Stephenie Meyers (so far) stand-alone novel, The Host, departs from her popular Twilight series and explores the theme of bodily possession of humankind by alien souls. As we follow the soul of Wanderer, who is implanted into the body of her host, Melanie Stryder, we gradually learn the history of this alien species and how their possession works. The spanner in the works for Wanderer comes when she realises that Melanies soul has not given up the body, and that they inhabit the body together. Having at first dutifully reported this to her supervisor/advisor, a Seeker, she begins, eventually, to have sympathy with her host and manages to escape. The real fun begins when she manages to track down a colony of humans who have so far escaped possession, including Melanies younger brother Jamie and her (pre-possession) lover, Jared. This is a thick book to read, but Meyer keeps the readers interest easily. The situation where Wanderers (Wandas) soul and Melanies soul, both inhabiting the same body, have fallen in love with two different men, creates an especially delicious dilemma. This was a great read, and, with the Twilight series complete, let us hope Meyer turns her talent to more like this one. There are rumours of sequels in the pipeline called The Soul and The Seeker.

I have read this book at least 20 times and I still cannot willingly put it down to sleep, I have to pass out while reading. From start to finish you love every word and putting it down feels like having your air cut off until you are absorbing the tale before you once more. The movie (if you have seen it) doesn't do this book justice. AT ALL.

This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read. I know a few of you will be thinking, Thats the woman who came up with twilight though! I hated that rubbish! Why on earth would I put myself through that again? Trust me when I tell you, as someone who has read the Twilight books as well, they are completely different! She has grown as an author in The Host. The story is much more mature and realistic surprisingly to that of Twilight. The story and all its details have been thought through, the characters are full of depth and are well developed, and the story moves at a perfect pace with both slower and calmer moments, and speeding up with the more stressful moments.

Stephanie Meyer herself had a pretty good way of describing it on her website, Science fiction for people who dont like science fiction. I find myself thinking this is a pretty damn good way of describing it. Though its from the view point of an alien from a different planet, the whole story is very human because said alien is inside a human body, just like all the other aliens, so the only real difference between the two is the aliens are more gentle and hate violence unlike the actual humans. We do hear about other alien life forms from our main character Wanderer, but we arent really thrown into a completely difference life form or reality because the encounters described are just memories. We dont experience them. You however seriously feel and experience the humans, and Wanderers, struggle with the issue of having to be in hiding, having Melanie stuck as just thoughts inside Wanderers head, and the complex love triangle that happens with 3 bodies and 4 minds.

I do have a couple of things that might put people off though. In the beginning you are kind of thrown into the story line and for first chapter or two it can be very confusing. Lots of questions get raised here in situations that we have yet to understand just what exactly is going on, but all answered are revealed slowly over the entire course of the book, and personally I loved this fact, I dont like it when things are answered straight away. Just a heads up that that you may be very confused in the beginning. The only thing I didnt like was the ending. There were a few spots it could have ended better.

to be honest i liked this book a bit more than i liked twilight, it wasn't like what i'd expected and was a very compelling book to read. :)