Thank you Netgalley, Margaret Owen, and publishers for gifting me a copy of your chapter sampler of painted devils in return for my honest opinion.

3.5/5 stars

When chapter one starts off by saying "Let me state one thing up front: I wasn't trying to start a cult" you know you are in for an interesting book. I was a little confused bt the Seventh Lie: Faith and what it was, I am assuming it is a prologue or intro but it doesn't say explicitly.

These two chapters did a wonderful job of gaining interest and wanting the reader to continue reading. This is a very strong start and I cant wait to finish reading this book.

So excited for the rest! This is one of my favorite fantasy series and the incredible humor, relatable characters, and creative magic set this novel apart. This sequel is highly anticipated! 10/10!

"Let me state one thing up front: I wasn't trying to start a cult." (loc. 108)

Vanja may not have been trying to start a cult, but let's just say that things have not gone entirely to plan...and Vanja is clearly not one to live a straightforward life.

Now, this is a sample for the second book in a series, and I have not read the first—but if even the sample is this wildly entertaining (and tongue in cheek), that might have to change. I'm here for a character who is not, you know, sweet and innocent and pure as driven snow; it's clear even from these few chapters that Vanja has been through it, and is still going through it, and damn if she's not going to scrap and scramble to come out on top. I suspect that this series would make for fab reading for anyone who liked the <i>His Fair Assassin</i> books. Hold on to your hats...and your rubies...because it's clearly going to be a wild ride.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing this sample through NetGalley.

I am pleased to see that this book starts off, roughly where the last book ends, and I appreciate how the main character is still doing some self reflection and self discovery. The main character wouldn’t be true to herself if she had written off into the sunset like some brainless airheaded naïve idiot girl after spending an entire book, manipulating, lying, and also surviving. There is a lot of trauma that comes with what she went through in the first book, and I look forward to seeing her continue her story, and hopefully my favorite Mr. Conrad shows back up again in a strong way. The writing is just as good as the first, if anything, it has been honed and improved, which is the nature of writing, the more you do it the better you get. I enjoy this authors, voice a lot, and plan on buying this book and reading it as i fully enjoy the first one.

Wonderful sampler. Definitely going to go pick up this book, I'm hooked! Can't wait to see what happens.

This short sampler made me very excited to read Painted Devils when it gets released next month!!!

I'd like to thank the publisher Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review

I mean come on like this was gonna be bad. I’m really happy that it opened like the first book did with its writing style and I also really love the authors note.

Ok ok ok…. This book is gonna be a wild and entertaining ride, I can already tell just by the sampler chapters. Can’t wait to finish this sequel with its release in May and keep up with Vanja and Emeric’s shenanigans.

This was super fun! I loved how it started with the fairytale style writing like the first book did. I was pleased to see that this book will hopefully be just as funny as Little Thieves!

A perfect glimpse at the sequel to Little Thieves. I can’t wait to finish the book! I will definitely be preordering!

After reading Little Thieves last year, I have been eagerly anticipating Margaret Owen's upcoming book. Her talent for storytelling through vivid language is fascinating. I can't wait to get my hands on this book and dive into another enthralling adventure. I’m so glad I was able to read this sample!

Painted Devils Chapter Review

Last year, I fell in love with the world and characters of Little Thieves. To my delight, I learned there was a sequel coming out in 2023! Painted Devils brings us back to the world with Vanja starting her own cult as a prophet. Of course, she didn't *mean* to start a cult, but, as Vanja should have known, actions have consequences and hers are coming to haunt her. I cannot wait to have the full book in hand in May. I already know this will be a top read for 2023!

"Let me state one thing up front: I wasn't <i>trying</i> to start a cult."

This sample chapter has made me so excited for Painted Devils! I love that Little Thieves didn't end on a cliffhanger but I am excited to see where Vanja's story goes next and I hope we get at least cameos of the rest of her found family (and more than a cameo from Emeric please!).

I seriously can’t wait for the second book but I’m so happy I could read a bit of it😭😭😭 so excited for the full thing

After taking down a corrupt margrave, breaking a deadly curse, and finding romance with the vexingly scrupulous junior prefect Emeric Conrad, Vanja had one great mystery left: her long-lost birth family . . . and whether they would welcome a thief. But in her search for an honest trade, she hit trouble and invented a god, the Scarlet Maiden, to scam her way out. Now that lie is growing out of control—especially when Emeric arrives to investigate and the Scarlet Maiden manifests to claim him as a virgin sacrifice.

