An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

Fifth in series, 30 Dec 2008
Lara Adrian's vampire series is of course very similar to J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. This is not a bad thing as Ward's books are very good, but it does mean that each new book from Lara Adrian doesn't feel as fresh as it could. The same is true of the newest release, 'Veil of Midnight', which follows the love life of vampire Nikolai. Nikolai was always rather a sketchy character in the previous books, one we didn't read all that much about and who wasn't generally the centre of the action.

In this story Nikolai is sent to Montreal to check up on one of the few remaining Gen One vampires, the rather unpleasant Sergei Yakut. The events of this story follow on from the previous ones and so a newcomer to the series might not always entirely follow what's going on. The Gen One vampires are being killed and the Order (warrior group of vampires) are trying to protect these earliest vampires, the result of a mating between alien beings and humans.

Nikolai doesn't get much of a welcome from Sergei Yakut, unfortunately, but he does bump into one of Sergei's women, Renata. Renata is very unusual in that she has a certain psychic power that can temporarily disable vampires; she is also looking after a young girl, Mira, who can predict the future. When Sergei Yakut is attacked, Nikolai is kidnapped. His rescue comes, unexpectedly, from Renata who needs him to help her rescue Mira. But Renata doesn't trust the vampires and it's possible that her mission to rescue Mira might work against the plans of the Order to get to the bottom of the attacks on the Gen One vampires.

I enjoyed reading this book, finding the pacing good as always. I did feel, though, that the characterisation was a bit sparse. I didn't know Niko before the story began, I didn't feel I knew him a great deal more afterwards. Renata, too, was sometimes something of a mystery, although she was an appealing heroine. Other parts of the plot were moved on, such as the occasional focus on Andreas Reichen in Berlin, but the overall story in this book felt at times a little thin. It was enjoyable but perhaps a little more run-of-the-mill than some of the others.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

Fifth in series, 30 Dec 2008
Lara Adrian's vampire series is of course very similar to J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. This is not a bad thing as Ward's books are very good, but it does mean that each new book from Lara Adrian doesn't feel as fresh as it could. The same is true of the newest release, 'Veil of Midnight', which follows the love life of vampire Nikolai. Nikolai was always rather a sketchy character in the previous books, one we didn't read all that much about and who wasn't generally the centre of the action.

In this story Nikolai is sent to Montreal to check up on one of the few remaining Gen One vampires, the rather unpleasant Sergei Yakut. The events of this story follow on from the previous ones and so a newcomer to the series might not always entirely follow what's going on. The Gen One vampires are being killed and the Order (warrior group of vampires) are trying to protect these earliest vampires, the result of a mating between alien beings and humans.

Nikolai doesn't get much of a welcome from Sergei Yakut, unfortunately, but he does bump into one of Sergei's women, Renata. Renata is very unusual in that she has a certain psychic power that can temporarily disable vampires; she is also looking after a young girl, Mira, who can predict the future. When Sergei Yakut is attacked, Nikolai is kidnapped. His rescue comes, unexpectedly, from Renata who needs him to help her rescue Mira. But Renata doesn't trust the vampires and it's possible that her mission to rescue Mira might work against the plans of the Order to get to the bottom of the attacks on the Gen One vampires.

I enjoyed reading this book, finding the pacing good as always. I did feel, though, that the characterisation was a bit sparse. I didn't know Niko before the story began, I didn't feel I knew him a great deal more afterwards. Renata, too, was sometimes something of a mystery, although she was an appealing heroine. Other parts of the plot were moved on, such as the occasional focus on Andreas Reichen in Berlin, but the overall story in this book felt at times a little thin. It was enjoyable but perhaps a little more run-of-the-mill than some of the others.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Can't wait for more!, 06 Jan 2009
I won't go into details about the plot - other reviewers have done that already. I will just say that I think this is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I hope the author will continue to release books set in this world.
I have read Posion Study and Magic Study and found both to be gripping, entertaining and fascinating (probably lots of other 'ings' as well!) The characters are very real, mostly likeable and well-rounded - you find yourself caring about what happens to them, which I think is the mark of a good writer.
To summarise, a fabulous fantasy novel which ticks all the boxes for me!

Excellent Book, 28 Nov 2008
I was downloading e-books for my sony reader when I came upon this book. I downloaded it, not expecting it to be great but possibly interesting. Once I started reading it I was hooked; it is very good. I shan't ruin the plot, as some reviews do, but shall tell you it is good for all ages and sexes.

Brilliant!, 16 Nov 2008
I loved this book- I've read the sequel, Magic Study, and eagerly await the third in the series, Fire Study. Both books are really engaging, and are very good distractions when you're supposed to be doing A-Level work!


Very well written, 16 Jul 2008
Yelena was convicted of murdering a General's son and was sentenced to death. As she is walking to her death she is redirected to Valek's (chief of security) office where she is offered a choice: the noose or becoming the food taster for the Commander. Only the next convict sent to their death after the predecessor has died can become the new food taster as it is a death sentence anyway. Yelena accepts Valek's offer but she is not only in danger from possible poisons in the Commander's food but her life is threatened by the grieving General whose son she killed.

When Yelena was convicted no one knew her motive for the murder so everyone believes she is a cold-blooded killer, though Valek rightly begins to suspect otherwise. In this society any unnatural death is murder and therefore the punishment is always execution.

I was intrigued by the political structure in this society. The monarchy was overthrown by the current Commander and a new military structure was put into place. It seems like a very communist society for example, every child at age 12 is assigned a job based on their skills and is entered into training and every person must wear a uniform according to their political and social standing. This is very different to most of the fantasy books I have read.

Yelena was very well written she is a victim to begin with, she would run away at the first sign of trouble but as she is put in more and more danger she decides to find people to teach her some fighting skills. She becomes more confident and stands up to those that are bullying her.

This is a very easy to read fantasy with plenty of action and adventure as well as a slow burning romance. A brilliant start to the Study series

Strong female, 05 Jul 2008
It's been a while since i've devoured a book. This happened with poison study. This female character has fire, power and courage, as well as habilities. But what I like the most is that she does't just have the strenghts and uses it, like we see in so many books, she has to work them. She struggles through life as a girl and developes skills that slowly makes her a powerful woman. Even the romance that eventually happens isn't too lame. A nice story, that ends as good as it starts.

NO SPOILERS HERE.

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

Fifth in series, 30 Dec 2008
Lara Adrian's vampire series is of course very similar to J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. This is not a bad thing as Ward's books are very good, but it does mean that each new book from Lara Adrian doesn't feel as fresh as it could. The same is true of the newest release, 'Veil of Midnight', which follows the love life of vampire Nikolai. Nikolai was always rather a sketchy character in the previous books, one we didn't read all that much about and who wasn't generally the centre of the action.

In this story Nikolai is sent to Montreal to check up on one of the few remaining Gen One vampires, the rather unpleasant Sergei Yakut. The events of this story follow on from the previous ones and so a newcomer to the series might not always entirely follow what's going on. The Gen One vampires are being killed and the Order (warrior group of vampires) are trying to protect these earliest vampires, the result of a mating between alien beings and humans.

Nikolai doesn't get much of a welcome from Sergei Yakut, unfortunately, but he does bump into one of Sergei's women, Renata. Renata is very unusual in that she has a certain psychic power that can temporarily disable vampires; she is also looking after a young girl, Mira, who can predict the future. When Sergei Yakut is attacked, Nikolai is kidnapped. His rescue comes, unexpectedly, from Renata who needs him to help her rescue Mira. But Renata doesn't trust the vampires and it's possible that her mission to rescue Mira might work against the plans of the Order to get to the bottom of the attacks on the Gen One vampires.

I enjoyed reading this book, finding the pacing good as always. I did feel, though, that the characterisation was a bit sparse. I didn't know Niko before the story began, I didn't feel I knew him a great deal more afterwards. Renata, too, was sometimes something of a mystery, although she was an appealing heroine. Other parts of the plot were moved on, such as the occasional focus on Andreas Reichen in Berlin, but the overall story in this book felt at times a little thin. It was enjoyable but perhaps a little more run-of-the-mill than some of the others.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Can't wait for more!, 06 Jan 2009
I won't go into details about the plot - other reviewers have done that already. I will just say that I think this is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I hope the author will continue to release books set in this world.
I have read Posion Study and Magic Study and found both to be gripping, entertaining and fascinating (probably lots of other 'ings' as well!) The characters are very real, mostly likeable and well-rounded - you find yourself caring about what happens to them, which I think is the mark of a good writer.
To summarise, a fabulous fantasy novel which ticks all the boxes for me!

Excellent Book, 28 Nov 2008
I was downloading e-books for my sony reader when I came upon this book. I downloaded it, not expecting it to be great but possibly interesting. Once I started reading it I was hooked; it is very good. I shan't ruin the plot, as some reviews do, but shall tell you it is good for all ages and sexes.

Brilliant!, 16 Nov 2008
I loved this book- I've read the sequel, Magic Study, and eagerly await the third in the series, Fire Study. Both books are really engaging, and are very good distractions when you're supposed to be doing A-Level work!


