Ok it took me like 2 months to finish this, but I LOVED it. Definitely a me not finding time problem, not a this book put me in a slump problem. I loved the voice that this story was told in, frank and biting, yet having that air that fantasy stories always do. And the ROMANCE. Emeric Conrad is now forever one of my favorite love interests. I’m so glad the story went in that direction, because I would have been mad if it didn’t.

So good. So, so good.

“Once Upon a Time”. All great stories begin with “Once Upon a Time”. It is the mark of an author who is confident of the work, to inform the reader in advance that the author wrote a great story. Margaret Owen brought us through a pandemic world, both and literally, with the Merciful Crow. Now the latest new story begins with the famous 4 words that brings the reader to the old fashioned tried and true formula of good vs evil, heroes vs the villains, mystical creatures, animals, and gods. Full of comedy, drama, and suspense. Plainly stated, it is a must read.

Here's the elevator pitch: Oh, so you like Six of Crows? You simp for Kaz Brekker on a daily basis? You are desperate for that found family trope that everyone else in the world also wants? You want to read a enemies to lovers to enemies and then back to lovers romance? And you probably desperately need therapy? A book that is new enough that Booktok hasn't gotten it to it yet to make it 'too mainstream' even though it should me? This is def the book for you.

Little Thieves is an adventure from cover to cover with never a dull moment. I personally prefer a character driven book than a plot driven book but this book is giving them both. You've got the fantasy, the queer representation, the rag tag troop charged with saving the word. An absolutely fantastic read fit for anyone who needs a little more adventure in their lives.

I absolutely loved "Little Thieves." It felt more like a dark twist on an old fairy tale than a typical fantasy novel that you would read now.

As a girl, Vanja is given up (abandoned) and left to Death and Fortune. The two goddesses take her in but eventually tell her that one day she must choose between them. Not wanting to pick sides Vanja decides she must flee the realm and cross its border where the goddesses' powers are not the same. She hopes that in doing so she will be free to choose her own destiny. The problem is she has no money for the passage and to start a new life, so through an enchanted necklace, she transforms into a Princess and starts to steal from the wealthy people around her.

If you haven't read it, I would suggest picking it up. I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series!

This was a wonderful book, with plot elements interwoven throughout that come to a culmination in the final few pages. Vinja is described as the 13th daughter of a 13th daughter by her mother, as she abandons her in the woods when she is 4, one child too many for her mother to feed, especially given her mother's concern about her birth order. Taken in by the Low Gods Fate and Death, Vinja is then placed as a maid in a castle... and things go downhill for her from there. Told at 13 that she must choose which of her godmothers, Fate or Death, she will serve, Vinja then searches for a way to escape the unpalatable choice between them - leading to a desperate plan that includes stealing enough to leave the country, and hopefully find a place beyond the Low Gods' reach, where she won't have to choose. I look forward to the listed sequel.

Ever hear of The Goose Girl? Well, here is a MASTERPIECE of a retelling! With this being a standalone novel of over 500 pages of multiple story lines, I was in awe with the skill Owens has with juggling all at once, while still carrying on a beautiful story. The development of each character gave the impression that you fully knew who they were by the end. The way Owens allowed you to fully immerse yourself into the novel made it feel as though you were part of the story. I would put the book down and fully believe I was living the tale. I cannot wait to pick up more by Owens!

I enjoyed the twist this retelling took. and the mystery was fantastic as well. Something I will say is that the research Owens puts towards her books make me jealous of the time she takes to learn something.

It was a solid book and I enjoyed the fairytale with gods, curses and mystery.

I loved this book so much. Vanja is a chaotic character and I loved watching her grow. At first, I found the worldbuilding a bit cumbersome but I grew to love it. I loved the characters and the romance was just right, if a little slow at first. But the found family was exquisite as were the twists and turns at the end. Highly recommended, can't wait to read more from Margaret Owen!

Let me start by saying I've never read The Goose Girl and have no idea what it's about. That being said, I really enjoyed this retelling. I'll be honest and say I really just loved the cover and that's why I wanted to read it 🤣.

It was an interesting story. I liked how Death and Fortune are characters or "godmothers" to the MC. I enjoyed the fact that the old gods were such a big part of the story, yet did not overtake the fact that the MC stole this life from a Princess and had to make good on the trouble she caused.

