Losing Lila (Lila #2) by Sarah Alderson

 

When last we left Lila, she was on the run from the unit with Alex, after it was revealed that Lila is a Psy.  At this point, she is desperate to get her brother and mother away from the unit at all costs.  They hatch a plan, break back onto the military base and free everyone. Yeah for the heroes.

As you'll notice, the synopsis for Losing Lila is rather short and that is because very little happened. Okay we had angst, angst freaking happened continually. Alex has finally admitted that he loves Lila and promised never ever to leave her (sigh everyone).  Even better, he's loved her since she was five! Okay, to be fair, Alex is only a few years older than Lila, but I really could have done without that line altogether.  Alex is determined to protect Lila and tells her the times growing up when he watched over her as a child, so therefore; it's natural that he should protect her from herself and her horny inappropriate desires. Yes, he is trying to protect her innocence.  Alex says that it is because Lila is still four months shy of her eighteenth birthday and so every time things steam up, he pulls away. When Lila points out that it is legal in Mexico, where they happen to be at that moment, it's not enough to persuade him.  Alex is worried what Jack, his best friend and Lila's over protective brother would think of a sexual relationship. No really, Lila's body does not belong to her, but her male relatives. What year is this happening in again? I absolutely found this frustrating. I'm fine with Alex deciding that he didn't feel comfortable having their relationship progress in this fashion but denying sex to avoid upsetting Lila's brother and to protect her virtue? Yeah, I'm surprised he didn't start to sparkle like Edward.

Then there is Lila herself.  We are told that she is 17, in fact almost 18.  This makes her young but at times she behaves more like a 14 year old and her coquettish behaviour is annoying. Yes, a normal (not one of those Halloween nurses costumes) is totes sexy and no man can resist her in it.  Has Alderson been in a hospital lately?  Nurses wear scrubs. We keep hearing about the electricity between Lila and Alex and at first it's sort of cute but it quickly becomes annoying.  Lila is also easily distracted by Alex's chest, 'cause yeah Man Titeh! If that were not enough, Lila follows him around in the most clinging fashion that were I Alex, I'd have to tell her to back off.  You almost cannot blame Lila because the men in her life are all determined to infantalize her and so it makes sense that she lacks maturity.  There has to be some sort of compromise between the protagonist who constantly has her shit together and never makes a mistake and the needy, clinging kind, who really doesn't have the sense that God gave cabbage. 

Review Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson: Book One of the Lila Series

 

In fairness to Sarah Alderson, I feel that it is necessary to say that this book falls under the category of paranormal YA, a genre which I am not particularly fond of.

Lily is a 17 year old girl who is haunted by the death of her mother.  If that were not enough to deal with, she has telekinesis, and the man that she has loved all of her life (yes, I rolled my eyes) Alex, lives an ocean away from her. Unable to deal with the death of his wife, Lily's father moved her back to his native England.  He had intended to move their entire family, but her brother Jack, refused to move and instead moved in with his best friends family. 

In an incident in which she is being mugged Lila uses her power and in the process nearly cuts out her attackers eye. This sets her on edge and she steals her fathers credit card and travels to California to stay with her brother Jack,  filled with the hope that she will also get to see his best friend Alex.  As an impetus to flee, I found this absolutely ridiculous.  Was she supposed to throw a party for the men that were intent on mugging her?  It was a clear case of self defense and how Lily understood the incident really felt like an excuse for Alderson to shift the location of her story.

Once in California, Jack and Alex make it clear that her visit places her in danger, because they work for a special Black ops section of the military. Lily tries to pry for information but they steadfastly refuse to share.  After Suki, one of the people that they are searching for makes contact with Lily and learns of Lily's relationship to Jack, Alex realises that for her own protection, she must be told exactly what she is up against.  It seems that unit is involved in an investigation into a group of terrorists that are guilty of terrible crimes and the ring leader Demos, is the man responsible for murdering Lily's mother.  As much as Lily wants justice, she worries that Alex and Jack are placing themselves needlessly in danger. Okay, have to pause to point out the ridiculousness of this worry.  Jack and Alex spent three years being trained by the military in special operations.  These men aren't just skilled, they are highly skilled.