Review of "Twilight Saga"

Hm… the “Twilight Saga,” eh? Well, I’m sure you’ve all heard of it by now. And if you haven’t then you may be very fortunate… or unfortunate depending on whom you talk to. The “Twilight Saga” by author Stephanie Meyer is a franchise of books and films that are the topics of some very controversial conversations. It seems that everyone who’s seen or read “Twilight” either loves it or loves to hate it. As for me, though the films make me shudder, I’m here to review the books using my own judgement. And I think… “Twilight” is okay. Just okay. It’s not the worst series I’ve ever read, though it certainly isn’t the best by a long shot. Formal review:

Edward Cullen. A name screamed by many fangirls around the world as they obsess over his “vampiric hotness” and a name reviled by many non-fangirls around the world as they mutter under their breath about his “non-vampiric sparkliness.” And here I am, stuck in the middle with you. No really, I am stuck in the middle of these wars between my friends and my opinion is in the middle. Yes, he’s a hunky vampire in the books (no comment about the movies) and I think he has a cute (though somewhat two-dimensional) personality. But he’s kind of the typical tortured character who fights with themself and thinks they don’t deserve the girl. And yes, he’s a sparkling vampire. I expected more when he stepped into the sun (my first reaction was “What the hell? I thought he was a vampire!”), but I must say kudos to Stephanie Meyer for surprising me at that moment, because she sure didn’t surprise me any other moments. Edward Cullen, the main character’s love interest is, in my opinion, the usual hunk in any romance novel. The only exception is that he’s a vampire. But he’s pretty typical. Which is something I can say about the whole series.

This series, despite its paranormal characters, is much like your stereotypical romance novel. A clumsy girl falls for an amazing guy and he falls for her. They face trials such as love triangles, hesitation about sex, and family issues and in the end they come out okay and end up together. The “Twilight Saga” kind of reminds me of a soap opera. In fact, it really reminds me of a soap opera. It was predictable, the characters were kind of whiny, the writing style really wasn’t the greatest, and sometimes I found Edward to be a little too perfect. To be honest, I consider the whole series fluff and mindless drivel. You can turn your brain off while reading this one, people, because you really don’t need it.

That being said, I must admit that I enjoyed the series. Sometimes I like to turn my brain off and read something simple. A nice love story where you’re pretty much guaranteed a happy ending for everyone after all is said and done. It was nice to not have to think about anything, to have a story thrown at me and for me to happily say, “Okay. I’ll read it.” An extra bit of urban vampire and werewolf lore doesn’t hurt either. And where certain characters were concerned, I actually found myself pleased when reading scenes with them because I enjoyed their personalities. The main antagonists and protagonists had simple, easy motives and bored me at times, but characters like Alice and Jasper made it worthwhile.

Overall, the “Twilight Saga” is a nice read for someone looking for a generic romance novel. Something you can pick up and read in a couple days and put down feeling satisfied. Something you can enjoy while reading it and then forget about it when you move on to the next book/series/whatever you’re reading. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to someone who’s a very experienced reader. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who’s into books that make you think or search for symbolism. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to someone who loves a good writer and many plot twists. But if you were sort of into books and wanted mindless fluff, then I might just recommend this novel to you. Maybe. 

And there you have it. You say "Twilight" I say... "You mean the time of day?" because by the time I'm asked about this again, I'll have already forgotten about this series that isn't very good and isn't very bad.

Final Verdict: 6.4/10

Happy Reading!

~Amber

Review of "Iscariot"

Awesome, awesome, awesome book by Tosca Lee that gives an account of the life of Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus. Full summary can be found here. Formal review:

Judas Iscariot, also known as the man who betrayed Jesus, has been vilified for a very long time. Because he was a traitor and did such a horrible deed, few people have dared to look past the deed to the man himself and try to see the humanity in him. Few people have dared to wonder if perhaps he was, in many ways, like us ourselves. There may be a passing remark about having pitied him a little, a murmured word of sympathy, but in the end people find it hard to see him as human because of how evil the thing he did was.

What if he made a huge mistake? What if he wasn't some traitorous man who wanted Jesus dead the whole time, but a man who loved Jesus and followed him? What if he what he did was simply because he was scared? These questions are just some of those that Tosca Lee causes us to ask ourselves as we embark on a journey through the life of the man who betrayed Jesus. As we follow someone who was flawed, frightened, and desperately trying to do the right thing--someone that we can find in all of us if we search our hearts a little.

If you have any preconceived notions of Judas and the kind of man he was, I suggest that you let them go as you take this achingly beautiful plunge through his tragic, hard life as he struggles with hopes, dreams and fears just as so many of us do today. You will find yourself able to relate to him in many instances--his insecurities, his needs, the way he desperately tries to be loyal... how completely and truly human he is.

This novel not only changes the views we've had for centuries on Judas, but also those we've had for Jesus Christ. We see the way He tries to make us understand, and the way He loves us unconditionally, and wants so desperately to show us the truth in an age when people refuse to see it.

Reading this will cause you to rethink everything you know, not only about religious icons but about yourself as well. Tosca Lee crafts everything perfectly, from the stunning commencement to the striking conclusion. Rich, detailed prose gives us the feeling of actually being there, of being beside Jesus Himself and hearing His loving parables that He tries so desperately to make us understand.

This is not a tale of betrayal and horror as one may expect when thinking of the life of Judas Iscariot, but a tale of love and the tragic beauty of life. You will not leave this tale unscathed; it will surely remain in your heart and just as it will remain in mine for years to come, and it will change the way you look at things forever. 

I'm very glad to have won this book in Goodreads First Reads giveaway. For any fans of historical fiction and/or biographies, I'd recommend this book. I found it especially beautiful perhaps because I'm Catholic, but I believe that anyone can enjoy it, religious or not. It has some wonderful messages and morals.

Final Verdict: 8.8/10

Happy Reading!
~Amber