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My Physical TBR & a Review of Powerless by Lauren Roberts

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kent State chapter.

One of my favorite things to do is read, and when I’m not reading, I’m buying books. Over the last couple of weeks I have added a lot of books to my physical TBR and I thought there was no better way to start off my first article of the semester then by sharing them.

After my most recent read, “Powerless”, I have been on a fantasy kick. Therefore, the majority of the books on my TBR are fantasy books, so if you are needing any new fantasy book recommendations you have come to the right place.

Since the beginning of spring semester I have been in a bit of a reading slump and have been having a hard time trying to find the time and motivation to read, so I’m hoping that this can motivate me and others to finally start that book we have all been dying to read.

Without any further introduction, here are the newest additions to my physical TBR.

  • “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross
  • “Belladonna” by Adalyn Grace
  • “The Poppy War” by R.F. Kuang
  • “Defy the Night” by Brigid Kemmerer
  • “Check & Mate” by Ali Hazelwood
  • “What Happens After Midnight” by K.L. Walther

Most of the books I listed above are the first books in a series, for example, the sequel for “Divine Rivals” came out last month as well as the third book in the “Defy the Night” series, and if there is one thing I love about reading, it’s knowing that I get to read about the same characters over and over. So if anyone is looking for a new series the first four books I mentioned would all be great options!

As I mentioned before, the last book I read was “Powerless” by Lauren Roberts, so I thought I would share my opinions on it. I originally picked up this book because I saw that it had some similarities to one of my favorite series, “The Hunger Games”. “Powerless” exceeded my expectations, and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out in July.

The story follows the forbidden romance between the two characters Paedyn and Kai. Paedyn is an ordinary, or in other words, she does not have any special abilities which is something that she must keep hidden in order to survive. Prince Kai is the king’s son, as well as the royal executioner, the very person who seeks to find ordinaries like Paedyn. I am obsessed with everything about this book. The characters were all so well written and I have such an emotional attachment to them all already. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy romance fans. 

Ava Murak

Kent State '27

Ava Murak is a sophomore at Kent State with a major in marketing and a minor in entrepreneurship. She grew up in Buffalo NY and hopes to work in the fashion industry after graduation. In her free time, Ava can be found reading, shopping, listening to music, and trying out new coffee shops.