Holy Terrors is literally the perfect ending to a perfect series. This is me SHOUTING from the rooftops for everyone to read this trilogy, especially now that it’s finished!

If you’ve read the first two books then you already know what you’re getting into. Holy Terrors is filled with the same witty, morally gray characters, but make them grow and learn from their mistakes! Vanja and Emeric are each forced to address the baggage they’ve been harboring, all while having to chase down an unstoppable killer.

I cannot think of a better way to conclude a series. I don’t think I’ll ever get over these characters or this world. I am so thankful that NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group provided me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Margaret never misses and I love this book and this series more than words. I loved getting to be back in Vanya's chaos. This series is masterful in the way the conflict escalates. I loved how this resolved and that the characters are so flawed, but relatable and real. What an absolute joy. Thank you do the publisher and netgalley for this early reader copy. My thoughts are my own.

trying to understand the plot twists of this book felt like playing 3d chess as someone who doesn’t know how to play chess sometimes but that did not deter me because I am deeply in love with the world building and the characters. I admit I barely remembered what happened in the first two books and yet I felt right at home from the first page on. what started as a series inspired by one of my favourite fairytales ended as a book series that‘s so much more.

thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc!

“Blessed be the crown
Sacred be the bearer
Righteous be the spirit
And holy be the terror”

Poor Vanja. The daughter of Death and Fortune was never going to have an easy time of it, was she? In the final book of the trilogy, we start with a bit of a time jump. Vanja and Emeric tried to make a go of things, but as is her habit, she ran. (For mostly selfless reasons, but still.) She’s been going to town to town, trying to help people in her guise as the Pfennigeist, but nobles start showing up dead with her trademark red penny on their tongues. And who better to apprehend her than the prefect she ran from?

This was a beautifully executed end to a delightful little trilogy. There’s a lot of action, murder, betrayal, court intrigue, what have you. But there’s also a lot of deeply emotional scenes and revelations. A good bit of time is spent exploring the roads not taken, and how things could have played out and who Vanja might have become, vs the person she is. Her growth arc as a character has been enormous, and it’s easy to see when you compare the choices she might have made in the past to the ones she makes now.

I wish we’d had a bit more of the lower gods just because they seem enormously fun, but the strength of the story is such that you don’t need gods popping in and out to make things move along; it stands all on its own. My only note would be the pop culture references – I get it, they’re supposed to be fun and it’s a very witty, snarky, funny book. But modern song lyrics and references in a book set in medieval Germany (or a world inspired by) pulls me out of the story every time.

Definitely a series I would recommend to anyone who likes medieval settings, rich characters, difficult relationships, or retellings of fairytales. (Book 1 is loosely based on the Goose Girl tale.) And snark? Oh, there’s so much snark. “I cannot believe I’m attracted to a human civics primer.”

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan/Henry Holt & Co for the chance to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.

“No ending would ever be good enough, but I hope this has come close enough that ironically, you do not feel scammed.” (Margaret Owens, Holy Terrors acknowledgements)

The audacity. Are you joking? This was perfect.

This series got better and better with each installment. The growth and regression and humor and action — I’ll definitely be slipping back into this world often.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Co for providing an arc through NetGalley for me to review!

This book! This series!! I will never get over it, I love it so so SO much 🤩

Margaret Owen’s writing 👏👏👏👏 She’s somehow able to deliver impactful, deep storytelling that gut punches you while also using hilarious quips and ridiculous nicknames to keep you happy and laughing through the pain 😅

I was so worried for how Vanya and Emeric’s story was going to be resolved - I shouldn’t have been because Margaret Owen has proven herself a genius time and time again - but I was so scared they weren’t going to be able to reconcile a romantic relationship and would just remain friends/acquaintances 😩 But the character growth they both went through and the new understanding they had of each other created such a beautiful ending 😭

The growth Vanya went through in particular, honestly her whole journey throughout the series, was fantastic - this should be the standard for every YA! She will always be lovably morally gray, but to think about where she started and who she became in the end, it’s incredibly heartwarming 🥹 We all deal with our own demons, speaking dark, negative, doubtful, depressing thoughts into our heads. But that doesn’t mean that we have to listen and take them as truth. Our mistakes don’t have to define us, and Vanya’s story was a great reminder of all of that. I especially loved her family’s role in this, they didn’t really appear in this book in a physical way (mostly), but Vanya being able to internally hear their support and positivity towards her was a wonderful addition.

