Book Review: Thieves’ Gambit (Thieves’ Gambit #1) by Kayvion Lewis

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Mystery/Thriller
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kayvion Lewis
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen
Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The 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.

INTRIGUED.

This wasn’t initially on my radar but I’m so happy I picked it up! It was a great heist book that I really enjoyed seeing the unveiling and action and chaos as the gambit continued. I loved the main character and her commitment to helping her mom. The side characters were also wonderful and I liked the dynamics that played out as the game progressed.

There’s even a sweet little sub-plot romance that had me smiling and questioning all the motives. I absolutely LOVED the ending. There were so many good twists that I had no idea were coming and kept me guessing and racing towards the end. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book to see where this story continues!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Thriller
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, death of a parent, knife/gun violence, kidnapping

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ARC Book Review: The Seaside Homecoming (On Devonshire Shores #3) by Julie Klassen

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: December 3rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Disgraced eldest sister Claire Summers has been living in exile as companion to a stern great-aunt in Scotland. About to become homeless and longing to be reconciled with her estranged family, Claire answers an advertisement from someone looking for a “respectable female partner” in a Sidmouth boarding house. Is it a sign or another reckless mistake? When she meets the handsome, secretive proprietor, she wonders what he’s hiding and if he’s any more trustworthy than the nobleman who betrayed her years ago. Even as she is drawn to him, she fears he will reject her when he discovers her genteel façade hides a less-than-respectable past. Meanwhile, the Summers family learn their great-aunt has died and Claire has disappeared without a word. The sisters rally together to find their lost sibling, but will their unexpected reunion heal old wounds and rekindle their bonds . . . or widen the divide? Return to the picturesque Devonshire coast as the Summers sisters navigate romance, second chances, and the enduring strength of sisterhood in the face of adversity.

Thank you to Bethany House for the gifted copy.

LOVED MEETING CLAIRE.

I have been waiting for Claire’s story since I started this series and I enjoyed so many aspects of it. I loved how strong she was in the face of a lot of tough circumstances for this time period. So many things weren’t fair and she persevered through it all.

I loved the slow burn romance and the building of a friendship to more. It was very sweet and I adored Mr. Hammond. They were both in the right place at the right time to connect and realize the family they were building. I loved the single dad trope for his historical too. And some of the side characters were endearing and I was charmed by them too.

For a few of the other more antagonist based characters, I didn’t love. I just thought some of the plot points weren’t necessary nor did I love how Claire’s Mom behaved. It was like I understood where she was coming from initially, but the hold out only frustrated me.

A good read with hints towards book four that I’m really looking forward to as well. I adore this series as a whole. I love the themes and enduring sense of hope that is woven in.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: mentions of abuse

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Book Review: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch #3) by Lyla Sage

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

LOOOOOVED IT.

I am so happy I decided to pick up this series this year because it has my whole heart and soul now. I am obsessed with this whole family and can’t get enough. I loved how the enemies to lovers was executed here. You could FEEL all of the tension and the banter set the perfect edge.

The nanny x single dad trope made my heart burst. I loved all of the little tender moments and watching Teddy and Gus realize just how much love was already there. And even better, it fit into my plot > spice scale (which is totally arbitrary to my own thoughts, but if you know me this might make sense to you).

And the audiobook is top notch. I love dual POV so dang much. This entire series is worth the read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3 open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Sword Catcher (Sword Catcher #1) by Cassandra Clare

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy
Length: 604 pages
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

WHY SO LONG.

Initially upon starting this I was very interested, I loved the general plot bones and the characters were great. I didn’t have any major complaints until around 60% when I started to feel like nothing was truly happening. There were a lot of tiny things going on, but no big plot movement until the very end.

I just didn’t see it needing to be 600 pages long. And the romance lost me too. I thought it was going one way, then it went another, and then ANOTHER, and I think one more time too? Which is fine and all, but it made the whole idea feel shallow. I loved how morally gray the entire book felt with each character making some questionable decisions in the name of what they believed to be the greater good. There will be awesome fallout from that in the future books I’m sure.

There were some good twists and like I said previously, the bones of the book are good. I’m not sure this was enough for me to keep going with the series though? We’ll see.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: moderate innuendo; fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: abuse (whipping), blood/gore depiction, loss of loved ones, near death experiences

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