— 3 stars —

quick thoughts:
I liked it way more than I thought I would. Having Edward’s perspective on things creates an entire new story, and brings a lot to the initial narrative. He’s fascinating. Some moments were definitely eye-roll worthy, but there were also times I felt like being able to have his thoughts, knowledge of that world and his insight brought depth and make me understand more of what was going on in the first book. I also very much enjoyed seeing more of the Cullens! I love them and seeing the love they have for each other and how they care about each other is heartwarming. 
There are also little easter eggs hidden that foreshadow some later events, and even if they felt kind of random and maybe fan service, I liked seeing them here and there.
Like many people I think, reading Twilight was what really got me into books, what made me love reading when I was younger. I remember reading it over and over and over again, patiently waiting for the sequel to come out. This one... I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. But it was a good surprise, and it brought back some good memories. Nostalgia hit hard with this one.