The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

In this brief companion to the Twilight Saga, Emma Galvin's smoky voice draws us a striking portrait of Bree Tanner's precarious final days as part of a newborn vampire army that was created to kill a specific enemy. Stephenie Meyer's vampires are at their strongest when they're new, but they're also at their thirstiest and most uncontrollable. Galvin deftly follows Bree's wild swings between fear of her barbarous companions, the distraction of intense thirst, and her longing to trust Diego, the first real friend of her second life. Galvin also delivers a fine performance of the supporting characters--Diego's slight accent, Jane's cold monotone, the other newborns' confusion and rage. All in all, a satisfying listen for fans of the series. K.O. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine