The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner
Stephenie Meyer / YA Paranormal
Eclipse Novella

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood ... life before she became a vampire. All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has a few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself, and above all, make it home before sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out. Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as her. As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?   (click title to read more)
HOW I FELT:

Well, I guess I could say it was an interesting read? I bought this book for my daughter but for different reasons, I'm the one who got to open it first and even then, I wasn't too sure I wanted to read it in the first place. I like the Twilight series and owe it thanks because it was the series that introduced me into the world of vampires and werewolves. It's a good read and I think a perfect tool in getting teens to read. It's what hooked my daughter and now she reads anything she can get her hands on. But I've kind of gotten over the whole Twilight hype (I still to this day blame Robert Pattinson for killing my image of Edward) and moved onto different books. So when this book was released, I passed over it, not really caring one way or the other. Bree wasn't someone I was particularly interested in but in memory of the good old times, I sat down to read it. An hour later I'm not sure whether I liked it or whether I want to find a way to get that hour back. I think what comes to mind is that there could have been MORE to the story. I understand that it's a novella and that it was just the authors exploration of the character but it seemed a little too glossed over. Diluted. Lacking. I felt that I was given the smell of something that would please me but was never really given a taste, just teased. The author had two interesting characters involved with Bree - Diego and Fred, and I was left wishing that Bree's relationships with them had been better described, had more "novella" time. I would have liked to see her have more one on one time with both Diego and Fred and it felt as though I was given a quick glimpse and it was over. I almost feel as if why even bother putting Diego and Fred in in the first place, the author did nothing with them. To me, they were used just as a way to make the story longer than - I'm a vampire, I'm in an army that fights the Cullens, they try to save me but I die. I don't know, it just didn't feel right. It makes me wonder if it was simply a way to make more money from the hype of the movies because it seemed like it was something pulled out of a character file with fluff thrown in and TADA here's a novella. For characters the author shared "took on strong lives of their own", the story was weak. I think that was what was so disappointing. With a little more time, I really think I would have liked it more. I'm sure there are people who love it, and appreciate it for what it is - another glimpse into the world of Twilight. For me, it was a glimpse I really didn't need to have. I could have spent that hour reading a book that delivered. Sigh ....

Ratings: 2.5 stars and 1 heart