Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I loved the twilight books- the story line was clever (and ok a little irritating at the end) but the main story line itself was great.
I had high expectations for the Host. And it's good to say I wasn't let down- the story was gripping, extremely descriptive and had me in tears in some parts. Although in the beginning you think of the souls as these horrible creatures that are taking over our world- as the novel progresses you become to empathise with Wanderer, as well as Melanie.
I really enjoyed the novel- the suspense in some parts, and the humour in others. Best advice with this novel- DO NOT watch the film.
I had high expectations for the Host. And it's good to say I wasn't let down- the story was gripping, extremely descriptive and had me in tears in some parts. Although in the beginning you think of the souls as these horrible creatures that are taking over our world- as the novel progresses you become to empathise with Wanderer, as well as Melanie.
I really enjoyed the novel- the suspense in some parts, and the humour in others. Best advice with this novel- DO NOT watch the film.
This book was a striking story that speaks of the possibilities of aliens taking over the world. The main character is so kind and selfless that it hurts to imagine knowing someone such as her could exist in a world as filth-ridden as our own. There's such striking conflict she has between herself and her host and to believe they could be one in the same is hard to comprehend that it makes one giddy.
The book begins with birth and ends with death. She lives such a boring and stale life as a human when the book begins. All she has is herself, her unsuppressed host, and the annoying bug of a Seeker that follows her around trying to "help" her control her host. But when her host begins shoving images of her past life the alien can't help but feel the love and begins to fall apart with human emotion.
It's a great story of selfless love and conflict to do the right thing without reason. It's suspenseful and I can't tell you how many times I held my breath. The beginning is rather dull but it's necessary to read in order to get to the best part only a few chapters in. I put this book aside for so long that I'm ashamed of myself it took so long to pick it up. If you love love, in all meaning of the phrase, this is a perfect book.
Don't let the science fiction or adult novel genres keep you from reading. Stephanie Meyer has really come through with another great novel. I may cry more if she doesn't write a sequel than I cried reading the end. It's a book I've been told you can reread over and over and never grow tired. It's not something you can just get from the library but a must buy.
The book begins with birth and ends with death. She lives such a boring and stale life as a human when the book begins. All she has is herself, her unsuppressed host, and the annoying bug of a Seeker that follows her around trying to "help" her control her host. But when her host begins shoving images of her past life the alien can't help but feel the love and begins to fall apart with human emotion.
It's a great story of selfless love and conflict to do the right thing without reason. It's suspenseful and I can't tell you how many times I held my breath. The beginning is rather dull but it's necessary to read in order to get to the best part only a few chapters in. I put this book aside for so long that I'm ashamed of myself it took so long to pick it up. If you love love, in all meaning of the phrase, this is a perfect book.
Don't let the science fiction or adult novel genres keep you from reading. Stephanie Meyer has really come through with another great novel. I may cry more if she doesn't write a sequel than I cried reading the end. It's a book I've been told you can reread over and over and never grow tired. It's not something you can just get from the library but a must buy.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Wanderer is a soul from a race that is possessing the bodies of humans, but her human, Melanie, is fighting back.
I’ll be the first to admit that I had a MASSIVE Twilight phase when I was a teenager, so when Stephenie Meyer announced a new non-Twilight book in 2008, I purchased it immediately, started it immediately…and proceeded to make it around a chapter or two before putting it down and abandoning it.
I probably would never have revisited this if it wasn’t for my ongoing Project DNF quest to finish all my past DNFs. I’m not exactly mad that I finished it, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend it now. The characters grew on me and I appreciated the extremely unique plotline (I’ve never read anything like this, though I’d also be the first to admit I read VERY little science fiction). But I was also bored for a very large chunk, and parts of the romance gave me the ick in a big way. So—do with that what you will. I’m not warning you off this one by any means, but not really singing its praises either.
CW: Violence/blood/injury; terminal illness
Wanderer is a soul from a race that is possessing the bodies of humans, but her human, Melanie, is fighting back.
I’ll be the first to admit that I had a MASSIVE Twilight phase when I was a teenager, so when Stephenie Meyer announced a new non-Twilight book in 2008, I purchased it immediately, started it immediately…and proceeded to make it around a chapter or two before putting it down and abandoning it.
I probably would never have revisited this if it wasn’t for my ongoing Project DNF quest to finish all my past DNFs. I’m not exactly mad that I finished it, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend it now. The characters grew on me and I appreciated the extremely unique plotline (I’ve never read anything like this, though I’d also be the first to admit I read VERY little science fiction). But I was also bored for a very large chunk, and parts of the romance gave me the ick in a big way. So—do with that what you will. I’m not warning you off this one by any means, but not really singing its praises either.
CW: Violence/blood/injury; terminal illness
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book really intrigued me. The idea of a character who inhabits another person who is still trapped inside, who is slowly losing control of themselves, is just a really unique concept. I loved reading this story, and the movie doesn't do it justice.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Host by Stephenie Meyer is surprisingly good.
I came into this book incredibly doubtful. To be honest, I was reading it so then when I watched the movie I would understand what was happening.
