Gambit by C.L Denault
Pages: 556
Publish date: March 31st 2015
Publisher: REUTS Publications
ASIN: B00VHHE21S
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU
In Earth’s battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills rise to power and fame. Those without live in poverty.
Sixteen-year-old Willow Kent believed she was normal. But when a genetically-advanced military officer shows up in her village and questions her identity, long-buried secrets begin to emerge. With remarkable skills and a shocking genetic code the Core and its enemies will do anything to obtain, Willow suddenly finds the freedom she craves slipping through her fingers. Greed, corruption, and genetic tampering threaten every aspect of her existence as she’s thrust, unwilling, into the sophisticated culture of the elite Core city. To ensure peace, she must leave the past behind, marry a man she’s never met, and submit to the authority of a relentless officer with a hidden agenda of his own.
Her life has become a dangerous game. How much will she sacrifice in order to win?
Gambit:
I received a free copy of Gambit by C.L Denault from REUTS Publications via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. This has no way influenced my review.
I didn’t know what to expect when I requested to Gambit, I thought it sounded interesting and something that I was going to like. I wasn’t expecting to love it. However, as soon as I started to read, I was captured by the story and the characters. I was in a whirlwind of imagination and enjoyment.
Gambit follows Willow on her journey of self-discovery, heartache, betrayal and a completely new world. I don’t want to say too much and spoil you, hence it’s hard to tell you what the story was about, without giving too much away.
I loved Willow, she was a badass with a soft side. She knew how to stand her ground and if somebody messed with her, well it didn’t end up well for them. Willow is from a Village and has a way of speaking that I loved. It’s that older English/Irish/Scottish type. I can’t explain it, but you know that accent that you hear when you watch fantasy or big war movies set in the United Kingdom – that’s the accent.
She works in the tavern that her family owns and she knows her stuff. She knows how to deal with the drunks and people around the town love and care for her to bits.
Gambit starts off with her working in the tavern on a night that is quite busy, because they are waiting for a message. A message from The Core. The core is where all the wealthy, knowable, well-respectable people live, including the high families. And if you don’t know already the messages isn’t the best of news.
What I really loved about the village that Willow lived in, was that they seemed like this one big family, especially in the tavern – I actually adored the scenes at the start, where you can see everyone looking after each other.
“To navigate the Core, you’re going to need strategy. You’re dealing with elements you don’t yet understand. this city is a chessboard. Here, you either play- or get played.”
I also adored Willow’s family, like every member. When is it that you love every member of the protagonist’s family in a young adult novel – never? But I just loved them all. Both her parents were caring and I wanted to hug them both. They love Willow so much and they will do anything for her. Her siblings as well, just oh my heart, oh of her twin brothers, he melted me.
I feel that Willow had many father figures throughout the novel that it made it unique, she had her dad obvious, her instructor and Joshua. The reader is able to understand that each one of these men care for Willow as a daughter.
Her best friend, I didn’t like him at all. He wants to marry her, (and this isn’t really a spoiler, because you can see it from the start) but he is also really over protective. But the over protectiveness that crosses the line. Yes, I felt a little bad for him, however it was hard to get over the protectiveness side.
I truly enjoyed the world that C.L Denault created. It was fantastic. I was intrigued with everything. I would say the world is a mix of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Pawn by Aimee Carter and The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. And I love all these books, therefore it was really interesting. I wanted to know more and more as the story went on. It’s a mix of fantasy, as people have powers, however science also plays quite a bit role.
The tigers had battled, and mine had gone down in defeat.
The reader is able to see Willow grew throughout Gambit and it was pleasing to see. She still has a great deal to learn, nevertheless for a first book in a series she grew quite well.
Reece, what can I say about him. I don’t know if I love him or I hate him yet. You see this commander side, which I don’t like at all. He is rough, tough and horrible. But then you see this soft side and I am just confused.
Overall, I certainly loved Gambit. It was an entertaining, exciting and thrilling read. It’s a mix of fantasy and dystopian and a world that has so much to build on. C.L Denault writing is intriguing and pulls you in and in.
If you enjoyed fantasy and dystopian with a little bit of science that isn’t too hard to understand, then Gambit is the book for you.
Have you read Gambit? Did you like it? Are you going to read it?
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