The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is written by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. This book, in particular, is labeled as an Eclipse novella. For all my readers who haven't visited a literature class in awhile, let me remind you of the definition for a novella. A "novella" is a short story or a short novel. So, this book is a short story about a bigger book in the Twilight series. Don't you feel smarter now?

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner follows a girl named Bree, who falls prey to some nasty vampires in Forks, WA. Bree is targeted to become part of a newborn vampire army set to destroy Bella Swan, the heroine in the Twilight series. In this book, Stephenie Meyer gives us a glimpse into the nuances of being a vampire in Meyer's world and the evil behind one of Bella's enemies, Victoria. Bree is a young woman pulled into a chaotic world of malice and death. She learns quickly how to save herself from daily feedings by her peers. In these lessons, she also makes a friend who shares the lies involved with her captors, Victoria and Riley. After we get to know Bree and develop sympathy for her, Meyer cuts off her young life in the epic battle scenes of Eclipse.

If you haven't read the Twilight series, then this book will fall to the wayside of your reading path. If you have read Meyer's top sellers, then The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner will extend your Twilight euphoria for 178 more pages. It is a quick read, and the story adds some additional insight into the madness of Victoria's newborn army. The purity of living by carnality is quite evident in this story. Life by natural desires promotes selfishness and strife. I am reminded of this same type of life, which the apostle Paul described in Ephesians. He says this...

And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.  Ephesians 4:17-19, The Message

In real life, we can also live by our carnality - our human instincts for evil. I love how Paul describes this existence as "empty-headed" and "mindless." Living by the flesh, as many Bible translators put it, actually tears down our character and intellect. Yet Paul and so many other authors of the Bible offer this solution for us.

But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:20-24, The Message

A life outside of God, a life based in our humanity, is "rotten through and through." God offer us real life with a new beginning and ever-increasing character. Our intellect grows as we become rooted in the truth of God. Ignorance is no longer an option. That's what many of the newborn vampires have in the Twilight series and this novella - ignorance. I am so thankful for a better option in this life and beyond

'Breaking Dawn' Casts Mackenzie Foy As Renesmee

I realize this article doesn't have any Bible themes in it, but I just wanted to share the good news!

After practically years of suspense over who would play vampire-human child Renesmee in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," it was author Stephenie Meyer who finally got to break the news on Wednesday night.  "Very excited about our new Renesmee, Mackenzie Foy," she wrote on the "Twilight" Facebook page. "She's an amazing young actress and I'm excited to work with her."

Fans will, of course, have a while to wait before they get their first glimpse of Foy, since the first chapter of "Breaking Dawn" hits screens on November 18, 2011, and the second half will roll out on November 16, 2012.

(To read the entire story, click HERE for MTV News.)

Key Characters and Terms for the Twilight Series

This is a handout that I used in my class last year. It was helpful for those who had read the books in awhile and for those who had little exposure to the Twilight series.

Key Characters and Terms:

Bella – Human female lead who moves from phoenix, AZ, to Forks, WA, to live with her Dad, Charlie

Edward – Vampire male lead who lives in Forks, WA, with his vampire family, the Cullens

Jacob – Quileute Indian male (and eventually a wolf) who lives on the La Push Reservation and becomes Bella’s best friend

Charlie – Father of Bella and Police Chief for Forks, WA

Renee – Mother of Bella, married to Phil – a minor league baseball player, lives in Jacksonville, FL

Mike, Angela, Jessica, Eric, Tyler, Lauren – Bella’s human friends at Forks High School

Carlisle – Adopted father of Edward, head of Cullen family

Esme – Adopted mother of Edward, wife of Carlisle

Alice – Edward’s sister, known for visions of future events

Jasper – Edward’s brother, known as newest vampire

Rosalie – Edward’s sister, known for beauty

Emmett – Edward’s brother, known for strength

Billy Black – Father of Jacob, elder for Quileute tribe

Sam – Leader of Quileute wolf pack

Quileutes – Indian tribe that lives on the La Push Reservation near Forks, WA

Nomadic vampires (James, Laurent, Victoria) – Trio of vampires that haunt Bella throughout saga

