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Into the Churn #2
Into the Fire
The finish line was only the beginning.
Champion race royalers Ezren Hart and Foster Sterling never dreamed winning the Belethea Race Royale and solving their teammate’s murder would only be the start of their troubles. With legal proceedings taking an unfortunate turn, accusations of a sham race, and a divided Belethea of warring ideals, they find themselves in the middle of a storm once again.
However, when a mysterious private investigator shows up at their doorstep with news that Ezren’s long-missing father’s life hangs in the balance, she doesn’t hesitate to chart their course to the incendiary moon of Otho despite Foster’s misgivings. But after political violence separates the pair before they even get off the ground, Foster scrapes together a crew to go after her.
While Ezren and Foster race toward Otho, the growing ripples of corruption bring the system to the brink of war with the two of them balanced on the tipping point. As they run, drive, and fight across an explosive land scarred with bullets and death, they’ll have to decide what sacrifices they’re willing to make for a dangerous discovery in a world prepared to silence their voices forever.
Because on Otho, there are no winners—only survivors.
Champion race royalers Ezren Hart and Foster Sterling never dreamed winning the Belethea Race Royale and solving their teammate’s murder would only be the start of their troubles. With legal proceedings taking an unfortunate turn, accusations of a sham race, and a divided Belethea of warring ideals, they find themselves in the middle of a storm once again.
However, when a mysterious private investigator shows up at their doorstep with news that Ezren’s long-missing father’s life hangs in the balance, she doesn’t hesitate to chart their course to the incendiary moon of Otho despite Foster’s misgivings. But after political violence separates the pair before they even get off the ground, Foster scrapes together a crew to go after her.
While Ezren and Foster race toward Otho, the growing ripples of corruption bring the system to the brink of war with the two of them balanced on the tipping point. As they run, drive, and fight across an explosive land scarred with bullets and death, they’ll have to decide what sacrifices they’re willing to make for a dangerous discovery in a world prepared to silence their voices forever.
Because on Otho, there are no winners—only survivors.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2024
18 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Hayley Reese Chow
14 books136 followersHayley Reese Chow is the author of the Odriel's Heirs series (a dark YA epic fantasy) and the Into the Churn series (a romantic YA sci-fi adventure from Whimsical Publishing) with more YA adventures on the way. She’s also the winner of both the 2024 YA IndieReader Discovery Awards and the 2020 YA Florida Author Project.
When not writing, her hat collection includes mother, wife, engineer, USAF veteran, reservist, four-time All-American fencer, ex-ultramarathoner, avid traveler, book inhaler, and super nerd. Hayley currently lives in Florida with two small book dragons, her long-suffering husband, and her miniature ragehound.
To see what she's working on next, you can find her at hayleyreesechow.com or on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok @HayleyReeseChow. She's represented by Kristen Terrette of Martin Literary.
When not writing, her hat collection includes mother, wife, engineer, USAF veteran, reservist, four-time All-American fencer, ex-ultramarathoner, avid traveler, book inhaler, and super nerd. Hayley currently lives in Florida with two small book dragons, her long-suffering husband, and her miniature ragehound.
To see what she's working on next, you can find her at hayleyreesechow.com or on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok @HayleyReeseChow. She's represented by Kristen Terrette of Martin Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 3, 2024
I can't write a review right now. I'm way too close to crying and way too overwhelmed. This book gets every star in the universe.
Coming back over a month later because I do need to give you all a little more than the overwhelmed review above. Basically this is a book that hits the ground running and doesn't stop. It's plot after plot after plot, all of it pulled together so well by the characters and their development. There's no room for boredom here. Hayley hardly gives us time to breath. But in a good way. In a way where I couldn't stop reading this because I had to know what was going to happen next...and by the time I got to the 'next' I had to know what was happening next next haha. I haven't read a book this tightly woven in a while. I appreciated it so much. Cannot wait to revisit this series in the future.
Coming back over a month later because I do need to give you all a little more than the overwhelmed review above. Basically this is a book that hits the ground running and doesn't stop. It's plot after plot after plot, all of it pulled together so well by the characters and their development. There's no room for boredom here. Hayley hardly gives us time to breath. But in a good way. In a way where I couldn't stop reading this because I had to know what was going to happen next...and by the time I got to the 'next' I had to know what was happening next next haha. I haven't read a book this tightly woven in a while. I appreciated it so much. Cannot wait to revisit this series in the future.
June 4, 2024
What an adrenaline-packed ride. I adored Into the Churn and was curious where future books would take Ezren and Foster and the crew, but let me tell you—I was not prepared. Wow. The stakes were off the charts!! A volcanic planet set to explode. Violent looters prepared to shoot anyone on sight. Conspiracies and shocking secrets and gun fights. I was NOT prepared for the plot twist about why Ezren’s father was on the planet. And I love how this book incorporated the running, fighting, and driving aspects from the Belethea Race Royale in the first book but in new, interesting ways. When they talked about how they could only drive so long before the vehicles lost their temperature regulation and they got cooked alive—WHEW.
And I just love that Ezren and Foster continue to have a healthy relationship. No typical second-book-breakup, just working through issues in healthy ways. Bless.
Also. I cried. *sniffs*
What a cool sequel. I love this world and these characters so much. Highly recommend both book one and book two.
And I just love that Ezren and Foster continue to have a healthy relationship. No typical second-book-breakup, just working through issues in healthy ways. Bless.
Also. I cried. *sniffs*
What a cool sequel. I love this world and these characters so much. Highly recommend both book one and book two.
Read
December 22, 2025Update!
*********
The Into the Churn series is available on Audible & Kindle Unlimited:
Reading Order:
Into the Churn (#1)
Into the Fire (#2)
A Churn in the Dark (#2.5 - contains key plot developments, highly recommended NOT to skip)
Into the Abyss (#3)
A Churn in the Virtual Society (#3.5 - final book, releases 16 Sep)
*********
I’ve been thinking about this story from the moment I finished Into the Churn. Even though I wrote the first book to work as a stand-alone, I knew there were other threads of the story I wanted to pull and so much more of the Casolla system I wanted to explore. I absolutely loved slipping into Ezren and Foster’s points of view and really putting them to the test.
It was such a joy to take everything I loved about Into the Churn and raise it to the next level with Into the Fire. More action. More swoon. More of my favorite underdog team facing higher stakes and slimmer odds. And of course a few new characters I think you’ll love.
At its core though, this book is about people who must face impossible choices in the darkest of situations. It’s about finding out who you are when the path isn't obvious and about the relationships we forge along the way.
A usual, this is a book of my favorite things—a wondrous sci-fi world with the brutal pace of a disaster film, the found family of an underdog sports team, and the heart of a romance.
It was truly my pleasure to dive into this roller coaster of a sequel, and I want to thank all of you for coming on the adventure with us. I absolutely can’t wait to hear what you think!
*********
The Into the Churn series is available on Audible & Kindle Unlimited:
Reading Order:
Into the Churn (#1)
Into the Fire (#2)
A Churn in the Dark (#2.5 - contains key plot developments, highly recommended NOT to skip)
Into the Abyss (#3)
A Churn in the Virtual Society (#3.5 - final book, releases 16 Sep)
*********
I’ve been thinking about this story from the moment I finished Into the Churn. Even though I wrote the first book to work as a stand-alone, I knew there were other threads of the story I wanted to pull and so much more of the Casolla system I wanted to explore. I absolutely loved slipping into Ezren and Foster’s points of view and really putting them to the test.
