Reading With Tyler

Name: Rites of the Starling
Series: Shield of Sparrows #2
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Format: Hardback – Waterstones SE
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Rating: 6 Stars!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review:

Rites of the Starling is the second book in the Shield of Sparrows (planned) trilogy by Devney Perry. There will be spoilers below for the first book, Shield of Sparrows. Any spoilers for Rites of the Starling will be hidden as normal.

Guys, Devney Perry has done it again.

After loving a book and rating it 6 stars, I never go into the sequel expecting the same result. I always hope for the 5 star feeling, but never expect the 6 star result. And yet, something told me Rites of the Starling was going to be phenomenal, and it was. I didn’t get my copy early enough on release day to get much reading done then, and despite being on annual leave, I did end up rather busy so I was only able to sit down for a couple hours a day – and then before bed – to get any reading done. I still ate this up, finishing it in 3 days.

Odessa and Ransom’s story just continues to have me hooked. Rites of the Starling only enhanced my love for these two!! Ransom’s situation is getting worse, Odessa is trying to keep Evie (and herself) alive without Ransom as they’ve been separated, and they’re dealing with a possible early Crux migration because of the scout that appeared at the end of Shield of Sparrows, all while in a different kingdom! Gosh, that’s a lot.

I’m most proud of Odessa, our queen of finding herself in situations she doesn’t expect! But not only does she navigate seriously dangerous situations with a young child to keep a live, but she also stands up to … certain characters, in a way that felt really god damn amazing. I’m really proud of her growth in Rites of the Starling.

On top of all they’re going through, we actually have a second POV in Rites of the Starling – this is following Caspia, a Quinscent who is called to her ritus to become a Starling… oh and on a quest for vengence. That may seem like a lot of information, but Caspia does a pretty damn good job explaining everything to us early on in the book – so for now, just know that she is essentially royalty for another kingdom, Caspia can explain the rest when you read the book. And THESE chapters, these were the ones that bumped a 5 star read into 6 star read territory.

“You said the women in your family have a tradition. A rite. You leave home to discover the person you’re meant to be. Well, I’m rather fond of the woman you are now. I think I’ll be rather fond of the woman you become, too.”

For as much as I love Odessa and Ransom, without Caspia’s chapters, the story being woven would have felt very gappy, riddled with holes. Caspia and Andreas really added context to the situation, and my heart broke for them. Their whole story, coupled with the situation Odessa and Ransom find themselves in at the end of this book broke me. I was sobbing – not only over the ending, but over the implications for the final book, over my theories for the final book…

There is no doubt in my mind that this is another 6 star read, I quite simply loved this book. I love these characters. I love this growing world. I love the monsters (Faze is to be protected at all costs, I never want them to part with their Tarkin, ever!!). I may not ever read Devney’s romance work purely because pure romance is just not for me, but her writing in SoS and RotS is so easy to read and follow that it wouldn’t surprise me if I enjoyed her romances despite not being a pure romance lover.

I urge every Romantasy fan to pick up Shield of Sparrows because it was a brilliant read in itself, but coupled with Rites of the Starling… It’s just that good. I fear for book 3, I am genuinely scared for book 3. But also, I need it. I cannot wait for the final book in this trilogy. And I can’t help but wonder… could it also be a 6 star read!?

“You were always my queen. It’s not your fault they weren’t paying attention.”