This was just fun! I have to admit when I dove into this one I couldnt quite remember what happend in Little theives other than I thought it was one of the best heist books I had read in a long time (and I love a good heist). When I started this one all the love of the characters and this world just flooded back.

I love how much focus this had on Vanja and Emeric’s burgeoning relationship. This is probably one of the best descriptions of that awkward teenage stage of moving a romantic relationship to a sexual relationship. I loved how all the adults acted and treated them. That there was a knowing smile and a wink along with genuinely good advice. The fact that the pressure to have sex was intergral to the plot but that the pair took time to talk it all out was just really well done. It didn’t feel forced or preaching it felt like a genuine discussion. I also loved all the cringing funny moments that were created by that plot line too.

The rest of the plot focused around finding Vanja’s family and all the highjinx that that entailed was also utterly entertaining. It was really well paced, giving us moments of triumph for Emeric as well as Vanja. Mixing cult getting out of hand, a library polterguist, a kidnap, property fraud, a mini heist all with the emotions of Vanja having to face her past and what happened to her was so beautifully done to keep me turning the pages.

We also get a million more times world building in this one than Little Theives. We get to see how other towns and cities work, learn more about how the Small Gods gain their power and how that works in the grand scheme of things. I was a little disappinted that we didn’t get as much magic in this one. This was definately more focused on the characters. It gives me hope that book three will be a lot more drama filled now that we know these characters so well.

I also have to utterly commend Owen on her writing. There were so many sneeky references that made me giggle when I spotted them. I am also positive there were a lot that I missed, but anyone that can work backstreet boys lyrics into a fantasy novel is a master in my world. This book had me laughing and grinning from ear to ear. It was just a joy to read. There is no second book slump with this and I am very much looking forward to book three with that ominous tease at the end of the book.

It’s here! I’ve been a long wait for the sequel of Little Thieves (almost two years!!!), but, after reading Painted Devils, it was worth it! I forgot how much fun Vanja and Emeric can be and how good the author is in keeping you immersed in the story. I loved every single page of this novel, I laughed for at least half of it, and I didn’t want it to end.

Following the events of Little Thieves, Vanja is determined to find her family, who she hasn’t seen in thirteen years, while her love for Emeric is still going strong, but can a thief and a prefect really be together? She wants to be honest and be worthy of both her family and Emeric, but she “accidentally” invents a god, the Scarlet Maiden, and starts a cult that quickly takes hold of an entire village. And when it turns out that the Scarlet Maiden is indeed real and she wants Emeric as her virgin sacrifice, Vanja needs to find a way out of it, while also trying to prove to Emeric’s stubborn supervisor that she is not guilty of fraud.

The romance between Vanja and Emeric is perfect. These two characters together are incredible, hilarious and so adorable. Emeric needs to pass his prefect exam and is supervisioned by a retired prefect who is determined to accuse Vanja of fraud and he is cursed by a god (and his virgin status made a common knowledge). Vanja is determined to find a way to protect both Emeric and the village that she has come to love, but she is haunted by her mother’s prediction that she would be the ruin of everyone she loves.

I really hope that the third book in the series will come out soon, because I can’t wait another two years to see what happens, especially after that surprising and heartbreaking ending.

I still haven’t read the author’s previous series, The Merciful Crow, but I can’t recommend her (and this series) enough. She knows how to hold the reader’s attention with an addictive writing style, an entertaining story full of twists and adventures, and a cast of characters that you can’t help but fall in love with!

Could I have book three please?🥹

I think this was even better than Little Thieves and I adored that book. I love Vanja and Emeric's growing relationship (but oh no the ending 😫) the story was amazing, twists about her family I never saw coming whatsoever!!! Kirkling can shove off though.

Love it, will have to read them again at some point 😍

Don’t you just hate it when you accidentally start a cult?

Painted Devils is an excellent follow up to Little Thieves, which was one of my favourite books of last year. The characters, and the brilliant built fantasy world, is just so immersive, and make for such a great reading experience.

We start the book by meeting back up with Vanja, who’s struggling to feel worthy - of her boyfriend, who she’s supposed to be meeting back up with, and of her biological family, who she wants to reunite with. So, she avoids doing both, feeling like she can’t until she’s achieved something more than being a thief and well…one thing after another happens and boom. She’s a voice piece for the scarlet maiden, a low God she’s pretty sure doesn’t exist, but hey, the towns people won’t let her leave after all the luck that’s befallen the village, so what’s a girl to do? Then Emeric shows back up, to investigate what’s been going on in this small village and…well it all really kicks off from there.

Firstly, I LOVED the relationship between Vanja and Emeric. Even when there’s misunderstandings, of which there are many, they would usually end up talking it out later that same day. They listened to each other, their worries, and comforted and reassured each other. I’m not always someone who’s a sucker for romance, but I was basically giggling and kicking my feet for some of their scenes - practically unheard of for me. Also, there’s a Backstreet Boys reference that left me HOWLING.

There is so much humour and heart in these books - they’re genuinely laugh out loud funny, but then punch you in the gut with emotion, or hit you with the most beautifully written realisation of being in love with somebody. Also the fantasy is just SO good. This book shines the most when immersed in its fantastical elements - a race amongst the starts, a conversation with a bog creature, a haunted library, all so beautifully and intricately realised.

This book does have a side plot that pretty heavily deals with business laws, contracts, and taxes, which…kinda lost me a little bit. I understand why it was there, and it really helps show who Vanja is, but I found it pretty boring when compared to the scarlet maiden storyline. Also, I was a bit sad that Ragne doesn’t show up until near the end, but she’s still the absolute best when she does, and there’s a lot of other good characters that help fill in the gap.

Overall, a pretty darn good sequel, and I’m very much looking forward to the third book in this series!

Thank you to the publishers and netgally for this copy to review.

I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS A TRILOGY WHAT AM I TO DO!? 😫 I was delighted to reunite with one of my favourite fictional thieves and her besotted cop suitor. The latest installment was another wild ride (pun intended!) of magic and mayhem and romance, with an even larger cast of colourful side characters than the last one!

Speaking of side characters - shout-out to my girl Ambrozsia, the only woman who could remain completely charming whilst haunting a doll, which would usually be the stuff of nightmares!

There was so much to enjoy here, from the slow burn romance to Vanja dispensing justice, not to mention the family drama. Literally the only fly in the ointment is THAT ending. I really don't know how I'm going to wait at least a year for the sequel!

When I read Little Thieves after receiving it in a monthly book box I found it to be a surprising gem (no pun intended) and turned out to be one of my favourite reads of the year. When I was approved to review Painted Devils I was honestly so excited. The wait for my hardcover edition was too far away!
From the start, Painted Devils was like climbing under a cozy blanket and taking a deep breath. It was comforting, familiar and just dreamy.
Vanja just emits chaotic energy. Jumping straight into her honestly unbelievable life stories was brilliant. Getting absolutely, senselessly drunk? She did that. Lost all of her wealth over a bridge into a river? Yep also did that. Recruiting aimless villagers to retrieve said wealth and in turn forming a cult? Yep, she also did that. Vanja digs herself so deep she ends up running with it and hoping for the best.
When Emeric turns up to investigate a new Low God thats gained devoted followers in such a short amount of time. But once again things go very wrong.
I would read 50 of these novels following the trials and tribulations of Emeric and Vanja's lives. There's something about Margaret Owens writing that translates into some sort of written sit com.
As always Owen's art shown in the book and on her Instagram bring to like the characters and the cover is beautiful and suits the story entirely.
Thank you for the chance to review this great book!

It was a 5 stars up until the very end, because I CAN'T ACCEPT Vanja doing this. That's not possible. I was so proud of her character development, of seeing up going forward, but in the end she just went back to the starting line, and nope, I can't do that.

Otherwise I loved the whole book. I was afraid to be lost because I couldn't remember much from book 1, but that's the good thing with Little Thieves: the story itself ended, and we start with a new story here with Painted Devils, but only with the same main characters, and it turns out there's no need to remember all the details from book 1 to understand (and if it's important, it's reminded, so it's ok).

I loved getting back to Vanja and Emeric, their dynamic, their love, the humor there is all along and I just couldn't help but smile or laugh at some epic moments, some weird ones. I loved seeing their relationship itself evolves and becoming more important to the, seeing themselves evolves (except for Vanja at the end *side eyes*) by discovering themselves and rooting for each other.

The story itself was really interesting and there were still stuff happening outside of the main focus of the Scarlet Maiden, so it was pretty much action packed but there were still some softer moments, funny ones, or important talks as well. I had guesses for a few stuff happening in this story but I wasn't expecting the big reveal, it was done very well!

Once again this book 2 doesn't end on a cliffhanger, the Scarlet Maiden story is closed, but we know and see from the end of the last chapter and the last story to where book 3 is going, and I can't wait!

— 4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen is a brilliant follow up to book one, Little Thieves. Full of adventure and humour, I was immersed by Vanja and Emeric from the very beginning. It was great to see Vanja’s character development throughout this story. She is forced to make some tough choices and you really see that reflect on her character. A well balanced story that reads at just the right pace, be prepared to be left on a major cliffhanger that will have you desperate for book three.

I really didn’t want this series to be longer than one book because I feel like Little Thieves was sooo good but I did really enjoy this one
I hate that there was a cliffhanger bc we have to wait another year or longer to find out what happens!!
I loved reading Vanja and Emeric’s relationship evolve and grow (we’re ignoring the ending), they were just so cute to read about and I loved how they acted around each other
It was soo heartwarming reading about Vanja and her family!! I loved her siblings and how they were holding onto her coming back to them
Plot twist - didn’t expect the Scarlet Maiden to be who she was!!
Anyway I can’t wait for the next book!

This book was beautiful, as the dedication at the beginning said is a book about love. And it was beautiful to read. BUT I had no idea this was going to be longer than two books and I didn't expect for such an ending with a heartbreaking clifhanger thay literally made me weep.
I hope book three don't take long, or I might die.
It is difficult to review this book as it was difficult to review little thieves too, it is such a wonderful inventive story the characters so fun and layered, the trauma and low self esteem so very well portrayed. All the unconditional love shown, It really was healing to read.
Vanja is such a genius, the world needs more people like her. I know she mess up a lot but let's be honest people are easy to trick and is surprisingly easy to start a cult by accident 🤷🏻‍♀️
We got a lot of new interesting characters here and even though I missed ragne for most of the book ( she doesn't appear till the last bit) and Giselle that don't come out at all, it was compensated by meeting some new (and very important) new characters.
As I said at the beginning this book is a story about love, family love, friendship and found family love and of course romantic love, there is on page intimacy (but not spice or explicit sex this is YA) and a lot of talk about intimacy, with some very funny conversations in the mix.

If you have read little thieves and you liked it, don't hesitate, this is amazing.
And if you haven't read it, just go and read it already because you are missing out.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Vanja and Emeric are back and their shenanigans are as chaotic as ever!

Whilst trying to track down her birth family our fiery, quick-witted little thief finds herself in trouble and as she is wont to do turns to a scam to get herself out of it. Except the scam gets out of control as it leads to her accidentally creating a cult and when word gets to the Prefects and Emeric comes to investigate he gets pulled into the chaos as the chosen sacrifice for said cult. Thus begins a trail of events following our two love birds as they trek across the Blessed Empire of Almandy trying to figure out how they can get out of this mess.

I missed these idiots so much! I was surprised as anyone that we got a sequel for Little Thieves because the storyline felt so nicely wrapped up. Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more from these characters and after reading this I am SO GLAD we got another book because it was so good!! Painted Devils is very much a continuation of the personal journeys of the characters and though it has its roots in the Goose Girl retelling, it well and truly stands on its own.

Owen’s storytelling is as delightfully entertaining as ever with all the emotion, apt commentary and expected humour perfectly balanced within the overarching plot. There is a lot that goes on including smaller quests within the bigger quests but Vanja and Emeric’s latest escapade has us discovering new places and new faces in the best way and expands on the worldbuilding, folklore and magic wonderfully. I loved every second of it and the plot twists and how everything linked up by the end? *chef’s kiss* Owen is a master storyteller. I loved all the new characters that were introduced and we of course get to see some well loved old faces too even though those are few and far between..

