Does Twilight "Suck The Brains Out of Teenagers"?

As most of you know, I am a fan of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - albeit a reluctant fan. My cousin, Jessica, first pushed the books on me and I easily declined them thinking 'thanks, but I'm not into romance books involving vampires'. Then, I began to hear more and more reviews. Everywhere I turned someone was raving about the books. After Sharon issued a challenge to see what I was missing, I gave in. And rather quickly, I was totally hooked - reading the pages as quickly as I could, yet crying each time I finished a chapter because I knew the books would come to an end all too quickly. So, here I sit, anxiously awaiting my preorderd copy of the 4th book to come out in a few weeks, and the movie to be released in a few months. I stumbled across an article about the books on MSN this afternoon critiquing the way Bella is portrayed as a helpless female, and how Edward is a stalker snob. It was definately something I wasn't expecting to hear. Here's part of the review:

I'm going to brave that pain and say it anyway: Edward is a complete prig.
It's not just that he sneaks into Bella's room to watch her sleep -- that's more stalker than prissy, anyway. It's also not just that he drives a Volvo, the car of choice for priggish drivers who obsess about side airbag safety.
Nor is it that his skin sparkles like gems in the sunlight. However gag-worthy this might be, he can't help it if he has pores that Madonna, Nicole Kidman and other alabaster celebrities would envy.
For me, the last straw really is that he is more obsessed about wedding planning than any groom should be. That makes him a terrible role model for teen girls, who will grow up to face real-life mates who don't know the difference between cummerbunds and canapés, and who will also make rude faces when asked for an opinion on either.
Seriously, though, there's a dark side to priggishness, and that's condescension. Bella and Edward aren't equals. Edward knows it -- he's stronger, his senses are sharper and he's nearly immortal. He constantly has to protect Bella. He even leaves her temporarily to do just that. Bella, meanwhile, settles for a lesser college so she can be with her boyfriend. Augh!
So what does that tell our teen girls to crave? A relationship with someone they worship, rather than someone they can work with through the various challenges of life?
However much I enjoyed the books -- and I read every one, twice -- that's my fundamental concern with them as a parent. Bella constantly needs rescuing and protection. Her vulnerability fuels her desirability, for it's not just a vampire who wants her. A werewolf does, too.
This is where it's worth making a comparison to "Harry Potter." Harry solved his own problems. When he needed rescuing, his friends -- who had complementary talents and courage-quotients -- came to his aid.
Bella doesn't really have friends, at least not among her peers. She hangs out with werewolves and vampires, any one of whom could eat (or drink) her for lunch.
She's as far from being a kick-ass heroine as she can get. She's clumsy and weak. Yes, she has her attractions. She's a devoted daughter who never complains about all the cooking she has to do for her hapless dad.
But girls would be much better off following in Hermione's footsteps. Now there was a girl who could cast a spell, throw a punch, and catch the eye of an international Quidditch star (only to lose interest because he wasn't intellectual enough).

Personally, I think the book was refreshing. I thought it did a wonderful job describing the feelings of falling in love. It was imaginative and creative, and did its job by taking me away into the story. The characters have values and ethics, and with it being a worldwide hit, it's encouraging people to read.

Am I wrong? What are your feelings about the books?