Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

My Rating: G, P, L

Published: June 2010
Publisher: Atom

Authpr's Website: stepheniemeyer.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood…life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don’t draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn’t know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as her. As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagine, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how to do you find the truth?

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a novella, part of the Twilight series, by Stephenie Meyer. This novella gives a bit more of an insight into the newborns rebirth, how they lived and how they come to die at the hand of the Cullens.

Bree Tanner was just fifteen when she was turned into a vampire. She keeps herself to herself from the other newborns and cowers away when things get rough. One night out hunting she befriends another, older, newborn Diego, and they become close friends. They begin to think that their existence has a reason above fighting amongst themselves and fulfilling their thirsts, but what that purpose is that and when was Riley going to clue them in on it?

I’m not sure what I expected from this book. I wasn’t absolutely thrilled after reading it but it was nice to know what it life was like for the newborns. They were lied to and threatened on countless occasions. They were convinced that they had to kill the Cullens before they killed them. They were told they couldn’t go out in the sunlight or else they would go up in flames and be reduced to ashes. Riley would pull their limbs apart, literally, if they did not follow direct orders. They were basically lambs being sent out to be slaughtered.

I feel bad for them because they didn’t really have a choice in this way of life but to be turned into a vampire for the sole purpose to fight the Cullens for their creator, who doesn’t even have the nerve to show herself to them. Not even before going into battle, which could have been the least that Victoria could have done. But I suppose this wouldn’t fit in with Victoria’s character if she was to actually give a damn about anyone but herself.

I think my favourite part of the book was in the cave where it’s just Bree and Diego and they are trying to come up with a handshake for their secret club. I thought that was a cute and personal moment between the two of them. It seems neither of them had anyone that cared about them before they died and that this is a new emotion to them both. I thought that was sweet.

Overall, I was happy to find out what happened to the newborns and how Bree came to be a vampire. This story shows exactly how devious and adamant Victoria was in her quest to killing Bella and Edward. What totally sidetracked me was the Volturi’s part in this plan. If only Aro knew, I’m sure he wouldn’t have stood for it.

Disclaimer: I own this book and it was given to me as a present. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.