Review: Invaded by Melissa Landers

Title: Invaded (Alienated #2)
Author: Melissa Landers
Release Date: February 3rd, 2015  
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Age and Genre: Young Adult, Sci-fi
Pages: 356
Rating: 4.5/5

 The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe...until a threat to both their worlds reunites them. 

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?

I've read the first book ALIENATED a few years ago now and even though details were a bit hazy (yeah my memory is shit for my age), all I knew was that I really enjoyed it and can't wait to find out next. This book does a great job at reminding readers about what happened (which is useful for someone like me) without over-doing it or boring us with a whole lot of info. It was just perfect and gives time for me to remember and enjoy what's ahead for Aelyx and Cara. 

I didn't really think it could be better than the first, but how was I wrong. Where in ALIENATED, we had Aelyx and the setting was in Earth, in this sequel we went with Cara to L'heir and finally experience a whole different world. At first I was worried that there wouldn't be any romance at all but yes, even though it was less than I liked, there was still a lot of Aelyx and Cara scenes for us and not to mention, the side characters. I loved the side characters. Cara's brother Troy, Elle, and a few others who I won't mention for spoilers but they all had their own story lines which I admire. 

The action does pick up near the book, and I couldn't stop reading until the very end. There were a lot of heartbreaking, betrayal and sad scenes but it doesn't end in a cliffhanger (though it does make you want the last book SO much). I can't recommend this series enough, and if you don't really like the idea of aliens and sci-fi, please do give this a try. That was what my opinion was when someone recommended this series and the Lux series to me and NOW both series are dear favourites of mine. 

Oh, and can I mention how much I loved that there wasn't a love triangle? ;)

Also, I've just heard from the author that the publisher (Hyperion)'s watching the sales for this book which can determine if there will ever be a third one. With the way this one has ended, I really really truly hope there will be. I need more Aelyx and Cara and I hope more readers will pick up this one as it's really one of the best books about aliens out there.