Book Reviews: "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer and "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer

If by some chance you have not already read Twilight and New Moon, the first two installments in the Twilight saga, you best go back and study up a bit, at the minimum. Author Stephenie Meyer, in Eclipse, the third book, doesn't "catch you up" on the ongoing storyline. Without some background, you will be thinking "What?" if you read this vampire novel first.

That said, and assuming you have read the first two novels, here goes my take on Eclipse. Ok, Edward and the Cullens are back in Forks, Bella's high school graduation is coming up, Bella is planning on becoming a vampire after graduation, Jacob is now a werewolf, Edward loves Bella, Bella loves Edward, Jacob loves Bella, Bella loves Jacob as a brother (much to Jacob's chagrin), the vampires hate the werewolves, the werewolves hate the vampires and well, you get the idea. Oh yes, there are now bloodthirsty vampires running amok in nearby Seattle, with a rising toll in violent human deaths.

A large portion of the book follows the tumultuous triangle of relationships between Bella, Edward and Jacob. Bella wants to be changed into a vampire after graduation, even though it will mean a self-imposed quarantine from all human contact for, uh, years. If a new vampire wants to become "vegetarian" they must get over their lust for human blood, we are told. Well, as you can imagine, Jacob is going berserk over Bella's desire, and Edward's insistence that Bella marry him before she is changed adds fuel to Jacob's fire. Suffice to say that the emotions run high, and are dealt with in agonizing detail by the author. Keep in mind that this series was written with a teen/young adult target audience.

Remember the mob of vampires running amok in Seattle? You guessed it; here they come to Forks, driven by a vampire out for revenge, with Bella as the target. Can it be that the Jacob and his family of werewolves and Edward and his family of vampires can become uneasy allies in a battle of supernatural proportions?

Eclipse is both a romantic novel, bordering on soap opera, and vampire/werewolf adventure novel. You will want to read the final book after you are done with Eclipse. You won't be able to help yourself.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Reviewer's note: Please have read the previous three, Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse before you dive into this novel. Regardless of what you have heard, if you do not have the background of the others, Breaking Dawn will be disappointing and confusing. Caution, this review has spoiler potential.

Breaking Dawn, the final chapter in the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, treats the reader to a whirlwind of emotions: heartbreak, loyalty, family bonds, fears, grief, and hope but to name a few. The story is definitely one of Bella's and Edward's eternal love. It is clear that nothing can break the bond between the two. Oh, yes, did I mention that Bella became pregnant with Edwards' child after marriage but pre-vampire change? This child (you have to read yourself to see if the half-human/half-vampire is a boy or a girl) will frankly take you on a roller coaster ride, both during and after the pregnancy.

And what about Jacob, that pesky werewolf who haunts Bella in the previous entries in this series? Fear not, Jacob plays a part, nay; he plays a pivotal part, one I defy you to try to guess.

Bella, our dear Bella, finally comes to realize that she does in fact have a power all to her own. Having lived in the shadow of both Edward's and Jacob's supernatural powers, her gift, alluded to and quite frankly a large part of previous volumes comes to the front to the amazement of all parties. Even the Volturi, who we met in Italy, have to come to grips with Bella's gift in Breaking Dawn. No more will Bella be viewed, as some have stated, as a woman who lacks an independent spirit or power of her own.

The final confrontation brings you face to face with an amazing cast of characters: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hang on, dear reader.

And least I forget: Shaman alert... Jacob and his fellow tribal pack mates turn out to NOT be werewolves.