The Host - Stephanie Meyer

I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book! It seems a shame that it will probably be overlooked by many people because of it's connection with the Twilight series - which it is very different to.

Although not an avid science fiction reader, I have read my fair share (Asimov, Heinlein, Harrison, Clarke....and others) - so I was looking forward to this book, hoping it would be as well written as the Twilight series, but also hoping it would be very different.

I wasn't disappointed. It did take me a while to get into the story, and it is perhaps a bit over long - but it's an excellent story, well set up, well written, which can't fail to drag you in.

Melanie is one of the last humans on Earth, the majority of humanity has been taken over by the 'souls', aliens you use other lifeforms as 'hosts'. When she's captured and a 'soul' is given her body, the hope is that she will lead the aliens to other remaining humans - but it doesn't quite work out like that.

Melanie is strong, she refuses to give in to the invasion of her body, still yearning for the man she loves, Jared, who is still in hiding. Wanderer begins to realise that she too loves the human - and so their journey together begins.

I've seen fan made film trailers for this book on Youtube that make it seem like a horror, but to me it's a love story - both Melanie and Wanderer are fighting to find the man they love. It's a story about the resilience of human spirit, and the need for friendship and companionship.

It's a great book, even if you weren't interested in the Twilight novels, or you don't like science fiction, I'd still recommend that you try this book - it's worth the effort.

Bought on Green Metropolis.
30th September - 21st October 2009

Dear Fatty – Dawn French

The only problem with reading an autobiography is that afterwards you are left with the feeling that you know the person really really well. Bob forbid I ever bump into Dawn French when shopping in the Co-op, I’d have so much I wanted to discuss.

Although it’s not very likely, as the sleeve notes, she lives in Cornwall with a bloke called Len and a daughter called Bill. Despite the fact that this is an autobiography – very little ‘detail’ is given about her life now, or the people in it.

The whole book takes the form of a series of letters to various people who have some meaning to her; ex-boyfriends, the BF (best friend, whose name is never revealed), Lenny Henry (the letter to her husband is truly a love letter), Fatty (Jennifer Saunders) and of course her family.

Through reminiscences we hear about her early life, with the suicide of her father when she was a teenager, her boarding school, college (learning to be a teacher), and the various people she met and worked with along the way.

Throughout the book it was obvious how much she misses her father, but also how she’s been lucky enough to have been surrounded by some wonderful friends and family. Many of the letters are hilarious retellings of incidents, some are even jokes themselves, many more are extremely moving – particularly the letter to ‘Scotty’ telling the story of his death from AIDS and the subsequent ‘scattering’ of his ashes in New York – this one had me howling with laughter and crying at the same time!

I’ve never been a follower of ‘celebrity’, so for me this was just a book about someone who is living an interesting life. I’ve not read many other autobiographies or biographies – but maybe I will do now, but only if they are as engaging and entertaining as this one – it will be a hard act to follow.

Bought on Green Metropolis
29th August - 10th October 2009