Powerless by Lauren Roberts
When you find a book that is so addicting it has you canceling plans and neglecting all your responsibilities, that book becomes your entire personality, and you want to shout about it to anyone who will listen. It forces you to remember the magic the world of books holds as they take you to enchanting worlds and daring adventures. Powerless (Simon and Schuster) by Lauren Roberts is one of those books.
A Kingdom Divided by Special Abilities
The Kingdom of Ilya is made up of two groups: the Elites and the Ordinary. The Elites were given their abilities by the Plague, and the Ordinary are just that, ordinary. Ilya’s king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished to protect the Elite, which made lacking any ability illegal and punishable by death. This is bad news for our FMC, Paedyn Gray who is not just any Ordinary; she’s also a thief. Living life in the slums hasn’t been an easy task, and Paedyn knows that more than anyone. As a child, she was trained by her father to be highly observant and read people; because of this, she is able to pose as a Psychic in order to blend in with the Elites and survive.
Fate is fickle, and brings her face to face with an Ilyas prince and saves his life (only after picking his pockets first, of course.) Now coined as the Silver Savior, Paedyn finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials, a cutthroat competition where the Elite’s powers are displayed for the people’s entertainment. With Paedyn lacking any legitimate abilities, she can only rely on her brute force to make it out alive. As if the Trial contestants aren’t enough to fight, she is also fighting her feelings for a certain prince who just might kill her if he finds out what she truly is – Ordinary.
Addicting Read With Compelling Romance and Suspense
This book had me screaming and kicking my feet the entire time! This story contains vivid world-building, delicious tension, tantalizing banter, slow-burn romance, a badass female lead, and a dark-haired, morally gray love interest. What else could a girl ask for?! Powerless is an exhilarating tale from beginning to end, with a fast-paced plot and simple yet expressive dialogue. You could not pry this book away from me it was so addicting!
I’ve seen a lot of other readers compare this story to The Hunger Games, which I would agree with, but Powerless is in a league all its own. Paedyn is a down-to-earth, tough, stubborn, and lethal woman who has spent most of her life on the streets scraping by. Even though her life has been filled with loss and fear, she hasn’t let it consume her. She is still a warm and kind soul who only wants equality and the best for her people.
On the other hand, we have Kai: our prince, who is ruthless when crossed, loyal, brave, and according to Paedyn, a “cocky bastard.” Just like Paedyn, life hasn’t been kind to him. While Kai believes he is a monster created for the good of his kingdom, after meeting Paedyn, he starts to believe that he might be someone worthy of compassion. Together, Paedyn and Kai’s story is about resilience, finding oneself, and pushing yourself to the limit. If I could find a way to tattoo this book on my body, I would. Honestly, the only problem with this book is that I don’t have the sequel yet.
If you can believe it, this work is Lauren Roberts’ debut, and I, for one, cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
About Lauren Roberts:
When Lauren isn’t writing about fantasy worlds and bantering love interests, she can likely be found burrowed in bed reading about them. Lauren has lived in Michigan her whole life, making her very familiar with potholes, snow, and various lake activities. She has the hobbies of both a grandmother and a child, i.e., knitting, laser tag, hammocking, word searches, and coloring. Powerless is her first novel, and she hopes to have the privilege of writing pretty words for the rest of her life. If you enjoy ranting, reading, and writing, Lauren can be found on both TikTok and Instagram @Laurens1ibrary for your entertainment.
