I absolutely loved Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. It had just the right mix of fantasy, world-building, and romance. The slow-burn tension was so deliciously painful it nearly destroyed me, but it was worth every page!
The Story:
Princess Odessa of Quentis has always been seen as weak by her family. Despite being the eldest daughter, her father, the King, chooses her younger sister to become the sparrow—the bride offered to another kingdom to secure peace and trade. Every generation, one princess is promised to another land under The Shield of Sparrows, a treaty that binds kingdoms together for mutual survival.
But when the prince of Turah arrives, he refuses the younger sister. For reasons unknown, he chooses Odessa. They marry immediately and travel to his homeland, a kingdom of warriors.
Before she leaves, Odessa’s father gives her a crash course in espionage. Her secret mission: find the hidden capital of Allesaria (for reasons he won’t reveal) and assassinate the Guardian, the prince’s right hand man. No problem… except Odessa has never wielded a blade in her life. But she’s no coward either. This is a girl who jumps off cliffs for fun.
Turah’s world is teeming with monstrous creatures and ancient magic, but none are more terrifying than the Crux, a deadly species set to return in just months and wreak havoc on the continent.
Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Arranged marriage
- Painfully slow burn
- One horse
- Broody MMC
- Magical creatures (monsters)
The Monsters
This world is full of imaginative and horrifying creatures. According to legend, the old gods created animals as gifts to humankind, but their children (the new gods) grew jealous and crafted predators far more beautiful and deadly.
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Marroweels: Massive sea beasts that ram ships with bone horns.
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Bariwolves: Half wolf, half small horse, with black fur and scaled backs with needlelike points.
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Lionwick: Golden, leathery mountain lion-like creatures with leathery coats and long, spiked, barbed tails.
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Grizzurs: Bearish monsters with spiked spines as long as an arm and jagged teeth. Their hide is used for protective armor.
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Fenek: Small foxlike beasts hunted to near extinction for their poisonous tusks.
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Tarkin: Ruby red with pink stripes, tiger-like predators with impenetrable scales and hide that sells for high dollar on the black market.
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Crux: Gigantic winged creatures that blacken the skies during migration, annihilating everything in their path.
Many of these monsters have become infected with Lyssa, a mysterious illness that drives them to bloodlust. Monsters infected with Lyssa bleed green.
** SPOILERS AHEAD **
Characters:
Odessa
Even as the Princess of Quentis, Odessa is underestimated, overlooked, and dismissed her entire life. Her mother died when she was an infant, and her father erased every trace of her from the castle, removing portraits and memories alike. Her stepmother cursed her unruly red hair, forcing her to dye it brown, as if hiding who she truly was could make her more acceptable. She has gold eyes instead of the usual Quentian amber starburst — a subtle but powerful symbol of how she’s always been different.
Despite being betrothed to Banner, her father’s general, Odessa doesn’t love him; she’s resigned to her duty. Yet everything changes when she’s forced into marriage with the prince of Turah — a kingdom of warriors — and sent away from home.
Odessa is the kind of heroine who grows quietly at first, then all at once. She begins to find her courage, her strength, and her fire. She trains with the Guardian, she fights back, and she refuses to be used as anyone’s pawn. Her journey from timid princess to fierce survivor is one of the best parts of this story.
Her necklace — a silver wing set in a circle of gold that glows like a harvest moon — clearly holds secrets of its own. It seems to absorb her warmth, then radiate it back, almost alive. I’m convinced it belonged to her mother and carries some kind of magic that will become crucial later on.
And that slow burn with the Guardian? The banter, the tension, the stolen glances — painfully good. I can’t pinpoint exactly when I realized Ransom was actually her husband, but when the truth hit, I had to flip back and reread the wedding scene just to confirm it. Sure enough — it wasn’t Zavier who spoke the vows. It was Ransom. Mind. Blown.
Zavier (Dray)
First of all, the “not talking” thing was genius. We should all try being quiet more often! People definitely say more than they probably should. While I was frustrated with him for a while as he “ignored” his new wife, I ended up adoring Zavier. The loyalty, the quiet strength, the selflessness. He’s been living a lie for a decade, pretending to be crown prince to protect the real one — his cousin and best friend. His role as protector, especially of Evie (his adopted daughter and Ransom’s little sister), made me love him even more. He’s not just a decoy prince; he’s a father in every way that matters.
When he sacrifices himself to save Evie, my heart broke. I legit ugly cried. But when Ransom’s final POV hinted he was still alive, I swear I could finally breathe again.
Ransom (The Guardian)
The real crown prince of Turah, hiding in plain sight. Brooding, deadly, magnetic. He’s called the Guardian because of his unmatched strength and speed — abilities that come from the infection of Lyssa running through his veins. The Voster have been siphoning his blood for years to keep the disease from consuming him entirely, but Ransom has long since lost hope for a cure.
Enter Odessa, who refuses to give up on him, or on anyone. Their dynamic is pure tension. There’s respect, frustration, longing, and a constant push and pull between duty and desire. When the truth of his infection and his mother’s role in creating it comes out, it’s absolutely gutting. The bite from the Bariwolf being the missing ingredient? That detail wrecked me — because of course Ransom blames himself for everything.
He’s one of those heroes who breaks your heart but makes you love him more for it.
Evie
Evie is pure sunshine in a world shadowed by monsters and secrets. She is the sweetest and smartest four-year-old you’ll ever meet. She’s Zavier’s whole heart, and though she doesn’t know he isn’t her biological father, it doesn’t matter in the slightest. Their love is real. He is her father.
When she cries out “Papa!” during that brutal attack, you feel every ounce of her fear and love. That moment defines their bond — fierce, unconditional, and heartbreaking. I’ll never recover from it.
Evie’s bond with Odessa, especially, feels healing — two souls who needed family and found it in each other.
Luella
Luella’s reveal was one of my favorite twists. When Odessa first meets her, she instinctively bows — sensing the quiet authority and grace that only a queen could possess. Later, learning that Luella isn’t just Evie’s teacher but her mother, Ransom’s mother, and the queen of Turah, made every earlier moment between them hit harder.
Before her marriage to the king, Luella had already given her heart to another — a young captain who’d been her brother’s best friend. Her family was killed during the last Crux migration, trapped in a shelter that became their tomb. Though the king loved her, her own heart never belonged to him.
Her love for her children defined her. Every experiment, every desperate act was done to protect them and her kingdom from suffering that same fate again. Creating Lyssa was never her intention; it was a tragedy born of fear and love, not malice.
Her death was brutal and, in my opinion, undeserved. To be cleaved in two by the very monsters she spent her life trying to protect her people from was devastating. Luella deserved peace, not punishment. And I don’t think any reader will forget her sacrifice soon.
Brielle & Jocelyn
Oh, these two. I did not see their betrayal coming. They seemed like such innocent ladies’ maids, loyal and harmless, until Jocelyn’s betrayal hits. Sleeping with Zavier (who she believed was Odessa’s husband) was bad enough. Then she returned with Banner, revealing she’d been a spy all along. I admit, her death by Crux felt poetic. Harsh? Maybe. Satisfying? Absolutely.
And then Brielle. The real dagger to the back. To learn she’d been sleeping with Banner, Odessa’s betrothed, from the beginning was a twist I didn’t expect and made me furious. Her kindness to Odessa was just an act, she was never a loyal ladies maid. When she gave up and sacrificed herself at the end, I actually felt sorry for her. It was tragic, in a full-circle kind of way.
Voster
The Voster priests are eerie and fascinating — bald, translucent, with their long, green fingernails and their green-black eyes glowing with power. Their touch burns Odessa, though no one else feels it. They can levitate, bend air and water, and forge unbreakable blood bonds. There’s something deeply unsettling about them, like they’re a bridge between the divine and the monstrous. Surely there’s a connection between them and the Lyssa, as the monsters bleed green. I can’t wait to learn more.
Faze
I’m saving my favorite for last: Faze, the tarkin cub Odessa rescues. I am obsessed with him. He’s sweet, loyal, and fiercely protective. You can tell he’s not just a pet — there’s something more between him and Odessa. I’m convinced she has a magical connection to monsters, and Faze will play a much bigger role in book two. I’m already in love with this furry murder-kitten.
Final Thoughts & Feelings
That last act? Brutal. Absolutely brutal. Devney Perry went full Oprah with the deaths — “You get a death! And you! And you!” I was not emotionally prepared for how many characters would fall in those chapters. It was chaos, carnage, and heartbreak on every page.
And yet… it was beautiful. Amidst all the destruction, there’s this thread of hope — fragile but shining. The relationships, the sacrifices, the love that lingers even when everything else is burning — it’s what makes this story unforgettable.
Still Thinking About…
By the end, I was left with so many questions — and I’d love to hear your theories! Drop them in the comments!
- Why do the Crux only migrate every 30 years?
- Why did the Crux Ransom killed turn into a woman? And why does she have hair like Odessa?
- Who is Odessa’s mother?
- Why are Odessa’s eyes solid gold and lacking the usual Quentian amber starburst?
- What does Odessa's necklace symbolize or do? Is it magic?
- Why does it hurt when Odessa touches the Voster?
- What really IS the secret of Allesaria?
- And most importantly… how long do we have to wait for book two?!
Until next time, may your monsters be tame, your slow burns scorching, and your favorite characters actually survive.