CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins

Nightmares haunt her. Katniss Everdeen has survived the last horrible games sponsored by the Capitol. Beaten, starved, bloody and practically dead, she has been physically put back together --- even the ear that was torn off has been rebuilt. Still she can never be the same because she has killed, she has seen death up close, she has lost friends, and she has risked everything only to be set up once again for another game. This is practically unheard of; once a victor, you are not put back in, but she is a special case. Katniss knows that President Snow, and all he represents, hates her. They hate her for her rebellious nature. They are not satisfied that she is playing “their” game to perfection, and they will beat her this time. Though she is only 17, she is not likely to live through another ordeal in the arena.

In this remarkable second installment of Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games Trilogy, the reader is again swept into the iron grip of the Capitol, a world where no one dares rebel. Nobody disobeys, districts are created, walls are built, rules are brutally enforced and bodies pile up as their smothering laws are put in effect. Her own love, Gale, is beaten within an inch of his life because their relationship cannot be. Peeta, wise and caring, has been set up as her “love match,” which she must pretend to follow. There is a point, however, when Katniss knows that she does love Peeta and that she does love Gale --- and sadly, they now all suffer for it. She also knows there are no winners, and that this time she will live only to protect Peeta because she does not want what they want for her. The beautiful mockingjay pen given her for her victory in the last games represents her strong spirit; it is a mixture of both the dangerous jaybird and the free-spirited mockingbird.Do not even think about starting this book until you have read THE HUNGER GAMES. This is a masterful journey of terror, love and loss.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

DARKEST DAWN by R. L. Stine

Ever since Dana helped Jamie rid herself of possession by Angelica Fear, life seems to have returned to somewhat normal. Dana starts dating Clark from the basketball team and jumps into the school spirit thing by helping to plan the huge bonfire pep rally. Lewis has been accepted to Brown College and is happier than ever. Everyone has moved beyond the horror of the past year, except Jamie. Only Jamie feels hung up on the past. Maybe because, while possessed by Angelica Fear, she had helped to kill her classmates. Maybe because she feels Angelica Fear is still lurking around. Maybe because she hears evil voices whispering threats and is being followed around town by a one-eyed blackbird. Or maybe she's just going crazy.

Only Dana and Jamie are aware of the possession, and only they know what's behind her vindictive anger. Angelica Fear wants revenge on everyone who stole from the mansion. Dana and Jamie don't tell anyone because no one would believe them. But then the killing starts up again. Trying to find some form of protection, Jamie studies the spell book she had swiped from the mansion. Then, when at the flea market she finds the antique bracelet that matches the old amulet, she feels a little extra confident that maybe she can finish off the old Fear curse placed on her and her friends.

As everyone gathers for the huge pep rally bonfire, thoughts of death are pushed to the side in order to cheer on the basketball team at the state finals. The brightly flaming bonfire towers thirty feet in the air, raising spirits along with the temperature. But then things start to go wrong, and Fear pulses through the school once again. Finally, Jamie has had enough and sets out to confront the Fears once and for all. Backing her up are her close friends, those left of the Night People, but the one person whom she trusts the most isn't quite who she thinks.

MIDNIGHT GAMES by R. L. Stine

MIDNIGHT GAMES, the eagerly awaited sequel to MOONLIGHT SECRETS, has arrived red hot and just begging to be read. Nate and his friends still continue their nighttime rendezvous. They call themselves the Night People, sneaking out of their homes to meet in the deserted early morning hours at the local bar for a chance to hang out and experience a bit of well-needed freedom. But when strange things start happening, like their car plunging unexplainably into the river, some of the Night People decide to get to the bottom of things. They suspect an amulet stolen from the deserted Fear Mansion of granting the power to cast spells. An evening investigation with deadly results turns up a fake plastic replica of the amulet and more questions than answers.

As the days grow colder, a new student to Shadyside High arrives in town. Jamie's cousin, Dana, moves in with her to finish senior year. A bit on the lonely side, Dana eagerly joins the Night People hoping to find some friends. But almost immediately, she makes enemies instead. Soon after, people start turning up murdered, and Dana is the number one suspect!

It doesn't take long for the entire school to turn their backs on Dana --- except for Nate and Jamie, and even that doesn't last too long. And worse, Jamie seems different; she's been dabbling in magic, and Dana catches Jamie trying to put a curse on her --- though what Dana discovers hidden in the garage scares every other thought out of her mind!

MOONLIGHT SECRETS by R. L. Stine

It all started when Jamie and Lewis discovered an ingenious method for some excitement and privacy. Sneaking out of the house at two in the morning and meeting down at the abandoned --- and soon to be demolished --- Fear Mansion became the perfect setup for some space. No teachers, no parents --- just themselves and the night. Of course, something this perfect doesn't stay a secret for very long, and soon the two teens grow to become a whole group. But they continue to have a blast, hanging out and just being themselves.

Then one night becomes especially interesting when a couple of guys clowning around accidentally knock down part of a wall to reveal a secret room. The strange room, with no visible entry ways of doors or windows, is stacked with all sorts of interesting stuff, like ancient jewelry, an old coin collection, fur coats, faded sheet music, a gun, black candles, hooded cloaks, and animal skeletons. Everyone helps themselves. They don't see it as stealing; the mansion is set to be demolished anyway, to make room for a mall. Taking an old pendent necklace or two wouldn't hurt anyone. Or so they thought.

After the mansion is demolished, the teens don't let their fun die. They just relocate at the new bar called Nights. Sure, legally they are underage, but the bartender doesn't pass judgment, as they bring in a lot of business when otherwise it would be dead. Besides, the new bar sits right where the old mansion used to be. They still have their important midnight meetings, only now it comes with refreshments.

But then strange --- and scary --- things start to happen, like the cockroaches pouring out of Nate's mouth, and Jamie almost drowning when their car unexplainably plows into the river. Each incident seems somehow connected to Candy, the girl who smiles cunningly as she toys with the pendent hanging from her neck --- the same pendent she had found in the mansion's secret room. Does the pendent have powers, powers that enable the wearer to wreck evil havoc on whomever she chooses? Nate and his friends are determined to find out, no matter what the consequences.

HARRY POTTER AND DEATHLY HALLOWS by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book of J. K. Rowling's series, and Harry is now 16 and becoming a young man. Ron, Hermione, and he are in their sixth year at Hogwarts, moving into more complicated classes and finding love and attraction with the opposite sex. Lord Voldemort and his Death-Eaters are wreaking so much havoc that it's spilling over to the muggle world and the Prime Minister is notified of the situation. Harry is aware of the prophecy that he is the chosen one to take on Voldemort, and his life takes on a darker and dangerous tone as everyone expects that prophecy to be fulfilled. To make matters worse, the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor is not one of Harry's liking.But this book also has a poignancy, complexity and sadness we probably couldn't have imagined when we started reading the first one

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF PHOENIX by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

J.. K. Rowling's fifth book in the Harry Potter series contains some similarities to the earlier books, it begins with Harry at home with his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Again forces conspire to keep Harry from attending Hogwarts, and adults refuse to listen to Harry and his friends about the impending peril. This latest book, however, sends 15-year old Harry headlong in adolescence with the attraction toward girls, fear, confusion, isolation, and a re-examination of some of the people in his life. Harry must also deal with the Ministry of Magic's assistant who takes over the Defense Against the Dark Arts class and squelches any dissension in the school. And Valdemort, of course, continues to plot against Harry while Dumbledore reveals more secrets about Harry's past.

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

In the pivotal fourth novel in the seven part tale of Harry Potter's training as a wizard, Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place at the Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened in a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal -- even by wizarding standards. And in his case, different can be deadly.

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban takes place during Harry's third year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardy and during Harry's first year as a teenager. In the first two books, Harry defeated the evil wizard Voldemort on two separate occasions, but this third book is strangely absent of the series' main villain. Instead, Harry must face a darker enemy within his own soul, that of despair.

