9/05/2022

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

A book that I read within no time. And if I remember it correctly, it was an overnight read. I guess it was because I had it from the library and the lady there gave it to me although it was reserved for another reader. I promised to bring it back in time – and I did. And in case you are not familiar with the author's books, her Twilight series is one you either love or don´t love. There is no in-between. You can probably guess which side I am on *smile*

Breaking Dawn

by Stephenie Meyer
Twilight Series #4
Publisher Little Brown Books on August 2, 2008
Genre Vampire
Pages 756
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
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A year full of happiness, but also full of pain lies behind Bella. A year in which she almost broke up because her passion for Edward and her deep friendship with Jakob are simply incompatible. But now her decision has been made. Irrevocable, even if it appears to be setting in motion a development that is potentially devastating for all of them. Bella still hopes to be able to pull the different threads of her life back together when everything threatens to be destroyed forever...

Story

Bella's wedding day to Edward is fast approaching. She looks forward to the ceremony with a queasy feeling. Because she was brought up to shudder at the mere thought of a wedding dress and flowers. But it is Edward's condition that she marry him if she wants to be transformed by him. After the wedding, however, Bella harbors the wish to be able to stay human a little longer and tries to reach a compromise with Edward. But then something happens that no one expected - least of all Bella. The time of happiness with Edward seems to be over because Bella is suddenly confronted with painful events. Events that she would not have dared to even think about in her wildest dreams, let alone actually experience them. Bella's life is suddenly in mortal danger. But she fights with determination and incredible will, even when it seems a hopeless fight. But everything she loves is in danger of being destroyed, and she doesn't want to let it - can't let it...

Style

Stephenie Meyer brings the story of Bella and Edward closer to the reader from two different perspectives in soulful and clear language. Due to this change, especially in the second book, the reader experiences the events particularly intensively, even when Bella is doing incredibly badly. In general, I had the feeling in some scenes that Stephenie Meyer brought her own experiences into the plot, they were written so poignantly and incredibly beautifully. I particularly liked the fact that Stephenie Meyer left the reader enough room for their own imagination. She stayed true to her writing style.

Characters

The author has given her various characters the most incredible qualities and traits that are so wonderfully human, yet so full of fantasy. There are strong characters and weak ones. But weak here does not mean the depiction and elaboration of the figure, but rather its character. The reader gets everything. From deviousness, betrayal, and anger to passion, hope, and the incredible strength of a family that sticks together no matter what.

But what impressed me the most was Bella's development. She develops a strength, a determination that grows even greater than she already had. But most of all, as the story progresses, she shows self-control, a mastery of her emotions that is tremendous and utterly amazing and unbelievable even for vampires. But for me as a reader, too, this insane mastery was exciting and wonderful to experience.

Conclusion

The best book in the series ever. Incredibly fantastic. So gripping, so captivating, and full of great feelings and emotions. I didn't want to put it down at all.

Happy reading

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. In 2008 USA Today declared her “Author of the Year” because she had swept the top four slots in that year – which no one else ever had in the 15 years of the USA Today bestselling book list. Her internationally bestselling Twilight Series has sold 155 million copies worldwide and altogether her books have spent over 303 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. She lives with her husband and three sons in Arizona.

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7/14/2022

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Yes, I am a huge Twilight fan. Good, I didn´t start reading the books while the hype was going on. But some years later, I fell in love with the books as much as I later started to love the movies. And it is still true. You either love the Twilight Saga or you don´t. There is no in-between. I am not sure about you, but I recommend reading them and see how you will feel about Bella and Edward.  

Eclipse

by Stephenie Meyer
Twilight Series #3
Publisher Little Brown Books on August 7, 2007
Genre Vampire
Pages 629
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads

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"BELLA?"

Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again. This kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.

As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

Story

Bella and Edward are together whenever possible, even if their father doesn't like it at all. But Bella uses her trump card that she is of legal age, and she also pushes through her wish to finally become a vampire herself. But Edward puts one condition on it. If she wants to be transformed by himself (and she does) then Bella must marry him first, he's old-fashioned and assertive. It's an impossible and terrifying thought for Bella, who grew up realizing that marriage isn't good, especially when you're so young. She is also in a dilemma with her friendship with Jacob and her love for Edward, since the two can't stand each other and are also natural enemies. But if Edward can't take care of Bella, then Jacob must take care of her because Bella is in danger.

Style

Stephenie Meyer understands perfectly how to combine an emotional atmosphere with tension and speed. The created atmosphere is captivating and absolutely enthralling. The love story about Bella and Edward continues with a foreword and the storytelling style from Bella's first-person perspective makes the plot very intense and impressive. The whole plot is easy to read, and although there are some very gory scenes, Stephenie Meyer has once again managed to portray these with feeling and style in a way that is child-friendly and still exciting.

Characters

Stephenie Meyer's characters have evolved in a very compelling and realistic way. They've matured and grown up without losing their individual character traits, and I think that's good. It makes the plot even more exciting and gives the imaginative story a wonderfully realistic touch.

Bella is more determined than ever in this volume, still just as messy and clumsy, and while she knows she can't live without Edward, her feelings for Jacob are a major sore point between her and Edward. She wants both her love for Edward and her deep friendship with Jacob, but that seems impossible. The fact that her father clearly prefers Jacob and expresses this very clearly doesn't help her one bit and when Bella must realize that Jacob knew how deep her feelings for him were long before she did, the pain is huge, and the tears flow Stream.

Conclusion

Eclipse is breathtakingly beautiful to read. Dangers, big feelings, and a lot of conflicts result in a soulful, captivating, and sometimes really dramatic story that is able to inspire young and old alike. The anticipation for the next volume is inevitable.

Happy reading

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. In 2008 USA Today declared her “Author of the Year” because she had swept the top four slots in that year – which no one else ever had in the 15 years of the USA Today bestselling book list. Her internationally bestselling Twilight Series has sold 155 million copies worldwide and altogether her books have spent over 303 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. She lives with her husband and three sons in Arizona.

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5/13/2022

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Yes, I admit it. I am a HUGE Twilight fan! I loved the books as much as I loved the movies. And yes, I didn´t read them while the hype about them was in full swing. It took me a bit, but when I finally read New Moon, I had a fantastic time. So, if you´re not familiar with this series, here comes my review of book two. But know first, this is a series you either love or don´t love. But judge for yourself.

New Moon

by Stephenie Meyer
Twilight Series #2
Publisher Little Brown Books on August 21, 2006
Genre Vampire
Pages 608
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
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"Damn," I muttered as I cut my finger on the paper; I pulled it away to look at the wound. A small drop of blood spurted out of the tiny cut. Then everything happened very quickly. Edward threw himself on me and threw me across the table... I fell to the ground beside the grand piano - arms outstretched instinctively to catch me - right into the jagged shards. Only now did I feel the burning stabbing pain, from the wrist to the crook of my arm. Dazed, I looked up from the bright red blood pouring from my arm - and met the fevered gazes of six starving vampires.

Story

Bella's 18th birthday party turns into a disaster. As a result, Edward leaves her, and Bella is left utterly devastated and empty. She is no longer aware of her surroundings, only exists instead of living. Only Jacob can keep her from giving up for good. Then Bella realizes that she can hear Edward's voice in certain situations and from then on, she tries everything to put herself in precisely such situations so that that happens. In her helplessness, Bella decides to fulfill her dream of cliff jumping and with her jump sets in motion a chain of events that has fatal consequences.

Style

Stephenie Meyer literally makes the pages vibrate in a fascinating way. Bella's state of shock at Edward's departure and the realization that she wasn't good enough is portrayed so vividly and figuratively that it took my breath away as I read it. Because the entire story is told in Bella's first-person perspective, this was amplified many times over and as a reader, I fully experienced this emotional catastrophe. The author writes clearly and very emotionally and brings the characters to life with just a few words.

Characters

The author has once again succeeded in bringing her characters to life with just a few words and portraying them very figuratively and powerfully.

Bella has matured even more and nothing and nobody can take her from her love for Edward. Not even her father, Charlie, who is helpless in the face of the overwhelming power of these feelings. She has incredible strength within her. However, she is still clumsy and ungainly and attracts dangerous situations like a magnet.

The reader sees nothing of Edward for a more extended period, but he is always present. In Bella's lovesickness and in her thoughts. Edward decides to lie to himself and Bella and leave to give her a normal, but above all safe, life. But he reckoned without Bella and the strength of his love for her. He travels across the world and the news of Bella's death makes him realize that he doesn't want to continue to exist without her. But vampires can't destroy themselves that easily.

Conclusion

The novel New Moon takes the reader into a world full of atmosphere, passion, and pain. Beautifully written and absolutely fascinating to read.

Happy reading

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. In 2008 USA Today declared her “Author of the Year” because she had swept the top four slots in that year – which no one else ever had in the 15 years of the USA Today bestselling book list. Her internationally bestselling Twilight Series has sold 155 million copies worldwide and altogether her books have spent over 303 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. She lives with her husband and three sons in Arizona.

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9/22/2020

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I cannot even tell you how long I was sneaking around this book before I finally was able to borrow it from my library some years ago. The entire world back then was crazy about this novel and no matter where I was, teenagers were talking with excitement and fascination about Bella and Edward and the world the author had created. Soon I found out, that this is the start of a series that polarizes its readers. You either love it or don´t love it at all. Find out what party I belong to…

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight Series #1

Publisher Little Brown Books on October 5, 2005

Genre Vampire

Pages 544

Format Hardcover

Source Library 

Goodreads

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Isabella Swan´s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella´s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife-between desire and danger.  

Story

Isabella Swan, called Bella, moves to live with her father in Forks, so that her mother can spend more time with her second husband, an athlete, while he is looking for work. Her life in Forks already seems to be clearly in front of her: dreary, boring, quite rainy and cloudy until it is no longer possible. But it turns out differently. Completely different. With her first day at the new school, Bella´s life changes fundamentally. She meets Edward. A boy of breathtaking unearthly beauty and maddeningly angry with her. Still, he saves her life. Bella is fascinated and confused at the same time. Why is he so mad? Why does he still save her life? In her own way, Bella slowly and gradually gets to the bottom of Edward´s secret. But Edward doesn´t fit like that at all. He tries hard to make her realize how dangerous he is for her, but Bella is not deterred. A decision that brings Bella to death´s door. 

Style

Stephenie Meyer describes the plot with interesting contrasts and uses a powerful visual language that presents the reader with one unbelievable scene after another and still leaves plenty of room for their own imagination. Although the story does not have a fast pace, it is moving quickly and the author knows how to skillfully depict tension, love, and the worries and needs of teenagers without falling into clichés. Even if Stephenie Meyer repeatedly emphasizes how cold Edward feels (cold fingers, cold lips, cold cheek, etc.), these stresses do not bother, because she always combines them with a total contrast. The author has also skillfully described some fight scenes that end very bloody but turn out to be exciting and captivating while reading and only become more or less bloody through the reader's imagination. I especially liked the scene when Bella fights a vampire who feeds on human blood and shows astonishing strength and stamina, even though she is literally thrown through the room like a lifeless doll, crashes into huge mirrors, and has nothing to oppose this inhuman power except its human will.

Characters

Edward is undoubtedly a vampire. But what one! Not only does he look like a divine being, he also exists according to completely different principles than other vampires. He does not feed on human blood but prefers to hunt animals. He can move around freely outside in cloudy weather and even sunlight does not harm him. Only because his skin then glitters like a sea of diamonds does he prefer not to go out with people on such days. He lives with his family in a bright, spacious house in the middle of the forest, far from Forks, and loves to drive a car or hunt through the forest at murderous speed. Edward can hear people's thoughts, only it does not work with Bella. Her scent drives him crazy from the first moment. Nevertheless, he is not able to let go of her. On the contrary, he even challenges fate when he reveals some of his secrets to her, and Bella experiences for the first-time what powers are actually in him.

With the character of Bella, Stephenie Meyer has created a protagonist in which pretty much every normal girl should recognize herself somewhere. She is neither beautiful nor ugly, hates crowd attention, cannot dance, but is a gifted cook and loves books. The fact that her father is a taciturn man suits her very well, so she doesn't have to talk to him much. And the few words that they exchange is more meaningful than long dialogues could ever have. Nevertheless, a loving connection can be felt between the two and Bella is not a girl who lives without manners and rules.

Conclusion

A fascinating varied book with a dreamlike love story that makes you addicted to more. Just as great to read for adults as it is for teenagers aged 14 and over.

Happy reading

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. In 2008 USA Today declared her “Author of the Year” because she had swept the top four slots in that year – which no one else ever had in the 15 years of the USA Today bestselling book list. Her internationally bestselling Twilight Series has sold 155 million copies worldwide and all together her books have spent over 303 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. She lives with her husband and three sons in Arizona.

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5/26/2017

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

Actually, I like the idea of a female protagonist who solves almost everything she has to face by only being smart with her skills as a chemist. That sounded very intriguing and turned out very haunting and clever. Sure, at first it was a bit strange, but after a few pages and some reading, I started to like the style. Not absolutely new, but used again in a fresh way. And for the protagonist, it was the right way to get her into action and a new plot.

The Chemist*

by Stephenie Meyer
Publisher Little Brown and Company on November 8, 2016
Genre Thriller
Pages 512
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
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She used to work for the U.S. Government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn´t even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning. Now she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They´ve killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon. When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it´s her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous. Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

Story

Dr. Juliana Fortis is on the run and hiding from her former boss for many years. She knows things and saw things that mean a threat to those who want her dead. So when she gets asked to work on a subject to prevent the world from a deadly virus, she meets Daniel, and everything changes.

Style

This book is different from all the others the author wrote. Her writing style is still soft and decent, but there is some plain tone, the words she uses work for her scenes perfectly. Oh yes, so no harm was done. But I had to get used to it. And I have to admit, that after the first few pages I actually started to like this book.

Characters

It is quite refreshing that a female protagonist uses her brain and her skills as a chemist, to stay alive and to keep her enemies at bay. Dr. Juliana Fortis, during some pages Chris and now Alex (at least for most of the story), lives for years under the radar. She has to keep a low profile since she knows that her former boss wants her dead. With a unique style, she does everything to avoid this and even when she gets asked by her former boss to look into the profile of a young man and to get some information out of him, she keeps her shields up. No doubt, this woman is a great one.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed The Chemist. Yes, this book is different from Stephenie Meyer´s other books, but in my opinion in a good way. I started listening to the audiobook before I turned to the printed book, and the narrator Ellen Archer did a fantastic job. So if you prefer the audio, go and get it right away!

Happy reading












*German edition published by Fischer Scherz on November 8, 2016

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. In 2008 USA Today declared her “Author of the Year” because she had swept the top four slots in that year – which no one else ever had in the 15 years of the USA Today bestselling book list. Her internationally bestselling Twilight Series has sold 155 million copies worldwide and altogether her books have spent over 303 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. She lives with her husband and three sons in Arizona.

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