Tag Archives: stephenie meyer

Book Review: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

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Growing up, I had always heard mixed feelings about the Twilight Franchise. My mom had told me that she read all of the books and loved them, but I felt as though they’d be cheesy. Yet, here I am, writing a review on the first book in the series.

Since 2020, I have read the first three books, and am currently on the fourth. I would have finished it a long time ago, but I get distracted very easily. Enough information about me, let’s get to my thoughts on the book!

I had no prior knowledge about anything in the Twilight universe. The only thing I knew was there was a girl who liked a boy who happened to be a vampire. In the first few pages of the book, I was hooked. The way Bella’s thoughts were organized in the book were so relatable to me.

She seemed like a very raw character to me and I loved seeing how she grew throughout the book. She is a very relatable teenage character to me. I see a lot of aspects of me in her character throughout the book.

Before I even read the book I knew I would love Edward’s character. I am always down to read a romance book, but with vampires? Even better! I love mystical creatures like vampires so it was non stop entertainment for me.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Book vs. Movie: The Host

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host_bookvmovieIf you lost everything, including your family, what would you do? If aliens came down and took over your planet, how would you survive?

Melanie Stryder thought she was alone, but she wasn’t. She had lived with her little brother, Jamie, since the invasion started. Soon after, she found another survivor, Jared Howe. It was hard to provide them with food and water, but she now had help. One night, Melanie went too far to get supplies, and she ended up risking it all. She had to escape the Souls who tried to take her. She decided to jump out a window, but only to be caught, after she landed.

Melanie woke up and found out what happened to her. Someone else was in her mind! Wanderer was the alien soul’s name. Both of them hated each other. When Melanie thought something, Wanda (her new nickname) had to tell the Seeker. Mel didn’t want Wanda to talk about Jamie, so she made Wanda run away. Mel formed a plan to find her family in the desert, but on the way, they ran into trouble. Their car broke down, and they ran out of water. Then, everything went black. They woke up to find someone giving them water. Mel recognized the face at once. It was her uncle! He led them to his cave and revealed a huge number of humans still alive! The only problem was that they didn’t like her because she was a Soul. They thought she was trying to lead the other Souls to them. Will they ever accept her?

I thought the book was better than the movie because the characters weren’t the same. Melanie and Jamie had such a strong relationship in the book, but in the movie, they barely saw each other. Also, when the author described the appearances of some characters, they didn’t look at all the same. Ian and Kyle were supposed to be identical twins, but in the movie, they looked very different. The book definitely got into more detail and really showed the characters’ feelings.

Do you like the movie better or the book better? I’d love to hear what your opinions are in the comments!

-Sabrina C., 8th grade

Book Review: The Host, by Stephenie Meyer

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host_coverThe Host, written by Stephenie Meyer, is a science fiction and romance novel. This is an excellent read for teenagers because it involves compelling mystery and thrill. This book is about a different species, alien to any in our Earth. The species is called a Host. A Host is a framework for a soul on the planet Earth. They remain in human bodies and serve as a structure for the soul that is assigned to them. One of the last humans alive, Melanie Stryder fights for the lives of herself and her brother, Jamie. She then meets Jared, another remaining human being, and falls deeply in love with him. Chased by souls looking for mischief humans, Melanie avoids getting captured by jumping down an elevator shaft.

The soul named Wanderer is inserted into Melanie’s body after this tragic incident. The souls do this in order to look into Melanie’s mind and look for more humans that might still be alive. Forming a symbolic connection with Wanderer, Melanie leads her soul into the desert in hope of finding Jamie and Jared. Dehydrated and starved, Wanderer is found in the desert by Melanie’s uncle Jeb. Disregarding the fact that his niece is now stuck in a soul, Jeb takes care of Wanderer and leads her into the last of the human’s hideout. Wanderer recognizes Jamie and Jared as soon as she sees them in the hideout, causing Melanie to jump for joy inside her head.

Soon, the group of humans that live in caves accepts Wanderer and they start to nickname her Wanda. But can an alien being ever be truly accepted among humans?

-Nirmeet B., 9th grade

Top 10 Books To Read After Harry Potter

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Whenever a review refers to a book series as “the next Harry Potter,” I start reading with impossibly high expectations. While these books aren’t as enchanting or inspirational as Rowling’s phenomenon, they are unforgettable just the same.

divergent_cover1. The Divergent trilogy, by Veronica Roth… because readers can relate to the main character’s conflicts, such as deciding between what your family wants and what’s best for you, and discovering the difference between bravery and stupidity.

2. The Twilight saga, by Stephenie Meyer… because of the memorable characters and unexpected plot twists.

3. The Delirium trilogy, by Lauren Oliver… because of its universal themes and unique characters, making for an unforgettable dystopian read.

4. The Gallagher Girls series, by Ally Carter… because the author was able to amalgamate teenage girls into a world of spies, romance, danger, and sacrifice.

stormbreaker_cover5. The Alex Rider saga, by Anthony Horowitz… because of its complex setting and captivating characters.

6. The Maze Runner trilogy, by James Dashner… because the author exhibits adventure and suspense in this narrative about values, curiosity, and life’s true meaning.

7. The Hush, Hush saga, by Becca Fitzpatrick… because of how readers are able to relate to the characters and their personal incentives.

matched_cover8. The Matched trilogy, by Allie Condie… because of how it is similar to The Giver. It takes place in a futuristic dystopian society, while telling a story of love, courage, and individuality.

9. The Percy Jackson series & the Heroes of Olympus series, by Rick Riordan… because the author takes Greek mythology and adds modern, unforgettable characters.

10. The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins… because it teaches readers about life, loss, love, and bravery through the eyes of the strong, female heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

-Danielle K., 7th grade