After reading Margaret Owen's debut duology (The Merciful Crow and The Faithless Hawk), Little Thieves was one of my most anticipated, and it delivered. I loved this book even more than the duology, as Vanja, the main character, quickly became one of my favorite main characters I've read.

Vanja is funny, snarky, conniving, and her voice makes this tale so entertaining from start to finish. She has a soul for larceny but at the same time, deep down, she's a lonely, scared, angry young woman and I would die for her.

Vanja possesses magic pearls, which allow her to wear the face of Princess Gisele, who she formerly served as a maid and from whom she took everything. For a year, Vanja has been wearing this false face, living a life of luxury, engaged to a Margrave...but at times she transforms back into herself to steal riches from the empire's most wealthy to buy herself an escape from her godmothers - Death and Fortune (yes, literally Death and Fortune, after she was given away by her own birth mother because of her bad luck). One night, she steals from the wrong person and angers one of the gods, who curses her for her greed as Vanja slowly turns into the things she desired most: jewels. Vanja must figure out how to break her curse, escape capture for her thievery while being chased by a young detective, and figure out why her (Gisele's) fiance wants her dead.

There were a few moments later on in this story where things got a little cheesy, but overall I really loved this one, mainly because Vanja is such a great character. The world is based somewhat on Germanic folklore which was itself interesting. There's mystery, political intrigue, magic, and a delicious cat-and-mouse game between Vanja and Emeric, the detective on her trail.

I loved Vanja and Emeric's development in particular and for me, they carry this book. The way Vanja describes Emeric at various points throughout the book is truly a gem: "All that time I spent stressing over the looming threat of this day-old breadstick with a thirst for justice..." "but I'll be a stone-cold corpse before I concede a point to a sentient fireplace poker with an undeservedly high opinion of itself." "You would think the most formidable thing in Castle Reigenbach wouldn't be a reedy law library incarnate..." And there are so many others but I don't want to give too much away here.

This is the story of a young girl sold to two Gods at the age of 4. She is then sold to a royal family as a servant to the princess. Until the age of 16 she tricks the princess and takes over her life. The author has a unique way of telling this story. It's broken into separate stories with different takes on how she got to where she is currently. I found it enchanting and fun to read. (less)

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Why yes, I do love a good fairy tale retelling! Little Thieves was no exception.

Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, is a sassy and wicked and absolutely lovable antiheroine. However, as much as Vanja likes to think that Death and Fortune care for her as their daughter, she discovers that they are forcing her to choose between the two: who will she serve for the rest of her life? Faced with this decision, she steals the identity of Princess Gisele, and masquerades as the thief Pfennigeist in order to line her own purse so she can live the life she desires. Soon, her thieving ways catch up with her and she finds herself with only 2 weeks to break the curse set on her before she turns into jewels forever.

Very fun, very snarky, a twisty fairy tale with a pretty obvious villain and enemies-to-lovers romance, this will be a welcome addition to my school library.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This is such a good book! I’m not an emotional person, but this book made me cry 😭 And so I applaud 👏🏻 Margaret Owen for making me cry! That means it was good and emotionally stirring, the way I like it 😁

This story is a retelling of The Goose Girl. I’ve actually have never read the story, but I had an idea of what it was about. So, this story follows Vanja, a girl who her own mother gave up as a child to the gods Death and Fortune because she thought her daughter was bad luck due to being the thirteenth child being born in her family. Well, if that’s not already sad, we are barely getting started. Death and Fortune want her to choose between one of them to be taught and work for them, but Vanja just wants freedom and her own life. As Vanja grows up, she works for a wealthy family as a maid and later a personal maid to the princess. What Vanja goes through in that house is just awful and so heartbreaking. Here is this girl who is honest to a fault, but never believed because why? Just because she’s a servant and beneath everyone. So, she sees an opportunity to gain freedom and takes it thanks to some enchanted pearls and becomes the Princess Gisele in disguise and takes everything from her. And this is the story of how she got caught. She ends up crossing with the wrong god Eiswald who curses her and tells her that unless she returns what she took, she will die within two weeks from her own greed. However, there’s more at stake than just her curse and results in Vanja and others trying to stop a madman from taking over the country.

I adore Vanja! She’s feisty, independent, knows what she wants and goes for it, sassy, and has such a big heart, especially when she learns that people do care for her as a person. My heart went out to her so much. The things she went through and experienced were so heartbreaking. It’s no wonder she decided to take matters into her own hands and take what she lost out on through petty revenge by forcing Gisele to experience what Vanja did as a child. The growth she experienced though is amazing! She becomes such a beautiful person in the end because after everything she went through, she became the bigger and better person and was willing to do anything to save those she came to care for and love.

