Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Here's the downfall of reading about nine books all at the same time--it takes forever to actually finish any one book!  For whatever reason, I have been in the mood to rotate my reading.  It's all good though, since they are all pretty great choices.

The latest book I finished was The Host by Stephenie Meyer.  I've had this since it first came out but was dissuaded from finishing it when I got bored in the first hundred pages.  That was a very bad sign for me.  I pushed it aside for something else and ended up not getting back to it until now. 

Synopsis:  This sci-fi read takes a departure from the vampire Twilight series Meyer is so famously known for to consider a future world where humans have been invaded by an alien creature.  This creature, who is planted/entwined into the base of their skull, takes on the body of their hosts, and in the case of the main character, that host is still very present and screaming in the background.  The host, Melanie Stryder,  has no choice but to share very emotional memories of a brother and first love she left behind in the Arizona desert.  This alien soul called Wanderer (or Wanda) feels compelled to go in search of Melanie's past and falls headlong into the human world and face to face with Jared, Melanie's love.  The struggle between what the body Wanda has been placed in feels for Jared, and Melanie's own frustration at having someone share these memories, leads these characters down a strange road.  Eventually, Wanda learns what it is to be human, and the very real physical and emotional power of love on said hosts.

Review:  I will never claim myself to be good with science fiction.  Although this novel is said to be an easy sell to those of us who are hesitant with the genre, I will admit to still struggling a bit.  In some respects, it could be that the deep sense of morality that the alien "Wanderer" or "Wanda" had just seemed strange to me at first.  Yes she was an alien, but her thoughts and ideas seemed so human-like as to make it difficult to see her as such a leech.  On the flip side, we knew immediately that Melanie was a feisty soul, since she continued to fight for her presence in her own body.  I loved Melanie and wanted her to have her life back, so the complication of having a moral and kind alien taking up space in her body really complicated the entire situation.

The first hundred pages or so really are a bit slow.  I have to warn reluctant readers that for me, at least, it was difficult to get through all of the set up for the society and hosting by human bodies that goes on in this future time.  The relationships in the book are well established though, with characters that are complicated and easy to care about.  Meyer does a nice job of complicating our expected beliefs that Wanda is the bad guy in the story and should be eliminated.  Yes, she has taken over Melanie's body, but could it be that Wanda is as much a victim in this story as her human host?

The different ideas about the value of life and relationships were interesting, and although I struggle with my own suspension of belief, I thought it was a good story.  It's not always my cup of tea to read survivalist tales or about alien life forms.  Who knew I was such a hard sell?  While not the top of my list of favorite reads, it was an interesting new one.  Oh, and I can also say that after putting it down the first time, that I've read it!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based off of a personal copy of the novel.

What books have you started, only to put them down and not return to them until later down the road?

Author Bashing

Okay, I have to admit that I REALLY HATE when authors do this (see link to article)...when they discredit another writer and say that they are crap. If you haven't heard, Stephen King said in a recent interview that Stephenie Meyer was a bad writer. Now I'm not going to say "yea" or "nay" on that, but will say, as I've always admitted, that there are writers who are good STORYTELLERS (and yes, I think even King falls in this category), and authors who are talented writers (and let's be honest...sometimes they don't tell very interesting stories). I think there is a viable place for both types of authors, and can't stand it especially when we bash popular authors that have actually gotten my students to READ!!! Publishing is tough anyway, so why condemn an author who found an audience and was able to reach a whole new reading audience.? Thank goodness for the J.K. Rowlings, Stephenie Meyers, and even Stephen Kings for reaching out to my students, and giving them a reading experience that they seek after again. And no...I still don't like most "Christian" fiction, but I definitely don't bash it publicly, because if it speaks to someone and gets them to read, then I'm all good!

"New" Classic List?

Hi from Idaho! It's a little traumatic since my cousins are growing up way too quickly and I seem to be watching it all happen. Scary.

Anyway, I re-read Twilight this past week, purely out of a selfish indulgence and need to read something that I had already read before so that I didn't have to engage my totally dead-head brain.


Doc and I are in a hotel in Rexburg tonight (THANK YOU DOC for coming with me to keep me sane!), so I'm going to settle in and read a little before going to bed.

