Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

One of the best books I have read (no exagerration)
While this is generally considered a "children's book", Alice In Wonderland can only be fully appreciated by adults or teenagers. It contains so many private jokes, grammar puns, and other such stuff that a child would not understand it, really. I first read it when I was in first grade, a rather hard book really for first graders, and loved it incredibly. But rereading every year of my life since then (I am now fifteen) one finally can truly relish the great puns and imaginative ideas that Carroll (or Dodgson, his real name) placed within this extremely random book. Yes, there really isn't much of a single plot. It jumps from place to place. Just like a real dream. I don't understand why some people think that this is "scary" for little children though. C'mon, the Wizard of Oz and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall- if little children aren't afraid of THAT, I don't what would scare them) is more frightening than this beautifully-crafted story. Note that the Queen of Hearts, though she has an insatiable urge to decapitate every person she sees, never really kills anyone- the Griffin says so. It's not frightening, rather, it's full of what little children like- randomness, smiling cats, violent-tempered queens, talking rabbits, and imaginary animals. If one is discovering this book for the first time, let it enchant you. If you are re-discovering this book, find in it the things you couldn't find before. If you are simply re-reading it for the fiftieth time (like me), then enjoy every single moment of it. It really is one of the best books I have read, right up there with- dare I say it- Colour Purple and Les Miserables. Yes, even Les Miserables.

In order to understand life and remain sane
I have this book. It is beautifully illustrated. I do not understand the comment of a previous reviewer who complained about the number of illustrations. Nearly every page is beautifully illustrated. Every chapter is introduced with a two-page illustration. There are numerous two-page and full single-page illustrations throughout the book. I'm an adult who fell in love with this story when I saw Disney's Alice in Wonderland. This is a worthy addition to my collection of things Carroll. I recommend "The Wasp in a Wig" if you can find it. The end of this Alice... has a nice and concise description of Carroll's writing of the book, photographs of the cover and first page of Carroll's handwritten first version, and a wonderful tribute to John Tenniel, the illustrator of the first published edition who provided the classic drawings nearly all of us recognize. Buy this book for your kids but teach them to handle it carefully; buy this book for yourself even if you only have cats to read it to.

A colorful new 'Alice In Wonderland' edition, that puts a new spin on the timeless tale
Young Alice has never been a patient child. Therefore, as she is sitting along the riverbank, listening to her sister drone on and on as she reads passages from a slightly boring book, Alice begins to find her mind wandering. After all, this particular book has no pictures to capture the eye. Alice begins thinking about doing something else, making a daisy chain, or climbing a tree, but she's too lazy to leave her comfortable spot. So, as she gazes about her, she finds herself drifting off to sleep, and soon she has spotted a White Rabbit dressed in fancy garb. She begins chasing the elusive rabbit, but quickly finds herself falling down a very deep rabbit hole that she had not seen previously. Alice is frightened as she tumbles down and down, but soon finds herself in a new world. A world not filled with dirt and daisies, but, rather filled with long hallways, and houses that are smaller than Alice herself. Soon, Alice begins encountering characters of all shapes and sizes. To the confusing Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, to the riddle-loving, smiling kitty known as the Cheshire Cat; all the way to the delightfully zany Mad Hatter who loves throwing tea-parties, and the vicious Queen of Hearts. But, as Alice continues wandering through this wondrous world of magic, where animals talk and dance, and even dress in fancy clothes, she begins to wonder how on earth she will ever find a way out of this backwards environment, and back to her sister, sitting upon the riverbank. For even though lazing about on the riverbank can be incredibly boring, sometimes it is preferred when your life is in danger by an evil ruler.

I do not have to tell you how much I adore the tale of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Since I was a young child I have been enamored by Alice's adventures to Wonderland, where she met an array of lovable characters who made you question the sanity of this backwards place, and the people who reside there. From the film to the pop-up books, and everything in between - Alice has been something I have cherished. Therefore, when I stumbled upon Alison Jay's newest edition of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, I could not pass up the opportunity to call it my own. The perfect thing about this edition is that the font is quite large, which makes it easier for younger readers to enjoy the tales of Alice on their own. The second thing I adore about this edition, of course, are the illustrations. Alison Jay is a magnificent artist who has laced almost every page with full-color illustrations of Alice and the various people and things she encounters during her trip to Wonderland. From the intelligent Caterpillar, to the delicious pink-frosting covered cupcakes she shares with the Mad Hatter at his tea party; and the delightful, yet strange game of flamingo and hedgehog croquet played with the Queen of Hearts, to Alice's trial with the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle. Each and every illustration is enjoyable to look at, and truly brings Lewis Carroll's words to life. A colorful new ALICE IN WONDERLAND edition, that puts a new spin on the timeless tale.

Erika Sorocco

Master Illustration meets Alice
It is wonderful to discover another classic of children's literature illustrated by Robert Ingpen. It is a beautiful book. Even if you already own another copy or other copies of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you should add this book to your collection.

Surprising Things in Here that Are Not in Other Alice Editions
The book is delightful, but I'm not talking about the story of Lewis Carrol itself. I'm talking, literally about the book -- its size, texture of pages, color of endpapers, texture of dustcover, that it has a built-in silky bookmark and so on. (This is one book in which it is the right thing to do to judge a book by its cover.) I'm also referring to the extra material, though. First are the illustrations which are really cool. Then there is plenty of commentary on the illustrations. There is also commentary on the Author, Illustrator, Foreward writer and even commentary on the typography of the book. Finally, the Foreward is amazing. I don't know if I agree with all that the Foreward writer says, but that Foreward sure helps to build your vocabulary. I've had six philosophy courses and I still had to look up dozens of words in the Foreward. Really advanced, arcane or even never-heard-of words -- why?, beats me. You would need a Ph.D. in literature to know all the words without a dictionary. So whether you're an adult wanting to increase your vocabulary or you want to buy a nice little book that is a delight itself in its physical being as a book, this is the Alice to buy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up. But is getting older really all it’s cracked up to be?

Greg suddenly finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older—all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side. Can Greg make it through on his own? Or will he have to face the “ugly truth”?

Reviews

Excellent book! My niece loves this book too!
*** Dec. 6, 2010
My niece loves this book too. She loves the humor, the simple amusing cartoons, and the funny jokes in it.

*** Nov. 30, 2010
Greg and Rowley are best friends.
But Greg's dad didn't like Rowley too much, because he thought Rowley was an accident prone kid, so Rowley may ruin his 'warfield' accidently. And Rowley's dad didn't like Greg, either, because two kids liked to do silly things together at home. Nowadays, many parents hope that their kid behaves properly. Reading good books are very important for kids. A good book is a good teacher.This book presents humorous stories that could make kids become more considerate. I feel very happy when my kid read this book and talk to me about the stories in the book.

*** Nov. 27, 2010
Greg's mom and dad had very different interests. She tried to train him to become more romantic while he only wanted to play his war games. He had to sit beside her to watch the romantic movies as she said so, then he'd try to slip out whenever possible. This is what happens to many couples every day. Reading this book makes me think about own daily life more objectively.

*** November 9, 2010
Greg's a very self-centered smart young schooler. His Dad wanted him to live up his potential, but often he had his own ideas. Greg had to learn how to communicate with his brother, though it's not a easy job. First he had to think and learn how to talk to his brother, because his brother was the person picking up Greg after school everyday. Greg's brother became really mad after Greg talked to him about how to drive his car. Finally Greg and his brother had a fight. Greg's mom had been a preschool teacher, so she thought she was very good at handle the situation. But Greg thought it didn't work at all. The book successfully illustartes Greg's thought processes. It seems like an actual diary in words and amusing pictures about Greg's daily life at home and at school.
My son is a reluctant reader, but he really likes to read this book. I also enjoyed reading it! I would like to recommend this book to all schoolers, parents, teachers, and librarians.

Last book of the series (so far) didn't disappoint!
Another very funny installment. If you haven't already read all of the previous books, you must read them first! The story of Greg's life continues. My favorite part from this book is, "When you're a little kid, nobody ever warns you that you've got an expiration date. One day you're hot stuff and the next day you're a dirt sandwich." :-) Great, funny stuff!

He loved it.
My son has all of the books in this series. He says, 'It's one of the best series' ever.' He was very excited to get the newest book.

Great!
Read in one sitting when it arrived. It has bee re-read and re-enjoyed. If you liked the others, you will like this one.

Thank You Jeff Kinney!
For any of you who have a child who does not want to read, I suggest any of the Wimpy Kid books! I wish Jeff Kinney could come out with a book a week! My son does not like to read and fights me tooth and nail to read, however, he usually reads these books within 24-48hours now and asks to "Pre-order" them when he knows there is one coming out.

Thank you Jeff Kinney! and continue the great work!

my son's review (age 9)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is AWESOME!!!!! This book is very very funny. It involves Greg wanting to grow up too fast. Things go a little wild at Uncle Gary's wedding. Also, he has to have "the Talk' with his grandma Gammie, but after "the Talk" Greg might have to take her advice, or he might have to face the 'Ugly Truth." I recommend this book for people who have a good sense of humor. ... Read more

Editorial Review

After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods.


... Read more

Reviews

The gods have gone silent...

When I first heard that Rick Riordan was setting another series in the same universe that he had created for Percy Jackson, I was both excited and a little wary. Excited because I had enjoyed that world and felt it had lots of potential for new adventures; wary because I feared the new series might not meet my expectations and that, if it didn't, it might somehow cast a pall over my affection for the Percy Jackson books. I need not have worried. The Lost Hero, the first book in that new series - the Heroes of Olympus - managed to meet all of my expectations and did so in a style that made me glad Riordan had gone ahead with the idea. While having read the Percy Jackson books is not a pre-requisite for enjoying The Lost Hero, I do think those who have done so will be able to immerse themselves in this world much more quickly and will enjoy the book more than those unfamiliar with Percy's story.

The Lost Hero introduces three new main characters - Jason, who has no memory of his life before page one of the story, Piper, a girl with "kaleidoscope eyes" (all together now - Lucy in the sky-yi with diamonds...) who has the gift of persuading people to give her things and Leo, whose clever and creative hands need to be always busy. As the story begins, the three are part of a group from a school for troubled kids on a field trip to the horseshoe shaped Skywalk that curves out over the Grand Canyon. Since the very existence of this Skywalk in real life kind of freaks me out (seriously, have you seen the pictures of it?), I wasn't particularly surprised when freaky occurrences ensued almost as soon as our new heroes stepped onto it.

Readers are pitched head-first into one of the first forays in a new battle the demi-gods will soon find themselves embroiled in. In short order we learn that the gods have gone silent and that Percy Jackson is missing. Jason, Piper and Leo are all having visions, dreams or reawakened memories, many of which revolve around Hera who, we discover, is being held prisoner. Along with a new Great Prophecy (Seven half-bloods shall answer the call/To storm or fire the world must fall/An oath to keep with a final breath/and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death), a new quest must be undertaken by the trio of newbies to find and free Hera.

I appreciate that Riordan continues to give us both strong female and ethnically diverse characters and that he seems able to hit many of the right notes in depicting teenage language, actions and emotions. For me, he has a knack for making his characters seem real and believable and, in The Lost Hero, he once again succeeds in making me care about them. My sympathy for and interest in the trio builds as details of their lives are revealed in the early chapters of the book (each chapter is told from either Jason, Piper or Leo's third person POV) and by the time they head off on their quest, I'm fully invested in seeing them through their adventures.

One of my favorite aspects of The Lost Hero is the inclusion of Roman mythology with the Greek that was the focus in the Percy Jackson series. I found the discussions of the subtle differences in the gods from one culture to the other really interesting and reading about them made me want to learn more about both.

Lastly, for those dying to know, Percy Jackson definitely plays a role in this series. How significant that role will be remains to be seen. Next up in the series is The Son of Neptune, due in the fall of 2011.

Highly recommended. Riordan has laid the groundwork here for another fun and exciting series and I'm already looking forward to the next book.

The Lost Hero: Riordan's Best Book Yet?
Rick Riordan's son told him that The Lost Hero, the first in the author's new Heroes of Olympus series, was his best book yet, even better than break-out sensation Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He was absolutely right. In May, I said The Red Pyramid, the first in new Egyptian series The Kane Chronicles was Riordan's best book yet. I loved the way he had come into his own as an author with a distinguished voice all his own. Unlike with PJ, you weren't comparing things to other popular series such as Harry Potter. This was a Rick Riordan book. It was HIM. I'll say the same thing about The Lost Hero. Riordan has really become a talented storyteller.

One thing I love about Riordan is the way he uses mythology, a genre that's always been dear to my heart. One thing that made The Kane Chronicles so fantastic was the fact that I learned so much about Egyptian mythology. I already knew a lot of the Greek mythology emphasized in PJ and it wasn't as detailed. With The Lost Hero, even though Riordan is delving into Greek mythology once more, he's taking the time to focus on little-known details and facts. There's a lot more information on the Romans, for example, as well as little-known gods and goddesses such as Khione, the goddess of snow.

The new book feels very tight and detailed. By the time the five-book series reaches its conclusion, there will be an epic tale for readers to return to. I like the way Riordan made the decision to split the book into the viewpoints of three different demigods, much as he did with The Kane Chronicles. It really allowed you to get into the head of everyone on the quest, not just one of the heroes. You could see the way they each struggled to come to terms with their new powers and immortal parents in their own way. I anticipate that every book will be this way as we are introduced to each of the seven demigods revealed in the Great Prophecy. I also feel that there's a good chance the next book will feature characters we haven't met yet and that the heroes we've encountered in this volume either won't appear at all, or not until the finale. If this proves to be the case, it will further solidify Riordan's merit as an extremely talented writer; breaking your characters up between volumes writers can make the writing process harder, as seen by struggles that have delayed authors such as George R. R. Martin from releasing material more frequently.

As with his other books, Riordan creates a fast, nail-biting pace from the get-go in his new series and introduces new characters for his readers to fall in love with. There's Jason, whose name brings back memories of one of the greatest heroes of old, Piper, who takes everyone by surprise by having such powerful gifts, especially given her parentage, and finally Leo, a son of Hephaestus with a wicked cool toolbelt and a penchant for fire-breathing dragons. We're also given updates regarding the new of what has become of our favorite heroes and heroines from the first Camp Half-Blood series. The nice thing about The Lost Hero is that you don't have to read the PJ series in order to get into this one. The two series complement one another and work together, but for a first-time reader, things will still make sense.

The series is designed to keep readers on their toes. If you're astute and know your mythology, you'll probably realize who the main villain is early on. Given enough clues, you'll probably realize the truth about Jason as well. There's also a good chance that you may figure out the truth revealed in the final chapter (and the reason Riordan wouldn't reveal the name of the next book at the live simulcast launch party on Tuesday). At the same time, you may be blown away with each new discovery. I tend to be one of those readers who reads too many books for her own good and learned how to read with a critical eye, which makes fooling me harder than most. At the same time, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Some of my theories were very wrong and proven to be from almost the beginning, others developed as the novel progressed and I had an "Ah-ha!" moment, pleased with myself when my suspicions proved true. I was so involved in the novel and fate of all the characters. I wish I had the next book in my greedy little hands already. Scratch that. I wish I had the next two, if we don't get to see these characters again until book three.

If you liked Percy Jackson (or even disliked it due to its similarities to other novels, like some people I know) or enjoy mythology, this book is one of this fall's must-reads. My only hope for the rest of the series is that a closer eye is paid to the editing process. You could tell the book was rushed to press; I'm one of those annoying readers that can be pulled out of the moment when there's a word or comma where there shouldn't be (or something glaringly missing, too). These books are too good to let such neglect mar them and allow for criticism in the future.

Welcome Back!
First, I highly recommend reading the Percy Jackson books first (but don't bother with the movie -- it kinda sucked). It's not essential for understanding the story, but that way you're able to jump right in and enjoy.

Lost Hero takes place a few years after Last Olympian. Enter Jason, a boy with no memory, and his friends Piper and Leo. They make their way into Camp Half Blood, and are granted a quest to rescue a goddess. But this isn't simply a rehashing of Percy Jackson, for there are surprising complications, and of course, new monsters to face. We briefly get to see Annabeth, who is fiercely searching for Percy Jackson who is missing. And Rachel makes an appearance, and a prophecy or two. This was a fun read, with great characters, and just different enough that you don't feel like you're being told the same story as last time.

Fair warning: Lost Hero is the first in the series, so by reading this, you are setting yourself up for a long wait. This story wraps up one story arc, but throws out teasers of what's to come.

As an aside, I miss the awesome chapter titles from the Percy Jackson books.

These are also great books to listen to. Jesse Bernstein did a great job of narrating the Percy Jackson books.

Great Continuation of Camp Half Blood Story!
People who liked the Percy Jackson books will love this first installment of the new companion series. It follows three new heroes and is set in the same world as Percy Jackson, a couple of years later. Riordan makes a switch from the first person view of Percy to a third person rotating POV featuring the three new heroes: Jason, Piper, and Leo. I really liked this switch. It worked great with the new characters and made them feel equally important to the story. There are also cameos by some favorite PJ characters which I thoroughly enjoyed. The story in this one was pretty cool, but it is clear by the end that the follow-ups will be pretty epic, and now I can't wait to get my hands on them.

9 year old's perspective

My 9 old's comments below.
---------------------------
This book is awesome!It is full of adventure and action! It is a very creative book!
I could read it 100 more times!I hope Rick Riordan writes more "Heros of Olympus"
books!

P.S.[Read the "Percy Jackson and the Olympions" series]

A Great Start for the Series
This book starts a new series of tales about the Ancient Greek Gods and their modern half-blood children. This series continues the story where the Percy Jackson series ended, and many of the same characters are in it, but so are some new ones. The main addition, Jason, will apparently be the lead character for this series. He enters this story with no memory and much of the book has him trying to figure out who he is. Jason, along with the other new additions Piper and Leo are introduced and developed in this book as they go on a quest to free a trapped goddess. As with the Percy Jackson books, this one is full of non-stop action and includes plenty of set-up for the additional books to come.

The Lost Hero
The incredible tales of mythology in modern times continues as Rick Riordan's "The Lost Hero" has recently become available.

In the Percy Jackson series the whole series focused on a prophecy. This prophecy promised to destroy the world without the help of Percy Jackson. Now in the Hero's of Olympus series instead of one hero, we need seven.

The book starts out with the main character, Jason, waking up on a bus and having no idea where he is or even who he is. Two of his friends, ones he is sure he has never met try to figure out just what happened. But in true Riordan spirit they are soon attacked and the three of them discover that they're not just ordinary kids.

They arrive in Camp Half blood. Unlike Percy, the three children take the news of gods rather well. Especially Jason. The funny thing is, is he prefers to call the gods by their Roman names. Almost as if he is Roman.

All three children are claimed soon after their arrival and it is evident that they are three of the seven from the dreaded prophecy. As they are at camp strange things happen. They all have dreams of Hera, or Juno as Jason calls her. She is trapped. These dreams are also the first time in a month that the gods have communicated with the demigods. Annabeth receives a dream from Hera as well. While the others are confused, Annabeth hopes it will help her find her boyfriend. That's right folks, Percy Jackson has gone missing. It's almost been a month.

While at camp, Jason, Piper and Leo, the new recruits, receive a prophecy from Rachel. For Piper and Leo this means their first quest. But Jason is sure this isn't his first quest.

The enemy is greater than the last, the dreaded Kronos. In fact it is a rather unlikely enemy. And this is only the beginning. The three of them will set off to try to destroy the king of the giants, the abductor of Hera.

They all have insecurities, which makes them all the more likely, ironically. There's Piper daughter of the one Goddess she wishes she weren't. What can she do, if she doesn't even feel comfortable with who her parent is? Then there's Leo. Who would want him around? Nobody ever has before. He may even be the reason his mother is dead. And of course there's Jason. Who was he? Was he even really a hero.

This is a brilliant beginning to what is guaranteed to be an amazing series. Riordan is at his finest. This is a great adventure, one you will not want to miss.

excellent book
This book was excellent. It really kept you interested, it makes me wish the next book was already out. I've read my share of literature both classic and modern. In the modern catigory this one definately is a top contender. It is an easy read because it is targeted for a younger audience but still, excellent. I have to admit though I should have seen the ending coming -- it's so easy to forget details in that book that it isn't even funny. I really enjoy the humor that is mixed into the book as well. I would rate it right along side his first series. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene's special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love...

�

"The story glows...a mythical tapestry that is at once completely recognizable yet utterly fresh..."
-Publishers Weekly

"Like The Mists of Avalon, the Arthurian legend from a woman's point of view."
-USA Today

"Readers will be enchanted...the characters and strands of the famous legend are skillfully woven together here."
-School Library Journal

"Take heed: the feminist possibilities of the Arthurian legendary cycle were not exhausted by Marion Zimmer Bradley's bestselling The Mists of Avalon... A riveting good read."
-Booklist

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What readers are saying:

"A rather unique look at the legend of King Arthur."

"An exquisite addition to Arthurian literature."

"The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!"

Reviews

Hypnotic
Reading Merlin's Harp, I realized something about novels that portray the interaction between the human world and Faerie. They usually don't tell the stories of fae folk in their own homeland. There are exceptions, of course, but authors tend to focus on faeries stuck in the human world, or humans encountering Faerie. I think I may know why that is. When writing about faeries living in Faerie, it's all too easy to have nothing happen.

