New Moon

Finally! Some angst, heartbreak, panic, and fear. Meyer's second entry in the Twilight series is much better than the first. She finally gets around to things that interest me as a reader:

1) Dark, disturbing events (I actually felt horror this time)
2) A more angst-filled heroine (I like shiny happy, but not in a vampire story)
3) One word: Werewolves. :)
4) Some nice commentary on life, death, and what it all means

She also does things I like as an author myself:

1) Begins with a quote (The Bible, Shakespeare, Frost)
2) Includes a teaser Preface (Note to self: Steal this tactic! It really draws you in)
3) Thanks musical groups in her acknowledgment section (I do that too)

New Moon is primarily about Bella and Jacob, her new best friend-turned werewolf. Sorry, Edward fans, he doesn't show up for about 500 pages. Seriously. I felt for Jacob, knowing that his friendship with Bella would always be only that; it's not a spoiler to note that she feels life is pointless without Edward, and she'll never love another.

I loved the werewolf lore, the exciting vampire coven visit near the end, and the pure agony Bella is in throughout.

Unfortunately, (fans will hang me for saying this) the pivitol storyline, this incredible I-will-die-without-you love that Bella and Edward have for each other, just isn't believable to me. I try and try, but hollow phrases like "I won't live without you," after he's gone for 8 months, just don't gel.

I guess this type of Romeo and Juliet love story (nice tie-in in the novel) seems unrealistic to me because, it is. Romeo and Juliet were more believable because they had Shakespeare for an author. But even their "love at first sight" idea always seemed like a nice fantasy, rather than anything real.

I'd like to note here that I'm not a bitter singleton; I believe 100% in soulmates and in romance. I just think real romance is lifelong. Let's see how Edward and Bella do if they get married. Or if she becomes a vampire and they have to live together..forever.

It reminds me of when Bean said once, "Why can't we just die and be done with it? Do we really have to spend eternity with people? It's enough already." haha She was kidding. Maybe.

I recommend New Moon, as it was a better entry in the series. We'll see how Eclipse measures up. Personally, I hope more mythical creatures show up. They're more believable to me. haha