Rites of the Starling is the second book in Devney Perry’s Shield of Sparrows romantasy trilogy, published by Red Tower Books on April 7, 2026. This guide covers the premise without spoilers, the main characters, the spice question, content warnings, reading order, audiobook and special editions, and the next book. It draws on official sources and published reviews rather than a first-hand read, and it labels opinion as opinion.
Quick answer: It is an adult fantasy romance with a dangerous quest, monsters and two intertwined storylines. Read Shield of Sparrows first. The book includes on-page sexual content, and reviewers rate the heat anywhere from moderate to high.
Rites of the Starling at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Author | Devney Perry |
| Series | Shield of Sparrows, book 2 of 3 |
| Genre | Romantasy (fantasy romance) |
| Publisher | Red Tower Books, an Entangled imprint (UK edition through Penguin UK) |
| Publication date | April 7, 2026 |
| US hardcover | ISBN 9781682816752, about 500 pages |
| UK hardback and ebook | ISBNs 9781911750185 and 9781911750208; the UK ebook runs 592 pages |
| Audio | Standard audiobook (17 hr 22 min) and a two-part Graphic Audio dramatization |
| Before and after | Shield of Sparrows (book 1), Seven and the Swift (book 3) |
Sources: Devney Perry’s book page, Penguin UK and a US retailer listing for the hardcover ISBN and page count. ISBNs and page counts differ by edition and country.
When Was Rites of the Starling Released?
Rites of the Starling came out on April 7, 2026. The audio versions followed at different times:
| Format | Release date |
|---|---|
| Hardcover and ebook | April 7, 2026 (Penguin UK) |
| Standard audiobook | April 7, 2026 (Audible) |
| Graphic Audio, Part 1 | July 7, 2026 (Amazon) |
| Graphic Audio, Part 2 | September 14, 2026 (Amazon) |
| Book 3, Seven and the Swift | Scheduled for March 9, 2027 (Amazon US) |
Rites of the Starling Special Edition (Deluxe Limited Edition)
People search for this edition as the special edition, the deluxe edition or the limited edition. Retailers list it as the deluxe limited edition. It is a hardcover with sprayed edges, full-colour endpapers, a foil-stamped case and special jacket effects, according to a bookseller listing.
It was part of the first print run, sold in the US and Canada only, and offered while supplies lasted. If you want it now, check that a listing says “deluxe limited,” because the standard hardcover shares the same title. Those extras belong to this edition alone.
Who Is Andreas in Rites of the Starling?
Andreas Cross is a central figure in the book’s second storyline. He is the man Caspia meets after she arrives in Calandra, and he helps her understand an unfamiliar continent and the monsters that haunt it. Their bond deepens as her story goes on.
SPOILER WARNING: Andreas and Odessa
According to Books That Slay, Andreas is Odessa’s father. That matches the same summary’s description of King Cross of Quentis as her father. It also explains why Andreas withholds so much from her in the present.
What Is Rites of the Starling About?
Odessa, a princess, is separated from her husband after a devastating attack. Monsters hunt her, a powerful priest kidnaps her, and a young girl depends on her to stay alive, all while the crux migration closes in on Calandra’s five kingdoms.
The official synopsis frames the central question as one of identity. People around Odessa want her to become a queen, a spy or a sacrifice, and she has to decide whether to claim the crown on her own terms. The Guardian role, which the narrator says is now hers to take, gives that choice real weight for the realm.
The novel also adds a second point-of-view character with her own romance, according to The Library Ladies. Two storylines run side by side, and that structure shapes both the pacing and the romance discussed below.
Do You Need to Read Shield of Sparrows First?
Yes. This is a direct sequel, and the synopsis assumes you already know the crux migration, the Guardian role and the separated couple. Retailer copy for the book also describes the trilogy as best enjoyed in order.
The reading order is:
- Shield of Sparrows (book 1, 2025)
- Rites of the Starling (book 2, 2026)
- Seven and the Swift (book 3, scheduled for 2027)
If you searched for “Rites of the Starling book 1,” note that this title is book 2.
Rites of the Starling Characters in Detail
The book runs two storylines, so it helps to think of the cast in two groups: Odessa’s present-day journey and Caspia’s earlier one. Details below come from the official synopsis and published summaries, mainly Books That Slay. They are described without spoilers, and the big reveals are in the box at the end.
Odessa’s storyline
- Odessa: a princess who has spent her life being managed by others. Here she has to decide who she is when no one is giving her orders. She is the heart of the book.
- Ransom: her husband. When their camp is found abandoned, he sets out to find her, relying on what he knows of how she thinks. He is loyal and protective, with something unsettling in his own story.
- Evie and Faze: companions on Odessa’s road. Evie is young, and caring for her pushes Odessa to act faster and think harder.
- Brother Dime and Brother Skore: Voster priests who lead Odessa along a path she didn’t choose, toward a place called Ozarth where she is told she will learn about her dynasty. She distrusts them, and for good reason.
- Thora and the Mavins: a mercenary company Odessa bargains with to reach Quentis. They show her that she can negotiate and make hard choices.
- Margot and King Cross: Odessa’s stepmother and father, back in Quentis, where she faces them as a different person than the one who left.
- Hain, Healer Alore and Luella: the knowledge keepers. Hain is a Voster priest who helps Caspia see Calandra’s history differently, Alore studies Ransom’s blood for answers, and Luella’s old journals give Odessa clues.
Caspia’s storyline
- Caspia Starling: a young woman from Nelfinex haunted by dreams of her sister’s death. She sneaks out of the palace and sails to Calandra, driven by grief and a pull she doesn’t fully understand.
- Emery: Caspia’s sister. She is absent, but her fate sets everything in motion.
- Queen Oleana: Caspia’s aunt, who refuses to accept that Emery is gone.
- Xandra: Caspia’s cousin, who stows away on the ship.
- Cap: the pirate Caspia hires to take her across the sea.
- Andreas: her guide and companion in Calandra, described above.
- Kos: a boy Caspia saves after seeing him in a vision, which shows her the future can change.
Opening scene
- Sparrow Wolfe and Tanis Oak: the book opens in the past with Sparrow, a princess of Turah, pledged to the king of Genesis as part of the Shield of Sparrows treaty. It shows how the kingdoms’ fragile peace began.
SPOILER WARNING: How the cast connects
Per Books That Slay, Caspia is Odessa’s mother and Andreas is her father. Caspia’s story ends in tragedy, and Margot, who knew Caspia, swore to protect Odessa. Xandra’s failed transformation is tied to the illness called Lyssa, and Brothers Dime and Skore turn out to be traitors within the Voster. Odessa and Ransom end the book together but with their future uncertain.
Who Is Caspia in Rites of the Starling?
Caspia is a second point-of-view character who is new in this book. She leaves her homeland to travel to Calandra, and her chapters alternate with Odessa’s. How the two women connect is the novel’s main reveal, so it appears only in the spoiler box below.
SPOILER WARNING: Caspia’s identity
Backtalk Books and Books That Slay both say Caspia is Odessa’s mother, and Books That Slay adds that Andreas is Odessa’s father. A StoryGraph reviewer notes that Caspia’s story is set in the past while Odessa’s is in the present. Backtalk Books says Margot, once Caspia’s maid, vowed to protect Odessa.
Does Rites of the Starling Have a Map?
Yes. The book includes a map of Calandra. Devney Perry shared it on her Patreon a little over a month before release, noting that readers would find it in this second book. The deluxe edition listing doesn’t describe a different map.
The map is worth keeping handy because both storylines cross a lot of ground. Calandra is a continent of rival kingdoms. Odessa’s home is Quentis and Ransom’s kingdom is Turah, and her road also passes through lands such as Laine and Genesis, according to Books That Slay. Caspia’s story starts across the sea in Nelfinex.
Is Rites of the Starling Spicy?
Yes, it includes open-door sexual content, but reviewers disagree on how intense the book is overall.
The author’s content warning for the series lists sexual activity and graphic language. Beyond that, heat ratings come from individual reviewers and are subjective. Romance.io lists the book at 4 out of 5, described as explicit open door. Other reviewers land lower, such as Booktrovert Reader, which shows three flames. Scales differ from site to site, so these numbers are not directly comparable.
Our reading of that evidence is moderate to high heat, with scenes mostly on the page rather than faded out. That is an editorial interpretation, not a fact about the book.
Romance is central to the story, but not always between the same people. The Library Ladies review notes that Odessa and Ransom are apart for a large part of the book and that the second storyline carries its own romance. If you want the main couple together throughout, keep that in mind.
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Rites of the Starling Spicy Chapters
A dependable chapter guide could not be established. Several blogs publish chapter lists, but they cannot be confirmed independently, and chapter numbering differs between print, ebook and the two-part Graphic Audio. Reviewers describe intimate scenes in several parts of the book rather than one stretch.
Tropes and Themes
These are limited to elements supported by the official synopsis or published reviews.
- A dangerous journey: much of the plot is a trek across a cursed realm with monsters as a constant threat.
- Separated couple and reunion: Odessa and Ransom spend a long stretch apart, which makes their reunion the payoff.
