Powerless

Lauren Roberts

Nov 2023 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

A New York Times bestseller!

This sparkling edition includes a special case stamping, bonus content, and a teaser to book two in this heart-pounding series!

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom’s grueling laws pitting them against each other.

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 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 keenly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can to stay alive and out of trouble…easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s 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.

Ratings and reviews

i would give it zero if i could. ill save you some time: imagine the most overused plot and add plagiarism. she uses an analogy for every sentence and that's not exaggerating. literally here's a paragraph in this book (im paraphrasing): she had the kind of smile that made men turn their heads in hope it was for them. looking into her eyes was like seeing the corner of the dark sea, and eye contact was fire meeting ice. she was the storm i was trying to avoid. i looked at her, wondering why a woman like her would be living on the streets, with hair as silver as hers, she could be as rich as she wanted. I was intrigued and before i knew it, my life had changed. she was a poem written by the sunset and read aloud by the moon. also the guy in this is named Kai (love the name but hate how popular it is) he has fire power, he's the prince, he kills ppl for his dad, he's ridiculously handsome but knows it, is arrogant and says darling so every teem romance boyfriend.

A bland retelling of the typical fantasy romance love triangle, with a female protagonist from humble beginnings falling in love with the prince of the kingdom. Honestly, I could forgive its unoriginality if it were at least well written, but apparently, that's too much to ask for. Instead of world building and describing what could be an artistic setting, the author decides to use all her descriptive prowess on how "slick his chest is with sweat" or "he slides his hands in his pockets" (she said this specific phrase so many times I lost count). I get that it's a romance, but even the love interests don't make sense. Spoiler: How is Kitt falling in love with her? He barely even even knows her?! The dialogue is repetitive and boring, trying to (unsuccessfully) replicate the witty banter other series can pull off. I find the protagonists to be extremely shallow while the side characters are even more so. It's bland, it's boring, it's uninspired, but I know some will find it enjoyable.

I really feel for the main character. The strong dedication at the beginning made me think that the main protagonist would outwit and outmaneuver all those who might overpower her. If the author meant when she said "for every girl who ever felt powerless" that there's no hope for you w/out a man - then she nailed it. This is no Jude. The protagonist is easily distracted from everything she cares about and seemingly one charming smile and she's forgotten how she has just spent five years surviving on the streets hiding herself from authorities. There were so many situations where the protagonist's so called skills could have shined but instead the author was more interested in her being a romantic interest. She's supposed to be some great thief but didn't take the opportunity to steal the leather bands from Andy near the end. She was in a forest and couldn't hide herself from her other opponents - a forest for goodness sakes. I'm just really disappointed.

About the author

When Lauren Roberts 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. She’s the author of Powerless, 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 @LaurenRobertsLibrary for your entertainment.