Powerless
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
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In a kingdom where the Gifted rule and the un-Gifted have been purged, Paedyn Gray scrapes by hiding her ordinary status. When she saves a prince, she lands in a royal trial that could expose her.
Powerless has some explicit moments but is closer to a 2 to 3 out of 5 on the spice scale, with most of the heat in tension and emotional buildup rather than graphic scenes. It is romantasy aimed at the new adult crossover market.
Powerless has some explicit moments but is closer to a 2 to 3 out of 5 on the spice scale, with most of the heat in tension and emotional buildup rather than graphic scenes. It is romantasy aimed at the new adult crossover market.
No. Powerless is the first book in a planned trilogy by Lauren Roberts. Reckless was released in 2024, and the third book is expected to complete the series. Lauren Roberts has also written a related novella, Powerful.
Powerless is marketed as new adult, with the protagonist Paedyn at 18 and some explicit content. It is sold in both YA and adult sections depending on the retailer. Younger teen readers should be aware of the spice level.
Powerless went viral on BookTok in 2023 with its enemies-to-lovers premise, fantasy-survival plot, and forbidden romance between an Ordinary girl posing as Elite and the prince hunting her. It crossed over from self-publication to a major print release.
Powerless was written by Lauren Roberts, published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.
Powerless is 576 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Powerless takes most readers 9 to 12 hours to finish.
Powerless is a standalone novel by Lauren Roberts, not part of a series.
Powerless is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
