Scan barcode
A review by lastblossom
Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Seamless combination of heist and competition with tons of tasty plot twists, and a hint of romance to round everything out.
Thoughts
Um, this book is excellent? Not that I didn't expect to love it, but I didn't expect to love it this much. Two of my favorite genres are heists, and mysterious competitions hosted by shadowy figures. So the combination of such is already right up my alley, but also Kayvion Lewis absolutely nails the execution - a perfect balance of both ideas. The showcased heist is cleverly planned and very satisfying, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns as the characters competed to outdo each other. There's also a romance subplot that took a back seat to the story kind of by necessity, but the chemistry was pretty sparking. I actually appreciated the rivalry plot with a childhood frenemy even more, with all of its serious girlboss vibes. Although it doesn't technically end on a cliffhanger, there is just enough of an open door that we might see more in the future. I'd certainly be happy if we did.
Edit: We've got a sequel, and it's great! Check out my thoughts on the second book here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Seamless combination of heist and competition with tons of tasty plot twists, and a hint of romance to round everything out.
Thoughts
Um, this book is excellent? Not that I didn't expect to love it, but I didn't expect to love it this much. Two of my favorite genres are heists, and mysterious competitions hosted by shadowy figures. So the combination of such is already right up my alley, but also Kayvion Lewis absolutely nails the execution - a perfect balance of both ideas. The showcased heist is cleverly planned and very satisfying, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns as the characters competed to outdo each other. There's also a romance subplot that took a back seat to the story kind of by necessity, but the chemistry was pretty sparking. I actually appreciated the rivalry plot with a childhood frenemy even more, with all of its serious girlboss vibes. Although it doesn't technically end on a cliffhanger, there is just enough of an open door that we might see more in the future. I'd certainly be happy if we did.
Edit: We've got a sequel, and it's great! Check out my thoughts on the second book here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism