Into the Churn

by Hayley Reese Chow

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Book 1 of Into the Churn

Pub Date 4 Apr 2023 | Archive Date 14 Apr 2024

Whimsical Publishing

Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy | Teens & YA

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Description

Seventeen-year-old Ezren Hart interns in her mother’s terraforming lab, studying Belethea’s deadly storms with the dream of giving her backwater planet open teal skies. But when budget cuts threaten to shut down her mother’s lab, Ezren enters Belethea’s Race Royale, the system’s deadliest and most lucrative race. To win, she’ll have to run, drive, and fight her way across Belethea’s barren landscape while navigating its savage and volatile storms. With her planet’s future, and her family’s, on the line, she can’t afford to lose. But first, she’ll have to convince her handsome royale partner that their planet is worth saving.

Foster Sterling is a jaded ex-prodigy royaler still reeling from his partner’s death in a training accident. When Ezren Hart comes charging into his life, her passion reminds him of what he once loved about racing and his dream of returning pride to their planet. Still, no matter how fast they go, they can’t outrun the mysterious string of deadly accidents following them like a curse. As Foster falls harder for Ezren, he races to piece the clues together. But with time running out and their survival on the line, he’ll have to decide if their dreams are worth their lives.

Earth was tame. Belethea is not.

Perfect for fans of underdog heroes, slow burn romance, and high stakes sci-fi, INTO THE CHURN races across a new planet of savage storms and dazzling tech. Fall in love with Ezren and Foster as they battle side-by-side to save their scrappy world on a ruthless interplanetary stage where appearances are everything, speed means survival, and the only thing deadlier than the storms are the other racers.

Advance Praise

"Hayley Reese Chow's Into the Churn is a romantic Science Fiction thrill ride with brains and heart. Ezren and Foster have chemistry to spare, and the world of Belethea and its killer storms is just giddy-making good. I can't wait to read what she does next!" - Alaya Dawn Johnson, Nebula Award-winning author of The Summer Prince

You know those books, the ones you can't put down, and when you're forced to do so, all you can think about is getting back to it as soon as possible? Well, that's exactly what INTO THE CHURN is like! Even if sci-fi isn't your go-to genre, you will still love this YA, action romance--the pining, the kisses, the slow burn--OH MY HEART! And the action too! The Race Royale takes place in heart of Belethea's churn belt, a portion of the planet where temperatures are unliveable, lightning rages, and tornados tear the planet apart. This is a life threatening triathlon of epic tech proportions where neighbouring planets compete for resource rights and interplanetary glory. The thing is, our heroes, Ezren and Foster, are the underdogs, and not only will you melt over their romance, you'll be biting your nails and praying for their safety until the very end.Don't miss this, just don't. - Micheline Ryckman, Author of The Maiden Ship trilogy

"Into the Churn is a whirlwind of a book that will sweep you up into its stormy world and won't let you go." - Bridget Tyler, author of the Pioneer duology

Transport yourself into the vibrant, dangerous planet of Belethea with its unpredictable storms, dicey politics, and mind-blowing technology. By the end, you'll be chanting "Into the Churn!" alongside the characters you've fallen in love with as they barrel through tornadoes, rumors, romance, and lies all the way to the finish line. - Megan McCullough, Author of We Could be Villains

"Riveting. Fast-paced. Mad Max meets YA in this page-turning sci-fi adventure. Fans of my 13th Continuum trilogy will devour this book!" -Jennifer Brody, author of The 13th Continuum, Disney Chills, and co-author of Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith"Into the Churn is a whirlwind of a book that will sweep you up into its stormy world and won't let you go." - Bridget Tyler, author of the Pioneer duology

Available Editions

EDITION	Paperback
ISBN	9781778004483
PRICE	US$16.99 (USD)
PAGES	370

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Additional Information

Average rating from 53 members

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Featured Reviews

Zephyr E, Reviewer

Into the Churn pulled me like a Belethea tornado. Any time I had to put it down, I was swept back into the story as soon as I started reading again. I'm gonna go all out with the puns by adding that it blew me away.

I'm talking about the adorable, wholesome romance first:

🌌High Stakes Space Race Meet-Cute
🌌He Falls First and Hard
🌌Flirting in Teal Storms
🌌Only One Heating Bag (aka Body Warmth for Survival)
🌌They Protect Each Other
🌌Sterling/Hart Ship--I mean, Team Name

The way they had each other's backs!! They were the strength when the other was weak. She gave him something to believe in, and he didn't underestimate her from the beginning. It was one of the sweetest romances I've ever read.

The timeline of the story is about a year. The bonds that formed over that time were natural and didn't feel rushed. I especially loved the found family aspect that developed later on.

The world-building was one of the best parts about Into the Churn. I wanted to be on Belethea under the teal and navy skies, with the wild storms rampant. The tech was unique and fun to imagine. And the fashion! It was giving Bridgerton x Cyberpunk x Zenon vibes, and I was obsessed.

Capybogs and hummingbots. That is all.

The way Hayley Reese Chow wrote the action put me right into a seat with the crowds watching. I was cheering and rooting for Belethea's teams. I never knew who would get hurt or if they would win, so the unknown kept me on the edge of my seat.

I can't wait to read Into the Fire next!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Whimsical Publishing for providing a copy to me in exchange for my honest review.

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Sarah B, Reviewer

A compelling science fiction tale featuring high-stakes races, a budding romance, and a vividly depicted cosmic setting. The story, with elements reminiscent of popular franchises, offers an exhilarating atmosphere and conveys a potent message about resilience. The romance between the main characters, Ezren and Foster, is tender and captivating. The book is an excellent introduction to the genre for young adults, without compromising on quality.

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Reviewer 1382634

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my review.

I’m not used to reading sci-fi but I love fantasy/paranormal romance books, so going into this I was expecting to struggle, but I was extremely pleasantly surprised. The world building was drip-fed perfectly to follow the story where necessary and to grasp the technology norms, and the jargon was easy to pick up and understand.

The characters were brilliant, I loved every one of them. Ezren’s relationship with her mother and little brother was so satisfying and wholesome (rooting for Sam all the way!), and her friendship with Micah was rich and fulfilling. Foster was such a fun character to read, and I loved his dry humour and how protective he was.

The romance between Foster and Ezren progresses really smoothly, and I love all the sweet moments of awkwardness between them.

The writing was clear and enticing from the start, and the execution of the premise was thrilling. The pacing was super well done, nothing felt rushed and nothing dragged.

As an added bonus, the cover art is stunning!

If you’re unfamiliar with sci-fi like me, I think Into The Churn is a great stepping stone from fantasy/paranormal romance genres. Would definitely recommend!