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What is the name for the sci fi genre or trope for when modern day characters encounter science fiction elements? (such as meeting aliens)

This is my favorite kind of sci fi story and I'd like to know what to call it when I'm looking for books.

If anyone has suggestions for books like this too I'd want to read them.

Ooh, this is tough one.

I found a really useful list breaking down ton of sub genres, and exactly what you describe doesn't seem to be there.

https://www.scifiideas.com/posts/a-guide-to-science-fiction-subgenres/
(Unless the aliens are invading or being hidden by the government...)

A name for a genre just for surviving and colonizing new worlds doesn't seem to exist either, and that's one of my favorites. What you're asking about though is that I usually think of as "first contact" stories, if I'm understanding it right.

I'm sure others will have book recommendations, but I'll just suggest watching a classic 70s movie called Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

A lot of these kinds of stories tend to fall under the umbrella of "hard science fiction", but they don't mean exactly the same thing

Yo, I know a story that fits your desire, but it's not a book.
If you are interested "Uninhabited Planet" is an animated story (anime) about a bunch of kids from a futuristic society that go on a school trip. Then a space or gravity storm hits and they find themselves on an uninhabited planet (by humans). Though it takes a while, they eventually meet a blue, humanoid alien child. It's sort of sci fi, sort of not. But if you have time, and you're bored, I recommend checking it out. It has 52 episodes, and you can read it (if you watch it with subtitles) or listen to it (dubbed).
Hopefully this helps!

I thought this name sounded so generic and un-Japanese, but then I looked it up and realized it's actually called "Uninhabited Planet Survive!" and everything makes more sense now.

Looks kind of cutesy and Pokemon-ish but the premise sounds interesting.

Oops! I made a mistake. It really is "Uninhabited Planet Survive!". Nice catching on to that!

Also, trust me, this story is 100 times better than Pokemon.