Midnight Sun

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun was a difficult book for me to read. The beginning is filled with Edward second-guessing himself and overanalyzing situations. While I know being over cautious is necessary for him when he first meets Bella, it still felt like filler. I almost gave up, until it was suggested I switch over to the audiobook. Jake Abel was the perfect narrator for Midnight Sun, and his take on Edward brought me back into the fold.

Once Edward and Bella began to know one another, the plot picked up the pace. The story was less about Edward overanalyzing and more about relationship development and building up the characters. It's been a while since I read Twilight, but I remember wanting to see more involvement from Edward's family. Midnight Sun provided all I needed to know about the rest of the Forks coven. Readers will experience an in depth look at their powers and motivations as Stephenie Meyer reveals their family dynamics and relationships.

Readers will also have the opportunity to learn more about Edward's past. I enjoyed learning about Edward and his faults through his history versus the constant back and forth inside his mind. Granted, in any new relationship, there is a sense of doubt that clouds judgment, but it was taken to an extreme with Edward. Yes, I know he is a vampire and things can turn on a dime, but it could have scaled back and still provided the sense of danger that was required.

Even though this was a struggle, I still recommend Midnight Sun to fans of Twilight. I'm one of those people who loves to see all angles of a situation to better understand it, and Midnight Sun gave me this opportunity.

I am now and have always been Twilight Trash. Unapologetically so. With that being said I thought I would devour this book. I shocked myself by taking my time with it and just enjoying being back in Forks.

In terms of plot, you aren't going to get anything new. If you're expecting that then you aren't paying attention. What you do get is to see Bella through Edward's eyes. His infatuated, stalkery eyes. With that being said he can crawl through my window whenever he wants (Alexa, play Come To My Window by Melissa Etheridge). He doesn't see her the way she sees herself, of course, so it's almost like you're getting a whole new Bella. You also get a lot more of the Cullens, which was absolutely missing from the original series. That would have made the books even better because I was interested in them all and their backstories.

Edward was always intense in the OG Twilight but from his POV he is INTENSE. Make no mistake I am #TeamEdward now and forever but sometimes I just wanted to tell him “You don't need air but breathe, baby. BREATHE.” I'm sure living for eternity with your whole family of couples while being able to hear their every thought would get to us all, so no judgement here. I would probably also fall in love with someone whose thoughts I couldn't hear because OMG WHAT A HORRIBLE POWER. EVERYONE SHUT UP TWICE.

This book is absolutely for die hard fans. And maybe the wait for a book that was never going to come out made it better but I'm happy with it. But I still hate that cover. Ew.

Edward is the worst.

Somehow this book made him both more sympathetic and more insufferable! I didn't know it was possible to make him more insufferable but I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes about halfway through the first chapter. And the fact that he was already planning on leaving Bella well before the events of New Moon? THE WORST.

Also. There was actually too much vampire baseball, and wayyyyy too much car talk during the race to the ballet studio. Did not care about any of that!

One of these stars is for Jake Abel and Jake Abel alone, because his narration of the audiobook is honestly what kept me going through some of the more infuriating moments of Edward being the worst! Good job, Jake Abel!

Oof. I liked this like I like the rest of the saga, which is begrudgingly and with a healthy dose of eye-rolling.