It was such a joy to take everything I loved about Into the Churn and raise it to the next level with Into the Fire. More action. More swoon. More of my favorite underdog team facing higher stakes and slimmer odds. And of course a few new characters I think you’ll love.
At its core though, this book is about people who must face impossible choices in the darkest of situations. It’s about finding out who you are when the path isn't obvious and about the relationships we forge along the way.
A usual, this is a book of my favorite things—a wondrous sci-fi world with the brutal pace of a disaster film, the found family of an underdog sports team, and the heart of a romance.
It was truly my pleasure to dive into this roller coaster of a sequel, and I want to thank all of you for coming on the adventure with us. I absolutely can’t wait to hear what you think!
August 4, 2024
GOSHHHH I love these characters. This story world is so well constructed and it makes me actually care about sci-fi, which is a huge deal. Basically: give me a cast I love, and I will love your book.
This book had a lot to live up to. Into the Churn was one of my top reads of 2023, so Into the Fire had a high bar to reach, and it didn’t always get there. The plot was a lot more complex in a lot fewer pages. I honestly wish it had been longer. But MY BABIES.
no second book breakup! Just solid couple being solid couple! We love it. We LOVE it.
Book 3 plz and thank u
This book had a lot to live up to. Into the Churn was one of my top reads of 2023, so Into the Fire had a high bar to reach, and it didn’t always get there. The plot was a lot more complex in a lot fewer pages. I honestly wish it had been longer. But MY BABIES.
no second book breakup! Just solid couple being solid couple! We love it. We LOVE it.
Book 3 plz and thank u
February 24, 2025
5 stars
This book came as a surprise for me. I had decided not to read for a while and to focus in other aspects of my life for a time but then the ARCs of this book appeared in my email inbox and how could I ignore it? I want to thank Hayley because I almost lost my opportunity to get my hands on this ARC and thanks to her reminder I was able to get it and man, was it worth it.
I'm not going to lie, I liked the first book (Into the Churn) and all the adventures the characters had in that book BUT compare to THIS book... just wow! This book is in another level of greatness, like, the characters are in literal fire (wink, wink). I have no way to put everything I felt into words but I'll try (and by try I mean I wrote a review rambling a lot so I had to write it again XD)
Characters:
I loved the characters we are introduced to in the first book, some of them appear in this book, we of course have our main characters Foster and Ezren alongside with their teammates Grady, Bex and Sylvia. We also have new additions that I LOVED (yes, hear my voice scream) Shiro and someone else I loved and of course our bad dudes that I won’t even mention.
In book one the characters felt good but at the same time I needed more of them to have them cemented in my brain, like, more growth to them or something, and I got that in this book. Ezren has a stronger personality, like, in this book she knows what she wants and she knows what to do, she’s not dancing between one thing and the other. The same with the team, we get enough of them to love them (and be worried about them as well). There’s this surprise character that I won’t say the name that made me really happy. For some reason I expected him to be weak, maybe because of his profession or the fact that we know nothing of him until this book but I loved him, he is SOOO strong, and not just physically, he is mentally strong, the dude was in charge of things, he was not afraid, he is amazing. I know this is cryptic but if you read the book you’ll know of whom I speak. My baby Foster stole my heart yet again, who doesn’t want a guy willing to cross space to just be by your side? (where can I get a Foster? *me batting my eyelashes*)
“Ezren, I don’t care about the danger. I don’t care what it took to get here, or what it takes to get out, all I care is that we’re together”
“The first thing I need you to know is that I’ve run into danger for you before, I’ll face death for you today, and I’d do it again tomorrow. I’d do it without a second thought”
Worlds:
Here we get to know more about how these worlds work. We knew a bit about Belethea but here we get a bigger glimpse of how the government and the worlds work. It was enough world building to answer questions and to give shape to this system. It felt balanced, like, the information wasn’t there to be in our face, the information served a propose and I liked that a lot.
Plot:
The main plot in the synopsis of the book is very clear and the story stays loyal to that plot but MAN, the plot was constantly leaving me breathless but I’ll talk about it in a few moments. In this book we have our two main characters being chased by people that don’t want the terraforming (has another name that I don’t remember) of some planets, then there are some bad groups that are chasing to KILL my babies, then there’s the world (Otho) that has an impending volcano explosion, then there are people we can trust but CAN WE? Then there are plot twists that I DID NOT see coming, one of them had me saying: “wow, this is really simple, maybe a given from other sci-fi books but the way this is shown is awesome”. So yes, think of the plot and multiply it by one thousand.
Level of stress and my heart:
As I was saying, when you multiply the plot by a thousand you get a clogged throat with stress, anxiety, fear, your heart is pumping like you are literally running for your life, you don’t know is the characters will be okay, you don’t have peace and quiet not even for a second you can’t stop thinking about the characters and well… that was me in this book. I cannot say with enough words how stressed I was while reading this book, my heart, literally in my throat because this book has action NONSTOP and I mean an explosion here, chasing there, gunshots, running, another explosion, betrayal, not betrayal, more running, more explosions, SADNESS, happiness and then BAM another explosion. So yes, be ready.
Writing and story:
Everything here feels seamless. Every single piece of the story is right, the information arrives at the right time, the writing style is perfect, the way everything is described, how things happen, everything is great. It has been a while since I’ve been happy about a book and this one made me happy.
Title of the book
I got literal chills when the reason of the title was revealed. I mean, with the first book I was like “ohhhhhh, okay, I like it” But here I was “oh my God!!! That’s amazing! It makes perfect sense!!!!” all of that while getting chills and almost crying. So yeah, perfect.
All in all, I loved this book and I recommend it with my eyes closed.
---
WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT!!!!! MY HEART, MY SOUL, MY EYES, MY EVERYTHING!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I could not react on time to what was happening here but AHHHHHHHH this book is so amazing!!!!!! I mean, AMAZING!!!!! I HAD MY HEART STUCK IN MY THROAT THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE READING THIS, I'm not kidding, that sensation was ALWAYS there, ufff, I feel like I lost weight because of the adrenaline hahahahahha I LOVE IT!!!
Please go pick Into the Churn so you can read this because AHHHHHHHH!
Okay, I'll be back on Sunday or Monday with the review.... Maybe tomorrow 🤭🤭🤭❤️
------
And LOOK AT THIS!! BEAUTIFUL!! I'll start this ARC in a few days, can't wait!!!
This book came as a surprise for me. I had decided not to read for a while and to focus in other aspects of my life for a time but then the ARCs of this book appeared in my email inbox and how could I ignore it? I want to thank Hayley because I almost lost my opportunity to get my hands on this ARC and thanks to her reminder I was able to get it and man, was it worth it.
I'm not going to lie, I liked the first book (Into the Churn) and all the adventures the characters had in that book BUT compare to THIS book... just wow! This book is in another level of greatness, like, the characters are in literal fire (wink, wink). I have no way to put everything I felt into words but I'll try (and by try I mean I wrote a review rambling a lot so I had to write it again XD)
Characters:
I loved the characters we are introduced to in the first book, some of them appear in this book, we of course have our main characters Foster and Ezren alongside with their teammates Grady, Bex and Sylvia. We also have new additions that I LOVED (yes, hear my voice scream) Shiro and someone else I loved and of course our bad dudes that I won’t even mention.
