This is how you write the third book in a trilogy!
I was so lucky to have been granted an arc of both the ebook and audiobook, which made for a truly immersive reading that this story deserves.

Vanya'a life has taken a turn, and now she has to fight against things she's started herself.
The stakes are high, and especially in the last third of the story I could barely catch my breath.

There are twists and turns along the way - so much when I got whiplash at times. There's also a kind of multiverse and timey-wimey stuff. And boy,I do love a multiverse and timey-wimey stuff.

I have to admit, in book 2 I lost trust in the story for a while. But oh was I wrong.

There is so much character growth, heartache and pain. But also humor and a kind of tone that really got me.

If you haven't started this trilogy yet, now is the best time.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio and @panmacmillan for the eARCs.

#HolyTerrors #Netgalley #Bookstagram

"I love you. I'll say it better in the morning."

The third installment of The Little Thieves series follows Vanja as she and Prefect Emeric Conrad try to hunt down someone killing royalty and leaving behind Vanja's signature red penny on the victims.

Honestly, I didn't love this book as much as the first two, First of all, the book starts with a time jump, and it had been so long since I read Book 2 that I was a bit confused for a while. More than that, I couldn't ever really settle with the why of Vanja leaving Emeric. I just had a really hard time with that part (even if I did really enjoy his new gal). I'm also just now learning there's a Book 2.5, which maybe would have made things easier. After that, the other thing I didn't like was that this book got real convoluted at points, and I had a hard time following it. There were a lot of characters, a lot of pages, and a lot going on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Saskia Maarleveld was, as always, a spectacular narrator.

First of all, Margaret Owen is hilarious, and I’ve laughed so hard reading this whole series. Considering how frequently this book ripped my heart out, I needed the humor to sustain me through the emotional devastation. I knew what I was getting myself into after the Fallow Year (iykyk), but man, this book was a hard hitter (especially coming fresh off a reread of the first two books). We go from enemies-to-lovers in book one, to lovesick teens in book two, to lovers-to-enemies in book three, and the transition was ROUGH for everyone involved (including myself). Vanja and Emeric spend the first third (half??) of the book lying so hard to themselves to protect their wounded hearts. I literally felt like it was giving me chest pain because I was so sad about everything they were going through. You don’t have to read the Fallow Year before this book because Owen covers all the important elements of it again. That being said, you should absolutely read the Fallow Year before this one; If you are going to get your heart broken, you might as well go all in.

Prepare for… a lot. Twists and turns, murders (like, a LOT of murders), political intrigue, lost memories, alternate realities, Irmgard (unfortunately), unionizing magical creatures, eating the rich, general confusion, etc. Every time you think you get a handle on the plot, the stakes completely shift. This book was a ROLLERCOASTER, and I could not put it down. I am obsessed with Vanja and all the morally-gray chaos she brings with her. I seriously love her so much and she deserves EVERYTHING.

I think the first book is still my favorite of the three, but I’m excited to reread this one because I think I’ll appreciate it even more without the pressure of trying to rush through to know how things will end. I can already feel the book hangover coming on now that I’m done with this series, so a reread is definitely in order. I am going to miss these characters!

Thank you, Margaret Owen, you absolute sadist!

Fun fact: In addition to being an amazing writer, Margaret Owen is also a gifted artist and does the illustrations in the books herself. If you haven’t looked up her Illumicrate cover illustrations, do yourself a favor and check them out.

“Some people don’t just leave your life; they change the landscape.”

“Because life by life, choice by choice, world by world, the truth is, I can’t stop finding him”

*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!

4.5⭐️

I'm more emotional about finishing this series than I expected. Vanja and Emeric are both such special characters to me, and the handling of adolescence and intimacy in this series is probably my favorite I've ever read in YA fantasy.

After I read Little Thieves, I wasn't quite sure why it needed a sequel at all. We had a mostly happy ending, and while we didn't get to see it play out, it felt like a complete story. Then Painted Devils poked holes in that pretty ending. As much as I loved spending time with Vanja and Emeric, it hurt to see everything that hadn't been dealt with—Vanja's self-destructive habits and trust/communication issues, and the damage they did.

Holy Terrors was a satisfying ending to this trilogy for me, because it helped me reconcile with the events of Painted Devils, accept why they made sense and were in some way necessary regardless of how uncomfortable they were. The happy ending we get in this book feels much more stable than before, and all the more satisfying for it. The material circumstances may not have changed dramatically by the end, but who Vanja and Emeric are has, and that makes all the difference here.

I read this book via audiobook, and that admittedly may have been a mistake, knowing that I don't process audio information particularly well. There were times where I had some trouble keeping track of the plot, and I do suspect that was in part due to the format. While the first half of the book seems primarily focused on character and relationship dynamics, the pacing and plot start to sprint in the second half, and I had trouble keeping up.

Despite the time that has passed between Painted Devils and Holy Terrors, and how much Vanja and Emeric's situations have changed in that time, these characters are still so recognizable and so human. I was screaming in frustration half the time and giggling and kicking my feet the other half, but I still loved every moment I got to spend with them.

I will love this series until my dying day. Margaret Owens has a fan for life. This is such a dynamic and amazing series. The audio brings the characters to life in such a dynamic and incredible way!

The Little Thieves trilogy has become one of my favorite YA series in recent years. The first book is my favorite by far but the series as a whole is fantastic. It has a great cast of both main and side characters that are flawed but it adds to their personalities and manages to engage you into their story. Vanya is far from perfect she is harsh, snarky and selfish and just not the best when it comes to making decisions but I can't help to root for her after all she's being through. And Emeric is her opposite, trying to be responsible and a rule follower, I just adore him. I read this as an audiobook and I highly enjoyed the narrator, she has great cadence and pace and manages to create enough distinction between characters. If you like stories about gods and magic with slight Russian elements and amazing plot definitely give this series a chance. Overall this was a terrific conclusion to the series and a bit sad that it ended but equally exited to see what else is in the works from the author.

Thank you to NatGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

“Maybe what makes us human is the way we call to each other, and the way we choose to answer.”

I’m going to miss these characters something fierce.

What I liked:

I enjoyed going on one more adventure with these characters. Seeing side characters from earlier books in the series was so fun.

Vanja is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is witty, strong and brave with a super soft inside. I could read a million more books with Vanja and I would never tire of her.

I love the weaving of the fairytales in this series.

What didn’t work for me:

I feel that I may be being a little too picky, but everything was wrapped up so well…maybe a little too well?

• Fantastic conclusion to the Little Thieves series! I really enjoy Margaret Owen's lighthearted style of writing juxtaposed to more morbid topics of people dropping dead left and right. It opens as a whodunit with our favorite The Red Penny thief being framed for murder, and obdurate Vanya ends up thrown in a jail cell by our very own Junior Journeyman Prefect Emeric. Gasp!
• I liked how the pacing really picked back up again in book 3, similar to how it was in book 1. Book 2 suffered a bit from dwelling a bit too much on feelings between the actual guts of the fake-Low-God-Red-Maiden plot, it felt a bit mawkish, imo. Not so in book 3, where we're back to a better balance of emotions and plot--I was getting mild butterflies on some of the Emeric/Vanya parts, undoing the mess from book 2.
• This was nearly a 5 ⭐️ read for me for 80% of the book. However, Owen MO didn't quite stick the landing for me in the last 20% of the book, largely because we started including the hijinks from dealing with the god of Time and the multiple reality situation started to make the plot and stakes a bit convoluted. Like...Holy Terrors I felt like was a great abstract painting with multiple colors, but MO went and over-mixed up all the colors together and it started to turn mush brown instead of stylistically abstract and off-beat, is how I feel. Idk if that makes sense to others 😅. It really felt like a whole separate book in the last 5th of the book, because of how different it was.

Anyways, great series overall. Look forward to reading more MO in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This series overall is incredible. I love the humour and the characters. They are all so great and REAL. The growth of Vanja in this book is great. She really realizes and accepts herself. It is a great YA / NA series. The romance in this is incredible and so well done!!

I will say that some of the magic kind of lost me — especially with the timeline concept (I think the author is a Loki fan?). Overall though, it ended well.

The audiobook narrator is great for this! She delivers the humour so so well! I will have to search others she’s done because she’s excellent and I’ll miss her now that this series is done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

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.

I have already submitted a review for the book itself, so I will keep this review strictly on the audiobook.

