"She’s bewildering as much as she is beguiling. That pretty mouth of hers says one thing, but those ocean eyes say another. She pulls a knife from my back only to say she’ll bury another one there. She’s confusing, captivating, and we’re completely wrong for each other in all the right ways. She’s a flame, and I’m going to get burned. An ocean and I’m going to drown."
I didn't realize how much I
needed this book until I found myself
awake at 2:00am devouring the pages. Though characteristically similar to
The Hunger Games, Lauren Roberts'
Powerless is
a billion times more. The characters are
endearing, the
trials and tribulations are captivating, and the romance is
slow-paced and sweet as opposed to the continual smut that keeps repeating in literature nowadays. Though I'm only just now putting pen to paper to review this
powerful tale, I have already read the accompanying novella, aptly titled
Powerful {highly recommend}, and have
Reckless queued up to read next. But for now, more about
Powerless...
The
kingdom of Ilya has room only for one kind within its walls: the
extraordinary. Those who are
powerful, entitled...Elite. Eighteen-year-old
Paedyn 'Pae' Gray doesn't fall within that category. For the past five years {since the untimely
murder of her father} Pae has resided in the slums, utterly
powerless, yet
pretending to be something more in order to preserve her life. You see, Paedyn is an
Ordinary, and Ordinaries have no business within Ilya. In fact, Ordinaries were banished
long ago; therefore, Paedyn is a
felon. But she has survived. She has thrived {if thieving is something you call thriving} by playing the role of
clairvoyant. People believe Paedyn is
Psychic, so she is allowed to remain, stealing for survival. The clincher?
Paedyn is no such thing. What Paedyn is, is
observant. She can observe traits about you, and spin them
seamlessly into something believable that sells her story, and protects her person; but she's about to
enter a world where her
powerlessness is unlikely to keep her safe.
Following the
unexpected rescue of one
Kai Azer, one of Ilya's princes {the one who will take on the role of
Enforcer within the kingdom}, Paedyn finds herself selected as one of the players in the
deadly Purging Trials. A brutal competition held yearly to
showcase the powers of Ilya's
Elites, the Purging Trials is known for the
untimely violent deaths of contestants, leading to a
morbid thrill for viewers. Kai himself will be a part of this years Trials, but he is armed with the
rare, and highly powerful, ability of
wielding - a power that allows him to
borrow the power of
any Elite within range, making him veritably
indestructible in combat. Pae, on the other hand, will be entering the Trials
powerless, requiring that she rely on her
wits and strength to keep her safe in an arena where
everyone is trying to kill her. But perhaps the greatest thing she has to lose isn't her life...it's the secret of her Ordinariness being exposed to the very boy she has developed feelings for.
A boy who will kill her if he learns that she's not the Elite she has pretended to be.
This book y'all...I am
gutted. The characters are positively
phenomenal.
Paedyn is a literal
badass babe who has a sharp tongue and killer strength at her fingertips; but it's her
loyalty that really makes her a standout. Her relationship with and protectiveness of her bff
Adena {who is legit the
sweetest character ever; and a seamstress with the
Phasing ability to boot} is one of my favorite bits of the book; and even though we don't get a
ton of Adena in
Powerless,
Powerful is
all hers {
bring tissues though}. While the
future crown prince,
Kitt did v little for me,
Kai had me
weak in the knees. It was at
Chapter 45 that I officially learned what it meant to have a
book boyfriend; because during that chapter I fell
head over heels for none other than
Kai Azer. He is
perfect - aside from the fact that he's expected to be a
cold-blooded, heartless killer.
Details...
Yes, the romance is a
slow burn, enemies to lovers, which some people may not enjoy; but I personally
loved the slow-pacing of it, as it was sweet to see it build, and sweetness is something that
far too many books are missing nowadays when it comes to romance {at least IMO}. This is one you absolutely
must read - especially if you're looking for something to fill
The Hunger Games void in your life, as the Trials are v reminiscent of the games in regards to brutality. But the
relationship-building? That,
my friends, is in a class of its own.
Star Rating: ****1/2
xx
