*4.25 Stars*

What a great end to a great series. I was in from the first page to the last. I love these characters and the intrigue was so good. I really had no clue the entire time. It was a great time and I just wanted to find out more. I read this pretty much in one go. I was truly so into it. I just loved how the characters grew throughout the series and I would definitely read it again!

"Vanja Ros," Emeric tells me, "you are always worth the wait."

A big THANK YOU to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC of Holy Terrors! To say I was thrilled when I saw I'd been accepted for this ARC is an understatement. After Book 2's ending, I could not wait to learn the resolution of Vanja's (and hopefully Emeric's) story.

I INHALED this book, and hated when I had to put it down. I loved it so much. I loved the two preceding books as well, but this one made me FEEL things and is probably my favorite of this incredible trilogy. Needless to say, I will absolutely be returning to it in the future,

I was feeling REAL stressed about the state of Vanja and Emeric's relationship, but their resolution was 100% worth the wait. I'm a sucker for second chance romance, and I felt this was the perfect blend of second-chance/enemies-to-lovers(which is always a winner in romantasy). It was emotionally painful to get through some of those chapters when Emeric was being a total jerk to her, but with what he assumed her reasons for leaving him were...you can't blame him TOO much.

The storytelling, as is consistent with the other books in the trilogy, was fantastic. I was pulled into Vanja's world, seeing it through her outwardly sassy and inwardly vulnerable personality. The growth that she experienced was phenomenal. I also loved the fast-paced drama and investigation, and the mystery behind everything happening. And UGH. I love she and Emeric's love story SO much. I can't get enough of it.

On the other hand, I want to rate this book a 4.5, because there were a couple things that just had me feeling a little "ick". There was a bit more language than in the prior books, and lots of sexual references that made me feel a little uncomfy. These are just my personal preferences, but overall I ADORED this book. Can't wait to read more from Owen :)

I will love this series until my dying day. Margaret Owens has a fan for life. This is such a dynamic and amazing series.

4.25 stars -- Holy Terrors is the epic conclusion to the incredible Little Thieves trilogy. Painted Devils, the second book, left us on a pretty big cliffhanger so I was so excited to be immersed in this world once again.

Vanja and the whole team are back to figure out who is murdering royals while leaving a red penny as a calling card to impersonate Vanja. This time, the murders, danger, and chaos were even more personal for Vanja. The plot twists and turns were so well done I kept second-guessing myself every chapter.

If you're counting on the same trademark humor, magic, and character growth that make the first two books so special, you'll get it in spades in Holy Terrors! The cast of characters is diverse and humorous, but realistically flawed. Their motivations, arguments, and feelings were so relatable that I know YA readers will see themselves in these characters. Vanja is no saint but this book really shows her character striving to be better, despite the bleak events. She's trying to work through trauma, unlearn bad behavior, and be there for her friends as their entire empire is on the brink of political collapse (feel relatable, much?). I loved how so much of the first book was re-incorporated into this one and it felt like a great series wrap-up.

Vanja and Emeric's storyline? emotional damage. I was so invested since book one so this third book put me through the FEELS. In the beginning I was genuinely thinking "there's no way we can move on from this, we're at the bottom of the barrel here?" But, boy, does Margaret Owen know how to write her characters going through it™️ but also ensuring there's a HEA!

Overall I really enjoyed this story so much and thought the conclusion to this series was the right tone to hit. This is going to be a beloved YA trilogy for many future readers and I can't wait for more people to step into this world to meet Vanja!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy. It did not affect my reviews in any way!

