I definitely did not plan to read these books.  I was vaguely familiar with them, what with the movie being released and every teenage girl in the country swooning simultaneously.  I had pretty much decided that they were too popular to bother with at the current time, and didn’t quite get all the hype. 

Boy, do I get it now!  Also, I have to almost shamefully admit that I am no better than any pre-teen girl who has devoured these books, and I can swoon with the best of them!  I was lent the series by a friend (who is even older than me, note) who described the books as “pre-teen erotica” and confessed to reading them like her “brain was on fire.”  Both of these evaluations are completely accurate, and I expected nothing less as she is a very reliable source of opinion. 

The series consists of 4 books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.  The general plot consists of a clumsy, seemingly average girl named Bella who moves to small town Washington to live with her slightly estranged father.  While getting to know her new surroundings, Bella meets Edward Cullen and his family, who turn out to be vampires that feed on animals as opposed to humans.  Now, Edward is a complete and total honey, and he and Bella fall head over heels for each other, which is basically the subject that most of the first book and the rest of the series revolves around. 

I won’t ruin any story lines, heaven forbid the 2 people who read this blog should someday want to read the series themselves.  The ill-fated pair go through many a troubling time, what with vampire battles, the werewolves next door, and it wouldn’t be a teen novel without plenty of angst, lust, and indecision.  It doesn’t help that Edward has to resist snacking on Bella throughout the entire series. 

The thing that really gets me (and I’m assuming the rest of the female audience) about these books isn’t the stellar plot or the detailed description of Edward’s chiseled jawline.  It’s the way the main couple interacts, and the feelings and emotions that practically flow off of every page.  These books shamelessly target hormonal females, and hit their mark dead on.  The love between Bella and Edward is something straight out of fantasy, perfect and never ending.  He loves her more than life itself and would do anything to keep her safe.  She is always beautiful to him, and being apart is almost painful for both of them. 

The books are quite tame, any parts that may concern parents are countered by responsible moral decisions.  There is lots (and I mean LOTS) of kissing and cuddling and nuzzling, described in such a sensual way that the emotional connection described instills a sense of longing in even the most stoic readers.  Reading these books was very nearly an exhausting experience, I felt slightly drained after finishing each one. 

Overall the books are an easy read and have enough action to be entertaining but are well enough written that you can really care about the characters involved.  At times it was difficult to choose sides, and my empathetic nature had me feeling the pain of my favorites.  I would definitely recommend the series, but with a grain of salt and perhaps a cold shower!