I loved Emily Wilde's because I feel like very rarely do female characters get to be the grouchy/socially awkward/callous ones in their romance. Emily is a character who very obviously isn't great at socializing with others but not in a "cutesy" or shy way, she's just really awkward and sometimes says rude things without realizing. More female romantic leads like this please! I love her
Agreed, I loved that Emily seems to be kinda autistic-coded, and that Wendell is basically the polar opposite of your typical "huge, hulking, broody, hypermasculine" male love interest.
If you like that for a female lead, you will love Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine (it's not fantasy though, but she is exactly whay you described hahah)
If you love that kind of characters, you will probably adore the Passe Miroir's serie ! I read it in French, but I think the first book has been translated as "The winter promise" ? Not sure of the title though. It's a fantasy romance (but more like 19th century) with Ghibli vibes (island in the skies and a flying castle), and the main leads are both grumpy and really socially awkward, not in a cute way lol, but very endearing
"Oh it started to rain... Oh cozy, I love that" literally every reader ever (they sprint to get a book so they can read with the sound of rain on the windows, it's a universal experience lol)
The Emily Wilde series is one of my favourite series of the past couple years. I really appreciate the 'romance' in it! The slow burn barely-there pining but he-knows-my-soul-better-than-i-do is so much better than over the top 'erotica masquerading as a fantasy book' that almost every romance book is turning into
'He just really likes taking off his shirt.' Sounds a lot like Gray from Fairy Tail if you ask me. Also BRAWNY??? That could easily be the name of one of the seven dwarfs in Snow White.
I loved Bride so much because of how funny it was. I was laughing my way through the smut scenes and every single time Lowe was like “I was to do this creepy sex thing bc I’m a werewolf and that’s just how we do it”. And the several subtle Twilight references had me screaming. My goodreads review was literally “the cringiest book I’ve ever had the pleasure of loving”
And the part I love is that when knotting is mentioned I felt like,,, kinda weird and ??? Meh??? about it, which is really relatable if you think about how Misery (who seems socially estranged) has had a very limited and antisocial approach to physical intimacy. It really reminded me of being a teenager and hearing about some stuff people did intimately and asking myself “oh, am I supposed to like that? It doesn’t sound that enjoyable, really???” I’m not sure I’m explaining myself alright…? 😅
Omg I COMPLETELY agreed with everything you said about Powerless. All I've heard is such praise for it but I'm just like.. guys it's actually not that good at all?? It completely feels like a book that had all these trope check boxes but with no meat and potatoes to go along with them.
@@TheCloudRazorable i think people who love this book are usually people who love terrible romances, like By A Thread or The Fine Print. i couldn’t even read more than 30 pages of Powerless before i realized it’s just one big cliche written for booktok girlies.
It's almost too little in your face tho 😂 I wish there was a little more in it! Like a TV show Bones slow burn or a historical drama yearning at least!
It came out of nowhere, especially because he slept with other woman in the cabin where both were staying, like? That was a dick move. Everything he did was annoying and arrogant. @@litol.spring
I really loved the romance aspect and how it was incorporated. If you are more interested into the study of fae aspect and to get into this (to be honest) fantastic setting and amazing writing style, then i recommend it.
I loved Powerless, I understand each of the points you make, the names for each power are simple, it feels like scenes are just written in, but I think it was fun! It was so simple that I breezed through it, I liked the trials, and I liked Kai, bc he is your basic black hair grey eyed character. I read the book while in school so it was very easy on my brain. I think Lauren Roberts has plenty of room to grow as a writer - this was her first book and she started it at 18. I'm excited to read Serpent & the Wings of Night and One Dark Window!!
Self aware werewolf romance is my favorite genre of werewolf romance. I’ve read many and most are subpar but when they’re self aware it’s amazing. One of my favorite Vampire x werewolf book is a manhwa called Blood Link it’s quite good, also very melodramatic.
You hit EVERY SINGLE POINT I had issue with in Powerless. I am so glad someone else thought “Brawny” was too similar to “Brony.” I actually couldn’t stand the book. I had to DNF. I didn’t go in with suuuper high expectations, but I expected something way better than what we got. I felt like I was reading a really bad fanfiction the entire time. My biggest issues were how stale/scripted everything felt. Nothing flowed naturally, it just felt very… planned out, but also nothing was planned out. The plot had points that she was trying to check, but everything else was so under researched. Lauren put so much effort into “cultivating” this “relationship” between the two main characters-which didn’t feel remotely ETL btw-and not enough time building anything else in the world. Like she kept telling us things and not showing us things, which was another problem I had, the book was too much tell and not enough show. I know she didn’t have an editor because she self published, but you’re telling me out of all the friends this girl has, not one of them beta read for her and was like, “heyyy sooo we need to talk because none of this makes sense.” ??? I know she was eighteen when she started writing it, but maybe we should have gone for a version two or version three at least. Like if I had time to go through and list everything I found issue with, editing and all, I would, but let me remind myself this isn’t good reads lol.
