Thanks! I'm really glad you reacted this way, because I never "got" Twilight. I read it - and I even appreciated the first book, as it really did capture that first love experience that many girls have in high school. But as the series progressed, I became more and more disgusted with the way many of the characters were portrayed and the underlying message in all of it.

I have younger cousins who love Twilight and love Edward. I tell them, no guy who disables your car so you can't see a friend is a good boyfriend. It's important to be yourself and love yourself, above all else. You have to be able to stand independently, before you can truly have a partnership.

I like the ideas of Twilight, but I hate the execution. I'm not necessarily opposed to Bella and Edward, but for me, the problem is that neither of them ever grow up. They are suspended in childhood and Bella is almost entirely a blank slate of a character. Nothing defines her. She hasn't lived. To me, it's not about Bella/Jacob or Bella/Edward - it's about Bella growing up, which unfortunately, SM never has her do.

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it and that you got out of it exactly what I was trying to convey. :)