By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer
Posted on: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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Andrea Chavez is picky about her vampire books.
"We've all done Anne Rice, and I barely got through with 'Interview with the Vampire,' " said the Moscow resident.
So when she first saw the books in Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" series, which revolves around a romance between a high school student, Bella, and a vampire, she didn't pick it up.
She thought she'd eventually get around to it.
"Fantasy I love, mysteries I love," she said.
As the hype about the series grew, some started to compare its popularity with that of the "Harry Potter" series.
"Twilight" was followed by "New Moon" and "Eclipse," and Saturday, "Breaking Dawn" will hit shelves across the country and around the world.
Chavez wanted to see what all the hype was about, so she picked up the first book.
She couldn't put it down. She breezed through the first three books and fortunately, "Breaking Dawn" - the fourth and final installment - will be waiting for her at midnight Saturday at the University of Idaho Bookstore book release party, which begins at 11 p.m. Friday. Moscow Hastings also will have a book release party that night.
Although the series is aimed at young adults, Chavez said it appeals to all ages.
The plot centers around Bella, who moves to the dark coastal town of Forks, Wash., and falls in love with a vampire.
"You wonder, 'How is Bella going to deal with this?' " Chavez said. "Edward (the vampire) falls in love with her. It is her smell. He's never smelled anything quite like her, and he can read minds but he can't read her mind."
It's details like this that keep readers intrigued, Chavez said.
A movie based on the first book will be released in December.
Besides the series' popularity, Chavez doesn't see the similarity between "Harry Potter" and "Twilight."
"They are completely different stories," she said. "But Harry Potter got kids reading."
She described Twilight as a "sweet, gentle love story."
Bella has to decide whether to be with Edward forever and turn into a vampire, or choose a different love interest, Jacob, who happens to be a werewolf, Chavez said.
"That's not something I had to deal with when I was 17," she said.
UI Bookstore employee Claudia Wohlfeil is coordinating the book release party.
"There is a huge fan base," said Wohlfeil, who waited for her teenagers to devour the books and then read them herself.
She read the first book in a day over Christmas break.
"Oh, my gosh, it was so good," she said.
She was careful not to tear through the second book because the UI Bookstore was closed through Christmas break, and she didn't want to wait to get the third book.
"Meyer does a great job with the characters; they are believable," she said.
She said the party is going to take on a wedding shower type of theme, since many fans of the series are hoping Bella and Edward will be married in "Breaking Dawn."
There will be cake, punch, a trivia contest and DVDs on the making of the forthcoming "Twilight" movie.
She said people are passionate about Bella's decision.
"Seventy-five percent want Bella and Edward to be together and 25 percent are rooting for Bella and Jacob," she estimated.
She's encouraging people to design their own "Team Edward" shirts or "Team Jacob" shirts, and the bookstore will give out prizes for the best shirts.
"People say how books are dying. Books aren't dead; people want to read books," Wohlfeil said.
UI student Jo Seely also is a fan of the series.
"I read Harry Potter when I was younger," she said. "This is the same genre, so it appeals to me. I heard this was rivaling (Harry Potter) for the best fantasy series."
Seely said that despite the fantasy element, every girl can relate to some themes in the book.
"At times, (Bella's life) is too perfect, but it's fantasy so I'll let it slide," she said. "If I read any other novel, I'd probably put it down and give it up if it's too perfect."
Seely will be out of town for the book release, but she did reserve a copy.
"I'm the type of person who has to know the conclusion," she said. "(Meyer) keeps you hanging on so you can't wait to see what happens."
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