Gambit by C.L. Denault

In Earth's battle-ridden future, humans have evolved. Those with extraordinary skills ride 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?

Review

I got this book a long time ago and forgot that I had it. I'm trying to catch up on my reading, because I requested a bunch of books to read over the next few months. So, I'm trying to get through the ones I already have, which is taking some time, since I'm also taking classes again, now. 

I'm sad that I waited so long to read this book! It was AH-MAY-ZING! It reminded me a little of Six of Crows, which is one of my favorite books,

Will is an awesome character!  I absolutely loved her! I ♥ the tiger references! More below (**contains spoilers**).

Despite how much I absolutely ♥ ♥ ♥ this book, I was really sad after I finished it. Somehow I had slipped over this book on my NetGalley shelf, due to the new-ish format, where all of the books you have requested are not all in the same place and are spread out in several different spots. 

By the time I realized that this book had been moved to a different section, I could't download it. Thank god it was available to download through the library, because knowing my cheap self, I probably wouldn't have bought it, which would have been a HUGE mistake! I'm so glad that I didn't just delete it from my shelf since I couldn't download it from NetGalley anymore! 

However, I am sooo sad that the next books in the series haven't been released yet! When I saw how long Gambit had been on my shelf and looked at the release days, I was so excited, because I thought that I might get to keep reading after I finished it, but there is no release date listed on the second book in the series yet. ☹️

However, I did email the author to see if she would be willing to send me an ARC of the next book, and she was super nice and responded the next day. She said that she is not sure when it will be released yet, but she will put me on a list to be sent an ARC! 

**BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW**

If you plan to read the book and don't want to know any more, I suggest stopping here.

While I do see the appeal, and I do understand it, I was super disappointed with the way Willow submits to Reece. I know she is only 16, but still... However, I am willing to admit that by the end of the book, my mind was starting to change about him too, but I still have my reservations. 

Side note: I ♥ ♥ ♥ Tem and hope that we will see more of him in the coming books. 

I am super excited to see what happens next and learn more about Joshua and how Kane fits into everything. 

I will be (not so) patiently waiting for the next book!

I kind of received a copy of this book from NetGalley, but not really.