Heat Factor: Just a kiss or two
Character Chemistry: Sparkling antagonism
Plot: Ada goes to a very fancy party to steal something. Rian is determined to stop her.
Overall: Why do I love books about cons so much???

When I got this book I had no idea that it was the second novella in a trilogy about the same two characters. I was therefore a bit worried. However, I am pleased to report that not reading the first book did not diminish my understanding or enjoyment of this book one bit. Revis gives just enough recap that I know the stakes, and then we’re off to the races!

After Chapter 1, which sets up the backstory, the entirety of the book takes place over the course of one evening, at the Met Gala (Space Edition™). Ada’s contact wants her to do…something…there, and has set her up with a ticket and a fancy dress, etc. She enters and wanders around. Rian, Honest Cop (Space Edition™), follows Ada around as she looks at all the priceless artifacts up for auction, because he’s sure she’s there to steal something. They go upstairs, where she has a conversation with Elon Musk (Space Edition™), which mostly consists of her telling him how much he sucks and was honestly quite cathartic to read.

As all this occurs, we learn that Earth is extremely polluted and that the Met Gala is a fundraiser to save it so people can keep living there. Elon Musk has a Space Government contract to release some nanobots into Earth’s water cycle to clean up all the pollution. Because profit must come before all else, there is a planned obsolescence in the nanobot code so that after a few years Earth people will have to start paying a subscription for the nanobots to be fixed. So Ada’s job is somehow related to preventing this from happening (or mitigating the damage).

Though we’ve got a first-person narrator here, we are not privy to all of Ada’s knowledge; throughout the book, she is coy about what she’s after and what her plan is to get it. This narrative choice works well here. We’re in a con book, so slowly leaking information to the mark and the reader at the same time is perfect.

There’s not a full-on romance here (presumably Ada and Rian will figure things out for good in Book 3) but they do have sparking chemistry, in that “we’re on opposite sides but I am totally intrigued by you and we’re gonna banter about it” kind of way. Plus a few hot kisses. But don’t expect a lot of emotions from this book. It is a heck of a lot of fun though.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This was such a fun second book in Revis’ novella trilogy!! I love a heist, and I like that Ada is conniving and tricky. Definitely makes for a fun read when you don’t entirely know what’s going on lol. Looking forward to reading the next one!! 4.5 rounded up.

🌈Queer rep: none

This is the second novella in the Chaotic Orbits series, and though it isn’t as action-packed and intense as the first book, Full Speed to a Crash Landing, it was still a quick and entertaining read.

The story picks up not long after the ending of Full Speed to a Crash Landing with Ada attending a posh gala with the directive to steal something of importance. Of course, Ada has more than one scheme going on, and the reader (and Rian) is left trying to figure out what her true motives are. Rian, knowing that Ada will be there, is also in attendance, and he is determined to ensure Ada doesn't trick him again.

After the surprising twist at the end of the last book, I was really interested in seeing how Rian would react to seeing Ada again. They have such amazing chemistry, but lies, subterfuge, distrust, and opposing political views are some hefty obstacles for the pair to face. I love their banter and the sexual tension between them, and I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next story!

What really stands out in this novella is Ada. She’s a complex and fascinating protagonist with a quick wit and sharp intellect. Morally grey and more than a little shady, Ada isn’t the most reliable narrator, as she always seems to be hiding something, but that’s part of the fun of the story - you never know what she’s going to do next or what her real intentions are.

This novella also delves deeper into the political unrest in the galaxy as well as social and environmental issues that feel relatable despite the sci-fi setting and premise. Even in space, you can’t get away from greedy leaders who thrive in a capitalist culture, and it’s interesting to see Rian and Ada’s views on what’s happening since they both want the same thing, to save the people and planets, but go about it in different ways.

I’m loving this series! It’s fun and exciting, and it is a great balance of suspense, romance, and humor. I can’t wait for book three and am hoping we’ll see more of the Halifax crew in the next book. Special thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't realize at first that this was a sequel, qo I felt a hit out of the loop. Very interesting, but get the first so you know the backstory for the second!

I liked this more than the prior instalment though if they provided the 1st two in the series, why not all 3, by the time that oen comes out you'll have forgotten the story, and it being novelas, it just doesn't feel complete. I wanted the male protagonist to be as developed as the female, he was just kind of underdeveloped. Enjoyable!!

Thank you for the ARC! I really enjoyed the first book and immediately went in to the second book. The heists and twists are fun and engaging. I’m looking forward to the next book!

This is the second instalment in the Chaotic Orbits series and I loved it.

Ava is a great main character, she is morally grey, she does what suits her and you never know what she will do next. Rian and her chemistry is fantastic, I loved reading the moments between them where they would verbally spar back and forth. This story is based planet side and feels like a classic heist. I do miss the space setting but enjoyed the wold building and breathing space this story gave us. It was a great chance to get to know more about the two characters. As always these books have left me wanting more, I cannot wait for more in this series. Its a fun sci-fi that has funny moments, engaging characters and world building that is so beautiful you just sink into the story.

An incredible second installment. This novella follows Ava not too long after the events of book one. Instead of taking place over the course of a few days, the events here take place over one night. I love Ava as a main character; by now you know that she's always up to something and is unreliable with how much information she gives the audience, but she still managed to surprise me while reading. This is a middle part of a trilogy, but it didn't have middle book syndrome; everything had a purpose and wasn't just filler for the finale. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for this e-ARC.

This book was not nearly as good as the first. I dragged quite a bit. I felt like not much happened for it to be almost 200 pages. There was a lot of Ada’s internal dialogue that probably needed to be edited down. I started skimming through a lot of it and was still able to enjoy the story. I also feel like there wasn’t enough of Ada’s snark that I loved in the first novella. I was also hoping for a bit more Rian. But it sounds like we will get a lot more of Ada & Rian together in the third and final novella in this trilogy. Looking forward to it!

B.R. Is one of my favorite author and has never let me down. This one was a great sci-fi book with many other aspects involved. I love the atmospheric writing!

I am 100% invested in Ada’s story. I really enjoyed the first novella so I was excited to get into the second. This one pretty much picks up right where we left off. It’s a fast read in the best way.

I feel like this should almost be collected as one book when the trilogy is over, because this really felt like the middle third of a book. Ada is amazing and I really laughed at a few scenes. I can’t wait for the third novella!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in return for an honest review.

This novella was not as good as the first one. This one didn’t have any life saving spine tingling How do I get out of this mess moments? It didn’t have a lot of the banter between ADA and Rian that I loved in the first though it did have some moments of amazing connection. It was fast paced and all took place in one evening earth side and didn’t give a lot of answers from the first. Is Ada a good guy or a bad guy? Is her interest really into saving earth or something else? She’s the ultimate con artist and I’m fairly interested to see where she takes us in book 3. I also really hope her and Rian end up together but I somehow doubt he will be able to forgive all her betrayals. I just hope book three answers all the questions and gives the story the conclusion it deserves

This book is everything I wanted in a sequel and more! Another clever heist, a sprinkling of romance, and planet-sized stakes. I loved it so much and cannot wait for the third book!

It's a heist story on a different planet! I loved it. The world building is cleverly told through the setting. Their cop and robber dynamic heightens the chemistry between Rian and Ada. I can't wait to see what Ravis has planned for the conclusion of this trilogy.

Thank you, DAW, for providing me with an ARC.

The second installment in this series was really fun. I love a good heist and like that this series has one in each book.

The only reason this doesn’t have more stars is it that it was light on character development. We didn't really learn anything new about our main characters and I would’ve liked to.

I can’t wait for third book to come out.

Not as strong as the first one novella in this series. I'm not sure whether that was because there was less going on, or because the character of Ada and the way she thinks and hides things was already established.

We did get to see Rian and her interacting again for a second time, so that was probably the strongest part of it. But even so...

Ada has been paid to be at a conference in order to steal an unnamed rare item. Rian is basically there because he knows she will be and, from his previous interactions with her, knows she needs to be watched very carefully. He doesn't know what the mark is, only that there is one.

This follows seamlessly on from the first novella where she stole the prototype for a planet cleaning nanobot. The problem with it was that it was specifically designed to malfunction in order for the person who created it to be paid more each time he needed to be brought in for the fix.

Unlike last novella, this one happens both on an actual planet and in the course of a single night, a single event. Perhaps that's the reason it felt less built up and like less was going on. Honestly, the whole thing read like one long scene, despite the chapter breaks.

At the end, Ada gets what she wants, because she is the smartest person in the room and is paid highly to get what she wants. Does it matter that she did it her own way rather than in the way that she was paid to complete the mission? Not sure, I guess that's what the final installment in this series will show us.

Alright, that was a pretty decent book two in the series. We pick up a few months from where we left off in book one. I feel like you could probably read this as a standalone just for the entertainment value, but would generally be pretty lost without the back story.
This adventure all takes place over one night at an intergalactic fund raiser for Sol-Earth (the first earth, there are several more earths now - see... back story) Ada is hired to attend and only agrees because it involves Rian.... because she wants to see him or something else? A little bit of both? Ava has some pretty good morals, but is a bit more flexible on how she lives up to them. Book one involved scavenging and "not really" illegal, plus lying. Book two is theft, but of a thing or person?
Not going to give away the plot. Anyway, I have discovered that I love Beth Revis's writing style. The words just flow and make for a really entertaining read. I will definitely be looking for the next one in this series. We were left with not exactly a cliff hanger, but LOTS of unfinished business.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

So much fun! I tore through this and its sequel in a few hours and I am eagerly awaiting the next addition to the series.

Why are these books so fun?!
Honestly, so addicting to read. I need the next one ASAP.
I love Ada as a character so much. She is so perfectly morally grey (with some integrity) and definitely not to be trusted, but she is so likable, and you can’t help but root for her. Also, the chemistry between her and Rian. 👌
I did, however, miss space as this story was planet-side.
But the whole premise of these books is just a delight to read.
Just an overall, fun, fast-paced, and entertaining sci-fi story.

*These are perfect for getting out of a reading slump.

The next instalment of Beth Revis' Chaotic Orbits novella series "How to Steal a Galaxy" delivers another captivating and enthralling adventure with Ada and Rian. The exciting blend of adventure and science fiction with sprinklings of romance and mystery continue as Ada and Rian cross paths at a charity gala. Ulterior motives, tension, twists, and humour are laced throughout the Revis' storytelling, leaving the reader wanting to know more of the story and how everything fits together. This book is planned for release December 3, 2024!