Thorne chronicles
A New YA Fantasy Series by Lisa Alfano
featuring strong female main characters
Long ago, in the early days of Iosia (pronounced Yoh-she-ah), chaos permeated the world as two kings battled for sole control over the Kingdom. The Thorne King sought peace and freedom for all Iosians, whereas the Onyx King desired to rule the populace with dark magic and fear. Sentinels—shapeshifters blessed by the gods with the ability to transform between human and animal forms—fought beside the first Thorne King until they defeated the Onyx King and his evil magicians. The Onyx magicians who survived the epic battle, and their families, were sentenced to a fate worse than death by the Thorne King and the people of Iosia—permanent exile to the barren wasteland of Iosia’s northernmost region, Valdisia. To ensure that those loyal to the fallen Onyx King and his dark sorcery could not escape, King Rumilar Thorne ordered the construction of a border wall along the border of Valdisia and the rest of Iosia. The Guardian, as the massive wall of glass came to be known, has successfully protected the Kingdom from the Onyx for generations.
Iosia has enjoyed peace and prosperity under the rule of House Thorne, but all is not as wonderful as it appears. For as with old tapestries that hang from the rafters of Thorne Castle, there are holes if you look closely enough; unrest is beginning to sprout in the regions, because not everything is good, or fair, or just within the Kingdom. The once revered Sentinels—even those with royal blood—must hide their true selves from the judgmental, prejudiced eyes of the world; forced to live in the forests and shadowy outskirts of society. The Undesirables—the exiled (and now magicless) descendants of the ruthless Onyx King and his faithful magicians—still remain trapped behind The Guardian border wall, living in squalor as penance, not for their sins, but for the sins of their long-dead ancestors.
But things are changing in Iosia. The winds have shifted. Whispers of magic and danger, of freedom and revenge, are drifting throughout the Kingdom. Are these changes good or bad? Well, that all depends on one’s perspective, now, doesn’t it?
Cage of Tangled Thornes: Thorne Chronicles Book One
Seventeen-year-old Princess Ysabelle Thorne is the beautiful and ambitious heir, willing to do anything to attain her birthright—even marrying the enemy—a man who threatens not only her future, but also her heart. While Ysabelle loves being a princess, her younger sister, Dahlia, does not.
Sixteen-year-old Princess Dahlia is the feisty, rebellious Spare who longs for a life beyond the castle walls—free from the restrictive rules of her royal family, her sister’s relentless bullying, and society’s judgmental glares—where she does not have to conceal her disabilities from the world… A life where she can spread her wings and fly.
After centuries of peace, trouble is brewing in Iosia. King Leopold seeks to quell the unrest and prevent war with a royal wedding. For the first time since the Guardian Wall was erected—separating Valdisia from Caelius and the other regions of Iosia—those of Thorne and Onyx blood stand side-by-side in Thorne Castle, but all is not as it seems.
Magic exists once more in the Kingdom. Darkness is lurking; feeding on secrets, seeking to pit sister against sister—Heir against Spare—to alter destinies. Can a Thorne save Iosia once more, or is the real enemy wearing the crown?
“Cage of Tangled Thornes offers YA fantasy fans everything they could want for a knockout series opener.” -5 Stars, Readers’ Favorite
“I was hooked from the very first chapter… This was an absolute page-turner with well-rounded characters and an engrossing plot. Lisa Alfano’s propulsive writing immersed me in a wildly innovative and fantastical world in the blink of an eye… Cage of Tangled Thornes has interpersonal conflicts and warfare that create an interesting blend of action, romance, politics, and much more. Alfano has created a masterpiece.” C. Daffon, for Readers’ Favorite
Deal of Jagged Thornes: a Thorne Chronicles Prequel
The winds of Iosia are thick with whispers of an unthinkable horror… “Magic has returned. The Thorne King is in danger!”
Leopold Thorne, second son of King Percival Thorne, revels in his role as the Spare prince; content to remain in the shadows, without a crown upon his head, or a wife in his bed. With his military deployment approaching, Leo sets out on one final adventure of good-natured debauchery with his best friends, and stumbles into a nightmare with the potential to ruin his future.
Lady Astrid is the only child of the Earl of Sprusset. As a future countess, Astrid refuses to bow to society’s claustrophobic rules. She has no intention of relinquishing her independence to a husband or children. Faced with the prospect of losing her family’s estate, courtesy of her father’s gambling debts, Astrid enters into a deal with a stranger—a vile creature who now holds her future, and her freedom, in his calloused grip—a deal as impossible to escape as a thicket of jagged thorns.
When tragedy strikes the Kingdom, Leo and Astrid’s paths cross once more. An unexpected attack by a shape-shifting Sentinel leaves them trapped—together, injured, and lost. If they hope to survive, Leo and Astrid must set aside their animosity and work together. Can Astrid set aside her pride and trust a beast to save her life? Will Leo allow himself to rely on the one woman who has the power to destroy not only his heart, but his kingdom?
Can a Spare prince and a future countess set aside their hatred for each other to save not only their own lives, but the entire Kingdom?
“An intriguing prequel from Lisa Alfano to launch her Thorne Chronicles series… I recommend Deal of Jagged Thornes to readers who enjoy fantasy stories with engaging characters.” Five Stars, Readers’ Favorite
