‘Twilight’ author replaces vampires with alien parasites

By KAITLIN JENKINS

Stephenie Meyer, author of well-known “Twilight,” jumps from vampires to alien parasites with her new best-seller. This brilliantly written book is a sci-fi, as well as a romance, novel titled “The Host.”

With 620 pages, “The Host” is about Melanie Stryder, who is one of the few “wild” humans left after alien parasites, who call themselves “souls,” make their way to Earth and start to use humans as hosts. Melanie refuses to just give up on her life and makes due with what she can, without getting caught. That is, until one night in Chicago when she gets captured and becomes a host for a soul named Wanderer.

When put into Melanie, Wanderer tries to overpower her mind, take control of the body and find out if Melanie knows where the rest of the “wild” humans are hiding. But Melanie resists Wanderer’s overthrow by remaining as a little voice inside her body and showing Wanderer memories of Jared, the man she loves. After so many memories and being unable to stop Melanie’s desire for Jared from overpowering her, Wanderer falls in love with him. However, Melanie and Wanderer are soon forced to join sides as they embark on a risky journey to find Jared, the man they both love.

This book is filled with twisted romance, a new type of science fiction, and tragedy. It shows that love can conquer all and more. And even if you don’t love sci-fi, you will still enjoy this book.

Kaitlin Jenkins, 12, lives in Covington and is a seventh-grader at Mattson Middle School.