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Shield of Sparrows #2
Rites of the Starling
A princess journeys across a cursed realm to find the truth about her family, only to discover her quest intertwines with the fate of a lost warrior. Love, danger, and magic collide in a captivating romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros.
Calandra's five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I've been separated from the man who owns my heart.
I'm lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It's my turn to become the Guardian.
Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, when I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.
Everyone wants me to be something I'm not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm? What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?
For too long, I've feared the monsters we make. It's time to discover the monster within.
Contains mature themes.
Calandra's five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I've been separated from the man who owns my heart.
I'm lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It's my turn to become the Guardian.
Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, when I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.
Everyone wants me to be something I'm not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm? What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?
For too long, I've feared the monsters we make. It's time to discover the monster within.
Contains mature themes.
18 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 7, 2026
39335 people are currently reading
136015 people want to read
About the author
Devney Perry
82 books32.2k followersDevney 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
Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.
www.devneyperry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 15,319 reviews
April 8, 2026
Oh my god 😭😮 Absolutely outstanding!!! Take a bow Devney because that was incredible. I literally have goosebumps. Crashing out!!!!
Spoiler free review & thoughts!!
DAMN, this was so freakin’ good!! There are so many little details pieced together throughout this book - it was absolutely genius! Like I kept finding myself gasping out loud at how everything was connecting. Speechless and bawling my eyes out actually.
Books like this remind me why being a reader is the best thing ever!! Because yet again, as with book 1, this is an incredibly well written book and I cannot even begin to comprehend how you write something, where every little detail means something and every small moment leads to something bigger!! I don’t have words to express how I feel right now or convey how amazing this was. But I KNEW it was 5 stars so early on.
Odessa still stands out to me as an incredible fmc. Looking back to where she is now vs where she found herself at the start of book 1, she has grown so much & gained so much confidence whilst having kept her compassion and softness.
Ransom is so goddamn hot. The things that come out his mouth has me panting like a dog. I love how he is so fiercely protective of Odessa but also never holds her back from growing into the woman he always saw her as. He’s just a lover boy 😭
“You want praise? Then wait until I fuck that smart mouth of yours tonight. I’ll give you all the praise you can handle.” PASSED TF OUT.
I love their romance and their love so much. I have said this a few times but I just adore the way Deveny writes romance - it always feels so significant, even through quiet moments and just makes it feel so much more tangible to me. I am so deeply obsessed with them.
“I love you.”
“Yes, you do. Don’t forget.” 😭
The multi-pov really leveled this up!! Not only did it add another level of depth to this story and also new worlds to explore & build. And the way this played into the storyline. WOW. I love them so so much!!! All of them!!!
Again the pacing of this book was perfect, ensuring every detail had time to sink in. Yet again I was hooked in this world from the beginning & unable to look away! The stress I felt reading this entire book was crazy. The last few parts? Fuck 😭😭😭 AHHH!!! I am a mess. How on earth do we wait for book 3?!
Ok, I am officially taking zero criticism of this book because I am so happy an anticipated release just blew my mind. Like I was SO excited for this book but this took every single expectation I had and elevated them. I think I will cry again 😭 I know I am being really over-dramatic but I just loved it so much and I am struggling to be a chill person about it.
I want to kiss Deveny (maybe a bit weird, whatever) but also she can pay my therapy bills. If you need me, I will be at the highest point I can find, SCREAMING from my lungs that this book is fantastic - do not disturb me unless you wish to join me.
Some of my fave quotes below (again spoiler free but this a new release so you might not even want to see quotes, so heads up!)
'As long as I lived, I’d never forget the sound of her heartbreak. It went so deep, it etched itself on my bones.'
'It wasn’t only monsters I had to fear on this journey. Men could be just as cruel.'
'His smile was a thousand glittering stars. A hundred dazzling sunsets. “Sorry to keep you waiting, wife.”'
“When I’m home, I’ll look up at the two moons and know you can see them, too. And even though we are an ocean apart, you’ll be with me.”
“To the bottom of the ravine, my heart.” He framed my face with his hands. “To the ends of the realm.”
_______
Omg it is here! DIVING RIGHT IN. Let's go, let's go, let's gooooooooo - I am so excited, can you tell 🕺🏼
Spoiler free review & thoughts!!
DAMN, this was so freakin’ good!! There are so many little details pieced together throughout this book - it was absolutely genius! Like I kept finding myself gasping out loud at how everything was connecting. Speechless and bawling my eyes out actually.
Books like this remind me why being a reader is the best thing ever!! Because yet again, as with book 1, this is an incredibly well written book and I cannot even begin to comprehend how you write something, where every little detail means something and every small moment leads to something bigger!! I don’t have words to express how I feel right now or convey how amazing this was. But I KNEW it was 5 stars so early on.
Odessa still stands out to me as an incredible fmc. Looking back to where she is now vs where she found herself at the start of book 1, she has grown so much & gained so much confidence whilst having kept her compassion and softness.
Ransom is so goddamn hot. The things that come out his mouth has me panting like a dog. I love how he is so fiercely protective of Odessa but also never holds her back from growing into the woman he always saw her as. He’s just a lover boy 😭
“You want praise? Then wait until I fuck that smart mouth of yours tonight. I’ll give you all the praise you can handle.” PASSED TF OUT.
I love their romance and their love so much. I have said this a few times but I just adore the way Deveny writes romance - it always feels so significant, even through quiet moments and just makes it feel so much more tangible to me. I am so deeply obsessed with them.
“I love you.”
“Yes, you do. Don’t forget.” 😭
The multi-pov really leveled this up!! Not only did it add another level of depth to this story and also new worlds to explore & build. And the way this played into the storyline. WOW. I love them so so much!!! All of them!!!
Again the pacing of this book was perfect, ensuring every detail had time to sink in. Yet again I was hooked in this world from the beginning & unable to look away! The stress I felt reading this entire book was crazy. The last few parts? Fuck 😭😭😭 AHHH!!! I am a mess. How on earth do we wait for book 3?!
Ok, I am officially taking zero criticism of this book because I am so happy an anticipated release just blew my mind. Like I was SO excited for this book but this took every single expectation I had and elevated them. I think I will cry again 😭 I know I am being really over-dramatic but I just loved it so much and I am struggling to be a chill person about it.
I want to kiss Deveny (maybe a bit weird, whatever) but also she can pay my therapy bills. If you need me, I will be at the highest point I can find, SCREAMING from my lungs that this book is fantastic - do not disturb me unless you wish to join me.
Some of my fave quotes below (again spoiler free but this a new release so you might not even want to see quotes, so heads up!)
'As long as I lived, I’d never forget the sound of her heartbreak. It went so deep, it etched itself on my bones.'
'It wasn’t only monsters I had to fear on this journey. Men could be just as cruel.'
'His smile was a thousand glittering stars. A hundred dazzling sunsets. “Sorry to keep you waiting, wife.”'
“When I’m home, I’ll look up at the two moons and know you can see them, too. And even though we are an ocean apart, you’ll be with me.”
“To the bottom of the ravine, my heart.” He framed my face with his hands. “To the ends of the realm.”
_______
Omg it is here! DIVING RIGHT IN. Let's go, let's go, let's gooooooooo - I am so excited, can you tell 🕺🏼
April 18, 2026
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Even though I'm going to drag you to the bottom of the Evon Ravine?"
"To the bottom of the Ravine, my heart. To the ends of the realm."
This book wrecked me in every delicious, loving, painful way possible. Going in, I had no idea why everyone was emotional. And now? I get it. I get and I need a big hug because holy hells, that hurt. And then I had to pretend like it was just a book?! Like none of that was real?! 😭💔
I honestly think this was better than book one. Book one was slow paced, dragging and predictable for me. It was building on to the world building and I get it. But book two picks it up brilliantly. We get more of a moving plot. More things happening. It's fairly decent paced and it was not predictable in any way which I loved. The emotional depth and lack of naivety from characters was another thing I adored. I loved how it was the women who left a mark on me here. Not the mmc but both women 🤌
Odessa's someone I want to see grow stronger and stronger. I loved her moments with Evie, it made me like her more. There is firepower in her, but she needs to stop holding back. And her character growth is being done realistically, cause these things don't happen overnight. It's gradual and there are hurdles in between. It makes sense! But at the same time, I want her to stop relying on others especially Ransom.
Ransom, y'all gonna hate me for this. He's the only one that was flawed for me in this book. Perhaps it's intentional or maybe I'm reading his character wrong. But nope, I don't get the appeal. Sure he works in angsty, spicy settings. But emotionally? He's constipated. I can't like an mmc like that. (Elaborated further) 😒
Caspia, oh man.. I was so wary in the first few chapters and then she grew on me. She is not perfect. But she's got this maturity, this bravery and the will to sacrifice which made my heart soften on her.
Andreas, I liked him. Then I loved him. Then I had trust issues with him. And then I ended up loving him. And it's a whole mix bunch of emotions there. But I liked him more than Ransom because Andreas showed me emotional consistency. He showed me reassurances whenever Caspia needed it.
Coming to the romances, I preferred Caspia and Andreas to be a healthier dynamic despite the hurdles in their way. Cause they showed up for each other, not just situation wise and physically but emotionally too. They resolved their issues, matched each other's rhythm. As for Odessa and Ransom, I want to say Odessa deserves much better for now. How many times did she try to get him open up, talk and those "I love you" moments not being reciprocated made me cringe. And that confrontation wasn't good. Cause he only deflected cunningly. And he's on thin ice for me because let's be real, he's already betrayed her trust in book one 🤷♀️🤦♀️ Their whole romance was carried by Odessa in my eyes. I said what I said 😤
Anyway, I really hope for more emotional growth for Ransom and more power for Odessa in the next book because that ending was so nerve wrecking. I sat there reading the last fifty pages or so through tears and blurry eyes. And cried like hell after finishing it. I wasn't expecting that. That twist, that emotional exposure felt like it shook my world. Also interesting how Caspia and Odessa mirror/ have parallel arcs in some ways 👀
I need a minute or a couple of days to process this book. My word, this was absolutely amazing.
~•~•~
Super excited to read it. Book 1 was kind of an average read for me but held a lot of potential. I'm just nervous to see how this one is wrecking everyone emotionally 😩 But fingers crossed 🤞
"I love you too."
"Even though I'm going to drag you to the bottom of the Evon Ravine?"
"To the bottom of the Ravine, my heart. To the ends of the realm."
This book wrecked me in every delicious, loving, painful way possible. Going in, I had no idea why everyone was emotional. And now? I get it. I get and I need a big hug because holy hells, that hurt. And then I had to pretend like it was just a book?! Like none of that was real?! 😭💔
I honestly think this was better than book one. Book one was slow paced, dragging and predictable for me. It was building on to the world building and I get it. But book two picks it up brilliantly. We get more of a moving plot. More things happening. It's fairly decent paced and it was not predictable in any way which I loved. The emotional depth and lack of naivety from characters was another thing I adored. I loved how it was the women who left a mark on me here. Not the mmc but both women 🤌
Odessa's someone I want to see grow stronger and stronger. I loved her moments with Evie, it made me like her more. There is firepower in her, but she needs to stop holding back. And her character growth is being done realistically, cause these things don't happen overnight. It's gradual and there are hurdles in between. It makes sense! But at the same time, I want her to stop relying on others especially Ransom.
Ransom, y'all gonna hate me for this. He's the only one that was flawed for me in this book. Perhaps it's intentional or maybe I'm reading his character wrong. But nope, I don't get the appeal. Sure he works in angsty, spicy settings. But emotionally? He's constipated. I can't like an mmc like that. (Elaborated further) 😒
Caspia, oh man.. I was so wary in the first few chapters and then she grew on me. She is not perfect. But she's got this maturity, this bravery and the will to sacrifice which made my heart soften on her.
Andreas, I liked him. Then I loved him. Then I had trust issues with him. And then I ended up loving him. And it's a whole mix bunch of emotions there. But I liked him more than Ransom because Andreas showed me emotional consistency. He showed me reassurances whenever Caspia needed it.
Coming to the romances, I preferred Caspia and Andreas to be a healthier dynamic despite the hurdles in their way. Cause they showed up for each other, not just situation wise and physically but emotionally too. They resolved their issues, matched each other's rhythm. As for Odessa and Ransom, I want to say Odessa deserves much better for now. How many times did she try to get him open up, talk and those "I love you" moments not being reciprocated made me cringe. And that confrontation wasn't good. Cause he only deflected cunningly. And he's on thin ice for me because let's be real, he's already betrayed her trust in book one 🤷♀️🤦♀️ Their whole romance was carried by Odessa in my eyes. I said what I said 😤
Anyway, I really hope for more emotional growth for Ransom and more power for Odessa in the next book because that ending was so nerve wrecking. I sat there reading the last fifty pages or so through tears and blurry eyes. And cried like hell after finishing it. I wasn't expecting that. That twist, that emotional exposure felt like it shook my world. Also interesting how Caspia and Odessa mirror/ have parallel arcs in some ways 👀
I need a minute or a couple of days to process this book. My word, this was absolutely amazing.
~•~•~
Super excited to read it. Book 1 was kind of an average read for me but held a lot of potential. I'm just nervous to see how this one is wrecking everyone emotionally 😩 But fingers crossed 🤞
April 10, 2026
➳ double it and give it to the next person ☆
oh my god. my fucking god. no. fuck no. భయంకరమైన.
characters = mid. setting = mid. plot = mid. writing = mid. insta love = obviously. concept = mid. trope = what? development = mid. cover = mid. romance = mid. smut = made this even more mid. pacing = piss poor. my braincells = evaporated. the next book in this series = why do i keep doing this?
chiiiiiii. what the fuck, guys??? as always, this review is gonna be a hate review; take everything with a bucket of salt. i will be going through the whole book and there will be spoilers. full‼️SPOILERS‼️in this review. i will be going into the details of why this didn't work. my opinion is just that — MY opinion. if you love this book, i am VERY happy for you. please do not come into my comments are talk shit because i am not in the mood. this will only be a review of the book, NOT the author/fans of the series. read whatever you like. <3
for starters, i WILL be reading the next book in this series since it's a trilogy and i do need to know how this ends because this was the most nothingburger book i've read in a long time. the raving reviews have me going insane because what is everyone even talking about? i just do not understand what the huss and fuss is about. i tried. i tried so hard, but literally nothing about this stands out. it's not even well written...
this sequel essentially starts off exactly where the last book ended—odessa is left with evie and ransom is off doing god knows what. however, in this book we do get introduced to another POV, which is of a woman named cassian? or casino? caspien? girl, i don’t even fucking know lmao…but she is a huge part of this book and has a point of view pretty much every other chapter. and that is the only thing that i can say about this book because everything else falls extremely flat and makes absolutely no sense. this series is categorized as a “romantasy” but 1/2 of the couple is just completely missing for the first 50% of the book. why is ransom just nowhere to be found until the middle of this book? he’s the main character yet he has no point of view, no on page development, zero interactions with any character, and no compelling competent characteristics. why is he even here? the trees had more presence than him.
i already had severe issues with the first book in the series due to the fact that ransom was lying about his identity for almost 70% of that book. most of the actual romance development happened in the blink of an eye or off page because they have no fucking chemistry. i really thought that this book would slow it down and give us an explanation of this world, but absolutely nothing was happening from start to finish. somehow, we are in the exact same position as we were in book one except now—we have an entire new plot that nobody gives a flying fuck about. the stupid parallel timeline of that cassian girl and odessa did absolutely nothing for the story except drag the pacing 10-fold. spoiler alert, that casino lady and odessa are mother and daughter and it took over 60 chapters for this so-called revelation. like girl, i guessed this shit by page FIVE. page fucking five. oh my god.
unsure how this book ended up being even more stagnant and mundane than the first one, but color me surprised…because it did. i never thought that was possible, but here we are. i’m not sure who allowed the author to unnecessarily add an entire new POV in book two of a trilogy, but they need to be fired. it's very unclear what devney was trying to do with this story because by the end of this book, i am still utterly confused on what is going on and what the objective is. people who keep raving about this either do not read any fantasy, or they’re getting paid and i will not take any other answer. coming from someone who reads a lot of high fantasy—explaining an excessive amount of zilch by info dumping useless shit that nobody asked for is not good world building. this is honestly reading like a novel from the 1800s. because why are these people describing trees and grass and nature for 500 pages? most of this was just poorly written internal monologue that went on for chapters. there’s no political intrigue, there's no magic system, and there is no reason that any of these people should even exist. it's never explained.
odessa, ultimately does not grow or learn or evolved throughout this book. she’s in the same loophole of nothingness; except this time the so-called love of her life is nowhere to be found. odessa is essentially playing babysitter with somebody else’s kid for the first 50% of this book and when ransom does come back, it’s just a bunch of bullshit forced tension. where is the chemistry? can you at least try to make him hot? please.
“i love you.” 🫤
“i know you do.” 💀
“i love him.” 😐
“he won’t say it back but i know he does.” 💀
“fuck me.” 😑
“i will fuck that smart mouth of yours.” 💀
i mean, what the literal fuck am i even reading? this would be attractive if they actually had any chemistry or any growth, but even in book one, they barely spent any time together. now we book two, and they STILL spend no time together so why the fuck are they even in love? how did they even have the chance to fall in love when they don’t even know shit about each other? the entire book is just odessa being stupid and ransom controlling everything she does by trying to act like he’s her protective husband. it’s reading like a soap opera telenovela. how is this fantasy? where is the romance? where is the plot? what are they doing? why are they doing it? why the fuck did i pick this up? questions questions.
now, we have the stupid mother’s POV and shocker, hers is the exact same thing as odessa except she has her own man who is controlling her life and deceiving her of crucial information that would be salient for the plot. ultimately, this bullshit ends up going nowhere because she literally dies randomly at the end and i’m pretty sure this is the reason that everybody was crying...but when this all ended up going down, i was laughing so hard because i don’t give a flying fuck about this bitch. there’s literally no romance here for me to care about. i never believed their love so why would i care if they live or die? in fact, i’m kind of happy they’re gone because now i don’t have to read about these fools ever again. i don’t even remember either of their names and that’s embarrassing for everybody involved. these characters are so lifeless they are giving me a run for my money. useless meets useless.
one of the biggest mistakes that devney decided to do was to create this weird dual timeline and try to make this “reveal” the largest driving factor of the book. not only was the twist painfully obvious from the very beginning, but it genuinely makes no sense once both of the stories start to weave together. mind you, this fuckery took over 60 chapters. there’s only 66 chapters in the book…it’s like we went four steps forward and four hundred steps backwards. instead of taking the very lukewarm world building elements from the first book in expanding on that—this book watered that down completely and decided to go for complete filler. there’s not really much of an impact this story had on the characters, nor did it have any impact on me as a reader. there were several points where i was struggling to even keep reading, but somehow, i was able to finish this because the audiobook was the only good element of this foolishness. this isn't your traditional bad storyline, it's just so fucking dry.
lastly, the narrative structure in this book is all over the place and ultimately this is a direct reflection of the author and her experience with the genre. there are a lot of romance authors that are trying to slowly move their way into fantasy and i’m sorry to tell you, it is not working. fantasy authors spend years before their debut, researching their lore and spending a long time crafting their work before it gets published. however, nowadays, it’s very common for romance authors to take a trope that they’re used to writing about and then create a bunch of magical creatures and say, “hey, this is hot”. it’s very pitifully obvious that devney cannot write fantasy and has no experience with big worlds and magic systems. i would not mind this much if the first book was decent—but the foundation of this series has never been crystal clear. nothing about this world is adequately done. to this day, i am not understanding why people were screaming and crying and throwing up over this book because it is honestly one of the worst things i’ve ever read. this applies for the first book as well. mid meets mid.
these characters aren't even attractive enough to be doing allat.
negative stars.
characters = mid. setting = mid. plot = mid. writing = mid. insta love = obviously. concept = mid. trope = what? development = mid. cover = mid. romance = mid. smut = made this even more mid. pacing = piss poor. my braincells = evaporated. the next book in this series = why do i keep doing this?
chiiiiiii. what the fuck, guys??? as always, this review is gonna be a hate review; take everything with a bucket of salt. i will be going through the whole book and there will be spoilers. full‼️SPOILERS‼️in this review. i will be going into the details of why this didn't work. my opinion is just that — MY opinion. if you love this book, i am VERY happy for you. please do not come into my comments are talk shit because i am not in the mood. this will only be a review of the book, NOT the author/fans of the series. read whatever you like. <3
for starters, i WILL be reading the next book in this series since it's a trilogy and i do need to know how this ends because this was the most nothingburger book i've read in a long time. the raving reviews have me going insane because what is everyone even talking about? i just do not understand what the huss and fuss is about. i tried. i tried so hard, but literally nothing about this stands out. it's not even well written...
this sequel essentially starts off exactly where the last book ended—odessa is left with evie and ransom is off doing god knows what. however, in this book we do get introduced to another POV, which is of a woman named cassian? or casino? caspien? girl, i don’t even fucking know lmao…but she is a huge part of this book and has a point of view pretty much every other chapter. and that is the only thing that i can say about this book because everything else falls extremely flat and makes absolutely no sense. this series is categorized as a “romantasy” but 1/2 of the couple is just completely missing for the first 50% of the book. why is ransom just nowhere to be found until the middle of this book? he’s the main character yet he has no point of view, no on page development, zero interactions with any character, and no compelling competent characteristics. why is he even here? the trees had more presence than him.
i already had severe issues with the first book in the series due to the fact that ransom was lying about his identity for almost 70% of that book. most of the actual romance development happened in the blink of an eye or off page because they have no fucking chemistry. i really thought that this book would slow it down and give us an explanation of this world, but absolutely nothing was happening from start to finish. somehow, we are in the exact same position as we were in book one except now—we have an entire new plot that nobody gives a flying fuck about. the stupid parallel timeline of that cassian girl and odessa did absolutely nothing for the story except drag the pacing 10-fold. spoiler alert, that casino lady and odessa are mother and daughter and it took over 60 chapters for this so-called revelation. like girl, i guessed this shit by page FIVE. page fucking five. oh my god.
unsure how this book ended up being even more stagnant and mundane than the first one, but color me surprised…because it did. i never thought that was possible, but here we are. i’m not sure who allowed the author to unnecessarily add an entire new POV in book two of a trilogy, but they need to be fired. it's very unclear what devney was trying to do with this story because by the end of this book, i am still utterly confused on what is going on and what the objective is. people who keep raving about this either do not read any fantasy, or they’re getting paid and i will not take any other answer. coming from someone who reads a lot of high fantasy—explaining an excessive amount of zilch by info dumping useless shit that nobody asked for is not good world building. this is honestly reading like a novel from the 1800s. because why are these people describing trees and grass and nature for 500 pages? most of this was just poorly written internal monologue that went on for chapters. there’s no political intrigue, there's no magic system, and there is no reason that any of these people should even exist. it's never explained.
odessa, ultimately does not grow or learn or evolved throughout this book. she’s in the same loophole of nothingness; except this time the so-called love of her life is nowhere to be found. odessa is essentially playing babysitter with somebody else’s kid for the first 50% of this book and when ransom does come back, it’s just a bunch of bullshit forced tension. where is the chemistry? can you at least try to make him hot? please.
“i love you.” 🫤
“i know you do.” 💀
“i love him.” 😐
“he won’t say it back but i know he does.” 💀
“fuck me.” 😑
“i will fuck that smart mouth of yours.” 💀
i mean, what the literal fuck am i even reading? this would be attractive if they actually had any chemistry or any growth, but even in book one, they barely spent any time together. now we book two, and they STILL spend no time together so why the fuck are they even in love? how did they even have the chance to fall in love when they don’t even know shit about each other? the entire book is just odessa being stupid and ransom controlling everything she does by trying to act like he’s her protective husband. it’s reading like a soap opera telenovela. how is this fantasy? where is the romance? where is the plot? what are they doing? why are they doing it? why the fuck did i pick this up? questions questions.
now, we have the stupid mother’s POV and shocker, hers is the exact same thing as odessa except she has her own man who is controlling her life and deceiving her of crucial information that would be salient for the plot. ultimately, this bullshit ends up going nowhere because she literally dies randomly at the end and i’m pretty sure this is the reason that everybody was crying...but when this all ended up going down, i was laughing so hard because i don’t give a flying fuck about this bitch. there’s literally no romance here for me to care about. i never believed their love so why would i care if they live or die? in fact, i’m kind of happy they’re gone because now i don’t have to read about these fools ever again. i don’t even remember either of their names and that’s embarrassing for everybody involved. these characters are so lifeless they are giving me a run for my money. useless meets useless.
one of the biggest mistakes that devney decided to do was to create this weird dual timeline and try to make this “reveal” the largest driving factor of the book. not only was the twist painfully obvious from the very beginning, but it genuinely makes no sense once both of the stories start to weave together. mind you, this fuckery took over 60 chapters. there’s only 66 chapters in the book…it’s like we went four steps forward and four hundred steps backwards. instead of taking the very lukewarm world building elements from the first book in expanding on that—this book watered that down completely and decided to go for complete filler. there’s not really much of an impact this story had on the characters, nor did it have any impact on me as a reader. there were several points where i was struggling to even keep reading, but somehow, i was able to finish this because the audiobook was the only good element of this foolishness. this isn't your traditional bad storyline, it's just so fucking dry.
lastly, the narrative structure in this book is all over the place and ultimately this is a direct reflection of the author and her experience with the genre. there are a lot of romance authors that are trying to slowly move their way into fantasy and i’m sorry to tell you, it is not working. fantasy authors spend years before their debut, researching their lore and spending a long time crafting their work before it gets published. however, nowadays, it’s very common for romance authors to take a trope that they’re used to writing about and then create a bunch of magical creatures and say, “hey, this is hot”. it’s very pitifully obvious that devney cannot write fantasy and has no experience with big worlds and magic systems. i would not mind this much if the first book was decent—but the foundation of this series has never been crystal clear. nothing about this world is adequately done. to this day, i am not understanding why people were screaming and crying and throwing up over this book because it is honestly one of the worst things i’ve ever read. this applies for the first book as well. mid meets mid.
negative stars.
May 3, 2026
If you don’t mind babysitting a six year old child... on horseback... whilst fleeing fantasy monsters in your epic adventure quest, you will almost certainly have a much better time with the first 50% than I did and I love that for you! However, it was a bit of a buzzkill for me.
While I can appreciate what the story was trying to do with that dynamic, I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed it. I am not the audience and that’s okay.
Otherwise, I actually really loved the second half.
Everything else to me was beautifully done. I really enjoyed the additional POV. I suspected where it was heading early on, yet watching it click into place was very satisfying and was executed with so many emotional layers upon layers.
Odessa’s internal monologue and dialogue is still a bit heavy on the questioning and not all of it moves the plot forward. But in my opinion, it felt less counterproductive than the first book or maybe I managed my expectations, who can say.
I’ve landed somewhere in the 2.5 -3 star range. Yes I am in a confusing glass case of emotion. The first half didn’t do it for me, but the second half transcended everything I had hoped for and broke and healed my heart and sets everything up for the final book nicely.
Thrilled for all my book friends who found it five star worthy, I see you and wish I could have joined you!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Fingers crossed for fewer questions 😅
While I can appreciate what the story was trying to do with that dynamic, I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed it. I am not the audience and that’s okay.
Otherwise, I actually really loved the second half.
Everything else to me was beautifully done. I really enjoyed the additional POV. I suspected where it was heading early on, yet watching it click into place was very satisfying and was executed with so many emotional layers upon layers.
Odessa’s internal monologue and dialogue is still a bit heavy on the questioning and not all of it moves the plot forward. But in my opinion, it felt less counterproductive than the first book or maybe I managed my expectations, who can say.
I’ve landed somewhere in the 2.5 -3 star range. Yes I am in a confusing glass case of emotion. The first half didn’t do it for me, but the second half transcended everything I had hoped for and broke and healed my heart and sets everything up for the final book nicely.
Thrilled for all my book friends who found it five star worthy, I see you and wish I could have joined you!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Fingers crossed for fewer questions 😅
April 11, 2026
6 STARS!!!
literally screaming crying throwing up. I need a therapy appointment now 😭
literally screaming crying throwing up. I need a therapy appointment now 😭
Currently Reading
September 2, 2025I'm so ready for this! Wake me up when it's April
April 26, 2026
I want to say I enjoyed it, because I love Devney Perry, but this 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 be what everyone is boo-hooing over… It wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t “wow” me like the first book did. Typical “second book syndrome.” I think the dual timeline, lack of growth with Odessa’s story/character arc, and the fact that I guessed the big “twist” from a mile away made this book far inferior to the first. I thought the first book was a good 4 stars, and was hoping the world-building and confusing (and stagnant at times) plot would get better with the second, but it actually got a bit worse. Of course I got full-body chills at the end because I’m only human, but I don’t feel like it makes up for every other bit of the book being so uneventful. Anyways, yeah, I’m still here for the third book but really disappointed lol
April 28, 2026
I truly believe the best reviews are written immediately after finishing a book, while the emotional damage is still fresh and the tears are still wet on your face.
That being said… I am currently not entirely sure whether I finished this book, or if this book finished me.
At this point, my mental state should probably be monitored by professionals. Preferably around the clock. I am in a state of complete and utter disbelief.
To put it mildly:
WHAT IN THE ACTUAL WITCHCRAFT WAS THIS BOOK????????
I CANNOT BELIEVE how every single little piece came together. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
Like… Devney Perry, what dark magic are you practicing??? Because this was not writing, this was straight-up sorcery.
The way Minne likes to kiss foreheads, I personally now have the deeply concerning urge to find Devney Perry and kiss her forehead for creating this absolute masterpiece.
I genuinely cannot tell you the last time a book made me cry this much. The last 8%???
I was not reading. I was not functioning. I was a sobbing, wheezing, emotionally compromised puddle on the floor.
HOW do people just casually conjure things like this from their minds??? I am in absolute awe. This book is going to live rent-free in my brain for a very long time.
Throughout the entire book, I was patiently waiting for Caspia to finally meet Odesa.
WELL.
THROW THAT ENTIRE EXPECTATION STRAIGHT INTO THE VOID.
Oh my God. My heart is in shambles. Ruins. Dust. Ashes. Gone with the wind.
And listen - like every other sane person on this planet, I originally picked up this book mainly because of Ransom. SUE ME. I am not ashamed to admit it.
BUT after finishing this???
I have to be honest… Ransom was not the first character I was desperately looking for anymore.
At first, I was so confused by Caspia’s chapters. It gave me serious Manon-in-Heir of Fire vibes - confusing at first, but then suddenly I was fully invested, slowly spiraling, daydreaming, and building entire scenarios in my head about my two red-headed girls finally meeting.
In my mind, it was all:
“Oh my God, look at your hair?? And your eyes???”
Meanwhile the book said:
Matea, babe, absolutely not.
Straight to trauma. I need therapy.
