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Looking for some hot science-fiction romance? 😉 Alienated by Melissa Landers might be the book for you!
Title: Alienated
Author: Melissa Landers
Pages: 344 (paperback)
Narrative: 3rd person dual point of view (Cara & Aelyx)
Genres: Young Adult, Science-Fiction
Installment: Book 1 in the Alienated Trilogy
Tropes: Interspecies Romance, Enemies to Lovers (kind of)
It’s been two years since the L’eihrs, an evolved species, living galaxies away from Earth, have made contact. Now with an alliance brimming on the horizon, Cara Sweeney, valedictorian of her school, is selected to host a L’eihr exchange student in trade for a scholarship. Living with inferior humans doesn’t excite cold and cocky Aelyx. He only has one reason to be on Earth and share a classroom with the barbaric beings, and he won’t stray from it. But when Cara and Aelyx get to know each other and fall in love, will he change his mind?
An OG One True Pair
*Insert dreamy sigh* I’ve read this book for the third time now and every time, I’m falling in love over and over again. Who wouldn’t want to welcome brilliant and protective Aelyx into their house with open arms? Ugh, Cara you lucky girl! However, Aelyx can equally appreciate our red-haired protagonist, because while Cara first seems very ambitious and fierce, (which she is, but not in a bad way) she’s also very kind-hearted and caring.
Even though this is my second reread of Alienated it was so compelling I couldn’t stop reading it. I’d forgotten how much I loved Aelyx and Cara’s relationship. One of my OG One True Pairs as I first picked this novel up when I was around sixteen. Their relationship isn’t instantaneous, it’s a journey. They go from dislike to like to like 😉 . The sizzling attraction between them, their sweet chemistry, and some hot make-out sessions could only leave you unaffected if you were one of the Elders of L’eihr themselves.
Xenophobia & White-washing
The Xenophobia in this book is next level compared to our present-day situation, only because it’s not people from a different country but a different species they fear. I could totally imagine this playing out in real life should we ever get visitors from another planet, (or maybe it’s us doing the visiting, who knows?) because history tends to repeat itself in our world.
This brings me to this next topic. Correct me if I’m wrong, but russet is a red-brown. So, why is the boy on the cover, representing Aelyx, white? While I understand that he’s an alien with silver eyes and out of this world handsome, properly representing him with a brown guy is not that hard. There are beautiful people everywhere on this planet. Publishers and cover art designers ought to stop doing this!
I’m not sure how much influence the author has when it comes to the book cover, but I imagine the publisher has the final say. So Landers’ hands might have been tied regarding this. So, I will not count it as her fault as I believe she would have liked a proper representation of the characters she has written.
The Perfect Balance
I very much enjoyed the writing style of Landers, though I can see how some people might find it lacking because it’s not heavily detailed. I’ve also been wondering when Alienated takes place as there are no dates given. To me, it seems a few years in the future, but there are no electronic developments on Earth so it might even be the present time.
Alienated is written humorously and sarcastically, but touches on topics that are serious and heavy in an appropriate way. Furthermore, the ending won’t leave you guessing on a cruel cliffhanger, but it will make you want to keep reading all the same. I can’t wait to delve right into book two after this one.
The perfect balance of romance, action, and suspension is addicting and will keep you up all night reading this young adult sci-fi art piece.
Interested in reading Alienated by Melissa Landers now? You can buy a copy here: Thalia | Amazon USA