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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry is about a princess that was never meant to rule, never meant to fight, and she was never meant to be part of the negotiation in an ancient treaty that gets signed in blood. One day Odessa steps into her father’s throne room and her entire life is changed forever. Odessa goes on a treacherous journey to her new life with a husband she barely knows. Odessa is now supposed to be a queen, a spy, and ultimately a sacrifice.

Tropes:

• Slow Burn 
• Enemies to Lovers 
• Forced Proximity 
• Arranged Marriage 
• Brooding Mysterious Hero
• Independent Female Main Character
• Myths & Magic 

I absolutely loved this book. It was so hard to put down. I was so sad for the story to end and it did not help that we ended in a cliffhanger. I need the sequel like yesterday. It is that good. I thought Devney Perry did a really good job with the world building. I enjoyed learning about all the different monsters. The different cities in Torah were so much fun and very unique. I really loved this world that Perry created.

Odessa has lived a very sheltered life because her family didn’t believe that she was good for anything. She was meant to be seen and not heard. Her step-mother wanted her to be different. She even made her dye her hair. She made her only wear grey clothes. Odessa’s entire life is turned upside down when Prince Zavier decides to choose her hand in marriage instead of her sister Mae. Now Mae has been trained to be the queen of a foreign land where Odessa has been ignored her whole life. She is less than prepared for the situation she is about to find herself in.

Since nothing went according to her fathers’s or sister’s plan, Odessa ends up getting speed spy training. Her father fills her in things that he and Mae have been planning for a long time. Still they don’t tell her everything and so one has faith or trust in Odessa. Then they feed her to the wolves and basically hope for the best expecting that she will accomplish nothing.

I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters in Shield of Sparrows. You find real fast that even the supporting characters are really important in this story. Word of the wise, pay attention to everyone. I loved the slow burn relationship between Odessa and the Guardian. Their banter is fantastic. The friendship these two end up having is pretty amazing. I really enjoyed getting to know Odessa and the Guardian. When I finally get to read book two, I am hoping we can see Odessa come even more into her own.

Shield of Sparrows was fantastic. Thank you Red Tower for my ARC copy. I was not expecting it at all and I was so excited to get the opportunity to read this book. It was fabulous. Now if you would be willing to send me book two ASAP, I would greatly appreciate it.