I really don’t want to say a single negative thing about this series ever because I truly love it so fucking much!!! But…. I do think it was a bit hard to follow all of the new characters, the families they were in, and their motivations. Maybe I missed it in the e-arc but I hope there’s some type of character breakdown in the front/back of the book that gives a list of the royal names, the houses they are from etc. I just think it’d be really helpful to have when I do a reread! And lastly, I wish we got more time with Benno, even if it was as a ghost 🥲

This was a heartwrenching conclusion to Vanja & Emerick's story. I was tense the entire time reading it. But Vanja & Emerick were still on point and Vanja's character arc was immaculate. It was a lovely finish to their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the eARC of this book!

Splitting this review into feelings and coherent thoughts because there is A LOT.

Feelings:
Crying in the club. I have gazed into the pages of a book about a gremlin girl and I have seen myself. This book cut me to the BONE and stitched me back together again. I remember reading Painted Devils and thinking to myself "wow, I'm so glad I don't have these traumatic, complicated relationships like Vanja!". And then I started therapy, and Holy Terrors came along and said "hey how's that trauma :)". All of that to say: this book felt deeply personal! And yet, I have no doubt that most readers picking up this book will see themselves in one of these characters. Truly, the holiest terror is to be perceived, to be understood, to feel hope, to love and be loved in return.

Slightly more coherent thoughts:
On its surface, this is a book about Vanja and crew having to work together to solve a kind of locked room mystery to figure out who is framing the Penny Phantom. Just below the surface, it's a story about figuring out who the fuck you are and how to love yourself and the people around you.

On one hand this book offers memes, pop culture references, and absolutely ridiculous scenarios (Junior with the sausages...), and on the other hand we get deep emotional turmoil, themes of power and justice, and the exploration of self. Owen perfectly balances the two in a way that kept the story feeling real and also kept me from getting *too* in my feelings.

While time shenanigans isn't usually one of my favorite plot devices, I feel like it was used really well here, which is really a testament to how well Owen writes and how much I love this world and the characters.

As a series ending, I felt like this really delivered. I appreciated that things aren't 100% stable and the characters still have a lot to figure out, but we know they're in a spot where they're going to get through it. Healing isn't linear, and they might slip, but they have each other, they're together - that's all that matters.



As a personal side note, Holy Terrors is literally one of the reasons I started a NetGalley account, and for it to be my first ARC request approval was *chef's kiss*. Thank you again, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR).

4.75/5 ⭐️
I refuse to believe this is the end of the series. I want more. No. I need more of Vanja and Emeric. No matter the time that passes in between each book, I pick up the next one to once again fall head first into this world and obsessed with these characters. I was so obsessed I spent the first half of the book crying!

Even though I don’t want this end, this was a great ending to the series. For all the characters, but especially Vanja. Her journey was rough and imperfect, but if it was perfect, I would’ve doubted it. But I loved, even though it was killing me, the struggles between her and Emeric. It made sense. And yet, it showed how much they loved one another.

The only reason why I gave this a rating slightly under 5 stars was because it did feel kind of long, though I enjoyed every minute, but I still was wondering how could we still be going? There were also moments I was a tad confused. However, overall, I loved this book. I love how every time this author takes familiar tropes and twists them up until they’re something brand new.

Obviously if you’re reading this review, then you’ve already read the other books, let me tell you, don’t sleep on this finale. It was perfection. Please please please read it (see Vanya I said please so don’t tax me 😅)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

It's been almost two years since the events of Painted Devils and Vanja and Emeric's relationship has been irrevocably broken. From Emeric's perspective, Vanja left him high and dry in the middle of the night, which, to be fair, she totally did. From Vanja's perspective, she's doing what's best for Emeric - he can't advance as a prefect with a felon for a girlfriend; she would be used against him at every turn. So, Vanja left. She totally wasn't just running from her problems or anything, or repeating the cycle of abandonment her mother started or anything.

