Hunting Lila Review

Hunting Lila

Sarah Alderson

Publisher: Simon Pulse

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...

Lila has the ability to move things with her mind. After a mugging in South London, she borrows her Dad’s credit card and runs to California to see her brother, Josh and his best friend Alex who she has hardly seen much since their Mum died five years ago. There Lila is intrigued by her brother’s job and secrecy surrounding it, but her main concern is when realises she is still in love with Alex, her brother’s best friend.

I was really looking forward to reading this book – so many bloggers adore the series and have been really excited over the release of the second book in the series. I think I had very high expectations, but in the end I didn’t really enjoy this book. The writing is good – it’s clear, fast-paced and easy to fall into – Sarah Alderson has written a book I think most teens would adore. Alex, the love the interest is thoughtful, kind, smouldering and a great character. I also enjoyed the overall plot and brisk pace – there is no padding at all, just story. So I like the writing, the pace, the ploy and the romantic hero… with all that to love, why didn't I enjoy this book…? One word answer – Lila. I couldn't stand her. This is a problem when the book is told in first person from her point of view! She seemed very brattish to me – and completely ‘in love’ with Alex despite hardly seeing since she was 12! There was no rediscovering of her feeling for Alex – she had always been in love with him. Now I admit I am a complete cynic when it comes to romance – I need my characters to connect and be realistic with each other – and their feelings. From my point of view there is no way a girl can be ‘in love’ with a guy at age twelve. Girlhood crush – yes, and it will even leave you with a soft spot when you’re older but love – nah.

On top of this there is the age gap between them – Alex is 21 while Lila is just 17. A lot of times this would be a problem but Lila acts a lot younger. She becomes irrationally jealous of any woman Alex talks too or mentions and has a tendency to run off in tears. Lila will also believe anything she is told – a strange guy in the girls loos tells you your brother is looking for people with powers like you to capture them and you believe him straight away…? And then to go home in tears…? Come on! I want someone who asks questions and demand proof! Sorry if this sounds a little ranty but Lila really annoyed me! I want a heroine who will stand up for herself and not just accept what she is told. I want her to take action rather than run away all the time. I think what annoyed me was that there was so much to love about the story and other characters, but Lila herself was just a wimp with a cool power.

Sadly I do feel like I want to know what happened to Alex and Josh next so I hope Lila has grown up a little by the time I read the next book – or that I have calmed down a bit!

Recommended for fans of Lauren Oliver and Katie McGarry. 7 out of 10 for the plot & writing…3 out of 10 for Lila! (The 3 is for her cool powers and that Alex obviously sees something in her!)