Book 49 of 2009: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer's fourth and final book in the Twilight series starts off with Bella and Edward getting married and going off on their honeymoon. However, their honeymoon is cut short due to the unexpected pregnancy of Bella. Edward is concerned by the rapid progression of the "baby" and thinks that it is harming Bella and suggests to Bella that she has an abortion, but Bella has grown too attached and wants nothing more than to see the pregnancy all the way through. Everyone is concerned of what is actually growing inside of Bella though as no human has ever gotten pregnant by a vampire before. Will Bella be able to survive this childbirth and what exactly will she be giving birth to?

Now that I've finally made my way through the entire Twilight series I can honestly say that it was the most painful teen series I have ever read. Bella's insistent whining throughout the series as well as the fact that she was so wishy-washy about wanting to be with either Edward or Jacob just grates on one's nerves. Yes, a lot of teenage girls can be annoying, but not that consistently. Also, this book was to be aimed at teenagers... well, every teenager I know of is aware of the basics of sex at least. When Bella and Edward had sex for the first time, even *I* as an adult didn't realize what was going on until after it was all said and done. I mean, how dumbed down did Meyer need to make the story? Was she trying to write it for elementary school kids? Why omit everything up to the point of pillow feathers flying? Teenagers aren't THAT naive! Moving on... to avoid major spoilers for those brave enough to tackle reading this doorstop of a book, the latter part of the book just seemed to drag on forever. There is a battle scene at the end that I struggled through as it brought in a lot of extra characters that got confusing to keep track of and just got a bit boring for me. After a while I just started skimming over names figuring it wasn't really important, which for the most part... they weren't! I initially started this series to see what the hype was all about and once I started figured I might as well see it through to the end despite it appearing to being a waste of my time. I wish I had never found out though because when all is said and done vampires were never meant to sparkle!

Contains: Kissing, Sexual Innuendos

Review also posted at MonsterLibrarian.com

Book 39 of 2009: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

The Twilight saga continues in Meyer's third book with a series of unsolved murders taking place in Seattle, Washington. A young vampire is suspected, but later the Cullens realize the there is a bit more involved than just one vampire. It's more like... an "army". With preparations for battle underway, the ever-growing love triangle between Edward/Bella/Jacob continues. Bella insists on seeing Jacob despite Edward telling her that it is too dangerous. Then Edward proposes to Bella, which she hesitantly accepts. This practically causes Jacob to lose his mind. Trying to calm him down, Bella ends up kissing him and in return finds out that she cares for him more than she realizes. Who will she end up choosing in the end? And how will the battle turn out?

While Meyer's series showed improvement in the second book of the series, New Moon, I felt that this book took a step back in quality. The focus on the love triangle was quite heavy and there was a lot of emphasis on Bella whining through the majority of the book. This left a very sour taste in my mouth and honestly made me hesitant in wanting to carry on with book four. Younger readers may not mind this as much and will probably enjoy this title more than I did. Recommended for teens.

Contains: Kissing

Review also posted at MonsterLibrarian.com

Book 38 of 2009: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

The second novel in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series starts off with the Cullen family throwing Bella Swan an 18th birthday party. At the party, Bella accidentally cuts her finger on one of the gifts she is opening and Jasper Cullen, attracted to the scent of her blood, attempts to attack her. Luckily, Bella's boyfriend and Jasper's brother, Edward, is able to protect her. After this incident, the Cullens decide that it is safest for Bella to move away from Forks. This leaves Bella sulking and moping around. Eventually, she finds that her only way to cope with her depression is to put herself in danger as when she is in harm's way she hears Edward's voice in her head trying to stop her. She goes to Jacob Black, an old family friend, to help her out with this, and he helps her restore a couple of old motorcycles. Jacob and her become very close as the story progresses and she discovers more and more about him including that he has a secret of his own... he's a werewolf. How will this secret affect Bella's feelings for Jacob when she knows that the werewolves are the Cullen's biggest enemy?

New Moon is a much stronger book than Meyer's first, Twilight. There are not a lot of initial character descriptions to wade through, as readers are expected to have already read book one so the book starts off at a faster pace. Also, the fact that the Cullens are absent for the majority of the book means there are fewer of the lovey-dovey Bella/Edward scenes to read. However, there are still numerous scenes of Bella whining about how she misses Edward and how she wants to be with him, etc... etc... ad nauseam. Many times I found myself wanting to toss the book across the room due to Bella's annoying whining, but due to the entrance of the werewolves, I was able to continue on. Jacob Black and the rest of the werewolf pack actually made this book fairly enjoyable. Wondering what is going to happen with the whole Jacob/Bella/Edward love triangle will now lead me to continue on with the rest of the series. It's like a train wreck I can't look away from. Recommended for teens.

Contains: Kissing

Review also posted at MonsterLibrarian.com

Book 58 of 2008: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Book Description:

About three things I was absolutely positive:
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him–and I didn't know how dominant that part might be–that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

"I'D NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW I WOULD DIE– I'd had reason enough in the last few months –but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. . . . Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of something else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something."
When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.
What Bella doesn't realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back. . . .
Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight will have readers riveted right until the very last page is turned.

My Opinion:

I've had this one setting on my shelf for years waiting on me to get to it and I figured with the movie coming out I'd best get on it before everyone tells me what happens! Ironically, while reading it, everyone kept asking me if I had read the book (including my niece who rarely reads!!!). At any rate...

This was definitely a good intro to a new teen series. Meyer has set the scene for a lot of opportunities to come out of this story. There are possibilities for love, transitions, action, etc... etc... This story had a lot of plot twists and had a mix of several different genres mixed in. There was a major romance going on, but there was also a bit of action and drama going on as well. I think it's a very well-rounded story for anyone who enjoys a good vampire story. I am hoping that there will be a bit more "vampire action" (no... not in the sexual since, though that could be good too... *grin*) in future books as this one was a little light on that, but I think it was intended. This isn't really a "horror" book... it's more of just a paranormal/fantasy tale. It's a fun read for "kids" of all ages.