Book Review: Shield of Sparrows
Book Details
Title: Shield of Sparrows
Author: Devney Perry
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance
Age: Adult
Date Published: May 6th, 2025
Page Count: 528
Goodreads Rating: 4.38
Series: Shield of Sparrows #1
Vibes:
Cinderella meets the Witcher
The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.
I’ve spent my life kneeling—to their will and to my father’s. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.
I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.
But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.
Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him—bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.
Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.
But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?
And what if—for the first time—I reached for it?
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My Rating
5 stars
First time read when it released in 2025
This is my favorite book I have read in 2025 so far!
This book had me invested from the start. The short chapters make it feel like you are progressing and each one leaves you wanting more. There are several plot twists I did not see coming, and I am excited to see what happens in book two!
Most of my questions were answered by the end of the book, but of course there are some big mysteries still open for the next book. I love Odessa as a FMC, and the Guardian had my heart. I really enjoy the world, the monsters and everything about this book. This is my first Devney Perry read but I definitely enjoyed her writing and descriptions.
2nd Read in 2026 before the second book
This is a reread for me. I read Shield of Sparrows last year when it first released and gave it 5 stars, and the 2nd time around didn’t disappoint either. I consumed the last 400 pages of it today and couldn’t put it down just like the first time I read it. The second book in the series came out this week, Rites of the Starling, and I wanted to reread the first book to remember all the lore and characters and have it fresh in my mind before jumping into the next adventure of Odessa the fearless princess of Quentis.
If you like The Witcher you will love the Guardian and how strong and cool he is slaying the mythical beasts in this book.
I absolutely love the way Devney Perry writes this book. I love the banter between Odessa and the Guardian, and I love the sass that Odessa has. The entire book feels fast paced, with no slow spots for me. Every chapter has me curious to learn more about the world of Calandra, and to see what happens next.
The characters are really memorable, and to me the world is super interesting and all these different elements are so unique. The voster, the monsters, and everything just feel like something I haven’t seen before in other books.
I literally can’t wait to start the next book, and I have a lot of theories about the ending of the first one. I won’t spoil anything in this review, but I will say there are some big plot twists in the first book.
I did see where Devney announced the release date for the 3rd and final book in the trilogy next year. I’m sure Rites of the Starling will leave me begging for more just like the ending of Shield of Sparrows.
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