Powerful: A Powerless Story (The Powerless Trilogy)

Powerful by Lauren Roberts is a companion novella to Powerless, offering a deeper exploration of Adena’s journey and emotional growth. This book shifts focus from the high-stakes trials of Powerless to a more intimate, character-driven story set in the unforgiving world of Loot. Through its themes of resilience, love, and self-discovery, Powerful delivers an emotional punch despite its shorter length.Adena – Once sheltered and dependent on others, Adena is thrust into a world where survival is no longer a luxury. Her kindness, empathy, and determination remain her defining traits, making her an easy character to root for. Her growth from someone who needs protection to someone capable of standing on her own is one of the novella’s biggest strengths.Makoto (Mak) Khitan – The grumpy blacksmith with a hidden heart of gold, Mak is the perfect contrast to Adena’s warmth. His past is shrouded in mystery, and his reluctance to let anyone in adds a layer of tension to their growing relationship. His quiet yet unwavering devotion makes him a compelling love interest.Unlike the controlled setting of the trials in Powerless, Powerful takes place in the slums of Loot, where survival is uncertain, and danger lurks in every corner. The setting adds urgency to Adena’s journey, making her growth feel earned. The story trades large-scale conflicts for personal stakes, focusing on survival, companionship, and self-worth.Lauren Roberts excels at evoking emotions, making even the quiet moments between characters feel impactful. The prose remains as vivid and immersive as in Powerless, painting a rich picture of both setting and emotions. While the book is short, the story feels complete, with a satisfying arc for Adena and Mak. The novella balances hope and heartbreak, making the emotional moments hit hard. The relationship between Adena and Mak carries the story, full of tension, longing, and quiet understanding. At its core, this is a story of finding strength in the face of adversity.Strengths✔ Strong Character Development – Adena’s transformation is inspiring, and Mak’s layers make him an unforgettable character.✔ Emotional Depth – The book captures love, loss, and resilience beautifully.✔ Engaging Romance – The grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Adena and Mak is both heartwarming and compelling.✔ Well-Written for a Novella – Despite its brevity, the story feels rich and complete.Powerful is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant novella that expands on the world of Powerless while standing on its own as a heartfelt story of survival and love. Adena and Mak’s journey is one of growth, healing, and quiet strength, making this a must-read for fans of the series. Though it lacks the fast-paced action of Powerless, its emotional impact more than makes up for it.I literally could not crying in my class and they stare at me like "why is this girl crying?". Powerful stole my heart and now I cannot wait for Fearless⭐5/5 – A tender and emotional companion novel that shines with strong character development and romance.

I love the Powerless series, so I enjoyed jumping back into that world with this novella. It’s beautiful and heart-wrenching (have the tissues ready). While a stabby, badass FMC is my favorite, I think it’s beautiful to have an appreciation for the softer girls and give them their own story.

Reading this book in tandem with Powerless really adds to the dimensions of the characters. The emotional impact is stronger. This story made me laugh,sigh and weep. It’s really hard to not fall n love with Adena and Mak. Separately or together. But this story really broke my heart.

Pleasantly surprised, entertained and heartbroken. What a whirlwind this little 1.5 was. It was a redemption arc for Lauren Roberts, for me. While Powerless started out strong and whimpered out for me, Powerful held my attention and then broke my heart. I didn't expect much from this series, and now I'm back on board. Ready to give Reckless a solid try and will keep my pretty hardcover editions on my shelf. :) If you were disappointed with the hyped up Powerless - don't fret - Adena and Mak are here to save us.

This was an aptly named book. I wanted so much for a different ending, but wow do you fall even more in love with Adena and this brand new character that it seems impossible we haven’t heard of before, but look forward to again. I’m still holding onto hope for Adena, but thank you for this fuller insight into her life.

Adena: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.This book left me devastatingly heartbroken!Just when I thought I couldn't love anyone more than Kai and Paedyn here comes Adena and Makoto!The slow burn between them was everything and the way they just seemed made for each other left me feeling giddy every time they got near each other but as we got deeper into this book I knew a love as great as them couldn't last forever and just like that my heart was shattered.Overall I loved every moment of this book and while this book is a great stand alone I would highly recommend reading this in tandem with Powerless! I can't wait for the last book in the series I'm literally counting down the days!

🥹 Quotes 🥹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.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.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.If there is a God, this man is certainly proof that He has His favorites.“But you… you’re the embodiment of everything I am not. And yet, here I am, crawling back to you as though I’ve left a piece of myself behind.”“I regret not buying that blue shirt from you, if only so I had your attention long enough to convince you that red suits you better. I regret not telling you how much I like it when you blow those bangs out of your eyes, or the way you clap after finishing a row of stitches. I regret smothering every smile you made me want to give you. And I regret not telling you the truth. But most of all, not saying goodbye.”“You make even the stars envious, Because one day—far from now—you will be up there beside them, outshining every single one.”“You are the sweetest thing I have never tasted. And I doubt I’ve craved anything more.”“See you in the sky.”And there she is, outshining everyone. In a way, she’s always been the sun. Always the brightness that existed despite the presence of such darkness.