Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry (ARC Review)

Title: Shield of Sparrows
Author: Devney Perry
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Romantasy
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Date published: May 6, 2025

A complimentary physical finished copy was kindly provided by Raincoast Books and a digital advanced copy was provided by Kaye Publicity and Red Tower Books in exchange for an honest review.

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?

⤖ My Review ⬻

Prior to Shield of Sparrows, I had not read any of Devney Perry’s work, so I went in without any knowledge of the author’s tendencies, writing style, or anything really. All I knew was that this was a slow-burn romantasy containing monsters, which really intrigued me. Going in, I was immediately curious about the world and characters. Everything was shrouded in enough mystery to really pique my interest and start me guessing.

Perry released information as she spun the tale of Shield of Sparrows quickly enough to keep me from getting too frustrated but also slow enough to keep me hooked. The pacing worked really well for me—each chapter felt like it was slowly peeling back layers. I really liked the characters from the first and wondered about them.

I was also curious about the monsters and wanted to learn more! They were terrifying and mysterious. The slow burn was definitely slow, and I loved every moment of pining. Romantic tension built in just the right way. I also can’t say more than that without giving away some fun twists and turns, but I can say:

I’m well and truly hooked, and need the next book in this series STAT. The blend of romance, violence, magic, and immersive world-building hit the spot for me, and I’m very excited to see the movie adaptation (announced just ten days ago)!