If you've been anywhere near social media lately, you've probably seen the name Rites of the Starling flooding your feed. The new novel by Devney Perry just claimed the title of the most-read book in the United States on Goodreads this week - and her previous book Shield of Sparrows simultaneously reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the USA Today Best-Selling Booklist. Two books. One author. Both charting at the same time.
So the real question is - should Christians be reading it?
Who Is Devney Perry?
Perry isn't a newcomer. She spent a decade in the tech industry before leaving it all behind to write full-time. Born and raised in Montana, she has built a catalog of over 50 romance novels and earned a massive global following. Her leap into the romantasy genre with Shield of Sparrows in May 2025 became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller - and Rites of the Starling, released April 7, 2026, is doing the same, holding a 4.6-star rating across more than 53,000 Goodreads reviews.
What's the Book Actually About?
Rites of the Starling is Book 2 of the Shield of Sparrows trilogy. A princess, separated from the man she loves, is forced across a cursed realm - kidnapped, hunted, and tasked with protecting a young girl while uncovering dangerous truths about her family. It's 484 pages of high-stakes fantasy and emotional romance that readers are finishing in a single sitting.
Fans on social media are calling it "better than the first" and posting tear-stained reactions across TikTok and Instagram. A film adaptation of the series is already in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad attached to the project.
So - Is It Right for Christian Readers?
Perry's books are not faith-based, and Rites of the Starling does carry mature romantic content and fantasy-world mythology as part of its lore. Christian readers who are sensitive to those elements should preview before committing.
That said, at the heart of every Perry story are themes that deeply resonate with believers - sacrificial love, courage, identity, and choosing who you are willing to become under pressure. Her heroines don't just survive - they rise. That kind of redemptive storytelling echoes something Scripture speaks to often.
As Proverbs 31:25 puts it - "She is clothed with strength and dignity." Perry's princess in Rites of the Starling wears both, even when the world tries to strip them away.
Bottom line: Discerning Christian readers who enjoy fantasy and are comfortable with mature romance will find it a gripping, emotionally rich read. If that's not your lane, Perry's earlier small-town romance series - like The Edens or Calamity Montana - offer the same powerful storytelling in a lighter package.
What's Next for the Series?
Perry confirmed on Instagram that Shield of Sparrows Book 3 arrives March 9, 2027 - landing exactly on her 10-year publishing anniversary. She called it the conclusion to Odessa's story and said the date felt like the only right choice to celebrate a decade of writing.
With #BookTok now surpassing 370 billion views and driving over 59 million print book sales in the U.S. in 2024 alone, Perry is hitting her peak at exactly the right moment in publishing history.
