Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Alienated
    Alienated
    Alienated
    Audiobook8 hours

    Alienated

    Written by Melissa Landers

    Narrated by Madeleine Lambert

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 21, 2014
    ISBN9781494571788
    Alienated

    More audiobooks from Melissa Landers

    Related to Alienated

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    YA Mysteries & Thrillers For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 20, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Feb 1, 2024

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Aug 16, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Aug 16, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Jan 20, 2020

      Theresa’s former husband Theo has been little but a shadow in her life: he’s spent the past two decades in an institution. Now that he’s dead, she finds herself unsure how to mourn for a man she’s tried so hard to put behind her. But going through a

      4 min read

    • Article

      FOR YOUNG & OLD

      Aug 11, 2023

      By MAUD VENTURA HUTCHINSON HEINEMANN Like unreliable narrators? Well, this one’s a doozy. Our deeply dippy protagonist is a French teacher obsessed with her high-flying husband, who is never named. Her children, her job and even her lovers are all p

      3 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      May 25, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Mar 29, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Notes On A Scandal

      Nov 16, 2022

      Dear Perusers, To be perfectly honest, I'm buggered. Mind you, an elder statesman like my good self can expect a bit of aggro at the festive season - and I've had more challenges than our tinted PM, God love him. The lezzo lynch mob have been up my b

      3 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Aug 17, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Bird’s Eye View

      Oct 27, 2022

      Bird’s Eye View
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Shooting Wife

      Jan 13, 2021

      AN invitation to shoot nearby was asterisked by my host with the observation that we would be more of a quartet than an orchestra in the line due to the Covid-19 two-household rule. Within 24 hours, new Scottish lockdown regulations reduced us to a d

      2 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Oct 15, 2021

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      May 15, 2019

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Politics, Princesses, And High-flying Drama

      Jul 21, 2023

      It can be difficult to classify a book which has a cow's rear end on the back cover and, on the front cover, a ruminating cow's front end with a road sign pointing to the mustlive-in towns of Darling and Shaka's Rock. Is the book speculation, literat

      2 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 19, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Westworld: Ride the Tiger

      May 6, 2018

      Westworld: Ride the Tiger
      7 min read

    • Article

      What To Read

      Jan 24, 2020

      James Mercer, a quantity surveyor by profession, holds a grudge against the banks, big firms and institutions that financially ruined his family’s business. And so he decides to take back what was taken from them. To achieve this, he becomes a thief

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Alienated

    4/5

    177 ratings32 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      First, let me just say how amazing this cover is. I love the contrast between Cara’s Earth and Aelyx’s L’eihr. As for the actual book, it was a fun quirky read that was really enjoyable. There were some flaws in the story, but I appreciated the world development.

      Landers clearly spent a lot of time flushing out the L’eihr society and culture and I was fascinated by how they ran their society. Learning about them through Cara learning was enjoyable. I also really enjoyed the exchange program aspect of this book, it was an interesting way to bring the species together.

      I also loved Aelyx’s reactions to different human things, especially the food. There were so many witty responses and comments that he made. I really appreciated the humor aspect of this novel. I also really liked the various snippets from Cara's blog and really wished there had been more of them.

      But I have to say there was the stereotypical, we cannot stand each other, then gasp we’re in love. While that was obviously present in this novel, it did not bother me as much as I expected. The romance did seem rushed, but there was a definite friendship before it became love

      I felt like the ending was a little rushed as well as the "solution" seeming to easy to achieve, but I'm sure the "solution" will not be as simple as it seems. The ending will definitely make for an interesting sequel that is for sure.

      Overall, this was a solid book that I couldn’t put down. While it may not be amazing, its quirkiness definitely added to its appeal.
    • 3/5
      Alienated was a fun read told in the dueling perspectives of Cara and Aelyx. While at first, Cara isn't too excited about playing host to an alien exchange student, she warms to the idea; meanwhile, Aelyx is excited to go to Earth but not to stay with Cara. It's clear from the outset that he's got some ulterior motives, and it takes most of the book for the truth to come out, and when it does, there's bound to be drama.

      This was a fairly quick read for me. Alienated isn't non-stop action; for much of the book, it's just interpersonal drama as Aelyx adjusts to life on Earth and as Cara's friends and community start to turn against her for welcoming an alien into their lives. I thought the anti-L'eihr sentiment was actually really well done, especially the way it slowly escalated, and, let's face it, it would probably be what would happen in the real world if aliens made contact and wanted to try living among us. It was also interesting to see things from Aelyx's perspective on how he viewed people from Earth, and knowing his thoughts and biases off the bat really helped with his character development as the story went on.

