Started Reading: January 24, 2008
Finished Reading: January 24, 2008

OK. This book is great. The plot is great. The ugly, mushroom-skinned, vampire-smelling vampires were quite unique since they seemed so foul. This book had that kind of potential - you see it, you try it and you just know it is better than good and it raises your expectations because you believe it’ll give you something better but still something about it doesn’t quite reach your expectations.

I understand this is Rae’s story so it naturally mostly focuses on her rather than the complex Constantine (whom I am dying to know. What I wouldn’t give to read something in his POV!) so I readied myself for that and have no complaints in that department (except for some wishful thinking regarding POV’s). I liked her character, too, because she had weaknesses, she cried (I’m tired of heroines who were a tad too strong that they don’t shed a tear) and knew she wasn’t really that brave, she evades people, does not open herself up much, and she wakes up early. She is strong, too, because she tries to overcome her trauma, feels compassion for a vampire, stabs a vampire, etc. etc. So Rae is really a wonderful woman.

And Constantine — I just wish I knew more about him. But I suppose that’s his story to tell…hopefully at some future time.

What I didn’t really like about the book is that it was just too wordy. Like the author’s over-informing the reader. Between how one scene started and how one scene continues, there are too many flashbacks and opinions between that aren’t all that important or could have been more brief. I found it too annoying. Otherwise, I would have really loved this more than I already do.

Nevertheless, this was a very good book. The open-ended ending fit, leaving it open to (hopefully) a sequel or two.

Started Reading: January 7, 2008
Finished Reading: January 7, 2008

I’ve been looking for this book ever since I saw it online. I’ve looked for it in Powerbooks at Greenbelt but there was no copy. D: I was supposed to go to Fully Booked at Bonifacio High but thankfully I saw it at Gateway. SO WHHEEE~

This book is deserving of the high ratings its been given (although not perfect. I’d give it about an eight out of ten). David Sosnowski’s kind of vampire world is different from what I’ve usually read. Vampires do not simply co-exist with humans, they’ve overpopulated them to the point that humans are a rare commodity - farmed and harvested for the luxury and entertainment needs of a now-rampant vampire population. Normal things we take for granted today are auctioned on Ebay, requiring large bucks and a lot of time for shipping.

Enter Marty, one of the vampires that helped in increasing their kind and outbalancing the humans. When he’s bored of life (and quite ready to die, thankyouverymuch), what does he find?

A human girl on the streets.

And instead of taking her as a meal, he takes her in and takes care of her.

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Started Reading: January 4, 2008
Finished Reading: January 6, 2008

Despite the outstanding reviews I’ve read from Amazon, I would not give this five stars. I’d give it three at most. I think if people are considering this the best book ever, they’re missing out on better stories out there, with a more impressive take on developing stories and character relationships.

I’m saying this as a person who haven’t read the other books. The problem is, while the author jumps right in the middle of a conflict in the story (or the beginning of it), there isn’t really anything to introduce me to the basic information I should know. I do understand some of what’s implied but it just isn’t enough. So Zsadist and Bella met twice before? Why was he so obsessed with her? It would have helped if, like the other flashbacks on Zsadist’s past, the author also gave us a narration of the two times they met and what went on inside both of their minds since there’s very little to base their relationship on.

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I’ve been rereading some chapters in Eclipse and New Moon. Yes, I’m still hung up on my initially-favorite pairing, Edward/Bella and how Bella ruined it for me.

Despite the fact that OTL’s (a.k.a. One-True-Love’s) is, to a degree, idealistic, it is real, it can happen. Bella and Edward’s relationship was as pure as that in my eyes when the series started in Twilight. Even loving each other to the point of unhealthy need doesn’t scare me off (I sort-of like reading about those kinds of relationships, actually. Because it is something that I cannot really relate to by experience, it becomes interesting. Almost beautiful).

When Jacob entered into a major character’s role, I didn’t really mind it so much, since Bella was actually using him in New Moon so I couldn’t really hate the guy. I just didn’t like the fact that he stole the spotlight from Edward, but that’s a purely biased opinion. And I understood his lack of maturity (he was still, after all, two years younger than Bella and more than a hundred years younger than Edward) that I mainly ignored him in Eclipse - especially with Edward back into the picture. So, no, even though Jacob was a jerk, he didn’t ruin the story for me.

My biggest, biggest peeve is Bella. Selfish, selfish, Bella. I hate the way she has changed from the first book. Some change is good, but hers is one of the worst. x__x; And saying she also “fell in love” with Jacob just ruined Eclipse for me. It just wiped out all the EdwardxBella moments that I enjoyed before her “confession”. Bella, Bella, Bella, you’ve been acting like a bish that I’m disappointed that Edward fell in love with a girl like you. T__T I feel Edward had been terribly betrayed by her indecisiveness and fickle feelings. Being human is not an excuse, at least she knows that. I still hate, hate the words, “I love you more,” that she said to Edward after acknowledging she was “in love” with Jacob, too. I can’t, can’t accept the fact that she’s in love with two men. For me, there should only be one - love in that way.

I wish I could delude myself that the Twilight series stopped at the first book.

His gains in heaven are what they are.
Yet some say Love by being thrall
And simply staying possesses all
In several beauty that Thought fares far
To find fused in another star.

- Robert Frost, “Bond and Free”

FINALLY! After months of waiting! Supposedly, I should feel happy while Eclipse tops the bestseller list but as its popularity grows, I can’t really say. Fortunately, I got hooked on the series even before almost everybody started talking about it.

Anyway, as for my thoughts about the book - it was definitely better than New Moon. I suppose it’s because Edward’s back under the spotlight, though now he has Jacob Black to share it with. I have mixed emotions with regards to Jacob. I can’t say he’s one of my favorite characters, but I don’t hate him either. I guess it’s just…weird for me since he was a very minor character in the first book and then he’s grown to have such a significant part in the series. And as for the third novel, he’s the third in a love triangle.

This brings us to Bella. I used to really love Bella - in the first book at least. Then I was annoyed at her angst in the second book. Now what irks me is her claims to love two men - though there’s a degree of difference, she did say “in love”. And I’m not entirely comfortable of this part of her. I don’t like the fact that she could say she loves two of them at the same time. Though I understand, rationally, that there’s a good basis for this - a valid cause for such confusion - I can’t hide the fact that I don’t really like it. In fact, I hate it. Edward had a point that he had broken her heart and it was Jacob who somehow managed to stitch it and the stitches would leave their mark there, but seeing Bella falter like this just makes me feel she doesn’t really deserve Edward. A pity Edward needs her so much (and she probably likewise, in a sense that both of them wouldn’t function normally without the other). Eclipse managed to illustrate how Edward cares for Bella excellently. He puts up with her friendship with Jacob even though he’s downright jealous about it. He exerts so much self-control just to make Bella happy, so much sacrifice, that the things Bella does to make up for all her mistakes pales in comparison.

At least she’s aware she’d done both Jacob and Edward wrong. It’s just that the book ended with Bella admitting she’s in love with Jacob as well, and telling Edward “I love you more” just doesn’t make it right for me. I guess it also has something to do with the difference in our cultures - Filipino vs. American - or like how I feel more traditional about things. I understand how Edward wants things to go or happen, though I also understand why Bella’s quite averse towards marriage despite the shallow reasoning. If I were her, I’d marry him without second thought, dammit!

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