Alienated by Melissa Landers

RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 (3.75/5 moons)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Published: February 4, 2014

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 344

 

 

“How can we understand what we’ve never experienced and adapt without making mistakes?”

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SYNOPSIS:

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara’s classmates get swept up by anti-L’eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn’t safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara’s locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she’s fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

THOUGHTS:

The concept of Alienated is unique and feels like a fresh air from all the YA Fantasy stories that have similar concepts and story line. It’s about a future where aliens and humans attempt to make an alliance with the help of sending representatives as to whether this could work or not. This book is getting quite a buzz in book community, especially in bookTube. However, I’m a bit disappointed while reading the book.

Having mentioned earlier that I like the concept, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the author will manage to give us an appealing aliens and humans interactions. I admire the author for showing the positive and negative aspects of having aliens in our planet. People’s reaction with regards to the so called alliance is also how I would foresee things. But the thing that I’m really disappointed about is the humans and aliens interactions, specifically Cara and Aelyx. At some point, I feel like I am reading a mushy contemporary book with a touch of sci-fi. And of course, expect them to fall for each other.

Another thing, the pacing of the story was so slow! It took me 150 pages before getting fully hooked in the story. There isn’t enough happenings in the book that excites me to marathon the book in one sitting. But I have to say that the story gets better.

I like the overall feels of the book, except the mushy romance and the slow pacing. It is not that solid for a first book, but if the author delivers well, develop the concept more and explore the world deeper, I think this would be an awesome trilogy.

Highly recommending this if you need something different from all the YA fantasy. Although I have to warn you that the romance in this book is annoying and would make you swoon at the same time. Oh. And I forgot to mention about teenage dramas. But other than that, you’re good to go! Go read it!