#8 in Romance
Shield of Sparrows
- 652
- Pages
- about 12 h
- Reading time
- NYT bestseller · 3 weeks on the list, peaked at #4
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About the book
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?
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.6 across 243 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 57% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Romance average of 8.0. That is how 8.3 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 8.6 | 243 | 100% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“SIX STARS. If you're reading this review, stop and go read this book instead.”
“the first ~60% of the plot is so slow and nothing happens, just so that there's a ~slow burn~. also, the world building in first person POV in this book is horrendous. the character asks herself a million questions, and the few times she asks another character questions, they ignore her. this was going to be a 1 star book for me, except the last ~1/4 of the book is actually really good. I'm so mad because this could've been such a great book, had most of the focus not been on trying to draw out a slow burn romance for *checks notes* no reason.”
Frequently asked
What is Shield of Sparrows rated?
8.3 out of 10, from 243 reader ratings across 1 independent sources.
Is Shield of Sparrows worth reading?
Readers give it 8.3/10 from 243 ratings, which puts it ahead of 94 % of the Romance shelf.
How long does it take to read Shield of Sparrows?
About 12 hours at an average reading pace — 652 pages.
Where does Shield of Sparrows rank?
#8 in Romance on the current snapshot.
Was Shield of Sparrows a bestseller?
Yes — 3 weeks on the New York Times list, peaking at #4. Sales are shown here but never scored.
How long is Shield of Sparrows?
It has 652 pages — longer than 71% of the ranked books in Romance.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Romance — and a score of 8.3, the closest to this book.
