In the spirit of full-disclosure, not only had I not listened to the first book in the series before requesting this one, I had not even heard it, nor had the author been in my radar. I do not regret a single thing. I was able to listen to a copy of the first book, Full Speed to a Crash Landing, through the library and had such a good time listening to it, that I immediately started this one.
Given that this is a short listen, a mere 4 hours (and so is the other one), one may wonder how in-depth the world building and character development goes. I can assure you that there is no skimping here. Revis paints a very clear picture of the breadth of the Universe in this future, the modes of travel and in general how things work in terms of politics or inter-world relations. The plot is action-packed, but also way to follow. The characters have enough depth to make them believable and relatable. Ada is a multi-dimensional character with wit, but also a lot of heart. Rian’s character has been a little slower to develop since we haven’t seen much of him yet, but based on how book two ends, I am pretty sure the next book is where his character will really take off. I very eagerly look forward to the next instalment.
The narrator for Ada did an excellent job bringing her and the story to life. We do not get much of the narrator for Rian, except at the end, but my hope is that we will have a dual POV in the next book… here’s hoping.
I recommend this books to anyone looking for something to introduce them to the world of space and science fiction - this is a great start. This book is also great for someone looking for something short and fun to listen to.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an early listening copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Ok so this book is witty! The plot is science/fictiony and really very good - not typically a huge fan of science fiction - Ada is the main character and has a very important job... Rian complicates things a bit. Loved the narrator - would read another book by Beth Rivis again!

4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date: 12/03/2024

How to Steal a Galaxy is just as fun as the first book in this series. Ada Lamar is back and the listener is left guessing what kind of trouble she is up to now. The narrator does a great job conveying Lamar's spunky attitude. More is revealed in this story about the state of Earth and the current conditions that trigger Lamar and Ryan White's work. Since there is a lot of internal dialogue in this book I did sometimes have trouble being sure if Ada was thinking or speaking but overall that did not detract from the pace of the story.

This is a great follow up to Full Speed to a Crash Landing!

This is Book 2 of Chaotic Orbits, and it needs to be read in order. We're back with Ada and Rian and it's another heist but at a high end museum. We don't know what Ada is there to steal, but Rian is going to stay right by her side the entire night. Not because she's clever, confident and beautiful. No just for his job. He'll stay as close as he possibly can, and never take his eyes off her.

The tension! THE TENSION. It's crackling and I love it.

This is a fast-paced heist from a museum and we don't find out until the very end what Ada is there to steal. We have misdirects and red herrings.

Dara Rosenberg and David Bendena are back and I'm so glad they are. Dara does the character of Ada perfectly.

This book is best read in an art gallery. Don't forget your lip gloss.

This novella was so much fun! 'How to Steal a Galaxy' is book #2 in the Chaotic Orbits novella series. The first one was a bit more action packed since the story setting space. This time, they are on one of the Earth planets, primarily in a museum. This meant less action, but the spy energy was immaculate.

Just like in book #1, Ada is such a bold, smart, and fun character. I love that after 2 books I still can't predict what she's going to do next. And her counterpart Rian is steady, focused, and completely obsessed with her. (As he should be!) I can't wait to see what happens next between these two..

This was golden. Just as dynamic and propulsive as the first book, with the same delightful humour and riveting interactions between Ada and Rian. Definitely in my top ten books for the year and I can't wait to see how that cliff-hanger resolves.

What a fun heist story. The chemistry between Ada and Ryan was so fun. One of the characters reminded me of Elon Musk and it was so fun to hate him. This gave me the comedy I needed and the feminine rage.
I will definitely read the next one.

A solid 3 ⭐️ read.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series and loved getting to re-join Ada as she once again encounters Rian while working a job.

While I didn’t like this one quite as much as the first book, it’s still a fun adventure and I’m going to be eagerly awaiting book three. If you’re looking for a fun space novella, this series delivers.

The audiobook narrator does an amazing job getting Ada’s confidence and sass across to the reader. I was engaged with the story the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

The second novella in a series of three, I loved diving into this heist-like adventure to see where Ada and her antics were going. On the heels of one adventure, we find Ada being recruited by a group of rebels to "talk" to Rian, a previous crush and semi-enemy, to see if she can convince him to see things from their perspective and join their cause.

Ada, gets dolled up for the gala where she knows he will be and soon the romantic tension begins when Rian sees Ada in her figure hugging dress. Both seem drawn to each other, but there are other events happening at the same time, and Rian thinks Ada is at the gala to steal one of the artifacts on sale during the "charity" auction.

I cannot wait for the third book in this series to release. I need to know how the story and romance plays out. There are lots of sassy, cute moments. Nothing too spicy which I think is perfect for this book. Just enough tension to cut with a knife and leave the reader wanting more. Plus, there's a world to save if they can join forces and trust each other long enough to work together.

another fun, witty, bite-sized space opera. ada is back with a new plan to hatch—this time, a heist at the intergalactic met gala. very sci-fi ocean’s 8 with just one self-concerned, anti-capitalist little girly. but don’t worry, rian is back to thwart her… or so he thinks.

i enjoyed this one so much. because it was planet-bound, there wasn’t as much space stuff, but i had such a good time. i finished this book in just one sitting. it was so fun to see rian and ada’s little cat and mouse game and to watch ada dunk on space!elon musk. the twist at the end was delightful, and i’m so excited to see what ada and rian will do in the conclusion!

the audiobook was, once again, wonderfully narrated. dara rosenberg and david bendena are fantastic! their emotion and comedic timing are perfect for this story.

This series is so much fun to listen to and scratches every heist, intergalactic, space opera, romance itch I have. The pacing is so quick and satisfying and the adventure keeps me on my toes every time. I cannot get enough and need even more!!! The audio narration is superb and I cannot wait to read/listen to the next installment!

Review: Once, again, I really enjoyed this. I absolutely adore Ada and I love the way she interacts with everyone. She’s so uncompromising in who she is and I just absolutely love her as a character. I would read an entire full length series with her as the main character and absolutely eat it up. These are quick novellas and you definitely want to pick them up asap.

Synopsis: 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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Honestly, when I read this book, I thought it was going too fast pace and then when I found out the book was shorter than what I expected. I was a little confused. I found out that I was actually reading book 2.

I spoken 3 1/2 stars based on the fact that I didn’t read book one and I was a little bit confused in the beginning, but I was able to follow the story as it progressed. The ending have a cliffhanger and I am interested to see what is going to happen in the third book so I do want to go back and read the first one and then read the third book when it does come out because the story was very interesting. I love books that have a science fiction element to them.

The female main character in here was very funny and sneaky. She is also very smart banter between the two main characters was hilarious.

I did read this book as an audiobook, and I thought that the narrator was phenomenal. There was male narration in this book, but not as heavy as a female narration is, and I did like both of their voices. Because the female main character is very sneaky. I love how the narrator was able to capture that with her voice.

The book was even better than the first in the series and I loved it! All the characters are great and I can’t wait for the next book! Thanks NetGallery!

I received this ARC from NetGalley.
For this one, I decided to read it as a standalone as opposed to reading the first book to see if it could be a standalone as a few of the other reviews I’ve read suggest.
However, after listening to the audio, I really disagree and think it should be read in a series, so I’m gonna go back and read the first one!

The audio had me absolutely cackling, this was my first romance/heist novel, and it was every bit as hilarious as you could want. The romance is hot. The banter is even hotter.
Granted, there’s no spice, but it’s almost like a promise.

For the majority of the book, it is a female narrator, and the last chapter is the male POV. So you don’t get to experience much of his voice acting in this book, I suspect it will be more so in the next book. However, the actress for Ada embodies her character, her voice sounds exactly the way you would imagine somebody who’s a little bit snippy, a lot, sarcastic, And someone who tries not to care, but can’t seem to help it.

As with most heist novels, there are twist and turns, and you can’t really give much away as far as the plot without spoiling it. Let’s just say the world as we know it does not exist, humans are living on other planets. They’re trying to terraform as fast as they can, but the human race on earth is nearing to extinction. Earth is simply falling apart around us and the people who are too poor to get the funds to live on another planet are likely to perish with her.

There are plenty rich enough to save everybody, but why would they, how would it benefit them?

