New Moon

I decided I had had enough waiting and went and bought this book at Wal-mart. Is it only in hardcover? Well, I'm hooked up now because along with the hardcover price, I also now have my very own tattoos of Bella's name, Jacob's name and Edward's name, not to mention a tattoo of the book cover art. Totally stoked about that (just trying to sound like the young adult the author geared these stories towards).

I am glad I bought it. It was the kind of book I couldn't put down. I started it in the morning and finished it in the evening. Obviously, it deserves kudos for being hard to put down. It's great. But, at the same time, it's not GREAT, but I think that's because it's young adult fiction so it still isn't something that I can totally admit to loving without any reservations.

New Moon is the sequel to Twilight and apparently the middle of Meyer's Edward/Bella trilogy. Her last book, Eclipse, is due out next month. The book starts with Bella turning 18, a birthday she despises because she is now a year older than eternally 17 Edward. She is not excited, at all, about any celebration of her big day and grudgingly goes to a birthday party thrown by Edward's sister, Alice at their big vampire mansion in the woods. She gets a paper cut opening one of her gifts and one of Edward's brothers (they aren't actually related but have all lived together for years and years under the leadership of Carlisle and Esme - their parents - who have created this non-human blood diet which makes them more humane) attacks her on whiffing her highly desirable, fragrant blood.

This freaks Edward out, again, that she is constantly in danger around him and he lies and tells her that he doesn't want to be together anymore. Bella is devastated.

The rest of the book deals with her devastation. I suppose it's possible for young people to experience that kind of all-consuming love. I know teenagers themselves, think they are constantly experiencing it, but it's the 30ish me that realizes in hindsight that that consuming feeling, that intense desire, isn't necessarily that eternal, end-all, be-all love. There's my skepticism. BUT...now there is romance unfulfilled and lots of tension as Bella tries to move on, develops a strong friendship with Jacob (who has a surprise of his own) and cope with her great loss.

Not enough Edward in this book, in my opinion, but it was a great set-up for this last book where it will be decided if Bella herself will become a vampire (her greatest desire) and what will happen when Edward and Jacob finally have to duel. I admit to being totally and completely hooked.