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tinysierra's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“To the gremlin girls,
I would like to tell you something inspiring, but the truth is, when life closes a door for us, it doesn’t always open a window. The good news is: That’s what bricks are for.”
Little Thieves is a work of art. From the gorgeous cover, to the illustrations inside, to the way the story is broken up into 7 tales, to the writing itself. I love how even the Author’s Note is written with care. Be sure to check the trigger warnings! Hanging is mentioned a lot as well as sexual assault/harassment.
This book was confusing to get into at first. In this aspect, it reminds me of how it felt starting Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology without knowing anything about the Grishaverse.
Little Thieves was hard to slug through in the beginning, but it did pick up and then I didn’t want to put the book down.
I loved the writing style with the way Vanja told the story like a fairy tale.
I love the humor and wit.
You get to really see Vanja’s insecurities and growth through her narrative. You can see how her trauma affects her perceptions of the situations she goes through.
I loved all the characters, even the side ones!
The romance was amazing, too.
I don’t think the word demisexual is said on page but both the main characters are demi <3
“I’ve read fairy tales, of course, and listened to plaintive love songs, but I never understood why anyone would wake up after a hundred years and marry the prince who broke into their bedroom for a kiss. Or dance with a stranger once and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.”
There’s also wlw and some other LGBTQ+ rep that’s normal in this world. There is lesbophobia but in more of a “the princess is supposed to produce an heir” kind of way.
I love Vanja and Emeric so much <333 a cat and mouse chase… yes please!!
Update ~ 07-14-2023
Reread before I get into Painted Devils. I definitely found it less confusing and easier to breeze through the second time around.
Update ~ 03-13-2024
If you’re a big fan of Vanja and Emeric’s relationship, read Painted Devils immediately!!! I swear it doesn’t suffer from “second book syndrome.” It’s so amazing.
And check out Margaret Owen’s instagram account (@what_eats_owls) for more art and memes of the characters!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, Body horror, Abandonment, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Body shaming, Grief, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Sexual assault
Minor: Blood, Excrement, Lesbophobia, and Vomit
anniereads221's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Animal death, Sexual assault, Murder, Domestic abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Gore, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Body horror, Blood, and Body shaming
asparagusisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Before we get started I just want to say this review is a mess. I'm hurrying to type this while this book is fresh in my mind. I plan to come back to this review to rewrite it soon or after a give it a reread.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., and the author, Margaret Owen, and theFierceReads' team for sending an e-arc copy of this book to read and review.
TW + CW: abuse, violence, sexual assault, abandonment/neglect
LITTLE THIEVES by MARGARET OWEN is the first book in a young adult fantasy series that retells the fairy tale, The Goose Girl. LITTLE THIEVES follows Vanja Schmidt, a maidservant that takes the opportunity to switch lives with a princess. As princess, she's charming everyone in the castle while sneaking a few of the riches for herself. but when she crosses the wrong god, she is cursed. This curse forces her to make up for everything she has done and taken or she will be turned into the same jewels she has stolen.
Somebody needs to tell me to stop procrastinating on my ARCs and physical TBR because here I am, once again, wowed by how much I enjoyed a book that I kept putting off. Like if I read this when I got it, I could have been raving about this with everyone else. I was missing out! With that being said, I will say that I found myself easily getting distracted which typically happens when I'm feeling bored or like a scene or conversation is dragged out. However, Margaret Owen does well with bringing in something new to the story that would draw me back in.
For the retelling lovers, I recommend that you check this book out because this is amazing! I admit that I am not familiar with the original Goose Girl story but I am did not find it necessary to know while reading. I'm now intrigued to devour anything related to Goose Girl and dive into other fairy tales that may not be as well known. I am still undecided about what to rate this book (I am between a 3.75 and 4) because I think this could have had a little bit more oomph, something that would have tipped me close to a higher rating. This also could be an issue of this book being a part of a series. Some books need a little bit more and that 'more' doesn't come in until a later installment in the series. The next book comes out next year so I'm excited to see what's to come. I have heard they Margaret's second books in series tend to be explosive and emotional if you're attached to the characters. I think this could be an exciting introduction to an author I may come to love and read annually.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., and the author, Margaret Owen, and theFierceReads' team for sending an e-arc copy of this book to read and review.
