shield of sparrows by devney perry
will it be a hit or a miss?
yes, yes, it was indeed another hit—if i'm writing about it on the sunday post, duh? first of all, devney perry has never failed me. ever. but that's a different rant for a different section, where i'll hand you a list of my top perry recs. for now, let's focus on shield of sparrows, her debut romantasy novel (!!!!).
next time someone asks me to give them a romantasy recommendation i’ll just send them the link to this piece. (as should you!)
“I hate you,”
“Yes, you do. Don’t forget.”
“Never.”
about the book:
shield of sparrows is devney perry’s debut into the romantasy genre—a slow-burn, high-stakes tale where enemies become lovers, monsters haunt cursed lands, and a forgotten princess discovers the strength to defy her destiny. odessa, a princess bound by duty, is thrust into a political marriage and a perilous journey alongside a warrior who despises her. as she navigates treacherous terrains and uncovers hidden truths, odessa must decide whether to accept the role chosen for her or forge her own path.
“I don’t like holding hands.”
“how do you know? you’ve never held mine.”
my thoughts:
the tension! the banter! the mystery!!! the monsters! and as any good fantasy book should, the worldbuilding was easy to grasp and the characters, so easy to imagine. you learn about the world as odessa does—no info dumps, no confusion (well, mostly).
i went in blind—didn’t know the plot, didn’t know the love interest, didn’t even know it wasn’t a standalone (love that for me). so yes, there’s a point where you’re just as in the dark as odessa. but devney ties it together by the end.
that being said, this is very much a setup book. you’re given more questions than answers for a good chunk, which can be frustrating, but also kept me turning pages. i finished it, had an existential crisis when i realized there’s no release date for book 2, and now here i am, emotionally damaged but excited.
this book could’ve made me cry—almost did. the found family dynamic was there but i wanted more. the romance? slow burn perfection. not rushed, not forced, just two people figuring it out.
it’s giving “trust the process.” and i’m already in for the long game.
“I love you”
“yes, you do. don’t forget”
you’d like this book if you:
are new to romantasy and don’t want to be overwhelmed
love slow-burn romance that actually feels earned
are here for the found family trope (but want—NEED more of it in book 2)
enjoy being slightly confused but in a good way
like when the love interest is a little too self-assured… until he’s not
(SPOILER WARNING)
3
2
1
things to ponder after reading:
did you suspect who the love interest would be?
will zavier survive? and if not, what happens to the whole double life situation?
did you see it coming that the guardian was actually the prince?
do you think there’s a cure for lyssa?
luella. did you have your suspicions?
what did you think of odessa's character development?
do you think we’ll see more of her relationship with mae?
who do you think is odessa’s mother?
what’s the connection between odessa’s necklace and lyssa?
what about the voster’s magic? where does it come from?
and the big one: who even is odessa?
if you got this far, that means you’ve read the book (and loved it, i hope!) so you deserve to be in the know. let me put you on to devney perry’s greatest hits.
devney perry’s greatest hits (with tropes!)
indigo ridge — small town, murder mystery, steamy tension, reluctant sheriff love interest
this one kicks off the edens series and it’s AMAZING. if you like your small towns with a side of murder, run.
jasper vale (part of the edens series) — fake dating, marriage of convenience, accidental marriage, found family, slow burn!!
lots of “my wife” moments. if you want all the romance tropes in one book, this is the one. perfection.
noble prince — romantic suspense, forced proximity, grumpy mmc, ex-girlfriend’s sister (but it’s fine!!! no drama), motorcycle gang
part of the clifton forge series! you don’t need to read all of them but it’s recommended. i personally didn’t read them all but of those i did, this one was five stars.
rally — sports romance, accidental pregnancy, forced proximity, strong fmc, small town, no breakup!!!
this one is number three in the treasure state wildcats series and by far the best. this coming from someone who hates the accidental pregnancy trope, ok? give it a chance. for me.