i gobbled up encyclopedia of faeries SO FAST and am eagerly awaiting my hold for the next one to drop. INSTANT five stars for me. the coziness is sooooo good and the subtly of the romance plot is >>>>>>
that part where you were dancing with your cat really made feel so at peace with myself for being a woman. I know it might not make sense, but it touched something in me
I've just started reading Emily Wilde and I was sucked in from the first chapter! It's so vibey and atmospheric. Plus Emily is so relatable and her relationship with Wendell is hilarious. I also prefer when the romance doesn't take away from the story. I'm only halfway through but I feel like this is gonna be a 5 star read for me.
Personally, as a person who LOVES The hunger games books so much for the messages they had and how they were portrayed, the reason why I loved Powerless was the complete opposite, I loved Powerless mainly for the romance aspect and the two main characters tension and banter, however if we want to look at the uniqueness, world building, politics and messages, it is DEFINITELY not rich on that in any way. So yeah the reason why so many people compare it to the Hunger games I believe is because of the trials and how they try to kill each other, otherwise there isn’t really a comparison.
I enjoyed both the hunger games and powerless...but as different books. The fact that we are comparing the two novels just sets the bar really high for powerless. Hunger games is rightfully regarded as a literary masterpiece but powerless is a beautiful story in its own way. Maybe if read in retrospect, without taking the book way too seriously or comparing it to hunger games you might just enjoy it.
I couldn't get into powerless because the world felt so fake and empty, and I'm the type of reader who can enjoy books just for the characters, that's how bad it was
@@lilypond5158 i agree completely. the characters except pae and kai had NO development, like i think blair? bliar?'s purpose in the book was just to be mean and exist as some rival for pae, and the author literally forgot adena existed for some chapters then suddenly brought her back in, portrayed her as nothing but some clumsy talented seamstress who is always smiling, then kills her off? hello? build it up please, all i know about adena is that she's paedyn's best friend but even that is inconsistent- and also i have a big problem with the resistance, if i rmbr correctly that's what its called, like it plays such a big part in the story but i think paedyn only met them in what- two scenes? three? and she joined them without hesitation, no questioning if they were lying or something, and she lives in the slums. shouldn't she have developed some sort of untrustworthy instinct?? and i also realllyyy don't like how the backstories are never explained, only stated. okay, i know kai was tortured as a kid and paedyn has the whole 'my dad was stabbed' trauma thing, but its never went into detail. it's stated that it bothers the characters and then what? gone? it didn't impact anything too much, and its literally supposed to make one of the most impacts. also, the wordbuiling- plummet mountains? really? and kai was raised to be a monster and he constantly refers to himself as that, and yet he let a child go at the start of the book. at the same time he had no problem torturing a dude to death. like- i have so many problems with this book, this isn't even all of it T.T
I finished the second Emily Wilde book the other day and I love that one almost more than the first. Wendell is so cute and useless and Emily is so clueless and brave. And it’s set in the German mountains! So pretty and mysterious! Highly recommend!!
I loved Powerless and am OBSESSED with the novella after it (Powerful), Im fully aware it's not a literary masterpiece, its definitely a fun entertaining read for me! it probably helped that Powerless is the first fantasy book I've ever read since i only recently started reading since high school mandatory reading lol
Same!! I get that it has a lot of tropes and can be repetitive but I really enjoyed the writing style and characters and it doesn't have to be a masterpiece to be good 😭 still so obsessed
Thank you!!! That is what I am saying. It doesn’t need to be a literally masterpiece to be an amazing book. The characters are amazing and have their own unique angst they just set off the book. And personally, I think the world building was fine, like I like the selection series so I don’t really think it’s bad. And sides. It is her debut novel, so I am sure it will get better in future books
Yeah! But tbh,all the booktubers I watch and trust haven't liked it so that's pretty upsetting😭 ik the word choices are a bit weird and stuff,but I just like the writing style and I'm obsessed with the charecters. But I totally respect her opinion though,not everyone has the same reading taste🤷🏻♀️
haha, so true!! i'm reading it now and loving it! but i also don't read fantasy usually, so i'm just having fun with it, i don't take it all that seriously and i think that's the best key in which to read this book.
Brawny is the name of a paper towel brand in the US. That's all i could think of when you said that. I love Emily Wilde. I have the sequel but still need to read it.
I thought I'm alone with my thoughts about powerless! Everyone on tiktok loves this book so much and after I have read it, I literally thought I read the wrong book?!
