I absolutely tore through the first book in this series, Full Speed to a Crash Landing, which was highly entertaining despite having some aspects that really didn't work for me. I was eager to pick this one up and was hoping that those issues  would be explained and/or improved on. With a little finesse, I thought the author could iron out some of the writing and pacing problems and have a really fantastic book/series.

Unfortunately I was extremely disappointed. I found the main plotline hard to connect with and kept setting the book aside because I wasn't engaged. The first book is very fast paced and chaotic. In comparison, this one is slower paced and light on action. I guessed every single plot element immediately, making the reading experience a bit of a slog since there were no surprises.

I also found the characters to be pretty one-dimensional. Rather than going deeper and feeling more invested in them, I found myself feeling frustrated. Ada is still a very promising character and a great narrative voice, but I wanted more depth, and her (and Rian's) character development was non-existent.

I wouldn't recommend reading this as a standalone. It's very much a "middle book" - with many of the problems that implies - and I think a lot would be lost if you read it without reading book one. In fact my strong guess is that the best way to experience this series is all at once in a big gulp.

I'm hoping that book 3 will roar back into high gear, explain some of the pacing issues in this book, and finish the series on a high note. I really wanted to like this book, and I'm still hoping to like the series as a whole.

For book one, I rated it as 4/5 for enjoyment and 2/5 for writing quality and craft, and ultimately decided on 3 stars overall, while noting that I enjoyed it much more than that rating implied. For this book, my enjoyment was a 2.5/5 and the writing quality and craft was a 2/5. My overall rating is 2.5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 2, because this book was such a disappointment that it retroactively reduced my enjoyment of the first one.

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

Book 2 of the Chaotic Orbits series.
Fun ride this is set on a different galaxy. Ada and Rian are back for the journey. Ada is a thief and Rian is very by the book they are a good pairing.
It is a silly roller-coaster ride of a book but good fun.
Happy to join the for the journey in book 3.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

This was fun!! I enjoyed this read so much, there's intergalactic shenanigans with characters I want to follow all over. I think the synopsis gives a little bit too much away, however, I just freaking loved this little novella and must have the third book now please.

Review: How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis

Quotes: "But I'd be a fool to ignore the fact that I can trust no one here. Everyone in this entire gala is either a mark or a badge At least, that's how I have to treat them."

"I was right. This one lives for the chase,
Good thing I like running."

"It's to remind me that something small makes all the difference in the world,"

"Rian, just because you're good doesn't mean the government is."

"This isn't a date, Ada." He's working so hard to keep his eyes on mine, not drifting south. What a gentleman.
"It could be,' I whisper. "And what an exciting story it would
become."


Review: Following the events of Full Speed to a Crash Landing,
Ada accepts another job that has her on course to see Rian again. After they parted on less than good terms.
She's invited to a gala, where high price items are up for auction. An announcement of a technology intended to clean the overly polluted earth's atmosphere is being made. However, it's not as heroic as it sounds.

I found this second installment much more fun to read. Ada and Rian's banter felt more fluid. He's by the book and works for earth's government. She's an expert thief who doesn't know a law she won't find a way around.
There's a good chemistry between the two.
It feels like a Batman & Catwoman sort of vibe. I mean that in a good way. There's a spark there.
Buried within this is actually a solid sci-fi story, I think. With Ada's family history on Earth. How personal it is to her.
She may be a thief, but she's got a heart.

Some fun one-liners and rapid pacing made for a brisk but fun reading experience. A good time overall.
I'd give this 4⭐️
I look forward to the next and final installment.

Thanks for reading 📚

Available now!
Thank you to Daw books and Netgalley for the ARC to review. Appreciate the opportunity.

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

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hard-copies. All opinions provided are my own. This blog post includes affiliate links.

This novella series is so good, you all! I live for moments where the FMC outsmarts the MMC & we get that time & time again with Ada & Rian. He is very smart, but she is smarter ;).

Set this game of cat & mouse in space & add in a passionate kiss or two, & you have a big winner.

Full Speed to a Crash Landing is the first installment & How to Steal a Galaxy, book 2, is out now. Read if you’re a fan of Ilona Andrews!!

5⭐️. Out now!
[ID: Jess holds the books in front of a green tree with red starburst ornaments coming out of the sides.]

This series is so fun and I'm loving it. This book continues the interactions between our MCs and builds out the world/universe they live in further, while setting up the third book. The banter is on point, the characters are competent and smart and it's such a good time. Bring on the next book!

So, I adore this series! It is fun and full of adventure and also I love me a tiny book. This sequel had a slightly different vibe than the first. I won't say I loved it quite as much as the first, but it was still really good. I think since it's a "closed-room" sort of thing, it didn't have the scope of the first one. Which again, not a bad thing! I think we learn a lot about the main characters and world, which I appreciated. But I will also be really excited to get back into space adventures, too, and maybe some other characters. The whole thing felt very relevant as well, which I always like. I will definitely be reading book 3!

Bottom Line: A different vibe from book one, but still a solid installment that definitely gives a lot of insight into the world and characters.

I stumbled upon Full Speed to a Crash Landing at the library and the next week I saw How to Steal a Galaxy on NetGalley. Full Speed was SUCH a good book. SciFi/Fantasy/Romance that was almost TOO short for me. I wanted to read the sequel IMMEDIATELY, so I was thrilled to start How to Steal a Galaxy. It picks up directly where the first book ends and you're thrown right into what happens next to Ada. Rian and Ada's relationship/dynamic is so much fun and I love Ada's train of thought as she's going through her heist, making you tag along for the ride. Highly recommended.

❝I'm the predator here. And he has no idea what I see.❞

How to Steal a Galaxy - Beth Revis
📚 Chaotic Orbits #2
📎 192 pages
★★★★★

Ever since I read Full Speed to a Crash Landing, i'm longing to know what will happen when they meet again after all those commotion and deception. I was thinking it's gonna be tense for sure that's why i'm so excited for the sequel to come out. Anddd the wait is totally worth it because even though short, How to Steal a Galaxy is bringing back those exact feeling.

The story continues with Ada given a new task to infiltrate the charity gala she has no interest in (unless she got paid enough) but then Rian is coming into the conversation, he's going to be there attending the gala. On the other side, Rian who is part of the security in the event is pretty much sure Ada is onto something presented in the auction. He's determined to catch her in action, but he doesn't truly know who he messed up with and what she's after.

❝I feel like I can't let you out of my sight.❞

Rom-com part is dominating this one not that i'm complaining. I live for the humor, the tease, the resistance, the push and pull between them. Never seen many female character as badass as Ada is. She's smart, she's sassy, totally get why Rian is literally at her mercy. I feel like he's visibly smitten and fascinated by her every word, her every move, and of course her wicked mind.

I really enjoy these space opera/heist novellas. Ada's machinations certainly keep me intrigued and entertained throughout, while Rian I did find a touch more frustrating in parts of this one but it will be really interesting to see how well they work together (or not) in the next installment which I believe will be the final one.

I do think the first one worked better for me, possibly because of the greater background cast in that one and you got more of sense of Ada's emotions, whereas in this her perspective feels more distant and it does feel frustrating at times that we're not getting a proper sense into her head and feelings, but I assume that's partly intentional as we know at this point that there's likely to be hidden cons that we're not privy to at this point as the reader.

It does make this one feel like much more of a bridging tale though, between the first novella where we had the reveal of Ada's character and plans, and the third which will have the final payoff. In that regard it may be better to read these close together if you can, and while I do enjoy the novella format and the satisfaction of quickly reading a book, I do feel like these could have been published together as one bigger novel, the first novella felt like it could have stood alone but this second one does not.

Overall though I had a fun time and I do recommend this series, particularly if you enjoy heist stories, space opera and also a bit of stick it to the climate destroying corporations/governments in general.

After Full Speed to Crash Landing launched this trilogy of high-octane futuristic heist sci-fi romance novellas, I was jazzed to pick up where things left off in Ada and Rian’s second eventful encounter.

Beth Revis combined a wise-cracking, savvy expert thief for heroine and straight arrow, capable government operative for hero playing a galactic-sized cat and mouse challenge with the continued existence of earth as their end game.

Only, readers are left wondering exactly who is the cat and who is the mouse…

How to Steal a Galaxy keeps up the twisty, suspenseful plot set up in the previous entry which, incidentally, really needs to be read first for this one to make much sense.

Ada returns to report in to the people who hired her and delivers the goods, but now they have an all new job for her to do. She gives her handler a hard time, but ultimately finds this task aligns well with her own inclination because it involves Rian White, the agent who got under her skin as much as she got under his. She must do the job at a high brow museum fundraiser where the galaxy’s elite will come to bit on Old Earth artifacts and donate to the cause of taking care of the aging, sagging planet that was nearly decimated by environmental issues and a super volcano fallout.

Ada’s Old Earth girl all the way and curls up her lip at these richy types‘ token efforts to look good and her home planet a little fascination piece. It’s cute to her how the head of security for the night’s gala, Rian White, is tracking her through the museum on alert for what she plans to stealth after her last heist left him holding the bag. If he only knew…

I enjoyed the twisty, turning plot style and Ada’s way of being flirtatious and mysterious. This time, with some idea of what motivates her and background of what is going on, I was onto much of her plotting so I enjoyed how she wound Rian up throughout the story. Their mutual attraction is a source of struggle for him because he’s a by-the-book type and Ada’s got a lot of larceny in her. But, she has a good heart and a strong heroic motive because the villain’s greed will destroy thousands of lives if successful.

In the end, I was left with a cliffie, but it wasn’t unexpected. Looking forward to the grand finale book that will be the biggest heist job of all if it can be pulled off.

For those who want playful and flirty with a heist caper sci-fi romance, this will hit the spot.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

So my rating is biased because I haven't read the first part of this series, mainly because I didn't know it was a sequel. But after reading a summary of #1 and paying attention to the recap clues in this one, I was fine story-wise. It's a nice heist novella, but I'm a bit unhappy that the story continues in #3, so there was no closure whatsoever. Overall enjoyable but I didn't really warm to the characters and found especially Ada a tid bit much.

3 stars

How to Steal a Galaxy is the second installment in author Beth Revis's Chaotic Orbits trilogy. Key Characters: Ada Lamar, and Rian White. This is dystopian series and is based in a universe where humans have destroyed Earth's environment. The story picks up not long after the ending of Full Speed to a Crash Landing. Ada had no intention whatsoever to continue working for the rebel group that hired her to retrieve the government’s plans for a nanobot climate cleaner if they weren’t willing to pay her for it, but then they offer a different an undercover mission to a charity gala where Rian will be in attendance.

Rian, meanwhile, has volunteered his services for the gala believing that the rare items up for auction will attract Ada’s eye. Hoping to catch her in the act and pin her with a punishable crime, Rian has no idea that Ada’s real mission is to convince him to join the rebels. And the rebels have no idea that Ada’s decided that kidnapping Rian is the most efficient means to an end. Ada will do whatever it takes to save Sol-Earth which has been abandoned and left to die thanks to greed, and people leaving for greener pastures.

Rian and Ada again have a curiously twisted chemistry, but lies, subterfuge, distrust, and opposing political views are some hefty obstacles for the pair to face. This series is a Space Opera with humorous dialogue. Ada isn't the most reliable narrator. She's always hiding something before we figure out what she's up to. I would love to see Rian get some narrative time to see what he is thinking besides the last pages of the books. I would love to see these books be a bit longer, but that's apparently the idea behind releasing 3 novella type novels.

This is book two in a series. You have to read book 1 before you read this book. This story picks up after the end of the prior story. It is the bridge between books 1 and 3.

Ada is on a mission to steal something. When she arrives at the party at the museum she is met by Rian. He is determined to stop her from stealing. The problem? He has no idea what she is trying to steal! The author gives a little bit about what drives Ada to do the dangerous things she does. The author introduces readers to “the big bad guy”. Rian in working as security for the function/celebration at the museum. The author ties all of Rian’s actions to Ada’s actions.

I thought this story was boring. It is definitely a bridge that is necessary to connect the entire story together but I struggled to finish it. I will definitely read the final book in the series to find out what happens. I think the author has an interesting idea but I wish this book was shorter and part of one of the other books.

Ahoy there mateys! This is the second novella in the Chaotic Orbits series. This was even better than the first. Ada is hired to steal something from one of the most exclusive galas in the galaxy. Rian is in charge of security for the event and certainly has his eye on her. The guest of honor is a tech billionaire. It was so fun to have Ada run circles around everyone. She is exasperating to others and a hoot. While, in general, I am not a romance fan, I have to admit that the tension between Ada and Rian is a lot of fun and I appreciate their banter. I was surprised by the twist! I wish I could talk more about the plot but it is best experienced without any spoilers. This is an excellent trilogy so far. The set up for the final novella (April 2025) has me super excited. Arrrr!

4.5 rounded up

Ada Lamarr is that stock character, the bounty hunter with a heart and integrity - think Hans Solo. A former inhabitant of Sol-Earth which is now almost uninhabitable.

The book opens after her last heist, to steal a prototype nanobot which the government intends to let loose on Earth. The nanobots are designed to clean up the polluted waters, however after Ada delivers the prototype her contact informs her that there is a secondary programme which is definitely not altruistic in nature. They need her to make contact with a government operative, Rian White, who has been shepherding the plans to release the nanobots through to delivery, without knowing that they are a Trojan Horse.

Ada's contact arranges for her to attend a swanky ball at the Museum of Intergalactic History on Rigel-Earth where the gazillionaire mogul Strom Fetor (think Elon Musk) is going to announce the launch of the nanobots and claim credit for saving Sol-Earth, whereas he is actually going to be holding the planet to ransom - very similar to what he did with the radiation sickness vaccine which he sold for exorbitant prices and thereby caused the unnecessary deaths and suffering of millions. Whew that was a long sentence. Rian will supervising security at the event where many priceless Earth artifacts will be auctioned off to raise funds to save Earth.

Think Ocean's Eleven (and any of the sequels) scenario. Misdirection, multiple players, multiple goals. Or maybe the film Out of Sight with George Clooney as the thief and Jennifer Lopez as the cop pursuing him.

I think I could have enjoyed this. However, this book is definitely part two, and at 144 pages it is more of a novella. I felt I had missed out by not having read the first book as there was no real context for the love/hate relationship between Ada and Rian. Also, the story ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, not in a 'are they alive or dead?' kind of way, but more in a 'and what happens next?' way.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

I so enjoyed this novella. When I requested it, I didn’t realize it was the second in a trilogy. They are absolutely delightful.

The main character, Ada, is so clever and snarky and smart and unreliable. The other characters are fully developed and interesting. Rian is everything I love in a MMC to an FMC like Ada. He is frustrated and intrigued and hot and also smart. But is he smart enough?

The story is told in first POV by Ada and it reads like she’s just telling you verbally in a lot of ways which is so perfect for what’s happening and her personality. It’s such an easy read but it’s still complex.

It was the perfect dose of sci-fi that I needed.

I am eagerly awaiting the third novella. I met the author recently and told her I was reading this novella. She informed me that her YA series Across the Universe (which I did read the first book ages ago when there was just the one) is set in the same universe. So it’s time to go back and finish it out (I stopped reading for a time) and read it to tide me over.

I think I love this series. The first two novellas in the Chaotic Orbits series are fast, fun, science fiction reads, filled with tension and stakes. They feel episodic - more or less complete in themselves, but enhanced understanding that they're part of an arc. I didn't understand that going into book one, but I knew what to expect in book two and had just an immense amount of fun.

This is a heist novel. It's hardly even a space heist, because it mostly occurs at a museum, but it is satisfying. Ada and Rien are back. Ada is at this gala to heist something and Rien knows it, but he doesn't know what or how she's going to carry it off. So they just keep circling each other in the most delicious way (a chaotic orbit, some might say). The reader doesn't know what she's going to heist either, so we're on edge about what might happen.

I wish I had more reads like this - just super fun, with a sparkle of romance, and science fiction hijinks. And I can't wait to see where this trilogy lands us.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital arc.

Another great read from Beth Revis. Davis is quickly becoming a favorite.