That’s the main focus of this book in my opinion, and it’s pretty on the nose as to what’s going on in the world right now. All these millionaires and billionaires with their charities and their philanthropic efforts, to what end. They could all end world hunger, right now, but instead they spend millions of dollars to attend events, when they could just give the money away.
It’s all a farce.
This book makes you wonder if it is a farce or if it’s purposeful…..

After stealing the prototype plans for a new government backed space cleaner, Ada Lamarr had no intention of getting back in with the rebel group that hired her. That is, until they hire her for another job: infiltrate an upcoming charity gala. Of course readers are kept in the dark about what it is exactly that Ava will be stealing this time around, but turns out security expert Rian White will be in attendance and he's just looking for a reason to pin a crime on Ava. So he's watching her extra close.

Like the first book. this one was such a quick, fun read. Even though we're more familiar with the characters we still have no idea what Ada's endgame is this time around. Beth Revis did a great job keeping things cloaked in a nice mystery within a relatively confined space. The majority of the story takes place at the gala and keeping all the pieces moving and widening the picture without giving away Ada's game and keeping it interesting is quite the feat.

This one leads nicely into the next book in the trilogy and I cannot wait to see how things wrap up.

I liked that the voice actors are back from the first book, with the majority being told from Ada's point of view with Rian's notes added in at the end. I like that Rian's notes kind of acted like a recap in case you missed the finer points of the overarching story.

Overall, along with the first book, these are easy to pick up and finish in a day. The audio is done especially well. Highly recommended for some great space highjinks.

This novella is action packed and a really good time. It can also be read as a standalone but is part of a series and there are parts of the book that wouldve been easier to understand if the first book has been read first. The FMC gives big Hans Solo energy stealing through the galaxy. The MMC is trying to find evidence of her crimes. Their chemistry is off the charts. Overall a very fun sci-fi romance.

Did I love this as much as the first one? No.
Am I still DYING to read the third book to find out what happens next? YESSSSSSS

This had a bit of a slow start, but the last 25% was exactly what I was hoping for from this series and sets things up perfectly for what I *know* is going to be an epic conclusion!

One could easily start this book right after finishing Full Speed to a Crash Landing, yet it gives enough information in case you are lost or forgot some details about it, giving the necessary context without it being boring. It kind of reminded me of how some tv shows divide their seasons in two parts. I stand by everything I said on that review, so I will try not repeating myself. I do recommend not reading the synopsis before going into it, for it kind of spoils a couple surprises, like Ada's plans.

(Spoiler for book 1 in this paragraph)The twist of Ava betraying the Halifax in book 1 was unexpected, and I wondered how it would affect the story in this one, given that she flew off at the end of the book, and whether we would see her interact with that crew again. Now, we do know who she works for and her intentions, yet we do not know all her plans, which keeps it fun, as her goals get unraveled bit by bit. It was interesting going into the story knowing who she is.

Ada starts off her new mission alone, and though we know Rian would play an important role in the story, which is also hinted in the synopsis, I was rooting for her to get a side-kick or someone to work with. Heists are more fun when they are done in groups, or people are forced to work together in their common goals, and though we meet new characters in this book, I still wonder if we will see these familiar faces, or some from book 1, in the third installment.

The book has been described as Met Gala in Space and I think it is a worthy assessment, for a group of rich people are gathered to place bids on Sol-Earth artifacts (and attend a presentation, but maybe talking about it ruins a couple things). Despite enjoying Ada's time in the Halifax, it was fun to see her in a new environment, one very different from the ship, and that allowed for the mission and the circumstances to veer from those in book 1.

Like I mentioned when I reviewed Full Speed to a Crash Landing, these novellas are perfect for people who do not read much sci-fi, or just want a quick read about a mission, because it makes the genre less intimidating, not only by its lenght, but also because of the writing style. I used the audiobook again for the sequel and whilst for the first book it seemed like a mission report, this time it felt like we were getting in on Ada's plans.

This is the second novella in a 3 book series and it is so fun —full of charm, humor, and intrigue. It's super quick "read" - Ada’s cleverness keeps me guessing; she’s always one step ahead, and I love not knowing what she’ll do next!

Dara Rosenberg’s narration is a perfect match for Ada’s snarky, spirited personality, adding so much character to each scene. David Bendena only read the last little bit of this book but his performance nails Rian’s vibe. I’m completely hooked by the setup for book three and can’t wait to dive in!

Thank you Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.