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Shield of Sparrows [Dramatized Adaptation] #1, Part 2

Shield of Sparrows (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation]

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Shield of Sparrows is a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros—where enemies become lovers, monsters stalk a cursed realm, and a forgotten princess finds the strength to tear off her crown and become the warrior she was never meant to be.

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?

Adapted from the novel and produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music!

9 pages, Audiobook

Published February 25, 2026

56 people are currently reading
289 people want to read

About the author

Devney Perry

82 books32.2k followers
Devney is a #1 Amazon, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.”

Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.

www.devneyperry.com

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5 stars
978 (75%)
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269 (20%)
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42 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
Profile Image for Morwen.
254 reviews129 followers
March 3, 2026
This was not only such a nice story, but also an amazing audiobook experience! I couldn't put it down!

RTC

Pre-read 🎧
It's time for this!! Yayyy
Profile Image for Katie.
697 reviews1 follower
April 14, 2026
This book is so much better via graphic novel 🤌
63 reviews
March 11, 2026
Its so good you guys! You have to do a reread with the dramatized audio.
Profile Image for Kristy Worboyes.
46 reviews10 followers
April 9, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely be checking out book 2. I felt the story moved along really nicely, always keeping me interested. Must admit I had some tears 🤍
Profile Image for Christine Stitt.
232 reviews2 followers
April 3, 2026
Everything I loved about this book came from the second half, from this audio file. Everything just got better- the romance, the action, the reveals, the plot, even character development. I flew through the last half of the book much faster than the first half. The author really draws you in, and I am reminded why this went so viral last year.

With this re-read, I feel much more prepared for book 2 releasing in a few days. I think I even understand the main plot and conflict better now than I did when I first read it last year. 🤗

Although meant to be listened at 1.0 speed since it is graphic audio with background music and sounds, I listened at 1.5 speed and it wasn’t too wonky/distracting. Wonderful from GA, as always. 👏🏻🥹
Profile Image for jam (jamrreads).
176 reviews31 followers
March 23, 2026
6⭐️s!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

excuse me?! i am unwell. that was so fcking good!!!!

i’m kicking myself for taking so long to read this but also thankful because i don’t have to wait as long for rite of the starling.

this had everything i needed in a romantasy and wow what a way to kick off this series. i am so hyped for book 2!! april
can’t come fast enough.

well done devney perry. well fcking done 👏🏻.

full review to come.
Profile Image for Natalie Alden.
177 reviews
May 3, 2026
This Graphic Audiobook was AMAZING! Odessa's story and those around her have me hooked. The twists, the betrayals, the love, the banter, all of it wrapped into a fantasy world full of secrets and mystery!? ...Sign me up!... 5 out of 5 stars, I definitely enjoyed this story, very easy fantasy world to join. I can't wait to read 'Rites of the Starling'.
Profile Image for Michelle Routhier.
16 reviews
March 13, 2026
I was not impressed by the first half of this book, but this second half made up for it!
Profile Image for Yashira Medina.
135 reviews4 followers
March 28, 2026
A el libro solo le estuve dando 4.5 ⭐️. Pero este audio libro dramatizado wow! Me encantó. 5 ⭐️
Profile Image for Kayla.
78 reviews2 followers
April 1, 2026
I need the next book now!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
528 reviews108 followers
April 24, 2026
The Graphic Audiobook was phenomenal and should be the only way to read this book. WOW!
Profile Image for Abby.
160 reviews6 followers
April 19, 2026
great audio!!
overall I would give this a 4.5!
that ending was crazyy
Profile Image for Kristina Nichole.
642 reviews17 followers
April 9, 2026
Devney Perry’s debut fantasy novel, “Shield of Sparrows,” the first in a self-titled trilogy, is an enemies-to-lovers romance between a princess and the ruthless guardian of the prince she’s married to by arrangement.

The Shield of Sparrows treaty was designed to secure trade routes and military alliances by marrying the daughters of one kingdom’s ruler to the princes of another. Bound by a blood oath and old magic, the treaty has held for centuries, maintaining peace across the continent. It’s a necessity, as the kingdoms must constantly fend off magical beasts like marroweels, tarkin, grizzur, lionwick, bariwolf, and the feared crux, the deadliest creature of all.

Believing he has discovered a way to defeat the crux and dissolve the blood-oath treaties, Odessa’s father sends her to Turah with a secret mission: find the hidden passage to Allesaria and act as a spy to save Quentis. Having never been part of her father’s inner circle, or received his love, Odessa is desperate to earn his approval. But her new husband remains cold and silent, and the road to Turah is perilous, with death constantly looming. Her only connection is with the Guardian, a strange and infuriating man who mocks her at every turn. Ironically, he’s also the very man her father instructed her to kill.

