I read Twilight to see what the fuss was about. Couldn’t even bring myself to write a review. I thought it was terribly boring through the first 280 pages and I thought Bella was stupid the whole way through. Edward, also, was less than to be desired, but at least he wasn’t quite as stupid as Bella. Then the last half of the book actually had a little plot going on and it held my interest. Not enough to make me read the rest of the series.

My son went on to book two and finished it, though, and my daughter has finished book three and is eagerly awaiting book four.

Why do kids like this stuff? I think my daughter and the girls in my youth group at church like the story because it’s a love story (the first book, at least, was a lust story, not a love story, but the girls think it’s a love story). But what does love have to do paranormal books? I thought the paranormal part of Twilight was just a vessel to carry a story of forbidden fruit–dangerous love.

But the publishers seem to be jumping on the paranormal bandwagon. Zombie movies are in demand (I am the mother of a teen-aged son, believe me, zombies are sizzling right now) and books with zombies, vampires and werewolves are seeing success.

What is up with this? Anyone care to tell me? Because I can see no attraction in zombies at all. Is it the danger, the gore? What is it that kids love about the paranormal?