Lantern: The Complete Collection

A trio of lovely, fairy tale stories. I read these in the run up to Halloween snuggled under a blanket and with candles burning. Very enjoyable reads and highly recommended.

Lantern - Book One
Sweet, refreshing and safe for even younger readers! Imagine the magic of Halloween, the special bond between a grandparent and a grandchild and an amazing tale of a special lantern and its tiny occupant. LANTERN by Chess Desalls is a short, yet beautifully simple tale of caring when Tori, a sixteen-year-old girl discovers a strange light flashing deep in the woods and lets her curiosity lead her on a mission to save the young man trapped within a magical lantern.

Purely magical reading! Chess Desalls has created a brief tale that will satisfy even the most reluctant of readers! A little suspense, a lot of kindness and the magic of Machin, his special Moon Glass and Chess Desalls’ pen! When I think of Gems in reading, this one is sparkling bright!

Beacon - Book Two
Does Machin have a feel for finding the lost and lonely children of Havenbrim? There clearly is something kind within the mysterious celestial mechanic and glazier’s soul as another forlorn teen comes to his door in search of the coveted apprentice position that will provide food and shelter for the one he chooses.

Master Machin works in strange ways and author Chess Desalls has once again, brought a heart-warming tale of another life changed by the magical man. BEACON is another short, but magnetic read that brings the magic of words and the worlds they create to life. Another warm read filled with the magic of Chess Desalls’ imagination that shines like a diamond!

Torch - Book Three
TORCH by Chess Desalls is the third magical tale in the lantern series that takes us from our world to the world of Havenbrim, magic and adventure. Beautifully written, this tale of fantasy comes alive with all of the glory of fantasy and make-believe come true! Written for younger readers, each scene becomes a mental picture to enjoy, from contemporary Pennsylvania to mythical Havenbrim where two young people find friendship and a place to belong. But would that place be in Evelyn’s world or Graham’s?

Chess Desalls has given younger readers a piece of magic to read, enjoy and believe in.

I received a complimentary review copy from Czidor Lore, LLC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Lantern Series: Complete Collection
Publisher: Czidor Lore, LLC
Publication date: 09/12/2017
Genre: Middlegrade / YA Fantasy
Pages: 256
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

What if you found a lantern that had mysterious background and a strange flickering light that nobody else was aware of? Or what if you end up in an entirely strange world unlike your own, and you had no idea how to get home? The Lantern Collection answers those questions and so many more.

I found this to be a very fast, easy read full of mystery, hints of romance and some unique supernatural elements. I could honestly say that I had no idea what the books were going to really be about, so it was a pleasant surprise at the content. The stories were pretty short, roughly 70ish pages each making them more novellas than anything else. Each book was about a new group of characters and mysteries to solve, but with one common factor that ties them all together- the machinations of Master Machin, a man with more mysteries, powers and intentions than any other character.

My favorite story was Lantern, the first novella, because it had a creepy vibe that sucked me in as well as it helped to set the tone and the mystery of the series. I went into the book blind which helped I think, so there were no expectations and I could just sit back and be surprised by miniature Jared and the cuteness of the relationship between Tori and Kimmie. I love lanterns in general so it was really cool to see them portrayed in such a new, paranormal way. As a side note, the other stories were good, but the first just captured my interest the best.

The books are listed as teen, but I think they are appropriate for all ages due to the easy style of the writing and the clean content. I literally flew through the pages, a story a sitting. I think the stories need to be read together, like in this collection, instead of as independent books because they build on the world and help to wrap up the story- I also recommend them in this order because it flowed really well. The world the author created was interesting and I would have loved to know more about it as well as the magic that comes from there, but this was overall a well done taste and wrapped everything up nicely without too many extra questions. This was my first book by Chess but I am really interested to see what else she has created.

I received this title for reviewing purposes.

This is a whimsical set of stories full of magic and enough mystery that you want to see what will happen next. Each of the three stories characters are unique with the exception of the lantern maker Machin. Master Machin uses magic to transform these young people's lives and trade their sorrows for joy and hope while ultimately sending them on the path for a much brighter future.

This set was given to me by the publisher and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.