Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy) Hardcover – 7 Nov. 2023

* Spoiler Alert *Hmm…This book both frustrates and enthralls me in equal measure. I find myself trying to piece together my thoughts, which have exploded into tiny fragments—because this story? It pulls you in, leaves you gasping, and yet somehow manages to keep you on edge.It’s filled with all the tropes that make you weak at the knees. But by now, you’d think I’d be used to the trajectory of these slow burn romances, right? Clearly, that reminder escapes me because here I am—again—wishing for two characters to collide, only to be left wanting more. Yepp, patience is not my strong suit when it comes to romantasies.Paedyn is fierce, sharp-witted, kick ass and completely self-sufficient—an ordinary with no magic in a world where powers define status. Her deep-seated trauma from her father’s murder has left her untrusting and stubborn, making her slow to open up to potential allies. Still, her grit and determination make her a force to be reckoned with and I love that she saved the Prince (with no powers might I add). Serious girl-power vibes—but it’s her vulnerability and humanity that makes her relatable.Paedyn is playing a dangerous game. While her quest for revenge and a better world for her fellow ordinaries is understandable, the cost is heavy, and as the story progresses, that cost will have you shedding tears. You can’t help but question her decisions.Then there’s Kai - Malakai - the Prince. Trained as a weapon but trying to do the right thing in a broken system designed by his Father, the King. He’s that dangerous type that hooks you from the start. The banter, the smouldering looks, the fleeting touches, the touch-her-and-d!e energy, the heartfelt declarations, the dimples (!!!)—Kai completely won me over. Paedyn might take a hot minute to realise it, but me? Kai had me at ‘Darling’.Kitt, Prince, Heir to the throne. An absolute sweetheart, he’s truly adorable. I was holding so much hope that Paedyns influence would stick (and I actually believed it was starting to). We saw his empathy, compassion and kindness on so many occasions. Instead, the story takes him in a direction that’s heart rendering and I can’t help but think Paedyn’s betrayal had a big hand in it.What puzzled me, though, was how quickly Paedyn integrated into the resistance. There wasn’t much build-up there—one minute she’s an outsider, and the next, she’s fully in. The resistance felt underdeveloped, especially considering its importance to the plot. I needed more substance, more interaction, to feel that part of the story come to life.It was also surprising that Kai didn’t leave more of an impression on Paedyn, considering everything he did for her—saving her life, practically offering his heart on a platter—and yet, she remains distant all the while kinda saying she likes him too. I know it’s intentional, but I couldn’t help thinking about how different things might have been if she had just trusted him enough to confide in him.I had to resist the urge to Google character fates as the story grew more intense. The twists thicken to a point where my anxiety was off the charts, and I just knew something terrible was about to happen.And then the ending—that twist. Why? My heart feels like it’s been shattered. The delicate dance between love and hate driving the characters apart now more relevant than ever, the inner turmoil, it all builds to this explosive revelation. Learning what Kai did? It sent me into a spiral. I was perfectly happy believing it was the king. Honestly, I’m torn between wanting to hurl the book across the room in frustration and being utterly mesmerised by the storytelling.And with that, you have me hooked.

Great characters, in a great first book in the series. I devoured it (and the rest of the series for that matter)

Totally lives up to the online hype! Characters are well fleshed out, unique and well written, plus the plot is fabulous. Love this author so much!

I love the world of Powerless. Boyfriend got me a copy for Xmas. The Story iland characters are great.

Despite hearing very mixed reviews I tried hard to go into this open-minded. Told in dual POV, I found that I liked both narrators Pae (despite her name) and Kai well enough for the most part, appreciated the energy between them and found myself rooting for them despite the odds stacked against them - they did have some really nice moments but it was very slow burn.Plot wise the book has clearly been heavily influenced by other very popular books such as Hunger Games and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and there were points where I felt it ought to have been a little more original. I appreciated all the politics but the resistance was rather shambolic when it came down to it!Generally though I mostly found it entertaining, although was a little frustrated by the constant repetitions in the writing - I don't need to keep reading similar sentences over and over for them to sink in - and as such feel the book would have read a lot better if it had been edited down a little. In all it was a fairly good read - some parts were more engaging than others - but I can't see myself re-reading this one and am undecided as to whether I should continue with the series.3.25 - 3.5 stars

Physical/Kindle read 528 PagesRomantasyYALove TriangleHunger Games vibesReverse Grumpy x SunshineEnemies to Lovers to EnemiesObsessed MMCOk, I'm not gonna lie, I struggled to get into this I think because I got a lot of Hunger Games style vibes. The FMC was a typical badass and the MMC was obsessed from day one. His dialogue is much better than hers and lots of swoon worthy moments.3 trails that I got deja vu from and an epic ending that had me gripped more than most of the book. Still a very good story when I will continue the series.

Enjoyed the story and it went fast, the design is also so pretty which is an added bonus , was first book I actually read and it got me to books to will forever be a defender of it

Omg omg omg! I loved this!✨The plot of this book is amazing! I loved all the characters, everything about this book was fantastic!The tension between Kai and Paedyn was chefs kiss 💋 and that ending hell yeah!! I am hooked and will be reading the next asap 😂