Vanja and Emeric’s relationship is a key element of the whole cult and sacrifice situation so it goes without saying that it was going to have a big focus in the book. So yes the romance side of things is cranked up compared to book 1 which may not be for everyone. There are times in books when characters are absolutely smitten with each other and can’t keep their hands off each other to the point that it gets tedious and detracts from the main storyline, but I don’t think that was the case here at all.

You can of course expect some of the tropey elements that come along with teenagers being in love/in a relationship but Vanja and Emeric’s relationship also brought to the page discussions on intimacy and consent and sexuality in such a mature and genuine way, which is what I really loved and appreciated about it. Plus all the humour and banter between them isn’t lost at all so whilst your heart is melting at just how much these two feel and care for each other you’ll also have tears in your eyes from laughing.

Alongside this, Vanja herself grows so much more as an individual in the book and I really loved following her come to terms with herself and her backstory, what she wants in life and her place in the world as a whole.

My only real issue is that ending!! HOW DARE YOU MARAGARET OWEN?? I AM NOT OKAY AND NOW WE HAVE TO WAIT?
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars

I thought Little Thieves was great, but my god this one was so good. I was so happy I got the ARC.

Vanja does it again. In search for her lost birth family and during a drunken escapade, Vanja invented a god, the Scarlet Maiden, to scam her way out. The lie quickly growing out of control, especially when Emeric arrives to investigate, and the Scarlet Maiden manifests to claim him as a virgin sacrifice. To save his life, Vanja needs an alternative sacrifice, but it's easier said than done.
From lairs of monsters, the paths of gods, to her unknown past, Vanja has her hands full. Can she save Emeric? What does it mean for them?

I really like the tone of the narrative. It's engaging, but not descriptive, and it's easier to relate to the characters and their inner struggles. Vanja keeps being a reliable character, and witnessing her slow understanding of emotions and love was a treat. The pace is fast, just how I like it, and the excitement of wanting to know what happens next, just kept me reading.

In the world of this book, I got introduced to gods and goddesses and how they interact with mortals. It was new and very well constructed and described. It feels like it could almost be real. It's one of those books that you forget you're reading.

Absolutely loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Painted Devils is a thrilling sequel and an absolute must read!

I have no other words to say about this one other than I absolutely loved it. I could not put it down!

A year and a half ago, Little Thieves was an entertaining but slow to start fairy tale retelling. Painted Devils is a huge step up; it's fun from the start, the characters are more confident and feel more true to life - and everything is a step more complicated, with plots and tricks and plans running over, around and under each other all the time.

My constant plea applies here - recaps! Little Thieves published in October 2021, so anyone reading it then is coming back to this a year and a half later. I remembered the basics - loose Goose Girl retelling with lots of other vaguely Germanic mythology thrown in, anti-heroine, enemy turned love interest (I didn't remember his name, I'll be honest.) That's about it, which meant I was vaguely confused for quite a lot of this.

However that's a very common thing and it didn't really affect my enjoyment. This novel goes a lot deeper into Vanja's history and expands her found family (love that trope) considerably. I saw a few reviews complain about the cliffhanger ending; I've read worse, it's annoying rather than terrifying, and it's mostly annoying because now the third book is going to spend time going back over ground we covered in this one. (But I'll probably have forgotten about it by then, anyway.)

Vanja grows and comes into herself a lot in this one, becoming - or at least getting closer to - the heroine we knew she was all along. I'm very excited to read the third one and find out what happens next. It's going to be a great ride.

(Also, I adore the sneaky Take That reference!)

I need to sit with this one before doing a full review I just finished this and oh my!!! Could I love it more than book one- probably, I did not see half of what happened coming! This was so good!
Loved it! and now we wait.

Margaret Owen is an author I've been keeping my eyes on since I read Little Thieves a few weeks ago. I was excited and slightly apprehensive about this sequel as second books tend to be disappointing. I'm glad to say it wasn't the case here. The author did a wonderful job with the characters, the story, the family dynamics and the romance.

I know I've said it before but the romance between Vanja and Emeric is adorable and, above all, healthy. With them, you'll find consent, respect, honesty, consideration and support. I appreciated how the author talked about sexuality and virginity in an educational, realistic manner. Vanja and Emeric are always leveling up each other. They're a fantastic couple. They have the tendency to make me swoon!

The story itself was engrossing. I couldn't stop reading, with the lore, the twists and the hardships the characters have to go through to survive. I liked that they outsmart the villains at times but also fail at other tasks. It leaves room for suspense and character development.

We learn more about Vanja's family and her past. I had my ideas about the first but was surprised by the latter. The author balanced both very well. Vanja broke my heart because of what she had to go through.

My thanks to Hodder and Stoughton, Margaret Owen and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Painted Devils in exchange for my honest review.

I was a little hesitant to pick this up after not being super keen on Little Thieves, however I much preferred this one. Vanja as a character is much more likeable this time, and the romance between her and Emeritus was really good. I just found this an overall better book than the first one, and I am eager to see how this ends up with the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s get one thing straight—Vanja Schmidt wasn’t trying to start a cult. 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 if 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. For his final test to become a prefect, Emeric must determine if Vanja is guilty of serious fraud, or if the Scarlet Maiden—and her claim to him—are genuine. Meanwhile, Vanja is chasing an alternative sacrifice that may be their way out. The hunt leads her not only into the lairs of monsters and the paths of gods, but the ties of her past. And with what should be the simplest way to save Emeric hanging over their heads, he and Vanja must face a more dangerous question: Is there a future for a thief and a prefect, and at what price?

Vanja, you stubborn little thief… you are absolutely brilliant! Dare I say perhaps even better than in the first book? Trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes but Vanja sure as hell makes the most of it. That is perhaps the thing I love most about her character - her wits and her tenacity. I truly have nothing negative to say about her. She’s so perfectly imperfect that you cannot help but enjoy her character throughout the story - laughing when she does, sympathising with her struggles, wishing you could hug her through the tremulous times. Owen has really outdone herself with Vanja. Definitely a favourite character of mine!
Emeric is forever and always a sweetheart and someone I would love to have in my corner. There’s a definite increase in confidence in his character compared to the first book and it’s a great change to see. He’s more sure of himself and his abilities and the way he protects Vanja and remains by her side through thick and thin? Absolutely wonderful. If I could order an Emeric and have him by my side, that would he great, thank you!

This sequel truly exceeded my expectations. Considering how perfect the ending was to the first book, I was skeptical that this could live up to it and continue the story well but it really did not disappoint. Full of angst, romance, sass, magic and intrigue, I was sucked in from the very first page. The characters all feel so alive and all have a purpose, seamlessly moving the story forward and ensuring its flow is fantastic. The twists and turns had a chokehold on me and kept me reading. The romance was so freaking adorable that I just kept wanting to squeeee! Just this whole book was absolutely brilliant. That ending though… I am broken in pieces after that ending. I am utterly horrified despite it’s perfection and aptness and now have an undetermined wait ahead of me to find out what happens next? That is a new level of mean! I’ll just stay here sobbing for a while.

Overall, Painted Devils is a stunning sequel that you just can’t help but fall in love with!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my nlog on release day.

4.5

Wow, what a fabulous sequel. The humour in the writing has not changed one bit and I loooove it. It’s such a fun narrative to read. I loved the adventures and the self discovery Vanja had to go through. Though it was a little hard keeping track of new and old family members and I may have felt a little lost more than once. Plus, with everything else going on, it took away from the cool moments where things fell apart and then fell back together. So that’s what took away the half star.

But!!! The romance!!! Let me tell you, I couldn’t get enough of it. It was so real. Emeritus and Vanja are so communicative about their feelings and so aware of each other. I loved their learning moments where they’re trying to adapt to fit together and also the other more sexy learning moments too ;)) consent is so sexy y’all and Emeric and Vanja are icons for it. They’re constantly making sure it’s okay but it doesn’t take away from the moment at all. It’s so cute. I love them. I love this series.

I did panic because I thought this was a duology and the ending was a little open SO IM VERY GLAD THERES ANOTHER CONFIRMED.