Alienated Series, Book 1

December 15, 2013
A charming if lightweight science-fiction romance bogs down when it attempts to convey moral lessons. High school senior Cara Sweeny plans on being the best at everything--schoolwork, debate, life. These ambitions earn her the ambiguous honor of hosting one of the first "exchange students" from the L'eihrs, the aliens who have just initiated contact with Earth. But while Aelyx might be completely human-looking (and a total hottie), he's also cold and arrogant, with a major hatred for all of humanity. The alternating viewpoints convey their personalities well: Cara's is breezy and chatty and studded with slightly dated slang; Aelyx's more formal, occasionally gloomy and often bewildered. Although there seems little beyond raging hormones to inspire their intense devotion, the romantic shenanigans are entertaining until overshadowed by the heavy-handed, simplistic message that prejudice is wrong--a moral somewhat undercut by the reliance upon such stereotypes as the temperamental redhead, the bigoted jock and the vivacious Latina who sprinkles her conversations with Spanish obscenities. Once the tone abruptly shifts to science-fiction thriller, the willing suspension of disbelief snaps under the weight of unbelievable behavior, nonsensical science and a "happy ending" with profoundly disturbing implications. It's still rather fun in an after-school-special sort of way, but hardly an essential purchase or read. (Science fiction. 12-18)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-In Alienated, Cara Sweeney, high school overachiever and class valedictorian, has been selected to host the first L'eihr exchange student. Initial excitement and pride are quickly overshadowed by doubt and unease upon meeting the alien Aelyx. Although almost genetically identical, the two cultures are as different as night and day and the level of discomfort is evident. Further complicating matters is anti-alien paranoia and violence directed not only at Aelyx and the other exchange students, but also at Cara and her family. Drawn together due to circumstance, the teens start falling for each other. In Invaded, the couple continues to try to forge an alliance between the two planets, as mutual survival of both populations are depending on it. Amid hate and an unknown future, Cara must decide between love, the unknown, and the future she always dreamed of having. Excellent character development and a nice integration between modern reality and science fiction drive the plot in a satisfying story arc. Continuation of the story line is seamless between series installments, giving readers a continued interest in and connection to the protagonists. Themes of racism and environmentalism are integral to understanding and developing the emotional level of the story as well as the momentum of the plot. Teens will be rooting for the galactic couple while enjoying the action and suspense that runs through the two volumes. A fun pick for fans of sci-fi with a bit of romance.-Elizabeth Speer, Cisco College, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2014
Grades 7-11 Interstellar relations heat up in this start to a new romantic sf series. When valedictorian Cara is selected to host one of the first aliens in the new human-L'eihr student-exchange program, it seems like everything is working in her favor, especially when she gets to meet hot alien Aelyx. While Cara anticipates resistance to the aliens from the residents of her small town, she isn't prepared for full-on xenophobia from the entire community. Personal threats and violent protests leave Cara and Aelyx shaken, but revelations about ulterior motives of the L'eihr students and their government have Cara wondering if perhaps she has been a bit too trusting. Landers successfully uses the familiar forbidden-romance plot as a means for exploring larger social, ecological, and ethical issues in this tense, fast-paced read. Cara and Aelyx are appealing characters with plenty of chemistry, and the secondary characters, while not fully developed, create realistic teen drama. Although the book ends on a satisfactory note, several unresolved plotlines and newly introduced characters ensure an exciting second volume.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)