Audiobook Awesomeness: The Host

Hello my peeps! I still haven't caught up on my reading challenge so it may still be some time before you see a posting about Hex Hall from Georgia. Additionally, I am hosting the next month's book club and I think I am going to introduce my group to some YA Literature (heehee excellent). I will probably base my choices for book club on this NPR article. The article goes into details about the choices being the public selection and that an expert panel decided if some of the classics were not actually young adult. It was very interesting. I will have to think about my 5 selections. Ah it will be fun!

What I want to talk about today is a medium of reading that is helpful to the reluctant readers audience...the audiobook. In my new position, I have roughly a 40 minute commute to work. I thought that audiobooks would be a great way to not only give me an interesting car ride, but to get involved in a medium that most librarians and teachers claim to help reluctant readers.

In terms of choosing an audiobook, I chose a YA Author that makes some librarians scowl and fans rejoice. This is not a YA book, but has a lot of qualities that I would consider young adult. The two main characters share a body that is 17 and the romance triangle plot is very...uh...juvenile I would say. Ah wait, very Twilight would be a better description. For a general synopsis of plot see below:

Synopsis via Amazon.com. Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love. Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

 I thought the premise was amazeballs. I was looking forward to reading/listening it and since a movie is coming out (using Imagine Dragons as trailer music), I felt another perfect opportunity for reluctant reader investigation. Books that get turned into popular movies bring in readers. After listening to...oh dear lord...20 discs, which took 3 1/2 weeks I have to say it was not too bad and didn't go as I expected. I liked the premise and expected an action-packed, science fiction adventure. It was really more a dramatic romance with a shy, self sacrificing alien who only cares about others and not herself. She also just wants to be with one of these two guys who she loves and loves for completely different reasons...oh holy shit! Its friggin' Twilight, but with aliens instead of vampires and werewolves. KNEW IT!

Here is the thing. I dont think I could have read it ever, but listening to it was great. The narrator did an excellent job, though when the male characters said anything romantic her voice made me giggle. There were parts that I had to push through because they were toooooo overwhelming in the high school girl emotions. Sometimes it was just painful.

All this being said, I enjoyed the audiobook and feel that audiobooks can have a great impact on reluctant readers. If you have a great narrator that can keep listeners engaged then you could potentially lead readers to more ambitious novels and plots. Remember teens are one of the most reluctant reader populations. If we as librarians, teachers, or parents can help them find a medium of information absorption that suits them, then we can improve their ability to achieve.