​Daughter of Afghan and Australian immigrants, Lila was raised in the USA. Her undergraduate studies were completed at Indiana University and the Australian National University in English. In 2017, Lila graduated with a Master’s degree in English literature and linguistics from the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Her debut YA novel, Free Radicals, was published in 2023 to critical acclaim, including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Additionally, Free Radicals was both an AudioFile Earphones Award Winner and 2023 Best Audiobook.