October 24, 2011

Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host (The Host #1)
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little Brown
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Pages: 619
Source: Hardcover/Own

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. 

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

Review: I am really mad at myself that I let this book sit on my shelf for so long before I read it. I absolutely loved it!!!! OMG! I loved the whole sci-fi thing with the souls and the other planets. It made things really interesting! I found the whole idea of souls invading earth and there being few human survivors in hiding so interesting but such a new and fascinating idea. I mean who would think humans would have to go into hiding on their own planet!!! I also found the souls very very interesting. The fact that they either over took the previous host or the previous host over took them was so fascinating! It took me a little while to get used to when Wanderer/Wanda was talking and when Melanie was talking but I figured it out pretty fast once I caught on.

So lets start with Jared and Jamie right here. Melanie was determined to get to them whether her invading soul liked it or not. Eventually though, when Melanie pushed enough memories of her, Jared & Jamie onto Wanderer she gave in. I'll admit, when Melanie/Wanderer set out on their mission to find Jared and Jamie I was thrilled. When they were found and taken into the cave with the humans I was happy but sad. Everyone reacted bad to Wanderer because she was a soul. Though after a while certain people started seeing that even though Wanderer was a soul Melanie was still in there and they let their guard down slowly. I really loved how over time they slowly learned to trust Wanderer and eventually her let help them when they really needed it. They even gave her a nickname, Wanda.
 
Now, Wanda & Ian. OMG!!!!!!! I loved how Melanie would fight back whenever Wanda and Ian got close, but even that couldn't stop the inevitable. I was so happy at the end when Ian and Wanda finally let out their feeling for each other. I mean yes, it was under bad circumstances but still, they finally let them. I am definitely a fan of Ian & Wanda, like I think I like them even more than Melanie & Jared (though I love the two of them together too).

I was totally crying by the end. I couldn't help it. The ending just had so much emotion in it and after reading all of the book it gets to you! I totally loved the epilogue though. I was so shocked to find out about the other human cells still holding out!!!!!! Just reading the epilogue left me in a state of shock and wanting more!!!!!! Like seriously, we need the next book! Please?

I would DEFINITELY recommend this book to others. If you cant tell by the ginormous letters and the fact that I already said this before, I absolutely loved this book!!!! You must pick it up and read it! :D