Alienated by Melissa Landers (review)

As one of three high school students chosen to host an alien exchange student from the planet L’eihr, seventeen-year-old Cara must spend the next school year helping her visitor fit in with her family, her friends, and worst, her narrowminded community. L’eihrian Aleax is not only uneasy about staying with the human Cara and her family, he questions the wisdom of the entire alliance between their two planets, even plotting to join his fellow exchange students in undermining it. Even as their plans to create a rift in human-alien relations go forward, though, Aleax finds himself increasingly drawn to his hostess. Soon their growing friendship and romance come under attack from those who fear the alien visitors, and by the time Aleax ditches his plans in hopes of a future with Cara, it may be too late to save any of them, and the Earth itself could be doomed. This emotionally driven, romance-heavy science fiction novel offers a thought-provoking take on a familiar story of integration. Told from the viewpoints of the two young people, the initially separate narrative strands become increasingly intertwined as the two grow closer, and the eventual romance provides plenty of heart-stopping moments. The conflict over human-alien relations follows convention but still manages to raise interesting questions about the value of forcing an alliance between uncooperative parties, and Cara and Aleax’s debates over their differences will give readers plenty of food for thought about a variety of scientific issues. Fans of Douglas’ After Eden (BCCB 1/14) or Kaufman and Spooner’s These Broken Stars (BCCB 2/14), who like their star-crossed lovers served up with a side of sci-fi, will find this satisfying and relish the possibility of sequels.