
Member Reviews

Snarky sci-fi with a dash of yearning-filled, "I hate how much I want you" romance. The banter is BANTERING and I'm obsessed with Ada, the scheming sunshine to Rian's grumpy stickler to the rules. The second book in Beth Revis' sci-fi novella series fleshes out the world and packs a fast-paced, thrilling punch in so few pages. It's impressive how much story is packed into this little book and its predecessor, Full Speed to a Crash Landing. They're highly binge-able and addictive, and I have a feeling many more will fall in love with this series when the third one comes out.
If you love character-forward, twisty sci-fi with heart and humor a la Murderbot Diaries, Chaotic Orbits is made for you -- as it is for me.

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This book was as delightful as the last. Ada is snarky and confident. I’m curious to see where the plot of this goes and am eagerly awaiting the next book in April.

I didn't realise this was the second in a series until I had already started reading, but I loved almost everything about this book and I had no problem following along even without the context of the first instalment - if anything, the lack of context made the tension between the main characters more palpable because I didn't know anything of their history. The worldbuilding was also so immersive and I enjoyed the whole space heist atmosphere.

Fast-paced action, amusing banter, dodgy but loveable characters: there's a lot to like here.
I haven't read the first in this series, which was a slight problem; there were definitely nuances in the interactions between Ada and Rian that I missed. However, I was able to pick up most of it as the story went along, and the action itself was usually standalone enough that my lack of knowledge didn't get too much in my way.
Revis knows now to craft a story, that's for sure. This was a lot of fun.

Another great addition to the Chaotic Orbits series. This time we follow Ada at a gala that is supposed to be benefitting sol-earth, although we learned how problematic that was in the first book. This book follows more of a heist format and when I tell you I was shocked with what she stole! Can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

In the second book in the Chaotic Orbits series, readers reunite with Ada and Rian at a charity gala with the galaxy’s elite. Ada had not planned on working with the same rebel group from her last mission (also featuring Rian), but this undercover mission at a gala they know Rian is at might just get her to change her mind. Rian, on the other hand, is only at the gala because he thinks the rare items in the auction will get Ada to show up and give him a chance to catch her committing a punishable crime. However, with no idea what she is actually after, Rian will once again find himself on the back foot in his attempts to stop her, and Ada always plays to win. With a new heist and fantastic twists and turns with these now-familiar characters, readers will love the second novella in this exciting space drama and the new facets of Ada and Rian’s characters that appear. In continuing to develop the galaxy and the society they live in, Beth Revis has done an incredible job bringing the society, culture, and politics of this galaxy to life in its uppermost elite at the gala in this brilliant, exciting, and thrilling new novella.

I adored the first book in this series, Full Speed to a Crash Landing. It was so fun and fast-paced, and Ada is a great main character. This is a solid follow-up, although it’s definitely a bit slower-paced. There's more scheming than action, but I liked the whole “heist at a gala” plot and how everything unfolded. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Ada and Rian and the romantic subplot. I am very much looking forward to the next book!

Love this book, the characters are cheeky and interesting. I am really excited for the next one in the series. I felt the first book was focused on the plot and the world a little more whereas this one was more focused on the romance - this didn't change my opinion on the book though, I really love both!
A lovely short sci-fi read with funny and interesting characters.

Ada has turned over the intelligence she collected in the first book, but has no intention of working with the rebel group again, especially when they try to get out of paying her for it, and leave her to pay for her own repairs to her ship. But when they offer her an undercover mission to attend a gala where Rian will be working, she changes her mind. Rian is only working the gala because the items up for auction are the kind of things that might interest Ada and flush her out. 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. How to Steal the Galaxy continues the story that began in Full speed to a Crash Landing.
How to Steal a Galaxy is the second novella in the Chaotic Orbits series. I enjoyed this fun story, even though it wasn't as suspenseful as the first story. Once again Ada and Rian are brought together on opposite sides, but with that sizzle still between them. Their banter is humorous, but they are keeping secrets and have very different purposes. As in the first book, Ada has more than one thing going on and it takes until the end of the book to sort out what her plans really are. Ada is such a great character. She is smart, adventurous and works for what she thinks is right, although she functions in a morally grey area. She is breaking the law, but has her own standards and values. Although she and Rian believe in the same things as far as earth is concerned, they are working for people and organizations that are doing things in different ways. We get to see a lot more of the greed and corruption of big business in this one, that makes Ada angry. I am enjoying this series and am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.

