I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Aliens are the one species totally banned by me. I can't read about them. I just can't. I really have no idea why I decided to read I am Number Four, since it is about aliens. Well, it was not bad! 4 out of 5 stars.

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
4 out of 5 stars
Published in 2010
Summary from Goodreads: There were nine. Three are dead. I Am Number Four.

Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth... protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies, the Mogadorian, are hunting him down.

The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts—his legacies home; Planet Lorien—stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.

But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it’s only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there’s no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five...

His name is John Smith. (Seriously!) Sorry to say, but he is kind of boring. While he does a variety of crazily scary things involving putting fire on himself, I still felt as if he was boring. He just does not have that spark that most characters have. He wants to fit in and be normal and all, but he just does not realize how incredibly annoyed that makes the reader. No offense intended!
That was what I also felt for Sarah. Like John, she is a little boring. Sure she's pretty, but I could not tell why John liked her. He just did.

The only character I actually liked was Henri. He is that father presence throughout the novel, that constant flame burning with love, that character that makes you smile. He is just incredibly caring and loving, unbelievably kind and loyal to John. I liked how he respects John no matter what and always wants the best for him.

This plot is more action-driven than character-driven. Honestly, that kind of works! If it were character-driven, I would die of boredom. However, since it was action-driven, I got to read about these action scenes involving swords and burning things and a lot of other exciting things! Translation: there was a lot of fighting.
The whole alien aspect is pretty impressive. John came from the planet Lorien, but that's only the beginning of the story...
Since I cannot give anything away, I'll just say that it is definitely not what you expect. The whole story is actually pretty complex. I was definitely impressed by how it all unfurled!

I liked the setting. Paradise, Ohio is just your average small town, but I felt as if the town was alive! I could not believe how complex the relations were within the town. Everything is described wonderfully; I felt as if I could draw out the whole town. Not only that, but I did not feel bogged down by descriptions. There is a perfect balance, and it definitely shows.

All in all, while there are slightly boring characters, I am Number Four is still a great read!