Day 1 The Challenge

Twilight. The fictional phenomenon sensation that is sweeping the nation, the world, heck the whole universe. (Note of caution, I tend to exaggerate!) Most of my friends have read it and love it. Women (and some men, you go boys!) of all shapes, sizes, and walks of life are now reading it at a feverish and obsessive rate. Many people, shall I say especially of the male persuasion, are sitting back and scratching their heads. I'll admit when I first heard about the books I was sceptical. I remember telling my book pushing friend,

"You want me to read about vampires? No, not just that, teenage vampires?!?!?! Who do you think I am?!?!?!" I think I then did something totally mature like sticking my finger down my throat and retching dramatically. Yeah, I'm cool like that. Now here I sit blogging about said teenage vampires. No, not just blogging, but issuing a challenge to all my Twilight crazed, vampire obsessed (OK that's still not me, but it maybe you), members of the I-Read-Twilight-and-I'm-Awesome Club. That's right awesome!

Starting on Monday, September 21st, I'm going to read a chapter a day of Twilight and blog about why I think it's the bomb, maybe compare it to the movie a little, and I want to hear your opinions too! But hey, if anything I'll be reading a great book and talking to myself. Now who doesn't do that, right? ;)

Day 2

OK, so I've meet a few people who have tried to read Twilight and they said they couldn't get past the first couple chapters. The first chapter to me is really the set up. You meet Bella, the fam., and the majority if the main characters. FYI, most books do this!!!! Just so ya know.

Meet the Fam.

I love that there are several families represented in the book. Although the story is written through Bella's view point I never get the feeling that she is alone. She worries about and talks about (and to) her parents often. I think that rocks. Her family isn't cookie cutter either. We've got.....

Renee- Bella's Mom is interesting. She's had Bella after marring very young in Vegas. She's described as eratic and hair brained. The mother/daugthter relationship is very role reversal. Bella is often the one taking care of Renee. What do you think of the actress in the movie? I think they could have looked more alike?

Charlie- Chief Swan and the dad. So, I origianlly pictured Charlie to be a little more bald and a little more uhhhh.... porky? (you know....... to many doughnuts.)That beening said, I LOVE Billy Burke. The mustache gives him the "excuse me officer" kinda look and I love his acting! Anyways, I think although Bella looks like Renee her personality is like Charlie's. He's somewhat shy and reserved. I don't think he really knows quite what to say to Bella, but you can tell he's so very happy she's coming to live with him. Sweet.

Bella- Love that Charlie has a nick name for her! Bells, so cute. I love Bella because she is relatable. She's a self proclaimed klutz (woo hoo, join the club) and isn't the most confident person. I like Kristen Steward as Bella. She fits the description pretty well. What do you think?

Fork in the road

Talk about a change of scenery! The first major event is Bella moving from living with crazy mom in Arizona to Forks, Washington and Charlie. The description of Forks is way cool! Green, green everywhere. Maybe because I'm here in Texas in some kinda never ending drought, but Forks sounds cool to me. If you've been there please describe the experience so I can live vicariously through you, please?

I wish I could really relate to Bella's first day of school better. I lived in the same school district K through 12 so I can't say much about being the new kid on the block. My mom threatened to move to a small town like Forks once and I almost cried at the thought! I'm with Bella, a school with only 358 students?! That's just crazy! I love that Bella thinks she's so plain, yet on the first day of school the boys are following her like little puppies. Here's the humans. First up to bat, we meet

Eric- I love, love, LOVE how Justin Chon takes the character up a few levels in the movie. At first I was like, "That's just not right," when I saw him, but he totally cracks me up! In the book he's a runty kid with acne and slicked back hair. Nice.

Jessica- Isn't she sweet? I like the movie Jessica, but I was really looking forward to the big curly hair! Oh well. Jessica's a gossiping, jealous little snip. It's hilarious how she talks about the Cullens, "Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him. *sniff* " Ahahaha! Awesome.

Angela - Sweet and shy. She's another one that I pictured differently in my head but really liked in the movie. There was no Ben though. Sorry Angela. Join a convent.

Mike- So, I didn't like Michael Welch at first either, but when I re-read the books I could totally see it. He is your typical puppy dog kinda guy. He just follows Bella around with his tail wagging. Poor guy! Maybe you think guys like that are sweet. Hmmmm.. I'd have to say..ANNOYING! Stand up and be a man Mikey!

Cue the vampires!!!

In the books Bella looks across the cafeteria and BAM there they are! I like the entrance on the movie. It's rather cool. This is just the first glance so we don't learn a whole lot in the book yet.

Alice- I love this character. Beautiful, graceful, awesome clothes, who doesn't want to be Alice? Ashley Green is great, but who picked out the hippy trippy clothes?

Rosalie- Well.... she's gorgeous 'nough said, for now. Nikki Reed I think was a surprising choice for everyone. She's kinda growing on me though.

Emmet- He's the big brother, body builder type. Very nice. Kellan Lutz is a perfect Emmet, and I think I like his hair better dark.

Jasper- Raise you hand if you think Jasper's hair on the movie looks like messed up dreadlocks! Someone told me they thought Jackson Rathbone would have made a better Edward. What the???? The book doesn't say much about him yet aside from the honey blonde hair. Love the southern accent in the movie. Make Jasper talk more!

Edward- What?!?! Cedric Diggory is playing Edward? That was my reaction anyway, but reading the book description, it's a near perfect fit! Bronze hair, tall, thin yet muscular it totally works.

Day 3

Yay! Love the comments! I'll be mentioning them some as I go. This next chapter is Open Book. I would divide it into two sections, With Edward and Without.

Without :(

Haven't we all done this? You meet someone and you want to know more about them or for some reason you just can't wait to see them again and then.......... no show. Agonizing! This chapter starts out slow for that reason. I think Stephenie Meyer knew what she was doing when she wrote this. The first part is almost monotonous as Bella goes back to school for a whole week and Edward's not there. I almost felt disinterested in a way waiting for something to happen, but I like the change the waiting made when he does finally reappear! More on that later though. I do think you learn some more about Bella as a person here.

1. Her relationship with Charlie - Bella hasn't lived with her dad except as an infant, so now they are building a different level to their relationship. I like the interaction between them. I can almost feel the uncomfortableness of the new situation.
2. Her relationship with her mom - Did anyone else feel like Renee was some kind of flake at the end of chapter one. I like how the e-mails show the concern and love she does feel for Bella. It adds more depth to a relationship I perceived as almost shallow at first.
3. Bella is a teenager- Vee is right. These books are full of teenage angst that, for an adult especially, make you want to roll your eyes at times. I think we have to remember though that she is a teenager. If she acted perfectly mature all the time it would be totally unbelievable.
4. She is a very responsible - I also agree with hiborbigo1 in that in the move they fail to show this about Bella's character and I think it is a BIG part of her. I like that she takes over the shopping and cooking for Charlie. I don't think I was that responsible as a teenager. I would have had a lot more attitude in the same situation. I mean sharing tiny bathroom? That would have meant teenage tantrum time for me!

WITH :)

I love the day he comes back. The description of the snow and the reaction of all those crazy kids. I remember the ONE time it snowed at while I was at school. I was in study hall after Volleyball practice and we all went running out the doors to roll around in it before the teachers figured out what was going on. Fun times.

Anyhow.... Edward comes back. I think the Biology scene was one of the most anticipated scenes when they announced they were making the movie. I love their interaction in the book. Edward is so absorbed in all she has to say, we don't find out quite yet why. They did a good job in the movie. I guess my only complaint would be that sometimes Rob spoke really jilted when he spoke to her at first. I always imagined him to be very smooth. It would have been fine with me if they had changed the story line just a teeny tiny bit and made Edward from England. Then Rob could keep the accent! :) Did you like the Golden Onion add in in the movie? I thought that was funny! This chapter is a turning point in the book and the part when I really started to get involved the first time I read it. Cool beans! What's your fav. part here?

Day 4

First thing that I LOVE about this chapter is Charlie and his snow chains! Such a thoughtful Daddy! Why is this not in the movie? Isn't it raining and she's just listening to music? I need to re-watch that. (Maybe tonight?:) ) I do think that in the movie Bella also comes across as having less emotion toward and about her parents than is written in the book. Unfortunate. She is a very caring and loving person in the books. We lose some of that in the movie.

Story time. One time I was driving over an icy overpass, my tires locked up, and I for a few seconds I lost total control of the car. I was also pregnant with my first child; it was a really scary feeling!!! I can't imagine a huge van just coming for me. The book is so descriptive of what happens here. Again, I think we lose some in the movie. I do like what they did do though. It was a pretty cool stunt. I love the look Edward gives Bella before jumping over the truck and walking away.

In the book he stays with her throughout all the chaos. I think it's hilarious how he keeps laughing at her under his breath. Cute. In the hospital we meet Dr. Cullen for the first time. I just love his character. When they announced who would be playing him I was some what disappointed at first, but I really liked his acting and how they made him look. I was very much appeased! :) Check out http://hubpages.com/hub/My-Top-Ten-Twilight-Characters-From-the-pages-to-the-screen for more on my opinions of the actors in the movie. I do have to say my favorite part about this scene in the movie is Charlie. When he yanks that curtain over Tyler's face.....LOL... .awesome. Again, I prefer the interaction between Edward in Bella in the book though. There is such a mixture of feelings as they interact at this stage in their relationship. I love the conversation before they leave the hospital and how, just for a fraction of a second, you can see how vulnerable Edward is feeling as he wants to get to know Bella more. Love it! And the plot thickens!!!!!!!!

The name of the chapter says it all. Invitations. How awesome (I don't care how shy you are/ were) would it be to be asked out this many times in one day as a teenage girl? Maybe you did. Maybe you do. I think I would have passed out! (Yep, didn't happen.) I love each and every boy encounter Bella has in this chapter and I'd like to celebrate them all for her, because she sure wasn't. Love her attitude problem here! LOL!

Mike "I was wondering if....well, if you might be planning to ask me?"

Obviously not Mikey boy. Poor kid! I do like the fact that Bella does feel bad when she shoots her victims down. Poor Jessica, she had to wait all day while the guy she asked, asked another girl if she would please ask him. Nice. This is great that Edward is totally ease dropping in the back ground wondering what Bella is going to say and frustrated that he doesn't know! Although this part is different in the movie, I do like it when Mike finally asks her to the prom in the film. She's totally not listening so he has to repeat himself. Man he delivers those lines perfectly. I could just pause the movie and draw little puppy dog ears on his face.

Eric "Uh, I was just wondering... if you would go to the Spring dance with me?" His voice broke on the last word.

His voice broke! Classic! This is great, it's a girl's choice (in the book) and she's still getting asked again. I wish they had made a point to include this in the movie. Then there's Edward again, walking by and over hearing everything and LAUGHING. It's so funny. His next move is the best though. He pulls out his car and blocks her truck so that bachelor # 3 can have his turn.

Tyler " I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here." He grinned. This could not be happening. "Will you ask me to the spring dance?"

Oh.... the cockiness of it all. Will you ask me..?! Such class in one so young. This one has to be my favorite, so sooo sad that this wasn't in the movie. Then the whole, "We still have prom." Priceless. The best part again is Edward laughing his head off in the shiny Volvo. LOL! Man I just love this chapter. Did I say that already?

Edward (He issued an invite too!) " I was wondering if, a week from Saturday--- you know, the day of the dance ---" (Bella) " Are you trying to be funny?"

No, but he was succeeding! Throughout the whole chapter there is this back and forth dialogue between Edward and Bella. Does he feel guilty for saving her? He wants her to stay away from him, but he obviously can't stay away from her. Not to mention she has started to dream about him every night. That's gotta be a bit agitating! Then FINALLY he gives in and asks her to drive with him to Seattle. Yay! A happy ending to a great chapter!

You know...... I like the movie, I really do. When I re-read these chapters though (as hiboro and I were commenting about in the last chapter comments) I can't help but get a little miffed. Blood Type is such a cool follow up to Invitations. It just keeps getting better doesn't it? Where was this in the movie though?!?! Well, I fumbled the ball a little yesterday. Edward actually asks her to drive to Seattle the day after our other eligible bachelors ask her to the Spring Fling, the morning of this day, blood typing day. Let's make it a holiday and take a tour of the day shall we?

English - Mike just keeps getting the short end of the stick huh? It's hard not to feel sorry for him. (Unless you've read Midnight Sun of course. Another time, another time....) I'm sure Bella enjoyed a break from the constant sound of puppy panting as Mike and Eric kept their distance in class for once. (Again with the dog analogies!!!! Just go with it.)

Cafeteria - Oh whhhhhhy was this scene not longer in the movie!? The wink guys! I love a good wink! Then combine it with the look on Jessica's face ohhh man, good stuff. Finally we have Edward giving up. That's right, throw in the towel Edward and lets get on with this book. We learn that Bella's not smart and has anger management issues, and Edward is not Superman or Spider Man. The palaver here is lovely isn't it. Palaver. Vocab. word of the day class.

Biology - Thank you Mr. Banner for your wonderful lesson plan. Happy Blood Typing Day y'all! Obviously not Bella's favorite holiday. Mike bounds to her rescue though and then the stand off begins. Who will be victorious Little Mikey or Edward. No contest right?

Across Campus - Mike to his amazement and wonder gets to wrap his arm around Bella's waist and escort her to the nurse's office. Yep, he was excited! I'm surprised he didn't wet himself. I love when Edward walks up and steals his thunder. It's just not his lucky day. Here is another prime example of Edward's super strength as he scoops up Bella and carries her off to Nurse Whoever. Does it mention her name?

Nurses Office - Nope, the poor woman doesn't get a name. Here we learn that Bella can SMELL BLOOD. OK that's a little off. Can any of you smell blood? Man, I'm glad I can't. No wonder she's about to hurl. Enter Mike....... again the loser in this one man race as he now gets to drag a DUDE across campus wishing all the time it was Bella. Those are the breaks. He just keeps trying though. I love the look he gives Edward when he talks about going to the beach. The you-are-sooo-not-invited-look. Such a gentleman.

Car - Sometimes you just have to make people let you help them. They're JUST like that. Stubborn. Some people think Edward is pushing Bella around here. I think he's more like "I'm going to bring you home safely whether you like it or not. Now, LET ME BE A NICE GUY OK!" That's just my opinion though. I love how they both talk about the love of their fams. here. Bella and her mom, Edward and his parents, it's just super cool. I also love how defensive she is when he tells her to be careful. LOL! So does he! What are your fav. parts of this chapter?

I hate to start with a negative, but let's jump to the movie real fast. What was happening the day this scene was being filmed? I imagine it to be something like this:

Catherine Hardwicke - Alright everyone looks great! Let's roll. Wait, Taylor you are looking stunning, but isn't Jacob supposed to have long hair?

Assistant - Hey! They just opened a rockin' new Halloween store down the street. Did you see it?!?! It has a cool blow up pumpkin on the roof! I'll run and get him a wig! I'm in need of some cheap party supplies anyway.

Catherine - Wait, aren't they, like, $30 there?! We're trying to keep this film low budget! Try the Dollar Store. It's in the same shopping center. Oh and grab me a garden burger while you're out.

Sorry Catherine, I loved the movie but you kinda set yourself up for that one.

