HEIST ROYALE by Kayvion Lewis

4 stars

This fun romp of a young adult sequel to Thieves’ Gambit (the first book must read first in order to appreciate the ongoing adventure) turns once again to the young scions of thieving families who get swept up into competition that involves life or death.

The late teens all work for a powerful organization of selfish gazillionaires who employ them on missions that will extend wealth, power, or execute revenge. Ross Quest, the only daughter of a powerful, ruthless thieving Mom grew up in a tropical island isolated from any friends by her overprotective mother. Ross has made friends during the first international thieving competition in the Thieves Gambit, and now has to further learn to work with, trust and rely on her new friends in order to survive a vendetta held against her by Diane, the mother of her love interest Devroe. Diane wants to wipe the Quest family off the Earth, and Ross has to win in order to stop her family’s death.

The intense thieving challenges roam the globe from the frozen tundra of Antartica to Madre Gras in New Orleans, and from the mountains surrounding Cape Town to a glittering casino in Monte Carlo.  Each new challenge strengthens the bonds between the friends, and even rivalries turn out to have friendship and loyalty as their base. With constantly badly behaving adults, the teens stage a rebellion of their own.

Thanks to Penguin Young Reader’s Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.