About The Book
In the kingdom of Ilya, only the empowered Elites, gifted with powers by the Plague, are allowed to stay; the powerless Ordinaries are banished. Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary, survives by posing as a Psychic in the city. When she saves a prince, she is forced into the deadly Purging Trials, designed to display Elite powers. Paedyn must navigate the Trials and her feelings for the prince, all while hiding her lack of abilities.
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My Rating
This book starts off a fantasy series on a solid note with its strong plot, but it may not captivate every reader. I appreciate Roberts’ efforts in crafting the world and characters, which is typical for a fantasy series debut. However, I personally felt that the pacing fell short, and I found myself craving a faster-paced story with more excitement and action.
One of the book’s strong points is its magic system, which gives off a YA fantasy vibe reminiscent of popular series like “Divergent” or “The Hunger Games.” The main character, Paedyn, stands out as a powerful female lead, confidently strong-willed thanks to her background of survival. And then there’s Kai, the male lead, who strikes a likable balance between toughness and kindness, making for some really engaging interactions between them.
The story mainly revolves around Paedyn and Kai, so the side characters don’t really play a significant role in the plot. However, I found Kitt, Kai’s brother and the future king, to be intriguing. Even though he’s not a major character, I enjoyed the moments between him and Kai, as well as the scene with Paedyn and him. I’m looking forward to learning more about him as the series progresses.
As for Paedyn and Kai’s romance, it follows the classic rivals-to-lovers theme, and I thought it was executed quite well. Nevertheless, I can understand if some readers find it a bit slow-paced, especially if they prefer their romantic plots to move along more quickly. As someone who openly dislikes slow-burn romance, this one really got on my nerves. However, I have to give credit where it’s due—the banter between Kai and Paedyn was spot on. Still, it didn’t quite make up for the overly drawn-out slow burn.
“If I am to be her enemy, I want it to be because she loathes herself for wanting me.”
For me, the plot falls short of delivering any groundbreaking revelations, which left me feeling disconnected from the story’s twists and turns. While I wasn’t deeply attached to the characters, the ending did stir up a mix of emotions, making me curious about where the series is headed next.
The author’s writing style heavily leans into the YA genre, which isn’t something I love, as I’ve been gravitating towards more adult fantasies these days. Additionally, the book’s length feels excessive, lacking consistent engagement throughout its 400 pages. I feel that if it had been a bit shorter, I might have enjoyed the story more.
Overall, the book didn’t hold my attention from start to finish, which is something I always hope for, especially in a fantasy series. However, its solid foundation and intriguing characters still give me enough reason to keep going with the series. I’m curious to see where the characters will go from here and how the story will unfold.
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Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny