Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

I think, for now, that I'll just stick with the same review I gave on my Goodreads account because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone...

Honestly, I'm still thinking about how to rate this book. I did enjoy Breaking Dawn, and I'm happy (enough) with how things ended -- there is an especially tender scene at the very end that I adored -- but the tone of the book is completely different than the others. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it like I did Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse, either. I had such great hopes for Breaking Dawn, but ended up being a bit disappointed.

I need someone to finish this book soon so that I can discuss it with you!! I'm going crazy not being able to say anything about it!

Oh, I can't help myself!! If you haven't read the book yet, stop reading this review NOW because I'm going to reveal some SPOILERS!!

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT!

• From the very first page Breaking Dawn was different, and had a different tone to it. Having separate "books" -- one even from Jacob's point of view -- was unlike any of the other books.
• Bella and Edward's wedding was beautiful! I got teary-eyed as I read the wedding scene. It was a fairy tale wedding, for sure, and I'm so glad that Bella and Edward ended up together.
• Stephenie Meyer handled the sex scenes very tastefully, for which I was grateful. Honestly, though, I knew she would.
• Bella getting pregnant was a shocker! I admit that I thought it would be great if she could have Edward's baby, but having read things Stephenie has said about vampires not being able to have babies, I figured there was no way she'd ever be able to have Edward's child. Guess I was wrong!
• A lot of the time, Edward didn't act like the Edward I know and love. That bothered me. In fact, Bella didn't really act like herself either. They weren't the Bella and Edward that everyone got to know in the first three books. Bella seemed much older and much more mature than her 18 years.
• The scene where Bella gives birth is pretty exciting. Will she die? Will Edward have to turn her into a vampire to save her?
• Renesmee is the most awful name for a child I've ever come across! I understand that Bella wanted to honor Renee and Esme with the name, but it's just plain awful. (And "Edward Jacob" had the baby been a boy -- I think the middle name would have been a bit cruel to Edward. When she was pregnant, she depended on Jacob way too much and I hated that she lit up so much whenever he was around. Sure, sure, I get that he's her best friend, but their relationship was a bit too friendly. Edward was going crazy with worry over Bella -- would the baby kill her? -- and Bella is fantasizing about a little boy named Edward Jacob. Cruel, just cruel.)
• Jacob imprinting on Renesmee was crazy! Yes, I wanted Jacob to imprint on someone so that he could get over Bella, but I was not at all expecting him to imprint on Bella and Edward's child!! I'm not disgusted by it, just surprised.
• I'm so glad that Bella was able to still be around Charlie. It would have been so sad had she not been able to see him anymore. She took to being a "newborn" quite well!
• The 'big fight' against the Volturi at the end was totally anti-climatic. I was a bit disappointed on one hand, but happy that no one was hurt. That everyone got their 'happily ever after' was also unexpected, but I'm okay with it. I just wish something more had happened.
• The scene at the very end of the book, when Bella opens her mind and enables Edward to read her thoughts for the very first time, was one of my favorites! I love when Bella said "Now you know. No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you." So sweet!

END OF SPOILERS!

END OF SPOILERS!

So, while Breaking Dawn definitely wasn't my favorite -- that honor still belongs to Twilight -- it was still good, if disappointing. I looked on Amazon, and people either really LOVE this book or really HATE it!! 208 people have given it a 5-star rating, and 206 have given it one star! Me, I liked it, but didn't love it. And who knows? Maybe I'll like it more the next time I read it.

3.5/5