Volturi – Italian vampire group that serve as the leaders of the vampire world

Veggie diet – Cullen family phrase that refers to their choice of living only on animal blood, not human blood

Denali, Alaska – Location of another clan of vampires who have chosen a veggie diet, led by Tanya, place of refuge for Cullen family

A Girl's Movie Review: Eclipse

Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

Rated PG-13

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse begins with new vampires being created in Seattle, a major city near Forks. Killing sprees are abundant, and no one knows who or when it will stop. Enter our star-crossed lovers, Bella and Edward. Bella is preparing to graduate high school and change into a vampire forever. Edward is encouraging his girlfriend to wait a while longer before making such a final transformation into a "monster" like him. And a third party has entered into the relationship with them. Jacob Black, knowing that Bella's human days are drawing to a close, decides to make his final move to secure Bella for his own. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is two supernatural boys fighting over one ordinary girl. Now, that's a good story, folks.

As the movie unfolds, Edward's family realizes that these killings in Seattle are somehow linked to Bella. The vampires of Forks (Team Edward) and the wolves of La Push (Team Jacob) unite to fight an epic battle against this army of newborn vampires. In the midst of this struggle, our heroine Bella finds herself fighting two sides to every coin. She loves Edward and wants to spend forever with him, but she can't let go of Jacob. She wants to become a vampire to help with the fight, but she also wants to experience some more human things first. Bella can't stand the thought of Edward and Jacob engaging in a battle where lives will be lost, but she knows that her own selfishness to make them stay will possibly hurt other people. Bella is lost and confused in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. By the end, she must make a decision and stick with it - forever.

And here is why I had problems with the movie version of Eclipse. Bella's internal thought process is obsolete in the movie. In the book, the reader feels the contrasting emotions pulling at Bella. Her choices are agonizing, and Bella moves through a tedious process to mature in this story. It really seems like Bella may choose Jacob, like he is a viable option for her. In the movie version, Jacob seems like a distraction. The powerful messages of Eclipse are reduced to teenage fodder in the movie version. Even Bella's seduction of Edward in the bedroom scene was simplified. The viewer never fully understands how much Bella must sacrifice for her love with Edward. OK, enough criticism. Let's find the themes in this story.

Eclipse is my favorite book in the Twilight series. When I first read the book, I wanted to hit Bella upside the head with the hard cover of my book. Her character is infuriating and just plain whiny in this story. When I read Eclipse for the second time, I saw how beautifully Stephenie Meyer painted a picture of transition from adolescence to adulthood. Bella must reconcile two sides of herself - the human and the supernatural. Bella's journey is a lot like our own in real life. When we begin to understand the greater reality of being in Christ, we crave a sense of peace between these two existences - living in the world and living in Christ. We need a reconciliation of the heart, a place of commonality for the soul. We as Christians can find this place in the foundation built by God. The apostle Paul describes it this way.

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness...No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. Ephesians 4:4-6, 14-16 The Message

While our lives may fluctuate with lovers, friends or family, our core foundation in Jesus Christ always stays the same. It never changes or moves. Christ is constant in our lives, and we find a placed of reconciliation with other believers. That's why being part of a community of Christians is so important. Everybody is used differently by God, but each of us is created with the same Oneness in us. In the Twilight series, we see this happen in the wolf pack. Sam and his pack have different personalities, but they are effective when they work together. The same is true for the Cullen family. They have different abilities, but their unity and love far surpasses any supernatural power.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse ends with Bella making some final decisions for her future life. She doesn't play with anyone's emotions anymore. She doesn't act like a baby when she doesn't get her way in some situations. Bella begins to feel empowered by her new maturity. In growing up and becoming part of one community, she finds the peace and reconciliation that she desires. How will Bella's newfound maturity change her relationships? You have to wait until November 18, 2011, to get that answer, my friends.