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Thieves' Gambit #1
Thieves' Gambit
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2023)Winner takes all: a cutthroat competition for the world’s best thief and the girl who must beat the odds to save her parents’ lives.
Rosalyn Quest was raised by a legendary family of thieves with one rule: trust no one. Trapped in a glamorous world of riches and double-crosses, she is about to escape the family business when her parents are kidnapped. Her only chance to save them is to win the Thieves’ Gambit – a deadly competition for the world’s up-and-coming thieves, where the victor is granted one wish. To win, she must outwit all of her backstabbing competitors, including her archnemesis. But can she take victory from the handsome, charming boy who makes a play for her heart? The one who might be hiding the most dangerous secret of all?
The most highly-anticipated YA launch of the year from Kayvion Lewis and soon to be a major movie, are you ready to join the Thieves' Gambit?
Rosalyn Quest was raised by a legendary family of thieves with one rule: trust no one. Trapped in a glamorous world of riches and double-crosses, she is about to escape the family business when her parents are kidnapped. Her only chance to save them is to win the Thieves’ Gambit – a deadly competition for the world’s up-and-coming thieves, where the victor is granted one wish. To win, she must outwit all of her backstabbing competitors, including her archnemesis. But can she take victory from the handsome, charming boy who makes a play for her heart? The one who might be hiding the most dangerous secret of all?
The most highly-anticipated YA launch of the year from Kayvion Lewis and soon to be a major movie, are you ready to join the Thieves' Gambit?
Audiobook
First published September 26, 2023
About the author
Kayvion Lewis
4 books602 followersKAYVION LEWIS is a young adult author of all things escapist and high-octane. Her THIEVES' GAMBIT duology has been published in over 25 languages, and is being adapted for film by Lionsgate. A former youth services librarian, Kayvion's been working with young readers and kidlit since she was sixteen. When she’s not writing, she's breaking out of escape rooms, jumping out of airplanes, and occasionally running away to mountain retreats to study kung fu.
Though she lives in Louisiana and often visits her family in The Bahamas, Kayvion never really knows when she'll take off on her next adventure, which could take her anywhere in the world.
Though she lives in Louisiana and often visits her family in The Bahamas, Kayvion never really knows when she'll take off on her next adventure, which could take her anywhere in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,673 reviews
November 16, 2023
Read if you like-
✔️ The Inheritance Games
✔️ Ocean's Eleven
✔️ Heists
✔️ Thieving competition
✔️ Rivals to lovers
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Secrets and betrayals
This was super fun and addictive. If I had time, I swear I would have binged it one day. If you were considering giving this a go, I recommend doing that cause it won't disappoint.
I liked the plot- Rosalyn Quest was raised by a family of thieves and a legendary one at that. While planning to escape this life for a while, her mother gets kidnapped and in order to save her, she enters the world's greatest thieving competition. Not only does she find her nemesis there but also someone she finds herself crushing on.
I liked Rosalyn's journey, not only throughout the mystery and heists but also her character development. To go from trusting no one, to being vulnerable, honest, finally admitting she has trust issues- trusting someone and then getting betrayed again. Damn, that hits hard. Devroe, the love interest. I never really warmed up to him. We see his charming side quite a lot but it wasn't enough for me.
The romance was okayish. I wasn't really interested much in it, I loved the mystery and thriller vibes too much. Yes it was a subplot, and I wouldn't have minded if there was none in the first place but at the same time I get why it was essential.
The ending had my jaw on the floor. I saw one of the plot twists come but the second one is what shocked me and the betrayal hit hard man 😭 I can't wait for the next one, am pretty sure it's gonna be angsty and full of action. Yep, it ends on a cliffhanger 😩😩
Overall, it's a fast paced and action packed book, which is worth checking out.
~•~•~
HOLD UPPP Enemies to lovers? The Inheritance Games meets Oceans 11? Soon to be a major movie? Involves a heist? GIVE IT TO MEEEEE
✔️ The Inheritance Games
✔️ Ocean's Eleven
✔️ Heists
✔️ Thieving competition
✔️ Rivals to lovers
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Secrets and betrayals
This was super fun and addictive. If I had time, I swear I would have binged it one day. If you were considering giving this a go, I recommend doing that cause it won't disappoint.
I liked the plot- Rosalyn Quest was raised by a family of thieves and a legendary one at that. While planning to escape this life for a while, her mother gets kidnapped and in order to save her, she enters the world's greatest thieving competition. Not only does she find her nemesis there but also someone she finds herself crushing on.
I liked Rosalyn's journey, not only throughout the mystery and heists but also her character development. To go from trusting no one, to being vulnerable, honest, finally admitting she has trust issues- trusting someone and then getting betrayed again. Damn, that hits hard. Devroe, the love interest. I never really warmed up to him. We see his charming side quite a lot but it wasn't enough for me.
The romance was okayish. I wasn't really interested much in it, I loved the mystery and thriller vibes too much. Yes it was a subplot, and I wouldn't have minded if there was none in the first place but at the same time I get why it was essential.
The ending had my jaw on the floor. I saw one of the plot twists come but the second one is what shocked me and the betrayal hit hard man 😭 I can't wait for the next one, am pretty sure it's gonna be angsty and full of action. Yep, it ends on a cliffhanger 😩😩
Overall, it's a fast paced and action packed book, which is worth checking out.
~•~•~
HOLD UPPP Enemies to lovers? The Inheritance Games meets Oceans 11? Soon to be a major movie? Involves a heist? GIVE IT TO MEEEEE
July 20, 2024
2.75!
It's not necessarily a bad book tbh, it just failed to grip me and I felt as if there were more parts where I had problems than parts where I enjoyed it.
What I liked:
• I liked the idea of the book and how it was set and up + how the plot twists and ending complemented it. I feel like the author set up one twist to be a little predictable so the other wasn't and she nailed that part 😭 because I was shooketh.
• The whole heist had me intrigued and I liked how it made the book more action packed, with a better style and better execution this part alone could've made the book worth 4 stars at least because I enjoyed them quite a bit.
• The characters ( part of both things I liked and disliked) I started to get fond of them by the end and I really started liking them and was growing fond of them but that doesn't negate the 70% where I felt no attachment to them.
What I disliked:
•More telling, less showing. This books fast paced nature didn't complement this style at all and I often felt bored. It was quick to get through but not that fun to get by?? It was boring at times and I just wanted thing to be shown more.
• The romance was so dry?? So boring. I'm glad that it wasn't really a big focus because it would've been horrendous because we literally get attached to the characters after spending such a long portion of the book so the romance just didn't hit.
• Some of the parts in this book ame off as way too predictable for a mystery/thriller.
• The characters took such a long time to grow fond off that by the time I finally did grow fond, the book had ended.
Overall, not the best mystery/thriller book but I am intrigued to see how things resolved in book 2!!
___
The premise is so cool 😩 I've heard it's binge-able and I can't get enough of thrillers/mysteries 🤩
Buddy reading with the one and only Roxy (😭 yes this is a way of me making her read more books so she can get out of an year long slump and complete her goals🤞🏻)
*Thank you to penguin random house for giving me an arc*
It's not necessarily a bad book tbh, it just failed to grip me and I felt as if there were more parts where I had problems than parts where I enjoyed it.
What I liked:
• I liked the idea of the book and how it was set and up + how the plot twists and ending complemented it. I feel like the author set up one twist to be a little predictable so the other wasn't and she nailed that part 😭 because I was shooketh.
• The whole heist had me intrigued and I liked how it made the book more action packed, with a better style and better execution this part alone could've made the book worth 4 stars at least because I enjoyed them quite a bit.
• The characters ( part of both things I liked and disliked) I started to get fond of them by the end and I really started liking them and was growing fond of them but that doesn't negate the 70% where I felt no attachment to them.
What I disliked:
•More telling, less showing. This books fast paced nature didn't complement this style at all and I often felt bored. It was quick to get through but not that fun to get by?? It was boring at times and I just wanted thing to be shown more.
• The romance was so dry?? So boring. I'm glad that it wasn't really a big focus because it would've been horrendous because we literally get attached to the characters after spending such a long portion of the book so the romance just didn't hit.
• Some of the parts in this book ame off as way too predictable for a mystery/thriller.
• The characters took such a long time to grow fond off that by the time I finally did grow fond, the book had ended.
Overall, not the best mystery/thriller book but I am intrigued to see how things resolved in book 2!!
___
The premise is so cool 😩 I've heard it's binge-able and I can't get enough of thrillers/mysteries 🤩
Buddy reading with the one and only Roxy (😭 yes this is a way of me making her read more books so she can get out of an year long slump and complete her goals🤞🏻)
*Thank you to penguin random house for giving me an arc*
January 22, 2024
3.5 stars!
if you like a good heist (think ocean’s 11, inception, six of crows), a protagonist with major trust issues (because they make you feel justified in your own, of course), and a charming, flirty love interest (who calls out said protagonist on her said trust issues), read this. i will warn you: there’s a lot of telling rather than showing, and you’ll have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit. but it was fun nonetheless — a quick, fast paced read with plot twists you (hopefully) won’t see coming.
—
3.5?? possibly 4? i am being extra nice rounding up these ratings pls ignore my 3.2 average 😣 the way i was anticipating a major plot twist and that ending still threw me for a loop 😭😭 rtcif when i recover
—
idk if i should be starting this bc it’s an unfinished series but oh well that’s a problem for future me
if you like a good heist (think ocean’s 11, inception, six of crows), a protagonist with major trust issues (because they make you feel justified in your own, of course), and a charming, flirty love interest (who calls out said protagonist on her said trust issues), read this. i will warn you: there’s a lot of telling rather than showing, and you’ll have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit. but it was fun nonetheless — a quick, fast paced read with plot twists you (hopefully) won’t see coming.
—
3.5?? possibly 4? i am being extra nice rounding up these ratings pls ignore my 3.2 average 😣 the way i was anticipating a major plot twist and that ending still threw me for a loop 😭😭 rtc
—
idk if i should be starting this bc it’s an unfinished series but oh well that’s a problem for future me
January 15, 2024
♤Spoiler Free Part!!!♤
Infinity 🌟’s
“I suppose I've never really wanted to kiss someone before, and I'm trying to understand why your the first. Or maybe because your real and resourceful. Real and strong. Real and determined. Real and beautiful.”
♤My thoughts♤
I love this book sm. Ik it may not seem like much but this is so good. For me it was like love at first sight. 😍 Devroe had me giggling and kicking my feet. Ik right of the bat I wouldn't survive in any kind of romance book bc I would literally die from just the guy talking let alone a kiss they would just have to keep resurrecting. Why are fictional men so hot?! Like if anyone knows how to become a fictional character let me know asap bc I'm trying to meet some of these guys 😏 Anywhoo like I was saying before, this is a good mystery romance book that's so cute and makes me want to cry. The characters were so good, the plot was good literally everything except for the end. Yall I can't bc why did see it coming and I ignored it 😭 But overall its a good one just be prepared for the ending. (see the spoilers section if you want to know more)
♤Main Characters♤
💜Rosalyn/ Ross: Absolute girl boss, queen, etc.. love her to death. She reminds me off Starr Carter from The Hate U Give. She is so gorgeous, funny, smart, dedicated, and just so caring. She's like the equivalent of the black Nancy Drew. Girl was killing it at the heists. Like fr and her romance with Devroe…had me giggling every page. 🤭 Bc why did I think she was playing hard to get. She wasn't but I just ignored that and pretended anyways. 😂 Like Devroe would say something so sweet and she was like whatever and I'm over kicking my feet and melting to the floor. Cmon fr I think she was definitely playing hard to get. (even though the book kept saying she was not) But when she finally said yes to a relationship with him yall I heard every single angel in existence singing. I cried bc it was so beautiful. 😭❤
💋Devroe: This man this man. I could go on all day and night talking about him But I'm going to keep it short and sweet. He was upfront right off the bat that he liked her and I was like okay okay. I love guys who know what they want. Bc if your second guessing yourself go and get your stuff together then bc people don't have time for that. Like he told her every time and she was like stop messing around and he said no I'm being fr and just kinda like ignored him But deep down like me she knew she wanted him. Bc he is so fine. Just him talking had me on my knees. 🧎♀️ Abd then when he was drunk he was like a cuddly teddy bear. I wanted to give him a hug and cuddle with him so bad. Yall why am I not fictional 😭 The moment Ik I was a goner for him was when Ross pushed him against the wall and he told her he wanted to date her. AHHHH she is living MY dream! And this was just at the BEGINNING of the book! 🙉 But the ending broke me. After what he did….(see spoilers if you want to know)
♤Side Characters♤
Noelia: Ross's ex bestie only bc her mom lied to her about Noelia and they've hated eachother since pretty much. She was kinda of a snake fr bc of the way she treated everyone. And omg I laughed when she ditched her so called teammate for a different one. I was like girl was dumb fr she was gonna ditch you the first moment she could. But in the end she was okay…ig 🤷♀️
Auntie: She cracked me up. I loved how protective she was and always looking our for Ross and her mom was so sweet ❤
Ross’s Mom: She was okay at first until later one you find out all the crazy stuff she did and I just stopped liking her. She was too much.
As for everyone else they were..eh!!
♤Best Couple Moments♤
•Devroe defending Ross after she was accused for using weapons during the heist
•Everytime he smiled
•When she stole him for a dance
•When Devroe hired one of his partners to put in a good word for him with Ross
•When they saw each other all dressed up the way their faces lit up
•When they kissed for the 1st time
•When Ross pushed Devroe against the hotel wall and he told her he wanted to date her
♤Favorite Quotes♤
•“You're a fool.” (Ross)
“A fool in love?” (Devroe)
(🙉 i can't with him)
•“Don't worry, I don't want anything too wild. Cross my heart dearest.” (Devroe)
•“Why are you playing with me? I think we established that I can see your strategy.” (Ross)
“Because I like you.” (Devroe)
(we love the upfront guys 🤭)
•“You probably can't tell, but I kinda look like a Black barbie that got run over by a semi right now.” (Ross) 😂
•“But you…you genuine. Like an actual, real person that I could know. And I really, really like you for it.” (Devroe) 🥲
•“I suppose I've never really wanted to kiss someone before, and I'm trying to understand why your the first. Or maybe because your real and resourceful. Real and strong. Real and determined. Real and beautiful. (Devroe)
😭❤😭❤😭❤😭
♤Favorite Scenes♤
•The first time he asked her to be his partner
“Why are you asking me? Or did everyone already reject you? (Ross)
“Perish the thought. You were my first choice.” (Devroe)
•When Ross climbed down the vent and Devroe was right there underneath waiting to catch her with open arms. And she just ignored him and climbed back up.
(hard to get 🤭)
•Their 1st kiss
“Now can I kiss you?” (Devroe)
‘I cupped his face and pulled him in myself. His lips were soft at first and then moved over mine with a feeling of undeniable want. I snaked my hands around his neck to pull him closer. Oh my God, he tasted perfect. Loke trying my favorite candy for the first time. I could have stayed there forever. I wanted to. When he deepened the kiss, I couldn't help but moan, desire pooling in my belly. Hos kiss was a riptide threatening to pull me out to sea.’ (Ross)
(this description was the most beautiful thing ever 🥺❤)
•Devroe following Ross
“I'm tired. Stop following me.” (Ross)
“This is my floor too. Our rooms might be next to each other. Maybe with adjoining doors. Perfect for a date. We can have dinner in one of our rooms and no one would ever know. Wouldn't want to make the other competitors jealous.” (Devroe)
‘Date? Was it just me or did he jump a dozen different steps in our conversation? I will admit, hearing that word come out his lips, date, sent a little flutter through my stomach.’ (Ross)
“Excuse me?” (Ross)
“You just said you'd hold up your end of the bargain. You owe me a favor, and I want to date you.” (Devroe)
“A professional favor.” (Ross)
“Well, that's no fun.” (Devroe)
(only Ross would suggest it as professional favor 🤣)
•“You've returned from your sabbatical?” (Ross)
“Indeed I have. But I don't worry, I brought you something back.” (Devroe)
“Oh.” (Ross)
“Myself. You're welcome.” (Devroe)
“So what's the success rate for this tease-and-smile-tactic? Twenty percent? Thirty percent?” (Ross)
“Oh, its at least sixty when well executed. And its not really the smile that gets people. It's the eyes. A knowing gaze can be the sexiest part of it all. That's how you really get a target to blush.” (Devroe)
(well ik I'm blushing after this. when he talks its like….🤗🧎♀️)
•“Looks like we'll finally have our date.” (Devroe)
“Is it fun, always getting what you want?” (Ross)
“I rarely get what I want. That's what makes this even more special. But now that I think about it candlelit dinners are too dull for people like us. It wouldn't be a proper date if there wasn't a little mischief involved.” (Devroe)
‘I didn't want to smile, but I couldn't help it. Perhaps I was going to enjoy this more than I thought.” (Ross)
(aww this was too cute ❤❤❤)
•The Dance
“What the hell is going on? I wasn't done with them” (Devroe)
“Shut up. Dance with me.” (Ross)
‘He obeyed, and if I hadn't been in heist mode, I might have melted completely at the warmth of his hands settling on my hips.’ (Ross)
(the choice of words….yall I can't with these two they are so cute 😍)
•The 1st kiss he gave her
Maybe for show, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek before he left. “Have fun, queen.” (Devroe)
♤Hopes for the next one (TBA)♤
I don't know how I'm even going to be able to wait for the next one after that ending but.. ig I have too 😥
-More Ross and Devroe moments (even after the ending I just love them sm)
-Devroe flirty funny moments
-More heists
♤Last Thoughts♤
I didn't think I would enjoy this as much but I loved it. It was a perfect slow burn relationship. I just have to wait now sadly for the next one…so I'm hoping its worth the wait. 🤞 Definitely a 10 outta 10 recommend! Can't wait for the next one ❤
♤Spoiler Part!!!!♤
Devroe betraying her 😭
I was so heartbroken but not even that surprised really. Bc at the beginning i was like this is kinda to good to be true. And Ross didn't trust him. (but I did real fast bc yall know me I always fall for the sweet talking guys. 🤭) I hate that he lied tho but a part of me already knew so it was like really dude. After multiple times she told herself to trust no one (bc her mom taught her to trust no one) and then she opened her heart one time ONE TIME! and he lied to her. I wanted to give her a hug so bad. 😭🫂❤ And not only that now she has to work with him for a year. Partly bc of her mom too. And do I kinda still ship them guilty yess bc they were so good together 😭 Now I can't wait to see how thats gonna work out in the next book.
Infinity 🌟’s
“I suppose I've never really wanted to kiss someone before, and I'm trying to understand why your the first. Or maybe because your real and resourceful. Real and strong. Real and determined. Real and beautiful.”
♤My thoughts♤
I love this book sm. Ik it may not seem like much but this is so good. For me it was like love at first sight. 😍 Devroe had me giggling and kicking my feet. Ik right of the bat I wouldn't survive in any kind of romance book bc I would literally die from just the guy talking let alone a kiss they would just have to keep resurrecting. Why are fictional men so hot?! Like if anyone knows how to become a fictional character let me know asap bc I'm trying to meet some of these guys 😏 Anywhoo like I was saying before, this is a good mystery romance book that's so cute and makes me want to cry. The characters were so good, the plot was good literally everything except for the end. Yall I can't bc why did see it coming and I ignored it 😭 But overall its a good one just be prepared for the ending. (see the spoilers section if you want to know more)
♤Main Characters♤
💜Rosalyn/ Ross: Absolute girl boss, queen, etc.. love her to death. She reminds me off Starr Carter from The Hate U Give. She is so gorgeous, funny, smart, dedicated, and just so caring. She's like the equivalent of the black Nancy Drew. Girl was killing it at the heists. Like fr and her romance with Devroe…had me giggling every page. 🤭 Bc why did I think she was playing hard to get. She wasn't but I just ignored that and pretended anyways. 😂 Like Devroe would say something so sweet and she was like whatever and I'm over kicking my feet and melting to the floor. Cmon fr I think she was definitely playing hard to get. (even though the book kept saying she was not) But when she finally said yes to a relationship with him yall I heard every single angel in existence singing. I cried bc it was so beautiful. 😭❤
💋Devroe: This man this man. I could go on all day and night talking about him But I'm going to keep it short and sweet. He was upfront right off the bat that he liked her and I was like okay okay. I love guys who know what they want. Bc if your second guessing yourself go and get your stuff together then bc people don't have time for that. Like he told her every time and she was like stop messing around and he said no I'm being fr and just kinda like ignored him But deep down like me she knew she wanted him. Bc he is so fine. Just him talking had me on my knees. 🧎♀️ Abd then when he was drunk he was like a cuddly teddy bear. I wanted to give him a hug and cuddle with him so bad. Yall why am I not fictional 😭 The moment Ik I was a goner for him was when Ross pushed him against the wall and he told her he wanted to date her. AHHHH she is living MY dream! And this was just at the BEGINNING of the book! 🙉 But the ending broke me. After what he did….(see spoilers if you want to know)
♤Side Characters♤
Noelia: Ross's ex bestie only bc her mom lied to her about Noelia and they've hated eachother since pretty much. She was kinda of a snake fr bc of the way she treated everyone. And omg I laughed when she ditched her so called teammate for a different one. I was like girl was dumb fr she was gonna ditch you the first moment she could. But in the end she was okay…ig 🤷♀️
Auntie: She cracked me up. I loved how protective she was and always looking our for Ross and her mom was so sweet ❤
Ross’s Mom: She was okay at first until later one you find out all the crazy stuff she did and I just stopped liking her. She was too much.
As for everyone else they were..eh!!
