and a dash of romance, this book is the perfect getaway!

Thank you to the publisher Nancy Paulsen Books, The author Kayvion Lewis and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Yes yes yes yes. I love a good heist and suspense novel and this brought everything I hoped for.


Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really fast-paced and fun read, but nothing that will stick with me for a long time.

I did really enjoy the heist plot line of this story and appreciated that the characters were from many different cultural backgrounds and travelled around the world throughout the book.
However, the whole plot felt very predictable to me and the reveals towards the end of the book didn’t surprise me at all.

I would still recommend this book though, especially to anyone who enjoyed “The Inheritance Games” as this feels similar in many ways.

Okay, you put a heist, thieves, general mayhem in plotting and I am immediately down to read. I really enjoy books that feature that type of story and character dynamic. This one did not disappoint at all. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed this young adult heist novel. I will definitely be looking into this author's other books as she publishes.

The ultimate challenge among coming-of-age thieves: with increasingly challenging, dangerous international heists in which only one winner can emerge.
Rosalyn “Ross” Quest, at age 17 and living with her Mom and aunt on an isolated tropical island, only really wants to escape in the quest of a normal life outside of thieving, starting with gymnastic camp and then on to college. But her attempt to escape at the end of a heist ends with her Mom being taken hostage, and the ransom asked too high for the family to pay. Ross’ only hope is to accept an invitation to the deadly Thieves’ Gambit competition as the winner gets one wish granted. Ross finds herself against a group of highly trained peers, including a childhood arch enemy from Switzerland and attractive Brit. She tries to adhere to her Mom’s constant warning to trust no one, but she needs to forge alliances in order to survive the Gambit.
Ross has not just her peer to content against, but also unexpected perniciousness by their family elders. Suspense rules the day! This coming November 12th the sequel launches- Heist Royale!

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

4.5 stars! What a fun read! Fast paced, with lots of plot twists. Likable characters and fantastically unlikable characters kept me enchanted! Can't wait to read the next one! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ross Quest is part of a prestigious thief family. She has trained with them her entire life and it shows with how well she excels at nabbing things. Her mom unfortunately gets into some trouble and Ross has no other choice than to risk it all and enter the Thieves' Gambit.

The Thieves' Gambit is several rounds of dangerous heists where all the participants are the best thieves in the world. Some of the participants will be eliminated each round, if they manage to survive stealing whatever the task items were. With the competition getting slimmer and slimmer, Ross must figure out who she can trust since the goal is in sight.

I have heard great things about Thieves' Gambit and have to agree with all the hype. I really enjoyed this book, it is a heist thriller, and an interesting one at that. I will for sure be picking up the next installment because I must see what happens next. If you are a fan of YA Mystery/Thrillers you will love this book!

This was such a fun YA read… You first get introduced to Ross Quest. She and her mother are quite the renowned mother and daughter thieving duo based out of the Bahamas. At 17, Ross is feeling the itch to be her own woman and maybe break from the nest. She decides to just go for it and set off on her own path until a job goes all the way wrong and her mother is kidnapped.

The only way to get the ransom money is for her to participate in the Thieves’ Gambit. Only the most talented kids of the biggest thieving rings around the world are invited to participate in the Gambit.

What follows is such a fun caper with tons of twists and turns. The Gambit rounds and the competition are take-no-prisoners intense. Ross is challenged by not only all those around her, but by her own inner voice, to do things differently and force a change to the way the Gambit has always been played.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Have fun with this one! The second comes out in a couple months @kayvionclewis I can’t wait! Thanks @netgalley and @penguinteen for this copy.

#2024bookchallenge77of75
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#thethievesgambit
#netgalley

This book definitely gives off Inheritance Games and Ocean Eleven vibes. The FMC has major trust issues that the MMC calls her out on. There are major heists which are fun. I am giving it 3 stars because there is a lot of telling you rather than showing you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group an ARC in exchange for my honest review

This book was really intriguing. It had a lot going on and it made me think of some really great books and movies (like Inheritance Games and Ocean's 11).

The main female character, Ross, was a character I didn't love, but I didn't dislike her either. She clearly has trust issues, but based on her upbringing, it's no surprise.

There was quite a build up to the last challenge. However, compared to the first 80% of the book, the last challenge wasn't as detailed and ultimately felt so rushed.

This is the first book in a series, so I'm curious where it goes from here. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thieves' Gambit is out now and the second installment is coming out in November!