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

The dialogue between Vanja & Emeric > the rest of the plot.

First things first, TY for this ARC
Netgalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

Quick background –I loved book 1 but book 2 put me in a book slump. So I was nervous about book 3, but I needed to know what shenanigans Vanja was getting herself into now.
And though…

1. I genuinely missed the audio narration- &
2. I was overwhelmed with keeping track of the level of side characters. * &
3. Pacing and plot were frustrating…**

We, the readers needed that ending. Owen just makes you really work for it. 😅😩

*I desperately needed a list of characters to reference.

** I can’t believe Owen did us dirty at 75%. We were so close!

I actually liked this one more than the first two books in the series! The anger from Emeric at Vanja’s bs for the first 50% of the book was honestly really fun and tbh she deserved it. The joint custody of the kitten was really funny. You never really know where the story will take you in this series and that was absolutely true for this book too. This was a really good conclusion to this series!

Stop it, I’m not okay 😭😭

First, HUGE thank you to Henry Holt and Co and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!!

I had to reread the first two of this trilogy before I let myself delve into this one, and now I am crying that it’s over. I will miss Vanja and this entire world so so much, and I see many rereads in my future!

This book was longer than the previous two, but I wanted it all! There were so many loose ends to tie up. The entire book took me on an emotional rollercoaster as one problem progressed into the next and the next and I was hyperventilating trying to figure out how everything would resolve itself.

I know there’s a romance throughout the trilogy, but at the core it’s about Vanja and her trauma and healing. I was rooting for her the entire time. She is the perfect main character because she’s good, you root for her the entire time, but she’s flawed. You curse her and all her terrible choices, but overall you root SO HARD for her in her journey!

The tone of this book matched the others perfectly and even heightened it. If you haven’t not read this trilogy, YOU NEED TO! PLEASE! I am unwell 😭

what an epic conclusion to one of the best YA fantasy series ever!!! With each book. Margaret Owen gets even more deliciously delightful with the story and the characters. Holy Terrors picks up a few years after the previous book ended. Things quickly get epically complicated for Vanya and Emeric. I mean, the first half of the story is angsty between our two romantic leads in the best way possible. Where the first book focused on Vanya's escape from her life of servitude and the second was about her finding her family. This one brings us to the empire at large and the political game between the elites. We meet some delightful new characters on top of some familiar faves (villains included) popping back up. Owen has out done herself with this one, really building into a story that not only affected the entire world but Vanya on a very personal level. I loved it!

I'm so happy to say that this was the perfect ending to this wonderful trilogy which I have adored for years now. If you have yet to pick it up, do yourself a favor and do so now. It is absolute perfection. This book just like the previous entries has humorous, heartwarming, silly, and emotional scenes. It had me laughing out loud and crying many times. And I will definitely be rereading it in years to come.

Vanya became a favorite character of mine from the instant we were introduced to her in <i>Little Thieves</i>. I love how she's a morally grey character, who is trying to make life better for everyone around her. She is such an interesting protagonist to follow and she is one of my favorites from literature. It has been a joy to watch her grow during the series. I'm going to miss her, but I believe this was perfect ending to her story. Though if Margaret choses to return to this world, I would be immensely happy. I'd read anything with these characters.

I love the little stories Vanya tells throughout the plot. They give various choices she could have made and were heartbreaking at times. I like how they played into the plot. Also, the world building is top-notch as usual. I always enjoy learning about how the kingdoms work in this world and about the gods.

My favorite part of this series is the relationship between Emeric and Vanya. It was great to see them begrudgingly having to work together and seeing their dynamic once again. Their banter is my favorite and I will never get enough of it. Emeric is such a sweetheart. Their romance is everything to me.

Along with Vanya and Emeric, we get many familiar faces and some new ones. Gisele, Ragne, and Joniza are as great as ever and I really liked Lilje and Benno. I love following this group as they try to figure out who is killing the royals. They all work so well off each other.

The most important part of this book is Vanya's journey to accepting and learning to love herself. Vanya has done many terrible things in her past which we see in the previous books. She also has had many people in her life tell her she is not good enough. Her journey to self-discovery is powerful to read and so impactful.

I cannot recommend this series enough. It would definitely get six stars out of five from me. Perfect in every single way. Including Margaret's beautiful illustrations and the wonderful narration from Saskia Maarleveld. She has done a wonderful job narrating Vanya's world and her voice. I am looking forward to adding this final book to my collection.

5.0 ⭐️

This was a beautiful and nuanced ending to an exceptional trilogy. The character growth was strong, the magic and gods interesting, and the antagonists powerful and frightening. I loved the new characters that were introduced and was glad to see old friends returned. The book is targeted at a YA audience, but the character and plot are sophisticated enough to satisfy adult readers as well, while explicit violent and sexual scenes remain age appropriate. The fantasy and romantic elements remain well balanced. This is an engaging and enjoyable series and gets a strong recommendation from me for anyone who enjoys fantasy romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for an eARC for this book.

Holy Terrors is the final book in the Little Thieves trilogy, and boy does it go out with a bang. Owen wrote a canon story called The Fallow Year that's up on AO3, and I do think Holy Terrors works better if you've read that story.

This book takes place a year after the end of Painted Devils. Vanya has been working as the Penny Phantom doing her Robin Hood vigilante brand of justice, and Emeric is a full prefect. When important people start turning up dead, Vanja is taken into custody by Emeric, and eventually the two work together to solve the murders.

Spoilers: if the first two books were more heavily based in fairy tales and mythology, this book is about the multiverse. It's wild. There's a lot to say about fate vs free will, how our choices define us, and what the "right" path is.

The book wasn't what I was expecting, but overall I liked it. I could read hundreds more stories about Vanja and Emeric getting into trouble.

Holy Terrors marks my first three-for-three perfect five star series. This books, and the entire series, is a masterpiece of not just YA fantasy, but of genre fiction as a whole. I bawled my eyes out (which is rare for me), and I will SO be rereading this for years to come.

It’s hard to talk about the third book in a trilogy without spoiling the previous books, but let me try.

The plot is incredible, the tension is fantastic, the relationships between old characters and new are so well formed and believable. The demi representation is everything I wish I had as a teenager trying to figure out why I was different from the people around me. The twists and turns are well executed and always left me guessing, but feeling like I was about to figure out how they happened.

Margaret Owen, you have ruined my life in the best way.

The third installment of Margaret Owen's Little Thieves series delivers a spectacular ending to a story that has consumed me over the last couple of years! This retelling of The Goose Girl fairytale has expanded in ways I never expected as the series progressed!

Once again, we’re treated to a slew of new Vanja shenanigans, this time on a much grander scale, as she now gets to carry out all her schemes and heists at the seat of the empire's power, during the royal families' attempts to elect a new ruler from among the seven royal houses.

Holy Terrors brings back many of my favorite characters from the previous books, along with some of my not-so-favorite villains. There are also plenty of new characters introduced in this story who really grew on me. Owen, as always, has crafted well-developed characters who are constantly arguing, learning, and growing as the story unfolds. One particular favorite of mine is an emotional support kitten that brings Vanja comfort (and brought me an unreasonable amount of joy).

The story is both hilarious and heartbreaking, a tender fairytale that embodies the kind of found family that makes your heart happy, while still exploring the gross excesses and hypocrisy of nobles and royalty, even as their subjects continue to suffer.

I really, really hope Owen isn't done with this world she's created in this series. It’s one that brings me a lot of comfort, even amidst the tumult of emotions that are inevitable when reading her work.