Author: Melissa Landers
Published: February 4th 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
My Rating: 3 stars
Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.
Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.
Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.
But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.
Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.
Ever since reading JLA's Lux Series, when I hear aliens in YA novels my brain automatically equates it to hot guys. Lol! So I was actually pretty excited to start this one, plus quite a lot of positive reviews this book is getting, so that definitely added to the anticipation. And so I dove into it and I...liked it. Not loved, which was what I was hoping to happen. It did deliver most of my expectations and did put on a number of smiles is my face and gave off swoony and giddy feeling but in the end, it's just that. I liked it but I just didn't really lose myself into it.
Cara, our heroine, was an easy character to like. She was smart and an over achiever but determined and extremely loyal. I liked that although she was reluctant about the scholarship and the arrangements she took responsibility of it and with great open mindedness. Her efforts on being a host and a friend to Aelyx were adorable and genuine. Aelyx on the other, while I like his initial mysterious and aloof personality, sometimes it borders to boring, (almost Edward Cullen-y, if you know what I mean). So I took great pleasure whenever this playful and sexy side of him slips in. It was fun and entertaining reading through the dynamic and development between the two especially how different they are.
Now, as for the plot and world building, I have to say that the story did provide quite a lot of interesting and intriguing ideas especially about the world of L’eihr. I was curious with it and was really looking forward exploring more of them. However I was a little disappointed to realize early on the story that the setting for the first book will mostly revolve around in our world. While the whole book was actually and easy read I would have love to see more complex and complicated situations that would make the story a whole lot more exciting and thrilling.
Nonetheless, Landers was still able to provide enough ideas and factors to keep me entertained all throughout. And she does know how to write a funny but totally sexy and drool worthy scenes. Heh.
This book will probably work much better to those who are looking for a fun, light and entertaining read but wouldn't want to venture out of the world of paranormal or sci-fi books and jump over the realistic/contemporary ones. A good little break to all those too complicated and problematic ones. Ha!