I really enjoyed the world and the magic system. There were enchanted items, there are gods of many shapes and sizes, unique mythical creatures, such as kobalds(which I do not see often in books and I loved seeing them in this one!), curses, and so much more.

I also enjoyed the side characters. Gisele irritated me at first because I was totally on Vanja’s side the whole time 😂 but she grew on me, and she was another person who grew so much in this book. She learned how to speak up and be her own person, make her own decisions, and stand up to her parents. Ragne(the daughter of the god Eiswald who was tasked to watch Vanja accomplish her task) was a welcome reprieve to this dark story. She’s a shapeshifter and was hilarious 😂 She was not raised by humans so she had to learn about how complicated humans are and their ways, it was great! Then there’s Emeric. Oh that boy! I knew from the beginning what he was truly like! Very smart boy and full of heart, I just adore him 😍

And although there were many sad parts, and oh my gosh that one scene that just made me cry 😭 there were also many good and happy parts, like the romance! Oh the romance! That was so well done! Very much a slow burn(my favorite!), and just so beautiful how they came together, and how much they loved each other, I just couldn’t get enough of it!

This has become one of my all time favorite books, I want to say this year, but no, of all time! A book that makes me cry is a good book. I love stories that involve me emotionally. I want to FEEL what the characters feel and experience it, and I did with this book, with Vanja’s story. This story was about revenge, greed, oppression, and so many dark things, but you also see the bright spots like happiness and hope and how we can be a better person despite our past or what others may think as long as we believe it and in ourselves. I will be rereading this over and over again just to read about this little thief who became so much more than that. This story deserves more than 5 ⭐️, it deserves all the stars! Thank you to NetGalley, the publish, and the author for a free digital copy of this book ♥️

I've never heard of ‘The Goose Girl,’ so I have no idea how this compares as a retelling, but I do appreciate the unique story. I feel like the same tales get retold and retold, so it's nice to read something new, even if I'm not familiar with the source material.

Overall, I think this is a fine story. I didn't fall head over heels in love with it, but it's definitely far from terrible. I like the atmosphere of the story - it has very woodsy, German village, dark fairytale vibes. I also really enjoyed the use of an anti-hero and found Vanya to be a compelling character.

The things that prevented me from enjoying this more were the slow pacing and long length. The plot and writing are also pretty simple, so combine all of these and it just makes the story feel drawn out and sometimes a chore to read.

But all in all, this would be the perfect book for someone who is looking for a fresh retelling that promises some interesting magic, world-building, and mystery.

Loved this book! Not only are the characters and world SUPER well-written, but the voice is what does it for me. This is one of the rare instances where voice is actually a character in of itself. You can feel the anger and the frustration of the protagonist just burning through the lines, and it's REAL. It's both expected but still manages to surprise you. Highly-recommended!

I received an ARC from Net Galley. The book cover and description intrigued me. The actual novel is superlative. Margaret Owen created a world with Germanic roots then inhabited it with a group of characters as varied as people you would meet in life. Vanja is the thirteenth daughter of a thirteenth daughter who hands her over to Death and Fate because thirteen is just too many mouths to feed. Fast forward to Vanja at sixteen, masquerading as a princess in order to rob the gentry of their jewels so she can escape her life. Her Godmothers, Fate and Death, sent her off to be a maid to grow up and choose which of them she would serve. Vanja refuses to choose. After suffering beatings and abuse both sexual and verbal (note possible triggers) she jumps at an opportunity and by posing as Princess Giselle, she faces the possibility of marriage to a very frightening character. Enter the Low God Eiswald who curses Vanja with death in a month if she can't "make amends for what she took." She's also in danger of being discovered and tried as a thief. Little Thieves is one of the best books I've read this year. Excellent worldbuilding, believable characters and a plot so intricate you will be surprised and pleased by then end. Owen deals gently, but truthfully with themes of abuse and neglect. Vanja is in a position to make amends and also has to learn to trust SOME of the people around her. The dialog is sharp and often funny. I will read this again, recommend it to everyone and purchase several copies for the library as as gifts. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Schwab will adore this book as will anyone who enjoys an exquisitely crafted fantasy. I hope that survivors of the aforementioned neglect and abuse might find some hope or relief in Vanja's tale. Thanks so much to Net Galley for the chance to read the ARC.

This was aimed at YA, but being as she was seventeen, Little Thieves by Margaret Owen makes a name for itself by creating a wonderful story for both YA and adults alike.

Little Thieves is marketed as a YA novel because the narrator is seventeen years old, but I think this book will also be popular with adult audiences. The immediate introduction of Death and Fortune grabs readers. And the stunning depictions of the Low Gods delighted me every time they appeared. This is another of those novels that reads like a mature fairytale, with the perfect mixture of darkness and fantastic elements. The characters were well-developed and their evolving relationships make this story a gripping read.

