FINISHED!!!!!!!!!
Finally!
I say this because although I was torn between whizzing through it and savoring it, whizzing won out. It only took as long as it did because my family are poops. Also, Felon Spice is a big poop, after I went to sleep Saturday morning, the wench read the last chapter of the book and taunted me through out with "I know how it ends..." (in that annoying nah-nah sing song voice)
wench.
LOL
Book 1 Bella:
My favorite part of the book I think. Alice the demented wedding diva pulls of what reads like a fantasy come true for Bella, I loved it. I was especially happy that Jacob showed up, even though that could have gone better. As expected because it's YA reading there was nothing explicit in the honeymoon, a nice fade to black romantic moment could have been a bit better, maybe the fade to black moment coming not quite so soon. I know a lot of folks are having trouble with the whole Bella getting pregnant, but it isn't like this is the first time we've had a vampire pregnancy before as angelout2killme will point out "Hello, Angel fathered Connor, with another Vampire no less!" and we all suspended belief on that one, at least Bella was still human. Could be that I, a fan of Star Trek where no one ever dies, and "miracle of techno-babble science" always saves the day at the 11th hour, have had a bit more practice in that area than most. The fact that the pregnancy I think is a necessary tool for at least two storylines to be wrapped up, I think SM did a good job with it. Which brings me to...
Book 2 Jacob:
Now while I like the character well enough, he isn't a favorite and I wasn't thrilled at first with a large amount of the book being from his POV. I changed my mind mid way once I saw why SM did book two from Jacob's pov rather than Edward's, as so many seem to have wished. Really we needed to feel Jacob's rage, we needed his pov to embrace his leaving the pack, Seth and Leah following, and his reluctant help to Edward. The scene between Edward and Jacob when he begs Jacob to sway Bella into aborting the fetus, was excellent. Both desperate, Edward to have Jacob help regardless of the cost, Jacob's conflict between of wanting to eviscerate Edward, and his need to save Bella. The scene that I wanted and didn't get was Bella explaining to Edward why, why she wanted this baby vs. just a baby, that because it was his, the connection she felt to it, something that could not be duplicated. Edward seemed to think it was only a latent need for motherhood, something he knew both Rosalie and Esme suffered from, that was driving Bella. He really needed that conversation. I did get the expected conversation between Edward and Jacob requesting permission to "save" Bella by turning her when she delivered the baby, and of course I knew this would be the out, that preserves the treaty, because in my heart I knew that Bella being turned was the only path to a HEA, and this could not happen being at war with the wolves. All these things were important to see from Jacob's POV, not from Edward's translation of, but the most important thing was Jacob's imprinting on Nessie, that could not have translated across, especially since Edward at that moment was busy saving Bella. Once I knew Bella was pregnant I suspected that this would be the resolution to this issue, especially when pregnant Bella tells Jacob that they were meant to be family, but not in the romantic sense, a bit of fore shadowing there, so I was not at all surprised when he imprinted on newborn Nessie.
Speaking of which, just WHAT was SM thinking giving that baby that name? What the HELL?? Renesmee (Ruh-nez-may) I found this name to be quite cumbersome, and annoying. Having to recall the phonetically correct pronunciation, each time I encountered it, it did not get easier. While I laughed when Bella discovered Jacob's nickname for her, Nessie, and her outrage that he named her after the Loch Ness monster, I found myself substituting it every time I encountered her full name. I almost wished she'd had a boy, Edward Jacob was so nice. She did redeem herself with Nessie's middle name Carlie, a combo of Carlisle and Charlie.
Anyway the pregnancy wraps up quite neatly both how Bella gets turned and the Jacob love triangle quite well, and actually brings together both the wolves and the vampires quite nicely too. No longer at odds since both sides vow to protect human life, more specifically Nessie by virtue of being not just human but Jacob's imprinted mate. I also have to say, the scene with Quil, as the much abused nanny, made me feel better about this whole imprinting thing, and I was not nearly as squicked out by it when Jacob imprinted
Book 3 Bella:
Back to Bella, and I knew that what ever kept others from reading her mind, would be her special gift and thankfully it was. At the very least I knew that this would keep her from being an out of control newborn, allowing her the contact of those she loves, Jacob, her father and of course Nessie, but it pretty much saves the day. I never believed Alice's defection for a moment, although I did believe that if she couldn't find what ever she was searching for she would not return, and eventually look for Jacob & Nessie. That whole scenario about broke my heart, I can not imagine making arrangements for my only child and best friend to escape, believing my death a certainty. I barely got through those parts with dry eyes, in fact when Bella finally tells Nessie to go to Jacob and Edward realizes this was her secret, I had to put the book down. Even believing that it would all be ok in the end, this still broke my heart.
All in all it was both my favorite and least favorite book, yes some of the plotlines were wrapped up maybe too neatly, but isn't that the way romance novels generally go? We want the HEA, but often are less than satisfied when we get it? Stephanie Meyers did an excellent job leaving no character undone, even Charlie got someone to care for him. I had to LOL at his "need to know" attitude, but it made me happy that he will get to enjoy his granddaughter.
So, thoughts, discussion? I'm dying to hear.
I say this because although I was torn between whizzing through it and savoring it, whizzing won out. It only took as long as it did because my family are poops. Also, Felon Spice is a big poop, after I went to sleep Saturday morning, the wench read the last chapter of the book and taunted me through out with "I know how it ends..." (in that annoying nah-nah sing song voice)
wench.
LOL
Book 1 Bella:
My favorite part of the book I think. Alice the demented wedding diva pulls of what reads like a fantasy come true for Bella, I loved it. I was especially happy that Jacob showed up, even though that could have gone better. As expected because it's YA reading there was nothing explicit in the honeymoon, a nice fade to black romantic moment could have been a bit better, maybe the fade to black moment coming not quite so soon. I know a lot of folks are having trouble with the whole Bella getting pregnant, but it isn't like this is the first time we've had a vampire pregnancy before as angelout2killme will point out "Hello, Angel fathered Connor, with another Vampire no less!" and we all suspended belief on that one, at least Bella was still human. Could be that I, a fan of Star Trek where no one ever dies, and "miracle of techno-babble science" always saves the day at the 11th hour, have had a bit more practice in that area than most. The fact that the pregnancy I think is a necessary tool for at least two storylines to be wrapped up, I think SM did a good job with it. Which brings me to...
Book 2 Jacob:
Now while I like the character well enough, he isn't a favorite and I wasn't thrilled at first with a large amount of the book being from his POV. I changed my mind mid way once I saw why SM did book two from Jacob's pov rather than Edward's, as so many seem to have wished. Really we needed to feel Jacob's rage, we needed his pov to embrace his leaving the pack, Seth and Leah following, and his reluctant help to Edward. The scene between Edward and Jacob when he begs Jacob to sway Bella into aborting the fetus, was excellent. Both desperate, Edward to have Jacob help regardless of the cost, Jacob's conflict between of wanting to eviscerate Edward, and his need to save Bella. The scene that I wanted and didn't get was Bella explaining to Edward why, why she wanted this baby vs. just a baby, that because it was his, the connection she felt to it, something that could not be duplicated. Edward seemed to think it was only a latent need for motherhood, something he knew both Rosalie and Esme suffered from, that was driving Bella. He really needed that conversation. I did get the expected conversation between Edward and Jacob requesting permission to "save" Bella by turning her when she delivered the baby, and of course I knew this would be the out, that preserves the treaty, because in my heart I knew that Bella being turned was the only path to a HEA, and this could not happen being at war with the wolves. All these things were important to see from Jacob's POV, not from Edward's translation of, but the most important thing was Jacob's imprinting on Nessie, that could not have translated across, especially since Edward at that moment was busy saving Bella. Once I knew Bella was pregnant I suspected that this would be the resolution to this issue, especially when pregnant Bella tells Jacob that they were meant to be family, but not in the romantic sense, a bit of fore shadowing there, so I was not at all surprised when he imprinted on newborn Nessie.
Speaking of which, just WHAT was SM thinking giving that baby that name? What the HELL?? Renesmee (Ruh-nez-may) I found this name to be quite cumbersome, and annoying. Having to recall the phonetically correct pronunciation, each time I encountered it, it did not get easier. While I laughed when Bella discovered Jacob's nickname for her, Nessie, and her outrage that he named her after the Loch Ness monster, I found myself substituting it every time I encountered her full name. I almost wished she'd had a boy, Edward Jacob was so nice. She did redeem herself with Nessie's middle name Carlie, a combo of Carlisle and Charlie.
Anyway the pregnancy wraps up quite neatly both how Bella gets turned and the Jacob love triangle quite well, and actually brings together both the wolves and the vampires quite nicely too. No longer at odds since both sides vow to protect human life, more specifically Nessie by virtue of being not just human but Jacob's imprinted mate. I also have to say, the scene with Quil, as the much abused nanny, made me feel better about this whole imprinting thing, and I was not nearly as squicked out by it when Jacob imprinted
Book 3 Bella:
Back to Bella, and I knew that what ever kept others from reading her mind, would be her special gift and thankfully it was. At the very least I knew that this would keep her from being an out of control newborn, allowing her the contact of those she loves, Jacob, her father and of course Nessie, but it pretty much saves the day. I never believed Alice's defection for a moment, although I did believe that if she couldn't find what ever she was searching for she would not return, and eventually look for Jacob & Nessie. That whole scenario about broke my heart, I can not imagine making arrangements for my only child and best friend to escape, believing my death a certainty. I barely got through those parts with dry eyes, in fact when Bella finally tells Nessie to go to Jacob and Edward realizes this was her secret, I had to put the book down. Even believing that it would all be ok in the end, this still broke my heart.
All in all it was both my favorite and least favorite book, yes some of the plotlines were wrapped up maybe too neatly, but isn't that the way romance novels generally go? We want the HEA, but often are less than satisfied when we get it? Stephanie Meyers did an excellent job leaving no character undone, even Charlie got someone to care for him. I had to LOL at his "need to know" attitude, but it made me happy that he will get to enjoy his granddaughter.
So, thoughts, discussion? I'm dying to hear.