TW + CW: abuse, violence, sexual assault, abandonment/neglect
LITTLE THIEVES by MARGARET OWEN is the first book in a young adult fantasy series that retells the fairy tale, The Goose Girl. LITTLE THIEVES follows Vanja Schmidt, a maidservant that takes the opportunity to switch lives with a princess. As princess, she's charming everyone in the castle while sneaking a few of the riches for herself. but when she crosses the wrong god, she is cursed. This curse forces her to make up for everything she has done and taken or she will be turned into the same jewels she has stolen.
Somebody needs to tell me to stop procrastinating on my ARCs and physical TBR because here I am, once again, wowed by how much I enjoyed a book that I kept putting off. Like if I read this when I got it, I could have been raving about this with everyone else. I was missing out! With that being said, I will say that I found myself easily getting distracted which typically happens when I'm feeling bored or like a scene or conversation is dragged out. However, Margaret Owen does well with bringing in something new to the story that would draw me back in.
For the retelling lovers, I recommend that you check this book out because this is amazing! I admit that I am not familiar with the original Goose Girl story but I am did not find it necessary to know while reading. I'm now intrigued to devour anything related to Goose Girl and dive into other fairy tales that may not be as well known. I am still undecided about what to rate this book (I am between a 3.75 and 4) because I think this could have had a little bit more oomph, something that would have tipped me close to a higher rating. This also could be an issue of this book being a part of a series. Some books need a little bit more and that 'more' doesn't come in until a later installment in the series. The next book comes out next year so I'm excited to see what's to come. I have heard they Margaret's second books in series tend to be explosive and emotional if you're attached to the characters. I think this could be an exciting introduction to an author I may come to love and read annually.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
wlreed312's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is one of those I picked up at the library knowing nothing about and ended up absolutely loving it (pay no attention to how long it took me to read it, I can't concentrate on anything lately).
A retelling of The Goose Girl (a fairytale I knew nothing about), Vanja is the goddaughter of Death and Fortune, who lives her life as the servant of a princess. Until the day when she takes the enchanted pearls that belong to the princess and takes over her life. Using the pearls, she starts stealing from nobles, trying to accumulate enough wealth to get away from the marriage that she (or rather the princess Giselle) has been sold into and live life on her own terms. One of these thefts goes wrong, and earns her the curse of one of the lesser gods, leaving her two weeks to figure out how to break the curse before she dies.
It's well known I'm a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, and I adored the way this was structured. At the heart of it, this is a book about abuse and trauma, and how to move past that. Vanja was a servant who was incredibly mistreated by the family of the princess she served, and all she wants to do is get away. This has turned her into a person who is both lonely and very greedy. As she grows over the course of the book, she learns how to forgive and to accept responsibility for the harm she has done herself. I also appreciated Giselle, who learns how to acknowledge the harm she did by standing by, and how she and Vanja work past all of the damage they have done to each other. Their journey is both painful and lovely, and it doesn't shy away from the harsher aspects of going through traumatic events. I love how the relationships develop, I thought the world was enchanting, and I loved how the central mystery of the book unfolded. I really loved this.
A retelling of The Goose Girl (a fairytale I knew nothing about), Vanja is the goddaughter of Death and Fortune, who lives her life as the servant of a princess. Until the day when she takes the enchanted pearls that belong to the princess and takes over her life. Using the pearls, she starts stealing from nobles, trying to accumulate enough wealth to get away from the marriage that she (or rather the princess Giselle) has been sold into and live life on her own terms. One of these thefts goes wrong, and earns her the curse of one of the lesser gods, leaving her two weeks to figure out how to break the curse before she dies.
It's well known I'm a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, and I adored the way this was structured. At the heart of it, this is a book about abuse and trauma, and how to move past that. Vanja was a servant who was incredibly mistreated by the family of the princess she served, and all she wants to do is get away. This has turned her into a person who is both lonely and very greedy. As she grows over the course of the book, she learns how to forgive and to accept responsibility for the harm she has done herself. I also appreciated Giselle, who learns how to acknowledge the harm she did by standing by, and how she and Vanja work past all of the damage they have done to each other. Their journey is both painful and lovely, and it doesn't shy away from the harsher aspects of going through traumatic events. I love how the relationships develop, I thought the world was enchanting, and I loved how the central mystery of the book unfolded. I really loved this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Classism
bearish's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Stolen Identities, Heists!!, Lovable Monsters, Attack Kobalds, Gods being Dicks, Found Family, Enemies to Lovers
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Child abuse
Minor: Sexual violence and Emotional abuse
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I truly enjoyed every moment of reading this book! Honestly, sometimes, that's all I want to say in a review. Sometimes, it's not because a book has great emotional depth or because the characters are super relatable. Sometimes, friends, it's just because the story was entertaining and I liked it.
That's how I felt about Little Thieves. It was incredibly creative - truly, I've never read anything quite like it. Though I will say that if you're a fan of Six of Crows, you may enjoy this one. It's really not similar at all, but it gives off some of the same vibes? I hope that makes sense.
I picked this up because everyone was raving about it on bookstagram at the end of 2021 and I can see why. The magic was incredibly unique (though never really explained beyond the gods having some hand in it, I believe), there was fantastic diversity, and the twists were excellent - nothing totally mind-blowing, just really fun!
There were definitely some triggering elements to it, but you know what? THE AUTHOR INCLUDED TRIGGER WARNINGS. Like, hello! Thank you! That should be at the beginning of every book ever. And guess what else? That actually made it easier for me to read the book, because I knew what I was getting into ahead of time, and when those moments arose, I wasn't put out by it.
Despite giving it 4.5 stars immediately following reading it, I've already forgotten a great deal. That could just be because my mind is elsewhere lately. Okay, actually, yeah, I'm gonna just blame it on that, because honestly, I think if I were totally focused right now, I'd be able to tell you every single detail. At least I can remember most of the character names (that's a new one for me).
Anyyyyways, it immediately went on my wishlist because I'd really like to read it again. I feel as though I could gain more from it with a reread in the future!
That's how I felt about Little Thieves. It was incredibly creative - truly, I've never read anything quite like it. Though I will say that if you're a fan of Six of Crows, you may enjoy this one. It's really not similar at all, but it gives off some of the same vibes? I hope that makes sense.
I picked this up because everyone was raving about it on bookstagram at the end of 2021 and I can see why. The magic was incredibly unique (though never really explained beyond the gods having some hand in it, I believe), there was fantastic diversity, and the twists were excellent - nothing totally mind-blowing, just really fun!
There were definitely some triggering elements to it, but you know what? THE AUTHOR INCLUDED TRIGGER WARNINGS. Like, hello! Thank you! That should be at the beginning of every book ever. And guess what else? That actually made it easier for me to read the book, because I knew what I was getting into ahead of time, and when those moments arose, I wasn't put out by it.
Despite giving it 4.5 stars immediately following reading it, I've already forgotten a great deal. That could just be because my mind is elsewhere lately. Okay, actually, yeah, I'm gonna just blame it on that, because honestly, I think if I were totally focused right now, I'd be able to tell you every single detail. At least I can remember most of the character names (that's a new one for me).
Anyyyyways, it immediately went on my wishlist because I'd really like to read it again. I feel as though I could gain more from it with a reread in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Abandonment and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
campisforever's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book should also be classified as LGBTQIA+ because there are queer characters, mentions of trans characters, and the leads are on the Ace spectrum.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I have no words. Please read it.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I have no words. Please read it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Murder, Gaslighting, and Grief
sambutwithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was super fun- I loved the demi rep and the story never really ever lost steam. I do wish the ending had been more but that felt like the only weak part of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
maregred's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love Vanya sfm.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
hanarama's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Book at a glance:
• Fairytale retold
• Enemies to lovers, cat and mouse
• Medieval Germany-inspired setting
• Lgbt secondary and tertiary characters
• Gods and spirits
Vanja is the adopted daughter of Fortune and Death. But she must live in the mortal realm away from her mothers. Serving from childhood as a princess' maid, she decides to change her fortune. First she trades the princess' identity and life for her own.
With the princess' identity as a shield, Vanja goes on a crime spree. She targets the nobility, robbing them blind when they least expect it. But now a young inspector is hot on her trail, a God has cursed her for her greed, and her wedding to the princess' betrothed looms before her. Vanja has just two weeks to solve all of these problems. Does she have what it takes to save herself, or will she need to put her trust in others?
What I liked:
The worldbuilding is pretty solid. The Germanic inspiration is evident in the folklore, foods, and landscape. However, Owen makes it her own. The hierarchy of the nobility is unique and interesting, as are the gods of this setting. I would love to read more about them.
The characters are diverse and the world is accepting. In spite of the evil nobility, this setting seems like a nice place to live. Owen offers casual representation with LGBT+ and POC characters in the main cast and background.
The characters, though trope-y are generally likeable. The main cast feels friendly and are fun to read about. Gisele and Vanja were the most enjoyable.
Also, the interspersed "fairytale" chapters are really great. Accompanied by beautiful illustration, they capture the fairytale feel and flesh out Vanja's backstory.
What I disliked:
This book is distinctly ya. If you like ya tropes and conventions, you won't mind this, but for me it made the story feel overly quaint at times. It's very tropey and predictable in its plot. Characters' actions are very telegraphed and so it at points it feels absurd that the heroes take so long to uncover the villains true plot.
There were frequent miscommunications between characters to the point of frustration. At times I felt as though the plot would have been resolved faster if the characters just let one another speak before accusing them of some wrong doing. Certainly, I think some of these moments could have been cut, which likely would have quickened the pacing a bit.
At times I felt like the character Ragne was naive and annoying. Her speaking pattern felt artificial and came across as irritating rather than endearing.
• Fairytale retold
• Enemies to lovers, cat and mouse
• Medieval Germany-inspired setting
• Lgbt secondary and tertiary characters
• Gods and spirits
Vanja is the adopted daughter of Fortune and Death. But she must live in the mortal realm away from her mothers. Serving from childhood as a princess' maid, she decides to change her fortune. First she trades the princess' identity and life for her own.
With the princess' identity as a shield, Vanja goes on a crime spree. She targets the nobility, robbing them blind when they least expect it. But now a young inspector is hot on her trail, a God has cursed her for her greed, and her wedding to the princess' betrothed looms before her. Vanja has just two weeks to solve all of these problems. Does she have what it takes to save herself, or will she need to put her trust in others?
What I liked:
The worldbuilding is pretty solid. The Germanic inspiration is evident in the folklore, foods, and landscape. However, Owen makes it her own. The hierarchy of the nobility is unique and interesting, as are the gods of this setting. I would love to read more about them.
The characters are diverse and the world is accepting. In spite of the evil nobility, this setting seems like a nice place to live. Owen offers casual representation with LGBT+ and POC characters in the main cast and background.
The characters, though trope-y are generally likeable. The main cast feels friendly and are fun to read about. Gisele and Vanja were the most enjoyable.
Also, the interspersed "fairytale" chapters are really great. Accompanied by beautiful illustration, they capture the fairytale feel and flesh out Vanja's backstory.
What I disliked:
This book is distinctly ya. If you like ya tropes and conventions, you won't mind this, but for me it made the story feel overly quaint at times. It's very tropey and predictable in its plot. Characters' actions are very telegraphed and so it at points it feels absurd that the heroes take so long to uncover the villains true plot.
There were frequent miscommunications between characters to the point of frustration. At times I felt as though the plot would have been resolved faster if the characters just let one another speak before accusing them of some wrong doing. Certainly, I think some of these moments could have been cut, which likely would have quickened the pacing a bit.
At times I felt like the character Ragne was naive and annoying. Her speaking pattern felt artificial and came across as irritating rather than endearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, and Animal death