e-Audio, 10:20:33
Narrated by: Jade Wheeler
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Published by: Books on Tape
Read from: October 3-4, 2023
Thieves’ Gambit, #1
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a copy of this audiobook from PRH Audio in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review)
TW: Gun Violence, Kidnapping, Emotional Abuse, Violence, Death of Parent, Gaslighting, Toxic Friendship, Racism, Car Accident
For Readers Interested In: Thrillers, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Romance, Heists, YAThe Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.
At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance.
In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world–a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.
Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I don’t what I was expecting when I saw that this was comped to Ocean’s 11 & The Inheritance Games, but it wasn’t THAT lol There’s a reason I binge read this in like one day. If I had the time I would have finished this in one setting. It was so good. And there’s another one coming?! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THIS?
Ok so boom, there’s this competition that brings all these different types of theives together. It sounds like they’re all bad people, but they are all like bad ass. They are all then pitted against each other and trying to win not only the prize money, but also the prize of wishing for anything in the world. But the competition is TOUGH. Not only does she see her old nemesis, but also a guy she wants to fall for but knows she can’t. Is she going to be able to work through all of these things , be a teenager, AND win the competition at the same time?
Ok so the only thing that I didn’t like about this was the way some things that happened happened too easily. Like it was too convenient. It seemed like it was there to move the plot. And usually that doesn’t make a difference to me, but in a book like this, it was super obvious. But I also acknowledge that this was a YA book so it really didn’t MEAN anything to me. I was just able to notice it.
The characters were so cool tho. They were all different and I really loved learning more about them and the different ways they were able to do those things. Also all of them seemed smart af. Even some of the things they knew I didn’t lol And I’m the adult lol And all the thievery things they did was also so fun too. But that one mean girl was getting on my damn nerves. Call me what you want, but I would have left her or got her kicked out as soon as I could. I don’t care who you think you are lol
The ending was a little weird to me. I remember I was laying down and it was like around 3am when I was reading the end of it. And let me tell you I wasn’t ready. When I got to THAT PART I sat up and was like “SAY WHAT NOW?!” I almost woke up my kid because I was so flabbergasted. I remember even listening to this like 3 times just to make sure I heard what I heard.
The narrator was great too. She was really easy to listen to. I also thought she was pretty good at making the voices different. The ones for the guys were different than the main character, and it was cool to see how she made their voices so different. I do wish there were some sound effects (like the laser things that were there for the like alarms and stuff) but it was still fine. I guess save the money for the movie. Because Lordt knows I’m going to need every single scene to be in this movie lol
This had it’s weird moments where I side-eyed it, but I also loved all of them. I liked this so much I added it to my list for my library system’s tournament next year. And to hear that this has already been optioned for film rights and the author has already visited my area at least once, I’m excited to invite her to our system. I’m definitely going to push this one. If nothing else, it’s too cool to pass up.
Overall, I give this
