"Twilight" series - Don't waste your time

Warning, spoilers ahead!

So this past week I was helping out at preschool like I do every Tuesday and the teacher said something about the "Twilight" series and I said that I hadn't read it yet and I found myself going home with all 4 books.

I had been sent off with a parent telling me it would help my marriage and another telling me how I wouldn't be able to put it down.

I was confused and skeptical after all this.

These ladies had been gushing as they talked about the series. They had been telling me about how they would have to edit the 3rd book before they could let their VERY young teenagers read the book.

I later had a conversation with my husband about the whole thing. He said that the guys at work all said the series had made their wives horny (excuse my language). Apparently this was the marriage help that everyone was talking about?

So I began reading later that day. After dinner. I had been told to put something for dinner in the crockpot because I seriously shouldn't start the series without doing at least that. I wouldn't be able to PUT IT DOWN!

I read most of the first book that night. I stayed up until 1am. Not because I couldn't put it down necessarily. I think more because I felt like it was expected of me. That and I was in front of a nice fire in our woodstove and was SO comfortable.

I finished the book the next morning. After reading it I was let down. First of all I would never let a teenager read these books. Especially a girl.

The main characters, Bella and Edward 's relationship really bugged me. Bella was so extremely obsessed with Edward that it bothered me. Seriously, why would you want your teenage girl to think that this was normal?

I also didn't like how Edward spent a few nights sleeping with Bella. Yes, he was in full control of himself, and they hadn't even kissed. But what message is this sending? That its ok to lie to your parents? Its ok to let someone sneak into your bedroom at night and sleep with you? Ugh.

I finished the 2nd book the next day. I won't lie, it was well written. I just wasn't getting what people had let me to expect.

After this one, here is what I was left thinking. And I think this is where I was just over the books.

Girls already get hit with the 'someday your prince will come' stuff from a young age. Why would you then subject them to these books where you learn that after your prince comes he will then leave you and send you into a horrible life altering depression. I wouldn't want a girl to think that was necessary. Or even an option.

Oh and here's the best part. After he leaves and she tries to kill herself with extreme sports, he falsely learns that she had died and begins to take measures to kill himself. The only reason he doesn't is that she is able to find him and make him aware that she is still alive.

UGH

So as I started the 3rd book I realized that I was over the series and at this point was just skimming in order to finish the books so that I could get on with all my Christmas crafts and other things I wanted to do.

I would find myself seriously skimming and not paying attention. At that point I would put down the book and come back to it when I was in the mood to read some more.
Not nearly the 'can't put it down' that I was promised.

And may I say that my very moral father would have called these books from the beginning 'porn', or as that one lady would say in "The Music Man', smutty books!

The 3rd book has an uncomfortable to read bedroom scene in it. Oh and the whole 3rd book Bella is trying to sleep with Edward. The first of the 4th book they finally get married. The honeymoon isn't a play by play, but has enough info in it to make it feel wrong to read it.

I FINALLY finished the last book.

Here is what I got from the book. The inability to sleep without the hall light on for a few days due to all the vampire action.

Needless to say, I won't be seeing the movie and will not be recommending the books.

I will also say that the very staid church ladies who recommended the series to me have me looking at them differently.

I can't believe they didn't chuck the series out the window at the end of the 2nd book.

Those who are allowing their 14 year old girls to read this stuff and encouraging their young teenage boys to read it have me shaking my head.

In summary, don't waste your time on the 'Twilight" series.

Check out my younger sister's blog

http://laurainreallife.blogspot.com/