Who’s ready for a new romantic fantasy? The book team at THP will always make room in our schedule for an adult romantasy, especially one like Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry.
Shield of Sparrows takes place in Calandra, a fantasy world made up of five kingdoms under a centuries-long treaty. Odessa Cross, the princess of Quentis, unwillingly enters a marriage with the prince of Turah. Her journey to her new home is treacherous and grueling, not to mention ridden with monsters and an infectious disease called Lyssa.
Curious to see where this new world takes you? Here are three things we love about Devney Perry’s Shield of Sparrows!
Book Overview: Shield Of Sparrows
Content warnings: combat, violence, blood, gore, death of humans and animals, injury, dismemberment, illness hospitalization, arson, alcohol use, sexual activity, graphic language, mentions of poisoning and trafficking in backstory (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: Long ago, the gods unleashed monsters upon the five kingdoms of Calandra to remind us that humans are insignificant—that we must pray to the gods for mercy throughout our fragile, fleeting lives.
I didn’t need a deity to remind me I was powerless. Being a princess had never been more than a performance—twenty-three years of empty titles and hollow traditions. My sister revels in the spectacle, basking in the attention and flawlessly playing her part. I was never asked to be part of the charade.
Until the day an infamous monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince walked into my father’s throne room and ruined my life. The day I married a stranger, signed a magical treaty in blood, and set off across the continent to the most treacherous kingdom in all the realm.
That was the day I learned that not all myths are make-believe. That lies and legends are often the same. And that the only way to kill the monsters we fear was to become one…
Slow-Burn Romance
When we say that Shield of Sparrows is a slow burn, we mean it! Odessa has a very complicated dynamic with The Guardian, AKA the hero of Turah. We don’t want to spoil too much, so let’s just say both characters keep a lot of secrets. They don’t trust each other in the slightest. But as fate would have it, the two start to rely on each other and work together to find the source of what’s plaguing the monsters and the kingdom. There were so many times that we thought Odessa would fold, but her resolve is a lot stronger than ours. Is the reward worth the wait? Absolutely.
Odessa’s Never-Ending Curiosity
One thing about Odessa in Shield of Sparrows: she’s going to have a barrage of questions. She hates being the only one not in the know. Her initial questions were meant as research and spying on her father’s behalf, though she did a bad job of hiding her secret mission. However, Odessa soon starts to have a natural curiosity and better intentions for her new kingdom and the man on her mind. The best part is how the Guardian slowly starts opening up to all her questions and even expecting them as soon as he sees her, no matter how annoyed he pretends to be.
What Comes Next
While we admit that we don’t know how many books will follow Shield of Sparrows, we know that this is far from the end. The last chapters of Shield of Sparrows had our jaws on the floor. We could not have imagined things would end up this way, but it certainly makes for the start of an eventful sequel. Where will Odessa and the Guardian go from here? Will we get answers on Odessa’s connection to the monsters of Calandra and her late mother? Can the characters find the cure for Lyssa before the monsters destroy their kingdom and beyond? We have no idea, but we’re buckled in for the ride!
Make way for a beautiful, slow-burn romance packed with spectacular world-building in Devney Perry’s Shield of Sparrows! We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next installment.
Film News
Ready for more Shield of Sparrows already? Well, you’re in luck! Premeditated Productions has recently announced that they will be developing a feature adaptation for this novel, with Derek Kolstad set to write the script. Author Devney Perry and Derek Kolstad will exec produce. Liz Pelletier, publisher and CEO of Entangled Publishing, and Sherryl Clark, former president of Bad Robot Productions, will also produce under their newly launched Premeditated banner in their three-year first-look TV and film deal with Amazon MGM Studios. And we already can’t wait for more Shield of Sparrows news to hit our feed!
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry comes out May 6th, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think of Devney Perry’s new romantasy, Shield of Sparrows? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
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