I think because this fairytale is not as well known, it worked so well. It was super unique (at least to me) and that made it all the more enjoyable. It was fun seeing all the characters put aside differences to come together and defeat an even bigger threat.

This book was captivating, enthralling, amazing, and dark. I loved every detail from the very first page. The romance, the characters, the plot lines were all so complex and amazing. Vanja was an amazing narrator, somebody who I didn't want to stop reading about. Emeric was so complex and I loved following him and all the layers to him. Ragne was my favorite she was absolutely hilarious and so much fun to read about. In the end everything came together beautifly and ughhhh it was so good. If you love dark, compelling fantasies with so many amazing plot lines and characters you fall head over heels for, and characters who you often want to strangle as much as you love them, you should definitely READ THIS BOOK!!!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book took a bit to draw me in because of how unlikable I thought of Vanja, the main character. But, once the plot picked up, action happened, and more conflicts occurred to challenge her, I started to empathize and be proud of the growth her character went through. There are several vital characters to this novel and they all offered something unique and interesting to the story. A princess, servant, detective, guardian, and goddesses all entwine within their tales to overcome an evil hidden in plain sight. I really enjoyed the journey of this interesting crew and hope a sequel is in the works!

Vanja has lived a complicated life for the last year, pretending to be the Princess Gisele on one hand and a (very good) thief on the other. But it appears she has stolen from the wrong person this time and receives a curse that will cost her everything within a few weeks if she can't return what she has stolen. On top of that, her (or rather Gisele's) betrothed is back and pushing marriage and the investigators are closing in on her thieving. There is a lot on Vanja's plate, but this time she may not get out unscathed.

I went into this story with no idea what it was about, just that I needed to read it since the previous duology by this author was fabulous. Well, I am not at all disappointed in what I got in this book. Right from the start, I was invested in Vanja's plight, eating up the small facts and tidbits dropped along the way to create the big picture of what was going on. I was also very happy to see that while the writing and characters were still the wonderful things I expected from this author, the fantastical world building and plot were completely unique and interesting.

This is the first in a series, but the ending was the most perfect ending I could have hoped for, with all the loose ends tied off nicely and me left completely satisfied. I have no idea how a second book will tie in but I am so here for it- as well as anything else by this author. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes found families, old gods and traditions, dangerous and magical creatures, curses, spunky troublemakers, a girl who is more animal than human (and overall hysterical), and a sweet odd couple romance

⭐️⭐️💫 2.5/5 Stars

I had never heard of The Goose Girl prior to this, so I was excited to read a retelling of it. The Goose Girl is a German fairytale and this book brought those heavy German vibes as well. Vanja’s character was an interesting one; she was morally complex, which made the story a bit unpredictable.

Overall, I felt like the pacing was off; the beginning was too slow and the ending felt rushed. While this was a very unique story (even for a retelling) this book could have been condensed by at least 100pgs. I just never felt drawn into the storyline or the characters.

I did appreciate the queer representation that was in the story, especially the hints at the demisexual characters.

Thank you @fiercereads & @netgalley for the gifted books. This opinion is my own.

I’ve been a huge fan of Goose Girl after first reading the story in middle school. Although I’m usually more interested in light-hearted books, the darkness of the story greatly appealed to me and I fell head over heels. That being said, when I saw this book was coming out and told from a different perspective, I was very intrigued.

Owen is an amazing author—of that, there is no doubt. The writing is exquisite and helps to paint the story as a picture engraved in the reader’s mind. She took an old story and made it very much her own complete with morally grey characters. However, I wasn’t completely in love with this book. The beginning was a slow start and it took me awhile to get into it. I also never actually loved any of the characters, but as I’ve heard from others, it’s very subjective. Finally, While the inclusion of German words really helped to add depth to the story, it was super confusing at first and made the reading slower.

I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I read the description. I love the idea of an antiheroine, a girl who started with nothing and stole her way up to the top.

Vanja is a great character. You want to root for her even though you know, and she knows, what she is doing is wrong. The rest of main characters are eccentric and fun, which makes for a great story. I would have liked the curse to be a bit more of a main plot in the story, as it seemed to just be sort of an afterthought, but overall, this was a great read.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but if they are all this well-written and entertaining, I'll most definitely be reading more.

