How to Date an Alien (My Alien Romance, #1)

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How to Date an Alien (My Alien Romance #1)

by Magan Vernon (Goodreads Author)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 404 ratings · 102 reviews

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...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Beautifully Broken Books (first published November 2011)

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Feb 04, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-paranormal, paranormal-romance, science-fiction

Magan Vernon’s debut novel is a light, breezy read about a teenage girl who suddenly realizes she is going to need more than great grades and a blog to get into the college of her choice. After obtaining an internship at the military base where her father is currently stationed, Alex finds out we are not alone in the universe when she is almost killed by one alien and then rescued by another.

Vernon wastes no time introducing us to the Circe Operations Center, an alien-run station that assists in...more Magan Vernon’s debut novel is a light, breezy read about a teenage girl who suddenly realizes she is going to need more than great grades and a blog to get into the college of her choice. After obtaining an internship at the military base where her father is currently stationed, Alex finds out we are not alone in the universe when she is almost killed by one alien and then rescued by another.

Vernon wastes no time introducing us to the Circe Operations Center, an alien-run station that assists in the integration of aliens into Earth’s societies (think Men In Black). Alix is assigned to the security division where her blogging skills are in demand by Ace, the handsome alien who rescued her. Together they keep tabs on the internet looking for possible leaks about the aliens among us, and fall in love.

Alix is a strong protagonist, who has us sympathizing as she struggles through her first days at the center trying not to antagonize any more aliens or her fellow interns. But Ace is a bit of a mystery; I never really got a handle on his character. The romance is cute, but doesn’t feel very deep. It seems like one day they are simply co-workers and the next they are in love. There is more character development with Alix and her roommates than with Ace. The first half of the book has a great deal of humor, but as the romance heats up a conflict of galactic proportions occurs. And this is where things break down a bit.

When Ace is forcibly recalled to his home planet, Alix’s attempt to rescue him calls for some serious suspension of disbelief. She suddenly has to learn to pilot a military aircraft without killing anyone (she is talked through it by one of her fellow interns!), and the dogfight at the end really strains the story.

Even with these negatives, however, there is enough here to make me want to find out what happens next. Alix is an entertaining heroine, strong and confident, and most of the situations she falls into are humorous. Vernon has a deft style to her writing that kept me engaged in the story. I’m hoping to learn more about Ace and get a better feel for his character in book two. I’d also enjoy a little more romance in the romance. It didn’t feel like it was developed enough. And I’d like answers to the biggest questions of all… Can Alix and Ace overcome the objections of his planet – and his mother?(less)

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Feb 23, 2012 H.Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I must say that I am very happy with this book! It actually blew me away. You know that they say to never judge a book by its cover and unfortunately, I always do. But, I am glad that I had read this one!

The book starts off with our heroine, Alex, sitting in an interview for Columbia University. She is trying to get a spot and the interviewer is not impressed with her extra curricular activities. She literally has none. Alex has always been the outcast at her school and focused more on her studi...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WOW is all I can say about this book. This is the first book I have ever read about Aliens. Magan has done a great job of weaving a story together from two different perspectives.

Alex lives a mundane life and wants to get into a prestigious college but she has no extracurricular activities to put on her college applications. She decides she is gong to ask her father for help because he is a Colonel in the army. So she decides she will do a summer internship with him at his job.

Once she gets ther...more

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Mar 07, 2012 H. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Alien life does exist, or at least that’s what Alex discovers when she travels to Arizona to intern for the summer at Circe. Part “Men In Black,” part high school romance, “How to Date an Alien” by Magan Vernon is a quirky young adult comedy. It was an enjoyable read, but I have my pros and cons. Here’s the breakdown.

PROS:

—Ace/Alex interactions: What do you say to an alien that just saved your life, especially when you just found out alien life exists? I can tell Vernon had a lot of fun writing...more Alien life does exist, or at least that’s what Alex discovers when she travels to Arizona to intern for the summer at Circe. Part “Men In Black,” part high school romance, “How to Date an Alien” by Magan Vernon is a quirky young adult comedy. It was an enjoyable read, but I have my pros and cons. Here’s the breakdown.

PROS:

—Ace/Alex interactions: What do you say to an alien that just saved your life, especially when you just found out alien life exists? I can tell Vernon had a lot of fun writing the Alex and Ace scenes. It shows in the dialog and in the descriptions. They immediately have chemistry, even though his DNA is out of this world. These were the scenes that had me smiling the most.

—Alex’s unwavering attitude in the face of discrimination: This was a pro that I thought about for a long time. I wasn’t sure if Vernon did it on purpose, or if it was a plot device that grew to be more than anticipated. But, I love how Alex stands up to peer pressure and bigotry when it comes to first defending her friendship with Ace, and then defending her relationship with him. The logic behind the naysayers was irrational, built on fear of the unknown and of differences. However, it was a welcomed twist to an old problem, and it just goes to show that ignorance breeds contempt and discrimination. I’m glad Alex gave them all an education.

—You can never leave high school: I loved how Vernon broke down the social structure of Circe. It’s basically high school, with the popular kids, the nerds, and everyone in between. Only, it’s not based on your interests, but on your extra-solar origins. I think anyone who remembers high school, or is living it currently, can relate to the social atmosphere at Circe. It also gives a boost to the ignorant logic associated with why everyone is against Alex and Ace as a couple.

CONS:

—First person POV: This has to be my least favorite POV and runs head to head with third omnipotent on my level of dislike. I’ve mentioned before my issues with it. I have a hard time reading it, especially since I want a clear picture in my mind as I read. And, when Alex is blindsided for example, it gave me moments of “wait, what just happened?” Because she couldn’t see it from her perspective, I couldn’t see it. This POV always makes me feel like I’m looking at a picture that is blurry and out of focus, so I have a hard time in general with any novel in first POV. This is my personal preference, so I don’t think anyone who likes first will have an issue.

—Typos, formatting, paragraph breaks: Most people read over mistakes in this area, but I notice the little things, such as incorrect punctuation, run-on sentences, inconsistent styles, and — a big one if you have ever lived in Flagstaff — the use of University of Northern Arizona when it’s Northern Arizona University. The errors actually pulled me out of the story, tripping me up and disrupting the flow of action, and then I have to backtrack. I few times I also lost my place on my Kindle because of some of the paragraph lengths, but that I managed to fix by adjusting the page settings. That one really isn’t on Vernon, but definitely something indie authors should consider for the e-editions. Long paragraphs are not e-book friendly, I’m discovering.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with “How to Date an Alien” and I think you will, too. Check it out.(less)

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Nov 30, 2011 Mallory rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazon-99-cent, sci-fi-romance

An other worldly novel that is uniquely written! With a twist on the supernatural/sci fi element,and a sweet romance,as well as a fierce protagonist,this novel is complete! I adored the alien theme of the story,a breath of fresh air from the typical YA novel. The romance was sweet,although I wished it had progressed a little slower,but love at first sight is always an intriguing tale. Overall,a nice,fast pace novel in a sci fi world with romance and adventure sewn in.

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Jul 14, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

The concept for this book is just fantastic, isn't it?! Straight after I read the blurb I knew I just had to read it. I, for one, was definitely not going to miss out on something so unique and different. And I can tell you right now, you shouldn't either. Everyone just has to experience this book for themselves.

I only recently found out that apart from being a science-fiction book, this is also a romantic comedy. Now that I think about it, I did find myself laughing when reading it! Oh yes, and...more The concept for this book is just fantastic, isn't it?! Straight after I read the blurb I knew I just had to read it. I, for one, was definitely not going to miss out on something so unique and different. And I can tell you right now, you shouldn't either. Everyone just has to experience this book for themselves.

I only recently found out that apart from being a science-fiction book, this is also a romantic comedy. Now that I think about it, I did find myself laughing when reading it! Oh yes, and before I say anything else, let me just tell you that even though quite a lot of readers don't really like sci-fi (sometimes me included!), this definitely is one you should try - I really enjoyed it!

The main character, Alex is really snarky, fun and sarcastic. One of my favourite personality types for characters! Some of the things she comes out with are quite funny and I'm pretty sure that if she was real, then we'd be pretty good friends. The love interest, Ace (aka. the alien) was also a really likeable character. I loved him straight away and absolutely despised some of the interns (Alex was one out of a group of interns) who were horrible about him. Especially Gavin. I didn't like him one bit! He was horrible and just really jealous of Ace because Alex didn't show she liked Gavin in that way. Him and Riley definitely made one evil pair!

The way the story was introduced at the beginning I really liked too. It was different and unusual and showed how Alex was telling her story from the present. Meaning everything had already happened. Overall, Vernon's writing style was really enjoyable and witty. And not only can she write romance, but she's pretty good at writing action scenes too!

So overall, How to Date an Alien was a really fun and loveable read. I would totally recommend it to all! You're seriously missing out on something very unique if you don't read it! With a snarky narrator, likeable love interest, some amusing dialogue and even some action scenes thrown in, this book should really be more popular. I managed to finish it in just one sitting!(less)

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Feb 13, 2012 Jessica (Step Into Fiction) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars

I want to thank the author, Magan Vernon, for giving us the opportunity to read and review her highly enjoyable HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN. I enjoyed reading this and I look forward to the second book, as much as the title might scare me, I know it’ll be great!

First, I must comment about how much I love the fact that the ranks of the different alien species and humans are like the same ranks of high school. I definitely think that makes this book more relateable to those of high school age, or ones th...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Eden (The Prickly Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-stars, ebook, first-in-a-series, released-in-2011, science-fiction, young-adult, author-debut

Alex Bianchi hopes that interning at her dad’s classified military base will make her college application to Columbia stand out from the rest of the crowd. What she doesn’t know, but is about to find out, is that Circe Operations Center is actually an alien operation center where human and aliens live and work together on a daily basis.

At the beginning of the book Alex discovers that all sorts of different aliens live among us on Earth. There’s something of a hierarchy among the different alien...more Alex Bianchi hopes that interning at her dad’s classified military base will make her college application to Columbia stand out from the rest of the crowd. What she doesn’t know, but is about to find out, is that Circe Operations Center is actually an alien operation center where human and aliens live and work together on a daily basis.

At the beginning of the book Alex discovers that all sorts of different aliens live among us on Earth. There’s something of a hierarchy among the different alien races and the Caltians, the race of aliens that Ace is a part of, are sort of like the popular kids from high school. Throughout the book Alex spends increasingly less time with her fellow human interns and starts spending more time with her alien co-worker, Ace; the mysterious guy who keeps showing up to save her life.

One of the things that frustrated me throughout the book is that a lot of people kept telling Alex to stay away from Ace, amping up the forbidden quality of their romance, but their reasons were very vague and not convincing enough for me. The pacing was not something that appealed to me, either. After the excitement of the first chapter or two, the plot slows way down and continues to focus on the budding romance until the last 100 pages or so. For those who like a slow progression to their romance, this might appeal to you. While the attraction between them is clear from the beginning, they aren’t instantly confessing their undying love after a few chapters, which is always a plus in my book.

I have to say a few words about the cover. I think it is very effectively matched to the content inside of this book. Overall, I think this was a light, quirky read aimed at a younger audience and I believe the cover reflects that very well. It’s certainly one of the reasons I picked this up in the first place. This novel will appeal to fans of the YA books who like a little science fiction with their teen romance.

