~Spoiler ALERT~

Isabella Swan decides to move from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington to live with her father Charlie, in order to allow her mother to travel with her new husband, Phil Dwyer, a “strictly minor league” baseball player. Even though she never had many friends in Phoenix, Bella quickly discovers she is the new subject of curiosity and envy at her new school in Forks, where she is quickly befriended by several students. Much to her embarrassment, she discovers that several boys are vying for her attention.Bella finds Forks a bit repetitive and lacking in joy. She never liked the ever-raining city as a child, and even referred to it in Twilight as her “own personal hell on earth”. However, the one exception to her boring life in Forks is Edward Cullen, the gorgeous, mysterious boy she sits next to in her biology class. Through careful observation, Bella realizes that Edward is more than he seems to be, but despite having many theories she cannot bring herself to believe that there is a supernatural explanation for Edward’s behavior.From the first day she saw him, Bella believed Edward disliked her as he acted with mysterious tension and even danger when she first sat next to him. However, his attitude towards her soon begins to change. He displays supernatural abilities in saving Bella from being hit by an out-of-control van about to crush her in the student parking lot of the high school. After seeing a dent in the van in the shape of Edward’s hand, she realizes the vehicle hit him and that he seemed to be holding it away from her. Bella confronts him afterwards with the strangeness of the situation, but he refuses to talk to her about it. As time passes, Bella and Edward are repeatedly drawn to one other, even though Edward is trying to keep away because, he thinks he is dangerous to her.

Bella eventually learns from her friend Jacob Black of the Quileute (pronounced Quil-yoot) tribe and her own observations that Edward and his family are reformed vampires who substitute animal blood for human blood in their diet.Despite the obstacles presented by the vampiric nature of the Cullen family, Edward and Bella fall deeply in love. Their foremost problem is Bella’s alluring scent, which “sings” to Edward and makes it difficult for him to restrain himself from drinking her blood. However, despite this and Bella’s strange knack for constantly landing herself in dangerous situations, they manage to stay together safely for a time.The seemingly blissful state of affairs is thrown into chaos when another vampire coven sweeps into Forks and James, a tracker, sets his sights on Bella. Thrilled as much by the idea of outwitting a clan of vampires as by Bella’s scent, James begins an interstate game of cat and mouse. Under the assumption that James has kidnapped her mother, Bella is lured to her former dance studio, where James attacks her. Edward, along with the rest of the Cullen family, rescues Bella before James kills her. In the chaos James bites Bella, which complicates matters further; the venom injected into a victim of a vampire attack starts the process of turning the victim into a vampire. Edward takes up the task of sucking the venom out of Bella, thus saving her from the transformation while also restraining his urge to drain her.The book ends with the two going to Bella’s prom. Beneath the surface, tension remains as Bella wishes for Edward to turn her into a vampire while Edward refuses to do so. The reason for Edward’s adamant decision not to turn Bella into a vampire is not revealed.

Publishers Weekly
‘In our Best Books citation, PW called this tale of a teen attracted to a vampire, a “riveting first novel, equal parts suspense and romance.” Ages 12-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.’

Michele Winship - KLIATT
“In a style reminiscent of Anne Rice, Meyer brings the macabre to a small Washington town in a novel combining mystery, romance, fantasy, and sensuality. Isabella Swan has moved to her father’s house in tiny Forks, Washington, a twilight town where perpetual rain and mist stand in stark contrast to her mother’s home in Phoenix. Isabella is the new girl who discovers that small town life is pretty slow-paced, and small town people are pretty friendly. She settles in quickly, and finds the most intriguing thing about her new school to be the Cullen family, a group of four amazingly beautiful young people who keep to themselves in school. Edward Cullen is Isabella’s lab partner, and he avoids interacting with her or even looking at her. However, when an accident almost ends her life, Isabella finds out the truth about Edward and his family, a group of benevolent vampires who have chosen the misty city so that they can blend in and live among humans without discovery. Isabella and Edward begin a courtship dance in which they are drawn closer and closer, knowing the danger of their being together. Isabella soon discovers that not all vampires are kind, and the book shifts into suspense mode with Isabella running for her life. Meyer’s description of the lovers’ emotions is palpable, and readers will be drawn into the couple’s spiraling dance, feeling the intense longing that comes from being a hair’s breadth away from the thing you want most in the world. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Little, Brown, 288p., Ages 12 to 18.”

KLIATT
“To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 2005: In a style reminiscent of Anne Rice, Meyer brings the macabre to a small Washington town in a novel combining mystery, romance, fantasy, and sensuality. Isabella Swan has moved to her father’s house in tiny Forks, Washington, a twilight town where perpetual rain and mist stand in stark contrast to her mother’s home in Phoenix. Isabella is the new girl who discovers that small town life is pretty slow-paced, and small town people are pretty friendly. She settles in quickly, and finds the most intriguing thing about her new school to be the Cullen family, a group of four amazingly beautiful young people who keep to themselves in school. Edward Cullen is Isabella’s lab partner, and he avoids interacting with her or even looking at her. However, when an accident almost ends her life, Isabella finds out the truth about Edward and his family, a group of benevolent vampires who have chosen the misty city so that they can blend in and live among humans without discovery. Isabella and Edward begin a courtship dance in which they are drawn closer and closer, knowing the danger of their being together. Isabella soon discovers that not all vampires are kind, and the book shifts into suspense mode with Isabella running for her life. Meyer’s description of the lovers’ emotions is palpable, and readers will be drawn into the couple’s spiraling dance, feeling the intense longing that comes from being a hair’s breadth away from the thing you want most in the world. (An ALA Best Book for YAs.)”

School Library Journal
“Gr 9 Up-When Bella Swan moves from sunny Phoenix to Forks, Washington, a damp and dreary town known for the most rainfall in the United States, to live with her dad, she isn’t expecting to like it. But the level of hostility displayed by her standoffish high school biology lab partner, Edward Cullen, surprises her. After several strange interactions, his preternatural beauty, strength, and speed have her intrigued. Edward is just as fascinated with Bella, and their attraction to one another grows. As Bella discovers more about Edward’s nature and his family, she is thrown headlong into a dangerous adventure that has her making a desperate sacrifice to save her one true love. One of the more original vampire constructs around, this recording of Stephenie Meyer’s debut novel (Megan Tingley Books, 2005) is narrated with great style by Ilyana Kadushin, who makes the infinitely romantic tale of star-crossed lovers resonate with a bittersweet edge. Although Edward and Bella’s romance and subsequent danger develops slowly, the pacing is appropriate for teens who want learn all the details in this suspenseful tale. An excellent purchase for both school and public libraries.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.”

Kirkus Reviews
“Sun-loving Bella meets her demon lover in a vampire tale strongly reminiscent of Robin McKinley’s Sunshine. When Bella moves to rainy Forks, Wash., to live with her father, she just wants to fit in without drawing any attention. Unfortunately, she’s drawn the eye of aloof, gorgeous and wealthy classmate Edward. His behavior toward Bella wavers wildly between apparent distaste and seductive flirtation. Bella learns Edward’s appalling (and appealing) secret: He and his family are vampires. Though Edward nobly warns Bella away, she ignores the human boys who court her and chooses her vampiric suitor. An all-vampire baseball game in a late-night thunderstorm-an amusing gothic take on American family togetherness that balances some of the tale’s romantic excesses-draws Bella and her loved ones into terrible danger. This is far from perfect: Edward’s portrayal as monstrous tragic hero is overly Byronic, and Bella’s appeal is based on magic rather than character. Nonetheless, the portrayal of dangerous lovers hits the spot; fans of dark romance will find it hard to resist. (Fantasy. YA)”

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Stephenie Meyers Soundtrack:

1. “Why Does it Always Rain on Me?” — Travis
2. “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” [video edit] — My Chemical Romance
3. “Creep” [radio edit] — Radiohead
4. “In My Place” — Coldplay
5. “By Myself” — Linkin Park
6. “Dreaming” — OMD
7. “Please Forgive Me” — David Gray
8. “Here With Me” — Dido
9. “With You” [reanimation remix] — Linkin Park
10. “Time is Running Out” — Muse
11. “Dreams” — The Cranberries
12. “Tremble for My Beloved” — Collective Soul
13. “Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)” — Billy Joel