Entertainment Weekly has hailed Meyer as "the world's most popular vampire novelist since Anne Rice",[57] while The Guardian described her as an "imaginative storyteller, a prolific author and a newly powerful figure in the publishing market."[58] Wayne Janes of Toronto Sun agreed, saying, "Meyer's success points up another trend — the virtual domination of the best-seller lists the last few years by what would normally be classified as young adult fiction," and noted, "In the absence of a new Harry Potter adventure, teens, fantasy enthusiasts and women (sales are mostly to females) who swoon at the idea of a virginal James Dean-ish vampire made Meyer the go-to gal for chaste love."[59] Tymon Smith of The Times has described her as the "superstar of young adult fiction".[60]
Meyer was named USA Today's "Author of the Year" in 2008,[61] and one of MSN Lifestyle's "Most Influential Women of 2008" where she was described as a "literary luminary".[62] She was also ranked #49 on Time magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People in 2008",[9] and was included in their list of "People Who Mattered", with Lev Grossman noting, "Maybe Americans aren't ready for a Mormon presidential nominee yet. But they're more than ready to anoint a Mormon as the best-selling novelist of the year."[63] As well, Meyer was included in The Arizona Republic's "Valley's Most Fascinating People" in December 2008.[64]
Novelist Orson Scott Card said, "[Stephenie Meyer] writes with luminous clarity, never standing between the reader and the dream they share. She's the real thing".[65] Scott also went on to describe Meyer as an "amazing phenomenon".[66] In an interview with Newsweek, author Jodi Picoult said, "Stephenie Meyer has gotten people hooked on books, and that's good for all of us."[67]
Meyer was ranked #5 on Forbes' list of "Hollywood's Top-Earning Women", the only author on the list, and it was noted that the "Twilight series of young-adult vampire books have taken the publishing and film worlds by storm."[68] She was also ranked #82 on Vanity Fair's list of the "Top 100 Information Age Powers" of 2009.[69] The same year, Meyer was featured in an issue of the biographical comic Female Force, a Bluewater Productions title which celebrates influential women in society and pop culture.[52] The comic has previously published biographies of women such as Oprah Winfrey and Princess Diana.[52]
Meyer was the second bestselling author of the decade, according to a list published by Amazon, beaten only by JK Rowling.[70]