THE HOST

The bestselling author of the Twilight series eschews vampires for aliens in this poignant sci-fi romance. The alien “souls” have conquered Earth by inserting themselves into human brains. Kate Reading voices Wanderer, an alien who has never encountered resistance from previous hosts on other planets. She’s shocked, therefore, to discover that the former inhabitant of her new body, Melanie, is still there and refuses to leave. Reading beautifully expresses the confusion of a creature who is accustomed to a certain compassionate detachment and who becomes quickly overwhelmed by the strong passions of her human encounter. These emotions drive Wanderer to seek out the loved ones whom Melanie left behind. While the story is a bit melodramatic and slightly too long, it delivers both emotional satisfaction and a somewhat morally ambiguous ending. A.B.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]