Okay, so I noticed on one of the many book blogs I follow, that Entertainment Weekly has posted a "new" classics list. I thought I'd post it for your viewing pleasure...if you like seeing how much there is out there yet to read! Maybe I'm the only one to feel like mount "TBR" (to be read) is always looming over me. :) Anyway, I'll post the list here, and will bold the ones I've managed to read (for my own way of seeing what I've done).

Until later...bye from Idaho!

1. The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)
3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)
4. The Liars' Club, Mary Karr (1995)
5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)
6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)
7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)
8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)
9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)
10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami (1997)
11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)
12. Blindness, José Saramago (1998)
13. Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87)
14. Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates (1992)
15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers (2000)
16. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)
17. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (1988)
18. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike (1990)
19. On Beauty, Zadie Smith (2005)
20. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)
21. On Writing, Stephen King (2000)
22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (2007)
23. The Ghost Road, Pat Barker (1996)
24. Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry (1985)
25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)
26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984)
27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990)
28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)
29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001)
30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)
31. The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien (1990)
32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988)
33. The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)
34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)
35. The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)
36. Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)
37. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003)
38. Birds of America, Lorrie Moore (1998)
39. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)
40. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (1995-2000)
41. The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1984)
42. LaBrava, Elmore Leonard (1983)
43. Borrowed Time, Paul Monette (1988)
44. Praying for Sheetrock, Melissa Fay Greene (1991)
45. Eva Luna, Isabel Allende (1988)
46. Sandman, Neil Gaiman (1988-1996)
47. World's Fair, E.L. Doctorow (1985)
48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
49. Clockers, Richard Price (1992)
50. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)
51. The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcom (1990)
52. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (1992)
53. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon (2000)
54. Jimmy Corrigan, Chris Ware (2000)
55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)
56. The Night Manager, John le Carré (1993)
57. The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe (1987)
58. Drop City, TC Boyle (2003)
59. Krik? Krak! Edwidge Danticat (1995)
60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)
61. Money, Martin Amis (1985)
62. Last Train To Memphis, Peter Guralnick (1994)
63. Pastoralia, George Saunders (2000)
64. Underworld, Don DeLillo (1997)
65. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1993)
66. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, David Foster Wallace (1997)
67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)
68. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2006)
69. Secret History, Donna Tartt (1992)
70. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (2004)
71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)
72. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon (2003)
73. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (1989)
74. Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger (1990)
75. Cathedral, Raymond Carver (1983)
76. A Sight for Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell (1998)
77. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)
78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
79. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
80. Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney (1984)
81. Backlash, Susan Faludi (1991)
82. Atonement, Ian McEwan (2002)
83. The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields (1994)
84. Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)
85. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)
86. And the Band Played On, Randy Shilts (1987)
87. The Ruins, Scott Smith (2006)
88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)
89. Close Range, Annie Proulx (1999)
90. Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl (2001)
91. Random Family, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (2003)
92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)
93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)
94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)
95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)
96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)
97. Jesus’ Son, Denis Johnson (1992)
98. The Predators' Ball, Connie Bruck (1988)
99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)
100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)

I Have a New Boyfriend

Ah! Vacations. I took yesterday and today off so that I could spend time with my mom while she's here. While I have 160 essay-type assignments to grade over the break, I'm relaxed and happy! So, why have I not posted lately??? (Okay, so I doubt that matters much...but I'll share anyway!) Well, I got myself a new love, toy, pet...whatever you want to call him. Yes, I got a KINDLE, and I love him dearly. He is my new boyfriend...one that I think will be loyal and true forever...

I've been spending my hours searching through Kindle accessories, books, magazines, and blogs--not to mention the hours I've spent READING from its celestial screen. Do I recommend it? What do you think? :)

Other than my new love affair with Kindle, I've also had a chance to do some "book" reading and a little movie watching. Not a lot, but enough to refuel the battery. Shopping, eating, and sleeping have filled the remaining hours, so what else could one want?!? So yes, I went to see Twilight last weekend, and I really liked it.


I've heard a lot of criticisms about it, but I don't really care--I liked it and won't apologize for it! Can I also say that I also think Robert Pattinson is a great Edward. Minus a few weird, unwashed hair moments that I've seen of him on TV, I think this Cedric Diggory Brit (how could you not like the Harry Potter/Brit tie in here?!?) is pretty hot and makes for a good choice.


While it was cheesy, so were the books, so how could you not insert that into the films? Who doesn't like cheese??? As I've learned in teaching, you can't please everyone, so oh well if this blockbuster film didn't strike a chord with all its viewers. This viewer thoroughly enjoyed the escape that it provided.

Okay, so last but not least, I read a novel that I had to end my post with because it BORED me to tears! Let me acknowledge something clearly and up front. I HATE long drawn out mysteries. There have been a few "action" sorts that I've made exceptions for (i.e. Da Vinci Code), but in general, putting clues together over pages and pages of a novel bore me to tears. Listen, I've tried, but I just don't like them...along with SciFi. Yes, I've said it out loud. I don't like certain types of books. Line me out and shoot me by first light, but I had to get that off my chest. So, after getting about 100 pages into Playing James by Sarah Mason, I wanted to shoot MYSELF by first light! I thought it would be a catchy, chick read (as recommended by Amazon's "recommendations for you"), but it veered off into some mystery that I ended up skimming for another 200 pages. I got through the book, because I'm just masochistic enough to usually have to finish a book, but have to say that my own personal dislike for mysteries (crime and medical ones in particular) made it pretty hard to muddle through.


Let me say that it's not a horrid book, but please be a mystery lover if you dive into this faux-romantic drama. If not, avoid and move on to the next in the pile--or mountainous load of undending "to-be-read" books that yawn before you as I have. Anyway, either way, enjoy whatever you're reading! Share what you're into right now if you get a chance. I'm always curious!

Much love, Happy Thanksgiving, and happy reading! Until next time.

Anything Austen-esque!

So, I found out that there is a new ITV program in Great Britain called "Lost in Austen." I went to ITV, and you can watch the episodes online!!! Guess what I'll be doing during my prep??? :) Here's a link if you want to check it out. I have no idea if it's any good, but I'm willing to give it a try. Wait! They won't let you watch it outside the UK?!? Greedy Bas....tians of light and glory. (Whew...saved that one!) I guess you can catch it on YouTube, but my school is afraid of what teens will do if they have access to such a demon site, so I'll have to wait until I get home!

Oh, and one other quick sidenote. I tore through the leaked manuscript of Stephenie Meyer's fifth novel in the Twilight series, and I have to admit that I was really hooked! At a time in my life when I have VERY LITTLE faith in men actually being capable of returning or showing love, this somehow made me hope there are men who feel like this about the person they love. Yes, I'm a huge sap, which is also why I'll always be disappointed by love (sounds like an Austen line somehow?), because I have UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. Okay, so I'll go back to my John Thornton/Mr. Darcy fantasies and keep my mouth shut! :) I'm probably better off being by myself anyway so that I can travel and someday end of living here:


Ahh... Now there's something that hard work and a dream can ACTUALLY achieve! Besides, that chair looks like it might be more comfy for one, with a hot guy serving me cold drinks.

Breaking Dawn

I just finished Stephenie Meyer's fourth, and final book in the Twilight series about an hour and a half ago...and not a moment too soon! I had this great fear that my overzealous students at school were all going to reveal the ending to me. :) Besides, I have one of the school library's copies, so I better get it back to them! Here is the review I posted in Amazon.com:

"In the beginning, I found Bella's personality to be grating and frustrating. It seemed as if once she found herself surrounded by men who loved her (and that she could wishy wash in between), that she lost a spine or brain! HOWEVER, once I kept reading, and got past a good 200 - 250 pages, I finally was able to see that Meyer had to set up a story with a full, rounded plotline. In the end, I was really captivated by the fourth book in this unusually engaging series. In fact, while I should have been working and doing any number of other things, I had my nose in a book! What a great way to spend a couple of days! My recommendation...read on. If you care about Bella, Edward, or even Jacob, then hang in there, and all will feel resolved."

Well, I'm off to try to read some of the other books on my list. I can't say how much time I'll have now, but there will always be weekends and workouts, right? Doc came over this weekend, and we watched North and South. I felt pretty validated when she looked at Richard Armitage in episode three and went, "That man is HOT." See...it's not just me! Anyway, it made for a glorious Saturday morning.(In the words of Shakespeare, "...ah, to be a glove upon that hand..." :) Yes, I amuse even myself!)

Well, off to bed to face another work week. Cheers!