I posted this on the forum I share with my friends. But, I wanted a broader range of opinion on my musings so I decided to blog about it too.

I know some of you aren’t as gung ho about Twilight anymore (or never were for that matter).  I understand completely because I’m not nearly as obsessed with it as I was anymore either.  I still have a soft spot for the saga because it ignited my love for reading and gave me amazing opportunities–most importantly the friendships I’ve made and still have two and a half years later.

I do still enjoy the anticipation of the movies, even if/when they don’t meet my expectations. And, I would also love to spend time with Stephenie Meyer on a more personal level if that opportunity ever became available.  But, the only reason I think about Twilight now (if I even do) is because someone (or something) mentions it in passing (or when reading another book).  And, the only reason I’m thinking so much about it now is because I’m listening to Twilight on audiobook at work right now.

I don’t feel a huge drive to read the books anymore, but that’s mostly because I have so many others I want to read.  However, I’ve noticed that when I still take the time to read (or listen to) Twilight, I still get that giddy feeling I felt when I read it for the first time.  That feeling isn’t nearly as strong as it was the first time because the mystery is gone now, but for some reason this story speaks to me.

I still find myself comparing other books to Twilight when I read them and I know it must get old for some people.  I don’t compare the stories because they’re all so individual and I don’t always compare writing (sometimes it’s inevitable), but I do compare feelings.  I don’t mean to, but for some reason if two characters have the same chemistry, angst, tension, etc. that Bella and Edward (or even Bella and Jacob) had, then I seem to be drawn to them much more.  There’s just something about that type of chemistry that makes a good story in my opinion.  (Some of the books I’ve recently read with those same feelings are The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare, and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.)

Anyway, I have an onslaught of questions I’d like to ask you because I want to see how different or the same we are.  I know there are a lot, but I would appreciate it if you took the time to answer them.

1. Do you ever do the same thing, meaning compare books to Twilight or another series that has meant a lot to you?
2. Are there any books that seem to just speak to you?
3. Why do you enjoy reading as much as you do?  Or, what do you hope to get out of reading?

For those that are/were Twilight fans:

1. How do you feel about Twilight now that all the hype (other than the movies) has died down?
2. For those of you that had a hard time with Breaking Dawn, did it change your opinion of the entire saga so you can’t enjoy it as much as you did?  Or, do you just ignore Breaking Dawn and/or enjoy it for what it is?
3. Did the whole Midnight Sun fiasco (whether you view it as a black mark against the fans or a black mark against Stephenie Meyer) change the way you feel about the saga?
4. Do you hope Stephenie Meyer continues to write?
5. Do you just wish Twilight would die so you never have to hear about it again?

PS–I just realized that it may sound like I won’t like a book if it’s not like Twilight.  That’s not the case at all.  I just meant that if the feelings between characters are similar, then I’m more drawn to that kind of story.  And, the only reason I compare most things to Twilight is because it was the first time I experienced those types of feelings while reading a book.