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Shift: Book 1: Stag's Heart
An old kingdom full of secrets. A new regime full of its own. Some things refuse to be forgotten, things which grow violent when denied.
Legends prove reality. Faery Tales prove Truth. And nothing burns hotter than a dragon’s heart.
Book 1 of a 2 part series
Legends prove reality. Faery Tales prove Truth. And nothing burns hotter than a dragon’s heart.
Book 1 of a 2 part series
628 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
S.L. Thorne
19 books7 followersS. L. Thorne (formerly published by DDP under Sandra Leigh) is a resident of Northern Florida, proudly fifty+ and highly creative. She’s been telling stories since she could talk (which was fairly early) and writing them down as soon as she learned to write, often regaling her friends for hours after school with tales she’d make up. She is currently living in her family home with her husband, her 20+ year old daughter and her beaux, and one very senior feline. An occasionally decent artist, she often paints or renders her own covers. Fans of her novels tend to be rabid about them, often pushing her into publishing books she otherwise would have kept to herself.
She prefers historical settings to modern ones and is a stickler for historical accuracy; often doing exhaustive research during the course of novel writing in order to present a believable, enduring world where things make real world sense along side the magical and the invented. She often refers to herself as ‘a professional liar’ instead of ‘an author’, as she is in ‘the business of weaving a fantastic, unbelievable lie and presenting it in such a way that, at least within the confines of the pages, the reader wants to believe it is the truth.’
As a famous ancient author once said: The secret to telling a good lie is to include just enough truth to make it believable.
She has ninenovels published with Thornewood Studios (all available on Amazon) on five very different subjects (though three of them are in the same world), and is currently working on more of the Griffon’s Rest series, trying to get the second half of Midnight and Amber ready for publication, as well as correcting a printing error in Mercy's Ransom. (If you have the book under the name Sandra Leigh, you're fine. But if it's under SL Thorne, you need to contact me via my website @ Thornewoodstudios.com. We can workout how to get you the missing chapter!)
She prefers historical settings to modern ones and is a stickler for historical accuracy; often doing exhaustive research during the course of novel writing in order to present a believable, enduring world where things make real world sense along side the magical and the invented. She often refers to herself as ‘a professional liar’ instead of ‘an author’, as she is in ‘the business of weaving a fantastic, unbelievable lie and presenting it in such a way that, at least within the confines of the pages, the reader wants to believe it is the truth.’
As a famous ancient author once said: The secret to telling a good lie is to include just enough truth to make it believable.
She has ninenovels published with Thornewood Studios (all available on Amazon) on five very different subjects (though three of them are in the same world), and is currently working on more of the Griffon’s Rest series, trying to get the second half of Midnight and Amber ready for publication, as well as correcting a printing error in Mercy's Ransom. (If you have the book under the name Sandra Leigh, you're fine. But if it's under SL Thorne, you need to contact me via my website @ Thornewoodstudios.com. We can workout how to get you the missing chapter!)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 1, 2025
“Shift: Stag’s Heart” is the story of seventeen year old Lady Caelerys “Cae” Maral, who is Duke Maral’s only daughter.
When the book starts, the reader discovers that Cae’s father has arranged for her to be sent to court, and that it is her first time going.
I personally loved the way this book was set up, the world building was so intricate and the writing style was absolutely exquisite.
I loved how complex these characters were, how intriguing the world is, and the unique way the court politics were set up.
This book was absolutely wonderful, and such a nice change of pace from the kinds of books I usually read.
For me, Cae was a really lovable heroine because she was truly one of a kind. She had so many good qualities that made her an interesting, well rounded character with a lot of layers.
Cae was beautiful, yes, but she was also kindhearted, intelligent, and had the talent for hunting and archery, skills that the other ladies didn’t have.
Cae was truly special, and since I also really loved her love interest, I really hope that they’ll get a happily ever after in the second book.
To sum it up, this book was definitely a 5 star read for me, and I will also be reading the second part to find out how it ends.
When the book starts, the reader discovers that Cae’s father has arranged for her to be sent to court, and that it is her first time going.
I personally loved the way this book was set up, the world building was so intricate and the writing style was absolutely exquisite.
I loved how complex these characters were, how intriguing the world is, and the unique way the court politics were set up.
This book was absolutely wonderful, and such a nice change of pace from the kinds of books I usually read.
