Shield of Sparrows

From the very first chapter, Shield of Sparrows completely swept me away. This was a five-star plus listen through and through intense, mysterious, emotionally loaded, and oh-so-addictive. Devney Perry gave us a slow-burn romantic fantasy laced with danger, longing, and a heroine I absolutely adored.Odessa was the heart of this story and what a character. The forgotten, cast-aside older sister, living in the shadow of her royal younger sibling. When a prince shows up to claim her sister’s hand, no one expects Odessa to be the one he ends up marrying. But as political tensions rise and secrets unfold, it becomes clear there’s much more to this arrangement than anyone is letting on and Odessa is at the center of it all.But the real tension? It ignites with the Guardian who travels with the prince. The way the slow-burn between Odessa and the Guardian builds had me hanging on every single word. You could feel it simmering beneath the surface a spark that kept crackling through moments of danger, whispered truths, and forbidden glances. Add in the creeping presence of monsters and the constant sense of being watched or hunted and you’ve got a plot that stays sharp and suspenseful until the very end.Now let’s talk audiobook, because it absolutely elevated this story.Samantha Brentmoor was phenomenal as Odessa. She was Odessa, every moment of fear, frustration, longing, strength, and heartbreak poured through in her voice. I didn’t just hear Odessa’s journey, I felt it. She brought so much depth to her performance that I forgot I was listening to a book. It felt like I was living it.And then there’s Jason Clarke. Oh. My. God. That last chapter? When we finally get his POV? I was not prepared. The switch flipped, the stakes got higher, and his voice brought an entirely new intensity to the story. When he stated, “To find my wife,” I just about melted. So hot. So commanding. I was immediately hungry for more of his side of the story! I need book two ASAP.This audiobook was everything I wanted and more a gothic fairytale feel with modern romantic tension and a touch of slow-burn spice. If you love fantasy romance with mystery, monsters, and unforgettable characters, Shield of Sparrows is your next listen.

a charming, albeit less dark, take on a Witcher-esque vibe, complete with a cursed realm and formidable monsters. While enjoyable, I ultimately found it to be slightly overhyped. I managed to predict all the major plot twists well in advance, and in my opinion, the ending didn't deliver the climactic punch many had described, leaving me wanting more. However, the core of the story, centered around a forgotten princess, Odessa, who is thrust into an arranged marriage and a dangerous mission, truly shines as a fun enemies-to-lovers tale. The romance is a delightfully slow-burn affair, allowing the relationship to develop organically amidst political intrigue and perilous journeys. The narrative itself is remarkably easy to follow, a refreshing change in a genre that can sometimes be overly complex.Odessa's transformation from a sheltered princess to a burgeoning warrior and spy is engaging, even if her initial attempts at espionage are endearingly clumsy. The world-building, featuring various kingdoms and their unique challenges with gods and monsters, provides a rich backdrop without being overwhelming. As the saying goes in the book, "A sparrow, no matter how small, can still carry a message." This encapsulates Odessa's journey perfectly, as she, an underestimated figure, becomes pivotal in uncovering hidden truths and forging her own destiny. While Shield of Sparrows might not be as "insane" or groundbreaking as some fantastical romances, its accessible plot, compelling characters, and satisfying slow-burn romance make it a truly entertaining read for fans of romantasy.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨-𝙩𝙤-𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 & 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 💀“ 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥,” 𝘐 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥.𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩. “ 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥?”𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘵? 𝘕𝘰, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.Okay, this book was fantastic. Since I am aware of how well-liked this book is, I will keep my review brief. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶”“𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰. 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵.”“𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳”While much of the book was predictable, I didn’t mind. The story drew me in completely, and I found myself fully engrossed in the plot throughout the book. However, it was evident that someone was fated to die in this story. Did it leave me in tears? Absolutely. The cliffhanger at the end has me eagerly anticipating the second book. This book undoubtedly ranks among my top 10 reads of the year. I feel like I fell in love with The Guardian the moment his character entered the book. The angst and tension throughout the story was worth the slow burn. I did go back and forth from reading the book to listening to the audiobook, which added another layer to the experience. The narrator brought the characters to life in a way that made me feel even more connected to the book. Samantha Brentmoor did an amazing job as always.“ 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸.”“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴,” 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥. “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺.”“𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

Deveney Perry is a word master, interictally weaving plot with world building and character development. The story feels like an exciting rollercoaster ride, steadily building the story, planting the seeds, and then the action surges before slowly leveling out.Odessa, the FMC, is a treasure, and we’re privy to many of her internal thoughts, which are well done and often hilarious. Her attitude towards the Guardian is quite murderous, and I lost track of the number of times she wanted to harm or end him. Their witty banter and barbs made me laugh so hard, while the words “my queen,” whether used as a taunt or an endearment, made me melt.When I describe Shield of Sparrows as “unputdownable,” it’s the truth. I stayed up past 4 a.m. reading because I needed to find out what happened next. Sleep claimed me while thoughts of Odessa, the Guardian, and Zavier raced on an endless loop through my mind. When I woke, I couldn’t wait to pick up where I left off. The ending left me with so many questions. Waiting for the release of book two is going to be painful. A reread (or two) is inevitable.Finally, I need to give props to Samantha Brentmoor. Her narration is magical and seamless, and I was stunned to discover she voices both the female and male characters (except one chapter). Her talent blows me away! I will definitely be seeking out more books narrated by her.• One horse• Slow Burn• Arranged marriage• Political intrigue• Book burning• Magic & monsters

I am so unwell. This book took me out. I went into Shield of Sparrows pretty intrigued, not fully knowing what to expect, and about a quarter of the way in I thought, “Okay… Odessa sure knows how to yap.” Like girl, breathe! I was fully convinced there was no way I’d survive 700 pages of her inner monologue. But ohhhh, Devney Perry said, “Sit down, stay awhile,” and just like that—I was hooked.Somewhere along the way, the pages just started flying and next thing I knew, I was kicking my feet like a teenage girl at 2AM, grinning like a fool because it was getting so good. The last 25%?? UNREAL. I felt every single emotion—anger, joy, heartbreak, lust, love, full-blown sobbing and I didn’t want it to end. Like truly, I wasn’t ready. And that cliffhanger??? I’m in shambles. I want to reread it immediately just to feel it all over again.This was my first real dip into fantasy, and leave it to Devney to be the one to pull me in. I don’t know how she does it—one moment she’s making me swoon over cowboys and the next she’s out here slaying monsters and spinning magic like it’s nothing. She’s a powerhouse, and this book proves it.