Land of Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is a series for middle school students. The series is based in Celtic Fantasy, with time travel and issues of our world. Below will be my reviews for all three of the Land of Twilight Trilogy books.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Journey to Twilight
by Charmayne Hafen
Series: Land of Twilight Trilogy #1
Published by Capture Books on November 1, 2019
Genres: Middle Grade Action and Adventure
Pages: 113
Format: Kindle
Source: Prism Book Tours
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Target
In this action-adventure fantasy, Sam and Lorna's bike challenge becomes far more than a neighborhood race.
Lorna Wilson moves to the Crestwood subdivision in Arizona with her mom and baby brother. Unpacking boxes, Lorna begins seeking a way to fit into the crowd when a girl named Ally knocks on her front door.
Splashing in the pool at Ally's house, Lorna learns about the bike challenge created by a scar-faced neighborhood legend, Samuel Black. She hears herself boasting that she can take on Sam Black in his own race and win. Lorna's words quickly come back to bite her.
Although none of the kids will root for the new girl, an ancient cairn opens to the Land of Twilight giving Lorna an opportunity to win anything her heart desires.
This is great literature for kids. Must have pick! Full series, 2020!
Illustrations are by award-winning artist, Brianna Osaseri.
Journey to Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is a fantastical journey on how two kids find their way into a magical land.
What will Lorna use her wish for?
Lorna Wilson
Lorna Wilson is our female protagonist, who ended up being in the middle of a divorce between her parents and having to move from northern California to Arizona. Moving is a big change for anyone, and sure she is a bit snooty, but she is a preteen girl that doesn’t want anything to change, especially her parents divorcing and not hearing from her dad. Lorna does get better throughout the book and likes being in Arizona. She has made some awesome friends and is trying to make a wish come true. What I like about Lorna in this first novel is that we are just seeing her character and how she is dealing with her parent’s divorce. Lorna does evolve throughout into someone that is okay with her parent’s being divorced even though she doesn’t get with why they couldn’t make it work.
Samuel Black
Samuel Black is one of Lorna’s new neighbors and is a bit of a love interest for her. Sam has them race his famous race track in their neighborhood and is a bit confused about why she disappeared the first time. Soon Sam finds out why and he is a bit interested in this new place that she has found called Land of Twilight. Well, until he isn’t. Sam is a good kid and is only trying to help Lorna as best as he can. What I like about Sam is that he does evolve from being high and mighty to a more mellow person. Sure he still wants to race but not as bad as before.
Five Stars
Journey to Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is an awesome book that I couldn’t put down. It was so good from the first moment Lorna is introduced to Sam being introduced. I loved every moment of it. Ms. Hafen did a great job of spinning this tale. I am giving this novel five stars and recommend it to any parents that think that their child would love this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Return to Twilight
by Charmayne Hafen Series: Land of Twilight Trilogy #2
Published by Capture Books on January 21, 2020
Genres: Middle Grade Action and Adventure
Pages: 142
Format: Kindle
Source: Prism Book Tours
Goodreads
Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes & Noble
In this second book of the Land of Twilight Trilogy, seventh-grade Lorna struggles with the meaning of friend like, how to be one, how to choose one, and how to keep one.
Lorna rejects her dad, deceives her mom, and turns her back on the ethereal Land of Twilight. She even turns on her best friend, Sam, in favor of gaining the attention of a new girl in the neighborhood, Jenny. Lorna sheds her own social norms, stealing and hiding as she pretends to enjoy her second year in challenging Crestwood, Arizona.
It has to be Sam's turn to do what true friends do.
An exciting read for readers ages 9-13 who enjoy Celtic mythology, magic, and busting the dust of the Arizona desert with your best friend.
Return to Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is the second book in this fantastical trilogy about two friends trying to be there for each other.
Can Sam save Lorna?
Lorna Wilson
Lorna Wilson is starting seventh grade, is finally in middle school, and has befriended the new girl in her neighborhood. The only problem is that Lorna isn’t acting like herself anymore. A lot has changed for Lorna between going from sixth grade to seventh grade, her dad not visiting, and her new friend Jenny it doesn’t all add up correctly. She is going down a dark path that needs to be fixed soon. What I like about Lorna is that she doesn’t always follow Jenny’s lead, which is a great thing, but it still doesn’t help her friendship with Sam. The one thing that I dislike about Lorna is the way that she is handling her dad, not visiting and with Jenny being her friend.