      I liked the romance between Cara and Aelyx. It takes its time, and the development makes sense, especially as Cara is slowly abandoned by most of the other people in her life because she refuses to stop taking part in the exchange program. I did feel like I wanted to know more about L'eihr and their life and customs; outside of some information given by Aelyx as he's telling Cara about his world, it really takes until the end of the book to get a better glimpse at their lives. Fortunately, things are set up for a sequel where we will hopefully learn more about the L'eihrs. I'm curious to see how the next book goes, given how things are left off in this one, so there is a lot to look forward to. With much of the character establishment out of the way already, perhaps the next book will be a little more action and a little less talk.
    • 4/5
      Goodreads 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. My Review: This is a fast paced novel filled with aliens and debates. And in the middle of it all, Cara Sweeny is pushed into a life that although she accepts, not everyone does. Aelyx is an alien exchange student that has moved into Cara’s house for the year, and who could be better coverage for it that Cara, the blog running journalist herself? It’s an exciting novel that kept me hooked from the beginning, and I can’t wait to read the next instalment. As you know, I love aliens, and this book was a great fit for me. Although, I do have some questions that weren’t answered by the end of the book. If the planet is across the universe, how can they see it in the horizon? And if it’s so close, how did it get there? It couldn’t have just appeared, could it? A whole planet? Where is the planet exactly, like how far is it? And if they’re still learning about light speed, how are they traveling back and forth like it’s nothing? How are the two species DNA virtually the same, and how did that happen? If it’s a planet not unlike earth, but it’s still different, how are they the same? And last but not least, why is it socially acceptable to be romantically involved with another species from another planet, but not to have them live peacefully on earth with them? Those are all of my questions. Anyways, I liked that there really are people protesting aliens, because I’m sure there would be tons of people doing that in real life if that happened. The story seemed pretty well thought out, although the planet thing still doesn’t make any sense. The characters developed and changed throughout the story, and that’s always a good thing. Overall, I liked the book. It was exciting, and it was a new take on aliens. Definitely check it out if you have the chance, it was a good read. Thanks for reading!(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
    • 4/5
      Cara Sweeney has been chosen to host an alien foreign exchange student for the coming school year. She was picked out of all the class valedictorians in the United States to host one of three L'eihr young people coming to Earth. While she is grateful to the L'eihr for providing the cancer cure that saved her mother's life, and, while she is eager for the generous college scholarship that hosting will provide, she doesn't want to be the one chosen. But Cara is competitive and, if she has to host a L'eihr, she is going to be the best host ever.Aelyx is one of three L'eihr chosen by the Elders for the exchange program. He doesn't want to go to Earth and be surrounded by primitive, violent, unintelligent humans. He and his Aegis have hatched a plan to sabotage the intended alliance and nothing is going to stop him.Aelyx doesn't know what to make of the loud, emotional, and demonstrative family he is placed with but Cara's kindness and determination to make him comfortable begin to grow on him. Unfortunately, many of the outside world including Cara's best friend and boyfriend belong to the political group that doesn't want an alliance and wants to expel the L'eihr from Earth. Watching Cara have to deal with the harassment of other students and watching her friends turn away from her was painful to read. Watching Aelyx and Cara fall in love was sweet though. When the hidden reasons for the alliance are finally revealed, Aelyx and Cara have to fight for their relationship and for the fates of their planets. This was an exciting science fiction story and great romance too.
    • 4/5
      From the gorgeous cover to the original premise, Alienated was Extraterrestrial Extracurricular entertainment. When Cara Sweeny agreed to host cosmic hottie Aelyx from the planet L'eihr as an exchange student, she wasn't prepared for how much opposition she would encounter from everyone, even those friends closest to her. It seems most people have no interest in interplanetary relations. For his part, Aelyx is there only grudgingly and with an agenda of his own. An agenda that has nothing to do with making nice with humans who he views as inferior to his people in every way. That is, until Cara starts thawing his cold unemotional nature and he begins to see that maybe all human customs aren't useless after all.

      This was a quick fun read. The main characters were lively and likable and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between Cara and Aelyx. I had a few issues with Cara's shady friend; I didn't think that the kind of disloyalty she showed should have ever been forgiven or excused. It took a little away from the story for me which is why I rated this a 4 instead of a 5. Otherwise, I enjoyed the dialog and the way the characters interacted and played off one another. Aelyx was so very socially awkward and would say such offensive things without considering how it may sound to those hearing him, and Cara's exasperation with this particular personality quirk of his, had me laughing out loud several times. I wish Alienated would have taken us readers to experience life on L'eihr alongside Cara who I'm sure would experience plenty of her own social faux pas in a society so different from our own. I hope that this idea is explored in future books in this series.

