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keen23's review against another edition
3.0
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Not bad, I'll probably continue the series.
a_strix_named_strix's review against another edition
I didn't like this book much at all.
-NLOG, slut-shamey, women-hating FMC!
-Prose that really should have been first person. It kept bugging me.
-boring worldbuilding.
-MMC who I just wanted to punch. Seriously, he's judgy in all the most irritating ways. That's not attractive, that's punchworthy.
-NLOG, slut-shamey, women-hating FMC!
-Prose that really should have been first person. It kept bugging me.
-boring worldbuilding.
-MMC who I just wanted to punch. Seriously, he's judgy in all the most irritating ways. That's not attractive, that's punchworthy.
oxlabyrinthxo's review against another edition
5.0
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. 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.
Spoiler
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.eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really good book.
4.5 Stars (4 for the book and .5 for the Star Wars reference.)
The best thing for me as how refreshing it was. For once, an alien sci-fi in which the aliens were not trying to invade the earth, destry it, steal it, rule over it and did not live in secret communities on the earth.
This was such a realistic take on aliens. The people of earth rebelling the way they did, the fact that the aliens were so much like humans, the fact that their planet actually had other species, life on different planets, evolution, space travel. It shows that someone did their research. This book (and this series) is a perfect example of a good sci-fi.
I really liked Cara, too. Thank you god for giving us a smart female character! I'm so sick and tired of "independent" females who's rather die than take help from a male. Honestly, when did independent and stupid became synonymous? Anyway, Cara was not like that at all. She was strong, competitive debate champion who is very independent but still recognized when she needed someone's help. She faced a crowd of haters with her head held high but still cried when she was hurt. She was caring and smart and dedicated and charismatic and just a joy to get to know. She was so... human. Something which was very crucial for the book.
I also loved the romance. It often happens that if romance is too big a part of sci-fi or fantasy and diverts attentions from the major issues, it gets on my nerves. But in this book, the romance didn't feel excessive for a second. I think the main reason for that was how crucial it was to the plot. If it was,'t for that, we wouldn't be able to properly understand how L'iehrs would benefit from the alliance. I think that was pretty smart on the authors part.
So, overall, I loved the book and I can't think of anything wrong with it. The only reason for the lack of five stars is that it didn't... WOW me.
On to book two...
4.5 Stars (4 for the book and .5 for the Star Wars reference.)
The best thing for me as how refreshing it was. For once, an alien sci-fi in which the aliens were not trying to invade the earth, destry it, steal it, rule over it and did not live in secret communities on the earth.
This was such a realistic take on aliens. The people of earth rebelling the way they did, the fact that the aliens were so much like humans, the fact that their planet actually had other species, life on different planets, evolution, space travel. It shows that someone did their research. This book (and this series) is a perfect example of a good sci-fi.
I really liked Cara, too. Thank you god for giving us a smart female character! I'm so sick and tired of "independent" females who's rather die than take help from a male. Honestly, when did independent and stupid became synonymous? Anyway, Cara was not like that at all. She was strong, competitive debate champion who is very independent but still recognized when she needed someone's help. She faced a crowd of haters with her head held high but still cried when she was hurt. She was caring and smart and dedicated and charismatic and just a joy to get to know. She was so... human. Something which was very crucial for the book.
I also loved the romance. It often happens that if romance is too big a part of sci-fi or fantasy and diverts attentions from the major issues, it gets on my nerves. But in this book, the romance didn't feel excessive for a second. I think the main reason for that was how crucial it was to the plot. If it was,'t for that, we wouldn't be able to properly understand how L'iehrs would benefit from the alliance. I think that was pretty smart on the authors part.
So, overall, I loved the book and I can't think of anything wrong with it. The only reason for the lack of five stars is that it didn't... WOW me.
On to book two...
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
4.0
Thought this might be a fluffy SF-romance, but actually the racism and fear of alien is very well integrated and hits home for me.
Currently (September 2015) my country takes in a lot of immigrants from Syria and the like, and the situation is comparable, what with some right-wing-airheads setting fire to shelters. But the majority is friendly and helps the people to settle.
Recommended as a rather thoughtful "what-if", well written and engaging and not too much romance. Will certainly read the next book(s).
Currently (September 2015) my country takes in a lot of immigrants from Syria and the like, and the situation is comparable, what with some right-wing-airheads setting fire to shelters. But the majority is friendly and helps the people to settle.
Recommended as a rather thoughtful "what-if", well written and engaging and not too much romance. Will certainly read the next book(s).
illusie's review against another edition
2.0
This book was out of my comfortzone. I'm not much into science fiction. Surprisingly, this was not what bothered me in this book. I didn't like the high school setting. It was too much a book for teenagers, and I did not really enjoy it. The MC Cara annoyed me, because she is often mean to others and thinks she is better than anyone else. The book had some fun part, but overall I thought it wasn't worth it. I won't continue reading the series
yodamom's review against another edition
3.0
Yes, it is another one that just stopped mid paragraph, mid action, in the middle of everything ! I am cursed.
Good audiobook, semi predictable teen drama with some teen angst, alien hate, and a corrupt government.
Will I read book 2 ? If they have it at the library maybe
Good audiobook, semi predictable teen drama with some teen angst, alien hate, and a corrupt government.
Will I read book 2 ? If they have it at the library maybe
mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
I heard quite a lot of varied opinions. Some absolutely hate this book, quite a lot find it ok, and some others love it.
My opinion? Well, it is ok. It wasn't what I expected, it wasn't always good and sometimes I just found it way over the top. And I am not even talking about the characters.
Since I don't feel like writing much I will just do a pro-con list. :)
Pro:
-Fun idea, a transfer student from space. I was really interested in this kind of idea, since of course you get enough problems with him. Will he like the food? The hosts? The school? The various other things? How about customs and all that? And with that we get to the next point.
-What happens when you get said alien transfer student in a human world.
-The Cover. Absolutely gorgeous and lovely.
-The first few pages.
-The blog parts. I was really sad when those disappeared. Such a nice idea.
Cons:
-The alien words, most of the time I either didn't know how to pronounce them (which is really annoying if they pop up often) or I didn't know what they meant. Some words are explained near the end, but sorry by then I couldn't even care, or I totally blocked out the word.
-The romance. Sorry, just a bit too unrealistic. A spock-like alien pops up and after not even a year he has emotions and wants to rip the pants of the girl he is staying with.
-The whole over-the-top scenario. At the beginning there were protests and all that, but by the end it was full-blown war, people died, got wounded or other. And I am sorry, but that was just silly.
-The alien or Aelyx (how the hell you ever pronounce that, no clue, I just went with what the principal/guy at the beginning said). I just didn't like his attitude, how he swayed between liking Earth, and hating it. He even wants to sabotage the mission, and for what? Because humans and all, he never gave them a chance to show them who they were, how they are. Also his non-emotions and how he dissed everything and everyone because he was so obviously better. *cough cough*
-Tori and Eric. Yes I know, the ending and all, but come on, for most of the book they both are total douche-bags and they even.
-The whole Cah-ra thing, it was fun once, to see how he pronounced it, but it got boring pretty quickly.
So all in all, a decent book, but well at times I just got annoyed with various things. Will I read the next book? I am not sure yet. Maybe I will try, see if it gets better. And mostly it will also be because I am curious about the fate of Earth.
Review first posted on: http://twirlingbookprincess.com
My opinion? Well, it is ok. It wasn't what I expected, it wasn't always good and sometimes I just found it way over the top. And I am not even talking about the characters.
Since I don't feel like writing much I will just do a pro-con list. :)
Pro:
-Fun idea, a transfer student from space. I was really interested in this kind of idea, since of course you get enough problems with him. Will he like the food? The hosts? The school? The various other things? How about customs and all that? And with that we get to the next point.
-What happens when you get said alien transfer student in a human world.
-The Cover. Absolutely gorgeous and lovely.
-The first few pages.
-The blog parts. I was really sad when those disappeared. Such a nice idea.
Cons:
-The alien words, most of the time I either didn't know how to pronounce them (which is really annoying if they pop up often) or I didn't know what they meant. Some words are explained near the end, but sorry by then I couldn't even care, or I totally blocked out the word.
-The romance. Sorry, just a bit too unrealistic. A spock-like alien pops up and after not even a year he has emotions and wants to rip the pants of the girl he is staying with.
