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Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Review

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Well, since I read the first three, I figured I should give the fourth Twilight book a shot, and borrowed Breaking Dawn from a friend. I haven’t really found love with the first three, possibly because I’m not that into vampires, and I think I’m simply too old for the books. *Sigh* So with Breaking Dawn, the story picks up where Bella Swan has decided she wants to be a vampire so she can live forever with Edward Cullen. She has made her decision between Edward and Jacob, and vampire trumps werewolf in this case. We watch her make her decision, marry Edward, have sex with a vampire and get pregnant with a vampire baby, and read about the gruesome birthing scene that has terrified me. I’ll be honest – I stopped really reading by the 100th page of so. So I had a lot of speed reading ahead of me, as this is one ginormous book. With the series not doing much for me, it was hard to keep my attention commanded on the fourth. I haven’t watched any of the movies yet, and I probably won’t unless I’m super bored one day and stumble upon them on Starz or something. While the books weren’t for me, I clearly understand that many, many others love them, and I’m happy I gave them a go.
[Rating: 2]

June 15, 2012
4 Comments
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Review

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

The good news? Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer was my favorite of the first three. The bad news? I’m still not buying into the Twilight phenomenon. The story has a love triangle, which is interesting until it becomes a bit too boring and tepid. Jacob the wolf and Edward the vampire each vie for Bella’s love, but the two must learn to work together when Bella’s life is in great danger. Bella, worried about who is after her, thinks becoming a vampire herself will be the only way she can be safe again- and protect her family as well. I don’t think I’ll be spoiling this for anyone when I say that Bella chooses Edward as her soul mate, and they begin planning a wedding, to the happiness of the Cullen clan.
It took awhile (three very long books) but Bella finally begins to show some backbone in Eclipse. She stands up for herself again Jacob, and even is firm with Edward. That was nice to see. But she still lets Edward basically take her hostage during the weekend, and dismantle her truck so she can’t get away. I didn’t like that part. And honestly, there were a lot times where I was wishing she would end up with Jacob. He just seemed so much nicer than Edward, less controlling and moody. But what do I know about being seventeen and finding my “eternal love?” Not much I guess.
There were also a lot of things I did like about this book. It was much faster paced than the first two, which made me want to applaud. The action was there, making me more invested in the story and the characters. I liked the background Meyer provides on the other Cullen’s, which I do think was a bit overdue. I am not in any anticipation to read the fourth and final book. If it is offered to me, I will probably read it, but I will not buy it.
[Rating: 3.5]

February 28, 2011
6 Comments
Author Profile: Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Stephenie Meyer

Author Name: Stephenie Meyer

Website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html

Bio: Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English. She lives with her husband and three young sons in Phoenix, Arizona. After the publication of her first novel, Twilight, booksellers chose Stephenie Meyer as one of the “most promising new authors of 2005” (Publishers Weekly). She has since written follow-ups to Twilight, and a novel for adults. The Twilight series came to the box office in 2008, and debuted at #1.

Titles: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and The Host.
See my reviews of Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse
Bio Retrieved from stepheniemeyer.com

February 24, 2011
2 Comments
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Review

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

As everyone could see from my review of Twilight, I didn’t fall for the story and become a Twihard. But, because a friend had loaned me the first three books, I decided to give it another try and read New Moon. I will say that I liked New Moon better than Twilight, but I still didn’t find it that enjoyable of a read.
The story picks up with Bella Swan, now the girlfriend of Edward Cullen and in on the vampire family secret. The Cullen’s are helping Bella celebrate her birthday, but the festivities go terribly wrong after Bella cuts herself and draws blood. Even though the Cullen’s do not go after humans, the scent is too much for the family. Edward understands that Bella is putting her life on the line by staying with him, so he does the only thing he feels is right- and flees. Bella is heartbroken, going through life in a haze for months. While she is still mourning over the loss of her eternal love, she meets Jacob Black, who brings a ray of sunlight into her bleak world. Jacob quickly becomes her best friend, and maybe even a love interest for Bella. But can she possibly love someone other than Edward?
Again, I liked this better than the first novel, but it still wasn’t great. I just don’t feel that Bella is that relatable of a character, and at times she just seems a bit pathetic. I wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it throughout most of the pages. While the action was missing from Twilight, it still doesn’t seem to be found here, and the writing is much more melodramatic and a little dark. And the same descriptive words were used again and again. Better than Twilight, but only by a half star.
[Rating: 3]

February 23, 2011
7 Comments
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Review

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I never got into the whole Twilight phenomenon, choosing whether to buy Team Jacob or Team Edward underwear. I didn’t read the books or watch the movies (though I could get never get away from talk of Robert Pattison’s hair). But when a friend offered to loan me the first three books, I decided to give them a try. Why not, right? Maybe then I could go buy Team Jacob underwear.
So I cracked open book Uno, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I tried my best to put out all thoughts of the movie clips I had seen, and concentrate just on the writing and the characters in the book. Which didn’t really work out for me. I wasn’t all that impressed. Before you Twihards start boycotting my blog, let me explain why.
The writing really wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. The same words were used over and over again (Edward was perfect, Bella was clumsy, Edward was perfect…) and there was a lot of telling vs. showing going on. I never really connected with Bella, she seemed a little off, and not like the fierce female I think Meyer was trying to make her be. And the love connection between Bella and Edward? I’ve been seventeen, and I never fell head over heels, would turn myself into a vampire, for a guy that I met a handful of times. It just didn’t seem believable- then again, I’m reading a story about vampires, so hey. Also, I was really bored through the first ¾ of the book. Nothing was happening. I didn’t care about kids going to school. I wanted some action, or drama, or…anything.
I tried my best to like the book, but it wasn’t until the last chapters that I started to get invested in the characters. And with a book as thick as that, it was a challenge to keep reading. If it hadn’t been for me writing a review, I probably would have stopped before the half way mark. But the ending did help me like the book a bit, and convinced to the give the second novel a try. Let’s hope New Moon has a bit more action than Twilight.
[Rating: 2]

February 19, 2011
16 Comments
In My Mailbox: January 5th
Updates

In My Mailbox: January 5th

In My Mailbox: Week of January 5th

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Received: From a friend
Synopsis: Isabella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife — between desire and danger.

Title: A Taste of Magic
Author: Tracy Madison
Received: Bought from AmazonKindle
Synopsis: A young, divorced bakery owner discovers she’s inherited her gypsy ancestress’s fabulous magical powers, but learns that when seeking true love with her hunky new neighbor, a person has to be careful what she cooks up.

Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Received: From a Friend
Synopsis: Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won’t be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The “star-crossed” lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy’s reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

January 6, 2011
4 Comments
Dakota Fanning Crowned Homecoming Princess
Chick Lit Plus

Dakota Fanning Crowned Homecoming Princess

Cutie child actress Dakota Fanning can add another highlight to her year. She was crowned homecoming princess at Campbell Hall Episcopal High School. The fifteen year old is a cheerleader there, and on October 30th was crowned princess, walking down a “red carpet” with another football player after receiving flowers and a tiara.
Fanning can be seen in the upcoming The Twilight Saga: New Moon as an evil young vampire.

November 3, 2009
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