How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon

Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

High school senior Alex Bianchi’s estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn’t your typical military base. It’s an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can’t help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they’re on the brink of intergalactic war?

This book is brilliant. There’s no other way to put it. From the first page to the last I was barely able to put it down.

Seeking college entrance, Alex gets her father to arrange an intern for her at Circe. Little does she know that Circe is an airbase – for aliens! On arrival, an alien almost kills her, and she is saved by another alien. One who is classified dangerous. As things turn out, he pulls strings to get her to intern with him – running security obs on aliens’ websites. Yes. Aliens DO live among us.

Will their budding relationship survive the scrutiny of their peers – and more importantly, interstellar relationships?

There is very little that I didn’t like about this book – if anything at all. It is very well written, each of the characters is multi-faceted and engaging, and the plot is well constructed. I will definitely look up the rest of the series – although I’ll admit that the title of the second book makes my heart sink.

This is definitely aimed at a YA audience, but there’s no reason why adults young-at-heart can’t read it too. Fabulous stuff.

Shifting Horizons by Jacqui Henderson

Source: Own collection
Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

I absolutely loved this book. I’ve had to finish it this morning because the build-up to the last few chapters kept me awake for half the night trying to work out how the story would end. I was not disappointed.

In this book, we follow Kas’paa and Neemna to the land of the Ore’els – with Neemna’s earth friends Lizzie and Cathy along for the ride. Treachery dogs their footsteps. Will they work out what is really going on before its too late?

It has been many years since I read fantasy as good as Jacqui serves up. Told through the voices of Neemna and Kas’paa, we are introduced to their friends, enemies, and the lands they travel through. Jacqui does not skimp on words to build emotion, character and world, but neither does -she use too many.

I look forward to reading more of Jacqui’s books. If only I could slip over to Freya now…

Beyond the Horizon by Jacqui Henderson

Source: Own Collection
Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel

I picked this book up as a freebie on Amazon, and I don’t regret doing so. It is very well written, with good world and character building. The relationship between Nina (Neemna) and Kas’paa is realistic and well-depicted, giving me good cause to root for it as I read. Jaqui uses few words to describe the world of the Freyans, but does so vividly, working the descriptions into the story naturally.

My one issue with the book was the way in which Jacqui used Neemna and Kas’paa’s point of view to tell the story. It was good to have both perspectives, and I did appreciate it very much, but nevertheless it threw me out of the story whenever the narrative switched and I was transported back in time to events I had already read of. It would have been easier to get the other perspective at that point in time (or a lot closer to) instead of several scenes later. That all said, I’ve come to realise that this is how Jacqui tells her stories, and it ultimately works very well.

I am hoping to be able to pick Shifting Horizons up soon, so that I can get the answers to the questions that remain.