#Little Thieves

[aridotdash]

@what-eats-owls

You started a scam religion for a quick buck. You begin to panic when your fake god was actually a real forgotten one awakened from new worshippers, declared you it's high priest, and granted you the power of healing.

[aroaessidhe]

aro & ace Fairytale books

retellings

Until The Last Petal Falls - beauty & the beast aro/aro m/m QPR (prev known as The Beast of Okeme)

The Language of Roses - beauty & the beast with an aro belle

More Than Enough - beauty & the beast ace/ace m/m

The Story of the Hundred Promises - fairytale inspired (+ a little beauty & best), aro major characters and aro themes, m/nb

Little Thieves - high fantasy goose girl retelling, demi/demi m/f

Dithered Hearts - cinderella retelling, fairy godfather is aro (and has some POV)

Create My Own Perfection - aroace medusa, short story

The Ice Princess' Fair Illusion - king thrushbeard, ace lesbian & aroace, in verse

Sea Foam & Silence - the little mermaid, demiromantic & aroace, in verse

original fairytales / fairytale vibes

Come Drink With Me (& other Tales of The Thread) - Chinese original fairytales with aro themes

The Dragon of Ynys - aroace MC

Royal Rescue - aroace MC

#aspec books / aspec database / tumblr masterpost

[specks-of-time]

emeric conrad worst nightmare

[what-eats-owls]

It’s a beautiful day at the met gala, and you are a horrible goose 🪿✨ I sketched some looks for The Kids™ a couple weeks ago and decided to finish one for y’all. bone apple teeth!!

[sparkinajar]

Wow I can finally post this! This is a gift I worked on for a friend for christmas, fanart of the novel 'Little Thieves' by Margaret Owen (@what-eats-owls on Tumblr I believe)- I put all my other projects on hold to do it and I think it was really worth it!! I loved reading this book and drawing this piece, and I'm happy to share it.

[felixbobelix]

I needed to draw them being happy, the fellow year has destroyed me 😭

@what-eats-owls

[anxiousant]

I have come to the realization that i have a thing for a very specific type of character design. That being when the characters act apathetic because they don't want others to think that they care. BUT ACTUALLY THEY DO CARE. They care so much it makes me physically sick. Case in point:

Andrew minyad, all for the game

Kaz brekker, six of crows

Carden, folk of the air series

Victor, Vicious

Vanja, little thieves

Ronan lynch, raven boys

Allistair and Gavin, all of us villans

I'm sure there are more, but these are all i could think of rn. Anyway I'm a sucker for any such characters. If anyone has any recommendations, do let me know

[onceuponed]

˖⁺‧₊˚✦ 9 books like a fairytale

[nikittysan]

Little Thieves

I LOVED this book by @what-eats-owls! The dynamic between these two was so fun! And the plot was great XD

[chaotickitchenware]

'Once upon a time, on the coldest night of midwinter, in the darkest heart of the forest, Death and Fortune came to a crossroads.'

(time lapse and notes under cut)

(please click on image for better quality)

I say notes it's going to be incoherent screaming.

I have literally never been able to reread books but little thieves is a rare exception. I know the main plot but I've forgotten some of the details, like Vanja's amazing dialogue with just about everyone for an example.

The drawing above is Vanja (four years old) at the crossroads with her mother. In the process of drawing I realised a few things:

a) for a while she didn't have her braids (I fixed this towards the end)

b) cannonically she has a cloak so she doesn't immediately freeze to death but I thought I could let a little detail slip (plus, negligence on her mother's part, which is fitting)

this started out as a doodle page and I liked the original doodle so much I turned it into a proper illustration :)

(this is entirely self indulgent but I hope someone finds joy from it)

If you have not read little thieves I will gently encourage (force) you to read it 👍

Anyway time lapse:

all the best,

mogmug

(and since I've asked and given the green light to tag her, Little Thieves is written by the wonderful Mageret Owen (@what-eats-owls)!)

[satelliteinasupernova]

I read Little Thieves and Painted Devils by Margaret Owen, and now I am in love with their love. (Go read both books if you haven't, and then preorder the final book. For me)

[quotingmyjourneys]

“I think there are lives that make it easy to be good. Or what most people call good. When you have wealth, status, family, it’s easy to be a saint, it costs you nothing. I can’t say if you’re a good person or not. But the more I know of you, the more I understand that the world keeps making you choose between survival and martyrdom. No one should fault you for wanting to live.”

— Margaret Owen (Little Thieves | Little Thieves #1), first pub. 2021, USA

[aroaessidhe]

aro & ace books: with internal illustrations!

Don’t Let The Forest In - YA horror - ace MC - internal/cover art by Jana Heidersdorf

The Wolf Among The Wild Hunt - NA dark fantasy - aroace MC/SC - internal art by Andrew Garin

In The Jaws of an Oak - adult horror/erotica novella - internal/cover art by author

Elatsoe - YA paranormal - aro coded ace MC - internal/cover art by Rovina Cai

Little Thieves - YA fantasy - demi MC/LI - internal art by author

Every Heart A Doorway - NA fantasy novella - ace MC - internal art by Rovina Cai

Fallen Thorns - NA urban fantasy - aroace MC (& SC) - internal/cover art by author

#aspec books / aspec database / tumblr masterpost

[specks-of-time]

emeric conrad probably

[what-eats-owls]

✨be not afraid✨

Preorders:

Third Place Books • Bookshop.org • B&N

(And don't forget to turn your preorder receipt in here for the next Fallow Year story!)

[book--brackets]

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas (2008-2014)

In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who--or what--is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic.

100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson (2007-2010)

Twelve-year-old Henry York is going to sleep one night when he hears a bump on the attic wall above his head. It's an unfamiliar house—Henry is staying with his aunt, uncle, and three cousins—so he tries to ignore it. But the next night he wakes up with bits of plaster in his hair. Two knobs have broken through the wall, and one of them is slowly turning...

 Henry scrapes the plaster off the wall and discovers doors—ninety-nine cupboards of all different sizes and shapes. Through one he can hear the sound of falling rain. Through another he sees a glowing room—with a man strolling back and forth! Henry and his cousin Henrietta soon understand that these are not just cupboards. They are, in fact, portals to other worlds.

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (2008)

A girl is transformed, through instruction in life at court, determination, and magic, from sullen, pudgy, graceless Ben into Crown Princess Benevolence, a fit ruler of the kindgom of Montagne as it faces war with neighboring Drachensbett.

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen (2021-present)

Vanja Schmidt knows no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love. Abandoned to Death and Fortune as a child, she has scraped by as a lowly maidservant with her quick wits and the ability to see her god-mothers’ hands at work in the world. But when they demand her lifelong servitude in exchange, Vanja decides that gifts not given freely…can always be stolen.

When an opportunity rises to steal a string of enchanted pearls, Vanja seizes it, transforming herself into Gisele, the princess she’s served for years. As the glamorous princess, Vanja leads a double life, charming the nobility while ransacking their coffers as a jewel thief. Then, one heist away from funding an escape from her god-mothers, Vanja crosses the wrong god, and is cursed to turn into jewels herself. The only way to save herself is to make up for what she’s taken—starting with her first victim, Princess Gisele.

Valdemar: Mage Wings by Mercedes Lackey (1992-1993)

High magic had been lost to Valdemar when he gave his life to save his kingdom from destruction by the dark sorceries. Now it falls to Elspeth Herald, heir to the throne, to take up the challenge and seek a mentor who will awaken her mage abilities.

The Numair Chronicles by Tamora Pierce (2018-present)

Arram Draper is on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram realizes that one day–soon–he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (1998-2000)

Everyone - wizards, soldiers, farmers, elves, dragons, kings and queens alike - is fed up with Mr Chesney's Pilgrim Parties: groups of tourists from the world next door who descend en masse every year to take the Grand Tour. What they expect are all the trappings of a grand fantasy adventure, including the Evil Enchantress, Wizard Guides, the Dark Lord, Winged Minions, and all. And every year different people are chosen to play these parts. But now they've had enough: Mr Chesney may be backed by a very powerful demon, but the Oracles have spoken. Now it's up to the Wizard Derk and his son Blade, this year's Dark Lord and Wizard Guide, not to mention Blade's griffin brothers and sisters, to save the world from Mr Chesney's depredations.

Traveler's Gate by Will Wight (2013-2014)

Simon can only watch, helpless, as his family is killed and his friends captured by enemy Travelers-men and women who can summon mystical powers from otherworldly Territories. To top it off, another young man from Simon's village discovers that he's a savior prophesied to destroy evil and save the realm.Prophecy has nothing to say about Simon. He has no special powers, no magical weapons, and no guarantee that he'll survive. But he sets off anyway, alone, to gain the power he needs to oppose the Travelers and topple their ruthless Overlord. It may not be his destiny, but Simon's determined to rescue his fellow villagers from certain death.Because who cares about prophecy, really?

Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda (2000)

The evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven gems of great and mysterious power. When the gems are stolen and hidden in dark terrible places throughout the kingdom, the Shadow Lord triumphs, and Deltora is lost.

In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a perilous quest. Determined to find the lost gems and rid their land of the tyrant, they struggle towards their first goal - the sinister Forests of Silence.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi (2016-2017)

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. It will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.