The audiobook was impeccable. The narrator is the same across the trilogy, and honestly I don't think anyone could do it better. Her voice is perfect for the role, she does a great job of changing tone for different characters, and she is a delight to listen to. Saskia Maarleveld does an excellent job and I have no negative notes.

4.5/5 stars for the book/story
5/5 stars for the audio/narration

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Holy Terrors is the third and final book in the Little Thieves trilogy, and for me, it might just be the best one yet. It’s incredible the vast array of emotions that Owen can illicit in this book. I felt that this one really put the characters on their toes and tested Vanja’s skills. Also, I can’t stress enough the incredible development and growth both Vanja and Emeric undergo in this book. Owen also does well to straddle the line between deep topics and ridiculous entertainment. I also appreciate that Owen expanded even further upon the already great world building in this series. I read this via audiobook. The narration by Saskia Maarleveld was perfection. Maarleveld perfectly captured both Vanja and Emeric’s personalities. I was fully engaged and invested with how well done the narration was for this. I can’t recommend this audiobook and series enough.

The series that just keeps on giving. Honestly these books just get better with every one, and despite making me want to scream with frustration and throw the book across the room, I adore them with my whole heart.
Extracts from my messages to the author while reading this ARC include:

THEN RUIN ME < also me to this book
*5 minutes later* I DIDN’T MEAN LITERALLY

SHE’S [redacted] THIS INTOLERABLE FILING CABINET

This whole [redacted] thing is very cool and clever.
I mean it sucks for them.
But I’m enjoying it 😂

I read The Fallow Year before Holy Terrors and I loved the way it added extra context to some of the background in the third book.
The plot was fantastic - infuriating and upsetting, but fantastic. The characters were so wholly themselves - they’re terrible people (not really, but terrible decision makers certainly) but I love them so much. The world and magic system are intricate and yet never feel complicated or hard to understand.

This is honestly one of my absolute favourite series’ and I would recommend it to everyone.
I was excited and terrified for this finale - with good reason, my Fitbit actually shouted at me for my heart rate at one point - but it was everything I could have wanted, and dreaded, and more.
If you haven’t already picked up Little Thieves, what are you waiting for? And if you’ve read the other books, you’re in for a (stressful) treat with Holy Terrors.

Vanja is back in another adventure. Someone is killing off royalty and leaving her signature red penny. Vanja must clear her name and figure out this mystery.

While the second book in the series could be read as a stand alone, this one will make a lot more sense if you have already read both of the prior books.

The narration is excellent!

Thank you to Net Galley, MacMillan Audio, and MacMillan Audio Young Listeners for the DLC. All opinions are my own.

If you didn’t already notice from me raving about the first two books, this series is one of my new favorites. It somehow manages to have the perfect balance of wit, humor, action, and emotion. I spent a solid amount of this book with a broken heart, and the rest of the time I was laughing out loud at Vanja’s antics and the absolute shenanigans she constantly pulls everyone into. Vanja is the best kind of heroine. She’s brash, snarky, fearless, a little selfish, completely morally grey, and secretly has the biggest heart. I loved watching her grow and change throughout these books, and this was the perfect ending to her story. Emeric continues to be one of my favorite fictional men ever written. He’s stalwart, loyal, pedantic, reads law books for fun, and would burn down the world for Vanja. They have the most raw, honest, and beautiful story, and it healed something in me to watch them learn to accept themselves for who they truly are and to find the love they really deserve. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced listener’s copy, and the audio is flat out amazing! Sasha Maarleveld nails the accents and fully embodies each and every character by giving them their own voices and pronunciations. I highly recommend listening, because it made me love the book even more. Please go read this series and this book immediately!
🦉
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🦉
Read if you like:
▫️snarky, sassy heroine
▫️con artist and thief
▫️minor gods, goddesses, and magic
▫️opposites attract
▫️found family
▫️court politics
🦉
Thank you to Fierce Reads, MacKids books, Macmillan Audio, and Margaret Owen for the ARC and ALC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am having a hard time getting into this one unfortunately, but that is a total me problem. I think I am the wrong audience but did not read the synopsis fully enough to realize that before requesting.

However, I can tell this is a very well written book!

What a conclusion to Margaret Owen’s Little Thieves trilogy! As with Little Thieves and Painted Devils, Vanya and Emeric come to life on the page in a way you can’t help but root for them. Margaret Owen has a talent for writing such human characters (with a dash of the fantastical) in a way they are rich, believable, and utterly endearing. The romance between Vanya and Emeric over this series has been one of my favourites to read, and I’m going to miss this pair immensely.

As always, Saskia Maarleveld’s performance was perfection and I’ll continue to listen to any audiobook she narrates, even if it is outside my usual genre that I read in.

Holy Terrors is perfect for readers who like:
Whimsical yet humorous writing
Flawed characters facing the consequences for their decisions
Magic systems with consequences
Found family
Slow-burn romance
Second chance romance
Banter
Completed trilogies (start with Little Thieves!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC. I look forward to Margaret Owen’s future projects.

I loved reading this book so much! I love this series and Margaret Owen's writing, and I needed to know how this series was going to end, what was going to happen to Vanya and Emeric, if they were really not going to get back together, or if they would. I was worried, but I had to keep reading!

The Fallow Years introduced us to a few important characters for this one, the 2 new loves in each other's lives, though Vanya had moved on from hers, and he was just a friend now, but both were pretty important to the plot, since they both got pulled into this threat against the nobility.

I loved that we got to spend more time with Gisele and Ragne, together, with the pressures that are on them because they're married, and how while Ragne isn't stupid, she's straightforward, and isn't aware of most nuances. But with this killer going around, Gisele is being placed into a political position, and as her spouse, Ragne might be changed by that. I enjoyed seeing that play out!

It was hard to see Vanja and Emric at odds. From the beginning, and the way that he treated her, well, there was an explanation, but it still hurt. That he didn't know why she walked away...she still had doubts about ruining peoples lives and didn't want to do that to his. The nerves were high, and I needed to continue on and find out whatw as going to happen with them!

Each book in this series has had something in parts, the first was stories of her life leading up to this point, the second was lies, and in this one, it was choices, different ones she could've made going backwards in her life, from asking the villagers to gather her rubies with them being paid in a percentage of the recovered instead of accidentally starting to a cult, to when she was 13 and Death and Fortune gave her a choice of her serving one of them. I loved how that tied into the story! Plus the way that bookends the series, counting up in her life in the first book, and counting down in the last!

Then there was the whole murder plot going on, going up in the highest offices of power in this empire-and it's implicating Vanja, which she can't have done. The investigation was so thrilling, and I loved seeing how it played out! There were some pretty shocking twists!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Margaret Owen!

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Actual Rating: 4.75 stars

THIS IS BOOK 3!! THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BUT I WILL TRY AND KEEP THIS AS SPOILER FREE AS POSSIBLE.

We come into this almost two years after the ending to Painted Devils where Vanja is once again the Pfennigeist, but this time she helps the desperate (steals from the rich, gives to the poor/abused). But when a killer tears through the royal family, leaving Vanja's calling card -- a red penny -- on every victim, the Pfennnigeist becomes a target. And when the Empress falls, the seven royal houses have to come together to elect a new ruler before everything as we know it falls apart. And who else would be perfect to solve this than our very own Journeyman Prefect Emeric -- the same Emeric who had his heart broken by Vanja. They'll have to work together one last time to solve this mystery, but neither knows if they can trust the other, and as the bodies pile up they'll have to face the real question between them -- but will they listen to each other long enough to forgive?

UGH MY HEARTTTT. This was a rollercoaster of a book, and the ups and downs had me hanging onto the edge of my seat. The things I liked: I loved the relationship between Vanja and Emeric, hated all the nonsense they go through to get to that point, but I was happy nonetheless at the end; I loved the murder mystery, and I honestly couldn't figure out who was behind the murders (and apparently neither could they, but that's a whole other issue); I loved seeing more of Death and Fortune; I loved Vanja's character growth. Things I didn't like: honestly, there's not much I can say, except the weird plot twist at around 75% in? and the whole ending was a bit confusing with all the timelines and who was who where/when; I honestly could've used a list of names to remember all the characters because there were a LOT of them in this book. Overall, this was a fantastic ending to this series, and I'm so sad that it's over. I loved Margaret Owen's writing so much, and I will definitely read anything she writes.

Bonus: the audiobook is so well done. We've had the same narrator for all three books and she does such an amazing job bringing Vanja to life. I definitely recommend this series.