Powerless {Book Review}

Rating

Spice

Author: Lauren Roberts

Genre: YA Romantasy

Part of a Series: Y (1 of 3)

Pages: 528

In Short: A YA Dystopian Romance Fantasy book. It gave me Hunger Games with powers vibes. Great plot twists and just a fabulous story overall.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.

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My Review:

The TikTok BookTok Hype

I wasn’t immediately drawn to “Powerless.” The synopsis didn’t quite sell me at first and I knew it was very hyped on BookTok. So, when my book club chose it, I was hesitant.

To add to my skepticism, a friend of mine started reading it around the same time and ended up DNF-ing (Did Not Finish) it. But I have to say—I think she missed out.

I ended up really enjoying this book! I rated it 4.5 stars!

The Story and Its Structure

“Powerless” is set in a dystopian world, think “The Hunger Games” but with powers.

The narrative is told through dual points of view, switching between the two main characters, Kai and Paetyn. Occasionally, we also get a perspective from other characters, like Kitt.

We get to see both viewpoints with only a little overlap. That being said, the chapters are not numbered or named, each just says who’s point of view it is from.

Themes and Style

The over all romance trope for this one is enemies to lovers.

I initially thought it was a slow-burn romance, only to realize it’s a YA fantasy, meaning it doesn’t get too steamy. The romance here is more subdued—perfect for younger readers or anyone who prefers less explicit content.

There’s kissing, but it doesn’t go beyond that, which makes it suitable for a broader age range.

However, be warned: the book is quite violent. You might want to preview it before handing it over to a tween or younger teen.

World-Building and Powers

The story is set in a world where a plague has drastically changed society. Those who survived either remained ordinary or developed extraordinary powers.

Ordinary people (those without powers) are exiled to the desert, known as the Scorches. If any ordinary person is found within the city limits, they face death at the hands of the Enforcer. Those with powers are called Elites and live in the main city.

There are also “Mundanes”, those with lesser powers who live a slum like city which is where we find our main character Paedyn living.

The Plot Twists

I loved all the plot twists in this book. There were lots of things that happened that I did not see coming which kept the book exciting. Often you can figure out at least some of the plot twists coming from a mile away, but Lauren Roberts kept me on my toes.

I was enjoying it so much that I went ahead and bought the sequel, “Reckless,” before even finishing the first book! I’m glad I did because it ends on a cliff hanger and I couldn’t wait to keep reading this story.

Spoiler Alert: Let’s Dive Deeper

If you haven’t read “Powerless” yet, I suggest stopping here and grabbing a copy because the rest of this review will include some spoilers.

As the plot unfolds, I was constantly kept on edge by the numerous plot twists. At one point, I thought the story might turn into a love triangle, but that didn’t happen…although reading the sequel maybe it did…

Can we talk about those deaths and almost deaths? I definitely gasped when I thought Kai had accidentally killed Jax and I almost cried when Adena died…and books don’t generally make me cry.

I’m not really sure about that ending, it didn’t seem to leave us any good path forward. What did you think of the ending?

Rating

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