Full Speed To A Crash Landing is the first book in the new Chaotic Orbits novella trilogy by Beth Revis. It is a quick read that honestly left me with more questions than answers. Hopefully most of these questions will be answered as the trilogy continues but I can't help feel disappointed in the lack of world building so far. It just feels like it is missing something.

The premise for this story is that it is supposed to be a space heist. It all begins main character Ada is rescued by another ship when her ship crashed. As she is waiting for her rescue, she is also running out of oxygen. There is a sense of tension from the very beginning and right away you can tell that there is more going on with Ada than she's admitting.

As a character Ada is very snarky and she appears to enjoy bantering with the other characters especially Rian. Their dynamic has been advertised as romantic but it did not feel like that at all. It felt awkward and appeared to be going in the direction of insta-love. I understand that the novella is supposed to be short and compact but, there was so much more that needed to be explored with these two characters to make their dynamic believable.

If it wasn't for the surprise twist at the end, I likely wouldn't continue with this series. Yet in true Beth Revis fashion, she has managed to pull me back. I'm hopeful that more things will be answered as the story continues. Like I said, there is so many things that need to be fleshed out to make this trilogy more believable and enjoyable. Hopefully as a reader I'm not disappointed.
**Rating: 3.5 Stars**

4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 because of the wit, cleverness, and superb lying ability of our main gal. This is a novella that is both entertaining, death defying, and cute all at once. Even as our leading lady is performing deadly maneuver’s she is telling sad stories that make you think about the cost of both life and death. Of how close we all come at any given moment to the one tiny thing that might end it all. This is amplified in space, of course, as the smallest error or malfunction can bring down an entire ship and its crew. Yet certainly, Beth Revis means for the reader to consider that same minute possibility of death at any given moment here on climate ravaged, gravity pulled Earth.

While this is not a climate change dystopian book, it still holds a strong, compelling climate change message. That even from the depths of space all anyone can think about is what Earth once was, is today, or could still be with the right technology. Really what any planet could be with the right amount of carbon, H2O, oxygen, hydrogen, and (of course) radiant sunlight. I couldn’t help but think of Serenity at times and the messaging of what happens when government gets too involved in ‘perfecting’ society as it deems fit. There are no Reavers here, at least not yet; but there is a lot of political intrigue and possible conspiracy theories that have me scheming for book two.

Fair warning this little novella is a quick read and leaves all the questions unanswered. So you might want to be prepared with book two on deck; and not feel stranded on your own desolate ship as I am to learn my library hasn’t ordered it yet! Book 3 is (just) out so that’s something at least, and is the end of the trilogy. As always, for me, it’s nice to know there is an ending in place that is written and attainable as I read through any series (big or small).

This one is for anyone who loves Murderbot (although there is no AI as of yet), Rebecca Roanhorse, or any space book that doesn’t need to be a huge opera and/or have aliens. Full Speed to a Crash Landing is solely centred around humans and our nature. Our guilt of ruining Earth, our possible technological advances of the future, and our fallible tendencies when greed creeps in. Best of intentions or not Revis reminds us what being human really means; that one tiny misstep or malfunction could mean the end of it all.

I cannot wait to go onto book 2!

What a pleasant surprise this novella was! At first Full Speed to a Crash Landing was angling to be exactly what I thought it was—a romance novel set in space, filled with spice and tropes I do not enjoy (insta-love being the worst offender)—but then at the 66% mark everything took a sharp turn, layers were being exposed, the characters were given some substance, the story had something to say. I LOVED IT. I WAS ENGAGED.

NOTE: this novella is not spicy but it IS horny. 🤣 The romance is there (pretty immediately) but it doesn't really overwhelm the meat of the story, so if you are romance averse like I am, you should be okay with this one.

You should read this if:
• you would still find Becky Chambers's work enjoyable even if it were notably less queer,
• space pirates are an insta-read for you or you enjoy space heists, OR
• you are in a reading slump and some light sci-fi is in order.

I'm still sort of new to Beth Revis' writing, so the two books I got (This one and How to Steal a Galaxy) were kind of my jumping in point. I have to say, I enjoyed it! Her writing style is very unique, but I could smell what she was stepping in, and the story really pulled me in. I didn't like the main character at first, but she grew on me by the end of the book. I loved the action, I love the romance, just really great all around. I would recommend this book.

Full Speed to a Crash Landing was a really enjoyable read - although the "twist" felt very clearly sign-posted, it was fun to watch the narrative unwind regardless. Though there is some pathos, particularly in Ada's past, the tone is lighthearted and the story zips along. I enjoyed the play with form at the end, incorporating multimedia aspects. The side characters were particularly well fleshed out, and I'm very keen to see what happens next - I started the second in the trilogy right away!

A scavenger and a government guy clashing in space - lots of flirting, banter and chemistry between the characters. This is a novella, and it being part of a larger set up is pretty obvious. The characters are pretty solid, though both with their own agenda and secrets are kept. Ends with a cliffhanger, which is not my favourite thing but it did leave me wanting for the next book. In a nutshell, a fun, rather lighthearted space romp.

Beth Revis is a MASTER of space bound suspense and this book just frigging proves it. She set out to write something great to spite a critic and she absolutely did. This is a fins specimen of space heist sci-fi fiction and I almost can’t say more without giving anything away. The suspense was great, the action- amazing! And the characters–oh boy.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. I’ve been recommending it to everyone who will listen, and if you’ve gotten this far, kudos–now stop reading this review and start reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I’ve been in a book funk and haven’t read a book since August, but this book finally broke it. It kept me curious from the beginning. You know you’re missing something, but not what. The pieces do start to come together near the end. Luckily I have the second book to jump into.

Full Speed to A Crash Landing by Beth Revis is a fast-paced, witty sci-fi adventure with a delightful blend of tension and humor. Ada Lamarr, a resourceful and determined character, finds herself caught in a web of intrigue when a government salvage crew rescues her from certain death after a spaceship wreck. As she tries to pull off her own covert mission, sparks fly with Rian White, the handsome government agent who’s as clever as he is suspicious. With a mix of romance, suspense, and high-stakes action, Revis crafts a thrilling, unpredictable ride that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

A blast from start to finish! The length added to the appeal, leaving me with JUST enough, but desperately wanting the next in the series! The dynamic between the two MCs is just hot enough, but we still get enough science and intrigue to balance both sides of the story out. Well done, Beth Revis.

Ada Lamarr is a looter and has arrived at a spaceship wreck first, but due to a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit running out of air, she needs help. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew, and although they rescue her, they are not happy to have her aboard the Halifax. They are on a classified mission and don't want Ada to figure out what they are doing. While on the ship she enjoys their food and oxygen, but Rian White, a government agent is sure she is up to something. Although there is some chemistry between them, Ada does have a job to do. Just who is manipulating who? Will Ada or Rian be able to pull off whatever they are supposed to be doing?

I enjoyed this fun Sci-Fi story. Earth is basically a dying planet, and humanity has colonized a few new places, but there are factions that want to restore Earth to its former glory. There is government overreach, overpopulation, corporate greed and factions that are all involved in what has happened to earth and what comes next. There is suspense, humour, some chemistry, secrets and espionage all rolled into this story. It ends on a cliffhanger, but it is more to get you interested in what comes next, as this story does wrap up.

This novella was a quick, witty romp in space. The main character, Ada, is wonderfully sassy and I enjoyed the mystery of trying to figure out what she was really up to. I didn’t predict the climax and I was very pleased how it all came together. This one is perfect for the non-sci-fi reader who enjoys a romantic subplot. I am looking forward to reading the whole series and findout out where it goes next.

I have long-been a fan of Beth Revis so when I saw this pop up, I knew I needed to request it! I felt so grateful when my request was approved - thank you!

How can I describe this book other than: it was a great time! The main character (Ada) was full of spunk and sass and Rian, the hot agent trying to foil her plans, sparred with her consistently throughout. This was short & sweet - and what can I say, I love a little heist! If you’re looking for a quick, fun sci fi read - this is the one!

I have no idea how to rate this book. It's a fun, fast space romp with a clever, witty protagonist, and I had a fabulous time while reading it. But on a craft/quality level, not everything worked for me. I found myself wishing that the writing had been tightened up, and that some of the plot and pacing had been developed a little more. There were some elements towards the end that felt tacked on; I liked those elements a lot, but wonder if the book would have been stronger if they had been brought in earlier in the narrative. And the romance didn't totally convince me. All of that said, though, I devoured this book, loved the lead character, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

It feels a bit like this book was written in a flash of inspiration and then maybe not developed as fully as it could have been. I'm very excited to see if the author raises her game in the next book - with a little more finessing, this could have been a truly great book, far beyond the sum of its parts. I'm very hopeful for the rest of the series. Maybe some of the things that didn't work as well in this book will be explained or improved on in the next one. But even if not, I had a great time with this.

My enjoyment rating is 4 stars and my craft/quality rating is 2 stars, so I'm going with 3 stars overall - but I enjoyed this book more than a 3 star rating would suggest.

Thanks to Beth Revis, DAW, and NetGalley for generously providing me with an ARC for review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.
I love a sarcastic, spiteful, and slightly anarchistic FMC, y'all.
This book was so fun but also space is so scary. The first scene of this book was genuinely freaking me out, but then we got introduced to Rian and all was well. I'm so excited to read the rest of this series to see where the character relationships go. Most importantly, I want to see Ada take down the galactic government.

This is Beth Rivas at her best. This is a fun space romp adventure that manages to pack a ton of action and intrigue into a very small space. The book is not a romance, but has romance in it that makes all readers want to continue flipping the pages. We start with a salvager who is in distress and puts out a help call to another ship. She’s picked up by the rescue ship and becomes a temporary member of their crew to help with the current mission. Who was really in charge and what was really going on. This book fires on all levels.

Full Speed to a Crash Landing didn’t quite work for me. The story felt overly predictable and transparent, which took away any sense of surprise or suspense. The characters and plot lacked depth, and I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen that never really did. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I don't even understand what the point of this story even was.

This is a common review for the first two instalment in Chaotic Orbit series. Full Speed to a Crash Landing and How to Steal a Galaxy
There's action, rumour, spicy scenes (not my cup of tea but entertaining) and an excellent storytelling.
I liked the characters and the world building
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a quick and fun read with lots of excitement, action, and drama. Sometimes it can be really hard to properly develop characters in a novella, but I thought the author did an excellent job of keeping the action going while also letting us get to know the MC's. Ada was such a fun character that was easy to root for. She's witty, sharp, intelligent, strong. I thought the dynamic between Ada and Rian was really fun and they kept each other on their toes. The author did an excellent job of pulling you into the world and the MC's. If you're looking for a quick and light outer space heist story, this one's for you!

Any timing that doesn't end in death by lava is good timing. Obviously

I loved a lot about this book. There was really only one thing that bothered me, but let's talk about the good first. Ada Lamarr is stuck in space; but that doesn't stop her from being the most sarcastic ass hole you'll find floating in zero gravity. She's such a fun main character. A shameless flirt, a whip smart scavenger, and a begrudging conscious.

The thing that bothered me was that the author felt the need to really hammer home the point they were making. Inferring was not an option here, just big neon signs of the greater life lessons being imparted throughout the story.