Vanja has been....well, kind of OK. She's continued her work as the Pfennigeist, using her fortune in rubies to help those exploited by the powerful. She's formed a close relationship with her siblings, and no longer goes by Vanja Schmidt - she's Vanja Ros. Vanja has even repaired her relationship with her godmothers, Death and Fortune. Vanja has matured greatly since Little Thieves, and she's doing her best to make a good life for herself now. She's even tried to let go of Emeric, convincing herself that that is what's best for both of them.

But Vanja has tried to move on. She's had a few relationships since, none lasting very long. The only serious boyfriend she's had since Emeric, Benno, a hot, tattooed bartender (can't blame you, girl) went sour when it turned out Benno was the illegitimate-but-now-turned-legit-due-to-lack-of-other-heirs son of a Prince. Bummer.

Worse yet, Emeric, it seems, has also moved on. With a woman called Lilje who seems to be everything Vanja isn't: law-abiding, respectable, and normal.

But things aren't going great in the Blessed Empire. The felonious Prinz Ludwig, of Painted Devils fame and Benno's absent father, died suddenly. Vanja does Benno one last favor: she Pfennigeist's her way into the crypt to steal the late Prinz's signet ring so Benno can wave it around and look all legitimate despite being a bastard. Unfortunately, while nicking the ring, it becomes very very clear that Prinz Ludwig didn't just die of natural causes. I mean, to quote Evelyn from Our Flag Means Death, "murder is a natural cause." Turns out, aristocrats across the empire are being murdered. And not just any aristocrats - these are aristocrats with the power and influence to become elected Emperor.

And all of them are found with the Pfennigeist's signature red penny.

Knowing she's being set up, Vanja prepares to flee with her rubies and her adorable little rescue kitten, Junior. Only problem is her rubies are gone. Stolen out of her lodging. And before she can make a clean break for it, the long arm of the law catches her first. And not just any long arm - but the long arms of her ex-lover and sentient beanpole, Emeric Conrad.

Emeric is not best pleased to be dealing with Vanja again and he's not shy about expressing it. Worse yet, he and Lilja aren't just together. They're engaged.

Fortunately, the Prefects seem to realize pretty quickly that Vanja is being set up somehow and release her. But when the Blessed Empress herself dies, Vanja is brought into the investigation, much to Emeric's displeasure. Vanja heads to the capital along with Emeric and Lilja, meeting up with Gisele, Ragne, Joniza and Benno, as aristocrats from across the empire gather to elect a new sovereign. Someone has sinister designs on the throne, and they've involved the pfennigeist - or someone pretending to be the pfennigeist.

What follows is plenty of drama, courtly intrigue mixed with magic, doppelgängers, betrayal, and a hefty dose of Keanu-esque kitten mischief. But the question remains: what will become of Vanja and Emeric?

Damn, Holy Terrors is just...it's fantastic, all around. As a dedicated fangirl of Emeric/Vanja, seeing them fight and just be petty and awful to one another was painful, but, if you've ever had the experience of watching two people who have broken up being forced to interact, well, it comes across as all too familiar. Hey, the course of true love never did run smooth and all that. Plus, it's kind of hard when he's literally engaged to someone else. Lilje isn't even all that bad, Vanja actually likes her and ugh, that's just the worst. Especially since Vanja is stuck in the room next to Emeric and Lilje's and she has to hear them get up to - uh - some premarital fun. Not to mention Vanja and Emeric's tenuous 50/50 custody agreement with Junior the Kitten...

I especially loved how, interspersed throughout the book are stories of Vanja's possible futures - what her life could have been depending on the choices she made. For a fantasy trilogy, the emotions presented are are incredibly real. That's part of what I love so much about the Little Thieves trilogy - it's a series that's not just a delightful fantasy adventure story set in a Germanic world, it's also a beautiful tale of growing up, of developing the emotional intelligence you need to survive in a world that's harsh, and how to survive goddawful people like Irmgard von Hirsching.

In short, Holy Terrors is fantastic and a wonderful, fitting conclusion to the Little Thieves trilogy. Go read it. Seriously, please do. Get a copy from your local library before the fascists close them all down.

The finale in the trilogy featuring the daughter of the gods of Death and Fortune who has sacrificed her love for her lover in order for him to achieve his career goals all the while when they are reunited its because she is being suspected of being a serial killer and his job as a perfect for Justice, oh and he has completely moved on because he now has a fiancee, just great. Vanja left her lover Emeric after overhearing threats being made on his career goals... threats that would involve her being used against him and she just knows she can't do that to him... so she leaves. Two months later and now Vanja is living in another city... only this time she runs into Emeric again because he is there to arrest her because she is being suspected of murder as a serial killer is leaving behind Vanja's signature red penny on every victim. Vanja is determined to find out who this killer is and why they are impersonating her, but that means she has to work together with Emeric again... and deal with the fact that he is no longer the boy she left behind, he's someone colder, harder, and someone who now apparently has moved on completely from her and has a fiancee. Vanja's heart is broken and Emeric still doesn't know the real reason she left him all those months ago. But Vanja is determined not to tell him and focus on catching the killer and then disappear from his life all over again. Yet this journey will not be an easy one as Vanja and Emeric must figure out who is behind the murders and how far the conspiracy goes and who among them can they trust? All the while Vanja and Emeric are forced to deal with their unresolved feelings... and how long can Vanja keep her secrets from Emeric and just how far for her will he go when he realizes that she's never stopped loving him and left for him. Romance, secrets, cons and so much more, this was a fun last ride in a rollercoaster of a fantasy series. I loved getting to see Vanja grow from the first book and how far she goes for those she loves. I especially adored her relationship with her god parents, Death and Fortune. It was such a fun story and I had a great time reading it. The romance that is woven through the 3 books was fantastic and the ending was well worth the wait.

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Okay, I can definitely say that I 100% recommend folks read The Fallow Year before this. A lot of what happened in those chapters didn't make it into the book, and they were so heartbreaking but so quintessential to my understanding of the newly introduced characters, both good and bad. You won't be lost without them, but they definitely enrich the experience considerably.

I love this series and the world that Margaret Owen created. Even though she chose to make all her children so sad and upset and it gave me anxiety, I still forgive her for eventually making it all better and letting them kiss about it.

Let's all be wives!
Everyone gets more wives!
Brunne's world vision come true!

3.75
I love Margaret Owen's writing and the way she manages to say something deeply profound and bittersweet about the human condition one moment and then incredibly funny the next. I also love these characters, especially Vanja. That being said, this series could've just been a duology. (Well, if the second book had ended a bit differently.)

Vanja's life is upended when a string of murders is committed and she is framed as the prime suspect. Of course, this puts her former lover Emeric Conrad on her trail. This book is full of hijinks and heartache, court intrigue, suspense, and a very cute kitten.

Margaret Owen, the woman that you are.

This book is a delight from start to finish. Little Thieves was one of the first books I ever recommended on social media, and I've been hooked on the series ever since. Holy Terrors was the perfect end to the journey.

Vanja's character arc is everything. I love my FMC's a little feral, and Vanja manages to do that and so much more. Every character manages to have so much depth and personality, and I love them all. And every scene between Vanja and Emeric had me either screaming, kicking my feet, or tossing my kindle across the room.

Not to mention the plot. This book is long, but it kept me hooked every second. I would listen to the audiobook while walking to class and then switch back to the book the second I sat down. There's so much action, and yet the narrative manages to still give time to character growth and development. It ties every plotline from the last two books together in an epic conclusion.

Stunning, no notes, 10 out of 10. Vanja stole my heart, and I never want it back.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen is an absolute thrill ride, packed with sharp wit, chaotic schemes, and a duo you can’t help but root for. The banter between the two main characters is top-tier, and the mix of danger and humor keeps the story moving at a perfect pace. Owen’s world-building is rich without being overwhelming, making it easy to dive right into the action. If you love heists, morally questionable heroes, and a touch of romance, this book is an instant must-read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for the advanced reader copy (eBook) of Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen.