Sooooo, back to the book! When I first read this chapter I was impatient and wanted to get back to the Bella/Edward thing, but now I can really appreciate the beauty in it. I love the description of the beach. The little islands with the cliffs, the rocks, the drift wood, I can imagine it all and it makes me want to see it for myself. I've been to San Diego once and it was beautiful. I'd love to be able to go all over the West coast! Have you ever seen a drift wood fire or seen a tidal pool? Was it as awesome as it sounds?!?! That's it, I'm buying my plane ticket!

Here we finally meet Jacob. In the movie he comes in a lot sooner. That's fine. It gives the actor more screen time, *sigh* I guess. I feel like I'm totally hating on the movie today, but really these middle chapters are just different (and better) in the book. When Bella tries to dabble in the art of flirting you can tell by Jacob's reaction that she does a pretty good job. The movie KINDA shows that a little, but Kristen seems to struggle with that concept even more than Bella, wouldn't you say? My other big beef is the flash back. I think it looks a little hokey but maybe they were aiming for spooky? I'm a little confused with that whole thing.

Back to Jake. I love this character more now. The first time I read the whole series I thought he was immature and REALLY thought Bella was insane for even having an issue with the whole Jacob/ Edward thing. (Sorry Team Jacob!) The second time I read the books I wasn't blazing though them, so I could enjoy the contrast and warmth his personality brings. I do have to say at the end of the day Taylor Lautner does alright. I'm looking forward to seeing him come forward more in New Moon. Good job Shark Boy!!!

NOTE: Tomorrow is a day of rest, and my brain feels a little fried! I'll be back with Chapter 7 on Monday!!!

I don't think they make a big enough point of showing this in the movie. This chapter is important because it does show her freaking out! Which is a totally normal reaction wouldn't you say? Fun Mel brought up a good point. Jacob basically just told her everything in the book. It was an important part that really was played down a lot in the movie. Bella goes home and at first just doesn't want to think about it. She breaks out the obnoxious music (Muse perhaps?) and drowns in it until she sleeps so she won't stay up considering the gruesome possibilities. It doesn't quite work though huh? Do you believe our dreams can tell us things? Just for kicks, let's delve into some dream analyzation.

Forest - Dreaming that you're walking through the forest means that you are in a transitional phase in your life. Ooooh very interesting!!!!

Wolf - This symbolizes survival, beauty, solitude, and mystery among other things. It also may symbolize an uncontrollable force in your life.

Vampire - Seeing vampires in dreams can mean seduction and sensuality, but also fear and death. It can also symbolize someone who you are drawn to, but deep down inside you know is bad for you.

Crazy, cool fun! I got these definitions (not word for word, what kind of person do you take me for?!) out of http://www.dreammoods.com if you want to read more about dream symbolism.

Wasn't that educating class. Cool beans! So after the dream she's a little freaked, who wouldn't be? Now, I don't know about you, but taking a walk in the woods alone wouldn't be my entertainment of choice after reading about and researching vampires. That's just me though. If you haven't read Midnight Sun I suggest ya do. This chapter is even more interesting from Edwards prospective! So here in the big, dark forest Bella comes to a decision. If Edward is a vampire she's not gonna care. Wow, yeah Bella, you're a little messed up hon. Guess what though, this is a fictional novel and in no way do I think it tells little, innocent girls to ignore warning signs and go for dangerous men. I just want to put that out there. If you or anyone you know cannot separate fact from fiction reading Sci-Fi or Fantasy may not be the best choice. Just FYI. I do also want to highlight that as she is thinking of Edward it says "the magnetic force of his personality". She's not just into his looks yo!!!

Back to school time. Gotta love Mondays. Edward and the Fam. are a no show, but here's some good news the Port Angeles trip is in production. (Oh and Mike FINALLY gets the hint and goes and barks up another tree, hehehe) The idea of getting out of Forks is a relief, and not just for Bella, for the reader too. Good writing makes ya feel things, and I am feeling that! Yay! Field trip tomorrow!!!!!

Once upon a time in the green and rainy land of Forks there was a beautiful yet insecure teenage girl named Bella. One day she went to Port Angeles, a near by town, to go dress shopping for some much needed girl time. (Always MUCH needed) OK, really she was just using them to get a ride so she could go to a book store and find a book on vampires. Nobody's perfect right? Anyway, after she ditched her "friends" she found herself in a dark and scary alley surrounded by big, ugly (probably smelly) men. Then, just as she was ready to whip out some Kung Fu her perfect looking, genius, musically talented, and very rich vampire in shining Volvo came flying around the corner and chased the bad guys away. A bunch of craziness ensued...blah..blah...blah....and they lived happily ever after.

Sorry, I love a good fairy tale. I think I left out some good parts of the story though, and oh yeah, so did the movie!!! Yet another one of my favorite chapters that I wish they would have just left alone in the movie.

One thing I love is that we get to know Angela a little more. Definite BFF material. Go Angie! We also figure out what Lauren's problem is. She is one character that gets on my nerves. I know she's written that way, and very effectively I would say, but she is one thing I am glad they left out of the movie. Man, what a brat!

     I think the small dark alley scene here is well written. You can feel the anxiety level rise as she's walking around and realizing she's being followed. When Edward comes screeching around the corner you've got to admit that's pretty awesome! Go speed racer, go speed racer. I like how he has to get her to prattle aimlessly to distract him for murdering the jerks in cold blood. And they say chivalry is dead!

     Another scene everyone was dying to see is the restaurant. Who else was totally disappointed in the waitress! What is up with that? I can understand not making a big deal about the hostess, but the waitress?! Come on, who didn't want to see Bambi, or whatever her name is, (Amber, same thing) get shot down. Major chapter highlight!

And now come some answers.

"Hi. I'm Edward. I can lift vans, move super fast, and oh yeah I read peoples minds."

Something tells me our friend Jacob may have been right! Then there's the jacket! NOT in the movie. He gives her his jacket because she's cold. Can I get a collective , ahhhhh! OK enough of that. In the movie did anyone else think the whole "cats" thing was a little too weird? I was just wondering. Oh AND he admits he's been stalking, wait no, following her. How sweet. Alright Bella, time to dish out the "theory".  Anyone else craving Italian food?

Holy crow this a good chapter! Love the question and answer session! In the movie a lot of this ended up in the 'let's ditch class and go hang in the forest scene.' What did y'all think of that? I like this whole conversation in the car, but do you think it would have been too weird to shoot a whole long scene in a moving vechicle in the movie? Hmmmmmm....anyway, let's review all the Q & As.

Q: How the heck did Edward find Bella?

A: He sniffed her out. I'd be a little worried about the strength of my deodorant personally. Yes Bella, file that away. That may fall under the TMI category.

Q: How does that mind-reading thingy work?

A: Edward hears voices in his head, constantly. Oh, and he's the ONLY one. Wow, I don't know if the school counselor can tackle this one. Better call a shrink. Bella's actually wanting him to be a vampire at this point. Actually, I love the whole mind reading thing, and all of the extra-vamp. abilities. Cool.

Q: Why can't Edward hear Bella?

A: Well, she's a freak of nature apparently. I love how this upsets her more than the fact that Edward can read minds.

Q: So what's the BIG theory Bells?

A: "SLOW DOWN YOU STUPID IDIOT! Oh, what oh my theory. So.... I saw this Quileute boy with a mess up wig and decided to ummmm...persuade him to spill the beans about your family. Basically you're friendly, veggie vampires. No wonder Catherine wanted to direct this movie." So now Edward knows that she knows and now we finally all know, for sure.

Q: How old is Edward?

A: Seventeen....give or take a hundred years. Well, I like that they included this line in the movie. I think the forest scene is kinda cool. I love the huge trees. Does anyone know where they shot that?

Q: What was Bella thinking right before Edward came to the rescue?

A: How to kick butt of course!!! I love that she was going through this in her head. How can I take these guys out? Good call.

Wow! This chapter is a never ending plethora of crazy, cool conversation! Toward the end of their drive Bella starts to worry that Edward won't talk to her anymore now that she knows all this crazy stuff, and she cries!!!!! Horrors!!! I hate crying in front of people don't you? I love when Edward tells her he'll save her a seat at lunch though! All better! But why, WHY did she not keep that jacket? I guess it's a good thing in the long run. It gives him a good excuse to come back! Whoops, I'm getting ahead of myself now!!

     I’m a rule follower by nature.  As a child I colored inside the lines, I ate my veggies, and I never tore wrapping paper off packages.  (I still don’t!)   That being said, I’m glad Edward has decided to finally rebel!  You can’t help but get a stupid grin on your face when you read that.  Come on, admit it!  You really can’t blame him though.  Yes, I know, I’ve heard the question some of you are asking.  Why Bella?  Just think about it.  You’ve been alone for a century while one by one everyone in your family finds someone, everyone but you that is.  Not only that, you can hear the thoughts everyone is thinking.  That can’t always be a good thing.  Then someday you meant a girl who is smart (advanced placement, remember), attractive, AND you can’t read her mind FINALLY.  I can totally see why he falls for Bella.  I’m glad I’m reading this to myself.  Here are some of my favorite, goofy grin invoking lines from this chapter.   

·         “I brought the jacket for you.  I didn’t want you to get sick or something.” Nuh uh!  He just wanted a good excuse to pick her up!  See how fast I am at picking up on stuff!

·         “I always tell you what I’m really thinking.”  Now it’s Bella’s turn to lie.  She doesn’t want to feel left out.

·         “No, you not sharing what you know- now that’s not fair.”  What’s better than being able to read people’s minds?  Having someone to cheat and do it for you.  Awesome.

·        “She wants to know if we’re secretly dating.  And she wants to know how you feel about me.” DUH!

·         “I suppose you could say yes to the first…if you don’t mind- it’s easier than any other explanation.”  WHOOOHOOHYEAHALLELUJAH!  I mean uhhhh…. ”I don’t mind.” Heh heh.

·         “Tell me everything!”  Because I haven’t got to spread any good gossip for a while....I mean because we’re BFFs...of course!

·        “I can’t explain it right…but he’s even more unbelievable behind the face.”  See she likes him because of his sweet personality.  J

·        “You know what they say about eavesdroppers.”  Yeah, they say it’s the BEST part of the chapter!!

·         “but you didn’t hear what every human male was thinking on your first day.”  See I told you Bella’s prettier than she thinks.  Ahhh…. so modest.

·         “Nothing more fun than an irritated grizzly bear,” This whole hunting section is funny.  Emmet likes bears, Edward mountain lions.  I like hunting at the grocery store. and for more exotic food I go to restaurants.

     Well that’s enough of that.  What are some of your fav. quotes?  I know they couldn’t put everything word for word in the movie, but I just love their conversations throughout this and the next chapter as they get to know each other better.   It shows how their relationship was founded a solidified.  IMPORTANT STUFF Y’ALL! ;)

First off, you have to give props to Stephenie Meyer. I think she captures the electricity and excitement of falling in love for the first time perfectly. You can't help but remember back to being in high school and having that major crush, or falling in love with your spouse, or both! Almost anyone can relate to that in some way. So, I love the movie time in Biology class. Her description of how they're sitting and the feeling in the room is palpable as you read it. One of my favorite parts of this chapter has to be gym class though! Poor Mike he never really gives up does he? It's hilarious when he gets mad and says Edward looks at her like she's something to eat. I think I probably would have hit him with the racket on purpose and THEN laughed at him. Of course Edward "watching" her in gym class is classic! Love that!

Another awesome aspect of this chapter is all the questions. Have you ever had anyone ask you so many questions about what you like and where you grew up, etc. in such an interested and detailed way? I think his fascination with all this trivial information is so sweet. It really shows how much he wants to really get to know her. Guys, take note of this.

Now at the end of the chapter is when the real complication starts to come into play. When I first read this book I was kinda starting to like it at this point, but I was wondering how she could write a whole series about Edward and Bella being in love. I mean I can only take so much before the gag reflex starts to act up. I was relieved when Billy and Jacob came back into the picture. Ahhh yeaah, here comes trouble. Every book needs some conflict.

The anticipation to the big scene is building!!! You know which one I mean, the one where they're on the golf course!!! More on that later though. I feel like this chapter can be broken into three sections.

1. Black Attack- Here comes the trouble I was referring too! Yay! So Billy comes onto the scene. I liked him in the movie. Originally I thought he would be older, but I love the playful banter between Billy and Charlie. I actually, for once, think their relationship is more believable in the movie. When I first read this I kinda wanted the suspicious old goat to take a hike, and (I've mentioned this before) I thought Jacob was an annoying kid. Now (maybe because of Shark Boy, IDK ;)) I really like this sense of contention and the people that bring it. It makes these books. They bring it y'all!

2. TGIF - Woo Hoo!!!!! Friday!!! What I really like is the taste of animosity as Edward's fam. is mentioned a little more. Rosalie obviously needs an attitude adjustment. I can never quite bring myself to love that character...maybe like, later on, but not love. However, I LOVE Alice! Here she FINALLY gets to talk to Bella. (Read Midnight Sun ya'll, LOVE this part! PLEASE STEPHENIE, FINISH IT!!) So, what was I saying? Yes, Alice in the movie has different hair. It's actually cool with me. You'd have to be inhumanly gorgeous to pull of short spiky black hair for real. That's just my opinion. I also love the washing machine accident comments. Fun detail. And really, does Mike have a clue? Give it up buddy! Wait, no... don't, so we can laugh at your failures. (Sorry if that was too harsh Mike fans, or hmmm maybe.... fan?!)

3. Into the Woods - SATURDAY is finally here! Man, the first time I read this I was bouncing off my chair. What is going to happen?! Can I get an Ahhhhh... they're wearing matching outfits!. My husband and I like doing that too. LOL!! Yeah right!!! That's funny though. I don't blame Bella for feeling self conscious at this part. Stephenie Meyer really lets here descriptiveness flow as she describes him. Ya can't help but appreciate that a little...... I suppose ;). I love the martyred face he pulls to try and get her to let him drive. No dice though. So... were hiking.....were hiking....YAY the meadow.....more on that later!!!! Time to dish about what I missed y'all!!!! Stay tuned 'til Monday!!! Sunday break time!

When I went to watch Twilight, I think the one scene that I wanted to see, HAD TO SEE, would be the meadow. After I read the series for the first time I HAD to go back and re-read my favorite chapters, and this was the first one I turned to. Why? Because it rocks! Because it has to be on everyones top 5 favorite chapters. Another because is because this chapter is the turning point in the book. Because….because……BECAUSE!!! Am I wrong? After leaving the theater the main thing on my mind was ‘Where was the meadow scene!!!!’ It wasn’t until I got my copy and watched some of the making-of-parts of it that I realized that Bella and Edward lying in the grass WAS the meadow scene! What?!?!? Not only that, it was shot on a golf course?!?!? That had to be THE biggest disappointment for me in the movie hands down!!!! (I promise I do like the movie y’all, but really?!?!?)

