What do you think?
Rate this book
When Lightning Strikes
Beauty is skin deep, and apparently, so were my alien powers.
They say sometimes you have to shed your skin to become who you’re meant to be. I thought that metaphor was pretty lame until it happened to me. Literally.
After the only boy I’ve ever loved betrayed me, all I wanted was to leave and start over, but when a freak lightning strike leaves my human body in ashes, that saying takes on a whole new meaning.
Turns out the person I was doesn’t exist. She never did.
My entire life has been a lie, and when I’m kidnapped and forced to attend a hidden school for people like me, the reality of how much I don’t know slaps me in the face.
Now, I’m faced with two choices: prove my worth as an elite spy or become government property for the rest of my life.
Oh, and did I mention my only hope is an infuriatingly hot snob who’s dating my mortal enemy?
When Lightning Strikes is the first full length novel in the hotly anticipated Alien Academy series. With a jaw-dropping academy for alien teens, plus a little flirting on the side, this unique young adult story is your next new obsession.
Pre-order Alien Academy now!
They say sometimes you have to shed your skin to become who you’re meant to be. I thought that metaphor was pretty lame until it happened to me. Literally.
After the only boy I’ve ever loved betrayed me, all I wanted was to leave and start over, but when a freak lightning strike leaves my human body in ashes, that saying takes on a whole new meaning.
Turns out the person I was doesn’t exist. She never did.
My entire life has been a lie, and when I’m kidnapped and forced to attend a hidden school for people like me, the reality of how much I don’t know slaps me in the face.
Now, I’m faced with two choices: prove my worth as an elite spy or become government property for the rest of my life.
Oh, and did I mention my only hope is an infuriatingly hot snob who’s dating my mortal enemy?
When Lightning Strikes is the first full length novel in the hotly anticipated Alien Academy series. With a jaw-dropping academy for alien teens, plus a little flirting on the side, this unique young adult story is your next new obsession.
Pre-order Alien Academy now!
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2020
14 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 6, 2020
I confess, this isn't my normal genre. Or at least it hasn't been over the past few years.
When Lightning Strikes reminded me that I used to love YA, paranormal YA in particular. The characters are angsty in that "typical teenager" way. There are a lot of the normal roles you'd expect: the hot guy who thinks he's all that, the mean girl, the quirky best friend, the mentor...
But there are also alien powers and an alien version of a Doberman who'll steal your heart. Huey was my favorite. Add in some intrigue and mystery, and you've got yourself a book you won't be able to put down.
When Lightning Strikes reminded me that I used to love YA, paranormal YA in particular. The characters are angsty in that "typical teenager" way. There are a lot of the normal roles you'd expect: the hot guy who thinks he's all that, the mean girl, the quirky best friend, the mentor...
But there are also alien powers and an alien version of a Doberman who'll steal your heart. Huey was my favorite. Add in some intrigue and mystery, and you've got yourself a book you won't be able to put down.
March 3, 2020
Oh my gosh
Literally threw my hand over my mouth at the end. The alien thing was really throwing me before I picked it up and I even dragged starting it but oh my gosh. I genuinely loved this. I am impatiently waiting for the next one so we can find out what happens. I have my theories and suspicions about a lot of the uncertain issues in this book and I am dying for answers. I never thought I would enjoy aliens but here I am, wanting all the Alien Academy books right this second.
Literally threw my hand over my mouth at the end. The alien thing was really throwing me before I picked it up and I even dragged starting it but oh my gosh. I genuinely loved this. I am impatiently waiting for the next one so we can find out what happens. I have my theories and suspicions about a lot of the uncertain issues in this book and I am dying for answers. I never thought I would enjoy aliens but here I am, wanting all the Alien Academy books right this second.
February 6, 2020
When Lightning Strikes is available now!
February 10, 2020
Jared betrayed her, parading his new girlfriend around like a trophy – that thought pounded in her head over and over while she ran into the storm. Humiliated, Cherise just wanted to disappear. She runs through the woods relentlessly, then it starts to hail as she runs into a clearing, running all out, when suddenly the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stands up, a bright light flashes, and everything goes dark around her.
Cherise awakes with the grass under her charred, her cell phone fried, and ewwww – is her skin coming off?? When the rest of her skin comes off in the shower at the hospital, she finds out that she is not a normal teenager after all – she has iridescent light purple skin, dark blue eyebrows, and is bald! A young tech brings her a bottle of water and she thanks her, saying, “It almost makes me feel human again!”, as two strangers entering the room growl, “Not likely!”
Homeland Security identifies her as a Xebulin from Xebulis Five, sedates her and drags her off to a treaty-mandated school for aliens! She wakes to a dog-like thing with tentacles named Huey licking her arm! Te’Lara, her “house mother”, tries to explain everything to her. Then So’Tia (“Tia”) arrives to give her a tour and prepare to start classes the next day! She has to cram 16 years of alien knowledge in her head so she can pass the job placement testing next year! Yes, she is actually an alien! Now her story truly begins!
