Blacklisted

This was the second book in the Teen Alien Huntress series by Gena Showalter. As far as I could find there are not anymore young adult books planned in the Alien Huntress series at this time. I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first one, Redhanded, but it was okay.

Camille Robins and her girlfriend go to a nightclub chasing after some boys from high school. Camille is interested in Erik (who was in Redhanded) and is ecstatic when he passes her a note in the club. When she finds out the note is only a blank napkin it pisses her off, so she follows him into a back section of the club. There she is attacked and drawn into Erik's illegal activities. Erik and Camille end up fleeing for their lives trying to outrun AIR agents.

I show more didn't like this book nearly as much as "Redhanded". My biggest problem was Camille. She is cowardly (which she admits to herself), somewhat whiny, and I found her to be annoying. Erik is, in general, kind of a jerk. Like with many other of Showalter's books Erik ends up being better in the end, but I still didn't like him much. The relationship between him and Camille felt forced and unrealistic.

I also didn't like that the main premise of this book was that Camille wanted Erik. At least in "Redhanded" Pheonix was trying to beat her addiction and make it through A.I.R. training; in "Redhanded" her relationship with Ryan was part of the story not the whole story. Don't get me wrong there is some plot outside of Camille and Erik, but it is pretty thin.

Additionally I thought the book was wrapped up really quick and a little too conveniently. It was unreal how all these strange coincidences happened all at once so that the story could be end quickly, almost as if Showalter had to hurry and get this book done. In general it made for an unsatisfying story.

The positive points were that Showalter has created an interesting world here, the actions scenes were well done (although much fewer than in "Redhanded"), and the book was a quick, easy read. In the end it was an okay read, definitely nothing to write home about, but a quick diversion. I would definitely read "Redhanded" first since that is, by far, the better of the two books. show less

Camille Robins was never an adventurer. She did well in school, listened to her parents and played the straight and narrow. Of course, when her best friend concocted a plan for her to meet the boy of her dreams at a shady club Camille was unable to resist telling one small lie to have the chance of a lifetime. Unfortunately she didn't realize that this particular boy and this particular chance of a lifetime might simply end her life instead.

Erik was used to living a double life. On the run from an elite government agency for being a drug dealer and acting the part of a normal high school student had become habit for him. Betrayed by those he trusted, he now had a cause and it was the only thing he allowed to matter to him. However, when show more a high school crush ruins his plans and exposes him to the agents who he had once called friends, Erik finds that he is more than capable of careing and trusting than he thought was possible and certainly more than what is healthy for him.

This second story of Gena Showalter's Teen Alien Huntress books completely turns a 360 on what we learned about her world in Red Handed. Amazingly, she took a very compelling plot and made it even better by looking at it from the other side. In this book we see the "good guys" turned to the people to be feared and she does a fantastic job of it. Innocent Camille is pretty much the opposite of tough, kick ass Phoenix who was our first introductory heroine to this world, but she was certainly as much, if not even more so, of a likeable character. Erik was certainly a much more complex character than the brief glimpses of him in the preceeding book would ever have lead you to believe. I do feel I should put in that there is one scene in Blacklisted which leads me say that this book would be for older teens (Ms. Showalter's romance roots taking part). I found both of these books to be very compelling and would have no hesitation in recommending them to older teen and adult lovers of Holly Black, Stephenie Meyer and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes works. show less

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

This second book in the TEEN ALIEN HUNTRESS series, following RED HANDED, is not a direct continuation of that story. Familiar characters make an appearance, but really this is just another book taking place in that same well-created world of the first. That said, it's well worth reading, too!

BLACKLISTED is about Camille, who is a pretty average teenage girl. With her best friend, Shanel, she sneaks into a nightclub, trying to catch the attention of her crush. Camille's persistence, however, leads them into a situation that they were not anticipating when they came to the club.