I love the meadow. I love just the idea of a meadow…….the idea of Edward having this place that he goes to be alone and him wanting to show Bella. I love the description of it all, the flowers, the trees, and the bubbling stream. The whole skipping class in the trees scene is where a lot of this dialog takes place in the movie. You get the intensity of this moment there, but sometimes it comes across as anger. There are so many different moods and feelings in this chapter that just don’t get any love in the movie. Where’s the love y’all? This is the first time that Edward and Bella really cross those physical and social boundaries of awkwardness that are in any beginning relationship. They are really trying to understand one another. Edward trying to explain the two VERY different ways he is “attracted” to her is intense in a way, but it’s also sweet the way he agonizes over his feelings. There are also moments that are funny and light like the whole no neck exposure comment…just so much gets lost in the film at this point. This is also the first time they try kissing and I think it is hilarious! The way she reacts and his reaction to her reaction are classic! (Soooo dosen't happen that way in the movie!)  And really……. when you mention this part you have to talk about the running and the sparkling!!! I’m sorry, it’s just wrong. My friends and I laughed at that part, but I don’t think it was supposed to be funny! I really just don’t see, in the movie alone, a point where there relationship is really developed. It just happens so fast. All they really had to do is add this scene, I mean really add it!!! Golf courses don’t count!

Now this chapter starts off with a little history lesson. Of course you hear more about each of them even more (yay!!!) later on in the series. Some people are Team Edward, some Team Jacob, now I’m really just Team Cullen! (I even have the shirt to prove it!)

Cullen Family History – The Beginner’s Version

Edward - He was born in Chicago 1901. His parents died of the Spanish influenza. Dr. Cullen found him on his death bed and changed him. Now he sparkles.

Carlisle – The good doctor. He is very compassionate and the father figure (not the creepy song, eww!) of the Cullen Clan. He changed Edward because on his loneliness, and later added Esme, Rosalie and Emmett to the fam.

Esme – She fell from a cliff. Carlisle found her in the morgue with her heart still beating. She’s the mother Cullen. I always get her in those quizzes, so she's cool.

Rosalie– Carlisle changed her in hopes that she and Edward would hook up. Well that didn’t happen. She's too high maintenance.

Emmett – Rosalie found him after a bear attack and ran him to the doc for some patching up. They’ve been together ever since. He is HILARIOUS!!! Does anyone else find the whole "looking like her friend's baby thing" a little disturbing?

Alice – Besides being awesome, she also reads minds. She doesn’t know how she was “created”, but saw herself finding Jasper and the Cullens. Alice dresses like a model, major cool points. She can be my BFF too!

Jasper – Despite having Alice, he is known to have serious bad hair days. (Sorry Team Jasper, it had to be said.) We find out here he is from a “different” family and is the newest vegetarian of the bunch. Alice found him and brought him to the Cullens. Good call. He does get some cool points for the southern accent.

Edward in the House!!!

Yeah, history is cool and all but I think the big headline would be Edward in the house. I love that she finds out he’s been stalking…wait no….. He’s been observing her for a while. I wouldn’t be cool with that either. What you’ve been watching me sleep? Hope I didn’t drool too much. (Wow, TMI!) So I have to point out the sweat pants, or lack thereof in the movie. What’s up with that? That whole first part where they kiss is so unbelievable! It was so much sweeter in the book. I do like how it shows them talking all night. Their words are totally lost, but it was cute. They do miss some important conversation though! They talk about the Cullen’s extra abilities, why Edward chooses not to attack humans, I love that part. This is also where he hums her lullaby for the first time. What did y’all think of Bella’s Lullaby? I liked it after a while, but at first I really was picturing something a lot smoother and slower. Speaking of the music though, I actually prefer the score to the sound track. What do y’all think?

Wow, after Edward finally decides not to kill Bella their relationship moves right along. Time to meet the parents! This is a great chapter. We finally get to actually meet the all of the Cullens! Happy times! Here are my chapter highlights.

The morning – I love when Bella wakes up and he’s still there. The real miracle is that he doesn’t turn around and jump out the window, but maybe Bella looks a little less scary in the morning than I do. The happiness of this first morning is practically dripping from the page, but we didn’t see any of this euphoric in-love stuff in the movie. The closest we get is when Edward jumps on top of the truck and invites her over. I know I like to jump on top of trucks when I’m happy. Yee haw!

Getting dressed – I just have to mention here that Bella HAS to be more beautiful than she thinks if she can run up stairs, throw on a long khaki skirt, throw her hair into a pony tail, and look “tempting.” I ask you, is life fair? Oh yes, and kiss #2. This time instead of attacking him she forgets to breath and faints! BREATHE Bella!!! I can’t say I’ve ever had that happen, but then again, I’m not a fainter. Has anyone ever fainted?

The house – I think we were all expecting something a little more here. I pictured something old fashioned and mansion like. The house they use is somewhat modern. I do think it’s funny that they’re making her Italian food. Emmett….. “Her name is Bella.” LOL!!! I’m glad they gave him some more lines. When Alice and Jasper come walking in on the tree I think it’s sorta odd. I like the staircase approach in the book better. Alice sometimes verges on trippy hippy in the movie. So not cool.

The Cullens – So how do you like the Cullens in the movie? I think the people I had the most issues with at first would be Esme and Rosalie. Esme looks more like she’s in her mid-thirties to me. Anyone else feel like that? Rosalie, I think, would be the hardest person to cast because she’s pretty much supposed to be the most gorgeous person ever. I expected a more uhhhh…… natural blonde but whatever. Vampires can dye their hair too, right? I believe in equal beatification rights. Ashley did great as Alice, but the clothes?! (Man I like harping on this!!)I know they were on a tight budget, but couldn’t they shop at Ross. Maybe it wasn’t designer week.

Carlisle – That is pretty ironic that there’s a huge wooden cross hanging in the hall of the crypt. I love how much background Stephenie gives her characters! We get a much more detailed history of Carlisle here, and then even more detailed in the next chapter. I’ll let him have his day tomorrow. It’ll be Carlisle Day. What do you get a 362 year old for his birthday? I must say he’s looking good considering. ;)

Really it’s only fitting that Carlisle, as head of the household, gets his story told first.  It’s History lesson time! 

Carlisle’s Story

Sometime in the mid 1600s (now that is back in the day!)  Carlisle’s daddy, a crazy strict preacher in London, made him go hunting for vampires.  Sounds like a fun father son outing!  So, being the bright lad that he was, Carlisle finds this decrepit old vamp gang lurking in the sewers.   (Bwah ha ha!)  I guess he forgot the garlic necklace at home because….yeah… he got attacked and bitten, but not killed.  Not wanting his father to burn him, he crawled over to some rotting potatoes (mmmm…yummy) and hung out while he writhed with pain for a few days.  Fun times.  After trying to kill himself in creative and horrific ways he finally decides to starve himself.  One day Bambi comes walking by and presto, vegetarian vampires are made.  Good lesson!  I know….. I should have been a history teacher. 

 This glimpse into the past really shows how compassionate and strong willed Carlisle is.  He would rather die than kill another human being.  I love this idea of vampires trying to become more than they are, to rise above the circumstances life gave them.   (You don’t have to be a mean vampire; you can be a nice pretty sparkly one instead!)  I do think Stephenie is pretty creative by telling his story through the art in Carlisle’s office.  It gives an interesting twist to his history.  This is also when we first here of Aro, Marcus, and Caius (cue evil vampire music).    What do you think Edward was thinking after he told Bella about him being transformed? (….man I wish Midnight Sun was finished…sigh...) 

Edward’s room

I know it’s supposed to be Carlisle Day, but we can’t leave this chapter without discussing Edward’s room.  I think the film was good at showing all his CDs and stuff, and I didn’t mind the dancing thing too much either.  I was disappointed that the movie didn’t have him pretending to stalk and attack her though! (Wow that would sound really weird taken out of context!)  The spider monkey line was OK, but it’s just not the same.  I do however like the beautiful shots the tree scene added to the movie.  It was really gorgeous!!!   Personally I might have puked though, and that would be less attractive!  Heights are soo not my thing!  Jumping back a step, I also loved when Alice asks if he’s having Bella for lunch.  That’s a laugh out loud like an idiot moment right there.  Now we’re  getting  to some good stuff.  Alice sees a storm brewing.  Sounds like it’s time to grab the metal bats and play some ball! 

None of Your Beeswax

I always forget that Billy and Jacob are in this chapter. Maybe because it’s not in the movie, at all! Edward just HAS to freak out the old man a bit by kissing Bella’s neck! Hehehe…it was pretty funny though. So Bill’s come to rat out Bella. Now that's fightin' dirty! The show down in the kitchen is great. I’m gonna go with Bella over the native in the wheel chair. I guess if she trips and falls he can always run her over though. I love the whole “none of your business” talk.

"Though it would be my business, again, whether or not I think its Charlie’s business, right?”

Boo ya ka! She just shut him out! Round one goes to Bella.

Meeting the *cough* b-b-boyfriend

Oh just spit it out Bella! Is it really that hard to tell people he’s your boyfriend? In the book Charlie totally flips because he thinks she’s talking about Emmett. I love this protective father reaction! In the movie his response is totally toned down, almost to the point of not really caring. I do like this part in the movie when Edward comes to get her. Charlie sitting there cleaning his gun was priceless, kudos to Billy Burke on that part! I love the whole conversation between Edward and Officer Swan.

“You take care of my girl, all right?”

“She’ll be safe with me, I promise, sir.”

Suddenly I feel the urge to watch Leave it to Beaver.

Play Ball!!!

Real fast, before we get to the game, I have to mention the moments leading up to it. LOVE when Edward has to “tamper with her memory”- talk about a giggle-like-a-little-girl moment! Even you guys that are reading this…..admit it…you giggled! And we have to mention kiss #3........attack! I see a pattern: attack, faint, attack….oh and she has her pants on every time! (I don’t mean to harp, but that bugged.) This is also where Edward says I love you for the first time. Ahhhhh… sorry, it had to be mentioned. Ok, enough of the cheesy girl stuff. I loved the baseball scene in the movie, some may have thought it was stupid looking. I thought it was cool beans!!! I liked the music they picked, I loved the outfits; it’s really one of my favorite scenes in the movie. I love the contrast of emotion as your reading and you get towards the end of this chapter. The game's awesome and crazy, cool with all the super vampire powers, everyone’s chillin’. Then Alice suddenly sees the bad guys and BAM… instant suspense! Ooooh.. I love suspense y’all!!!

Bad boys bad boys, what’cha gonna do? What’cha gonna do when they come for you? Here come the bad guys. (Yes, I realize one is female, I wasn’t trying to be sexist.) Anyhow, here comes the real trouble of this whole series. Without these guys where would we be? Eclipse would be a much shorter book for one thing, but that’s another story. I think the movie gets the feeling of this scene right. They look pretty cool emerging out of the woods surrounded by mist. What did you think of the actors? Let us discuss:

Laurent - He had to be the biggest surprise. Something tells me he isn’t quite how Stephenie describes him in the book….hmm maybe it’s the long hair. ;) At first I thought he was all wrong, but he’s kind of grown on me. Edi Gathegi does a good job acting, I’ll let the fact that he looks nothing like the original character slide. I think the contrast they showed between the different eye colors in the movie was a nice touch. Laurent is a little more civilized than the other two in the book. I actually liked his character....at first. I expected all of their clothing to be a little more hiker like in the movie though.

Victoria – I liked Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria. I just think they could have dyed her hair a darker shade of red. I was expecting a more vivid shade. I also wonder what poor mutt off the street had to give up its’ nappy coat for her to look that stupid? Just a question. One quick note for the record, I HATE it when they get new actors to play a main role in subsequent sequels. It BUGS ME!!!!!!!! Just had to get that off my chest.

James - Cam Gigandet is a good pick. He isn’t as plain looking as she describes in the book, but I think I’ll let that slide as well. :) James is the super tracker. He can smell your bubble gum for 100 miles away and tell you what flavor it is. Good for him. I would have been ticked off personally. Edward gets mind reading super powers and he just tracks people like a dog. I think that’s what his real problem is. He’s jealous and he wants a better super power.

Really the whole hunting thing is all Bella’s fault. If she wasn’t so addicted to Bath and Body Works she wouldn’t smell so good. (Not that I can blame her! Did you know they have a new scent that’s called Twilight Woods, and it’s the best one yet!?!?! Whoops, tangent!) Just as they are about to calm down and play some ball Super Sniffer gets a whiff of Bella. I think during this whole part of the movie they do a pretty good job. The jeep ride and that whole discussion, Edward telling Alice to keep her opinions to herself, they are pretty true to the book here. I know we’ve been slamming the movie a lot, but let’s give it some love now. Good job Twilight movie, good job. Imagine how much better those Hollywood movie people feel about themselves right now! (Because you KNOW they read this blog like addicts, EVERYDAY! ;) )

Sorry Charlie!

Again, this scene in the movie is pretty true to the book.  The only thing that bugs me a little is Kristen’s lack of emotion.  In the book she is really crying.  She’s thinking about Emmett and Alice getting hurt, she’s scared for Charlie; I guess I imagined her to be pretty hysterical.  In the movie she just looks mildly ticked off or something.  She could have had an OSCAR for this scene!  Come on smell some onions or something!!!  Oh well.  Poor Charlie!  This part is sad; Billy Burke does a nice job here.  The whole vaguely mentioned back story of Charlie never getting over Renee is sad in itself, *sniff* so sad. 

 Back to the Cullen Crypt…uhhh… Crib

Who else jumped a little when Edward says the tracker is following them and the dark shadow jumps out?  It is a nice touch the Emmett actually jumps on the car in the movie.  Alright, who screamed?  Better yet whose ears are still ringing because they made the mistake of sitting next to a group of twelve year old girls that screamed and cried THE WHOLE MOVIE?!   So in the car ride back we learn two very good points.

1.       The mind of a killer – See I told you it was Bella’s fault.  You gotta know when to lay off the bath products.  Alice could smell her across the field!  Of course Edward just made it worse.  I’d be a little annoyed if someone growled at me like that too.  Sound effects guy was a little lazy when they shot that scene.  So now James gets to play his favorite game ever..................... mine is Twister.  Now when is the last time you played a good competitive game of Twister?

2.       Vampire Slaying 101- How do you kill a vampire?  You dress up in a really fab outfit, do some sweet kung fu moves, and stab him with a stake.  That’s what I learned on Buffy anyways.  Not in this world.  In Stephenie World you tear them up into little chunks and then dance around a fire like savages while the pieces burn.  Interesting.  We’ll address this more later.  Moving on…

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Well, not really, we wouldn’t want him to eat Bella.  They get back to the house and Laurent is there.  Cool points for the movie.  Edi’s acting is quite lovely.  He freaks everyone out about James and makes a break for it.  Really, they got all the important parts here.  They confuse the scent with Bella’s clothes, Rosalie throws a little tantrum, Bella and Edward say their goodbyes, oh…and Emmett is way excited about ripping James to pieces.  Score!  But wait…I do have one little complaint.  I love the small exchange between Jasper and Bella at the end of the chapter when he tells her she IS worth it.  So sweet!  So NOT in the movie!!  Come on; give the guy with the southern accent more lines!!!!!

Waking up and not knowing where you are or what day it is has got to be one of the strangest feelings. It happened to me just the other day. Maybe it means part of your brain is still asleep? Man I hate that! So Bella wakes up in a generic hotel room in Phoenix at 3:00 in the morning. I would have freaked out too! Luckily our human Novocain is there. I do like his super power, subtle but cool. Did anyone read the outtakes on Stephenie Meyer’s website? She has a whole section that she left out about Alice taking Bella shopping for those new clothes in the duffle bag. I loved it and wished they would have left it in! The name of this chapter is perfect. What is going to happen next? What’s with the cell phone? Why won’t it ring? I was going crazy with impatience the first time I read this. Here some tidbits from this chapter, a lot of it is just waiting.

Alice

Something that we do learn, or don’t depending how you look at it, is Alice’s history. When Bella asks about becoming a vampire we learn that Alice has no memory of her transformation or her life as a human. Now, I love these books, but this is the thorn in my side. Alice’s history is so vague, even when we find little pieces in this book, and even more later, but Stephenie never really delves into it completely like she does with the other characters. Did that bug anyone else?

Venom

That boy is poison. Who remembers that song from back in the day? So the Vampires are venomous. Now girls, this is a good thing to know about boys before you start kissing them. Add this to your mental list: Does he smoke, Does he brush his teeth, oh yes…and is he going to turn you into a vampire? Good to know! I’m sure the whole shark feeding frenzy was very comforting as well.

FINALLY!

Raise your hand if you want Alice’s super power? I think it’d be pretty sweet to be able to see into the future. Finally something is happening! I am claustrophobic and just reading about Bella pacing that room was making me antsy! In the movie I thought it was odd how she saw things and drew them at the same time. Really, I thought her head was going to start spinning in circles as well, but I guess doing it that way did cut some time down. Right after the vision the phone rings. Yes, more action! Tracker Boy is leaving on a jet plane and they don’t know when he’ll be back again. They also don’t know where he went. (I am all about singing right now!) Luckily Bella is the brightest crayon in the box and Alice is pretty good artist (not a surprise really, Vamps are good at EVERYTHING!) and they figure he’s in a ballet studio that looks exactly like the one Bella went to as a child. What could it all mean?!?!? Calling mom was a good idea in theory, but really the first mistake.

Wake Up Call

Bella wakes up, she’s still in the hotel room (ahhh it’s driving me crazy!!) and Alice is drawing again.  Now this is the real freaky part, and I believe it wasn’t in the movie.  He’s in her mother’s house!!!  Ooooh, goose bumps anyone?!  I was a little freaked the first time I read it.  For the rest of this part again, I think they did fine in the movie.  Cam’s a good James, but it’s like they cut huge scenes from the middle of the book so they could focus all their time and energy on the end.  I wouldn’t have minded a longer movie personally, but I know they had no idea how it was going to be received at all.  I wonder if they regret not including some scenes now that it’s a huge success.  Oh well! 

I know some of Bella’s choices over the next couple chapters weren’t the brightest, but do you really think you would be thinking clearly in this situation? (Not that vampires are real, I’m just sayin’.)  Here are some things I questioned at first.

Food for Thought

Why won’t she listen to the vamps and stop worrying?  She really has just met the Cullen Clan as a whole and has barely scratched the surface of what they are capable of.  We really don’t see their throw down skills until Eclipse.  She just knows that James is lethal and that Alice is a practically a midget.  I understand the concern.

Why didn’t she try her Moms cell after James calls?  I’ve wondered this, have you?  I think hearing her mother’s voice and assuming she was right there with James just sent her was into panic drive overload.  All she could think about was her mother being with someone who EATS PEOPLE…..for fun!!!  She’s also the type of person who would rather sacrifice herself to save someone she loves rather than come up with any other solution.  This is a recurring theme for her. (I bet she doesn’t stop to ask for directions either!)

Why doesn’t Alice see her plan right away?  I think as we go through the series Alice’s power is explained better.  She just sees little pieces of information, not a whole frame by frame action shot of what is going to happen, and I would bet she’s so focused on James she’s not seeing much else.  She also hasn’t discovered how Bella’s mind works as far as the self sacrificing obsession goes.  They’ve real just become close friends during this whole ordeal.

Why doesn’t Alice see her plan once her decision is made and she writes Edward the letter?   Ooooh this is a tricky one!  I think I’ll let y’all answer it.  Hmmmm………         

Well, maybe not the way James plays.  I’m in a singing type mood again!

Throw it away; forget yesterday, we’ll make the great escape…..

Yes, here is the answer to my question, good job Lissa Lynn, Alice sees Bella in the room with the mirrors, but I think she can’t quite decide what to do about it or how Bella’s going to get there.  She also hasn’t figured out how much of a freak Bella is yet. (I use the term freak in a very happy and loving way.  I’m a freak, you’re a freak…see!)  Really the plan is genius!  Jasper and Alice are out of their element in Phoenix as it is, and Bella seems to know that airport pretty well.  Well that random bit of knowledge came in handy!  This is a great escape considering who she’s running from.  The old tell-the-clueless-guy-you-have-to-use-the-ladies trick.  Works every time!  Jumping onto a shuttle only to turn around and find a taxi was also a very nice touch.

I’m going home to the place where I belong….

Bella never does go home in the movie.  I can see why they cut out some of this though.  Although it builds a bigger sense of suspense in the book, it isn’t necessary to the story line here.  I would have liked to see her house though, and more of Phoenix.  It would have been a nice touch. 

Hey there little red riding hood, you sure are looking (uhhh smelling) good…

Don’t ask about the song.  It’s the first one that came to mind, plus I love oldies OK?  Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?  Ok, he’s not a wolf; he’s the mortal enemy of wolf descendents, close enough!  Moving on… this guy is a psycho!  I think Cam is great in the movie.  His voice is soothing but creepy.  They do a good job with the ballet studio and the eeriness of the mirrors being everywhere.  His use of the camcorder is unnerving.  He really is sadistic.  James is sick and twisted and really just did all this evil plotting to get to Edward.  He just thinks he wants a challenge!  Who’s ready for the butt kicking chapter?!  He is asking for it!  This is where we get a better Alice story.  It’s a sad one though.  She was in an insane asylum because of her visions?  I still want to know more about this story.  Who were her parents?  Why would they allow their daughter to be put in there?  Why can’t we know more about Alice?!  Maybe she wants to write a book about her?!  That would be cool!  Ok, I’m just wasting time so I don’t have to talk about the blood and gore y’all.  There is a reason I didn’t go to Med School.  Ouch!  My head hurts when I read about her being thrown around like a rag doll here.  I’m ready for Edward to come save the day!!!  Do you have any songs or thoughts about this chapter?    

Wow! I had forgotten how she wrote this chapter. Since it’s from Bella’s perspective we really don’t see a lot of what’s going on, so they really had free reign in the movie to do whatever they wanted. I liked a lot of what they did, but not all! Here’s the good the bad and the ugly!

The Good :)

· Vampires to the rescue!!! – I liked their entrance into the studio. Nice dramatic touch.

· Fight! Fight! Fight! - The fight was pretty good. All the glass flying and floor boards breaking made for cool effects. (Finally.) It’s satisfying to watch James get his butt kicked.

· Carlisle – He did a good job playing the calm and concerned doctor patching up the maimed. I like the “Remember who you are” line they added.

· Alice – Kudos for her. She got to rip off James head. Fun times! She did a good job showing how hard it was for her to be around Bella’s blood as well.

· Flashback – I did like the flashbacks Edward has of him and Bella. It’s very sweet. I don’ think he struggled quite as much in the book as they showed in the movie though.

The Bad :(

· Edward – Well, at least I’m not putting this in the ugly section, but I think he could have been a little more distraught here. He’s sobbing in the book, and really Rob wouldn’t have even had to produce tears because vampires don’t have them so really, am I asking too much?

· In Your Face! – The part where Edward and James just kinda growl in each other’s faces is a little comical, but I don’t think they meant it to be.

· Bella’s screaming – She’s supposed to be SCREAMING in pain because her hand feels like it’s on fire. Is it just me or does it sound more like she’s grunting? Weird.

The Ugly :P

· Bella….again(sorry Kristen) - Ok, I think we all know what needs to be first on this list. What is with the look on Bella’s face?!?! She’s cross eyed! Is she in pain or brain dead?

· Fire Burning on the Dance Floor? – I don’t mean the song. I mean the vampires who are dancing around the fire like savages. Its a little much don’t you think? I think we laughed at this part as well didn’t we?

· They didn’t mention anything about Alice!!! - She really gets the short end of the stick.

I also have to comment about the title of this chapter. I love how Bella thinks of him as her angel especially in contrast to Midnight Sun. What a sweet contradiction! Ahh!!! Let’s end our session today with a sweet and sappy quote,

“You can sleep, sweetheart, I’ll carry you.” Ahhhh… just precious!

Sorry, but I hate the hospital! It smells funny, its disease ridden, and everyone’s walking around in unfashionable scrubs. Really, I don’t understand all the hype with ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, etc. I just can’t watch any of that. I had to struggle through this chapter. Blehhhh! I just had to get that off my chest. Bella wakes up in the hospital all bandaged up. In the movie wasn’t her leg just broken? She seems to be a little more damaged here. I like the line “death shouldn’t be this uncomfortable.” Those hospital beds are sooo uncomfortable! OK, enough whining about the hospital. The “story” of what happened is hilarious, she falls down two flights of stairs AND through a window, and nobody even blinks when they hear it! You’d have to be a klutz! Awesome. I can totally relate.

Now this is chapter is mainly a lot of dialog. I’ll give ya the shortened version,

Bella – Soooo, how’d I taste? Anything like you thought?

Edward – So good!!! I almost couldn’t stop myself from killing you! LOL! I must love you ‘cause man, that was awesome. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!!

Bella – Oh Edward! You say the sweetest things! I love you too! Sorry I almost died. BTW what happened to the freak show?

Edward – Oh, Emmett and Jasper tore him into little chunks and burned down the building. They always get to do all the cool stuff!!! *sigh* At least I got to steal the car!

Bella – Fun times!!! Did Alice watch the home movie James made for her? How’d I look? Did it make me look fat? You know the camera adds ten pounds!!! Oh yeah, Alice… so what’s up with that?

Edward – All I can say is that she remembers it was dark, very dark. That’s really all you get to know. Maybe Stephenie will throw in some other small tidbits of info in the next book, just to annoy you. Anywhoo…….oh crap, here comes your mom! I’m gonna go pretend to sleep on the couch so I can eavesdrop on your conversation (smiles crooked smile) you know how I love doing that!

(Enter Renee)

Renee – Oh Bella! I was sooo worried about you! Wow, you are a klutz honey! Can you try not tripping for once when you walk?! LOL! Not that that’s funny….I mean…gosh I was sooo worried about you...ummm yeah. Oh hey, I met Dr. Cullen. Wow! He’s hot! (Glances at Edward) What happened to Forks anyhow? They don’t grow ‘em like they used to! (Bella groans in pain) Oh yeah, Ohhh honey are you in pain? I was sooo worried about you.

Bella – Mom, you already said that. Whatever. How’s Phil? Did he ever get signed or is he still striking out. Get it!!! LOL! Striking out?!? He plays baseball….and…oh never mind.

Renee - Wow...ummm...so funny. Yes, he finally got signed and I already bought a house and arranged the rest of your life for you! Charlie’s packing your stuff right now!

Bella – Oh gee…uhhh….. thanks Mom, but I really can’t leave forks. There’s all my best friends (that I only hang out with when it’s convenient for me), Charlie, the freezing rain, gosh I LOVE rain now, oh and this little corner café that actually serves veggie burgers!!! I know right?! Can you believe it?

Renee – (looking back and forth between Edward) Hmmmm… are you sure it’s not because you have a perfect and incredibly hot boyfriend?

Bella – Oh Mom, you’re so silly! It’s just a little crush! Nothing serious, I just want to give up humanity and have his vampire venom injected into my veins so I can turn into a vampire with super powers and live with Edward forever and never see you again, that’s all! Don’t worry so much!

Renee – LOL! Oh alright then!

Well, it went something like that anyway. Enough with the incredibly awesome yet accurate dialog, here’s where I started to worry the first time I read this. Are they really just going to take turns staring lovingly at each other and talk about how wonderful they are and then fight about Bella becoming vampire for the next three books? Where is this going to go? Of course I really didn’t think he would actually leave her because then I would burn all my books and curse them forever. Yeah, although I didn’t want to admit it, I was pretty hooked. Yay!!! Tomorrow’s the Epilogue!! Time to ruthlessly slam on the movie again! Woohoo!!!

Alright, who went to Prom? I was on the Prom Committee. Woohoo! Yeah, I was THAT cool. I love this little edition to the end of the book it is just AWESOME. Do you think they did it justice in the movie? I’ll give the movie a little love, but not much!

Thumbs Up!

· Tuxedo – At least Edward wore the Tux to Prom. Really that is all that has to be said. I could really make myself look like an idiot here by going on and on about my love for the invention of a black Tux, but I won’t. *sigh* (You can feel free to though!) ;)

· The Gazebo – Ok, I’m going to warn you now that I may sound like a hypocrite later, but even though they didn’t do a gym scene like I wanted, the gazebo was very pretty I must say.

· Conversation in the Gazebo- Even though it’s not exactly like the book I do think they do great condensing the conversation about Bella becoming a vampire, and you’ve got to love the kiss on the neck!

· Song- I like the part of the song that they played during the gazebo shot, nowif you listen to the full song it makes no sense what so ever, but I’ll just let that go.

· Victoria – Again, not like the book, but I thought it was a clever to slip here into the Prom scene. It’s a great tie in to the next movie. (Next moth y’all!!! AHAHAHAHHA!!!YEAHWHOOHOO!!!!Ok I’m done.)

Thumbs Down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

· “elaborately styled curls”- Where are they, the curls, ELABORATLY styled…where?!?!?!?

· “silk and chiffon” -Where?!!?!?!?!?!? This is a dress they bought off the rack at ROSS!!!! I want a French designer gown dang it!!!!!

· “stiletto heel, held on by satin ribbons” – Well it’s almost the same as ugly old TENNIS SHOES!!!!! NOT!!! (Hey, remember when everyone said that?! Heheheh.) You just don’t mess with the fashion y’all. This really burns my cookies!!!

· “Hello Tyler, this is Edward Cullen.” – I LOVE this part in the book! It’s soooo hilarious!! They could have put it in the movie!!! Wwwwhhhhhhyyyyy?!?!?!

· “This looks like a horror movie waiting to happen.” – For real, it does!!! Not in the movie though! I wanted to see the gym decked out in cheesiness! I wanted them to talk about massacring the unsuspecting town folk! I wanted to hear Bella say, “Oh, I’m with the vampires of course.” They just sucked all the fun and humor out of this scene!!!

· “I looked at the dance floor; a wide gap had formed in the center of the floor, where two couples whirled gracefully.” – The other Cullen’s aren’t even in the scene! Grrrrr……

· “Can I cut in?” – No Jake, ya can’t. Raise your hand if you wanted to see the exchange here when Jacob comes and cut in on Edwards dancing time? At least they put the “We’ll be watching you” line in.

In case you couldn’t tell I was just a little bit disappointed with this scene in the movie. In all, I really had to take a step back after seeing the movie and just take it for what it was, a movie based on an awesome book. High standards! After I did that, I did, and do, like the movie. I own it. I watch it. In fact, it came out on DVD on my birthday; major cool points were awarded accordingly. It was fun writing this blog and comparing the book to the movie. Sometimes I had a little too much fun with it, but really I think Twilight is awesome. I love this book series. Stephenie Meyer did a phenomenal job. I CANNOT wait until New Moon comes out. Who knows, maybe there will be a sequel blog! ;) We shall see!!! Thanks for the support of all you crazy fun Twi fans! Y’all are the BOMB!! (tick..tick...tick...)