KINGDOM OF THE TWO MOONS

In Thomashoff’s debut fantasy novel, mystical beings pull an Earthly woman into an otherworldly realm where she has familial ties.

For years, 22-year-old Melody has been a captive of a sadistic man named Lyrian (“I tried to escape it so many times I’ve lost count. But Lyrian and his brutal henchmen, Hunter and Kayne, always manage to track me down in the end, no matter how fast and far I’ve gone”). He forces her to use her magical gift for tracking down anyone regardless of where they’re hiding to ensure that he has victims to torture. She has no idea that Lyrian is a high elf who’s harvesting magic in the human realm; she doesn’t even know that she herself is half-elf. One day, some strange, pointy-eared men, including high elf Riven and black-winged angel Caryan (aka the Dark Lord), take Melody away to the fae world. They’re not liberating her; Caryan, who can absorb magic from any individual whose blood he drinks, likely wants her ability and keeps her as a slave. While Melody craves freedom, she can’t deny the allure of Caryan and Riven, both of whom are “mesmerizing” (“I blush at his stare but keep looking back at him, at the swirling shadows all around him. Spellbound”) and unquestionably obsessed with her. Thomashoff’s worldbuilding includes dense, enthralling backstories and a dynamic cast. The plot, however, grows stagnant at times as characters discuss the past or Melody tries to decipher how Caryan and Riven feel about her (as she questions her feelings for them). The author spices up the narrative with a touch of mystery (why do some characters want ancient relics?) and intermittent action. The sexual scenes and instances of torture are thankfully understated. The story truly picks up in the final act, in which Thomashoff seems principally motivated by setting up a potential sequel.

An unhurried fantasy teeming with remarkable magic-wielding characters.