Gr 8 Up-Picking up where New Moon (Little, Brown, 2006) left off, this book continues the tortured love story of a human teen and her vampire boyfriend. Having returned from a quick trip to Italy to retrieve an errant Edward, Bella finds herself severely grounded by her father and at odds with her friend Jacob, a werewolf and mortal enemy of Edward as well as being inconveniently in love with her himself. Adding to these complications are Bella's impending graduation and vampire transformation and a wild pack of vampire newborns on a killing spree. As in the two previous installments, it is Meyer's effective and intense portrayal of first love in all its urgency, passion, and confusion that drives the story along with the supernatural elements coming in a close second. For the three main characters, being in love, making a commitment, and choosing a future is literally a life-or-death situation and they constantly discuss, analyze, and describe their feelings for each other, giving readers a deep connection to them. Upping the emotional ante is an injection of heightened sexual tension and sensuality that hasn't been present in the series before. The story is slowed down in the middle by both the origin stories of the werewolves and vampires Rosalie and Jasper, and the vampire newborn subplot seems to be a convoluted add-in. However, all of these stories contribute in some way to Bella's epiphanies about her future. Meyer knows what her fans want: thrills, chills, and a lot of romance, and she delivers on all counts.-Anne Rouyer, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 8 Up-Picking up where Luna Nueva (Alfaguara, 2007) left off, this book continues the tortured love story of a human teen and her vampire boyfriend. Having returned from a quick trip to Italy to retrieve an errant Edward, Bella finds herself severely grounded by her father and at odds with her friend Jacob, a werewolf and mortal enemy of Edward [...]. Adding to these complications are Bella's impending graduation and vampire transformation and a wild pack of vampire newborns on a killing spree. As in the two previous installments, it is Meyer's effective and intense portrayal of first love in all its urgency, passion, and confusion that drives the story along with the supernatural elements coming in a close second. [...] Meyer knows what her fans want: thrills, chills, and a lot of romance, and she delivers on all counts. [SLJ, 9/5/2007] (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.

In Meyer's third title in her popular vampire series, Edward and Bella are back and the sexual tension between them has grown even stronger as Bella prepares to graduate from high school and enter into her new life as a vampire. But what about her longtime close friend Jacob (a werewolf)? How can she choose between him and Edward, and what will happen if, and when, she does? Ilyana Kadushin skillfully brings Bella to life, sharing her struggle to decide between her love for Edward and her friendship for Jacob, while striving to maintain the peace between the vampire Cullens and the werewolf Blacks. The narration easily distinguishes between characters. Fans of Meyer's previous titles will enjoy this one. [SLJ 10/07.] (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

It began as a simple vampire series and quickly became a megaselling publishing phenomenon; now, in the third installment, decisions about college, marriage, and, oh yeah, immortality are pressing in on heroine Bella Swan. Werewolf Jacob's declaration of love for Bella adds even more pressure (his violent kisses may trouble some readers). Acerbic humor remains a strength of Meyer's storytelling, but despite the multitude of concerns, there isn't much action. The plot, which ultimately evolves into another war with the evil vampires, unfolds at a leisurely pace, slowed even more by flashbacks from prominent secondary characters. Readers familiar with Bella's favorite book, Wuthering Heights, will enjoy allusions to the classic, and the sexual tension in the previous books continues here. Bella begs to consummate her relationship with handsome vampire Edward while she is still human, but he refuses to give in until they are married; their passion remains at the kissing level. With Bella's fate still hanging in the balance as fans await the fourth and final volume, we can expect the prepub clamor over the next year to reach Harry Potter-like intensity.--Dobrez, Cindy Copyright 2007 Booklist