Published by Simon & Schuster, Jan 2014, 672 pages, £4.99

Description: YA thriller, X-men stuff

Steam?: check out the bonus chapter.

I feel like I’m reading Sarah Alderson in reverse. I started off with the NA book Come Back to Me , which was her latest book at the time, kick starting my love affair. I just finished two books of the Lila series, her debut into YA. This is a two-book combo with an extra chapter, and sneak preview into another YA book, Fated. Alderson offers some of the best deals on Amazon for YA, I think. If you have never read her stuff before and NA isn’t your thang (although I can’t imagine why you poor soul), I think this is the best intro and a bargain with 2 books for 5 quid!

Alderson’s writing always makes me feel comfortable. I feel snug and happy, is all I can explain it. She does a good job of getting you straight down into her world. Its snappy, funny and straight to the point. After the first 2-3 chapters your in: Lila’s mum was recently killed,

 

she’s living awkwardly with her dad in London, while her brother stayed in America with his best friend Alex (who she has been in love with all her life), oh and she has special powers. She decides to throw caution to the wind and go visit her brother, who she hasn’t seen in 3 years and discovers this whole new life he’s been leading with Alex, and everything seems to lead back to her mum’s death. Strange people are hanging around, her feelings for Alex intensify, she’s trying to process the fact that she has telekinesis and the company her brother and Alex work for may or may not be dodgy.

It’s fast paced, mysterious and will keep you going. It’s got the X-men and Hereos (anybody remember that?) vibe. There’s a lot of interesting characters and some swoony romance (hence the x-tra chapter for us pervs). I do think there’s a fair amount of repetition- I get it Lila, you love Alex. And I think the romance might be too easy, I always prefer a little struggle in the relationship. But you know this is more suited for a teen audience. I’d say 11-16 is perfect (minus the x-tra chapter, although its not really that graphic- unless you read it and think it is and be wondering what the hell I’ve been reading… well check out the rest of my blog girl).

3 1/2 stars, good but not as good as the authors later work.