Rites of the Starling

Shield of Sparrows, Book 2

By: Devney Perry

Narrated by: Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, Megan Wicks

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.

©2026 Devney Perry (P)2026 Recorded Books

Great Book, But....

This was a great book, but very different (IMO) from the first one. First if Samantha Brentmoor voiced Ransom's voice in the first book, I LOVED that voice and wish they would have continued it in the second book. One of the things I absolutely loved in Shield of Sparrows was the banter between the two main characters and it just didn't translate in Rites of the Starling. I'm not sure if it's because they're a more settled couple or if it's because Ransom's voice in this book sounds about 20 years older than Des's. I think it's the later and I just didn't buy into their relationship as much as I did in the first book. Also their were strange pronunciations especially the way Des and Ransom pronounced Alisaria (sp?). Stephanie pronounced it very strangely, differently than she did in the first book. The two MC's were having a conversation and both pronounced the name of the city differently. Weird! As for the story, yes you could guess where some of it was going, but there were fun twists and surprises.

Duet made it awesome!

This story came together so well. I had theories the whole time, so I refrained from social media until I finished the book. I'm glad some of my theories turned out right! I loved every part of it.

Perry should have duet narrators on all her books. The first book was harder to get through since all of Samantha's men sound the same. Jason improved it so much!!!

Mind Blown

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Oh my heart—this one wrecked me in the best possible way.

I’m going to be very careful here because you absolutely, under no circumstances, should know anything going into this. No spoilers, no hints—just trust me.

Book one was my favorite read of 2025… and somehow, this just claimed my top spot for 2026.

By the end, when everything came together and tied up in the most perfect, satisfying way, I was completely obliterated. Crying. Smiling. Laughing. Feeling everything all at once.

I genuinely cannot say enough good things about this book without risking ruining the experience—so I’ll just say this:

Add it to your TBR. Immediately.

No cliffhanger. No frustration. Just a beautifully done, perfectly wrapped ending that stays with you long after you finish.

Amazing!!! But Caspia’s narrator drove me insane!!

Fantastic writing and story! No complaints! The performance of the narrators also amazing, but the female narrator for Caspia gasped air after EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE. Every last one - it was so incredibly distracting!!! So bad that I will literally not listen to another book she narrates - it nearly ruined the book for me!

An epic adventure!

I enjoyed every minute spent with Dess and company on another epic adventure spun by Devney Perry. The rich world in which we traveled was fascinating. More characters, monsters and mysteries to solve. My favorite was learning about Caspia and her quest. I didn’t want this book to end. So much intrigue and magic throughout. I cannot wait for the next book! Fresh adventures ahead with new characters and some of my favorites - please write faster, Devney! The audio book was amazing!