And New Moon, and I don't get what the fuss is about Maybe vampire love stories aren't my thing, or it gets really juicy or something in Eclipse, but I just don't see the obsession.

Don't get me wrong, it was an entertaining read. But that is about all it was for me. I am wondering for those of you that LOVED it what you usually read. Romance novels aren't really my thing to begin with. But still, what do you think of the fact that Bella is so freakin lame! She can't even manage to get through a day without some sort of man in her life? What kind of message is that? I am surprised so many of you ladies were not completely irritated by her. And there is way too much dialog about how much she worries about one or the other of her "men" pretty much constantly. It was really irritating. Maybe she gets better in the other two books? I am not a fan of the prolonged love triangle either. I am hoping if I read Eclipse it isn't more of the same when it comes to Jacob's character b/c the whole werewolf thing was kind of neat but if it just gets dragged into more of what the latter part of New Moon was like I think that would be a shame.

As for Edward--I liked his character up until the meadow scene. So basically, I liked when he had 'tude It made him interesting. But once they were an item and had declared their love he bored me. It's like he went from multi-dimensional to a paper doll.

Am I the only one that didn't gush over these books? I will most likely read the next two just b/c I don't like leaving loose ends. I was fairly entertained with Twilight, but New Moon was disappointing for me.

Oh and I forgot to mention, the love between Edward and Bella reminded me of some very dysfunctional, co-dependant, obsession based relationships of friends I had in high school. To "love" someone so much you go comatose if they leave you at the oh so wise age of 18 is just nuts. How is that romantic? I don't know what I was expecting since it is a young adult series, but still I was disappointed at the immatuirity there. I talked ot my 13 year old cousin about it and even she agreed (thank goodness). Maybe this is all about drooling over the hunks in the movie? I need to see the movie.

[Resi]

I read all 4 books and they held my attention. I would read them while pumping at work. I did get irritated by her for the same reasons you mentioned. The whole comatose thing annoyed me too. I wished that she was more independent on her own.

Maybe I will like the whole series more once I read the last two books and I can see it as a package.

They for sure held my attention too, and were a great distraction when I couldn't sleep alll weekend. Ugh. I just wonder about the message it sends teenage girls that read it. I just don't see why you would want to glorify that kind of love. I look back on feelings I had that were similar to what she describes (the obsession apart) and cringe. Adolescence sucks I hope their love matures or something in the rest of the series b/c that would be cool.

[enchantingdragon]

For me reading Twilight was all about the emotions. Stephenie Meyers does a wonderful job I feel of conveying that feeling of first love. When I was reading Twilight it brought back those memories and feelings I had when I first met my first boyfriend. I felt the same rush of emotions and butterflies in my stomach and it made me remember how sweet it was when you fall in love for the first time. Out of the series Twilight is my favorite and while New Moon is my second to last (Eclipse is very good in my opinion though the love triangle play a significant role )I can relate to those feeling once again. When my first boyfriend and I broke up I was beside myself. While I wasn't nearly as bad as Bella was I was pretty bad. I ended up redecorating my entire room for over a year in order to get my mind off of him. My best friend sat through this entire year long ordeal that really didn't end until I went away to college. Though I never went through such a long morning period again after that I was only 16 years at the time and everything I felt was new and I really thought he was the one I was going to marry and live happily ever after with. I think that idea is that Bella is still a teenager and when you are that young you don't know everything. You experience love and heart ache for the first time and it rocks your world. You never feel those emotions the same way afterwards because they were the first and they stand out because you have nothing to compare it to. To relive all those emotion again was like reliving a part of my life again, when Edward left I felt like I was 16 again and my heart was breaking all over again. While I won't say Twilight is a fictional masterpiece I find very few book can evoke such strong feelings in myself at least. And to answer your question I never read romance novels.

That is a sweet way of looking at it as reliving your young experiences. For me the books didn't remind me anything of my first experiences with love and love loss. I was never insecure or particularly needy though (referring to Bella, not you) so that may have something to do with why I just did not relate well to Meyer's descriptions. I just did not relate to that part of Bella's character (which basically is her character right?) at all. It didn't even remind me of those first "in love" feelings I ever got. I dunno, everyone is different I guess. I had lots of relationships with love type feelings were involved, but I never knew actual intense and deep love until I met my husband and I was already in my twenties and had been through the psudeo loves. I don't even look fondly on the psuedo love b/c it was nothing compared to the real thing which for me was devoid of drama, games and insecurities. I suppose if Dustin had ended up dumping me I would feel differently but I got lucky

dp

[Mars]

I've not read the series yet or watched the movie but am planning to because I too want to see what the hype is about and if it will draw me to it. My niece is "GAGA" over it. She tells me how it so great, yadda yadda but she's 18 so I don't know. I never cared much for romance novels or soap operas but I do like vampire stories. They just find the sexiest guys to play vampires!!

[~*sierra*~]

ahhhhhhhhh michelle!!! i have just kept quiet over the twilight craze for the most part because the books dont really hold my attention very well. i read twilight and i've gotten halfway thru the next one but i just can't get through it! i'm more for the witty light chick lit type of book. i guess i just like characters that i can relate to better than ones i cant. my SIL who is 32 is in love with the whole saga too and i'm tryyyyyying to get through it so we can talk about it but i have pretty much given up at this point lol

haha i kinda wanna hug you cuz i thought i was the only person on the planet not to go mental over twilight lol heheh

[Kerysma]

I always attributed her insanity over the separation to some weird Vampire power of attraction/magic. Though every time I reread the series I get more annoyed with New Moon. The last book is definitely my fave, Bella finally comes into her own.

[Miracle]

I read and saw the movie and didn't see what all the fuss was about either.

I get what you're saying, but the last two books are MUCH better, in my opinion. Bella becomes a bit cooler

[*krista*]

I agree with you, Michelle. The first one held my attention, as did the last one. The middle two just seemed like filler to me, and the second one just ticked me the heck off.

I think they would be GREAT books if they were written for adults instead of teens. In fact, I really wish she would have written them for adults in an adult perspective. The Twilight series... I don't know, it is good for an easy read, but it just doesn't have much depth IMO.

Have you read her adult book? I don't remember what the heck it is called... oh, The Host! That's what it is. It was a little better IMO, although a little too sci-fi for my taste.

[*vi]

I don't know... I just fell in love with the characters. The idea of a "perfect" relationship like they have in the first book just hooked me... and then I saw the movie and was hooked on Jackson lol

The 3rd book is my favorite.

Actually Bella, being the main character, is the one that annoys me lol I love Edward and his family, I love Jacob and his tribe.... but bella, never really cared too much.

[HopeWishWait]

I disliked Bella throughout the first 3 books but I loved her in the last one. Honestly for me, the Bella/Edward is just whatever. I was more fascinated by the other vampires and the wolves...espcially the 4th book. I can't say I don't gush over the books/movies because...I do I'm a diehard Jasper fan...but I can understand not feeling Bella.

[ScottishBrit]

Im still trying to read the last book. For some reason I breezed through the first 3 and now I just can't seem to finish the 4th. But Im also a lot busier then I was before so I attribute it to that.

[~*Bethy*~]

I loved the first one but not to an extent that I needed to rush out and grab the next 3 books. Ill read them as I aquire them - its a good story line, and I want wait to see how the other 3 end up - over all I love them.

[LisanAndy]

I ADORE the books, I've read all of them 4 times now... yeah, I'm a loser LoL. I think Eclipse and Breaking Dawn are the best ones

I am so glad I am not the only one! LOL, I thought maybe I was too jaded or something. I get that people get OBSESSED over it b/c I can get obsessed over all sorts of thigns myself. Just not the Twilight series I guess. I was very intrigued at the vampires, just not the love story.

After reading good and bad reviews online about the last two I don't think I will be reading them.

[petalfuzz]

Originally Posted by Death to capybara

That is a sweet way of looking at it as reliving your young experiences. For me the books didn't remind me anything of my first experiences with love and love loss. I was never insecure or particularly needy though (referring to Bella, not you) so that may have something to do with why I just did not relate well to Meyer's descriptions. I just did not relate to that part of Bella's character (which basically is her character right?) at all. It didn't even remind me of those first "in love" feelings I ever got. I dunno, everyone is different I guess. I had lots of relationships with love type feelings were involved, but I never knew actual intense and deep love until I met my husband and I was already in my twenties and had been through the psudeo loves. I don't even look fondly on the psuedo love b/c it was nothing compared to the real thing which for me was devoid of drama, games and insecurities. I suppose if Dustin had ended up dumping me I would feel differently but I got lucky

I agree, Michelle! True love doesn't cause you to have insecurities, nervousness, or even drama! Well, maybe some drama cause my dad didn't like DH at first! Anyway...

I haven't read the books and don't plan to. I just recently saw the movie and thought is was "okay" but didn't live up to the hype. Bella annoyed me (she just looked grumpy) and Edward seemed very immature for being 100 years old (he was just intense, but hardly 3-dimensional).