Mini-Review: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Released: August 4, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Buy it: The Book Depository || FishpondWorld

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...

I recently finished reading Hunting Lila and gave it 5 out of 5 stars! If you haven't read it, then you need to! :D

Reasons you should read Hunting Lila:

• It's way different than the usual paranormal! Your first indication should be the lovely cover, which doesn't feature the cliché moody-looking girl wearing a prom dress in the middle of the woods. ;) And how can you not be lured in by the cover? Those red heels are HOT!
• American characters speaking fancy British words like mum (for mom) and vest (for undershirt) and using what we Americans like to call military time. It's always good to brush up on your British! If you're a clueless American like me, of course. ;D
• Jack and Alex (do yourself a favor and click that link!). Normally I get turned off by male characters named Alex because well...I have a similar name and it's weird to me if I start swooning over a character that basically has the same name as me... But this Alex is the exception! hehe Anyway. *ahem* Jack and Alex, two very fine military men. Marines, to be exact. Damn. *fans self*
• And most importantly, you don't want to miss out on a fast-paced and action-packed story (there's guns and fast vehicles!) with awesome characters and a pretty sexy romance (NO love-triangle in sight! Heck yeah!). I totally believe this book would make a great movie or TV series. I heard film rights were already sold so it's well on it's way!

Since Hunting Lila is only available in the United Kingdom and Australia at the moment (what are you waiting for USA?), you can order it at The Book Depository or FishpondWorld, both of which provide FREE worldwide shipping! Very good deals, in my opinion. Really, you don't want to miss out on this book! I'm already eagerly anticipating the sequel Losing Lila, which will be published in August 2012. :)

Btw, Sarah Alderson is giving away an ARC of Fated, her newest paranormal that will be released January 2012! Find out how to enter by visiting the competition post on her blog HERE.

Video: Leigh Fallon & The Carrier of the Mark

Congrats to Leigh Fallon! Inkpop is currently hosting an ARC giveaway for The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon! Check out inkpop's blog to enter. :)

Want to know more about The Carrier of the Mark? Visit Leigh Fallon's website. And here is the summary from GoodReads:

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Publication Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen

"A move to Ireland is about to introduce Megan to her destiny, her real destiny, can she embrace it and will she survive it?

A tragedy in Megan’s past set her on a predetermined course. A chain of events has been set in motion that brings Megan to Kinsale, a small town in the south of Ireland where her destiny awaits her. Her life starts to fall into place as she makes new friends and settles into her new school. However, the reclusive and distant Adam DeRís calls to her body and soul.

She finds herself increasingly drawn to Adam and his strange family. Adam knows a secret from her past and he and his family hold the key to her future. A future that binds her to Adam and his world, a world of power, mystery and ancient orders. A world that unbeknownst to her, she very much belongs in."

Giveaways & News: Melina Marchetta

You know I love Melina Marchetta, so I had to advertise these giveaways for her newest release in the US. :)

Alexa at Not Enough Bookshelves currently has an international giveaway for 2 copies of The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta! Check out her giveaway post here. Deadline is March 4.

If you're on GoodReads and a US resident, Candlewick Press is giving away one ARC of The Piper's Son on GoodReads! Check it out here. Deadline is March 6.

I highly recommend all of Melina Marchetta's novels, so enter both of these giveaways, if you can! If you don't win either giveaway, The Piper's Son will be released in the US on March 8. Only a week away! You won't have to wait long to buy yourself a copy or maybe even request a copy at your local library. ;)

In other news, Melina Marchetta will be at the New York City Teen Author Festival this month starting on the 14th! She posted her schedule on her website. If you're attending or in the area during the festival, be sure to see her! She's from Australia, and I don't believe she makes much author appearances in the US. I would love to be there, but I don't have the time or money to travel all the way to NYC at the moment. (I know... *sniff* So sad.)

That's about all the news I have right now. Remember, enter those giveaways and read her books! You won't regret it. >:3

Contest @ Veronica Roth's Blog

my extra entry

Author Veronica Roth is giving away 3 ARCs of her debut YA novel Divergent at her blog. The giveaway is open to those with US addresses and ends Saturday, January 8 at 12:30 PM. All you have to do is leave a comment with your email address at her giveaway post. There's also a way to gain an extra extry:

"BUT if you want one and don't mind being ridiculous, you can take a picture documenting choice-making in the spirit of Ze Divergent Tagline (One Choice Will Transform You) and I will enter your name twice instead of once."

"Do note that the picture doesn't have to be of you. It can be of your dog. Or of some kind of indecision-related object. Or some wacko MS Paint drawing you did at 3 in the morning."

I decided to do my extra entry on MS Paint! (It's the picture on the right. I didn't draw the computer or the face. All found through Google.) I seriously could not decide what to make the picture about, so that's why it's about my indecisiveness about the contest. :P

Contest @ MPT's City of Books

Sarah at Miss Page-Turner's City of Books is having an international Holiday Giveaway where one follower will win one of the six 2011 YA books she has listed on her giveaway post, which includes Across the Universe, Unearthly, and Delirium. Giveaway ends January 3, 2011. To enter, check out her giveaway post here.

Contest @ Loves to Read

Adriana at ~*Loves to Read*~ is holding a blogoversary giveaway. She will be giving away five books to 3 US followers and one book via The Book Depository to 1 international follower. To enter, check out her giveaway post here. In addition to that, she is having an international giveaway (to where The Book Depository ships) for one 2011 YA release that she has listed. To enter that part of the blogoversary giveaway, and to see which books she is offering, go here. :)

Contest @ Beyond Words

Chanelle at Beyond Words is holding an international giveaway in honor of her 100+ followers! The giveaway prize is 3 pre-orders of some of her favorite, upcoming YA books. To enter and for more information, visit her post here.

Contest @ Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm

Faye over at Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm is holding an international giveaway in honor of her one year blogoversary and 1000+ followers! The giveaway prize is 3 young-adult books of your choice releasing in 2011. Check out the giveaway post here for more info and to enter. :)

Contest Craze @ Princess Bookie

Princess Bookie has been holding Contest Craze all day today! Contest Craze is basically a bunch of book giveaways! The rules can be found here. Be sure to enter any of the giveaways you're interested in before midnight October 10! :)

Mockingjay Giveaway @ The Hob

The Hob, a new blog dedicated to The Hunger Games trilogy, is giving away an official copy of Mockingjay stamped by Suzanne Collins! Contest ends next Thursday, September 30, at 8:00 PM EST. To find out how to enter, visit their blog here. :)