Review | Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers

Author: Melissa Landers
Published: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ★★★★☆

[Show Synopsis] 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.

Review
This book was better than I expected! I've been looking forward to it's release. I tried getting the galley, but was denied. :(

I don't usually read/watch too much media about aliens, but recently there have been quite a few books/shows grabbing my attention--My Love From Another Star (kdrama), Star Crossed (TV), this book. This year seems to be the year of aliens. Is everyone finally over vampires?

The writing style seemed a little childish, especially since the main characters are supposed to be in high school. Yes, I understand this is a YA, but typically, the age of the characters is similar to the target age group. I felt like this was almost a Middle Grade book.

The story though was fantastic. The problem and climax were terrific and had me fully immersed until the very end. Both characters were easy to fall for and become attached to. The family as a whole was easy for me to relate to. I'm (un?)fortunate enough to also have parents that like to make out all over the house.

The random comedy dispersed throughout the book was great. My favorite one was this:

“I just heard about a riot in Canada, of all places. Who riots in Canada?”
“Canadians?”
Mom didn’t seem to appreciate the joke.

It made me think of this viral image:



I would definitely recommend reading this to you YA lovers. Best YA book I've read since The Selection. Can't wait for book 2!