At one point their storylines were so wildly far apart that while my girl Caspia was out there getting some vitamin D and living her mysterious fantasy life, my girl Dess was literally fighting for her life. And honestly? I appreciated the emotional whiplash.
Because after every single possible thing that could go wrong actually DID go wrong, I needed those tiny moments to breathe before the next psychological attack.
I am fully rambling at this point, but honestly this book felt like a work of art to me. I physically cannot produce a more coherent thought right now because this book has clearly short-circuited my last functioning brain cell.
My only “complaint” - and I don’t even know if I can call it that - is the old language. HAHAHAHAHA. I’m sorry, some of those words had me LOSING IT.
Girl??? Who approved this???
I appreciate the effort, I really do, but some of those words looked so aggressively fantasy-coded that I could only think of that meme about authors smashing random letters together to create fantasy names for the FMC and MMC.
I simply could not keep it together.
_____________
pre-read
Okay, Laura’s and SK’s reviews totally sold this to me, so there’s really no point in delaying the inevitable 😭 And since my romance journey has taken some very questionable turns lately, I’m hoping this one comes in and saves me. 🤞🏻🤞🏻
April 28, 2026
ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . a perfect 5 ☆ rating . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤcontains MARKED spoilers + End theory ❗
ㅤ [ People who finished the book, PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT MY THEORY DOWN BELOW. I NEED REASSURENCE 🫠]
ㅤ It’s been a while since I last devoured a book with this kind of almost embarrassing hunger. This wasn’t just reading for fun, it turned into a full-blown interactive experience for me. I was scribbling notes like my life depended on it, flipping back to the first book every five minutes to check some tiny detail I had previously highlighted; I was building theories, connecting dots, feeling incredibly clever when my theories were proven right 🥹
ㅤ I was, quite simply, utterly and completely hooked. The kind of hooked where everything else becomes background noise and suddenly hours have passed and you’re still sitting in the same position, questioning your life choices but in a fun way.
ㅤ At this point, I can say with confidence that this series has made its way onto my list of all-time favourites. And I do not say that lightly. But his one earned it.
ㅤ ㅤ “I love you.” / “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I can absolutely see why this book wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you went in expecting the same fast-paced, addictive chaos of the first book, this one takes a sharp turn. But I need to make one thing very clear: THIS DID NOT SUFFER FROM 'THE SECOND BOOK SYNDROME'. Not even a little.
ㅤ For me, this is exactly what a second book should do. It builds, it explains, it adds layers you didn’t even realize were missing, and quietly sets up the kind of conflict that will inevitably ruin your peace in the next installments.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ As someone who absolutely LOVES being handed every possible detail about an imaginary world, this was exactly my kind of book. Give me depth, give me layers, give me just enough breadcrumbs to start building my own theories alongside the story. I want to think while I read, to feel involved, to piece things together rather than just passively consume them. And this book delivered all that flawlessly.
ㅤ I genuinely loved every little detail. And my appreciation for the author? Immense. She truly ATE with this one 🙌🏻
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ Did I predict every plot twist and clock it from miles away? Yes. Did that ruin the experience? ABSOLUTELY NOT. If anything, it made it better. Because I wasn’t just handed those twists, I could to piece them together alongside the story.
ㅤ So when the reveals finally came, it didn’t feel predictable, it felt earned. Like a small, deeply satisfying victory where I got to sit there and think "yes, I knew it… " and enjoy every second of being right.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR BOOKS THAT GIVE ME ✨TIMELINES MADNESS✨ LIKE YES, CONFUSE ME MORE PLEASE!!!
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ ROMANCE WAS ROMANCING in this book and I truly do not care what anyone else has to say about it. Was it a little heavy on the smut between Ransom and Odessa? Sure. Would I have traded a few of those scenes for moments where they simply sat down and actually TALKED like normal people? Absolutely. But, fine, I will survive. It was all still far too enjoyable for me to seriously complain.
ㅤ And the newly introduced characters and their whole situation? The moment I clocked what is going on, barely 100 pages in, I KNEW exactly where this was going. And yet…I still chose hope. Delusion, perhaps, but hope nonetheless ����🥲
"There's my queen"? Beautiful.
“To the bottom of the ravine, my heart. To the ends of the realm.”? Gorgeous.
“Bring me a fucking blanket. My wife is cold.”? Cruel, yet exquisite.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely think Devney Perry might be one of the few authors who truly knows how to end a book in the most devastatingly satisfying way possible. This ending? It ends you. Completely.
ㅤ I really thought THAT was just one of my slightly unhinged little theories. Something I entertained for a moment and then dismissed. And then… it actually happened. On paper. In full view. Safe to say, it genuinely shook my entire existence.
ㅤ Don't worry, I will return to this later on because, you guessed it, OF COURSE I HAVE A THEORY.
ㅤ ��� ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Odessa — Her character development in this is incredibly subtle, and it really unfolds as a consequence of everything that happened in the previous book. I do wish we had gotten a bit more time with her in this new, more confident and demanding version of herself, just to fully sit with and enjoy that growth a little longer on-page. That said, I do understand why some of that progress had to take a backseat in this installment. It didn’t bother me too much, but it would have been nice to spend a bit more time actually with her in her role as the main character she very much is.
ㅤ ⊹ Ransom — I genuinely have no idea what everyone else is complaining about when it comes to this man. From my perspective, he served exactly what he was supposed to serve, no more, no less, and certainly no complaints from me, darling.
ㅤ Keep being the tortured little simp that you are, you are doing an absolutely stellar job, sweetheart. You are bringing all the additional ✨extra-depressing drama✨ this book needed.Marry me, please
ㅤ ⊹ Caspia — Oh, queen… it was no surprise I started off with a full love-hate situation when it came to her. Very much history repeating itself, I guess. But the way I ended up loving her? Honestly kind of beautiful. She managed to pass on all her most striking qualities in the most heartbreaking way possible. I loved her bravery, her determination, her protectiveness, and that quiet, relentless courage she showed in facing her fate head-on.
ㅤ
ㅤ ⊹ Andreas — Oh boy, I was entirelty unfamiliar with this man's game. Every single time he opened his mouth, he somehow managed to make me swoon without even trying. The devotion? The unwavering loyalty? Please. I was genuinely, unreasonably down bad for him myself. I can’t even blame Caspia for any of it.
ㅤ
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ Oh, absolutely. If I wasn’t entirely sure after the first book, I AM NOW FULLY CONVINCED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE READING THIS SERIES. Like, genuinely, there is no debate in my mind anymore. Just go pick it up. Do yourself the service, the favour, the life-changing experience, and just trust me blindly on this one.
ㅤ I am not even being dramatic at this point (I am, but I stand by it). This series knows exactly what it’s doing, and it is doing it WELL.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ THEORY TIME 🥰🥰
❗This next part will contain spoilers for the ending of the book. DO NOT, JUST DO NOT READ IF YOU DIDN'T FINISH THIS BOOK!!!! ❗
ㅤ So, I know the ending of the book seemed really dooming and it honestly looked like it was mirroring the story of Andreas and Caspia. BUT, HEAR ME OUT.
ㅤ At one point, the idea that “visions can’t always be trusted” is repeated more than once, and it really sticks. Yes, most of the visions we’ve seen so far have either come true or only slightly shifted. But this feels like the one instance where the vision isn’t necessarily “wrong”, just incomplete. Very much like Caspia’s first vision of Emery that lacks the context of her murder.
ㅤ We know Odessa has red blood, and by the end it’s mentioned that because she was born on the continent in Calandra, the magic might not affect her the same way it does other Starlings. Which immediately opens up a very interesting possibility: what if her shift is actually safe? What if she can shift, but without the curse that haunts the rest of her family in Calandra? Maybe she can transform without losing herself. If she isn’t bound by the same magical corruption, then perhaps her shift is closer to what we see in Nelfinex, something natural, controlled, rather than destructive.
ㅤ That would completely reframe that entire scene. Odessa might be in a crux form, but still fully herself. Not murderous, not driven to madness. Maybe she didn’t lose control at all, maybe she was the one who actually protected everyone through her change.
ㅤ And Ransom kneeling? The sword dropping? It doesn’t have to mirror Andreas in some tragic loop of history repeating itself. It could simply be him doing what he does best: worshipping in reverence the woman he loves. Even the green blood feels like it might not belong to either of them, but to the creatures they fought through together, the aftermath of survival. Possibly even something tied to Xandra????
ㅤ Lastly, yes, this might be a stretch, but the romantic in me refuses to ignore it: a slightly new meaning for “my queen.” Starling have that bond with beasts, even the ability to influence or command them. If Odessa becomes a crux who can truly tame these monster, then the title takes on a different weight entirely.
ㅤ Because who else has spent the entire first book referring to himself as something monstrous? Ransom. So when he calls her “my queen,” it doesn’t just sound like devotion, it sounds like recognition of her new status as queen over these beasts as well, therefore over himself too. And maybe, that’s exactly what makes her his queen once again.
ㅤ The way I will be deleting all this SO FAST if i end up being wrong. You all saw NOTHING.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ📖‧ ˚ ₊⊹ Shields of Sparrows series reviews:
⋆˚࿔ Shield of Sparrows (4.0-4.2 ⭐)
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍㆍ✿ㆍㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆24-April-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ At long last, Amazon hath seen fit to deem me worthy of receiving mine book 😌 LET'S FUCKING GO!!!
ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤcontains MARKED spoilers + End theory ❗
ㅤ [ People who finished the book, PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT MY THEORY DOWN BELOW. I NEED REASSURENCE 🫠]
ㅤ It’s been a while since I last devoured a book with this kind of almost embarrassing hunger. This wasn’t just reading for fun, it turned into a full-blown interactive experience for me. I was scribbling notes like my life depended on it, flipping back to the first book every five minutes to check some tiny detail I had previously highlighted; I was building theories, connecting dots, feeling incredibly clever when my theories were proven right 🥹
ㅤ I was, quite simply, utterly and completely hooked. The kind of hooked where everything else becomes background noise and suddenly hours have passed and you’re still sitting in the same position, questioning your life choices but in a fun way.
ㅤ At this point, I can say with confidence that this series has made its way onto my list of all-time favourites. And I do not say that lightly. But his one earned it.
ㅤ ㅤ “I love you.” / “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I can absolutely see why this book wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you went in expecting the same fast-paced, addictive chaos of the first book, this one takes a sharp turn. But I need to make one thing very clear: THIS DID NOT SUFFER FROM 'THE SECOND BOOK SYNDROME'. Not even a little.
ㅤ For me, this is exactly what a second book should do. It builds, it explains, it adds layers you didn’t even realize were missing, and quietly sets up the kind of conflict that will inevitably ruin your peace in the next installments.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ As someone who absolutely LOVES being handed every possible detail about an imaginary world, this was exactly my kind of book. Give me depth, give me layers, give me just enough breadcrumbs to start building my own theories alongside the story. I want to think while I read, to feel involved, to piece things together rather than just passively consume them. And this book delivered all that flawlessly.
ㅤ I genuinely loved every little detail. And my appreciation for the author? Immense. She truly ATE with this one 🙌🏻
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ Did I predict every plot twist and clock it from miles away? Yes. Did that ruin the experience? ABSOLUTELY NOT. If anything, it made it better. Because I wasn’t just handed those twists, I could to piece them together alongside the story.
ㅤ So when the reveals finally came, it didn’t feel predictable, it felt earned. Like a small, deeply satisfying victory where I got to sit there and think "yes, I knew it… " and enjoy every second of being right.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR BOOKS THAT GIVE ME ✨TIMELINES MADNESS✨ LIKE YES, CONFUSE ME MORE PLEASE!!!
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ ROMANCE WAS ROMANCING in this book and I truly do not care what anyone else has to say about it. Was it a little heavy on the smut between Ransom and Odessa? Sure. Would I have traded a few of those scenes for moments where they simply sat down and actually TALKED like normal people? Absolutely. But, fine, I will survive. It was all still far too enjoyable for me to seriously complain.
ㅤ And the newly introduced characters and their whole situation? The moment I clocked what is going on, barely 100 pages in, I KNEW exactly where this was going. And yet…I still chose hope. Delusion, perhaps, but hope nonetheless ����🥲
"There's my queen"? Beautiful.
“To the bottom of the ravine, my heart. To the ends of the realm.”? Gorgeous.
“Bring me a fucking blanket. My wife is cold.”? Cruel, yet exquisite.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely think Devney Perry might be one of the few authors who truly knows how to end a book in the most devastatingly satisfying way possible. This ending? It ends you. Completely.
ㅤ I really thought THAT was just one of my slightly unhinged little theories. Something I entertained for a moment and then dismissed. And then… it actually happened. On paper. In full view. Safe to say, it genuinely shook my entire existence.
ㅤ Don't worry, I will return to this later on because, you guessed it, OF COURSE I HAVE A THEORY.
ㅤ ��� ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Odessa — Her character development in this is incredibly subtle, and it really unfolds as a consequence of everything that happened in the previous book. I do wish we had gotten a bit more time with her in this new, more confident and demanding version of herself, just to fully sit with and enjoy that growth a little longer on-page. That said, I do understand why some of that progress had to take a backseat in this installment. It didn’t bother me too much, but it would have been nice to spend a bit more time actually with her in her role as the main character she very much is.
ㅤ ⊹ Ransom — I genuinely have no idea what everyone else is complaining about when it comes to this man. From my perspective, he served exactly what he was supposed to serve, no more, no less, and certainly no complaints from me, darling.
ㅤ Keep being the tortured little simp that you are, you are doing an absolutely stellar job, sweetheart. You are bringing all the additional ✨extra-depressing drama✨ this book needed.
ㅤ ⊹ Caspia — Oh, queen… it was no surprise I started off with a full love-hate situation when it came to her. Very much history repeating itself, I guess. But the way I ended up loving her? Honestly kind of beautiful. She managed to pass on all her most striking qualities in the most heartbreaking way possible. I loved her bravery, her determination, her protectiveness, and that quiet, relentless courage she showed in facing her fate head-on.
ㅤ
ㅤ ⊹ Andreas — Oh boy, I was entirelty unfamiliar with this man's game. Every single time he opened his mouth, he somehow managed to make me swoon without even trying. The devotion? The unwavering loyalty? Please. I was genuinely, unreasonably down bad for him myself. I can’t even blame Caspia for any of it.
ㅤ
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ Oh, absolutely. If I wasn’t entirely sure after the first book, I AM NOW FULLY CONVINCED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE READING THIS SERIES. Like, genuinely, there is no debate in my mind anymore. Just go pick it up. Do yourself the service, the favour, the life-changing experience, and just trust me blindly on this one.
ㅤ I am not even being dramatic at this point (I am, but I stand by it). This series knows exactly what it’s doing, and it is doing it WELL.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ THEORY TIME 🥰🥰
❗This next part will contain spoilers for the ending of the book. DO NOT, JUST DO NOT READ IF YOU DIDN'T FINISH THIS BOOK!!!! ❗
ㅤ So, I know the ending of the book seemed really dooming and it honestly looked like it was mirroring the story of Andreas and Caspia. BUT, HEAR ME OUT.
ㅤ At one point, the idea that “visions can’t always be trusted” is repeated more than once, and it really sticks. Yes, most of the visions we’ve seen so far have either come true or only slightly shifted. But this feels like the one instance where the vision isn’t necessarily “wrong”, just incomplete. Very much like Caspia’s first vision of Emery that lacks the context of her murder.
ㅤ We know Odessa has red blood, and by the end it’s mentioned that because she was born on the continent in Calandra, the magic might not affect her the same way it does other Starlings. Which immediately opens up a very interesting possibility: what if her shift is actually safe? What if she can shift, but without the curse that haunts the rest of her family in Calandra? Maybe she can transform without losing herself. If she isn’t bound by the same magical corruption, then perhaps her shift is closer to what we see in Nelfinex, something natural, controlled, rather than destructive.
ㅤ That would completely reframe that entire scene. Odessa might be in a crux form, but still fully herself. Not murderous, not driven to madness. Maybe she didn’t lose control at all, maybe she was the one who actually protected everyone through her change.
ㅤ And Ransom kneeling? The sword dropping? It doesn’t have to mirror Andreas in some tragic loop of history repeating itself. It could simply be him doing what he does best: worshipping in reverence the woman he loves. Even the green blood feels like it might not belong to either of them, but to the creatures they fought through together, the aftermath of survival. Possibly even something tied to Xandra????
ㅤ Lastly, yes, this might be a stretch, but the romantic in me refuses to ignore it: a slightly new meaning for “my queen.” Starling have that bond with beasts, even the ability to influence or command them. If Odessa becomes a crux who can truly tame these monster, then the title takes on a different weight entirely.
ㅤ Because who else has spent the entire first book referring to himself as something monstrous? Ransom. So when he calls her “my queen,” it doesn’t just sound like devotion, it sounds like recognition of her new status as queen over these beasts as well, therefore over himself too. And maybe, that’s exactly what makes her his queen once again.
ㅤ The way I will be deleting all this SO FAST if i end up being wrong. You all saw NOTHING.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ📖‧ ˚ ₊⊹ Shields of Sparrows series reviews:
⋆˚࿔ Shield of Sparrows (4.0-4.2 ⭐)
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍㆍ✿ㆍㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆24-April-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ At long last, Amazon hath seen fit to deem me worthy of receiving mine book 😌 LET'S FUCKING GO!!!
April 20, 2026
I really enjoyed this a lot!! ✨🖤
This picks up right where book 1 left off and being in dual POV?? I loved that so much, it added another layer to everything going on 👀
This definitely followed that sequel formula for me… book 1 pulls you in and traps you in the world, and book 2 starts laying everything OUT. It does get a little info-dumpy
/ encyclopedia-esque vibes at times, but honestly it worked because there’s so much going on in this world and the stage had to be set📖✨
I figured out how the POVs were connected around the 60% mark 👀 so when it was finally revealed I wasn’t completely shocked, but I still ate it up, not gonna lie 😭
Overall though, this was such a strong follow-up. Action packed, full of secrets, beasts, prophecies, betrayal, and that lingering unfinished business that keeps you on edge the whole time 🖤🔥
And that ending?? Yeah… I NEED to see how they’re gonna break this cycle because history really said “let’s repeat ourselves” 😭
I’m definitely excited for what’s next!! ✨
Side note: I would absolutely read a novella about the Voster and The Brotherhood… they’re way too intriguing to just sit in the background 👀🖤
Pre-read:
So excited to start this today!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳
Is anyone else excited for this? I really really really liked book 1✨
This picks up right where book 1 left off and being in dual POV?? I loved that so much, it added another layer to everything going on 👀
This definitely followed that sequel formula for me… book 1 pulls you in and traps you in the world, and book 2 starts laying everything OUT. It does get a little info-dumpy
/ encyclopedia-esque vibes at times, but honestly it worked because there’s so much going on in this world and the stage had to be set📖✨
I figured out how the POVs were connected around the 60% mark 👀 so when it was finally revealed I wasn’t completely shocked, but I still ate it up, not gonna lie 😭
Overall though, this was such a strong follow-up. Action packed, full of secrets, beasts, prophecies, betrayal, and that lingering unfinished business that keeps you on edge the whole time 🖤🔥
And that ending?? Yeah… I NEED to see how they’re gonna break this cycle because history really said “let’s repeat ourselves” 😭
I’m definitely excited for what’s next!! ✨
Side note: I would absolutely read a novella about the Voster and The Brotherhood… they’re way too intriguing to just sit in the background 👀🖤
Pre-read:
So excited to start this today!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳
Is anyone else excited for this? I really really really liked book 1✨
April 14, 2026
I am officially filing a police report because Devney Perry just threw a brick at my face and I am reeling. To be honest, I started Rites of Starling feeling a little skeptical. Since it’s been a year since book one, I was initially "meh" and totally confused when we were introduced to Caspia. I was like, Who is this girl and why are we here? But then the lore kicked in—the Starling magic, the transformations, and Caspia’s terrifying ability to see the future. My heart broke for her immediately; imagine seeing the deaths of everyone you love playing on a loop in your head. It’s haunting, cool, and absolutely tragic.
Then enters Andreas. Talk about eye candy—this man is a literal snack I could devour whole, and clearly, Caspia felt the same because their chemistry was electric. Watching their love story unfold felt so fulfilling, even while the rest of the book was giving me high-functioning anxiety. On the other side of the continent, we have Odessa running for her life with little Evie, desperate to reach her father’s kingdom while grieving Ransom. The tension was suffocating. I had a gut feeling she was connected to the monster migration—that her unknown mother had passed down some dark, dormant magic—and the mystery kept me in a total chokehold.
When Odessa finally reunited with Ransom, I felt a physical weight lift off my chest. I was so scared something had happened to my handsome hunk! of a man But then… the plot twist happened. And when I say I nearly started bawling my eyes out at the bus stop listening to this audiobook, I am not exaggerating. Finding out that Caspia’s POV was actually a previous timeline? That she is Odessa’s mother? And that the "Golden King" is actually Andreas? Devney, why?! The reveal that we never got his name in the first two books just so this moment could shatter us was diabolical.
I felt Andreas's pain in my actual soul. Knowing that he had to kill the love of his life just to protect her from being consumed by the Crux and to save their baby girl, Odessa... I’m devastated. It explains everything—why he has been so cold, so distant, and so broken throughout this series. He didn't just lose her; he had to be the one to do it. The sheer agony of that realization is peak EMOTIONALDAMAGE. My heart is officially in pieces, and I’m currently mourning a fictional couple like they’re my own family.
And because Devney Perry isn't finished with our tear ducts, we had that massive scare with Ransom being infected. I was ready to throw my phone! Thankfully that’s handled, but then we get hit with another cliffhanger ending. Odessa is going into the Rites. She’s going to transform. The stakes have never been higher, and I am terrified for what comes next. The "hurt" in this "hurt/comfort" dynamic is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now, and I am not okay.
This book is a 5-star masterpiece of world-building and heartbreak. It’s sophisticated, it’s gritty, and the emotional payoff is unlike anything else I’ve read this year. Devney Perry really, "Did you kiss the brick before you threw it?" because the pain is truly diabolical. If you haven't started this series, prepare to have your soul crushed in the best way possible. I’m going to go lie down in a dark room and wait for the next book.
Peace ✌️
---------------
Tropes:
✨ Dual Timelines (The Ultimate Twist)
✨ Star-Crossed Lovers
✨ Hidden Magic & Transformations
✨ "Touch Her and You Die" Protector
✨ Heart-Wrenching Sacrifice
Then enters Andreas. Talk about eye candy—this man is a literal snack I could devour whole, and clearly, Caspia felt the same because their chemistry was electric. Watching their love story unfold felt so fulfilling, even while the rest of the book was giving me high-functioning anxiety. On the other side of the continent, we have Odessa running for her life with little Evie, desperate to reach her father’s kingdom while grieving Ransom. The tension was suffocating. I had a gut feeling she was connected to the monster migration—that her unknown mother had passed down some dark, dormant magic—and the mystery kept me in a total chokehold.
When Odessa finally reunited with Ransom, I felt a physical weight lift off my chest. I was so scared something had happened to my handsome hunk! of a man But then… the plot twist happened. And when I say I nearly started bawling my eyes out at the bus stop listening to this audiobook, I am not exaggerating. Finding out that Caspia’s POV was actually a previous timeline? That she is Odessa’s mother? And that the "Golden King" is actually Andreas? Devney, why?! The reveal that we never got his name in the first two books just so this moment could shatter us was diabolical.
I felt Andreas's pain in my actual soul. Knowing that he had to kill the love of his life just to protect her from being consumed by the Crux and to save their baby girl, Odessa... I’m devastated. It explains everything—why he has been so cold, so distant, and so broken throughout this series. He didn't just lose her; he had to be the one to do it. The sheer agony of that realization is peak EMOTIONALDAMAGE. My heart is officially in pieces, and I’m currently mourning a fictional couple like they’re my own family.
And because Devney Perry isn't finished with our tear ducts, we had that massive scare with Ransom being infected. I was ready to throw my phone! Thankfully that’s handled, but then we get hit with another cliffhanger ending. Odessa is going into the Rites. She’s going to transform. The stakes have never been higher, and I am terrified for what comes next. The "hurt" in this "hurt/comfort" dynamic is doing a lot of heavy lifting right now, and I am not okay.
This book is a 5-star masterpiece of world-building and heartbreak. It’s sophisticated, it’s gritty, and the emotional payoff is unlike anything else I’ve read this year. Devney Perry really, "Did you kiss the brick before you threw it?" because the pain is truly diabolical. If you haven't started this series, prepare to have your soul crushed in the best way possible. I’m going to go lie down in a dark room and wait for the next book.
Peace ✌️
---------------
Tropes:
✨ Dual Timelines (The Ultimate Twist)
✨ Star-Crossed Lovers
✨ Hidden Magic & Transformations
✨ "Touch Her and You Die" Protector
✨ Heart-Wrenching Sacrifice
April 9, 2026
5☆ 🌲 ⚔️ 🐯 💭 🧪 📖
“𝐁𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰. 𝐁𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞”
yeah i am obsessed! 💞 ✨i can’t say too much because of spoilers but here we go✨
the world expansion? the plot? absolute perfection 🤏🏻 watching everything slowly come together? cinema 👏🏻
the storybook was perfect i just have to add that
this turns into a multi pov and it absolutely delivered on that part
༊·˚𝙾𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊 is still my girl, always gonna be my girl 💓 looking at her growth from book 1 to now is amazing. she goes from being this push over to this strong, confident women who knows what she deserves. i love how she takes control like yes queen as you should!!
𓆩✧𓆪 𝚁𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗, my man 🫦🖤 a man with a dirty mouth is always going to do it for me!! the way he empowers 𝙾𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊 >>>
➵ 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦
𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 ᢉ𐭩
𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚊 & 𝙰𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜 🥹💕
also special shoutout to Evie and Faze 🫶🏻 my babies!!
that ending caused me physical fucking pain. many tears were shed ❤️🩹😭
THAT LAST PARAGRAPH sedate me until book 3 comes out…
• . ݁₊ ⊹ 𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑜𝓂 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒, 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉
𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓂 ⊹ ₊ ݁. •
“𝐁𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰. 𝐁𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞”
yeah i am obsessed! 💞 ✨i can’t say too much because of spoilers but here we go✨
the world expansion? the plot? absolute perfection 🤏🏻 watching everything slowly come together? cinema 👏🏻
the storybook was perfect i just have to add that
this turns into a multi pov and it absolutely delivered on that part
༊·˚𝙾𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊 is still my girl, always gonna be my girl 💓 looking at her growth from book 1 to now is amazing. she goes from being this push over to this strong, confident women who knows what she deserves. i love how she takes control like yes queen as you should!!
𓆩✧𓆪 𝚁𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗, my man 🫦🖤 a man with a dirty mouth is always going to do it for me!! the way he empowers 𝙾𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊 >>>
➵ 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦
𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 ᢉ𐭩
𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚊 & 𝙰𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜 🥹💕
also special shoutout to Evie and Faze 🫶🏻 my babies!!
that ending caused me physical fucking pain. many tears were shed ❤️🩹😭
THAT LAST PARAGRAPH sedate me until book 3 comes out…
• . ݁₊ ⊹ 𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑜𝓂 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒, 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉
𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓂 ⊹ ₊ ݁. •
April 14, 2026
The first half just didn’t work for me. It felt more like tagging along with a child on horseback while trying to escape fantasy monsters, which took away from the adventure. The pacing was so slow, and at times I found it quite boring and hard to stay invested. I understand what the story was trying to do with that, but it just wasn’t for me, and that’s okay.
There were things I did enjoy. The writing is strong, the characters are interesting, and I liked getting extra POVs and seeing the world expand. Even though some twists felt predictable, it was still satisfying watching everything slowly click into place, with lots of emotional layers. That said, the dual timelines and extra storyline didn’t fully work for me, I found myself more interested in Odessa and Ransom and less engaged with the other sections. The romance was also a letdown. As a fantasy romance, it felt like it was missing the tension, longing, and emotion that made the first book so special. Their reunion didn’t have the impact I was hoping for, and even the bigger moments felt a bit flat.
But then the last few chapters completely changed everything. Once the storylines finally came together, I was hooked. It was emotional, intense, and honestly the best part of the book. That ending alone almost made up for the slow start. I didn’t love the book overall, especially compared to how much I adored the first one. DNF was constantly on my mind. I'm still curious to see how it all wraps up in the final book.
There were things I did enjoy. The writing is strong, the characters are interesting, and I liked getting extra POVs and seeing the world expand. Even though some twists felt predictable, it was still satisfying watching everything slowly click into place, with lots of emotional layers. That said, the dual timelines and extra storyline didn’t fully work for me, I found myself more interested in Odessa and Ransom and less engaged with the other sections. The romance was also a letdown. As a fantasy romance, it felt like it was missing the tension, longing, and emotion that made the first book so special. Their reunion didn’t have the impact I was hoping for, and even the bigger moments felt a bit flat.
But then the last few chapters completely changed everything. Once the storylines finally came together, I was hooked. It was emotional, intense, and honestly the best part of the book. That ending alone almost made up for the slow start. I didn’t love the book overall, especially compared to how much I adored the first one. DNF was constantly on my mind. I'm still curious to see how it all wraps up in the final book.
April 9, 2026
Thoughts
😭DEVNEY 😭 FUCKING 😭 PERRY 😭 I do not have the right words to give this masterpiece of a book the credit it deserves! infinite stars doesn't even cut it! I was excited for the second book but this THISSSS???? I'm taking zero criticism on this book let me leave it at that! The details throughout the book were just PERFECTION, the universe, the characters 💓 EVERYTHING!!😭 Odessa forever my bby 🫶🏻🫶🏻 I'm not sure I want to talk about the ending or the last paragraph for that matter JUST GIVE ME BOOK 3 I BEG 😭
My Bookstagram
😭DEVNEY 😭 FUCKING 😭 PERRY 😭 I do not have the right words to give this masterpiece of a book the credit it deserves! infinite stars doesn't even cut it! I was excited for the second book but this THISSSS???? I'm taking zero criticism on this book let me leave it at that! The details throughout the book were just PERFECTION, the universe, the characters 💓 EVERYTHING!!😭 Odessa forever my bby 🫶🏻🫶🏻 I'm not sure I want to talk about the ending or the last paragraph for that matter JUST GIVE ME BOOK 3 I BEG 😭
My Bookstagram
April 11, 2026
5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Until the Divine called me home.
I thought I was fully prepared for Rites of the Starling... now folding that last page with the evidence of dried tears tracing my cheeks is damning enough—nothing could have prepared me for the wreck it would turn me into.
Marvellous storytelling by Devney Perry! She effortlessly elevated this story by seamlessly interlacing a secondary story, adding a richer layer that made the overall story feel intensely vivid and emotionally devastating.
That emotional depth to the story was amplified unexpectedly and as a reader who relishes in emotionally resonant stories even if it results in ugly sobbing and tears... that keeps me delighted.
From the first page I was chased by the omnious sense that it was building up towards something that would destroy me, and the small clues I picked up only sharpened that premonition.
In the end... I was completely wrecked.
And now all I'm left with is the hollowness and grief.
However, the story does not end here. I am thrumming with anticipation for the third installment given the revelations and expanding lore (which some had my jaw drop). I expect it to be nothing short of incredible, especially with Odessa facing greater trials ahead.
I promise you reader, this review is being written with a heavy heart and the frustration that I won't do this book justice. I wish I can capture my feelings and put them in words, but this is a book meant to be experienced.
I highly recommend the audiobook, I'm a fan of dual reading so I was gifted with the best immersive experience by doing both the ebook and audiobook.
Until the Divine called me home.
I thought I was fully prepared for Rites of the Starling... now folding that last page with the evidence of dried tears tracing my cheeks is damning enough—nothing could have prepared me for the wreck it would turn me into.
Marvellous storytelling by Devney Perry! She effortlessly elevated this story by seamlessly interlacing a secondary story, adding a richer layer that made the overall story feel intensely vivid and emotionally devastating.
That emotional depth to the story was amplified unexpectedly and as a reader who relishes in emotionally resonant stories even if it results in ugly sobbing and tears... that keeps me delighted.
From the first page I was chased by the omnious sense that it was building up towards something that would destroy me, and the small clues I picked up only sharpened that premonition.
In the end... I was completely wrecked.
And now all I'm left with is the hollowness and grief.
However, the story does not end here. I am thrumming with anticipation for the third installment given the revelations and expanding lore (which some had my jaw drop). I expect it to be nothing short of incredible, especially with Odessa facing greater trials ahead.
I promise you reader, this review is being written with a heavy heart and the frustration that I won't do this book justice. I wish I can capture my feelings and put them in words, but this is a book meant to be experienced.
I highly recommend the audiobook, I'm a fan of dual reading so I was gifted with the best immersive experience by doing both the ebook and audiobook.
Want to Read
May 3, 2026Holy cliffhanger altho not really enjoyed the first book but this story has a lot of potential.
Currently Reading
May 3, 2026🕊 𝓶𝓲𝓭-𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦋་༘࿐
WHAT THE FCK IS GOING ON
𓅫 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
I JUST GOT LIBBY AND THIS WAS ON THERE NO HOLD WHAT FOMO CURE IN PROGRESS YAAAAAAAAAAAA
WHAT THE FCK IS GOING ON
𓅫 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐
I JUST GOT LIBBY AND THIS WAS ON THERE NO HOLD WHAT FOMO CURE IN PROGRESS YAAAAAAAAAAAA
April 19, 2026
Even though I flew through it, I thought Shield of Sparrows was a bit overrated, even somewhat predictable in an enjoyable way until the end. The cliffhanger had me excited, but not dying to get my hands on the next book. And going into RotS I assumed I’d be happy to finally get some answers to the myriad of questions left dangling.
I was not prepared for the depth to which Devney was willing to delve in this sequel. I’m still trying to remember the last romantasy I read that ended with tears streaming down my face.
In SoS it’s clear that power plays are afoot between kingdoms, in the midst of a continental crisis dealing with savage monster attacks and preparing for more. While a battle for power is still at the root of the conflict, RotS ventures deeper, exploring the tragedy and consequence of people who are persecuted and displaced. And perhaps the most heartbreaking theme is one of sacrifice. Sacrifices made on behalf of love, and sacrifices made for the greater good.
Odessa finds herself traveling back to her home kingdom, separated from her husband, in charge of protecting a child in the company of a Voster priest she is not sure she can trust. Alternating with Odessa’s journey is Caspia’s, providing a new storyline that is clearly and mysteriously related.
The elements that captivated me most in this sequel involve the character development and the careful way that mysteries are slowly unraveled. Caspia is fierce, filled with love and loyalty, and enough determination that her story feels fated to alter the trajectory of the continent. Odessa builds on her arc from the first book, no longer sidelined but self determined. She is a survivor, protector, investigator, a future queen.
In order to avoid spoilers I’m going to remain vague. The main couples are by no means the same, but they do share beautiful bonds. That consuming, comforting kind of love which offers the surety that each half of the couple is the other’s home, regardless of time or distance apart. Between the found family and characters whose motives are constantly in question, everyone is layered, distinct, and bears taking a second look at before judging.
Speaking of judgment, I assumed that finding answers to the riddles left open in SoS would also mean solutions. Maybe this is partially true, but I also didn’t consider that fiercely guarded secrets seldom feel good when they finally surface. That someone would have to take the burden and make sacrifices for saving the continent from the monsters. Selfishly, I want to say to heck with the continent and save the characters I’ve become so attached to. But I guess that wouldn’t make for a very good story, would it?
5⭐️’s kindle & audio
Thank you to my mom for buddy reading, bouncing theories around with me, and not judging when I hated a character one minute and loved them the next ❤️❤️. We both loved it, and we have a date for March 9, 2027.
———————————————————-
Buddy read with my mom, our first of the year 🥰
I was not prepared for the depth to which Devney was willing to delve in this sequel. I’m still trying to remember the last romantasy I read that ended with tears streaming down my face.
In SoS it’s clear that power plays are afoot between kingdoms, in the midst of a continental crisis dealing with savage monster attacks and preparing for more. While a battle for power is still at the root of the conflict, RotS ventures deeper, exploring the tragedy and consequence of people who are persecuted and displaced. And perhaps the most heartbreaking theme is one of sacrifice. Sacrifices made on behalf of love, and sacrifices made for the greater good.
Odessa finds herself traveling back to her home kingdom, separated from her husband, in charge of protecting a child in the company of a Voster priest she is not sure she can trust. Alternating with Odessa’s journey is Caspia’s, providing a new storyline that is clearly and mysteriously related.
The elements that captivated me most in this sequel involve the character development and the careful way that mysteries are slowly unraveled. Caspia is fierce, filled with love and loyalty, and enough determination that her story feels fated to alter the trajectory of the continent. Odessa builds on her arc from the first book, no longer sidelined but self determined. She is a survivor, protector, investigator, a future queen.
In order to avoid spoilers I’m going to remain vague. The main couples are by no means the same, but they do share beautiful bonds. That consuming, comforting kind of love which offers the surety that each half of the couple is the other’s home, regardless of time or distance apart. Between the found family and characters whose motives are constantly in question, everyone is layered, distinct, and bears taking a second look at before judging.
Speaking of judgment, I assumed that finding answers to the riddles left open in SoS would also mean solutions. Maybe this is partially true, but I also didn’t consider that fiercely guarded secrets seldom feel good when they finally surface. That someone would have to take the burden and make sacrifices for saving the continent from the monsters. Selfishly, I want to say to heck with the continent and save the characters I’ve become so attached to. But I guess that wouldn’t make for a very good story, would it?
5⭐️’s kindle & audio
Thank you to my mom for buddy reading, bouncing theories around with me, and not judging when I hated a character one minute and loved them the next ❤️❤️. We both loved it, and we have a date for March 9, 2027.
———————————————————-
Buddy read with my mom, our first of the year 🥰
April 17, 2026
In the great words of Kylie Jenner, this is the book where we start “realizing things”. I’m excited, heartbroken, obsessed, and ready for my heart to be even more heartbroken. However, I believe Devney will patch us up in book 3 (God willing)!
This book is a slow pace, perfect for people who LOVE a thought provoking plot where you are trying to fit pieces together. I accidentally got spoiled, or I do think a lot of pieces would’ve bamboozled tf out of me.
Caspia is a new character introduced in this book, and her POV’s were my favorite parts of the first half of this book. I felt she was woven in so well.
Odessa and Ransom I felt took a bit of a backseat as far as romance, but the character development for Odessa was unmatched. Everything now is starting to make sense, I can’t wait to see her be the bad ass that she is in book 3.
This book is NOT for people who are looking for a ton of action and tension-filled romance, this book is for people who love storytelling.
5 stars, I wept, and I couldn’t put the book down after around 65%, I was so sucked in!
This book is a slow pace, perfect for people who LOVE a thought provoking plot where you are trying to fit pieces together. I accidentally got spoiled, or I do think a lot of pieces would’ve bamboozled tf out of me.
Caspia is a new character introduced in this book, and her POV’s were my favorite parts of the first half of this book. I felt she was woven in so well.
Odessa and Ransom I felt took a bit of a backseat as far as romance, but the character development for Odessa was unmatched. Everything now is starting to make sense, I can’t wait to see her be the bad ass that she is in book 3.
This book is NOT for people who are looking for a ton of action and tension-filled romance, this book is for people who love storytelling.
5 stars, I wept, and I couldn’t put the book down after around 65%, I was so sucked in!
April 10, 2026
Did we all read the same book? 🥴
April 7, 2026
might be an unpopular opinion but…
I didn’t love it.
Sad to say that, as Shield of Sparrows was one of my favourite reads of last year. I read and reread it over and over.
I think, as a fantasy book this is a solid read. It has got lots of twists and turns and the world definitely expands. But the thing that worried me from listening to the ARC reviews was that not one person mentioned the romance.
And that’s because, there wasn’t much. As a fantasy ROMANCE I was bitterly disappointed with this. We spent half of the book waiting for THAT reunion. And then it just sort of happened with very little fan fare. There wasn’t any of the tension, the pining or the yearning that we had in book one. Most of Odessa and Ransom’s interactions were about their situation. Even the spicy scenes felt like they just been put in to fit a quota. I had none of the butterflies that book 1 gave me, none of the excitement of reading.
I also understand why there was dual POV but it was pretty obvious who Caspia was almost immediately and how the timeline worked. Unfortunately I just didn’t really enjoy her sections and found myself skimming ahead, wanting to read what was happening with Odessa and Ransom.
To be honest, I probably won’t buy the next book, which is a shame. I definitely applaud the writer for her worldbuilding and for creating a really interesting fantasy story. I personally just wanted to have romance, but I’m sure others will have loved it.
I didn’t love it.
Sad to say that, as Shield of Sparrows was one of my favourite reads of last year. I read and reread it over and over.
I think, as a fantasy book this is a solid read. It has got lots of twists and turns and the world definitely expands. But the thing that worried me from listening to the ARC reviews was that not one person mentioned the romance.
And that’s because, there wasn’t much. As a fantasy ROMANCE I was bitterly disappointed with this. We spent half of the book waiting for THAT reunion. And then it just sort of happened with very little fan fare. There wasn’t any of the tension, the pining or the yearning that we had in book one. Most of Odessa and Ransom’s interactions were about their situation. Even the spicy scenes felt like they just been put in to fit a quota. I had none of the butterflies that book 1 gave me, none of the excitement of reading.
I also understand why there was dual POV but it was pretty obvious who Caspia was almost immediately and how the timeline worked. Unfortunately I just didn’t really enjoy her sections and found myself skimming ahead, wanting to read what was happening with Odessa and Ransom.
To be honest, I probably won’t buy the next book, which is a shame. I definitely applaud the writer for her worldbuilding and for creating a really interesting fantasy story. I personally just wanted to have romance, but I’m sure others will have loved it.
April 12, 2026
« Never a doubt. Never a hesitation. I didn’t deserve this man. But I was keeping him all the same. »
My thoughts are a bit jumbled with this one - but basically if you thought (like me) that the first instalment had too many inner questions, inner monologue & inner thoughts… well, this one suffers from that as well.
« If you’ve read all of those books and still don’t believe in magic, then you’ve missed the point, girl. »
I was sort of annoyed with the second pov (Caspia) because even if she wasn’t a bad character or anything like that, I knew who she was right when she was introduced and her story was shaky. Her plots were directionless and changing drastically. Her personality was flaky. I was mostly bored by her story and I know it’s my fault because I guessed the twist right away but still. I think people who won’t know who she is will like her storyline so it might be my fault. I analyze too much.
I was also a bit bored with the romance, especially since they were apart for such a large chunk of the book.
I really liked the new characters that were introduced (Jodhi & Thora) and really love Faze.
The bottom line is that there was once again too many questions & inner monologues, the povs felt the same, the pacing was underwhelming, the babysitting trope was irritating, the romance was disappointing & I predicted every twists there was. For some reason though, I still recommend this because it’s sort of fun?
« All her grief, all her sorrow, she gave to him. Because like me, she knew he could carry the load. »
My thoughts are a bit jumbled with this one - but basically if you thought (like me) that the first instalment had too many inner questions, inner monologue & inner thoughts… well, this one suffers from that as well.
« If you’ve read all of those books and still don’t believe in magic, then you’ve missed the point, girl. »
I was sort of annoyed with the second pov (Caspia) because even if she wasn’t a bad character or anything like that, I knew who she was right when she was introduced and her story was shaky. Her plots were directionless and changing drastically. Her personality was flaky. I was mostly bored by her story and I know it’s my fault because I guessed the twist right away but still. I think people who won’t know who she is will like her storyline so it might be my fault. I analyze too much.
I was also a bit bored with the romance, especially since they were apart for such a large chunk of the book.
I really liked the new characters that were introduced (Jodhi & Thora) and really love Faze.
The bottom line is that there was once again too many questions & inner monologues, the povs felt the same, the pacing was underwhelming, the babysitting trope was irritating, the romance was disappointing & I predicted every twists there was. For some reason though, I still recommend this because it’s sort of fun?
« All her grief, all her sorrow, she gave to him. Because like me, she knew he could carry the load. »
April 9, 2026
This was so disappointing and I’m incredibly confused as to why there are so many positive reviews. While the book picks up right where we left off, the addition of new characters was an absolute no for me. I did not care about Caspia and her instant love connection, I already fell in love with characters book 1. We don’t even get to hear about, or see Ransom until halfway through. The first 50% of the book is Odessa and Evie traveling, getting lucky everywhere they go. The voster, random strangers not charging them for their stays, and warriors helping them get to Quentis, just like that? Holy plot armor. Not to mention this was all BORING. Tiresome conversation, Evie complaining about who she misses (poor girl), and Odessa repeating to herself that Ransom is alive. Every other chapter is a POV from Caspia, her chapters are longer than Odessa’s by the way- and her role was beyond predictable. It’s frustrating when authors have such strong starts to series just to completely switch up the plot in the following books.
April 27, 2026
✩ 3 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Secret Identities
➼ Self-Discovery
➼ Prophetic Magic
➼ Multiple Love Stories
➼ Heartbreak
➼ Cursed Bloodline
➼ Hidden Truths
➼ Narrated by Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, & Megan Wicks
➼ First Person POV
This book really let me down. Three stars is generous. This was DNF worthy until about 70% in. I get what the author was trying to do with Caspia’s story and she was clearly successful with a lot of readers out there, but it didn’t work for me. Despite guessing who she was from the beginning, with no confirmation of her identity, I simply didn’t care about her story. I tend to only like multiple POV’s if the characters are in close proximity to each other and adding to the same thread of the story, so it’s really no surprise that this book wasn’t for me. I saw a Bookstagramer saying that they thought Capia’s story should have been a novella rather than an added POV and I honestly couldn’t agree more.
The MC’s were also separated for way too much of this story which is a plot device that I truly hate and so often contributes to the second book syndrome for me. The author did regain my interest in the last quarter of the book and it finished strong, but it was too late to completely save this book. I also didn’t feel the emotional response to the ending that I’ve seen many other readers discussing. 🤷🏼♀️ Guess I’m just cold hearted. 😜 I’m genuinely shocked to see so many readers rating such a boring book 5 stars. 🙃
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Oof… I’m about 60% in, and so far, this is not good. 🙃
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Secret Identities
➼ Self-Discovery
➼ Prophetic Magic
➼ Multiple Love Stories
➼ Heartbreak
➼ Cursed Bloodline
➼ Hidden Truths
➼ Narrated by Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, & Megan Wicks
➼ First Person POV
This book really let me down. Three stars is generous. This was DNF worthy until about 70% in. I get what the author was trying to do with Caspia’s story and she was clearly successful with a lot of readers out there, but it didn’t work for me. Despite guessing who she was from the beginning, with no confirmation of her identity, I simply didn’t care about her story. I tend to only like multiple POV’s if the characters are in close proximity to each other and adding to the same thread of the story, so it’s really no surprise that this book wasn’t for me. I saw a Bookstagramer saying that they thought Capia’s story should have been a novella rather than an added POV and I honestly couldn’t agree more.
The MC’s were also separated for way too much of this story which is a plot device that I truly hate and so often contributes to the second book syndrome for me. The author did regain my interest in the last quarter of the book and it finished strong, but it was too late to completely save this book. I also didn’t feel the emotional response to the ending that I’ve seen many other readers discussing. 🤷🏼♀️ Guess I’m just cold hearted. 😜 I’m genuinely shocked to see so many readers rating such a boring book 5 stars. 🙃
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Oof… I’m about 60% in, and so far, this is not good. 🙃
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
April 16, 2026
Nothing happened… until everything happened in the last 10%.
Slow, repetitive, and way too much unnecessary withholding. By the time answers came, I didn’t even care.
Disappointing after such a strong first book.
Slow, repetitive, and way too much unnecessary withholding. By the time answers came, I didn’t even care.
Disappointing after such a strong first book.
Want to Read
November 14, 2025Okay cover slay
May 1, 2026
4.54 🌟
This one took its time getting going…honestly, the back-and-forth in the beginning had me a little bored. But once I hit around the 60% mark, everything shifted and I was locked in. The pacing picked up, the tension built, and that ending? So well done.
And yes…the spice was definitely spicing in this one 👀
I ended up falling for some new characters, and watching all the little clues come together at the end was incredibly satisfying. A slow cooker but if you let it simmer, it sets things up perfectly for the final book.
Not quite a full 5 stars for me…I did enjoy the first book a bit more…but I really appreciated how thoughtfully everything was woven together. Such a strong setup, and now I’m so ready for book three!
This one took its time getting going…honestly, the back-and-forth in the beginning had me a little bored. But once I hit around the 60% mark, everything shifted and I was locked in. The pacing picked up, the tension built, and that ending? So well done.
And yes…the spice was definitely spicing in this one 👀
I ended up falling for some new characters, and watching all the little clues come together at the end was incredibly satisfying. A slow cooker but if you let it simmer, it sets things up perfectly for the final book.
Not quite a full 5 stars for me…I did enjoy the first book a bit more…but I really appreciated how thoughtfully everything was woven together. Such a strong setup, and now I’m so ready for book three!
April 28, 2026
Full RTC. I need to sleep (aka not sleep at all and theorize for hours) on this cause WTAF
Pre read:
Yeah so there's absolutely no way I'm not instantly continuing. Idk how you people who wait do it. I can only wait if I'm forced by the next book not being out.
ANYWAYS. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOO (??!! I'm kinda scared)
Pre read:
Yeah so there's absolutely no way I'm not instantly continuing. Idk how you people who wait do it. I can only wait if I'm forced by the next book not being out.
ANYWAYS. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOO (??!! I'm kinda scared)
April 8, 2026
Genre: Fantasy Romance
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
🎧 5/5 (Duet Narration)
Cliffhanger: Yes
Noteworthy: Book 2 of an incomplete trilogy. Multi first-person POV. Available on KU.
I literally just finished this book and am a mess of emotions. Some advice coming from someone who was unsure about this book for a good portion of it. Trust the process and you won't be disappointed. These first two books are like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Book 1 was like starting with some of the middle of the puzzle then stoping halfway through to complete the border in book 2. The story feels different but it's needed to complete the whole story.
The way this book methodically builds to it's peak is a masterclass in storytelling. After the 50% mark I started get those tell tale tingles telling me this was going to gut punch me. I was prepared and it still hurt. So good!
I love how we get so many answers too. It's a perfect set up for what feels like an action packed final book. I can't wait to finish the puzzle of this story!
Infinity stars for this series as a whole!
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
🎧 5/5 (Duet Narration)
Cliffhanger: Yes
Noteworthy: Book 2 of an incomplete trilogy. Multi first-person POV. Available on KU.
I literally just finished this book and am a mess of emotions. Some advice coming from someone who was unsure about this book for a good portion of it. Trust the process and you won't be disappointed. These first two books are like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Book 1 was like starting with some of the middle of the puzzle then stoping halfway through to complete the border in book 2. The story feels different but it's needed to complete the whole story.
The way this book methodically builds to it's peak is a masterclass in storytelling. After the 50% mark I started get those tell tale tingles telling me this was going to gut punch me. I was prepared and it still hurt. So good!
I love how we get so many answers too. It's a perfect set up for what feels like an action packed final book. I can't wait to finish the puzzle of this story!
Infinity stars for this series as a whole!
Read
April 9, 2026soft DNF for now, will come back to later when I’m more in the mood.
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