Shield of Sparrows

This beautiful book arrived on a Wednesday. I read the back and opened the book to read the first page. Wrong move as I needed to fix dinner. This is the kind of book that draws you in immediately. I can only recall a handful of books that have drawn me in as quickly as this one did. Odessa is the oldest princess, born by the love of the kings life. But her mother was gone and the second wife had also born a princess, Mae. Mae loved the spectacle of royal life and trained for the day she would be married to a stranger. Mae was ready to fulfill the magical treaty that kept their world safe. Except that’s not what happens. Full of twists and turns that had the pages flying by, I devoured all 528 pages in less than 36 hours. Every spare minute was devoted to those pages. I carried it around at work and was stopped by follow readers demanding to know about it. I had 5 or 6 committed to reading it when I was done. I am not an epic fantasy reader. I prefer a softer version of fantasy. I don’t like fantasy that requires I learn almost a completely different language to understand what’s happening. This book fills that request. Yes there are names of kingdoms and people but there was an apple. That simple fruit made me happy. It expressed my contentment with the story. There were enough normal things that it wasn’t a job to read it. Instead, I could focus on the story. And I really loved the story. There’s an interesting dynamic between some of the main characters that had me seeing more was going on than the words on the page. Of course I was proud I’d figured it out or so I thought. Sure I saw the part the author intends you to see. But the mysteries in this book are many and packed tightly between the words. All the hints are there but don’t think you have a clue even at the bitter end. You will be left wondering what you just read. I loved it. The monsters add a lot to this book. Two monsters capture my heart while many, many more have me hiding my head. Keep an eye out for the monsters. This is a slow burn romance that rides some twists of an arranged marriage troupe. It’s an enemies to lovers while trying to stay alive thriller kind of book. All of it had me flying through the pages at rapid speed. Of course it has an ending that makes you cry out for book 2. At this point we don’t even know how many books there are in this series let along when the next book comes out. This book offers great writing, excellent world building, and a story that just captured me! I highly recommend it for anyone who loves romantasy but especially someone who is new to the genre and aren’t sure if it’s for them. This book will convince you. A crown jewel of a first book! Don’t miss this new series!

It was time for a new book. I decided on Sheild of Sparrows by Devney Perry. After I grabbed my new book, I brewed a cup of tea, grabbed a cozy blanket, and snuggled into my favorite chair to getlost in the story. I am not a fan of spoilers so I will try to summarize and express my thoughts on the book without giving anything away. Summary: Odessa has spent her life being the dutiful spare princess. Even though Odessa is the kings first born, her little sister is the princess the kingdom prefers and who is betrothed to Zavier, the prince of the wild and mysterious kingdom of Turah. Odessa’s world is turned upside down when Prince Zavier arrives in her father’s kingdom and invokes an ancient law and demands Odessa’s hand in marriage instead of her sisters. Suddenly Odessa is thrusted into a new kingdom where she must survive or be eaten by deadlymonsters, wade through lies and dangerous mysteries that seem to be everywhere and grapple with her growing feelings toward the infamous monster hunter. What I Liked: The Monsters- I really enjoyed reading about the different types of monsters. Each monster was different and had unique characteristics that made it formidable and dangerous. The MMC/ Ransom- I enjoyed Ransoms personality and character. I liked that he had humor even though he was this infamous grizzled hunter. I also enjoyed reading and learning about the mystery surrounding Ransom. The Ending – The ending had me sitting up straight and white knuckling the book. The end is full of fast paced action and chaos. What I didn’t Like: The FMC’s naivety and helplessness – I understand that Odessa was raised as a somewhat pampered princess and was supposed to fill a specific roll. I also understand that by being thrust into a new and dangerous kingdom, Odessa will struggle at first. However, I felt her helplessness and naivety went on for far to long. For while it was chapter after chapter of Odessa training with Ransom and others and never improving and running from monsters and/or having to be saved all the time. The character development and world building – There was so much character development and world building in this book. Personally, as a reader I like a healthy mixture of character development, world building and plot flow. This book is mostly world building and character development, but the author sprinkled in just enoughaction and mystery to keep the plot moving forward (just at a slower pace than I prefer). My Overall Thoughts: I truly enjoyed reading Sheild of Sparrows. I honestly devoured this book and finished it within a few days of starting it. As mentioned earlier in my review, I wasn’t a fan of all the world building and character development. However, after finishing the book I understand the need for it. Shield of Sparrows is the first book in this series, and I understand the first book is what is going to set the scene and tone for the readers. Sheild of Sparrows is part of an unfinished series and leaves off on an exciting cliff hanger. I cannot wait for the next book to be released. Based on the ending of Shield of sparrows, I think the rest of this series is going full of action-packed monster adventures, mystery solving and epic romances. • The above review is based on my personal thoughts and opinions. If a reader is interested in this book, I encourage them to read it for themselves and form their own opinions. The world would be a boring place if we all had the same thoughts and opinions.

From the very beginning, Shield of Sparrows pulled me in completely. It’s the kind of book that immediately captures your attention and refuses to let go. I read all 634 pages in under 48 hours, fitting chapters into every spare moment I had. The story centres on two princesses with very different relationships to royal life. Odessa, the eldest, has spent much of her life in the background, while her younger sister Mae embraces the expectations placed upon her, including a marriage meant to uphold a magical treaty. When events unfold differently than planned, the story takes a sharp and compelling turn that sets the tone for everything that follows. One of the book’s greatest strengths is how approachable its fantasy elements are. While the world includes magic, kingdoms, and mythical creatures, the writing never feels overwhelming or overly complex. The presence of familiar, everyday details helps ground the story and makes the world easy to sink into, even for readers who don’t typically gravitate toward epic fantasy. The pacing is fast and engaging, filled with twists that kept me eager to turn the page. There are layered character dynamics and subtle hints throughout that suggest more is happening beneath the surface than is immediately clear. Even when you think you’ve figured something out, the story continues to challenge those assumptions. The monsters add both tension and intrigue, ranging from unsettling to unexpectedly memorable, and they play an important role in shaping the atmosphere and stakes of the story. Romance develops slowly, blending enemies-to-lovers tension with an arranged-marriage storyline and a strong sense of danger. The balance between plot, character development, and world-building is well executed, making the story feel both immersive and accessible. The ending leaves plenty of unanswered questions and a strong desire for the next book in the series. Highly recommended for fans of romantasy and for readers who are curious about fantasy romance but want something engaging without being overly dense. ⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Excelente

Mast Read❤️

From the time I started reading until I got to the end, this book held me in its grasp. It's the sort of book you stay up all night reading and hole up with until you finish working through the intricate plot, gasping for breath. I've really enjoyed the other things Devney Perry has written, but this one. Wow. The depth of her writing, the characters.... A masterpiece! I'm so happy I get to start on the second book straightaway!

Wow!! What did I just read??! This book is full of non stop twists, secrets and danger. I am not sure how many books will be in the series, however, there will definitely be more as it ended on a cliffhanger. There are still so many unknowns. The story is fantasy and has some slow-burn romance rapped within. Full of action, danger, fascinating beasts, magic and secrets. It is extremely well written. The world building is descriptive with many different scene incorporated written so well the reader can imagine them within their mind. The dialogue is easy to follow and characters are ones you will fall in love with. The twists are crazy good and I am sure there are more to come. Some of my personal sneaky suspicions were confirmed within book one. I can’t wait to see what comes next. A must read for fantasy lovers.