In book one the characters felt good but at the same time I needed more of them to have them cemented in my brain, like, more growth to them or something, and I got that in this book. Ezren has a stronger personality, like, in this book she knows what she wants and she knows what to do, she’s not dancing between one thing and the other. The same with the team, we get enough of them to love them (and be worried about them as well). There’s this surprise character that I won’t say the name that made me really happy. For some reason I expected him to be weak, maybe because of his profession or the fact that we know nothing of him until this book but I loved him, he is SOOO strong, and not just physically, he is mentally strong, the dude was in charge of things, he was not afraid, he is amazing. I know this is cryptic but if you read the book you’ll know of whom I speak. My baby Foster stole my heart yet again, who doesn’t want a guy willing to cross space to just be by your side? (where can I get a Foster? *me batting my eyelashes*)
“Ezren, I don’t care about the danger. I don’t care what it took to get here, or what it takes to get out, all I care is that we’re together”
“The first thing I need you to know is that I’ve run into danger for you before, I’ll face death for you today, and I’d do it again tomorrow. I’d do it without a second thought”
Worlds:
Here we get to know more about how these worlds work. We knew a bit about Belethea but here we get a bigger glimpse of how the government and the worlds work. It was enough world building to answer questions and to give shape to this system. It felt balanced, like, the information wasn’t there to be in our face, the information served a propose and I liked that a lot.
Plot:
The main plot in the synopsis of the book is very clear and the story stays loyal to that plot but MAN, the plot was constantly leaving me breathless but I’ll talk about it in a few moments. In this book we have our two main characters being chased by people that don’t want the terraforming (has another name that I don’t remember) of some planets, then there are some bad groups that are chasing to KILL my babies, then there’s the world (Otho) that has an impending volcano explosion, then there are people we can trust but CAN WE? Then there are plot twists that I DID NOT see coming, one of them had me saying: “wow, this is really simple, maybe a given from other sci-fi books but the way this is shown is awesome”. So yes, think of the plot and multiply it by one thousand.
Level of stress and my heart:
As I was saying, when you multiply the plot by a thousand you get a clogged throat with stress, anxiety, fear, your heart is pumping like you are literally running for your life, you don’t know is the characters will be okay, you don’t have peace and quiet
Writing and story:
Everything here feels seamless. Every single piece of the story is right, the information arrives at the right time, the writing style is perfect, the way everything is described, how things happen, everything is great. It has been a while since I’ve been happy about a book and this one made me happy.
Title of the book
I got literal chills when the reason of the title was revealed. I mean, with the first book I was like “ohhhhhh, okay, I like it” But here I was “oh my God!!! That’s amazing! It makes perfect sense!!!!” all of that while getting chills and almost crying. So yeah, perfect.
All in all, I loved this book and I recommend it with my eyes closed.
---
WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT!!!!! MY HEART, MY SOUL, MY EYES, MY EVERYTHING!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I could not react on time to what was happening here but AHHHHHHHH this book is so amazing!!!!!! I mean, AMAZING!!!!! I HAD MY HEART STUCK IN MY THROAT THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE READING THIS, I'm not kidding, that sensation was ALWAYS there, ufff, I feel like I lost weight because of the adrenaline hahahahahha I LOVE IT!!!
Please go pick Into the Churn so you can read this because AHHHHHHHH!
Okay, I'll be back on Sunday or Monday with the review.... Maybe tomorrow 🤭🤭🤭❤️
------
And LOOK AT THIS!! BEAUTIFUL!! I'll start this ARC in a few days, can't wait!!!
April 30, 2025
Highly recommend the audiobook. The narration is soooo good!
May 23, 2024
Thank you to Whimsical Publishing for the eARC.
LOVE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I am just smitten with this duo y’all. I adore Ezren and Foster and I can’t tell y’all how much I LOVED that they WORKED TOGETHER. Bless the fact that there wasn’t ridiculous drama between the main couple. There was still tension and romance, it was just formulated differently and I was able to fall in love with them more because of it. The outside forces caused the chaos and had me gripping my kindle needing to know who made it out alive.
I liked the continuation of the story too. There’s a bit more politicking and interweaving of keeping friends close and enemies closer. I liked the switching sides and the newly added characters too. I love the found family and tight knit friendships. I love the high level of action and seeing the expansion of the world and systems. I felt lots of emotions and loved seeing the familial reconnections woven throughout too.
This was a full story (not a standalone though, definitely read book one first, which I also loved), but there was some room to continue as well. I would definitely read the next book.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Sci-Fi
- Language: low
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
- Content Warnings: gun violence, near death experiences, volcanic eruption
LOVE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I am just smitten with this duo y’all. I adore Ezren and Foster and I can’t tell y’all how much I LOVED that they WORKED TOGETHER. Bless the fact that there wasn’t ridiculous drama between the main couple. There was still tension and romance, it was just formulated differently and I was able to fall in love with them more because of it. The outside forces caused the chaos and had me gripping my kindle needing to know who made it out alive.
I liked the continuation of the story too. There’s a bit more politicking and interweaving of keeping friends close and enemies closer. I liked the switching sides and the newly added characters too. I love the found family and tight knit friendships. I love the high level of action and seeing the expansion of the world and systems. I felt lots of emotions and loved seeing the familial reconnections woven throughout too.
This was a full story (not a standalone though, definitely read book one first, which I also loved), but there was some room to continue as well. I would definitely read the next book.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Sci-Fi
- Language: low
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
- Content Warnings: gun violence, near death experiences, volcanic eruption
May 9, 2024
Y’all I’m still trying to process my love for this book. I would first like to thank the publisher for gifting me a E- Arc of this book. It means more than you’ll ever know to be able to read this book early.💕
I loved this book. Period point blank.
This book was a breath of fresh air to me. The action had me on the edge of my seat from the jump. The character development was on point from start to finish. Especially with the side characters. They were all well rounded and given depth that made me love every character. Except the bad guys of course.😉
Hayley was able to take everything I loved about the sequel and turned the dial up 100%. Ezren and Foster shine as the leads. Their love and journey through this book was awe inspiring.
Overall this book had my heart racing, breaking and put back together in the span of 300+ pages. I eagerly await book 3 💕
Would I recommend? Yes yes yes. If you love adrenaline inducing scenes, a swoon worthy romance and characters who you’ll love from page 1. This book is for you 💕
I loved this book. Period point blank.
This book was a breath of fresh air to me. The action had me on the edge of my seat from the jump. The character development was on point from start to finish. Especially with the side characters. They were all well rounded and given depth that made me love every character. Except the bad guys of course.😉
Hayley was able to take everything I loved about the sequel and turned the dial up 100%. Ezren and Foster shine as the leads. Their love and journey through this book was awe inspiring.
Overall this book had my heart racing, breaking and put back together in the span of 300+ pages. I eagerly await book 3 💕
Would I recommend? Yes yes yes. If you love adrenaline inducing scenes, a swoon worthy romance and characters who you’ll love from page 1. This book is for you 💕
March 15, 2024
Hayley brings Ezren and crew back for pounding adventure, higher stakes, and more slow burn romance. Ezren and Foster's relationship is refreshingly healthy with communication and heart along with yearning and sweet kisses. We meet new characters as the galaxy expands into a larger pool. I love the technology and vice of Vsoc which is scarily close to ours. Shiro is one of my new faves. (Who doesn't love a snarky sassmaster with a mysterious past and good with a gun?) I love how this story focuses on family, found and blood, and what it means to have ties that bind. And that we must rise to the occasion for the greater good and sacrifices must be made. This story expands into politics, social justice issues, and how enemies can be even right. This sequel is just as amazing as the first. I can't wait for book 3! 😍
May 2, 2024
Holy smokes this was a wild ride! From page one you are ducking and dodging the unthinkable and we get taking into a new location this novel an unknown territory to our lead characters and we even gain new characters! It was hold onto your to your seat exciting and nail biting what's going to happen next!! I love love love ezren and foster and seeing them grow as a couple as a team it was refreshing. I cannot recommend this series enough
April 13, 2024
This book was so good!!! The visualisations, the descriptions, the stakes, the relationships, the setting the villains, the twist the turns! I loved this book so much it was so hard to put down! I really loved to see the characters again fighting for what they love and realizing what is important. This book was one of the best books I have read. The world building is easy to follow, and fun to learn. I really love to see and learn further about this world. I really enjoyed all the relationships in this book, they are complicated and messy, but so very few aren't. Over all this book is really enjoyable, with fun world building, interesting characters, high stakes, and a very interesting plot.
