New Moon -- Stephenie Meyer

First off, this is the sequel to Twilight.  While Stephenie Meyer has technically made it possible to read and understand New Moon on its own, I wouldn't recommend it.  You won't be as into the Bella/Edward romance, and that's a key component of the enjoyment factor.

Ya got me?  Read Twilight first.

On to New Moon...

Due to a bloody accident at Bella's eighteenth birthday party, Edward breaks things off with her, tells her that he doesn't love her and the Cullen family leaves town forever.

To say that Bella is shattered is an understatement.

Eventually, she finds comfort in reckless behavior -- which seems to always result in auditory hallucinations of Edward -- and her friendship with Jacob Black.

But Edward Cullen wasn't the only dangerous thing in Forks, and his leaving may have put Bella in even more danger than before.

I had the same reaction to New Moon as I did to Twilight:  I had some issues, but they didn't stop me from reading the entire book -- 563 pages -- in one sitting. 

My main issues (There are some minor spoilers here.): 

The writing still isn't so hot.  It's a bit bodice-ripper-y.  But after thirty pages to get back into the groove, I was so engrossed in the story that I stopped noticing or caring.

Bella takes way too long to figure things out.  COME ON.  Jacob TOLD you the wolf-man legend in the first book.  You're a smart girl.  You could have figured it out a little sooner.

That's it, though.  It may bother some readers that Bella spends a good part of the book channeling Season Six Buffy (read: v. reckless and v. depressed), but it made sense, character-wise, so it didn't bother me.

It's a solid sequel, and I'm already waiting for the next book.