Holy Terrors (Little Thieves, #3)

Holy Terrors is the conclusion to the Little Thieves trilogy. A lot is going on, making it difficult to pinpoint where to start! First off, Vanja may be one of my favorite characters. I love her heart and her growth. Her pain and wish to become a better person are relatable and the backbone of the story. I love that Margaret Owen found a way to bring all of Vanja’s found family back together in a way that makes sense.
Emeric Conrad has always been above reproach, so it was a bit of fun to see him punish Vanja by locking her up and making sure she stayed that way until her name was cleared, mostly because she hurt his feelings. He has bitterness and rightfully so for the way she abandoned him almost two years ago. It is a surprise that he is betrothed to another woman, and that tension in their relationship helps them both see they aren’t ready to give up on each other. While they do experience regret and get in a lot of fights, the banter makes it impossible to put the pages down.
Vanja and Emeric, as an investigative team, are better than either on their own. The smart dialogue and interplay between them are so much fun to read. The plot keeps you guessing, and even when you think everything is resolved, it all gets a bit weird because magic and low gods make anything possible.
Her brother Ozkar’s involvement is confusing. His motive for betrayal is a stretch. When magic goes awry, the found family’s solution is fun and heartwarming, but also over the top. I do like that everything feels complete, including that those who have wronged her get what’s coming to them. We are given glimpses into the road not taken. If Vanja had stayed with Emeric, or had gone to jail, or had been selfless. All the regrets and what-ifs are explored and then woven into the resolution of the story in a surprising way.
Aside from an entertaining story, there is a close look at the corruption of those in power. Many of the wrongs against her have been committed by people who felt entitled and did not care who they hurt. All the books have explored that idea, but it felt timely in a way that transcends the fictional world she lives in.

HOLY TERRORS is an overall satisfying conclusion to the LITTLE THIEVES series. This final book brings Vanja's journey to a personal finale with a lot of internal consideration and growth - she is not the same person we met in the first story. She is confronting her demons and the people who have mistreated her to try to find a way to forge ahead and be happy.

While she desperately misses Emeric, Vanja believes that the way to do right by both of them is to be apart. When she encounters (is arrested by) him again, she finds it painfully bittersweet that he has moved on with someone who, on paper at least, seems to suit him better. While the crimes are piling up and being misattributed to her, Vanja is once again willing to offer her expertise to the prefects as they find the real person behind the deaths of royalty. Her very life may be at stake - and the promised boon is too good to pass up.

What I loved: This was an engrossing and whipsmart read, and I loved all the banter and comedy infused within a complex mystery complicated by magic and small gods. Themes around personal growth, socioeconomic disparity, corruption of power/royalty, family, and romance all make this a compelling and thought-provoking read. As the case surrounds the death of royalty, there is much consideration giving to ruling, the ways royalty view themselves, and the ways their subjects see them. Giselle, who had experience living as a commoner as well as royalty, sees the flaws in this thinking, and the fine line that separates them. These discussions are really interesting and compelling throughout the story.

Vanja is really confronting her personal demons, who often take the form of the people who have mistreated her in the past. Their opinions of her and the ways that they treated her have formed who she was - but she is now deciding who she wants to be and what paths she might take. The possibilities are endless, with each choice setting her down a potentially different life. The story gives little vignettes that take on a different element later on to show the many ways that she could have changed - but also that she is no longer the person she used to be. What happiness is and how she wants to attain it are under determination with an end showing how happiness can be sculpted by our choices and those who support and love us. It may not always be what seems best on paper, but the people we form into found family are critical and the rest can be forged into place.

The romance in the story was a lot of pining, but this really allowed for a lot of personal growth separate from the relationship. While the end of the last book gave a sinking feeling, this gives a feeling of hope as we begin understand the choices made and the ways these gave way to paths that could lead to a better future. The end of this one was satisfying with Vanja's personal journey concluding in a really fantastic way (and we also get the answer to the mystery with plenty of flair and action/adventure as she works to once again save the day).

Final verdict: HOLY TERRORS is a fabulous conclusion to a riveting and engrossing YA fantasy series! Highly recommend picking these up if you love mysteries, magic, witty banter, and romance.