-The whole over-the-top scenario. At the beginning there were protests and all that, but by the end it was full-blown war, people died, got wounded or other. And I am sorry, but that was just silly.
-The alien or Aelyx (how the hell you ever pronounce that, no clue, I just went with what the principal/guy at the beginning said). I just didn't like his attitude, how he swayed between liking Earth, and hating it. He even wants to sabotage the mission, and for what? Because humans and all, he never gave them a chance to show them who they were, how they are. Also his non-emotions and how he dissed everything and everyone because he was so obviously better. *cough cough*
-Tori and Eric. Yes I know, the ending and all, but come on, for most of the book they both are total douche-bags and they even
Spoiler
get together!-The whole Cah-ra thing, it was fun once, to see how he pronounced it, but it got boring pretty quickly.
So all in all, a decent book, but well at times I just got annoyed with various things. Will I read the next book? I am not sure yet. Maybe I will try, see if it gets better. And mostly it will also be because I am curious about the fate of Earth.
Review first posted on: http://twirlingbookprincess.com
bookishjosh's review against another edition
4.0
Alienated is the perfect book which refutes the saying "Do not judge a book by its cover." I practically fell in love with it the moment I saw it featured on one of Sasha Alsberg's (abookutopia) videos. Thankfully, the phenomenal cover was not strategically created to cover up bad content.
Basically, this book is about an adorably nerdy girl named Cara who hosts (lives with) a ridiculously attractive foreign exchange student (and alien) named Aelyx. The reasons behind this set-up are initially political in nature, but soon both of these prejudiced teenagers find themselves in an us-against-the-world love story that could determine the fate of their respective planets. Now if your interest hasn't been piqued in the slightest, then I don't know what else will. Har-har.
Even though the romance was quite predictable, Alienated still gave me a memorable reading experience. I finished it almost four months ago, but I keenly remember the many times it made me grin in delight. I was able to relate with Cara's fondness for academics, as well as with Aelyx's generally reserved personality. It really loved how the introverted sides of these characters made them (and their interactions) more unique and interesting.
The setting of Alienated is also something to be praised. The environment within the book was reminiscent of the typical American public high school, but it was nevertheless intriguing because of the backdrop of gossip, paranoia, and violence. As a consequence of the tenuous relations between humans and aliens, both Cara and Aelyx's lives were almost always at stake. I never knew that academic life had the potential to be so dangerous, all thanks to racial prejudice.
In its totality, Alienated lives up to the expectations evoked by its beautiful cover. If you're looking for a mixture of sci-fi, romance and political intrigue, then this is definitely the book for you.
Basically, this book is about an adorably nerdy girl named Cara who hosts (lives with) a ridiculously attractive foreign exchange student (and alien) named Aelyx. The reasons behind this set-up are initially political in nature, but soon both of these prejudiced teenagers find themselves in an us-against-the-world love story that could determine the fate of their respective planets. Now if your interest hasn't been piqued in the slightest, then I don't know what else will. Har-har.
Even though the romance was quite predictable, Alienated still gave me a memorable reading experience. I finished it almost four months ago, but I keenly remember the many times it made me grin in delight. I was able to relate with Cara's fondness for academics, as well as with Aelyx's generally reserved personality. It really loved how the introverted sides of these characters made them (and their interactions) more unique and interesting.
The setting of Alienated is also something to be praised. The environment within the book was reminiscent of the typical American public high school, but it was nevertheless intriguing because of the backdrop of gossip, paranoia, and violence. As a consequence of the tenuous relations between humans and aliens, both Cara and Aelyx's lives were almost always at stake. I never knew that academic life had the potential to be so dangerous, all thanks to racial prejudice.
In its totality, Alienated lives up to the expectations evoked by its beautiful cover. If you're looking for a mixture of sci-fi, romance and political intrigue, then this is definitely the book for you.
readwithkiekie's review against another edition
4.0
I really, really enjoyed this book! Cara was head strong and I loved her relationship with Aelyx, however, the book was heavily predictable. I guessed about Tori and Eric in 30 pages and I also caught on about something else before it happened. Alienated is a very quick, fun read. Definitely picking up the sequel.