Odessa must navigate political intrigue, terrifying monsters, and unfamiliar customs. She has to learn to trust her instincts, build relationships, and find a sense of belonging in a foreign land. As danger escalates and betrayal lurks in every corner, she is forced to abandon everything she thought she knew. To survive, she must rely on the Guardian, a man whose shifting silver eyes hide secrets of their own.

The romance is a slow burn, as Odessa wrestles with her growing attraction to the Guardian and her emotional detachment from her husband. While readers may not be surprised by the Guardian’s true identity, the twists involving other characters and their betrayals are genuinely shocking. One misstep in Perry’s storytelling is her portrayal of vengeance, which at times feels exaggerated. In the midst of an intense battle where multiple lives are lost, a character’s decision to pursue personal revenge, risking their own life, feels implausible. Most people would seek safety, not escalate the danger.

The eight gods mentioned throughout the novel are intriguing but underdeveloped; their abilities and lore are only vaguely explored. Additionally, the overuse of specific words like “curl” and “dye” becomes noticeably repetitive in the first half of the book.

Arabella goddess of love
Izzac god of death
Daria goddess of luck
Mack God of War
Ama Goddess of night (Mother)
Oda God of light? (Father)
Ferious God of Mischief
Carine Goddess of Peace


Despite this, Perry’s worldbuilding is immersive and original, blending ancient magic with formidable creatures. Although the beasts are often imaginative hybrids of real-world animals, their names lack originality. The novel’s pacing is brisk, following Odessa from town to town as she risks her life to save others, especially children. Refreshingly, Odessa is not a powerful or magically gifted heroine. She’s physically weak and ordinary, yet driven by resilience and determination. She’s no damsel in distress; she’s eager to learn, to train, and to fight. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between her desire to make her father proud and her growing sense of independence, which often alienates her.

This was my first experience with an audiobook, which I listened to at 1.25x speed. Since I had already read the novel, I found it easy to stay focused and appreciated it as a great refresher. I’m curious if anyone else noticed this, but did the main female voice actor sound a bit like Lindsey Lohan?
Profile Image for Christina.
187 reviews16 followers
February 25, 2026
Part 2 of the Graphic Audio - such a crazy second part I was hooked almost immediately!

It still took way longer than I was expecting but we FINALLY get the big reveal with the Guardian and I was SO glad I was right on point. Now, the way it was revealed? Kinda shitty I thought, had Odessa not seen what she did I feel like the secret would have continued until it was forced or accidentally revealed to her. Her reactions once it was revealed? Completely understandable and I'm surprised she didn't ACTUALLY stab him.

And when we finally get the answers to what is behind the lysa in the monsters? My heart broke for all involved I really didn't see that coming! Really loved the continued development between the Guardian and Odessa and how fiercely he continues to protect her.

It was also crazy to see the author not hesitate to kill off important characters. There were a couple of times I was like "DANG that really just happened" when I thought that character would've have more involvement in the story. Definitely keeps my interest piqued as to what will happen to any of the characters in book two!

I'm also slapping myself because I didn't realize this was a duet and now I am impatiently waiting for the next book... that comes out IN APRIL! I guess perfect excuse to re-listen to these then?
Profile Image for Flame and Fable.
52 reviews
April 12, 2026
“𝒩𝑜𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝓇𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝒹𝓈, 𝓂𝓎 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃. 𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓊𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒”

We’ve got monsters, myths, magic… honestly, what more could you want?

It does start a little slow, but I actually think the graphic audio makes that easier to settle into. The immersive sound effects and music really bring everything to life, the forest scenes in particular were so well done, and I loved the full cast narration.

I really enjoyed the banter between Odessa and the Guardian, it genuinely made me laugh. There’s such a sharp, sarcastic edge to their dynamic and it just worked. And the slow burn was 👌🏻👌🏻

“𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊.” “𝒴𝑒𝓈, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜. 𝒟𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉.”

I love Odessa! I feel like if I ever ended up in a romantasy, this would absolutely be me. Not great with a sword, can’t fight, doesn’t pick things up straight away, and falls down a lot… yeah, painfully relatable.

The plot twists were a mix, some I guessed, others completely caught me off guard 👀

And that last 100 pages? Pure chaos. That ending?! I’m so glad book 2 is already out because I need to know what happens next.

Tropes:
Political intrigue
He trains her
Forced marriage
Banter
Slow burn
Plot twists
Secret identities.