December 26, 2025
ABSOLUTELY SLAYED what an incredible sequel!!
First of all, the world building in this series is absolutely incredible. Otho was such an intriguing new world—weirdly I enjoy volcanic planets
Obviously it was so fun to see all the characters again (except Calderon. He can leave), and get some new combos! Grady, Davis, Foster, and Foster's DAD stuck on a ship together? Way too amusing to me. Speaking of Foster's dad, the new characters!! Gerard and Shiro and Milo were all incredible, and I enjoyed getting to know them so much. Also Turnip my beloved. And Gerard Y is the funniest/most iconic reference of a character name EVER
The romance was adorable (as it always is with Hayley Reese Chow, I expected nothing less), the twist villain was SOLID, and I may have teared up at the end of a certain conversation between Foster and a non-Ezren character. All in all I absolutely adored this book! It was a worthy sequel that didn't rely on contrived drama to "make the romance still interesting" but knew that we would stay invested, while also putting them through some horrors. Can't wait to see what comes next for Sterling/Hart and company!!
First of all, the world building in this series is absolutely incredible. Otho was such an intriguing new world—weirdly I enjoy volcanic planets
Obviously it was so fun to see all the characters again (except Calderon. He can leave), and get some new combos! Grady, Davis, Foster, and Foster's DAD stuck on a ship together? Way too amusing to me. Speaking of Foster's dad, the new characters!! Gerard and Shiro and Milo were all incredible, and I enjoyed getting to know them so much. Also Turnip my beloved. And Gerard Y is the funniest/most iconic reference of a character name EVER
The romance was adorable (as it always is with Hayley Reese Chow, I expected nothing less), the twist villain was SOLID, and I may have teared up at the end of a certain conversation between Foster and a non-Ezren character. All in all I absolutely adored this book! It was a worthy sequel that didn't rely on contrived drama to "make the romance still interesting" but knew that we would stay invested, while also putting them through some horrors. Can't wait to see what comes next for Sterling/Hart and company!!
March 17, 2025
This series has felt a bit like candy for me. Hard to put down and immensely enjoyable!
That said, things take a slightly darker turn this book which makes a lot of sense after the events of the first book. There's new fascinating characters and more plot twists and fun surprises in store.
This book felt even more action packed than the first, and just like the first, I never wanted to put it down.
While I don't always care for sound effects in my audiobooks, I think the narrator did a great job and is a great fit for the series. I'm really hoping there's an audiobook for book 3 available soon after release!
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence
That said, things take a slightly darker turn this book which makes a lot of sense after the events of the first book. There's new fascinating characters and more plot twists and fun surprises in store.
This book felt even more action packed than the first, and just like the first, I never wanted to put it down.
While I don't always care for sound effects in my audiobooks, I think the narrator did a great job and is a great fit for the series. I'm really hoping there's an audiobook for book 3 available soon after release!
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence
April 3, 2025
4.5 stars
I switched between the physical and audio version and the audiobook was really well done with varied voices and sound effects.
This was such an action packed and thrilling follow up book! I appreciated that it didn’t follow the same plot as the first book but still found ways to bring the intensity and nail biting feel that we loved from the first book. It is definitely not a slow book! But there were still moments of heart and feeling among all the action.
Trigger/content notes: pretty much the same as book 1. Some violence and peril. Mild language including in-world swearing and a bit of mild real world swearing.
I switched between the physical and audio version and the audiobook was really well done with varied voices and sound effects.
This was such an action packed and thrilling follow up book! I appreciated that it didn’t follow the same plot as the first book but still found ways to bring the intensity and nail biting feel that we loved from the first book. It is definitely not a slow book! But there were still moments of heart and feeling among all the action.
Trigger/content notes: pretty much the same as book 1. Some violence and peril. Mild language including in-world swearing and a bit of mild real world swearing.
July 29, 2024
Hayley Reese Chow delivers an exciting and action packed sequel to Into The Churn, from beginning to end! I enjoyed seeing how much Ezren and Foster’s relationship grew, and also loved the new characters. The entire BRR team’s dynamic evolved into something that is as close to family as you can get. This story takes us through space to another planet to try and find Ezren’s missing father. What they discover is far greater than they can imagine and the action kicks up a notch. This series has not disappointed and I’m very excited for the 3rd instalment to this trilogy.
August 8, 2024
Out of the race and into the fire
Into the Fire takes all the action you loved from Into the Churn and cranks it up to 100. Between a literal race against time to live or die, no shortage of loving moments (both for our main couple and side characters), and a chilling which is the lesser of two evils conundrum, this sequel knocks it out of the park.
Into the Fire takes all the action you loved from Into the Churn and cranks it up to 100. Between a literal race against time to live or die, no shortage of loving moments (both for our main couple and side characters), and a chilling which is the lesser of two evils conundrum, this sequel knocks it out of the park.
May 5, 2025
Another fantastic audiobook from Haley Reese Chow! I am amazed at the production quality of the audiobook itself, which brought to life the thrilling plot. If you thought the stakes were high in the first book, just wait until you read this one. I was not disappointed and have already started listening to the audiobook for the novella in the series.
I highly recommend this series!
I highly recommend this series!
December 11, 2025
This book was a GREAT follow up to Into The Churn!! The action was just as intense, if not more so, and I adored the new characters! Though I will be forever sad that a certain side character got killed off (it's probably not who you're thinking it is lol). Anyways, I loved it!!
January 20, 2026
This book had a very slow start, but once you get past that it’s a really good book. Personally I like the first one more. The characters she added in with this one were well written and fit in perfectly.
May 17, 2024
This book was wonderful! Action-packed and with all the emotions. I love Foster and Ezren’s dynamic so much, the worldbuilding of this series only continues to impress!!
July 18, 2024
Fast paced, fun following the characters again
March 14, 2024
Do you like sci-fi and action? Throw in a little love. I didn't want to put this one down. Life kept interrupting me. This reads like an action movie. It is fast paced. It keeps you guessing what will happen next. It has some surprising twist. But get ready for some tear jerking moments too. This was a roller coaster ride. As with the first book, the world building and the characters are well done. We get to meet a new cast along with old favorites. The side characters are just as interesting as the main characters. I hope we get to see more of this series in the future.
May 23, 2024
I'm sorry, Hayley I hate to break it to you....
But you've written another Incredible story!!!!!
Diving back into Ezren and Foster's story was such a nice experience. I received an ARC of ITF which meant I could go straight from Into the ChurnITC (Book 1) to ITF (Book 2)
If you like...
✨ Sci-Fi
✨ Teammate Romance
✨ Deadly Odds
✨ No Cliffhangers/Open Endings
✨ Friendships
✨ Found Family
✨ Nail Biting Action
✨ Firey Doom
✨ Sports Romance
✨ Immersive World Building
Then this book is for you!