      I absolutely plan to continue this series, this is exactly the kind of brain candy read that I love relaxing with. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a lighthearted romantic read and doesn't need a lot of "sci" in their sci-fi.
    • 4/5
      I love it!!! at first I was thinking 'uuuuuaaahhhhh doesn't sound tempting enough' BUUUUUT it was.. I loved their relationship and holy guacamolo their first kiss THAT'S JUST OH SO CUTE!! lol Aelyx had to mentally say the periodic table just to control himself?!? AND he gave her a L'eihr nickname transferring it to "beautiful warrior"?!? AND then resetting that as his password?!? hell if only guys like that are real. I like how when they first met he wasn't being a total ass wanting to make Cara and her family hate him. it was literally like a foreign exchange student. this story is very realistic. not gonna lie, you can easily compare this to when "color" people went to "white" schools. That fucking sucks that some human beings act like animals!! and its still going on today. this book. I love this book. Theres another book and i hope that there is a happy ending.
    • 2/5
      A touch predictable. Easy, enjoyable reading though. I didn't mind the world building except a particular medical detail stood way out. L'eirs apparently don't have a pulse point in their thumbs like humans do. The main alien kept measuring pulse at the neck with his thumb.

      I know it's a fictional world. Still, every time I read that it yanked me right out of the story. It never gets explained either.

      Other than that no issues with it. Probably won't go chasing the next one down.
    • 5/5
      "High school senior Cara Sweeney gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to participate in earth's first intergalactic high school exchange program". She basically gets a very hot alien from L'eihr by the name of Aelyx. As welcoming as Cara's family is, though, there are a large number of people who don't want the aliens here and will do whatever it takes to drive them away.I loved Cara and Aelyx! They were like oil and water when they first met, but the more time they spent together, the more they grew on each other. The secondary characters were well developed and the story itself was very engaging. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the second book in the series to find out what happens next!5/5 stars.
    • 4/5
      From the gorgeous cover to the original premise, Alienated was Extraterrestrial Extracurricular entertainment. When Cara Sweeny agreed to host cosmic hottie Aelyx from the planet L'eihr as an exchange student, she wasn't prepared for how much opposition she would encounter from everyone, even those friends closest to her. It seems most people have no interest in interplanetary relations. For his part, Aelyx is there only grudgingly and with an agenda of his own. An agenda that has nothing to do with making nice with humans who he views as inferior to his people in every way. That is, until Cara starts thawing his cold unemotional nature and he begins to see that maybe all human customs aren't useless after all.

      This was a quick fun read. The main characters were lively and likable and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter between Cara and Aelyx. I had a few issues with Cara's shady friend; I didn't think that the kind of disloyalty she showed should have ever been forgiven or excused. It took a little away from the story for me which is why I rated this a 4 instead of a 5. Otherwise, I enjoyed the dialog and the way the characters interacted and played off one another. Aelyx was so very socially awkward and would say such offensive things without considering how it may sound to those hearing him, and Cara's exasperation with this particular personality quirk of his, had me laughing out loud several times. I wish Alienated would have taken us readers to experience life on L'eihr alongside Cara who I'm sure would experience plenty of her own social faux pas in a society so different from our own. I hope that this idea is explored in future books in this series.

      I absolutely plan to continue this series, this is exactly the kind of brain candy read that I love relaxing with. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a lighthearted romantic read and doesn't need a lot of "sci" in their sci-fi.
    • 4/5
      I think I fell in love!Where can I sign up for the L'eihr exchange student program?Aelyx and Cara’s romance is of the slow-burn kind.... simply swoony! The ending left me tied up in knots of anxiety and intrigued.I can hardly wait for the sequel :)
    • 3/5
      This was a good, easy young-adult novel. Cara is a typical high school student who wants to do as well as she can in school so she can get a scholarship to pay for school. And because she's done so well she is being offered a scholarship . . . if she agrees to have a student exchange student and then be an exchange student herself. But this isn't your average exchange student, it's actually an alien, and boy.

      One of the reasons this is such a quick read is because it doesn't go into a lot of detail. It's one of those "aliens are smarter, better, and of course good-looking" science fiction stories that I'm not really fond of but the story as a fast enough was that it was okay.
    • 4/5
      An intergalactic love affair! Loved it. So cute. It took me a little while to love the main guy but once it gets good, it gets really good. Can't wait for book 2.
    • 3/5
      Alienated by Melissa Landers I enjoyed listening to this book, but I didn't fall in love with it.

      All the characters are well written and the dual point of view was great, but it was definitely a YA story. There are some YAs that have appeal for all ages, but some are really meant to be read and enjoyed most by actual young adults. I feel like this is one of those. Still, it definitely entertained me. It was well put together and the world building was good.

