THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER by Stephenie Meyer (Little Bown 2010) is a novewlla that takes one of the very minor characters from ECLIPSE and makes her the focus of the story. Readers now will get the back story of Bree and some of the other vampires who were sent to attack the Cullens and kill Bella. Bree is a "newborn" vampire, barely 3 months in this life. She has been part of a coven whose leader advises caution. However, something is changing. Suddenly, all of the new vampires are being trained to go fight the yellow eyed vampires. They are told simply that this coven threatens their own existence.
The audio production (Listening Library) is a good one. The narrator, Emma Galvin, does an outstanding job of projecting the thoughts and emotions of Bree. As the audio opens, the pacing is quick, mirroring the urgency Bree feels. The tone, however, is rather detached. And that is how Bree is at the outset. She sees all of the events happening outside of her own life. As the story unfolds, the pace and the tone shift and permit readers some insight into Bree's dawning realization of the lies she has been told. <231>