Hey ladies,
I can't believe we were able to get this together in such a short amount of time. I take it the first chapters of reading went well...
What are your thoughts so far?
We have a little background on Bella and her Mom, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
We were introduced to Renee, Bella, Charles, his wife, and Carlisle. What do you think of them? I promise your opinion on each character will be forever changing throughout the course of the story; some you will love, some you will love even more, some you will hate, some you will hate even more, and some will have you scratching your head wondering how you exactly feel.
So far we haven't needed much hand holding. Let's buckle ourselves in for the rest of this bumpy ride.
For next week we are working on chapters 3 and 4.
See you in the comments!
Update: Hey ladies since EP will be pulled for publication, which is really awesome, can you try to read chapters 3, 4 & 5 for next weekend. These early chapters are considerably shorter than the later ones and if it's too much we can re-evaluate later. If you have any questions or concerns please email us.
Well, I guess I'm gonna get this ball rolling, huh?
ReplyDeleteWe did have some posting issues, so sorry the post is later than we wanted it to be. I know hisbella already stopped by looking for the new post. :) So here we go....
First I have to say that since this is my second time reading EP, I'm seeing things a little differently, but I'm trying to respond to the story the way I would if I had read it for the first time. I don't want to spoil it for the virgins.
I will say that the first time I read EP, the prologue put me off. I actually read it and then didn't read anymore for awhile. I thought it was so sad and depressing that I just didn't know if I wanted to keep going. Fran is the one that encouraged me to keep going and I'm so glad that she did.
Did anyone feeling when they read the prologue?
In chapter 2, we find Charles to be a complete asshole but then we meet Carlisle who is able to intimidate Charles. I love that!
Bella says that romantic love is completely out of the question. What do you think????
So these two Chapters really don't give too much info just yet, but I would love to hear your first impressions.
Remember....commenting can take place anytime. Just stop in and comment when you can.
Let the commenting begin.
um, week 1 and i'm already behind on my reading! this weekend, ladies. ;)
ReplyDeletehappy friday!
Marie is right about the first chapters. They are purposely depressing, setting up the the main problem in the story which is human trafficking, not a pleasant topic and certainly one I had not realized took place in our country. But think of the girl who was found after being hidden for years, the couple hiding her in their back yard!
ReplyDeleteIt's important to read these chapters to get insight into not only Bella's abused, neglected, and barren life but also to get a glimpse of Carlisle. This Carlisle is much different than any you've ever read, I'm sure. He's multi-demsional, you think you get him and then quickly you change your mind.
These two chapters also describe how Bella is sold, and brought into a world she never experienced, the world with "men" She's only been in the presence of two men, both of whom were "masters" Bella had to endure listening to her mother being raped and she was beaten. Men and relationships are not something she understands.
So everyone new to EP, give it a few more chapters and you'll understand the need for these difficult ones. It does get better, funny, hot, and you'll fall in love with the characters, I promise!
Oops, I've gotten a little wordy, sorry I can't help myself...
Robz, you have all weekend. The prologue is super short and chapter 2 isn't much longer. Quick read this week. :)
ReplyDeleteFran, that's a great summary of the first two chapters! Perfect!
ReplyDeleteFirst impression: I'm so glad it's the weekend so I can read another two chapters! I think the wait os going to kill me!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty shocked at Charles's character, and glad that he is referred to as Charles, to distance him from the Charlie I know and love so much.
I am definitely intrigued by Carlisle.
I can't wait to meet Edward and Esme! Is it wrong that I hope that Edward is mean/cold towards Bella at first? I do love me a bit of Ass-ward to begin with :)
Thanks! Don't know where all those words came from.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to rein my enthusiasm in.
@norevoli, I say keep reading! You don't have to stay at the two chapters per week.
ReplyDeleteAll I'll say about Edward is, he won't disappoint you!
I agree with norevoli. That Charles isn't Charlie. I never thought of it that way but I guess that's why my mind really doesn't associate him with the Charlie that I love.
ReplyDeleteI like what Fran said about the human trafficking aspect which this story really opened my eyes to and is why it is so sad. Can you imagine that life that Bella has grown up in?
Hey Ladies! I'm excited!!! This is my second time trying to read EP. I say trying because I got to only chap. 40 something. I agree that I liked that it's Charles and not Charlie. He's a gigantic prick. I would have liked to have gotten a little bit of his Father. I know I didn't get all the way through, so I want to wait and see if there's anything explaining why Charles is the way he is. I feel bad for Renee. She's been alone in the world for how long, has Bella and then has to let her go. Renee doesn't even really get a chance to console Bella or help her with her fear upon meeting her possible new "owner". I don't even know if that's even the correct term. Since this is my second reading sort of, I'm unsure of what to say about Carlisle. Obviously when we meet him, you can sense an air of superiority over Charles. He's on the phone basically dismissing both Bella and Master Charles. I liked that. He's dropped Charles down a peg in his own home. Carlisle calling "Master Prick" on his treatment of Bella was good too. "You've got money. You couldn't get her a decent outfit?" Can someone tell me who this wife is of Charles? Do we ever get a name? I hope she gets hers in the end.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I want to imagine myself in that life. In this day and age, it's so so sad that people are treated this way. When Bella said one of the girls was beaten to death in front of her AND she had to clean up the blood, flesh and bone? Ugh. 1)To beat the poor girl? 2) In front of Bella, obviously to teach her a lesson: this is what happens when you try to leave. and Then beat Bella because she vomited. I just have one phrase: "Karma's a bitch, Charles."
ReplyDelete@HisBella, Charlie's wife's name is Jane. Yeah, she's as cruel as the other Jane. They deserve each other really.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're giving this another read.
I want to join in this so much right now, but I'm out the door to escort my daughter on some roller coasters, and then will be away from my computer the rest of the weekend due to the LA Twilight Convention. Squee! Anyway, I did my homework and hopefully I'll touch back Sunday night. Carry on!
ReplyDeleteI went into settings and disabled wors verification so it should be a little easier to post comments.
ReplyDeleteZ Any Mouse - just join in when you can! It's no problem....we're all laid back here!
ReplyDeleteUAB: Did they mention the wife's name in the the first two chapters here? I know she didn't want Bella around.
ReplyDeleteThanks for turning off the w/v, even though its fun to see what you'll get next!!!
Does anyone have a picture in their mind of what Carlisle is like?
This is the one part that stuck with me from the first reading...
At this point I pictured Carlisle looking like " cannon Carlisle" but with an attitude. Blue eyes not golden, darker hair slicked back, sharp dresser.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't mention Charles's wife's name until later chapters.
Hey ladies I'm here! All I can say so far is "WOW" this is really cool.
ReplyDeleteMy first instincts on these chapters was negative the first time around too. How people can still be trafficking humans is really disgraceful. I feel so bad for Renee, she gives birth to a child that she fears will be killed after the birth to only have to let her go with strangers after raising her is heartbreaking.
@hisbella- I picture Carlisle to really look like Peter does here http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Peter_Facinelli_1.jpg
but that could be bc that's what Khar has on her blog :)
@norevoli - Ass-ward! LMAO!!!!
ReplyDelete@'Kassie - OMG the circumstances in which Renee is giving birth to Bella is horrific. How on earth did she keep that quiet?
@ UAB and Kassie-Renee was so brave. And I so hated when Bella was growing up and understanding what her mother was going through, hearing ugly things. It's no wonder she hoped for a better life for her only reason for living.
ReplyDeleteI never finished EP the first time through and am so happy to get a second chance at it with all of you. As soon as I started reading the first chapter, I had immediate flashbacks to long sleepless nights and all the times I neglected my family cause I was so engrossed. I forgot just how good this is.
ReplyDeleteI'm still shocked by the idea that any kind of human trafficking could possibly still exist in this day and age, but apparently it does. It's just so apalling and I think the author does a great job of conveying the hopelessness of it. I really like her writing style and also the feeling of the voice of Isabella.
I can't believe how unbelievably cruel Charles & his wife are, and really feel for how utterly desperate a mom would be to protect her child from them. Carlisle is quite the enigma & I love it that Charles is scared of him.
Sorry for rambling... I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts!
TwiloveSue: I'm with you on the 'voice' of Isabella. It pulls you in.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad everyone see Carlisle the same way. Intimidating definitely comes to mind.
Kassie:I couldn't get the pick up. Will see if I can find it on the blog.
Hi, everyone. I really don't want to break the bubble here, but unfortunately, Khar is planning to pull EP off the internet relatively soon. The story is being rewritten for publication and over on Twilighted.net, we have already reread the story and are up to chapter 77. Those of us there on the forum for EP have known the author is planning on pulling it soon. Exactly when, we don't know, but she was gracious enough to leave it up for us to be able to read and discuss each chapter to our heart's content.
ReplyDeleteThere is one more outtake to be put up on the site and the second epilogue will soon follow. We plan to have our reading finished by 3/15 and sometime after that, the 2nd epi and outtake will go up on Kharizzmatik's site. I don't think you will be able to finish all 80 chapters, the existing epi and the outtakes by then. I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but after seeing you gals were rereading, I felt it necessary for everyone here to be aware of the situation. Again, so sorry.
@Shama thanks for that heads up. I knew about the added epilogue that is coming and not surprised that she will be pulling it soon because she's publishing...so happy for her. It's nice she's forewarning us so we can plan.
ReplyDeleteMe, not a problem because this is my third read!
Thanks again for sharing the info!
Fran
Can everyone do me a favor and send me your email address? Send it to mdahlstrom67@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI have some of your emails but I'm missing quite a few and I would like to be able to contact you girls in another way beside the blog comments. Thanks!!!!
Wow, I just found out that my top two favourite fics of all time, EP and MotU, are being published!
ReplyDeleteI haven't started the re-read (I am WAY overcommitted right now) but I will keep following these posts and will be chiming in with my two cents' worth every now and again.
Happy reading! (oh, and Marie, you have my email addy) x
Here!
ReplyDelete*bounces up and down*
So I might have read ahead a bit. *whistles* but when Bella describe Carlisle as having blonde hair I scratched my head and did a "Really?" I always imagined him with brown hair--much like the pic Kassie is referring too. That dark hair favored his 'darker persona' of this story. So I say if you are new to this story, then go with the Kassie pic.
The fact that you know Bella is leaving her mother in that life this is heartbreaking, but knowing that Edward will be coming into her life is undeniably hopeful.
This was an early fic for me so that whole "Charles" thing was a little tough for me too, BUT like you guys I think Kharriz was smart to call him Charles to add to help differentiate him. He's a lot to take, isn't he?
I made it! I read the Prologue (got it right this time, TK50, lol) and the first chapter.
ReplyDeleteRenee: So sad; As a mom, I can relate to her doing whatever it takes to keep her child alive and to try and give her a better life, even if means never seeing her again. I repeat. So sad.
Bella: Born into a life of hopelessness, yet she dares to hope when she meets Charles. I can tell she's got some fight in her and is clearly going to need it.
Charles: Couldn't agree more norevoli. I was SO glad the author called him Charles instead of Charlie. I'd never really thought about it before. Obviously authors take liberties with the saga characters but somehow it's just wrong to mess with Charlie's persona. Not sure that makes any sense. At any rate, if it was the author's intent for me to want to punch Charles in the junk for being a complete prick, then she was effective.
Charles' wife: Bitch with a capital B.
Carlisle: Based solely on the brief meeting with Bella, I felt Carlisle had some compassion beneath the cool exterior. I'm hoping that he does but also not holding my breath. He is buying Bella and a crime boss after all. Will have to see how things unfold.
I feel like I'm a jinx. I started reading UofEM and it was pulled. I got three chapters behind on MotUII once before and it was pulled because a translation issue. Then I went and did it again and it was pulled for publication. Now I finally agree to read EP and it's going to be pulled. Anything out there you girls actually want pulled? I'll see what I can do. LOL!
All kidding aside, as others have stated, I am appalled that something like this can be going on in today's day and age.
Hope everyone had a good weekend!
Lisa
Damn it!! I meant when Bella meets Carlisle (not Charles). *shakes head*
ReplyDeleteI agree Lisa... Renee is doing whatever she can to give Bella a good life, making the best of a bad situation, she is putting all of her hopes for Bella onto Carlisle's compassionate side. I think she feels anywhere is better than living on that farm.
ReplyDeleteOh and I would love nothing more than to punch Charles in the junk. I don't think I would have liked it had she named him Charlie.
@TK50- you can still throw your two cents in... we don't mind :)