Whilst Book 1 ended on a closed ending Hayley had no problem picking up from where she left off and writing another part of the Ezren and Foster Saga. Which made for an even more immersive read!
Whilst taking place only a few months after the events of book 1 ITF is it's own book and you can tell. The story takes a turn you won't expect, again and again.
Most of the world-building was done in book one however we do get to go and experience a new moon in this book and the world-building for the moon Otho was really well explained. I felt like I had a good enough understanding of the planet so that I knew what Ezren was referring to.
Diving back into Ezren's head was great. She's just as fierce and determined in this book as she was in the book previously. Like book 1 she's got something driving her forward, this time it's the knowledge of her missing father's location. Leaving Belethea behind she and her team, Foster, Bex and Grady, set across the Casolla System for the moon Otho to locate and rescue her father.
Whilst still a main character Foster defiantly steps back for Ezren to take the lead in this book. Like the incredible man he is, he sticks around and doesn't hesitate to follow Ezren across the Casolla System.
We also get to see him confront another parent, this time his father, which was an interesting plot line and I enjoyed seeing them develop a bond as they tried to sort out issues of the past.
Ezren and Foster never missed a chance to show off just how in love they are and I devoured it! They are a perfect couple and If anyone hurts them I'll never forgive them. Foster continues to provide a safe environment for Ezren when she is losing herself, and she provides encouragement when Foster begins to doubt himself.
Bex and Grady take more of a main character role in this book and I loved it. I wasn't sure how I felt about them in ITC but in ITF they redeemed themselves and I found myself laughing every time the four BRR teammates were on the page together.
Like the first book, ITF is paced to perfection, never too fast and never too slow. Which made it a lot easier to read. The plotting of this book was really well done, I didn't see anything coming and made for an emotional rollercoaster, but upon reaching the end it was all worth it.
I'm just praying that Whimsical reaches their 300 pre-order goal we that we get a book 3 as well as the novella!!
But you've written another Incredible story!!!!!
Diving back into Ezren and Foster's story was such a nice experience. I received an ARC of ITF which meant I could go straight from Into the ChurnITC (Book 1) to ITF (Book 2)
If you like...
✨ Sci-Fi
✨ Teammate Romance
✨ Deadly Odds
✨ No Cliffhangers/Open Endings
✨ Friendships
✨ Found Family
✨ Nail Biting Action
✨ Firey Doom
✨ Sports Romance
✨ Immersive World Building
Then this book is for you!
Whilst Book 1 ended on a closed ending Hayley had no problem picking up from where she left off and writing another part of the Ezren and Foster Saga. Which made for an even more immersive read!
Whilst taking place only a few months after the events of book 1 ITF is it's own book and you can tell. The story takes a turn you won't expect, again and again.
Most of the world-building was done in book one however we do get to go and experience a new moon in this book and the world-building for the moon Otho was really well explained. I felt like I had a good enough understanding of the planet so that I knew what Ezren was referring to.
Diving back into Ezren's head was great. She's just as fierce and determined in this book as she was in the book previously. Like book 1 she's got something driving her forward, this time it's the knowledge of her missing father's location. Leaving Belethea behind she and her team, Foster, Bex and Grady, set across the Casolla System for the moon Otho to locate and rescue her father.
Whilst still a main character Foster defiantly steps back for Ezren to take the lead in this book. Like the incredible man he is, he sticks around and doesn't hesitate to follow Ezren across the Casolla System.
We also get to see him confront another parent, this time his father, which was an interesting plot line and I enjoyed seeing them develop a bond as they tried to sort out issues of the past.
Ezren and Foster never missed a chance to show off just how in love they are and I devoured it! They are a perfect couple and If anyone hurts them I'll never forgive them. Foster continues to provide a safe environment for Ezren when she is losing herself, and she provides encouragement when Foster begins to doubt himself.
Bex and Grady take more of a main character role in this book and I loved it. I wasn't sure how I felt about them in ITC but in ITF they redeemed themselves and I found myself laughing every time the four BRR teammates were on the page together.
Like the first book, ITF is paced to perfection, never too fast and never too slow. Which made it a lot easier to read. The plotting of this book was really well done, I didn't see anything coming and made for an emotional rollercoaster, but upon reaching the end it was all worth it.
I'm just praying that Whimsical reaches their 300 pre-order goal we that we get a book 3 as well as the novella!!
March 26, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Ezren and Foster are caught in the middle of legal battles and protestors after everything that happened at the finish line of the BRR. All they want is for things to calm down, but it seems that the drama has just begun. When a private investigator reveals that Ezren's father is alive, she sets off to Otho- a moon that is about to be devastated by an active volcanic eruption. As Ezren and crew dodge danger left and right, they hold out hope of finding her father and uncovering the truth behind his disappearance. But will they be able to get what they need and make it off Otho alive?
This was totally different from book 1, but in a good way! While In the Churn focused on training for and competing in the BRR, Into the Fire is a full-on suspense novel. There's bombs, gunfire, chase scenes, and more as Ezren and friends go on a hunt for her father. I liked how the romance didn't get boring or just turn into pure fluff. There were so many suspenseful moments and obstacles in the way of Ezren and Foster. It was fun seeing the side characters from the first book join in on the action and build on the found family theme that began when they became teammates. Plus, we get a few new characters who were great additions to the story, along with a fun little side romance. Honestly, this book never had a chance to get boring, and I think action lovers will thoroughly enjoy it. The ending was satisfying but also left room for a possible third book. If we do get more of Foster and Ezren, I'll gladly read another installment!
Thank you to Whimsical Publishing and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Ezren and Foster are caught in the middle of legal battles and protestors after everything that happened at the finish line of the BRR. All they want is for things to calm down, but it seems that the drama has just begun. When a private investigator reveals that Ezren's father is alive, she sets off to Otho- a moon that is about to be devastated by an active volcanic eruption. As Ezren and crew dodge danger left and right, they hold out hope of finding her father and uncovering the truth behind his disappearance. But will they be able to get what they need and make it off Otho alive?
This was totally different from book 1, but in a good way! While In the Churn focused on training for and competing in the BRR, Into the Fire is a full-on suspense novel. There's bombs, gunfire, chase scenes, and more as Ezren and friends go on a hunt for her father. I liked how the romance didn't get boring or just turn into pure fluff. There were so many suspenseful moments and obstacles in the way of Ezren and Foster. It was fun seeing the side characters from the first book join in on the action and build on the found family theme that began when they became teammates. Plus, we get a few new characters who were great additions to the story, along with a fun little side romance. Honestly, this book never had a chance to get boring, and I think action lovers will thoroughly enjoy it. The ending was satisfying but also left room for a possible third book. If we do get more of Foster and Ezren, I'll gladly read another installment!
Thank you to Whimsical Publishing and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 8, 2025
This review was originally posted on SFFINSIDERS.COM
It’s good to be back with this crew. Chow does not skip a beat in this fast paced galactic sequel. If you liked Into the Churn you're going to love Into the Fire. With political tensions mounting and the pressures of her new found fame closing in, Ezren has a lot to deal with, especially with Foster away. But when a quick decision needs to be made to save her long lost father, she doesn't hesitate. As Ezren barely escapes Belethea and heads to Otho with a P.I. with a mysterious past, she’ll need the help of her team to make it out alive…
At the end of Into the Churn, team Sterling/Hart had won the BRR and their future together, and the future of their planet, looked bright. But when we arrive in Into the Fire, exposing the corruption of Calderon Industries and funding terraforming projects on world hadn’t worked out quite the way they’d hoped. With the civil unrest stoked by Belethea’s new advantages, and propaganda on all sides, the System is on the brink of civil war. The plot unfolds from all angles as Ezren and Foster’s trust is stretched by the surrounding dangers, and when they get separated they'll need to trust old and new rivals to make it out alive. Though I think a few of the plot points were more than a little convenient, there were plenty that left my jaw hanging and I was really happy with where we ended up, especially because not everything could be wrapped with a pretty bow.
