I have to say up front I listened to these books on audiobook, so no skipping the repetition. I wanted to like this book for being a huge success for the publishing world and furthering the public's interest in such fantastical goings on, but couldn't get past the juvenile nature of our protagonist Bella. I gotta say it is a 
good thing Edward can't read her mind, because he may be bored by her unoriginal shallowness. Aside from the fact this young lady can easily accustom herself to mythical realities, she isn't a very bright character. Let's keep it real, it took her half of book one to even come to the realization that the love of her life is a vampire, even after he stops a truck with his bare hands, never comes out on sunny days, has hypnotic eyes, has a clan of "siblings" that are extraordinarily beautiful, and can read other people's minds. In fact, it took the other man in her life, werewolf Jake, to tell her what they are before she even realizes it. Is there anyone in the United States who has never seen a vampire movie or read an occult book? As soon as someone stops a truck barehanded, I know something is afoot. When I find out the local hotties are Nosferatu, you better believe I'm gonna believe in every fairytale I've ever heard. The naive nature of Bella does not jive with what I believe would be nearly everyone on Earth's response to nightmares walking into their life. But I guess that is why the story is about her.
The entertaining aspects of this series are the new legends Meyer creates through the frame of this strange romance. Indian werewolves, the vampire equivalent of the Cosa Nostra and vampire wars in Mexico are all just side notes to a 100-year-old man (albeit a vampire) making the moves on an 18 year-old. Where's Nabokov when you need him? Keepin it real, there are a few well-crafted characters who are interesting enough to warrant continuing with this series. Still keepin it real, I'd be very surprised if Stephenie Meyer had the skill to create another world that could pull as many readers as this one has, if not for her new-found fame. I haven't seen the movie, but I have to wonder how entertaining it could have been. With near-to-nil action and gloomy scenery, a truely forbidden (by the law) romance is all we're left with. How long can chaste kisses keep the attention ofthe 21st Century set? Is Chivalry cool again?
Bottom line, this could have been way better. Interesting tidbits aside, this is a creepy May/December whose only horror lies in the amount of rehashing of everyone's feelings.