I’m very stubborn when it comes to prequels and retellings. I seem to avoid them at all costs, but then I never regret reading them once I do. The Hunger Games is a great example. I avoided Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes like the plague because I hated the idea of Snow’s perspective; once I actually read the book, I ended up loving it. You’d think I’d learn my lesson by now!

But after I finished Powerless by Lauren Roberts, I was very, very tempted to jump straight into Reckless and skip over her retelling, Powerful.

However, my friends on Bookstagram have yet to guide me wrong, and they all told me I should not skip Powerful! We had a few snow days last week, so I decided to give it the shot it deserved!

Just to preface, Powerful is the retelling of Powerless from Adena’s perspective. I thought I would be bored reading the same story twice, but honestly, everything you take in is pretty new and different coming from Adena! And you get to meet a new character, Mak, whom I just love!

I have zero regrets taking the time to read this book, and it was truthfully a pretty quick read! Also I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Lauren Roberts has officially published a new special edition of Powerful that matches the rest of the books! If you don’t know already, the current version of powerful is much smaller (in length but most importantly in height) than the rest of the series. She calls it the itty-bitty edition, which I love! lol But the new special edition will match the rest of the series in height and design a little better. Plus it’s got pretty sprayed edges and piece of pretty ribbon as a bookmark.

I’m linking them both here for you! You can pre-order the new special edition now, but the current itty-bitty, original edition is still available! If you’re anything like me, you’ll love having the new one that matches but will always appreciate your original, first edition.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Okay, so if you don’t want to read spoilers from this point forward, skip to the bottom of my post for the Goodreads synopsis! I didn’t plan on a full summary and post for this book, but I did want to point out that the ending of Powerless retold from Adena and Mak’s perspectives really got to me more than reading the first book through. I definitely cried, not just for poor Mak but gosh, for Adena! Her death is just such a tragedy and her hands……yeah, cue the tears. This quote at the very end got to me too:

“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.“

I did wonder why we didn’t get more of Adena and Pae during Powerless after Adena comes to the castle, so this does make a little more sense. I just can’t imagine Mak won’t play some kind of role moving forward with his powers! Also, I KNOW Kai noticed Adena, so why isn’t he questioning that at the end of Powerless….maybe that’s to come in Reckless. Also, will we see more of Al from the dungeon? I’m excited to find out!

Let me know in the comments if you’ve read Powerful and your thoughts!

Goodreads Synopsis

Set during the time of the New York Times bestseller Powerless, fan favorite Adena gets a story all her own as she attempts to survive on the streets of Loot…and falls for a mysterious—and dangerous—Elite.

Adena and Paedyn have always been inseparable. Fate brought them together when they were young, but friendship ensured they would always protect each other and the home they built in the slums of Loot. But now Paedyn—an Ordinary—has been selected for the Purging Trials, which means almost certain death.

Now alone in Loot, Adena must fend for herself. After attempting to steal, she’s rescued by a mysterious man from the market. Mak’s shadowy past and secretive power set him apart from the other low-level Elites of Loot. And as the pair team up to see their loved ones before the Trials, the quest tests their loyalty, their love, and their lives.

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I promised a blog post on my thoughts of Variation, so here it goes! Just a warning, this post has all spoilers ahead! Jump to the bottom of my post to read the Goodreads synopsis with a link to the book!

*** Spoilers Ahead ***

I think it’s safe to say that I will never see what Rebecca Yarros has coming for me in any of her books! To start at the beginning, I really wasn’t sure who I disliked more – the Rousseau sisters’ mother or Caroline.

I knew something was up with Allie’s mom from the first encounter, where we see her yelling ballet positions instead of truly conversing with Allie and Anne. But despite that suspicion, it was obvious how she treated her children (poorly, let’s just go with poorly) before that moment in the book. Allie didn’t know love besides her obvious dedication to her sisters. It makes you wonder how her father played a role (if he did, really?) but I’m also not here to dive into any plotholes. I’m here for the vibes.

Anywhoo you know a character is well-written when they get on your nerves to the point you want to throw the book. For me, that was Caroline Ellis, no doubt. It was already hard to get past her stigma for ballerinas, but it was even harder to listen to her be such a well, you know, to Allie at Juniper’s birthday party. Of course, we come to find out that Caroline had really valid reasons for not letting Juniper dance. BUT I still think she let her prejudice against the Rousseaus get in the way of initially meeting Allie.

“Dreams aren’t stagnant, Allie. They grow.
They shift.”

I absolutely adore Hudson Ellis. I said this in my post on Instagram, but I just love that he supports and shows Allie his love no matter what. She obviously hasn’t had much of that in her life, so it’s really awesome to see her have a cheerleader who’s there just because they love her and not because of her talent as a ballerina.

I will admit that I didn’t see any of the twists coming – Rebecca keeps me on my toes! I could not figure out the big secret of Allie’s memory loss from the accident, but I was really worried that Hudson caused it or something. Of course, it ended up that Hudson pulled Allie out first and didn’t get to Lena in time. It was really hard to see Allie hear that truth, but I did appreciate how she pretty immediately realized her mother was the culprit of that secret, not Hudson. I didn’t see Juniper’s daddy reveal coming AT ALL, so good for you if you guessed that one! And of course we come to find out that their mother is sick. I’m not saying we should condone yelling at sick people, but I’m also just saying that that scene FELT. SO. GOOD. I was also totally expecting Hudson to move to NY at the end, so that one threw me for a loop – BUT I loved it!

As far as romance books go, I’m loving Rebecca’s. They are giving me Nicholas Sparks vibes – and yes, I love Nicholas Sparks – and I’m here for it. If you’re looking for something different for your Onyx Storm Book Hangover, I would definitely recommend it!

Have you read Variation yet? Let me know in the comments!

Quotes

“Messy is good, love. Messy is where the best parts of life happen.”

“Why are you brave for everyone but yourself?”

“You need to stop hiding behind what everyone else wants, because you’re the only one responsible for your happiness.”

“I didn’t want to be some anonymous, fleeting, erasable guest in her life like the others who had come before me. I wanted to be engraved, etched, and carved so deeply into her soul that she’d never get me out.”

“This wasn’t chemistry. This was combustion.”

Goodreads Synopsis

Variation by Rebecca Yarros

Elite ballerina Allie Rousseau is no stranger to pressure. With her mother’s eyes always watching, perfection was expected, no matter the cost. But when an injury jeopardizes all she’s sacrificed for, Allie returns to her summer home to heal and recover. But the memories she’s tried to forget rush in and threaten to take her under.

As a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hudson Ellis knows that hesitation can mean the difference between life and death. He’s always prided himself on being in the right place at the right time, especially when it came to Allie Rousseau…until the night he left for basic. After the biggest regret of his life, the secrets he keeps mean he can never be with the one woman he wants more than his next breath.

When Hudson’s niece shows up on Allie’s doorstep, desperate to find her birth mother, Allie finds herself in an unimaginable position. Allie and Hudson’s past and present might be endlessly complicated. The thread that tied them to each other all those years ago may have unraveled, but the truth could pull them back together, or drive them apart forever.

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