Sandy M’s review of Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
Fantasy Romance published by Entangled: Red Tower Books 6 May 25
Monsters, heart-pounding action, characters both loyal and deceitful, and a slow-blossoming romance are only a few things from the imagination of Devney Perry as you’re drawn into this story that will leave you breathless, sometimes clueless, and waiting for truths to erupt. Twists and turns have never worked so well to keep a reader off kilter for so long.
Odessa is a princess in the Kingdom of Quentis, one of five in Calandra. She’s always been the lesser princess, her half-sister Mae being the one who has mastered fighting, the eventual right to rule, and even spy on the Kingdom of Turah when she marries their prince, all to give their father access to that kingdom’s secrets. But those plans are botched when Prince Zavier and his entourage, including the legendary Guardian, come bearing a new treaty and choosing Odessa as the Sparrow – a kingdom daughter marrying into another kingdom – instead of Mae. Suddenly Odessa is thrust into espionage in an unknown land with an uninterested husband and a would-be enemy in the Guardian – all to show her loyalty to her sire.
And that’s when things get scary and hairy, with all the monsters attacking left and right. There are plenty of them and each has its own ferocity, especially the crux – the largest flying predators you’ll ever meet. Every scene in which these characters have to fight off an attack will steal your breath. The action is brutally and wonderfully written. In between all those monsters, Odessa’s training with Guardian is the first step to her becoming more independent and stronger than she’s ever been. I love their banter as he opens up bit by bit to answer her never-ending questions. But thank the gods for those questions as their situation gets more serious by the day.
So, so much happens in this book, no review can do it justice. The characters will delve into your soul and the story will pull you every which way. Hell, even the monsters will get a huge reaction out of you. Be warned, this is the first of a three-book series. You will be left with question after question at the end. But for me that’s okay, because I love everything about this book. Hopefully our wait for Book 2 won’t be too terribly long.
Grade: A+
Summary:
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?
