Review: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Title: Alienated
Author: Melissa Landers
Series: Alienated, book #1
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: February 4, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

The first thing I noticed about Alienated was the cover. This cover is one of my favorites, not just because it’s pretty but because it really does go along with the story. Yay awesome covers!!

I pretty much jump on any book that has sci fi elements to it. So when I saw this one on NetGalley I immediately requested it. I’m glad I did because I really liked it.

What I loved most was Cara. She has such spunk. She made me laugh frequently.

Especially her first meeting with Aelyx. That was classic. Alienated starts out pretty fast paced, right away your whisked into the action. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would really be like to have an alien exchange program going on while I was in high school. I predict people of earth would react much like they do in this book, as sad as that is.

The romance between Cara and Aelyx, Hmmm. I’m tossed on it. Even though it builds over the course of a few months, it doesn’t feel like that. There are gaps in time. One page it’s the beginning of Fall and before you know it, it’s the middle of winter, but it almost feels like they’ve only been to school a few times. I’m not sure if I’m making sense, I hope I am. Lol.

Anyway, for that reason I struggled believing their connection was legit, ya know? But there are some pretty hot intense scenes between the two and they were done to perfection, so that saved it for me. I still would have liked to see some more depth between them as a couple before the word love was thrown out there. 

One thing I really wish there would have been more of is the sci fi. Alienated really came off more as a YA romance with a sci fi–ish background to me. Which is totally fine, just not exactly what I was expecting. 

Overall though, I really enjoyed this story and I’m going to be anxiously waiting for the sequel because (without spoiling), I think there will be more of what I was hoping for as the story moves forward. *crossing fingers* Alineated was a pretty fun read. :) 

About the author:

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives just outside Cincinnati and writes adult contemporary romance as Macy Beckett.

Find Melissa:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads