** spoiler alert ** 
 This series is wildly popular, and since the genre is interesting and the books are *very* easy to read, it's not hard to see why. 
 Still, I found the writing lackluster and Bella nauseatingly ga-ga over her love interest. I've yet to see the movie...maybe that will be surprisingly good. 
 Update: I've seen the movie and aside from how the vampire rays of sunshine were handled, I enjoyed it about as much as the book. Better with popcorn! 
 GENRE: Fiction: Romance, paranormal, mild horror. 
 SUBJECT/THEMES: Vampires, high school drama, belonging, intense love. 
 SUMMARY: Isabella Swan is the new girl in school, in one of the rainiest towns in the country. It doesn't take before she has made some friends, though none of them intrigue her the way that the mysterious Edward Cullen does. Bella finds Edward nearly unbelievably handsome and appealing, and cannot understand why he seems to despise her, when he doesn't even know her. Bella continues to be enthralled with Edward, and tries to find out more information about him and his equally gorgeous and strangely pale siblings. Eventually, Edward approaches Bella, and they form an odd friendship that hints of something much more. Is Bella ready to learn the truth about Edward? 
 EVALUATION: I cannot say I began reading this book with no expectations, for I had read that the series was addictive, and that Meyer was not a good writer. Both assessments I agree with, for this book was extremely easy and quick to read, despite its nearly 500 pages. I found it overly dramatic, predictable and eye-rolling. Most of the characters were varied and solid enough, though I was annoyed by Bella's ability to engage the interest of such a wide variety of boys despite having a flat personality. Her fawning and extremely submissive behavior towards Edward did not endear her to me either. Still, I could not stop reading the book, and urge potential readers to take it for what it is. It is not meant to be timeless literature. 
 WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: The massive popularity of this series is reason alone to include it. Vampires are often an interesting subject, and ones that can still go out during the day invoke even more curiosity. Teen girls, the largest fans of this book, will read it for the forbidden love story (which is perhaps why many of my 40-something girlfriends also read it). I'm not certain if teenage boys would enjoy it, though those who would want to see themselves as Edward may like it. 
 This title would work well in a young adult display pairing a movie with the book it was based on. 
 ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL: 
 *	The Summoning, by Kelley Armstrong. 
 *	Tithe, by Holly Black. 
 *	Bloodline, by Kate Cary. 
 *	Marked, by P.C. Cast. 
 *	High School Bites: The Lucy Chronicles, by Liza Conrad. 
 *	Blue Bloods, by Melissa De la Cruz. 
 *	Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead. 
 *	Other books in the Twilight series, by Stephenie Myer. 
 *	Vampire High, by Douglas Rees. 
 *	Vampire Kisses, by Ellen Schreiber.