I loved this book so much that I had to buy it in hardcover to add to my collection. There is just something about a dark heroine that gets me every time. This story will keep you going the entire time!

I loved the format of this book! The original fairytale is one of my favorites so I was very excited for this one. I loved the new magic system, how aspects of the original tale were incorporated, and most of all the characters. They were each complex, intriguing, and drew you into the story. Great book.

“Delightfully irreverent retelling of “The Goose Girl” about stolen lives, thorny truths, and the wicked girls at the heart of both.”



Margaret Owen has created a stunning hook with the cover art of her new book Little Thieves. The gorgeous imagery coveys the dark retelling of the classic Grimm’s fairy tale The Goose Girl, about an evil lady in waiting who steals the position of a beautiful and kind princess on the way to her husband-to-be. Only in Owen’s irreverent version the story is turned on its head. Vanja Schmidt’s life was cursed from the time she was four when her mother made a deal with Death and Fate. Vanja grows up thinking she is loved by them until as a teenager these “aunts” demand she chose one or the other as payment for the debt of raising her. Instead she chooses to take her future into her own hands and no longer be the abused servant girl. She steals the looks and life of the haughty and selfish Princess Gisele with an enchanted set of pearls and creates the Pfennigeist, the Penny Thief, to reach her goal of freedom.


Vanja is definitely a morally gray heroine. Her life as the Pfennigeist and Giselle leaves little doubt to her selfish priorities. However, life is not lived out in black and whites. Owen creatively weaves through the plot of the story the multiple shades of events and circumstances that have created Vanja which allows the reader to gain a bit of understanding and even sympathy for her. Vanja’s quest to gain her freedom, set against a historical German backdrop, with its language and customs, made for a rich and fascinating read. While a number of the obstacles Vanja is confronted with appear gruesome and sinister, the story is actually a dark comedy of errors that mocks the seriousness in both subtle and blatant ways.


The first half of Little Thieves is a captivating discovery of the world and characters that Owen has created and an engaging buildup to an interesting adaptation of The Goose Girl. But, midway through the story the plot begins to bog down and the comedy of errors becomes tiresome and irritating. Through all of this, Vanja becomes less likeable and I found myself wanting her to fail just to get things over with. When I finally reached the ending it felt like a quick wrap up because the book had already reached the 500 page mark. I did not dislike Little Thieves but I think I would have really enjoyed a more streamlined and fuller ended version.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan/Henry Holt and Co, and NetGalley for this advanced e-copy!
5,000/5 stars. This book absolutely blew me out of the water. Definitely now in my all-time top 5 and will be a staple re-read!
I am absolutely in love with Vanja and her inner dialogue. The 4th wall breaks were one of my favorite parts of the writing as a whole, and there were so many one-liners throughout the book. The storyline and plot were very original compared to many other YA fantasy books that I’ve read over the last couple of years, and I’m so glad to see that Margaret is going to write more books in the world!
I loved the structure of the book being broken down into parts, and then “stories” within those parts along with the illustrations. And then to find out that the whole time Vanja is telling the story she tells the Council at the end? It was so immaculately done. I also really enjoyed the normativity of differing sexual orientations and preferences within the kingdoms, and addressing how individuals want to be referred to depending on their chosen pronouns.
The pacing was just right, and the use of Vanja’s inner dialogue and wit during “slower” parts of the novel really made the entire story flow seamlessly. The descriptions were also delightfully vivid, without being overly “wordy”. The progression of the friendships/relationships was also a favorite of mine. Vanja and Emeric’s gradual progression from enemy/hatred to friends/love was so perfect and not as predictable as most books. The recurring theme of Emeric and his hatred of horses/horses as a symbol being central to the plot was hilarious! I also really enjoyed the interactions of Vanja with her “mothers” Death and Fortune, and how they would care for her and watch over her. But hands down, my two favorite side characters of the novel were Ragne and Poldi! Ragne’s aloof and non-human interpretation of human behavior kept me smiling throughout the story, and Poldi’s protectiveness over his “Lady of the Castle” was heartwarming

This is a retelling of ‘The Goose Girl’ which I have never read, but clearly need to now. The storyline was unexpected and kept unfolding in different, but enjoyable ways, right until the very end.
I would definitely recommend this book to my fantasy reading friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review