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The Host (The Host #1)

by Stephenie Meyer

3.87 · rating details · 149,243 ratings · 20,983 reviews

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 en...more

Hardcover, 619 pages

Published May 6th 2008 by Little, Brown and Company

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Jul 03, 2008

Jenne rated it

Shelves: sf

Okay, so I was reading along, and thinking all, hey, this is pretty interesting! Not bad, Stephenie!

And then I got to about page 80 or so, and OH MY GOD THERE IT IS AGAIN, THE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE SAPPINESS OH MY EYES MY EYES

I just can't do it. CAN'T DO IT AGAIN! Not the older man, and the younger woman, and the 5-page discussion of why they can't have sex yet because NO DEAR YOU'RE JUST NOT READY EVEN THOUGH YOU REALLY WANT IT BECAUSE LOOK, YOU'RE A GIRL AND YOU CAN'T P...more

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May 11, 2008

Britt rated it

Shelves: fiction, relationships, fantasy-sci-fi, romance, identity, apocalyptic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I originally had not planned on even reading this book because the Twilight series instills much rage within my soul, but I was in a dry spell for reading, so I decided to give it a try. I have to say I really enjoyed it much more than the Twilight series. I have seen a lot of people complain about how slow the beginning was, but I didn’t really notice. It sucked me in pretty quickly. It was very clearly a Stephenie Meyer book, though, which did lead to certain amounts of anger and eyes rolling ...more

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May 16, 2008

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) rated it

It's no secret that I did not jump on the Twilight bandwagon. I put my name on the hold list at the library for The Host, however, because I wanted to see if Stephenie Meyer had improved in her storytelling. I'm happy to say, "Yes, she did. To a point."

I would like someone tell me what her fascination is with sappy, overly dramatic dialogue, 17-year old girls and over-protective older men who carry them while running? Because there are some definite similarities here.
...moreIt's no secret that I did not jump on the Twilight bandwagon. I put my name on the hold list at the library for The Host, however, because I wanted to see if Stephenie Meyer had improved in her storytelling. I'm happy to say, "Yes, she did. To a point."

I would like someone tell me what her fascination is with sappy, overly dramatic dialogue, 17-year old girls and over-protective older men who carry them while running? Because there are some definite similarities here.

I find it interesting that this novel is pegged for "adults" where the Twilight novels were pegged "young adult" as I don't see a great deal of difference, except for one main fact: Wanda and Melanie are likeable. Thank goodness. If one of them had shown up as whiny and annoying as Bella, I never would have finished the book. Well, I would have finished it, but only to say, "I told you so."

While I found a lot of similarity to the Twilight novels in her storytelling and in the details (over-protective older men, teenage girls, dramatic sappy dialogue, etc.) this was a much better story. Far more developed than I would have expected. It still takes her a long time to get to her main points, but I wasn't as bored with this one in the beginning as I was with Twilight.

I found the storyline fascinating: that aliens who invade other planets and take over the species, invade earth and take over the human bodies and then live as humans. Wanda is one of those aliens, a "soul" who takes over Melanie's body, only to find out that Melanie isn't quite ready to give it up. This is where Meyer's storytelling has improved. She crafted a story where the romance was secondary to the main plot, and I think that is why this book is so much better than her earlier attempts. She explores the idea of a person's soul or spirit and how an individual is defined as much by that spirit as by their physical body.

I thought her character development was well done. I liked these characters. I cared about them. I don't need to tell you that I never cared about Bella. I enjoyed the complexities that the storyline created. Wanda was affected by Melanie's memories and feelings and couldn't help but love the man Melanie loved. Then, when she found herself caring for a different man, the conflict is believable. The humans have a difficult time accepting Wanda, but when they do, she truly becomes one of them.

The novel ends neatly, with hope. Predictably there is room for a sequel, which I no doubt expect.

I'd actually re-read this book. I won't re-read the others.(less)

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May 22, 2008

Annalisa rated it

Recommended to Annalisa by: Melinda

Shelves: chick-lit, speculative, sci-fi, romance

I wanted to like this book more than I did--to see that Stephenie Meyer can pick a topic not meant for shallow teenage girls and write on a deeper level--but I think this book is more of the same, sans the vampire excitement. I liked the idea: an alien soul inhibiting the host body of a girl who doesn't want to relinquish her control and the conflicts that arise, particularly in romance. There are some interesting topics, like what defines humanity and are we living worthy enough for the planet ...moreI wanted to like this book more than I did--to see that Stephenie Meyer can pick a topic not meant for shallow teenage girls and write on a deeper level--but I think this book is more of the same, sans the vampire excitement. I liked the idea: an alien soul inhibiting the host body of a girl who doesn't want to relinquish her control and the conflicts that arise, particularly in romance. There are some interesting topics, like what defines humanity and are we living worthy enough for the planet we are entrusted. The story isn't as page-turning as Twilight, but mulling nonetheless.

My problem with Stephenie Meyer is her characters. They seem shallow, unbelievable, and small variants on her same cookie cutter. Her girls in particular are, well dumb, always jumping to the wrong conclusions, never wanting to believe they could be loved. Your damsel in distress. I am often exasperated by the emotion and stupidity of her female characters. I tried to allow for the alien learning curve, but when solutions and realizations are painfully obvious to me chapters before they are explored by the characters it creates frustratingly slow plot progression.

The mold for guys is more frustrating because they exhibit none of the characters I am drawn to, and even ones I despise. They are always big, strong, forceful verging on the abusive side of controlling with a scary tendency to irrational jealousy and anger. They are emotionally immature, intense, and display their passion with an abnormal display of affection and cheesiness to the women who make them crazy with love. I don't trust intensely passionate men. (I did like Jeb's character but he wasn't a main romantic interest characters so he didn't need to be intense.)

Because of this conversations were unrealistic. I could not imagine real people speaking this way so the story felt childish at times. The cheese is laid on so thickly in parts I could not swallow it. This is supposed to be a more adult-themed book, but in many ways I found it less adult enticing and more juvenile in tone. Her choice of juvenile-enticing characters is proof enough that her style is not intended for a truly adult audience.

Plus the middle dragged with insignificant humdrum and a lack of good character development. There was more that could have been explored with a two-spirit/one-body complex. And there were holes in this parasite species theory that bothered me. I didn't care enough about the story to think about them too much, but they were there and made her tale elss believable. So creative idea, but the delivery and details didn't quite hit the mark.