Jumping off all the other comments here, hearing that Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia isn't as romance heavy as I thought when reading the blurb is really interesting and now I'll be sure to pick it up next time I'm at the book store!
i’ve watched some of your tier list videos before but this is the first one i’m watching where you’re vlogging your experience as you read and it’s so fun! listening to you talk about books while you tied flowers or did your makeup felt like a facetime with a friend :) am definitely putting emily wilde on my tbr and will be watching more!
20:53 that's because Lauren Roberts is a very young writer (19-20 she started to write this books) so the writing may come off a bit inexperienced or lacking and she's a fan of booktok books , she may have gotten inspiration from ( hence the hunger games+the red queen comparison)
I’m 16 and in the process of writing a book, even I felt that the way Lauren Robert’s wrote was honestly terrible. Like I get it, she’s a new writer and all of that but how do you look at that and think, Oh yeah I’m gonna publish this for the world to see. Like no 💀
I am absolutely obsessed with "Emily Wilde's", its the first book (especially tiktok book) in a very long time that made me enjoy reading! From the first experience with the character you do feel a very distinct voice, I mean it feels like you're really reading someone's journal. The setting is gorgeous and comfy, the characters immensely enjoyable, and the romance aspect was perfection. Their extensive history together makes it feel like it's well developed, even if we don't get to experience much of it. I loved, loved, loved this book and agree with everything you mentioned ^^
Incredible vibes in this video as always, Leonie ❤ between you and newlynova, it’s refreshing to see some booktubers who didn’t love powerless. I heard LR wanted to write a book that included all her favorite tropes, and while I applaud her for it, it does just read like an bunch of scenes structured around tropes - at least it did to me! I wish I loved this as much as others did
I ADORED Powerless, but i also listened to it on audiobook so that might have helped my love for it. The narrators did a great job on it and I was very into it. I also don’t read fantasy that often so I wouldn’t know how other world building is, I’m more of a character gal rather than plot, and i really liked the characters.
the cozy vibes in this video were just the best and it even inspired me to go out last weekend and buy myself some flowers! 10/10 decision would definitely do it again!
I'm glad you loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, because I adored that book too. If you like the fantasy academic vibe, I would recommend A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. That's the first in a series. They're done as a memoire rather than a journal, but similar vibe in that it's set in a historical world much like ours but with one added fantasy creature, and a lady academic studying them. And if you like first person perspective with a really strong voice so you instantly know which character is speaking, I'd recommend Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik if you haven't read that one already
That little free library - somehow every single one of them always has a Stieg Larsson book in it. Just like the music playing in Crowley's car always gravitating to being Queen, books in LFLs always gravitation to having one Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dutch edition in it symbolizing all the books no one ever wants 🤣
Im currently reading the second book of Emily Wilde and I love it more than the first one - the first started a bit too slow for me - so highly recommending checking the second! Its fun and cosy, a bit more romance too
ahhh i am sooo excited for this video! 🤗 powerless has been on my tbr for a few months and i'm curious what you're going to say about it! hiiii leonie! i took a year or so hiatus from reading in 2022, but still loved watching booktube... in september 2023 you posted a video reviewing the 'all for the game' trilogy and i was so intrigued that you were going to review a series that has a special place in my heart (my favorite found family so far, god i love them sfm🥺) the king's men was the last book i read before not reading for a bit and i chose to reread the series after seeing your video. (she has a new book come out recently, in jean monroe's perspective:,) anywayyy, long story short, thank you for helping me get back into the lovely world of reading!! i have been watching your videos for a few years now and absolutely adore your content! i'm so proud of all that you've accomplished over the years and that you try new things (like the writing class). thank you for being entertaining, kind and inspiring!!
Such a good articulation around 25 mins about the trend of starting off romantasy as characters being “opposed” but actually the romance is so present and obvious from the start, and so there’s no satisfying build up or payoff! I DNF’d A Fate Inked in Blood because of this. Re: Bride. Shamelessly loved this one. Had such a fun time reading it. 5 stars. But it’s definitely a “to each her own” situation! I’ve recommended it to friends with major caveats 😂
I am just so happy you feel this way about Powerless. The writing style and just the writing itself was do juveline I felt like I was reading kids creative writing homework
oooooh I am so excited about this notion template!!! I have been wanting to start using notion for a while because I see you and other creators use it and it looks like such a fun and creative way to get organized and excited about reading. I have been holding back because I was kind of intimidated about building a system from scratch, so it is so nice to have your template! the cozy animations are everything 🥰 thank you!!
I have found the magic formula to get through "cringey" books that I am curious about : I read them in a language that I master at a high beginner/low intermediate level. I've read several Ali Hazelwood's books in Italian this year, including Bride and have enjoyed them a lot (and a lot more than I would have if I had read them in English or French, my first language). Granted, I probably miss some of the banter but I also avoid most of the cringe so that's a win for me ! Great video!
I loved powerless and my heart ACHES hearing you absolutely trash on it and it makes me want to cry. I so wish you could love it. also I listened to it on audio for the first time reading it and that was really good.
I loved Bride. It was so funny! Misery's dry sense of humor is amazing. And I just adore werewolves and vampires! I still need to read Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
Bride was so much fun! I laughed so much during the book and I actually loved the romance. I'm so glad you were safe at home when you got to the knotting scene 🤣🤣🤣 I just put Encylopedia of Faeries on my TBR. Loved this video!
I read Emily Wilde's last summer and it felt like the author just dragged all my favorite things out of my brain and made a great book I was so happy, and book two was also great
i loved powerless mostly because my expectations werent high and i never read the hunger games. i can also easily overlook flaws if the reading experience itself is amazing (i flew througb it as well). Save to say that it is not the best book but i think if you are not expecting it to be THE best fantasy but need something quick and fun you can actually enjoy it
This is just a theory so take this with a grain of salt, but i thonk part of the reason so many people loved powerless is because THEY got the buildup, but not in the book. Many of those people watched at least some of the authors tik toks about writing it, so they got snippets of the book and felt buildup to reading it, making the romance FEEL like it had buildup. It doesnt 100% make sense, but it makes some sense. (And as one of those people, i can say that the buildup problem wasn't as noticeable for me, my problem was more with world building and the length)
For me, I enjoyed powerless but hadn’t seen any tik tok’s before hand to build up to the romance. Although the book missed the mark somewhere with me, like maybe the ending or something with world building. I guess I wasn’t into the politics of it. However I loved it most for the romance and it gets big points for that.
I read Powerless mostly because the author lives in my state and ended up giving signed copies to my bookstore. Happy to support a local author and get a signature on top of that! I didn’t have too many expectations going in because I didn’t look into it much. I enjoyed the flirtiness (but not the nickname aspect, which usually I’m neutral/positive about haha) but I agree, I wish there was build up to it. Also felt like the trials weren’t as fleshed out as much as I’d like. They felt too inspired by the hunger games but without as much depth. Very interesting concept though. I have mixed feelings, so I plan on reading the next book (whenever it comes out) to see how I feel. I have one dark window on my tbr as well 😊
The most interesting idea in it is the main character pretending to be psychic and how impressive that is, but it was executed very poorly and with how the main character normally it's hard to believe she pulls it off, the auther set her up to be quite deceptive in the beginning but most of the time she's very blunt and doesn't have a filter😅
You are so fortunate to have bookstores where you live. I live in a city with over 100,000 people and we have three used bookstores (two which are very small) and that's it.
Hate to be negative but I could rant for days about how bad Powerless is. I continue to be flabbergasted as to how many people rate it 5 stars! I wish all the best for the author in her future, but the fact this book was also traditionally published blows my mind! She was so terribly let down by this publisher, the amount of horrendous editing was laughable. When she took a second to explain to us that the stadium was called 'The Bowl' because it looks like... a bowl... 😑 LOVE Emily Wilde though, loved the second just as much if not more than the first! Oh, just saw your comment on the sticky buns! I've never seen the word sticky be used so much in a book, I started to send a picture to my sister every time I came across it since it was so common 😭
I finally found people that have similar opinions about Powerless as me. I’m just getting flooded with people that rated it 5 stars on instagram and it started feeling like I was the only one that disliked it, lol. My friend recommended it to me after giving at a resounding 5 stars and calling it the best book she read last year. Needless to say I was extremely disappointed when I read it😭 It was just a trope checklist with absolutely no substance. Everyone seems to love the longing, but imo it dragged out soooo much and just gor repetitive and incredibly boring😅 The characters were so flat and I didn’t feel much connection between any of them. I’m not even gonna talk about the world building and magic system… I’m glad for the people that liked it, but it really wasn’t for me and I’d never call it a good book😅😭
@@megscabinetofcurios Theres a real difference between something being objectively good and subjectively good and a lot of people do not know the difference 👀
First and last time buying a book recommended by tik tok without checking in with my favorite booktubers about it, now powerless is just sitting on my shelf and I'm not sure if I'm even gonna read it.
I don’t understand how the Goodreads reviews are so high… I forced myself to finish it just so I could rate it one star and drag the entire book in my review
i started using your notion template and i am crying..... this is everything i have always wanted in a book documentation software, thank you so much for your patronage!!!
Can I say that I just love every sweater you wear in this video (especially the gray one that appears in the last scene)! Any chance we can get a video of you showing us your wardrobe or at least your favorite pieces of clothing? I just love your style!!
