A New York Times bestseller
This sparkling edition includes a special case stamping, bonus content, and a teaser to book two in this heart-pounding series
Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this young adult fantasy follows the forbidden romance between a powerful prince and an ordinary girl as they try to survive their kingdom's grueling laws pitting them against each other.
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 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 keenly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can to stay alive and out of trouble...easier said than done.
When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya's 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.
About the Author
When Lauren Roberts isn’t writing about fantasy worlds and bantering love interests, she can likely be found burrowed in bed reading about them. Lauren has lived in Michigan her whole life, making her very familiar with potholes, snow, and various lake activities. She has the hobbies of both a grandmother and a child, i.e., knitting, laser tag, hammocking, word searches, and coloring. She’s the author of Powerless, and she hopes to have the privilege of writing pretty words for the rest of her life. If you enjoy ranting, reading, and writing,
Industry Reviews
"As the Trials become increasingly deadly, Paedyn and Kai must reconcile their burgeoning romantic feelings for each other with their respective places in a brutal and discriminatory society...Paedyn and Kai's alternating POVs skillfully juxtapose steamy romantic encounters with heart-pounding action and gory violence, delivering a tale of political and personal intrigue that capably kicks off an epic trilogy."--Publishers Weekly
"Lauren Roberts's exciting story thrills with flirtatious banter, cutthroat battles, and searing betrayals...present[ing] a spin on the deadly game trope by incorporating multiple layers of complexity: dual POVs; fathers both admirable and problematic; hints of a love triangle between Pae and two brothers; sexually tense moments with 'a promise of passion'; fierce training and fight sequences enhanced by creative abilities; and an underground Resistance hungry for revenge. Powerless is a compelling tale of darkness and destruction, of a divide carved by a vicious king, and of the lure of freedom, choice, and power."--Shelf Awareness
