Hey everyone! This is a discussion on The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
I’m giving the Ruby Red trilogy a break, before I dive into the last book, so I’m not sure when I’ll be uploading an Emerald Green review.

I gave this book 4 stars on Good Reads and absolutely loved it!

Also, there will be spoilers in this review, so beware.

Discussion time! 

I loved this book. After owning it for 6 years, finally being able to get through the first chapter and into the story was a massive accomplishment. The idea that aliens have invaded the minds of our entire race just captivated me completely.
The Souls’ motives were entirely peaceful, which in a way made them even more sinister as they offered the world more good than humans would ever be able to. It didn’t matter to them that they were stripping people’s lives away, freeing them of their own choice. It’s such a thought provoking book.

The story had a subtle pacing throughout that in some ways invigorates you but really allows you to appreciate everything. You need to appreciate all of the details as they absorb you into the story, forcing you to put the book down just so you don’t finish it too quickly.

This was so different from Twilight. Not just in plot, but in how characters were written and the realistic reactions they had. I really appreciated that we were with older characters, so we didn’t have to face the same amount of angst, something I do enjoy just not to the extent that I did when I was younger.

The whole concept of the Souls was terrifying, made even scarier by the fact that it felt so real. The whole aspect of survival, dying for the ones you love and the detailed way in which is was written got my hear racing. It felt so real! I think that’s one thing I’ve always loved about Meyer’s writing; she transports you into an entirely different world.

At first I felt oddly conflicted about Wanda. The fact that she had overtaken Mel was horrific, but soon Mel’s wants seeped into hers and her typical Soul beliefs begin to alter.

By the end of the book, I loved Wanderer. The character development she went through was brilliant, growing from a frightened child into her own independent mind. I think she absorbed some of Mel’s own qualities, in turn defining her as her own person.

It was peculiar to read about two people stuck inside the same body as the love they felt seeped into one another. Wanda loved Jared and Jamie, but also grew to love Ian which later affected Mel too.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was the humour between Mel and Wanda, especially during the first half of the book when they were travelling together. They balanced each other and lightened the severity of the situation when things got tense.

Whilst the concept was cool, it was the characters that really carried the story. I fell in love with Ian but felt conflicted as he’d never be able to properly be with Wanda.

I started tearing up at the end when Doc was crying and Wanderer was about to be taken out of Mel. It just showed that she did mean something, regardless of her race, to the lives of those she met. It was bitter sweet.

In some ways, I sort of wished Wanda had died just so she could of been at peace. But when she woke up in her new body, I was so excited. Everyone was there. The fact that her new appearance matched her endearing personality warmed my heart. She doesn’t need babying, but to know that people were now more affectionate towards her makes me want to scream for the sequel… just saying *stares at Stephenie intensely*.

I want to watch Wanda be alive with everyone, damn it! It’s been nearly 10 years since this book was published and I will not give up hope. I will not.

I wished there had been slightly more in the romance department, especially at the end, as you go through so much with the character and you want to experience everything with them too. I needed more Ian and Wanda, basically.

One of my favourite moments was when Wanda and Mel finally got to see Jamie again. He was such a sweet character and his openness to Wanda in their tender moments were the best. I definitely felt closer to Wanda then to Mel, not just because it was mainly her perspective but also because I could identify with that feeling of not belonging anywhere.

Love is such a driving theme within the book. However only a small fraction of it was romantic and I wished publishers had marketed this book differently. More people need to read this wonderful book because it’s more than a romance. It’s about family, integrity and being alive.

If your feeling a bit worse for ware with YA and need something refreshing, definitely give The Host a go. Regardless of if it ever gets a sequel, it’s brilliant on its own.