The Host
Stephenie Meyer, 2008
Fantasy Young adultScience fictionRomance
An alien mind wakes inside a human body and finds the woman still there — arguing, remembering, in love. Two consciousnesses, one life, one impossible choice. A quiet, lyrical invasion story that aches with longing, tenderness and the strain of sharing one body and one love.
Feels like longing and tenderness. About love, identity and morality.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you enjoy intimate science fiction where romance and identity matter more than battles. Be prepared for a slow, talky middle: much of the drama happens inside the shared mind rather than in outward action.
Why read it
Read it for the strange intimacy of two minds sharing one life, and for a love story that asks who gets to keep a body and a heart.
A page from the book
A body built for one heart, learning to carry two.
And it wasn’t just ripping, but twisting and pulling in different directions. Because Melanie’s heart broke, too, and it was a separate sensation, as if we’d grown another organ to compensate for our twin awarenesses. A double heart for a double mind. Twice the pain. Stephenie Meyer.Published in 2008, The Host was Meyer's first novel outside the Twilight saga and her first for adults — a switch from vampires to a quieter, stranger invasion.
Books that feel like this
More by Stephenie Meyer
Twilight
Stephenie Meyer, 2005
A girl moves to a rain-drenched town and falls for a boy whose beauty is inseparable from danger. Mood, appetite, and bad decisions.
Breaking Dawn
Stephenie Meyer, 2008
The fourth Twilight novel: Bella and Edward marry, and every supernatural faction in the Pacific Northwest has an opinion about it.
New Moon
Stephenie Meyer, 2006
A girl who has lost the person she built her life around has to learn how to keep breathing—and whether the old stories in her town are real.
Where to get it
Some of these links earn us a small commission, at no cost to you. It keeps BookFeed free.
Questions readers ask
- Is The Host for me?
- You may like it if you enjoy intimate science fiction where romance and identity matter more than battles. Be prepared for a slow, talky middle: much of the drama happens inside the shared mind rather than in outward action.
- What is The Host like?
- A quiet, lyrical invasion story that aches with longing, tenderness and the strain of sharing one body and one love. Feels like longing and tenderness. About love, identity and morality.
- What should I read after The Host?
- If you liked The Host, try From Blood and Ash (Jennifer L. Armentrout), Defy Me (Tahereh Mafi) and The Last Letter (Rebecca Yarros).
A taste of the feed
When someone refuses the title you were given, what are they seeing?
I’m the Maiden, Hawke,” I reminded him – or myself, I wasn’t sure. “And I don’t care.” My eyes flew open in shock. “I can’t believe you just said that.” “I did. And I’ll say it again. I don’t care what you are.” Hawke’s hand slid off my back. A moment later, I felt his palm flatten against my cheek with unerring accuracy. “I care about who you are.
From Blood and Ash · Jennifer L. Armentrout
The ordinary moment that makes all the fighting worth it.
I want to remember to celebrate more. I want to remember to experience more joy. I want to allow myself to be happy more frequently. I want to remember, forever, this look on Aaron’s face, as he’s bullied into blowing out his birthday candles for the very first time. This is, after all, what we’re fighting for, isn’t it? A second chance at joy.
Defy Me · Tahereh Mafi
What it costs to be trusted by someone who has stopped believing.
I would do anything for you.” His eyes locked onto mine in the dashboard lights, intense and a little hurt. “What is it going to take for you to believe me? To trust me? You want my background checked? Do it. You want my credit score? Awesome. My bank account? I’ll add you on. You have my word, my body, my time, and I’m standing here offering my last name. What else can I give you?
The Last Letter · Rebecca Yarros
Read pages from books like this, one at a time
Keep reading in the feed