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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
This YA book was a great read that raced through and kept you guessing on its development arc…. I’m still reeling at such a cliffhanger ending, without any real closure there must be a book 2 coming our way and I can’t wait!
Rosalyn is our young thief from a cutthroat infamous family of thieves and her whole life has been about the business until she decides it’s time for change but is it?
Kind of a young persons oceans 11 challenge crossed with The inheritance games series
Rosalyn is our young thief from a cutthroat infamous family of thieves and her whole life has been about the business until she decides it’s time for change but is it?
Kind of a young persons oceans 11 challenge crossed with The inheritance games series
¡QUE LIBRO MÁS BUENOOOO! ¡NECESITO UN SEGUNDO LIBRO PERO YA!
Definitivamente, este libro se ha convertido en uno de mis favoritos. Por favor, léanse lo, no se van a arrepentir.
QUE LIBRAZOOOOOO
Este libro se lleva todas las estrellas del mundo
Definitivamente, este libro se ha convertido en uno de mis favoritos. Por favor, léanse lo, no se van a arrepentir.
QUE LIBRAZOOOOOO
Este libro se lleva todas las estrellas del mundo
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it was good but it didn't blow me away
This is the book that took me out of my awfully-long reading slump and I’m thankful it was this one. THE FREAKING TWIST, THE SUSPENSE, THE ACTION OMG???? It reminded me why my favorite genre is YA, this was written so so good omg, I’m glad I put it off until now bc the ending was crazy and I’m pretty sure I would’ve hated my life if I had to wait another year for the sequel. Now, I only have to wait 2 months for it (it’s still torturous tho
Rosalyn is part of a notorious family of thieves. No heist is too big for the legendary Quests. Ross is ready to take a break and have a life with real friends though. When her mom gets kidnapped on the heist she was plotting to use as her escape, suddenly all her plans change. Ross is thrust into the Thieves’ Gambit in an effort to win the final prize and her mom’s freedom. In some ways she is going to get what she was seeking—being forced to work with peers and learn who is friend and who is foe, especially after running into an old rival. The romance is teased, but is negligible to the point of the story for the first part of this duet. The intrigue of the challenges presented to the players is the real highlight here. The tension those setups create all culminate in a a cliffhanger that was both predictable and also not, leaving me eager to dive into book two.
A decent book can be ruined by a bad ending. This book is one of them.
The ending is not bad in how it leaves the characters or even morality-wise (as much as a story about thieves can be moral), but it does feel rushed and not particularly clever. There also didn't feel like there were enough signposts as to the
Spoiler
betrayalSpoiler
Ross essentially loses three times over, emotionally returning to the emotional state she was in at the start, losing and cutting ties to the friends she gained along the way; realising the truth to her mom's manipulations, thus 'losing' her mom and her edge over the organisation; and finally losing her trust in (and burgeoning relationship with) Devroe.I hope the ending is mostly down to this really being part one of a longer story. That the frantic last chapter, while capturing Ross' state of mind well, has more that is yet to be explained. Because everything else was well done. There were multiple heists, a showdown on a train and a switcheroo of a stolen object, lasers were dodged and a fancy party attended, listening devices and laptop hacking. All in all, a great rollercoaster of a plot with many ups and downs. There was even some very minor commentary on how the super rich get rich and the racial politics of those in said circles.
Would have been 4 stars if not for the ending, and the ending itself is 2 stars. Splitting the difference and going for 3 stars for now.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Finished as one of four completed in a book retreat weekend!!
This was not as thrilling or engaging as I expected. I love heists, but I don't like terrible family drama. Basically every conflict here is based in terrible family drama, all sorts of secrets and betrayals, emotional and financial abuse. Way less interesting than a heist alone. If you need some type of human interest and trauma to make your heist worthwhile, this might be a 5-star read for you.
The thieves are all kids from famous crime families, and they have varying levels of advanced knowledge about the Gambit. The MC's opening made me instantly hate her family & history. This was supported by later events. Devroe also made me uncomfortable, Nalia grew on me.
It was too emotional for my mood, but there were some good snatch & grabs, some good partnerships, some good plans. This might have hit better as a movie. I don't like the ending or the direction they're taking for the sequel, so I'll not be reading that anytime soon.
This was not as thrilling or engaging as I expected. I love heists, but I don't like terrible family drama. Basically every conflict here is based in terrible family drama, all sorts of secrets and betrayals, emotional and financial abuse. Way less interesting than a heist alone. If you need some type of human interest and trauma to make your heist worthwhile, this might be a 5-star read for you.
The thieves are all kids from famous crime families, and they have varying levels of advanced knowledge about the Gambit. The MC's opening made me instantly hate her family & history. This was supported by later events. Devroe also made me uncomfortable, Nalia grew on me.
It was too emotional for my mood, but there were some good snatch & grabs, some good partnerships, some good plans. This might have hit better as a movie. I don't like the ending or the direction they're taking for the sequel, so I'll not be reading that anytime soon.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Summary
Ross Quest wants to get away from the family thieving business and experience life--maybe make some friends. That desire contradicts her mother's number one rule: Don't trust anyone outside the family. According to her mom, family is all you need and all you should want. Rule number one isn't enough to prevent Ross from wanting something different until her mom is kidnapped. Suddenly, priorities become crystal clear. Desperate to get her Mom back before it's too late, Ross accepts an invitation to compete in the Thieves' Gambit. The prize? A wish. But what if there's another prize? What if the other competitors could be more? But these other thieves -- other teenagers with complicated families and desires -- can't be her friends. They're distractions, threats. Right?
My Thoughts
Initially, this book felt unique in premise but somewhat standard in execution. That shifted as the story progressed and the themes deepend. What started out as a standard "complete impossible challenges to save a loved one" turned into a story about friendship, trust, loyalty, generational trauma (though not overtly), and confronting disconnects between what you've been told is the right choice and what you actually believe to be right. It's still an action-adventure challenge story, but I appreciated the deeper elements, and I'm definitely in for book two after the plot twists that ended book one!
Content
Some minor swearing and at least one rude gesture. One very minimially descriptive kiss. Some violence, not descriptive/graphic. No religious content that I can remember.
Ross Quest wants to get away from the family thieving business and experience life--maybe make some friends. That desire contradicts her mother's number one rule: Don't trust anyone outside the family. According to her mom, family is all you need and all you should want. Rule number one isn't enough to prevent Ross from wanting something different until her mom is kidnapped. Suddenly, priorities become crystal clear. Desperate to get her Mom back before it's too late, Ross accepts an invitation to compete in the Thieves' Gambit. The prize? A wish. But what if there's another prize? What if the other competitors could be more? But these other thieves -- other teenagers with complicated families and desires -- can't be her friends. They're distractions, threats. Right?
My Thoughts
Initially, this book felt unique in premise but somewhat standard in execution. That shifted as the story progressed and the themes deepend. What started out as a standard "complete impossible challenges to save a loved one" turned into a story about friendship, trust, loyalty, generational trauma (though not overtly), and confronting disconnects between what you've been told is the right choice and what you actually believe to be right. It's still an action-adventure challenge story, but I appreciated the deeper elements, and I'm definitely in for book two after the plot twists that ended book one!
Content
Some minor swearing and at least one rude gesture. One very minimially descriptive kiss. Some violence, not descriptive/graphic. No religious content that I can remember.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Racism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail