Oh my goodness, this book!! I've had the physical - and the next 2 books! - for a while so took the plunge (fantasy seems to be an uphill struggle for me at the moment) and I'm so glad I did. I love the characters and the storyline....itching to read the next 2 now! Just brilliant ❤️

I really tried to get into this book and returned to it a few times. Unfortunately I struggled with getting into the story or relating to the characters. DNF

I know this is late but I didn't get around to reading this before it's release, I've since read it as well as Powerful and Reckless. This series it one of my all time favourites and if anyone wanted a recommendation for a fantasy romance this would be it! It's so easy to read and fun with so many tropes that people love. For fans of the hunger games, SJM and romance!

I really enjoyed this book! I love the magic system, it's not totally original, but it is really fun. I liked the nods to Throne of Glass and The Hunger Games, I do feel like this could have been aged up to new adult to really make the most of the tension between Paedyn and Kai. Overall, I binged the series in a weekend, I loved it- obsessed.
I do think Powerless was a bit too long, it didn't need to be over 500 pages and dragged in places- this was tightened up by Reckless though

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.
Rating: ★★★★☆

"Powerless" is an enthralling tale that captivates readers with its unique premise and well-developed characters. Set in the kingdom of Ilya, where only the extraordinary—known as Elites—are deemed worthy of existence, the story delves into the life of Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary who must conceal her lack of powers to survive. The narrative is both a thrilling adventure and a poignant exploration of identity and societal inequality.

Paedyn's journey is nothing short of gripping. Trained by her father to be hyper-aware and resourceful, she masquerades as a Psychic to blend in with the Elites and evade the king's decree that banishes all Ordinaries. The stakes are raised significantly when Paedyn saves one of Ilya's princes, inadvertently thrusting herself into the Purging Trials. These brutal competitions are designed to showcase the Elites' powers, putting Paedyn at a severe disadvantage. The tension is palpable as she navigates the trials while hiding her true nature, all the while grappling with her burgeoning feelings for the prince she saved.

What truly stands out in "Powerless" is the intricate world-building and the moral complexities it presents. The kingdom of Ilya, with its rigid class distinctions and harsh decrees, is vividly portrayed. Paedyn's struggle to survive and her internal conflict about her identity resonate deeply, making her a character readers can root for. The romance subplot adds an additional layer of intrigue and emotional depth, making the stakes even higher. The only drawback was a slight predictability in certain plot points, but it didn't detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.

In conclusion, "Powerless" is a compelling read that combines action, romance, and thought-provoking themes. With its strong protagonist and richly imagined world, it offers a fresh take on the fantasy genre. A solid 4 out of 5 stars, it is a book that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

Powerless had be completely hooked from start to end! Not only was the magic of the world fun and inventive, but the trials and politics had true stakes that keep you invested. Roberts writes possibly the BEST banter I have ever read - and I want my very own Kai now.
Cannot wait for the series to be complete!

This was a really fun story with lots of action, tension, and romance. It was a great book… IF you can get over the similarities between this and The hunger games. A poor girl taken from her home by the rich leaders of her world involuntarily to compete in deadly games against other young people, in which she’s also lowkey in love with another participant, they stick together and help each other and at the end everything goes crazy and there’s also a rebellion. Sound familiar? I get that some stories are going to be similar but this was a bit TOO similar so for me it just seemed like a not as good version of The hunger games.

That’s not to say this book wasn’t good though! I really liked the powers that most people had and it made it really interesting. I really liked the side characters, especially Jax and Andy and Kitt. I liked the romance, although sometimes it felt like it was a bit too focused on this aspect.

Overall, this was a fun read. Some parts of the worldbuilding confused me, mostly the games? Because I didn’t really get the point of the games, or how they pick who competes (especially how they pick from the slums), and I didn’t really understand how you win it or what you win. I liked the characters and their relationships but didn’t love the story as much. Not sure where the next book is going to go from that ending?? So much to wrap up!

Oh my goodness, I could not put this book down. I’ve just preordered the next book and I’m not sure I can wait.

Morally grey love interest, stabby vengeful FMC, magic, incredible world building… this book has it all.

The twists were so well written I didn’t see them coming, which is quite a feat with books that follow similar tropes.

I really really enjoyed this, every little detail was thoroughly thought out, every world purposeful. I would recommend to anyone!

Paedyn is basically a carbon copy of Katniss from the Hunger Games. While this book may be popular in TikTok I don't particularly see the hype around it. I read this whole book within 2 days and enjoyed it, however I am in no rush for the next one. The book does not really grab your attention and keep it, I think I could have just left this book and never come back..

I've read a lot of people drawing comparisons to The Hunger Games and I didn't really get that vibe. It's fun with a ton of chemistry between Paedyn and Kai, which i'm incredibly excited to read more of. A fantastic book from a brilliant writer, highly recommend.

I am speechless i couldn't put this book down. This book has every banter, fantasy, tension and magic you could want. This truely felt like i was in another world. If you like the hunger games and tension this is the book for you.

Paedyn Gray, an ordinary, who has had to pretend to have powers to stay alive ever since her father died when she was 13. But one day she accidentally saves the life of the prince and is entered into the trials, dangerous games where elites compete with their powers.

Kai Azer, second in line to the throne, has spent his whole life training to be the future enforcer and is in the trials to win it. Until, he starts falling for the girl who stole from him then saved his life.

I love these characters soo much and i love all their different relationships. Paedyn was so strong and powerful even without powers. Kai was so caring and funny. Although their backstories broke my heart. And together they never failed to make me swoon an giggle. This was slow burn enemies to lover and I was OBSESSED!

