REVIEW--The Host

It's a rainy morning here in Indiana--a perfect reading set-up!  I wish I had the day to curl up in a blanket with a few of the books that I'm reading right now...

But at least I can blog about a book, right?  Today's review is The Host by Stephenie Meyer...yes, the Twilight author, but DON'T compare this book to Twilight!  Totally different genre and plot.

 

• Supposedly the first in The Host series...not sure when a sequel is expected
• Science fiction

Summary from Goodreads:
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

The Gist
Our planet, and many other species' planets, has been taken over by alien souls.  These souls insert themselves into our bodies in order to better our society.  Wanderer, a soul who took over Melanie's body after she threw herself down an elevator shaft, is supposed to help the Seeker find other humans in hiding (specifically Melanie's brother Jamie and her love Jared).  
But Wanderer finds herself attached to Melanie's loved ones.  And even though Melanie's personality is supposed to disappear now that Wanderer has taken over, she refuses to fully leave.

What I Loved

• The variety of characters in the book.  Some characters, like Jamie, Jeb, and Ian, come to love Wanderer while others like Kyle and Sharon hate her.  Interesting to see the various reactions to an alien soul.

• I didn't hate the aliens.  So there was sympathy toward the "villains."  They simply wanted to make our planet better, and Wanderer was a sympathetic character.

• LOVE the cover.  Perfectly represents the book.

• The villains (like the Seeker) are gone for much of the book but still have an obvious presence.  You constantly feel them even when they're not in a scene.

• The climax/action scenes were not what I expected.  I kept waiting for a huge raid led by the Seeker, but that wasn't the height of the action.

What I Didn't Love

• So much of the book took place in dark caves.  Felt kind of suffocating at times!

• This is a BIG book, over 600 pages.  Took awhile for me to get through since I'm used to 300-page YA lit.

• The Seeker, the main villain, ended up being a bit of a let-down.  She was a little too easy to overcome.

• I didn't completely buy the ending.  Wanderer doesn't want to take Melanie's life but she may not have a problem taking another life?  It just didn't seem to fit her.

Favorite quote: "For a moment, my throat was choaked with emotion.  Mel was too overcome to speak as well.  We were a family in that one instant.  All of us." 

Overall a fun read that kept me engaged!  Tomorrow I'll have some fashion tips inspired by the Seeker!  See you then!