Very well written, 16 Jul 2008
Yelena was convicted of murdering a General's son and was sentenced to death. As she is walking to her death she is redirected to Valek's (chief of security) office where she is offered a choice: the noose or becoming the food taster for the Commander. Only the next convict sent to their death after the predecessor has died can become the new food taster as it is a death sentence anyway. Yelena accepts Valek's offer but she is not only in danger from possible poisons in the Commander's food but her life is threatened by the grieving General whose son she killed.

When Yelena was convicted no one knew her motive for the murder so everyone believes she is a cold-blooded killer, though Valek rightly begins to suspect otherwise. In this society any unnatural death is murder and therefore the punishment is always execution.

I was intrigued by the political structure in this society. The monarchy was overthrown by the current Commander and a new military structure was put into place. It seems like a very communist society for example, every child at age 12 is assigned a job based on their skills and is entered into training and every person must wear a uniform according to their political and social standing. This is very different to most of the fantasy books I have read.

Yelena was very well written she is a victim to begin with, she would run away at the first sign of trouble but as she is put in more and more danger she decides to find people to teach her some fighting skills. She becomes more confident and stands up to those that are bullying her.

This is a very easy to read fantasy with plenty of action and adventure as well as a slow burning romance. A brilliant start to the Study series

Strong female, 05 Jul 2008
It's been a while since i've devoured a book. This happened with poison study. This female character has fire, power and courage, as well as habilities. But what I like the most is that she does't just have the strenghts and uses it, like we see in so many books, she has to work them. She struggles through life as a girl and developes skills that slowly makes her a powerful woman. Even the romance that eventually happens isn't too lame. A nice story, that ends as good as it starts.

NO SPOILERS HERE.

Hot and intense, 07 Jan 2009
This is my new favourite, in this series. I've owned this book less than one week and read it twice already. Gloria 'Ria' Rodrigues is sent to Sanctuary to find a traitor/s. She instantly drawn to Mercury who everyone knows was mated, and his mate was killed. Ria doesn't want to get involved with him; she's not his mate and will only ever be second-best. But unbeknown to them both the beast within Mercury is waking up from a long sleep. This book features a breed whose both intensely male and vulnerable; which makes him especially appealing. I loved the banter between Mercury and Ria. I found there was an emotional intensity in this novel that really got to me. When you combine this with Lee's trademark 'heat', then this book can't be more highly recommended.

Mercury at last, 08 Dec 2008
He's appeared as a cameo in so many of the other 'breed' books so it was great to see him get his own story. Hot and steamy with a big twist in the tail - where does she get all her ideas?!

Probably the best yet, 27 Nov 2008
It was worth the wait. Great new title by Lora with good strong characters and a fantastic story line, with fab twist at the end. Unputdownable. So lock the doors turn off the phone settle down and enjoy, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

Fifth in series, 30 Dec 2008
Lara Adrian's vampire series is of course very similar to J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. This is not a bad thing as Ward's books are very good, but it does mean that each new book from Lara Adrian doesn't feel as fresh as it could. The same is true of the newest release, 'Veil of Midnight', which follows the love life of vampire Nikolai. Nikolai was always rather a sketchy character in the previous books, one we didn't read all that much about and who wasn't generally the centre of the action.

In this story Nikolai is sent to Montreal to check up on one of the few remaining Gen One vampires, the rather unpleasant Sergei Yakut. The events of this story follow on from the previous ones and so a newcomer to the series might not always entirely follow what's going on. The Gen One vampires are being killed and the Order (warrior group of vampires) are trying to protect these earliest vampires, the result of a mating between alien beings and humans.

Nikolai doesn't get much of a welcome from Sergei Yakut, unfortunately, but he does bump into one of Sergei's women, Renata. Renata is very unusual in that she has a certain psychic power that can temporarily disable vampires; she is also looking after a young girl, Mira, who can predict the future. When Sergei Yakut is attacked, Nikolai is kidnapped. His rescue comes, unexpectedly, from Renata who needs him to help her rescue Mira. But Renata doesn't trust the vampires and it's possible that her mission to rescue Mira might work against the plans of the Order to get to the bottom of the attacks on the Gen One vampires.

I enjoyed reading this book, finding the pacing good as always. I did feel, though, that the characterisation was a bit sparse. I didn't know Niko before the story began, I didn't feel I knew him a great deal more afterwards. Renata, too, was sometimes something of a mystery, although she was an appealing heroine. Other parts of the plot were moved on, such as the occasional focus on Andreas Reichen in Berlin, but the overall story in this book felt at times a little thin. It was enjoyable but perhaps a little more run-of-the-mill than some of the others.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Can't wait for more!, 06 Jan 2009
I won't go into details about the plot - other reviewers have done that already. I will just say that I think this is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I hope the author will continue to release books set in this world.
I have read Posion Study and Magic Study and found both to be gripping, entertaining and fascinating (probably lots of other 'ings' as well!) The characters are very real, mostly likeable and well-rounded - you find yourself caring about what happens to them, which I think is the mark of a good writer.
To summarise, a fabulous fantasy novel which ticks all the boxes for me!

