I've been hearing so much against Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (And the sequels) that I couldn't help but read it and see if it was really the stupid, badly written, illogical, immature drivvel (not just on this forum, I feel compelled to point out, not pointing fingers) that I've been hearing it called. And I found, surprisingly, that I actually really enjoyed them.

They weren't exactly sophisticated, and I did backtrack in the first one, just in case I'd somehow missed why exactly Bella and Edward decided to fall in love, but they were fun, light, reasonably cute paranormal Y/A romances. The only reason they're getting so much bad attention, IMHO, is that more people know about it. Before I'd read them, I was almost imagining they'd been written in chatspeak or something =P

I guess this is sort of the opposite of a "What are overrated books you really hate?" post. Not saying they're Great Literature (TM) but hardly deserving of all the hate.

Just a thought =)

I'm probably more hostile to them than I would be otherwise, but the fact is I am surrounded by rabid Twilight fangirls (aka my lil' sis's high school friends).  I read the first one to see what they were gushing about & was just so turned off because the heroine seemed so whiny and dependent on her guy to make all the decisions for her.  And then TIME magazine called her the next JK Rowling, and there;s a movie coming out and the madness continues. :-)

So you're right, they would be "light reasonably cute paranormal YA romances" if they hadn't taken over the world! (j/k, but yeah, its the hype that bugs me)

I'm so glad there's someone else out there who enjoys the Twilight books!  I mean yes, they are all about a gothic romance, but if you remeber what it was like to be in love in high school, then Meyers' descriptions of emotion are actually pretty accurate :-)

I mean obviously if you're looking for Shakespeare you're going to be dissapointed.  But they are still well-written (I think).   Mostly, though, they are just fun romance books. I love that Bella is a huge fan of Wuthering Heights, because I was addicted to that book in high school as well.  I guess maybe people fall into two camps - those who enjoy gothic romance and those who find it lame. I happen to quite enjoy it.  Plus I enjoy character-driven books more than plot-driven books, so I just eat up all the emotional stuff.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I agree with this Geneve.  The Twilight books are fun!  Once I start one, I have to read straight to the end!  I've only read through New Moon - I'm stil waiting for Eclipse to come out in paperback :-)

I enjoyed Twilight as well.  I was totally expecting to be let down because of all the hype.  I actually stayed up till 5 in the morning to finish it.  Now I'm waiting patiently waiting for New Moon(okay not really patiently, but waiting nonetheless LOL!) 

I love love love gothic romance, I just didn't like Twilight.

That's why I always tell people that even if I don't like something, there's no reason for them not to try it.  I've certainly enjoyed a lot of things other people have hated!  Twighlight wasn't my cup of tea, but I know a lot of people who adored it.

I thought Twilight was a "safe" romance - love w/o sex - Romeo and Juliet - very attractive to teen girls.  I read it last November on the recommendation of our hs librarian ( I am a school counselor).  I haven't read the rest, but do understand the attraction.

I love that teen fiction has improved and it is a great discussion topic with teens.  There are a few I have read that are among my favorites.

I enjoyed all of the books in the series. At first I was hesitant and I thought is was going to be terrible, but I actually liked it. There are even a few guys at my work who have read it and liked it. Yeah we're all young adults and in college but I found it surprising that some guys liked it.

Like said before don't judge it before you've read it. Others may hate it but you may love it.

I read them first, and my 14 year old after, and we've both enjoyed them a lot.  Great fun, though I do find Bella to be pretty whiny ("I'm 18 - I'm old!").  The movie doesn't look very promising, imo.

Just could not stomach Edward nor could I work out why she fell in love with him..LOL  I think the writer did a good job of actually writing a book. Sure its not Jane Austen BUT I can truthfully say I was entertained and that is all I feel a book needs to do.. I tried to read the other ones but could NOT get into them so did not force the issue.  If I was stuck at an airport or in a snowstorm I would think of reading New Moon if I had nothing else.

I did not feel Twilight needed anymore books afterwards, I did not get the feeling that I wanted ot know what happened next.  Though I do know MANY squeeeing twilight fangirls that just would die if they ever met Edward..LOL

I think the ONE thing I enjoyed about the book was the sex was not a huge OMG type thing, it was talked about and not made such a huge deal about.   I've recommended this book to adults that are tired of the over sexed paranormal romance books.

So I did not like the character edward but I gues after much thought on it, I did like the book...I will point out that I do recommend books that I personally do not like IF I know the person asking is into that kind of thing.

 I am glad you enjoyed a book enough to share it with others :)

My 14 yr old daughter had read the first book at school and asked for the trilogy for xmas.  She has read and reread them so many times I fear they will be worn out.  I broke down and read them too and I loved them.  They are obviously aimed at teenage girls but I thought they were very well written and I read all 3 of them together which is something I can rarely do, I get bored with the same author twice in a row. So we have the new one pre ordered and can go to the release party which offers pictures made in Edward's coffin??? I didnt know he had a coffin but anyway I think they are well worth the read and if it gets my teen reading I will pay any amount.