I highly recommend the Young Elites by Marie Lu if you want something similar to Powerless, but better. The young elites is also a disease caused magic system and those with powers are persecuted. It is kind of edgy but it’s so addictive, there’s a corruption arc, and it actually has pretty entertaining political plot. However it is pretty YA so that’s my word of warning.
i’ve read the first one and it was actually a good time! not the best thing i’ve read but certainly entertaining. the second one however… could not get through the first half even
i was already using notion to track my reading but my template was messy and convoluted so i wasn’t enjoying filling it in so i’m so thankful that you shared yours it looks way easier to use ! you also made me want to read emily wilde even more now 😅 great video as always
So funny to me that, as a US resident, I went out of my way to order a UK cover of Emily Wildes from Blackwell's cause I dont like the US covers but people who have access to the UK covers want the US covers 😅
I also have a hard time with romances built very quickly and with vague worlds in books, that's why i tend to appreciate very unique worlds and slow-burn romances. So far my favorite books are from the Kate Daniels series from Ilona Andrews. It's urban fantasy. Kate and Curran's relationship is my vibe and i happen to prefer powerful characters but with vulnerabilities and defaults. I have read a lot of YA books and i appreciate it but i prefer more adult (not meaning smut) books. If you haven't you should try the Kate Daniels series if you're ok with magic/werewolves/vampires etc but very well built. They are my feel good books when i have a slump.
Similarly to Powerless and One Dark Window, if you like the idea of a plague giving people powers, you should read The Young Elites by Marie Lu! It's more of a young adult version of this idea, but the characters and world are extremely interesting!
I read Bride because I needed a dumb, ridiculous romance book to distract me from life and a friend recommended it to me (this was my first Ali Hazelwood book). I agree that it is self aware and that makes it so much more digestible than a book that is this ridiculous and dumb but that tries to take itself seriously. But some plot points were SO BADLY PLANNED... It made no sense. Some parts of it (especially around 80-90%) were infuriatingly stupid lol. For that reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 3, but surprisingly I would still recommend it to people who - as I did - want to read a ridiculous and dumb romance book
"I don't want my fae to be hot and sexy. I want them to be evil and inhuman, and then *I* find that hot and sexy" is an absolute mood!
Thats perfectly sums up the Cruel Prince
as they should be
CARDAN 🤭🤭
my goal is to live a life as aesthetically pleasing as leonie's
For real though! It’s beautiful.
Hahaha exactly
This spoke to me
same
I think this every time I watch a video.
I loved Emily Wilde's because I feel like very rarely do female characters get to be the grouchy/socially awkward/callous ones in their romance. Emily is a character who very obviously isn't great at socializing with others but not in a "cutesy" or shy way, she's just really awkward and sometimes says rude things without realizing. More female romantic leads like this please! I love her
Agreed, I loved that Emily seems to be kinda autistic-coded, and that Wendell is basically the polar opposite of your typical "huge, hulking, broody, hypermasculine" male love interest.
If you like that for a female lead, you will love Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine (it's not fantasy though, but she is exactly whay you described hahah)
@@GeerieBeerie Maybe I'll check it out!
TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU💯🥳
If you love that kind of characters, you will probably adore the Passe Miroir's serie ! I read it in French, but I think the first book has been translated as "The winter promise" ? Not sure of the title though. It's a fantasy romance (but more like 19th century) with Ghibli vibes (island in the skies and a flying castle), and the main leads are both grumpy and really socially awkward, not in a cute way lol, but very endearing
"Oh it started to rain... Oh cozy, I love that" literally every reader ever (they sprint to get a book so they can read with the sound of rain on the windows, it's a universal experience lol)
i put on rain and thunderstorm ambience vids when it doesn't lol
@@Meliertessa NO SAME HAHA got my stereo on all day in the summer lol
@@Meliertessa help i thought I was the only one who did that😭
I never experienced that. 😢 I just love to read outside, so I'm always sad when there's bad weather 😂
nothing is a universal experience im afraid
"Oh, a little spider. Hello! Aww, I just saw you drop down. That was very elegant of you." THAT WAS THE MOST ADORABLE REACTION IVE EVER SEEN
ikr i completely died 😆😭💕
Ik I'm scared of spiders and I was like dang if only I felt that way
The Emily Wilde series is one of my favourite series of the past couple years. I really appreciate the 'romance' in it! The slow burn barely-there pining but he-knows-my-soul-better-than-i-do is so much better than over the top 'erotica masquerading as a fantasy book' that almost every romance book is turning into
'He just really likes taking off his shirt.' Sounds a lot like Gray from Fairy Tail if you ask me. Also BRAWNY??? That could easily be the name of one of the seven dwarfs in Snow White.
100% Gray from Fairy Tail
The King of paper towels
Brawny makes me think of some Mark Wahlberg character with a wicked Boston accent. Like in a Game of Thrones role, talking to Bran Stark. BRAWNY
I was also immediately thinking of Gray lmao
I loved Bride so much because of how funny it was. I was laughing my way through the smut scenes and every single time Lowe was like “I was to do this creepy sex thing bc I’m a werewolf and that’s just how we do it”. And the several subtle Twilight references had me screaming. My goodreads review was literally “the cringiest book I’ve ever had the pleasure of loving”
Exactly, I had a fun time reading it. It got me out of a reading slump.
@@adaaaa6642 exactly same.. it brought me out of a 5 month reading slump.. who would have thought. lol.
And the part I love is that when knotting is mentioned I felt like,,, kinda weird and ??? Meh??? about it, which is really relatable if you think about how Misery (who seems socially estranged) has had a very limited and antisocial approach to physical intimacy. It really reminded me of being a teenager and hearing about some stuff people did intimately and asking myself “oh, am I supposed to like that? It doesn’t sound that enjoyable, really???” I’m not sure I’m explaining myself alright…? 😅
You saying the romance isn’t as prominent as ppl made it out to be makes me all the more excited for it honestly 😂
same! everyone calling it a romantasy made me apprehensive to read it
Omg I COMPLETELY agreed with everything you said about Powerless. All I've heard is such praise for it but I'm just like.. guys it's actually not that good at all?? It completely feels like a book that had all these trope check boxes but with no meat and potatoes to go along with them.
Tbh I always have to sus out where the praise is coming from cause most ppl I trust didn’t like it and I figured leonie wouldn’t either 😂
@@TheCloudRazorable i think people who love this book are usually people who love terrible romances, like By A Thread or The Fine Print.
i couldn’t even read more than 30 pages of Powerless before i realized it’s just one big cliche written for booktok girlies.
Thank god I have people agreeing with me
it’s so bad 😭
@@drsgt2018you’re so right exactly those books
I loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and will be reading the sequel soon. The third book in the series has been announced.
I can't wait for the third! I own the first two books and love them so much.
I hate that I finished listening to both already… have to wait to get the third now for almost a year.
I'm glad to hear romance is not too in your face in "Emily Wilde"! Makes me want to read it more as I'm much more into fantasy than into romance.
It is not. It was abrupt and would have been better without it
@@litol.spring a very hard disagree from me. I love it for what it is
It's almost too little in your face tho 😂 I wish there was a little more in it! Like a TV show Bones slow burn or a historical drama yearning at least!
It came out of nowhere, especially because he slept with other woman in the cabin where both were staying, like? That was a dick move. Everything he did was annoying and arrogant. @@litol.spring
I really loved the romance aspect and how it was incorporated. If you are more interested into the study of fae aspect and to get into this (to be honest) fantastic setting and amazing writing style, then i recommend it.
Comparing Emily's Wide with Stardew Valley was the most PRECISE suggestion I've ever seen!
The fact that nobody talks about the book whispers of manifestation on borlest speaks volumes about how people are stuck in a trance
I loved Powerless, I understand each of the points you make, the names for each power are simple, it feels like scenes are just written in, but I think it was fun! It was so simple that I breezed through it, I liked the trials, and I liked Kai, bc he is your basic black hair grey eyed character. I read the book while in school so it was very easy on my brain. I think Lauren Roberts has plenty of room to grow as a writer - this was her first book and she started it at 18. I'm excited to read Serpent & the Wings of Night and One Dark Window!!
Self aware werewolf romance is my favorite genre of werewolf romance. I’ve read many and most are subpar but when they’re self aware it’s amazing. One of my favorite Vampire x werewolf book is a manhwa called Blood Link it’s quite good, also very melodramatic.
Blood Link made me want a husband like ML and convinced me to have a family like that. 🤧😭 delusion
@@Numbllone of the healthiest romances in BL manhwa I’ve ever read while still being high melodrama
I thought I was tripping for a second there, but yeah it was solid, I only read the first season tho
@@mirimarianaI didn’t read much after it got pass on to the the main character’s son. I do reread it up to that point a lot though
-Self aware-wolf-
You hit EVERY SINGLE POINT I had issue with in Powerless. I am so glad someone else thought “Brawny” was too similar to “Brony.” I actually couldn’t stand the book. I had to DNF. I didn’t go in with suuuper high expectations, but I expected something way better than what we got. I felt like I was reading a really bad fanfiction the entire time. My biggest issues were how stale/scripted everything felt. Nothing flowed naturally, it just felt very… planned out, but also nothing was planned out. The plot had points that she was trying to check, but everything else was so under researched. Lauren put so much effort into “cultivating” this “relationship” between the two main characters-which didn’t feel remotely ETL btw-and not enough time building anything else in the world. Like she kept telling us things and not showing us things, which was another problem I had, the book was too much tell and not enough show. I know she didn’t have an editor because she self published, but you’re telling me out of all the friends this girl has, not one of them beta read for her and was like, “heyyy sooo we need to talk because none of this makes sense.” ??? I know she was eighteen when she started writing it, but maybe we should have gone for a version two or version three at least. Like if I had time to go through and list everything I found issue with, editing and all, I would, but let me remind myself this isn’t good reads lol.