It’s really rude to make me cry so many times. I am so sad to come to the end(?) of Vanja and Emeric’s story. I wish I could read about them forever and ever. My favorite red-headed gremlin girl and her intolerable filing cabinet. I will miss my favorite princess and her shape-shifting wife.
Holy Terrors was full of so many twists and surprises. I was on the edge of my seat (metaphorically, of course) the whole time. I gasped and cried more times than i would like to admit. This trilogy has been one of the most interesting reads I have ever encountered and I can’t wait to do a full series re-read.
Maragaret Owen’s story-telling is outlandish is the best possible way. She has made me fall in love with a wicked, morally grey girl and her (yes, HER) sanctimonious coatrack. In-between the snark and witty remarks, Owen uses her stories to explore so many different topics: What does justice look like, what does love look like, should love change a person, a person is not the decisions they make but how those decisions change them as a person, what does forgiveness look like. She has created an immersive world that is so fantastical and magical that feels incredibly real. I would read anything she wrote. Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing House for the eARC!

*Note I have received a free digital copy of this book and it will not affect my thoughts or feelings towards this title*

Oh my god, that is what I call a series conclusion!!! If you had any fears about how Owen was going to be able to wrap up this massive story cast them aside because this was perfection! Every character that we have grown to know and love have all their arch's completed in such lovely way. The dialogue and banter as always was top tier and had many laugh out moments to giggle at or think what the actual *BLEEP*. Vanja's character journey from book one to now is just so natural and tremendous it makes me feel proud of who she becomes after all she has suffered from. This book has everything from high stakes, real consequences, murder mysteries and the end of the world all wrapped up into this book with so many laughs sprinkled on top. If you were a fan of the previous installments to this series, this is the ending that feels deserved for all our favorite (and not so liked) characters. If you couldn't tell already I would definitely give this a five out of five stars and recommend anyone to give this series a try (especially since its now completed) and come for the chaotic ride known as the "Little Thieves" series.

*Side note: I would highly recommend rereading the past installments of the series prior to reading Holy Terrors as they are just so many callbacks that I feel are more rewarding with a fresher memory*

Holy Terrors picks up sixteen months after the end of Painted Devils with Vanja playing the role of the Pfennigeist: a vigilante who helps the helpless get the justice they need. She is recruited once again by the prefects as a consultant when its discovered an assassin is making their way through the royal houses while disguised as the Pfennigeist. This puts her back in contact with the boy she left, Emeric and they have to work together to find this assassin while dealing with the emotional fallout of their break up.

I loved this book and found it an almost perfect conclusion to a fantastic YA fantasy trilogy. Owen continues Vanja's coming of age story and via a unique take on the multiverse, shows how much she has grown over the three books. It is truly impressive to see how Vanja's own internal voice has changed since 'Little Thieves' as she has matured and Owen portrayed this so subtly but so well. (And while maintaining Vanja's trademark snark.) I am a sucker for a time travel/multiple timeline story and it is used masterfully here to illustrate the theme of choices and how one's choices change who they are. (And it was sweet to see how the choices that mainline Vanja makes results in character growth for other people and the ultimate resolution of the conflict.)

All of the initial scenes with Vanja and Emeric before they make up absolutely broke my heart and was such an accurate portrayal of an ugly break up. I liked that Owen showed that both Vanja and Emeric needed time apart to grow as individuals before they could really come together as a successful couple. Its a really well done example of love and relationships growing and changing over time that we don't get to see often in YA books.

As much as I enjoyed the reading experience, I do think the book was a little too long and moved too slowly in the middle. I felt that we should have spent more time with Vanja living alone as the Pfennigeist and being in a relationship with Benno so we can see more of how that changed her. It would have made certain events in the back of the book hit harder. Also, I found myself still confused by the end of how our villain was able to complete their plot within the established rules of the world. I just don't think it was adequately explained in a way that was satisfying and this undercut the events of the climax. (Also the climax felt a little rushed without enough supporting details again for everything to make sense).

Overall, I still highly recommend this book and the whole trilogy as they are an excellent example of YA fantasy.

Reviews going live on Goodreads, Storygraph and Fable on 4/1 and on Tiktok on 4/2.

I was ready for heartbreak and Owen really keeps us on the emotional roller coaster. I can't even fully express how many times I needed to continue to read to make sure my heart wouldn't shatter into a million pieces. Holy Terrors was perfection in a series ender. While the action continually forces you to read, the true star is, of course, Vanja. The action and cleverness in this series always astounds me. I love being stumped. Holy Terrors challenges everything you knew about this world and breaks it.

Vanja ran. She tried to make a life worth living but something keeps her life in ruin. She keeps hurting the ones she loves when all she wants is to protect them. As she tries to figure out the cause of her string of never-ending disasters someone frames her alter ego, the Pfennigeist, the Penny Phanom, for a string of royal murders. To save her name, and most likely the whole country, she has to team up with those she’s hurt the most. Together she discovers more about herself than she could ever dream.
I absolutely LOVED this book. The whole series is fantastically layered with capers, romance, family drama, fabulous side characters, fables made flesh, low gods trying their best, and an empire that’s one supernatural crisis away from utter collapse. Vanja and Emeric are a study in flawed characters learning about themselves so they can love fully and be loved fully. They are perfectly imperfect and the only problem I have with this series is that I didn’t read it sooner. What’s wrong with you self?!
The writing is fabulous. The story tackles deeply traumatic and terrible incidents with care, insight, and a slow and steady dose of support, healing, and reality. The whole world is wrapped in layers of magic, humanity, humor, banter, swoony moments, snark, folklore, heartache, and so much more. I think I felt every feeling with this series and Holy Terrors griped me in a way that only a few other books have.
Comp titles? I’m bad at this, I think. But it hit all the right notes so I was like what is this reminding me of… It’s right up there with Starling House with the life-altering relationship and personal growth. It has the flavor of Gilded & Cursed, the relationship drama of Heartless Hunter, the MCs are like all of the Six of Crows mashed into two people, and it has that build of plot within each book and the overall series like Holly Black. Basically, it’s word magic and I have been changed for good.

A very satisfying ending to one of my favorite series! I laughed, I cried, I finished this book within 24 hours of receiving the ARC. This book had a brick on the gas pedal because it did not slow down once. It is a very satisfying, emotionally charged ending, well-worth the wait. My only critique is that I wish there was a list of the imperial houses and members because the names were a lot to keep track of while reading (but that is a small critique). If you love Vanja, Emeric, and the little thieves crew, grab some tissues and prepare yourself for the ride!

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) | Macmillan Young Listeners for this ARC Copy!

Such a great conclusion to such a wonderful series. I have enjoyed this series more and more with each book and I am so sad that is is over, but I am also really happy with the final conculsion to the characters that I have completely fallen for through this series.
I really enjoyed how much of the character growth that we saw in book 1-2 really comes into play in this final book. The characters truly grew immensely throughout the series and the author did such a great job of making sure that the growth was believable and really reflected in the characters behaviors and decisions.

Margaret Owen never misses! This was a delicious continuation of the series, so happy to be back with these beloved mischief-makers!

Thank you Morgan Rath, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Little Thieves is one of my favorite series in the world and I am so, so lucky to be able to read an early copy of the final installment. Holy Terrors picks up almost two years where Painted Devils leaves off, and while Owen has published a series of short stories that covers the time skip it still makes sense without having read that prior (I think that it absolutely enriches the experience, however, and also I love these characters so more is always better). It’s great to see the ways that Vanja has changed and how she has stayed the same in that time period, and as always the extra side stories that are accompanied by illustrations provide more insight to Vanja as a character.

Owen does a great job creating and maintaining tension and keeping you on your toes, and while this book is definitely long—especially so for a young adult novel—it reads fast and it’s easy to get lost in the pages. I think if you’re not too big on large casts this might be more difficult to manage, but I thought Owen made it easy to understand who is who. The tension between Vanja and Emeric is wonderful and had me biting my own fist, but the actual plot is also incredibly engaging. Holy Terrors is a wonderful conclusion to one of my favorite series, and I will definitely keep revisiting them over and over.

Margaret Owen, you beautiful, evil soul. Each book in this trilogy drew me in from the dedication:

"To the terrible girls, maybe you weren't soft and lovely, Maybe you weren't obedient and kind, Maybe, when the wolf's teeth closed, you weren't concerned with being digestible. The good news is: There is so much more to your story."

These books and Owen's writing has a way of cutting deep into your core. There are moments, in this book and the entire trilogy, where her words hit so spot on that I had to just stop and stare into oblivion for a minute to process. The emotional aspect is always well developed, and this book is no exception. It also continues along the trend of incredible banter and wit, little hints into Owen's real-life social commentary, and an overall captivating plot. The characters continue to be incredibly loveable despite (maybe because of) their faults.

I won't elaborate too much since this is a third book in a trilogy, but I will say that it does not disappoint. If you've enjoyed the Little Thieves books so far, you will love this finale as well.

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Margaret Owen's books. Holy Terrors, as the third installment of the Little Thieves series, did not disappoint. Margaret keeps you on the edge of your seat hunting the assassin and following the twists and turns. She often manages to surprise me as a reader. I also love how Margaret writes these complex characters that are entirely true to themselves, and the morality struggles she portrays. This one is a dangerous one to crack open at bedtime, as likely it will capture you and make you read way too late a night.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC 🩵 I read the first two books and knew that I was absolutely going to love this one. This is such a strong conclusion that takes place 2 years after Painted Devils when Vanja is being framed for murders. And wouldn’t you know… our favorite prefect is assigned to the case. The pacing was really good, there was a murder-mystery vibe to it that I liked, and I think that it depicted the trauma experienced by the character(s) really well. I highly recommend this book if you liked One Dark Window!

The Little Thieves series will go down as one of my all time favorites, and is definitely making my top reads of 2025 list. It’s hard to review the third book in a series without spoilers so I will try and convince you to start the series if you haven’t yet. This is a german inspired folklore retelling, with death personified, a cat (sort of, most of the time) familiar, orders and secret societies, and a nerdy awkward pretentious MMC and a super sarcastic thief. Or as the main character calls them: “You’re a walking morality lecture with something to prove, and I’m a scoundrel with an unflinching sense of entitlement to other people’s property.” This author’s prose is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Hilarious and witty with a sense of humor that had me smiling ear to ear and laughing out loud. The romance was phenomenal. This couple is so relatable and had me in my feelings from start to finish. This is such an amazing end to the series and I can’t recommend it enough. Now I need to read everything else Margaret Owen has written!

This book takes place 2 years after the events of Painted Devils, and when I tell you that was the most painfully emotional journey, please believe me. But the good kind of painful.

The book begins with the Penny Phantom being accused of murdering royals, which means Emeric hunts Vanja down after 2 years of no contact between them. Trust, it is a painful reunion, made even worse because Emeric went and got engaged in the time between. The love they feel for one another is still so present, and the entire first half of the book I felt so icky about it all. Emeric's fiancee is one of the sweetest characters and I hated wanting her to go away because I needed Vanja and Emeric back together.

I am so completely enamored with this book. It made me cry a total of SEVEN times. Anything I had questions/thoughts about in the previous book, this book met those and answered my questions. I thought the character-work was done MARVELLOUSLY and even though I love Vanja and Emeric together, I just couldn't bring myself to dislike the fiancee either.

The plot was so fast-paced and twisty, I could not put this book down. The day I started it, I meant to only read 50 pages, and ended up 60% of the way through the book without realizing it. Vanja's journey through self-discovery and self-love is so SO important, and even as an adult this book was so needed for me. I'm not a big fan of using <spoiler>time travel</spoiler> in books, and while that occurred I will say my head was starting to hurt trying to wrap itself around what was going on, but I still think this book did it in a great way.

Margaret Owens is an immensely talented author, and has been an auto-buy author for me ever since I read The Merciful Crow. I cannot wait to see what else she writes.

A fantastic conclusion to a trilogy I highly recommend for older students.
Entertaining, suspenseful, and emotional with fantastic world building and wonderful relationships.
I will absolutely read more by Margaret Owen in the future.

I didn't want this to end! I love Vanja and Emeric so much. This was just as good as the other two books. I was cracking up at some points, upset at others and just trying to savor the book while devouring it as well. Also the illustrations for these books never disappoint!