I also liked them while being slightly irritated at the same time. I will definitely be reading the 4th book when it comes out. LOL I actually feel kind of sorry for Stephenie Meyer because you know that however book 4 ends there are going to be some die hards fans disappointed. It's got to be kind of hard but I guess as long as she is happy with it, it doesn't matter.

However, if anybody were to ask me, I would actually recommend "The Host" before any of the Twilight books. I didn't even want to read it but a friend at work let me borrow it and I loved it. Maybe it's because there are not any whiney teenagers in it, but I thought the writing was better and it actually made me think for a bit.  Just my .02 :)

The series is actually pretty good in my opinion. Its not overly challanging reading but enjoyable

I didn't like the character Bella at all.  Keeping in mind that its mostly adolescent girls reading this, what are they going to get from that character? "smell pretty and you'll be attractive?" "fall in love with the first good looking guy you see?" "its okay to make mistakes- your sexy vampire lover will save you?"  I think the plotline was decent enough, although it seems that if Bella had just been a little more thoughtful or clever the whole thing could have been avoided.

I guess I just like heroes to be heroic, not victimized.

maybe if the book was told from Edward's pov I would have enjoyed it more?

In Meyer's defense, I think she did do a good job of avoiding some of the worst vampire cliches, she managed to make them not only new but believable.

But I still take the comparison to Harry Potter as a personal insult.

I read them...but was irritated. I enjoyed them, but wanted to send Stephanie Meyer a thesaurus. I felt like the characters were a little exaggerated and the plot drug at some points and was rushes at others, but I still read all three of them because at the very least, they were entertaining.
I also liked that they were light reading and a short series, because I have a few friends that aren't into reading, but I was able to recommend these books to them and they loved them. My 16 year old sister and her friend are now obsessed. And its funny to me that they love Edward and are rooting for Bella to choose him and land the impossible romance, and me (being older and more cynical I guess) think Bella is a moron and if she has to choose one guy, it should be Jacob because he can give her a normal life.

I liked them.  My daughter has read them numerous times -- and has actually read Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights because of her. 

   If you liked them, on her website are the first few chapters on Twilight from Edmunds point of view.  Very interesting. 

I read them but had a real problem with Edward who is actually a grown man in a boy's body romancing a teen.  I thought the concept slick but still sick.

I have to admit that I am sick to death of "sexy" vampires. I LOVED Dark Shadows (probably dating myself when I confess that I saw at least some of the original broadcasts when I was a kid), and Interview with the Vampire was a fresh, new idea, but I think the whole thing has just been done to death. Never thought of your point, Karen, but I have to admit, it makes sense. Actually, I did pick up Twilight in the bookstore and look at the cover copy, but even just that sounded sort of weird and masochistic to me. Incidentally, I cut my teeth on Gothic novels back in the 70s, and will still very occasionally pick one up as a sort of guilty pleasure. I also love Wuthering Heights, which has its own sick relationships, but that's a classic and isn't aimed at teenage girls.

After hearing so much hype about "Twilight" I finally read it.  For me it was just an ok read.  But if it gets teens to read then I'm all for it.

Adored Twilight, loved New Moon, adored Eclipse.   This Friday is the midnight release of Breaking Dawn and two of my girlfriends and I are going to the Release Party at Barnes and Noble.    I'm 41, and the youngest of the three. :)

They're wildly popular and have waiting lists at the library.  And Beth, there's a lady at work who just loves the series..she's in her 40's too...I'm tempted to read one...

I used to love Dark Shadows too and I don't care if it dates me!!!

Leslie, I'm right behind you.  I used to run home afterschool like a maniac to watch Dark Shadows.  I only read the books because someone left the series on our company bookswap shelf.  Maybe because I am "old" is why I thought the editing was horrible.  I guess because young people attention span is so short is why the story kept repeating itself, the characters kept saying the same thing over and over, so they wouldn't miss anything.  I always kept hope the books would get better, but skimmed New Moon and didn't finish Eclipse.  If these books get teens to read, I sure hope alot of them are smarter than Bella.  I don't remember as a teen feeling so tragic and fill of angst like Bella.

O.K., so it's a "teeny bopper" book, so what?  My niece loaned it to me and I LOVED it!  I have since just bought my own copy and the sequel, wil buy the others when I am done reading these two.  Am looking forward to anything this author has to offer.  I am a sucker for Vamps.  Am looking forward to the movie, hope they don't butcher it.   I like King, Koontz, Sheldon and a variety of others...I like to keep my mind "open" to a lot of other types of books and not listen to what others say, though on this forum is the first I've heard anyone NOT liking these books.  There are some genres that I can do w/out, but am always willing to give an individual author a shot.  If you haven't read it yet, give it a try, don't let others decide for you.

I liked Twilight, hated New Moon, and Eclipse was just ok.  I'm not a rabid fan girl, but I do buy the books the day they come out. I get irritated by Bella and am tempted at tiems to throw the book across the room. But, for some reaosn I can't resist them. *sigh*