For me, Cae was a really lovable heroine because she was truly one of a kind. She had so many good qualities that made her an interesting, well rounded character with a lot of layers.
Cae was beautiful, yes, but she was also kindhearted, intelligent, and had the talent for hunting and archery, skills that the other ladies didn’t have.
Cae was truly special, and since I also really loved her love interest, I really hope that they’ll get a happily ever after in the second book.
To sum it up, this book was definitely a 5 star read for me, and I will also be reading the second part to find out how it ends.
September 19, 2023
Shift is a two book fantasy series. The first book is Stag's Heart, the second is Dragon's Bride.
Stag's Heart features Lady Caelerys (Cae) Maral. She is the only daughter of Duke Elyas Maral. Her mother passed when she was young, and while she learned how to be the lady of the house, she has been surrounded by males most of her life. She loves to ride her horse Wraith. She loves to hunt with her falcon Tempest (aka Jelma). She is a skilled archer.
Cae is now 17 years old. She is headed to DragonsPoint on the King's Bay, the largest city in Elanthus. She will attend King Rorlan's coronation, present the new king with gifts from their House and mingle with the members of court. This will be her first time in the city and she is apprehensive, but takes some comfort in the knowledge that her brothers Willam and Janem will be there. She is being accompanied by Lady Petra, an old friend of her father. Lady Petra will help her navigate this new experience, guiding her on what to wear, with whom to speak, and how to comport herself in order to identify a suitable match which will benefit her House. While she hopes to eventually love her husband, she recognizes what is required of her and intends to assess all possible matches objectively.
Cae meets a variety of people in DragonsPoint. She ends up spending time with Crown Prince Valan, his twin Prince Balaran (Bal), and their sister Princess Syera, among many others. Her relationship with each of the siblings is quite different. She and Syera quickly become friends, and share confidences like sisters. While she feels completely comfortable being in Bal's presence, the same cannot be said for Valan; the twins are very different. Cae and Bal have many shared interests, including an appreciation for literature. This brings the two together and they find themselves working to unravel a mystery. As for Valan, he seems troubled, and Cae wants nothing more than to be of help to him.
Cae quickly realizes that there are politics at play in court and she needs to learn that particular dance. While interacting with so many new people, she makes new friends, and figures out who to avoid. Her time in DragonsPoint is filled with family, new friends, some fun, lots of food, and taking steps towards her future.
There is a lot more to this book, including religion (Caelyrima, Mother Chimera vs the new Elder Church), the truth in fairy tales, and discovering what might be the cause of the madness which led to King Rorlan's brother's violent end.
It took me a LONG time to get into this tome. I was quite tempted to set it aside and move on. I felt bogged down with all the details of the many different characters. As such I couldn't connect with them. The book also includes lots of older vernacular and while I could have simply pushed on without understanding specific words, I felt the need to stop and look them up to better understand what the author was describing. But I persisted and was eventually pulled into the story. I became invested in Cae's relationships as well as the small nuggets planted throughout the story which slowly reveal the underlying truth.
My favourite thing about this book was Cae's sensitivity, her connection with nature and how attune she is to others' emotions. She seems like a special soul. I appreciated her inner strength and determination as well as her kind and generous heart.
This book was not what I expected, but in the end I did enjoy it. The ending left me wanting, which is completely expected given that the story continues in the second book. I think it says something that Dragon's Bride has been added to my TBR queue. I want to learn what happens next, and of course I hope Cae finds herself a partner who will be well suited for her House as well as her heart.
Stag's Heart features Lady Caelerys (Cae) Maral. She is the only daughter of Duke Elyas Maral. Her mother passed when she was young, and while she learned how to be the lady of the house, she has been surrounded by males most of her life. She loves to ride her horse Wraith. She loves to hunt with her falcon Tempest (aka Jelma). She is a skilled archer.
Cae is now 17 years old. She is headed to DragonsPoint on the King's Bay, the largest city in Elanthus. She will attend King Rorlan's coronation, present the new king with gifts from their House and mingle with the members of court. This will be her first time in the city and she is apprehensive, but takes some comfort in the knowledge that her brothers Willam and Janem will be there. She is being accompanied by Lady Petra, an old friend of her father. Lady Petra will help her navigate this new experience, guiding her on what to wear, with whom to speak, and how to comport herself in order to identify a suitable match which will benefit her House. While she hopes to eventually love her husband, she recognizes what is required of her and intends to assess all possible matches objectively.
