Synopsis

Bella is surprised to learn that her new classmates in Forks, Washington, see her as anything but ordinary, especially Edward Cullen. As she and Edward investigate the attraction they have for each other the true mystery unfolds.

Review

I am/was a “Twilight Skeptic”. Really the only reason I resisted reading this novel was because everyone else and their dog was telling me I had to read it and I didn’t want to be a crowd follower. Well, after a compelling argument from my sister, I decided it was time for me to come to my own conclusions.

Ok, so this book wasn’t challenging, I didn’t learn a whole lot and other than really enjoying my time spent with the story, nothing else is really ’sticking’ with me. So then what is wrong with the 2-star rating this book received?  It was better than that. This story was fun, engaging and nostalgic (not of my vampire experience but of my high school experience). I liked it, not enough to pick up the sequel right away, but soon.

What I enjoyed about this book….The first half is dedicated to every person who ever used the hall pass just to walk past the classroom of the person they liked. Every person who had butterflies when that special someone brushed your hand with theirs while casually walking. This book if for all who haves struggled between what they knew to be right and what they wanted for the moment. It was engaging and compelling and best of all, It’s not gory, it’s not gruesome, it’s not a fantastic fantasy. It’s innocent. I liked it…a lot.

With that said, I did have a few problems with the story. Here they are:

One-The hero is like 100 years older than his love. When Edward would do something that caused me to say ‘ahhhh’, sometimes I’d catch myself thinking ‘ewhhh’. In this day and age when a 100-year old is romantically involved with a 17-year It’s called pedophilia. It creeped me out a bit. Now on the flip….He’s been around for a 100, lonely, years, looking for and never finding what completes him. He deserves a break right?

Two- Was Edward’s attraction to Bella based on intrigue and lust rather than love? The book talked a lot about what vampires do differently than humans and it hinted that they feel emotions differently. So when Bella was weak-kneed it was because, you know, she loved him. When he was weak-kneed it was because he wanted…to SUCK HER BLOOD. (I guess that’s not so different than men today) I never broke the code to this mystery. Probably because I’m a cynic and didn’t want to like this book as much as I did.

Three-I Don’t care how much I loved that these two ‘kids’ were meant for each other…IT IS NOT OK FOR ANY BOY TO STAY THE NIGHT IN A GIRLS BEDROOM!! I don’t care if nothing happens. Why put yourself in a position with that much temptation.

Until I can revamp my review criteria, this book received 2 stars. So all of you out there who have read it, is my rating right or wrong? I felt for as much as I enjoyed the book, 2 stars doesn't quite cut it, however for everything else....it's about right. (I need certain criteria to be weighted more than others and I haven’t decided which should be worth more…perhaps I’ll make a pole…but then I’ll reveal my secrets)