It is fair to say that I was a STAN of the Little Thieves books coming into the final book, so I audibly yelped for joy when I was approved for an early copy read. I was also really nervous because the relationships, plots, and emotions from the first two books left big shoes to fill for the trilogy closer. I was fortunate enough to read The Fallow Year on AO3, before reading Holy Terrors. I would HIGHLY recommend that, before coming into Holy Terrors. It is not necessary, but it will help a lot with character background for important characters in this book like Lilje and Benno.

Alright, review time. I. FREAKING. LOVED. IT. I gobbled this book up in under 24 hours and am still basking in its afterglow. I think we can all agree the new best character of this series is Junior and I am not talking about Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad. But he does have similarities and steal the show.

This book picks up about 2 years after Vanja and Emeric part ways in the worst possible way, at the end of Painted Devils. Let's just say that their reunion is... BUMPY. There are a lot of themes in this book about picking the 'right' path, what it means to be human, and also some very contemporary themes about who we let have power and how we hold folks accountable.

One of the things I absolutely loved about this book was how it brought back almost all of the series's favorite characters, but in a way that did not feel gratuitous or forced. There is a lot of character growth for the side characters too, but especially for Ragne and Giselle.

Ultimately, Margaret Owen knocked the ending of this absolute treasure of a series out of the park. This is a series I will continue to keep coming back to as a comfort read. The characters are so relatable, the story keeps you locked in, and the humor is top notch. Adore these books and this one is right on par. READ THESE. Seriously.

I do not want to spoil anything, since the book is not out yet, but I will share some of my favorite quotes from the book... so if you do not want any spoilers of any kind what-so-ever, maybe skip the below part until after your read.

__________________
Quotes that made me giggle:
- "I would like to say my exit from the bier-cart is catlike, graceful. Instead, it's more like a pudding falling off a table."
- "You take that back. I haven't been honorable a day in my life."
- Vanja calling Emeric an "intolerable filing cabinet"

Quotes that made me think/pause/reflect:
- "Maybe what makes us human is the way we call to each other, and the way we choose to answer."
- "We just expect the royal families to be power-hungry cutthroats, and we keep giving them thrones anyway."
- "The laws are insufficient... Powerful people are writing them, and powerful people are ignoring them."

Quotes that made me fall even deeper in love with Emeric Conrad:
- "What if one of us is always going to ruin the other?"
Without hesitation, Emeric says, "Then ruin me."

I hated this book at first because Margaret Owen always wants to find new ways to break me and having him be ENGAGED, and to a completely likable and lovely person who seemed perfect for him! You have to be kidding me! This book had everything I have come to expect from her which is wit, banter, a fun but high stakes mystery, and a completely perfect cast of characters. I was worried about how the engagement would be resolved when she got us to like his fiancee so much, but having her join in with my FAVORITE couple in the series was amazing and perfect - I would still like to petition for a solo spin off book with Ragne and Gisele, i just always want more of them.
I am so sad for this series to be over, but couldnt have imagined a better ending for all characters involved.

4.5 stars
What an ending!
We start off with Vanja doing her stuff, trying to steal a ring off a dead body. But not just any dead body, it is the body of Prince Ludvig. We are then whisked into a murder mystery where the Empress dies and her successors are all being targeted and murdered. And which prefect is put on the case? Of course it is Emeric. Despite their breakup, Vanja and Emeric need to work together to figure out who is murdering people in the name of the Pfennigeist and how to stop them from killing all the potential successors.
I just love Vanja. She is the most root for-able morally grey character I have ever met. She is hilarious and crass, but she goes on such an internal journey. She has had her mother's voice in her for so long telling her that she ruins everything she touches and she is just now trying to banish that voice from her head and live her own life. Emeric is his typical cinnamon roll self, though he has changed from Vanja's sudden disappearance from his life. He goes through a lot as well. Giselle and Ragne are in this one a lot which I loved. I love their easy, simple companionship and love. We get a brand new character in this one - a kitten Vanja finds outside her apartment who she names Junior (IYKYK). I loved him. We really get most of the characters from the past 2 books and The Fallow Year for this grand finale. They all played a part and I loved getting to read about them all one last time.
The plot was quick and fun. I sometimes got a little confused if I didn't pay close enough attention, but that didn't happen often (and was obviously my fault). I loved the murder mystery and how it incorporated different aspects of magic and the Low Gods. There is then a whole kind of sub-plot at the end that changes everything. The ending was such a whirlwind of emotions. It seemed to be pointing one way, but then changed into perfection at the last second.

The Little Thieves series has quickly become one of my all-time favorites after I finally worked my way through the first two books (and connected short stories on AO3), so I had SUCH high hopes for the finale. And now I can say definitively that Holy Terrors is a perfect conclusion to the series, full of the same humor, emotion, and fascinating world-building that we've come to depend on Margaret Owen for in the previous books. If anything, this might be my favorite of the three because all of those things are ramped up to an unbelievable, magical degree.

Vanja has been on her own for two years now, after taking down a cult she helped form and leaving the love of her life in the middle of the night. As the Pfennigeist, she's started taking on the cases the law ignores, helping those in need from a less... reputable avenue. Except someone has started murdering the nation's royalty, leaving only a signature red penny at the crime scenes as a calling card - HER calling card. And now the remaining royal families are gathering to elect a new king or queen, no matter the danger it puts them in, because not electing one will result in the collapse of reality itself. Suddenly Vanja finds herself stuck solving the murders to protect her name and her loved ones... and working with the obnoxious journeyman prefect whose heart she broke.

Oh wow the heartache this book caused me. Vanja is consistently going through it, and while she knows that a lot of her problems are her own fault, she can't help making things worse - that's just who she is. Constantly running, constantly bucking the law, this is the person her decisions have made her, and it HURTS to follow her working through all of this. It's been so beautiful to watch her grow throughout the series, and I am so so SO happy with where this book takes her. And, god, Emeric is every bit as frustrating and lovely as ever, both the same boy we've followed in the previous stories and yet inevitably changed by Vanja's abandonment and the passage of time. This changed dynamic made my heart hurt in the best way. They're hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure; sometimes in the very same sentence. Real OTP material here.
The secondary characters - Gisele and Ragne and Emeric's fellow prefects - are all as delightful as they've always been, and all have amazing roles to play in this new story that allow them to grow and change. Gisele and Ragne having to figure out the realities of their relationship while Gisele stares down the potentiality of being the new ruler is particularly amazing.

Genuinely, I was just so happy to be back with all of these characters, in this world, so full of humor and emotion in equal doses. This is a worthy finale to an amazing series and I cannot wait to see what Owen comes up with next - though I certainly hope we get more in this world in the future.

I have a great love of stories about the power of story. A lifetime of reading Pratchett has given me a deep appreciation for the idea, no, the belief, that stories shape who we are. All throughout the Little Thieves series, Vanja has struggled tirelessly to be the sole author of her tale, but it’s been only a record of events that have happened to her, not the core of who she is. In this third and final book, she lets the story of the Pfennigeist tell her at last.

Some time has passed since she left The Wild Hunt, and the Pfennigeist has returned to dispense her own justice in places where the low gods leave it wanting. But there is more than one penny phantom at play, and this one is picking off royalty one by one and leaving Vanja’s signature red penny as their calling card. Belief in the Pfennigeist is influencing the magic that surrounds Vanja, and she is becoming what the people believe her to be. If she can’t stop the imposter from ruining her name, the story may shape her into something she never wanted to be.

I’ve just adored this series. I love that it’s so richly crafted, down to the last detail, that you fall so deep into the novels that you feel a part of them. I love my morally grey thief. I love that she isn’t perfect and doesn’t really want to be. Holy Terrors is a great whodunit, with all the right clues and shifting suspects so that you’re never quite sure if the case was solved. The plot may have become a little muddled toward the end (alternate timelines can get a bit wibbly-wobbly), but I’ll allow it as it was crucial for Vanja to come to terms with some of the heartache she’s carried for so long. It’s an excellent (however bittersweet) conclusion to a series I’ve loved hard. And reader, this is important—it’s a love story. A really good one.

4.5 stars