No. of pages: 434
Rating: 10/10
Series: Twilight Saga (Book 1)
Synopsis: 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.
Review: This was my fifth read through this book, so as is probably obvious, I adore this series. Yes, it's a little cheesy and the writing could have been better in parts, but it's fun and something easy to get in to. Bella moves to Forks to be with her dad after her mum remarries, and finds it hard to settle in a places she hates. But then she meets the mysterious Cullen family and life becomes more interesting for her, although she can't understand why Edward seems to hate her so much. When she discovers his secret, it all falls into place, and they start a relationship, even though some of his family object. But when Bella's life is threatened, Edward can't help but think he should have listened to his family, if only to ensure her safety...
The storyline is fun to read, although realistically a little creepy in places, such as stalker Edward watching Bella sleep, only in a book could that be perceived as romantic! I think the characters are great, and very lovable, especially most of the Cullen family. The romance between Bella and Edward is cute, although can get a little cheesy at times, but I guess that's all part of the fun. The action at the end makes the book more interesting, showing that it's not all roses in Bella and Edward's life. A fun book, enjoyable if you don't treat it as a potential classic, because that it'll never be.