And that ending... WOW I was not ready and I CAN NOT WAIT for reckless! I'm counting down the days till July.

Thank you soo much Lauren Roberts, Simon and Schuster children's UK and netgalley!!

I couldn't put this book down! Powerless had everything I was looking for: great world building, interesting and fun characters, slow burn romance with tonnes of chemistry and angst. I loved that this is told from point of view of both Paedyn and Kai, her male love interest. There's clear chemistry from the beginning and it's interesting to see how some of the scenes play out for both of them but Roberts kept it interesting so you never felt like you were getting the same story. This was used just the right amount to get us to understand motivations and how diametrically Kai and Paedyn are. The banter between them is really hot and funny. It will definitely make you giddy. It's worth noting that this is YA and so there isn't any spice but there is tonnes of chemistry and tension. Well worth reading if you enjoy men that fall first, bad boys, and forced proximity.
There are some comparisons to Red Queen and The Hunger Games, and whilst I understand the comparisons, you shouldn't be expecting either when you read Powerless. The world-building, pacing and characters are better in my opinion than Red Queen. Romance also plays a huge part in Powerless whereas it is more a subplot in The Hunger Games. Though this isn't the Hunger Games, Roberts writes action scenes really well and I could not tear my eyes away so don't think that romance is all this book has to offer.
I had so much love for the characters and was really excited by their character progression by the end of Powerless. I can't wait for the second installment! I will definitely be recommending.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

Totally loved this book. Will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment. It was gripping and I consumed it within a day.

A great YA fantasy adventure. The relationship is so fun to read, and teh world building is fascinating. Great humour as well.

An exhilarating cross between hunger game and Mills and Boone...with Magic. Set in a kingdom where Elites who possess powers rule and those without, known as Ordinaries, are exiled or killed, in order to maintain the pure bloodline. Pae has no power, but is incredibly skilled and resourceful and an act of bravery has her nominated for the Purging Trials (aka hunger games). How long can she hide her lack of power, especially when she starts to fall for the king's son, one of the most talented Elites of all?

Overall, I loved this book but there was some room for improvement. I enjoyed the creativity in general, and how the different powers were displayed. The plot was exciting and who doesn't love a strong, talented, stubborn female lead with some interesting love triangles?

That said, considering how imaginative most of the book was, it felt safe to draw such a close comparison with the Hunger games. And the romantic dialogues were far too long, degrading the book to a Mills and Boone level and undermining the strong characters. So with a good dose of editing, I would happily have upgraded my rating. Excited to see where the series will lead.

Powerless reads like an incredibly tropey version of peak 2010 - 2012 YA fantasy. Think, The Hunger games, Red queen and some of Harry Potter thrown in the mix. So, originality wise this book has literally nothing going on for it. Both, the plot and the characters feels like a caricature of something we have already seen done numerous times.

The romance is okayish, some of the banter between two main leads was fun but it also kept on dragging forever and grew tedious towards the end. Anyways, this book is too long than is required.

I think, this book runs purely on nostalgic vibes and readers looking for those will surely enjoy it. I liked the audiobook narration and it is the only reason that I ended up finishing it. No offence, I am just not in the target demographic for this one.

It's not that I didn't like it... I just didn't love it.

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Lauren Roberts for managing to write and get a book published at such a young age. I can completely understand why so many people have followed her journey. Amazing work.

However, as someone who hadn't followed Lauren's journey and simply picked up a copy of this because I liked the premise - I was a little underwhelmed.

I felt like didn'tnt know any of the characters. We arent shown enough of Pae's life before the trials, we are told Kai is a heartless killer and yet we never see that side, we are told the brothers love their younger sibling Jax and yet when his life is in danger half way through the story I just didnt care.

I feel as though I may have liked this book more if I hadn't read the hunger games which it takes so much inspiration from - unfortunately the idea of the "trials" just isnt unique anymore and unlike the hunger games I didnt understand the point of the games. Why are they being run? Why would the people of the slums want their people to enter when they always just die? Why would elites want to fight when there's no real prize?

3/3.5 stars

I adored this novel. It’s an addictive and witty enemies-to-lovers fantasy set in a world in which those with magic powers, the Elites, are convinced that those without magic, Ordinaries, are the source of a plague and for this reason they must be eliminated.

The protagonist, Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary, has spent all her life pretending to have powers in order to survive. Since the death of her father when she was thirteen years old she’s lived on the streets with her best friend Adena, stealing and pickpocketing to survive. One day, she saves the life of prince Kay and she’s entered into the Trials, a competition in which the Elites use their powers to win a series of dangerous challenges.

As the second son of the King of Ilya, Kai Azer has been training all his life to become the future Enforcer, afflicting torture and enduring it himself, and learning to kill without remorse. He entered this year’s Trials with every intention of winning, but he didn’t expect to face the woman who saved his life. As they try to not fall in love with each other, they have to face not only the Trials and some ruthless competitors, but also political intrigue and the secrets that could be their ruin.

I loved Paedyn and Kai. She’s smartass and fierce. Without powers, she plans to win the competition on pure strength and wit. Her past haunts her and she’s out for revenge against those who murdered her father. Kay is smug and arrogant and I couldn’t help but love him. He’s a complicated relationship with his father, while he is very close to his brother and future king. Their romance is slow-burn, swoony, and exciting. I loved when those two got together: the easy banter and the tension kept me glued to the page.

I think that Powerless is an amazing debut. It is well-written, immersive, and intriguing and with an incredible ending that makes me countdown the days until the next book!

lauren knows how to write omfg!!!! i need more!

its like lauren read my mind cause kai was everything i wanted to be like his backstory i wanted someone to write and she did it flawlessly!!!