Invaded: An Alienated Novel - Hardcover

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 SLJ"

Romance takes a back seat to suspense in this sequel to Alienated (2014). Star-crossed lovers Aelyx and Cara Sweeney are wrenched galaxies apart after the near-catastrophic collapse of the human-L'eihr student-exchange program. He is ordered on a goodwill tour of Earth to repair the interplanetary alliance; she is dispatched to the L'eihr equivalent of high school. Neither mission fares well: Terrorists keep trying to assassinate Aelyx, and Cara learns that prejudice and bullying aren't unique to humanity. Worse still, they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot threatening both worlds. While retaining the alternating viewpoints and distinctive voices of the first title, the protagonists' forced separation for nearly the entire story paradoxically gives greater depth and authenticity to their romance. Without the hazy glow of adolescent hormones, each learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only underscore the growing sense of menace-from overt threats, hidden betrayals and possibly a third alien species-tensions that propel the narrative to an action-packed climax. If Cara's final decision, with all its unlikely consequences, strains belief well, it's not inconsistent with the characters and cultures present from the first. The last few pages set up the inevitable sequel; if it is as entertaining as this tale, it can't come soon enough. (Science fiction. 12-18) Kirkus"

This second installment in the Alienated series finds Cara trying to adjust to life on L'eihr as her alien boyfriend, Aelyx, works tirelessly back on earth to repair human-L'eihr relations. As if the punishing school curriculum and social isolation in her new home weren't enough to deal with, Cara notices strange behavior from two governing members of the Way that leaves her suspicious of their true motives. As Aelyx narrowly escapes several attempts on his life, he too becomes less trusting of his superiors as they dismiss threats and hided information. What is it the L'eihr really hope to gain from an alliance with the human race? Readers will love the seamless blend of suspense, humor, and romance set against an interstellar landscape. Dual narratives and a tightly plotted mystery keep the suspense running high, and the chemistry between Aelyx and Cara smolders. This is a fun, genre-blending series that is sure to appeal to a wide audience and will only gain traction as it continues. Summer Hayes Booklist"

4Q 4P J The love story between an alien boy and a human girl continues in this sequel as Cara must stay on the planet L'eihr and Aelyx, her alien beau, resides on Earth, attempting to amend the broken alliance and quell the anti-alien sentiments. The story is told from both teens' perspectives, and they each face acts of prejudice and hate; someone on L'eihr is trying to frame Cara for a crime she did not commit, while an unknown human group attempts to end Aelyx's life. Without each other's support, the two must try to find a way back to each other in one piece. However, there is something suspicious happening on the alien planet that might mean Earth and L'eihr will have to work together. If teens read the first novel in the series, Alienated (Hyperion, 2012/VOYA February 2014), they will enjoy continuing the relationship between Cara and Aelyx, as well as Earth and L'eihr. Educators can use this novel to reinforce figurative language and allusion, as well as elements of a science fiction novel.-Lauren Straub. VOYA"

Just as the romance between seventeen-year-old Cara and her L'eihr exchange student Aelyx was beginning to heat up, a global tragedy threatened to derail the alliance between their planets in Alienated (BCCB 4/14). Now, to save the inter- galactic coalition and Earth itself, Cara must travel to L'eihr, where she will work to establish a human colony, while Aelyx remains behind in Manhattan as part of a diplomatic delegation. Mysterious events soon place their separate missions in jeopardy, though. Cara enrolls in the alien school, only to find that a series of vicious pranks leave her looking like the villain. Meanwhile, Aelyx begins a cross-country tour to gather support for the interplanetary treaty but finds himself the target of repeated assassination attempts. Soon they discover that the seemingly unrelated attacks may actually be connected, and that a secretive, powerful force may be working against both planets. This sci-fi romance sequel continues to tell a familiar story in a new way, but it also moves beyond the first novel's integration-focused conflict. Since the characters spend much of the novel apart, the narrative loses some of its romantic intensity, but the addition of the political conspiracy is sure to keep readers engaged, especially as it endangers Cara and Aelyx's future together. The teen lovers likewise evolve, facing the inevitable changes to their relationship caused by distance and outside pressures, and secondary characters develop dimensions and a few new romances of their own. This is a solid title that builds on the strengths of its predecessor, and it ends with a looming fight for control of the destiny of two races that will have readers eagerly awaiting another sequel. AM BCCB"

Cara always knew life on planet L'eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L'eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L'eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L'eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L'eihr relations. Humans don't know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx's people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists' multiple attempts on Aelyx's life. The Way clearly needs humans' help?but with what? And what will they ask for in return?