What I did like in story development was the relationship between Ian and Wanda, how slowly and deeply it changed, until he could read and understand her better than she could and he could completely differentiate between the two souls. What Stephenie Meyer is good at is passionate taboo romance. As for Wanda herself how she changed from first juxtaposing her ingrained annihilation justification with her extreme pacifist views to sympathy for humans and eventually protective love for the planet.

I still don't think Stephenie Meyer is a good writer, but she's a decent storyteller. Had Twilight not brought her fame, I doubt this book would go far. I liked the story idea, the creative plot aspect, but it could have been so much more if she had explored the conflicts between Melanie and Wanda more thoroughly and left a morally obvious choice without a happy ending. Then it would have been a book for adults. The book was too shallow and slow enough that I probably wouldn't read it again. (less)

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Jul 04, 2011

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it

Shelves: books-of-summer-08, 5-star-books, favorites

Okay, so I read this book when I was ... 15? So, that was almost four years ago. When I reviewed it, I was a bit of an idiot. (Or, a lot of an idiot.) My review consisted of a lot of exclamation points and OMG's and rather stupid statements like, "STEPHENIE MEYER IS LYK DA BEST WRITER EVAHHH." And yet, as idiotic as I sounded, this is my third most-liked review (probably because it's such a popular book, and probably everyone who "liked" it was also a 15-year-old who couldn't...moreOkay, so I read this book when I was ... 15? So, that was almost four years ago. When I reviewed it, I was a bit of an idiot. (Or, a lot of an idiot.) My review consisted of a lot of exclamation points and OMG's and rather stupid statements like, "STEPHENIE MEYER IS LYK DA BEST WRITER EVAHHH." And yet, as idiotic as I sounded, this is my third most-liked review (probably because it's such a popular book, and probably everyone who "liked" it was also a 15-year-old who couldn't punctuate and who thought Stephenie Meyer is "da best writer evah".) So, needless to say, for a while this review's existence bothered me because it really didn't say anything intelligent. Also the comments on it were rather hostile, soooo I'm deleting those too and just starting with a clean slate here. In fact, I'm hoping to do the same thing with a lot of my reviews because so many of them are an eyesore to me (and make me look terribly stupid). I don't know why I used to be so lazy with capitalization/spelling because it drives me absolutely nuts now.

Anyway, on to reviewing. Although like I said, it's been a few years, so I don't remember a ton. I haven't re-read it since that first time, so maybe I would feel differently about it nowadays. But I remember really enjoying it.

Yes, it had its flaws, as all books do. It was a bit slow starting out, but I got hooked after the first 100 pages or so. The alien-takeover premise isn't terribly original, but I do love possession and mind control. Also, Wanderer was a rather obnoxious main character. Not as pathetic as Bella of the Twilight series, but she was rather unrealistically self-sacrificing. Then of course, there's Meyer's writing style, which isn't the most awesome thing ever. Although I thought she improved with this book. It was definitely better than Twilight.

However, these issues didn't take too much away from my enjoyment of the book. I liked the characters besides Wanderer ... except Jared. What an a-hole. The story was exciting, and it addressed some interesting ideas about what makes us human. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, but this one was interesting––especially since Wanderer and Melanie are essentially two people trapped in one body, and so struggle with the issue of having separate love interests. (view spoiler)

I also liked the ending. I didn't know how on earth it was supposed to come to a conclusion, and I liked that it came to a happy-but-not-perfect ending.

Anyway, I do wish Meyer would write the sequel to this instead of writing rather pointless things like The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner and The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide. Not really sure what would happen in the second book, but it interested me a lot more than Twilight did, so ... ARGH. (less)

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May 19, 2008

Shannon rated it

Shelves: sci-fi, 2008

Aimed at the adult science fiction crowd, as opposed to the Young Adult Twilight fanbase, The Host isn't about science or where the human race is headed, but about what it means to be human, here and now.

Earth has been quietly, non-aggressively conquered by a kind, pacifist species unable to lie or deceive, who go by different names on different planets in different languages. Here they call themselves "souls", while the rebel humans who have slipped through the net call th...more

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Jul 23, 2008

Rai rated it

Talk about an emotional roller coaster!!!! This book was very difficult to rate. If someone were to ask me, "Was it good?" I'd have to think for a long time and then say, "No.... Well... yes, sorta.... No... It was ok." But if someone were to ask me if I'd enjoyed it, I'd instantly reply, "Yes!" Would I read it again? Probably not. Was it exciting? On occasion. Was in interesting? Very much so, in my opinion. Was it weird? YES! Were the characters well-developed?...moreTalk about an emotional roller coaster!!!! This book was very difficult to rate. If someone were to ask me, "Was it good?" I'd have to think for a long time and then say, "No.... Well... yes, sorta.... No... It was ok." But if someone were to ask me if I'd enjoyed it, I'd instantly reply, "Yes!" Would I read it again? Probably not. Was it exciting? On occasion. Was in interesting? Very much so, in my opinion. Was it weird? YES! Were the characters well-developed? ... After the first half of the book, yes, I suppose.

The Host is about a species of aliens who call themselves Souls. They are born without bodies and can not live very long without one, so they live like parasites inside the bodies of other creatures, completely taking them over. These "souls" come to earth and take over the bodies of mankind, living peacefully as they experience the new world around them.

The main character of this book, through whose eyes the events of the story are witnessed, is a soul named Wanderer who takes over the body of a young woman formerly known as Melanie. When Wanderer realizes that Melanie is still alive inside of her body, she tries desperately to fight her out, along with the painful and wonderful memories of the man Melanie is in love with. Eventually, Wanderer falls in love with this man, too, through Melanie's memories and the two of them set out to find him.

I don't usually read Science-fiction, and so maybe that's the reason I found this book so odd. I wouldn't have picked it up, knowing the storyline as I did, except that my sister had it in her room and I was bored. As weird as the whole alien/possession thing was and is, I found that it was interesting to read about. It was interesting to read the descriptions of human emotions through a character who's never felt them before. This book was VERY EMOTIONAL! Happy, sad, angry, jealous, confused, hurt, obsessed, offended, frustrated, loved, hated, admired, rejected... all feelings were vividly described and painfully lived as I read this book. It ended the way I wanted it to, which made me happy, but.... I don't know. There were just a few things I would have changed had I been the editor of this book.

