Twilight: Completely obsessed now...sigh.

Well, it's just been about forever since I posted. Please accept my apologies.

Okay, that being said, I just have to say I really really really enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's Twilight! (and yes, I finished New Moon, too, but I'm re-reading Twilight even now because I zipped right through it the first time--much like the Harry Potter books!). And can I just say, I'm so glad we are "talking" about it because no one else around here has read them. Let me amend that: Both Twilight (currently #6 in paperback) and New Moon (currently #1 chapter book) are on the NYTimes Best Seller list for "Children's Books". When I called my local bookstore to try to get a copy, he asked me if I was doing it for school! I guess it's on a reading list for several schools in the area. So, I should say that my local peers have not read it, though it is, after all, an ALA Reluctant Reader book as well. Now I see why!!!! Regardless, I finally found a copy at a bookstore in a mall...it was their last one. I had a sense that it would be good simply because I couldn't get my hands on a copy (and they were all out at the libraries I looked into!)!

ANYWAY. You should know this about me: the topic of vampires has FREAKED me out since I was 5 when, for whatever reason, I was up past beditme and caught a tidbit about vampires in the movies (this should be a huge lesson to me on what I let my girls see when I've got the tv on to some random thing). Suffice to say, my childhood was spent with me sleeping with the covers UP TO MY CHIN and my blankets in a type of cocoon around me (as if a monster couldn't just rip them right off...but I digress). Many a night I was awakened by the desperate need to use the bathroom, but I wouldn't get out of bed for fear that some loathesome creature would get me if I left my cocoon before the sun shone. Ugh. It's true. So with that in mind...

You should also know that this has not kept me from being strangely drawn to this topic. I, too, was an avid Buffy/Angel viewer. However, I never read any of Anne Rice's stuff because of the topic. So when I saw all the connections, I was like, Yeeks! But I was having a bad day and I was already so far behind with book club, I just took the plunge back in. And I'm so glad, because I really liked both books, even though they are what I would call, "Pee Your Pants Good." What I mean by this is that they were so good that I a) couldn't put them down and b) had some of that childhood fear tapped into and so found myself getting up to nurse my baby in the middle of the night walking to her room with a little faster step in the darkened hallways. Ridiculous, I know. But true. (New Moon is scarier to me, though).

The book has been likened to Romeo and Juliette, and I do appreciate that romance and suspense (in fact, LOVED it...favorite scene was when they were in the field...and I liked the baseball stuff before the visitors arrived, then I got freaked out!!!!!!). But I have to admit, I do have *some* problems. For instance, Bella always seems to need rescuing, bless her beating heart. AND, she does dumb stuff (granted, it gets the plot moving and gives a reason to rescue her, but still!) DUMB DUMB DUMB stuff--like walking alone/not paying attention to her surroundings with the warehouse scene, going by herself to face James, cliff diving (in New Moon) to name a few. I know in Fablehaven, I too was annoyed when young Seth kept disobeying...wasn't Bella doing the same thing in a way? But like I said, it did add to the romance part of "The Damsel in Distress" and I appreciated her desire to keep those she loved "safe"...but still. Also, I thought it was very convenient of Charlie to be so...distantly busy with sports and fishing.

BUT, here's my biggest bugaboo, which I'm sure will be touched upon at some point: Bella's desire to become a vampire. I TOTALLY see where she is going with this (because she LURVES him!!!! She doesn't want to appear old without him. He is her world and visa versa and yadayadayada), but I'm with Edward. I don't think she should be so hasty--at all. What makes her think that she would be a vampire with the same determination as the Cullens to be a "vegetarian"? Why would she not choose to be more like Laurent, James and Victoria? Nature vs Nurture? Hmmmm. I read the first chapter of "Midnight Sun" which is Twilight from Edwards perspective and it shows how much Edward really struggles with his vampire nature (totally a must-read if you haven't already). I don't think Bella appreciates this. Her idea to just "be changed" is rather symbolic. Like anything where the "grass is always greener", we don't fully comprehend the consequences, good and bad, until we sometimes force the issue.

Loved the writing throughout--each character had a voice and a personality that you wanted to get to know better (well, maybe not everyone, but you know what I mean). I really liked the names she picked, too. LOVED the names Esme and Carlisle, have to say. And Edward. I was really on the edge of my seat and even rereading it now, I'm still so pleased with the pacing of Twilight (New Moon is a bit more sluggish, but I didn't really care). I have to say, if you haven't already been to her website, she's a very generous author there as well. She has "outtakes" from Twilight (like where Edward sees her for the first time when they are going to Prom) that may make your inner romantic and fan "sqee!" with delight. :)

Thanks again for suggesting the book. August seems far far away. At least we have Harry in July. :)