Quick, entertaining read!
I accidentally requested this ARC without having read the first in the series, but frankly, it did not matter. The dystopian future sci-fi setting caught my attention so fast, as did Ada's spirited personality, and the amusing, original plot. Think National Treasure but instead of the National Archives it's an Intergalactic gala, and instead of the declaration of independence, our FMC has her eye on another prize. The story was quick-paced, interesting, and there was a delightful slow-burn between the two MC's. I will definitely be reading the third, and likely back-tracking to the first book as well.
This book is for you if you like dystopian sci-fi settings or a strong, sassy FMC.
Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I love this trilogy so far! The dynamic between Ada and Rian is so fun, and I enjoy trying to guess Ada's angle and true goals. One of my favorite shows is White Collar, and it reminds me of that but with more sarcasm and with a romance angle. Plus it's sci-fi, so it's extra fun! I can't wait to see what happens in the final installment!
Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the ARC.

The first novella was fantastic and this one was equally fun, twisty and well-written. How to Steal a Galaxy was a short but highly engaging read with
smart, comedic dialogue that keeps the reader thinking about all the characters’ motives. I could barely put the book down and felt that it was too short and I can't wait for the next one.
I highly recommend the the entire Chaotic Orbits series

Just as fun as the first! How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis is the second novella in the series Chaotic Orbits about a woman who can get what you need and the man tasked with stopping her. Ada didn’t plan on working with rebel group again, however they offer her an undercover mission at a charity gala where Agent Rian White will be in attendance. Rian’s volunteered for the job hoping the items up for auction will catch Ada’s attention. But this time, Rian is the prize, all Ada has to do is trick him.
This story was fun from start to finish. I liked that in this novella we got a chance to learn a little more about the world, Ada, and Rian as well as the rebel groups and why they are rebelling. Again, this story is told almost exclusively from Ada’s perspective, and she is just as unreliable as the first time around. I love her unpredictability. I had no clue what she was doing until it was done. Her inner dialogue cracked me up causing me to laugh out loud multiple times.
Poor Rian. He is outmatched by Ada. He’s smart, but not manipulative enough to keep up with her schemes. I liked seeing him on planet doing a job that is not his normal. It was an interesting twist seeing him as a guard instead of the lead. His interactions with Ada are fraught with tension both anger and sexual, which just makes him angrier.
Overall, I loved How to Steal a Galaxy. It was the perfect addition to this series and sets up the finale quite nicely. Like the first, I didn’t want the story to end. I would have been happy with another 100 pages or more. These characters are just that fun. If you are a fan of sci-fi, good banter, and a little romantic tension, I highly recommend this one.

Beth Revis does it again. I wasn’t sure how she could follow up Full Speed to a Crash Landing with something even better but she found a way. It’s certainly a different kind of heist story mixed with our ongoing Will they-won’t they romance between Ada and Rian. This has been a bit of a hot slow burn across the first two of the trilogy of novellas.
I love how Ada, despite commenting that she’s just in it for the money, has such a strong set of principles and is willing to do whatever she can in order to take down the billionaire that is trying to control Earth and government decisions, which unfortunately sounds all too very familiar to real life.
It’s such a quick read but it will stay with you for a lot longer. I’m writing this a week after reading it and it has stuck with me long enough to remember every little detail of things Ada did to pull off her biggest heist yet. This one feels more grounded and less spacey, but it does still have its space moments.
Thank you to DAW Books for my copy of the book! All thoughts are my own.

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.