This was a really fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Surprises come at the reader constantly as Cherise learns for the first time who she really is. Huey is her bodyguard and Tia tells her their people spy for the human government since they can absorb memories through touch! And the bullies have already started by stealing Cherise’s deepest memories for use later! Apparently otherworldly schools are not so different from the human version. This new adventure is not going to be easy – she’s going to need all the strength she has to get through it. Grab your copy and join Cherise as she tries to make sense of her new life.
Cherise awakes with the grass under her charred, her cell phone fried, and ewwww – is her skin coming off?? When the rest of her skin comes off in the shower at the hospital, she finds out that she is not a normal teenager after all – she has iridescent light purple skin, dark blue eyebrows, and is bald! A young tech brings her a bottle of water and she thanks her, saying, “It almost makes me feel human again!”, as two strangers entering the room growl, “Not likely!”
Homeland Security identifies her as a Xebulin from Xebulis Five, sedates her and drags her off to a treaty-mandated school for aliens! She wakes to a dog-like thing with tentacles named Huey licking her arm! Te’Lara, her “house mother”, tries to explain everything to her. Then So’Tia (“Tia”) arrives to give her a tour and prepare to start classes the next day! She has to cram 16 years of alien knowledge in her head so she can pass the job placement testing next year! Yes, she is actually an alien! Now her story truly begins!
This was a really fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Surprises come at the reader constantly as Cherise learns for the first time who she really is. Huey is her bodyguard and Tia tells her their people spy for the human government since they can absorb memories through touch! And the bullies have already started by stealing Cherise’s deepest memories for use later! Apparently otherworldly schools are not so different from the human version. This new adventure is not going to be easy – she’s going to need all the strength she has to get through it. Grab your copy and join Cherise as she tries to make sense of her new life.
February 22, 2020
OH MY GOSH! I could not put this book down and now I have to wait until August to read the second book. This is a totally different kind of Alien and Academy book. We have so many mysteries going on. We of course have the mean girl. We have hot guys. Mystery guys. Guys you don't bring home to mom? Cherise just got out of a bad relationship and of course her mother is worthless. She gets ready to run away and gets into a hail storm and all HEDoubleHockeySticks her whole life as she knew it is gone. The government wants her and the Aliens Xebulin needs to protect and keep her. What will happen to Cherise? What is all the things she has to learn? Can she learn it all that has taken a life time for every one else? Why did Huey pick her?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2020
So this is definitely an interesting twist on the Academy genre, so far we've had bully, shifter, witches and so on but When Lightning Strikes is an Alien Academy story and I have to admit it's the first I've seen. I will say right now that Huey is in fact my favourite character in this story, he is basically an alien dog only his species are warriors and highly respected by the Xebulin's and he chooses Cherise as his even if she doesn't understand the significance of that in the beginning.
When Lightning Strikes is a great story from start to finish and pulls you in from page one, with equal doses and action, mystery and drama. And that cliffhanger ending leaves you wanting more and will definitely be grabbing book two when it comes out and I can't wait.
When Lightning Strikes is a great story from start to finish and pulls you in from page one, with equal doses and action, mystery and drama. And that cliffhanger ending leaves you wanting more and will definitely be grabbing book two when it comes out and I can't wait.
February 7, 2020
I absolutely love this book!
“When Lightning Strikes” was a surprisingly good tale and nothing like I thought. This well-written original sci-fi tale has mystery, action, drama, and suspense in equal doses and enough to keep you glued to the pages of this story. The main character Cherise is a surprisingly adaptable and strong young woman who finds out after being hit by lightning that she is an alien! What a way to begin this unusual story. This is such a wonderful read that it kept me laughing, crying and in shock through most of this tale. I literally could not stop reading until the last page.
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
“When Lightning Strikes” was a surprisingly good tale and nothing like I thought. This well-written original sci-fi tale has mystery, action, drama, and suspense in equal doses and enough to keep you glued to the pages of this story. The main character Cherise is a surprisingly adaptable and strong young woman who finds out after being hit by lightning that she is an alien! What a way to begin this unusual story. This is such a wonderful read that it kept me laughing, crying and in shock through most of this tale. I literally could not stop reading until the last page.
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
February 13, 2020
This is an amazing start to a new series I loved it and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. This story is about a teenager who was struck by lightning she thought that she was human but no she’s an alien then Cherise is taken to an academy where there are others like her. Things don’t go so well and trouble starts practically as soon as Cherise arrives with the bullies and the gorgeous snobby guy who is dating said bully. Sorry guys there’s a cliffhanger and now I’m anticipating the next book, this is a 5 plus ⭐️ read and I highly recommend this book it’s definitely well worth the read.
February 14, 2020
Cherise saw her mother precious little times. Her mother was more interested in chasing a fix than taking care of her. One night cherise decides to run away and she gets struck by lightning and gets knocked out. When she wakes up she goes in search of momma H. Her neighbor because she is terrified. After she was struck by the lightning she was badly injured and bald. Her neighbor rushed her to the hospital. I really liked this story. I found it to be very unique. It was both thrilling and complex. I couldnt put it down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 9, 2020
I loved this book. When a book makes you bust out laughing and end up with tears in yours eyes because of it than it gets 5 stars. Huey steals the show in this book but I think he wouldn't have it any other way. I think I know some of the secrets that are being kept and it will be interesting to see if I'm right when I read more of this series. The people are fun to read about in this book. You do have your typical high school tropes but with aliens. I wish book two was out so I could dive right into it.
*I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion*
*I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion*
February 10, 2020
This story would make an excellent TV series. Just the trials of a teen age extraterrestrial with powers. It would be sooo cool. What she goes through, how she copes with every thing, it would be awesome. I love the dog too he is something else. Arrogant, a Alpha on top of it also.
The story is so well done. I love it and it will be hard to wait until the next book comes out. And cliffhangers I don't like them. It will make you hunger for the next tidbit to come your way. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
The story is so well done. I love it and it will be hard to wait until the next book comes out. And cliffhangers I don't like them. It will make you hunger for the next tidbit to come your way. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
February 22, 2020
An epic new series starter and an extremely entertaining sci-fi romance! I loved reading this! The heroine Cherise is an absolute sweetheart! Being thrown into an alien academy and finding out that you are not fully human, well that can drive anyone crazy. Cherise is living a whole new life that includes a new bff, an unexpected guardian, a little romance and the onset of some wicked new magical abilities. A very entertaining and exciting new series! I am loving it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2020
I enjoyed this book. It does read as Y/A (at least in this book), not sure if the series will continue that way. A unique story in the academy genre -by doing so with aliens. I hadn’t read an alien version before. I felt the beginning made sense -enough that not knowing what’s going on -same as the MFC was acceptable. But once entering the academy setting, there were some places that needed more than was given. Cherise is an interesting character, though sometimes her behavior/attitude don’t seem to be consistent. Huey is my favorite character in the story! The mystery behind the mate bond thing drove me batty, I want to know who the mystery character is! There are a lot of unanswered questions, some hidden hints that may or may not be there to mislead, and a lot of mystery leading to speculation. Definitely a cliff-hanger ending with no resolutions until the next book -I presume. I will definitely be reading book 2.
February 7, 2020
This was incredible. Cherise thought she was just another regular teenage girl with heartbreak but boy was she wrong. Turns out she is not even human. She gets placed in a special school but it not with out the same human teenage cliche...she is in for the fight of her life and it has already begun. I could not put it down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 11, 2020
I have to say this was a really good story and made me want to have the next book to read right afterwards. It has some really touching moments in it. It also has what a lot of teenage girls go through and how they feel and shows how this one try her best to over come it all while finding out she is not who she thought she was.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 13, 2020
God this book was wicked. From the first page I was pulled in so quick, into the crazy intense rollercoaster ride of twists and turns and left needing more at the end, hanging on the cliff edge. The main FMC is such a strong character even with all she is put through. With the help of her best friend Tia and also the handsome Nix. She fights to catch up in things she's missed with being human most of her life. I totally can't wait to read the next book
September 24, 2020
What a fantastic start of series. I thought this was going to be cheesy but it was a really good Academy read. Thee characters were relatable and I really enjoyed the world the author has created for this series. I had a hard time putting the book down and just when I thought the story was going to have a predicatable outcome the author threw in some amazing twists and suspense. I look forward to book 2 and more by this author
February 11, 2020
This was a really great start for a series. The story is really interesting and draws you in. It’s very well written and hard to put down. I enjoy the chat as well. I can’t wait to read the next book. I recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 31, 2020
This book was so good! Granted the underlying story of a 17-year-old girl not knowing what she is and what powers she possess has been done before. However, the author really made it interesting to read how she comes into her powers in the different types of powers that manifest over time. I look forward to reading book two. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very hard to put down.
February 9, 2020
Wow! This is a first book for me by Pixie! And well she's has defiantly earned a place on my authors to watch for! This is different and well written! I live the story and can not wait for the next book!🥰🤩😍
February 18, 2020
This was a different approach to the academy genre. I love all the intrigue ! The storyline grabs you and doesn't let go.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 8, 2020
Actually not a bad book. I don't like YA's but this was engaging and relatable. Very good debut novel.
February 10, 2020
I’ve read lots of academy books but this one was different. Aliens. It was exciting and fun and I was captivated throughout. Fabulous characters.
February 16, 2020
academy book no.2 for me this year... also read in one sitting - books are really short these days... anyways I enjoyed this ... waiting for the next one ...
June 23, 2021
Amazing story
Love it
Can't wait for the next one.
The story line is amazing the next one will probably be even better.
Love it
Can't wait for the next one.
The story line is amazing the next one will probably be even better.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews