Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis Series: Chaotic Orbits #2
Published by DAW Books on December 3, 2024
Genres: Romance, Science Fiction Fantasy
Pages: 144
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
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.
How to Steal a Galaxy is the second book in the Chaotic Orbits series featuring an unscrupulous Heroine who is always on a grift of some kind and this time she has agreed to go to a gala, steal something and make contact with Rian her crush, flirtation and the man she got one over on in the first book of the series.
Ada is fun! I wasn’t sure how to take her in Full Speed to a Crash Landing but now that we all know what she is capable of, I was ready for the ride. Ada is on a mission and while she’d like to say it was for altruism to save Earth, the original one, not the spin offs, well that isn’t the case. She took the job for money…and the chance to see Rian again. Ada’s infatuation with him is cute and sometimes a little steamy in the PG-13 kind of way. Their interactions are worth reading the book, he knows she is trouble and up to something but he is struggling trying to figure out what it might be.
It’s amazing how people just keep going. Supervolcanoes, climate collapse, global pandemics, dissolution of society . . . and there are still farms in Indiana raising wholesome young women who grow up to work as double agents and look hot in red gowns.
Rian has great intentions, but he works for the government and Ada is sure they can’t be trusted. She and Rian might even have the same end goals but Ada’s path is far different from the straight one Rian was planning on following. What follows was a fun, what is she up to fancy heist to set the stage for the final book in the series. How to Steal a Galaxy seemed like it had a slightly better flow than the first book in the series and made sure we learned a little more about both characters and their backstories. This made Ada much more relatable and helped to understand her actions.
Overall this has been a fun sci-fi heist series. Each of the books is a novella in length which makes it a quick fun ride that is action packed. Looking forward to seeing how everything plays out in the final book. Especially after Ada’s intentions were revealed at the end of this book. It should be fun. And I think Beth Revis put it best in the acknowledgements
I threw everything I loved into it: heists and chaos and pretty dresses and saying the inside thoughts out loud and a little bit of social commentary and a little more chaos for fun.
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
 |
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Dialogue |
|
| Overall: | |
Friend me at Goodreads.
- She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke @jennyelder @MinotaurBooks @RobinBridgeFour - January 13, 2025
- 🎧 Hell of a Witch by Rachel Aaron @Rachel_Aaron #NicholasCain #LoveAudiobooks #KindleUnlimited@RobinBridgefour - January 6, 2025
- 🎧 Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire @SeananMcGuire @barriebarriepix @MacmillanAudio #LoveAudiobooks @RobinBridgeFour - December 30, 2024
I enjoy novella’s. They are a great way to find new authors or genres without investing too much time. It sounds like like things connected better in the final book but I noticed that you took a half heart off for plot.. is there a reason why?
Hey Carla, I agree it is a great way to see if you like an author without committing to a length book.
Honestly I rarely give a full five stars on the plot, really picky. The first book was only a 3 star read for me, although so many others loved it. But I think that after the events of the last book when Rian and Ada meet some of why behind why she isn’t in trouble for it seemed a little convenient for me.
Still this was a huge improvement for me over the first book I only gave 3 stars. I also enjoyed Beth Revis’s other series Across the Universe.
This sounds like a heap of fun! Thank you for a lovely review, Robin.
Thank you! It was fun.
Awwwwww I’m intrigued!! 😀
It was intriguing! 😛
Ooh, I love this kind of space adventure. Will definitely look into this one.
I need to start this series since I won copies from a giveaway! Great review!