1) Stephanie Meyer seems to be developing, more and more with every book, a strange fascination with writing graphic make-out scenes that are slightly embarrassing to read. There were two in this book that were completely pointless, like she just wanted to write them. There was one that was almost pointless, but I can see why she would think it necessary. I'm not against kissing in books or anything like that, but there is such a thing as overdoing it to the point of ridiculousness.

2) I wished that she would have spent less time with the first half of the book and more with the near-end of the book. I wished there would have been more after "the problem" was fixed. Hopefully anyone who's read the book knows what I mean by that. To me, the book really got interesting near the middle, and it kind of dragged a little before that. But it wasn't really boring.... Just... uneventful....

That's it! This book was uneventful for how long it is! But I wasn't ever bored, exactly. Stephanie Meyer is too good of a writer to allow that. There was always something I enjoyed about it, but there was just enough that was weird or not quite right about it that I can't say that I loved it.

In conclusion: I don't know exactly what I think of this book. It was enjoyable! I'm not sorry that I read it! But it was weird, and I would have liked it better with a few changes here and there.(less)

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Dec 06, 2008

Andrea rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audio-style

Mrs. Meyers and I can no longer be tortured friends. Maybe someday I can finish this poor excuse for a novel, but I'm going to relieve myself of the misery for now. The premise was fine, but the dysfunctional psychological processes of every single character has me truly sick. Not to mention that Melanie Stryder, (i mean, Bella Swan...) is essentially the same pathetic female character that we've seen in the Twilight series. I'm done.
I have been mystified by this writer because so very m...more

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Dec 30, 2008

Vivian rated it

Shelves: science-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 07, 2008

Karin rated it

Shelves: favorites, 2008-reads

Wanderer has just arrived on Earth and been implanted into her new host. She has lived on seven worlds before coming here. She is arriving toward the end of the alien invasion when very few humans remain. The aliens are known as “souls” and are a peace loving type that don’t know of violence or lying.

Very few humans remain on Earth. When the remaining humans are discovered, they are captured by Seekers - the closest thing to a police force the “souls” have. Once captured, they a...moreWanderer has just arrived on Earth and been implanted into her new host. She has lived on seven worlds before coming here. She is arriving toward the end of the alien invasion when very few humans remain. The aliens are known as “souls” and are a peace loving type that don’t know of violence or lying.

Very few humans remain on Earth. When the remaining humans are discovered, they are captured by Seekers - the closest thing to a police force the “souls” have. Once captured, they are prepared for implantation where a small cut is placed at the base of the skull and the “soul” is put in the body. The “soul” connects to the body and takes control. The first experience the “soul” has is the receiving of the host body’s memories. Typically, the host recedes and leaves the “soul” alone to continue life as usual. For Wanderer, this didn’t happen.

Since the only humans left are ones that are rebels, placing a new “soul” into an adult has become risky. The rebels seem to resist the implantation since they know what is happening. The Wanderer was granted this request because of her experience on so many other worlds and has proven herself as a strong and brave “soul.” Melanie is the name of Wanderer’s host and Melanie doesn’t go away quietly.

Melanie remains active and talks to Wanderer all the time. Melanie bombards Wanderer with her memories of life so much so that Wanderer feels the same feelings that Melanie did when she had control over her own body. Melanie hides the memories that Wanderer needs though. A Seeker has been assigned to Wanderer in order to get information about the human rebels that worked with Melanie. Melanie is strong enough to block those memories from her.

Eventually, in a weakened state, Melanie allows something to slip through the wall she has constructed to keep Wanderer away from the people she loves. She shows her memories of Jared, the man Melanie desperately loves, and Jamie, her younger brother. These memories overwhelm Wanderer and she physically aches for Jared and Jamie herself. Melanie knows where they might have gone into hiding since she was captured. She convinces Wanderer to go search for them and when the chance presents itself she slips away from the Seeker and sets off to find the people THEY love.

When Wanderer finally stumbles upon the rebels she is both elated and terrified. She is so relieved to know that Jared and Jamie are both alive and well, but at the same time, is frightened for her own life. Wanderer endures weeks of isolation and deprivation once in custody while the rebels decide what to do with her. Slowly some people warm up to her and begin to allow her some freedom around the hideout, but she is never alone. They are afraid she is there to get information to take back to the Seekers and then come back and capture them all. It takes a very long time for them to see that she has no intention of turning anyone in to the Seekers.

The story is complex. Not only is there the issue of Melanie loving Jared and the Wanderer loving Jared because of Melanie’s memories; we also have Ian, another member of the rebels. Ian takes it upon himself to become a permanent fixture in Wanderers life. He is friend and protector and begins to have feelings for her and her alone (not Melanie since he didn’t know her prior to the invasion).

The story ends on a note of hope. It is an emotional ride from beginning to end - all 631 pages. Any science fiction fan will enjoy this story, but I think Stephenie Meyer may have done for science fiction what she did for fantasy when she wrote Twilight. THE HOST is set in enough of a realistic setting that even people who aren’t sci-fi fans will enjoy this story. I want to read it again, but I have so much else to read that I can’t right now, but THE HOST is definately on my “to be read again” pile. I hope Stephenie Meyer writes another novel after she finishes with the Twilight Series.

(less)

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May 29, 2008

Caroline rated it

Shelves: read-in-2008, post-apocalyptic

I was pretty iffy about this book going in--I've read all of Stephenie Meyer's other books (the Twilight series) and they're decently good, but nothing amazing. I'm not big on sappy romances, and I was concerned that this would just be one big huge romance like the others.

I was surprised, definitely. While it does have romantic elements to the story, it didn't feel like the romance took over the plot and didn't allow for any real story to happen.

What I liked the best abou...moreI was pretty iffy about this book going in--I've read all of Stephenie Meyer's other books (the Twilight series) and they're decently good, but nothing amazing. I'm not big on sappy romances, and I was concerned that this would just be one big huge romance like the others.

I was surprised, definitely. While it does have romantic elements to the story, it didn't feel like the romance took over the plot and didn't allow for any real story to happen.

