Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Summary: The fourth book in the Twilight series follows the story of a family of vampires, a pack of werewolves, and the human girl who loves them both.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Comments: Many things to comment about. I didn't read this book right when it came out, because I wasn't sure I was ready for the story to be over, and I'm glad I waited. Try as I might to avoid hearing anything about it, that was impossible. I kept hearing how a lot of people didn't like it and so I really wasn't expecting much. I had heard that there was too much sex, that it ended too happily, and it wasn't consistent with the other books. I didn't have a problem with any of those things (but I might have had I been expecting more of the book). Here are my thoughts, and they are many:

1. I am so glad Bella became a vampire. I know we all wanted that from the beginning (although some of us may have changed our minds in books 2 and 3), but I always felt like she was destined to become a vampire. Remember in Twilight how she could smell blood? That was my first clue that she was really supposed to end up a vampire, and I think she and Edward were always meant to be together. It's a romance that has no equal, because of what they were both willing to give up for the other.

2. I am so glad we got the middle of the book from Jacob's point of view. I think Meyer did an amazing job creating two distinct storytelling voices, and I really empathized with Jacob during his narration. I'm so glad I had that, because later on, after he imprints on Bella's baby, he gets kind of annoying (as seen through Bella's eyes), and I'm glad I had already felt so strongly before him earlier in the book.

3. From the beginning, the sex was going to be an issue. When we learned early on that Edward was capable of it, it was going to be a problem. And I am relieved because it could've been much worse. Like I said, I am coming from the perspective of expecting it to be too much, so I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly because of the context. Remember on the honeymoon when Edward is waiting for her in the ocean? Bella starts panicking, thinking she can't really do it, and makes the comment that she doesn't know how anything less than the love and commitment they share would make it impossible. That, to me, was the balance between LDS author with values and author of book that had to have a little sex. It HAD to, because of the baby, and I thought it was done very tastefully. Later on, when Bella was a vampire, the passion got a little old and I could've done without it, but I wasn't offended. I think that compared to most young adult books out there right now, this was very tame.

4. I wasn't expecting motherhood, and I loved that aspect of it. I felt like in the other books, Bella was a little hard to love, and I think that was intentional. She was a human teenager, and her mood swings and selfishness should've been expected. But as soon as she got pregnant, I really fell in love with her. She would do anything for her baby, and that bond was so strong. I loved it. And I loved Bella as a vampire. The part that really stands out to me is from the chapter "Shiny," where we learn that Bella has finally found something she was good at--being a vampire. She was an ordinary human, but she was an extraordinary vampire with more gifts than we could've imagined. I am so glad she found something that made her feel like she could shine.

5. I agree with some reviews that I have read, that it was a little too easy for Bella as a newborn vampire. But I was willing to overlook that, because we really didn't have time to get through the newborn phase. The book would've been 1500 pages long! I am willing to explain it away as Bella's destiny was always to become a vampire, she was prepared for it, she already loved the people she was going to be around, and she was a mother so she had a lot more reason to be strong. That's enough for me.

6. I really wish there would've been a fight at the end. So much buildup, and you start feeling like they can win, and then it's over. A little disappointing, but I'm glad none of the characters I loved had to die. That would've been sad.

7. It was Happily Ever After. And I'm totally okay with that. There was so much sadness for everyone, that I think they deserved a little happiness.

8. I didn't see Jacob imprinting on Renessmee (I agree--dorky name) coming. In fact, I wasn't sure exactly what had happened until Edward started acting funny about why Jacob was still there. But I think it was a nice, neat way to see to everyone's happiness. It made sense of why Bella and Jacob just couldn't let each other go--it was all part of the plan. I just wonder if it was part of Meyer's plan from the beginning, or if she was scrambling to give Jacob a happy ending too...I didn't have a problem with the imprinting, either, like some people did. It was explained that the relationships are not inappropriate, but the wolf just has a unique desire to see the girl happy, and will see to that happiness. It wasn't my favorite part, but I'm willing to accept it.

9. Some people have mentioned inconsistencies with the characters, such as the time Jacob reveals himself to Charlie, which we know the wolves were never supposed to do. This didn't bother me, either, but showed just how strong his devotion to Renessmee was, and he couldn't let her leave. Also, at this point Jacob had become the Alpha male and wasn't obligated to follow Sam's orders anymore. Maybe it was okay for him to decide to do that.

10. I felt so much love for my kids while I was reading this, and I wasn't expecting that. I know Renessmee was an unsual child ( to say the least), but I could relate to how delighted Bella was to have her. We really are so lucky to be moms, and not to suffer as much as Bella did to bring them into the world.

11. I know she left it open (somewhat) for more books, spin-offs, etc., but I think this is it. Remember in the book when she said saying good-bye was final, like writing THE END at the end of a manuscript? Did you notice THE END at the end of the book? I think it's the end.

Overall, this book wasn't as good as Twilight. How could it be? But it was my second favorite book in the series and I wasn't disappointed at all. Comments?

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

Summary: The timeless story of Cinderella is retold by Iris, the "ugly stepsister," set in Holland during the artistic renaissance that gave us Rembrandt.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Comments: Started out slow, I nearly gave up at page 150. I read that it picked up, so I kept going. The rest of the book was definitely better and I enjoyed it. There were a few bright spots in a mostly dark story, but the concept was so original that I made my way through it.

East of Eden

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Summary: The story follows the Trask and Hamilton families as they try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to thrive in Salinas, California

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Comments: I really enjoyed this book. My reasons for reading it were twofold. Jeff encouraged me to read Grapes of Wrath after he listened to it on his marathon drive to Utah from Florida. I checked it out, but opted to read this one, as it had slightly higher ratings (from women in particular). I also wanted to read something a little more "educational" before I start reading Breaking Dawn, because I know it's going to be hard to start something like this after finishing it.

There are two sets of brothers in the book that can easily be compared with Cain and Abel from the bible, which was really interesting, but what I enjoyed the most was the opportunity the book provided for introspection. What kind of person am I, and how much is genetic and how much is chosen? Very interesting. I would love to read this with a book club and I know the discussion would be awesome. It's long, but it's worth it.

Millicent Min

Millicent Min: Girl Genius by Lisa Yee (juvenile fiction, ages 9-12)

Summary: 11-year old Millicent, a genius who just finished her junior year of high school, is forced by her parents to have a "normal" summer by playing on a volleyball team and tutoring her mortal enemy, Stanford Wong.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Comments: I thought this was book was very funny. I personally don't know any child geniuses, but I would imagine them to be a lot like Millie. She is so smart and intimidates her peers. Plus, her social skills are seriously lacking, as she has never had a real friend before. I don't know well kids will be able to relate to her (I wish my kids could start reading these books and give me their opinions), but I think they would enjoy reading it.

Bringing Down the House

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions by Ben Mezrich (non-fiction)

Summary: The basis for the movie 21, this is the story of six students who perfected a system of card counting and used it to win millions of dollars playing blackjack.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Comments:After seeing the movie, I was really interested in reading the story of what really happened. And while this book is labeled non-fiction, apparently it belongs with the novels, as a good deal of the events in the book never occurred. I enjoyed reading it (although I really wish it were all true), but had to mark it down a little more because of the frequency of a certain word that begins with "f."