In How to Steal a Galaxy, Beth Revis (Across the Universe; Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel) continues the smart, twisty intergalactic heist story with a dash of romance that she began in Full Speed to a Crash Landing. Ada Lamarr, skilled pilot and expert con woman, goes undercover (in a stunning sea-silk dress) at an intergalactic charity gala that's ostensibly raising funds to save Earth. But Ada's there for other reasons: one, to do a job for the rebel group that paid her to retrieve top-secret plans involving nanobots; and two, to pull off a heist of her own.
The narrative follows Ada and Rian White, straight-arrow government agent and Ada's love interest, as they orbit around each other at the gala. Ada's smart mouth nearly gets her into trouble more than once, but thanks to some sleight-of-hand and her ability to stay three steps ahead of everyone else, she manages to pull off her two heists--business and personal--while thoroughly confusing Rian and (possibly) seducing him. Revis slips in worldbuilding and social commentary via Ada's snarky inner monologue on ancient artifacts, space colonization, and the climate-cleaning nanobots whose potentially lifesaving technology hides a much more nefarious purpose. Revis also throws in classic elements of a heist narrative, including hidden weapons, flashy security, red herrings, and at least one person being set up (but who?).
With shades of Star Wars and Ocean's Eleven, Revis's witty novella will leave readers eager for the trilogy's conclusion. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams