Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Review: Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson (Lila #2)

Losing Lila (Lila, #2)
THE INFO:
Pages: 346
Genre: Young- Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Release Date: August 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
RRP: $16.99

Second book in the 'Lila' series.
Sent to me by the publisher.

THE DESCRIPTION:
Alex and Lila are on the run, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of the Unit, which somehow is managing to track their every move. Whilst Alex is determined to keep Lila safe and her ability secret at any cost, Lila’s only thought is of finding a way back to California so that she can rescue her brother and mother from the military base where they’re being held.

Struggling to control both her growing power and her deepening feelings for Alex, Lila decides the time has finally come to stop running and start fighting. Together with Alex, Demos, and the people she’s come to think of as family, Lila plans not just to save her brother and mother, but to completely destroy the Unit and everything it stands for. But the plan requires Lila to return alone to California, make friends with the enemy, and to risk losing everything - Alex, her family, and even her life.


MY REVIEW:
While there were a few faults with 'Hunting Lila' it's no secret that I liked it. I was really excited to read 'Losing Lila' ever since I finished 'Hunting Lila' and am pleased to say that I liked it- More than I anticipated- And, that I can't wait to read book three! Please, Please tell me there will be a book three!

One thing that I didn't like about 'Hunting Lila' was Lila's daftness. She was a nice character and I wanted the best for her, but I couldn't help feeling annoyed every time she did or said something stupid. And, the whole "Why does he love me?" thing got on my nerves a little bit. I really appreciated Lila's growth in 'Losing Lila'. All of a sudden Lila is that bit smarter, a bit more clued up and she's spending a lot more energy on being with Alex, rather than doubting his affection. It seems realistic that Lila could mature this way. She's gone on the run with Alex, her brother has been imprisoned and her lonely dad thinks she's on a camping trip. I think it's quite plausible that this extra stress Lila's been feeling has caused her to smarten up a bit. And, I like it...

Sometimes while reading I felt like I was thinking in unison with Lila. I don't know if this happened to anyone else, but she would think of a theory of why something was happening and I'd think the same thing. I don't know if this was on purpose, but it was definitely a great way for the author to get us on her character's side.

I also really appreciated how emotionally mature the characters were. When Lila stuffs things up (which doesn't happen too often because she thinks before she speaks) she tries to fix things. She doesn't go and sulk in the corner like so many other heroines have. Alex is also quite mature and heroic. He doesn't pull out the "I'm leaving to protect you" card like so many guy characters have in sequels (and like I was expecting him to). He stays with Lila and protects her by being by her side.

I thought Alex was very charming in 'Losing Lila' and I liked that he wanted to (or rather wanted Lila to) "wait". I thought it was cool to read about a mortal character of a young age in modern times that thought this way, because a lot of fantasy novels I read seem to explain the fact that the guy wants to wait by also mentioning that he is way older than he actually looks.  I wondered if he was just acting this way because he was Lila's brother's best-friend and not because he was so "honourable". I then read the short story included at the end and learned that Alex's honourable-ness was there before he even set his sights on Lila. If there is another book in this series, I think I'd like to learn more about Alex. Is he trying to convince Lila to wait because she's young? or is it because of some deeper, more profound reason such as his upbringing or religion?

The humour in this book was very very welcoming. It was the humour that pulled me right back into the story that I had partly forgotten and made me remember again. I liked that a lot of the jokes were insider jokes (that I couldn't share with someone who hadn't already read the books) because that just made me feel so knowledgeable, like I was in on something other people weren't in on. Or something like that... I also totally loved the awkwardness on Alex and Jack's behalf. It reminded me a bit of the tension between Dimitri and Rose's mum in 'Vampire Acadamy'.

I loved the growth and expansion in this story! I thought it was great that I got to spend more time with some of the psy characters and learn about their personalities and little quirks. I especially loved reading more about Suki, because she's so different and refreshing. The additions to the storyline were great too.

I still think the idea behind this series is a very original one. I really like the scheming and action that takes place in these books, because it makes me feel like I'm watching a Bourne movie; It's just so... enthralling... I also really like the amount of surprise in 'Losing Lila'. I like that I can be reading a paragraph, thinking that I know what is happening and to have something unexpected pop up and change that. It definitely makes the story seem more believable.

There is still a bit of good vs evil stuff going on in 'Losing Lila'. Who is telling the truth? What does being good entail?

Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really really enjoyed it and am loving the consistency of Alderson's writing! If you like movies or TV shows with people who have super powers I think you'll definitely enjoy this series. Plus there's a short story at the end from Alex's perspective.


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