Hunting Lila: Volume 1 Paperback – 4 Aug. 2011

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.Can I rate this book a 10? I loved this book, honestly, I loved it. This is one of them books that seriously takes you by surprise and blows you away. I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant when I first heard about it but after seeing so many awesome reviews, I knew this was a book I wanted to try. And yep, if you can't already tell I was definitely not disappointed.Hunting Lila is Sarah Alderson's debut novel and let me tell you, it doesn't feel like a debt novel. Sarah's style of writing is easy to follow, exciting and very interesting. She knows how to deliver great characters, she knows how to deliver an explosive storyline and build up the suspense, and of course, she knows how to deliver a romance that will leave you breathless. All of these things make this book, one of the best books I've read this year.Our main character Lila is a great protagonist. We first see her in London, being mugged by teenage boys and unfournately because of her situation she is about to use her gifts to stop the boys, but she soon stops when she realises she could actually hurt them. This then leads her to jumping on a plane to visit her brother and his best friend Alex. Lila keeps her gifts a secret from both Jack and Alex but most of all she's been keeping another secret.....she's been in love with Alex for years. While trying to keep her secrets safe, Lila can't help but start questioning what her brother and Alex are really up too. And when she finally gets her answers, she sure is unsure of who she can trust.Lila is a lovable character, one that you feel very connected with throughout this book. He love for Alex is undeniable and helps her get through the hard days. It's safe to say Alex is her rock throughout this book, even in times of doubt he's still the first person she will turn too. Now, Alex is....well....let's just say, he sure is going to be a hit with the female readers. I adored him! He first comes across of as the big brother type, very protected of Lila and that's how he tries to keep things between them. But again that undeniable attraction between them is unavoidable and that then leads to a loving and tender relationship between the character, and it's one that will make your heart melt. Yep, I totally fell for Alex! I love him.The story has a very strong plot that leaves readers questioning what's real and what's not. There are unexpected twists and turns that jump out at you and leave you dying to know more. There are scenes that will make you heart break but then there's scenes that will have you jumping for joy but most of all, the ending. The ending will leave you dying to know more because Sarah Alderson throws in a huge twist, that I honestly didn't see coming. I was left a little speechless.Overall, Hunting Lila is an awesome book and the fact that I actually devoured this book within 24 hours because of how good it was, I now urge you guys to......GO AND BUY THIS BOOK!! It's not one you want to miss out on and I can't wait for August 2012, when I can get my hands on book 2.

This has been in my bookshelf for quite some time, and it shouldn't have! The blurb made it interesting enough to buy but apparently not interesting enough to read immediately, which is a shame. This books blew my expectations big time!I love how Lila's abilities is a part of her and not this big weird thing that's somehow talked about in a different sense than she is. It's as natural as breathing, for her and for me. She has superpowers, so what? Completely normal. She's an all around very lovable character, she has her strengths and her flaws. She stubborn to the point where it puts her in danger but she's strong enough to handle it. Also, she's in love with her brother's best friend, which could either be the best thing that's ever happened to her or it could end in complete devastation.Let me just say, I sooo get why she love him. He has everything you could ever want in a guy except one thing. Flaws. I wouldn't want a completely perfect boyfriend, wouldn't that make me feel inferior in every way? Anyhow, while reading, I can completely overlook that. I mean, he's gorgeous. And awesome. See my point? I totally get why she loves him.This book has an intriguing plot, a little bit of love, a whole lot of action and superawesome humans, what's not to love?As a completely irrelevant side note, can I just say that that both the cover and Sarah are gorgeous? No? Oh, okay. Did it anyway.

Hunting Lila (Lila 1) By Sarah AldersonPublished by Simon and Shuster5 out of 5 starsformat: kindle (also available in paperback)Lila is a normal 17 year old girl and as all 17 year old girls do, she's got a crush. A crush that is without a doubt THE most important thing in her life. Lila's crushing on her big brothers best friend, Adam. But of course - she'll never tell. But the rest of Lila's life is anything BUT normal. Her mother was murdered and her father whisked her away to the UK, away from everything she knew, her brother, ADAM, her home, her memories. But through all of it, she's kept more than one secret, not only does she love Adam, but she's got some rather nifty telepathic powers going on (Telekenisis to be precise).All this secret keeping is going well until she is mugged one day and her powers take over, terrified she runs back to the only thing she knows - her brother (and Adam), in the US. Lila presumes her brother can make every thing ok, although she doesn't tell him about her powers (for fear he thinks she's crazy) she just knows being with him will make everything ok.Of course it'd be a short novel if that was the case, in fact all this ^^^^ happens in the first chapter or so. Its when Lila gets to her brothers that the story really begins, he's in the military (with Adam) and Lila suspects he's keeping secrets - and he is, he hunts those with psycic abilities (like Lila) and puts them in prison. He believes that those with powers are all mentally deranged and the key to finding out what happened to thier mum.So Lila has unwittingly walked into the hornets nest....can she keep her secret from her family and the boy she loves or will it tear them apart???? (don't expect me to tell you that!)I loved Lila. It was original and introduced some great characters. Suki is just AWSOME. Lila like likeable, she is scared and doesn't know where to turn, but can be tough when needs be. But she's also 17, and she's written as a 17 year old, her heart takes over, she gets hurt, she jumps to the wrong conclusions and she has temper tantrums. Too many teen leads are written older than they are. Lila is just right!The relationships in the book are complex and the reader is left guessing as to how each individual is going to react, they don't know who is right or wrong. On one hand they are being presented with `all those with powers are evil' and its a compelling case, and on the other is Lila - the least evil person you'll ever read.Its a great book, it moves fast and keeps the cast moving too - a real good fun read.