Anne Eliot Crompton uses beautiful, if occasionally stilted, language to draw us into her take on Arthurian legend:

"When I was yet a young woman I threw my heart away.

I fashioned a wee coracle of leaf and willow twig and reed, a coracle that sat in the hollow of my two palms. In this I placed my wounded, wretched heart, and I set it adrift on the rain-misted wavelets of the Fey river, and I watched it bob and whirl, sail and sink. Ever since I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, cold as spring rain, the way Humans think all Fey live. Humans I have known would be astounded to learn that I ever had a heart that leapt, brightened, fainted, quickened, warmed, embraced, froze or rejected, like their own."

The narrator is Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. In the ensuing chapters, Niviene endeavors to tell us how she came to the point of throwing her heart away. This ornate, image-rich prose continues, and Niviene meanders and digresses in her tale. She'll mention an old family friend, then backtrack and tell us all about how she came to meet him before going back to the main thread of her narrative.

By combining the flowery style with a narrative that is ever looping back on itself, Crompton conveys a sense of what Faerie is said to be like. It's beautiful and hypnotic, and time doesn't flow in Faerie the way it does in the human realm. The trouble is, it's *too* hypnotic. Lulling. Dreamlike. Reading Merlin's Harp made me sleepy. While falling into an enchanted slumber and waking on the cold hillside is very much in keeping with Faerie tradition, it doesn't help propel one through a novel.

It also doesn't help that not much happens in the first hundred pages or so, which is as far as I got before giving up. Roughly the first ninety pages are taken up with an interpretation of the Lady of Shalott tale, and a rather uninteresting one. The main problem is Gwenevere, who spends this entire sequence drugged and being toddled around like a doll. Sure, she's gorgeous, but can physical beauty alone account for the trouble she unwittingly causes here? I've seen sympathetic Gweneveres and unsympathetic ones, but all the best portrayals afford her some charisma that helps explain why she is so loved.

This is followed by a four-page sequence (I counted) in which Niviene gets pregnant and gives birth to a son, the son grows to the age of five, and then the son goes missing. All in four pages. That was when I decided to give up. If it takes ninety pages for a young boy to break a young girl's heart in favor of a pretty woman in a stupor, and four pages for a fetus to become a five-year-old, the pacing is just a little too strange for me, Faerie or no.

Merlin's Harp contains some lovely language and an interesting perspective on the Matter of Britain, but finally the pacing and the hypnotic effect were too much for me. I recommend it to fans of lush prose who have plenty of coffee on hand.

The writing is lyrical; the plot twists are original. Great!
Merlin's Harp is an exquisite addition to Arthurian literature. Anne Crompton's writing is lyrical and beautiful. It leads you into the story and keeps you there. Her very original presentation of well known characters, well known story lines, and even objects such as the Grail is so very intriguing that you do not want to put the book down until you have finished it. Her central character Niviene is delightfully "odd" and fantastical. This is a Niviene no one has seen before. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of the few books that really does take you into another world. When you put it down, when you have read every page, you are left with a feeling of amazement and sheer delight in the experience.

Fresh perspective with new insights !
Merlin's Harp is a great short read (one day ), that will transport the reader back to Arthurian times through the eyes of an important, but not much talked about player. The book reminds me of 'Forest House' by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It is light reading, yet keeps your interest. Merlin's Harp will give the reader new insight on Lancelot and Melwas, with a new revelation on Merlin and the Holy Grail

Creative - Original - Excellent
If you liked Mists of Avalon, here is another book you will enjoy. The book is based on the perspective of a Fey woman. The first few chapters focus entirely on the life of the Fey and I found it a very interesting perspective. Merlin is introduced as is Guenevere and Arthur and Lancelot - though you don't know this at first. The introduction of characters is subtle and almost elusive. Not until later in the book does the plot twist and turn and bring you to the familiar aspects of the Arthurian legend we all recognize. It is a fast and intriguing read. I also liked her inclusion of Merlin's songs throughout the novel. They brought the poetic oral tradition of the legend into the book to show how the story evolved over time to the tale we know today. I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Absolutely Amazing
There's no question that the contents of the books inside this so-called chest are of the highest order. The entire Harry Potter epic was ingenious, brilliant, engaging, and encouraged hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of young readers to read when they might have rather played with their Xbox.

But this is about the packaging, and the packaging is just horrid.

I wasn't expecting something that was as heavy and substantial as, say, a pirate's chest, but I certainly was hoping that the box was more sturdy than a few flaps of cardboard rather cheaply assembled, and easily DISassembled.

I bought this so that I would have a full set of unread hardcovers with the original artwork, for the sake of posterity. In one of the worst marketing decisions I've seen regarding the Harry Potter series, the publishers thought it would be a good idea to include the extras (decals and whatnot - things I'm not interested in) shrink wrapped with the books. To get at them, you have to tear the shrink wrap, and thus compromise the books over time (a long period of time, and admittedly not much would be compromised).

Also, the clasp on the box was cheap plastic. Horrible. I almost broke it when undoing it. Is a metal clasp too much to ask for? Apparently it is.

I'm not completely dissatisfied with the purchase, because the books are phenomenal. I would have purchased a compilation of all seven books at some point, but I wish I had waited until they offered such a product without the sadly and unfortunately shoddy "chest". When I bought this product, I absolutely, 100% was buying the packaging, and the packaging was dismal.

Great series. Great set.
These are great books, and definitely worth having for the collector. This is not a review of the books, but a review of the price. You are getting ripped off if you pay over $200 for these books. You can buy this exact set on amazon.co.uk which is the british version of amazon for 120 pounds plus shipping (which at the exchange rate today is equal to $176 plus shipping). So please look at the amazon.co.uk website like i did and save yourself a whole lot of money. Buyer Beware of sellers like this trying to con you into thinking they are giving you a deal.

Beautiful set.
First off let me start by saying DO NOT buy from these sellers, they are con artists trying to make a quick buck. You can buy this same set from Amazon.co.uk and even with expedited shipping it is less than half of this price.

Now on to the books themselves; They are extremely beautiful books. Cloth bound with gilt edges and ribbon bookmarks. The books seem very sturdy and have nice pages, they aren't as thick as the pages on the american editions, but are not by any means cheap.

The only real differences between these editions and the american editions are the covers and just a few words that are slightly changed here and there, also these editions do not have chapter art work.

I would recommend these books to any die hard Harry potter fans and collectors, not everyone will appreciate them. Overall I love them and am very glad that I purchased them 5 star value for sure!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Unexpected Direction, but Perfection
This was a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. I can only compare it to "Ender's Game" - and that is extremely high praise, indeed.

When I first closed the book last night, I felt shattered, empty, and drained.

And that was the point, I think. I'm glad I waited to review the book because I'm not sure what my review would have been.

For the first two books, I think most of us readers have all been laboring under the assumption that Katniss Everdeen would eventually choose one of the two terrific men in her life: Gale, her childhood companion or Peeta, the one who accompanied her to the Hunger Games twice. She'd pick one of them and live happily ever after with him, surrounded by friends and family. Somehow, along the way, Katniss would get rid of the awful President Snow and stop the evil Hunger Games. How one teenage girl would do all that, we weren't too sure, but we all had faith and hope that she would.

"Mockingjay" relentlessly strips aside those feelings of faith and hope - much as District 13 must have done to Katniss. Katniss realizes that she is just as much a pawn for District 13 as she ever was for the Colony and that evil can exist in places outside of the Colony.

And that's when the reader realizes that this will be a very different journey. And that maybe the first two books were a setup for a very different ride. That, at its heart, this wasn't a story about Katniss making her romantic decisions set against a backdrop of war.

This is a story of war. And what it means to be a volunteer and yet still be a pawn. We have an entirely volunteer military now that is spread entirely too thin for the tasks we ask of it. The burden we place upon it is great. And at the end of the day, when the personal war is over for each of them, each is left alone to pick up the pieces as best he/she can.

For some, like Peeta, it means hanging onto the back of a chair until the voices in his head stop and he's safe to be around again. Each copes in the best way he can. We ask - no, demand - incredible things of our men and women in arms, and then relegate them to the sidelines afterwards because we don't want to be reminded of the things they did in battle. What do you do with people who are trained to kill when they come back home? And what if there's no real home to come back to - if, heaven forbid, the war is fought in your own home? We need our soldiers when we need them, but they make us uncomfortable when the fighting stops.

All of that is bigger than a love story - than Peeta or Gale. And yet, Katniss' war does come to an end. And she does have to pick up the pieces of her life and figure out where to go at the end. So she does make a choice. But compared to the tragedy of everything that comes before it, it doesn't seem "enough". And I think that's the point. That once you've been to hell and lost so much, your life will never be the same. Katniss will never be the same. For a large part of this book, we see Katniss acting in a way that we can only see as being combat-stress or PTSD-related - running and hiding in closets. This isn't our Katniss, this isn't our warrior girl.

But this is what makes it so much more realistic, I think. Some may see this as a failing in plot - that Katniss is suddenly acting out of character. But as someone who has been around very strong soldiers returning home from deployments, this story, more than the other two, made Katniss come alive for me in a much more believable way.

I realize many out there will hate the epilogue and find it trite. At first, I did too. But in retrospect, it really was perfect. Katniss gave her life already - back when she volunteered for Prim in "The Hunger Games". It's just that she actually physically kept living.

The HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers", has a quote that sums this up perfectly. When Captain Spiers says, "The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it."

But how do you go from that, to living again in society? You really don't. So I'm not sure Katniss ever really did - live again. She just ... kept going. And there's not really much to celebrate in that. Seeing someone keep going, despite being asked - no, demanded - to do unconscionably horrifying things, and then being relegated to the fringes of society, and then to keep going - to pick up the pieces and keep on going, there is something fine and admirable and infinitely sad and pure and noble about that. But the fact is, it should never happen in the first place.

And that was the point, I think. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A True Classic, August 24, 2010

Because I was such a fan of Suzanne Collins' The Underland Chronicles (also known as the Gregor the Overlander series), I picked up The Hunger Games the first week it was out and I feel privileged in a way to not only have read this series as it unfolded, but to have witnessed its climb in popularity over the last 2 years. That popularity is richly deserved.

Collins is both a talented writer and a gifted storyteller, two things that do not always go hand in hand. In The Hunger Games trilogy, she has created characters that will stay with me and has given them a hard and difficult story that will haunt me. She also managed to keep the quality of the series high throughout which is not always the case with a book series.

At the conclusion of book three - Mockingjay - Collins hasn't wrapped everything up in a neat little bow and slapped a happy face sticker on the bow's ribbon ends nor, IMHO, should she have done so. Instead, Collins provides a conclusion that suits the story, that left room for my internal `if-onlys', `what-ifs', `I-wonders' and `but-what-abouts', but that I also found satisfying.

I consider The Hunger Games trilogy to be a great accomplishment for Collins and a true classic for both teen and adult readers of both sexes. I'm very pleased to give it a permanent place on my-favorite-books-of-all-time shelf where, coincidentally, it will sit right alongside The Underland Chronicles.

Very, very highly recommended.

Note: Prices will vary, but you may want to price the books out to see if you'll get a better deal buying them separately. As I write this, you will, so if you're not really committed to the box... :-)

An haunting series that will stick with you long after the last page is turned, August 27, 2010
The Hunger Games (Trilogy) is one of the most "unputdownable" books to enter the teen market in a long time. The cliffhangers at the end of each volume are so intense, you can't help but continue on. Knowing this in advance, I decided against reading the series last summer despite the fact that everyone was talking about it. I waited the extra year, and I'm glad I did--even a week was torture when it came to getting my grubby mitts on a copy of Mockingjay.

For the record, this isn't a series for everyone. You will be drained emotionally by its end. The Hunger Games is one of the grimmest dystopian worlds I've encountered in literature. A lot of characters die, and their deaths aren't pleasant. This series may not be for you. Then again, those who know me well would say it's not for me, either. I'm one of the most squeamish people you'll meet, and The Hunger Games more closesly resembles the movie Battle Royale than I thought it would when I started reading. I really enjoyed the series, though. There are scenes so poignant, they'll stick with me. Between this and Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, I've found that even squeamish ole me can still enjoy a disturbing book if it's thought-provoking and well-written.

Now that I've warned you about the contents, let's move on to the meat of this review. It's hard to go in-depth without giving a lot away, so I decided to focus on the trilogy as a whole instead of singling out Mockingjay and reviewing it on its own (though I do have a paragraph dedicated to it further down). A brief synopsis for the uninitiated:
The trilogy takes place in the future. The USA has been destroyed; in its place is Panem, which consists of thirteen districts and a Capitol city. Before the series begins, the districts revolt against the Capitol and are defeated; the thirteenth is completely obliterated. As retribution for their crimes, each district is now required to send a boy and girl, called tributes, to participate in the annual Hunger Games. The games are centered around survival; there can only be one winner (Luckily, most of the deaths occur off-page, so it makes it easier for the squeamish to read). The characters are very rich and detailed; some of their deaths hit incredibly hard and are forever memorable. In the second book, Catching Fire, there is a lot of unease in the districts, and a lot of anger when the year's Hunger Games take a twisted turn and past winners are forced to battle it out for survival. The final book, Mockingjay, consists of a full out rebellion; the districts are at war with the Capitol and it's do or die in a showdown so explosive, readers never see it coming.

Mockingjay has already received flack for not going in the direction fans anticipated. Most were caught up in a romantic triangle and hoped the final book would have a heavy emphasis on this theme with war as a backdrop and a happily-ever-after on the horizon. At the same time, Suzanne Collins has been setting up the revolution since Day One; the grim nature of the first two books should lead readers to believe that the finale will continue in a similar vein. Yes, people will die and it won't always be fair. That's life. I think the direction of Mockingjay was natural, especially in war-like situations. Characters will not be the same as they were earlier in life; war changes you. I would have been disappointed if Collins sidestepped harsh realities in order to soften the story. The tale she weaves is extreme, but it's also genuine. To me, by sticking to her guns and not copping out for something friendlier, she has created a memorable, haunting series that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.

I'd also like to bring attention to the amazing book jacket art put together by designer Elizabeth B. Parisi and artist Tim O'Brien. At first glance, they don't mean much, but once you've read the serious, you notice just how ingenious they truly are. Before I read the series, I looked at the preview of the Mockingjay jacket and thought, "Wow, that's bright compared to the first two." Now I know better. Each book features a mockingjay, which is a hybrid mix of mockingbird and jabberjay (a Capitol creation used for spying on enemies during the first rebellion). The first book features the bird as the pin the main character, Katsa's, friend gives to her. The book is black and grim, giving it a desolate air. Every character in the Games feels hopeless, as though he/she won't survive. The second book's mockingbird is trapped inside a clock-like environment, which is the setting of the Hunger Games in this volume. The book is red for fire (both for its title, Catching Fire, and the literal associations with the element in the book), for anger (the fact that previous survivors of the Hunger Games must participate once more), and for bloodshed. Both books feature these circular objects that link to one another representing the way the districts and Capitol are linked. The final book features a mockingjay with its wings spread out. The linked circles are in broken pieces around it. The book is a vivid sky blue, the color of peace and hope. These covers have become favorites of mine; I adore the symbolism.


All in all, I'm personally glad I've read this series and wouldn't change a thing. I'm glad I didn't sidestep it due to its violent nature and extreme situations. This trilogy is one I'll read again to delve into the intricate layers I know Collins has laid out for us. Collins is a master at capturing a society at war and showing the horrors that come when a corrupt government is in control.

The books are 5+, wish the gift boxset had a little more., August 25, 2010
No doubt if you're looking at this product, you already know The Hungry Games Trilogy are all great books!

In my mind, there's really only a few reasons for a "boxset" to exist: 1) To give as a a better looking gift than three separate books to someone who somehow missed the phenomenon along the way or is missing some of the collection. 2) Because they include something special w/ the set that makes it more meaningful, or 3) Because it's cheaper to buy them as a set.

In this case, this set is only your best choice if you want to give the set as a gift. I wish they'd included something special that made it more worthwhile than a cardboard container to hold them. I don't think it would have hurt to add in a mockingjay pin and an exclusive map or poster - since the set costs more than the individual books combined. (Or did, the day I was writing this.) Who knows? Maybe they will come up with a more special set after the third books been out a bit longer.

Still, there's plenty of avid teen readers that are just now getting to the age to begin enjoying these tales, and a set of the books would definitely make a great gift for them boxed or unboxed.

A must-read for all ages!, October 2, 2010
This compelling trilogy examines the brutality of war and the desensitization of a media-saturated society. Katniss is a strong and thoughtful young heroine, and readers will be haunted by her long after the final chapter of Mockingjay. In Hunger Games you will be introduced to the characters and their trials will keep you on the edge of your seat. In Catching Fire you will find out that no one is safe from the clutches of the Capitol. In Mockingjay you will feel the stirrings of revolution, and the dread that comes along with leaving relative safety for the unknown. These books are terrific for a book club, or for kids to read with their parents.

Best Deal I Could Find, November 23, 2010
This was the best deal I could find. And it literally knocked all the other deals out of the water. All the books come with a hard cover. And I really enjoyed reading the series! ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling The Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. ... Read more

Reviews

Engaging. Brutal, but engaging!

The Hunger Games - Definitely worth reading!

Could not put it down.
The 74th Annual Hunger Games are soon to begin. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death. In the new country of Panem, in the ruins of North America, each year as punishment for a rebellion and as a control mechanism, the Capitol forces each of the 12 provinces to draw names of a male and female tribute. The tributes are drawn from all people between the ages of 12 and 18. They receive training, are assessed by the game masters and then the betting begins. The games will be televised and are required viewing for the whole nation.

The draws are not exactly even though. You can choose to enter your name extra times, for yourself and for family members to receive a terse, a grain and oil supplement from the government. Thus enters our heroine Katniss Everdeen. She is entered this year 20 times as she is 16 and taken the terse every year, for herself, her sister and her mother. Her close friend Gale has his name in 42 times, but this is the last year he is eligible. Then Katniss has the worst fear hit - her younger sister Prim (short for Primrose) is drawn with her 1st and only ballot. Katniss then does the unthinkable; she volunteers to take Prim's place.

Katniss Everdeen knows that she has at least some chance of survival in the games. She has been secretly hunting in the woods and feeding her family since her father died years earlier. She hunts and gathers what she can with her friend and hunting partner Gale, in the woods beyond the fenced border of District 12. Yet even so, most believe she has just given up her life for her sisters.

Katniss and Peeta Mellark are the tributes from District 12 for the 74th annual hunger games. As they travel to the capitol they have two mentors - Haymitch Abernathy the only surviving Hunger Games winner from the district and Effie Trinket the Capitol's representative in the district. They will each in their own way try to help them to survive both the Capitol, to win favor with the citizens who can sponsor them in the games, and then the games themselves.

This book is very well written, the scenes sharp and crisp, the world believable and detailed. The characters become real as you read. You reach the end and are left hungry for more, which is what you will get as this is book one in a trilogy. The only drawback in my opinion is the lack of a map. I keep hoping for a map of Panem, with the 12 districts, the mysterious destroyed 13th district and the wilderness area's between them. Maybe it is just a guy thing, but I wanted a map. In this book Twenty-four are forced to enter the game zone but only the winner survives. You get a sample online. You can read chapter 1 online but it will only whet your appetite for more. There is also a video trailer for the book you can find online. This is a great Sci-fi book and would make an excellent movie.

Chilling, Compelling, Best of 2008
When Katniss Everdeen finds herself a contestant in the annual Hunger Games, she considers herself a goner. Out of 24 teenaged contestants chosen from the 12 districts of Panem, only 1 will emerge victorious. The rest will be slaughtered. By each other. And the entire event will be televised from the Capitol for the entire nation to watch.

If you had described the basic plot of the Hunger Games to me and told me that it was going to be THE book to read in 2008, I probably would have raised an eyebrow. Futuristic? And dystopian? AND gladiatorial? Despite the seemingly disparate elements, Suzanne Collins somehow managed to hit upon the perfect combination in this thrilling story about a girl who lives in a nation obsessed with violence and reality television. There is action, romance, deception, humans hunting humans (Most Dangerous Game, anyone?) surgically altered stylists (reminiscent of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies), genetically enhanced mutants, a cruel totalitarian government, and a unspoken mandatory creed to treat the entire event as if it were a holiday.

I read Hunger Games from start to finish in a day while I was supposed to be studying for finals. I meant to read a chapter or two and then go back to work, but I just could not put it down. Hunger Games is the kind of book that continues to haunt you days and weeks after you've turned the final page. I absolutely recommend it to everyone, with the one caveat that it does feature brutal violence between children and is perhaps not for the faint of heart. The next book can't come fast enough! In the mean time, I'm going to go learn how to shoot a bow, you never know when you're going to need to know how!

Hungry for the next book!!
I read this book upon the recommendation of Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series of books even though this isn't the kind of book I typically would seek out at the library. THANK YOU MS. MEYER! The Hunger Games had me engrossed from the first page. I was very intrigued with the characters, especially Katniss, however, the development of all the characters was impressive. The complexity of each character was described so well that there really weren't any that I didn't love and hate at the same time.

