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A review by chronicallybookish
Painted Devils by Margaret Owen
adventurous
emotional
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
<b>Quick Stats</b>
Age Rating: 14+
Over All: 5 stars
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 500/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
<i>Special thanks to FierceReads, Colored Paged Blog Tours, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.</i>
Margaret Owen is one of my favorite authors of all time, and Painted Devils has only confirmed that fact. This book was SO GOOD!
This is a road trip fantasy featuring Vanja and Emeric, of course, as well as some other old favorites—and some new ones.
This book deals with trauma and grief, sex and virginity, and so many other important topics. It will make you cry, and it will make you laugh so much.
I can honestly say I’ve never heard of a book featuring a male sacrificial virgin before, but I thought it was iconic, and it opened up some important conversations. Sex and sexuality play a huge part in this book, and I love the way it’s handled. It’s honest and sex positive and exactly what YA needs more of. It addresses these important topics in a way that is accessible and appropriate for teen audiences. I would say it leans a little more towards upper YA in these areas of discussion, but it’s never explicit, and anything beyond making out is fade to black.
I will admit, I found the plot and pacing of this one to be a bit lacking in comparison to Little Thieves. There were a lot of little “side quests” that I loved and were important to the characters’ growth, but they did slow down the forward momentum of the book at some points. Not enough to take me out of it, or to dock a star rating, but enough that I took notice. Similarly, there was a reveal that I figured out pretty early, however that didn’t stop me from shrieking when it was officially revealed and getting way too excited.
Unlike Little Thieves, this one doesn’t wrap up perfectly. Luckily, there is a guaranteed third book! The plot itself is self-contained in this book, but let’s just say, if the whole series ended this way, I’d riot. However, for the ending of the second book in a trilogy, I like it.
I genuinely cannot recommend this series enough.
Age Rating: 14+
Over All: 5 stars
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 500/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
<i>Special thanks to FierceReads, Colored Paged Blog Tours, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.</i>
Margaret Owen is one of my favorite authors of all time, and Painted Devils has only confirmed that fact. This book was SO GOOD!
This is a road trip fantasy featuring Vanja and Emeric, of course, as well as some other old favorites—and some new ones.
This book deals with trauma and grief, sex and virginity, and so many other important topics. It will make you cry, and it will make you laugh so much.
I can honestly say I’ve never heard of a book featuring a male sacrificial virgin before, but I thought it was iconic, and it opened up some important conversations. Sex and sexuality play a huge part in this book, and I love the way it’s handled. It’s honest and sex positive and exactly what YA needs more of. It addresses these important topics in a way that is accessible and appropriate for teen audiences. I would say it leans a little more towards upper YA in these areas of discussion, but it’s never explicit, and anything beyond making out is fade to black.
I will admit, I found the plot and pacing of this one to be a bit lacking in comparison to Little Thieves. There were a lot of little “side quests” that I loved and were important to the characters’ growth, but they did slow down the forward momentum of the book at some points. Not enough to take me out of it, or to dock a star rating, but enough that I took notice. Similarly, there was a reveal that I figured out pretty early, however that didn’t stop me from shrieking when it was officially revealed and getting way too excited.
Unlike Little Thieves, this one doesn’t wrap up perfectly. Luckily, there is a guaranteed third book! The plot itself is self-contained in this book, but let’s just say, if the whole series ended this way, I’d riot. However, for the ending of the second book in a trilogy, I like it.
I genuinely cannot recommend this series enough.