- Reluctant royalty: the synopsis centres on pressure to become a queen, a spy or a sacrifice, and on claiming a crown on her own terms.
- Family secrets: the blurb frames the book around hidden truths that could save the realm.
- Dual storylines: a second point-of-view character and her own romance run alongside the main plot.
- Slow burn: US listings carry the subtitle “A Slow-Burn Epic Romantasy,” though reader opinion on the pacing varies.
Content Warnings and Triggers
The author’s official warning for the Shield of Sparrows series lists combat, violence, blood, gore, death of humans and animals, injury, dismemberment, illness, hospitalization, arson, alcohol use, poisoning, trafficking, threat and mention of rape, graphic language and sexual activity.
That list covers the whole series rather than this book alone, and the author notes it can reveal plot points. A SuperSummary study guide written for this title lists graphic violence, illness, death, animal death, sexual content, cursing, rape and substance use. It lists rape among depicted content, while the author’s list says threat and mention. Readers for whom that matters should check a detailed, spoiler-tagged source before starting.
Is Rites of the Starling Worth Reading?
Yes for readers invested in the series, less so if you want the main couple together or a fast pace. This verdict comes from published reviews, not a first-hand read.
The Library Ladies reviewer praised how the book builds a large world without skimping on romance, and found the reunion rewarding. Burner Kindle found the first half slow but said the new viewpoint and converging storylines made the wait worthwhile. Reader reactions on Goodreads are mixed: some praise the added viewpoint, while others felt the parallel timeline slowed the pacing.
Who may enjoy it: readers who finished Shield of Sparrows and want answers, and fans of quest-driven romantasy with monsters and political stakes.
Who may not: readers who want constant time with the main couple, or who prefer a steady pace from the first chapter.
Rites of the Starling Audiobook and Editions
Standard audiobook
Recorded Books released an unabridged audiobook on April 7, 2026, narrated by Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor and Megan Wicks. It runs 17 hours and 22 minutes, per the Audible listing, and is also available through libraries on OverDrive.
Graphic Audio
Graphic Audio has produced a full-cast dramatization in two parts. Part 1 was released July 7, 2026 and runs 7 hours and 32 minutes. Part 2 was released September 14, 2026 and runs 8 hours. The OverDrive listing names Stephanie Németh-Parker as Odessa, Katie Boothe as Caspia and Jon Vertullo as Ransom.
Special edition and sprayed edges
A US deluxe limited edition from the first print run, sold in the US and Canada only while supplies last, has sprayed edges, full-colour endpapers, a foil-stamped case and jacket effects, per a bookseller listing. Those features belong to that edition, not the standard hardcover. The listing does not mention a map.
Rites of the Starling Series and Book 3
Yes, it is a trilogy. The author’s page for Seven and the Swift lists it as Shield of Sparrows #3 and the final story in the trilogy.
The release date is scheduled rather than announced on the author’s page. Amazon’s US listing for the Red Tower Books hardcover shows March 9, 2027, and Penguin Australia lists the trade paperback and ebook for the same day, with a hardback on April 9, 2027. Check your retailer for your edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rites of the Starling about?
A princess separated from her husband tries to survive monsters and a kidnapping while uncovering secrets that could save her realm.
Is Rites of the Starling spicy?
Yes. Reviewers describe open-door scenes and rate the heat from moderate to high.
Who is Caspia?
A second point-of-view character. Her link to the heroine is a reveal, covered in the spoiler box above.
Is Rites of the Starling a trilogy?
It is book 2 of the Shield of Sparrows trilogy. Book 3 is Seven and the Swift.
Do you need to read Shield of Sparrows first?
Yes. This is a direct sequel.
What are the content warnings?
The author lists violence, gore, death, dismemberment, trafficking, threat and mention of rape, and sexual activity, among others, for the series.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes, both a standard unabridged audiobook and a two-part Graphic Audio dramatization.
How many books are in the Shield of Sparrows series?
Three: Shield of Sparrows, Rites of the Starling and Seven and the Swift, which the author calls the final story in the trilogy.”
Conclusion
Rites of the Starling suits readers already invested in Odessa and Ransom’s world, with a large quest plot, a second storyline and a romance that includes a long separation. If you want dramatic stakes and expansive worldbuilding, it is a good fit. If you want constant couple time or a mild heat level, check the reviews linked above first.
Hi, I’m Nisbah – a blogger with over 2 years of experience creating content and a fantasy enthusiast who loves exploring magical worlds, fantasy books, captivating stories, and unforgettable characters. I share book recommendations, reviews, fantasy insights, and story discussions and creating guides to help readers discover their next great adventure.
