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Shield of Sparrows
by Devney Perry
🌟 3.5 – 4 Stars | A Romantasy With Brilliant Worldbuilding & An FMC That Needs Work 🌟
Shield of Sparrows is a book I’m still mentally unpacking. Marketed as a romantasy in the vein of Fourth Wing or anything by Sarah J. Maas, it delivers on the high stakes premise, slow burn tension, and intriguing enemies to lovers dynamic. But while it soared in some areas, others left me questioning if this book was trying to do too much all at once.
Let’s start with what worked: the worldbuilding is exceptional. I loved the origin of the monsters, the gods' punishment, the fractured kingdoms, and so much more. It all felt rich, well thought out, and immersive. The creatures, the cursed realm, even the political setup between kingdoms added layers I found far more compelling than many similar books in this genre. Faze, in particular, gave me major Disney sidekick vibes, in the best way.
Now onto Odessa. She’s a complicated main character, but not necessarily in the way you'd expect. She's been so muted and controlled her whole life; she has grey clothes, dyed hair, no friends and it seems as though her dullness almost feels intentional. Her hobby? Cliff diving. That’s about it. For most of the book, Odessa is stuck in her own head, constantly asking questions but rarely doing anything. It grated on me.
The plot kicks off when she’s forced to marry Prince Zavier in place of her sister, who is actually the one trained for espionage. With barely a night’s warning and some wildly vague instructions from her father, she’s thrown into a mission with no context, no preparation, and frankly, no real motivation. This setup had potential, but the execution felt rushed and scattered. Add in the Guardian, who is Zavier’s right hand monster hunter, and you get a deliciously tense dynamic that carried a lot of the emotional weight. Their banter? On point. But the plot twist involving the Guardian? Called it early. The reveal was predictable and, honestly, kind of icky. If the author intended that reaction then bravo, I guess, but it made me feel more unsettled than shocked.
Where the book falters most is the pacing and payoff. There’s a lot of internal monologue, filler, and repetition that could have been trimmed down. Then we get to the end and it’s like twist after twist is thrown at us rapid fire, with little buildup or clarity. It felt less like a climax and more like a scramble to surprise us as readers, but it just didn’t land.
Still, I find myself intrigued. Despite Odessa’s passivity and the rushed ending, there’s so much promise here. If book two allows Odessa to break out of her shell and truly own her story (which I am begging for), I think this series could evolve into something special.
If you’re here for the vibes, slow burn, banter, and killer worldbuilding, then you’ll find a lot to enjoy. Just be ready for an FMC who hasn’t stepped into her power yet and a few plot choices that may leave you going feeling like it's a weird choice but you'll want to be on the ride anyway.
Shield of Sparrows is a book I’m still mentally unpacking. Marketed as a romantasy in the vein of Fourth Wing or anything by Sarah J. Maas, it delivers on the high stakes premise, slow burn tension, and intriguing enemies to lovers dynamic. But while it soared in some areas, others left me questioning if this book was trying to do too much all at once.
Let’s start with what worked: the worldbuilding is exceptional. I loved the origin of the monsters, the gods' punishment, the fractured kingdoms, and so much more. It all felt rich, well thought out, and immersive. The creatures, the cursed realm, even the political setup between kingdoms added layers I found far more compelling than many similar books in this genre. Faze, in particular, gave me major Disney sidekick vibes, in the best way.
Now onto Odessa. She’s a complicated main character, but not necessarily in the way you'd expect. She's been so muted and controlled her whole life; she has grey clothes, dyed hair, no friends and it seems as though her dullness almost feels intentional. Her hobby? Cliff diving. That’s about it. For most of the book, Odessa is stuck in her own head, constantly asking questions but rarely doing anything. It grated on me.
The plot kicks off when she’s forced to marry Prince Zavier in place of her sister, who is actually the one trained for espionage. With barely a night’s warning and some wildly vague instructions from her father, she’s thrown into a mission with no context, no preparation, and frankly, no real motivation. This setup had potential, but the execution felt rushed and scattered. Add in the Guardian, who is Zavier’s right hand monster hunter, and you get a deliciously tense dynamic that carried a lot of the emotional weight. Their banter? On point. But the plot twist involving the Guardian? Called it early. The reveal was predictable and, honestly, kind of icky. If the author intended that reaction then bravo, I guess, but it made me feel more unsettled than shocked.
Where the book falters most is the pacing and payoff. There’s a lot of internal monologue, filler, and repetition that could have been trimmed down. Then we get to the end and it’s like twist after twist is thrown at us rapid fire, with little buildup or clarity. It felt less like a climax and more like a scramble to surprise us as readers, but it just didn’t land.
Still, I find myself intrigued. Despite Odessa’s passivity and the rushed ending, there’s so much promise here. If book two allows Odessa to break out of her shell and truly own her story (which I am begging for), I think this series could evolve into something special.
If you’re here for the vibes, slow burn, banter, and killer worldbuilding, then you’ll find a lot to enjoy. Just be ready for an FMC who hasn’t stepped into her power yet and a few plot choices that may leave you going feeling like it's a weird choice but you'll want to be on the ride anyway.