i gobbled up encyclopedia of faeries SO FAST and am eagerly awaiting my hold for the next one to drop. INSTANT five stars for me. the coziness is sooooo good and the subtly of the romance plot is >>>>>>
im so glad i bought it! enjoying it so far!
that part where you were dancing with your cat really made feel so at peace with myself for being a woman. I know it might not make sense, but it touched something in me
I replayed that part multiple times cus I did the same w my cat 🥰
Ikr
That house also had the most beautiful garden outside!
Encyclopedia of Faeries is my JAM. I'm addicted to the series. I'm so happy you love it :D
You’re like a big sister and we all gather on the floor of your room when you have tea to spill abt booktok
i miss the person i was before learning about knotting
Curiosity got the better of me😭
I have a feeling I know something about it but if I don’t look up the definition I can stay a little more innocent in the world by the sound of it.
I heard people say Bride was entertaining, I got curious I read it... I am scarred now.
Research it, do it, you won't. Let the curiosity consume you.
@@sineadboehme2273it's soo sus when people are very positive about Bride without mentioning the weird smut... I just very much disagree with that🥲
I've just started reading Emily Wilde and I was sucked in from the first chapter! It's so vibey and atmospheric. Plus Emily is so relatable and her relationship with Wendell is hilarious. I also prefer when the romance doesn't take away from the story. I'm only halfway through but I feel like this is gonna be a 5 star read for me.
Personally, as a person who LOVES The hunger games books so much for the messages they had and how they were portrayed, the reason why I loved Powerless was the complete opposite, I loved Powerless mainly for the romance aspect and the two main characters tension and banter, however if we want to look at the uniqueness, world building, politics and messages, it is DEFINITELY not rich on that in any way.
So yeah the reason why so many people compare it to the Hunger games I believe is because of the trials and how they try to kill each other, otherwise there isn’t really a comparison.
I enjoyed both the hunger games and powerless...but as different books. The fact that we are comparing the two novels just sets the bar really high for powerless. Hunger games is rightfully regarded as a literary masterpiece but powerless is a beautiful story in its own way. Maybe if read in retrospect, without taking the book way too seriously or comparing it to hunger games you might just enjoy it.
I couldn't get into powerless because the world felt so fake and empty, and I'm the type of reader who can enjoy books just for the characters, that's how bad it was
@@lilypond5158 i agree completely. the characters except pae and kai had NO development, like i think blair? bliar?'s purpose in the book was just to be mean and exist as some rival for pae, and the author literally forgot adena existed for some chapters then suddenly brought her back in, portrayed her as nothing but some clumsy talented seamstress who is always smiling, then kills her off? hello? build it up please, all i know about adena is that she's paedyn's best friend but even that is inconsistent- and also i have a big problem with the resistance, if i rmbr correctly that's what its called, like it plays such a big part in the story but i think paedyn only met them in what- two scenes? three? and she joined them without hesitation, no questioning if they were lying or something, and she lives in the slums. shouldn't she have developed some sort of untrustworthy instinct?? and i also realllyyy don't like how the backstories are never explained, only stated. okay, i know kai was tortured as a kid and paedyn has the whole 'my dad was stabbed' trauma thing, but its never went into detail. it's stated that it bothers the characters and then what? gone? it didn't impact anything too much, and its literally supposed to make one of the most impacts. also, the wordbuiling- plummet mountains? really? and kai was raised to be a monster and he constantly refers to himself as that, and yet he let a child go at the start of the book. at the same time he had no problem torturing a dude to death. like- i have so many problems with this book, this isn't even all of it T.T
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who felt this way about Powerless
I finished the second Emily Wilde book the other day and I love that one almost more than the first. Wendell is so cute and useless and Emily is so clueless and brave. And it’s set in the German mountains! So pretty and mysterious! Highly recommend!!
I loved Powerless and am OBSESSED with the novella after it (Powerful), Im fully aware it's not a literary masterpiece, its definitely a fun entertaining read for me! it probably helped that Powerless is the first fantasy book I've ever read since i only recently started reading since high school mandatory reading lol
Same!! I get that it has a lot of tropes and can be repetitive but I really enjoyed the writing style and characters and it doesn't have to be a masterpiece to be good 😭 still so obsessed
Thank you!!! That is what I am saying. It doesn’t need to be a literally masterpiece to be an amazing book. The characters are amazing and have their own unique angst they just set off the book. And personally, I think the world building was fine, like I like the selection series so I don’t really think it’s bad. And sides. It is her debut novel, so I am sure it will get better in future books
Yeah! But tbh,all the booktubers I watch and trust haven't liked it so that's pretty upsetting😭 ik the word choices are a bit weird and stuff,but I just like the writing style and I'm obsessed with the charecters. But I totally respect her opinion though,not everyone has the same reading taste🤷🏻♀️
haha, so true!! i'm reading it now and loving it! but i also don't read fantasy usually, so i'm just having fun with it, i don't take it all that seriously and i think that's the best key in which to read this book.
