Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Shield of Sparrows Series
Synopsis for Shield of Sparrows (from Goodreads):
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?
Author: Devney Perry
Series: Shield of Sparrows
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: No
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Action
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single (#1), Multiple (#2)
Publication Date: May 2025 – ongoing
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
**This post was originally published as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
The cover drew me in when I was looking at new additions to my library. When I saw how long the waitlist was, I put myself on it and waited. A coworker had also read this book and enjoyed it so when my hold was finally ready, I was looking forward to it. I liked the idea of monsters, a hate to love you romance and a heroine rebelling against expectations.
What I Didn’t Like:
-Very Slow Start-
Normally, I start with What I Like but I have to be honest that I contemplated DNFing this one a few times before the 50% mark because it was dry. You could very easily cut out 150 pages of the first half and still get the same points across and you’d have a much stronger story for it I think.
The first half felt very repetitive to me. I got bored listening to Odessa drone on about her situation and generally being a pawn in everyone else’s games. I wasn’t vibing the romance (that might have been the audiobook’s influence) either or any of the side characters – things that usually save books for me.
But then the book clicks with a few good twists and the action picks up and things get much better.
What I Liked:
-Easy to Understand World-
I was worried I’d get lost with the monsters and magic but it was easy to keep straight. I never felt like I was getting info dumped on. I really enjoyed the direction the book went when it came to understanding the monsters origins and how everything is tied together.
-Plot Direction-
As I said above, once we got through the repetitive nonsense of the first half, I really did start to enjoy how the plot started to evolve and weave together. It’s what kept me invested.
My Audiobook Experience:
So I actually listened to two different audio versions of this book because my loan expired with 25% of the book left. The first version I listened to was the traditional audiobook. I really enjoyed the narrator’s, Samantha Brentmoor, style. However I didn’t love her male voices, particularly for Xavier and the Guardian as I had a hard time distinguishing who was speaking sometimes. I actually think it impacted my feelings towards the romance a bit because of that aspect.
The other version I listened to was the Full Cast version and I really enjoyed it. It had lots of sound effects and different voice actors so it was a much more engaging experience at times. I might have even enjoyed the first half of the book a little more.
My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:
Very curious to know how this is going to go next!
–June 21, 2026– Book #2: Rites of Starling
I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book! The pacing was much better thanks to the introduction of the 2nd POV. Odessa’s POV wasn’t as repetitive this time around because it wasn’t the only thing I had to listen to. (Plus this audio version was a full cast so it was easy to listen to!)
I’d figured out the one big twist pretty early on but there were some good developments near the end of the story that have me excited to see where this story will go next.
My Rating: 4/5
Shield of Sparrows 3/5 | Rites of Starling 4/5 | Book 3 TBD
This series is building at a great pace that has me eager to see where it will go next!
Read if You Like: slower stories, romantasy, slow burn
Avoid if You: dislike slow stories, want faster romance
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- Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer (Defy the Night Series #1)
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series #1)
