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adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Was I planning on stopping at some random chapter near the end to sleep and then pick it back up tomorrow?
Yes.
Did I do that?
No.
Did I stay up until 2 am to finish this book and now I have so many questions because of that cliffhanger with no mention of book 2 in sight?
Yep. š
This was a fun one. The characters felt deep. The first few twists were predictable but then the end of the book came along. š loved the character arcs. So interested in the magic and monsters and all of the inner workings that are yet to be revealed.
Devney - What a wonderful first fantasy novel! Excited for the next!
Yes.
Did I do that?
No.
Did I stay up until 2 am to finish this book and now I have so many questions because of that cliffhanger with no mention of book 2 in sight?
Yep. š
This was a fun one. The characters felt deep. The first few twists were predictable but then the end of the book came along. š loved the character arcs. So interested in the magic and monsters and all of the inner workings that are yet to be revealed.
Devney - What a wonderful first fantasy novel! Excited for the next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Gaslighting
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Devney is in her Romantasy era and Iām here for it!!
I donāt even know where to start because I am obsessed with this book. Like, full-blown, canāt-stop-thinking-about-it, already-missing-the-characters, wish I could scrub my brain and read it again for the first time .
Shield of Sparrows completely consumed me. I tried to pace myself. I really did. But I ended up devouring it in two days (and even that was me holding back). Itās one of those rare books that grips you from the first chapter and refuses to let go.
As someone who craves a balance between romance and plot, this book delivered. The romance is rich and intense, but never at the expense of the story. It's a perfect blend of heart and adventure.
š¤ Letās talk about the Guardian...
OH. MY. GOD. The Guardian is the dark, broody fantasy man of my dreams. Heās grumpy, powerful, intenseāand then you catch a glimpse of his soft side, and suddenly Iām just a puddle. Every scene he was in had me leaning in closer, rereading, (wanting to) highlighting lines. I need fan art. I need a candle that smells like him. I need a moment.
āØ And Odessa? My girl.
Sheās not your typical sword-wielding, sass-spouting heroineāand I love her for that. Sheās thoughtful, inquisitive, and actually feels like a real person. Sheās very unsure of herself and questions everything (out loud and in her head), which some people might find overwhelming, but for me? It was so relatable. Thatās literally how my brain works. Sheās vulnerable, strong in her own quiet way, and beautifully human. I saw myself in her more than I have in any character in a long time.
Monsters, magic, and gods, oh myā¦
The world-building? So vivid and clever. Itās not overly complicated, but it feels lived-in. The monsters were amazing, and I LOVE that Devney posted pictures of them on Instagram because my imagination needed a little assist. More monster lore in future books? Yes, please. Inject it directly into my veins.
The sprinkle of mythology and gods gave me chills. It had serious Greek pantheon energy, and I am dying to learn more in the sequels. There's this slow unraveling of a bigger world behind the scenes, and I was hanging on to every breadcrumb.
ā¤ļø The romance... Oh sweet agony š
This was a slow burn in the best possible way. The tension was deliciously unbearable. I was screaming internally (and sometimes externally) waiting for them to just kiss already! When they finally did? Fireworks. Melting. My poor heart couldnāt take it. The hate-to-love arc felt earnedāmessy, real, and emotionally loaded. Also, the banter? Perfection.
š¤« Secrets, twists, and political drama? Yes please!
I love a good secret. And this book? Packed with them. Every reveal left me reeling, theorizing, and flipping pages faster. Sure, I saw a few things comingābut that just made me feel like a genius. It added to the satisfaction, not took away from it.
Small gripe? A tiny oneā¦
Some phrases and scenes felt a little repetitive, especially because I read it so quickly. But if youāre spacing it out, thatāll probably go unnoticed. And honestly? I didnāt even care. I was too in love to mind.
š§Audiobook lovers: RUN!
Samantha Brentmoor SLAYED this narration. Samanthaās range is unmatched! We got a brief taste of Jasonās voice for the Guardian and I really hope we get to see more of that in book 2. Samantha was absolutely amazing! I kept replaying scenes just to hear her again. This might be my favorite performance from her. When she was doing the voice for the guardian I legit thought it was someone else thatās how good of a job she did. The audiobook enhanced my emotional attachment to this story tenfold. Highly, highly recommend.
The Verdict: Iām in Love. š
This book gave me a full-blown book hangover. Iām emotionally unwell. I donāt know what to do with myself now. The only downside? Having to wait for book two. Whichā¦ someone hold me. Because this level of anticipation might actually break me.
So yes, this is me, officially enrolling in Devney Perryās Romantasy fan club. If she writes it, Iām reading it. No questions asked.
I donāt even know where to start because I am obsessed with this book. Like, full-blown, canāt-stop-thinking-about-it, already-missing-the-characters, wish I could scrub my brain and read it again for the first time .
Shield of Sparrows completely consumed me. I tried to pace myself. I really did. But I ended up devouring it in two days (and even that was me holding back). Itās one of those rare books that grips you from the first chapter and refuses to let go.