♤Best Couple Moments♤
•Devroe defending Ross after she was accused for using weapons during the heist
•Everytime he smiled
•When she stole him for a dance
•When Devroe hired one of his partners to put in a good word for him with Ross
•When they saw each other all dressed up the way their faces lit up
•When they kissed for the 1st time
•When Ross pushed Devroe against the hotel wall and he told her he wanted to date her
♤Favorite Quotes♤
•“You're a fool.” (Ross)
“A fool in love?” (Devroe)
(🙉 i can't with him)
•“Don't worry, I don't want anything too wild. Cross my heart dearest.” (Devroe)
•“Why are you playing with me? I think we established that I can see your strategy.” (Ross)
“Because I like you.” (Devroe)
(we love the upfront guys 🤭)
•“You probably can't tell, but I kinda look like a Black barbie that got run over by a semi right now.” (Ross) 😂
•“But you…you genuine. Like an actual, real person that I could know. And I really, really like you for it.” (Devroe) 🥲
•“I suppose I've never really wanted to kiss someone before, and I'm trying to understand why your the first. Or maybe because your real and resourceful. Real and strong. Real and determined. Real and beautiful. (Devroe)
😭❤😭❤😭❤😭
♤Favorite Scenes♤
•The first time he asked her to be his partner
“Why are you asking me? Or did everyone already reject you? (Ross)
“Perish the thought. You were my first choice.” (Devroe)
•When Ross climbed down the vent and Devroe was right there underneath waiting to catch her with open arms. And she just ignored him and climbed back up.
(hard to get 🤭)
•Their 1st kiss
“Now can I kiss you?” (Devroe)
‘I cupped his face and pulled him in myself. His lips were soft at first and then moved over mine with a feeling of undeniable want. I snaked my hands around his neck to pull him closer. Oh my God, he tasted perfect. Loke trying my favorite candy for the first time. I could have stayed there forever. I wanted to. When he deepened the kiss, I couldn't help but moan, desire pooling in my belly. Hos kiss was a riptide threatening to pull me out to sea.’ (Ross)
(this description was the most beautiful thing ever 🥺❤)
•Devroe following Ross
“I'm tired. Stop following me.” (Ross)
“This is my floor too. Our rooms might be next to each other. Maybe with adjoining doors. Perfect for a date. We can have dinner in one of our rooms and no one would ever know. Wouldn't want to make the other competitors jealous.” (Devroe)
‘Date? Was it just me or did he jump a dozen different steps in our conversation? I will admit, hearing that word come out his lips, date, sent a little flutter through my stomach.’ (Ross)
“Excuse me?” (Ross)
“You just said you'd hold up your end of the bargain. You owe me a favor, and I want to date you.” (Devroe)
“A professional favor.” (Ross)
“Well, that's no fun.” (Devroe)
(only Ross would suggest it as professional favor 🤣)
•“You've returned from your sabbatical?” (Ross)
“Indeed I have. But I don't worry, I brought you something back.” (Devroe)
“Oh.” (Ross)
“Myself. You're welcome.” (Devroe)
“So what's the success rate for this tease-and-smile-tactic? Twenty percent? Thirty percent?” (Ross)
“Oh, its at least sixty when well executed. And its not really the smile that gets people. It's the eyes. A knowing gaze can be the sexiest part of it all. That's how you really get a target to blush.” (Devroe)
(well ik I'm blushing after this. when he talks its like….🤗🧎♀️)
•“Looks like we'll finally have our date.” (Devroe)
“Is it fun, always getting what you want?” (Ross)
“I rarely get what I want. That's what makes this even more special. But now that I think about it candlelit dinners are too dull for people like us. It wouldn't be a proper date if there wasn't a little mischief involved.” (Devroe)
‘I didn't want to smile, but I couldn't help it. Perhaps I was going to enjoy this more than I thought.” (Ross)
(aww this was too cute ❤❤❤)
•The Dance
“What the hell is going on? I wasn't done with them” (Devroe)
“Shut up. Dance with me.” (Ross)
‘He obeyed, and if I hadn't been in heist mode, I might have melted completely at the warmth of his hands settling on my hips.’ (Ross)
(the choice of words….yall I can't with these two they are so cute 😍)
•The 1st kiss he gave her
Maybe for show, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek before he left. “Have fun, queen.” (Devroe)
♤Hopes for the next one (TBA)♤
I don't know how I'm even going to be able to wait for the next one after that ending but.. ig I have too 😥
-More Ross and Devroe moments (even after the ending I just love them sm)
-Devroe flirty funny moments
-More heists
♤Last Thoughts♤
I didn't think I would enjoy this as much but I loved it. It was a perfect slow burn relationship. I just have to wait now sadly for the next one…so I'm hoping its worth the wait. 🤞 Definitely a 10 outta 10 recommend! Can't wait for the next one ❤
♤Spoiler Part!!!!♤
Devroe betraying her 😭
I was so heartbroken but not even that surprised really. Bc at the beginning i was like this is kinda to good to be true. And Ross didn't trust him. (but I did real fast bc yall know me I always fall for the sweet talking guys. 🤭) I hate that he lied tho but a part of me already knew so it was like really dude. After multiple times she told herself to trust no one (bc her mom taught her to trust no one) and then she opened her heart one time ONE TIME! and he lied to her. I wanted to give her a hug so bad. 😭🫂❤ And not only that now she has to work with him for a year. Partly bc of her mom too. And do I kinda still ship them guilty yess bc they were so good together 😭 Now I can't wait to see how thats gonna work out in the next book.
July 21, 2023
I’ve seen that the film rights for this book have been bought before this book has even hit shelves, and I understand why. Kayvion Lewis has written a really fun, cinematic, fast-paced YA action mystery-heist reminiscent of your favourite movies and books (think elements of Six of Crows, Inheritance Games, and Oceans Eleven) combined with elements of a less macabre Hunger Games or Squid Games (being YA) while creating incredibly diverse characters, spanning many cultures and continents, with authentic cultural names (never forget Cho Chang from HP), who are also likeable* (mostly!) in the competition.
I had a lot of fun diving headfirst into the action with FMC Rosalyn ‘Ross’ Quest. She’s a 17-year-old high-calibre thief who could rival Danny Ocean, who then gets invited to join an underground thieving competition. Of course, she accepts to save her kidnapped mother. The challenges in the Gambit are outrageous and outlandish, but I embraced them with open arms. I was always unsure about each character's motives, and unravelling who to trust in the “Thieves Gambit” was part of that fun. Likewise, I loved the intriguing rivalries and friendships formed during the Gambit. I'm also pleased to announce the Bechdel test was passed with flying colours!
Some plot points felt a bit too convenient and required an extreme suspension of disbelief here and there. Additionally, a lot was going on at the end, with twist upon twist, that I was nearly out of breath. However, all in all, I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of similar genres -- it’s an easy, fun, page-turning ride.
The ending definitely left it open for a sequel, which I am definitely going to put on my TBR if and when announced.
My thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and author Kayvion Lewis for the opportunity to read this work, which will be published in October, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Thieves Gambit full book review. | Amazon reviews.
I had a lot of fun diving headfirst into the action with FMC Rosalyn ‘Ross’ Quest. She’s a 17-year-old high-calibre thief who could rival Danny Ocean, who then gets invited to join an underground thieving competition. Of course, she accepts to save her kidnapped mother. The challenges in the Gambit are outrageous and outlandish, but I embraced them with open arms. I was always unsure about each character's motives, and unravelling who to trust in the “Thieves Gambit” was part of that fun. Likewise, I loved the intriguing rivalries and friendships formed during the Gambit. I'm also pleased to announce the Bechdel test was passed with flying colours!
Some plot points felt a bit too convenient and required an extreme suspension of disbelief here and there. Additionally, a lot was going on at the end, with twist upon twist, that I was nearly out of breath. However, all in all, I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of similar genres -- it’s an easy, fun, page-turning ride.
The ending definitely left it open for a sequel, which I am definitely going to put on my TBR if and when announced.
My thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and author Kayvion Lewis for the opportunity to read this work, which will be published in October, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Thieves Gambit full book review. | Amazon reviews.
May 24, 2024
One of the most underrated books I've read that deserve so much hype. I've never read anything like this before and boy, I'm obsessed now. Tell me, a book that has~
ᐅEnemies to lovers to enemies
ᐅNow you see me x Oceans eleven x Escape Room
ᐅShe trusts no one
ᐅFast Paced
ᐅBetrayals and they go on literal heist
How is it already not irresistible?? I'm watching y'all, add it to your tbr NOW.
PLOT
It follows our main character, Ross, whose mother gets kidnapped and its partially her fault and now the kidnapper demands a ransom of one billion dollars. She ends up participating in the Thieves' Gambit, an annual competition between famous teen thieves and the winner is granted one wish. They can ask for anything. ANYTHING. This is the only way, Ross can save her mother but obviously, nothing is gonna be easy.
A literal competition between thieves, so be ready for some good actions, lies, betrayals, smart strategies and plot twists.
CHARACTERS
First of all, I'm in love with the writing. The way the author has carved all the characters to life. Although it gets a bit confusing when all the characters get introduced at once, but you get used to it as you read along. I specially loved how slowly Ross started to open up and form friendships...it was so sweet. No partiality, Mylo is my fav character.
Also what I loved the most was the representation in the book. The characters were so diverse - Hispanic, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Australian - teens competed from all over the world and continents.
ROMANCE
I swear I can't get over the angst and the freaking chemistry between the characters. The tension was so intense and hot, I would happily burn in it.
‘Devroe…’ I said in a slow, seductive way.
His chest rose under my palm. The fabric of his vest was crisp but soft. I leaned in until we were only centimeters away. ‘Leave. Me. Alone.’
*screaming*
The way you're smiling and you don't even realize you're doing it...I was shipping these two so hard. (Also wouldn't mind a romance between Kyung Soon and Mylo by the way 🤭🤭)
WRITING
What I really appreciated was the Show don't tell strategy the author used, how she literally left us hanging till the last second and on the edge of our seats. Just when you think everything is going to hell, BOOM, plot twist.
The descriptions of everything, the setting during the theft and the challenges were so perfectly written, which can be difficult to nail, considering the plot.
And excuse me, the way it ends??? the cliffhanger? how can the author do this to us?? And the next book comes out in NOVEMBER. That's so far away.
Thank you so much Diksha for buddy reading with me, had so much fun with you and yeah I know we already kinda predicted the ending and now we can both can suffer in our personal hell till the next book comes out :)
***
Another buddy read with @Diksha because the last book was a fail 😬 Fingers crossed this one doesn't disappoint 🤞🤞
ᐅEnemies to lovers to enemies
ᐅNow you see me x Oceans eleven x Escape Room
ᐅShe trusts no one
ᐅFast Paced
ᐅBetrayals and they go on literal heist
How is it already not irresistible?? I'm watching y'all, add it to your tbr NOW.
PLOT
It follows our main character, Ross, whose mother gets kidnapped and its partially her fault and now the kidnapper demands a ransom of one billion dollars. She ends up participating in the Thieves' Gambit, an annual competition between famous teen thieves and the winner is granted one wish. They can ask for anything. ANYTHING. This is the only way, Ross can save her mother but obviously, nothing is gonna be easy.
A literal competition between thieves, so be ready for some good actions, lies, betrayals, smart strategies and plot twists.
CHARACTERS
First of all, I'm in love with the writing. The way the author has carved all the characters to life. Although it gets a bit confusing when all the characters get introduced at once, but you get used to it as you read along. I specially loved how slowly Ross started to open up and form friendships...it was so sweet. No partiality, Mylo is my fav character.
Also what I loved the most was the representation in the book. The characters were so diverse - Hispanic, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Australian - teens competed from all over the world and continents.
ROMANCE
I swear I can't get over the angst and the freaking chemistry between the characters. The tension was so intense and hot, I would happily burn in it.
‘Devroe…’ I said in a slow, seductive way.
His chest rose under my palm. The fabric of his vest was crisp but soft. I leaned in until we were only centimeters away. ‘Leave. Me. Alone.’
*screaming*
The way you're smiling and you don't even realize you're doing it...I was shipping these two so hard. (Also wouldn't mind a romance between Kyung Soon and Mylo by the way 🤭🤭)
WRITING
What I really appreciated was the Show don't tell strategy the author used, how she literally left us hanging till the last second and on the edge of our seats. Just when you think everything is going to hell, BOOM, plot twist.
The descriptions of everything, the setting during the theft and the challenges were so perfectly written, which can be difficult to nail, considering the plot.
And excuse me, the way it ends??? the cliffhanger? how can the author do this to us?? And the next book comes out in NOVEMBER. That's so far away.
Thank you so much Diksha for buddy reading with me, had so much fun with you and yeah I know we already kinda predicted the ending and now we can both can suffer in our personal hell till the next book comes out :)
***
Another buddy read with @Diksha because the last book was a fail 😬 Fingers crossed this one doesn't disappoint 🤞🤞
September 7, 2024
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!! 🙂↕️
January 24, 2024
This book was a fun and exciting mystery full of betrayal, surprises, intrigue and heists. Thieves' Gambit follows Rosalyn Quest, a thief who is a member of a legendary thief family. The day that Ross decides to leave her thieving life behind is when her mother is kidnapped. In order to save her mom, Ross enters a thieving competition called the Thieves' Gambit and if she wins she can get any wish she wants. Soon the competition becomes dangerous and Ross must make difficult decisions to save her mom.
I became immersed in this story from the first page. The plot was so fun and I enjoyed how fast-paced the story was. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book, as well as the high-stakes competition and heist aspect. I really like Ross, she is determined, brave, resourceful, and stubborn. Ross' character development was excellent, I enjoyed seeing her vulnerable side as she opened up to people and learned to trust them. I liked seeing Ross' dynamic between her family members as well as her new friends. I can relate to her because family is important to me too. I didn't particularly like Devroe, I didn't trust him and he was too closed off. I liked when Devroe was vulnerable to Ross, but I felt that he was still holding back and not showing her his true self. I liked the side characters especially Kyung-soon and Mylo. The romance between Ross and Devroe was okay, they didn't have a connection and relationship development was lacking. I didn't mind the romance not being great because the plot kept me engaged and I enjoyed the focus on Ross' character journey. The ending was so exciting and shocking! I did guess one betrayal at the end, but the other betrayal was a complete shock. I'm so excited to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high-stakes competition, mystery, and an exciting story.
I became immersed in this story from the first page. The plot was so fun and I enjoyed how fast-paced the story was. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book, as well as the high-stakes competition and heist aspect. I really like Ross, she is determined, brave, resourceful, and stubborn. Ross' character development was excellent, I enjoyed seeing her vulnerable side as she opened up to people and learned to trust them. I liked seeing Ross' dynamic between her family members as well as her new friends. I can relate to her because family is important to me too. I didn't particularly like Devroe, I didn't trust him and he was too closed off. I liked when Devroe was vulnerable to Ross, but I felt that he was still holding back and not showing her his true self. I liked the side characters especially Kyung-soon and Mylo. The romance between Ross and Devroe was okay, they didn't have a connection and relationship development was lacking. I didn't mind the romance not being great because the plot kept me engaged and I enjoyed the focus on Ross' character journey. The ending was so exciting and shocking! I did guess one betrayal at the end, but the other betrayal was a complete shock. I'm so excited to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high-stakes competition, mystery, and an exciting story.
Did Not Finish
January 14, 2024soft dnf @ 22%
i'm trying to dnf more in 2024, so here we go, first dnf of the year 🫡
I went into this really expecting to love it, but something about it really wasn't hitting for me 😭😭 the writing style wasn't my fav right off the bat & the pop culture references were really annoying ☹️ idk if it was the book or my mood, but I really didn't care abt the story or characters.
I definitely don't think it's bad and I might give it another try at some point but for now, moving onto something else! 💓💓
i'm trying to dnf more in 2024, so here we go, first dnf of the year 🫡
I went into this really expecting to love it, but something about it really wasn't hitting for me 😭😭 the writing style wasn't my fav right off the bat & the pop culture references were really annoying ☹️ idk if it was the book or my mood, but I really didn't care abt the story or characters.
I definitely don't think it's bad and I might give it another try at some point but for now, moving onto something else! 💓💓
January 5, 2024
Blog | Instagram
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This edgy design caught my eye, and I love the danger and action it hints at. However, it is still a fairly simple cover, and I wish the colours or illustrations could have been more captivating.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Though the casual writing style and modern references initially seemed simplistic, it quickly grew on me as picturesque descriptions and details brought the action-packed story to life.
"The best things you get in life are usually things you weren’t expecting."
"If there's one universal truth about almost all obscenely rich people, it's this: They're a lot more punchable than the average person."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Despite a burst of action at the start, the storyline took a moment to pull me in as the stage was set for the Thieves’ Gambit. From then on, a constant stream of action and mystery skilfully builds tension and is well-balanced by moments with the characters. I also ate up the numerous twists and betrayals that kept the story gripping and hard to put down.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
As a professional thief, Rosalyn is clever, resourceful, and guarded, which makes her a fascinating character. Her realistic struggles and caring personality also made it easy for me to connect with and root for her. Besides this, her emotions and motivations are well-detailed (though somewhat repetitive), adding depth to her character.
"Shooting stars don’t grant wishes. Money does."
"Everything worth doing is dangerous"
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Even with a relatively small and diverse cast of secondary characters, I initially struggled to keep track of them. However, most gradually received distinct personalities, backstories and struggles that made them memorable. I even felt my heart warm at the cute friendships Rosalyn formed along the way and her close relationship with her Aunt.
Romance: 🌟🌟
Though Rosalyn tried hard to ignore her attraction to one of her competitors, she (and I) failed to resist his relentless charm. This cute romance was, sadly, ruined by Rosalyn’s trust issues (she definitely crossed the line!), plus the shocking twist towards the end.
"apologies without recompense are just excuses"
"It’s dangerous to love half of a person."
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Jade Wheeler clearly devoted a lot of effort to bringing this story to life with her narration. Although this leads to some aspects sounding unnatural, she brilliantly enriches the story with different voices for the characters and conveys the emotions within the story.
At the end of the day, I enjoyed 'Thieves' Gambit' a lot more than I expected and was hooked by the constant twists, betrayals and action once it got going. Those who enjoyed this should check out The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi for another action-packed story with heists and a diverse cast.
Rating: 4 stars
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This edgy design caught my eye, and I love the danger and action it hints at. However, it is still a fairly simple cover, and I wish the colours or illustrations could have been more captivating.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Though the casual writing style and modern references initially seemed simplistic, it quickly grew on me as picturesque descriptions and details brought the action-packed story to life.
"The best things you get in life are usually things you weren’t expecting."
"If there's one universal truth about almost all obscenely rich people, it's this: They're a lot more punchable than the average person."
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Despite a burst of action at the start, the storyline took a moment to pull me in as the stage was set for the Thieves’ Gambit. From then on, a constant stream of action and mystery skilfully builds tension and is well-balanced by moments with the characters. I also ate up the numerous twists and betrayals that kept the story gripping and hard to put down.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
As a professional thief, Rosalyn is clever, resourceful, and guarded, which makes her a fascinating character. Her realistic struggles and caring personality also made it easy for me to connect with and root for her. Besides this, her emotions and motivations are well-detailed (though somewhat repetitive), adding depth to her character.
"Shooting stars don’t grant wishes. Money does."
"Everything worth doing is dangerous"
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Even with a relatively small and diverse cast of secondary characters, I initially struggled to keep track of them. However, most gradually received distinct personalities, backstories and struggles that made them memorable. I even felt my heart warm at the cute friendships Rosalyn formed along the way and her close relationship with her Aunt.
Romance: 🌟🌟
Though Rosalyn tried hard to ignore her attraction to one of her competitors, she (and I) failed to resist his relentless charm. This cute romance was, sadly, ruined by Rosalyn’s trust issues (she definitely crossed the line!), plus the shocking twist towards the end.
"apologies without recompense are just excuses"
"It’s dangerous to love half of a person."
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Jade Wheeler clearly devoted a lot of effort to bringing this story to life with her narration. Although this leads to some aspects sounding unnatural, she brilliantly enriches the story with different voices for the characters and conveys the emotions within the story.
At the end of the day, I enjoyed 'Thieves' Gambit' a lot more than I expected and was hooked by the constant twists, betrayals and action once it got going. Those who enjoyed this should check out The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi for another action-packed story with heists and a diverse cast.
September 28, 2023
Nie jest to może to czego się spodziewałam po tej książce (tak w sumie to nie jest kompletnie to czego się spodziewałam po tej książce) ale była bardzo miła, a końcówka to już kompletnie mnie zmiotła.
March 12, 2024
4 “i was actually hooked tf” stars
༺♥༻ Overview
I honestly thought this book was gonna be a quick, light read, yk just a little bit of fun. By the end of it I was sweating from the roller-coaster ride this book put me through. Don’t get me wrong, some of the twists and turns were very much expected (even the ending) but I was still enjoying this!
༺♥༻What to expect
📬FMC with a personality
📬Thieves (duh) and heists
📬hunger-games style except u cant kill? (or can u….)
📬enemies to lovers (somehow)
📬trust issues & betrayal
༺♥༻Characters
🪙Rosalyn (Ross) Quest
I really liked Ross, she was a strong lead. She knew her stuff, very observant, and the characterization of her as a thief suited her. I understand her trust issues cause me too girl 😔✋🏽, i was also constantly side-eying everyone in the book. Sometimes her boundaries break down in front of some people but again her family rule makes her put up that wall again which is soo valid. Imagine being taught a certain thing ur whole life - “u cant trust anyone” - and being constantly reminded that very same thing, it would def be hard to break out of that constraint. Ross has that character depth which I liked.
🪙Devroe Kenzie
NOW this man. nuh uh. As soon as he spoke I was like yeaaaa no. Devroe is portrayed as a flirty persona and intelligent as hell. Ross and him were an interesting duo IF I didn't suspect Devroe of something vicious from the beginning. Devroe brought out Ross’s tougher, bolder side while she became a comfort person to him, allowing him to slowly open up. Together they are THE power couple. But I still don’t like Devroe oops.
🪙Noelia Boschert
While I suspected Devroe from the beginning, I instantly liked Noelia. I never once thought she was a bad person despite her and Ross’ past. The subtle observations of her character through Ross’s POV? I ate that up!! I truly believed she was a complex character and not as bad as Ross thought her to be.
🪙Rest of the competitors
Mylo was easily my fav. He was chill, outgoing, and his dialogue was kinda funny. The rest of the competitors were interesting as hell. Also I think Kayvion Lewis wins the how many diverse characters can u put in a room challenge (literally they were in a room). WE LOVE DIVERSE CHARACTERSS!!!
༺♥༻Plot & Writing/Pace
The pace was perfect. Being a mystery/thriller it never felt fast-paced (tho i inhaled that book) or slow. I think it was pretty consistent. I loved the details in the heists. The details weren't describing every lil action but at the same time not missing vital information. I could imagine what Ross was doing without it having to be overly complicated which I enjoyed.
I think the one lil problem i had was the writing. In the beginning, I had to re-read a couple sentences or paragraphs over and over cause I had no clue what it was saying. Eventually it picked up but yea it was hard to get used to.
Overall, the twists and final reveal was done well (not unexpected tho) and I can’t wait to see where the second book leads!
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
RTC! GUYS WTH DID I JUST READ 😭 my mind is a mumble-jumble from the last 30 pages, 30 cause I KNEW ITTTT!!! that was a wild ride, ill review after exams 🤭
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
pre-read: ooo lala i keep seeing Ocean's 11 and I LOVE Ocean's 11 and spies and thieves and heists and thrillers!! Diving right in 💘
༺♥༻ Overview
I honestly thought this book was gonna be a quick, light read, yk just a little bit of fun. By the end of it I was sweating from the roller-coaster ride this book put me through. Don’t get me wrong, some of the twists and turns were very much expected (even the ending) but I was still enjoying this!
༺♥༻What to expect
📬FMC with a personality
📬Thieves (duh) and heists
📬hunger-games style except u cant kill? (or can u….)
📬enemies to lovers (somehow)
📬trust issues & betrayal
༺♥༻Characters
🪙Rosalyn (Ross) Quest
I really liked Ross, she was a strong lead. She knew her stuff, very observant, and the characterization of her as a thief suited her. I understand her trust issues cause me too girl 😔✋🏽, i was also constantly side-eying everyone in the book. Sometimes her boundaries break down in front of some people but again her family rule makes her put up that wall again which is soo valid. Imagine being taught a certain thing ur whole life - “u cant trust anyone” - and being constantly reminded that very same thing, it would def be hard to break out of that constraint. Ross has that character depth which I liked.
🪙Devroe Kenzie
NOW this man. nuh uh. As soon as he spoke I was like yeaaaa no. Devroe is portrayed as a flirty persona and intelligent as hell. Ross and him were an interesting duo IF I didn't suspect Devroe of something vicious from the beginning. Devroe brought out Ross’s tougher, bolder side while she became a comfort person to him, allowing him to slowly open up. Together they are THE power couple. But I still don’t like Devroe oops.
🪙Noelia Boschert
While I suspected Devroe from the beginning, I instantly liked Noelia. I never once thought she was a bad person despite her and Ross’ past. The subtle observations of her character through Ross’s POV? I ate that up!! I truly believed she was a complex character and not as bad as Ross thought her to be.
🪙Rest of the competitors
Mylo was easily my fav. He was chill, outgoing, and his dialogue was kinda funny. The rest of the competitors were interesting as hell. Also I think Kayvion Lewis wins the how many diverse characters can u put in a room challenge (literally they were in a room). WE LOVE DIVERSE CHARACTERSS!!!
༺♥༻Plot & Writing/Pace
The pace was perfect. Being a mystery/thriller it never felt fast-paced (tho i inhaled that book) or slow. I think it was pretty consistent. I loved the details in the heists. The details weren't describing every lil action but at the same time not missing vital information. I could imagine what Ross was doing without it having to be overly complicated which I enjoyed.
I think the one lil problem i had was the writing. In the beginning, I had to re-read a couple sentences or paragraphs over and over cause I had no clue what it was saying. Eventually it picked up but yea it was hard to get used to.
Overall, the twists and final reveal was done well (not unexpected tho) and I can’t wait to see where the second book leads!
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
RTC! GUYS WTH DID I JUST READ 😭 my mind is a mumble-jumble from the last 30 pages, 30 cause I KNEW ITTTT!!! that was a wild ride, ill review after exams 🤭
♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡ ♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡
pre-read: ooo lala i keep seeing Ocean's 11 and I LOVE Ocean's 11 and spies and thieves and heists and thrillers!! Diving right in 💘
Want to Read
March 4, 2024my first br with rachael!!
August 28, 2023
Wow, this book surprised me so much, I just finished it and I feel like I just got out of a roller coaster.
I was already pretty much sold when I read the blurb with “The inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven” but when I started reading it I knew Thieves Gambit was going to blow my mind, I’m so glad I was right.
Ross Quest is part of a famous thieving family, she alongside her mother and aunt steal all sorts of things from the rich and powerful, but Ross is not happy with her life, she wants the normal 17 yo experience and the only way she’s going to get it is by escaping, but after her plans go sour and her mother is kidnapped she knows the only way to fix everything is by playing the Thieves Gambit, a competition where the best thieves of the world compete in various phases to see who’s the best, the winner wins a wish.
Thieves Gambit is probably one of the best reads of the year, it had so many twists and turns, impossible heists, betrayals and even romance, Kayvion Lewis had me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, I can’t wait to read the next one and see where she takes us.
Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
I was already pretty much sold when I read the blurb with “The inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven” but when I started reading it I knew Thieves Gambit was going to blow my mind, I’m so glad I was right.
Ross Quest is part of a famous thieving family, she alongside her mother and aunt steal all sorts of things from the rich and powerful, but Ross is not happy with her life, she wants the normal 17 yo experience and the only way she’s going to get it is by escaping, but after her plans go sour and her mother is kidnapped she knows the only way to fix everything is by playing the Thieves Gambit, a competition where the best thieves of the world compete in various phases to see who’s the best, the winner wins a wish.
Thieves Gambit is probably one of the best reads of the year, it had so many twists and turns, impossible heists, betrayals and even romance, Kayvion Lewis had me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book, I can’t wait to read the next one and see where she takes us.
Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
June 7, 2025
3.75 stars ✰
this book was so much fun. there was never a point where it felt slow, i also loved the characters. the diversity and representation was great. the main character was such a boss!! she always said what she was thinking and wasn’t afraid to call people out. i don’t think i will continue the series, i wasn’t absolutely obsessed. but this was a perfect book to binge in 2 days!
this book was so much fun. there was never a point where it felt slow, i also loved the characters. the diversity and representation was great. the main character was such a boss!! she always said what she was thinking and wasn’t afraid to call people out. i don’t think i will continue the series, i wasn’t absolutely obsessed. but this was a perfect book to binge in 2 days!
November 29, 2023
if you like ...
– jennifer lynn barnes’ writing
– ocean’s eleven (or kaleidoscope on netflix)
– heist competitions (think six of crows)
– a diverse cast of characters (like, actually diverse, not just one black side character)
– fast-paced, bingeable, high stakes stories
... then READ THIS!
i don’t really have anything else to say but THAT ENDING!!!! i love a good lovers to enemies plotline, i’m actually on my knees begging for the sequelthis just came out in sept i’m gonna be kneeling for a while. also the film rights were already sold? GIVE ME THE MOVIE. guys this was just so good i need all of you to read it like ... yesterday.
– jennifer lynn barnes’ writing
– ocean’s eleven (or kaleidoscope on netflix)
– heist competitions (think six of crows)
– a diverse cast of characters (like, actually diverse, not just one black side character)
– fast-paced, bingeable, high stakes stories
... then READ THIS!
i don’t really have anything else to say but THAT ENDING!!!! i love a good lovers to enemies plotline, i’m actually on my knees begging for the sequel
February 18, 2025
The idea was great! The ending was completely predictable. I wish I enjoyed it more
September 30, 2023
This is a Young Adult novel, first in a new series and it is receiving a lot of hype. Apparently the film rights have already been sold.
We are introduced to Ross Quest, seventeen years old and already a very active member of the legendary Quest family of thieves. When her mother is abducted the only way she can find the ransom money is to win the Thieves' Gambit, an international competition of heists and cons.
It was an interesting story and an entertaining read. However for me it was another example of a book being over hyped. It was not outstandingly clever or original even though it was a good read. It will probably be a very, very good movie.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
We are introduced to Ross Quest, seventeen years old and already a very active member of the legendary Quest family of thieves. When her mother is abducted the only way she can find the ransom money is to win the Thieves' Gambit, an international competition of heists and cons.
It was an interesting story and an entertaining read. However for me it was another example of a book being over hyped. It was not outstandingly clever or original even though it was a good read. It will probably be a very, very good movie.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 21, 2024
LOLLLLL Dnf at 15%
Buddy read with clace, im a sl*t for mystery thrillers; hoping this is as good as everyone says it is.
January 19, 2024
thieves’ gambit ~ four heist worthy stars
read if you like/tropes
📌jennifer lynn barnes writing
📌ocean’s movies
📌competitions
📌heist
📌secrets
📌betrayal
*think of a dash of hunger games+inheritance games+ocean’s*
Rosalyn Quest; raised by her family of thieves and taught to trust no one. She plans on escaping her heist life for a little while; until her mother gets kidnapped. She enters a world-wide exclusive heist competition that only the best can play! unfortunately her childhood enemy is also a competitor plus a handsome charmer that Rosalyn definitely doesn’t have a crush on😉
I liked the heist and mystery aspect which is obviously why I picked up this book🤣 I also liked Rosalyn character building/ development. Trusting no one to being open about her trust issues, but only to be betrayed again😢
Our love interest, Devroe was rlly not my cup of tea and if he was it must have been iced tea but I wasn’t warming up at all next to him🤣 his charm is just no it, I guess🤷🏼♀️ the romance rlly feel flat for me. It was missing something or maybe just because I don’t like the love interest🤣 obviously I would be looking for romance if there wasn’t any but…👀
Also I want to note this is not an enemies-to-lovers! In no way were they ever enemies. Devroe was gunning for Rosalyn since first sight and Rosalyn was just to scared to trust anyone. That’s not being enemies😶
The ending, whoosh!! the second one should be interesting and ofc I’ll be reading it asap🤭 and yes, it ends on a cliff hanger🤸♀️
Overall I definitely recommend especially if you loved any of the ocean’s movies (I mean they are all about the hesit-ings🤭🤣)
read if you like/tropes
📌jennifer lynn barnes writing
📌ocean’s movies
📌competitions
📌heist
📌secrets
📌betrayal
*think of a dash of hunger games+inheritance games+ocean’s*
Rosalyn Quest; raised by her family of thieves and taught to trust no one. She plans on escaping her heist life for a little while; until her mother gets kidnapped. She enters a world-wide exclusive heist competition that only the best can play! unfortunately her childhood enemy is also a competitor plus a handsome charmer that Rosalyn definitely doesn’t have a crush on😉
I liked the heist and mystery aspect which is obviously why I picked up this book🤣 I also liked Rosalyn character building/ development. Trusting no one to being open about her trust issues, but only to be betrayed again😢
Our love interest, Devroe was rlly not my cup of tea and if he was it must have been iced tea but I wasn’t warming up at all next to him🤣 his charm is just no it, I guess🤷🏼♀️ the romance rlly feel flat for me. It was missing something or maybe just because I don’t like the love interest🤣 obviously I would be looking for romance if there wasn’t any but…👀
Also I want to note this is not an enemies-to-lovers! In no way were they ever enemies. Devroe was gunning for Rosalyn since first sight and Rosalyn was just to scared to trust anyone. That’s not being enemies😶
The ending, whoosh!! the second one should be interesting and ofc I’ll be reading it asap🤭 and yes, it ends on a cliff hanger🤸♀️
Overall I definitely recommend especially if you loved any of the ocean’s movies (I mean they are all about the hesit-ings🤭🤣)
May 10, 2026
ㅤજ⁀➴ ★★★★☆ 4,7 ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ
If there’s one thing i absolutely adore, it’s dangerous games filled with lies, secrets, and brilliant thieves and Thieves' Gambit gave me all of that and more
It was such a thrilling and addictive read, packed with twists and secrets that completely pulled me in Honestly, if i hadn’t been busy with my exams, I would’ve finished it in one sitting
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ִֶָ
• 𓍯𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒮𝓉ℴ𝓇𝓎
The novel follows Ros, a girl raised in a family of professional thieves who taught her from childhood that trust is weakness, and survival depends on intelligence, deception, and the ability to manipulate others Despite her incredible talent for stealing and planning, Ros has always dreamed of living a normal life far away from the criminal world But when her mother is kidnapped and a billion-dollar ransom is demanded, Ros is forced to enter the “Thieves’ Gambit,” a dangerous global competition that gathers the world’s most skilled young thieves in a series of high-stakes challenges and complex heists, where there is no room for mistakes or trust, and where the grand prize is powerful enough to grant the winner any wish
The novel beautifully blends mystery, psychological tension, mind games, betrayals, luxurious settings, and a plot full of surprises
•𓍯 𝕿𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝗹𝗈𝓽ִֶָ 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐
i rlly enjoyed the plot Even though some twists were predictable, the story still knew exactly how to maintain the feeling of surprise without making anything feel forced The pacing was fast, but never at the expense of character development or atmosphere The ending, especially, was clever enough to leave the reader satisfied while still opening many doors for the next book
That said, there were a few elements that felt difficult to fully believe or process as a reader For example: how could such a large and experienced family of thieves, with such a long history, fail to rescue her mother from being kidnapped? Still, i eventually understood where the story was heading, and honestly, i suspected from the beginning that it might all be some kind of setup anyway
• 𐙚𝓣𝐡𝗲 𝐂𝗁𝑎𝗿ᴀ𝑐ᴛ𝕖𝘳𝘴
One of the novel’s greatest strengths was how it presented characters who were impossible to trust completely That alone made every relationship feel tense and unstable throughout the entire story Even the quiet moments carried an uncomfortable sense of unease i loved the characters and their intense rivalry with one another, though I really wish we had explored them more deeply and understood their perspectives better
As for Ros herself, beneath all her skill and confidence is a girl who grew up in an environment that taught her to see the world as one endless game of deception Yet despite that, she still longs for a normal life and genuine relationships Her internal conflict was written in a surprisingly mature way, especially as she slowly realizes that survival sometimes requires becoming similar to the very people she always tried to avoid
•𐙚 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
Ros spent her entire life learning one rule: trust no one In her family’s world, emotions are weapons, hesitation can cost you your life, and even the people closest to you are capable of betraying you if it guarantees their survival Because of that, Ros is always cautious, constantly observing everyone around her and refusing to let anyone get emotionally close to her, no matter how sincere they seem
Then appears Devroe
From the very beginning, Devroe has the kind of presence that’s impossible to ignore intelligent, mysterious, sarcastic, and effortlessly charming While every contestant inside the Gambit treated one another as potential enemies, Devroe felt different to Ros because he was almost the only person who made her feel like she didn’t have to fight all the time
What made their relationship work so well was that the novel never once tried to convince us that it was “safe” On the contrary, every moment of closeness between them carried an underlying sense of danger Every time Ros began to rely on him, it felt like she was betraying everything she had been taught growing up Even as a reader, I found myself hesitating: is Devroe genuinely honest, or is he hiding another plan just like everyone else?
i especially loved how their relationship wasn’t built on dramatic confessions or exaggerated romantic moments, but rather on the small details amidst the chaos the glances, the hesitation, and their constant attempts to figure out whether trusting each other was even possible in the first place
More importantly, Devroe wasn’t just a typical love interest He was deeply tied to the novel’s central conflict, which made the relationship far more layered and impactful The closer Ros became to him, the more I felt like something was wrong, because the novel constantly reinforces the idea that love and trust may be the most dangerous risks of all in a world full of liars and manipulators
That’s why their relationship became one of my favorite parts of the book: a romance filled with tension, suspicion, attraction, and fear all at once to the point where i genuinely couldn’t decide whether i wanted them to trust each other or walk away before one of them shattered because of the other
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈·✦
In short, Thieves' Gambit is far more than just a story about theft or competition It is a novel about trust, betrayal, identity, and the people who are forced to treat their emotions as weaknesses that must be hidden It’s an incredibly strong start to a series that possesses every element of success: intelligent characters, a twist-filled plot, constant tension, and a subtle yet effective romance, all wrapped in an atmosphere that makes putting the book down nearly impossible
If there’s one thing i absolutely adore, it’s dangerous games filled with lies, secrets, and brilliant thieves and Thieves' Gambit gave me all of that and more
It was such a thrilling and addictive read, packed with twists and secrets that completely pulled me in Honestly, if i hadn’t been busy with my exams, I would’ve finished it in one sitting
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ִֶָ
• 𓍯𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒮𝓉ℴ𝓇𝓎
The novel follows Ros, a girl raised in a family of professional thieves who taught her from childhood that trust is weakness, and survival depends on intelligence, deception, and the ability to manipulate others Despite her incredible talent for stealing and planning, Ros has always dreamed of living a normal life far away from the criminal world But when her mother is kidnapped and a billion-dollar ransom is demanded, Ros is forced to enter the “Thieves’ Gambit,” a dangerous global competition that gathers the world’s most skilled young thieves in a series of high-stakes challenges and complex heists, where there is no room for mistakes or trust, and where the grand prize is powerful enough to grant the winner any wish
The novel beautifully blends mystery, psychological tension, mind games, betrayals, luxurious settings, and a plot full of surprises
•𓍯 𝕿𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝗹𝗈𝓽ִֶָ 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐
i rlly enjoyed the plot Even though some twists were predictable, the story still knew exactly how to maintain the feeling of surprise without making anything feel forced The pacing was fast, but never at the expense of character development or atmosphere The ending, especially, was clever enough to leave the reader satisfied while still opening many doors for the next book
That said, there were a few elements that felt difficult to fully believe or process as a reader For example: how could such a large and experienced family of thieves, with such a long history, fail to rescue her mother from being kidnapped? Still, i eventually understood where the story was heading, and honestly, i suspected from the beginning that it might all be some kind of setup anyway
• 𐙚𝓣𝐡𝗲 𝐂𝗁𝑎𝗿ᴀ𝑐ᴛ𝕖𝘳𝘴
One of the novel’s greatest strengths was how it presented characters who were impossible to trust completely That alone made every relationship feel tense and unstable throughout the entire story Even the quiet moments carried an uncomfortable sense of unease i loved the characters and their intense rivalry with one another, though I really wish we had explored them more deeply and understood their perspectives better
As for Ros herself, beneath all her skill and confidence is a girl who grew up in an environment that taught her to see the world as one endless game of deception Yet despite that, she still longs for a normal life and genuine relationships Her internal conflict was written in a surprisingly mature way, especially as she slowly realizes that survival sometimes requires becoming similar to the very people she always tried to avoid
•𐙚 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
Ros spent her entire life learning one rule: trust no one In her family’s world, emotions are weapons, hesitation can cost you your life, and even the people closest to you are capable of betraying you if it guarantees their survival Because of that, Ros is always cautious, constantly observing everyone around her and refusing to let anyone get emotionally close to her, no matter how sincere they seem
Then appears Devroe
From the very beginning, Devroe has the kind of presence that’s impossible to ignore intelligent, mysterious, sarcastic, and effortlessly charming While every contestant inside the Gambit treated one another as potential enemies, Devroe felt different to Ros because he was almost the only person who made her feel like she didn’t have to fight all the time
What made their relationship work so well was that the novel never once tried to convince us that it was “safe” On the contrary, every moment of closeness between them carried an underlying sense of danger Every time Ros began to rely on him, it felt like she was betraying everything she had been taught growing up Even as a reader, I found myself hesitating: is Devroe genuinely honest, or is he hiding another plan just like everyone else?
i especially loved how their relationship wasn’t built on dramatic confessions or exaggerated romantic moments, but rather on the small details amidst the chaos the glances, the hesitation, and their constant attempts to figure out whether trusting each other was even possible in the first place
More importantly, Devroe wasn’t just a typical love interest He was deeply tied to the novel’s central conflict, which made the relationship far more layered and impactful The closer Ros became to him, the more I felt like something was wrong, because the novel constantly reinforces the idea that love and trust may be the most dangerous risks of all in a world full of liars and manipulators
That’s why their relationship became one of my favorite parts of the book: a romance filled with tension, suspicion, attraction, and fear all at once to the point where i genuinely couldn’t decide whether i wanted them to trust each other or walk away before one of them shattered because of the other
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈·✦
In short, Thieves' Gambit is far more than just a story about theft or competition It is a novel about trust, betrayal, identity, and the people who are forced to treat their emotions as weaknesses that must be hidden It’s an incredibly strong start to a series that possesses every element of success: intelligent characters, a twist-filled plot, constant tension, and a subtle yet effective romance, all wrapped in an atmosphere that makes putting the book down nearly impossible
September 8, 2023
HOLY SHIT, DID I FINISH THIS BOOK OR DID IT FINISH ME?!
First of all, that ending! I didn’t even notice I was gripping my device so hard. I 100% predicted that would happen but it hits different when I’ve actually read it. For the first time, I was sad to be proven right. Ugh!
Okay, more of my spoilers thoughts later, I’ll focus more on my non-spoilery version.
Okay, where to start?
The setting/plot was so intriguing. Who doesn’t love a good heisting story, and a competition too! Imagine competing with high stakes, full of professional thieves, in a series of heists/phases. One thing about me is that I love LOVE heists so much, and I’m happy to inform you that this doesn’t disappoint! While I’d love to see more of the technical aspects of the heists, I was still impressed. In addition, I loved that there are a lot of betrayals that happened!
Moving on to the characters, in this story, we are following Ross Quest on her journey to freedom. She was so choked up with her mom always saying that she cannot be friends/get close to anyone if they’re not a Quest. So, when they had this mission, she concocted a plan to leave for camp without telling her mom about it. But the thing about best laid plans is that things wouldn’t always go as planned. Her mom was kidnapped and the only thing that could help her rescue her mom is to join the thieves gambit, which allows the winner one wish. And so she did enter. She met new and old faces. And the rest is history.
I really loved Ross and I had a good time reading through her point of view. She was also so badass and won’t let anyone get into her way. If she sets her mind into something, she’d never stop until she gets it.
————————————————————————————————————
SPOILERS BELOW>
So, as she entered the gambit, she met Devroe. A charming and mysterious guy. The moment I met Devroe, I knew that he’s too good to be true. It’s so odd that he immediately wants Ross/team up with her, just because he kinda likes her. He’s so good with words, which made him more dangerous, since Ross didn’t even have a single idea that he’s manipulating her thoughts already. Maybe at some point, he meant all of the words he said, but she’ll never forgive him for betraying her. GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK ALREADY!!!
