Caffeinated Reviewer

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is a slow-burn romantasy and the first in the Chains of the Seven. Odessa unexpectedly finds herself wed to fulfill a treaty made by her father. Monsters stalk this cursed realm in an enemy to lovers, queen turned warrior epic tale that will leave you begging for more.

Now in development as a feature film with Amazon MGM Studios, with John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad attached to write the script.

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

The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.

I’ve spent my life kneeling—to their will and to my father's. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.

I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.

But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.

Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him—bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.

Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.

But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?

And what if—for the first time—I reached for it?

I requested an advanced audio copy and received a surprise physical arc of Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. I navigated between reading and listening to this first in a new romantasy series from Red Tower Publishing.

This fantasy has it all: a princess who isn’t the favorite child, an arranged marriage, an enemy to lovers, romance and monsters. We see the heroine grow confident away from her father and stepmother’s influence. There is betrayal, hope, and a slow-building romance despite deception.

While I saw similarities to Fourth Wing, Perry’s first dabble into romantic fantasy was a good one. From the kingdoms to the magical systems, gods and monsters, I was reminded of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s from Blood and Ash series.

Fair warning the story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I know I will be impatiently waiting to see what happens. Though Odessa is the older sister, a treaty dictates her younger sister’s marriage to Turah’s heir. All of that suddenly changes when the heir demands Odessa instead. Left with no choice, the King agrees.

Odessa is sent with instructions from her father to kill the prince and find the entrance to his kingdom. The tale that unfolds has it all, from monsters to tree houses. While the prince is mostly silent, Odessa spends most of her time with Guardian, the protector of the people of Turah. It was interesting to watch their trust build and confusing for Odessa as her feelings toward the Guardian grow complicated.

As the story progresses, our inquisitive princess learns to fight, discovers secrets and questions everything. I loved the back-and-forth banter between Odessa and the Guardian. It was that love/hate bickering that I love. Trust flourishes and feeling become complicated until truths are revealed.

The world-building and pacing were splendid, and I enjoyed both reading and listening. Samantha Brentmoor narrated, and Jason Clarke reads the last chapter from a male point of view. I did not care for the voice that Samantha gave the Guardian and switch off to reading parts. The audio itself was well done. You’ll need to listen to decide for yourself.

Amazon* | Audible | Libro.fm

About Devney Perry

Devney is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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