Meanwhile, Victoria is still tracking Bella and the wereworlves and vampires have a nasty exchange in a border incident while both sides were trying to catch Victoria.

Seattle is now the scene of massacre as new vampires wreak havoc on the city, killing at random. The Cullens are watching this carefully and fear Volturi intervention.

A mysterious vampire visitor to Bella’s room has everyone on edge as it is a new scent. Someone is making more vampires without supervision and the problem is escallating.

Jacob and Bella’s relationship intensifies as she realises that she is also in love with him, but not as strongly as she is with Edward.

Alice finally has a vision of what is to come, a swarm of new vampires are coming to attack the town, led by Victoria, to kill Bella.  The Cullens are outnumbered and enter into an alliance with the werewolves whose pack numbers are now 10.

Bella tries to entice Edward into making love to her, but he will only do so after they are married and the engagement is made official.

The wolves and Cullen’s train together for the battle.

Jacob and Edward come to understand each other in a camp out before the battle.  They realise that they both love Bella equally and agree that Jacob would be the better choice for her, but Bella has chosen Edward regardless.

The vampire pack attack and Edward and Bella are cornered by Victoria and Riley, a new vampire she made for this purpose alone.

Edward eventually wins with the help of Seth, the youngest werewolf, beheading and dismembering Victoria in front of a terrified Bella.  Seth has shredded Riley and both corpses are burned.

On the other side of the field, Jacob is critically injured.  Carlisle and the Cullen’s take him home to La Push.  He has several fractures including, right leg, arm and several ribs.  He heals too quicly and Carlisle has to re-break some bones.

The Volturi arrive at the end of the battle, incredulous that the Cullens had defeated 20 new born vampires and Victoria.  They also check on Bella’s progress and are told that a date has been set for her transformation.

Bella visits and says her goodbyes to him as she tells him of her decision to marry Edward.

Alice is over the moon being allowed to arrange the wedding for the 13th August.

The book ends with a devastated Jacob having received the wedding invitation, because Edward felt he should have the choice to attend, and phases into a wolf, resolving never to become human again.

By now I”ve been picking a few literary faults, but the story is so fast paced and compelling, that the writing style is not annoying enough to keep me from reading. As with all popular fiction, it’s the story, not necessarily the way it’s written, that keep readers glued (and up until three in the morning) completing these books.