Book Review: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

 

Book: Midnight Sun by Stephenie Myer
Genre: YA romance/paranormal
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Back in the day, when the beginning of this book was online, I think I managed to read the first couple of chapters before it disappeared. And I remember Stephenie being so mad about the leakage of it, or the unapproved sharing, or whatever the issue was, that she said she would NEVER finish and publish it. That made me sad. 

So it was a good day when I heard she was actually publishing it all these many years later! And great timing because I was in SUCH a perfect mood for this in my life again! 

Yeah, so pretty sure we all know this is the Twilight story told from Edward's point of view. It's been a long long time since I read Twilight, and I haven't gone back to re-read since finishing this one, but I think we got a lot more detail regarding lots of things this time around. We got a lot more back story of the vampires. We got a lot of angst since Edward was VERY VERY stressed out from the moment Bella entered his life. Poor guy. LOL. 

My biggest issue with the book was trying to read it without picturing whatshisface Robert Pattinson in the lead role. I really want to remember my original whoever was in my head the first time I read Twilight which was years before the movie. But I can't recall that image! I'm so bugged about that! So then I tried to picture some favorite kpop boys who can REALLY REALLY pull off the whole vampire look well, but that didn't work very good either. In the end, I think I pictured a morphing of ALL the above... a bit movie Edward, a bit kpop boy, and a bit my own invention. I guess it worked. But wow, that was a frustrating thing!

Being in Edward's mind was... I don't know... hard. He really struggled, didn't he? Wow. It's amazing they managed to get to a place where he didn't want to constantly kill her, yeah? I think this book does an amazing job of describing what it might be like to be a vampire. LOL... as if anyone knows, but she really captures something here...I mean.. I FELT it! That's crazy!

You may or may not remember that I was always a big fan of Jacob. It was sad he was not really even a part of this book. Did Edward only cross paths with Jacob like twice during this whole story? Wow. And how he just dismisses him in his head. If only he knew...yeah? I wonder when it hits him that Jacob is going to feature more than just an annoying kid with a crush? But I guess we will get no more books from Edward's POV if I understand correctly. This is it! So we will never know!!

So yeah, I'm happy to have this book to add to the collection. It was very fun to go back to Forks and live all this over again. Good times!

Thoughts on Eclipse

What I liked:

-- Jasper! Wow, lots of lines. Way to talk Jasper! He is as cool a dude as I thought.

-- back stories of certain Cullens. Interesting. And Jasper should really talk in that southern accent more often!

-- feisty Jacob. Oh... so very very feisty! "I'm hotter than you!"

-- smiling Edward. Yes, much less sullen, more smiley, and his talking was less mumbly this time and more just soft spoken, which I liked.

-- Riley. I hardly remember him from the book, and he played quite a bigger role here than I expected. He was good, I mean bad.

-- The fighting scene was awesome, as was the "training to fight" scene.

-- The tent scene was just as I imagined it! Way to go people! The pain on Edward's face, the gloating on Jacob's. Perfect!

-- Charlie. Always Charlie.

-- The Kiss! You know the one I mean (not the "ouch I just broke my hand" one, the other one.) Yeah, it was a good one!

-- the sparks between Edward and Jacob. They pulled that off really well I thought.

-- Jasper and Alice interaction. Whoa!

What I didn't like:

-- I completely missed the Muse song, but it was there!

-- It felt a little slow to start, and took awhile to get going (except for that Riley scene at the beginning.)

-- Leah. Hmmmm.... not too sure about her.

-- Imprint talk creeped me out, maybe because I know what's coming.

-- Really there's not a whole lot I didn't like actually I guess.

Are you going to see it? Will you come and tell me what you thought when you do?

A Trailer for ONLY Team Jacob Types

This movie is looking better and better.....


The Twilight Saga: New Moon 'Meet Jacob Black' Preview in HD

Weekly Geeks 2009.29: Books and Music

I'm really bummed I don't have like a gazillion ideas for Weekly Geeks this week. Books and music together? What could be better? But, when I really try to think about what song makes me think of what book, nothing really comes to mind. It's making me crazy.

However, I do remember awhile back, when Twilight first came out, it was around the same time I was totally playing Josh Groban's Awake song over and over and over again. And I LOVED the lyrics... and I thought, hmmmm.... this could describe Bella and Edward's feelings at the end of Twilight perhaps, when their future together was a bit bleak.

I don't know, what do you think?




A sample of the lyrics:

So keep me awake, to memorize you.
Give us more time, to be this way.
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today.

We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here right now with me.
And all my fears just fall away, when you are all I see.

Oh, and in keeping with the Twilight theme, because I know you all love it so much.... I always thought the song My Immortal by Evanescence described the happenings of New Moon. Beautiful song.

I don't know, what do you think?

Twilight, The Movie: A Review of Sorts

First, let me just say that I'm easy to please when it comes to books made from movies. I'm very uncritical and I don't worry about the little things. You may want to take that into consideration as you read my thoughts about the movie!

Second, stop reading now if you haven't seen it yet and you want to have your own reaction to the movie before reading anyone else's, because I'll let the "spoilers" fly. BUT, do come back after you've seen it and let me know what you think!

So, yes, I loved the movie! I thought it was great! Here's a list of some of the specific things that I particularly liked:

• I totally fell in love with Charlie! A character that I didn't think much about as I read the books, but the actor truly endeared him to me. He was fabulous! Perfect!
• I thought all the Cullens were great. Perfect for the parts... except for Jasper, who was just a little too creepy. He reminded me of Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. And I thought Jasper was a fun-loving happy sort of guy. Did I miss something?
• I wanted to cheer when Carlisle appeared. I have no idea why.
• I loved how the audience giggled at many different parts simply because we all knew what the characters where thinking. I've never seen that before. Very cool.
• I loved the "tree flying" scene, which wasn't in the book that I remember anyway. But it worked and I thought it was very cool. And right after, at the piano, also very cool.
• I thought the fight scene at the end was sufficiently intense. And James was sufficiently scary. Wow.
• I thought Jacob was great and I can't wait to see tons more of him next movie! I wanted to cheer when he appeared too.
• I loved how the humor of the situation showed itself quite a bit.
• There were some cheesy moments too, but I still loved it.
• Oh, the baseball scene with MUSE's Supermassive Black Hole song playing. So very very cool!
• I think they did okay with sparkly Edward... it wasn't too overdone or anything. It looked how I imagined.
• Oh, and I thought it was so cool how they incorporated the cover of the book into a scene! Loved it! :)

Stuff I didn't really like so much:

• It bugged me that they left out the blood fainting scene. Seems like that wouldn't have been so hard to leave in there!
• Wow, I was surprised that they actually showed the killing of James!
• Edward was a little stiff and awkward at times.
• I didn't like that I missed Stephenie Meyer's cameo! My kids caught it though and I heard the buzz through the audience. What was I looking at instead? I have no idea.
• The meadow scene. It was just not quite right. It was okay, but a little too different from the book and/or my imagination.

Well, I could probably go on and on, but I'll stop for now. Overall, I thought it was great and I could easily see it again!

So, what'd you think?

P.S. Here's MUSE, Stephenie Meyer's most favorite band, singing Supermassive Black Hole, live. I was able to see them in concert last year and loved it!

Review: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Book: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Genre: YA... Romance? SF/Fantasy? Paranormal? Hmmm....

Rating: A

I'm done! I started the book Monday evening and finished yesterday evening, with most of the reading being done Tuesday. Yesterday, I lingered through it. I put it down often. I dreaded the ending, first because of what I thought might happen and didn't want to read about, second because I just didn't want it to be over... like Christmas you know. Something you look forward to forever, and then it's over way too fast.

Anyway. About the book and my reaction... without any spoilers. How to do that? Obviously, it's the continuation of Bella, Edward AND Jacob's story. Yes, people, Jacob is a major part of this story! And has been from the beginning. I know some seem to be in denial of that fact. But he is, and I'm glad he is. I like him. A lot.

The direction this book took surprised me. Like, I didn't see it coming AT ALL! I hope I'm not the only clueless one out there. But it's quite possible that I am. Quite. But, despite the fact that I was so surprised, and despite the fact that there were several uncomfortable moments, I still loved the book. I loved how everything was answered and wrapped up and....

....okay... no spoilers. I'm going to do Kookiejar's trick (dang I miss Kookie!) and continue the discussion... complete with MAJOR spoilers.... and tons of random thoughts.... in the comment section.... so join me there if you dare... please?

Other Reviews:

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My Experience in Pre-ordering Breaking Dawn

So, since I'll be out of town the weekend Breaking Dawn comes out, I decided I better pre-order it. So I go to Borders:

Me: I'd like to pre-order Breaking Dawn.

Borders Dude: Okay.

Me: And that means there'll be a copy here with my name on it, right?

BD: That's right.

Me: Even if I can't come and pick it up until Monday?

BD: Oh... let me check. (consults with other Borders Dude....)

BD: Umm... welll.... we can only hold it for you for 24 hours.

Me: Seriously? So.. pre-ordering is pretty much a waste for me then.

BD: Yep. Pretty much. BUT... we'll be ordering thousands. There should be plenty still here on Monday.

Me: So, it'll be different from last time then? When you ran out of Eclipse within an hour?

BD: WE didn't run out of Eclipse! That was Barnes and Noble!

Me: Well, it was right here in this store that I came last year, and we were all grabbing books from your last box you were setting out, which was about an hour after you opened.

BD: (shaking his head)

Me: (nodding mine)

Me: Well, so, anyway, you're ordering more than last time? And on Monday, you think you'll have plenty of copies left?

BD: Yep, we should.

So much for the pre-ordering idea.

Looks like I'll just have to take my chance that they really will... or that someone else will order thousands and still have copies left. I think I may go crazy that weekend wondering.

Yet Another Twilight Trailer!

So I'm sharing in case you haven't seen it yet:

A Little Breaking Dawn

Just a little note to say that yesterday, while at Costco, I picked up the special latest version of Eclipse... you know... the one with Chapter One of Breaking Dawn in the back! Yes, I walked around Costco and read that chapter. Then put the book back of course! Shhhh.... you know you've done it too!

So, have you read it yet? What'd you think? Does August seem like a LONG way away? Have you pre-ordered the book? Or are you taking your chances that first day and just trying to find it somewhere? Or maybe you're of the "who the heck cares" crowd?

And for some more movie excitement, here's a complete scene (which I first saw over at Maw Books) from Twilight that got my heart pounding pretty quick. So just in case you haven't seen it around yet, here you go:

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

A Couple of Twilight Previews

Wow! I so can't wait!

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

And look at Jacob Black... whoa! I think the movie will totally be turning me into a Jacob fan! :)

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

Book Club Tomorrow.... My House!

So tomorrow the "neighborhood" book club (I need to think of a better name!)is gearing up for yet another fun year of reading! We'll be meeting here at my house and dicussing ALL THREE Twilight books. We are inviting the young teen girls in the neighborhood, and our daughters and new friends that haven't come before but are major Twilight fans. I'm so excited! We are going to have quite a housefull.

I'm planning on doing some trivia questions, sharing Stephenie Meyers FAQ answers from her website, playing some of her playlist music she's listed on her website, discussing the all important Edward vs. Jacob question, and eating lots of yummy snack junk food!

So, my question to you, my book blogging friends, is this: If you were coming to my Twilight book club tomorrow, what would you have to say about these books? What would your input be? Are you "thumbs up" or "down"? Are you pro-Edward or Jacob? Why do you think Stephenie Meyer is having such amazing success with these books? What's going on with that? What's her secret?

I'd love to know what you all think!

If we have time tomorrow night, we may even discuss Harry just a bit too. But I have a feeling Bella, Edward and Jacob will take over. I also hope to plan our upcoming reading year. I let you know what we decide.

Here's a video that's full of fun Twilight books quotes: