Powerless By Lauren Roberts

Powerless is an addictive and satisfying fantasy and a great start to a new series.

Favourite Quote:

His next words are a murmur, as if he’s muttering his innermost thoughts while his thumb continues to wander over my lip. “Will you forever be the prize I am aimlessly trying to win?”

I inhale sharply, staring him down as I say, “Is that all I am to you? A trophy?”

A small smile twitches his lupus as he shakes his head at me. “Oh, darling, a trophy implies that I won it, earned it, deserve it.” He leans in farther, a certain reverence reflecting in his gaze. “But if I get to have you, it will be because you let me.” 

Book Synopsis: 

She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

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.

Review: 

I’m always looking for a new YA fantasy series to sink into, and this one has been on my radar all summer. Powerless is a popular YA fantasy trilogy that is perfect for fans who like the Red Queen, The Hunger Games, or The Culled Crown series. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Lauren created an interesting, well-thought-out story that engages readers the whole way through. This first book ends on a cliffhanger that will surely have readers racing to the store to grab the next book. 

I always find that fantasy authors have this extra challenge of creating a captivating story and figuring out the best way to give their readers the information they need to navigate through the world they have created. Authors have to find that balance between not giving too much information and overloading their readers or not giving enough information, which leaves readers feeling lost or confused. I am happy to report that Lauren has found that balance in this book. She masterfully gives her readers just enough information about the world and its history to help them understand what is happening, but also leaves them wanting to know more. All that world building detail weaves in and out of the story really well and creates this enjoyable reading experience.

The story itself has this ebb and flow of faster and slower moments. I found this book to be less action-packed than I expected, but I think that has more to do with Lauren building that foundation for future books. In this book, she focuses a lot on building those connections/relationships between the characters, especially between Pae, Kai, and Kitt. Surprisingly, there were a lot of quieter moments between these three, and I found myself really enjoying those moments. And for those who love a good romantic element in their fantasy, yes, this sort of love triangle is forming between these three characters. However, that romantic tension is more prominent between Kai and Pae. The action moments take place mostly during the trials, which are brutal and very deadly. I liked Lauren’s take on those “Hunger Games” trials. She put enough of her own unique spin on the idea that it didn’t feel like I was reading this copycat version of the Hunger Games. 

Pae is that typical reluctant heroine. She isn’t looking to change the world or gain power. She just wants to survive the slums and stay in hiding from the Elites. What makes Pae different from other fantasy heroines is that she doesn’t possess any special powers. She is considered to be an Ordinary (someone born with no powers), and she lives in this Kingdom that hunts down and kills Ordinaries because they are believed to be carriers of a plague. Pae has been trained by her father to blend in with the Elites and is pretty badass. I really liked her character. She is tough and sassy and says what she wants to say. I loved watching her try and navigate this new world at the palace and as she tried to survive the trials. Kai is that broody, a broken hero who doesn’t believe he deserves the love of the heroine. He is the king’s future enforcer and considers himself a monster. I love his character and watching him interact with Pae was delicious. 

As you might have gathered from what I have said so far about this book, this story has a strong romantic element. This book sits firmly in the YA genre; there is no spice in this book. It is very clean. Now, that doesn’t mean that Lauren hasn’t created delicious tension between Pae and Kai. The chemistry between these two characters is full of fun, sharp, witty banter, smouldering glances, and small, seemingly innocent touches. This is a slow, slow-burn love story, and you can see that Kai’s brother Kitt is also interested in Pae, which I am sure will create problems/drama in future books. 

Powerless lives up to all the hype it’s been getting on social media, and I can’t wait to dive into the next book.