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A review by boba_nbooks
Powerless by Lauren Roberts
4.25
Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️
Okay, HEAR ME OUT. If you go into this knowing that it's tropey and cliché, you will have a great ride.
In this world, only the Elite survive. Quite literally. Paedyn has survived in the slums of Loot ever since her father was killed by the king. Since she is not Elite, Paedyn has had to pretend to be a "psychic" her entire life--a gift her father taught her when she was young. Now, Paedyn and her friend, Adena, have been surviving in Loot by pickpocketing until Paedyn finally gets noticed by one of the princes and is chosen to be in the Purging Trials. Paedyn and other teenagers will compete in these trials to prove who is the most Elite of their society, but since Paedyn doesn't have any power, it's a death trap for her... until she and Prince Kai begin to work together, despite being rivals in the trials.
Take a little bit of the Hunger Games mixed with Red Queen and you get Powerless. It is a classic rivals (not enemies) to lovers YA romantasy novel with dual POV between Paedyn and Kai. It honestly combines most romantasy tropes out there, but for some reason, Powerless really hooked me and reeled me in.
What can I say? Sometimes it's just about the vibes.
Okay, HEAR ME OUT. If you go into this knowing that it's tropey and cliché, you will have a great ride.
In this world, only the Elite survive. Quite literally. Paedyn has survived in the slums of Loot ever since her father was killed by the king. Since she is not Elite, Paedyn has had to pretend to be a "psychic" her entire life--a gift her father taught her when she was young. Now, Paedyn and her friend, Adena, have been surviving in Loot by pickpocketing until Paedyn finally gets noticed by one of the princes and is chosen to be in the Purging Trials. Paedyn and other teenagers will compete in these trials to prove who is the most Elite of their society, but since Paedyn doesn't have any power, it's a death trap for her... until she and Prince Kai begin to work together, despite being rivals in the trials.
Take a little bit of the Hunger Games mixed with Red Queen and you get Powerless. It is a classic rivals (not enemies) to lovers YA romantasy novel with dual POV between Paedyn and Kai. It honestly combines most romantasy tropes out there, but for some reason, Powerless really hooked me and reeled me in.
What can I say? Sometimes it's just about the vibes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Torture, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol