The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner – Stephenie Meyer.

Link to book – The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer.

Rating – 5 out of 5 stars.

AHHHHHHHHH this book was so good! I’d never read it before and I saw it in my local charity shop for 50p so I thought what do I have to lose? Apparently, absolutely NOTHING, it was excellent and I’m really disappointed in myself that I didn’t read it sooner.

I always liked Bree when I read the Twilight series, I felt sorry for her. And whilst none of them necessarily chose this life for themselves, she certainly didn’t and she was still SO young as a human and to have that life ripped away from her, I just felt so bad for her 😦 so to have a whole story from her POV was amazing.

I loved how we got to know Bree more, a little more background on her human life and how she interacted and made friends with some of the other vampires, how she felt weary towards Riley, how she was capable of feeling more than just the never ending thirst.

It was nice to see a vampire’s POV that wasn’t someone who had chosen the Cullen’s vegetarian lifestyle and how they dealt with the thirst and how they felt about it – it opened the world up a little bit more to the reader.

My favourite part though was reading about what Riley told the group of newborns, the legends he told them about the sun, the way he talked about the Cullen’s, the reasoning for the attack. It was all really good to see it from a different angle and it definitely lent itself well to Eclipse as it filled in quite a few gaps.

I absolutely loved reading this one and I will certainly be including it in my reread when I do my annual Twilight reading!

Until next time, Em xxx

Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer – A Review.

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Hi friends, I’m back again with my final review of the series, Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. I am officially READY for the release of Midnight Sun and I am SO excited I could burst!

But, before I read it I must review Breaking Dawn. And as always there may be spoilers in my review so please proceed with caution!

There are 3 parts to Breaking Dawn so I’ll do a little review on each part.

Part one is Edward and Bella getting married and going on their honeymoon, which I loved! I felt Meyer really went to town with this one and the scene was set perfectly, it just oozed love and happiness. I felt like we were at the wedding, it was so beautifully written and then once we reach the Isle of Esme, it just sounds perfect.

This part wasn’t long, but it was certainly packed in with some interesting scenes to say the least!

Part two is from Jacob’s POV and I really struggled with this one during my reread, I don’t know why I just found it really hard to get through this time around. Although I did enjoy how Jacob split off from the main pack and Seth and eventually Leah joining him.

I do get frustrated with Jacob in Breaking Dawn, Bella is married and he still pines for her, he still torments himself every day to see her – it makes for quite difficult reading to watch him put himself through that pain.

Part three and Bella is finally a vampire, we have been waiting forever for this to happen. It also brings, what is in my opinion, one of the BEST written scenes.

We finally get the introduction of some new characters in this part too, and I loved reading about the different skills our new additions had. I feel Meyer really put the work in to this part of the book, the characters and their talents were amazing. I loved how they were woven into the story.

The final scenes with the Volturi give me goosebumps when I read them, I know everything works out in the end but the fear is palpable, it’s written as if we are in the meadow standing alongside them. The scene is set perfectly.

I do have the small issue of Jacob imprinting on Renesmee, not so much that he did it and that she’s a child but the way he reacts to Bella being around her own child, like she’s going to harm her. Those parts really wound me up! But, it does give us chance to see the growth that Bella goes through and her gradual acceptance of having Jacob in her life.

On the whole, I absolutely loved my reread of Breaking Dawn, it’s nice to still have the same feelings as when you read a book as a teenager. I’m just gutted it had to end, I literally refused to read the last 2 or 3 pages so that it wouldn’t finish haha.

I will be sharing a quick round up in a couple of weeks too, with a master post for my 4 reviews of the Twilight Saga reread.

Em xxx

Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer – A Review.

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Hello everyone! I’m back again with a review of the third book in the Twilight Series – Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.

As always there may be spoilers in my review so please proceed with caution!

I want to start by saying that Eclipse is my least favourite of the 4 books, I’m not saying I hated it but in a ranking it would come at the bottom.

The plot of Eclipse is good, it has so much depth to it and there are plenty going on. Especially in regards to the animosity between the Cullen’s and the wolves. I also really loved how we finally got an insight into the Wolves and their history and legends and also Jasper’s background. I feel these 2 aspects really brought the book to life and filled in a few gaps we had.

I did feel the fight between Victoria and her new borns and the Cullen’s and the wolves was dragged out, and I felt so awkward reading about Edward, Bella and Jacob all in that tent together – it felt so forced, and I get it’s meant to be that way but it was so hard to read!

There are also several situations where Meyer could have really made a clear point on what is right and wrong and she didn’t. Namely Jacob kissing Bella without her consent and then when she tells Charlie his initial reaction is not one of a Father… And I feel that’s what really frustrates me about Eclipse, and is the reason why I don’t enjoy it as much as the others.

That being said, I do enjoy Eclipse, it’s just my least fave of the 4!

Keep your eyes peeled because Breaking Dawn review is coming your way soon too.

Em xxx

Top Ten Tuesday – Authors I’ve read the most books by📚

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Hey guys welcome back to my blog! It’s Tuesday (7th July already?!) which means it is time for Top Ten Tuesday! Currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, and is a weekly post, born out of the want to bring us bookish people together!

This weeks topic is top 10 authors that I’ve read the most books by, but I’ve decided to do as many as I can, I might get to 10 (or I might not) I’m going to look back through my Goodreads and total my reviews for certain authors haha.

1 – J K Rowling. I’ve read all 7 Harry Potter books, the 3 Hogwarts Library books and The Casual Vacancy.

2 – Stephenie Meyer. I’ve read the 4 Twilight saga books and The Host and I will be reading Midnight Sun when it’s released. (WOOOOOP!)

3 – Thomas Harris. I have read all 4 of the Hannibal Lecter book series.

5 – Roald Dahl. I’ve read his 15 book collection, numerous times! I still have the boxset in the loft, a bit battered and faded but I’m saving them for when I have my own little ones!

6 – Dan Brown. I have just (as in the start of June) completed Origin which means I have read every book of his!

7 – Rick Riordan. I’ve read the first 5 of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, I want to do a reread at some point but the other books on my TBR list will screech at me if I do that lmao.

8 – Piper Lawson. I’ve read 4 of her books so far and enjoyed every single one, they were all amazing.

9 – Stephen King. I’ve lost count now of how many books of his I’ve read, I had ones from before I started blogging and using Goodreads too.

10 – Adam Nevill. Someone I didn’t find until the last year or so but so far I’ve enjoyed!

That was easier than I thought actually to find 10 authors I’ve read multiple books of, here was me thinking I’d struggle. Let me know if you’re taking part in TTT so I can check out your post too.

Em xxx

New Moon, Stephenie Meyer – A Review.

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Hello my wonderful followers, and welcome to my review of New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. The second book in the series and my reread!

As always there may be spoilers in my review so please proceed with caution!

New Moon still hits me the exact same way it did as a teenager, I still get the same emotions etc.

For me New Moon is the hardest to read, not because it’s the worst of the series but because my heart literally breaks for Bella. I felt like Meyer really went to town with the descriptions of Bella’s feelings in New Moon, we could feel her pain radiating through the pages.

I get so upset reading New Moon, like my lil heart cannot take it!

We finally got a better introduction and interactions with Jacob too, the banter between him and Bella had me grinning from ear to ear at points! The interactions were light hearted and felt comfortable, almost as if you were friends with the two of them. I feel Jacob really came into his own in this book, and he was finally allowed to flourish as a character.

I do feel like the other side characters were limited though in their interactions, but this plays into the whole Bella is completely out of it vibe and I think really demonstrates just how little attention she is paying.

The plot and story itself were really good and the introduction of the werewolves helped to add another dimension to the book and another perspective almost. It was nice to see Bella behave like a teenager and do some crazy things (even if it was just to hear Edward).

It was nice to have a change of scenery, especially with Bella’s suddenly crazy antics. And Meyer’s descriptions and writing of the scenery are really great, you feel as though you’re standing on the cliff edge ready to jump with Bella.

I still think that the last few chapters where Bella flies out to Rome are CRAZY, I remember reading them as a teen and not being able to put the book down for wanting to find out what happened!

I do get frustrated at how Meyer had Bella forgive Edward so quickly for what he did. I feel this less so as an adult, because I’ve certainly forgiven people for things I shouldn’t have, but when you’re young and in love that’s what happens.

On the whole, New Moon is my second favourite of the series and I really enjoy the different vibe this book gives us (being firmly a Team Jacob girl of course I would).

Keep ya eyes peeled for my review of Eclipse and Breaking Dawn coming up next Thursday & Saturday too!

Em xxx

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer – A Review.

Hello everyone! I’m here with a review of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, I’m doing a re-read of the entire series ahead of the release of Midnight Sun this August (eeeek!) This is not going to be a proper review, with a good structure, it is literally me word vomiting about Twilight haha.

As always there may be spoilers in my review so please proceed with caution!

I first read Twilight way back when it came out, and I was OBSESSED, I mean I still am as an adult to be honest… Everything I felt reading it came back to me as if it was the first time all over again.

Twilight is probably my favourite book of the series because it’s when we actually get to meet the characters. It took me a little while to warm to Bella when I started reading, but after a few chapters I finally started to enjoy her interactions. Obviously, I love Edward and his whole family and I do feel that Meyer used Twilight to give us a good look into the Cullen’s and their family.

However, the background characters are very stereotypical, there is barely any diversity amongst them and they weren’t inventive. I do feel that Meyer could have expanded upon these further.

The story itself is quite simple, but the vampire aspect and the legends that come from Jacob and the Quileutes help to bring another aspect to the story, they add layers to it. I also really enjoyed the James tracking Bella aspect to the story, it was different and gave us a chance to see the characters in a new light. I still get scared when Bella decides to go off by herself to the ballet studio!

The setting of the book was excellent, it did feel at points as though we were in rainy Forks with Bella, surrounded by the forest or inside the Cullen’s grand house, or Bella’s high school. Meyer really brought that the story to life for me and I found it easy to visualise based on her writing.

I have so many emotions reading this book, and I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it so much now I’m an adult. While I certainly saw a few things differently I can honestly say that I loved re-reading Twilight, it gave me so much joy!

I will be sharing reviews of the remaining 3 books too, so keep an eye out for those once I’ve read them.

Em xxx