From the Bookshelf of ♡ afterglow ♡…

Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)

Lauren Roberts

Start date: August 1, 2024

Finish date: August 31, 2024

Discussion leader: livie⸆⸉ ౨ৎ • hiatus

Why we're reading this: august botm!! ☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩
[close] august botm!! ☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩

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Dec 17, 2023 abi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: teenagers-dont-act-like-this, 2023-releases, bad-apples, gave-me-the-ick, bad-hero, audio-books, dnf, no, romance, fantasy

DNF AT 67%

I honest to god cannot believe this book was published in the year of our lord and savior, 2023 (and babes, I’m not even religious…). Because if I just picked this book up today without knowing anything about it, I would have confidently said ”Yes, this book was published in 2012-2014” with absolutely no hesitation. And I think in some ways that’s what the authors intent was, but it’s just not something that I think really can compete with much better modern YA fantasy.

I’ve been follo DNF AT 67%

I honest to god cannot believe this book was published in the year of our lord and savior, 2023 (and babes, I’m not even religious…). Because if I just picked this book up today without knowing anything about it, I would have confidently said ”Yes, this book was published in 2012-2014” with absolutely no hesitation. And I think in some ways that’s what the authors intent was, but it’s just not something that I think really can compete with much better modern YA fantasy.

I’ve been following Lauren Roberts from the very beginning of her writing journey; down from the first video she posted about the idea she got for this book, to the time she self-published, then when she got picked up by a larger publishing house, and even her current stuff I try to watch every now and then. So I was really excited to read this book, especially since Lauren did say this book has Hunger Games vibes (as well as Red Queen, but that’s one of my least favorite books ever so, ya know…). But I think there comes a point between being inspired by things, and just blatantly plagiarizing/ripping off something.

That’s what the entire dystopian era of publishing was; ripping off The Hunger Games in some non-inventive way. And that’s really just what this book unfortunately was. A rip off of two very popular books from the dystopian era. Powerless had absolutely nothing new to add to the YA fantasy genre. The magic system was stolen from Red Queen, the plot was stolen from The Hunger Games, and yes, there was even a love triangle. A love triangle in once again I say, the year of our lord and savior, 2023.

If I had read this at the peak of my dystopian faze (when I was fifth and sixth grade) yes, this would have been a new favorite for me. But I just couldn’t read this story again. I’ve read it enough times, and I knew this wouldn’t bring anything new to the table. Combined with mediocre writing, cringe dialogue and romance, and an angsty edgelord male love interest who’s just a white version of Nasir from We Hunt the Flame, I honestly just can’t be bothered.

And to all of you who wonder why I can’t have fun reading bad books, I don’t know guys. I tried really hard to just like this despite it being bad, but I really couldn’t. I think this book has finally proven to me that Booktok books are just not going to be for me, and I should probably stop trying the lot of them. ...more

88 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2025 Lari ᥫ᭡ rated it it was amazing

I'm obsessed ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Jan 09, 2025 aubrey౨ৎ₊˚⊹ marked it as to-read

got about 60 pages in and i’m loving it but i’m not in the mood for a huge fantasy, so very soft dnf until i’m more in the mood<3

16 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2024 preru ♡ added it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites

to be rated and reviewed later :)

8 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2024 ~The Book Addict~ rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 01, 2023 Carleen ☾ ☀︎ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, magic, fantasy, young-adult

I really wanted to love this because everyone has been raving about it on Tiktok. It just didn't live up to my expectations. Still a good read but not amazing.

The premise was promising and unique with the MC without magical powers. The world building was slightly lacking for me. I enjoyed the characters and I'm really excited to see their arcs in future novels. The plot was not super original but I still enjoyed it.

Will still continue the series and see where the characters go. This was the auth ...more

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Aug 20, 2024 Amber Brigante rated it it was amazing

Shelves: physical-books, favorites

This one is favorite fantasy, and the banter, these two just had me through and through to keep reading and loved every bit of it and can’t wait read the next book either. Then that epilogue just well I will be continuing and hoping for more of them as this one.

1 like · Like · see review