Samuel Black
Samuel Black is on a mission to help his friend Lorna to be more like herself again. Granted, that is very hard when he can’t get her alone long enough to talk. Sam is trying his best, though, and is following Trix’s way of doing things in the Land of Twilight. He made a new friend in Thomas, and that seems to be a good thing for Sam. What I like about Sam is that he tries to be Lorna’s friend, but it doesn’t always work. Sam is a great guy, and if only Lorna will stop hanging out with Jenny to remember how much fun they had.
Five Stars
Return to Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is the next book in this trilogy that had me guessing from the first moment I started it. Lorna is going through some hard things, and Sam is left having to figure out how to bring back his best friend. I am rating this novel five stars and recommend it to any parents that think that their child would love this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Trouble in Twilight
by Charmayne Hafen
Series: Land of Twilight Trilogy #3
Published by Capture Books on April 1, 2020
Genres: Middle Grade Action and Adventure
Pages: 129
Format: Kindle
Source: Prism Book Tours
Goodreads
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
How can the most colorful world in the universe turn hapless and gray?! That's what mystifies both Sam and Lorna.
Trix falls from the Land of Twilight, showing up at the discarded camper shell in the Arizona desert where Sam and Lorna are making their secret plans.
Trix and Melvin focus on the Land of Realtime because the lives of both Lorna and Sam have interwoven with the Land of Twilight. How can the four unravel themselves?
A tragic accident forces Sam to again realize that life can change suddenly. Now he and Lorna must rethink what in life is most important to them.
History, philosophy, and faith enter the scene through interdimensional time travel. The Land of Twilight Trilogy is filled with adventure and supernatural elements for readers ages 9-12. With its relatable characters and fast-moving plot, Sam and Lorna discover their priorities. As Sam faces unbearable consequences, he learns the bonds of true friendship and personal truth are real.
Readers are given not only an interesting story filled with allegorical elements about the meaning of faith, but are also challenged to think about their own ideas of reality and meaning.
Trouble in Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is the ending of this trilogy that we have all been waiting for.
How can Sam and Lorna save the Land of Twilight?
Lorna Wilson
Lorna Wilson is doing better and is believing in her faith, just like her paternal grandmother told her. She is trying to do that throughout and helping Trix and Melvin put away an enemy that we can’t see. What I like about Lorna is that she is trying to help Sam in her way to see things that he doesn’t believe in. Along with the fact that their Twilight friends don’t like to tell them where they are going.
Samuel Black
Samuel Black is wanting to help bring back Twilight but is unsure about this faith stuff. Mostly because he doesn’t believe in it the way that Lorna does. It takes a lot to get him to see throughout the story, and he does his best. I have to say that Sam doesn’t do a lot for me in this novel. What I like about him is that he tries his best, and its hardest to do something that he doesn’t know if it is real.
Four Stars
Trouble in Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is not really what I was expecting from the author. Despite the talk about faith in the Ancient One, I did like it. Land of Twilight trilogy by Charmayne Hafen is an excellent one for some kids. Like always, I am rating this book four stars and still recommend it to anyone that wants to read this trilogy.
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About Charmayne Hafen
Charmayne Hafen has been writing since she was nine years old when she kept a private journal documenting love and loss in her fourth-grade class. In 2016, she published her first book, The Land Of Twilight, which was selected as a winner in the category of Juvenile Fiction in the Winter 2017 NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards. Using knowledge and skills acquired from her MA in counseling, Charmayne wrote The Land Of Twilight series to help kids navigate the sometimes difficult waters of divorce. Her love of Celtic mythology also influenced the book. The first book in the series has been republished under a new title called Journey To Twilight which will be available November 1, 2019. There will be two more books in the series coming out early [2020].
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2020 Goodreads Reading Challenge
- 2020 New Release Challenge
- 2020 Supernatural Creatures Reading Challenge
Thank you for these insightful reviews. I appreciate the time you took to evaluate this trilogy and value your input.