I equally loved Kyung Soon and Mylo, they grew on me! I loved their team work and their personalities. Noella also kinda grew on me, specially on the last few chapters.
In conclusion, I think that this is a very fast read, enjoyable, and thrilling book. Read it if you love heists, competitions, and adventure!
THANK YOU PRHINTERNATIONAL FOR PROVIDING ME AN EARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW💛
First of all, that ending! I didn’t even notice I was gripping my device so hard. I 100% predicted that would happen but it hits different when I’ve actually read it. For the first time, I was sad to be proven right. Ugh!
Okay, more of my spoilers thoughts later, I’ll focus more on my non-spoilery version.
Okay, where to start?
The setting/plot was so intriguing. Who doesn’t love a good heisting story, and a competition too! Imagine competing with high stakes, full of professional thieves, in a series of heists/phases. One thing about me is that I love LOVE heists so much, and I’m happy to inform you that this doesn’t disappoint! While I’d love to see more of the technical aspects of the heists, I was still impressed. In addition, I loved that there are a lot of betrayals that happened!
Moving on to the characters, in this story, we are following Ross Quest on her journey to freedom. She was so choked up with her mom always saying that she cannot be friends/get close to anyone if they’re not a Quest. So, when they had this mission, she concocted a plan to leave for camp without telling her mom about it. But the thing about best laid plans is that things wouldn’t always go as planned. Her mom was kidnapped and the only thing that could help her rescue her mom is to join the thieves gambit, which allows the winner one wish. And so she did enter. She met new and old faces. And the rest is history.
I really loved Ross and I had a good time reading through her point of view. She was also so badass and won’t let anyone get into her way. If she sets her mind into something, she’d never stop until she gets it.
————————————————————————————————————
SPOILERS BELOW>
So, as she entered the gambit, she met Devroe. A charming and mysterious guy. The moment I met Devroe, I knew that he’s too good to be true. It’s so odd that he immediately wants Ross/team up with her, just because he kinda likes her. He’s so good with words, which made him more dangerous, since Ross didn’t even have a single idea that he’s manipulating her thoughts already. Maybe at some point, he meant all of the words he said, but she’ll never forgive him for betraying her. GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK ALREADY!!!
I equally loved Kyung Soon and Mylo, they grew on me! I loved their team work and their personalities. Noella also kinda grew on me, specially on the last few chapters.
In conclusion, I think that this is a very fast read, enjoyable, and thrilling book. Read it if you love heists, competitions, and adventure!
THANK YOU PRHINTERNATIONAL FOR PROVIDING ME AN EARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW💛
May 16, 2023
holy moly, this was a lot of fun; i can tell you right now this book is gonna be big. global heists, potential love, kidnapping, secrets, and MORE!!
August 8, 2024
2⭐️
I promise to be as gentle with my words as my heart will allow. We shall see how well this goes…
After reading several reviews from both GoodReads and NetGalley, it is very clear that I am going to be an outlier with both my experience and review of this book. And while there is nothing wrong with my experience being different from others (book are very subjective), I am VERY disappointed in my inability to truly enjoy this as much as several other readers. But…it is what it is and I am planning to read “Heist Royale” in the upcoming weeks so that is something.
Let me preface this by saying: THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK. Anyone who reads the synopsis of this novel will immediately want to drop what they are doing and start this book right away. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. Requesting the ARC was my way of forcing myself to give this book another chance. The first time I tried to read this was when the hardcover version was released. I made it through 4 chapters before I softly DNF’d this and made a promise to myself that when the audiobook was released then I would pick this up again. This time around is me keeping that promise. I participated in an audiobook and an ARC E-Book read along and found myself enjoying this a lot less that I did when I read it on my own the first time. Again, I am beyond disappointed that I feel this way. I was really hoping this was going to be my third 5 star read of 2025. But. Nope. That did not happen.
Why didn’t this book work for me???
✨The audio narrator made the FMC (Roselyn Quest) sound about 14-15 when she was supposed to be 17.
✨This entire book felt juvenile, especially the writing style. Maybe if I was in the 7th grade the I probably would’ve enjoyed this so much more.
✨From Roselyn’s mother to the all of the competitors in the Gambit, these characters were awful. And I can only remember one person’s name (MMC: Devore Kenzie).
✨The heists were boring and carried for far too long. Literally, heist two started from chapter 12 and lasted until Chapter 39 (I think. I can’t remember. This was both fast-paced and uneventful). Chapters 40-47 were focused on the final heist, which wasn’t even an heist. It was a rush ending and added to the annoyance of what this book was.
✨Speaking on the the final chapters, this book did not need to be 47 chapters to get to THAT ending. This book contains: gaslighting, cruel parenting, misplaced revenge, and bullying. And it all feels like it missed the mark.
✨The author’s attempt to end each chapter with shock and awe failed miserably. Yes, several of these chapters are short, making the entire audiobook 10 hours. But, each chapter’s ending either made you want to continue reading the next chapter or take a break. For me, it was the latter. I read the audiobook at 1.75x speed. What a huge help that was.
At the end of the day, I survived and I have 4 weeks before my Libby hold for “ Heist Royale” arrives. Trust me when I say that I will be spending the these next 4 weeks preparing for worst but hoping for the best.
However though, if you find yourself drawn to this book then give it try. You might read it and experience something completely different.
Thank you NetGalley and Nancy Paulson Books for granting my request for an Advance Reader’s Copy of a this book on exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
I promise to be as gentle with my words as my heart will allow. We shall see how well this goes…
After reading several reviews from both GoodReads and NetGalley, it is very clear that I am going to be an outlier with both my experience and review of this book. And while there is nothing wrong with my experience being different from others (book are very subjective), I am VERY disappointed in my inability to truly enjoy this as much as several other readers. But…it is what it is and I am planning to read “Heist Royale” in the upcoming weeks so that is something.
Let me preface this by saying: THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK. Anyone who reads the synopsis of this novel will immediately want to drop what they are doing and start this book right away. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. Requesting the ARC was my way of forcing myself to give this book another chance. The first time I tried to read this was when the hardcover version was released. I made it through 4 chapters before I softly DNF’d this and made a promise to myself that when the audiobook was released then I would pick this up again. This time around is me keeping that promise. I participated in an audiobook and an ARC E-Book read along and found myself enjoying this a lot less that I did when I read it on my own the first time. Again, I am beyond disappointed that I feel this way. I was really hoping this was going to be my third 5 star read of 2025. But. Nope. That did not happen.
Why didn’t this book work for me???
✨The audio narrator made the FMC (Roselyn Quest) sound about 14-15 when she was supposed to be 17.
✨This entire book felt juvenile, especially the writing style. Maybe if I was in the 7th grade the I probably would’ve enjoyed this so much more.
✨From Roselyn’s mother to the all of the competitors in the Gambit, these characters were awful. And I can only remember one person’s name (MMC: Devore Kenzie).
✨The heists were boring and carried for far too long. Literally, heist two started from chapter 12 and lasted until Chapter 39 (I think. I can’t remember. This was both fast-paced and uneventful). Chapters 40-47 were focused on the final heist, which wasn’t even an heist. It was a rush ending and added to the annoyance of what this book was.
✨Speaking on the the final chapters, this book did not need to be 47 chapters to get to THAT ending. This book contains: gaslighting, cruel parenting, misplaced revenge, and bullying. And it all feels like it missed the mark.
✨The author’s attempt to end each chapter with shock and awe failed miserably. Yes, several of these chapters are short, making the entire audiobook 10 hours. But, each chapter’s ending either made you want to continue reading the next chapter or take a break. For me, it was the latter. I read the audiobook at 1.75x speed. What a huge help that was.
At the end of the day, I survived and I have 4 weeks before my Libby hold for “ Heist Royale” arrives. Trust me when I say that I will be spending the these next 4 weeks preparing for worst but hoping for the best.
However though, if you find yourself drawn to this book then give it try. You might read it and experience something completely different.
Thank you NetGalley and Nancy Paulson Books for granting my request for an Advance Reader’s Copy of a this book on exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
September 14, 2023
CO TO MA BYC????🫠 „złodziejski gambit” idzie przemyśleć swoje zachowanie do kąta
a tak serio….
super pozycja jeśli chodzi o młodzieżówki z akcją, bawiłam się świetnie! kocham taki typ książek gdzie główną rolę gra kompetentna i zadziorna dziewczyna. pomysł na fabułę świetny!! wątek romantyczny również mnie zauroczył, ale przyznaję, że zakończeniem i jego przewidywalnością się zawiodłam:/ gdyby nie to, byłoby 4.5/5⭐️! niecierpliwie czekam na drugi tom;)
a tak serio….
super pozycja jeśli chodzi o młodzieżówki z akcją, bawiłam się świetnie! kocham taki typ książek gdzie główną rolę gra kompetentna i zadziorna dziewczyna. pomysł na fabułę świetny!! wątek romantyczny również mnie zauroczył, ale przyznaję, że zakończeniem i jego przewidywalnością się zawiodłam:/ gdyby nie to, byłoby 4.5/5⭐️! niecierpliwie czekam na drugi tom;)
December 20, 2023
For a teenage/ YA book, this author has done the unforgivable of aging her book before it has even been published. The use of modern terms and internet language has immediately made the story and characters insufferable, in a 2023 published book. This book has not even been on the shelves for a year and I can promise absolutely no teen will want to read aged internet language in five years, let alone ten or 20. This book has basically signed its own death warrant in this way.
Some of the main offenders:
- "Taking the L" - as in, "Mylo took the L and went into the other room". Are you actually serious.
- Printed iOS emojis in the text
- Netflix and K-dramas being mentioned, also a conversation about K-pop biases
- "I'll AirDrop you the details" said nobody ever
- Specific models of tech being mentioned like iPads, and Google Maps
- "BFF" "BS" - said out loud
- "If you hate on the eyeliner we can't be friends" this one sent a full shiver up my spine. Also this author making this eyeliner wearing gay man his only main personality trait the fact he wears eyeliner. Sits badly with me tbh
- Not in the actual story but in the author's acknowledgement she actually types "*clears throat*" with the asterisks and all which kind of says all you need to know.
The book was way too fast paced and not engaging because of how quickly the author wrote any sort of action scene. Maybe it would work in a movie context but not in a book context. Anyway I just wasn't engaging with any characters, everyone was a backstabber, nobody was likeable at all, and even MC was borderline a Mary Sue because she got out of every issue with little to no consequences. The entire book ended on a cliffhanger with no explanation to anything so whatever, I already knew I wasn't going to read the next one, but that just makes it even worse - there was no wrap up to the book whatsoever.
Also the enemies-to-lovers sucked, they kissed once and had no dynamic, and Ross' love interest was a boy with a "British accent" but did not specify where in Britain his accent was from. There are thousands of British accents, and for a thief who is well travelled and speaks lots of language she should have had an idea on where Devroe was from in the UK, the fact Author just doesn't narrow this detail down shows ignorance and a lack of research to be honest.
I digress, as usual, but most people read to escape reality and not be slapped in the face and reminded of things like Netflix and internet slang existing. You can still be engaging and relatable to young audiences without all this weird millennial and Gen Z language.
Some of the main offenders:
- "Taking the L" - as in, "Mylo took the L and went into the other room". Are you actually serious.
- Printed iOS emojis in the text
- Netflix and K-dramas being mentioned, also a conversation about K-pop biases
- "I'll AirDrop you the details" said nobody ever
- Specific models of tech being mentioned like iPads, and Google Maps
- "BFF" "BS" - said out loud
- "If you hate on the eyeliner we can't be friends" this one sent a full shiver up my spine. Also this author making this eyeliner wearing gay man his only main personality trait the fact he wears eyeliner. Sits badly with me tbh
- Not in the actual story but in the author's acknowledgement she actually types "*clears throat*" with the asterisks and all which kind of says all you need to know.
The book was way too fast paced and not engaging because of how quickly the author wrote any sort of action scene. Maybe it would work in a movie context but not in a book context. Anyway I just wasn't engaging with any characters, everyone was a backstabber, nobody was likeable at all, and even MC was borderline a Mary Sue because she got out of every issue with little to no consequences. The entire book ended on a cliffhanger with no explanation to anything so whatever, I already knew I wasn't going to read the next one, but that just makes it even worse - there was no wrap up to the book whatsoever.
Also the enemies-to-lovers sucked, they kissed once and had no dynamic, and Ross' love interest was a boy with a "British accent" but did not specify where in Britain his accent was from. There are thousands of British accents, and for a thief who is well travelled and speaks lots of language she should have had an idea on where Devroe was from in the UK, the fact Author just doesn't narrow this detail down shows ignorance and a lack of research to be honest.
I digress, as usual, but most people read to escape reality and not be slapped in the face and reminded of things like Netflix and internet slang existing. You can still be engaging and relatable to young audiences without all this weird millennial and Gen Z language.
September 23, 2023
This book had me holding my breath almost the entire time I was reading it. It was so exciting and fast paced, I really didn't think I'd finish it in one go, BUT I HAD NO CHOICE!! So much was going on, so many betrayals and twists...absolutely one of the best heist books I've read, I had so much fun.
Thieves' Gambit follows Rosalyn who has to enter a secret heist-based competition to win enough money to rescue her kidnapped mother. Easier said than done, because the other kids competing would do anything to win. And when I say anything, I do mean anything.
This is what I hoped All of Us Villains would be, just minus the fantasy. The characters were actually ready to off one another if it would better their chances, like real villains. It was refreshing.
Of course, I felt so bad for Ross whenever anyone betrayed her and that happened a lot. Poor girl can't ever catch a break. But the betrayals were what made this book so interesting, you can't put your trust into any character.
Which brings me to Devroe. I feel like he and Ross are endgame? But that doesn't mean I have to like him!!! He was really laying on the charm, but I wasn't convinced. I'd rather see Ross end up alone than with him.
I liked the other competitors though, Kyung-soon most of all. I think Lewis did a good job with giving them distinct personalities and skills, so I was never confused or mixing them up with one another.
I also liked the (fragile) teamwork that eventually led to some real friendships / the beginnings of a found family.
The plot was well-crafted too, there were a few moments where it didn't seem completely realistic, but it doesn't need to be realistic for me to enjoy it. It was just a good time overall.
The ending was a cliffhanger that made me want to jump into the next book ASAP, but I appreciate that a part of the story was concluded in this one. So this book could stand on its own if you decided not to continue, it tells a complete story (although you might still want a few answers after it's over).
I really am impressed with how everything came together, it's possible to predict the ending, but you have to pay attention to the details.
I will 100% be reading the sequel, and if you like Ocean's Eleven READ THIEVES' GAMBIT!!!!!!!!!!
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Thieves' Gambit follows Rosalyn who has to enter a secret heist-based competition to win enough money to rescue her kidnapped mother. Easier said than done, because the other kids competing would do anything to win. And when I say anything, I do mean anything.
This is what I hoped All of Us Villains would be, just minus the fantasy. The characters were actually ready to off one another if it would better their chances, like real villains. It was refreshing.
Of course, I felt so bad for Ross whenever anyone betrayed her and that happened a lot. Poor girl can't ever catch a break. But the betrayals were what made this book so interesting, you can't put your trust into any character.
Which brings me to Devroe. I feel like he and Ross are endgame? But that doesn't mean I have to like him!!! He was really laying on the charm, but I wasn't convinced. I'd rather see Ross end up alone than with him.
I liked the other competitors though, Kyung-soon most of all. I think Lewis did a good job with giving them distinct personalities and skills, so I was never confused or mixing them up with one another.
I also liked the (fragile) teamwork that eventually led to some real friendships / the beginnings of a found family.
The plot was well-crafted too, there were a few moments where it didn't seem completely realistic, but it doesn't need to be realistic for me to enjoy it. It was just a good time overall.
The ending was a cliffhanger that made me want to jump into the next book ASAP, but I appreciate that a part of the story was concluded in this one. So this book could stand on its own if you decided not to continue, it tells a complete story (although you might still want a few answers after it's over).
I really am impressed with how everything came together, it's possible to predict the ending, but you have to pay attention to the details.
I will 100% be reading the sequel, and if you like Ocean's Eleven READ THIEVES' GAMBIT!!!!!!!!!!
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
September 15, 2024
✰ 5 Stolen (Literally) Stars ✰
Note: Rating may or may not be based on pure enjoyment.
↢⯌↣
First Things First: Can we talk about the writing style?!? I was never lost, not even for a second. Every sentence was like smooth butter sliding on hot toast. AND I devoured it in one day.Maybe that was a mistake because I WANT MORE.
Second: Why didn't I pick this up sooner? I am MAD. And also, major regret that I didn't read this in November so I'd have the sequel ready to save me from the emotional trauma I’m currently swimming in. Seriously, my soul is not okay.
↢⯌↣
⚡ Characters: Amazing. Fabulous. Well, except for the select few I’d happily throw into a volcano (no spoilers though). There’s one that’s really got me torn, like I’m on the fence, but WOW am I pumped for them in the next book. You know who I’m talking about if you’ve read it. Hint: One of the gorgeous contestants. 👀
↢⯌↣
🔒 Rosalyn Quest: I LOVE her, bottom of my soul-level love. Sure, I’m not a thief or part of her heist, or a Quest, but I’ve got trust issues too, so girl, same. And YES, I’m bracing myself for all the glorious ANGST. 🖤
↢⯌↣
📣 PETITION: PLEASE read this book. For real. It’s gonna live rent-free in my head for a long time. You’ll understand once you dive in. Just do it. No pressure, though... except all the pressure. 😜
↢⯌↣
🌟 So yeah, 5 stars. 100% deserved. Now, excuse me while I not-so-patiently wait for the next one. (dying inside 🌟)
╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ Also if a someone special (the same) can be 'Queen Of Hearts' then I can be 'King Of Spades'or well, a someone will fit the role better
I WAS SO GIDDY, LIKE ACTUALLY KICKING MY FEET, GIGGLING, HIDING MY FACE. But then.........
↢⯌↣↢⯌↣
DAYYYYUUUUMMMM
RTC
↢⯌↣
🦹🏻💰🚨 | Pre-read review:
First off, massive shoutout to everyone who voted on my poll and rescued me from the abyss of indecision! Y’all are the real MVPs. Seriously, thank you!
Second: Confession time—I couldn’t resist and ended up devouring one of the poll books in about half an hour (I know, I know, speed reader alert), so yeah, I’m more than ready to dive into this one.
Third: Enemies-to-lovers in a HEIST? Umm, YES. Talk about ticking all the boxes! If that doesn’t scream "this book was made for you," I don’t know what does. Consider me fully invested and ready for some banter, tension, and criminal mastermind magic.
I’m just hoping I’ll love it as much as the rest of you seem to. Fingers crossed for a wild, thrilling ride! 😌
↢⯌↣
Note: Rating may or may not be based on pure enjoyment.
↢⯌↣
First Things First: Can we talk about the writing style?!? I was never lost, not even for a second. Every sentence was like smooth butter sliding on hot toast. AND I devoured it in one day.
Second: Why didn't I pick this up sooner? I am MAD. And also, major regret that I didn't read this in November so I'd have the sequel ready to save me from the emotional trauma I’m currently swimming in. Seriously, my soul is not okay.
↢⯌↣
⚡ Characters: Amazing. Fabulous. Well, except for the select few I’d happily throw into a volcano (no spoilers though). There’s one that’s really got me torn, like I’m on the fence, but WOW am I pumped for them in the next book. You know who I’m talking about if you’ve read it. Hint: One of the gorgeous contestants. 👀
↢⯌↣
🔒 Rosalyn Quest: I LOVE her, bottom of my soul-level love. Sure, I’m not a thief or part of her heist, or a Quest, but I’ve got trust issues too, so girl, same. And YES, I’m bracing myself for all the glorious ANGST. 🖤
↢⯌↣
📣 PETITION: PLEASE read this book. For real. It’s gonna live rent-free in my head for a long time. You’ll understand once you dive in. Just do it. No pressure, though... except all the pressure. 😜
↢⯌↣
🌟 So yeah, 5 stars. 100% deserved. Now, excuse me while I not-so-patiently wait for the next one. (dying inside 🌟)
╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ Also if a someone special (the same) can be 'Queen Of Hearts' then I can be 'King Of Spades'
I WAS SO GIDDY, LIKE ACTUALLY KICKING MY FEET, GIGGLING, HIDING MY FACE. But then.........
↢⯌↣↢⯌↣
DAYYYYUUUUMMMM
RTC
↢⯌↣
🦹🏻💰🚨 | Pre-read review:
First off, massive shoutout to everyone who voted on my poll and rescued me from the abyss of indecision! Y’all are the real MVPs. Seriously, thank you!
Second: Confession time—I couldn’t resist and ended up devouring one of the poll books in about half an hour (I know, I know, speed reader alert), so yeah, I’m more than ready to dive into this one.
Third: Enemies-to-lovers in a HEIST? Umm, YES. Talk about ticking all the boxes! If that doesn’t scream "this book was made for you," I don’t know what does. Consider me fully invested and ready for some banter, tension, and criminal mastermind magic.
I’m just hoping I’ll love it as much as the rest of you seem to. Fingers crossed for a wild, thrilling ride! 😌
↢⯌↣
June 24, 2024
This book turned out to be sooo much better than I thought it would! First off that ending plot twist caught me completely off guard and made the story even better. This isn't the typical book I read but it was nice having a change of pace. I ADORE Ross and Devore. I have even come to like Mylo, Kyung-soon and Noelia. I recommend this to people looking for a spy thriller!
September 27, 2023
I have to say despite the “Thieves’ Gambit #1” listing on goodreads I wasn’t expecting quite such a dramatic cliffhanger type ending that will have me waiting a frustrating year or so to know what happens next. I don’t regret devouring this one but I am a little annoyed as patience it’s my best quality. I really liked the main character and found her to be interesting and compelling. The storyline was a little predictable and I’ve never been so heartbroken to be right. Ross Quest is a teenage master thief and the first rule her mother taught her is that she can’t trust anyone not named Quest. She has started to plan for a different kind of life so she can meet other kids, make friendships and live a more typical life. But when a job goes horribly wrong she’s left with no other choices than joining the Thieves’ Gambit which has a final prize of one wish to the winner. I’ll definitely be anxiously awaiting book two in this series.
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