Monday, January 16, 2012

Review: Hunting Lila

Book: Hunting Lila
Author: Sarah Alderson
Release Date: August 4, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Pages: 320
Source: The Book Depository
Stars: 5/5
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. Or thereabouts.

After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and 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. 

Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets 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...

(summary taken from Goodreads)
MY THOUGHTS:

**AN ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE!!** 

Every once in a while you read a book that swipes you off your feet and takes you on an action-packed, perfectly romantic, and totally heart-pounding ride that you never want to get off of that's exactly what Hunting Lila was like! I loved everything about it! 

From the very first page, Sarah Alderson sucks you into a super-cool world with various types of psychics like Lila. The way she describes things makes you feel like you're actually a part of the book, which makes all the cool things even cooler and all the intense things exponentially more intense.  

Lila is one of those characters I know everyone will adore as much I do. She's stubborn, witty, fun, vulnerable yet still totally kick-butt when she needs to be! And her childhood romance with Alex who nearly tops my Boys I Wish Were Real list! is the best kind of romance out there: sweet, realistic, swoon-worthy, and 100% free of insta-love! It was perfection! 

Well-crafted, fast-paced, and engaging to the core, Hunting Lila is a book that I'll recommend to everyone I know! It will suck you in until the last page is turned and leave you craving for more. The sequel, Losing Lila, can't come fast enough! 

BUY or BORROW?: Definitely and completely and absolutely a book worth every penny! Buy it for sure, and you'll want to read it over and over again like me! :) 

-Mimi

25 comments:

  1. OMG MIMI! Why are you so awesome????? I wanted to read this book because I have a major crush on the cover -- blue dress and red shoes make for an awesome Dorothy-ish feel that I love! -- but your review blew my mind! FOR SERIOUS. Considering the competition I've seen in the past, any boy that nearly tops your book boyfriends list is someone I MUST meet!!!

    Fantastic review, Mimi-Doll! <33333333 LOL I noticed you included a link to it on The Book Depository -- very subtle! ;D

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  2. I think this is a sign from the fates...Hunting Lila has been hanging out on my TBR list, but yours is the second ecstatic review I've read in the last week...now I *really* need to read this book! :)

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  3. Oh God! I love childhood romances!! Oh Alex yeah! sniff!! I need this book as well as Fated! I have only heard totally awesome stuff about this author and her books! holy cow!

    Like always my dear Mimi, WONDERFUL REVIEW!! =) you have such a way with words ^_^ muah!!!

    Dazzling Reads

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  4. Haha. Yes Alex is D-R-E-A-M-Y!! I'm so happy you liked this it was a great book. You should also read her book Fated if you haven't yet! Lovely review Mimi!

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  5. AHHH, I bought this a while ago but still haven't read it. After reading your review, I must read it ASAP!

    Thanks for the fabulous review, Mimi! :-)

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  6. Damn you. You're totally making me want to reread this all over again!! I freaking LOVED this book! Everything you wrote is spot on. Lila was such a brilliant protagonist and oh, how I adored that relationship with Alex <333 Love your review! I think we need to plan a mission of attack against Sarah or S&S Headquarters to get our hands on Losing Lila early......

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  7. Woohoo! Welcome to the fangal club of Hunting Lila! I absolutely LOVED this book and like what Brodie said . . . damn you. Now I feel like re-reading the whole book again. All I can say is I <3 Alex. Great review.

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  8. WOW-what an amazing review! I had skipped over this book originally as I didn't know much about it but now I'm intrigued. I especially like the sound of that romance :)

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  9. Well, you had me at "an absolute favorite" since we are almost always on the same page, but then you had to go and mention the lack of insta-love and that means that I need to buy this book immediately! I'm such a fan of a swoon-worthy relationship where there's no absurd pining and instant soulmate nonsense, so I think I'm going to enjoy spending time with Alex:) Outstanding review Mimi!

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  10. I'm not gonna lie, based on the way you've described her, Lila sounds like she could be my twin! The only thing I'm missing is my own childhood sweetheart! Where is my Alex? LOL

    Yeah, I've had this on one my wishlist, but you just knocked it over to my cart. I'm now super excited to read it. Thanks, Mimi!

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  11. I've got this one on my TBR pile but I've been saving it for when I get sick of reading review books or am just plain bored. I haven't seen a bad review for this one so you've made me happy that I got my hands on a copy of it. Lila sounds like a great MC and I love that the romance is swoon-worthy and not insta-love. I want psychic abilities too!

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  12. This book sounds absolutely fantastic and I love the enthusiasm in your review. That's when you know a book is great, when you can feel the excitement of the reader when they are describing it. This sound like my kind of book and Lila sounds like mu kind of heroine. I'll definitely have add this one to the to buy list. Thanks for the awesome review.

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  13. I felt exactly the same way! *sighs* Deliciously shallow, I called it. Awesome review. :) Following.

    Maja @ The Nocturnal Library

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  14. It's a book I really want to read too, I'm glad you enjoyed it, now I'm even more curious about it. So glad the world is amazing and Lila is a great character. Awesome review

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  15. Oh my goodness, Mimi! Your review makes me want to jump into my copy of this book straight away! I am definitely more excited to read Hunting Lila now and I can't WAIT to meet this dreamy Alex everyone is talking about! ;P Awesome review as always. I'm glad you liked it. :)

    Sam @ Realm of Ficton

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  16. I've been so curious about this book, and you've pretty much convinced me that I need to check it out. It sounds amazing!

    Fabulous review, Mimi!

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  17. You know, for some reason, I had some idea that this book was going to be about ghosts so I kept well away. Thank goodness for this review. Love the sound of it.

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  18. Wow, sounds impressive! And I love the cover! Great review!

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  19. okay, I'm sold! I read another rave review recently so I'll definitely have to read this one! Thanks for the great review!

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  20. OMGOMGOMGOMG! MIMI! I JUST finished Fated. It was AMAZING. Brodie (^^^ up there) has told me this one's AMAZING, and after reading your review? Yeah. Now I'm dying to read it. I'm seriously seriously gonna go out and buy this one now.

    I LOVE the sound of Lila. And how you've kind of described the phsychic experience--or maybe just the Lila experience--how it intensifies everything? SQUEE!
    FABULOUS review. Thank you <3

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  21. Okay, so this is definitely going on my wishlist! If I'm being honest, I haven't seen this around a lot and that's why I was reluctant to read it before but your review has definitely persuaded me! It sounds amazing and I love that there's no insta-love :) Amazing review!

    Kim @ The Paper Planes

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  22. I WANT!!! **Sobs** Why must I be a poor college student? Lol.

    So glad you enjoyed this one. Brodie's had me hyped up about it for weeks now, and I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY HANDS ON A COPY!!!

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  23. I was getting swept in your review and then DING DING, I read 100% free of insta-love! Your review is so enthusiastic and I loved reading it so much. Now, I really want to read this book. An absolute favourite is a lot to live up to, haha. I always find new books through you because of your joy, thank you!!

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  24. I really want to read this one! When I wrote my TBR post it was recommended a million times. Your enthusiasm makes me want to start it TOMORROW :)

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  25. Great review Mimi! You described exactly right! I loved this book :) <3 <3 And I love Alex!! :P <3

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It's really nice to meet you!