Do you have a “reluctant reader” between the ages of 8-12? My son Nathan used to fit that description, but I persisted, showing him title after title in the “Youth Fiction” section of the library and at bookstores, until we found books he enjoyed. When I got the email asking if I was interested in reviewing Alienated, from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, I had a feeling it was the kind of book Nathan would like – and I was right!

Synopsis: Best friends Gene Brennick and Vince Haskell come across freaky aliens like Mold Man, Calamari Girl, and Crumble Bun all the time as reporters for their homemade weekly tabloid, the Globe, a newsletter featuring stories on the aliens living quietly among humans in Santa Rosa, California.

Gene and Vince’s classmates don’t take their articles too seriously — no one does, really. Gene’s determined to find a way to end his outsider status for good, and when he and Vince discover a local teacher’s deep, dark secret, Gene’s convinced he’s found the answer. But after taking it one step too far, Gene and Vince are suddenly at the center of an intergalactic conflict, one that could be the death of the boys’ friendship, or of the boys themselves — whichever comes first.

Acclaimed screenwriter and director David O. Russell teams up for his first novel with Andrew Auseon to deliver a hilarious, surprising adventure that will keep readers glued to every page.

Our Review: This is one of those “suspend your disbelief” type of stories. The reader just has to accept that there are, in fact, aliens living right among us, and that Gene and Vince encounter them all the time. Alienated rolls right along at a good pace, with plenty of dialogue and intrigue, even a tiny bit of first romance. I had no problem getting Nathan to finish the book, which he pronounced “good”. High praise from him!

WIN IT: I have five copies of Alienated to give away! For your main entry, leave a comment telling me who you will give the book to if you win. Open to U.S. only, enter by November 30th at 12:00 PM EST.

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