A note on formatting and presentation. There was something hinky going on with my eBook version here, I think. When I read it on my Nook, there was a random question mark at the end of each chapter, but when I opened it on the Nook application on my computer the question mark wasn’t there. There were also a lot of malformed sentences that would have random extra words, or several extra words, in them. This was only my own experience but I have to admit that it negatively affected my overall experience with this book and that might not be the case for everyone.(less)

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Dec 08, 2011 Lillie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, ebook, for-review, i-own, nook-books, received-for-promotion, review-copy, series, book-or-blog-tour

See the full review at: Read My Mind

My Review:
The cover for HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN hints at a quirky YA science-fiction romance, but there is so much more to this novel than I originally thought. The star-crossed lovers theme is there, but science-fiction lovers that have been looking for a YA in the genre, will not be disappointed by Magan Vernon's debut. Alex Bianchi discovers the existence of aliens when she asks to intern at the Air Force Base where her father is stationed. Little did she kno...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed

Won this book in a Goodreads First Reads contest.

A Romeo and Juliet story mixed with the better parts of Star Wars, Men in Black, and Independence Day....and to be honest a bit of V.

It was a good book, a fast read, and i did enjoy it, but if this is how all teenage girls are....wow am i glad i am a guy.

If there was one thing about the reading i did not enjoy it was just that everyone seems to sigh and gasp and let out puffs of breath, but since i finished this book and the time i am writing this...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Erika rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: wasted-of-time

Really?

At first I thought I was going to like it. It was fun, different; but the more I read, more seems like a satire.

The point of fantasy is to be credible but when a regular teenager, even clumsy, ends up shooting with amazing aim and flying a spacecraft you actually think that someone is teasing you.

The characters, on the other hand, ended up degenerating into stereotypes so exaggerated that I was hoping that at some point someone told me that all book was about to make fun about, precisely,...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Step Into Fiction rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jessica

First, I must comment about how much I love the fact that the ranks of the different alien species and humans are like the same ranks of high school. I definitely think that makes this book more relateable to those of high school age, or ones that haven’t been out of high school long. Or hell, even someone like me, who has been out of high school for awhile. It shows you that it’s not just humans that act a certain way or treat people a specific way.

Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

R...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Eryn LaPlant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this story a lot. It's so fun and so unlike anything I had ever read. Alex is a funny, spunky girl looking to find her place in the world and where does she find it... at an alien compound. Ace is everything she never knew she wanted: hot - or more like cold (haha), exotic, romantic, protective and he's all hers. The author created excellent characters who the reader cares about and wants to read more about them. Good job! I can't wait to read whatever you come up with next. Oh an...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Jessie Harrell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd never really thought of aliens as sexy and lovable before, but Ace sure changed my mind. I love how he had such deep, black eyes - it really made him seem soulful. And I also loved how Alex was like a typical high school teenager, who wears glasses and is concerned that her Italian hips are too large. She was a total kick-butt heroine and didn't back down from anything! If you can root for a human and supernatural being to make it against all odds, then you'll enjoy rooting for this human-al...more

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May 23, 2013 Heidi Karriker rated it 1 of 5 stars

I really thought I was going to like this book. I mean I like light hearted and somewhat predictable young adult reads. Please also note that I rarely give negative reviews but what can I say this book insured me.
I had problem with this good from chapter one. The first thing that bugged me was how quickly and easily Alex got onto a base or into the compound.
I know that's not enough to give up hope so I kept reading. Once on base there were a lot of other unrealistic details that irritated me li...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Shreya (CCReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book because it was unique and charming. The theme of the "star-crossed lovers" was played out to perfection and the romance was heart-felt. It was cute and fun with great action, mystery, and suspense. The best part of this book is the concept, and even though this is one of the rare YA alien books out there, it sure put the genre to good use. It's a pinch of sci-fi, an ounce of romance, and a quarter of humor, together making the perfect blend.

The main character Alex is...more I really enjoyed this book because it was unique and charming. The theme of the "star-crossed lovers" was played out to perfection and the romance was heart-felt. It was cute and fun with great action, mystery, and suspense. The best part of this book is the concept, and even though this is one of the rare YA alien books out there, it sure put the genre to good use. It's a pinch of sci-fi, an ounce of romance, and a quarter of humor, together making the perfect blend.

The main character Alex is snarky, witty, sarcastic, and strong, having exactly what it takes to win a reader's heart. She's not boring, and reading from her POV is sure to bring lots of fun. I found myself laughing alongside her antics, and swooning at her descriptions of her alien lover, Ace. Speaking of Ace, he is too dreamy. He's like the perfect package all wrapped up in one! Sweet, mysterious, charming, and protective, not to mention smokin' hot XD He was a likable character who protected Alex from the abrasiveness of the other interns at the Circe Operations Center who were down-right rude to her. So you can say he was her "Alien in shining armor". Some of the other characters such as Gavin and his sidekick along with some other evil interns got to me with their evil ways of trying to keep Alex and Ace apart.

Ace and Alex's relationship is a hilarious one. When they start dating, they have to keep it secret from the people who run the center unless they want shit to hit the fan. But of course, everything goes crazy when the secret falls out and people are suddenly all up in their faces about them not doing the right thing and how they should be breaking up. They don't listen though, and if anything, the relationship they have together becomes greater when they risk and save each others lives during the intergalactic war being waged. Yes, I know what you're all thinking, this even puts the whole "Romeo and Juliet" star-crossed lovers to shame doesn't it? Ha ha.

So I definitely enjoyed this book thoroughly with its humor, suspense, and sweet romance. At first I judged it by it's cover, but I recommend not doing that because it blew me away with how good it was! I can't wait to pick up the next one in the series to see if it lived up to the first :)(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Turtles rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: yuck, did-not-finish

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I stopped this at 49% because it was one of the few books which bothered me. I didn't mind the Men in Black idea of an alien super-center in the middle of the desert. But in the first few chapters the main characters gives her Dad a thumbs up, which is evidently very rude to some aliens. Instead of keeping it funny by likening it to a middle finger or something the "Hail Hitler" motion was compared. The alien who assaults her for making the thumbs up is killed off by her upcoming alien partner....more

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Jan 26, 2012 Felicia Chien rated it 4 of 5 stars

E-Book: How To Date An Alien by Magan Vernon
Pages: 127
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: High school senior, Alex Bianchi's life is about to be turned upside down when she agrees to work at an internship at her father's military base, in order to amp up her college applications.

My Thoughts: I'm usually not a fan of the alien genre, but this novel was a pleasantly surprising fast paced, entertaining read.

Alex Bianchi's life is about to fall apart if she doesn't...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, first-reads-winner, paranormal-fantasy, paranormal-fantasy-challenge, romance, ya, aliens

I won this book through goodreads and I must say that it is an excellent read.

Alex the MC is trying to get into Columbia University, but is lacking some extracurricular activities. She decides to take on an internship at her dads "military base Circe", which she comes to find out aliens are working with humans. She is just blown away when she arrives and even is attacked upon arriving. However, like a knight in shining armor, Ace comes to the rescue.

Ace is an alien, and a Caltian at that. Which...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Sarah Snyder rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: indies, purchased-ebooks

Review originally posted at http://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/2...

It's rather difficult for me to categorize this book, because it spans several genres. Obviously it's a young adult science fiction story, but it is also a romantic comedy. I guess I'll go with sci-fi-romance-romp. How's that? At any rate, I certainly enjoyed it.

Although the story centers around an Alien plot line, I would recommend it to readers who don't normally enjoy sci-fi stories. Vernon injects enough comedy, heart and r...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a cute and fun story. With great action and mysteriousness around every corner, dating an alien is harder than what you think.

What I adored most about this story is how much it reminded me of Men in Black but with a high school setting and teens. Alex thinking she doing an military internship, she finds herself in a whole new world she did not know exist. Alex is quick to accept it with loads of questions. I too, feel that I would react the same way. Alex is smart and knows exactly what...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Ellen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours

Alex Bianchi is a 17-year-old girl who is somewhat of a nerd in school. She lives with her mother, stepfather, and little brother, as her parents have been divorced since she was a child. Her father is in the military, so she hasn't seen him much. Alex ends up asking her dad about an internship to Circe, where he works, because she needs something to put on her college application to Columbia University. When she arrives in Arizona to begin her internship, she really knows nothing about the plac...more Alex Bianchi is a 17-year-old girl who is somewhat of a nerd in school. She lives with her mother, stepfather, and little brother, as her parents have been divorced since she was a child. Her father is in the military, so she hasn't seen him much. Alex ends up asking her dad about an internship to Circe, where he works, because she needs something to put on her college application to Columbia University. When she arrives in Arizona to begin her internship, she really knows nothing about the place. When she enters the facility with her father she inadvertently makes a "thumbs up" gesture to her dad, which unbeknownst to her is a huge no-no in the alien world. This results in an attack on her life by an alien, and then another alien, Ace, saves her. This is how Alex finds out that alien's exist. Ace is a Calatian and one of the most beautiful beings she has ever seen. Needless to say, her ignorance of alien culture was not looked upon favorably by her fellow interns, or the other aliens, which came in all different shapes and sizes, some resembling humans and some anything but human-like. As it turns out the Calatians are somewhat of a superior race in the universe, and what Ace did by saving her was frowned upon by the entire alien race.

Alex ends up being assigned to work with Ace, and they find themselves falling for each other. This is also taboo, because it is forbidden for aliens and humans to interact in this way. This sets of a string of events that not only threaten Alex and Ace, but the entire world, as they find themselves the center in the center of an intergalactic war. Alex and Ace are determined to be together, but is their love strong enough to overcome the most powerful being in the universe, the Queen of Calatia, especially when the Queen happens to also be Ace's mom?

HOW TO DATE AN ALIEN was a cute story. It sort of had a little of a "Men in Black" feel to it, mixed with a little bit of "Roswell." Though it has it's very serious moments, there is quite a bit of lighthearted humor mixed in. The story moves along an a good pace and was entertaining. Ace is your totally hot alien type who looks like a male model. Alex has an Italian background, is dark haired and has an olive-skinned dark complexion. She also wears glasses, and cannot see anything without them. She is portrayed as not quite overweight, but not thin by any means, though I think she sees herself in a more negative manner than everyone else does. Alex and Ace face many obstacles in their relationship, as well as biases, and plenty of danger because there are many in the human world and alien world who do not want to see these two together. I found this YA science fiction/romance cute and entertaining, and though it has its serious moments, still remains lighthearted and fun. (less)

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Jan 26, 2012 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was just destiny for me to read this book. Magan says it was written in the stars. (tee hee) Magan sent me an email asking me to review her book and then I won it from a giveaway on somebody else's blog. See what I mean? It was meant to be.

First off, I have to tell you that I love this cover. I think it fits this book perfectly. It's fun, light and you just know you will have some good romance coming.

I loved Alex. She is such a normal girl, wearing glasses and toting a few extra pounds. She b...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Chihuahua Zero rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish

This book started out so promising...and then around the half-point, the number of complaints I had for the book piled up until my suspension of disbelief was shattered.

The entire premise is familiar yet entertaining, although the story itself was decent. Circe, with a bunch of different aliens? A lot of possibility in there.

The first nitpick I had, however, is with the whole Romeo and Juliet metaphor that starts from the first line. Seriously, I can't tell whatever the romance is supposed to be...more This book started out so promising...and then around the half-point, the number of complaints I had for the book piled up until my suspension of disbelief was shattered.

The entire premise is familiar yet entertaining, although the story itself was decent. Circe, with a bunch of different aliens? A lot of possibility in there.

The first nitpick I had, however, is with the whole Romeo and Juliet metaphor that starts from the first line. Seriously, I can't tell whatever the romance is supposed to be shown in a positive or negative light. On one hand, the protagonist, a girl named Alex, consider it positive. On the other hand though, they sort of go the way of Paris and Helen, a story I'm happening to read right now.

The second nitpick was the fact that the love interest, an alien named Ace, looked human. This is never explained. Doctor Who gets away with it, because it started in the 60's and its occasionally pointed out, but the protagonist never questions this.

The issue that killed the story, on the other hand, was when nobody bothers to explain that the aliens never had their own Civil Rights Movement, and the entire romance isn't okay because of that.

Why on earth did nobody bother to explain that? Why not tell Alex from the beginning and instead let her fall in love and cause a world-threatening disaster? It was a flimsy excuse to let the romance develop due to miscommunication that has no reason behind it.

[Spoilers Start Here]

(view spoiler)

In conclusion, while one of these by myself might've let me finish this book and consider it a worthy story, all of these factors combined broke the deal. How to Date an Alien failed to be a convincing story.

(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Emily Abarca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: oh-my-gosh

This book had funny moments and I liked the whole alien/human relationship. I love Ace and Alex! I ordered it online and I was surprised to see how short it was, like, it's a small book, but other than that I loved it! It is a little similar to twilight and a little sappy; I hated how the comparison made it a bit cheesy. Overall it was great, so give this book a try :D

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May 21, 2013 Jane Lafary rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked the idea behind this book. And I really wanted to like this book.
But when the book kept contradicting it self- ie) she talks about how the two main characters laugh and have a good time at work and 5 pages later says he was cold and distant from the start- (this was done over and over with lots pf situations and most of the characters)I just got irritated. It felt like the author couldn't make up her mind about which conflict needed to take place, so they all did whether it made sense w/...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Anorielt rated it 2 of 5 stars

Erster Satz: If someone told me at the beginning of that summer that I would come face-to-face with death because of a Romeo and Juliet romance, I would never have believed it.

Ich habe gerade so eine Phase in der ich vor allem gerne Alien Lovestorys lese und im Zuge dessen, ist mir auch How to Date an Alien begegnet. Eigentlich schon allein vom Titel her nicht meins, aber davon ließ ich mich nicht abschrecken. Am Anfang gefiel mir das Buch auch sehr gut. Alex braucht für ihre College Bewerbunge...more Erster Satz: If someone told me at the beginning of that summer that I would come face-to-face with death because of a Romeo and Juliet romance, I would never have believed it.

Ich habe gerade so eine Phase in der ich vor allem gerne Alien Lovestorys lese und im Zuge dessen, ist mir auch How to Date an Alien begegnet. Eigentlich schon allein vom Titel her nicht meins, aber davon ließ ich mich nicht abschrecken. Am Anfang gefiel mir das Buch auch sehr gut. Alex braucht für ihre College Bewerbungen gute Bewertungen und es scheint ihr eine gute Idee, diese auf einer Air Force Basis zu machen, ihr Vater ist schließlich Colonel. Nur das Circe alles andere als eine reine Air Force Basis ist.

Hier ist auch schon der erste Kritikpunkt. Alex steckt die Existenz der Aliens viel zu schnell weg. Kurzes Wundern und schon ist das Thema gegessen. Ich meine, wie unrealistisch ist das bitte? Selbst wenn man die Beweise vor sich sieht, zweifelt man doch eine Weile an der eigenen Wahrnehmung oder ist total aus dem Häuschen weil man es nicht fassen kann. Das hat mir hier eindeutig gefehlt, vor allem wenn man bedenkt das Alex am Anfang sogar fast von einem Alien getötet wird.

Die Basis hat mich ein wenig an Men in Black erinnert. Lauter verschiedene Aliens von verschiedenen Planeten und zwischendrin die Menschen. Eigentlich ein sehr interessanter Ansatz der mir auch gut gefallen hat. Alex wird der Security und damit Ace, der sie gerettet hat, zugeteilt. Eine sehr gute Basis für eine spätere Beziehung, hocken die beiden doch praktisch den ganzen Tag nebeneinander während sie das Internet durchforsten. Zwischen den beiden hat es auch von Anfang an geknistert, auch wenn es ein bisschen dauert bis beide wirklich offen miteinander sind.

Mich hat es allerdings gestört das die beiden dann so schnell zusammen gekommen sind und ja, es ist die typische Liebesgeschichte aus Jugendromanen: Sie verlieben sich sofort unstebrlich ineinander und können nicht mehr vom anderen getrennt sein, Konsequenzen werden einfach mal nicht beachtet und allgemein handeln die Verliebten komplett idiotisch. Ich meine, ich hatte echt noch kein Buch in dem die Protoganistin so viel rumgeschrien hat wie hier Alex.

Das schärfste kommt noch. Alex und Ace zusammensein, beschwört einen Krieg herauf! Japp, richtig gelesen, weil die beiden miteinander ausgehen und Ace der Prinz seiner "Rasse" ist, erklärt seine Mutter der Basis einfach mal so den Krieg. Bringt das Alex zur Vernunft? Sie wurde schließlich vorher mehrmals eindringlich gewarnt das sie keine Ahnung hat worauf sie sich einlässt. Nein, natürlich leuchtet ihr das nicht ein. Sie ist einfach nur wütend das die Königin ihr Ace weggenommen hat und natürlich muss sie in diesem Krieg mitmischen. Zwar ist Alex nicht trainiert, aber das ist ja schnuppe, sie will ja einfach nur Ace aus dem Raumschiff seiner Mutter retten.

Ja... also ehrlich, so manches mal habe ich mir echt an den Kopf gefasst weil ich es nicht fassen konnte. Das Buch fing gut und durchaus vielversprechend an, doch sobald die beiden ihre Beziehung öffentlich gemacht haben, ging alles den Bach runter. Sowas unrealistisches habe ich echt noch nie gelesen und die Autorin haut dem im Laufe des Buches sogar noch eines drauf. Meine Güte.

Man bedenke dazu noch, das Buch hat nur 226 Seiten. Es kommt also alles Schlag auf Schlag, nichts bekommt Zeit sich zu entfalten.

Fazit

How to Date an Alien kann man sich getrost sparen. Der Anfang war gut und vielversprechend, doch dann ging es mit der ganzen Geschichte nur noch nach unten und am Schluss war es so unrealistisch, das es schon fast weh tat. Die typische YA Liebesstory von der großen Liebe.... Gott wie ich das hasse! Bloß Finger weg von diesem Buch, ich werde die Fortsetzungen auch garantiert nicht lesen.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Brandy Jeffus rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It was well paced and action packed and was not a boring read at all. While I've read tons about humans falling in love with vampires, wolves, ghosts etc etc, I don't ever remember reading about a human falling in love with an alien! So from the get go I was anxious to read Alex and Ace's love story.

Magan is an exceptional writer who draws you in and keeps hold of you until the very last page. Her characters were very well thought out and developed. And I am not afr...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Leti Mar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this was a fresh and interesting alien tale. So many of the alien stories I come across do not explore what would happen if humans did know about other lifeforms. This book handles that and does a good job with it. I enjoyed the depiction of the intergalactic alien control center in Arizona but would have liked more; perhaps what their powers are or more about their worlds. That being said, I really enjoyed the relationship between Alex and Ace. The way it ends between them is very rea...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Cindy M rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love star-crossed lover's tales? Then you'll love this! Watch Alex as she discovers that living in a alien-run operations center can be full of fun adventures that include falling for none other than an alien. Read as the choices she makes pushes her farther and farther into the spotlight that puts her very life and the future of the center on the line.

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About Magan Vernon

Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.

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Books by Magan Vernon

How to Break Up with an Alien (My Alien Romance, #2)

How to Marry an Alien (My Alien Romance, #3)

My Alien Romance Series (My Alien Romance, #1-3)

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Quotes from How to Date an Alien

“I'm falling in love with you." As the words left his mouth, his lips pressed to mine, giving me the most intense and explosive kiss I had ever had. With the coldness of his lips and the warmth of his tongue beneath mine I saw fireworks and felt them through every part of my body.” — 15 people liked it

“If someone told me at the beginning of that summer that I would come face-to-face with death because of a Romeo and Juliet romance, I would never have believed it. But it wasn't like that summer went at all like I planned in the first place.” — 5 people liked it

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How to Date an Alien (My Alien Romance #1)

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