Excellent Book, 28 Nov 2008
I was downloading e-books for my sony reader when I came upon this book. I downloaded it, not expecting it to be great but possibly interesting. Once I started reading it I was hooked; it is very good. I shan't ruin the plot, as some reviews do, but shall tell you it is good for all ages and sexes.

Brilliant!, 16 Nov 2008
I loved this book- I've read the sequel, Magic Study, and eagerly await the third in the series, Fire Study. Both books are really engaging, and are very good distractions when you're supposed to be doing A-Level work!


Very well written, 16 Jul 2008
Yelena was convicted of murdering a General's son and was sentenced to death. As she is walking to her death she is redirected to Valek's (chief of security) office where she is offered a choice: the noose or becoming the food taster for the Commander. Only the next convict sent to their death after the predecessor has died can become the new food taster as it is a death sentence anyway. Yelena accepts Valek's offer but she is not only in danger from possible poisons in the Commander's food but her life is threatened by the grieving General whose son she killed.

When Yelena was convicted no one knew her motive for the murder so everyone believes she is a cold-blooded killer, though Valek rightly begins to suspect otherwise. In this society any unnatural death is murder and therefore the punishment is always execution.

I was intrigued by the political structure in this society. The monarchy was overthrown by the current Commander and a new military structure was put into place. It seems like a very communist society for example, every child at age 12 is assigned a job based on their skills and is entered into training and every person must wear a uniform according to their political and social standing. This is very different to most of the fantasy books I have read.

Yelena was very well written she is a victim to begin with, she would run away at the first sign of trouble but as she is put in more and more danger she decides to find people to teach her some fighting skills. She becomes more confident and stands up to those that are bullying her.

This is a very easy to read fantasy with plenty of action and adventure as well as a slow burning romance. A brilliant start to the Study series

Strong female, 05 Jul 2008
It's been a while since i've devoured a book. This happened with poison study. This female character has fire, power and courage, as well as habilities. But what I like the most is that she does't just have the strenghts and uses it, like we see in so many books, she has to work them. She struggles through life as a girl and developes skills that slowly makes her a powerful woman. Even the romance that eventually happens isn't too lame. A nice story, that ends as good as it starts.

NO SPOILERS HERE.

Hot and intense, 07 Jan 2009
This is my new favourite, in this series. I've owned this book less than one week and read it twice already. Gloria 'Ria' Rodrigues is sent to Sanctuary to find a traitor/s. She instantly drawn to Mercury who everyone knows was mated, and his mate was killed. Ria doesn't want to get involved with him; she's not his mate and will only ever be second-best. But unbeknown to them both the beast within Mercury is waking up from a long sleep. This book features a breed whose both intensely male and vulnerable; which makes him especially appealing. I loved the banter between Mercury and Ria. I found there was an emotional intensity in this novel that really got to me. When you combine this with Lee's trademark 'heat', then this book can't be more highly recommended.

Mercury at last, 08 Dec 2008
He's appeared as a cameo in so many of the other 'breed' books so it was great to see him get his own story. Hot and steamy with a big twist in the tail - where does she get all her ideas?!

Probably the best yet, 27 Nov 2008
It was worth the wait. Great new title by Lora with good strong characters and a fantastic story line, with fab twist at the end. Unputdownable. So lock the doors turn off the phone settle down and enjoy, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Awful Hero, 22 Sep 2008
Regardless of everything else in the book (which wasn't awful but wasn't great either) I can't give this book more than a one star review because the hero sexually assaults the heroine within the first couple of chapters of the book.
In my opinion there is no justification for sexual assault and therefore I could not enjoy this book.

Sexy, romance-fantasy-horror novel, 25 Aug 2008
This was my first foray into this genre. I must say, I was initially put off by the cover as it looked like one of those novels that desperate or under satisfied women read - and to be fair...it was - as it jumped right into the passion pit within the first ten pages. BUT...it was well written with a good story line and great character development that made you understand the feelings / agendas of each individual. I liked the author's style of letting readers into the thoughts of the two main characters at important moments. I did think Emma held out a bit too long in satisfying her desires, and Lachain was a bit overly sensitive to her reluctance for a sex-starved, middle ages type Scotsman. As well, there were a couple of storylines that went unanswered (Lucia & Garreth and Furie) - maybe in a sequel. Other than that, I liked the book for what it was and would recommend it to adults who like this genre.

Scorching sex scenes, 21 Aug 2008
I was unsure when I first started reading this book. I am no prude, I like the ocassional sex scene, but this book from page one is sex on legs!

Yet despite my initial reservations, a plot materialises and the heroine becomes a stronger and more powerful character, and the hero becomes softer and more noble.

There is one sex scene that is the hottest I have ever read - so be sure to have your partner near to hand!

If you are a prude when it comes to sex scenes, then this is not the book for you.

lord protect us from americans in scotland, 18 Aug 2008

well-lets cut to the chase: its not the most original idea-conflicted unsure Virgin vampire with un tapped talents meets incredibly handsome bit of rough for mutual admiration and some incredibly trite self examination-and a bit of nookie
However-if you have ever acyually met a scotsman/visited scotland-the great hilarity id the go at a written scottish accent.its one of the best bits of comedy i have read in a while.
the descriptions are of a chocolate box (think St Andrews golfing holidays)What no rain? lots of Occh-does not a highlander make.
Och now then lassie can ya no do betta than that?


VERY DISSAPOINTED!!, 12 Aug 2008
I cannot believe how on earth this book gained such good reviews! I am an avid reader of all sorts of paranormal vampire romance, it is by far my favorite genre, and usually I trust the amazon reviews, but this book does NOT deserve all these good reviews unless I suppose you have never read another novel in your life and you have no point of comparison, but the without wanting to go in to the MANY reasons why I think it's so bad, I just felt it was my duty to balance out this totally undeserved score. The book reads like a australian surfer girls idea of gothic, there is too much smart ass cliche, too much focus on the whiny girls feelings, not enough story developement, you wait for them to get together for ages, and when they finally do, you don't understand how it happened, or what pushed the decision to be made in the first place. It's just awful, cliche, terrible, and I hate being negative but honestly, don't waste your money, and go buy J'R Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood series instead!!!

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book that was what I was expecting, what with the Volutri's strict rules. (Which I feel is obvious from the previous 3 novels; Bella and The Cullens managing to upset them again.)

Meyer choosing for Bella to become a vampire whilst giving birth to Reneeseme was sort of annoying, I had this romantic notion in my head of it being something Edward did for Bella through her persistance and his love for her. Also aside from that, I can't see why Charlie would be so willing to just let her go as easily as he did, it was like Renee had given Bella to him as perishable gift, for him to treasure while she was at high school, and he ended up just "throwing her away" when she was past her "sell-by date." That may seem like a harsh comparison, but when you really think about it, that's exactly what it sounds like. He's not interested in knowing anything about her new existance which I find impossible to believe! I know it's just a book, but to me he really didn't make any effort in trying to get Bella back once he saw her as a vampire. He just seemed to give up completely and wasn't interested in hearing anything after Jacob had told him about him being a werewolf.

The breakdown in communication with the Volturi when Bella became pregnant with Reneeseme was understandable, considering their punishment for all past immortal children. But what got me was that although Reneesme wasn't an immortal child, but rather a hybrid; Bella and The Cullens' had no idea of this when she was carrying her. So to me, Bella had effectively already broken the rules by refusing to abort her. This is never mentioned in the book though.

The fact there was no finale fight annoyed me, they might as well have sat with a cup of tea discussing the matter of Reneeseme for all the menacing feel that came out of the argument, the book is aimed at teenagers, not ten year olds!

Those qualms were big enough for me to only rate it as being 3 stars. As i mentioned before, had the ending had a little more drama then I could easily have upped it to four stars.



Absolutely fantastic!, 08 Jan 2009
I found Breaking Dawn possibly the best book out of the Twilight Saga. Jacob Black is a character who we actually don't know too much of yet when Stephenie Meyer writes in First Person showing Jacob's point of view, I learned much more about Jacob and sympathised more with his character. By being in Jacob's head, we also learn so much more about the other werewolves- in particular Leah and Seth Clearwater. Seth is a character who we immediately grow to love!

One reason why I have enjoyed the entire cornucopia of the twilight books is because it can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. Despite them being predominantly children's books, I would categorise them all similar to the Harry Potters in that they can be enjoyed on different levels. I am 19 years old and have not once found the books "childish". I find Breaking Dawn far from being childish and I believe the books mature one by one from Twilight to Breaking Dawn.

Inritially, before reading this book, I accidentally read a spoiler and so I thought Breaking Dawn was ruined for me; however despite ruining one part, there is so much more to the book that it definitely didn't ruin it. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and when I did put it down, I was always thinking about the book and what would happen next! The plot builds up and the author successfully draws you in as a reader. When it reaches the end of the book, you can feel the suspense of the situation that the characters are in. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire Twilight Saga and I think Breaking Dawn was incredibly well written- definitely one of my favourite books. My only negative criticism is that I wish there was more to read of the Twilight Saga!!

Vampire Love, 07 Jan 2009
We loved the first 3 books & we are not teenagers, but range for 25 to 44. We feel that these books can reach all ages. Although at times we got a bit annoyed with Bella when she wanted to rush off & be a vampire, before she had expeirence more of her human side. The film Twillight was good even if the actors looked too 'perfect'. We can't wait to read the latest installment.

Pure YES!, 07 Jan 2009
This has got to be my favourite book, along with twilight, out of the Saga. Hale Yes! :D
I must admit there was certain things that got on my nerves..Such as the name of Rensemee Carlie...but I can deal with that...But..i loved the whole book...It was SO intense..And so addictive it was "my own brand of heroine". i LOVE the characters so much!...I hated Jacob but I loved him in the last book, I now understand him. Seth Clearwater is just amazing...So cute...And Leah's alright. I hated Bella as well cos i was like for god sake what's wrong with you...But now I have respect for her and love her :D..And every LOVES EDWARD CULLEN, and if you don't...Why bother reading the book. Alice is just so great...She always is...Jasper...I love how confused and frustrated he got when Bella fianlly became a vampire because she could control herself extremely well, which newborns are unable to do, and she acted like she'd been a vampire for centuries. Emmett is my favourite character...HES SO FUNNY...continuously making jokes about Bella's sex life and then had to shut up about it because he lost an arm wrestling match with Bella. Emse and Carlisle you've always got to love :D Rosalie did sort of become alright...But I still don't like her...But I love hating a character...I love the emotions Stephenie makes you feel in this book.

Anyway...The book is about whether Bella and Edward follow their compromise they discussed in New Moon and Eclipse...Which is that Bella will become a vampire by Edward when she had married to him. And that they will have sex before she is a vampire... They do get married...But in the honeymoon a little nugger crops up. Bella becomes pregnant...however, the baby is killing her, and it grows extremely fast.

Breaking Dawn is first read from Bella's View, and then Jacobs as he shows us what the pregnancy is doing to Bella and the whole situation which causes a lot of problems because the Werewolves don't know what to make of it and the Vampires have never been in this situation. Bella does have a little girl, however, the Volutri find out and don't know whether to eliminate this offspring as they don't know the dangers she will cause...The Voultri first got involve because of a miss understanding...Something about children not being a lot to be changed into vampires...However the child wasn't turned into as she is Half Vampire and Half Human, and she has ability as well.
When Bella becomes a vampires...it's the coolest thing ever.. So amazing and they describing made me jealous.I want to be a vampire. :D however, Edward still can't read Bella's mind, however, it appears that Bella doesn't really obtain a power..However she does...She is able to form a shield around people to protect them from mental attacks, such a Jane one, the little vampire from the Volutri who can make you feel pain.
There are loads to this book...And you must read to know what the Volutri will do. It so intense and amazing...so brilliant.
If you are a Twilighter..BUY THIS BOOK and READ and READ again...Cause Stephenie Meyer has created this amazing piece and a HUGHE epidemic.


the end, 07 Jan 2009
I really enjoyed all 4 books in the series but felt the last book in breaking dawn was a bit rushed especially the bit about Charlie finding out somthing strange was going on.
You never really found out why Bella, from the start, seem different to other humans, why Edward could never hear her thoughts, why her half human/half vampire baby had a temprature higher than a humans. I kept waiting to read that Bella may have been a decendant of the werewolves herself, but no.
Anyhow still a good read that why the 4 stars.

Fifth in series, 30 Dec 2008
Lara Adrian's vampire series is of course very similar to J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. This is not a bad thing as Ward's books are very good, but it does mean that each new book from Lara Adrian doesn't feel as fresh as it could. The same is true of the newest release, 'Veil of Midnight', which follows the love life of vampire Nikolai. Nikolai was always rather a sketchy character in the previous books, one we didn't read all that much about and who wasn't generally the centre of the action.

In this story Nikolai is sent to Montreal to check up on one of the few remaining Gen One vampires, the rather unpleasant Sergei Yakut. The events of this story follow on from the previous ones and so a newcomer to the series might not always entirely follow what's going on. The Gen One vampires are being killed and the Order (warrior group of vampires) are trying to protect these earliest vampires, the result of a mating between alien beings and humans.

Nikolai doesn't get much of a welcome from Sergei Yakut, unfortunately, but he does bump into one of Sergei's women, Renata. Renata is very unusual in that she has a certain psychic power that can temporarily disable vampires; she is also looking after a young girl, Mira, who can predict the future. When Sergei Yakut is attacked, Nikolai is kidnapped. His rescue comes, unexpectedly, from Renata who needs him to help her rescue Mira. But Renata doesn't trust the vampires and it's possible that her mission to rescue Mira might work against the plans of the Order to get to the bottom of the attacks on the Gen One vampires.

I enjoyed reading this book, finding the pacing good as always. I did feel, though, that the characterisation was a bit sparse. I didn't know Niko before the story began, I didn't feel I knew him a great deal more afterwards. Renata, too, was sometimes something of a mystery, although she was an appealing heroine. Other parts of the plot were moved on, such as the occasional focus on Andreas Reichen in Berlin, but the overall story in this book felt at times a little thin. It was enjoyable but perhaps a little more run-of-the-mill than some of the others.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Can't wait for more!, 06 Jan 2009
I won't go into details about the plot - other reviewers have done that already. I will just say that I think this is a brilliant start to the trilogy and I hope the author will continue to release books set in this world.
I have read Posion Study and Magic Study and found both to be gripping, entertaining and fascinating (probably lots of other 'ings' as well!) The characters are very real, mostly likeable and well-rounded - you find yourself caring about what happens to them, which I think is the mark of a good writer.
To summarise, a fabulous fantasy novel which ticks all the boxes for me!

Excellent Book, 28 Nov 2008
I was downloading e-books for my sony reader when I came upon this book. I downloaded it, not expecting it to be great but possibly interesting. Once I started reading it I was hooked; it is very good. I shan't ruin the plot, as some reviews do, but shall tell you it is good for all ages and sexes.

Brilliant!, 16 Nov 2008
I loved this book- I've read the sequel, Magic Study, and eagerly await the third in the series, Fire Study. Both books are really engaging, and are very good distractions when you're supposed to be doing A-Level work!


Very well written, 16 Jul 2008
Yelena was convicted of murdering a General's son and was sentenced to death. As she is walking to her death she is redirected to Valek's (chief of security) office where she is offered a choice: the noose or becoming the food taster for the Commander. Only the next convict sent to their death after the predecessor has died can become the new food taster as it is a death sentence anyway. Yelena accepts Valek's offer but she is not only in danger from possible poisons in the Commander's food but her life is threatened by the grieving General whose son she killed.

When Yelena was convicted no one knew her motive for the murder so everyone believes she is a cold-blooded killer, though Valek rightly begins to suspect otherwise. In this society any unnatural death is murder and therefore the punishment is always execution.

I was intrigued by the political structure in this society. The monarchy was overthrown by the current Commander and a new military structure was put into place. It seems like a very communist society for example, every child at age 12 is assigned a job based on their skills and is entered into training and every person must wear a uniform according to their political and social standing. This is very different to most of the fantasy books I have read.

Yelena was very well written she is a victim to begin with, she would run away at the first sign of trouble but as she is put in more and more danger she decides to find people to teach her some fighting skills. She becomes more confident and stands up to those that are bullying her.

This is a very easy to read fantasy with plenty of action and adventure as well as a slow burning romance. A brilliant start to the Study series

Strong female, 05 Jul 2008
It's been a while since i've devoured a book. This happened with poison study. This female character has fire, power and courage, as well as habilities. But what I like the most is that she does't just have the strenghts and uses it, like we see in so many books, she has to work them. She struggles through life as a girl and developes skills that slowly makes her a powerful woman. Even the romance that eventually happens isn't too lame. A nice story, that ends as good as it starts.

NO SPOILERS HERE.

Hot and intense, 07 Jan 2009
This is my new favourite, in this series. I've owned this book less than one week and read it twice already. Gloria 'Ria' Rodrigues is sent to Sanctuary to find a traitor/s. She instantly drawn to Mercury who everyone knows was mated, and his mate was killed. Ria doesn't want to get involved with him; she's not his mate and will only ever be second-best. But unbeknown to them both the beast within Mercury is waking up from a long sleep. This book features a breed whose both intensely male and vulnerable; which makes him especially appealing. I loved the banter between Mercury and Ria. I found there was an emotional intensity in this novel that really got to me. When you combine this with Lee's trademark 'heat', then this book can't be more highly recommended.

Mercury at last, 08 Dec 2008
He's appeared as a cameo in so many of the other 'breed' books so it was great to see him get his own story. Hot and steamy with a big twist in the tail - where does she get all her ideas?!

Probably the best yet, 27 Nov 2008
It was worth the wait. Great new title by Lora with good strong characters and a fantastic story line, with fab twist at the end. Unputdownable. So lock the doors turn off the phone settle down and enjoy, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Awful Hero, 22 Sep 2008
Regardless of everything else in the book (which wasn't awful but wasn't great either) I can't give this book more than a one star review because the hero sexually assaults the heroine within the first couple of chapters of the book.
In my opinion there is no justification for sexual assault and therefore I could not enjoy this book.

Sexy, romance-fantasy-horror novel, 25 Aug 2008
This was my first foray into this genre. I must say, I was initially put off by the cover as it looked like one of those novels that desperate or under satisfied women read - and to be fair...it was - as it jumped right into the passion pit within the first ten pages. BUT...it was well written with a good story line and great character development that made you understand the feelings / agendas of each individual. I liked the author's style of letting readers into the thoughts of the two main characters at important moments. I did think Emma held out a bit too long in satisfying her desires, and Lachain was a bit overly sensitive to her reluctance for a sex-starved, middle ages type Scotsman. As well, there were a couple of storylines that went unanswered (Lucia & Garreth and Furie) - maybe in a sequel. Other than that, I liked the book for what it was and would recommend it to adults who like this genre.

Scorching sex scenes, 21 Aug 2008
I was unsure when I first started reading this book. I am no prude, I like the ocassional sex scene, but this book from page one is sex on legs!

Yet despite my initial reservations, a plot materialises and the heroine becomes a stronger and more powerful character, and the hero becomes softer and more noble.

There is one sex scene that is the hottest I have ever read - so be sure to have your partner near to hand!

If you are a prude when it comes to sex scenes, then this is not the book for you.

lord protect us from americans in scotland, 18 Aug 2008

well-lets cut to the chase: its not the most original idea-conflicted unsure Virgin vampire with un tapped talents meets incredibly handsome bit of rough for mutual admiration and some incredibly trite self examination-and a bit of nookie
However-if you have ever acyually met a scotsman/visited scotland-the great hilarity id the go at a written scottish accent.its one of the best bits of comedy i have read in a while.
the descriptions are of a chocolate box (think St Andrews golfing holidays)What no rain? lots of Occh-does not a highlander make.
Och now then lassie can ya no do betta than that?


VERY DISSAPOINTED!!, 12 Aug 2008
I cannot believe how on earth this book gained such good reviews! I am an avid reader of all sorts of paranormal vampire romance, it is by far my favorite genre, and usually I trust the amazon reviews, but this book does NOT deserve all these good reviews unless I suppose you have never read another novel in your life and you have no point of comparison, but the without wanting to go in to the MANY reasons why I think it's so bad, I just felt it was my duty to balance out this totally undeserved score. The book reads like a australian surfer girls idea of gothic, there is too much smart ass cliche, too much focus on the whiny girls feelings, not enough story developement, you wait for them to get together for ages, and when they finally do, you don't understand how it happened, or what pushed the decision to be made in the first place. It's just awful, cliche, terrible, and I hate being negative but honestly, don't waste your money, and go buy J'R Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood series instead!!!

Book 7 of the "Sons of Destiny" series, 28 Dec 2008
"The Flame" is without doubt my least favourite book of this series for several reasons. Unlike his brothers before him Koranen, the 7th born brother has a choice of potential wives when 4 Aquamancers arrive on Nightfall in the hopes one will prove to be the woman who will control his fire with her power over water. Although it is obvious to the reader which woman his ideal match is, Koranen actually works his way through the other 3 first (practical I know but hardly romantic); attempting to become intimate in order to ascertain whether his power over fire will harm whichever woman he happens to be associating with at the time. Yes Koranen is a young man desperate for physical affection; however for the first part of this book it is all about him wanting to have sex rather than fall in love.

In fact it got to the point that I was no longer interested in the growing relationship between Koranen and his destined bride Danau; a woman equally starved of physical affection due to her ability to absorb heat and leave any potential lover with frostbite. Instead I was more intrigued by escalating events threatening the Convocation of the Gods from taking place on Nightfall, an as yet to be undertaken assassination attempt on Kelly and a variety of untrustworthy mages with their sights firmly set on capturing Rora; a living Fountain of magic, for their own purposes. I'm left very disappointed by this book (exacerbated by the fact I have enjoyed the previous 6 books so much) however I hope the final book of this series "The Mage" due for publication in May 2009 will meet my high expectations.

An anticlimax, 09 Jan 2009
As probably one of the older people who read this series, at 21. Having read the first three books in the space of a week and a half, I could hardly wait for Breaking Dawn, and when I finally bought it I was to put it bluntly, a little disappointed. There were certain little things that didn't appear to make much sense, and I could have easily overlooked those had the ending been more dramatic, but unfortunately it was not. Let me explain.

SPOILERS INCLUDED.
The ending was just not what I wanted. It's not that I thought it was sickly sweet or anything, it's just that I prefer a little action prior to a happy ending and when I first got my hands on this book tha