The story itself is scary...to think that such a concept could be born and carried out is unsettling, but, unfortuantely believable. I'm not a person who likes blood and gore and this book is sometimes violent and gory, however, not to the point that I was too grossed out to read on. The romance added just enough additional struggle to keep me addicted.

I would classify The Hunger Games writing as excellent. As you read you can easily visualize the characters and what's taking place. I am sooooo looking forward to the second book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. ... Read more

Reviews

And you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted..., July 7, 2009
If you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted... you were wrong.

The highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games is the kind of novel that has you pulling back to take a breath and go, "How did the author think of this?" (if you can stop turning the pages long enough to breathe)

Catching Fire picks up right where Hunger Games left off. Unrest in the Districts is growing at an alarming pace and Katniss unwittingly finds herself the figurehead for the movement against the Capitol. The characters you loved return for the sequel and the reader must endure each indignity the Capitol inflicts upon them. It is painful, tortuous, imaginative and motivating. It is everything The Hunger Games was and more. It both answers your lingering questions and creates so many new ones. It challenges you to think and creates such feelings of empathy for the characters that whenever I had to put the book down, I was genuinely worried for leaving the characters hanging and couldn't wait to pick it back up just so they could continue fighting for their lives and freedoms.

Everything I loved about The Hunger Games is present in Catching Fire: the unique and engrossing storyline; characters so thoroughly and beautifully described they start to feel like friends; a fantastical setting that is both real and sad; and language that is easy to read and yet conveys such a profound meaning. It has action, romance, horror, hope, despair and, most of all, humanity. It has sci-fi and politics yet, unlike a lot of books on the market, they are not "in your face" and are completely approachable.

Due to elements of violence and some light romantic scenes, I would recommend it for 13+. That being said, I would recommend it for ANYONE 13+ of any reading taste or background: as a bookseller and a recent library school graduate, these are the books I find easiest to recommend to anyone I meet.

I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the third and final book to come out. After reading Catching Fire, I know you will be too.

The Biggest Problem with Trilogies . . ., September 7, 2009
. . . is that darn book in the middle! You know how it goes - the first book is dynamite, because it's all new and there's so much to discover. The last book is explosive too, since we find out what happens "in the end." But the book in the middle . . . well, it's sort of like treading water. It's a place holder, filler maybe, a way to stall the reader until the good stuff can start.

Hunger Games was exiting and compelling; we found out about Katniss's world slowly, which drew us into it completely. My guess is, the final book will be equally engaging - after all, we'll learn all about District 13, we'll find out which of her two suitors Katniss will finally choose, and we'll get a glimpse of what lies in store for the Capitol and its totalitarian government. But Catching Fire is a disappointment. Nothing much happens. The plot can be summed up very succinctly - unrest grows slowly in the aftermath of Katniss and Peeta's Hunger Games victory. That's it. Katniss can't make her mind up about Peeta and Gale, she can't make her mind up about whether or not to rebel, and she can't make her mind up about who to really trust. In the end, not only is there no resolution, but little progress has been made toward one.

The biggest problem with Catching Fire is its pacing. The first third of the novel is really told in summary - Katniss explains what happened when she and Peeta came home, what happened on their tour of the Districts, what happened when she talked to Gale, etc. By telling it all in long paragraphs of summary, Collins removes the reader from the immediacy of the action - and it's both disappointing and disengaging. I wanted to experience Katniss's first meeting with Gale after she returned from the Games. I wanted be part of her trying to get her life together after her horrific experiences. But that's not the way this story is told. Then, about midway through the novel, things start to feel very much like Hunger Games revisited. From the moment it's announced that Katniss will be thrown back into the arena it all starts to feel very much like a re-run. What was exciting and new in the first book, is expected and redundant in the second book. It's not that the final section isn't exciting - it is. There's plenty of action in the last chapters of the novel. But it just wasn't as gripping. I found myself reading to get to the end, rather than to find out what was going to happen.

As with most "middle books," Catching Fire was written to set up the final part of its trilogy. There will be a rebellion. And there will be a love triangle. The sparks of the rebellion are there, although the reader is kept away from the actual embers. Collins put more time into Katniss's confusion over which boyfriend to pick - I found myself wishing for something, anything to happen to make that rather silly conflict moot. Katniss, as written by Collins, seems very, very young. It's hard to imagine her actually "torn between two lovers." Additionally, Gale plays such a peripheral role in this novel that it's hard to really know him. Peeta is present in almost every chapter - the sweet, loving, doting boyfriend who will be eternally true to Katniss. Gale, however, appears in only a few brief scenes, and never says more than a few words. Book 3 may give us a better picture of what these two young men really meant to Katniss; Catching Fire does not.

Actually, I think the title accurately reflects what this novel is all about - things in Katniss's world begin to catch fire. They don't actually CATCH fire - it just begins; it's "catching," so to speak. The conflict was set up in Hunger Games. The actual conflagration will play out in the third and final installment. Here, in Catching Fire, we just see the striking of the match. It's not a bad read, and fans of the first novel will enjoy this one. I just found myself wishing for more - more of an understanding of Katniss, Gale, and Peeta; more of an understanding of the totalitarian government they live under; and more of a connection to a story that won me over brilliantly in Hunger Games. This time, I felt a little lost.

I wish I could give it 10 stars!!!, July 9, 2009
When I read the Hunger Games, I read it straight through the night, from 1AM til 5AM. Couldn't stop reading even though I had to pee badly. After I finished it, I was dying for the sequel. DYING!!!! When I found out the ARC would be available in the spring, I bribed everyone I could think of to get me one. And yes, I got it. The day I got it, I couldn't look at it until 1AM again. This time, I promised myself, I would only look at the first chapter and then put it down. Riiiiight. It was 4:30AM when I finished reading and immediately began plotting to find out when the next book ARC would be available.

I thought the first one was fantastic. In the back of my mind I felt that the sequel just couldn't be as good. How could it? Boy was I wrong! It was even better! My heart was racing the whole time I was reading it and I simply couldn't put it down. I believe Ms. Collins is the MASTER of the pageturner. Every chapter ends with almost a cliffhanger feeling. It compels you to keep reading. It physically traps you into the book so that you just can't put it down. If you can't read this book in one sitting, then I urge you not to even look at it until you can. Like the first one, you will not be able to put it down. The house could have been on fire and I doubt I would have noticed.

Since we got to know Peeta and Katniss so well from the first one, what the sequel does is invest us even more deeply into their emotional well being. I won't give any other spoilers than what has already been said. So the book starts with Katniss as the face of the rebellion because of her act of defiance in the first book. As rebellion grows, the President sets up his revenge - and when I found out what it was, I literally sat up in bed and shouted "Oh NO! I can't believe they are doing this to them!!!" Yes I was talking to my book. That's how deeply this book sucks you into this amazing and disturbing dystopian world. It makes you want to grab up a weapon and join the rebellion.

One thing I have to say, I was deeply satisfied with the ending of this book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt it was absolutely right and thrilled with the conclusion. But I'm still DYING for the third and final book of this amazing book series.

No sophomore slump here, August 1, 2009
I got a galley at the BEA Conference this year. Before I started to read, I was terrified that Suzanne Collins couldn't possibly live up to my expectations after the extraordinary Hunger Games. I'm thrilled to say that she did not let me down. I don't want to give anything away as it would only ruin the rollercoaster ride of a read, so suffice it to say that all of our favorite characters are back to join Katniss as the spark of revolution catches fire. Collins is masterful. The story is at once personal to Katniss, Peeta & Gale, but it also makes social statements that can apply to society at large. Characters show the best and the worst of humanity. And at several points, I found myself finishing a chapter, stunned at the turn of events. Collins kept me on the edge of my seat. I hope she's writing quickly, because I can't wait for the concluding volume of this amazing trilogy.

Collins has done it again, July 10, 2009
Against staggering odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark of District 12 have somehow won the annual Hunger Games. But the fruits of triumph are bittersweet. Success in the arena means a life without want in the Victor's Village, but extravagant food and a nice place to sleep can only provide so much comfort when an increasing amount of one's life must be faked for the protection of those one loves. That's exactly Katniss's predicament, because she when she held up the poisonous berries in the arena, it was interpreted as an act of defiance against the Capitol rather than Katniss's strong will to life. And now the girl on fire has become the spark for rebellion--a rebellion the Capitol is determined to stamp out at any cost.

I must commend Collins for writing such a phenomenal sequel to The Hunger Games as Catching Fire is. It's everything I hoped for and even more than I expected. Katniss's legend lives on in this action packed, suspense filled drama in which one's friends are nearly indistinguishable from one's enemies and ambiguous meanings make life into one giant maze. Collins takes her portrayal of a dystopian future to the next level in this novel by highlighting the extent of the power the totalitarian Capitol wields and the beginnings of long suppressed dissent. Catching Fire is such an engrossing read, thanks to Collins's well written and executed plot, vivid and realistic characters, and the resulting sense of revolutionary fear. It's so easy to lose track of time while reading this novel, because the story just flows from the page so fluidly; I really enjoyed the many plot twists and the development of each character. The only times I had to pause while reading were due to the multitude of names and minor characters that are somewhat difficult to remember. But overall, Catching Fire is a story so overwhelmingly incredible, no reader will want to put it down.

Catching Fire and its prequel The Hunger Games are must reads for all readers not just because they are such interesting stories but because they show the nasty side of politics and culture not enough of us are aware of. This trilogy will be especially enjoyed by fans of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington, Shift by Charlotte Agell, Daylight Runner by Ois�n McGann, and the Poison Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. I know that I, along with throngs of others, can't wait for the conclusion to this trilogy.

In which the plot most definitely thickens, September 4, 2009
"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol..."

Ever since she pulled those berries out in the last minutes of the previous year's Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen has become an icon of defiance and rebellion to the Districts. She knows that the leaders in the Capitol are not happy that she outsmarted their plans, forcing them to accept two victors and saving her fellow tribute Peeta in the process. But she is unaware of the extent of their ire until she receives an unexpected visit from President Snow, complete with a death threat against Gale's life should she fail to quell the rising spirit of rebellion in the Districts.

Meanwhile, President Snow has his own plans to quash any inklings of revolution, and they happen to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games--also known as the Quarter Quell. As in the two previous Quells (taking place on the 25th and 50th anniversary respectively) the rules of the Games have been altered for the year to remind the Districts that even the annual massacre of their children in the regular games is not enough to atone for their previous attempt at insurgency. But what the Capitol has cooked up for the new Games results in something that nobody could have predicted, not even President Snow himself.

After reading the Hunger Games and being completely enthralled by the world that Suzanne Collins painted with her words, I was worried that Catching Fire might not be able to hold up to the high standard that the Hunger Games set. And while I did feel that some of the page-to-page action and detail suffered by comparison, it is more than made up for by the sharp upswing in overarching plot and the many twists that never failed to take me by surprise and made me wonder out loud: how did she think of that?! The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale had me on the edge of me seat wondering who she was going to choose, whether it would be by choice or necessity, and who I would choose if I were in her shoes (definitely Peeta! Sorry, Gale.) In my opinion, it was not as polished or smooth a read as the Hunger Games. At the same time, however, I must acknowledge that the focus was entirely different from the first book, with a far more complex and ambitious plot, and I truly applaud Collins' creativity and ingenuity in weaving the bigger picture of corruption, manipulation, and rebellion within an entire nation into the same captivating first-person narrative of survival that made the Hunger Games such as success. I really enjoyed Catching Fire and cannot wait to get my hands on the third book to see what finally happens to our rebels.

the girl, still on fire, August 23, 2009

Getting deeper and more complex, August 4, 2009
I, too obtained an ARC at BEA. I thought I was very lucky to get Catching Fire before September. I was so wrong! Now I have to wait longer than others to read the last book, and it's pure agony wondering what will happen next.

The Hunger Game was a great book, but Catching Fire is even better. The story is getting deeper and more complex. As another reviewer stated, it's a "rollercoaster ride of a read". You'll never be able to guess what happens next. And once you start, you can never stop until the end. Relationships between Katniss, Peeta , and Gale are also getting more complex. This separates the Hunger Games from other shallow YA romantic fantasy. Their relationships reflect social issues and humanities this trilogy deals with.

It's categorised as YA fantasy book, but I highly recommend it to adult Science Fiction fans. The Hunger Games trilogy should be and will be a classic like 1984, The Giver, and Fahrenheit 451.

Watch out for the 75th Hunger Games - the Quarter Quell is deadly!, September 6, 2009

A review you can read without spoilers., August 30, 2009

Editorial Review

Reviews

Another Instant Favorite with Son!
My son loves this series so of course I pre-ordered this book for him. It just arrived today and boy did he gush when I surprised him with it after school. I even got a hug and an "I love you!" before he disappeared with it for the remainder of the evening. He's about halfway through with it already and stopped himself so he would have more to enjoy tomorrow. He rereads them all anyways. I also flipped through it before he came home and chuckled at the parts, the boy reminds me of my own and is probably why he loves this series so much. It is very relatable to kids without being a bad influence. I love the humor and that it keeps my son reading!

Not only fun
First of all the whole series of Wimpy Kid books deserves its success. My kids love the books and I also read all of them myself. I think it is a great series of books not only for the children but for their parents as well. And if you pay some attention to the reading you will actually realize that the books are also in a way educational. Greg is actually a very smart kid and the simple drawings are just perfect for demonstrating humour. Another kid's series that I like for that educational aspect is Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2 .

dog days
I think Dog Days is the best wimpy kid book yet. It is also a hilarious book. I love how it follows the story so well. There is a lot of unexpected parts in this book. It had an outstanding ending. I had waited one month for this book to come out. I think it was "totally" worth the wait. There aren't any new characters, but it does have a lot more of Rowley for people who like Rowley. I hope the people who buy this love it. (Review by George, Age 10)

wonderful book
Diary of a wimpy kid really amazes me. It's about a person named Greg who has to survive middle school. Now, he's in summer vacation.
I think the summer vacation theme is a good idea in this series, so readers can take a little break from the school theme. The first few pages are basically explanation of Greg's summer vacation. After that, the funny parts come. Overall, this book is great.
My tip in reading this book is that you don't read too much of it in one day. That way, you can hold the suspense of the story for the next day.

This book is da bomb
I think this book was the best book i have ever read in my entire life! One of the reasons why i love this boom so much is because it is outrageously funny. I have read all of the book series that are out and i definitely think this one is the funniest, humors, children book i have read. If you are in the 3rd grade up to 6th grade this is the best book you will have ever read in your life. Ever since I have read the first sentence of the first book of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney has been my favorite author, and i thought Dave Pilkey was hilarious.

Rankings of the books and the funny moments in the book
I really like your books. You have a great sense of humor and are good at doing cartoons. The minute I got the 3rd book I just started laughing meaning I really liked the book. So I thought the books were so great that I chose to put them in rankings:
1.#3
2.#4
3.#2
4.#1
I also have the movie that I got in the summertime and Have the movie novel and the Do-It-Yourself book.
I am so happy about the books and the type of books they are.
The only items left by you that I so want is the movie soundtrack, book #5 The Ugly Truth. Thank you so much for writing these books. More books by you I would really like. But if you can do that.
The last thing I am going to tell is that I have also gotten into the Big Nate series. The 5th book sounds so RAD. Please write more books. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Please Read this:
I bought this product for the younger grandchild but found that the older one also enjoyed it.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. ... Read more

Reviews

Scoot Over Percy Jackson, The Kanes Are HERE!
I must say, when I read the Percy Jackson series, I instantly liked it. I enjoyed the whole Greek Pantheon of ancient gods & goddesses, magic, etc. So, naturally, I wanted to read "The Red Pyramid" to see if it had the same magic. I can happily say that it does and then some. I would even volunteer that I liked "The Red Pyramid" even more than the Percy Jackson books for several reasons.

First, in "The Red Pyramid", we're introduced to two amazing lead characters who both share in the story's narration. Carter Kane, age 14, is an African American teen who has lived with his father, Julius, his entire life...due to what is described as an ugly custody battle between Julius and his former in-laws (Julius' wife, mother to both Carter and Sadie Kane, died when the children were quite young). Sadie Kane, age 12, looks caucasian (taking after their mother) with light skin, blue eyes, and hair she likes to put colored streaks throughout. Because of the custody agreement, Sadie lives in London year-round with her grandparents - seeing her brother and father only two times per year, which has resulted in the siblings being more like distant relatives to each other. Julius is an archeologist, traveling around the world studying ancient Egyptian artifacts and bringing his son Carter along with him wherever he goes. Carter, because of his father's teachings, is an awkward 14 year old boy, a bit hesitant and unsure of himself. Sadie, on the other hand, despite being two years younger than Carter, is quite a bit more bold, quick to speak her mind and very sure of herself and her opinions. I must say, I loved both Carter and Sadie Kane...for their differences as well as how they grow together as siblings! I cannot reveal much more than this without revealing too much of the book...but I think you'll know what I mean when you read "The Red Pyramid".

Another reason I enjoyed this book is because of the depth of information given to the reader. It's obvious that Riordan, in his research, learned quite a bit about the ancient Egyptian ways as well as the intricate nature of their belief system....and he definitely gets that information out to the reader in a very exciting and entertaining way.

Magic and mythology come together in a fascinating and fast-paced way in this book. Instantly, the action starts and you'll be pulled into the book. Humor plays a big role in this book as well (especially from Sadie), which just adds to the entertainment.

All in all, I'd highly recommend "The Red Pyramid". If you're a fan of the Percy Jackson series, I'm sure you'll like it. Or, perhaps you'll be like me and like it even more! :)

A parent's view
This is the first book I've read by Rick Riordan and I loved it. The combination of suspense, history, and mythology is just brilliant. I'm going to have to read the Olympian series next. I'm a big fan of young adult fiction because kids are a tough audience. They won't slog through a book like an adult will just because they bought it, and so I believe that young adult novels have to be more exciting. Riordan does not disappoint.

I read in Riordan's bio that he taught English and history. And now, through his books, he's teaching it again, only in a way that makes kids want to learn it. For any parent who wants their child to enjoy two subjects that are normally near the bottom of their list as far as what they have to learn, Riordan breathes new life these subjects. It's too bad that schools haven't caught on to this wonderful way of learning. We might have more engaged students.

I can't wait to see what other subject Riordan decides to tackle after the Red Pyramid series. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's going to be exciting and informative.

When I Dream ... Read more

Editorial Review

Humans and half-bloods alike agree--Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series fit for heroes! Re-live the adventure from the beginning with this boxed set of the first three books.

The Lightning ThiefPercy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he'll be safe--Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends--a satyr and other the demigod daughter of Athena--Percy sets out on a quest to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

The Sea of MonstersAfter a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly calm. But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new nameL: the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke...

The Titan's CurseWhen Percy Jackson receives a distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty broze sword Riptide; and... a ride from his mom. The demigods race to the rescue, to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up his most devious trap yet, and the young heroes have unwittingly fallen prey. Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge so far: the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse. ... Read more

Reviews

A true joy for children and adults, and the only other series that even comes close to Harry Potter
I am a 24 year old married woman, and like many Harry Potter fans I have been reading unfufilling series after unfufilling series for the last few years trying to find something to fill that void. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is fantastic. I have to say I did like the second and third books a little more than the first. They were more colorful and funny than the Lightning Thief. Everything that you loved about Harry Potter is in this book, but not in the haphazard, copycat, money-maker way that some other series have tried (*cough cough Charlie Bone and Septimus Heap to name a couple). This is totally original and you will find yourself with the same love of Camp Half-blood that you had for Hogwarts. While this book is for children it is meaty. It has substance, thoughtful characters, interesting plots, and an intricate world I cant get enough of. I had a hard time putting the books down. I cant wait for the next book to come in so I can start right back up again. My cousin recommended this to me and I just cannot thank her enough. Thanks again Debbie!

Excellent, even for reluctant readers
My 4th grade son who does not love to read absolutely loves this series. I can't get him to stop reading; he is reading instead of TV, video games, outside, etc. I read a few chapters of each of the 4 and they are well written, funny, and full of action/adventure. Great books!

Highly Entertaining for Both Kids & Adults
I bought this set for my daughter, who's a fan of Greek mythology, and ended up enjoying them myself as well. Like the "Harry Potter" and "Narnia" series, these books appeal to readers of all ages. I also appreciated the prominent featuring of strong female characters.

Some of the plot twists I did find a bit on the predictable side but I still thought the books were highly entertaining.

Series as a whole
I actually posted this on a discussion thread on books for fifth graders. But I decided it fit well in a review, so here it is. I feel (as a mom and as a teacher) that this series is great for everyone from strong fourth grade readers through eighth grade and beyond.

My now 14-year-old son introduced me to this series: relatively new, from Rick Riordan. The Olympians have apparently moved Olympus over the years, following the westward march of civilization - in fact, Olympus is now floating above the Empire State Building in New York City! The main character is Percy (Perseus) Jackson, who is a half-god (Demigod), introduced in the first book, "The Lightning Thief". This first book is not as engaging as the following ones, but this is mainly because it first introduces all of the characters and has to give a lot of background quickly.

Each subsequent book covers roughly one year (well, usually one summer) of Percy's adventures. They generally start out from Camp Half-Blood, the magically protected space on Long Island Sound set aside for Greek/Roman gods' half-human children. They need this special summer camp for protection from all the monsters and evils that we mere mortals can never see because of "the mist" that makes us interpret what we see only in ways that make sense to us. So, that evil substitute teacher might actually be a harpy, sent to weed out another half-blood. :-)

This creative and engaging series introduces or reinforces ancient myths from Greek and Roman mythology, and does a wonderful job of painlessly increasing cultural literacy for the "history of Western Civilization". In fact, it covers many legends beyond that as well, because the premise is that the Olympians have always existed, and they just keep moving their base every few hundred years, through major civilizations on several continents. Really an awesome series, especially for fairly competent, but possibly reluctant, readers in 8th grade and up.

good books
I've read all four books and I have found them pretty good. Not as good as the Harry Potter books in my opinion- they don't have quite the descriptive and immersing storyline- but the Percy Jackson novels are full of adventure throughout the entire book, which I found to be entertaining enough to make up for lack of detail. My only disappointments are that the books are really written for a younger audience (unlike many other YA books, which are written so teens can enjoy them and older adults can get even more out of them, i.e. HP), also that he either assumes you have a bad memory or that you haven't read the previous books.

My opinion is based from someone who is 25. If your the parent of a teenager or preteen, then my nags do not apply to them. They will likely love the books without any complaints! I'm more speaking to those closer to my age or older.
My 16 yr old brother loved the first book and is reading the second- and he hardly reads. He never finished the 3rd HP book, and hasn't read much of anything else except half of a zombie book. I thought he could use some new books, and I hoped to enjoy them as well. - Which I did.

Each book gets better. the story becomes much more developed with each book, but it always seemed like Riordan tried to keep them short. I personally like more immersion- which needs more detail. But don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put down the books! I think their great books, and I would recommend them to anyone under 20, and many adults who enjoyed the HP books.

*Edit: My little brother is now finished with the fourth book and my family is excited that he is actually reading! He very much liked these PJ books and is telling his friends about them. I've already said he could lone the first one to a friend. I'm looking for other books now that he might like. Think I'll go with the Bartimaeus Trilogy next.

A great read to share with you and your child
I have been looking for an adventurous series for my almost 9 year old boy and finally found it. I read the first book first then gave to him to read. The author wrote with such wit and it is interesting to combine mythology in the story. Now I want to go back to look for some mythology books to read. It is truly enjoyable.. my son is not avid reader but yesterday he read this book 1 for 4 hours on our long road trip. He is ready to read book #2. I just finished book #2 so we can discuss... He couldn't put it down because he wanted to know how the story develops..

This book changed me
I am an 11-year-old girl who absolutely hated reading. I could never find a book I liked. If I actually found a good book, I would end up getting bored with it and not finishing it. Then, I happened to stumble upon "Percy." I opened up this book, and I never put it down. I read all day long, while eating dinner, while brushing my teeth, and even read it by flashlight in bed. I finished the series in less than two weeks. I cried so hard when I was finished with the last book. I was literally sick to my stomach and had a headache. I was bedstricken, okay???!! Then, I found out Rick Riordan would be writing a new "Percy" series, featuring some of the old characters. I have no reason to live until "The Lost Hero" comes out. (October 12th.) This is coming from a girl who, 2 weeks before "Percy", wouldn't even read a picture book. Rick Riordan, you are amazing. This author knows what his mythology-loving audience wants to read. And I will be reading Rick's work as long as I can possibly stand it!!!!!!!

Exciting Adventures and Likeable Hero
Percy Jackson is an ordinary 12-year-old except for dyslexia, ADHD, and his propensity for getting expelled from private schools. He is also being attacked by monsters out of Greek mythology. His mother brings him to Camp Half-Blood where he learns that he is the son of a god and a hero who has to go on a quest. Percy, along with his friends Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and Grover (satyr) must battle gods and mythological monsters as they try to bring Zeus his stolen lightning bolt before the solstice in order to stop the gods from going to war. Excellent adventure for middle grade readers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ten years ago, Jack and Annie found a Magic Tree House in the woods and the world of reading was changed forever. Millions of letters later (from children, parents, and teachers around the world!)the exciting and inspiring four books are available together in a keepsake-worthy boxed set. The perfect gift to encourage a struggling new reader or remind old fans of the way they first discovered the magic of books. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Chapter Books for First, Second & Third Graders
This is the first series of chapter books my son actually wanted to read by himself. While many of the reviewers complain about grammatical errors, etc., I feel these can be overlooked as these delightful stories keep a child's interest from start to finish. Each chapter is fairly short and has frequent pictures (a must for beginning chapter readers). The main characters have all sorts of adventures and the reader actually learns some historical facts. While the books are probably too easy for advanced readers, they should appeal to most beginning chapter readers. I think it is very important that children think reading is fun and the books from The Magic Tree House Series provide a wonderful introduction to chapter book reading!

Great for Homeschooling
My son loves reading these books. Contrary to previous reviews, I have found the reading to flow easily. The reader can finish the book with a sense of accomplishment. The book is a combination of fact and fiction. Not all, but some books, in the back, the author includes extra insight to the facts written in the story. The author invites the reader to visit a web site. The site provides curriculum and extra activities to go along with each book. The activities cover every subject from Language Arts, History, Science, Music and Arts. Great for homeschooling or extra mommy and child time.

wonderfully imaginative..........
The Magic Tree House books are wonderful for early elementary kids. My first and second graders love for me to read these books aloud. They are simple and uncomplicated with short chapters which could cause them to be a bit boring for older kids. Each book has Jack and Annie magically going to another time and place by wishing on a book left in the tree house. This series (I have #1-24) have really turned some of my non-readers onto reading.

Non-reader loves these books
My 7 1/2 year old son never likes to read at all. I wasn't sure about buying a set of books again for him that he would not read. They were offered through a book club via the school and we got books 11 - 22. I had to beg him to read the first one, then, I can't get him to stop! He said they are interesting. Since they are books from the Accelerated Reader list, I am very happy he is reading them. He can read one a day even though most have 10 (short) chapters. I am getting the entire set for him. These are a very good buy!

GREAT SERIES
When I found the Magic Tree House series, I was thrilled. Mary Pope Osbourne is writting books with non-fictional details in a fictional plot!! And I love that there are pictures on every other page--it keeps the early readers entertained. My older boys read early so it was hard to find books they could read that weren't "silly" and kept their interest (and had pictures). Even when my two older boys stepped into more difficult reading books, they still wanted to follow the series! Now my 7 year old is taking over!!

I understand that the writting is for younger kids, but last year I worked as a teacher's aide, and every day I would read a chapter to the 4th grade class, before dismissal, and they were sold--found Magic Tree House more fun than Harry Potter!! When we started a new book, we would all wait until the tree house stopped spinning and the whole class would say with me "everything was still; absolutely still" (a standard line in each book)! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it. ... Read more

Reviews

Not my typical reading, but enjoyable light reading!, November 26, 2010
Hocking has an uncanny ability to write fascinating little stories that are compellingly addicting. Her books are not my typical reading fare - I tend more toward the adult mysteries and suspense type of thing - however ever since I picked up Hocking's My Blood Approves series, I've been strangely addicted to her work. The Trylle series is no exception. Now, I may not fall in the typical readership for Hocking's books, but because I work as a Probation Officer for teenagers, I tend to read a lot of YA fiction to keep "in touch" with what my kids enjoy.

Hocking's three-part Trylle series, of which Switched is number one, is about a girl who has a miserable existance. Her childhood is filled with little oddities that don't make much sense, and her mother, who refers to her as a "monster" goes so far as to try to stab her to death at her own birthday party. Switched is so much a coming of age tale - with a twist - as Wendy soon discovers that she has another life waiting for her discovery and that she is so much more than an angst filled teenager stuck in high school.

I won't give away any more, as part of the joy of reading this book is discovering - right along with Wendy - just what in the heck is wrong with her and why she has all these odd little habits, abilities and thoughts.

This is not a literary masterpiece for your college Women's Literature 101 class. It was not intended to be so. It is not filled with symbolism and fodder for critical discussion. It IS, however, fun, light reading that will keep your attention. It is a sweet story. Hocking has captured a believable and realistic teenage heroine. She's captured appropriate action, adventure, and even romantic tension. For those reviewers who say the teenage angst is overblown...I would disagree. I work with teenagers for a living and the internal and external dialogue is actually quite realistic for the age group. Perphaps not ALL teens think this way, but the ones I work with quite often do. Many teens - especially girls with abusive backgrounds and lack of a stable parent figure like Wendy - DO think and act this way, althought many of them would be hard pressed to publically admit it.

I've given Switched four stars, not because it isn't excellent, but because I save my five star reviews for books that are out of this world wonderful or books that really speak to me emotionally. This one is excellent, but it is not the definition of perfect. There are a few typos, but they are easily overlooked.

Overall, excellent book. Excellent and believable plot. An overall wonderfully creative and engaging book. Nice job, Amanda - I'm off to purchase #2 in the series and I am looking forward to discovering more.

Pleasantly Surprised, September 29, 2010
I stumbled upon this book while hunting down my next read. I was intrigued by the description and also by the very low price.

Pros:
- The writing is smooth and very easy to read. I was drawn in immediately and would often digest great lengths before putting it down. It only took me 2 days to finish.
- The storyline is unique. I had a hard time getting over the "troll" element, but I appreciate that it is something different.
- I am a sucker for fairy-tales, so I appreciated the old world elements wound into the plot (balls, castles, beautiful gowns...)
- Some of the character were incredibly enjoyable. I loved Rhys, Matt, and Willa the most. They were well-written and likable.

Cons
- Hocking repeats the word 'foxy'. It made me wonder about Hocking's age, as the word seemed out of place. At first, it was only used by the main character, so I thought it was placed in there purposefully as part of her character, but then other characters started to use it. Very odd.
- Some of the Trylle history was not explained clearly. Much of it was explained through dialogue, which I found tedious. Narrative would have been a better choice, in my opinion (or perhaps a mix of both).
- I am just not feeling the romance between Wendy and her tracker. I am much more interested in a romance between she and Rhys.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the next one!

Thoroughly Enjoyed it!, December 26, 2010
I had seen this book every now and then but was not familiar with it nor was I familiar with the author at all. And the first thing I usually do is read the reviews and see if it is worth a buy - and of course reading a sample of it on my Kindle. This was worth the buy and the a good read. I know she has a vampire series as well, but this one was really great - take a break from the vampire genre.

In a nutshell, Wendy feels that she does not belong - in fact her own mother felt the same way that she nearly killed her daughter. After she receives a visit, to her bedroom at night no less, from the newer student at her school (Finn Holmes) she finds that there is a reason she feels she doesn't belong and the things that seem to happen when she's around...

Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you - gonna have to read and find out.

I am not really a fan of books written in the first person, with the exception of one (White Oleander, Great book by the way!) this one I actually didn't mind at all. I didn't care for Twilight (sorry Twilight fans) simply because I couldn't care for the character because she was...to put it simply...annoying. That's just me though!

I do like how she developed her characters, even the ones that don't have such a big part in the story.

I did spot a few errors, but not enough to completely annoy me - but then I'm not a true grammar person. I will be getting the next book fairly soon (I read the excerpt and I have to know what happens with Wendy). Highly recommended.

Amazing!, December 28, 2010
From the first page I was absolutely hooked. I'm the type to give up on a book early; if it doesn't capture my attention in the first few pages, it probably wont capture it at all. But this one did literally the first paragraph. I cannot wait to read Torn, and hope to see more the series! :)

NOT a "children's book", December 27, 2010
Great book if you liked Hunger Games, Twilight, or Percy Jackson. I liked it less than Hunger Games but much more than other Fantasy Young Adult Books. However, parents of readers be warned: Kindle has this book under the sub-category "children's books" and that is misleading. Hockling uses every swear word under the sun in this book and there are several sexually suggestive encounters between characters both old and young. Overall, I would suggest this book for anyone over 16. (I'm a prude).

Fantastic Book!, December 26, 2010
This book was fantastic! I loved this book, am almost finished with the second, and am eagerly anticipating the third!

Very entertaining!, December 26, 2010
New twists on a well-known plot design made this an entertaining read. I was seriously diappointed to find out that the author has placed an indefinite hold on publication of number 3, especially when the teaser chapter cites publication by the end of 2010. Still well worth the price, though.

Wonderful!!!!, December 14, 2010
Simply charming! I love Amanda's imagination! There were a few typos, but nothing major. I can't wait to start Torn! Keep up the great work Amanda!

An alternate world that will peak your imagination..., December 8, 2010
An alternate world that will peak your imagination...
Hocking has a knack for creating a world spun from fantasy. Her characters are full & rich. This is the beginning of a trilogy about trolls, known as the Trylle, their enemy trolls, the Vittra, their tradition of substituting their children for human children known as changling, and a world chock full of ideas, customs, and more that will keep you reading. Meet Wendy, an angst teen with a colorful past who discovers she is the Trylle Princess. Then there is Finn, the tracker who takes her to her `true home'. And of course there is a host of other characters, both good and bad that will thrill your desire for adventure. Great read in spite of the many errors in the ebook version.

Keep in mind that this is a fluff fantasy teen read. 4* of 5*

Captivating!, November 30, 2010
Would never had picked this kind of book out of a bookstore as I have never been into trolls or changelings, but after reading My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking I knew it had to be good! She definitely knows how to keep the readers attention (maybe a little too much..lol). I read this book in less than a day, could not put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A stunning and thoroughly satisfying conclusion
This is arguably the most "hyped" book in history, and if J.K. Rowling had to sneak down to the kitchen for a glass of red wine to calm her nerves while writing The Goblet of Fire (as she said she did), one wonders what assuaged her while writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The collective breath of tens of millions of readers has been held for two years...and now...was it worth the wait? Did Ms. Rowling live up to the hype? (For that, amongst hundreds of questions, is really the only question that matters.)

The answer, most assuredly, is YES.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is told in a strikingly different style than the previous six books - even different from The Half Blood Prince, and, I daresay, it's a better written, better edited, tighter narrative. And while the action is lively and well paced throughout, Rowling found a way to answer most of our questions while introducing new and complex ideas. What fascinated me was this: Some people were right, with regard to who is good, who is bad, who will live, who will die - but almost nobody got the "why" part correct. I truthfully expected an exciting but rather predictable ending, but instead was thrown for a loop. We've known that Rowling is fiendishly clever for years - but I didn't think she was *this* clever.

Not since turning the final page of The Return of the King twenty-eight years ago have I felt such a keen sense of loss. My love affair (indeed, everyone's love affair, I imagine) with all things Harry began somewhere in the first three chapters of The Sorcerer's Stone, and has lasted, on this side of the Atlantic, three months shy of nine years. For all that time we have waited and wondered - was Dumbledore right to trust Snape? Will Ron and Hermione get together? What's to become of Ginny and Harry? What really happened on that tower, when Dumbledore was blasted backwards, that "blast" atypical of the Avada Kedavra curse as we've seen it when used throughout the series. So many more questions than those listed here, and so many devilishly well-hidden hints. The answers, as I hinted above, will shock and awe you.

When first we met Harry Potter, he was "The Boy Who Lived", with an address of "The Cupboard Under the Stairs". Who could help but bleed sympathy for Harry, treated abysmally - abused, really - by the only blood relatives he had, and forced to live under said stairs by those awful Muggles, the Dursleys? It was a sensationally brilliant introduction, one that ensured that our heartstrings would be plucked and enchanted to sing. He was The Boy Who Lived.

Since reading that first book, we have enjoyed Rowling's spry sense of humor - portraits that spoke, stairways that moved at any given moment, Hagrid jinxing Dudley so that a pigs tail grew from his behind, Fred and George's fantastic creations, etc, etc., etc., and more etc's. There was a sense of wonder and magic in Rowling's writing, so thoroughly captivating that the recommended age group of 9-12 in no way resembled the book's actual audience. It was common to see adults walking about with hardcover copies of the latest book, sans dust jacket (to hide the fact that they were reading a "kids" book, I suppose). It was also common to hear of eight year olds sitting down with a seven-hundred-plus page book! By themselves! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it.

As for Harry, we admired him. He wasn't afraid to stand up for what he felt was right, even if he found himself in detention for it. He was brutally honest, and immensely courageous and loyal. Harry came to embody, at times, who we would like to be. He wasn't perfect, of course. He suspected Snape of being the one who was after the Sorcerer's Stone, and in The Chamber of Secrets, he thought that Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin. This didn't diminish Harry in our eyes - it made him more human, more real, and even, perhaps, more enviable.

Endless fan sites have been erected. For an adult to go to any of them, and find that thirteen year olds are having an easier time parsing out the books plots, subplots, and mysteries, was (for me at least) humbling, but yet also a testament to Rowling herself, and her remarkable creation. She encouraged an entire generation of young readers to read and to think for themselves.

But the time has come to say good-bye, for this is truly the end.

So good-bye, Harry. Good-bye Hermione, Ron, Professor Dumbledore, *Professor* Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Hagrid, Ginny, Fred, George, Neville, Dobby (and all the house elves), even Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We will miss all of you, every character we encountered, from Muggle to Mudblood to hippogriff and owl, and everything about the world you all so vibrantly inhabit. And to Ms. Rowling: know that you have brought immeasurable joy to millions and millions of Muggles worldwide, and know that we cannot possibly thank you enough. What a tremendous gift you were given. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Nice CD set!
This 17-disc audio version of the final Harry Potter book is a worthy way to experience the story without reading it. It features the rich baritone of narrator Jim Dale, who tells the tale with just the right understated touch, supplying all of the characters' voices.

As for Dale's accent, it's appropriately British but not at all too thick. Each word is clear and easy to understand. If you've bought any of the earlier Potter audio CDs you know what to expect: Dale narrated all of those, too.

By the way, note that this is an UNABRIDGED audio book. Listening to it all takes 21 hours!

The story is dark, and too violent for younger kids, but overall one of the best in the Harry Potter series. Nothing seems forced or thrown together. Author J.K. Rowling wraps up her many plot points and reveals the fates of her characters in ways that almost always surprise you, but afterward seem inevitable.

And how she does it is so inventive! Many throwaway moments and whispered remarks from earlier books foreshadow what happens here, and devices that had little importance before, such as Sirius's flying motorcycle, now play key roles. While creating yet another gripping tale, the author also ties her entire epic together with the skill of a true literary master. As a writer myself, I really admire her skill. (Last time I checked, Rowling was outselling me by about, oh, a billion to one.)

In addition, the book treats its title character with the complexity he deserves. It portrays the (now) young man as disillusioned, full of doubt, overwhelmed -- a tortured soul who, though a responsible leader in an all-out war, often seems to yearn to do nothing more than sweet-talk Ginny Weasley.

Parents should know, however, that this one is a real creepfest, with the most explicitly violent scenes of any book in the series. It's way too brutal for grade schoolers. Also, unlike the earlier Potter tales, the far-reaching vocabulary requires about a 6th-grade education.

For those of us that grew up with Harry...
*SPOILERS: please don't read if you haven't finished the book*
After reading the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series, as well as many of these reviews, I simply cannot believe that anyone would rate this book with less than 5 stars. I have read reviews where people say that the ending is too "light and fluffy", or that "Harry should have died", and that the whole deathly hallows part of the plot is pointless because, in the end, Harry does not keep the hallows. Can no-one here see why JK Rowling ended the series as she did? I grew up with Harry Potter, the first book having been released when I was about 9 or 10. I cannot express how depressing it would have been had Harry died, for(forgive me for the cheeziness) if Harry had died surely there was no hope for the rest of us. Furthermore, the ending is not "light and fluffy". Harry overcomes Voldemort as his character develops, as he finally understands how to finish the Dark Lord once and for all- as he allows himself to be sacrificed for the benefit of "the greater good". The deathly hallows merely stand as the temptation for Harry to become all-powerful, to make the same mistake that Voldemort and Dumbledore(when he was young) made. His choice to turn down the opportunity to evade death not only speaks on his true character, but sets him apart from those who would try to harness this power. Even if Harry had chosen to keep the Hallows for good purposes, would he not eventually turn into the same type of tyrant as Grindelwald, as Voldemort, and as Dumbledore would have become? Yes, the hallows did appear and disappear in this one book, but because Harry chose NOT to keep them for himself, he chose the path of the pure-hearted. By this action, we truly see how much Harry has grown and matured. We also see just how different Harry really is from Voldemort, a question Harry himself had been wondering for some time.

So for those of you that bash this book for not ending in total destruction, and claim that "life is not fair and evil really does win", please remember that life is only what you make of it. Only those of us who grew up with Harry can really say just how much his life means to us, and I would just like to thank JK Rowling for this wonderful finishing piece of the Harry Potter series.

Please deliver to Miss Hermione Granger
Dear Miss Granger,

Now that you have completed your seventh year of Hogwarts (I assume you got academic credit for your interesting "internship" hunting Horcruxes and Hallows) and are preparing to join the working world, I am writing to offer you the post of my assistant librarian. Your conduct in Book 7 of the Harry Potter series has convinced me that you would make a superb Assistant Stern Librarian:

Your love of books was never more apparent than when you packed your magical backpack and spent so much time deciding which volumes should be taken along with the tent, clothes and food. That is just like me packing for vacation.

Your wide reading always seems to save the day--case in point, when a certain otherwise superb wizard did not know the importance of Godrick's Hollow, your knowledge of Bagshott's The History of Magic kept him on the right track.

