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aprilpamyl's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Sexual harassment
mythxcally's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book wasn't really anything special, much like Powerless. It was nice to see what Adena was doing in the slums whilst Pae was in the trials, but I didn't really feel connected to the book knowing already that she was going to die at the end.
Her and Mak were cute, and I do feel awful for him consideringhe lost the two people he was closest to.
It was a nice, quick read but not something I would read again. I would've liked an after bit, maybe of a couple months later about Mak and how he was coping perhaps.
Her and Mak were cute, and I do feel awful for him considering
It was a nice, quick read but not something I would read again. I would've liked an after bit, maybe of a couple months later about Mak and how he was coping perhaps.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, and Blood
justash2000's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Murder
alinagpfrt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Torture, Violence, and Blood
findmereading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Torture and Violence
dkgreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Lauren Roberts must be one of those authors who drinks her coffee from a mug that says THE TEARS OF MY READERS on it, because this was positively heartbreaking. Actually, if I’m being honest, it was just plain mean 😩. Adena is so GOOD and so KIND and so DELIGHTFUL, why did she have to put us through this? Whyyyyyyy????
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Sexual harassment
pretty_pathetic's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Novellas like this one that fill in gaps in a series almost always come across as opportunistic and rushed. This one was no exception. The tone was all over the place and the main character is a manic pixie dream girl with no real personality or character development.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
meeklovestoread's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Wow! I'm so glad I read this! While I did enjoy "Powerless", I wasn't obsessed with it like a lot of other people were and was honestly not going to continue the series. However, I was really in the mood for a quick read and I saw this book rolling around a few months ago plus the 2nd book came out this month so I figured I'd give the novella a go considering it was only 200-ish pages.
And boy am I happy I read this! Adena is probably one of my favorite FMCs that I've read about. She's literally me (but much more optimistic)! She's bubbly! Sweet! Fragile! Curly hair. And she talks a lot. Her dynamic with Makoto reminds me a lot of my dynamic with a few of my male friends so it was so endearing to read about them (Adena and Makoto). Although, I will say their feeling for each other came very quickly to me, I wasn't too convinced of their romance until the later half of the book, and even now I still feel like their romance happened extremely quickly which negated a lot of the emotional impact for me, but it's a novella so I guess I can't fault it too much on that front. I'm not too big on tropes but this is most definitely a grump x sunshine if I've ever seen one (he could be a little too grumpy at times for me).
I think this book was extremely needed cuz although we all know what happens to Adena, I think this book gives what happened to her more emotional impact than it did in Powerless. In "Powerless", Adena is rarely in the novel which in my opinion hinders the emotional impact of her death because we don't really get to see much of her or her friendship with Paedyn. In this book, at least we get more insight into Adena and her personality so in my opinion makes her death more impactful for the reader. I actually shed a tear when reading about her death (something I didn't do when I read it in "Powerless").
My main qualm with the book is that some major questions that I wanted answered still weren't answered. We still don't know the exact reason why the king targeted Adena in the first place. Also, a pressing question I have is how the elites' powers are determined?Like in this book, Makoto is born with two Mundane parents and yet he possesses the power of a wielder. How? I'm very curious to see what Makoto's role will be in the next book considering what we know about him. Poor Makoto! Both the women he cared about the most died within a few weeks of one another. Overall, I really enjoyed this one (and the writing in here; there were some cute little quotes), and will most definitely be continuing the series now!
And boy am I happy I read this! Adena is probably one of my favorite FMCs that I've read about. She's literally me (but much more optimistic)! She's bubbly! Sweet! Fragile! Curly hair. And she talks a lot. Her dynamic with Makoto reminds me a lot of my dynamic with a few of my male friends so it was so endearing to read about them (Adena and Makoto). Although, I will say their feeling for each other came very quickly to me, I wasn't too convinced of their romance until the later half of the book, and even now I still feel like their romance happened extremely quickly which negated a lot of the emotional impact for me, but it's a novella so I guess I can't fault it too much on that front. I'm not too big on tropes but this is most definitely a grump x sunshine if I've ever seen one (he could be a little too grumpy at times for me).
I think this book was extremely needed cuz although we all know what happens to Adena, I think this book gives what happened to her more emotional impact than it did in Powerless. In "Powerless", Adena is rarely in the novel which in my opinion hinders the emotional impact of her death because we don't really get to see much of her or her friendship with Paedyn. In this book, at least we get more insight into Adena and her personality so in my opinion makes her death more impactful for the reader. I actually shed a tear when reading about her death (something I didn't do when I read it in "Powerless").
My main qualm with the book is that some major questions that I wanted answered still weren't answered. We still don't know the exact reason why the king targeted Adena in the first place. Also, a pressing question I have is how the elites' powers are determined?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Cursing, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
cielosiluminado's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
LAUREN, HOW DARE YOU. I’M SENDING YOU MY THERAPY BILL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Torture
annadelreads's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“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.”
So this book tells the point of view of Adena while Paedyn is on the royal grounds. What she's doing and is planning on doing while Paedyn is off to try not to die in the trial. And she also met this blacksmith named Makoto, who also has his cousin, Hera, in the trial. It's so fun having to read both point of views. You can see Makoto slowly opening up to A while hiding his secret.
Overall, I thought I would have felt great pain by the end of the book but sadly not. I feel for Adena but the ending just left me with some more questions. Specifically, what happened to Makoto - which I hope would be answered in the third book.
TMI: I finished this book a few hours before I broke up with my long-term boyfriend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Abandonment