Losing Lila

Lila #2

by Sarah Alderson

Alex and Lila are on the run, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of the Unit, which is somehow tracking their every move. While 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 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 others she's come to think of as family, Lila plans not only to save her brother and mum, but also to completely destroy the Unit and everything it stands for. But the plan requires Lila to return to California alone, andto make friends with the enemy - and in doing so, she risks losing everything: Alex, her family… even her life.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery, Paranormal Romance

346 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2012

About the author

Having spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where they lived for five years.

She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.

A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.

The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.

Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.

She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.

You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com

Reviews

[Sarah Alderson]

If you need an Alex & Lila fix be sure to download the free x-rated Alex & Lila story from my website and check out my new adult novel Come Back to Me which is just 99p at the moment on Amazon.

Grab a total bargain

I'm thinking that this is quite scary. There's so much Lila love right now...no pressure or anything to deliver a killer sequel then...

Once I have the official synopsis I will add it to Goodreads straightaway. But let's just say that the sequel involves plenty more action (someone just read it and said it was like Bourne with a kickass teenage girl as the lead), plenty more of Alex (with fewer clothes on) and a fair few more twists to keep you guessing to the end.

Hopefully it will keep everyone happy and entertained. And this time there's no cliffhanger.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

One can always count on Sarah Alderson to amuse, entertain and accelerate heartbeats. Losing Lila is no different.
In my review of Hunting Lila, I described Alderson’s debut as deliciously shallow, and it was. In comparison, its successor is far more layered and emotionally demanding. There is plenty of action, yes, but we also get to peek underneath and see dilemmas and insecurities, especially Alex’s. Alderson really allowed her characters to fly free, even when they refused to fly in the right direction.

Lila and Alex are on the run, desperate to hide from the Unit and rejoin their friends. People important to them are being held and tortured by Alex’s former employers and they must find a way to rescue them. While they’re running, Lila discovers that her telekinetic power isn’t nearly as limited as it originally seemed. She can move people and even control elements to a degree. She is also steadier, more self-assured and entirely focused on her goals. (Oh, don’t worry, one of those goals IS getting Alex naked at first opportunity.) She‘s come far from the lighthearted girl with a desperate crush we were introduced to at the beginning of Hunting Lila, and maybe, just maybe, this new and improved version has a chance of bringing down her enemies – with a little help from her friends, of course.

Let’s talk about Alex for a bit, shall we? You all know you want to! Finally the man shows some flaws, and I’ll admit it, there were times when I just wanted to smack him upside the head, but a part of me is glad that we finally saw different sides of him too. Before, all those swoon-worthy moments disguised his imperfections and now they surfaced under pressure. It made Alex more real and accessible, not so much a fairy tale prince, but still an exceptional young man. Who is also hot. Did I mention he’s hot? Here’s some brain candy for you guys:

His breath was getting faster, his hands running up my spine, tangling in my hair while my fingers were grasping at his T-shirt even as my mind was one step ahead and lifting it up so I could run my hands over the hard planes of his stomach.

Once again, Alderson’s strength lies in her secondary characters. They are the source of both humor and heartbreak and they are not just cardboard cutouts designed to further complicate the plot. It is clear that she cared about them and really invested a lot of energy into every one of them. I think I’ll miss Suki, Demos and Nate much more than I’ll miss Lila, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some sort of spin-off in the near future.

This is supposed to be the last book, but there is room for more if Alderson ever decides to go back to the series. She did say she might write about these characters again at some point, and oh, boy, I really hope she will. But even if she doesn’t, I’m sure her next project will be just as entertaining.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library

[Jasprit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing Lila was a book I’d immediately added to my wish list once I’d devoured Hunting Lila earlier this year. Sarah Alderson had made me go through so much with the first book, and then she left me flabbergasted with two big sucker punches at the end! Alderson sure knows how to toy with your emotions, with teasers for Losing Lila posted on her twitter, a promise of a pov from Alex at the end of Losing Lila and the novella Catching Suki kept me hanging on for more. I honestly couldn’t wait for its release; I’d pre-ordered my copy long ago and nervously counted down the days. But I was super lucky to get my hands on an arc thanks to the lovely Sam over at Realm of Fiction. I literally jumped up for joy when my copy arrived, all my current reads could wait as nothing would be getting in the way of me and Alex Losing Lila.

Losing Lila kicks off with Alex and Lila on the run from the unit. Now finally understanding what the unit is up to, Lila couldn’t get away fast enough. But after what happened and the bombshell Demos dropped Lila has no choice but to go back, but with security obviously upped after what happened, it’s going to be tough to convince the unit to welcome them back with open arms. But Lila and Alex need to come up with some plan as they need to go back.

Alderson sure knows how to suck you back into a book, I was super excited for it from the beginning, but so many things are thrown your way from the get go; my heart was pumping frantically, I had an immediate adrenaline rush (this may have largely due to the fact that I was back with the gorgeous Alex). Alex and Lila were in such a tough situation, I was surprised that Lila hadn’t already crumbled with everything going on around her. But Alex was the strong support she needed, he always had faith in her and her ability and provided the re-assurance that they would find a way out (with or without Demos).

I had so much fun being back in this world again, I think that these are the best bunch of characters I’ve ever come across. Ever since Hunting Lila I had been dying to get to know Demos’s group more and we certainly got the chance to. I didn’t think it was possible but I loved them even more after this instalment. I adored Suki ever since we got to know her that little bit more in Catching Suki, but I again looked forward to her quirky, zany personality, her quick witty comebacks with the others and her and Nates constant fangirling over Alex. Demos; this big hunk of a man, still remains a big enigma to me, but I adored his character so much and on several occasions my heart went out to him I wish he could have got the happy ending he so deserved after everything he had been put through and after everything he sacrificed.

Alex; this guy deserves his own paragraph, in Hunting Lila he quickly became one of my favourite literary crushes and in Losing Lila he easily proved why. Some of his scenes were so swoony and gut wrenchingly achy. This guy so knows how to wear his heart on his sleeve, and I think that’s what made me love him even more, he wasn’t afraid to reveal his feelings for Lila or defend her honour *sigh*.

Losing Lila provided a powerful follow up to the unforgettable Hunting Lila. It was fast paced and again constantly had us in two minds as we never knew who we could fully trust, and who would stab us in the back. Overall Losing Lila was an action packed engrossing read full with non-stop tantalising moments. It will definitely be joining Hunting Lila on my favourites shelf.

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.

Post-reading thoughts;

I absolutely loved being back with these amazing characters and I just loved everything about this book! And the bonus at the end? I didn't think it was possible but I love Alex even more! :D

This review and more can be found on The Readers Den

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It isn't just your fight, it's our fight. It's not just about revenge...it's about stopping them. I would fight this battle even if it wasn't about your mum. Or about you."

Sarah Alderson has done it yet again, and created another completely remarkable book. Losing Lila is full of pure-awesomeness, unputdownable and one of my favourite reads this year!

After the shocking events in Hunting Lila, Alex and Lila are on the run from the Unit, but it’s not long before the unit is hot on their trails. Alex goes to desperate lengths to keep Lila safe, which leads them to the most dangerous parts of Mexico and joining Demos’s team to take down the Unit. But Lila’s main focus is on her family. She will do anything to keep them safe – even if that means revealing her gifts in front of her enemies – then so be it. But, can Lila do the impossible and defeat her enemy once and for all or will they all become the Unit’s test subjects?

Losing Lila was just as great as its predecessor – if not even better. It's such a page turn that is full of adrenaline packed scenes, exciting and dangerous moments, with fantastic characters. What else could you need from a book? Losing Lila is everything you want from a book and more. But - honestly, I’m not ready to give up this up. I’ve fallen in love with everything about this series, that I cannot help be enthralled by Sarah’s remarkable talent to be able to create such a fascinating story, that I just want more.

I completely adore Lila as a YA heroine. I think she is a great role model and she has so many likable qualities. She really grows as a character during this story, because she finally takes charge of her life and doesn’t just sit back and let everyone protect her. She puts herself in the firing line and actually endangers herself. Her relationships with her family are very special to her, especially the bond she has with her brother and Alex which are very touching to read about. Alex and Lila's relationship is very special and loving that you can't help love these two together.
Now Alex, sigh! I'm lost for words with him! He's such a swoon-worthy character and he's so damn hot, that Lila is really one lucky girl. I literally have to keep reminding myself that "HE'S NOT REAL". Everyone needs a guy like him, he's everything you want from a male lead and I absolutely adore him.
Not only that but the secondary characters are second to none. I found myself really enjoying scenes with Suki and Key because they bring so much humour to the story and also I liked that we got to see Lila's Dad more too.

Overall, Losing Lila is an unforgettable and phenomenal read, and once you read Sarah Alderson's work, you will continue to want more. I cannot wait to read this series over and over again in the near future and I'll keep praying for more books about Lila and Alex. A must read!

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book and also for the opportunity to meet Sarah too!

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I'm just going to be super lazy for my review, and give you my answers to our Vanilla Queens Dream Reads post on The Readers Den. It really just cuts to the chase and gives you what you want to know anyways.

Favorite character and why:
Lila is my favorite, I think because I felt closest to her as the story is told in her POV. She made such strides in character in this story. She was so determined to rescue her family and bring down the bad guys with little concern for her own safety.

Most hated character and why:
Rachel, Richard Stirling’s (the owner of Stirling Enterprises) daughter and all around evil you-know-what (rhymes with witch!). She has full knowledge of what’s being done to the “psygens” and has no remorse whatsoever. Plus, she tried to make moves on Alex in Losing Lila! No one gets between Lila and Alex! There’s another character I hated at the end, but I can’t say who, as it would spoil things.

Scene that made us the angriest:

The scene where Lila meets Richard for the first time, I don’t know how Lila kept control.

Favorite or most swoony/steamy scene:
I’ll let the quote speak for itself. *sigh*: Alex sat up too and took my hands in his. “Lila, I promise you I’ll never leave you again, ever. I promise you that I’ll keep you safe and that we’ll find Jack and your mum, and I promise that even if Jack does kick my ass, which one day I hope he will, I will still never leave you.”

Scene that made us saddest:
The scene where Lila misread something with Alex, all I have to say is, thank goodness for Suki and her mind reading skills! I also just felt generally bad for Amber and when Jack put the blanket around her shoulders while he was comforting her, my heart was touched.

Scene that made us most happy:
It’s so hard to pick, because there were so many! I don’t want to spoil things either, so that makes it hard to share. I was happy when Lila reached down inside and realized she wasn’t afraid anymore and she knew she could kick the Unit’s ass. Yes, let’s hear it for an empowered female!

Most liked secondary character:
Probably Suki because she’s just so sassy, and how can you not love a girl that could give Imelda Marcos competition in shoe collection?!

General Thoughts and Final Rating:
My rating: a solid 4 stars. Losing Lila was a perfect follow-up to Hunting Lila. It was action packed fun from the first pages, we got to see a matured Lila using her awesome powers, so cool, by the way. And if that wasn’t enough, I was swooning over hot guys, Alex and Jack! Sarah Alderson really likes to write scenes with shirtless HOT men, count me in! Added bonus: not an angsty teen in sight, just pure adrenaline-boosting fun! I really hope we get to see another story, maybe centering on Jack next?

Would you recommend this book?:
Absolutely! A must read for Lila fans or anyone looking for pure unadulterated fun. And no matter what Jasprit says, she does not have dibs on Alex! We already settled on shared custody!

If you want to read Jasprit's answers and thoughts just click here.

[Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 2012

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a copy of this to read and review!

Find my complete review here: http://rachybee-the-rest-is-still-unw...

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson is a thrilling sequel that’s never lacking in action, danger and heart tingling romance!

My goodness do I love Sarah Alderson! Quickly becoming on of my favourite authors, there’s yet to be one of her books that I haven’t adored and Losing Lila is no exception. Written superbly, Losing Lila is heart pounding from the very first chapter. Continuing on with the storyline from the first book, Alderson once more expands on her world with shocking secrets and unexpected revelations.

I must admit I didn’t love this one as much as the first book, Hunting Lila but as far as sequel’s go this was a solid follow up. It didn’t read like a “filler” sequel either as so many seem to be nowadays, rather it has its own interesting storyline and purpose in the overall series that drove the book.

All the characters we loved from the first book are back together again to continue their fight against the Unit and the shady Sterling Enterprises once again. Though I won’t say what it is they join up again to do for fear of giving away spoilers, I will admit that Lila and her family are front and centre, with many revelations coming to light that I simply didn’t expect.

I thoroughly enjoy Anderson’s storytelling. Losing Lila was such a thrilling read. There’s never a dull moment in this book with so much going on and so much excitement happening. The action is heavy and the relationships between the characters form the perfect balance between non-stop action and high stakes danger with romance and emotion.

As with the first novel, Lila is still a wonderful heroine to read about; one who’s learning more about herself and who she is in Losing Lila. It was really lovely to see Lila really begin to accept herself in this book as well as embrace what she can do. As her abilities grow and she begins embrace her part in Demos little group, Lila is becoming a stronger person. Obviously past events have had an impact, but the woman she’s growing into is one I certainly love.

Alex is still his usual sexy self, stealing any scenes he’s in and winning my heart more and more. It was interesting seeing the tables turn for Alex a bit in Losing Lila and see him doubt himself. As someone always so sure and capable, it was nice seeing Alex appear vulnerable; even if he was questioning whether Lila needed him or not.

While the romance between Lila and Alex isn’t as intense this time around, nor is it as front and centre, the connection and spark between them continues to heat up the pages with their chemistry still blazing full force. One of the things that makes their relationship so strong for me is how rooted in the past it is. Having known each other since they were children, they’ve shared so many moments together and as Alex and Lila look back at these a couple of times during the book, you can’t deny the closeness between them that has always been there---I love that!

Exciting from beginning til end, I really didn’t want Losing Lilato finish. As I raced through it, unable to put it down, it became clear that Sarah Alderson had penned another winner here and I personally wait for more from this series! This is one you won’t want to miss!

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

THAT'S IT??

The sequel to Hunting Lila was a little disappointing. Not in any adventure, action or on-the-edge-of-your-seat senses, but more on the why did it end so abruptly sense. It started out with a bang, very exciting and I couldn't put it down. Everything was great, the action, betrayal and secrecy. Things were revealed and I was guessing at points as to what would happen. Bad guys became good and vice versa. Really good stuff.

Breaking into a billion dollar facility and wiping out another billion dollar defense empire is not an easy thing to do, but it gets done, with little to no glitches. A little unbelievable right? Right, but this is YA and YA tends to gloss over details and specifics. Explanations you demand are not given and you're honestly expected to go with the flow.
There were many instances I was like, " yeah, right!" But there you go, things are simplified and made to fit into a pre-determined box. So really, I shouldn't rant because I know this! Anyways, on with the review. I loved how Lila came into herself and discovered the full gamut of her powers--very, very cool. We're talking X-Men cool, and I love that kind of stuff! So the story although at times highly unrealistic, was extremely entertaining.

And of course we can't forget Alex. He was pivotal in helping the group accomplish what they needed. He was a great guy, but almost not guy-ish enough? He was way too honorable for my tastes, refusing to 'take advantage' of Lila and not sleep with her. PLLEEAASSEE!! Again I know this is YA, so no sex or any of the good stuff, but come on!! The guy is 23! She's turning 18 soon, and they love each other and want to spend eternity with another!! It drove me crazy! I was honestly expecting a closed sex scene or something at least, although it was very subtly implied that they would towards the end, but STILL!!

I thought Jack and Amber may have hit it off, I was getting that subtle vibe again, but it was never explored, made me sad. The ending was very abrupt. I felt cheated out of many things I can't mention or I'll spoil the book, but let me say, HUGE plot threads were ignored. Oh, yes, we were given a quick closure line but it was completely insignificant. It did nothing to answer questions or at least tie off the story well. For that reason alone I had to round down to 3 stars, even though I thought this book was better than the first one which I rounded up to 4 stars.
Anyways, we're given a short story from Alex's pov after the book ends, and while it was supposed to be good and thirst quenching for those Alex lovers out there, it was a little disappointing as well. I expected more on his 'moment' with Lila but ended up getting a condensed version of what I already knew about the unit. Despite all that I really liked this series, even if I wanted a little more clean steam and more attention to detail, but there you have it.

[Eunice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who wouldn't love a book when the author goes straight and throw you right away with an action-pack and heart pounding opening? Sarah Alderson sure knows how to capture her audience. Right from the start she had me already really excited and thrilled and I'm very happy to say that she was able to keep it throughout the course of the story. Losing Lila is fantastic sequel with amazing plot, kick-ass characters, thrilling scenes and shocking twists. I absolutely enjoyed it.

Lila. I seriously adore this girl even if she could be really so stubborn sometimes. She's impulsive and quite reckless yet I love how she's so willing to take risks for her loved ones and be brave and strong with it. Alex. I understand the insecurities he showed here especially after being the only human in their group who isn't a psy. But Alderson still made his character so purposeful. He became the brain of the group. He was the one who thought of strategies and planned their actions. And clearly, he played an essential part in the group.

Alex and Lila's relationship is, of course, one of my favorite parts in this book. It was sweet, touching and absolutely swoon-worthy. They had fights and misunderstandings but I love how it grew and developed.

The secondary characters are so great. I love how almost all of them made an impression to me especially Nate and Suki! The tandem of this two is just so entertaining and fun. Key too felt like a very warm person, someone who is so easy to talk to and confide with. Also, I think I developed quite a crush on Jack. Haha! And wait, did you notice how thoughtful he'd been to Amber during the last parts? Ooh, I can totally see the two of them together if there would be a third book! :D

And one more thing! Sarah Alderson never fails to impress me with her ability of writing awesome action-packed scenes. I can so vividly imagine it and it was kick-ass. The stunts were amazing and I love how she describe them with such vigor and energy

This is such a outstanding and fantastic book from an excellent and talented author. She'd proven it in Hunting Lila and with Losing Lila she'd given us a lot more reasons why we have to look forward to more of her books. A third book of Lila will absolutely make me really really happy! And I want a lot of Jack, please. Haha! I recommend this. :D

This review is also posted at Book Overdose

[Ferdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - spoilers

Alex and Lila are on the run from the Unit. With Lila's brother and mum in the hands of the Unit, Alex and Lila must work with Demos and the other psy to form a plan to rescue them without falling back into their clutches.

-Nothing much happened in the first 60% of the book, Lila just plodded along with Alex, Demos and co coming up with silly plans to break out Lila's mum and brother from the Unit. It was quite slow and boring, there was a little more action towards the end and Lila wasn't completely incompetent in the big showdown but it didn't make up for the rest of the book. Overall it was all fairly predictable.

-Lila was pretty useless for the first half of the book - she relied far too much on Alex saving her and looking after her. Lila's inner monolgue was grating - it was Alex this and Alex that and oh he's so gorgeous and oh he's making my heart race and my nether regions tingle. Honestly most of the time she had no coherent thoughts - why would I want to read about how 'hawt' Alex is over and over and over again? I don't, once is more than enough.
Their romance for most of the book was one sided - Alex rarely showed what Lila meant to him and that just made Lila seem like a silly little Alex fangirl.
I was a baffled as to why Lila kept referring to her mother as mum instead of mom when she was American - sure she lived in London for a few years but her mother wasn't even in London with her. So when would Lila have gotten a chance to call her mother mum instead of mom? All the other American characters kept saying mum instead of mom - it was odd. I didn't think Americans said mum.

-I seriously think I'm going to puke the next time I read a YA book where the virgin heroine wants to have sex and the older, sexually experienced hero turns her down because he doesn't think the heroine's ready - ugh. Apparantly in YA land a female can't possibly know when she's ready for sex, only a guy can tell them when they are - it's such utter rubbish.
I HATE reading those cheesy, sexist scenes when the heroine is all: lets have sex and the hero's like: no baby, you're not ready, then the heroine's all: don't you want me and the hero's all: you have no idea how much I want you but we can't because you're not ready - ugh, it's not romantic, it's ridiculous. It's a lazy, cheap way of trying to show that the randy hero truly wuvs and respects the heroine when he manages to say no to having sex with her because the heroine means more than just sexytimes to him - ugh, it makes me sick.

-I'm also sick of YA heroines looking in the mirror after going through some hardship or other and realising that they've aged and look older or that their eyes look harder or that they look haunted - give me a break.

-It was so obvious that Demos was Jack's dad - I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Jack's reaction. I'm more interested in Demos and Lila's mum relationship than Alex and Lila's - it sounds more entertaining.

-The side characters - Suki, Nate, Amber and Key are better characters than Lila, who only seems to angst about Alex or her powers or her family. I'd prefer to read from Suki's POV than Lila's - she has more attitude and fire in her.

I enjoyed Hunting Lila but this one fell short of my expectations. It wasn't as gripping, mainly because of Lila's dull voice and the weak plot. I'm still interested in the series and I'm hoping the next book will have a stronger storyline and a more interesting Lila.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret that I was a massive fan of Hunting Lila (that's a quote from my review on the front cover of Losing Lila after all!) so I had high expectations when I picked up this book. I wasn't worried though and Sarah Alderson not only met them she surpassed them - everything I loved about the first book is multiplied in the sequel. Losing Lila is an action packed read full of adventure, a heroine with kick ass psychic abilities and a sexy hero who puts the steam into steamy. Oh boy is the romance to die for!

After the shock ending of Hunting Lila I couldn't wait to see how things played out in this book. Lila and Alex are on the run from Alex's old unit, their former enemies are now their only allies and they're having trouble staying one step ahead of the military. Lila is terrified for Jack and has no idea what happened to him after his capture, she also knows that her mother is being held prisoner and she is determined to find a way of rescuing them both. But it isn't going to be easy to break into a military base and even if they get inside there is no guarantee that they will make it back out again. Even with the psychic abilities of Demos and his crew there is no way of knowing if Jack and her mother are still alive - unless Lila is prepared to risk discovery by going undercover.

Lila has really come into her own in this book, she proves just how much she is prepared to risk for her family and is brave enough to put her own life in jeopardy to rescue them. She has come a long way towards accepting her abilities and is working hard at learning how to use them to their full potential. Lila is willing to fight for what she wants - her family reunited and a life for herself with Alex. She has come to rely on her new friends which is good because she is going to need their help.

Alex is as gorgeous as ever and their connection just sizzles off the pages - it is completely obvious that they are meant to be together. I just can't get enough of Alex and Lila - they really are a swoon worthy couple! I love the fact that although Alex is super protective of Lila and will do anything to keep her safe he also accepts that she has the right to be involved in the attempt to rescue her family. In fact, she is better equipped to deal with certain situations than he is. It goes against all of his instincts to let her face danger without him by her side but he trusts her to do what needs to be done.

Anyone who enjoyed Hunting Lila will LOVE Losing Lila. The story has a satisfying ending and could be left without a further sequel but I'm really hoping that we haven't seen the last of these characters. There are so many directions that the author could take the series in and if I find out she is writing more I will be first in the queue to buy the next instalment. Whatever she comes up with next Sarah Alderson is on my "must buy immediately" list of authors and while I wait for her next release I'll be singing praises for this series from the rooftops.

[Roobie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3 stars⭐

"We completely need him [Alex]. Who else comes up with the plans?"

"Demos?" Nate answered, looking confused.

Suki frowned at him. "Yes, but he isn't hot, Nate. We've talked about this."

[Giselle]

It has a cover! :D

[Marga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Losing Lila offered what Hunting Lila lacked. This fast-paced sequel is definitely not experiencing the second-book-syndrome or whatever is it called. :3 The characters became more admirable, the fights somehow more intense and believable.

The plot:

What to expect?

Seriously cute scenes. Hilarious and lovely characters. Predictable betrayal. Shocking twists and revelations. Action-packed adventure.

The characters:

Lila. She became slightly less annoying to me but still... Gaaaah Lila. Worry about your virginity after you get out of trouble! I find her clumsiness rather funny though. Okay.. she is amusing. Her tricks, her lies to get off trouble!

"I'm madly in love with Alex and while you've been sleeping he kidnapped me and took me to Mexico and we went skinny-dipping. And let me tell you- it was A. LOT. OF. FUN. I'm sure you want to kick his ass, but oh, what a shame, you're in coma."

Alex. Eeeeep. Do you know the feeling when you read a book and there's this guy who doesn't even try but still managed to make you all gushy gushy? Well, that is Alex right there. And he was very honorable. *wink*

Jack. I liked this overprotective brother thing going on. It's too adorable. But probably I won't be that glad if I'm in Lila's place. And the secrets about him... woah.

"Jack looks like he’s about to go all Incredible Hulk and burst out of his clothes before rampaging through the bar. He jumps off the stool. ‘If any boy ever lays a finger on my sister, I’m going to kill him,’ he says.

Again I stare at him in silence, thinking of all the girls Jack has laid fingers and much more of his anatomy on besides. Poor Lila. If she ever wants to have a shot at a normal life, as in one that doesn’t require a vow of celibacy, she needs to stay in London.”

Suki. You go girl! I really liked her quirky and fun personality. She and Nate are quite a force when they're together. Haha.

The ending:

Uhhh. What is that? Is there another book after this? It feels kind of open-ended to me. So that is why I'm giving this 4 stars.

Anyway, this was definitely entertaining. Certainly better than the first one but still not without flaws. Recommended with reservations.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review soon.

[Mada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking and amazing. I just loved it. I need more Alex, Lila and Jack.
Sarah Alderson is a genius. Hope there will be at least one more book in the series. I'm so obsessed.

[Jena]

AUGUST 2nd of NEXT yr?!?!?!? *dies* this will not do. I need this MUCH SOONER.

[ALPHAreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Contains spoilers of first book ‘Hunting Lila’ ***

They took her mother.

They shot her brother.

Now they want Lila

But she’s not going down without a fight.

‘Losing Lila’ is the second book in Sarah Alderson’s X-Men meets Heroes ‘Lila’ YA urban fantasy series.

Last year I found a new favourite book in ‘Hunting Lila’ – a book that packed a punch and introduced readers to Lila, who can move objects with her mind.

After a near-miss with her powers in London, Lila fled to sunny California and her brother, Jack, not to mention her brother’s best friend (and Lila’s childhood crush) Alex. Jack left home shortly after their mother was murdered, and joined The Unit – a government organization Lila wasn’t entirely cluey about … until she became their target.

The Unit hunts down those with supernatural abilities, and performs experiments of them – whether for a cure or military gains, no one is sure. But after being kidnapped by a supernatural group, led by Demos, Lila’s eyes were opened to the Unit’s evil ways. And as if she needed even more convincing, Demos confessed to being her deceased mother’s ex-boyfriend, and knowing that she was still alive and being held in a Unit containment facility, being used as a human supernatural specimen.

A show-down with Jack and Alex’s ex Unit Squad led to her brother being shot, Demos’s group scattering and Lila going on the run with Alex.

Alderson picks up the action of ‘Losing’ where ‘Hunting’ left off. Alex and Lila are holed up in Mexico, high on the adrenaline of evading the Unit, and their newfound love for one another. But in the back of her mind Lila knows that an end of days is fast approaching, when she and Alex will have to reconvene with Demos and her other supernatural ‘supe’ friends to save Jack and her mother, and, if they can, put an end to the Unit for good.

If I’m perfectly honest, I didn’t know if Sarah Alderson could re-capture the high-octane thrill-ride antics that made ‘Hunting Lila’ so spectacular. That book had everything – from a sweet, unfolding romance between Lila and Alex, to a kidnapping plot and revelation after jaw-dropping revelation … I ended that book with sweaty palms and racing heart. I didn’t know if ‘Losing Lila’ would have the same effect … but it did. Oh boy, did it ever!

Alderson hits the ground running. Literally from chapter one onwards we, as readers, are right there with Alex and Lila as they race against the clock to save Jack and hunt for Lila’s kidnapped mother. An itchy feeling of eyes on you pervades the page, as Alex and Lila use every tactic in his Unit-trained arsenal to evade capture and plot a plan to save those closest to both of them.

In this second novel, Demos’s supes team get a little more time in the spotlight to bounce off Lila. I especially enjoyed the telepathic Suki – a bubbly straight-talker who enjoys getting a sneaky glimpse into Lila and Alex’s romantic life, for her own amusement. I also felt like Demos became a very intriguing character in this second novel – we are given a little glimpse into his old relationship with Lila and Jack’s mother, and a hint at how he may still feel about her. I loved it – all the angst and a few revelations about him had me really sitting up and paying attention to Demos, and had me kinda hoping for a prequel (or an adult spin-off series?).

Alderson also really delves into Lila and Alex’s new relationship in this second book. It felt like the hurdle for them in ‘Hunting’ was just admitting their feelings for one another – but in ‘Losing’ they have so many roadblocks placed before them . . . circumstances aside, Lila is contending with Alex’s old Unit-ingrained feelings about supernaturals and his worry over Jack’s reaction to him dating his sister. These two are so great together, but I especially liked that Alderson didn’t make things easy for them, that even with their inherent chemistry they still had friction between them for other reasons.

I adored Alex in this book, because Alderson really illustrates how hard it is for him to leave behind his Unit-training (and his squad) and choose his new-found romance with Lila over everything else he has ever been taught about supes;

‘Have you even considered the consequences?’
‘Oh please, don’t get all righteous on me. Wars will happen regardless. Man has always found a way to inflict harm. This way we get to at least choose the winning side. We get to make the world safer, Alex.’ Her eyes were burning brightly, lit by some kind of scary evangelical fervour.
‘Safer according to who?’ Alex snapped back. ‘According to whichever madman pays you the most?’
Rachel considered him for a moment. ‘Hmmmm. You know your problem, Alex?’ she said after a while. ‘You always get bogged down by morality. You could do with losing a few scruples. You’d sleep easier.’

By the end of the book Alderson had elicited that same heart-pumping, sweaty-handed reaction from me as she did in ‘Hunting Lila’, with a do-or-die finale that had me holding the book in a death-grip. The only thing I will say is I hope, hope, hope the ‘Lila’ series isn’t over. It could go either way with that heart-palpitating finale – but I think there’s still a lot to be explored in this world, and future books don’t even have to focus solely on Lila (I really am crossing my fingers for a Demos prequel or spin-off!). I think it could even work if Lila’s brother, Jack, became the star of a new book! I just loved Alderson’s ‘Lila’ universe so much, I’m not ready to leave it just yet; ‘Losing Lila’ was just fanning the flames for me - I think this series could burn on for much, much longer!

[Brodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret I love Sarah Alderson and her crazy addictive novels, so my expectations were high for Losing Lila... but apparently not high enough, because this book blew me away far more than I was anticipating! Sarah did not waste any time in delivering adrenaline-pumping chase scenes, run-ins with crime lords and SKINNY DIPPING all within the first 50 pages. Given what happened at the end of Hunting Lila, Alex and Lila are on the run from The Unit. They get involved in some crazy shit. They then meet up with Demos and the team again and get involved in more crazy shit. And so the cycle goes on until you're about to burst from the epicness of it all. Secondary characters like Jack, Suki, Nate and Key shine just as brightly as Lila and Alex. We get to explore their personalities on a far deeper level, I can't explain how much I grew to love them or how often the likes of Suki and Nate had me giggling!

Despite how much I clearly loved this book, there was one major element that I hated and she goes by the name of Lila Loveday. I adored her in Hunting Lila, we shared a similar goal of wishing to attain the gorgeous boy she loved since childhood. But now that she has him, she goads the reader with her ability to admire Wakeman's naked body, glistening with water under the oh-so-flattering-to-his-marine-issued-abs moonlight; or else feeling his hot and steamy breath in her ear. THEN she has the nerve to recount these memories in her mind, thus taunting poor, mind-invading Suki with what Suki can't have. What. A. B*tch. WORST CHARACTER EVER. ZAP HER WITH A PSY GUN! BZZZZ. *zaps her with a psy gun*

*cough*

Well, alright, maybe that's just my insane jealousy talking. Apart from that small non-issue, I loved Lila so much more this time around. I swear, every single character has been 90% amplified with pure, undiluted AWESOMENESS. Lila really blossoms into one damn badass heroine. She's growing into her abilities and testing her limits with surprising results. She's just as stubborn and independent as ever, and making risky, but admirable sacrifices for the ones she loves. I understood her every decision, her every emotion and not once did she disappoint me. Put simply, this girl ROCKS.

I was aware of every rippled curve in Alex Wakeman's beautiful chest before cracking open this stunning sequel, but clearly this marine is a master at deceit, because either I was hopped up on hormones while reading or Lieutenant Wakeman got a HELL OF A LOT SEXIER. As the ever intelligent (but not the author, they're just so equally awesome they share a name) Sarah pointed out to me while reading, it's likely because he's a more willing participant in the relationship compared to the first book. Which means Alex is doing just as much of the tongue waggling as Lila. Even amongst the non-stop action, there is enough steam rising from the pages to alert your local fire department five blocks away. But unlike your standard air-polluting house fire, this is one steam-fest you're begging to inhale more of.

What I especially loved about Losing Lila is that there is never a lull in the story, it's go go go from beginning to end. There is always a plan in motion or sneaky twist lurking around the corner to constantly keep you wide-eyed and alert. I said it about Hunting Lila, but it bears repeating: this will make an AMAZING movie. The tightly woven plot doesn't even need to be re-written for script, everything leaps off the page in HD visuals, just grab a camera and press shoot. Sarah so effortlessly draws you into Lila's shoes, so you're experiencing every bump, blast and sensual touch along with her.

Losing Lila is EVERYTHING I hope for in a novel: toe-curling romance, high-octane action scenes, shocking twists and laugh-out-loud humour. This is, without question, Sarah Alderson's best work yet. I hope she returns to these characters one day in the future, because I am so not ready to part ways with them. If you've yet to read Hunting Lila, I HIGHLY urge you to run to your nearest bookstore and grab a copy of the sequel. And if you have read it already, regardless of whether you liked it or not, bump Losing Lila to the top of your wishlist because you're in for a delightful surprise.

[Keertana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

I think this is going to come off as really strange, but I was so skeptical about reading Losing Lila. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to – because I did – it was simply that I was wary of what I would find within its pages. I wasn’t exactly a fan of Lila, or her whirlwind romance with Alex, in the previous novel and I was dreading another bout of this underdeveloped love story, but I needn’t have worried. I liked this story much better than Hunting Lila and fans of the previous novel – and even non-fans – will really enjoy this sequel.

I’ll cut straight to the chase – I couldn’t stand Lila. Even from the first page of the novel, I felt like smacking her. I had written this in my review of Hunting Lila and after some thinking, I think the best way to write this review is to compare it to its predecessor and prove just how much better it is. While I didn’t like Lila at all in the previous novel and felt as if she was silly and completely obsessed with Alex, she really surprised me in this story. Lila is still Lila – she still retains her humor and her die-hard lusting after Alex, but she is also incredibly mature this time. I really loved the way Alderson showed us how much the past events affected Lila, making her a character who was more focused on saving her family than her romance. In fact, I thought the romance only added to the story and improved Lila’s character which was a nice change. Plus, Lila becomes seriously kick-ass in this one, which I adored!

I’m a sucker for best friend romances, but the one between Lila and Alex felt artificial at best. Guess who fell hard for this love story? Yup, me! I didn’t think I would actually like Lila and Alex together, but somehow I really enjoyed seeing them together in this one. Not only were their moments incredible sweet and cute, they also had a deeper sense of protection and loyalty to them which totally convinced me that these two, for all their lusting after one another, cared for each other very deeply as well. In fact, my only qualm with the romance in this novel is that Lila and Alex fight over something really silly. I’m glad that their argument only strengthened their relationship, but I still thought it was very silly, hence the reason this book isn’t getting a higher rating. Still, it was a much better done romance than the one in Hunting Lila.

While it is evident that they aren’t very close, although Jack loves and cares for her [Lila] dearly, I thought that Lila brushed aside her brother for Alex more than was strictly necessary or normal. THIS! This was one of the biggest issues I had with Hunting Lila since I have a brother myself and was simply mad at Lila for forgetting about her brother so much, but I loved her interaction with her brother in this novel. Not only does she really put family ahead of herself or her romance, her relationship with her brother really gets much stronger in this too which I am so happy about. It was hands down one of the best parts of this whole story.

So, as you can see, Losing Lila was faaar better than Hunting Lila ever was. It had a strong, kick-ass heroine who had her priorities straight, a caring romance, fast-paced action, and Alderson still managed to throw in some really unexpected plot twists which I loved. Plus, I enjoyed being part of this world with Suki, Nate, Key, Demos, and the “gang” really once again. I thought their personalities were fleshed out much deeper in this one too and while I’m hoping for a small novella about them in the future, I’m pleased that we got to spend so much more time with them in this installment. Overall, Losing Lila is an incredible sequel – one that is far better than I ever expected – and I’d highly recommend it to those who have read Hunting Lila. While many follow-ups and sequels wind up being immense disappointments, this one most certainly is not!(:

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.

[Valeria · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars



I was going to start by saying 'I really wanted to love this book' but that's a pointless statement to make, nobody wants to waste time reading a book they don't like so I'm going to start by saying this book was a massive disappointment. I loved Hunting Lila, it became one of my favourite books ever so I was really looking forward to this. Maybe my expectations were just too high to be fulfilled but I honestly don't think that's the problem.

Alex and Lila. How is it possible for a couple to go from hotter than the flames of the Olympic torch to colder than a Russian winter in such a short space of time ? Their relationship in Losing Lila fell horribly flat. There was little, if any, development and it felt as though it would be more suited to an Elementary school playground. Lila still behaved like a little girl with a silly crush, constantly swooning, batting her eyelashes and trailing after him like a lost puppy and Alex was so indifferent for much of this novel that I started to wonder if he just did not care. They predictably had an over dramatic misunderstanding at one point. I'm not sure what that was all about or why it was even in there but Lila's immature behaviour got on my nerves. Instead of wallowing in theatrical angst whilst wondering why dear Alex is upset with her why didn't Lila just go and ask him? I didn't need to read 5 chapters of Lila putting herself down before she grew a brain cell and actually confronted Alex about the problem - which I'm still not sure even existed. And despite the fact that they're practically fully grown adults they didn't do much more than hold hands and kiss, any time it crosses that line Alex would stop it because he's , and I quote, "trying to protect (her) honour". What is that supposed to mean ? Breaking news : teenagers do have sex so I don't know why YA authors make it out to be such a forbidden, don't-even-think-about-going-there, sin. What's so honourable about virginity anyway ? The answer is nothing, so I can't think of why that whole "honour" thing would be an issue, it's more of a reinforcement to my theory that Alex doesn't care.

Plot. Destroying Unit was easy, way to easy. All it took was a flawed, sketchy plan thrown together in 10 minutes and a few people with powers and an entire army was infiltrated and brought down. Yes, it's dues ex machina to the max. Lila's mum was rescued with ease and somehow there was no casualties on either side. *Commence eyeroll*. This all happened in the last 50 pages. The rest of the book was made up of boring conversations and a lot of travelling from point A to point B. There was no new revelations - apart from one I just remembered - and virtually nothing remotely interesting happens expect maybe for Lila discovering new powers but then not using them to do anything cool. Put simply, the plot bored the shit out of me. It's so hard to read a boring book and this one was a whole new level of boring. I was annoyed that after all that time spend breaking Melissa out of Unit she doesn't even make an appearance afterwards and we never know what happened to her during the years she was presumed dead or even what Unit had discovered from her. The ending was just so rushed. Everyone goes on their merry way including Demos who despite apparently being so in love with Lila's mum didn't even stay to say hello to her. There were so many loose ends too. What happened to Richard Stirling ? Is the mafia (yes mafia !) going to come after Lila ? What are they going to do about their powers ? Is Unit officially closed now ? What happened with Sara ? All the unanswered questions make the book feel unfinished. I hate unfinished books, it always feels like I was cheated out of something.

I could go on but the only thing more boring than reading Losing Lila is writing about Losing Lila. I am so immensely disappointed that it turned out this way. I'm sure many people will love this instalment but it just wasn't for me.

[Ida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lila, Alex and his 12-pack abs (Yes, they exist. And I am so not making this up) are back!


Just when I thought this series could not get any better, comes Losing Lila. This book just went all out with the action, twists, drama and yes..steam.

I felt myself caught by the whirlwind events it generated and traped at the center of it. I really didn't see some of the twists coming. I was sucker punched several times, but I was left asking for more. And more it gave.

AND I. ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. IT.


Lila. I love this girl! She's a bit of a drama queen when we first met her in Hunting Lila, and she still is. And I'm usually annoyed with people like her, but damn, I can't make myself hate her. And here in Losing Lila, she made me love and adore her. The way she accepted and embraced her powers, the way she cares about her family, how she's willing to give up everything to save the people she cares about, and how she gives importance to her relationship with Jack and...Alex fangirl scream. She just became this stronger, more mature and kick ass heroine, without losing the Lila we have loved in the beginning. And the fact that she can still make me LOL till I get stomach cramps and all? Yeah, totally unhate-able.


Alex. OH DEAR HEAVENS ALEX.
I swear Sarah Alderson wrote him with fire(or anything remotely combustible), because he just sizzles through the pages! She absolutely didn't disappoint in feeding our Alex cravings in this book. Hello, shirtless Alex; Alex and his 12 pack abs; skinny dipping w/Alex; sweet, passionate, hurt, honorable, and every other adjective Alex with reatively fewer clothes on He just makes me swoon an embarrassing amount of times. The way he treats and protects Lila, leave me wishing steal him from her and have him all to myself, if only they are not so perfrect together! Their chemistry can set the Unit's Headquarters on FIRE!(which actually happened on the book) And their realtionship is one precious thing. I wish I can have something like it in the future. *le sigh*

I just love him. And that added bonus from Sarah(she really understands our needs!) of a short story in his POV? I just wanna grab him and runaway with him to the sunset! HAHAHA!

The secondary characters are also well-developed. A shoutout to my favorite duo, Suki and Nate! They are like our president and vice president in the WE-LOVE-SEXY-AND-SHIRTLESS-ALEX club. LOL! Just when I feel bad in some of the happenings in the book, here they go and nag Lila about Alex! And it's just a freaking blast! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!


The backstory about Demos and the gang is also good. I want Demos and Amber to get a happy ending. :(


This book is just made of awesome. No, it shoots awesome! Sarah Alderson and all those Alex-with-noless-clothes-on scenes deserves...




READ. READ. READ THIS!!!!



And for those of you(including me) that dreads that this may be the last book in the series, here's a ray of sunshine from Sarah Alderson...




A POSSIBLE BOOK 3 AND NAKED ALEX? HELLS YES PLEASE!

[~Tina~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What A Rush!!!

Ever since I read Sarah Alderson's Hunting Lila I completely fell in love with this world. So I'm thrilled to say that not only did Losing Lila not disappoint, it surpassed all my expectations. Love love loved it!!

Losing Lila starts off eight days after the events at Joshua Tree. Alex and Lila are on the run from the Unit and trying to come to grips with the guilt that they not only left Jack in their hands but that Lila's mom has been alive the entire time. With the help of Demos, Suki, Key and Nate they devise a rescue plan as well as a total take-down of the entire Unit operation. That's only if Lila can get control of her powers and Alex can find it in himself to let go of Lila...

Wow! What an amazing sequel! Sarah has done an incredible job of mixing heart pounding excitement and whirlwind suspense with one of the sweetest romances I ever had the pleasure of reading!

I've always loved reading about X-Men kind of books but Sarah really owned this concept. I loved the unpredictability of it all and I loved all the twist and turns making this even more brilliant then I could possibly imagine!

I absolutely adore every single one of these characters! I loved Demos and the entire group. I love the serge of power and what they can accomplish as a team.
Lila is such an easy character to love. She wants nothing more then to protect her family. She's strong but vulnerable. She doesn't try to prove that she's this bad-ass Psys chick, she's more then willing to ask a little help from her friends. I adored her sibling bond with her brother, Jack. They provided some really fun banter and really funny moments perfect for defusing the tension. Always did love strong family ties and it just doesn't get stronger then this.
I thought I loved Alex in the first book but that was nothing compared to him in this one! He is just so dame sweet and caring and protective. He's been looking after Lila his whole life so it's been really hard on him now that Lila is this skilled kick-ass girl who can take care of herself. Apart of him doesn't feel needed and one would think that something like this would take a huge hit on his ego, but that's not what this is about. I think he was just afraid of not being enough and fighting everything he has in himself to protect and shelter the girl he loves. But through it all, he really believes in Lila and what she can do. His support and encouragement is just another reason to love him so much. Their moments together was completely smile, sigh and swoon worthy!

Bottom line, I loved this book. It's another instant favorite and by far my favorite Alderson book. The plot explodes right off the pages, these characters are crazy awesome, the romance is snuggleable and warm and the writing will consume your imagination throughout this entire experience.

If your looking for a book that will completely entertain and melt you at the same time, look no further, this book has it all!! Can't wait to see what Sarah comes up with next!
Brilliant!

This review and more can be seen at WinterHaven Books:

[Tabatha · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT*
-Official review to come [:

_________________________________________________________


Ok.. After reading [book:Hunting Lila|10188580] in September of last year (I think it was September.. Before I had a Goodread account anyways.. ) I kind of felt like this:



Then, sadly I realized.. I was going to be waiting a looooong time, though at that point, the release date hadn't been set for Losing Lila.

When I finally found out that it was going to be released this year:



I was Overjoyed!

..And then:


I realized when in 2012 it was coming out..



*Sigh*



Over & Out, T xx

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate everything about this book but the actual idea behind the whole gifted abilities. I can't even write a review. All I can say is that Alex is so beyond vulnerable, Jack is a character that's suppose to seem overprotective, but he just seems like a control freak, and Lila is this obnoxious combination of ever BAD thing a character can posses. I have more awful things to say, but I am trying to stay away from spoiling.....

[Booknut 101 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I thought this series couldn't possibly get any better, and I have realised never to make assumptions before reading ever again. This book is the perfect combination of adventure, sci-fi, romance, ya fiction-y goodness and everything else you could possibly want in a novel.

Sarah Alderson is a genius.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhhhhhhh, why does August have to be so far away????

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

I absolutely adored Hunting Lila, the first book in the Lila series, so when Losing Lia arrived on my doorstep, I couldn't contain my excitement! More Lila and Alex! More Suki and Nate! More super exciting edge-of-your-seat action! I'm immensely happy to say Losing Lila doesn't fail to deliver!

Sarah Alderson is some kind of genius as these books seem so real! I said in my review of Hunting Lila that I was constantly put in mind of the American TV show Heroes, and that still stands. When opening Losing Lila, within a matter of pages Alex and Lila are running for their lives through the streets of Mexico City. It's the beginning of the book, there are numerous pages and chapters to go, but Alderson's skill at writing sction scenes and building tension that despite knowing there's a whole book to go, you're already scared for them, urging them to run faster. You know when you're watching a movie and during an action scene your shouting at the TV at/to warn the characters? It's the same feeling reading Losing Lila. I wasn't shouting out loud, but I was definitely thinking, "Run! Come on, come on, run! Oh my god, FASTER!" And it's like that throughout the book, whenever the guys are doing anything dangerous. You're so tense as you read, the book is actually in danger of damage while in you're hands. So tense, you're likely to be emotionally exhausted once you've finished reading. When it comes to action, Losing Lila is quite simply perfection!

Then you have the characters. Lila has grown into a strong and determined young woman. Her time with Demos and the others in Hunting Lila taught her that she's not alone, she's not a freak, and not to be afraid of who she is. The trouble she's in with the Unit, the experiments they're doing on other "psys", and the fact that they have her mum and now her brother too has her seething with a fury that gives her strength to act, and do things the girl we met at the beginning of Hunting Lila would never have even dreamt of doing. Don't get me wrong, she has her doubts and her worries, and isn't always sure what's the right way to go about things, but with everyone else by her side fighting the same battle, she'll do whatever it takes. Her telekinetic ability has grown much stronger, and she's learning more about it everyday, things that are surprising even Demos. Although she wouldn't think it, let alone say it, herself, Lila has become someone not to be messed with.

Oh my god, Alex! Oh, that boy. Can you get a more perfect fictional guy? This guy is just completely swoonworthy! And when Alex and Lila are together, god, they're just on fire! Alderson is a total tease! Whenever things between them start getting hot and heavy, Alex is all responsible and annoying! Plus, it is made clear that at some point between Hunting Lila and Losing Lila, they have had some kind of fun minus clothes! Lila doesn't even bat an eyelid when... ok, I'm going to be mean, and just give you two words. Those words are: Skinny. Dipping. Yes, you heard me! No, I'm not going to say any more! Despite all of this, I would have liked a little more Alex and Lila alone time where they're happy and not worrying about or trying to to get ready for other things. It's not all smooth sailing, and they do end up having some major issues. Oh my god, there were times when I felt like screaming, "LILA! What ARE you doing?! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!" Things get majorly rocky for them. Seriously rocky. Your heart just sinks. It's awful, so terribly sad.

The rest of the crew are back in this book, and they're just as awesome, funny and quirky as they were before! However, Lila didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked. Losing Lila's main focus is to bring down the Unit, so I guess it's understandable that there isn't a lot of hanging out going on, but I do love these characters, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of them.

There are twists! Three major twists! Twists I didn't see coming, and wooow! They were just awesome! But they leave me with questions, buts and what-ifs! However, there are no plans so far for a third book. Losing Lila is amazing, I absolutely loved it, and I want you to be aware of that and know that my next point is just a minor annoyance when measured against all the great things about the book... but it doesn't feel like the end, despite how it finishes. It feels like it's been left open for a third book. There is still things that I want to read about relating to the twists, important things! I was talking to Alderson on Twitter, and as things stand there have been no discussions or any plans for a third Lila book. As amazing as Losing Lila is, if that's the end, I'm a little disappointed. Not everything is tied up enough for me, and the ending feels a little too easy. If there was to be a third book, then I think it the ending of Losing Lila would work really, really well; everyone thinks the situation is ABC, but book 3 comes along, and actually it's XYZ. But just left as it is, it just feels too simple - I can't expand on that without spoiling things though, I'm sorry. Alderson did tell me she has ideas for a third book, but is quite busy with other things at the moment. There's some hope, at least, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for a third book.

Included in Losing Lila is a short story called The Moment which is told from Alex's point of view, and goes over the events at the beginning of Hunting Lila, when he and Jack find out Lila is coming over, the event at the bar where they meet Suki, that we read in Catching Suki, and when Alex sees Lila for the first time in three years. Oooh, it's awesome! I do love that boy! It's a short story, so it's not chapters long, things are condensed a bit, but it's a great insight into Alex's head and allows us to get to know him better. I love him even more after reading it, he is just adorable!

Losing Lila is an incredible follow up to Hunting Lila, and this is not a book to be missed! An exciting, steamy, adrenaline-pumping ride, because of it's intense action and larger than life characters, Losing Lila is a brilliant reminder of why Alderson is one of my favourite authors!

[Devyani · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no surprise that for me , Losing Lila was in every way the most anticipated book of this year along with Quintana of Charyn ,Insurgent and Pandemonium . With anticipation comes tons of expectations ! and when things touch your heart beyond expectations , it just means one thing and that is that you are in love .

I had jumped into Hunting Lila without a thought after reading some rave reviews about it and it didn't fail to blow me away . So if I say that Losing Lila way much much much MUCH better than Hunting Lila then does that mean that I'm dead ? because if the first one blew me away , what can we say about the second one ? It blew me and I'm still flying ? I lost my heart because this book is a tornado-ish beast ?

YES in every language .

i love this book .
do you hear that ?
I LOVE this book .
I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK .

While it's predecessor gave us the ever-dramatic but always lovable protagonist , Lila , this one here gave us a newer and a better version of our dearest drama queen . Lila Loveday is one female who even though makes me jealous for some distinct reasons , has the ability to never make me hate her . The growth of her character and her attitude is one of the basic things in book that makes it super . The way she embraces her powers , the love for her family , the want in her to protect them and save them and finally , her love for Alex .

Oh dear lord ...Alex..

Anywaaaay , Like I said I adore Lila ! I never understood what a protag meant when he or she said that 'my certain things sound weird but that amuses my friend' or something like , 'I slapped him and i literally looked like a hamster off to war yet behind those angry eyes there was amusement' ..Now what the protag thought or did was beyond me because whenever that 'amusement' factor was mentioned , as a reader , it was just the opposite , but here ! haha . Lila you are so amusing . If there was a LOL factor in hunting Lila , then this one here brings out the whole army of LOLs .

and that brings me to Demos and the gang . My simpsons-style group of Xmen people .
Suki . dear lord Suki . Even if there was a book written in her POV , it wouldn't be enough ! Her character is like the disco ball of the whole book ! With her comes Demos . Aww , Demos . The nice strong man made me a bit emotional in this one . Demos and Suki had been my favourites in the gang but well well , this just gets better , the characters of Nate and Key were a total surprise ! Remember Key ? the guy who beat up Alex and helped in Lila's kidnapping in HL ? That guy is like the polar opposite of the guy portrayed here ! I like feeling this connected to the book ! As i write , I realise that even though Lila and Alex were the ones in the book and even though it was them who were bearing the shock therapy of it all , by which I mean the change in the portrayal of Key's character and certain twists and turns , I was surprised too !

The course of the story is also at the right pace and was engrossing from the beginning . To be welcomed by a shirtless Alex would make anyone happy . I liked how things turned out ! buuut right after I finished , the only question I had was whether there was going to be a third book or not ? o.O
Oh god I hope that there is !

And since I can't stop myself , I'm just going to let it out..

ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX
ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX ALEX.....

How cool was his character in this one !
I never took what he felt for Lila seriously until the events witnessed by me in this book . The way he cares about her is enough to break the hearts of other girls . His intellectual genius mind is enough for anyone to go and grab his face and kiss him senseless . His strength is enough for you to feel safe and protected . That guys is like an angel in disguise .I life , everybody deserves an Alex Wakeman . A bestfriend like him . A companion like him . A boyfriend like him...*oh dear*
The moment where you see his hurt expression of knowing that Lila can take care of herself and that she doesn't need him is so heartbreaking . Boy ego . Melts a girl's heart like puddle .
And did I mention him . without .his . shirt .
If Alex is god . then a shirtless Alex is just divine ...

That man .

And am I the only one or do you think that there is a possibility of love between Jack and Amber ? o.O

I just want to blabber and blabber and BLABBER about how fantastic this book actually is ! I want to tell you about my insane squealing streak when I saw that this book had been finally delivered to me and which made people think that I was being kidnapped or something . I want to tell you how I had the dreamy and in reality obnoxious looking smile on my face . I want to tell you about how much I laughed ! I want to tell you that I don't just love this book because of Alex ..well maybe 70 % but uh yeaah ..What I mean to say is that there is more to this one here . The second book in the series ( i hope ) shows a better writing style , more elements of action in it and more badassness ! and I love badass .

This book is just fantastic ! and I have no words but all my love to express my happiness of finally getting to read this beauty here and finally being satisfied :D

Ps-Ms.Alderson , next book please :)

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com.au/...

Cover:
I love this cover even more than the first book! The girl in the cover looks just like how I imagined Lila! I love that the girl is wearing a grey jacket and pants, plus the white shirt and that pose is amazing. It looks as if the girl is running away from something and it captures the feeling of Losing Lila so well!

Story:

Lila and Alex sitting on a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N...

Whoops, please excuse me! I do not mean to sing the 'playground' song. Anyway, where was I? Oh, Losing Lila! My head is spinning because I feel drunk. Drunk of what, you wonder? I'm drunk of Sarah Alderson's writing. I can't stop reading Losing Lila. You see, I absolutely loved Hunting Lila but Losing Lila was EPIC. Even better than Hunting Lila! (I think I'm a bit too drunk to even say this...)

Sarah Alderson, please never ever put your pen down! (or laptop in this case perhaps?) I am absolutely in love with your writing, story, characters and just everything! There is nothing I disliked from this book (and no, I'm not drunk when I say this!). Sarah is back with a full-on action story of Lila and Alex! There are quite a few surprises in this book and boy, Sarah does it so well! Not to mention the romantic scenes between Alex and Lila. I swear I melted into a puddle. It's so sweet I want to hug Sarah a billion times for writing those scenes! Things are finally brought together and it's like all the pieces of puzzles are finally becoming a picture. When I started this book, I was completely sober (TRUST ME) but from the very first page, it's BAM! Action! and there you go, I've travelled all the way to California and I'm drunk by the end of the book. And dear goodness, thank you SO MUCH for not ending Losing Lila in a cliffhanger, Sarah because I'm drunk and I don't know what I'm going to do if the book ends in a cliffhanger!

Characters:
Lila and Alex, I LOVE YOU BOTH! So, Lila here is finally developing her psy powers and it's AMAZING, trust me! Lila is so stubborn sometimes but I like that about her! When she's determined to do something, she won't stop until she finally achieves it! Her relationship with Alex is so sweet and romantic. There are times when it's a bit rocky but all is well in the end. Even though they're on the run from The Units, Alex still takes Lila to a beach in Mexico City and well, obviously I'm jealous because I want to be on that beach with Alex as well! (Oh fine, Lila can come along as well) Besides my love for these two, I also adored Nate, Key, Alicia, Suki (très adorable), Demos and even Key's mama (I just want to laugh everytime I read about her).

And then there's Jack! Jack, I love how you're so protective over Lila but I think you should loosen up a bit. Lila's 17 you know and what's there not to love about Alex? He's your best friend so you should be happy that he loves Lila too! But boy am I surprised with you and I bet you're surprised as well!

PS: Rachel, stay away from Alex and Lila. Your dad's not cool and he's not going to save you. Pleased?

I guess that's enough to say that I love all the characters....right? Even the bad ones?

Overall:
So you love Hunting Lila? Then you'll love Losing Lila even more! Leave it to Sarah Alderson to create a book loaded with actions, coated with sweet romance and just the right amount of humour as a finishing touch! Thank goodness the book does not end in a cliffhanger but I want need a third book!

Thank you Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy!

[Braiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leave all expectations, thoughts, guesses, assumptions and inklings at the first page of Losing Lila. Just let this sequel to Sarah Alderson’s popular Hunting Lila lead you into the unknown, which is exciting but treacherous as you journey on through. Leave behind everything you had thought about the abilities of the characters – both the inhuman and human. Leave behind absolutely everything… except for the events that had occurred in Hunting Lila and what we had discovered. Maybe you have a good sense of direction like I do or you do not; either way, you’ll enjoy it. Just hold on tight while Lila brings down The Unit along with Demos, fellow Psys and her loverboy Alex.

Every character in this book changes in ways you do not expect. Sarah Alderson respects each character and develops them all to play a significant part in the shaping of the plot, and consequently its conclusion, be they a Psy or normal human, be they the heroes or the villains. Each character is given room to grieve, room to find strength, and the room to trust one another. Lila is given the power to exercise her own fate, as well as the other Psys; with that, Lila goes into everything head on, and no matter the danger that may present itself she still endures until she has completed what she set out to do – get her brother, rescue her mother, and most of all, bring The Unit down. There’s nothing to dislike about Lila in this sequel. There’s nothing to dislike about any of the characters in Losing Lila, besides those you are made to despise.

Losing Lila was even better than its predecessor. In book one I was introduced to the cast of characters; in book two I was able to understand their personalities and desires, which further enabled me to invest myself in the determination that erupts from Lila’s mind, the influence that Alex exerts onto Lila, the humour flowing from Suki and Nate’s mouths, and everything else that Sarah Alderson’s characters show as you read. The sequence of events in this novel helps the characters to bare all and find some place in your heart to hook themselves.

Looking for a read full of action and romance fully equipped with superpowers and an unforgettable mission? Go no further than Losing Lila – or rather Hunting Lila, then Losing Lila.