🎧
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4/5
I went into this one expecting a fun fantasy romance.
I came out of it needing a minute.
Rites of the Starling audiobook is Devney Perry at her most ambitious.
Three narrators, a dual timeline, and a heroine who spends most of the book falling apart and putting herself back together anyway.
It's not a perfect listen. The first stretch takes its time getting going.
But once it clicks, it really clicks.
Listen to it if: you loved Shield of Sparrows and want the emotional gut-punch sequel.
Skip it if: you need a fast opening and zero patience for slower table-setting chapters.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Rites of the Starling |
| Author | Devney Perry |
| Narrator(s) (audiobook) | Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, Megan Wicks |
| Series | Shield of Sparrows, Book 2 |
| Genre | Romance |
| Subgenre | Fantasy Romance / Romantasy |
| Audiobook length | 17 hours, 23 minutes |
| First published | 2026 |
| Publisher | Recorded Books |
Calandra's five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction.
The crux migration is coming, and in the wake of a devastating attack, Odessa has been separated from Ransom, the man who owns her heart.
She's lost. Terrified. Homesick.
Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping her going is a little girl counting on her to keep her safe.
It's her turn to become the Guardian.
That's the setup, straight from the official blurb, and it's a good one.
This is book two of the Shield of Sparrows trilogy, following the bestselling Shield of Sparrows.
So don't start here. Go back and listen to book one first, or a lot of this won't land the way it should.
Odessa carries this whole book on her back.
Literally, in some scenes. She's out of her element, out of her kingdom, and mostly out of options.
What I appreciated is that Perry doesn't let her be strong in that effortless, chosen-one way.
She's scared. She makes mistakes. She keeps going anyway.
That's a harder character to write well, and it mostly pays off here.
Ransom is offstage for a big chunk of the story, which is a real choice.
You feel his absence the way Odessa feels it. That's clearly intentional, even when it's frustrating in the moment.
The story also weaves in a second point-of-view thread, centered on a character named Caspia, running on a different timeline than Odessa's.
It's a structural gamble. Splitting attention away from the central romance in book two of a trilogy is risky.
For me it worked, mostly because it never feels like padding. It feels like the author is building toward something.
The biggest shift from book one is the format itself.
Shield of Sparrows had one narrator carrying the whole story. This one splits across three, plus a dual-timeline structure.
That's ambitious for a mid-series book, and I respect Perry for not just repeating the formula.
Now the honest part.
The first several hours move slower than I expected. There's a lot of setup, a lot of travel, a lot of Odessa being on the run before the plot really tightens its grip.
If you're the kind of listener who needs momentum from minute one, that stretch might test your patience.
It rewards sticking with it. The back half moves fast, and a few of the reveals genuinely made me pause the audiobook just to sit with them for a second.
But "trust the slow start" is a big ask, and I don't think every reader will want to make it.
Three narrators for one book is a lot to coordinate, and for the most part, Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, and Megan Wicks pull it off.
Each voice is distinct enough that you always know whose head you're in, which matters a lot with a dual-timeline structure like this one.
Brentmoor and Clarke were already familiar from the first book, so hearing them return gave the early chapters an instant sense of continuity.
Adding Megan Wicks into the mix for the new POV thread is a smart choice. Her performance keeps that storyline feeling separate from the main narrative instead of blurring together.
The pacing of the narration itself is steady and clear, even during the busier action sequences.
I will say the slower opening chapters feel a little slower in audio than they might on the page, just because you can't skim.
If that's a concern for you, bumping the speed up slightly through the first few hours isn't a bad idea.
Good fit if you've already listened to or read Shield of Sparrows and want to continue Odessa's story.
Good fit if you enjoy romantasy with real stakes, separated-lovers tension, and multi-narrator productions.
Good fit if you don't mind a slower first act in exchange for a strong emotional payoff later.
Not a great fit if you're new to the series and want a standalone entry point.
Not a great fit if pacing dips in the opening chapters are a dealbreaker for you.
I liked this more than I expected to, and I liked it more by the end than I did halfway through.
That's not nothing. A lot of second books in a trilogy coast. This one is trying to do something structurally different, and mostly earns it.
Is it a little uneven in places? Yes. Did that stop me from wanting book three immediately? Also no.
If you've got a spare listen coming up and you're caught up on the series, this is worth the credit.
Most audiobook platforms offer a free trial credit for new listeners, so if you haven't started Shield of Sparrows yet, that's a low-risk way to see if this world is for you before committing to book two.
Is Rites of the Starling a standalone, or do I need to read Shield of Sparrows first?
You need to read or listen to Shield of Sparrows first. Rites of the Starling picks up directly after it and assumes you already know the characters and the world.
Who narrates the Rites of the Starling audiobook?
The standard unabridged audiobook is narrated by Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, and Megan Wicks.
How long is the Rites of the Starling audiobook?
It runs about 17 hours and 23 minutes.
Is Rites of the Starling audiobook worth listening to?
If you enjoyed the first book, yes. The slower opening chapters are worth pushing through for the payoff in the second half.
Is there a cliffhanger at the end of Rites of the Starling?
Without spoiling anything, the ending leaves clear threads open for book three, which hasn't been announced yet.
How can I listen to Rites of the Starling audiobook free? The easiest path is an Audiobooks.com free trial — new accounts generally come with a free audiobook credit, enough to cover Rites of the Starling. Terms and availability do change from time to time, so it's worth double-checking before you sign up.
