Book Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Title: Hunting Lila

Author: Sarah Alderson
Series: Lila, #1
Pages: 318
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Date of Publication: 5th August 2011
Source: Gifted
Synopsis from Goodreads:
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…

My Thoughts:
Ever since I got this a year ago, I've picked it up and read the first 10 or so pages, and then picked up something else and read that instead. I don't know why, but before I actually read it, I read the first chapter or so about four times. It's not that I thought it was bad- I most definitely didn't- but I just always had something else that I wanted to read more. And now, having read it, I wonder why I ever wanted to read something else more than I wanted to read this. It was, quite simply, incredible.

I really loved the characters in this book. Lila was awesome - she was normal, chatty, and while (very!) lovestruck she made me laugh, so I didn't mind. Alex was, well... I love him! Despite his romance with Lila seeming to me as rather unrealistic, seeing as he was her big brother's best friend, and there was a five year age gap, and they hadn't seen each other in years... But still, I could look over that because they were adorable together and I loved him and I wanted them to get together so badly... GAH it was just so cute! And I've gone all mushy. *composes self*

Having never really been that interested in thrillers, this was different to everything I've read before. The plot never stopped moving, and it definitely kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. It did get confusing at times though- I had to stop and just think everything I'd read a couple of times, just so I could be sure what was going on, and who was good and who was bad. There was nothing majorly confusing though, I just sometimes wasn't paying as much attention to the book as I probably should have been... (My four year old cousin kept asking to play with me, but I didn't want to leave the book!)

I loved the whole concept of the book. I loved that there were certain people out there who had powers, and I really liked that they all had different ones. There were the obvious powers, like telekinesis and telepathy, but then there were others that I wouldn't have thought of at first like aura readers who can detect lies, sifters who could change memories, and then people who could, almost in spirit, leave their bodies and watch over people. It was interesting to find out about new characters and discover their abilities, and learn about how they were running from the Unit, and trying to work out why. There were twists and turns and people turning out to be good and not bad, or bad and not good, and everything just flowed together perfectly.

Ending on a huge cliffhanger (but don't worry, the second book's already out!), this book is kind of evil. It's fast-paced and exciting, and then it leaves you hanging, needing the next book. I was an idiot, and took this on holiday with me but left my copy of Losing Lila at home, so I had to wait to read it... I don't recommend that- definitely pick this up with the sequel close by! I'd recommend to readers looking for something exciting and interesting, but quick and easy to read. Sarah Alderson is a fantastic author and I can't wait to read everything else she writes!