Soon, after getting in the middle of a fight in a high security area that isn't really part of the club they came show more to see, Camille and Erik are on the run from AIR (Alien Investigation and Removal) agents, while Shanel and Silver manage to elude them. Erik's finally noticing Camille, so she's inclined to help him out, but the AIR agents are accusing him of something that she definitely doesn't want to be a part of.

What's a girl to do?

BLACKLISTED is just as action-packed and fast-paced as the first book in the series, and I think the characters might even be a little better! I love the way Gena Showalter is able to deal with aliens without being cliched or cheesy; her books are very original, not exactly Star Trek. This is a fun, interesting series that is sure to appeal to readers!! show less

Fast read. Contains a tiny bit of profanity and a pretty detailed scene of Erik giving Camille sexual pleasure but not sex. Might be a bit much for a middle school. I enjoyed the idea of a character doing something wrong for the right reasons. 18 year old Camille Robins goes to a club with her friend Shanel in order to attract the attention of Erik, a human, and Silver, an alien. She becomes involved in his quest to obtain Onadyn, a drug that aliens need in order to survive on Earth, and also a drug that humans become addicted to and abuse. Eventually she finds out he isn't a drug dealer, and that he is obtaining the drug to help the children and spouses of criminals since they can't buy the drug. Without it they die, and Erik can't show more stand the thought of innocent people dying for something their parent did. Erik and Camille are pursued by AIR (Alien Investigation and Removal ) agents who seem to want them both dead. show less

After Erik Trinity had been kicked out of the A.I.R. (Alien Investigation and Removal) for being caught with Onadyn (a drug designed for alien use), he became Erik Troy and went back to school in the hopes of finding a new source for Onadyn. He found one and a new friend in an alien named Silver. Following the guy she was crushing on to a nightclub had sounded like a good idea when Camille Robins and her friend Shanel started the night out. When Erik had given her a blank napkin and then disappeared into a private hall, she was angry thinking that he had been making fun of her. Little did she know that by following him, A.I.R. was now watching her under the impression that she was a drug dealer also.

Other than the main character being a show more teen (18), I am not sure why this book has been listed as Young Adult by some with the violence (which isn’t that much), the swearing (F*-bombs) and the sexual content, I would really recommend not letting younger than 18 read it. That being said, as a sci-fi romance, this was a fast paced second book in the Teen Alien Huntress series that kind of showed the other side. It didn’t rehash all the training of the first, but it did through in some of the characters like Phoenix, Ryan, Cara and Mia even if it put them as the bad guys (sorry if that spoils something). I am unsatisfied with the ending, the problem felt only partially solved and seemed to have left Camille and Erik hanging - what happened next? show less

Blacklisted is the second novel in Gena Showalter's young adult Alien Huntress series. In Red Handed, the first novel, we met Phoenix, a fiesty girl who was recruited to serve in the AIR - Alien Investigation and Removal - a law enforcement organization established to protect humans after aliens came to earth and started living side by side with them.Blacklisted follows Erik, a recruit we met in Red Handed. He finds himself on the other side of the law. Erik now sells Onadyn, a drug needed by some aliens to live on earth and the drug of choice for teenagers in this future world. Camille, a girl that has had a crush on Erik for a long time, gets sucked into his world and finds out sometimes you need to do bad things for a good show more reason.Camille let her best friend talk her into going to a hot club because they overheard Erik and his best friend say they were going to be there. Erik is extremely aware of Camille's presence and inadvertantly pulls her into his fight against the AIR.Aliens who need Onadyn to live in our atmosphere must get it from official dispensaries, however not all aliens can afford it and eventually they die. Erik couldn't stand by and watch this happen. He developed a friendship with an alien whose father manufactures Onadyn illegally and begins to transport it for him.The trouble is, the AIR knows what Erik is up to and now they think Camille is involved as well. After many dangerous chases and escapes, Erik and Camille grow closer and attempt to right the wrongs of this futuristic society.This series is a great choice for any sci-fi fan. Gena Showalter is definately a young adult author to keep an eye on. She has also written Oh My Goth which is also a sci-fi book. show less

Continuing where Red Handed left off with Erik on the run