The Host - BOTM (Mod Pick)

[Cristina]

Your Fab 5 Mods have personally picked this book as one of our BOTMs. :)

Read and discuss here.

[David]

Great choice especially with the movie out! I loved it although it's been a long time since I read it. Best Steph Meyer book in my opinion :)

[Travis]

Book VS. Film:

I read the book, and I enjoyed it very much. I know people bash on Stephanie Meyer, but she does write engaging characters and plots. I don't care what anyone says, she writes an entertaining book.

So, I went to see the movie last night.

Immediately noticed the problem: this book which I really loved, is 1/2 internal dialogue between a woman and an Alien who has control of her body and mind (well partial control).

So, in film, its difficult to pull off. You have a lot of back and forth with this woman essentially talking to herself.

I loved the book, didn't think the movie was all that.

I will say its a film worth watching, but do you really want to pay the price at the theater? Meh... Maybe wait for Netflix.

A lot of what I loved about the book was very tricky to communicate in film. All the emotional drama of the relationships, it just didn't zing right on camera.

They did a pretty damn good job on the Twilight series, but the Host leaves me wanting more (in film).

OK, I am ready to duck. Please don't throw hardbacks at me, only ebooks, they're easier to dodge.

:)

[Brit]

I'm still reading The Host (about three quarters done) and honestly, it's not too bad, but I find that the story is being prolonged, like some of the things that happen aren't super important to the plot line. Also, I'm starting to find the main character, Wanda/Melanie, is getting to be very annoying.

[T.M.]

I actually enjoyed this book a lot. I know a lot of people went into it with high expectations, especially big Twilight fans, and many bashed it and were disappointed. If you're looking for another Twilight, you are going to be disappointed, but I think if you go into it with an open mind, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I do agree with Travis, though, about the difficulty of translating some of the more subtle aspects of the plot to the big screen. Haven't seen the movie yet, so we'll see...

[Lanie]

I read it a while back, and I had a really hard time with it. I didn't hate it, but I'm not sure I liked it, either. That's the first time I've had that happen, so I'm kind of confused about it.

It definitely was nothing like Twilight, and I agree that if people go in thinking/wanting it to be, they will be disappointed.

One thing I did like about it (and I was discussing this with a friend) is that, while it was sci-fi, it wasn't hard sci-fi. There were definitely elements of it, but the book wasn't drowned in it, and I liked that aspect.

As for the rest, I'm...still not sure. Someone want to, you know, decide for me? LOL

[Heather]

I agree with Lani - the Host is 'easy to read' sci-fi; it's not over the top.

I enjoyed it a lot more than Twilight (even though I really liked the Twilight series). The dual narration between Wanda and Melanie worked really well. I found that it was one of those books I just couldn't stop thinking about when I put it down. And I love anything that questions the importance of free-will.

[Melissa]

I read this one when it was released a few years ago and found it hard to get into. It is an interesting idea but the book seemed broken into 3 sections that didn't flow easily into each other.

[Holly]

I read this a long time ago. It's been at least 2 years. I really remember liking it though. I didn't care much for Twilight, but my friend recommended it and said it was nothing like glittery vampire garbage, so I gave it a shot. Glad I did. I should read it again, but I have so many other books piled up that I won't read it this month probably.

[[deleted user]]

I cannot stand the Twilight series--Travis' vampire books are some of the only ones I have ever enjoyed. However, a peek at the Host surprised me. I am hoping it will be a more mature book; the prose was unquestionably better. As long as Melanie/Wanda is better than Bella...

[Y U NO]

I hated the book. I made a review about it and it was a bit hateful towards it. xD Please check it out on the blog I just created. Thanks!

Oh! Don't read this if you haven't finished it yet. :)

http://yunoreadbooks.wordpress.com/20...

[Lekeisha]

I love the book. Read it so many times when it was released. Now the movie, not so much. It's watchable, but fell short for me. Great cast but it was kinda boring. Books are always better than the films because you get the full story.

[Jacquelyn]

I read this book atleast 3 times I loved it, but I can't watch the movie because they will cut too much of the book out it.

[Katie]

I'll have to reread this. I read it a while back and remember liking it, but thinking it could have been edited a bit. The main character in The Host, Wanda, is soooooo much more likeable than Bella is in the Twilight series.

[Aleyn]

I just finished the book a few weeks ago. I was very hesitant to read it but gave in because I wanted to read it before watching the movie. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. Very different and refreshing. I came to like the heroines. I also loved the romance between the 3 or you could say 4 of them. I loved the creation of the different worlds/planets that Wanda have been to.
As for the movie, I was not big fan. Some aspects of the movie was different and if you didn't read the book, some scenes were quite confusing. I watched it with someone who didn't read it and I ended up explaining many things.

[Regan]

I read this book about two years ago, prior to talks of a movie/series happening. I was really impressed with it then.

I could not, and still cannot, get into the Twilight Series.

This is such a radical change from that series.

[Cristina]

First, I will start by commenting on S. Meyer...I LOVE HER!!! I LOVE the Twilight series. She is the reason I started reading YA books!

I accidentally picked up Twilight because the cover looked cool and the blurb was super mysterious. Needless to say, I read them all...waiting one year in between each book (can you say torture????).

Then, she wrote this one. My friend bought it for me. It sat on my shelf for a bit because I was still on my Twilight high and didn't want to ruin it. This was very different. Not YA at all, and about ALIENS?!?!? What?!?!?! Eh...I'll get to it....

When I finally got to it, I loved it! It was so different!!! And it actually, believe it or not, led me to try Dystopian books. It has a dystopian feel to it and I found that aspect very intriguing.

So, I am very grateful to the author that people love to hate. I don't understand why people hate her as they do. I, for one, am glad she has had the success that she's had. It's just a shame that the books don't translate to the screen very well. But, heck, I've yet to watch a movie that was better than the book!!!! (In my humble opinion).

I plan on re-reading this since it's been a while. I might come back and say something else about it after I do. :)

[Gabby]

First Adult book I have ever read, lol! Mum said i could read it because it was by Stephenie Meyer! I cried, like, twice, though...(view spoiler)[ When Jamie was sick- i thought he was going to die! and when the guy died from cancer...that was sad :( (hide spoiler)]

[Melissa]

Gabby wrote: "First Adult book I have ever read, lol! Mum said i could read it because it was by Stephenie Meyer! I cried, like, twice, though...[spoilers removed]"

LOL! Congrats Gabby.

[Gabby]

Yay!! :)

[Lanell]

I really loved this book. I thought it would be hard to get into bc of the whole alien part, but I just fell in love with it. It's been awhile since I read it though, so I'd like to read it again sometime soon.

[Micah]

I read this book a few years back. I really enjoyed the concept of seeing the world through the eyes of Wanderer and the relationship she had with her host. It was an unusual twist on alien invasion. I really liked it. Stephanie did a beautiful job writing it.

[Skaistė]

I read this book few years ago. At first I didn't find it as much enjoyable and involving as Twilight saga. I'm not sure why, maybe it felt a little bit slow or missed something. But I read it few more times since then and eventually found it more interesting than at first. Now I think it has interesting point of view from the alien perspective to the humans. It shows us what humans are amazing and complicated at the same time. Also these aliens are different because they conquer humans in a peaceful way and create peaceful and even Utopian world. But it is shown it doesn't mean everything is going to be good when your goal is to create good. And I liked characters and stories between them. So, now I think it is a wonderful story full of interesting and important topics to explore.

[Rebekkah]

I just finished this book and really liked it. I will be posting a review in the near future. :)