Welcome, book friends!
To listen to my real-time reaction to this series, you can check out the full episodes on The Bookmarks ‘n Blankets Podcast on your favorite podcast platform or listen below.
I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books if you’ve read them. I invite you to hop over to X (aka Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram where you can leave me a comment.
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UPDATE: I will be finishing this series in 2025.
I’ve decided to read the entire Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Although I’ve never read the books, I’ve watched all the movies and own them, so I don’t expect too many surprises. Still, I’m eager to FINALLY experience the series firsthand and see what all the hype is about.
I thought it would be fun to share my reactions in real-time as I read through the five main Twilight Saga books. For now, I’m skipping the companion and novella books. My inspiration came from several BookTubers I follow on YouTube, who create reading vlogs and share their thoughts as they go through a book. I figured I could do something similar on my podcast, sharing my thoughts and opinions through audio.
Here’s the plan: I’ll read the first 25-30% of the book and then share my initial thoughts in real-time. I’ll check in again around the 50-60% mark to give another update, and then give my final thoughts once I’m done with the book. Just a heads-up—these reviews contain spoilers. Since most people have already read the books and seen the movies, I’ll be openly discussing all aspects of the series.
I’m excited to share my reading journey with this beloved and popular YA fantasy series. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoy recording! Enjoy!
My Reaction to The Twilight Saga
Book 1: Twilight
GR Rating: 3.66
My GR Rating: 4
Format: Digital ebook
Spice: Rated G – None, Closed-Door
Read more on GoodReads
GR Description: When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town.
But in spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella.
Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost physically ill. He seems determined to push her away – until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car.
Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward’s coldness. He, and his family, are vampires – and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close.
My Review:
Overall, this teen fantasy novel is packed with drama, teen angst, quirky dialogue, and plenty of swoon-worthy moments. Reading it for the first time as a woman in her mid-forties, it definitely felt like a teenage romance with a supernatural twist. It was often over-the-top, had its fair share of eye-rolling moments, and the insta-love was strong throughout…BUT, I still really enjoyed it!
I channeled my 17-year-old self while reading this story to really understand the hype, and I get it. I completely see why this series is still so popular, even two decades later. It’s captivating, hard to put down, and kept me thinking about the characters long after I stopped reading.
To listen to all my thoughts and opinions while reading this book, check out my real-time reaction episode below.
Book 2: New Moon
GR Rating: 3.61
My GR Rating: 3
Format: Digital ebook
Spice: Rated G – None, Closed-Door
Read more on GoodReads
GR Description: For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella could ever have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning.Bella and Edward face a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy’s reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi.Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality
My Review:
Another installment of teen angst and dramatic paranormal romance—this one leaned heavily into the love triangle trope and unfortunately didn’t deliver much beyond that. While there were moments I enjoyed, overall the book felt lackluster, tedious, and far too drawn out for how little actually happened. It seriously needed more action to keep things interesting; instead, it dragged along until about the 75% mark, when something finally sparked a little excitement. This could’ve been cut by 200 pages.
Bella remains insufferable. Jacob, on the other hand, has become my favorite character. He’s too kind for his own good and absolutely didn’t deserve the way Bella treated him. Edward? Barely present. It honestly felt like a rehash of book one—except instead of James hunting Bella, now it’s his vengeful girlfriend, Victoria. Not exactly a thrilling plot twist.
However, I did really enjoy the chemistry between Jacob and Bella. Their friendship, the way he helped her heal and protected her, had so much more emotional weight than anything with Edward. If I’d read this back in the day, I definitely would have been Team Jacob. He got the short end of the stick, and it was frustrating to watch.
Pacing was a real struggle. The book was unnecessarily long and bogged down with repetitive internal monologues and chunky paragraphs I found myself skimming. I get that this is YA and aimed at teens—but I also love good YA fantasy that anyone of any age can read and enjoy. This felt overly dramatic, often absurd, and full of cheesy dialogue and eye-roll-worthy moments.
That said… is it addicting? Yep. Despite my many frustrations, I’ll continue with the series—though with some hesitation. This is my first time reading it, and I still don’t fully understand the hype. Here’s hoping the next one picks up the pace and gives Jacob the justice he deserves.
To listen to all my thoughts and opinions while reading this book, check out my real-time reaction episode below.
As mentioned in the second episode, below are the 20th anniversary special editions coming in September 2025.
