Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
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Web ID: 18066299delightful
Seventeen-year-old Rosalyn "Ross" Quest is a master thief. But she wishes she weren't. Instead of spending all of her time with her family at their Bahamian home base, Ross would actually really like to spend time with people her own age and maybe make some friends. Raised knowing that a Quest can't trust anyone but another Quest, Ross still feels the painful limitations of her life training and completing jobs with her exacting mother. When Ross's plan to sneak away to a summer gymnastics camp goes horribly wrong she's left as the only person who can save her mother's life. Staring down a deadline to deliver an impossible ransom, Ross enters the Thieves' Gambit--a series of international heists where the winner earns a wish for anything they want--including saving Ross's mom from her kidnappers. Ross is used to big risks and tight deadlines, but the stakes have never been higher and, she soon realizes, the usual rules don't apply. When being the best thief might mean being the last one standing, Ross has to use all of her training and her wits to stay one step ahead of the competition in Thieves' Gambit (2023) by Kayvion Lewis. Thieves' Gambit is the first book in a duology which concludes in Heist Royale. The story is narrated by Ross who is Black Bahamian and has a diverse supporting cast including potential love intest Black British Devroe and Ross's childhood nemesis Noelia who is Swiss and may have hidden depths. Starting mid-heist this novel has tight pacing throughout with tension that does not let up until the jaw-dropping conclusion. With heists across the globe including Paris and Cairo Thieves' Gambit is a cinematic adventure filled with morally grey characters and difficult questions. As Ross learns more about the Gambit, her competitors, and her own family, she's forced to question what it means when even the right choices feel inherently wrong. With fast friends, light romance, and plenty of action Thieves' Gambit is the best kind of adventure and a delightful addition to the heist sub-genre. Highly recommended. Possible Pairings: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Heist Society by Ally Carter, Immoral Code by Lillian Clark, Aces Wild by Amanda Dewitt, Overturned by Lamar Giles, The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning, Killing November by Adriana Mather, Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus, The Jump by Brittney Morris, Darkly by Marisha Pessl, Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Fun YA Thriller
For fans of The Inheritance Games as this thriller brings world class thieves together for a high-stakes competition. It’s a YA that’s part thriller and part romance as the competitors determine if it’s better to work alone or together..
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Need book 2 STAT!
Ohhhhh this book was so good! Literally did not want to put it down. Perfect pace, great well developed characters and a stellar storyline makes this a home run for me. I loved that Ross wanted to go do her own thing but somehow got sucked into the games in order to save their person she loves the most. That every other contestant was also around her age (late teens) made it so much better. And having her arch nemesis there? Absolute perfection! Ross Quest is from a family of thieves, and they are legendary at what they do. When a job goes wrong, she decides to join the Thieves’ Gambit to try to earn a “wish” that will allow her to set things right and save someone she loves. As the games begin, one contestant gets seriously injured and Ross sets herself apart from the others in more ways than one. I loved seeing her outsmart the opponents she is up against and was rooting for her from the beginning. The ending was a bit of a bombshell and the perfect set up for a second book, I cannot recommend this book highly enough, especially for fans of books like The Inheritance Games. 10/10 recommend this one!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Action Packed
A fast-paced, thrilling, and action-packed book about a thief named Ross, what's not to love? Join Ross on her journey as she navigates a high-stakes competition with love interest, Devroe. And get ready for a jaw-dropping ending.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fun action filled read
*ARC provided for honest review* This was a really fun read and exactly what I wanted. Following a 17 Year old FMC from a legendary thieving family, after her mom gets kidnapped and she has to enter an underground contest with other sucessful teen thiefs. I really enjoyed the pacing of the trials along with moments of character development and back story. Though a fun read it also covered some heavier topics and showcased growing-up and losing the glow around adulthood and other adults. Only giving a four because I felt some of the twists were predictable but it didn’t ruin the story. Great for a fun action read, similar to their Vicious Games and Oceans 8.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Exciting until the very end
Never a dull moment as high-stakes, twisted surprises, and secrets rush in from every side. Ross is a master thief, one of the best of the best, and she's only seventeen. But that's not a surprise considering she comes from a line of well-known thieves and has known nothing else her entire life as her mother incorporates her into every job as long as Ross can remember. It's a fine life except that Ross has absolutely no friends. Trust isn't something anyone in the family can afford. Still, Ross has dreams at being normal...at least, a bit...and wants to attend college or something. Not that her mom will listen. When a weird email invites her to the Thieves Gambit, Ross' aunt makes it clear that this isn't a 'good' contest of thieves, and Ross listens. That is, until her mother is kidnapped and she has no choice but to enter a very dangerous game. Anyone who enjoys high-tension tales such as Ocean's Eleven is in for a treat with this read. It's an edge-of-your-seat type of read and can be read in one go if time allows. It's very hard to put down and packs all sorts of action, dangerous situations, secrets, and more. So, action and mystery fans can find tons to enjoy in these pages. And there's heart as well as character development. Ross is understandably ready to see more of the world and life, although she does adore her family. Her dedication and love is inspiring and wholesome as are the relationships in the family...not that they're perfect, and that makes it more enjoyable. Ross also has trust issues, which is more than understandable, and it's this aspect which creates a well-formed arc to connect with her, root for her, hurt with her, and cheer with her until the end. There's also romance, but this was a could-leave-or-take one and doesn't carry the story. It does add an extra twist and works well in the character arc, but Ross already has her hands more than full with everything else. I'm curious to see which direction this aspect takes in the rest of the series. The author also manages to pack in more than a few very unexpected surprises, and this was a nice treat. Especially the end adds a stab to the gut out of the dark, which rings in expectations on the next book. Luckily, it's about to hit the market, too. I received a complimentary copy and found it to be a very engaging read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Incredible!
Ross Quest was just trying to get a glimpse of normalcy. She wanted to join a summer program. She wanted to make friends. She never would have predicated that her attempted escape would lead to her mother's capture. With her mother kidnapped, Ross will do anything to get her back. Even participate in the Thieves' Gambit. This book was incredible! The plot twist was insane. From the very beginning, it seemed easy to guess what would happen. That was DEFINITELY not the case. Every word was so well written. I would like to thank @netgalley, @PenguinTeen, and @kayvionclewis for the opportunity to read this book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fast-paced YA Heist novel!
Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest is a master thief, longing to leave the family business and have a normal life. But when her escape plans fall apart, leaving her mother in danger, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a heist competition where the winner gets one wish—which could save her mom. Her family motto is to trust no one, but she’ll have to make alliances if she’s to have any chance of winning… This was a fast-paced YA heist novel, full of competitive characters that kept me guessing who to trust. I was glad to see some genuine alliances as well as rivalries. The heists were clever and interesting, and the shifting alliances added several twists. Ross and Devroe’s banter was light and flirty, but the moments of vulnerability hooked me into their relationship. Her hangups about trust were believable based on her isolated upbringing, reinforced by her check-ins with her family during the heists. While I predicted a few twists and betrayals, I didn’t see the final dark reveals coming. I binged this in a day and can’t wait to read my ARC of book two! (ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Teen to prepare me for the ARC of book two. Opinions are my own.)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com