Stephenie Meyer - Breaking Dawn (Twilight Series, Book 4) (Spoiler included)

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

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The fourth and last installment in the Twilight series concludes the whole series with Bella finally giving in to marry Edward and her getting pregnant on their honeymoon, But what wasn't known to be possible happened and Bella bears a half human, half vampire girl she names Renesmee. Bella is also changed into what she chose to be: a vampire.

But these changes affect not only the Cullens' and Bella's family, it also affects the wolves pack, especially Jacob. Other threads involve themselves as well.

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Breaking Dawn with its 700+ pages was a piece to read, especially at parts that were just too long and made me wonder how the capability of writing page after page with the same over and over again just using different words is called. There were parts that I think are excruciating to read just because they don't seem to end, like f. e. Bella's pregnancy. Although she got the child in a manner of a few weeks it felt much longer for the reader to get through that part.

Surprisingly I liked the part from Jacob's view. A style that wasn't used by Meyer in the previous three books.

I didn't like the fact that our Bella got everything she wanted. No sacrifices at all, besides as a vampire she lost all her "bad" characteristics. No problems at all. That certainly helped finding the book exciting.
The Renesmee - Jacob relationship made me choke. Seriously ?

To end this painfully, most certainly spoiling review, I'd like to end that if Meyer would have read Wuthering Heights she'd never have used such an ending. Why she felt the need to mention Wuthering Heights more than once in her books is not understandable to me.

In the end there was no drama. All is well, happily ever after - no.
This particular way of writing a conclusion so many people waited for shatters dreams. Not mine but others I now have to feel bad for.

Rating:
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Stephenie Meyer - Eclipse (Twilight Series, Book 3)

As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself in the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: Life or death.
But which is which ?

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Bella and Edward move on with their relationship with Bella desperately missing her friend Jacob who keeps away from her since she decided to stay together with vampire Edward. Edward, strictly against a friendship warns her that werewolves aren't predictable and tries to occupy her with his sister Alice or himself to keep her away from La Push, the wolves reservoir.
But sooner or later he has to learn that Jacob's friendship means a lot to Bella, enough to run away from his watchful eyes. He knows that sooner or later Bella has to decide between the human love she feels for Jacob and his and wants her to decide for herself.

When Seattle is raided by a group of young vampires, Bella once again is the target of Victoria's revenge. To win this war the Cullens' have to built an alliance with the wolves pack to fight the group that will come to Forks.

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I don't quite know what to think of this third installment. Bella has her issues with becoming immortal, she has her issues to give up the human qualities Jacob could offer her. The author most definitely went overboard with the whole love triangle thing and certain parts didn't make sense to me at all. But then, I've never been like Bella, who is still the most dependent person in the world, now needing two men to "survive".
Edward seems to have matured a bit by allowing Bella to keep her friendship and decide for herself but still the whole situation is annoying. As a mother I'd probably throw a fit over it.

So top or flop, I wouldn't know and can't decide if I liked it or not. The book didn't offer much substance to me which I expected but overall, it was an ok read to pass the time.
I'm still interested how the story ends and have already picked up the last book to finish the series and get it out of the way.

I refuse to draw any conclusions to the secret fantasies the author might have. Won't do that. No no no.

Rating:
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Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; Reprint edition (August 4, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316027650
ISBN-13: 978-0316027656

Stephenie Meyer - New Moon (Twilight series, Book 2)

Bella celebrates her birthday with her boyfriend Edward and his family, a unique clan of vampires that has sworn off human blood. But the celebration abruptly ends when the teen accidentally cuts her arm on broken glass. The sight and smell of her blood trickling away forces the Cullen family to retreat lest they be tempted to make a meal of her. After all is mended, Edward, realizing the danger that he and his family create for Bella, sees no option for her safety but to leave. Mourning his departure, she slips into a downward spiral of depression that penetrates and lingers over her every step.

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It is a paper cut on Bella's finger that drives the Cullens' out of Forks, promising to never to return. Bella never asked for them to leave, she didn't want them out of her life but she is left with a shattered world, nothing to do with herself and not enough will to live to move on with her life. So the months fly by until Bella remembers her old friend Jacob Black and their relationship intensifies.
For him she has always been his love, for her he is the brother that takes her around doing dangerous stuff. But Jacob has another secret soon to reveal. He's a werewolf trying to protect the people from a vampire that lately left tracks and dead people all around Forks and the reservoir. The vampire of course, is Victoria who seeks revenge on Bella for James' death.
In an attempt to feel something Bella tries herself in cliff diving which almost costs her life if it weren't for Jacob who once again saved her life.
The friendship between the two is put to the test when the frantic Alice, Edward's sister who saw Bella's jump in a vision, arrives to check on Charlie because she thought Bella died. But she's not the only one that thought the same.

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I've been wondering why I kept reading. There isn't really much happening in this continuation of the Twilight novel. It certainly aren't the characters. Each one of them is undeveloped and Bella's the most co-dependent person one can imagine. Her clumsiness, in the beginning kinda funny, hasn't changed and has become quite old. She still wants to become a vampire and it looks like that's her only goal.
I could tear at my hair for Bella's stupidity and have given up to explain why I in the end liked the book. The answer is pretty clear: I don't know.

It is quite irking that Meyer so easily describes depression like it is the normal process of heartsickness. It is not, plus, suicidal behavior might be a bit thoughtless to dish to young teenagers. It certainly needs explanation for some young readers.

Rating:
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Review Twilight (Twilight series, Book 1).

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; MTI edition (September 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316075639
ISBN-13: 978-0316075633

Stephenie Meyer - Twilight (Twilight series, Book 1)

When Bella Swan moves from sunny Phoenix to Forks, Washington, a damp and dreary town known for the most rainfall in the United States, to live with her dad, she isn't expecting to like it. But the level of hostility displayed by her standoffish high school biology lab partner, Edward Cullen, surprises her. After several strange interactions, his preternatural beauty, strength, and speed have her intrigued. Edward is just as fascinated with Bella, and their attraction to one another grows. As Bella discovers more about Edwards nature and his family, she is thrown headlong into a dangerous adventure that has her making a desperate sacrifice to save her one true love.

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The small town of Forks has a new resident who just moved into her father's house: Isabella (Bella) Swan despises small town living and therefore doesn't expect much from her new school either. To her surprise she finds herself to be the main attraction especially for the boys.
It is there that she meets the strange but charismatic Edward Cullen.
With crossing ways the two teenagers fall in love with the difficulties just beginning.
Edward is a vampire, he lives together with his vampire family who don't feed on human blood but rather hunt animals. To establish a relationship the Cullen family, who is mostly glad that Edward found someone even if it is a human, invite Bella to a family vampire baseball game where the group meets three other "non-civilized" vampires.
One of them is James, a tracker, who picks up on Bella's scent immediately. She is in danger and has to flee town - fast.

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I finally gave in to begin reading the Twilight series and I'm surprised that I flew through the 500+ pages and really enjoyed them.
Twilight is a book for teenagers mostly so the plot seems to be justifiable dull for the experienced reader.
Of course at some point or another I had my thoughts about bell's main attributes are being naive and just clumsy with her feet and Edward being a little prick who gets a bit creepy in how to handle his first love and feelings.
I wouldn't wish my daughter a boyfriend like this or my son a girlfriend like Bella. The development of the relationship and the addiction of the main character Bella do have something irritating whilst Edward is knight in shiny armor never fails.

Sort of a modern fairy tale with some disturbing points.

Nevertheless I found myself reading page after page which must mean that overthinking, which I didn't while reading and won't continue after finishing this review, can be just too much.
Instead lets just enjoy a not too overexciting novel, aimed at teenagers and not think about the messages hidden in it. Were there any ?

Rating:
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Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 544 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; Standard edition (October 5, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316160172
ISBN-13: 978-0316160179