Your ability to whip up a good dish from scrounged mushrooms shows you can get by on a librarian's salary.

Dumbledore left you a book in his will--and as far as I am concerned that says everything about your mission in life.

As the main Muggle-born character you embody the soul of this series' message of tolerance and you are the one character who NEVER abandons Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows.

Oh, and slightly off the topic, since you seem to have moved on, could you tell Victor Krum I am a huge fan and give him my number! Your peer in reading,

The Stern Librarian (I could also use your help with my Silencing Spells).

Jim Dale makes this book come alive!
I have been a firm believer since book one that the best way to enjoy Harry Potter is to listen to it on audiobooks. Wow does Jim Dale do an amazing job - again! How he is able to do the voices of over a hundred characters and make them each distinguishable, I do not know. The audiobooks sucks you in from the very first chapter. I feel like I'm there with the characters in the books listening in on private conversations. If you're going to live the Harry Potter experience, I highly recommend going with the audio books. ... Read more

Editorial Review

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded.Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate. ... Read more

Reviews

A fun read for kids and classical students!
As a student of history with a love (and a minor!) in classics, and little kid at heart I loved this series of books, culminating in The Last Olympian--maybe the best in the series. The obvious comparison is to Harry Potter, but these books are really something different. They're a little lighter, and a little more fanciful, and just more 'colorful.' They are shorter and and just more fun with less dark overtones (imo.)

This last story brings about a conclusion to the whole saga, with one battle after another, answers all your question and even gives our heroes the accolades they richly deserve. It seems its the last one in the series and thats a little sad.

The Last Olypmian
The Last Olympians was one of the best books i have ever read, the storyline was perfect I felt as if I was in the book but no one could see me or hear me but I could hear everything. At school I could not even put the book down. The way Rick Riordan wrote the book i felt as if I knew the charectars my whole life. The book also generated feeling I cried at the sad parts gasped at the surprising parts and laughed at the funny parts wherever the book's feeling went my feeling went with it. I loved the book so much I even wished I could be an amazing half-blood. I got this book for my birthday but I opened it before and the whole entire week I was itching to read it. I even told my friend to read it and she loves the series as much as I do. Personally I think Riordan should write another book. This was the biggest book of them all I never think I have ever read another interesting series. Rick Riordan makes sure everyone can relate to it and he thinks about the audience alot that is the most improtant thing an author can do. I have so much more to say but I can not. I hope you all enjoy the book!Thank you.

A worthy ending to a wonderful series...
I must admit, when I first picked up the lightning theif in preperations for my vacation last summer, it was with a thought that I might be able to use it as a excuse to not have to take driving shifts as we drove steadily eastward to yellowstone. My family knows that if I am really in a book, nothing can pull me away from it.

And so, as I desperately waited for my classes to get out, having bought The Last Olympian early that moment the doors opened at a local borders. I couldnt wait to start reading, having finished rereading book four during my lunch hour.

And I was not disappointed. Riordan has a wonderful sense of humor with a snarky edge to it. Though I usually do not enjoy books written in first person, because most authors dont get just how dangerous writing first person can be, Rick has shown a nack for choosing his words carefully, showing up a world in vivid detail, and emotional clarity. The Last Olympian is a wonderful ending to a series that had much promise, and never broke it.

To those who might be afraid I will spoil anything, I wont. I will only say this; Many twists and turns await you. In the final book of the Percy Jackson series, Rick Riordan has woven a tale, pulling all the threads together into a tapestry, with everything he had done before coming together in a epic, emotional ending... a ending that stirred my emotions in a way only one other writer, and concluding book had done, and that was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling.

While their story telling and writing styles are vastly different, what they share is a thirst for a good story, red herrings to throw you off, and a ending that you couldnt fully see coming, but cant help but be moved by in the end.

I am saddened that this story has drawn to a end, but all good stories must reach their conclusions, otherwise they stop being good.

But we can hope for Rick Riordan, for I have no doubt his gift from weaving a good story has not come to a close. I will continue to look forward to his future books.

Saving the Best for Last
How many times have we seen series start out well, but go out not with a bang but a whimper? Not this series! It started off with a bang and ends with a bang. The Last Olympian is bigger and better. Like J. K. Rowling, Riordan took a whole book to wrap up his series well. If you read the fourth book, The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4), you know what happened to Kronos and what he wants--revenge and the destruction of Olympus. The final showdown is at hand. You will not be disappointed when it happens either. Riordan took his time to let it unfold, battle by battle.

Percy Jackson, your favorite wise-cracking hero, still has that prophecy hanging over his head as his sixteenth birthday approaches. Some people just have to worry about driver's ed. Percy has to worry about the end of the world. In The Last Olympian, Percy faces good, bad, and heartbreaking choices and learns more than he ever wanted to learn about Luke and especially about himself and his destiny. How he learns about Luke reminded me of somewhat of how Harry learned about Voldemort's past. But quicker than you can say Stygian, war is upon him and the other half-bloods. Can they defeat Kronos and his army?

If you're a fan of battles, you'll find plenty in this book and, as always, a plethora of monsters from Greek mythology. And there's Mrs. O'Leary. (Gotta love her.) And if you're keeping track of loose ends, you'll even find out the identity of the last Olympian and why that's important. Riordan always manages to walk the tightrope between humor and pathos. And what about Annabeth and Rachel? At least that saga is wrapped up satisfactorily. Some surprising and not so surprising heroes emerge as the prophecy is fulfilled. I'm sorry to see this series go, but I'm glad it ended well! This is definitely my favorite of the five.

Mr. Riordan, please don't let this be the last Olympian book we read!

The best!
After reading this I miss the series so much. I want it to keep going. I love every single book. I can't wait until the movie comes out for the first book. It should be enjoyable. The whole series just has that essence of myths and Greek mythology that is amazingly put together. A lot of the adventures I read made me want to jump inside the book and join them in the battle! It's one of the best reads... I love it!

What a way to finish a solid series off!
After the usual cliffhanger of a book that precedes the finale, I was very eager to read The Last Olympian (Book 5). What I read was above and beyond any book in the series and an absolute fantastic way to finish it out. As Battle of the Labyrinth set up previously, the final showdown between the Olympians and Kronos draws dangerously close to being a reality. This is what Percy and all the other demigods in camp have been training for their entire lives, but will it be enough or in time to stop the Titan army? As the book opens, we learn Kronos is back and getting stronger than ever in the body of Luke and with each traitor that crosses over, helps him gain a stronger foothold in the mortal world again.

As The Last Olympian opens, preparations from Camp Half-Blood against the Titan Lord and his army are underway. However, Percy and company have a bit more to worry about than just Kronos himself. They must also figure out a way to help the Gods of Olympus defeat the literal "Father of all monsters" in Typhon, who was accidentally released when Percy nearly destroyed Mount St. Helens the previous summer. As Typhon walks again, he sets his sights on now rampaging in a path of destruction towards New York City where there will be no stopping him if he reaches The Summit of Olympus.

The search for the upper hand takes Percy on a very interesting journey, of which includes a very interesting visit to the mother of Luke in order to find anything that would explain just why Luke became who he became and why Luke would ever serve someone like Kronos. What will Percy learn from this meeting? What could the mother of Luke have to offer Percy that would help when it matters the most? Riordan crafts the answers to these questions very nicely and does an excellent job of not giving them away until the very end. With that said, The Last Olympian is certainly not without its fair share of surprises and "ah ha!" moments. Percy's story is complimented very well by the lovable characters of Grover and Annabeth but equally as well by characters like Nico where you're never sure what side they're on. Readers up to this point will be very intrigued after they see what Rachel's role is towards the end as well. It ends up making perfect sense for her, but you don't quite realize what her true potential is until the last few pages.

I wasn't ready to give any book in the series 5 stars so far, but this one truly won me over. I don't like to give a lot of books 5 stars unless they really earn them and this book definitely did that. Everything seemed to work just right with The Last Olympian. From the pacing to the action scenes to the character development, it all just fit nicely. Even though it's a series primarily aimed at young adults, the humor and knowledge you gain of mythology throughout this book and this series is truly refreshing to see for any age. Whether you're looking for a good summer read or a good summer read that teaches you something in the process, don't make the mistake of missing out on this series!

-Travis S.

A great ending and a great series
I absolutly love this series. I am so sad that the series has ended, because I would love to read more. Riordan has the skills that anyone would want. I wish that he would write more books like this, because it sure is a wonderful book to have. Whether curled on a couch or in an airplane Riordan keeps you on the edge of your seat where ever and when ever you are. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

My only complaint: I wanted more
If you love the Harry Potter series, then this is a must-have. It arrived in the mail yesterday, and I devoured it right away. And that's my only complaint: it's brevity. It's a short, quick read. But a fun one.
And it's not simply a handful of fairy tales from the wizarding world. The commentary by Albus Dumbledore on each story was a really nice touch, in some cases even more entertaining to me than the stories themselves.
If you were expecting a thick book that would absorb you for hours as the Harry Potter series did, I hope you're not disappointed in this book's brevity. It's still worth the price if you enjoy the series, and it supports a charitable cause.
If you've never read the Harry Potter books (or seen the movies, I suppose) then do NOT consider this a sample of the series. You will not glean any sense of the depth, quality and, as everyone else calls it, the magic of the Harry Potter world. This book is a tasty dessert to those who've feasted on the seven-course series.

In a word - STUNNING
Admittedly as the time neared and having ordered multiple copies I was having trepidation about what I might end up with. Let me just say, I no longer feel that way. The packing box itself is collectible, warning Muggles to not distribute this before Dec 4th. That was a nice beginning to the opening of this gem. As others have said, the packaging is phenomenal and when I slid the main box out of its protective cover I gave a gasp - it is a thing of beauty. Alone it is truly one of the all-time great book boxes (I collect them). I was worried it was going to be vinyl but not it looks like a real, old Hogwarts book. They did themselves proud with that. Then I opened the box which I found very well made and gave another gasp - there was a beautiful velvet interior with the pouch and the prints. I took out the pouch and brought out the tome and gave my 3rd gasp - it is a thing of terrifying beauty. All in all, a very high quality presentation and surely to end up a valued treasure in anyone's library, certainly mine. Bravo Amazon! Thank you for replicating your amazing purchase and thank you for making it truly legendary. Bravo!

Update: I will reinterate what other's have said - the collectible edition is a remarkable piece of work. I love that book, it is beautifully done - the cover, the metal decorations, the paper, the fontography are all gorgeous. But let me tell you a secret. You see, I am a collector of book boxes as well and let me tell you, the book box that the collector's book comes in has to be the prize of my book box collection. I was expecting something of lesser quality - a seamed vinyl covered cardboard thing like the other Potter materials. It is not that. It is a beautiful piece of work that looks and feels like engraved leather. I've shown this around to other collectors of magic and they were highly impressed. They, like me, felt the book box alone was worth it. Sorry, just had to share my fetish.

The Collectors Edition is a Must Have
A short while ago I opened my door to find a large package from Amazon: I could not believe it was actually my copy of The Collectors Edition of the Tales of Beedle the Bard! While I first ordered this a while ago, there was a problem with my credit card and I had to reorder, so I did not think I would get this book at all, much less on the relealse date! Thank you Amazon, I don't know how you do it!

The book is an absolutely must have for every Harry Potter fan. I had already read the tales themselves when I opened this volume, and they are truly delightful and full of wonderful messages for our children (and for all the magic lovers among us). The stories aside, this edition is truly beautiful and a pleasure to hold in one's hand. There are some wonderful and unique features to it -- the set of reprints is just beautiful; the small book inside the velvet bag inside the larger volume makes you feel like you are opening a treasure and indeed you are!

I bought this volume for my son for a Christmas present, but now I'm thinking, maybe I will need another one! It is well worth the money to own such a special item, and it makes it that much greater that a portion of the proceeds goes to Ms. Rowling's incredible charity. I know the holidays are going to be very special in my house. Thank you Ms. Rowling, for yet another gift to your legions of fans.

Physical Quality and Description of Collector's Edition
I was thrilled on Thursday to have received in the mail my copy of the collector's edition of JK Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard. It was shipped well in a doubled up cardboard box that fit it perfectly (actually had the name of the book on the box, so it was made specifically to ship this book. When you open it, it's in a thin white cardboard cover that says "this side up"

When you slip it out of that cover, you see a wonderful fake leather "book" that is about 10 1/4 x 12 1/4 x 2 3/4 inches. The binding has the name, author and small drawing in gold lettering; the front cover is the name, author and decorative drawn border pressed into the faux leather. The back cover has part of the same drawing pressed in.

When you open it up, you find that it's a case for the actual book that is imbedded into the middle, covered in a lovely red velvet bag with JK Rowling's signature embroidered in gold. The draw strings are also gold. On the left side there is a folder with Collector's Edition Prints. They are beautiful, and can either be framed, or kept tucked away in this case.

The actual book it's self is great quality. Dark brown, with silver decorative pieces on top each piece having emerald colored stones in them. This includes the side clasp. There is also an emerald colored ribbon bookmark.

The introduction is a straight copied from JK's original work that Amazon purchased. If you're not the best with handwriting, some words can be a little hard to read. After the intro, it switches to a very Harry potter/magic like font that works well with telling the stories. All together with the stories, Dumbledore's comments, and JK's comments, it took me about an hour to read straight through.

This edition was worth every penny for someone who really loves Harry Potter, and wants quality.

Very Lovely!
I think this is lovely. I bought it for myself, but if I was given it as a gift I would absolutely adore it.

I think the attention paid to detail is amazing and, for me, it is a great way to end a book series that I loved very much. And, most importantly, you are helping a charity.

If you just want to read The Tales of the Beedle Barb, then stick with the regular edition - the book is a short read. But if you want to hold something in your hands that will take you right back to reading those last few chapters of the Deathly Hallows, this is for you.

The Incomparable Tales of Beedle the Bard
Everything written with the pen of JK Rowling seems to be magical, and this volume is no exception. The very genesis of this book is so special: the tales in it, we are told, were left to Hogwarts by the great Professor Dumbledore. The style and sentiment of these five little fables will come as no surprise to anyone who is a Harry Potter fan -- in fact one of them should already be well known to all. "The Tale of the Three Brothers" was first told in Book 7 of the Harry Potter series. It is such a simple yet strong tale with such a forceful message (much like all of JK Rowling's tales) of the difficulty of making hard choices and being the master of one's own fate. I have read this fable to my sons who are still pondering its message.

No one less than Hermione Granger serves as the translator of these works, and Ms. Rowling has included with the text Dumbledore's commentary and some wonderful illustrations of her own. The simplicity of the tales only underscores the wonderful messages they bear in terms that are not at all preachy. In many ways, the stories remind me of many standard fairy tales, such as those written by Aesop or the Brothers Grimm, but in a context much more likely to appeal to young children as well as the magic lovers among us. It has always amazed me that anyone could find anything in Rowling's work that is somehow not wholesome. Her messages as always are clear, simple, direct and as important life lessons as children will ever learn: the use and abuse of power; the benefit of working together; being able to recognize and value what is special in each of us; the dangers of working with the dark arts (i.e., the abuse of power). It is no wonder that her work is so loved and so enduring. I will treasure this volume as I have treasured all of the Harry Potter books. Only one of the fables is a bit too dark for me (The Warlock's Hairy Heart); I'm not sure I will read it to my kids as it is a bit gruesome.

I have not yet received the Collector's Edition that I pre-ordered. I know that there is much speculation that this edition may have been over-subscribed. My order information indicates that I should receive it December 8th. I certainly hope I do, but if not, I notice that it is already for sale on ebay, and most sellers are not seeking to gouge people too badly. The real disappointment in ordering it on ebay would be losing out on the chance to make a contribution to Ms. Rowling's wonderful charity, The Children's Voice Campaign. But I think I might just make a separate contribution, as a small return for the many wonderful hours of reading and reflection she has given me!

Beedle is Brilliant, as expected
The Tales of Beedle the Bard was a wonderful read. Not only did we get four original tales from Beedle, aside from The Tale of the Three Brothers from Deathly Hallows, but there was insightful and entertaining commentary provided by none other than Albus Dumbledore himself which he wrote 18 months before his death. Jo was kind enough to provide additional info that Muggles may not be accustomed to as well.

We not only got some interesting insight about the background of the stories and Beedle's inspiration for writing them, but we got neat little tidbits about the Wizarding World as well, such as some background into Nearly Headless Nick's demise, Professor Kettleburn (the CoMC teacher before Hagrid), some of Malfoy's relatives, as well as several other awesome facts that JKR never got to include in the main series.

Out of all of the stories, I'd have to say that my favorite is The Fountain of Fair Fortune, although they're all amazing as I knew they would be.

All in all it was, as Jo Rowling always produces, a wonderfully imaginative, entertaining, brilliant read, with dashes of humor here and there that she has mastered so wonderfully. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, therefore, comes highly recommended!

P.S. Grumble the Grubby Goat FTW. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion. ... Read more

Reviews

Vampires Within, June 5, 2010
Warning - spoilers ahoy.

My favourite aspect of the Twilight novels was the supporting cast of characters, who were so fascinating they always left me wanting to know more. This short novel from Bree's perspective works as a supplement to Eclipse, and as a tragic story in its own right. If the main aspect of the Twilight novels you enjoyed was the romance between Edward and Bella, then I don't think you'll enjoy this one, however if you liked the wider politics of the Twilight vampire universe, then this is one for you.

I enjoyed the way the details of Bree's conversion to the vampire life were revealed gradually throughout the first half of the story. There was a great sense of tragic irony in the fact that Bree ended up trading her humanity for a cheeseburger, of all things. The contemporary culture references in Twilight always act as a nice reality contrast to the more fantastical elements.

Riley came off as a sympathetic character in Eclipse, another sad victim of Victoria's evil. From Bree's perspective, there is nothing to pity, as Riley is as much a perpetrator of evil and manipulation as Victoria. His referral to the newborns as his 'kids' felt like a sad, twisted mirror of Carlisle and Esme's loving parental relationship with their own coven.

Fred was a fascinating new character. Most of the vampire powers we've seen so far have seemed as much of a curse as they are a gift, but Fred's ability to repel people would be every wannabe hermit's greatest dream. I wondered if he was a social phobic when he was a human. The progression of his relationship with Bree was nicely done - very subtle. I especially liked the card playing: from solitaire, to assisted solitaire, and finally two-player.

The best scenes came towards the end, when the story meets up with what we know from Eclipse. One of my favourite was between Carlisle, Esme and Jasper when they discuss Bree's fate. I don't think we ever saw those characters interact in the Twilight saga, and the dynamics between the various personalities of the Cullen family make for good drama.

I can see a lot of potential for these supplemental stories for expanding the Twilight universe. I'd love to read one about Maria, or Peter and Charlotte, or the rest of the Cullen family. And, of course, Fred ... I hope he did meet the Cullens some day.

"Please. I don't want to fight", June 9, 2010
"Please. I don't want to fight"
Bree Tanner was a fifteen year old runaway before she became a vampire. Now, a three-month-old vampire, Bree has to find ways to stay alive, to feed without getting caught, and to find the truth about her new life. But Riley, the leader of this gang, is spurring them to war.

I Liked:
Right off, I need to say that I have recently finished Eclipse and did actually find myself interested in the character of Bree Tanner. She seemed interesting and was the first time we had seen a newborn vampire that wasn't so hostile. This book expands on her small part in Eclipse and there are many fascinating aspects.
Bree Tanner, for one, is not a Bella clone. She is far more independent and curious, a lot more proactive and a lot more involved in her own life. I thought she had way more spunk than Bella has ever shown. Sure, Bree has no hobbies either, besides reading, but Bree is a newborn vampire. I don't expect to find her in a knitting circle.
Fred needs to seriously have his own novella. He has a power that is absolutely creative and interesting and this novella (focusing on Bree) barely gives him a chance to show it off. Maybe if this book does well enough, Meyer will write his story (starting, hopefully, before he goes vampire).
Learning more about newborn vampires in general was eye-opening. Finally, Meyer gets to explore her creation. We get to see newborn vampires have absolutely no loyalty to each other, no self-control, and no qualms about sinking their teeth into their poor human food banks. I liked reading Bree and Diego roam Seattle.
I also loved how Meyer acknowledged the other vampire mythos by having our newbie vampires believe that sun is bad, they can get staked through the heart, and to fear garlic.

I Didn't Like:
You know it's a Stephenie Meyer book when after meeting a boy for two seconds, the girl cannot live without him. Yes, my fellow readers, Bree becomes very friendly (never exactly romantic, though) with Diego and when he is gone, she is devastated to the point of giving up on living. Oh, please. Spare me.
Another part that really irked me is how, when the whole "army" of newbies appears in daylight, they spend most of their time commenting on how "pretty and sparkly" they are. Uh, the girls, maybe, but the guys? Particularly fifteen year-old guys? Have you been around fifteen-year-old guys? I can almost bet you they would comment on it, but I bet it would have a far more negative tone than "My you are so pretty and sparkly" (I won't recount it because I have no desire to reproduce such offensiveness here). Geesh.
I guess one of my biggest complaints is that Meyer takes a character, who was in the big battle with vampires and werewolves, and TOTALLY AVOIDS WRITING THE BATTLE SCENE! Bree ends up avoiding it by hanging in the back for two seconds, and POOF! When she appears, the battle is all gone, the werewolves are elsewhere, and I am so confused about how long this battle took, who was where, who did what, and what was the point of writing from Bree if you can't even write the battle that she would have taken part it? Lord!
Lastly, I have to mention that Meyer's writing is a little sloppy. I mean, she's not the best writer in the world (most elaborate, most spellbidning, most whatever), but this is her first book I had to reread certain parts over again to figure out what she was trying to say.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
I didn't catch anything.
Victoria and Riley head off to a "gingerbread house" in the middle of the forest to "smoochie smoochie".
There is a lot of violence near the beginning, with multiple feedings, vampires' losing limbs, and burnings.

Overall:
I did like this book. But I wasn't happy when I learned that Meyer is hosting this novella on her site for free while I spent nearly $14 (okay, not quite) on it. Yes, the free version is only up until July 5th, and I probably would have bought it anyway because it is a rather nice looking book (and I have a terrible time reading books on the computer and don't want to fight with my printer to print out nearly 200 pages), but I still want to warn those who are on the fence. It may be better to read it online, see if you like it, and then shell out the 14 bucks or whatever sale you can snag (and there are tons of sales to be found).
So, nice book, neat insights, new characters. Is it brilliant? No. Is it interesting? Yes. Is it absolutely vital to understanding Eclipse? No. Do I recommend? For a nice, quick "time waster", sure.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Bree Tanner and Canon Consistency - Spoilers*, June 9, 2010
Even though I'm of the XY persuasion, I really loved Twilight. I loved New Moon and Eclipse less. I disliked Eclipse most of all, because Bella's confusion made no sense at all, and poor Edward had no way out. Any normal man would have given Bella the boot, and let Jacob have her, but Edward didn't have that option. Breaking Dawn restored some of my faith in their romance, which Eclipse had largely killed. Over all, I love the series as much as any fan. So does my wife. But this novella is an insult to our intelligence as fans. This story marks an epic fail.

Let's leave out the critical scenes on the post-battle field for a minute and focus on something really simple. Given what this story claims, Victoria and Riley had been at their "build an army" thing for nearly a year, where as Eclipse leaves you with the impression that they were at it for two months at the most. Diego was 11 months old as a newborn. That's an entire year of a growing number of newborns "grazing" in Seattle. The opening of the book has Diego and Bree murdering 5 people. And the impression you get is that, that was business as usual for members of Riley's coven, which had been growing in fits and starts for a year or more. So, take a calculator and start playing with some numbers and you have to wonder just how big the city's "dregs" population was, because you start getting into a body count in the thousands. For instance assume that you have only four newborns the first three months, hunting every other night, and taking say 3 people each, instead of the 4 that Bree took. That's 540 corpses in 90 days. Now extrapolate that through the next 9 months with an increasing population of thirsty monsters. By the time we get to the start of the story, they'll be killing 150 to 200 people a week just to sustain themselves. Seattle ain't Mexico City. They'd finish off the city's population of "dregs" in a month, six weeks at the outside, and be hitting the malls and houses in the suburbs. Even if they hid ALL of the bodies, the number of missing wouldn't have the city in a panic. It would be in a state of war. The military would be called in and martial law would be declared.

Then, there's the ferry massacre. No mention of it in Eclipse. Nada. On 9/11 people got cell phone messages out about what was happening, both in the buildings and the planes. No one on the ferry did? No bodies were found with mysterious wounds? Nothing? (snorts) Sloppy and careless writing.

Then you get to Bree after the battle, passing her info to a telepathic Edward and you just completely blow large chunks of Breaking Dawn out of the water. Now, if they were the parts that were centered on Jacob and Bella rather that Edward and Bella, I wouldn't mind so much. But with this story Meyer completely destroys canon on what the Cullens knew or didn't know in planning to deal with the Volturi. Carlisle wouldn't have even attempted a peaceful solution and neither Edward, nor Carlisle, nor anyone else indicated that they had any hint of the information that Bree supposedly gave Edward there on the battlefield. Taking Bree's alleged actions at the end of the novella as canon for the books makes most of the discussion that took place in Breaking Dawn while preparing for the Volturi into utter useless nonsense.

Meyer just retconned her own canon, while the books are still in the stores, after making tens of millions of dollars off of it. What will be next? Eclipse 2.0 and Breaking Dawn 2.0, the rewritten novels that take the amazing and sweet former plot device Bree Tanner, and the information that she never gave to Edward in the original canon, into account? If she's retconning the Saga, why stop there? Why not go for the gold and have Bella choose Jacob in the new canon? (shakes head) In my book there's no more unforgivable sin in an author than not being able to keep their writing internally consistent with itself. She rarely had that problem in the Saga itself, and The Host really rocked (says the science fiction fan of 40 years). Why did she drop the ball now? And the violations here are so obvious and blatant that we can't even say that she made a mistake. To do something like this you have to not care at all. As my wife would say..."Most authors protect their canon. I don't think she even *likes* Twilight anymore."

Diego and Bree would have been a good story to tell, had Meyer kept within the bounds of canon. As it is, I give this thing a complete and total thumbs down. I can think of ten fan fiction stories off hand that are better, and I could probably think of more given time.

What? She couldn't just finish Midnight Sun and be done with it? (snorts) She should have left it alone.

Rick

Added in Edit 06/22/10: I just realized something sort of ridiculous while talking to my wife yesterday. Think about the canon time line in the books. Edward leaves Bella in New Moon. Not quite nine months later the Cullens and the Pack destroy the newborn army on the field of battle. According to Edward, while he was separated from Bella he was tracking Victoria all over hell and back, including to Texas where she presumably got the idea to build an army. My problem is, if the novella is to be believed, Vicky started assembling her army prior to the events of New Moon. How did she begin building an army before she had the inspiration to build an army? Diego was 11 months old. That makes Reilly over a year old. Months before the Cullens ever left, there would have been newborns rampaging around Seattle. No one noticed? Not the cops? Or the newspapers? Not the Cullens? Apparently not, because it isn't mentioned in New Moon, and there isn't even a hint of it in Eclipse until less than 60 days before the battle. Remember that body count? Nobody? Noticed? (shakes head) I do still truly adore the original four books (with reservations about way too much Jacob), but I just can't stomach this novella.

Added in Edit 07/03/10: I just got back from my second viewing of the movie...which was pretty good by the way. Meyer implied in interviews that people should read the novella prior to seeing the movie, as if it were a movie companion, or necessary to understanding the movie. I have to tell you, aside from vague generalities, there was almost nothing of the novella in the movie. Certainly nothing that, lacking the novella, couldn't be written off to Melissa Rosenberg getting creative. In short, the novella is a red herring. It doesn't fit in the book canon, and is utterly unnecessary to make sense of, or enjoy, the movie. Steph must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Man, what a waste of paper..., June 8, 2010
I have to say it: I was bored silly by this book. I know there are fans out there who will say that they are happy to have anything Twilight related to read now that the series has ended, and I thought I might be one of them, but sadly, that's not the case. I'm going to make a gross assumption and say that the majority (not all) of the people who love this series do so because they are sucked into the teen romance and either love Edward or love Jacob. And unfortunately, there is hardly mention of either character in this novella. So, the main pull of the series is almost totally absent from the storyline. And unfortunately, the story is not nearly engrossing enough to pull you in otherwise. I was so bored and uninterested by page 64 that I almost stopped reading.

I think it's great that SM wrote this for her fans; she is obviously an author who takes the process very seriously and I think this idea came honestly to her during the writing process. But I will repeat what ALL your fans have been asking for: give us what we want, "Midnight Sun." Your point has been made regarding copyright infringement. Please, please stop punishing the masses because of one person.

So, even to you die hard fans, truly, this book may disappoint.

Wow. And not in a good way., June 8, 2010
You've got to be kidding me. This story adds nothing to the Twilight experience. There is no feeling in this, no... pardon the pun... soul. Dare I say it: It's boring. What's with the lame "cool! let's create a ninja club!" theme?! And "vampire kissy noises"?! Really? Holy moly, how deep did she have to dig to come up with these gems? Ugh! Look, I was just as obsessed as anyone w/ the Twilight Saga, but really... I don't understand all the stars people have given this "book." Yes, the focus is on Bree. But Victoria is an important part of this backstory and Meyer diminished Victoria's cunning nature so much that I felt the poor vamp was robbed. Laurent said in the first book: "Don't underestimate Victoria." That's JUST what Meyer did in this novella. That aside, we weren't really given anything that would help us to better understand--or even care about--Bree. We get that the newborns were cast-aside teens. But that's all we get. Where is the emotion? Why should I feel for Bree? Because she somehow manages to retain some reasonable thought processes and not become obsessed with video games? None of the relationships were explored in meaningful ways. Diego & Bree were hardly believable and completely dull. The only character that had a modicum of promise was Fred, and she did nothing of significance with him. She dropped interesting hints and then took the easy route out. Fred just went away. Huh?

What a waste of time, energy, paper & Moneyd, June 18, 2010
I just want to start off by saying that i'm a fan of all 4 of the Twilight Saga. After reading the Saga multiple times, I was excited to see another addition to the series. So after paying $10 for the book I took it home and immediately started reading it. Immediately I couldn't follow it. I thought that I was missing part of the book, but then figured out it's just how it's written. With the Twilight Saga, I literally couldn't put the book down while reading them. With this book, I couldn't pick it up!

I feel that if Stephenie Meyer would get off her high horse and finish Midnight Sun, would be a much better use of her time & our time! I would've preferred she write a book about the characters in the saga that we've "met & made a connection with". I would rather read about Carlisle's life before and after becoming a vampire, before he changed Edward etc.

This book did NOTHING for me! I feel the only good part is that I bought the hard cover so $1 was donated to the American REd Cross. That is the ONLY redeeming factor of the book.
Don't waste your time or money on this waste of shelf space! Just re-read the Twilight books you like the best it's much better!

More garbage, June 16, 2010
Yet another marketing ploy masquerading as "literature," this alleged novella tells the poignant story of Bree Tanner, a nearly forgettable character from Eclipse (the film version of which is premiering on June 30, a mere three weeks after the book's publication--coincidence? Not in the carefully orchestrated world of Twilight marketing). The special twist here is that Meyer tells the story from Bree's perspective, abandoning (for the first time in the Twilight series, anyway) the first-person narrative voice of Bella. The reader, however, will be forgiven for overlooking this difference, since the voice of Bree is almost indistinguishable from the voice of Bella. Bree is an overly sensitive adolescent girl (and newborn vampire) prone to flights of melancholy who manages to fall passionately in love with Diego--another newborn vampire--within the space of one day; Bella, on the other hand, is an overly sensitive adolescent girl (who wants to become a newborn vampire) prone to flights of melancholy who manages to fall passionately in love with Edward--an old vampire who looks youthful--within the space of a few days. See the difference? I didn't think so. This tale does fill in a narrative gap or two from Eclipse, and we get to witness the unintentionally absurd way in which Bree and Diego discover their ability to glitter in the sunlight. But the book's most redeeming quality is its merciful brevity--only 178 pages.

Not exciting in the least..., July 28, 2010
I can't say I'm a fan of the Twilight saga, but I admit I enjoyed reading them - despite the awful writing and irritating main character, they still provided some entertainment.

This novella, however, put me to sleep. From the very beginning I found myself skipping paragraphs and waiting impatiently for it all to end. Stephenie Meyer continues to skim over the details of what could have been a very interesting story.

I was hoping this novel would be a bit darker than her usual writing; after all, this novella IS about a group of teenage train wrecks, kidnapped and turned into savage, soul-less killing machines. However, if this is SM's definition of an "edgy" novel, I think it is pathetic. I understand she is writing for the young adult spectrum, but that is no reason to water down your work. Plenty of YA novels deal with harsh language, violence, sexuality, etc. I'm not saying SM should have included all of these aspects, but really, to assume teenagers use phrases such as "top secret ninja club" and "vampire kissy noises" is pathetic.

I did not feel for Bree or Diego. I found their sudden romance/strong friendship incredibly contrived. Even Edward and Bella had more of a pull to each other than these two, and the only reason Edward even noticed Bella at all was because she smelled good. I did not appreciate the lack of details. I understand this is a novella, but that does not mean skimming over the gritty details. This would have made this book much more interesting and would have made me care more about Bree and the other characters. I definitely had a very hard time finishing this very short "book".

A Good Addition to the Twilight Universe, June 9, 2010
I feel like this is a great addition to Eclipse. It's not suppose to be a stand alone novel like the rest of the Twilight books. It's just a back story to an already existing book. I thought it was great! It made me hate Riley more, and the rest of the newborns less. I felt aweful for Bree and Diego, and wished they had a longer story together. I guess that's the point.. the newborns don't get to live long enough to have a great story. I think that's part of their irony and why Stephenie gave you that back story.

I would just like to go over a few of the things people said were negatives, and maybe explain it better for them.

1. People have complained that the Cullens didn't save Bree. Why would they risk losing one of their own for someone they don't know at all? It would be inevitable, just like in Breaking Dawn. They know if they fight for her, one or all of them could die.

2. That Bree doesn't have a back story / human story. Most of the Cullens have a hard time remembering their past, especially Alice. Bree said that her father beat her, so she left home. Then, she got stuck on the street and was starving. Riley offered her a burger for her immorality, and she took it. That's the most she can remember, and that's more than Alice can remember.

3. That the story isn't long enough or in depth enough. Stephanie Meyer has said herself that this was never meant to be a stand alone book. It was meant to help the directors of Eclipse get a better understanding of the newborns. Then after that, wanted to add it to The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide as a back story to Eclipse, but it was too long. Since Eclipse was coming out soon, they thought it would be a great idea to release it alone for readers to better understand what is going on in the book and movie on the other side of things.

PS: I really hope Fred gets to meet the Cullens! :)

Mostly Pointless, June 6, 2010
I don't really see the point in this novella. I mean we all knew it was going to end badly but I was cool with that. I figured it would be sad, but it wasn't. I just couldn't make myself care about Bree. Her relationship (if you can call it that) with Diego was hollow and unconvincing. She didn't have any real personality. If she had just once expressed some kind of remorse about all the people she was killing and sucking dry, maybe I could have sympathized more with her plight. If she had developed a real connection with Diego, I might have cared more. This could have been a poignant little story about with real emotional impact if it had been handled differently. Instead it just seems completely pointless. What are we supposed to take away from this? What is the message here? What is the point of Bree and her short second life?

As far as I can see, the only good thing to come out of this novella is the introduction Freaky Fred. He was an fascinating character with an intriguing power. I was way more interested in him that I was in Bree, or any one else. I kind of hope he gets his own book some day. The one star is basically for him.

And yet, despite being a pointless, dull and frustratingly empty little story I would still rate this novella better than Breaking Dawn. At least it did not offend or infuriate me. It just made me yawn. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions. ... Read more

Reviews

So bad, I want to rewrite it myself, June 10, 2009
I started reading this series after I heard a rave review on NPR during their "Guilty Pleasures" segment. The middle-aged gentleman described Twilight with such enthusiasm that I couldn't resist temptation. I bought the four-book set and settled in for a long weekend of reading.

Three days and 2400 pages later, I'd finished the four novels. I adored Twilight, tried not to slap whiny Bella during New Moon, and mostly skimmed through Eclipse trying to get to something interesting. Finally, I got to Breaking Dawn. I have never been so let down by a book in my entire life. I don't even need to go into all the ways that this book was horrible - the other reviewers have done that well. But, here I go anyway:

Wedding - So, Bella's wedding to Edward was not what she wanted, but what she was willing to trade for sex and immortality. The wedding itself was not her vision and in no way represented their unique love, but was instead a fantasy created fully by Alice's vision.

Honeymoon - Meyer is telling us that sex is scary and awful. You will have a lot of pain your first time and your husband, who puts you up on a pedestal, will hate himself for "hurting" you, no matter how yummy delicious it is. Oh, and once you do get some, it's pretty much the only thing you'll want, and your new hubby will reject you, mercilessly, due to his own hang ups. Woo! I gotta get me some of that!

Also, how come it's either a little french kissing or sex? How come no one ever talks about alllll that space in between those two extremes? What a perfect place for her to talk about sex and the implications of it, especially given her target audience.

Pregnancy - You will get pregnant the very first time you have sex. Pregnancy is the most horrible state you will ever experience. It will be stunningly painful as your body is taken over by something that hurts you, and tries to kill you, and eventually chews its way out of you. The bloodbath of child birth is fine - but it says a lot, to me, about Meyer that she can't write the sex, but can write the gore. Or maybe it's about society, and not Meyer at all. Take your pick.

Renesmee - Say it out loud. I dare you. Look, I get what Meyer was trying to convey here about the beauty of having a child, the connection that a newborn's family feels to the child and how fleeting childhood is. But come on! The massive gaps in logic and leaps of faith it takes you to get here are stunning. Stunning. And impossible.

Jacob - Sigh. Poor Jacob. This boy never had an ounce of pride, he submitted it all to Bella, only to find himself a pedophile in the end. How utterly freaking awful. (and yeah, I tried to go with the whole "it's fiction, not pedophilia" but I just couldn't get there. It was creepy.)

The Cullens - Who? No seriously though, Edward had a family? Where were they after page 150?

Renee and Charlie - So, while Renee has been the primary parent and the person that Bella is closest to for the entire series, suddenly she's just...absent. Laaaame. And suddenly Charlie is Bella's first concern, but we've been given absolutely nothing by way of character development to buy into this. Again, I say: Come on!

Editing: Look, I don't know who edited this book, but ZOMG! fire that person. There were so many errors it was distracting. Dialog tagging: use it. Also, adverbs are not your friends. If Bella "shyly" does one more thing, I'm going beat her with her own arm. If you have to tell us that people are chuckling, giggling, that their eyes are "tightening" (wth does that even mean?) then you're failing at description. If you must tell and not show, read some Willa Cather. She gets away with it. You don't. So stop.

Tone: I'm guessing that Meyer took a break from Twilight land to write "The Host" and that's why the entire tone of this novel is off. It just doesn't even sound like it was written by the same person.

At the end of this novel, I wanted to rewrite the whole thing myself. I wanted to see why Bella decided that she would marry Edward. I wanted her to give a damn about the wedding and see some reverence in it. I wanted to see a real deepening in her relationship with Alice. I wanted Esme to be more than just a paper doll mother figure. I wanted a real, honest to goodness sex scene that lived up to three freaking novels worth of some of the steamiest kisses ever. I wanted Bella to pay a price for some of her choices. I wanted that epic battle with the Volturi to actually happen. I wanted someone to die. Meyer cheated us out of the thoughtful endings that we get when good triumphs over evil. That's what makes life sweet, and makes us appreciate what we have - working for it, sacrificing for it.

Bella would have actually wanted to marry Edward. She would have cared about the decorations and Alice would have developed into a real sister, and not some overblown party planner. There would have been real sex - not smutty, but real, nonetheless. Pregnancy would have disappeared. Bella would have had to make the choice - between having babies and having Edward. She would have been cruel to be kind and given Jacob his freedom. Jacob would have grown and gotten over her, and moved on and found real love with someone who loved him back - maybe even Leah, since that ground was laid pretty well. Bella would have spent months being a newborn, filled with nothing but bloodlust. Jessica would be her first victim. The Cullens would have worked tirelessly to help her transform, and we could have gotten to know them all so much better. Rosalie might have died, doing something selfless for once in her life. That would have been doubly meaningful if Meyer rewrites the whole series from Edward's POV (ala Midnight Sun, which in rough draft form is head and shoulders better than Breaking Dawn.) Bella would have to give up Charlie and Renee for a while, but eventually they would be able to be in her life, altho in a much more limited way. There are a million possibilities that could have had a very nice happy ending, with a bit of bitter thrown in with the sweet.

Meyer is a great storyteller and an okay writer. If she gets a better editor and learns some discipline, she could be very good. I found this particular book to be a total betrayal of the earlier books, which is why my review is so harsh. Overall, I hope she keeps going, and I *really* hope she keeps going with Midnight Sun, which so far, I love.

The Worst Book Ever, May 29, 2009
While I've been known to exaggerate on occasion, I promise you I'm being completely serious when I say Breaking Dawn is the worst book I have ever read. The writing was atrocious, there was no drama and/or real conflict, and Meyer broke her own rules. Repeatedly.

Let's begin, shall we?

First, the writing itself was a huge problem. It's nearly impossible for me to believe Meyer was an English major in college. Maybe she was technically a literature major, but either way, she should have been exposed to enough decent writing to know how to produce it herself. And if she couldln't produce it from her own head, she probably had enough references to replicate it. Instead, Breaking Dawn reads like a terrible fanfiction. Meyer tends to overuse adjectives and adverbs, but does so in the least descriptive way possible. How did Bella look on her wedding day? I couldn't tell you, since Meyer never bothered to describe her dress other than to say it was satin-y. And how about the rest of the wedding ceremony? There were flowers "everywhere" and everyone looked "amazing." Thanks. I can totally picture that.

Bella is also the ultimate Mary Sue, which doesn't help Meyer's writing skills in my eyes. Bella is SO PERFECT. Everyone LOVES HER. Meyer's lame attempts to make Bella relatable by making her clumsy fall flat (pun intended), because the other characters think injury-prone Bella is adorable. Will Charlie object to Bella Sue getting married at 18? Of course not! Will Bella Sue become the most graceful vampire ever, even though she was the world's clumsiest person? You bet! Bella gets everything she wants in Breaking Dawn and sacrifices nothing.

There was also a conspicuous lack of drama and conflict in what should have been an epic conclusion to a series. As I mentioned above, Bella had no problem convincing Charlie that marrying Edward was the right decision. I was expecting more of an objection from the ol' sheriff. Denied. Jacob does make a small attempt to talk Bella out of turning into a vampire, but what could have been another interesting conversation is brushed aside by Bella. Why would she miss anybody she knew as a human? She'll be with her beloved Edward for all eternity; that's all she needs.

The sexy-time was also lacking. I'm not much of a smut fan, but I was hoping for more than a cheezy "fade to black" when Edward and Bella finally do the deed. After three books of anticipation and denial, Meyer doesn't have the balls to give us more than Bella walking toward Edward in the water. Seriously, Meyer? You can show Bella vomiting "a fountain of blood" but kissing before sex is too shocking? Nothing interesting here, folks.

There is also the issue of Bella's pregnancy. Nowhere in the previous three books, and I mean NOWHERE, did Bella mention a desire to be a mother. But as soon as Edward gets his vampire sperm inside her, she decides that motherhood is the most important thing on Earth. (Inconsistent much, Meyer? Another sign of bad writing!) I was expecting Bella to freak out, get angry at Edward, and blame him for ruining her life when she thought she could never get pregnant! But instead, Bella is inexplicably calm and instantly bonds with her "little nudger." Again, any drama that could have been just melted like an ice cube in Death Valley. The plot floats along...

The previously mentioned "fountain of blood" happens when Bella goes into labor. To make a long and rather gruesome story short, the baby almost kills Bella, and would have, had Edward not turned Bella into a vampire. Bella lays on a table for a couple of days until the venom stops her heart. She's dead! Let the crazed baby vampire gather her bearings! She's dangerous right now! Right? Wrong. Bella Sue is the perfect vampire, so graceful and strong. She requires almost no adjustment time, even though Meyer told us in previous books that new vampires are totally out of control. Again, all conflict nipped in the bud.

This leads us to Meyer breaking her own rules. Bella is totally in control of herself as a new vampire even though, according to Meyer's own words, it's totally normal and EXPECTED to have a lenghty adjustment period. Jasper struggled for years, but Bella gets the hang of things in a day. Of course. Meyer breaks the rules so Bella Sue can have her perfect life.

Meyer also gets into a sticky situation with Bella's pregnancy. According to Meyer, speaking through (I believe) Carlisle, vampires don't have any liquid in their bodies except for their venom. Last time I checked, sperm isn't venomous. Getting Bella pregnant should have been impossible if Meyer followed her own rules! That entire plot device (which only served to give Jacob something to imprint on) was an amateurish cop out that I would expect to find in fanfiction, not a novel written by an adult with a college degree.

Oh yeah, they named the baby Renesmee. Vomit.

And then Jacob imprints on it. Double vomit.

Allow me to backtrack for a second. I forgot to mention another scene that should have been exciting but wasn't: the confrontation with the Volturi. Yep, the leaders are back and they want to kill the Cullens for making an "immortal child." Finally, some action! The Cullens invite some vampire friends to gather at their house and fight the Volturi, which should be the epic conflict we've all been waiting for! Except it most definitely is not. It turns out that Bella has a shield she controls with her mind. All the does is put the sheild around everybody and they're impervious to weapons. The Volturi stand around and talk for a while and then... leave.

Breaking Dawn was a letdown in every sense. Meyer's writing didn't improve (it got worse, actually), there wasn't any tension or action, and a lot of the rules established in the first three books got thrown out the window.

Avoid this book at all costs.

(Note: Don't be fooled by the high number of five-star reviews; a lot of them are two sentences long and say things like, "BELLA AND EDWARD ARE IN LOVE!!!!1!11one" They may very well be, but that doesn't make it a good book.)

Sickening, December 9, 2008
Sorry about the length of this, but I am absolutely livid about this book. I am angry at myself for reading the trash, but exponentially more furious at Stephenie Meyer for writing it. This book is an insult. If you are a fan of the series, over the age of 12 and/or have an IQ above 50, then DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. PLEASE listen to me. Thank God I didn't spend a penny on it.

Everything that made the romance between Edward and Bella so great has absolutely been destroyed. Gone are the cute, innocent teenagers who fall into an impossible romance in the cafeteria. I don't think I can ever read or watch Twilight again. I mean, I always slightly cringed when it was obvious that a modern teenager had nothing to do with any of these books. (ex. "Holy Crow?" Even my GRANDMOTHER doesn't say that.) Or the sometimes over-the-top sappy exposition and dialogue. But I could deal. But this BOOK. It was like watching my childhood stuffed animal get... um, defiled. It was that horrifying.

I understand the concept of author's prerogative, but ANY author has a responsibility to 1) Keep leaps of logic to a minimum, which definitely excludes some weird, mutant child of the corn, 2) Keep the plots and characters consistent throughout the series within the framework which the author has set up, and 3) Follow basic rules of writing and editing a novel designed for an intelligent audience. All 3 of which were shockingly snubbed in Breaking Dawn.

Please, please, please. Do yourself a favor and stop reading at Eclipse, or better yet, at New Moon or Twilight, and fill in the very few blanks for yourself. I will never criticize an author for having an ambiguous ending again. Just click on "Most Helpful Reviews" and you will see the many, many people who feel the same way.

*SPOILERS AHEAD, but you should probably read this part anyway to realize just how awful this book is*

Here are a few of the many, many problems I have with this book:

1) So Edward and Bella get married and that part's pretty cute, even though I think it would have made more sense to transform her first, since that's how they're planning to spend their marriage. They get married at the very beginning of the book, and Bella doesn't even really want to. She agreed because she wants to get laid. Wow, warms the heart.
Then begins the vomit-inducing 700 pages.

2) Edward and Bella have sex. A lot. Effectively ruining the innocence of their cute romance and turning it into some trashy, thinly-veiled-porn novella you buy at the airport. Sex is at the very least alluded to in almost every scene they have together. They like it. We get it.
But that's not the worst part. Even while she is HUMAN. Um, Edward is a creature who literally turns iron into dust and moves as fast as a speeding car without breaking a sweat. And she wants him to have SEX with her as she is?! How the HELL would that be 1) Enjoyable for him, and 2) Not life-threatening for her?! Not only does Bella whine, manipulate, and cry her way into doing this outrageously stupid and selfish thing (totally decimated my respect for her character), but then Edward, totally out of character, gives into her crap and agrees to TRY. TRY?! Why don't I just TRY to juggle chainsaws?! And for what? So she can GET SOME a little bit ahead of schedule? She can't bear to have her first time unless she's worried about Edward breaking her in HALF?! If I was Edward, had Bella even suggested such a thing I would have first laughed myself silly, then run screaming in the other direction from such a reckless lunatic. That whole thing really pissed me off.

3) Pregnant. 17-year-old vampire Edward and 18-year-old human Bella. Ew. Ew. Ew. I can accept the marriage, because Edward will never get older, and they love each other. But when I got to that part, and both of their reactions to it, I wanted to scream I was so angry. It is just so small and stupid, so out of place in the story, and CONTRIVED. Ugh! As so many other people said, I thought it was Fanfiction I was reading, not a published work, let alone from the actual author. I'm curious as to what Meyer was smoking when she thought this was an appropriate plot line. But it got worse. What suspension of disbelief I had left broke, and I became permanently removed from the story. I began to hate Bella, and resent Edward's cardboard characterization.

4) Their weird mutant spawn literally kills Bella slowly. And she couldn't be more thrilled about it.
The fact that Meyer had made the ridiculously immature, but lovable and relatable teenager Bella PREGNANT was bad enough. But then it is with some weird, unknown mutant parasite, that saps all her strength, breaks several of her bones (including her SPINE) and causes various bruises, and makes her drink HUMAN BLOOD. During Bella's pregnancy, I was literally shuddering with disgust on almost every page. That is not an exaggeration. And I'm 19.
No joke, I was rooting for the wolves to attack the Cullens and kill the thing. Bella and Edward's characters fly so far off their character rails that you can't even see them any more. Bella whole-heartedly embraces the thing while it slowly kills her, and Edward does nothing but hopelessly mope about it.

5) The birth and Bella's transformation.
UGGGGHHHH. This was hands-down the most disturbing passage I have ever read. I had to put the book down to take some deep breaths several times out of anger and disgust, and then wrestle with myself about whether or not to keep reading multiple times on one page. My Edward and Bella. Who fell in love as lab partners, and cutely fought because of their stubborn personalities.

Here, Bella, dieing and screaming in agony, vomits blood while the mutant baby inside of her destroys her body, internal organs and spine. Edward uses his teeth to bite the baby out of her uterus. Bella dies and then Edward injects vampire venom into her heart with a syringe.

This is how Bella starts her new life with him. TOTAL Slap. In. The. Face.

I was ready to drive to Arizona, find Stephenie Meyer's house, and burn it down.

6) Renesmee. This is what Bella names their child. Ruh. Nez. May. A combination of Renee and Esme. Seriously?

Seriously, Stephenie Meyer?

Why didn't you just sell a book that just says, "To all my fans: F%*# YOU."

When Bella tells her father that the baby's middle name is Carlie, I thought, "well, that's not so bad." Then she says that it's a combination of "Charlie" and "Carlisle."

Again, I considered driving to Arizona.

7) Bella as vampire. One of the things that made this series so great was how seemingly-impossible and different the relationship with her and Edward was. She literally had to give up her humanity, her family, and her whole life, in order to have a future with him, but she decided that the love of her life was worth it. It's a difficult, heart-breaking choice and I really liked that. But no. All of a sudden, Bella has it all. She is infinitely more beautiful, graceful, powerful, inexplicably becomes supermom at 18, and still retains all the parts of her humanity she was afraid to lose. She has a child, she stays in Forks, and tells her family. There are mentions of her carrying wads of five thousand dollars like it was chump change, which is BEYOND out of character. Waiters "gasp" at her beauty. She also becomes sickeningly vain. Then they run off to a little storybook cottage her new family has just given her for free, and Edward and Bella "make love" in it like rabbits every chance they get. If Bella had any relatability left, especially for teenagers, she lost it. This also applies to the believability of the story as a whole and the complexity of the Twilight characters.

8) Jacob and Renesmee.
Jacob, the cute and friendly guy (but also rapist-in-training in Eclipse) who is painfully in love with and loyal to Bella, imprints (falls in love with) on her newborn BABY. This is beyond sick and pedophilic. But it's ok. He's willing to "share" the baby with Bella and Edward. Bella and Edward quickly realize this whole thing is great. WHAT the F#*%?!

If it weren't bad enough that this annoyingly perfect child that absolutely everyone in the book ADORES exists, she is destined to be with JACOB. At the end of the book, Edward calls Jacob SON. I just shuddered again WRITING that.

9) The climax, or lack thereof.
After several stupid and pointless pages, and GIANT letdowns with weak plotlines about secret messages and hidden motives that go nowhere, nothing happens. Bella puts up her magical, super-scary mental shield around everyone and all of a sudden the infinitely powerful and wizened vampire royalty runs away, peeing their pants.

In conclusion, Breaking Down is not only literary trash that should have returned from the editor's office soaked in red ink, but it also completely destroys the story as a whole. It makes me sick to my stomach what this book did to Edward and Bella in my mind and everyone else's. I will never read a single page of this absolute rubbish again, and hopefully I'll forget about it in a few years. I pray this book will never make it into theaters.

Do yourself a favor and don't buy this.

Needs more Cowbell, August 13, 2008
To quickly qualify my review - I discovered the Twilight Saga about a month ago, so I have basically read all four books as one 2500-page novel. I'm in my fifties, and the series was recommended to me by a 20 something guy at a bookstore. Bottom line, I can't speak to the young adult audience for whom the saga was written, and I didn't have years between books to ruminate about how it would all end. Also, whether the laws of Meyer's supernatural world were bent or broken during the writing of this book is for other reviewers to debate.

As I read the Twilight saga, the two things that carried me were the romance and suspense. The romance (whether you're a member of Team Edward or Team Jacob) was palpable throughout. The works that inspired the first three books in the saga - Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, and Wuthering Heights - number among the great romantic stories of our time, and Meyer adapted them brilliantly to her story of first love in town of Forks, WA. In terms of suspense, big battles never seemed to be the author's choice. Tense moments were built more out of implication than body count. The final showdown with James in Twilight seemed to me the most graphic battle of the first three books. The scenes with Laurent and the Volturi in New Moon were suspenseful, but no blood was shed in either. Even in Eclipse, the confrontation with Victoria and her minions played out like the chorus describing an off-stage battle in a Greek tragedy (with a bit of head rolling tossed in for good measure). So, tense and dramatic, yes. But violent and filled with depictions of hand-to-hand combat, no.

Having said that, I think that Breaking Dawn needed more of the kind of "Cowbell" that made me a fan in the first place. All the heat of that torchy, end-of-the-world, young love was reduced to a patio-sized chiminea. The newlywed's preoccupation with sex was not a problem for me. After all, these kids had two years of pent-up passion to work out of their systems. Heck, I was almost as frustrated as they were by the time they hit that island. For me, the issue had more to do with the small amount of screen time given to Bella and Edward's great LOVE. It seemed as though the wedding guests were still picking rice of our their hair when Bella's first bout of morning sickness made an appearance. Where was the cuddling, the pillow talk, the connection between two young lovers who have finally become one? As for the other kind of Cowbell, i.e., suspense, there's a good reason that no one ever refers to The Merchant of Venice as real page turner. While the play includes a great bit of debate over a pound of flesh, I never for one moment thought that a pound of flesh would actually be extracted. Same here. I didn't expect a limb-tearing, flying-head, re-do of The 300. That's never been Meyer's style. What I did expect, though, was to believe that the characters believed - even for a moment - that they were really in danger. And I didn't.

If I'd been Meyer's editor, I'd have advised her to go for more romance (with a capital R) between Bella and Edward, less Shylock and more Buffy on the battlefield, and I'd have given that vampire UN (like the U.S. Congress) the rest of the summer off. I wasn't Meyer's editor, though. I was just one of her many readers. And as one of her readers, I have to say that I had a pretty bitchin' summer thanks to the Twilight Saga. The story kept me turning pages for about a month, and I can't remember the last time I did that much reading without a thesis paper due at the end. Also, I think Meyer does a great acknowledgements page and, based on her recommendation, I discovered the band Muse. If it's possible for music to "sound like" a book, Muse actually evokes for me memories of the Twilight Saga. Pretty cool, eh?

I hope that the negative reviews of Breaking Dawn don't keep people from making a stop in the town of Forks. It's actually a pretty interesting place with some pretty interesting people -- and an inordinate number of really cool cars.

Poorly written and vastly overestimated, August 4, 2008
Okay, I'm not going to lie: I am addicted to Twilight. I own actual, physical copies of the first three books and the copy of Breaking Dawn I ordered from Amazon is on the way (I read an online version). But I really cannot understand why anyone, ANYONE, can treat it seriously. The entire series is filled with convenient plot devices, shallow, one-dimensional characters, and Meyer is not a very concise writer, which means that the books are long. Really long.

I'll admit the initial plot is engaging: deadly yet benevolent vampires, a forbidden love. All very marketable and appealing. What bothers me is the lack of skill with which the stories are executed. Meyer's writing is not bad, it's just amateurish. Quite honestly, I think I or any other of my friends could have written it the way she had, and I'm not even out of high school. Everything in Breaking Dawn slots neatly into place, making all the fuss that precluded it practically useless. What was the point of building all that up if it's just going to resolve it anyway?

I hear people comparing her series to Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice, and wince. I sincerely hope that the masses don't feel this way, or else I'll lose faith in society's ability to judge quality forever.

Just, wow., September 30, 2008
At the time, I was 12, and I had seen Twilight in book stores hundreds of times. I had never paid it any attention until one day I finally decided to read it. I had read the back cover, but it wasn't too informative, but I did gather the fact that it was typically about vampire love. So, against my better judgment, I thought "Well, if I've seen it this many times it MUST be good."

The beginning of Stephenie Meyer's writing leaves so much to be desired. In all of her books, for the first 150-200 pages I am bored out my mind, wishing for SOMETHING exciting to happen. I remember reading Twilight and being at least a hundred pages in and not caring about any of the characters at all. If they all decided to jump off a bridge I doubt I would have batted an eyelash. But then, something that changes the entire story occurs and it finally gets interesting 'till the point where I just can't put the book down. That is, until Breaking Dawn. I remember being at page 107, and looking at the 550-600 more pages I had to read and feeling like breaking down and crying. I wanted to chuck the book out the window and just have my friends fill me in on what happened, because I was just sick of it all. I had to force myself to read what I did, and every five minutes or so I got distracted by something around me because the book just couldn't hold my attention.

In Twilight, I instantly liked Edward because of what I thought he'd be, but then later I realized I got his personality all wrong. I imagined he'd be . . . I don't know, different. Deep, meaningful, calm, cool, collected. Not some overactive stalker. (He said to her face that when she got to Forks he WATCHED her SLEEP. I mean, mega ew much?) Bella, I hardly had much of an opinion on until much later. She wasn't strong enough for me to respect, didn't have enough of a personality for me to like, and wasn't practical or smart enough for me to even comprehend. Her boyfriend was a freakin VAMPIRE, and she's totally fine with that. She wasn't terrified, or even the slightest bit nervous, which makes no sense. Think about it for a second: If your boyfriend is a VAMPIRE, would you be THAT cool about it? You wouldn't be scared at all, when a month ago the thought of a vampire existing would have you laughing at the absurdity? But here, Bella is introduced to a world of vampires and werewolves and she's pretty much chill with it all.

Um, where's the conflict? Where's the "OMG YOU'RE A VAMPIRE?" Where's the "Ohmygoodnesswhatonearthisgoingon?" panic attack? Vampires and werewolves don't just waltz into everyday life and I expected at least SOME kind of resentment or hesitation Bella would have for Edward. But oh no, that would make too much sense.

In New Moon, I had the slight hope that maybe through the course of the series Meyer would have Bella grow and develop into a strong, wonderful and mature character. Sadly, she didn't. To the very end, Bella remains a selfish, impractical, and illogical girl who for the life of me I can't stand. Jacob was the only one with a sliver of a complex personality. He had a goal and did everything in his power to achieve it, and throughout the books you saw the different faces of his personality. Everyone else's personality could just be classified with one or two descriptions.

I won't even get into Eclipse, because I can never remember what it was about.


[Spoilers]

Okay, from the beginning. What was with that wedding? The wedding was something I was actually EXCITED about. I thought "Oh, wow, I wonder how Alice is going to out due herself." Honestly, I don't even remember what anything looked like. Weren't the colors white and blue? That's probably wrong, but then again that's Stephenie Meyer's horrible descriptions at work. Most of the time I just imagine what everything and everyone looks like for myself. I didn't even KNOW Alice had spiky hair until the third book when Bella patted her head. "What? Alice has spiky hair? Since when?" And I didn't have a single clue as to what Jasper looked like besides that he had golden eyes and was blonde, and then after Bella becomes a vampire they mention his scars. Oh, and there's also the fact that Rosalie is gorgeous. Well, come on now, how descriptive is that? Gorgeous HOW? Like, pretty pretty model gorgeous? Or sophisticated gorgeous? Or seductress gorgeous? Meyer, come on girl, surely you can be more creative than just using vague descriptions about people.

Now, the honeymoon was nice and all, something I thought she could have skipped until I saw the purpose it held. Bella gets pregnant! Oh joy! Oh hell. She's 19, and she gets pregnant. What kind of message was Stephenie Meyer trying to send to the young audience that reads her books? At least Edward had the decency to call Carlisle and assure Bella they would get Nessie out of her. (I am going to call her Nessie, because I think Renesmee is a hideous name and Meyer should be slapped for even considering it for the girl.) But what does Bella do? She stops him. She suddenly gets an overpowering sense of maternal instincts and wants to keep her baby. Bella didn't even really like children, and before then she never had the slightest thought about wanting one. But now, she's suddenly ready to die for this thing that's sucking the life out of her. In plain text, Bella isn't the motherly type. I wouldn't trust her to take care of my dog, let alone a baby. Isn't this the same Bella who did dangerous stunts to hear a voice in her head? Isn't this the same Bella who, on a whim, thought it was fine to jump off a cliff in a rainstorm? Being pregnant doesn't magically make you a mom, or magically make you mature. It makes you utterly terrified. No matter whom you are or how old, for any woman who gets pregnant, her first instinct is to have her mom there at all times. But does Bella call Renee? Nope, she calls Rosalie. ROSALIE, PEOPLE. That makes SO much sense.

Another point about Nessie: Wasn't she just the PERFECT baby? I mean, she was disgustingly perfect. I mean, when at all did Bella ever show any true motherly characteristics? I was surprised at Meyer, because she actually does have children, and I wondered what she was thinking when she wrote about Nessie. When did Bella ever feel the horrible strain that comes with taking care of a baby? Nessie was way too perfect. There was no constant feedings every two hours, there was no changing diaper after diaper, there was no shopping for baby clothes and supplies, there was no Nessie waking up at 3 AM and crying - which was a surprise, considering the head-board destroying sex Bella and Edward have every night. You'd think it would wake her up - and there was not much of anything. The only time Nessie cried was when she wanted Bella, which I thought was just plain ridiculous. (So what, she never wanted Edward?) Now, I understand that sometimes there IS such a thing as a quiet baby. I was one myself, and I never cried unless something was wrong with me, but there is no baby that just doesn't cry at all unless it wants its mom. That just doesn't happen. (Did anyone else feel Alice's statement that Nessie had never been set down in her life laughable? When I read that, I didn't know whether to fall out my chair laughing or give myself a face-palm and chuck the book into the dirt where it belonged. Honestly, I was surprised Nessie could even walk.)


May we move on to Jacob's point of view? I thought it was going to be, like, Jacob traveling the world from Canada to Mexico to South America to Greece and such on a spiritual journey to find himself and realize that he really, really didn't need Bella. But again, I was wrong and expected too much. No, instead he hangs around Forks, determined to stay with Bella until she has her monster baby and they turn her into a vampire. Oh, but there's a solution! They can abort the baby, and then Jacob can have a baby with Bella the NORMAL way, so Bella can still have a child. Btw, this was Edward's idea. Btw, Jacob agreed.

Ew, much. Ew on so many levels.

But I guess Bella isn't THAT sick because he didn't agree. One of the smartest moves she's made this whole series.


Another thing, I hated how Bella skipped the newborn stage. I was actually excited about that, wishing, praying that Bella would turn evil and start killing off humans. Wouldn't that be so interesting?! Her, the heroine, suddenly becoming the evil villain, using her vampire powers for her evil deeds. And wouldn't it have been beautiful if the Cullens and Blacks and Volturi and whatnot had to, oh goodness, KILL her to preserve the secret and save humanity? I would have loved Meyer if anything remotely relating to that had happened. But, as I've learned, I always expect this woman to redeem herself and the whole series be worthwhile, only to be continually disappointed.

So, why did Bella skip the newborn stage? Oh right, because it was her state of mind. She didn't WANT to be one, therefore she WASN'T. Because Bella is SPESHUL, therefore she can DEFY the natural laws Meyer has set up. But since Meyer just wants all her characters to be happy, even if it means doing so in the most illogical ways, she decided to have the most sugar-coated fairytale ending I'd ever read in my life that wasn't in picture book.

So, Bella gets everything she wants, including Edward, a baby, a family, immortality and tons and tons of sex? Check. Jacob has someone, even though she's 2 months old and it makes him a pedo? Check. The Volturi are defeated without actually engaging them in battle, causing the most depressing let-down in the history of potential battle scenes ever? Check. Sugar cakes and muffins and gummy bears rain from a glittering sky and Carebears run frolicking through the meadows of innocence as the final ending? Check. Well, well, Meyer, you've outdone yourself if I do say so myself.

Boring, fails to use logic. Lacks in character interest., August 4, 2008
Okay, I know I'm probably going to get comments over me saying that the book has no logic. Yes I am well aware that the whole series based around the fantasy of vampires and werewolves etcetera. I can't get past the fact that Stephenie Meyer broke the rules of her own world while writting this novel. Numerous times in interviews she has stated that it is impossible for her vampires to have children, and that once turned into a vampire all of their bodily fluids are replaced by venom.

As reading this book I felt like all the elements circulated through the other three novels were thrown out the window, the characters for the most part were boring, Edward lost his charm, Bella went from being obsessed with Edward to obsessed with their child, and Rosalie flipped into a motherly role that just seemed out of place (I know Rosalie's backstory and that she wanted to have children, I understand the way SMeyer was probably trying to go with getting Rosalie involved). If SMeyer was going to get Rosalie put into this motherly role then where was Esme? Last time I checked she had a yearn to bear her own children as well. As an author, SMeyer developed a seemingly okay plotline but just didn't expand on it enough. It felt as though it was rushed in the end.

The "explanation" of how Bella got pregnant was also put to fault later in the novel, when a Amazonian vampire explains how his father is trying to create a superior race by impregnating human females with his children. How would this even be possible if, when using SMeyer's logic. She explains that Edward was able to get Bella pregnant was because he was a virgin and that he still had sperm in his system from when he was turned 100+ years ago. With that said, vampire males couldn't create more sperm, so how could this Amazonian vampire keep going around and impregnating human females?

After the birth of "Nessie" the book took a downward spiral and was nothing more than a borefest, everything just seemed to happen without any conflict whatsoever. Bella easily shifted into vampire life without any problems, she was able to care for her baby, keep her friendship with Jacob, and even was able to "slightly" let Charlie in on her secret. Even at the end of the story, we are led up to believe that there is going to be a fight between the Volturi and the Cullen coven along with other covens who agreed to support their cause. What you think is going to be a fight just turns into pages and pages of endless drabble between the Volturi and members of the Cullens' defensive, and in the end lead Volturi member Aro agrees to let them be and he leads the rest of the Volturi on their way, so Bella and Edward could now begin their "happily ever after." Where in the last pages Bella finally allows Edward to see inside her mind, one of the features that drew him towards he at the beginning of Twilight.

What disappoints me the most is that this novel had potential, it seems to me that in anything SMeyer writes she has a generally good idea but can never expand on it. Breaking Dawn seems to me as though it was completely rushed, and that she just finished writing it because she had to. Not to mention I am curious as to what happened to the editors in this book. Has SMeyer ever heard of a thesaurus? I have never seen an author overuse the words "chagrin" and "dazzle" as much as she does. I am honestly curious as to how any editor would allow the sentence "He was both dazzling and dazzled" be put into print.

Lastly, I find it really sad that there are so many people giving this a five-star review just because it is a SMeyer novel. Yes, it is nice to have loyalty but please a poorly written book is still a poorly written book no matter who writes it.

Can I give it zero stars?, December 12, 2008
UGH. This whole series was a travesty really, but like any good masochist I plodded through. By the time I got to Breaking Dawn I knew I was in it just for the laughs but sadly, it failed in that department too. I can honestly say this is one of the few books in my life that I've literally had to refrain from throwing against the wall in sheer frustration. There are just so many things WRONG here that it's hard to sum them all up succinctly.

Reasons why this thing almost ended up as wall fodder ( **warning, spoilers below**)

1. Our heroine barely out of high school really REALLY wants to have sex with her sparkly boyfriend. Okay, whatever. There's a catch though. Sparkly boyfriend wants to wait until marriage. Bella doesn't want to get married, in fact the idea utterly repulses her. But sparkly boyfriend just won't let it go and our fearless heroine ends up "caving" because she really, really wants the sex that badly. The whole "engagement" scene amounts to Bella trying to jump him and getting denied, then accepting the ring with a lackluster "sigh....FINE. If that's what It takes to get laid then I'll do it. Give me the ring that I don't want to wear already, damn!!" Really Steph?? That's the best you can do for two people who are supposedly passionately in love?! Nice.

2. Oh and screw college while you're at it. Because who needs an education when your ultimate goal in life is to marry a rich vampire and spend 24/7 with him. What a message to send to your target audience.

3. The Pregnancy. This has to be the saddest excuse of pro-life propaganda disguised as sexy YA fiction ever. If that's your cup of tea then great, you'll really like the first half of this book. If not then be prepared for massive headaches caused by excessive eye-rolling.

4. The Birth. I find it fascinating that the author tiptoes gently over the whole implied sex thing, yet goes above and beyond (wayyyy above and wayyyy beyond) to make sure the Miracle of Childbirth is depicted in a way that would make the makers of the Saw movie franchise proud. If the readers were expecting no less than a monster bloodaholic baby to come out of this romantic union, then this delivers (no pun intended). I will give Meyers credit in that she definitely has a promising future in the horror/scifi genre.

5. A Dingo Ate My Baby? No honey, that's just the werewolf imprinting himself on the newborn. But the Cullens have more important things to worry about, like keeping Bella away from her newborn lest she find the Bundle of Joy appetizing. To her credit though Bella isn't exactly down with the whole imprinting thing at first. That is, until she realizes that having your kid get engaged to the family dog means a built-in babysitter and thus more time for sex with Edward. Awesome.

6. Vampire p*ssing contest. What happens for the rest of the book is pretty much pointless, as the whole thing gears up to to be one big showdown that never amounts to anything. Basically the leaders of the vampire underworld, the Volturi, aren't down with Bellaward's freaky kid and plot to destroy them all. So the Cullens gather their frenemies to lead into battle Lord of the Rings style. Except the battle doesn't happen, except in Bella's and the Volturi leader's minds. Because now that Bella is a vamp she has super awesome magical powers like an invisible shield that she spreads over the frenemies to protect them from an equally freaky vampire that can make them pretend they are in pain. And then they all live happily ever after. Not joking.

Let Down, August 2, 2008

The fans who stuck by this series, regardless of age, will be dissatisfied with this product. I still love Stephenie Meyer's first three in this saga, yet the fourth seemed to be written by someone who did not care for the established story. I loved Bella's vulnerability and naivet�; Edward's love, maturity, SENSIBILITY; Jacobs playfulness, loyalty and his love as well. The traits I fell in love with were almost forgotten. Edward gave into Bella's irrational wants and the rest of the book hung on his indecisions.

Sure, fans got what they wanted in every way possible. I agree with other fans: cop out. All of the tragic novels mentioned in the previous books (Romeo and Juliet for example) should have been a compass to what love stories inevitably are: tragic. There was a line that talked about how it was strange when puzzle pieces finally fit together for Bella, they were all about to come undone. That is real. This book? Not so much.

Petition for rewrite? Sorry Stephenie Meyer seems like you missed the mark for a lot of people on this one. I refuse to believe this is what you have been dying for your fans to read.

And she would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling IQs above 40., December 23, 2008
So, I guess that consistency, logic and entertainment were out of the question, then?

I was never a rabid fan of this series. Seriously. Why? Because, let's be honest, they're not, and never were, well-written. It has always felt like a fan fiction to me. The way the books are written in first person, the way the main character is proclaimed to be (not really ever BEING it, though) and the way every single character acts around her, always made me feel like an intruder in Stephenie Meyer's deep wet fantasies. And yes, I noticed. I noticed how you were supposed to insert yourself in Isabella's shoes (ahah!) to make it your OWN fantasy. Durr, I see what you did thar!!

"Why did you read it then, stoopid?" - you might ask.
Well, I might answer, though they were never the great books they were hyped out to be, and Meyer still isn't the best writer evah (not even the greatest storyteller, in my opinion) and these series is not (or should not be) best-selling material, they were fairly entertaining. They were simple, entertaining, simple and entertaining. That's it. A good escape read. So yes, I kept reading them; if only so that I could get some closure on the story and the complete set of the series (I hate incomplete series on my bookshelf).

My opinion never changed, though. It only grew stronger and became more and more confirmed by Meyer herself with each new book. I don't hate the author. I just don't think she deserves this much attention. I mean it. Her writing doesn't even sound to me as a college literature graduated one. These books are only successful because a LOT of teenage girls and bored housewives lived through Meyer's fantasy as their own: a simple, regular girl (*ahem* you!) draws the attention of hot, mysterious, popular and rich guy. Not only that but she's the ONLY one he ever got interested in (in 107 years! Really?! Talk about dead hormones and some serious sex issues!) AND everyone seems to love you AND you get some action in your life, during which you can play damsel in distress (over and over and over and over again!) and be saved by hot guy, ALWAYS. YAY! Fantasy fulfilling time!

Twilight was, when compared to the others, good. The best of the series, I think. Maybe that's because it is the beginning and as so, it didn't ask so much for all those pesky things like: consistent characterization, character development and continuity. Then, the other books needed it much more. Oh noes! New Moon was bo-ring. And honestly, annoying. With all the Romeo and Juliet pseudo-crap! Bella showed herself as being even weaker, needier, dumber and more pathetic than previously. I don't think I ever saw a character go back in development before but, alas, she did. And Edward too. I didn't find it endearing that he tried to kill himself. Nor did I find attractive that Jacob was all around the place moping for Bella. Can you spell pathetic? As in, the most pathetic, needy and weak characters' cast in the history of ever? Eclipse just accentuated that so much more. Is there anyone with a personality in here, somewhere? And a strong one at that? Why can't, any of the main three characters, really stand up for themselves (and for the right reasons), grow a spine and stop being so damn miserable? Why can't they just grow and be strong and go away from what's hurting them? These characters and their interactions with each other remind more of a bunch of drug addicts and their drugs. Because Meyer's characters are addicted to each other.

Breaking Dawn just delved deeper and deeper into the waters of mediocrity. Its continuity with the other books is zero. Everything that produced even the tiniest spark of thought in my brain on the other books was totally erased, stepped on and vomited by Bella in this thing. Serves me right for trying to think at all about the previous themes of choice, sacrifice and consequence. How dare I, trying to take something actually meaningful from this series...

Breaking Dawn was worse because it made me laugh when I don't think I was supposed to. Also, it reached new degrees of disgusting, all in the wrong places. It was so uninteresting; it was painful to read sometimes. Never before had I ever had to force myself to keep turning pages. It was also way too long. How can anyone say so much about nothing, I will never know. I seriously doubt this was edited at all. Heck, I almost doubt even Meyer herself read it more than once. Grammatical mistakes, bad and sloppy writing, obvious OOCness, all mistakes that can NOT be in a best selling product. Heavy chunks and entire sections could and should be erased. My biologist's heart weeps for all those poor innocent trees. IF an editor looked at this thing I would like to meet this person and ask him/her what the hell...?! And also what were you high on, because it must be good.

It's the final book in a best-selling series, yet it's extremely and amazingly amateurish. All the bad choices were taken. Not to mention that it's a YA romance novel that it's neither YA nor romantic. Meyer says she never wrote a YA book in her life. Really?? Well, my darling, then either you're not the one writing this or someone doesn't know what the hell they're doing. Because they are being sold as much, so you have to write to YA. Not the case with this book.

The Positive:

-Leah and Seth ruled! They were fun and interesting and had a personality.
-Jacob also ruled until the sad, sad end.
-Jacob's chapter titles actually made me smile.
-The final scene with Edward and Bella because it was the only shadow of romance and the only bit in the entire lengthy book where they were like their previous selves. AND maybe by entering her mind Eddie will finally understand how boring Bella is. Take that, Edwarckle! Yeah, I had to put up with that for four books! And you'll have to put up with her for eternity! Ahah! Not to mention it was the final scene!

The Negative:

-Everything freaking else.

Now, on to the marvellous piece of WTF known as "plot".

The wedding was... meh. Short, uninspired and under described.
The honeymoon was an unsexy joke. I did stop finding it funny when she started begging for sex. Way to go Bells, I guess dignity isn't in your dictionary. And the sex was... also meh. THAT was what everyone's been waiting for?! Thanks, Steph, I could barely contain myself with all the burning passion, desire and sensuality of that. When childish kisses and innocent holding are more sensual than the actual making of the love, you know you are in for one long crappy romance.

The pregnancy was the biggest ridiculousness in the entire life of ridiculous. OMFGWTF?! I don't even care about the impossibility of it all, but as soon as she started with all the chromosomal mumbo-jumbo, a lonely tear of anger made its way out of my biologist's eye. It was sad, all that ignorance. Leave science out of it, damn it! Darwin actually rolled on his deathbed.
Jacob's book was a bunch of wah wah wah wah wah wah, but as I already noted, Leah and Seth were cool. I was annoyed that Jake had to go back to selfish Bella and more so with Edward just giving her away for sex. Well, I guess I would want to give her away too. But I actually enjoyed understanding Jacob better because he was cool (until the sad, sad end) and I love his sarcasm! I don't love that he loves Beauty Swan. I wish Leah would've smashed the crap out of her instead of just making her cry, but oh well. I was rooting and cheering for Leah all the way! Seriously, it was about time that someone told Bella how lame and selfish and unbearable she is.

Now, the birth scene. Can you say YUCK? I actually felt nauseated! Gross! Was that really necessary? Oh, and the ripping uterus with teeth thing? So romantic! Way to go, Meyer, you destroyed the last shred of hotness that Edwarckle might've still had at this point. Eww! "Fountain of blood" ... I was prepared to vomit a fountain of actual vomit! And then, after all that, we're supposed to just love cutey pie Renesmee?! She's NOT adorable, she's freaky and creepy. Oh, and the loving scene when a mother holds her child in her arms for the first time? Nope, the creepo mutant alien thingy just bite her! Oh, predator, where are you?

The transformation was a disappointment. The vampire Bella was a disappointment. Of course she is the most beautiful, graceful, controlled, perfect vampire ever! Wow, Steph, another opportunity for character development completely destroyed. The transformation and the newborn phase, had they been made correctly, could've been a great time for struggle and pain and development of depth to both Bella and Edward alone, not to mention it was perfect to mature and take their relationship to a higher level of depth and connection. But, no. Just throw that away! The only thing that was done was make Bella even more annoying and perfect. Oh, and of course she had to have a power. A lame one, but still. Was I the only one waiting for a romantic, passionate but still difficult scene between Edward and Bella? One when he would actually bite her?
Oh, and the motherly and fatherly vibes that I got from Renesfreaky's parents were just amazing. I wish Edward and Bella would adopt me so I could be conveniently passed on to Rosalie and Jacob whenever they wanted to get it on - vampire style!

The imprinting ... God! I don't even want to go there. Again, another opportunity for growth and development for Jacob completely raped and chewed on. Wouldn't it be great if he just resisted the imprinting crap thing? And actually fell in love? Remember all his talk about not wanting to give up on his free will? Yeah, she basically just stepped over it, shred it to pieces and set it on fire. Because, you know, who wants to have freedom, anyway? Not to mention how severely disturbing it is that he imprinted on the child of his former target of obsession. AND the fact that the thing is still an infant. Well, he's just going to have to raise it until it's ready! ARGH!

The new vampires were more of the same wah wah wah. And useless one, for that matter.
The battle was the most epic non-battle that I have ever not-read. It was just disappointing. I only wanted for someone to die (and, please, Irina-whoever does NOT count)! Or at least suffer a little bit! God forbid, Stephenie, God forbid there's actually some sacrifice or pain or struggle. It was lame and *yawn*.
The cheesy happy ending was the saddest of all happy endings ever. Yes, absolutely EVERYONE got EVERYTHING without giving up ANYTHING. No one deserved it. No one. It was all so sparkly and happy, with rainbows and unicorns, all so sweet and candy that I think I got diabetes by just reading it.

Now, the characters. Are you expecting to find any of the ones you met in the earlier books? Well, stop deceiving yourself, because you are not going to find them here. They're simply gone.

Bella has got to be the most annoying main character ever. And I refuse to use the word "heroine" because she just isn't. She's whiny; she's selfish, immature and embarrassingly weak and needy. I just can't understand why everyone, including Edward and Jacob, love her so much. It's amazing, though, that without many qualities and so many faults she still manages to be the perfect Mary-Sue. She's the sparkliest, most beautiful, perfect and most special and purest snowflake you can find. If sparkly, beautiful, perfect, special and pure snowflakes had a name it would be Bella. For now on, every time it snows, I'll just call it "snowbells". It makes me sick.

Edward was reduced to a pathetic shell of self hatred, hidden in a pool of his own miserable impossible tears. Not sexy, at all! Maybe it's just my Latin-Oriental roots talking, but really, cold and hard marble who just weeps in misery without stepping up and taking action just isn't my type. I don't want a man who just gives me what I want blindly and gives in to my every whim; I want one who can give me what I NEED and who can step up against me when necessary. Well, I guess I just find strong personalities hotter, it's a matter of taste.

Jacob was the ONLY developed character in this series. He actually had a personality, and a fun one! Ironically, he's the one character that Meyer wasn't planning on developing. Whoops! Well, he got butchered on the end with the imprinting thing and is now stuck to Bella and Renespooky for eternity so... I guess he got what he deserved for having depth.

Renesmee... I think we're supposed to love her. Aren't we? I just love mutant babies that grow with repulsing speed, are born with teeth, chew their way out of mommy, drink blood and read. Such cuties. Again, I cannot understand why everyone loves her so damn much. I guess the Sueish gene runs in the family. She got that from her mommy.

Leah and Seth were awesome. Too bad they were not even considered for development. Leah just... well, stayed there, I guess. She was developing a good, real relationship with Jacob but then ... Puff! Sucks to be you, Leah! Maybe if Meyer had inserted herself in your shoes she wouldn't have to do this.

The Cullens weren't there. Period. And when they were, they were so out of character it actually gave me physical pain. I don't even remember reading Esme's name, except in that idiot island's one.

The humans are just GONE. Minus Charlie, but after what she did to him, I wish she would've just lost him somewhere like she did to Renee, Jessica, Angela, Mike and Ben. Because, you know, humans just aren't good enough to be in this dazzling book.

The Vulturi ... Oh Mother of God.

In conclusion, it was a mess. A big, sloppy, illogical, unprofessional, uninteresting and unedited mess. I won't even go into all the messages and innuendos out there because honestly I don't even know if she understands them herself. And I'm tired of talking about this.

Read it if you must, but borrow from someone or get it from the library.

I am sorry for the lengthy review but hey, Meyer does it lengthy - ALWAYS - and somehow it seems to be working for her.

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