Breaking Dawn

**Links: Book 1 * Book 2 * Book 3**

This truly is my favorite book of this series. I think the reason is because Bella's character is less whiny than in the other books. The story is much more mature, and the characters are less like teenagers and more like adults.

Bella and Edward get married. They have a baby. Bella becomes a vampire. And then the danger comes from the Volturi, the vampire "rulers". It's a story that has excitement, and you fully understand Jacob's purpose in the story, the reason he became so crucial and couldn't be cut out.

I wish that I could say this would be an amazing stand alone book, but I know it's not. I know that so many of the connections that are prominent in this book are developed throughout the entire series. So, you'd have to suffer through the teenage melodrama that the first three books have (although by Eclipse, it's become less angsty and more serious), to get to the great story in this one book. But I love it. And that's not just through my teenage girl reader.

I'll still stand by the writing not being exceptional. I joked to my husband that the most complicated word on the page I happened to be reading was "chagrin", so that should tell you something. The vocabulary is great for a young adult novel, but I like complex words that take a little time to figure out. But that's just me.

Give this series a chance, if only to develop your own opinion of it. It starts of okay (Twilight), goes to extremely angst-ridden (New Moon), transforms into a more complex story (Eclipse), before ending with a story that will leave you hoping for a happy ending (Breaking Dawn). Or, at least, that's how I see it. Your opinion might be different.

Eclipse

**Links: Book 1 * Book 2**

Eclipse is my second favorite of this series. It's still not the most well written of books, but it's an improvement, especially when compared to New Moon just before it. But I do actually enjoy the story of this one a little more. I think it's because, by this point in the series, I've found myself completely immersed in the lives of these characters and the struggles of each of them is becoming so much more defined.

Granted, you still need to release your mind to a point where you let yourself be a teenage girl, but past that, it's a better book. I do enjoy this one. (Breaking Dawn, the last book, is really my favorite.)

But, like all the books in the Twilight Saga, go into it not expecting greatness and instead expecting an escape from reality for a while, and you'll be golden.

New Moon

**Link: Book 1**

Ok. I'm going to be bluntly honest about this book. It's tedious. It is my least favorite of the four Twilight books and here's why.

The story just isn't good in this book. You spend chapter after chapter reading about how miserable Bella is because Edward has left her. It is the epitome of teen melodrama. All I heard in my head reading this book is "whine, whine, whine, why doesn't he love me?" Like I said. Tedious.

I'm not saying that this book doesn't have some importance to the series, because it does. It introduces a new group of characters that are essential later on, and shows a relationship that will create new problems. But all of that could be better developed in a book that isn't so melodramatic. Not to mention, after seeing the movie, some of the lines have gotten cheesier.

But, still, like the rest of the series, it's a good way to live outside of reality for a little while.

Twilight

Yes, I read Twilight (for like the fourth time). I know it gets some seriously bad press - bad writing, bad character development, bad plot, etc - but let's look at it for what it is: a teenage paranormal romance novel. And as a teenage romance novel, it's not that bad. Yes, the writing is sub-par and the characters are rather one dimensional. But if you consider the target audience - teenage girls - it's ok.

Bella is a typical teenage girl. That's why this book is so popular. Do I think this should be used to accurately depict how love is supposed to be? Absolutely not. In fact, I think it should be used to show how love should be at all. But it's a romance novel. When is the romance in any romance novel realistic? This book is no different than adult romance novels, except that it has writing that is a little worse.

Take this book for what it is - a time to completely check out from real life. I don't like this book because it's an amazing story or a great piece of writing. I like it because I don't have to worry about deep issues. I needed this series after reading the Hunger Games. I needed to transition to something sort of fluffy after reading something so deep.

So, yes, there's all that bad press, but try reading this book by letting your inner teenage girl out, and you might actually enjoy it. I know I did.