Review~Hunting Lila~Sarah Alderson



4.5 out of 5 stars


Title: Hunting Lila
Author: Sarah Alderson
Published: August 2011

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. After a mugging exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. In a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

Opening line:~ Only when the tip of the knife started to shave against the white of his eye like a scapel about to pierce a boil, did I realise I was the one holding it.

Closing line:~ And I believed him.

Favourite quote:~ I felt his other hand sear hot against my cheek. He bent his head, and in a voice that Jack couldn't hear, said, 'When you came down the stairs and fell into me, that was the moment.' Then his lips pressed against mine.

I loved it with a capital L! Hunting Lila came at the right time for me. It was something a little different and I couldn't stop reading but when I had to stop because of work I found myself thinking of the story and the characters and what would happen next!

After her mother's murder Lila is taken by her father to live in London leaving her brother to live with his best friend, Alex, in the states. While away from her brother and Alex, Lila discovers she has a talent ~ psychokinesis. After her secret is out in the open Lila flies to be with her brother and his best friend but they are not exactly normal 22 year olds. Working for Unit they are trained US Marines, and when the enemies learn that Lila is the sister of Jack she finds herself on the run yet again but this time with the help of swoon-worthy Alex.

Yes ladies, we have our leading man in Alex. Lila has been in love with him for as long as she can remember and I love that about her and this story. Her feelings for him have grown over the years she has know him, he didn't just appear out of nowhere and they didn't fall in love on the spot. There's is a relationship that has grown over time, moving to more than just friendship. I want an Alex!! I also had a bit of a soft spot of Jack. I loved all the characters in Alderson's story. Even the supporting characters felt developed enough to make me want to care for them.

I like that Alderson wasn't afraid to really make this story YA. Yes at times we are reminded that Lila is younger then Alex and her brother but I really feel with the age of the men and their military background this story is perfect for the upper end of YA. It is an action packed read with a love story that has developed over the years.

The twists and turns in this story were more than enough to keep me reading, and what an ending!! I can't wait to read book 2 not only to find out what happens next but I need another Alex fix!

4.5 out of 5 stars because Alderson has written an action-packed story that has just about the right amount of everything with engaging characters and a love story that is truly believable.