People without powers are being hunted by those who have them, and Paedyn is one of the powerless. She accidentally gets embroiled in a dangerous set of challenges that test her to her limits, all whilst falling for a rich boy with powers.

I really didn't connect with this book - it felt very young and I didn't care particularly about any of the characters. The plot felt rote - nothing was surprising or engaging and finishing was a struggle!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Paedyn is an Ordinary. In the kingdom of Ilya where the Elites have power and Ordinary are killed on sight, she must keep her identity a secret. But when she saves the life of a price of the kingdom, she is thrust into a deathly game—the Trials. She'll compete against other Elites in three trials where they are supposed to stab each other in the back. But Kai, the prince she saved, makes her feel something, and she's also getting closer to his brother Kitt, the heir to the throne. But when she learns of the Resistance, a group made up of Ordinary and Elites who don't believe in the king's spiel, she needs to understand what she stands for and if she's willing to betray the people she's starting to care for.

I haven't read such an intriguing YA in a while. I kept turning page after page, and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Um this was just the perfect slow burn romance I've read in awhile. Some things felt a bit tropey & clichéd but still loved every moment of it 😄 Eagerly waiting for book 2! If you liked Hunger Games & Fourth Wing, I think you'd enjoy this too!

Special thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is 50% 'Hunger Games' and 50% 'Fourth Wing!' ⚔️

🗡️ 'Powerless' by Lauren Roberts is the first in a trilogy set in a fantasy realm where some people have magic powers but others don't. The 'ordinary' people are hunted by those who have powers. The story follows Paedyn (ordinary, poor) and Kai (magic, privileged) as they're thrown together in a competition where they have to fight for survival.

📚 I loved 'The Hunger Games.' I thought 'Fourth Wing' was fun. So why couldn't I get into this? I think it was because very little in this book felt original. Even down to one of the challenges, which was set in an enchanted maze (Goblet of Fire, anyone?) - the world-building and storyline didn't feel fresh.

🏹 I don't think I can read another novel which features a "silver-haired, petite, scrappy female main character who is skilled with a bow and arrow and has had to fend for herself after the death of her parents" who falls for a "tall, dark, tattooed male main character who is perceived as highly dangerous until you get to know him." It's been done to death.

✍️ I struggled to warm to the characters and couldn't get invested in their relationship. It read like a tick-list of 'tropes.' If you choose books based off what tropes feature in them ('who did this to you,' 'enemies to lovers,' etc) you're spoilt for choice with this. I'm not ready to start the conversation over whether 'tropes' are just another word for 'clichés,' but maybe another time.

👑 The revolution / rebellion storyline felt like an afterthought. There wasn't enough groundwork put into exploring the political workings of the realm to make it seem convincing.

📖 Overall, this wasn't for me, but if you don't mind cliché and love 'romantasy' as a genre, you might fare better with this than I did. I didn't have anything against the author's writing style & would read her if she published something in a different genre.

🎁 Advance reader copy kindly sent by @Netgalley & @simonschusteruk

🗓️ 'Powerless' is out on 11th July 2023

- Katie

[Review posted to Instagram at @katiespencebooks]

This absolutely blew me away. I’m obsessed with a capital O! It’s got action, romance and politics galore and the characters are a dangerous bunch. Paedyn is the unlikely heroine, a homeless young woman without powers in a land where that’s a death sentence, she built a life in the slums with her best friend - the only one who knows her secret. I was hooked on Paedyn’s fiery, stubborn and vicious personality and all the complexities of her situation. She has a need for revenge against the one man who’s almost impossible to touch though the story focuses more so on the deadly trials and her relationships with Princes Kai and Kitt. The flirting and chemistry between Kai and Paedyn was delicious and there were times when I was sure I’d spontaneously combust. They’re the Romeo and Juliet of Ilya, locked in a power struggle and thoroughly overwhelmed by each other. I couldn’t get enough. We don’t see much of the other characters but I enjoyed what we did see. There’s a good mix of sweet and charming characters to have a soft spot for and the violent, dangerous ones that make up the villains - of which there are several throughout. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, especially after an incredibly dramatic and incendiary ending!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A plague - magic. A kingdom. Beautifully written fantasy and sure to be a hit of 2023!

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc.

I have never been through such an emotional rollercoaster as I have with this book and I cannot wait for the second one.

This book is set in the kingdom of Ilya, where decades prior to our story taking place a plague swept through the kingdom killing thousands. Many of the people who survived the plague were gifted with supernatural abilities making them the Elites whilst those who survived but gained no such abilities are ordinaries.. and being ordinary is a crime.

The first few chapters seemed quite slow, but once our main characters Paedyn and Kai meet each other things become much more interesting very quickly. I loved the romance elements between Paedyn and Kai and I thoroughly enjoyed their chemistry.

This book is definitely a slow burn, with Kai and Paedyn not even truly getting together in the first book but it was such an enjoyable read.

I cannot wait to read more of Paedyn and Kai’s story

In a world struck by a plague that left its inhabitants with powers. Paedyn is powerless and ordinary. In a land where a purging took place to rid itself of all who were ordinary, Paedyn has to fight everyday to be allowed to live.
When she is the only one able to save a stranger from his attackers, she is whisked away to the castle and deemed the “silver saviour”. She is granted the opportunity to take part in the Purging Trials.
With the spotlight on her, it is a thousand times harder to hide what she truly is - powerless.
The romance in this book was phenomenal. The pining and the angst, the tension and the humour was unmatched.
It is a common trope in fantasy romance, yet it was done very well in this book and I actually felt the connection between the two characters rather than just being told it is there.
It appears as though the book was going for a love triangle- but I think this is definitely not the case as it is very clear from the outset who the love interest is.
There were a few common fantasy tropes in the book that have definitely been overdone in the genre, but it was done well in this book so it does not become an issue.
The main characters were strong and loveable.
Some of the plot twists were a bit predictable but it was still an addictive read.
From the addictive nature of the book and the exciting characters and plot, it is very difficult to give the book anything other than 5 stars, and I can see myself thinking about this book as a favourite of the year.

When I tell you I was hooked, I was completely hooked. For a debut novel, this was so captivating and I enjoyed every second of it. Think Hunger Games but with a magical twist.

'She is the embodiment of a bad decision. The twin of danger and desire. The fine lone between deadly and divine. And I can feel myself drowning'

Synopsis
The Kingdom is ruled by 'Elites', those with great magical power. Those without power are classed as 'Ordinary', hunted to be killed or banished to preserve the Kingdom's Elite society.

Paedyn is just that, an Ordinary, but she was taught from a young age to act like she had power to escape death. She lives on the streets in the slums, surviving through being a thief.

It was through being a thief she meets the Kingdom's future Enforcer, Kai, who is also a Prince. Saving his life meant she got noticed however, meaning the people of the slums want to see her compete in the Purging Trials.

Up against Elites, Pae fights her way through the Trials, striking up a friendship with the future king, Kitt, and a simmering romance with Kai. But what they don't know is that she is Ordinary, and if they ever found out.. they would have to kill her..

'Where he is the Prince, the future Enforcer, the son of the man I hate, I am a Slummer, an Ordinary, the embodiment of the thing he has been taught to hate'.

Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoy books with trials, and this one hit the mark. It's very 'Hunger Games'-esque, with a strong FMC who is fighting to survive.

I was fully invested in the plot, the characters, the trials, fight scenes and the romance brewing between Kai and Pae, I also enjoyed the dual POVs between the two.

I can't wait for the next book, the ending has me wanting more and to see how this all plays out!

'She's a flame, and I'm going to get burned. An ocean and I'm going to drown'.

Thank you to NetGalley for this wishlist copy!

Actually probably more of a 3.5 but not close enough to a 4 for me.

I'm a little torn about this book, on one hand it is advertised as a cross between the Red Queen series and The Hunger Games so I did expect there to be similarities, but on the other I wish there was just a slight bit more originality.

The premise of the story is one I really enjoy, with plenty of ball room scenes which I adore, and LOTS of yearning and angst which was ideal. However, some aspects of the book were getting a bit repetitive, in particular the constant mentioning of daggers to the neck or descriptions of eye colour. The dagger/vicious references were also quite reminiscent of the From Blood and Ash series.

The plot as a whole I did really enjoy and the characters I definitely felt invested in. The end of this book has also left me dying to know what happens next! I'm just hoping that the next one might have fewer similarities to other books.

This is by far the BEST book I’ve read in 2023. I tried so hard to read it slowly because I wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible but still ended up finishing it within two days. Lauren is an incredible author and managed to put everything I love in a fantasy into this book. I was a little skeptical going into it because she described it as Red Queen mixed with The Hunger Games. I’m not a huge Red Queen fan but adore The Hunger Games so I decided to give it a shot and I’m happy I did!

The entire plot is written extremely well and I never felt like it was dragging. I was so happy with the dual POV and loved getting to see inside both MC heads.

The slow burn romance is perfect. There’s knife to throat scenes, ballroom scenes, tending to wound scenes and so much more!! Somehow Lauren managed to put in all the tropes without it feeling like she was shoving them down your throat. I think the trial scenes were my favorite parts of the whole book.

The ending though!! Seriously it was so sad to watch everything play out. It was easy to call what was going to happen but it was still heartbreaking to watch all those relationships crumble because of her decisions. I really need book two NOW!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC to review!