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson is the story of Lila, a seventeen year old girl who has a secret... or two. The most important to her is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since she was five years old. The other isn't as big a deal, just this little telekinetic power she's discovered she has.After almost being mugged in South London, Lila runs away to California to spend some time with her brother Jack, and, of course, that means spending time with Alex, too. But soon she's questioning the company Jack and Alex work for and everything she's ever believed about herself and her family. Also, there are others like her out there, people with powers, people who use those powers to hurt others. And they might just be after Lila...First, I just want to state that I wanted to read this book so badly that I had it shipped from England just so I could get my hands on it before it was released in North America.And I must say, I am not in the least disappointed that I did.Hunting Lila was a wonderful story full of twists and turns, some of which I saw coming, some that I didn't. Lila was an adorable character. Her personality wasn't weak or overwhelming in anyway (as a lot of heroines are prone to be). She was a displaced teenage girl who just wanted to feel... wanted.Being carted off to England by her father when she was twelve was discombobulating. I mean, come on! She was forced to move to another country after the death of her mother without the company of her brother (who chose to stay in America) and her father (who travels a good amount of the time). I would feel lost and alone, too. All Lila wanted was a home, with her family (and, if miracles happened, Alex).I can understand that.Lila's relationship with Alex was cute. She adored him throughout the book, seeing him as the best of the best. She compared him to all other guys. She was infatuated, but not in an annoying way. It was funny, actually, and sweet. I found myself wanting Alex to see Lila the same way she saw him. I wanted him to like her the way she liked him.And my favorite part of Hunting Lila, the powers. From Lila's telekinetics to the bad guy's powers, I loved them. Mind reading, mind control, projecting, so many useful talents and Alderson used them all to forward her story. And, between the mind readers and projectors, there were more than enough jokes and gossip going around to keep me entertained during the lulls in the action.If I had to take points off for something it would be that the characters, the ones who were supposed to be American, were clearly written with an English accent. Twenty-two year old American guys don't say words like lovely and proper. But it's a small thing really. And I enjoyed the story so much I was more than willing to overlook it.I recommend Hunting Lila to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance or science fiction. It kept me reading until late in the night (during a hurricane too!) and every time I put it down I couldn't wait to pick it back up because there were few parts that were boring. I can't wait until the sequel, Losing Lila, and am definitely going to check out Alderson's next book Fated, which releases January 5th 2012 (UK).

absolut lesenswert! Ich konnte das Buch nicht mehr aus der Hand legen und fand es super spannend. De Geschichte und die Figuren haben mich sofort in ihren Bann gezogen und auch die Lovestory zwischen Lila und Alex fand ich klasse!

I have been trying to get my hands on Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson since it's release date so was quite excited to finally be able to order it.Lila Loveday is 17 years-old and moved to London with her often absent and distant father after her mother was murdered a number of years prior. Lila has two big secrets, the most important being she has the ability to move items with her mind, the other is she has had a major crush on her brothers best friend Alex since she was a young girl.When an incident happens which causes Lila to use her telekinesis, out of fear she packs her bags and sets off to California to visit Jack.Jack and Alex are marines working for `The Unit', there are a number of secrets they hide from Lila, including their ongoing search for their mother's killer, a Psy named Demos. They are both protective and fierce when it comes to her safety but leaves her curious about the reasoning behind it.When Demos kidnaps Lila, what they have been led to believe comes undone with his revelations. There are a number of plot twists and turns that really keeps you guessing, it is action packed and filled with conspiracies which are exposed along the way.I loved the main characters, Lila has a strong voice, she is determined, inquisitive, quirky and at times reckless and stubborn but she truly cares for those around her. I enjoyed reading her inner turmoil when it came to Alex. Alex is sweet, endearing and of course gorgeous, I enjoyed the slow-build up to their relationship and look forward to seeing how it progresses.I am quite curious about some of the secondary characters and am intrigued to learn more about them in upcoming installments, each of the Pys abilities were fascinating and well developed - I especially enjoyed Suki's mind reading power, definitely something I wouldn't mind.Hunting Lila doesn't read like a debut novel, Ms Alderson's writing style is engaging and entertaining. It is a fast paced, compelling read that held me captivated.We are left with a cliffhanger so I am really looking forward to reading the sequel, Losing Lila which has an August 2012 release date. I am just thankful I will have another book to read by this wonderful author prior to then with the release of Fated which has a January 2012 release date.

Just scraped in to a 3 star rating.‘Hunting Lila’ is a fun adventure with a group of individuals possessing psy(chic) abilities pitted against a military group – and Lila is caught in-between. Certainly a great premise, and a very enjoyable novel, but it fell a little flat for me.It’s hard to place why it felt unremarkable – quite possibly it was a little too busy – with so much going on in plot and sub-plot, where character development became secondary.There was also an element of instalove between Lila and Alex – I found that kind of infuriating. But he was a nice piece of eye candy to read about.The story had an air of the superficial as well – everyone was gorgeous, everyone was a hero – whether they had special abilities or military training and gadgets, a lot of the ordinary and the relatable just wasn’t there.Plus, half of the cast intrinsic to the story line were introduced in the second act.Now that the yucky stuff is done and dusted, let me share what I appreciated about ‘Hunting Lila:’I loved the different types of psychic abilities – telepaths, astral projectors, a psychokenosist, telekinetics, sifters, all reminding me of the graphic novel (and subsequent film adaptation) ‘Push.’ This had a very strong X-Men Origins vibe.Lila, our protagonist is very relatable in the beginning and I felt all of her choices during the actions scenes made complete sense. It was the decisions pertaining to her love interest that had my hackles up. Lila is cute, spunky, somewhat naive and has the potential to be a great character and force of nature. She does tend to flounder a bit and I’m excited to see where Sarah Alderson takes Lila in this trilogy.Jack, Lila’s brother added a fun dynamic into the romance between her and Alex, as well to the bait-and-switch scenario.But I think ultimately, the military aspect felt unrealistic, as did the change of heart Lila comes to – I hungered for more angst and tribulation for her predicament.The twist at the end was a great surprise among a sea of predictability. This would fall more into my ‘guilty pleasure’ category, and something I’m on the fence about recommending to others. While I enjoyed ‘Hunting Lila,’ and there is certainly a lot to revel in, it didn’t have that spark.I have a hunch what is going to happen in the second book for this series, and I will pick it up as I am still interested to see where this story will go. Let’s hope that it is even better than ‘Hunting Lila’ and redeems the author in my eyes. Bring on ‘Losing Lila!’

This was such a fun, glued-to-the-pages, suspenseful, swoony read!Lila has special powers that no one knows of. She can move things with her mind. She is mugged one day, uses her powers to defend herself, and almost lets things go too far. In a panic, she packs a bag, gets on a plane and leaves London, where she lives with her Dad, to run to her brother, Jack in California. Well, truthfully she runs to Alex, her brother's best friend and Jack. Lila has been in love with Alex since she was five years old, when she broke her leg and Alex bundled her up in his jacket, and brought her back home. Alex has always been there for her when any tragedy struck, holding her hand. The last tragedy Alex was there for her was five years earlier, when Lila's mother was murdered. Lila's father packed her up from the States, and took her back to England, immediately after the funeral. Jack stayed back, and along with Alex, dropped out of school and joined the military. Jack and Alex work in a super secret, special ops branch of the military. Upon arriving, Lila realizes Alex and Jack are very worried about her protection, and they make sure she's guarded at all times. More than that though, when Lila sees Alex again for the first time in five years; she realizes that she is hopelessly, head-over-heels in love. This girl has it bad! Let me tell you Lila is swooning over Alex like you can't believe for most of the book, and I was too, right there with her. Here's a quote to drool over (I guess this is a little spoilery, so look away if you don't want to know):He finished tying the knot and looked me in the face and I felt my gaze fall from his eyes to his lips and back again. "Why are you giving it back to me?" I asked. He pressed his thumb to my bottom lip and I heard an intake of air. That was me, I thought, before my head started to spin. Then he bent his head and kissed me. Just lightly, for a short few seconds before drawing away again.*Faints*This story hooks you in the first page. There is action, adventure, and a lot of plot twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. I love superhero stories. I've always thought it would be so cool to have Buffy, super-girl strength but when you think of it, what good would that do me? Am I going to go around beating people up? Lila's superhero power is infinitely more useful. This book left me with quite a few questions. While we're not left on a violence inducing cliffhanger (thank goodness!), I'm already dying for the next book: Losing Lila.