Book Review & Discussion: New Moon

Author: Stephanie Meyer
Title: New Moon
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Publish Date: August 2006
Rating: 3 Stars
Book Blurb: Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Review: I went into this book with low expectations, not having loved Twilight. I'm a bit surprised to say that for the most part, I did enjoy New Moon. I enjoyed getting to know Jacob a bit more, even after he turned Werewolf and I actually came to like The Cullens though Edward not as much.

As for Bella, OMG, how whiny and obnoxious can one teenage girl be? From the very start of this book when she whines and moans about turning 18, I wished an evil vampire on her. Any vampire, preferably one that likes to kill whiny teenage girls.

I almost came to like Edward in this book, almost, but not quite, and I can definitely see that these two characters are meant to be. The whiny klutz and the over dramatic vampire. If it weren't so funny sometimes I think I might have given up, but this book reads like a really bad soap opera, like Passions.

I was really surprised at how slow moving the story was, especially after Edward left. I felt like I was just turning pages for awhile, waiting for something to happen and when it finally did, I was a bit miffed.

The big problem I had was with Bella; her whining, her selfishness, her accident-proneness all made me hate her with a passion I couldn't begin to describe. Oh woe is me, my 100 + year old vampire boyfriend is forever 17 and I've just turned 18..wah wah wah, it made me want to slug her. Not to mention the way she treats the rest of the kids in her school. Seriously how did she manage to keep even one friend?

Now Jacob, I loved him. Even when he turned werewolf and wasn't quite the sweet innocent boy anymore. He was truly lovable.

Edward, I love and hate. I truly appreciate his devotion for Bella and his trying to do what is right for her, but sometimes it makes me a little queasy. I was especially annoyed at how condescending he was about Jacob.

True these two have a rather odd love affair going on, but the whole Romeo and Juliet spin, Meyer was trying to pull in this book, was a bit overdoing it, in my opinion. I kept thinking of all the women and men who have lost "soul mates" early on, but soldier on in life, as opposed to what those two were attempting.

I'm most likely going to be reading the rest of the series, because I'm a masochist and I'm curious about what happens next. I still don't get what is so fabulous about this saga. I will soldier on, mostly because I find I like Edward's family and I really like Jacob. Am I Team anyone? Not really.

So tell me do you agree with me on any points? What were your feelings about this book. I liked it better than the first but most of the readers I talked to, did not. Share with me why. And will someone get me a copy of Eclipse please!