“No matter how far you go, my heart is always right here with yours.”
The world building in this book was as clever as the first book. With terraforming underway on Belethea, our scope of the Casolla System opens way up in this book. We visit new space stations, moons and planets on some pretty epic ships, and experience a lot more of the shaky politics of the system. The motivations from the different players kept me guessing and the constant mayhem felt like we were back at the BRR. Our main characters faced new terrains and I think Chow conveyed the new environments really well.
“I think you’ll find we all went south together as soon as we started this little adventure.”
The characters made surprising leaps in this book. Seeing Foster and Ezren grow and firm up their relationship was a treat. We got more depth from them both as they processed their individual and shared experiences, and some closure when it came to their challenging relationships with their parents. The juxtaposition between their fathers was an interesting contrast, and I really liked both of their arcs in this book. The growth of familiar side characters like Davis, Bex and Grady were a welcomed surprise and I especially loved Sylvia’s storyline. Joined with a few new mysterious, maniacal, or just plain fun new characters, the cast of Into the Fire turned out to be my favorite of the series so far.
And that's what I love about Hayley Reese Chow’s writing. It's thoroughly entertaining and well seasoned. She has a modern style and her dialogue and in-world slank is so immersive. Her no nonsense prose really complements the race royale vibes. I loved getting both Ezren and Foster’s perspectives again in the third person duel POV. All around it was just so nice to be back.
“Always remember to believe in something bigger."
With epic world building, perilous action, surprising twists, swoony romance and the coolest of found family, this book will take you on a thrill ride. It makes for a great beach read with its pacing and Chow’s writing style, as the characters keep you coming back for more!
It’s good to be back with this crew. Chow does not skip a beat in this fast paced galactic sequel. If you liked Into the Churn you're going to love Into the Fire. With political tensions mounting and the pressures of her new found fame closing in, Ezren has a lot to deal with, especially with Foster away. But when a quick decision needs to be made to save her long lost father, she doesn't hesitate. As Ezren barely escapes Belethea and heads to Otho with a P.I. with a mysterious past, she’ll need the help of her team to make it out alive…
At the end of Into the Churn, team Sterling/Hart had won the BRR and their future together, and the future of their planet, looked bright. But when we arrive in Into the Fire, exposing the corruption of Calderon Industries and funding terraforming projects on world hadn’t worked out quite the way they’d hoped. With the civil unrest stoked by Belethea’s new advantages, and propaganda on all sides, the System is on the brink of civil war. The plot unfolds from all angles as Ezren and Foster’s trust is stretched by the surrounding dangers, and when they get separated they'll need to trust old and new rivals to make it out alive. Though I think a few of the plot points were more than a little convenient, there were plenty that left my jaw hanging and I was really happy with where we ended up, especially because not everything could be wrapped with a pretty bow.
“No matter how far you go, my heart is always right here with yours.”
The world building in this book was as clever as the first book. With terraforming underway on Belethea, our scope of the Casolla System opens way up in this book. We visit new space stations, moons and planets on some pretty epic ships, and experience a lot more of the shaky politics of the system. The motivations from the different players kept me guessing and the constant mayhem felt like we were back at the BRR. Our main characters faced new terrains and I think Chow conveyed the new environments really well.
“I think you’ll find we all went south together as soon as we started this little adventure.”
The characters made surprising leaps in this book. Seeing Foster and Ezren grow and firm up their relationship was a treat. We got more depth from them both as they processed their individual and shared experiences, and some closure when it came to their challenging relationships with their parents. The juxtaposition between their fathers was an interesting contrast, and I really liked both of their arcs in this book. The growth of familiar side characters like Davis, Bex and Grady were a welcomed surprise and I especially loved Sylvia’s storyline. Joined with a few new mysterious, maniacal, or just plain fun new characters, the cast of Into the Fire turned out to be my favorite of the series so far.
And that's what I love about Hayley Reese Chow’s writing. It's thoroughly entertaining and well seasoned. She has a modern style and her dialogue and in-world slank is so immersive. Her no nonsense prose really complements the race royale vibes. I loved getting both Ezren and Foster’s perspectives again in the third person duel POV. All around it was just so nice to be back.
“Always remember to believe in something bigger."
With epic world building, perilous action, surprising twists, swoony romance and the coolest of found family, this book will take you on a thrill ride. It makes for a great beach read with its pacing and Chow’s writing style, as the characters keep you coming back for more!
March 29, 2025
This book is out of this world!
This is my second time reading the book, and I had the incredible privilege of listening to the audiobook!
Brogan Werder comes in HOT with her incredible voice talents for Hayley’s second installment of the Into the Churn series!
Into the Fire raises the stakes and keeps you on your toes as the bad guys get badger and meaner and Ezren and Foster have to save her lost father and possible the rest of the ‘verse along the way.
The tears this book brings!! So many touching and wrenching moments. Each character is pushed to their limits and yet hope keeps rising.
Listen and strap in if you’re ready for the run, drive, and fight of your life on the crazy volcanic planet of Otho. Can’t wait to get to listen to the next two books!
***
A jam-packed thrilling race!
This book will grab you and not let you go till the very end. Foster and Ezren keep growing and have to keep going. This story is about relationships and perseverance and holding onto hope no matter what. It’s an incredible tale that will bring you tears and laughter.
This is my second time reading the book, and I had the incredible privilege of listening to the audiobook!
Brogan Werder comes in HOT with her incredible voice talents for Hayley’s second installment of the Into the Churn series!
Into the Fire raises the stakes and keeps you on your toes as the bad guys get badger and meaner and Ezren and Foster have to save her lost father and possible the rest of the ‘verse along the way.
The tears this book brings!! So many touching and wrenching moments. Each character is pushed to their limits and yet hope keeps rising.
Listen and strap in if you’re ready for the run, drive, and fight of your life on the crazy volcanic planet of Otho. Can’t wait to get to listen to the next two books!
***
A jam-packed thrilling race!
This book will grab you and not let you go till the very end. Foster and Ezren keep growing and have to keep going. This story is about relationships and perseverance and holding onto hope no matter what. It’s an incredible tale that will bring you tears and laughter.
May 29, 2024
I love this authors writing style. I love the characters she has created. I seriously love them!!! I love having the gang back together and that their bond is stronger than ever. I love the new characters introduced as well! The secondary romance in this one is perfect. I love that Foster and Ezren are such a team against outside forces! Their bond only grows stronger. And it doesn’t hurt that our homeboy Foster has some one-liners to Ezren that will make you swoon. This book is suuuuuper fast pace with nonstop action. Even faster pace than the first one. It made me read it super fast and I was very anxious the whole time haha. It definitely had some emotional moments too. I love the science fiction technology in this book. So epic. I like that the characters and world was the same, but the plot was very different than the first book. I like the complex “villains” and complex politics. It isn’t black and white and it makes you ponder what choices you would make in the characters’ shoes. There are no cliffhangers but I definitely want more from this world. I liked the first book a little bit more, but I still loved this one!