The plot starts when Sirius Black, a convicted mass murderer, escapes Azkaban prison and may be after Harry. As a precaution, Harry's government enlists the help of dark forbidding creatures known as dementors to guard the school. The dementors watch the Hogwarts' grounds ready to attack Sirius Black if he attempts to enter. But the dementors may not hold to just attacking Black. Whenever a dementor draws near, a person is filled with haunting memories and despair so great that they believe they can never be happy again. With the ever present threat of Sirius Black dwelling in the background, Harry must live in a darker world than he has ever known, facing dementors at every turn and being continuously stalked by his own grief and fear.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys were so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls' bathroom. But then the real trouble begins--someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself!

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE by Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Harry has no clue that he is famous or special in any way. He lives in a closet under the stairs in his aunt and uncle's house. He doesn't even know he is a wizard until he receives his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Thus begins the journey into the magical world and the epic mystery that has taken children and adults alike on adventures they will never forget.

From Harry's point of view, the adventure starts in the middle. He has no memory of the events for which he is famous. His challenge in the first book is to enter a world where he is famous for something he doesn't even remember. Harry's struggle is to define himself in a world that thinks it already knows him. Does he live up to his famed name or is he just an ordinary boy in extraordinary circumstances?
As any ordinary boy would, he has talents and flaws, bullies and friends. Harry is gifted at Quidditch, a soccer-like sport for wizards. The youngest player in over a century, Harry proves himself a master on the field. Harry is not perfect, however. He's terrible at chess and not the smartest in class. He has bullies that bait him into doing stupid things, like sneaking out to attempt a wizarding duel even though he doesn't know any curses. While Draco Malfoy is a bully of equal age, Harry must also face Severus Snape, a professor that loathes Harry and feels no need to hide it.

Harry does prove himself a good friend. Ron Weasley has the distinction of being Harry's best friend. Ron is from a poor family with lots of children. Where Ron envies Harry's money (an inheritance from his parents), Harry envies Ron's family for the love they share with one another. Harry makes no hesitation to share his riches with Ron and Ron's family treats Harry like a son.

Harry's second best friend is Hermione Granger. At first, Hermione's intelligence and overbearing attitude keep Ron and Harry as far away from her as possible. But once Harry and Ron come to rescue this girl that they can't stand, the three cannot help but be friends.
As any extraordinary hero would, Harry has courage and fear, great power and great responsibility, destinies and choices. As an infant, Harry had no choice in his heroic role against Voldemort, but now he must decide whether or not to follow his fame and become the hero, or ignore his destiny and try to be normal. While Harry learns that there is a middle ground where both qualities can be mixed, he knows that to play the hero will forever put him in the spotlight.

Harry's first trial comes when he learns that someone is going to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. This legendary stone, known in history (and in the British version of Harry Potter) as the Philosopher's Stone, will give its bearer as much life and wealth as one could wish for and it is hidden in the very school that Harry attends. Harry is constantly told by his teachers to quit any investigations regarding the stone. Despite these and other obstacles, Harry is moved by his own sense of heroism and what's right.
Harry also learns that fame can be a terrible thing. When he breaks some rules to help out a friend, Harry and his fellow classmates get a severe punishment. Students turn on him with glowering stares and harsh silence. Harry must now decide to play the hero against the odds to help those that show no compassion to him. He learns that to be a real hero one must be willing to make sacrifices, even if it means sacrificing himself.

When it comes time for Harry to seek his destiny and fight for what is right, Harry learns that the value of friendship is far more important than a famous name. Ron and Hermione prove invaluable comrades. As Harry strives to solve the latest mystery, Hermione offers her incredible memory and magical abilities. Ron offers his unbeatable tactical skills, as evidenced in his masterful chess abilities. It is clear without friendship, Harry would never have had the courage to become the hero he must become.

THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkein

The Hobbit was written by Professor Tolkien for the reading pleasure of his own children, of whom Christopher became the editor of Tolkien's posthumous work such as The Silmarillion and The Book of Lost Tales.

This is a far more light-hearted tale than the Lord of the Rings and introduces to the world's readers the unforgettable Bilbo, Gandalf and Gollum. A book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike and authors such as J.K. Rowling and David Gemmell class this and The Lord of the Rings as inspirational in their own work.

This is a truly wonderful book, full of adventure, heroism, song and laughter. The landscapes that Tolkien creates are quintessentially English and the Shore and the hobbits could easily be the English of yesteryear. The Shire is left behind soon enough as no adventure is worth reading in which nobody actually goes anywhere. Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Eagles and Wizards all cross paths with our intrepid, although reluctant hero as the party passes through Rivendell, The Misty Mountains and Mirkwood on their way to the Lonely Mountain to take back the treasure stolen by the great dragon Smaug.

One of the most appealing aspects of this book is that we could all be hobbit with the comfortable life and comfortable living but there is something inside all of us that perks up at the thought of adventures and journeys into the unknown. I think that this is why The Hobbit is such a firm favourite and fondly remembered by all who read it.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.

While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson's fourth summer at Camp Half-Blood is much like his previous three—high-octane clashes with dark forces, laced with hip humor and drama. Opening with a line for the ages—The last thing I wanted to do on my summer break was blow up another school—this penultimate series installment finds Percy, Annabeth and the satyr Grover furiously working to prevent former camp counselor Luke from resurrecting the Titan lord Kronos, whose goal is to overthrow the gods. When the heroes learn that Luke can breach Camp Half-Blood's security through an exit from Daedalus's Labyrinth, they enter the maze in search of the inventor and a way to stop the invasion.

Along the way they encounter a lifetime supply of nightmare-inducing, richly imagined monsters. Grover's own quest to find the lost god Pan, meanwhile, provides a subtle environmental message. Percy, nearly 15, has girl trouble, having become something of a chick magnet. One of Riordan's strengths is the wry interplay between the real and the surreal. When the heroes find Hephaestus, for instance, he's repairing a Toyota, wearing overalls with his name embroidered over the chest pocket. The wit, rousing swordplay and breakneck pace will once again keep kids hooked

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

When Percy Jackson gets an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he will need his powerful demigod allies at his side, his trusty bronze sword Riptide, and . . . a ride from his mom.

The demigods rush to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that’s not all that awaits them. The titan lord Kronos has devised his most treacherous plot yet, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

They’re not the only ones in danger. An ancient monster has arisen — one rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus — and Artemis, the only goddess who might know how to track it, is missing. Now Percy and his friends, along with the Hunters of Artemis, have only a week to find the kidnapped goddess and solve the mystery of the monster she was hunting.

Along the way, they must face their most dangerous challenge yet: the chilling prophecy of the titan’s curse.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson is finding his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any normal friends. But things don't stay quiet for long.

Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

Together with his friends, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family, one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a twelve year old boy with dyslexia and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). After going on a field trip and being attacked by his math teacher, who is actually a Fury in disguise, he finds out that he is the son of a Greek god. He is brought to Camp Half-Blood (a camp for children with a Greek god as a parent, located off Long Island) by his best friend, a satyr named Grover, and his mother Sally.

He soon meets Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and they quickly become good friends. Not long after his arrival, Poseidon, the sea god, claims Percy as his son during a game of demigod-style capture-the-flag. Percy is accused of stealing Zeus' masterbolt, the model for every lightning bolt made. He, Annabeth and Grover are given ten days to return the thunderbolt to Mount Olympus in order to stop a war between the gods from starting and save his mother, who has been held hostage in the Underworld by Hades after being captured by the Minotaur. He soon finds out that Hades did not steal the bolt. It is revealed that Luke, son of Hermes, stole the bolt for Kronos, who is attempting to come back to life. Grover goes off to find Pan, the lost Greek God of nature.

THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

“Personally, I’ve never figured out why some of my characters take on strong lives of their own, but I’m always happy when they do,” writes Stephenie Meyer in her introduction to THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER. Bree Tanner, who appears briefly (and dead!) in ECLIPSE, the third novel in the Twilight series, is one of those characters, she notes. Now, in a novella that helps flesh out (as it were) the fictional world Meyer created in her four-part series, Bree gets a chance to tell her own story.

Bree’s story is not just her own, however; it is also a more extended venture inside a realm Twilight fans have only glimpsed before: the world of the newborn vampire. Painfully thirsty, nearly out of control, these young vampires have trouble controlling their desires --- for violence, but especially for blood. Bree and her friend (and love interest) Diego are among a large band of newborn vampires kept alive but controlled in the service of someone readers know for a long time only as “she.” For what purpose have Bree and her fellow newborn vampires been created? Readers of the series already have a pretty good guess at that answer, but that doesn’t make her story any less provocative or suspenseful.

In ECLIPSE, readers barely get a chance to know Bree. Here, we learn far more about her life as a vampire (where she makes great efforts to follow the rules, to be well-behaved, even when it physically hurts her to do so) and about her previous life as a human (she was a runaway who fled an abusive father). Bree is desperately trying to make sense of her new “life” even as she still reels from the misery and unhappiness of her old one.

And, of course, as fans know, Bree and her coven are on a relentless track that will coincide, tragically, with the vampires in the Cullen family and with Bella herself. One of the most fascinating aspects of her narration for long-time fans will be seeing the Cullens and Bella through the eyes of an antagonistic outsider: “I had tried to wrap my head around the idea of a coven with a pet human, but this was not close to what I had imagined…. Who was this girl? Why did the vampires allow her to be with them? Why hadn’t they killed her yet?” Seeing Bella and her companions from Bella’s point of view complicates the story significantly and enhances readers’ understanding of the world Meyer has created. It may also help fans’ enjoyment of and appreciation for the forthcoming Eclipse movie, in which Bree will play a role.

Are there other characters with “strong lives” who Meyer will revisit in future adventures? Let’s hope so. Fans will clamor for anything with the Twilight brand attached, it seems, but in the case of THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER, a slight novella helps provide important context for the original series, in addition to telling a compelling story in its own right.

BREAKING DAWN by Stephenie Meyer

At some point, writing reviews of certain bestselling series seems like a superfluous endeavor. When thousands, if not millions, of readers are going to pick up the next installment regardless of its praiseworthiness or potential weaknesses, we reviewers feel even more irrelevant than we do otherwise. Penning reviews of the later Harry Potter books certainly felt like that. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, a publishing juggernaut soon to be made into a series of feature films, also, I would argue, has landed firmly in this category. I've reviewed all four novels for Teenreads.com, and I've watched as a series that started out as an unusual debut vampire romance took on a life of its own. So this review is, in all likelihood, completely unnecessary --- but since the review has the potential to live online nearly as long as the immortal Cullen family, here goes.

Bella Swan is ecstatic --- and nervous. She's on the brink of marrying the love of her life, the charismatic, devastatingly handsome vampire Edward Cullen. Bella's parents have reluctantly come around to the idea of their teenaged daughter getting married. And the Cullens, particularly Bella's good friend Alice, who plans the event, couldn't be happier. Only Bella's old pal Jacob is upset at losing Bella.

The wedding goes off smoothly and beautifully, and Edward and Bella spend a magical honeymoon on a private island. There, they are finally able to indulge the desire they've always felt for each other (even if their lovemaking initially results in injuries both to Bella and their room, thanks to Edward's uncontrollable passion). When Bella begins to be alternately sick and ravenous, she becomes suspicious that --- despite everything she's been told about the impossibility of such a thing --- she might be pregnant with Edward's child. Terrified that she could lose her life to the ravenous, vampiric unborn child inside her, pressured by Edward and others to rid herself of the baby, Bella retreats into herself, concerned only with protecting her unborn child, even if it means harm to herself.

As for Jacob (who narrates the middle part of the novel), he tries in vain to imprint on other females, but he cannot forget Bella, especially when he learns of her perilous pregnancy and physical condition. When Bella and Edward's daughter is born, is it possible that this half-human, half-vampire can unite the Cullens and Jacob's shape-shifting La Push clan? Could she be the catalyst for Jacob and Edward's reconciliation? Or does her very existence --- particularly once word of her birth reaches the dangerous Voltari vampire clan --- put everything Bella loves at risk?

It was perhaps inevitable that Stephenie Meyer would disappoint some with this final installment. Readers --- who have lined up for hours for author appearances, pushed the series onto bestseller lists, and created thriving online communities devoted to the book --- obviously take the novels, and these characters, seriously indeed. Certain elements of BREAKING DAWN are perplexing, even off-putting --- particularly the scenes of sex, pregnancy and childbirth.

But it's nearly impossible to please everyone --- especially when so much of the series' drama has relied on the tension of Bella's choice between two very different but desirable lovers. Readers who are able, eventually, to gain some perspective will find much to redeem BREAKING DAWN, particularly its new insights into Jacob's inner life as well as its neat resolution to several of the series' pressing conflicts and its realistic (or at least as realistic as a vampire romance can get) portrayal of the complexities and joys of married life.

Meyer's legions of fans are likely to debate, discuss and dissect BREAKING DAWN for months to come --- at least until the film version of TWILIGHT comes out on November 21st, when they'll have a whole new set of creative decisions to consider and critique.

ECLIPSE by Stephenie Meyer

It's just a few weeks before high school graduation, and although most girls Bella Swan's age would be focused on what to wear to the big dance or how to pass Calculus, Bella has a few more important things on her mind. Now that she's been reunited with her vampire boyfriend Edward, Bella must decide whether --- and when --- to join him and his coven, to forsake her mortality (and her friends and family) to live, like Edward, forever.

Bella has grown up a lot since readers first met her in Stephenie Meyer's first novel, TWILIGHT. Back then she was naive, impetuous and easily swayed by Edward's dazzlingly good looks and effortlessly romantic charms. Now, though, in the third book in this series, Bella is finally thinking a little about the implications of her decision to become a vampire and even standing up to Edward's dominating, overprotective tendencies.

Edward is an old-fashioned guy. He won't turn Bella into a vampire unless she marries him first, and the idea of telling him she's getting married at 18 is more terrifying than admitting to her future transformation. Bella would also have to move far away from her beloved father during their dangerous "newborn" vampire period, when she would be unable to control her bloodthirsty urges. And then there's Jake, the werewolf who finally pledges his love to Bella. Is she really ready to leave him behind?

Bella does feel some urgency for this decision, though. She has made some enemies who would be more than happy to harm her while they still can. What's more, there's a newborn vampire on the loose in Seattle, terrorizing humans and threatening either the Cullen family or Bella herself. Clearly, time is running out while Bella hesitates.

Readers who devoured TWILIGHT and NEW MOON will ingest ECLIPSE just as hungrily. Diehard fans may grow weary at the amount of exposition near the novel's beginning, although they may be intrigued to learn more of the vampires' and werewolves' backstories. Since Meyer's books have always been more of a love story than a vampire series, however, many readers will appreciate ECLIPSE's more firm grounding in reality, largely focusing on character realization rather than on melodramatic, metaphysical conflicts.

The further development of the Jake-Bella-Edward love triangle, in particular, will almost certainly appeal to romance fans, and will divide readers according to whom --- the coldly beautiful Edward or the hot-headed Jake --- they think Bella should choose. One thing fans will agree on, though: Bella's fate is far from over, which means readers eventually will be able to savor even more of her story.

NEW MOON by Stephenie Meyer

It's Isabella Swan's 18th birthday, and unlike the rest of her high school classmates, she's been dreading this milestone for months. Once Bella turns 18, she'll officially be older than her beloved Edward Cullen, who is 17 and will remain so until the end of time. Dazzlingly handsome Edward, like the rest of his family, is undead, a vampire destined to remain young and beautiful forever...while mortals like Bella age and perish all around them.

Following a frightening encounter with some of Edward's siblings after she cuts her finger on wrapping paper (the Cullens pledge to hunt only wild animals, but the smell of human blood can send them into a frenzy), Edward grows increasingly distant with Bella. Finally, he drops a bombshell --- he is leaving Bella forever, finally embracing his vampire characteristics and no longer, as he tells her, "'pretending to be something I'm not.'" Disappearing suddenly into a dark and moonless wood, Edward leaves Bella utterly alone and despondent: "I hoped that I was fainting, but, to my disappointment, I didn't lose consciousness. The waves of pain that had only lapped at me before now reared high up and washed over my head, pulling me under."

Bella drowns in her pain for months, resurfacing only when her father threatens to send her to see a psychologist or to live with her mother. Desperate not to forget Edward, Bella rekindles a friendship with Jacob Black, a large, hard-edged boy with a tendency to live life recklessly. Jacob lives on the area's Indian reservation, whose inhabitants loathe the vampires for reasons that become increasingly clear as Bella's friendship with Jacob deepens. Bella's thrill-seeking adventures with Jake, though, attract attention, leading Bella back to Edward --- and to a new threat neither one of them ever anticipated.

Stephenie Meyer's first novel about Bella and Edward, TWILIGHT, offered readers an exciting new entry in the field of vampire fiction. With NEW MOON, the second part in a projected trilogy, Meyer deepens and enriches her mythology, introducing new families and races that complicate Bella and Edward's story. Bella reflects, "Could a world really exist where ancient legends went wandering around the borders of tiny, insignificant towns, facing down mythical monsters?...Was there anything sane or normal at all, or was everything just magic and ghost stories?"

If readers have any complaint about NEW MOON, it will be that the story, at least for the middle 400 pages, doesn't have enough magic. Edward vanishes in short order and only reappears shortly before the Gothic extravaganza near the book's end. In the middle, the story sometimes drags, and readers may long for the vampires' return. The events of NEW MOON, though, will leave Meyer's many fans breathless for the sequel, as Bella finally understands everything that will be at stake if she makes the ultimate choice to give up her humanity and live, like the vampires, forever.

TWILIGHT by Stephenie Meyer

Seventeen-year-old Isabella Swan's parents divorced when she was a toddler, and her annual visits to her father, the chief of police in rainy Forks, Washington, have always been more of a torture than a treat. So why does Bella volunteer to relocate to Forks permanently, leaving her mother and stepfather behind in sunny Arizona? The answer reveals much about Bella's personality; she tends to consider others' needs before her own, a trait that soon may bring her love but also endanger her very life.

Life in Forks is a revelation to Bella. Despite the rain and the overly green landscape, she soon discovers that she enjoys living with her easygoing, introverted father. At school, Bella --- who has never had a boyfriend before --- becomes many boys' object of attraction. But Bella, who's more embarrassed than flattered by this new attention, has eyes for only one boy. Edward Cullen, the aloof, dazzlingly handsome youngest son of the mysterious, reclusive Cullen family, alternates between interest in Bella and what appears to be fury at her.

As circumstances --- and her own attraction --- bring Edward and Bella together, Bella begins to ask questions about Edward and his astonishingly attractive, wealthy and accomplished family. Her growing suspicions are soon proved true --- the Cullens are actually vampires. These are not the kin of Count Dracula, though. The Cullens are a remarkably sophisticated coven of vampires, who have managed to control their desires to the extent that they prey on large animals (grizzly bears and mountain lions) rather than on humans. Carlisle, the patriarch of the "family," has even controlled his bloodlust to pursue a successful career as a surgeon.

Finally, Bella discovers the reasons for Edward's apparent rage --- torn between the desire to love her and the desire to devour her, he fears that his vampire nature might grow too strong for him to control. Soon, though, the two are inextricably bound up in a love affair from which neither of them might escape undamaged. Considering that one of the limitations of their relationship is that they are unable to have sex, TWILIGHT is a remarkably sensuous novel. Bella's descriptions of her desire and Edward's attempts to control his own appetites are charged with erotic energy.

Although TWILIGHT seems inspired by other vampire novels such as Robin McKinley's SUNSHINE, Stephenie Meyer certainly leaves her own imprint on the genre. Her vampires are mysterious and alluring, with powers that alternately confirm and contradict traditional vampire lore. Bella's romantic dilemmas, klutziness, and loving relationships with her parents give her character depth and keep the narrative from becoming too dark. Although the novel is long, its pacing is steady and compelling until the end, when the chase scene rockets out of control. Nevertheless, TWILIGHT is a gripping blend of romance and horror that will entice fans of both genres.