Life after Twilight: What do I read now?

The Twilight series... We’ve read the books, we go to the movies out of loyalty (and, okay, maybe we do enjoy them a tad) but…what was it about the Twilight series that really attracted us?

As an adult reading the series, I am likely attracted to different aspects of the book than younger adults or teens. But as an adult, what was it that I enjoyed so much, and wouldn’t mind experiencing again?

I’ve broken down what I think the appeal of these books were for me. They may be very different from what attracted you – but that’s the amazing thing about books. We can each read the same thing, and yet notice or feel completely different things!

Innocence: It was nice to recapture that feeling of young love, when everything is new, confusing, intense and dramatic. I don’t want to relive my youth, but it really captured the teen angst and confusion that we all go through.

Suspense: What’s going to happen next? In each book, I couldn’t wait to turn the page, because you never knew what was coming. Sometimes, I’d read and my stomach would just drop, like the moment Edward broke up with Bella; she laid down in the woods and then…we turned the page and saw the months move by, months of nothing. Throughout the books, I really couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what would happen! And, while there were parts that dragged a bit, the fast-paced dialogue, which included clever quips that made you laugh, kept these lengthy books from becoming boring.

Characters: I don’t like a book with multiple main characters. I really enjoy when a story brings you into the world of one or two characters and the relationship they have is intense and tangible (love, hate, friendship).

Description: While description has its place, I don’t like to read on and on about it. Short and sweet is my motto. I tend to skim read over descriptive passages, getting just enough detail to let my imagination take over, but I like to move on to the dialogue, characters’ thoughts and events.

For those of you who have read the Twilight series, you can probably add many more thoughts or factors that contributed to your enjoyment of the books! You may find you don’t even agree with what I experienced while reading the series.

But, based on my reading experience and the elements that attracted me, I’m suggesting three more books that I’ve found provided a similar reading experience.


Spirit Lost by Nancy Thayer

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

Fallen by Lauren Kate