Cae meets a variety of people in DragonsPoint. She ends up spending time with Crown Prince Valan, his twin Prince Balaran (Bal), and their sister Princess Syera, among many others. Her relationship with each of the siblings is quite different. She and Syera quickly become friends, and share confidences like sisters. While she feels completely comfortable being in Bal's presence, the same cannot be said for Valan; the twins are very different. Cae and Bal have many shared interests, including an appreciation for literature. This brings the two together and they find themselves working to unravel a mystery. As for Valan, he seems troubled, and Cae wants nothing more than to be of help to him.
Cae quickly realizes that there are politics at play in court and she needs to learn that particular dance. While interacting with so many new people, she makes new friends, and figures out who to avoid. Her time in DragonsPoint is filled with family, new friends, some fun, lots of food, and taking steps towards her future.
There is a lot more to this book, including religion (Caelyrima, Mother Chimera vs the new Elder Church), the truth in fairy tales, and discovering what might be the cause of the madness which led to King Rorlan's brother's violent end.
It took me a LONG time to get into this tome. I was quite tempted to set it aside and move on. I felt bogged down with all the details of the many different characters. As such I couldn't connect with them. The book also includes lots of older vernacular and while I could have simply pushed on without understanding specific words, I felt the need to stop and look them up to better understand what the author was describing. But I persisted and was eventually pulled into the story. I became invested in Cae's relationships as well as the small nuggets planted throughout the story which slowly reveal the underlying truth.
My favourite thing about this book was Cae's sensitivity, her connection with nature and how attune she is to others' emotions. She seems like a special soul. I appreciated her inner strength and determination as well as her kind and generous heart.
This book was not what I expected, but in the end I did enjoy it. The ending left me wanting, which is completely expected given that the story continues in the second book. I think it says something that Dragon's Bride has been added to my TBR queue. I want to learn what happens next, and of course I hope Cae finds herself a partner who will be well suited for her House as well as her heart.
September 21, 2023
Talk about epic worldbuilding!! This book is a heavy read, it’s fairly long and is absolutely packed with details about the characters and the world they live in, down to their politics, religion, customs and everything else. I love books about court politics and royal intrigue and this book delivered that in such an interesting way. There is a lot going on in this book, but the plot flows beautifully throughout the exploration of this world. The mystery unfolding along with the building of relationships and the rich descriptions of just about everything in this book made it so immersive and so fun to read. Caelerys is such a sweet soul of a main character, she is so relatable and so admirable at the same time. I loved getting to know her throughout this story and watching her relationships with family and friends develop as she navigates a new world and discovers herself along the way. If you’re looking for an enchanting world with amazing characters, beautiful creatures and an intriguing court life, I highly recommend taking the time to dive into this book.
September 24, 2023
A great novel with beautiful world-building and character ARCS, which can be hard to do with so many characters involved. I loved the amount of detail put into everything, from the characters to their court life and how the world around them works. This book is action-packed and full of excitement, it blends perfectly together while reading. I didn't find any of it to be too fast or too slow. I thoroughly enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery, and how it had each relationship was built around it. Caelerys is very different from a lot of FMCs I'm used to reading, and it was very refreshing. She's very sensitive and kind to those around her. She cares for everything so deeply, and watching her grow as a person as the story progressed was very interesting and beautiful. I look forward to more from this author and world.
September 24, 2023
Thank you for allowing me to be able to read Stag's Heart. This was such an interesting book to say the least. It is on the longer side but there is a vast amount of world building that is going on in it, that I felt like I understood why it was as long as it was. There were times I had to reread something to just make sure I had the grasp on it and that did not take away from this story. It honestly made me feel that much more invested in it. Cae, is so a sweet FMC and it was easy to fall in love with her. But know, there is a lot to this book. I know it is not for everyone but to me this was such a fun read.
September 20, 2023
This book is about Caelerys, the only daughter of one of King Elanthus's dukes. This book is the excellent of her going through the turmoil of all the nobles in the Kingdom scheming for power after the Death of King Elanthus and all his children. Caelerys is trying to find her place throughout the story. If you love fairy tale fantasy, then this book is most definitely for you. Caelerys is a very strong FMC and I loved seeing her journey in this.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews