Book Review: Powerless by Lauren Roberts

by The Book Pup on November 14, 2025

Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):

She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.


When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.

My Summary:

Paedyn Gray has survived in the kingdom of Ilya by pretending to have powers she doesn't possess. In a world where only the Elite (those with magical abilities) are valued, being ordinary is a death sentence.

When she's forced to compete in the Purging Trials, a brutal competition meant to showcase the most powerful Elites, Paedyn must continue her deadly act. The stakes? Survival. The problem? Kai Azer, the Enforcer prince who hunts the powerless, is watching her every move.

As the trials grow more dangerous and the line between enemy and ally blurs, Paedyn discovers that some secrets are worth dying for, and some connections are worth risking everything.

My Review

Powerless has been all over BookTok, Pinterest, BookTube, and I finally picked it up to see what the hype was about. Overall, I really enjoyed it, though it definitely pushed me out of my usual reading comfort zone.

Let me start with what worked: the action. This book is absolutely packed with intense, well-choreographed action sequences that kept my heart racing. The Purging Trials themselves are brutal and creative, and the fight scenes feel both exciting and strategic. I love it when books break book trends, and Paedyn having to compete without powers while pretending she has them is definitely unique.

Paedyn is a fantastic protagonist. She is scrappy, resourceful, and determined to survive. Watching her navigate a world designed to eliminate people like her was gripping. The worldbuilding around the Elites versus the Ordinaries felt fresh.

The romance between Paedyn and Kai definitely caught me off guard, not in a bad way, just in an unexpected way. It starts much earlier and is much more prominent than I'm typically used to in my fantasy reads. There's a lot of romantic tension woven throughout the action, which I know many readers will love. For me, it worked overall, but I had to adjust my expectations since I'm used to slower-burn romances.

What really pushed this outside my comfort zone was the darker tone. This book doesn't shy away from violence, moral ambiguity, and some heavy themes. It's darker than my usual reads, which is something to be aware of if you prefer lighter fantasy. The brutality of the trials and the oppressive society created an atmosphere that was sometimes intense.

The forbidden romance element (Enforcer prince who hunts the powerless falling for a girl without powers) is executed well, even if it moves faster than I typically enjoy. The chemistry between Paedyn and Kai is undeniable, and their dynamic creates great conflict.

Despite being outside my usual preferences, I still really enjoyed this book. The action was phenomenal, the protagonist compelling, and the plot kept me hooked. If you love action-heavy fantasy with prominent romance and don't mind darker themes, this is absolutely worth the hype.

4/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾🐾

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Content notes: Violence, darker themes, brutal competition scenes

Cheers, and happy reading!

The Book Pup

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