When I get tired of hearing everyone talk smack about Twilight, I often recommend The Host.  I may not be a rabid Twilight fan, but neither do I think it deserves the bad rap it gets.  It's no better or worse than most fiction out there, and I personally thought it was compelling escapist fiction.

In any case, The Host is by far Stephenie Meyer's best work.  I seem to remember her being quoted somewhere as calling it "science fiction for people who don't like science fiction," and I suppose that's correct because the story is really fantastic.  It's part Star Trek, part invasion sci-fi -- it makes me think of movies like The Faculty.  But I think making it sound like it's for people who don't like science fiction is actually selling it short, because I am an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy, and I really loved this book.  Perhaps calling it "sci-fi for everyone" would be more appropriate.

The book takes place several years after Earth has been invaded by aliens that need to take over a host's body in order to survive.  Renegade humans are getting to be rare, although there are still groups of them living in hiding.  Wanderer is the name of the alien that has been placed inside Melanie's body, but somehow Melanie's voice hasn't faded away, as it should have -- she's still there, inside her head, sharing space with Wanderer.

Driven by Melanie's thoughts, Wanderer ends up seeking out Melanie's friends and lover, and over time the two develop an uneasy partnership.  Melanie's friends are much less willing to trust Wanderer, though.  And as they do begin to trust her, Wanderer is forced to redefine everything she knows.

It's a great book, perhaps a little predictable at the end, but the heart of the story is in how Wanderer grows and changes.  Like I said, equal parts Star Trek and Hollywood.  I think even those who disliked Twilight will like this one!