      I enjoyed the two protagonists and appreciated their points of view. I particularly enjoyed their individual character progressions. The way the two species had met, come together, made the student exchange a program all made for an interesting premise to begin the book on. I really enjoyed those aspects. The main and secondary characters were just a bit angsty for my taste. Don't get me wrong, they were appropriately angsty for their situations, but that doesn't make it appealing, just believable.

      I'll probably read the rest of the series when it becomes available from my library. It'll be interesting to read about how things progress and how they fix the things that went wrong in this first book. The narrator for this one was Madeleine Lambert. I like her as a narrator but it took me a minute to get some of the quirks of her style.

      A good book overall, but not one I'll be gushing about for months.
    • 5/5
      I first saw this book while I was browsing the shelves of Barnes and Noble and ultimately I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure if I would like it. So instead I checked it out from the library I work at and read it. Boy am I regretting not buying it! When I first started the book I immediately connected with Cara. She's a very realistic representation of a seventeen year old valedictorian in high school. Most importantly I liked how she and Aelyx don't fall in love right away. The book is more than half way over before they get together. So they start out with a tentative friendship and it evolves. I am so very excited for the sequel to come out so I can read it but unfortunately I have to wait until February 2015.
    • 4/5
      "I think she left her soul at home, maybe it didn't match her shoes." --Melissa Landers, AlienatedBook Title: AlienatedAuthor: Melissa LandersNarration: Madeleine Lambert Series: Alienated #1❖❖Why I Chose that quote: It made me laugh...that's a good thing. It was something someone said about the TV interview lady.❖❖My Rating : Plot: 3/5Characters: 3/5 Cara did get on my nerves repeatedly. I'm on the fence about Aelix. Theme: 4.5/5 The overall message is a good oneFlow: 3.5/5 Somewhat predictableOriginality: 3.8/5Book Cover: 4.5/5 A little on the busy side but goes with the story well. The Feels: 2.8/5 Safe in the 'tween zone. But lots of eye rolls.Narration: 3.5/5 Her voice got annoying at times but it was definitely loud enough.EndingCliffhanger: Not exactly...more like a "to be continued"Overall Rating : 3.5/5Will I continue the series: Maybe...My Thoughts :This is published by Disney Hyperion and it for sure feels like a movie you might see on Disney Channel. That's not to say that I don't enjoy a good Disney movie. I do on occasion. From the cheesy romance to the sweetly annoying characters, it has Disney written all over it.
    • 4/5
      I don’t have a strong opinion of this book either way. It was a fun and quick read for me.

      It was hard to connect with Cara. She seems very naive, and is so focused on her education and beating everyone else that she doesn’t ask enough questions. I do admire her for standing up for what she believes in. Aelyx was easier for me to like. He is pissed about being on Earth, and doesn’t know what do with these new feelings he’s exposed to. I think some of my favorite scenes were of Cara trying to find something he would be able to eat.

      The thing I liked the most about Alienated is the social issues it dealt with. Treating someone badly because of their species isn’t exactly the right thing to do. All you show that person that you are capable of is hate and fear. I think it touched on those issues very well. My inner sociologist was so happy about this.

      I really want to read the next book to see what happens. The ending of Alienated was great, and I have to know what’s next for both Cara and Aelyx.
    • 4/5
      I managed to hook myself a copy! What can I say? I'm sick of waiting for this to be published!

      Cara is a valedictorian, the queen of nerds, and dating a member of the lacrosse team. The creme-de-la-creme of high school royalty - with a nerdy edge. Its her drive to go to Dartmouth that leads her to the decision to take in intergalactic exchange student Aelyx. He's strange, and most definitely not human. A whole year of this weirdo living with her and her family? Ugh.

      Aelyx is not happy about the exchange program either, and has plans of his own to help halt human-L'eihr alliance talks. Humans are destructive, disgusting and over breeding. They are poisoning their planet. What could the Elders receive in exchange of an alliance with this less evolved species?


      Its not until threats start popping up in Cara and Aelyx's shared locker, HALO's protesting that is becoming much more violent with time, that begins to falter the alliance. The L'eihr and a few upper crust humans have a secret, one that makes this alliance extremely important. Will the alliance come through? Will Cara and Aelyx's relationship alter the plans to destroy the alliance proceedings?

      Alienated is not your run of the mill Alien-meets-girl novel. Its so much more: linking with technology, politics and skimming the surface of what makes us human. In the end are all humans evil, or are there individuals that out cry the good in society? Also, if aliens who are very different from us (infact they're bred to not be like us!) came to earth, could we co-exist?

      On a side note: Aelyx sounds pretty dreamy except he has LONG hair. Ew. The picture makes him look like he has short hair. These things matter in my fantasies okay? I had to keep skipping over this hair stuff because long hair is not my thing. Sob sob. Thank god the writing style and the intrigue were so amazing or I might have just done away with this book! Okay, not REALLY..

      I cant wait for book two!
    • 5/5
      I got this book as an arc and it rocked! I've read it again just recently and i still love it. To be fair, I'm kind of a sucker for a cute romance. This book has lots of action as well, so it is suitable for anyone.
    • 4/5
      Goodreads 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. My Review: This is a fast paced novel filled with aliens and debates. And in the middle of it all, Cara Sweeny is pushed into a life that although she accepts, not everyone does. Aelyx is an alien exchange student that has moved into Cara’s house for the year, and who could be better coverage for it that Cara, the blog running journalist herself? It’s an exciting novel that kept me hooked from the beginning, and I can’t wait to read the next instalment. As you know, I love aliens, and this book was a great fit for me. Although, I do have some questions that weren’t answered by the end of the book. If the planet is across the universe, how can they see it in the horizon? And if it’s so close, how did it get there? It couldn’t have just appeared, could it? A whole planet? Where is the planet exactly, like how far is it? And if they’re still learning about light speed, how are they traveling back and forth like it’s nothing? How are the two species DNA virtually the same, and how did that happen? If it’s a planet not unlike earth, but it’s still different, how are they the same? And last but not least, why is it socially acceptable to be romantically involved with another species from another planet, but not to have them live peacefully on earth with them? Those are all of my questions. Anyways, I liked that there really are people protesting aliens, because I’m sure there would be tons of people doing that in real life if that happened. The story seemed pretty well thought out, although the planet thing still doesn’t make any sense. The characters developed and changed throughout the story, and that’s always a good thing. Overall, I liked the book. It was exciting, and it was a new take on aliens. Definitely check it out if you have the chance, it was a good read. Thanks for reading!(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
    • 4/5
      Alienated by Melissa Landers is a science fiction novel.Two years ago, the aliens contacted Earth. They haven't been violent; in fact, quite the opposite. Cara's mother was dying of cancer, and the aliens (L'eihrs) provide a cure. Now, Cara's family are strong defenders of having a relationships with the L'eihrs. Many people on earth disagree and believe that they are only here to take and destroy. In order to create a better relationship, three teens from around the world will host a teen alien, going to school and living with the human. Cara is picked to host Aelyx. Part of her wants to refuse, but she realizes that she needs the scholarship money after the cancer put her family in debt. Cara is naively optimistic. She welcomes Aelyx and tries to make everything comfortable for him. She is hospitable and ignores the negative people who don't want the experiment to work. Aelyx is good looking and appears to be a really nice guy. When hysteria sweeps the town, Cara recognizes it but refuses to acknowledge its presence, never doubting Aelyx or the aliens. There are threatening notes that she hides and finally a police officer must escort them everyone as every single friend ignores Cara. She discovers that the only friend she has left is Aelyx. Aelyx has begun to see that humans are not as bad as he thought. Perhaps they can help them, but he can't bring himself to believe in a relationship between the two worlds yet. Cara and Aelyx soon discover that they are attracted to each other. This cannot be good in such a violent atmosphere. Eventually, even Cara has to acknowledge that their lives are at stake and even the relationship between the L'eihrs and humans may end badly. At first, I thought this novel would be drivel--just a cute little teen love story. It's actually pretty interesting and entertaining. There are some twists and turns in the plot that make me want to read the second book, which I often don't do. Not all is at it seems in the story. If you like romance with a little adventure, read this book!
    • 4/5
      Alienated is the first book in the series. I saw it on BookBud and thought it sounded interesting. I really enjoy YA books because you really get to know the characters without the big sometimes outrageous sex scenes in adult books. So they're a nice change. It's different from the paranormal books I normally read, but I love sci-ft shows so I gave it a go. I got caught up in the story and what was happening that I really didn't want to put it down. I finished it up in between plays of the Super Bowl, which normally I would just watch, but the book was getting down to the end and wanted to know how it would end. They say in the adult books, opposites attract and it fell true in this book. And love can be sneaky. Anything else gives to much of the storyline, and that takes all the fun away. It was actually written so well, you knew all things would turn out, of course, but how would it end. I look forward to the next book in the series, Invade. I rarely will buy an e-book at full price, but this one I will, to see where the author takes it from the end of Alienated.
    • 1/5