Spice rating: 🌶️.5
Profile Image for Karly.
82 reviews8 followers
April 15, 2026
Seriously still one of my favorite books of all time..
I think this is my 3rd re-read?? I tried to start Rites of a Starling immediately after Beneath and just couldn't get into it yet, so i started the graphic audio of this for a reread instead to prep!

It felt so good to be back in Trejo and check in on everyone that I have missed! It's my comfort place

Ive read this book so many times in one year so far, and each time i find new things that surprise me! Hearing the GA of any book always makes new things pop out in different ways as well!

I have worked so hard to avoid any and all spoilers of book 2 and im pretty proud of that! I'm finally going to start tomorrow! Ive had so much FOMO and I'm just so freaking excited for book 2!!!!

Embroidery Patch Ideas: Sparrow, Bird Pendant, Odessa and her red hair, one of the monsters, green eyes, Trejo treehouse

Synopsis in the comments
Sexuality: Yes
Profanity: Yes
Violence: Yes
Trigger Warnings: Violence, Death, Blood, Sexual content, Gore, Child death, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Death of parent, Monsters

#stitchyourshelf #shieldofsparrows #devneyperry #karlyreadsbooks #bookreview
Profile Image for Diane Hartman.
124 reviews5 followers
April 16, 2026
Reread complete (graphic audio this time) and it was the perfect lead-in to the sequel. Somehow even better the second time around. Raising my previous rating to 4.75⭐️ So excited to immediately dive into book 2!

My original review:
4.5⭐ I really enjoyed Shield of Sparrows. This romantasy effortlessly delivers a slow-burn romance full of banter and tension, a world that feels deeply real and a magic system that quietly stuns. Is it familiar in structure to others in the genre? Yes. But not glaringly so. It’s uniquely its own. The found family vibes hit just right, and while Odessa wasn't my favorite FMC, I loved that her growth wasn’t instant - it made her journey feel real and earned. With unfolding mysteries and plot twists - some you’ll see coming, others that’ll come out of left field - it’s a story that quietly grips you. A little slow in the middle, but absolutely worth the ride.
Profile Image for CeCe novelnlit.
122 reviews8 followers
April 9, 2026
Audiobook read/Re-read

Overall: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫
Plot: 4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
World Building: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: 4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Magic System 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Narration: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full cast—dramatized adaptation)

The spice picks up in the 2nd half of this story. Pace also picks up up, and you get experience more depth from the characters. Odessa’s growth by the end is so good. It’s a bit heartbreaking and ends on a cliffhanger. Another great GA production.
Profile Image for deityreads.
805 reviews69 followers
April 5, 2026
The story, the writing, and the great narration of this graphic audio should have made me enjoy this book. The world building and the story about these monsters were very interesting but for some reason I just couldn’t bring myself to like this no matter how much I tried to. The characters had little to no chemistry. I felt bored most of the time. The banter between the MCs was good but when they finally got together I felt nothing. As in zero giddiness, zero chemistry. Nada. This wasn’t a bad book but I think it’s just not for me.
Profile Image for Alex Rayson.
62 reviews6 followers
March 21, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ½

I absolutely loved this one!

The first half is a little slower in terms of pacing, but it really feels like that time is used to carefully lay the groundwork for everything that follows. Once the story hits the halfway mark, it completely takes off. The twists, the mysteries, the character dynamics, it all comes together so well and made the second half an absolute joy to read.

The worldbuilding was excellent. There’s a lot to take in, but it’s delivered in a way that never feels overwhelming. The world feels rich, lived in, and genuinely alive, almost like a character in its own right.

Odessa was such a strong FMC. She’s witty, engaging, and easy to root for. Her character arc felt authentic, and I loved watching her grow into her own strength and confidence as the story progressed.

Her relationship with the Guardian was another highlight. It’s filled with tension and yearning, and the slow build between them makes the payoff incredibly satisfying.

I also have to give a special shoutout to the graphic audio. It genuinely elevates the entire experience. It added so much depth and atmosphere to the story, and at this point, if there’s a graphic audio version available, I will always choose it.

I cannot wait to get my hands on Rites of the Starling and return to this world.
Profile Image for Katie  Knight.
34 reviews2 followers
April 9, 2026
Holy Shizzah! I forgot how effing wild those last few chapters are. Wow, just as good as the first time but without the plot twist that got me since I knew it this time around. Even still, my goodness this book is just SO GOOD!
Profile Image for Emilie LeJeune.
9 reviews
April 2, 2026
Just as delightful as the first part of this dramaticized version!
Looking forward to book 2 soon!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews