Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.
Totally unexpected. That’s the only way I can describe The Host. I stepped into this book expecting (and dreading) more Twilight and The Host could not be further from the teen angst drama that riddles the Edward-Bella-Jacob world.
From the very first page of this book, I was totally sucked in. This creature is supposed to be part of the villain race that took over Earth but right away, you realize that there is something different. She is new to a human host and new to human emotions. You follow her on this roller coaster of experiencing everything from rage to love to compassion and it is fully captivating.
Stephanie Meyer does an amazing job of describing the details of this world that Melanie/Wanderer is pulled into. She does such an amazing job that you have no problem visualizing the places she goes and the people she meets. Each character has a very distinct and very powerful personality. This book made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me angry and sad. It’s so incredibly moving.
Overall, The Host gets 5 stars! I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone and everyone!