As someone who craves a balance between romance and plot, this book delivered. The romance is rich and intense, but never at the expense of the story. It's a perfect blend of heart and adventure.
š¤ Letās talk about the Guardian...
OH. MY. GOD. The Guardian is the dark, broody fantasy man of my dreams. Heās grumpy, powerful, intenseāand then you catch a glimpse of his soft side, and suddenly Iām just a puddle. Every scene he was in had me leaning in closer, rereading, (wanting to) highlighting lines. I need fan art. I need a candle that smells like him. I need a moment.
āØ And Odessa? My girl.
Sheās not your typical sword-wielding, sass-spouting heroineāand I love her for that. Sheās thoughtful, inquisitive, and actually feels like a real person. Sheās very unsure of herself and questions everything (out loud and in her head), which some people might find overwhelming, but for me? It was so relatable. Thatās literally how my brain works. Sheās vulnerable, strong in her own quiet way, and beautifully human. I saw myself in her more than I have in any character in a long time.
Monsters, magic, and gods, oh myā¦
The world-building? So vivid and clever. Itās not overly complicated, but it feels lived-in. The monsters were amazing, and I LOVE that Devney posted pictures of them on Instagram because my imagination needed a little assist. More monster lore in future books? Yes, please. Inject it directly into my veins.
The sprinkle of mythology and gods gave me chills. It had serious Greek pantheon energy, and I am dying to learn more in the sequels. There's this slow unraveling of a bigger world behind the scenes, and I was hanging on to every breadcrumb.
ā¤ļø The romance... Oh sweet agony š
This was a slow burn in the best possible way. The tension was deliciously unbearable. I was screaming internally (and sometimes externally) waiting for them to just kiss already! When they finally did? Fireworks. Melting. My poor heart couldnāt take it. The hate-to-love arc felt earnedāmessy, real, and emotionally loaded. Also, the banter? Perfection.
š¤« Secrets, twists, and political drama? Yes please!
I love a good secret. And this book? Packed with them. Every reveal left me reeling, theorizing, and flipping pages faster. Sure, I saw a few things comingābut that just made me feel like a genius. It added to the satisfaction, not took away from it.
Small gripe? A tiny oneā¦
Some phrases and scenes felt a little repetitive, especially because I read it so quickly. But if youāre spacing it out, thatāll probably go unnoticed. And honestly? I didnāt even care. I was too in love to mind.
š§Audiobook lovers: RUN!
Samantha Brentmoor SLAYED this narration. Samanthaās range is unmatched! We got a brief taste of Jasonās voice for the Guardian and I really hope we get to see more of that in book 2. Samantha was absolutely amazing! I kept replaying scenes just to hear her again. This might be my favorite performance from her. When she was doing the voice for the guardian I legit thought it was someone else thatās how good of a job she did. The audiobook enhanced my emotional attachment to this story tenfold. Highly, highly recommend.
The Verdict: Iām in Love. š
This book gave me a full-blown book hangover. Iām emotionally unwell. I donāt know what to do with myself now. The only downside? Having to wait for book two. Whichā¦ someone hold me. Because this level of anticipation might actually break me.
So yes, this is me, officially enrolling in Devney Perryās Romantasy fan club. If she writes it, Iām reading it. No questions asked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The only downside to this book is that the whole series isn't out yet - absolute perfection.
Grasped me from the very first page and never let go.
Love the FMC's growth/character arc.
MMC is top tier.
Grasped me from the very first page and never let go.
Love the FMC's growth/character arc.
MMC is top tier.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Gore, Toxic friendship
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Guardian was insufferable for the first half of the book but the plot was good enough for me to push through, and Iām glad I did. I loved the worldbuilding and found a lot of the characters to be interesting. The training scenes were a bit monotonous at times, but it was nice to see Odessa actually improve over time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Dear Devney Perry, PLEASE continue writing fantasy because this was FANTASTIC!!!! The world building was unique and, honestly, terrifying. I absolutely LOVED Odessa. Her character growth was top notch. As was the incredibly slow burning romance. I figured that little nugget out in, like, chapter seven, but having my suspicions confirmed was fun. I loved Evie and everyone's relationships with her. Iād like a little more from some of the side characters, but thatās just me being greedy. Lol. The battle scenes were terrifying and that ending was INTENSE. I cannot wait for Book 2 and all of the answers I hope it holds!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is an epic romantic fantasy. I honestly donāt know if I finished this book or if this book finished me. Wow. Just, wow. I absolutely loved it.
I liked Odessa right off the bat, but I really love how her character evolves throughout. I enjoy the way the story unfolds throughout the book. This one is easy to follow along to understand the world building. I feel like thereās a great setup of each character and their depth.
Thereās everything in here to make a great romantasy. Myth, magic and monsters. Fierce yet lovable characters. Secrets and lies. A continent with a tenuous peace dependent on a treaty of arranged marriages between the kingdoms. And twists that had me stunned throughout.
Itās a perfect fit for fans of ACOTAR and Fourth Wing. Also, this one is so good that movie development rights were sold even before the publication date. This is Devney Perryās first romantasy book and she knocked it out of the park. But all I want to know now is when we can expect more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content