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Rites of the Starling

by Devney Perry

Book 2 in Shield of Sparrows

The middle-book curse gets politely punted into a ravine: more monsters, more family rot, more Ransom/Odessa ache, and a final turn that makes book three feel immediately necessary.

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goodreads 4.41/5 68 ratings

storykind_community 4.31/5 13 ratings

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A decision-first view of the reading experience.

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Content warnings: Violence, Graphic violence, Death, Death of a parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Blood, Gore, Murder, Captivity, Kidnapping, Drug use, Addiction, Genocide, Misogyny, Classism, Animal death, Animal abuse, Injury detail, Amputation, Hospitalization, Fire, Alcohol use, Poisoning, Human trafficking, Sexual assault (referenced), Sexual content, Pregnancy

Length500 pages

Series statusOngoing series

Spice4/5 · Emotional / vulnerable intimacy

PacingMedium

Story profile

What the story promises

The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.

Romance promise

Established relationship
Male/female pairing (M/F)
High
Emotional / vulnerable intimacy
The angst delivered
Warrior/fighter

Forbidden love
Slow burn with late spice
Cathartic release
Morally gray
Protective love interest
Passionate / intense
Earned hope
Touch her and die
Tension / anticipation
Book hangover incoming
Feral devotion
Possessive/protective
Hurt/comfort
Frequent explicit scenes
Found family
Tension
Anticipation
Longing glances
Touch starvation

Fantasy promise

Romantasy
Royal court / palace
High fantasy
Monsters
Secret heir/royalty
Forest / wilderness

Grimdark / dark fantasy
Adventure romance
War front / rebellion
Prophecy-driven love
Temple / church / monastery
Sacrifice/martyrdom
Prison / captivity
Hidden past revealed
Survival romance

Reading experience

Multi-POV
Medium
Epic
Cinematic
Heavy
Royalty

Dark
Immersive
Reluctant chosen one
Emotional
Survivor
Dramatic
Protector
Intense
Atmospheric
Angsty
Lush
Yearning
Character-driven
Mythic
Dangerous
Tense
Chosen one burden
Political intrigue
Survival against impossible odds
Protect at all costs
War-torn kingdom
Cliffhanger warning
Emotional devastation
Series binge material

Similar in ways that matter

Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.

528 pages Completed

Shield of Sparrows

Devney Perry

Similar because

Forbidden love · Secret heir/royalty · Survival romance

Different because

Spice is lower (3/5 vs 4/5).

984 pages Completed

Kingdom of Ash

Sarah J. Maas

Similar because

Feral devotion · Adventure romance · Survival romance

Different because

Spice is lower (3/5 vs 4/5). A longer read (984 vs 500 pages).

544 pages Completed

Onyx Storm

Rebecca Yarros

Similar because

Hidden past revealed · Frequent explicit scenes · Adventure romance

Book details

Length: 500 pages
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Language: English
Format: Book