Little Thieves has definitely put Margaret Owens on my list of auto-buy without thinking about it authors!

I think what I loved most was not only was this a retelling of The Goose Girl (I’m a sucker for a retelling) but it was from the point of view of an antihero. She wasn’t perfect, she wasn’t meant to be liked and we had to watch her overcome a lot of trials and errors to watch her blossom and it just made me feel so whole inside.

This was a fairytale of a darker kind full of twists, action, hurt and love. The amount of snark and imagination that went into this story still has me smiling ear to ear. The way Vanja (the main character) is almost talking to us, her audience, was such an awesome touch. Also the little tiny enemies to lovers we were gifted is ***chefs kiss ***.

I can’t say enough good things about Little Thieves and can’t wait to read the rest of Owen’s books.

Vanja grew up as a maidservant of princess Gisele, and was abused by the family while the princess watched on in silence. Vanja’s godmothers, Fortune and Death, are two of the lower gods who watch over the Blessed Empire. When her mother figures told her that she needed to choose one of them to serve, she chose defiant independence over a life of further servitude. Now, she is living a double life of deception and thievery, impersonating the princess Gisele by day and robbing the aristocracy of their jewels by night, while the real Gisele lives penniless in the slums. But a run-in with an angry god has left her cursed, and running out of options. She has to make amends for her transgressions within two weeks, or else she will suffer a painful fate, fitting for a jewel thief: death, by way of slowly turning into the precious gems she covets.

I adored Margaret Owen’s Merciful Crow duology, so I was really excited to get her newest book! I do enjoy fairytale-inspired stories, but “The Goose Girl” is not a fairytale I am familiar with, so I basically went into the story with no expectations as to what might happen. What I found was utterly delightful, an intriguing world of magic populated by vividly drawn characters. Vanja and Gisele are deeply flawed but understandably so, and the character growth they both show over the course of the book is fantastic. The dialogue is excellent, the pacing keeps the story moving along, the romantic subplots were enjoyable, and the plot is captivating – although the book is just as much about the lasting effects of trauma, and learning how to trust again after that trust has been shattered.

In short, I loved it. I can’t wait to see what Margaret Owen cooks up next.

Representation: Lesbian main characters, other LGBT side characters, genderfluid side character and mentions of trans people (if any of the other named characters are trans, it is not mentioned.) Queer people and queer relationships are not just included, but entirely normalized within the world of this book.

Tw: child abuse, child neglect, PTSD

Margaret Owen never fails to impress.
Yet another richly imagined, amazing fantasy world with interesting, fleshed out characters and adorable rivals/lovers romance.
Literally all of my favorite things.
It felt perfectly paced, the imagery as always was superb and I fell into the story with little effort.
At this point, I'll buy anything she writes xD
10/10 would definitely recommend.

For some reason, I ended up reading a whole pile of Goose Girl retellings all in a row. I actually love fairytale interpretations but I have a few criteria. I really like when the author does something new with it. I really enjoyed Little Thieves for all the elements it added to the story. Honestly I don't think the Goose Girl base was even really necessary here because the book had plenty to stand on on it's own. It was also retold through the "villain's" POV but it turns out the bad girl is a big softie and just handed a rough start in life. It was fairly believable to watch her figure out she's the good guy eventually. The romance wasn't overwhelming and the guy respects her intelligence. My only complaint is that the book dragged a little bit about 2/3 through and I would have liked to see a but more personality from the Goose Girl herself. I will definitely look out for this author going forward!

Margaret Owens is a goddess. What a fun, exciting, thrilling book. I loved every page and every character. I highly recommend it!

I think Margaret Owen is brilliant for writing a retelling of The Goose Girl. In a literary YA world that's saturated by Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone retellings, this was a refreshing offering.
Unfortunately this starts out much too slow. I kept putting the book down and trying again, encouraged by the positive reviews, but it just wasn't for me.

I loved this book, and I loved reading it. As a retelling of The Goose Girl, it was loose but clearly in conversation with the original tale, which I deeply appreciated. All the little references were great. I really loved this cast of characters and this story, and I'm so glad for that.

I just found the most amazing book I didn’t even know I needed.

I don’t know where to start. Unsurprising considering I never do with books I LOVE.

From the very first chapter, I knew this was going to be a 2021 favorite. There was just something so addicting about the author’s writing. I didn’t want to stop reading and I never wanted it to end. This book deserves to be read in one sitting and that’s something I definitely regret not doing. But life kept getting in the way of my reading and there was nothing I could do about it. *sigh* The bright side? I had a chance to savor this. And savor it I did.

It wasn’t hard to love Vanja. She’s a liar and a thief. And is unapologetic about it. But even knowing all that and especially after learning all about her past and everything she had to go through to survive, it wasn’t hard to feel empathy for her. My heart broke for Vanja quite a few times. I wanted to keep her safe and be her bestfriend. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this strongly for an MC before.

I don’t even know what to say about the romance. Or Emeric Conrad. Are words even sufficient? But in the spirit of not spoiling anything for anyone because trust me when I say it’s so much better to read it for yourself, I will say this– it did not disappoint and it was everything I needed and wanted. How can two people who are polar opposites in every way be so perfect for each other?!?

Little Thieves gave me the most lovable, most adorable characters ever written. Vanja, Emeric, Ragne, Joniza and Gisele- what an amazing cast of unforgettable (and hilarious) characters. Ragne surprised me in a really good way and she’s definitely my favorite.

And eventhough I know that the author wrapped up the end perfectly, I still need more of this wonderful, brilliant, magical and highly entertaining world. (And if there’s a petition I can sign anywhere for a sequel, can anyone please point me to it?)

Hear me when I say, y’all need to read this.

You bet I will be reading this again before the year ends.

I received an ARC to read and review. Quoted excerpt/s may change in the final print.

Author Margaret Owen already has a following due to her successful Merciful Crow series and I was very intrigued by the synopsis of Little Thieves coming out this fall. I loved the energy of the characters and oh how flawed they are! The only thing that Vanja needs is survival.. but still that takes skill, money, time. She has skill at stealing money and a specific identity (Gisele's) but she is not in a fantastic situation even though she technically is to marry a prince.

There are so many fun elements in this story such as fairy tale (Grimm's!) vibes, godmothers, orphans, magic, palace guardian goblins, rags vs. riches, wicked rulers, nerdy love interests, I could go on..but I absolutely love the antihero plot.

While the writing style was witty and flowed well with interesting storytelling chapter openings, there were hiccups for me with the Germanic words. They were heavily used and it was a bit maddening for me trying to work out the context of the foreign word. The other noticeable thing is that I felt like I was rushed to the ending and boom it's done. I wonder if I just wanted to live in the world of Vanja and Gisele for a while longer.

My favorite supporting character was Ragne (probably because she shape shifted into a cat) and I was rooting for her side story to work out. She was a sweet thing who could have been a pain in Vanja's life but instead she helped her out of many situations.

Because there were so many different things going on that I may have missed, I am putting this book on a very high pedestal that has potential for a re-read. While this is a stand-alone I would like to read more about this set of diverse characters. Little Thieves is a thrilling adventure and now I am going to have to read some of the other books by Margaret Owen

Little thieves steal gold, and great ones steal kingdoms, but only one goes to the gallows.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have gods as your godparents? Vanja would tell you it's not all it's cracked up to be. I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of "The Goose Girl", even though I wasn't very familiar with the original fairy tale. The lessons about greed and honesty mixed with fantasy and romance had me devouring this book. I was thrown off by some of the words used (the original text is German) and the gods/creatures referenced. I did end up Googling some stuff, particularly Poldi, which is one of my favorite side characters from this book.

It's sometimes hard watching these characters make terrible decisions (you really want to scream at them), but that makes their growth journey even better at the end. I appreciate that the growth of the characters didn't feel rushed and that Vanja had many different types of relationships to navigate (friends, family, lovers).

Personally, I think it would be kind of cool to have Death and Fortune as my godmothers. All the gods we see, especially during the climax scene, were all very intriguing and it makes me want to read more about them. I'm glad I picked up this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fresh fairy tale adaptation that might make you cry (a few times), and make you wonder if you should leave some mead by your fireplace for Poldi.

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

This was a delightful story, written in Owen's wonderful tongue-in-cheek voice. It has plenty of wit and irrevenrence and was so cheeky in parts. *chef kiss* I immeditely loved Vanja, who is the quintisential morally-gray character. I love when an MC isnt just "good", and toes the line instead. Though, to be fair, Vanja has stepped pretty firmly over the line, but for understandable reasons of course. I loved how the story unfolded bit by bit, and more was revealed of Vanja and her past as things progressed. It kept me, as the reader, on my toes and made the book hard to put down!

As for the rest of the cast, I adored Ragne. She's so wholesome and almost the antithesis to Vanja. Emeric surprised me constantly, mostly by making you underestimate him and then proving you wrong 3 pages later. Loved him for that. I felt like we could have seen Giselle fleshed out a bit more, since her story is - at its core - central to what happens here, but I will forgive that since this is Vanja's tale.

All in all, this book solidified Margaret Owen as an auto-buy author for me. First the Merciful Crow duology, and now this? I can't wait to see what she gives us next!