Oh my, this is officially my most anticipated book of 2023. As much as it breaks my heart to see Vanja struggle and suffer so much in the beginning of Painted Devils, Margaret Owen writes pain with an undertone of hope. I know it won’t be easy to get there, but I’m anxious to see Vanja grow and prosper.

I am SO excited for Book 2 to come out!

Little Thieves really got me into Margaret Owen's writing and I am so glad I got to get a sneak peak at Painted Devils. Owen has a way of using source material from the story she's retelling but spinning it in a way where it is still completely her own. Prepare to be absolutely sick of me when this book is released.

After really enjoying the first book, I can't wait to see what happens in Painted Devils. Since this is only a sample, I feel I can't really assess much, but I still am very excited for this release. The three star rating is only because I don't have enough to really base a solid opinion around.

Little Thieves was one of the best books I read last year, so this book is one of my most anticipated for this year. In just this short sample, Margaret Owen's signature style shines, with the wit and humor that I loved in the first book making an appearance. This has me hungry for more, and I already have a feeling that this will be a five star read when it is released.

(Posting my full review of this book, because I loved it so much.)

**Many thanks to Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan Publishing Group LLC and Edelweiss for an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of this book. Thank you o NetGalley for a sample of this book**

As of 12/9/2022, I work at Barnes and Noble. In spring of this year, I was on-shift with my coworker, Erin (please check out her blog, where she reviews YA books, Gateway Reviews! https://gatewaybookreviews.blogspot.com/?m=1), and I asked her "What book should I buy and read? Which one would you recommend?" The first one she thought of was Little Thieves (LT) by Margaret Owen. I bought a hardback copy then, I read it in June, and though I'd never read a book by her before, Ms. Owen has now become an insta-buy author for me.

Vanja and Emeric are back in this sequel, and though you don't have to read LT first, it's a whole lot sweeter if you do. I almost had to read it over again but thought, "No. I want to just jump in headfirst."

HEADS FOR THE WHITE PENNY
1. The plot of this one is ABSOLUTELY BONKERS in the best way possible. Vanja finds herself in the middle of a cult she inadvertently created, and Emeric is on the case. But, like in LT, nothing is EVER as it seems. The twists and turns I went through to get to the end of this one kept me up until 1:30am. I was never bored, and I was very anxious to see where it all landed.

2. Emeric. I cannot, CANNOT, champion this prefect's kindness, thoughtfulness, and absolutely gentlemanly care more if I tried... And he's even better in this book. Emeric is one of those beautifully written males in book history that you think is too good to be true, but has too many flaws to think he's imaginary. He makes mistakes, he says the wrong thing, he appears to be one thing but then turns what you know about him on its head... Then he shows you just how imperfectly perfect he is. He is one of the BEST examples of a non-toxic person that I've read about, and if Vanja doesn't want him, I WANT HIM. It's his budding relationship with Vanja from the first book, which carries over into the second, that makes me believe in love again.

3. Ms. Owen's sparkling use of the written word is a whole amusement park of imagery and sarcasm that makes you laugh the moment you step into the ride. So many times, I was bemused by Vanja's descriptions and antics in certain moments. I caught myself thinking "Man, I would say that in real life." The deep parts hit deep. The funny parts didn't pull their punches and knocked me out laughing. Ms. Owen's way of writing has the beautiful capability to be relatable and entertaining. Reading these two makes me really, REALLY anxious to read the two Merciful Crow books she wrote, because I know that I will not be disappointed.

TAILS FOR THE RED
(This is the part of my ARC review where I provide constructive criticism for the book I just read. Unfortunately, I am not able to do that, because this book is near flawless, and the tiny irksome bits I could somehow drag out of it are negligible at worst. One of those points is really a publisher's formatting thing that has nothing to do with Ms. Owen's text, so I'm not even going into it. Instead, I am going to leave 3 reactions I had by the end of it.)

1. Ms. Owen, YOU ENDED IT LIKE THAT?!?!! WHAAAAAAAT?!?!??

2. THERE HAS TO BE MORE. CAN I HAVE IT NOW?!? HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME WAIT!!!!

3. Thank you for writing what I never knew I needed. But seriously... I want another one.

VERDICT
...in 5/2023, buy it. Read it. Love it. Flawless ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. While you're at it, buy Little Thieves, read it (if you haven't already), love it.