The Return of Twilight?

 Hi Friends!!

I am most certainly not the only Twilight fan who grew up with the series when the books were released, and then the movies, gushing over how gorgeous the Cullen family was. So when I heard about a new Twilight book coming out, the middle-schooler in me was ECSTATIC. I simply could not wait to get my hands on it... until I realized that it was over 600 pages. 

Midnight Sun is the version of Twilight, that we know in and love, but in the POV of Edward. This allows us to get a look into Edward's mind and why he's a dick 95% of the time. It also allows us to be able to learn the back stories of each of the Cullens pre-vampire. (Did anyone else re-watch Twilight and release today how BAD the acting was?) 

I don't even know where to start with this review. 

If you're looking for a new installment of the series, do not read this book. This is essentially the retelling of the first story, but from Edward's perspective. I was going to re-read the books prior to this release, but then realized that I would have been wasting my time because this book is literally identical to the first and the first move, except again, with the change of us following Edward and not Bella. 

Guys.. I really wanted to love this book. I adored Twilight growing up (the books are better than the movies). I had such HIGH expectations for this book. My nostalgic heart was ready and disappointed. This book dragged. It took me a long time to make my way through it because there was so much nonsense that didn't need to be there and felt completely irrelevant. Was it nice to learn the Cullens' back stories? Yes.. but maybe in less detail? I mean this is a story about Edward and Bella, not Edward, Bella, and the other Cullens. 

Since this book is HUGE, I was expecting it to go through more than just the first Twilight book. I mean the original is what, 400 pages? But nope.. this is just going over the first book.

Also - did anyone else feel like Edward is a dick? Or is that just me? I mean, when I watched and read this as a teen, I loved Edward and thought that his relationship with Bella was one to be desired. But re-reading this now, as a 25-year-old, man there is some issues going on with that relationship. Edward is controlling and obsessive. He doesn't give a fuck about what Bella wants or thinks. He is so obsessed with her, that he STALKS her in her sleep. I mean, that's creepy. It's funny to see how I romanticized this as a teen but am horrified by it now. I recently watched a Tik Tok where someone was explaining about how our generation has so many TOXIC relationships because we romanticized Twilight and used that as our end all to be all and I was shook. I mean the accuracy is astounding! 

I did enjoy the scenes with Emmett. For some reason, his character really cracks me up. Maybe it's because the actor did such a great job with his role that I associate him that way in this book or what. I mean he's hilarious and just says what everyone else is thinking. And Alice? Oh girl, she continues to be the QUEEN. I mean, she's perfect. She's loyal. She is loving. (Ashley Green's hair was iconic in the film in 2008 btw).

I think I was just...bored. I mean there were parts of the story (cough cough baseball game cough cough) that I loved re-reading about and enjoyed reading, but 75% of the book just didn't do it for me. So many times I wanted to put this down and never come back to it but I felt like that was betraying my youth, so I pushed through. I would have liked to see more of the other books and less of Edward's nonsense. He literally refers to himself as a monster almost every other page and it gets old quick. He just seemed so arrogant in this book. Especially at the end, after Bella's accident. I mean come on dude, she loves you.. get over it. (I know, I know.. he just wants to protect her).

I would give this a solid 3.5 stars I think. I don't think it was memorable and I probably will never read it again, but will keep it to collect dust on my shelves so I can display all my Twilight books, right in between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. It has encouraged me to re-watch the movies and eventually, re-read the next three in the series (I will not re-read Twilight, since again, this was pretty much it). 

If you're a lover of vampires and nostalgia - then I would definitely recommend picking this one up. 

Do I think it's worth the hype? Nah. 

2020 seems to be the year where our favorite series gets another installment and I don't think that should be a thing anymore.. leave this beauties how they were when they originally came out and we all fell in love with them.