The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

There are authors that have done books from another character's point of view in a story.  Orson Scott Card did it for one example.  Now Stephenie Meyer is following suit with her new story about Bree Tanner. 

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: an Eclipse novella covers like the title states, the short life of Bree Tanner as a vampire.

From the inside of the cover:

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 imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust.  But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

Stephenie Meyer did a great job creating Bree's personality in this story.  When I first read about Bree in Eclipse, a long time ago, I remember liking Bree's character although she is in it for just a second at the end.  This story really sums up how living like a newborn was like.  Stephenie showed us a bit through Jasper's eyes but this small novella really shows the curiousity that stems from these newly created vampires and what precautions were taken from Riley and Victoria as they planned their revenge against Bella and Edward.

This novella creates a bit of sympathy in your heart for Bree.  It's like when you watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC, that tears a bit at your heartstrings.  Learning through Bree's eyes, the thirst she has for blood, the curiosity it is to be a newborn, and living in squalor the way she is, makes you wish she had lived at the end of Eclipse to see how she'd really turn out.  Would she have gone off on her own?  Would she have tried the vegetarian lifestyle the Cullens led? 

Sorry for the short review.  This is a short story and I think if I say anymore, you won't feel that same emotion that I felt through Stephenie's writing and through Bree's eyes when you read through it.

You can read it for free on breetanner.com.  Also, if you purchase the book, $1 of every book sold will be donated to the American Red Cross.  I love the idea of it and I also have to say, "Don't you just love the cover of this story?"  I know I do.  I hope you go read it. It's really quick, only 178 pages long and still addictive to read.