Sure, I'm not the biggest Stephenie Meyer fan. At all. I don't find her very talented in the writing sense, and I have to say that my personal opinion on Twilight is that it's a fantasy-gone-wrong. But, The Host actually has a great storyline... Just not a very good writer.
I didn't find any semi-truck sentences, though, which is a big plus!
The Wanderer is new to Earth, and inhabits a host human body. When most souls come into a host, they are in complete control - but Wanderer is not. Melanie still resides in the back of her mind, and their feelings meld together until Wanderer finds herself longing to find Jamie, Melanie's younger brother, and Jared, Melanie's love. As she and Mel go out into the California desert to find them and the other humans, they become friends and slowly share more and more with each other.
They end up finding Melanie's Uncle Jeb and thirty-four other humans, and though she is kept prisoner and hated by Jared for being her soul self, she is still determined to be close to them. She has to earn the trust of the other humans, especially Jared, and try to separate her feelings from Melanie's.
It's got only six, some minor, flaws:
1. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephenie's writing.
2. The Wanderer is almost too kind, even though that is the way of her freaky too nice species. Actually, you know, she was way better than her same kind. The others were like a whole bunch of Kelseys! Without the, "REEEEEENNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"'s of course... (What's sad is that I had to think a little bit before I remembered Kelsey's name!)
3. Stephenie is so obsessed with names that start with 'J' that it gets confusing. Okay, Jared walked away. No, what? He's right there? Oh, Jamie walked away. Of course. Jamie was holding the gun? Oh, no, that was Jeb. Whoops. I swear, I did more flipping back and re-reading than I ever have before. Looking for another minor main character? Let's give them a name that starts with J. JJJJJJJJJJJJJ. Why doesn't she just name a dude JJ? And then his son could be JJ Junior, or JJJ?
If Stephenie Meyer had a Pitbull song written for her...
Jayyyeeeyyyeeeyeh! Que no pare la fiesta,
Don't stop the paaaaartaay!
4. The Wanderer takes too long to fish through her feelings. Throughout the whole book she's all, "Jared oooh I love youuuu!" and then during the last 100 pages or so she's in love with Ian. (SPOILER, SORRY.)
5. The whole thing with Sharon and Maggie... I mean, you always expect it to finally play out in this big dramatic scene, but Meyer never let it run its course and give us a conclusion.
6. The last thing is that everything seems to play out so nicely. Wanderer pretty much never got caught when she stole anything or did anything in the soul-infested world.
So, that's pretty much it.
Loved the ending.
I came into this book incredibly doubtful. To be honest, I was reading it so then when I watched the movie I would understand what was happening.
Sure, I'm not the biggest Stephenie Meyer fan. At all. I don't find her very talented in the writing sense, and I have to say that my personal opinion on Twilight is that it's a fantasy-gone-wrong. But, The Host actually has a great storyline... Just not a very good writer.
I didn't find any semi-truck sentences, though, which is a big plus!
The Wanderer is new to Earth, and inhabits a host human body. When most souls come into a host, they are in complete control - but Wanderer is not. Melanie still resides in the back of her mind, and their feelings meld together until Wanderer finds herself longing to find Jamie, Melanie's younger brother, and Jared, Melanie's love. As she and Mel go out into the California desert to find them and the other humans, they become friends and slowly share more and more with each other.
They end up finding Melanie's Uncle Jeb and thirty-four other humans, and though she is kept prisoner and hated by Jared for being her soul self, she is still determined to be close to them. She has to earn the trust of the other humans, especially Jared, and try to separate her feelings from Melanie's.
It's got only six, some minor, flaws:
1. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephenie's writing.
2. The Wanderer is almost too kind, even though that is the way of her freaky too nice species. Actually, you know, she was way better than her same kind. The others were like a whole bunch of Kelseys! Without the, "REEEEEENNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"'s of course... (What's sad is that I had to think a little bit before I remembered Kelsey's name!)
3. Stephenie is so obsessed with names that start with 'J' that it gets confusing. Okay, Jared walked away. No, what? He's right there? Oh, Jamie walked away. Of course. Jamie was holding the gun? Oh, no, that was Jeb. Whoops. I swear, I did more flipping back and re-reading than I ever have before. Looking for another minor main character? Let's give them a name that starts with J. JJJJJJJJJJJJJ. Why doesn't she just name a dude JJ? And then his son could be JJ Junior, or JJJ?
If Stephenie Meyer had a Pitbull song written for her...
Jayyyeeeyyyeeeyeh! Que no pare la fiesta,
Don't stop the paaaaartaay!
4. The Wanderer takes too long to fish through her feelings. Throughout the whole book she's all, "Jared oooh I love youuuu!" and then during the last 100 pages or so she's in love with Ian. (SPOILER, SORRY.)
5. The whole thing with Sharon and Maggie... I mean, you always expect it to finally play out in this big dramatic scene, but Meyer never let it run its course and give us a conclusion.
6. The last thing is that everything seems to play out so nicely. Wanderer pretty much never got caught when she stole anything or did anything in the soul-infested world.
So, that's pretty much it.
Loved the ending.