Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor.

Romantic Fantasy. First in a series. Does not stand alone. Now in development for a movie.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I purchased the book and audiobook myself.

I read (listened to) Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry about two months ago and waited too long to write my review. By the time I sat down to do it, most of it had faded from my head, so I put it off, waiting to do a re-read. Thankfully, I just found my detailed notes and my gorgeous hardback, so I flipped through to refresh my memory. I loved this story as I was reading it, but “poof”—it was gone from my head as soon as I finished. This is definitely one I’ll need to reread before the next book comes out, but there’s no question I’ll be continuing the series.

Odessa Cross has always been the overlooked princess. Her younger sister was the one raised and trained her whole life to marry a prince, but Odessa was never prepared for that role. So when her sister’s arranged marriage to a foreign prince falls apart, Odessa is suddenly the one forced to take her place—married off to a man she doesn’t know and sent to a dangerous kingdom she’s completely unprepared for.

Turah is nothing like she expected. The monsters are terrifyingly real, the politics are cutthroat, and survival is never guaranteed. With no training or experience, Odessa has to learn quickly under the watchful eye of the kingdom’s Guardian. What starts as a desperate attempt to stay alive turns into so much more—finding her own strength, stepping out of her sister’s shadow, and slowly, a romance that smolders in the background until it finally ignites.

Shield of Sparrows started strong, then slowed down for a while with Odessa’s constant questions and inner dialogue, but the last 20% completely pulled me back in and made it worth it. The ending has me dying for the next book, even if I know I’ll need to reread this one first–I promise, it wont be a chore.

“You are mine, Odessa.” It was a growl, more animal than human. And the shiver that cascaded down my spine might as well have been my own blades, cleaving me in two.

Likes

Odessa’s growth from overlooked and unsure to strong and determined was so satisfying.
The monster scenes were vivid and scary, adding real danger that made the world feel alive.
The slow-burn romance completely delivered. Every small moment between them landed harder because of the buildup.
The ending left me desperate for the next book but still felt complete enough to be satisfying.
Devney Perry’s writing is perfect for this kind of fantasy—emotional, immersive, and easy to follow without getting bogged down in too many details.

Dislikes

It started out strong but slowed down in the middle before picking up again in the final act.
Odessa’s constant questioning sometimes dragged the pace.
It followed a familiar “fantasy formula” that made it feel similar to other romantasies I’ve read, so nothing truly stood out as unique.

The Narration

The story is told entirely from Odessa’s POV, which worked well here. Samantha Brentmoor is one of my favorite narrators, and I loved how approachable she made the characters feel. Her performance really pulled me in and made it easy to connect with Odessa’s fear, frustration, and strength as she grew into herself.

The Down & Dirty

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is a slow-burn romantic fantasy with danger, court drama, monsters, and a heroine who truly comes into her own. The romance takes its time, but it’s worth every second of the wait. Devney Perry’s first fantasy drew me in completely—I couldn’t put it down, and I’d already be counting the days until the next book if the date was set yet. I’ll definitely need to reread this one before the sequel, and honestly, I’m not complaining.