Powerful - Spoiler Free Book Review and Summary

About The Book:

Powerful is a young adult fantasy novel written by the American author Lauren Roberts. It is a spin-off of the original Powerless Trilogy. The story is told from Adena’s point of view during Powerless when Paedyn, her best friend, leaves the slums for the Purging Trials. Adena fights to survive in the slums and encounters a powerful elite whom she falls in love with. This novella involves genres such as magic, fantasy, sci-fi, secrets, survival, loyalty, tragic and slow-burn romance, swords, and sorcery.

Synopsis:

After losing their families, Paedyn and Adena found comfort in each other and became inseparable from a young age, with Paedyn having a talent for stealing food, to provide for them both, and Adena being a talented seamstress, who provided comfort in their shelter. But then, after unexpectedly saving Prince Kai, Paedyn is thrown into the Purging Trials, with no guarantee of her life. Now, Adena has no choice but to survive in the slums alone.

Adena gets caught in her attempt at stealing and is rescued by a mysterious guy named Makoto, a powerful elite. Both of them team up since Makoto needs Adena’s help in making him an Imperial Uniform so he can sneak into the castle and save his loved one, Hera, from the Purging Trials, giving Adena a chance to see Paedyn, her best friend once again.

During their time together, Adena finds Makoto to be a cold and quiet guy, and Makoto finds Adena cheerful and talkative, finding comfort in her. The two of them grow closer to each other during their time together and start falling in love. But fate has something else in store for them, and things don’t go as expected. Their story ends in tragedy, testing their loyalty and love for one another.

My Personal Review:

This was such a traumatizing and tragic novel. It depressed me so much. Adena was such a sweetheart, a ray of sunshine, and Mak was the opposite of her. I loved both of their personalities and how Adena managed to turn Mak from gloomy to warmhearted and caring just for her.

Adena reminds me of myself a bit, and Mak reminds me of my friend, which made me like them even more. I am so sad that they didn’t get a happy ending together because they really deserved it. The ending was super depressing, but I loved this spin-off so very much.

I don’t usually like spin-offs but this one gets a solid five-star rating. Powerful was the opposite of Powerless, which is something I really liked and enjoyed. It was a sweet novel that made me feel warm, and I even cried a lot at the end.

Favorite quotes:

• “To the girls with softer dreams – your purpose is just as powerful.” – Dedication
• “Just count the stars, Dena.” – Makoto
• “See you in the sky.” – Adena
• “You make even the stars envious, because one day, far from now, you will be up there beside them, outshining every single one.” – Makoto
• “Always run to me” – Makoto
• “You are the sweetest thing I’ve never tasted. And I doubt I’ve craved anything more.” – Makoto
• “Thanks for picking the closest star, Dena” – Makoto
• “I know I’m the fighter, and you’re the lover.” – Makoto
• “If darkness is the absence of light, then that is what I am when she is not around. And I wonder how I’ve stumbled this long without her to guide me.” – Makoto
• “In the end, it was all light and dark, loud and soft. I knew nothing but the memory of those I loved. One, a friend. The other, unfinished. And that alone is what I took with me into the next life. But I watched, warm and bright and high above. Just as he promised.” – Adena
• “I had never known happiness before her. But if there is to be an after in which she doesn’t exist, I know I never will again.” – Makoto
• “I’m counting the stars until I see Mak shining beside me. The stars wink at me, welcoming me home. And on second eight, I know nothing.” – Adena
• “Falling is not what I do. No, I trip into love, unable to slow down long enough to question these feelings or the person I've dumped them on.” – Adena
• “She’s counting the stars. I break. All of me. Every inch of my being shattering at the realization.” – Makoto
• “I’ve made him smile.” – Adena
• “He is my fantasy. This is my reality.” – Adena
• “But I refuse to be ashamed of my softness. Gentleness is the strength that fragility lacks.” – Adena

Read about the First (Powerless), Second (Reckless) & Third Part (Fearless) of this Series