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momwithareadingproblem's review against another edition
5.0
Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs, Tracy Deebs is the first in a new series about superheroes and villains. I honestly enjoyed this book way more than I expected to. From the first lines to the last I was fully engaged with the characters, their plight, and the world in which they lived. Kenna Swift is an ordinary living in the world of heroes. She works in her mother’s lab and everything is right in her world. Heroes are good, villains are bad and there is no gray area. That is until she catches three villains breaking into her mother’s lab and everything she thought she knew about the world is shattered.
Kenna is one of those main characters that will stick with me for a long time. While she sees herself as powerless, I see her as fearless. She willingly puts herself in danger time and again to help her friends. She isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and face the truth head on. Now that isn’t to say she doesn’t struggle with the truths she learns because she does, a great deal. This is what makes her character great! The authors pour into her growth and as a reader it is wonderful to see.
Even though Kenna is the main character, the story wouldn’t have been so addictive without the side characters. There is an entire cast of characters that fight alongside and against Kenna that make this story so gripping. I loved Rebel, her best friend and super heroine. Like her name suggests, she is a rebel and it through her that Kenna’s eyes begin to open to the gray areas that surround her life. And I can’t write a review without mentioning Draven, the villain who turns Kenna’s world inside out. *swoon*
My only complaint (and it’s minor, not even worth dropping my love a star) was the world-building. The authors immerse the reader into Kenna’s world with little to no information about it. There’s this great opener that’s like a memo/office email about the world she lives in and then boom! We’re right in the action and suppose to understand the world of heroes and villains. Honestly it didn’t bother me, though I really wanted to know more! I loved the dynamic, the informal laws, and the action-packed adventure that Kenna and her friends find themselves in.
Overall I adored this book! I’ve always been a fan of superheroes and villain stories. Tera Lynn Childs, Tracy Deebs take it to a new level! They combine the things I love about the comics and movies and created a wonderful book for teens everywhere! There’s snark and humor, diversity, and even a little romance. I can’t recommend this book enough!
Kenna is one of those main characters that will stick with me for a long time. While she sees herself as powerless, I see her as fearless. She willingly puts herself in danger time and again to help her friends. She isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions and face the truth head on. Now that isn’t to say she doesn’t struggle with the truths she learns because she does, a great deal. This is what makes her character great! The authors pour into her growth and as a reader it is wonderful to see.
Even though Kenna is the main character, the story wouldn’t have been so addictive without the side characters. There is an entire cast of characters that fight alongside and against Kenna that make this story so gripping. I loved Rebel, her best friend and super heroine. Like her name suggests, she is a rebel and it through her that Kenna’s eyes begin to open to the gray areas that surround her life. And I can’t write a review without mentioning Draven, the villain who turns Kenna’s world inside out. *swoon*
My only complaint (and it’s minor, not even worth dropping my love a star) was the world-building. The authors immerse the reader into Kenna’s world with little to no information about it. There’s this great opener that’s like a memo/office email about the world she lives in and then boom! We’re right in the action and suppose to understand the world of heroes and villains. Honestly it didn’t bother me, though I really wanted to know more! I loved the dynamic, the informal laws, and the action-packed adventure that Kenna and her friends find themselves in.
Overall I adored this book! I’ve always been a fan of superheroes and villain stories. Tera Lynn Childs, Tracy Deebs take it to a new level! They combine the things I love about the comics and movies and created a wonderful book for teens everywhere! There’s snark and humor, diversity, and even a little romance. I can’t recommend this book enough!
greenink's review against another edition
I don't even remember if I finished this or not. Didn't really like the main character.
sleepfortheweak's review against another edition
3.0
I was really excited for this book. I read more than half of it within the first day of getting it and really enjoyed the beginning but soon discovered typos and little world-building (I've read other reviews talking about the whole villain/hero blood thing and how are villains villains and heroes heroes and are mixed people both or just one?). Also, the timeline was so confusing. Kenna talks about learning things about herself in the past week but the book contradicted the timeline. The romance also seemed very rushed. I did enjoy the romance, but it was a little ruined when they started making out after 2 or 3 days of knowing each other. However, I really enjoyed the plot and found the book hard to put down. There was action in every chapter, from the first few pages to the very end. I don't think I'll be reading the next book, but I enjoyed this quick read.
landscapesofink's review against another edition
5.0
Best book I've read in a while! It was so full-on all the time. I just loved every minute of it. I can't believe I have to wait like aaaages for the next book to come out. I don't know how I'm going to do it.
shamelesslyintroverted's review against another edition
3.0
Five Sentence Summary: Childs and Deebs created a powerful (hehe) book about superheroes and villains. Kenna is deemed powerless in a superhero world. She tries to make up for her powerlessness by developing her own powers in a lab with her mother. Her world gets flipped upside down when she realizes that the villains are the good guys and the superheroes have twisted secrets. With a team of villains and heroes (the good kind), Kenna storms the castle that was her life.
I have to say it. This book is cheesy. But I like cheese (not feta). I honestly thought this book was intended as a parody of superhero stories, which it still may be... who knows? This book is packed with humor and cliches, which is why I didn't think it was to be taken seriously... but it surprised me. Powerless is a lighthearted book that will boil your blood at the end.
YA is an interesting genre because you get a little bit of everything: adult themes, cursing, twisted plots, deep characters (despite most of them being in high school), among others.
This book teeters on the edge of lower-grade fiction and higher-grade fiction because of the cursing. The plot is more like lower-grade, but there are a few choice words sprinkled in. No adult themes, though. This book was not balanced correctly. The writing was lower level and the authors told us rather than showed us too much for my liking. Again, I think it's that YA genre balance that was off-putting.
However, once you get past the cheese and the predictability of the general plot, you get to know the characters and feel their situation as your own. If you're able to look past that stuff; I know a lot of readers that can't. The ending definitely set up for the sequel.
I borrowed this book from a coworker, whom borrowed it from the library. Luckily, she was able to snag the sequel when she checked out Powerless. I'll be reading that one next! Despite its cheese, I'm eager to find out what happens with our characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes superhero-type books. I would feel comfortable allowing middle school-age readers to pick it up. It has a few choice words (as mentioned), but other than that, it's completely clean.
I have to say it. This book is cheesy. But I like cheese (not feta). I honestly thought this book was intended as a parody of superhero stories, which it still may be... who knows? This book is packed with humor and cliches, which is why I didn't think it was to be taken seriously... but it surprised me. Powerless is a lighthearted book that will boil your blood at the end.
YA is an interesting genre because you get a little bit of everything: adult themes, cursing, twisted plots, deep characters (despite most of them being in high school), among others.
This book teeters on the edge of lower-grade fiction and higher-grade fiction because of the cursing. The plot is more like lower-grade, but there are a few choice words sprinkled in. No adult themes, though. This book was not balanced correctly. The writing was lower level and the authors told us rather than showed us too much for my liking. Again, I think it's that YA genre balance that was off-putting.
However, once you get past the cheese and the predictability of the general plot, you get to know the characters and feel their situation as your own. If you're able to look past that stuff; I know a lot of readers that can't. The ending definitely set up for the sequel.
I borrowed this book from a coworker, whom borrowed it from the library. Luckily, she was able to snag the sequel when she checked out Powerless. I'll be reading that one next! Despite its cheese, I'm eager to find out what happens with our characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes superhero-type books. I would feel comfortable allowing middle school-age readers to pick it up. It has a few choice words (as mentioned), but other than that, it's completely clean.
yabooknerd's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect for this year's Summer Reading Program - Unmask!
ajwentz's review against another edition
1.0
I couldn't even finish this book, but I've put it down. I wanted to like it, and I was looking forward to a fun, fluffy read after several dense books, but it was not enjoyable. It relied too heavily on stereotypes, the pacing was poor, and the world-building was so simple as to be baffling. I was very disappointed. I love reading about academic heroines, but I had a hard time taking Kenna seriously. All in all, I can't recommend this book, even as a vacation read.
vita_s_west's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.5
Needed way more world-building.
thecitruswriter's review
1.0
What in the ever-loving God is this?
I get it. It was funny for a while. I was having a great time, wonderful, even when our main character, who I can't remember her name worth of anything after just putting this book down not even two hours ago, make dumbass decisions and think for the everloving God that she can save everyone just because she's the MAIN CHARACTER.
AND IF I READ "POWERLESS" ONE MORE EVER-LOVING GOD TIME, IM CHOKING HER ASS.
And don't you even get me started on that unnecessary lovey-dovey shit. Whatever his name is so flat and one tone I can't even distinguish him from his own cousin! Why did they have to do this trope of falling for one another in a manner of a couple of days! For her, it was at first sight...ew. I'm just beyond appalled because I thought I was going to love this book. Superheroes, villains, finding the truth within yourself.
This is like a knockoff- I wanna be superhero Mommie- Marvel universe sheet. I haven't finished it and I already know what was going to happen...bullcrappppppppp. I'm so tired of books going downhill for me and it's only the first week of March. UGGGHh
I get it. It was funny for a while. I was having a great time, wonderful, even when our main character, who I can't remember her name worth of anything after just putting this book down not even two hours ago, make dumbass decisions and think for the everloving God that she can save everyone just because she's the MAIN CHARACTER.
AND IF I READ "POWERLESS" ONE MORE EVER-LOVING GOD TIME, IM CHOKING HER ASS.
And don't you even get me started on that unnecessary lovey-dovey shit. Whatever his name is so flat and one tone I can't even distinguish him from his own cousin! Why did they have to do this trope of falling for one another in a manner of a couple of days! For her, it was at first sight...ew. I'm just beyond appalled because I thought I was going to love this book. Superheroes, villains, finding the truth within yourself.
This is like a knockoff- I wanna be superhero Mommie- Marvel universe sheet. I haven't finished it and I already know what was going to happen...bullcrappppppppp. I'm so tired of books going downhill for me and it's only the first week of March. UGGGHh