Book Review: Shield of Sparrow

Romantasy is everywhere right now—dark covers, moody florals, and heroines with hidden power. I’ve got a whole shelf full of them, and honestly, they start to blend together after a while. So when I picked up Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry, I braced myself for another formulaic read.

Spoiler: I was so wrong.

From the first few chapters, this one had that something different. Yes, it checks the usual boxes—monsters, magic, brooding royalty—but there’s a fresh energy to it that completely surprised me. I devoured it.

The Setup:

We follow Odessa, the “spare” princess of a kingdom under threat. She’s overlooked, underestimated, and very much not the chosen one—until fate (and a certain prince) changes that. When her father gives her a mission as the new Princess of the mysterious kingdom of Turah, she uncovers secrets that could unravel everything she thought she knew.

(And that’s all I’ll say—because the twists? So worth discovering on your own.)

If you loved ACOTAR, or honestly just crave a romantasy with high stakes and actual emotional payoff, this one delivers.

In my humble opinion?

It’s better.

Get your copy here at bookshop.org or listen to it for free on Hoopla.

If you read the book - let me know your thoughts in the comments!