What I liked the best about this book is how much thought it seems Stephenie Meyer actually put into it. I really liked her mythos for the souls (the aliens who have invaded and taken over humans as their hosts), and the interesting planets she concocted. Something about it just seemed like she actually put forth some real world-building to come up with a very very fascinating race of invading aliens, I loved it.

It was also really nice for me that the story was actually from the perspective of one of those very interesting aliens, rather than a human protagonist. I liked seeing the human race through the eyes of a gentle, non-warlike creature like Wanderer. And, despite it being told from an alien's perspective, it really was a story about human nature and what it means to be human. Definitely a lot more meaningful than her Twilight books.

I went in being confused that it was an adult novel, because at the beginning it easily could have been a young adult novel like her others. The further I read, the more the classification made sense. The book delves into some pretty heavy thoughts about morality, and there are some very violent scenes (specifically men beating on a helpless woman) that are pretty rough.

As someone who wasn't all that impressed by her Twilight books, I'm happy to say I really enjoyed this and had a really hard time putting it down at times. It's not without faults, but Meyer has definitely grown as an author and I hope we'll see more meaningful books like this from her! I'm giving it 5 stars not because it was absolutely amazing, but because it was incredibly compelling and I loved it.(less)

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Nov 07, 2011

Lissa rated it

Shelves: futuristic, kinda-sucky, romance, sci-fi, shitty-heroine, aliens, 2011

“Did you have a good bath?” he says as I come out after only an hour.
“No,” I say, recognising that my tone is petulant.
“Why not?” he asks in surprise, as the answer is usually the opposite.
“I hate the book. Nothing is happening. Nothing has happened. And the aliens who invaded still make junk food. This doesn’t make sense. They don’t earn money or pay for anything, but they still make junk food. An alien invader who could read the mind of its host would learn to only make food ...more

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Nov 25, 2009

Sella Thorne rated it

Recommends it for: EVERYONE MUST READ IT OR DIE!!! XD

GAH!!!!

AAAAGGH!!!

SODTODSHT!!

AHAAHOSHDTO!!!!!

DSODHTOHDTOHTOSDHTSHHHHHHTHIDSDOIOSHDTOIH!!!

Those are more accurate phrases, more fitting descriptions of my reaction at the end of this book. Unfortunately, those cannot be precisely translated into the English language.

Holy Crap. HOLY CRAP!! I can't even process my thoughts to write a review for this. This book was so stunning, so amazing, so crazy good that I can't even describe...more

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Jun 18, 2008

Kris rated it

I am having so much trouble reading this book, and who am I to judge? I am just a lowly reader and spender, not a publisher. But there is just something about the writing in this book that is making the voices in my head scream. I had the same experience when I read "Twilight."
Ms. Meyers is over-the-top descriptive where there is no need to be. If I had to count how many times she wrote, "I winced." or, "I flinched." or, "I sighed." or, "Ian ...more

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May 14, 2008

Becca Jane rated it

Let me start off by saying that I wanted to like this book sooooooo very much. But unfortunately I was disappointed. I was excited about Stephanie’s description of a love triangle with only two bodies, and that the book was advertised as an “Adult” book. But when the main female character, Melanie, is 17 and the main male character, Jared, is 26, I was put off. I do not have a problem with the age difference just how young she is. It would not have detracted at all from their relationship o...more

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Feb 25, 2009

Famin rated it

Recommended to Famin by: J-boo

It's no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with Stephenie Meyer's Stephenie Meyer writing. I've read three of the four Twilight books (with plans to read Breaking Dawn at some point). I haven't quite decided if I like them or not. I love the plotting. The action scenes are good. The line writing reads fast and is clearly well-edited. What drives me crazy is any emotional scene; any internal dialogue in a character's head, the dithering back and forth over an issue, because it goes on an...more

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Jul 07, 2008

Infinite Playlist rated it

Recommends it for: no-one

Shelves: mood-romantic, mine, form-audiobook, audiobooks-horrible, horrible-characters, genre-scifi-future

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It's really bad. Twilight was awesome, it had good ideas, great dialogues, lovely characters. Even New Moon was nice even though Bella became more and more annoying. Eclipse was okay, too but made it obvious that nothing would ever compare to Twilight and its awesomeness.

Remember the Twilight series audiobooks? They were beautifully read, weren't they? Well, go and write angry letters to the person who decided that The Host would be read by someone else. Maybe the Twilight voice coul...moreIt's really bad. Twilight was awesome, it had good ideas, great dialogues, lovely characters. Even New Moon was nice even though Bella became more and more annoying. Eclipse was okay, too but made it obvious that nothing would ever compare to Twilight and its awesomeness.

Remember the Twilight series audiobooks? They were beautifully read, weren't they? Well, go and write angry letters to the person who decided that The Host would be read by someone else. Maybe the Twilight voice could have saved something. Because the The Host voice only helped destroying the story. Don't get me wrong, the reader is very talented, she does different voices and so on but they are all so ... dislikable. So if you have enough patience read the book instead and make up your own voices in your head (or if you made them up already, let them read the story to you).

Maybe it's not so much the voice that made the characters so dislikable but the characters themselves. They're so flat and boring. I hardly cared for any of them. I kinda grew a sympathy for Ian and maybe Jamie (oh and Sonny!) but the rest? I wasn't even sad a little when Walter died ... and the Seeker in the beginning ... I got told the whole time how annoying she was but I never really was given much reason to find her that annoying o.O

STEPHENIE MEYER WHAT DID YOU THINK? YOU CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER!

I mean, there were some cool ideas. All the stuff about the other planets and its creatures was amazing and really interesting, the way the souls are described (I always imagined them kind of like that) was great and I liked some other things, too I don't remember right now.
But why I disliked the book:
- shallow characters
- too many useless scenes (when Wanderer is trapped by the humans and put into that "hole" at the beginning, that went on way too long), paragraphs and sentences
- the "I'm in love with 2 men and can't decide who I love more" theme again *rolls eyes* (except that Jacob and Edward actually are adorable ~~men~~ ~~boys~~ creatures to fall in love with)
- declamatory phrases all the time, so boring and used and *chokes*
- the whole Bellaness of Wanda, being all "I don't care about myself, nobody wants me anyway, I only harm people, I should suffer, please don't do anything for me, I want to sacrifice myself" uuuurgh -.-

So apparently Steph Meyer has some great ideas but she should get a new (stricter) editor... or a ghostwriter.(less)

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Feb 12, 2011

Tatiana rated it

Shelves: 2009, why-the-hype, ala-ya-2009, tres-annoying

I just can't comprehend why so many people are rating this book 5 stars. Seriously, why? I understand we are in love with Twilight, but it's not a good enough reason to support this mediocrity.

I was extremely disappointed by Breaking Dawn, but decided not to be a hater and give SM another chance. So I opened The Host. I have to say, I have never had to put this much effort into reading a book in my life. If I didn't know who SM was, I wouldn't even bother to read after page 10, it w...moreI just can't comprehend why so many people are rating this book 5 stars. Seriously, why? I understand we are in love with Twilight, but it's not a good enough reason to support this mediocrity.

I was extremely disappointed by Breaking Dawn, but decided not to be a hater and give SM another chance. So I opened The Host. I have to say, I have never had to put this much effort into reading a book in my life. If I didn't know who SM was, I wouldn't even bother to read after page 10, it was that boring and uninspired. But because of SM, I continued on, especially after some people told me that it would get better after about 250 pages. Oh boy, were they wrong! I was more like 500 pages. It took me 3 days to get through first 100 pages (to compare, it took me probably about 3 days to read Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse). After that I just skipped through the rest of the book within a couple of hours. You can literally read every 50th page and not miss anything! There is absolutely nothing going on in this book! Pages and pages of conversations between Wanda and Melanie. And both these characters are so undeveloped, it's hard to tell them apart. In fact, it's hard to get attached to any character in this book! They all are so flat and dull.

This book is marketed as sci-fi/romance novel. Trust me, it is neither. The sci-fi backdrop of this novel is laughable. Altruistic "souls" that save planets from cruel species, among these "cruel species," believe it or not, are: Flowers, See Weeds, Bats... It is just plain ridiculous!

There is very little romance in the book either. A couple of kisses between underage girls and older guys is all you get, in spite of the fact that this is SM's "first adult novel." "Adult" conversation goes as far as discussing that a couple of characters can't have sex because she is too young (of course!) and they don't have contraceptives. Give me a break!

So many reviewers say that this book has a deep meaning, that it shows "what it means to be human" and demonstrates that we can "extend the status of "human" to other entities," etc. I think these people have never read actually good books. In fact, I don't think they have ever read anything but Twilight before.

This is definitely the end of my love affair with SM's writing. I think she struck gold with Twilight, the rest of her creations are just plain bad. You may disagree with me, but this is the reality.
(less)

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Dec 19, 2011

Saniya rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, borrowed

First things first.

Dear Author,
Do you want readers to have an optimistic opinion about you? Do you want to be normal and popular again after your dramatic fail, you know what I am talking about, of-course, The Twilight series? Here are three steps to make your life better again.

Tell all the publishers to stop printing The Host.

STEP NO 1- Change the cover. The eye is just too creepy.
STEP NO 2- Change your name on the cover to, "Bad author go...more

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May 10, 2008

Elizabeth (Liz) rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OH MY...(deep breath) word.
No book has ever made me want to run so much -- just to feel my muscles working, ever made me treasure the rise and fall of my lungs, feel the wind on my face, or treasure the feel of water as it gracefully slides down my throat, no book has ever made me understand so fully how... just how we should be treasured.
Words cannot express how much I love this bood. If you havn't read the book yet, exit out of this RIGHT NOW because here come some major spoilers...moreOH MY...(deep breath) word.
No book has ever made me want to run so much -- just to feel my muscles working, ever made me treasure the rise and fall of my lungs, feel the wind on my face, or treasure the feel of water as it gracefully slides down my throat, no book has ever made me understand so fully how... just how we should be treasured.
Words cannot express how much I love this bood. If you havn't read the book yet, exit out of this RIGHT NOW because here come some major spoilers from about here on!!
The whole Mel and Jared thing just totally rips your heart up! When Wanda goes to die, I was not able to see, that was so freakin'... ouch.
I totally love Jeb, his personality is so... unique and... hilarious.
My heart goes out to Jamie, he's such a cute kid! I just love his, Mel's, and Wanda's relationship!
Ian, what can I say to give Ian justice... I totally love him, he's so kind, compasionate, understanding. He's so protective and... deep.
At the end I just couldn't take it any longer, it was so sad. But I don't exactly like how she lies about her age, Meyer seemed to go a little closer to the line this time...
I also really love how much strength Wanda has and yet how she's so... gentle and protective (minus her mourning period, that was... horrid, I love how Stephenie Meyer described that sickening experience so that you were in Wanda's head). For some reason I just don't think that her new body suited her, it was too week, but then again she'll grow, but that's kinda creepy 'cause you don't really know Ian's age, but I guess that doesn't really matter... I guess. I think latter on the body will suit her more, but it's kinda weird with no Mel.
I think that I relate myself most to Wanda, but also a lot with Meline (I completely love that girl to death!). I guess I just have duel personalities like they do, I'm both of them at once, but I have to admit I'm with Wanda on a lot of stuff... a lot. I love how far she was willing to go for the people she loved, the way she thought. I love that they say that she was so beautiful, it goes with her, it's like seeing someone's soul (no pun intended) and you just know how... pure she is, she was willing to die trying to save Kyle when he tried to kill her. But it was also awkward with Jared and Ian fighting all the time, Jared knew Mel and Ian knew Wanda(I like it when he calls her Wanderer, I think it goes with her better then Wanda). I was goint to say something else about Wanderer, but I seem to have forgotten and I believe the memory has no intention of coming back. But I love how she wants to run down a field with bare feet while it's raining, I think that is when I truely broke, she never wanted anything for herself and the things she wanted were denied her(minus Ian...).
I laughed at so many parts and cried just the same, such depths of depression and leaps of joy.
I think (how many sentences have I started with I think or I also or I totally?) that Stephenie was smart with how she ended the book, it gave her a lot of options. One she could write a book in Burn's perspective. Two, she could write a sequel. Or three, just leave it where it is, but that would make me sad and also strangly relieved.
So, I think my goal here was reached, I just totally spilled my guts out to you about the book. If any one really cares to read all this (PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK ALREADY IF YOU'RE READING THIS!!!)and if you're about to explode, talk to me about it, maybe you'll be able to help me remember that amazing, stupid quote I forgot (not likely...).(less)

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May 25, 2008

Heather rated it

Recommends it for: late teens/ adult

Before I get into details, let me just say this: Stephenie Meyer is an excellent author and i would gladly recommend ANY of her novels. She posses the ability to pull the reader into the story and allow them to feel like they are actually there with the characters, experiencing what they experience and feeling what they feel. She paints a vivid picture of the characters and their lives in the mind of every reader who is fortunate enough to be touched by the worlds that she creates. Reading one o...moreBefore I get into details, let me just say this: Stephenie Meyer is an excellent author and i would gladly recommend ANY of her novels. She posses the ability to pull the reader into the story and allow them to feel like they are actually there with the characters, experiencing what they experience and feeling what they feel. She paints a vivid picture of the characters and their lives in the mind of every reader who is fortunate enough to be touched by the worlds that she creates. Reading one of her works is like being in 3-d theater but better, its actually more like being in a 6-D theater, touching all of the human senses and emotion at once. It is hard to find a flaw in the novel by itself, when not being compared to her other works. Now having said that, there are a few criticisms that i have for this novel in comparison to her other works.
The quality of the novel does stand up to the standards set by her preceding works. But, despite the creative story line and captivating emotions shown in The Host, there are some flaws to be found in the depth of the characters. I am a fan of the Twilight series, also by Stephenie Meyer, and could not stop myself from finding many links between this novel and the Twilight series in regards to the characters, their emotions and their interconnected relationships. For example, the character Jared (from The Host) is very similar to Jacob (From Twilight). Both have a tendency to let their emotions get the best of them, both are somewhat selfish creatures in regards to the one that they love, and both are extremely stubborn. The characters Ian (The host) and Edward (Twilight) are the same way, comparatively. Both are overly protective and somewhat irrational when it comes to the people that they love, both have the ability to love unconditionally despite the fact that both men love someone of a different species, and both men's brothers try to kill their partners. The greatest character similarity, however, exists between Wanderer/Melanie (The Host) and Bella (Twilight).
The complexity of the characters is amazing in both novels. In both there are two different personalities existing in one body, each personality belonging to a different man that the characters love. There are two parts to Bella (Twilight) one in love Jacob (Twilight) and one in love with Edward (Twilight), but one love is stronger than the other. She describes the strain between the two as "tearing her apart." The same its to be said for Wanderer/Melanie (The Host), but to a more extreme extent. In this case there are actually two separate entities existing in one body "tearing them apart". One personality , Wanda [Wanderer] (The Host), belonging to Ian (The Host); and the other personality, Melanie (The Host), belonging to Jared (The Host). Wanda (The Host) and Bella (Twilight) are both very self-sacrificing people who would go to the ends of the earth to prevent the ones that they love from hurting and would do anything in their power to make them happy. Both are very non-violent and even show compassion for enemies. Melanie (The Host) and Bella (Twilight) are both tough individuals possessing the ability to reason through stressful situations.
All of the characters do possess unique qualities as well, and display different depths of emotions. I may be just more attuned to the personalities presented in Twilight (due to my love of the series), and couldn't help but find similarities between it and The Host. But then again, If I am this attuned to the character's personalities after simply reading the series, imagine how predisposed to the personality traits Stephenie Meyer is. So I suppose that after spending so much time creating and writing about the characters, letting them become apart of you, that it would be impossible to completely separate them from your other works. For is each work not expression of the soul as well, and it is impossible, as an author, to exclude part of yourself from your writings.

Read The Host, I think that you will enjoy it. I know that I did.(less)

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May 16, 2008

Karene rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 25, 2009

Angie rated it

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, good-uns

I felt myself getting more and more excited about this book as the release date drew closer. I've enjoyed the Twilight books and I'm looking forward to their conclusion in Breaking Dawn, but I found myself pretty intrigued to see what Stephenie Meyer would do when she set out to do something different. Plus, I was just in the mood for some science fiction. I've loved sci fi ever since I picked up my first Ray Bradbury and, even though Meyer states it's science fiction for people who don't read s...moreI felt myself getting more and more excited about this book as the release date drew closer. I've enjoyed the Twilight books and I'm looking forward to their conclusion in Breaking Dawn, but I found myself pretty intrigued to see what Stephenie Meyer would do when she set out to do something different. Plus, I was just in the mood for some science fiction. I've loved sci fi ever since I picked up my first Ray Bradbury and, even though Meyer states it's science fiction for people who don't read science fiction, it certainly qualifies. What with the aliens and all. And there ended up being more (and a wider variety) of them than I was expecting.

You're undoubtedly familiar with the premise of this novel already, so I'll leave it at this: it's invasion of the body snatchers, but the body snatchers are benevolent and the humans are, well, human. Flawed, emotional, corruptible. You name it. And there are very few of them left at all. But the few there are are....tenacious. Especially Melanie, the human whose body has just been taken over by the soul called Wanderer. Known for her extreme skill at taking over a body, as well as her penchant for never staying on one world for more than one life, Wanderer has been hand-picked for insertion in the rebellious Mel in the hopes that she will be able to glean details from Mel's memory about possible leftover humans in hiding. As you might expect, all does not go smoothly for Wanderer. Or Mel.

The great thing about The Host is that the main character is one of the "bad guys." As a result, the reader's emotions (and loyalties) are wonderfully conflicted throughout the beginning of the story. It doesn't take long, though, to fall in love with Wanderer and I really liked the way Meyer interspersed Wanderer's narrative with flashbacks from Mel's life as she hurled them, one after another, at Wanderer's mind in a bid to save herself as well as the ones she loves--her younger brother Jamie and her human love Jared. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, contrary to the whole love story being central to the plot scenario I'd been prepped for, the book was not at all ruled by romance. It is a story about love, but it's more a story about what it means to be human and humane. The love in the story encompasses all forms: familial, friendship, platonic, and romantic. I was particularly drawn to Wanda's fierce love for Mel's little brother Jamie and the lengths she went to to protect him. The Host is in many ways (despite its length) a small, intensely personal story. I loved it, was sad when it was over, and will reread it again soon.(less)

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Jun 09, 2008

James rated it

Shelves: modern-fantasy

My first Meyer book and a great one to start with. Her fantasy/sci-fi chops are first-rate and she blends romance into the mix intriguingly. Most admirable is the way she creates an invading alien force that is sympathetic and benevolent -- a nice twist on the old theme.

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Apr 04, 2011

Lina rated it

Shelves: other

<span style="color:#800080;">Unfortunately, the thing that drives me to write today is the poorly written book known as The Host, by none other than Stephenie "Sparkling Vampires" Meyer.
</span><center><span style="color:#800080;"> Photobucket

</center><span style="color:#800080;">
<lj-cut text="Read more"> Now, I went into this book with lukewarm expectations. Many people have said that The Host is actually better written th...more

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Oct 20, 2011

Ari rated it

Shelves: sweet-romance, favorites, great-books, sci-fi

“It’s not the face, but the expressions on it.
It’s not the voice, but what you say.
It’s not how you look in that body, but the thing you do with it.
You are beautiful.”

I give this book 5 stars because is just such an amazing book. I really, really love it!

At first sight it looks like it's a book about aliens, but in reality is a book about human kind, and it's questioning how much humanity remains in us all.
It's a book about survival, about love (so m...more

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Feb 25, 2009

Eleven rated it

Recommends it for: scifi lovers, non-scifi lovers, just anyone who likes good stories

Shelves: haveread-andyoushouldtoo, scifi-fantasy

We have been invaded! By nonviolent, curious parasite organisms who infiltrate humanity and take over the bodies of their hosts. It is a quiet onslaught - and one that soon becomes glaringly obvious. Only a few have been able to get out of the now alien-civilized cities, and those that do are usually caught by the Seekers. One young woman, her lover, and her little brother are some of these renegades, until one slip forces the girl, Melanie into the custody of her enemies to become the host for ...moreWe have been invaded! By nonviolent, curious parasite organisms who infiltrate humanity and take over the bodies of their hosts. It is a quiet onslaught - and one that soon becomes glaringly obvious. Only a few have been able to get out of the now alien-civilized cities, and those that do are usually caught by the Seekers. One young woman, her lover, and her little brother are some of these renegades, until one slip forces the girl, Melanie into the custody of her enemies to become the host for an extremely strong "soul", Wanderer.

But just as Wanderer settles into her new body, the unthinkable. Melanie refuses to leave. And she does nothing but throw memories at Wanderer, forcing her to feel what she feels. Now Wanderer, obsessed with Melanie's brother and in love with the same man, must break away and find the love her body desperately aches for.

WELL. I literally just finished this book and I must say. I did not have particularly high hopes. I knew the only reason I bought it was because August 2nd and Breaking Dawn weren't coming fast enough. And, well, it was described to me as a story with a love triangle with only two bodies. Who wouldn't be intrigued?

This is probably everything that you would ask for in a novel. The plot really was VERY interesting (I was worried I'd be thinking "Invasion of the Body Snatchers!" or "The Invaders!" [seriously? How much do I sound super old and I'm 22?:] but Meyer has truly created a unique race), the characters were solid and believable in their individual torment (I found myself thinking of some of the characters fitting the "roles" of characters in the Twilight series, but the characters themselves are quite different), and it all went at such a great pace that there was no point to actually put it down. My only complaint is that the beginning seems abrupt - you hit the ground running, in a sense, but this only feeds into the manic energy that I'm finding is Meyer's trademark, and a good one. I can imagine her, speaking very quietly but firmly through the narrative of Wanderer, telling me that we need to establish all of these things QUICK, because she wants to get where the REAL story starts. And god knows I appreciate it. We play catch up with the characters later, anyway. It works out.

What is probably the best part is not only the characters, but the changes these characters go through during the course of the book. The conflict is almost entirely internal (ha! Literally. Prepare yourself for a buttload of inner arguments) because everyone seems distrustful of someone else, everyone has their own agendas... yet at the same time there is believable change of thinking after the derailment of everything most of them believed.

The themes behind this story - what does it mean to be human, is humanity in our bodies or in our souls, will we overcome hatred - remind me a lot of Butler's trilogy Lilith's Brood. The aliens are even slightly remeniscent, in their nonviolence and seemingly assumed superiority over humans. But as stated above, this book has a lot more internal conflict, the pain coming from the love SQUARE (whoever said triangle is dumb) more than anywhere else.

Stephenie Meyer is officially okay by me. She's not a one-trick pony, and she has quite an amazing imagination... I really believe that she knows her characters as well as any living person, which of course makes the reader look upon them lovingly as well. Best of all, her bright, almost child-like enthusiasm is evident on every single page.

I'm a believer. I'll be looking out for the next one. (less)

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Jun 05, 2008

Michael rated it

Shelves: read-in-2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wanderer is part of a symbiotic alien race that is conquering the Earth. She and her race are implanted inside human subjects, bonding with them and taking over their bodies.

Melanie was one of the last few members of the human resistance, trying to fight back against the alien invaders and cling to their fragile humanity before the human race as we know it is wiped out. She has a brother and family in the resistance. She was on the way to join a larger resistance cell with her lov...moreWanderer is part of a symbiotic alien race that is conquering the Earth. She and her race are implanted inside human subjects, bonding with them and taking over their bodies.

Melanie was one of the last few members of the human resistance, trying to fight back against the alien invaders and cling to their fragile humanity before the human race as we know it is wiped out. She has a brother and family in the resistance. She was on the way to join a larger resistance cell with her lover, Jared, when she is captured and bonded with Wanderer.

Wanderer’s consciousness takes over, but buried deep inside of the two is Melanie. Melanie is supposed to be gone, but she slowly begins to exert control and influence over Wanderer, much to the alarm of the female Seeker charged with Wanderer’s transition to life on Earth. During a trip for California to a new home, Wanderer decides to go off the path, find Jared and reconnect with Melanie’s life.

If you think I’m giving away too much of Stephenie Meyer’s new novel, “The Host,” I can tell you that all of what I’ve told you here happens in the first hundred or so pages. What follows is a character-driven sci-fi novel that offers up an exploration of what it means to be human, the nature of love and the questions of identity. If you’re looking for a hard and fast explanation of just how the bonding process works or the exact nature of the alien plan, you will be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a character driven, love story that uses elements of the invasion story and sci-fi to tell an interesting and compelling story about the human condition, this is definitely one to put on your “to be read” list.

Meyer’s central concept of having two personalities that talk to each other is one that could easily crumble under its own weight or become confusing for readers. But it never does. The story is told from Wanderer’s (later she takes the name Wanda) point of view with Melanie comig into things from time to time. The journey Wanda takes from being an alien outsider (even an outsider to her own culture) to becoming a part of our community is fascinating and compelling. At first, Wanda seems a bit cold, but as her journey unfolds, she becomes a fast-friend, even to the point that you can forget this is someone who is genuine alien narrating the events of the story.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m not a huge fan of the Twilight series. I find the first book good, but the next two lost my interest. Part of it was the immaturity of the first-person narrator Bella.

So, I admit I approached “The Host” with equal parts anticipation and reservation. But by having a more mature first-person narrator, Meyer avoids the traps of the Twilight novels, giving readers a richer, more meaningful story. By half-way through the novel, it became difficult to decide which side of the personality I wanted to win out and have the ultimate decision making authority and control. That is a true testiment to Meyer’s character creation.

At its essence, “The Host” is a love-story that uses sci-fi elements to tell the story. A love quadrangle develops in the course of the story. Meyer never simplifies things or makes them easy for her characters. Each character has to make some truly hard decisions and live with their consequences. In this universe, all is not fair in love and war. And as you read the book, you wouldn’t want it any other way.

That’s not to say “The Host” is perfect. It does drag a bit in the middle chapters. But they are necessary to the character-building Meyer is doing.

(less)

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Dec 16, 2008

Matt rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

While this book takes the unique perspective of a parasite alien in a parasite invasion of Earth, I can't help but thinking that I heard this story before. It's really like an over long episode of Outer Limits. And the parasite race reminds me of the Dax parasite from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

I really can't stand turgid writing. I think many authors like to read their own writing, and just think they are so brilliant that they can't get enough of themselves.

Please le...more

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Jan 13, 2011

FlibBityFLooB rated it

Shelves: dystopian, made-me-cry, read-in-2009, love-triangle, sci-fi, witty-i-am-not, zzauthor-meyer, read-in-2011, read-more-than-once, husband-enjoyed-book

Re-read 2011: I cried again reading this book, even though I knew exactly what would happen. Funny thing, that :) Original Review 2009: I went into THE HOST thinking I was not going to enjoy it. As a 34 year old female computer scientist, I like science fiction television shows/movies, but I thought the book wouldn't be that good. I had a tough time getting through the first few chapters in the book. I thought the story was a bit too out-there for me, and a bit boring...

However,...moreRe-read 2011: I cried again reading this book, even though I knew exactly what would happen. Funny thing, that :) Original Review 2009: I went into THE HOST thinking I was not going to enjoy it. As a 34 year old female computer scientist, I like science fiction television shows/movies, but I thought the book wouldn't be that good. I had a tough time getting through the first few chapters in the book. I thought the story was a bit too out-there for me, and a bit boring...

However, once the book settled in about 100 pages, I became engrossed by the story of this apocalyptic society of 20+ people living together. Stephenie Meyer's descriptive writing had me picturing every scene with vivid imagery. Her characters seemed more realistic because of their flaws - she didn't write people to be perfect like so many authors. I could feel the characters. I could picture the caves and smell the sulfur. The way Meyer was able to describe something as simple as a character's level of thirst, or sitting in solitude in the dark for hours without speaking or eating... It was gripping.

I could put myself into their situation and asked myself constantly what I would do if it were me. It wasn't so much a book about aliens and science fiction as it was an examination of humans and relationships. I routed for characters to learn from their mistakes. I saw hope in humanity reading this book.

I've read some reviews where people were frustrated with the author making characters to be misogynistic. I believe that is over-simplifying the complex situation that these characters were put into.

The book brought forth a lot of emotion from me. I sobbed during sections of the book because it was so moving and emotional - yet, I didn't feel depressed reading it. It was almost cleansing. I highly recommend this book (though there will always be people that don't like it). To me, it was very much worth reading. Just believe me that it will get better if you find the first few chapters a struggle to read. (less)

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About Stephenie Meyer

I was born in Connecticut in 1973, during a brief blip in my family's otherwise western U.S. existence. We were settled in Phoenix by the time I was four, and I think of myself as a native. The unusual spelling of my name was a gift from my father, Stephen (+ ie = me). Though I have had my name spelled wrong on pretty much everything my entire life long, I must admit that it makes it easier to goo...moreI was born in Connecticut in 1973, during a brief blip in my family's otherwise western U.S. existence. We were settled in Phoenix by the time I was four, and I think of myself as a native. The unusual spelling of my name was a gift from my father, Stephen (+ ie = me). Though I have had my name spelled wrong on pretty much everything my entire life long, I must admit that it makes it easier to google myself now.
I filled the "Jan Brady" spot in my family-the second of three girls. Unlike the Brady's, none of my three brothers are steps, and all of them are younger than all the girls. I went to high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, the kind of place where every fall a few girls would come back to school with new noses and there were Porsches in the student lot (for the record, I have my original nose, and never had a car until after I was in my twenties). I was awarded a National Merit Scholarship, and I used it to pay my way to Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah. I majored in English, but concentrated on literature rather than creative writing, mostly because I didn't consider reading books "work" (as long as I was going to be doing something anyway, I might as well get course credit for it, right?).
I met my husband, Pancho (his real name is Christiaan), when I was four, but we were never anywhere close to being childhood sweethearts. In fact, though we saw each other at least weekly through church activities, I can't recall a single instance when we so much as greeted each other with a friendly wave, let alone exchanged actual words. This may have been for the best, because when we did eventually get around to exchanging words, sixteen years after our first meeting, it only took nine months from the first "hello" to the wedding. Of course, we were able to skip over a lot of the getting to know you parts (many of our conversations would go something like this: "This one time, when I was ten, I broke my hand at a party when-" "Yeah, I know what happened. I was there, remember?") We've been married for ten and a half years now, and have three beautiful, brilliant, wonderful boys who often remind me chimpanzees on crack. I can't write without music, and my biggest muse is, ironically enough, the band Muse. My other favorite sources of inspiration are Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Coldplay, The All American Rejects, Travis, The Strokes, Brand New, U2, Kasabian, Jimmy Eat World, and Weezer, to mention a few.(less)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1318009171m/1656001.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Host by Stephenie Meyer[/url]

The Host (The Host #1)

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