      Okay, I'm going to admit it - the reason that I bought this book was because I fell for the gorgeous cover. I mean, come on, look how pretty it is! But this book is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover, because the contents of the book did absolutely nothing except bore me.Basically, Cara wants to go the Dartmouth once she graduates from high school. She's highly competitive and a great student, but her parents are majorly in debt because of her mother's medical bills. Her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a couple of years ago, and the only reason Cara's mother is still alive is because of the L'eihr, an alien race which gave Earth a cure for cancer on first contact (which is highly implausible, since each cancer has different properties, receptors, growth rates, etc - but apparently, in this book, all cancers are the same thing). Now the L'eihr want to have exchange students and send three to Earth - and one of them, Aelyx, is going to be living with Cara's family, and Cara will have a full scholarship to any college of her choice.I really did want to like this book, but I just couldn't; in fact, I skimmed the last one hundred pages, and I found myself not caring about what happened with any of the characters at all. My first problem is the whitewashed cover. Yes, it looks beautiful (and it really does - all of those bright colours on Earth). But the reader quickly learns that (somehow) the L'eihr are basically very evolved humans. The L'eihr once had different races, but they have all blended into one now - a race with dark hair and "russet" coloured skin (direct quote there). I always think of a freshly tilled garden when I hear "russet," but the boy on the cover is a white guy with a slight tan. Come on, YA fiction - there's so little diversity in it anyway, please do NOT take what little diversity there is off the covers! The whole exchange program itself didn't feel very well thought out, to be honest. Cara doesn't really know much of anything about the exchange program until she's "won." Shouldn't any potential host family of an extraterrestrial species, a species that many leaders on Earth are desperate to strike a treaty with, be vetted better? Shouldn't their pasts, their acquaintances, their friends, their families, etc., be thoroughly scrutinized? Oh, apparently it doesn't work that way in this book. In fact, one of the L'eihr is sent to France (interesting choice) and lives with a creeper who hits on her and tries to put up a spy cam in her room. Seriously? And even though the L'eihr-Earth relationship is extremely fragile and new, the L'eihr exchange students aren't given a guard or entourage. Aelyx shrugs this off as not wanting to frighten the locals, but there's a lot of animosity toward the L'eihr, especially in Cara's town, including threats against the health and lives of both the host families and the L'eihr themselves. Harming or killing one of the L'eihr exchange students could possibly result in an intergalactic war that Earth would most likely NOT win, but no one seems all that concerned about that possibility. Seems legit.The "science" in the story is also exceptionally convenient and unrealistic. Besides the "cancer cure" (mentioned above), what are the chances that the L'eihr are so compatible with humans? Even Aelyx admits that this possibility is infinitely small, and yet here we are. I'm so tired of humanoid alien species in "science fiction" (I use that term very, very loosely for this book). Why must the L'eihr have two eyes, hair, walk on two legs, etc? Why not have four eyes - or maybe no eyes at all, and navigate through the world with another type of sense (maybe something like sonar)? Why do they live on a planet that has a similar oxygen content to Earth's? Why can't there be another gas that they breathe in, or maybe oxygen in much lower concentrations? Why is the ONE other species capable of communication (Aelyx mentioned that they found several simple life forms, but humans were the most complex that the L'eihr have found so far in their explorations) so much like us? Blah.The book is also littered with petty high school drama, which really killed the story for me. Eric, Cara's jerkwad boyfriend, soon dumps her once he learns that she will be hosting Aelyx (Eric is very prejudiced against the L'eihr). And soon Cara's best friend, who can't STAND Eric at all and keeps telling Cara that she needs to dump the loser, starts dating Eric and dumps Cara as her best friend. Uggggggggh. Seriously? Less stupid high school drama and more alien stuff, please!I can't say that I enjoyed this book at all; in fact, the only part I enjoyed was putting it down with a sigh of relief because I was done with it. I won't be reading the sequel to this book; over 300 pages of this was more than enough for me in this lifetime.
    • 3/5
      This is yet another entry in the recent spate of books featuring earth girls having relationships with aliens. In this case, 17-year-old Cara Sweeney doesn’t have much trouble falling for one of three L’eihran exchange students, Aelyx, who comes to stay with her family. Not only is he from a race with the same DNA as humans, but he is 18, and hot, hot, hot.However, there are many on Earth who are terrified of these “others,” such as the growing membership of HALO, or Humans Against L’Eihr Occupation, also known as The Patriots of Earth. At first, they just bully and harass Cara and her family and friends. But as ecological devastation of the Earth accelerates, the Patriots blame the aliens, and the opposition turns deadly.Things I liked:In a fun side plot, Cara runs a blog, and her posts are interspersed throughout the text.Cara is a good character, and defends Aelyx out of integrity rather than lust, although we don’t have a chance to question whether or not she would behave in the same way if he weren’t “hot.”Cara has supportive, loving parents - a rarity in YA books!Things I didn’t like:The story would have been more subtle and persuasive had Aelyx had his same personality but with more alien features, and not necessarily so great looking.Cara is the school valedictorian, but doesn’t seem all that bright. Aelyx has to explain a lot to her that shouldn’t need explaining, like about how big the universe is. Really?The author’s use, in the beginning of the story, of bad metaphors was almost a deal-breaker of me. (The school principal was “happier than a pigeon with a French fry.” When Cara felt nervous it was “like she’d eaten a dozen Taco Bell double-decker burritos in one sitting.” To raise her grade point average, she was “sneaky as a senator.”) Fortunately, as the plot evolved, the prose settled down.The author has Cara successfully defend the worth of humans by sharing tales of human kindness. They seem way too anecdotal to be persuasive, however, given the treatment of the L’Eihran ambassadors and the history of violence on Earth.Last but not least, this is just Book One of what will presumably be a trilogy….Discussion: One wonders (rhetorically) why so many YA authors have races of vampires, aliens, werewolves, and even angels decide that the best place for them to infiltrate and influence society is in high school. This is a major eye-rolling element you have to get over if you are to read these books!Evaluation: This is a quick read with not much gravitas, but if you accept the underlying premises, it's quite fun, with some laugh-out loud lines delivered by the snarky but lovable female protagonist.
    • 5/5
      I can't even express how amazing this book was, so in order to show you, I'll give you a little snippet:Aelyx shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know what qualities you ever saw in him. I can tell why he chose you, but-""Oh yeah?" Cara's spirits lifted as she sensed a compliment coming on. "Why do you think he chose me?""It's obvious." He swept a hand to indicate her loose curls. “Your long, shiny hair, healthy skin, and bright eyes show that you’re well-nourished.”“Uh, thank you?”“You’re clearly intelligent.” Then he felt the need to add, “For a human.”“But Eric was probably most attracted to your waist-to-hip ratio.” For a split second, Aelyx resembled a human boy as he leaned back and peered at her caboose. “Hips of that width are likely to pass live offspring without complications.”That was one of the more humor-filled parts of the book, but he rest of it was even better. I usually outlaw any book that has to do with aliens because I never like reading about little, green dudes that want to take over our planet, but make them totally gorgeous, intelligent, charming AND human looking, then I'm totally game. At least I am now, considering after I read this book and found out the sequel wasn't out yet, I started reading Obsidian By Jennifer L. Armentrout(Also an AH-MAZ-ING book.) Aelyx, pronounced A-licks, is everything I didn't know I wanted, and apparently everything Cara didn't know she wanted either. I can't really describe him without swooning and crying at the same time, so I'm just going to tell you that you'll have to read Alienated yourself to really understand him and Cara. All in all, I am currently counting down the days until Invaded(Book 2) comes out and pulling out my hairs until it does. Melissa Landers has truly gone above and beyond with her debut novel, and I can tell right now, she is going places in the writing community, and her career will flourish dramatically.*UPDATE: By the way, ISN'T THE COVER ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS??? GAHH I JUST LOVE STARING AT IT!
    • 3/5
      Despite a beautiful cover, the writing style turned me off within a few pages. Too slang-y and trying too hard. Quite a disappointment given the "rave reviews" this novel has been receiving.
    • 4/5
      I thought Alienated was a pretty, good book. The cover is what really caught my eye, it's so pretty. Then I started reading the reviews and it was getting great reviews. It's definitely a unique story and you can kinda guess where it is going, but I loved getting there. For some reason, I kept picturing an alien that we generally see on movies or t.v. I really don't know why...haha. When really they look like humans but slightly different. There were some really sweet moments between Aleyx and Cara, very romantic. I really felt bad for Cara and all that she had to endure because of Aleyx, what awful friends. I guess that is what true love is, doing whatever you have to for the one you love. Even if your friends are mean and ugly to you because of it.The ending was pretty good and left me wanting more, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book when it comes out.
    • 4/5
      Tempted by the promise of a full scholarship to her dream college, Cara agrees to host Aelyx, one of the first-ever alien exchange students from the planet L'eihr. Although she is initially frustrated by him and his culture, she finds herself falling in love with him just as anti-alien paranoia heats up in her town.The idea of a human/alien romance sounds silly, and parts of it are, but I found myself enjoying it a lot more than your usual YA paranormal romance. Cara is a little annoying at first, and some of her slangy expressions felt off ("full-on banana sandwich"? Really?), but she gets better, and I like how her relationship with Aelyx develops. Unlike most love interests I encounter with YA, he was flawed--or at least suitably awkward for an alien in a strange world--but likeable. The science/world-building aspect is pretty light, so I don't know if I'd recommend it for a hard-core sci-fi reader, but for someone looking for a teen romance that invokes less eye-rolling, this one is worth a try.
    • 4/5
      Alright so, I read the book. And my first thought after I finished it..I want more. It’s good but certain areas lacked for me.Plot: This is about a girl who had been hand picked as a host for an exchange program with the Aliens. Cara does her best to welcome the alien but of course, with things unknown, people are afraid. There are plenty of events that are leading to more action, lots of teenage angst and even a war.Aliens: First off, I want to say that the idea of the story is intriguing. What is really going on behind the scenes, intrigues me even more. As the reader gets more time in Aelyx’s shoes and learn who he is, I got anxious as the story moved on. There are lots of secrets in which hold Aelyx where he is. He is determined to stick to the plan but other things come into play. Like his feelings…What I didn’t like is the plot did move a a bit slow in the beginning. There was a lot of foundation building to the story that the reader must know before the plot could move on. History of the earth, getting to know Aliens and Cara’s life leading up to now.Bulling: There is lots of this going on. The bullying that is added in the story makes the story come to life. The reader sees the hurt and painful relationships that Cara and her family go through. There are threats, job losses, canceled events all cause people don’t want to be around the Aelyx yet they want to know. Threats escalated to more threats till there was a full on war. I think this aspect of the story can be portrayed in real life. People go through so much being judge yet people want in their business. At least, that is the way I saw it.Love: In the end, it was love that conquered all. They decided that despite what everyone else thought, they were doing this together. And that made me smile. I like that once every secret was out, they fought to be by each other’s side no matter the cost. It was love and family that change Aelyx’s mind. He saw the dimension and solace that it brings and fell into it unaware.Overall, I think that this is a pretty good book. I would love to read the second book to see where the characters are going. An excellent start in a series that portrays emotions at its fullest, Alienated is great.
    • 3/5
      This is a slightly better-written Twilight clone with an alien instead of a vampire. There are some interesting twists, but we know these two crazy teens are going to fall in love despite their differences. I'm also pretty sure I caught the first whiffs of a love triangle that will probably be explored more in the sequel(s). First, the things I didn't like:For an alien who supposedly had no concept of human emotion, Aelyx smirks. A LOT. I felt like I needed to start keeping a tally, because it happened constantly.The idea of falling in love with an alien (I don't care HOW hot he is) is pretty icky to me. It's one of my peeves about the Doctor Who fandom, too, actually. If these aliens want to be neighborly, that's awesome! But (SPOILER) mating with aliens, even if it strengthens their genes (I didn't really get the logic behind this part) seems too far-fetched. I understand that there's a parallel to civil rights, but I guess I'm just not that open-minded.It's very obviously the first part of a series. That drives me crazy; I wish authors would finish their stories in one book, rather than stretching them out. Especially when said book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.The stuff I did like:There's some pretty cool world-building, but we don't get to see too much of it in this book because we only really interact with Aelyx. Cara blogs about her experience, which is a pretty fun conceit. I would've liked to read more of her posts about the L'eihr.Cara's best friend is Latina. Hooray, diversity!Alienated is also pretty action-packed, especially toward the end. I don't know if I'll read the sequel, but I will definitely recommend it to my Twilight-loving students.
    • 4/5
      Cara is highly competitive, valedictorian and star of the school debate club. She's looking into colleges, and will need all of the financial help she can get, so when a scholarship opportunity comes her way, she jumps on it -- even if it is a little unconventional. In Cara's world, an alien race called the L'eihr has recently made first contact, and now they are interested in an exchange program. A few L'eihr students will come and live on Earth for a time, and then their human counterparts will do the same on L'eihr. Cara's family will host Aelyx, a L'eihr boy of about Cara's age. Though L'eihr and human DNA are virtually identical, Aelyx at first seems cold and strange to Cara, with his preference for muted colors and bland foods, and his insistence that his own culture, where violence is rare and crime unheard of, is infinitely superior to that of Earth. But as she makes an effort to get to know him, Cara finds herself liking Aelyx more and more. Unfortunately, a political battle is raging over the visiting L'eihr, and Cara finds herself on a different side of the issue from her closest friends. When things start to get ugly, Cara will have to make a difficult choice.I enjoyed this story, though I wouldn't say I loved it. The writing was fairly good, and the premise was interesting. I would have liked to have a few things better explained, but the book is obviously the first of a series (probably a trilogy), so perhaps a few puzzling points will be clarified in future volumes. I though Cara was a little bit the stereotypical fiery redhead, and Aelyx was hard to like, but mostly because his alien nature was well written. I probably won't pursue future volumes in this series, but I can see myself recommending it to teens who might like a sci-fi love story.