SPOILERS and book notes:
Oooo interesting. This book has the debate if Terraforming is good or not. Does it murder the planet? Is it bad to change its natural habitat? Or do humans have the right to change the environment to make it habitual for them? Or do they just need to keep scoring the universe until they find a planet that is already habitual? It’s the same argument for environmentalists on earth today. It’s good for humans to progress! And be one with nature! But we also have to be careful not to completely destroy it. What a delicate balance. ““We don’t want Ezren’s sky, we want Belethea’s.” “Terraforming is planet murder!” “We stand with Calderon, a true Belethea hero.” Ezra wants to terraform bc she loves the planet and wants to live outside and not worry! Calderon DOESNT want to terraform it bc he loves the planet and doesn’t want it to change. It’s ok for people to express their opinion. But it is NOT ok when activists result to violence!!!!!! Nanites are used to self repair damaged suits and humans. They can make them heal faster and even build new limbs. People also have nanite “tattoos”. Mostly used in the underworld to indicate syndicate affiliations. I like Ian Shiro and his mysterious ways. I ship him and Sylvia. He is a PI, has a gun that can be summoned with his metal bracelet, has a stunning gun, has a six tailed pink cat named turnip, and can drive spaceships. ““The more I find out about you, Ian Shiro, the more suspicious you seem.” His grin widened, and this time, it creased the laugh lines edging his face. “And you know what, Sylvia Long, I think you like it.” Sylvia and Shiro enemies to lovers is the bessssst. These guns are interesting. And why they use lasers in Star Wars: “Like Shiro, most law enforcement officers used bolt-ammo, but these were laser-lead—meant to kill while not ricocheting off the metal walls of the space station.” While belethea is all storms and tornados, Ortho is lava and volcanoes and boiling lakes and earthquakes and toxic atmosphere. Ezrens dad and team found the first complex life on Casolla and it was found on Ortho!! It is called luxies: “the luxies float on the other side, his voice as calm as if he were giving a lecture in a classroom. “We’re still learning about them, but we estimate their intelligence is somewhere between that of a monkey and a dolphin. They feed off the volcanic fumes here, they’re incredibly adaptable, and they live to be around nine hundred years old.” The creatures have reverse aging, so they could be the fountain of youth to people. Ezren and Foster have the best surprise reunion in zero G space ship! they hug while floating in a spaceship!!! Soooooo special. And kissing and floating! What a unique kiss! I love how hope is such a big theme in this book. Hope even in dire circumstances. And they have to share a seat as copilates since there is only two seats and Fosters dad is flying it. Hehe foster is so protective!!!! “Who hit you?” He says in a rage and then a I’m going to beat them up. “He looked at her flushed face, warmth suffusing his every cell. “She’s my… everything.” Oh foster….. ““You can always fall apart here.” Foster pressed his lips to her hair, his arms tightening around her. “I’ll hold you together.” I love that they always check each others equipment. A love language. now they are sharing a parachute/jetpack as they emergency escape the space ship to obrone. I love this entrance into Obrane! Parachuting together on a jetpack! Haha OH MY HECK I AM BAWLING. Her dad sacrifices himself. But he has written her the most beautiful hopeful letter! He is watching down at her from heaven! And he is always in her heart. He tells her to always be hopeful
SPOILERS and book notes:
Oooo interesting. This book has the debate if Terraforming is good or not. Does it murder the planet? Is it bad to change its natural habitat? Or do humans have the right to change the environment to make it habitual for them? Or do they just need to keep scoring the universe until they find a planet that is already habitual? It’s the same argument for environmentalists on earth today. It’s good for humans to progress! And be one with nature! But we also have to be careful not to completely destroy it. What a delicate balance. ““We don’t want Ezren’s sky, we want Belethea’s.” “Terraforming is planet murder!” “We stand with Calderon, a true Belethea hero.” Ezra wants to terraform bc she loves the planet and wants to live outside and not worry! Calderon DOESNT want to terraform it bc he loves the planet and doesn’t want it to change. It’s ok for people to express their opinion. But it is NOT ok when activists result to violence!!!!!! Nanites are used to self repair damaged suits and humans. They can make them heal faster and even build new limbs. People also have nanite “tattoos”. Mostly used in the underworld to indicate syndicate affiliations. I like Ian Shiro and his mysterious ways. I ship him and Sylvia. He is a PI, has a gun that can be summoned with his metal bracelet, has a stunning gun, has a six tailed pink cat named turnip, and can drive spaceships. ““The more I find out about you, Ian Shiro, the more suspicious you seem.” His grin widened, and this time, it creased the laugh lines edging his face. “And you know what, Sylvia Long, I think you like it.” Sylvia and Shiro enemies to lovers is the bessssst. These guns are interesting. And why they use lasers in Star Wars: “Like Shiro, most law enforcement officers used bolt-ammo, but these were laser-lead—meant to kill while not ricocheting off the metal walls of the space station.” While belethea is all storms and tornados, Ortho is lava and volcanoes and boiling lakes and earthquakes and toxic atmosphere. Ezrens dad and team found the first complex life on Casolla and it was found on Ortho!! It is called luxies: “the luxies float on the other side, his voice as calm as if he were giving a lecture in a classroom. “We’re still learning about them, but we estimate their intelligence is somewhere between that of a monkey and a dolphin. They feed off the volcanic fumes here, they’re incredibly adaptable, and they live to be around nine hundred years old.” The creatures have reverse aging, so they could be the fountain of youth to people. Ezren and Foster have the best surprise reunion in zero G space ship! they hug while floating in a spaceship!!! Soooooo special. And kissing and floating! What a unique kiss! I love how hope is such a big theme in this book. Hope even in dire circumstances. And they have to share a seat as copilates since there is only two seats and Fosters dad is flying it. Hehe foster is so protective!!!! “Who hit you?” He says in a rage and then a I’m going to beat them up. “He looked at her flushed face, warmth suffusing his every cell. “She’s my… everything.” Oh foster….. ““You can always fall apart here.” Foster pressed his lips to her hair, his arms tightening around her. “I’ll hold you together.” I love that they always check each others equipment. A love language. now they are sharing a parachute/jetpack as they emergency escape the space ship to obrone. I love this entrance into Obrane! Parachuting together on a jetpack! Haha OH MY HECK I AM BAWLING. Her dad sacrifices himself. But he has written her the most beautiful hopeful letter! He is watching down at her from heaven! And he is always in her heart. He tells her to always be hopeful
May 28, 2024
I'd love to start with the fact that I am very grateful I got to come back for Into the Fire's ARC team. Into the Churn was one of the first ARCs I ever received/read, and I loved it, so it was nice to do this again. ITC is also one of those books I recommend to everyone for a billion reasons including I love sci-fi.
Into the Fire differs from the first book in several notable ways:
1. The story timeline is much shorter. Where ITC took place over the course of a year, ITF lasts about little over a week. You would think this might make the book drag out, but no, it's arguably even more action-packed, and way tenser.
2. SPACE. Into the Churn does lay out the Casolla system, but we never leave Belethea. Into the Fire takes us out of the atmosphere, to some stations, and most importantly to Otho. Before the sequel was announced, when I reviewed ITC I was very open about how badly I wanted some interplanetary travel if more books came along, and I was so stoked. I'm a science nerd. A space dork. I will always cheer for new planets, especially hostile ones (they can't all have aliens, okay?).
3. Ezren and Foster's relationship is already well established. This means that it could be tested and expanded upon in /TF. I think a lot of sequels often fail in this aspect because they want to do a breakup/makeup subplot, and it is very nice to just not do that. They love each other. Yes, they have disagreements, but they're not issuing ultimatums over them.
I don't want to spoil anything. I wouldn't say it's a super twisty story (there are a couple of twists, perhaps), but it still definitely has plot that could be spoiled. So here are a few of my (vague, cryptic) thoughts:
"Family, amirite? (cries uncontrollably)"
"New man enters the villa. New mysterious man enters the villa, what's he up to?"
"Oh that's what the novella will be about."
"Bex please stop saying odd numbers are unlucky. You're making me nervous."
"Mmmm, death moon."
"That man said 'girlie' and I love him for it."
Overall: I wasn't expected to actually sob, but I did. I loved Into the Churn and I actually ended up liking Into the Fire even more? Wild. Going to have to squeeze myself in at 4.75 stars (ITC got 4.5 stars). There simply wasn't enough Turnip the cat, and Waffles the capybog was only referenced (sad).
Third book is confirmed, and I have no clue where Ezren, Foster, and the rest of the cast will go. Will they remain in the Casolla system? Maybe. Will they go through a Wormgate? Hayley if you're reading this please send us through the wormgate.
Anyway, you can pick up both Into the Churn and Into the Fire on Amazon, online at Barnes & Noble, and at https://whimsicalpublishing.ca/
(Also even Indigo is selling Into the Churn online? Wild)
Into the Fire differs from the first book in several notable ways:
1. The story timeline is much shorter. Where ITC took place over the course of a year, ITF lasts about little over a week. You would think this might make the book drag out, but no, it's arguably even more action-packed, and way tenser.
2. SPACE. Into the Churn does lay out the Casolla system, but we never leave Belethea. Into the Fire takes us out of the atmosphere, to some stations, and most importantly to Otho. Before the sequel was announced, when I reviewed ITC I was very open about how badly I wanted some interplanetary travel if more books came along, and I was so stoked. I'm a science nerd. A space dork. I will always cheer for new planets, especially hostile ones (they can't all have aliens, okay?).
3. Ezren and Foster's relationship is already well established. This means that it could be tested and expanded upon in /TF. I think a lot of sequels often fail in this aspect because they want to do a breakup/makeup subplot, and it is very nice to just not do that. They love each other. Yes, they have disagreements, but they're not issuing ultimatums over them.
I don't want to spoil anything. I wouldn't say it's a super twisty story (there are a couple of twists, perhaps), but it still definitely has plot that could be spoiled. So here are a few of my (vague, cryptic) thoughts:
"Family, amirite? (cries uncontrollably)"
"New man enters the villa. New mysterious man enters the villa, what's he up to?"
"Oh that's what the novella will be about."
"Bex please stop saying odd numbers are unlucky. You're making me nervous."
"Mmmm, death moon."
"That man said 'girlie' and I love him for it."
Overall: I wasn't expected to actually sob, but I did. I loved Into the Churn and I actually ended up liking Into the Fire even more? Wild. Going to have to squeeze myself in at 4.75 stars (ITC got 4.5 stars). There simply wasn't enough Turnip the cat, and Waffles the capybog was only referenced (sad).
Third book is confirmed, and I have no clue where Ezren, Foster, and the rest of the cast will go. Will they remain in the Casolla system? Maybe. Will they go through a Wormgate? Hayley if you're reading this please send us through the wormgate.
Anyway, you can pick up both Into the Churn and Into the Fire on Amazon, online at Barnes & Noble, and at https://whimsicalpublishing.ca/
(Also even Indigo is selling Into the Churn online? Wild)
December 18, 2024
In the aftermath of book 1 we find our characters in the centre of some chaotic politics. Calderon is far from thwarted. With the verse watching them and protestors hounded them, Ezran and Foster are struggling.
When a PI tells Ezran that her just might be alive she jumps at the chance to find it. After half a lifetime thinking he’d abandoned her family she can’t rest until she gets him back. Unfortunately he happens to be stuck on a moon days after from a catastrophic volcanic eruption and in the middle of an interplanetary crisis.
With this as our backdrop we follow Ezran as she’s forced to dodge assassination attempts whilst on a frantic quest to find her father. There’s a lot of factions as scheming and warring and Ezran and the BRR gang fall head first into the chaos. This ensues a fast paced story full of tense unpredictable action, entertaining banter and the found family we developed in book 1. I love that the whole team gets involved as well as the side characters - Shiro was a highlight but I also loved Gerard Y. They added a lot to the dynamics. Plus we get to explore a little of space and a new location in the form of a deadly moon. This was even worse than Belethea not to mention all the syndicate people trying to kill them. I throughly enjoyed all the high stakes action! It had me flipping through this story desperate to see what would happen next. Though it still left time for me to get attached to all the characters and suffer the trauma with them all.
Start to finish, this was an exciting read and a great sequel. It built on everyone Ezran and Foster started and exposed in book 1 and took us deeper into the mess of it all. I loved that they play such a big role in the system and I felt all the heart racing emotion of the Ezran and her father.
Overall a great sequel that levelled up everything we came to love in book 1. I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us!
March 22, 2024
Into the Fire is an adventurous and exciting ride, and an excellent sequel to Into the Churn.
In this book, we follow Ezren and Foster in the weeks after the events at the end of Into the Churn. They are all over VSoc, being interviewed relentlessly after their BRR win. But Ezren has been targeted for her pro-terraforming views, while Foster has been dogged by questions about their relationship. The distance hasn't been helping, but the pair are desperate for some downtime to just be together. But when a mysterious Private Investigator, Ian Shiro, shows up at Carmella with news about Ezren's missing father, a chain of events is set into motion leading the team towards a hostile planet, Otho, that is ready to erupt in more ways than one. The trip will test the limits of Foster and Ezren's relationship, and possibly risk their lives in the process.
I loved this book! This is a perfect YA adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is a quick read as well, and I was able to finish the book over two evenings. The action in this book is amazing, so much going on, especially in the latter half of the book, it was hard to put it down. There are some emotional moments as well, as we learn more about the fate of Ezren's missing father. The moments between Ezren and Foster are super sweet as well, and you can tell they are completely devoted to each other. We also get more of Grady and Bex, and Sylvia too, as well as some new characters that I adored. Overall, I loved this book, and was so happy to be back in Casolla with team Sterling/Hart.
Thank you so, so much to the author and to Whimsical Publishing for the advanced copy of this book!! My opinions are my own.
In this book, we follow Ezren and Foster in the weeks after the events at the end of Into the Churn. They are all over VSoc, being interviewed relentlessly after their BRR win. But Ezren has been targeted for her pro-terraforming views, while Foster has been dogged by questions about their relationship. The distance hasn't been helping, but the pair are desperate for some downtime to just be together. But when a mysterious Private Investigator, Ian Shiro, shows up at Carmella with news about Ezren's missing father, a chain of events is set into motion leading the team towards a hostile planet, Otho, that is ready to erupt in more ways than one. The trip will test the limits of Foster and Ezren's relationship, and possibly risk their lives in the process.
I loved this book! This is a perfect YA adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is a quick read as well, and I was able to finish the book over two evenings. The action in this book is amazing, so much going on, especially in the latter half of the book, it was hard to put it down. There are some emotional moments as well, as we learn more about the fate of Ezren's missing father. The moments between Ezren and Foster are super sweet as well, and you can tell they are completely devoted to each other. We also get more of Grady and Bex, and Sylvia too, as well as some new characters that I adored. Overall, I loved this book, and was so happy to be back in Casolla with team Sterling/Hart.
Thank you so, so much to the author and to Whimsical Publishing for the advanced copy of this book!! My opinions are my own.
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