It's not really entertaining😂 it gets repetitive and I'm only half way through it
Brawny is the name of a paper towel brand in the US. That's all i could think of when you said that. I love Emily Wilde. I have the sequel but still need to read it.
Same! It makes a bad name sooo much worse.
Emily Wilde was a 5 star read for me, SO GOOD. I hope you read the 2nd book, it was also great!
your hair looks so pretty !! im obsessedddd
Yessss! I feel a Sophie-Howl dynamic between Emily and Wendell.
I thought I'm alone with my thoughts about powerless! Everyone on tiktok loves this book so much and after I have read it, I literally thought I read the wrong book?!
Same!!
I wasn't expecting this to be more of a life vlog than just a book review but honestly the vibes are immaculate ✨
It was so cute and cozy! I loved all of it.
Jumping off all the other comments here, hearing that Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia isn't as romance heavy as I thought when reading the blurb is really interesting and now I'll be sure to pick it up next time I'm at the book store!
i’ve watched some of your tier list videos before but this is the first one i’m watching where you’re vlogging your experience as you read and it’s so fun! listening to you talk about books while you tied flowers or did your makeup felt like a facetime with a friend :) am definitely putting emily wilde on my tbr and will be watching more!
I’ve had such a terrible week and watching your videos is literally like my one big “thing” that makes me feel better ❤️
20:53 that's because Lauren Roberts is a very young writer (19-20 she started to write this books) so the writing may come off a bit inexperienced or lacking and she's a fan of booktok books , she may have gotten inspiration from ( hence the hunger games+the red queen comparison)
I’m 16 and in the process of writing a book, even I felt that the way Lauren Robert’s wrote was honestly terrible. Like I get it, she’s a new writer and all of that but how do you look at that and think, Oh yeah I’m gonna publish this for the world to see. Like no 💀
I am absolutely obsessed with "Emily Wilde's", its the first book (especially tiktok book) in a very long time that made me enjoy reading! From the first experience with the character you do feel a very distinct voice, I mean it feels like you're really reading someone's journal. The setting is gorgeous and comfy, the characters immensely enjoyable, and the romance aspect was perfection. Their extensive history together makes it feel like it's well developed, even if we don't get to experience much of it. I loved, loved, loved this book and agree with everything you mentioned ^^
Incredible vibes in this video as always, Leonie ❤ between you and newlynova, it’s refreshing to see some booktubers who didn’t love powerless. I heard LR wanted to write a book that included all her favorite tropes, and while I applaud her for it, it does just read like an bunch of scenes structured around tropes - at least it did to me! I wish I loved this as much as others did
I really liked Bride! I had so much fun and I will 100% go back and reread it in the future haha very comfort read vibes
26:25 the dance with your cat is so cute❤🥹
I ADORED Powerless, but i also listened to it on audiobook so that might have helped my love for it. The narrators did a great job on it and I was very into it. I also don’t read fantasy that often so I wouldn’t know how other world building is, I’m more of a character gal rather than plot, and i really liked the characters.
Emily Wilde is my favourite book I've read in the last like 6 months! I'm working on the sequel currently and it's just as good imo.
Yes, the sequel is so good!!
the cozy vibes in this video were just the best and it even inspired me to go out last weekend and buy myself some flowers! 10/10 decision would definitely do it again!
I love the way we get to see more than just the reading, also the flower-drying and book shopping, idk why but it just makes me so happy❤
I'm glad you loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, because I adored that book too. If you like the fantasy academic vibe, I would recommend A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. That's the first in a series. They're done as a memoire rather than a journal, but similar vibe in that it's set in a historical world much like ours but with one added fantasy creature, and a lady academic studying them. And if you like first person perspective with a really strong voice so you instantly know which character is speaking, I'd recommend Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik if you haven't read that one already
I finally have the opportunity to FAN GIRL for Emily's Wide here and see you reaction! Such a wonderful book, and the sequal do not disappoint!
The white jumper fit??? YES. (also killer video like always)
That little free library - somehow every single one of them always has a Stieg Larsson book in it. Just like the music playing in Crowley's car always gravitating to being Queen, books in LFLs always gravitation to having one Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dutch edition in it symbolizing all the books no one ever wants 🤣
Im currently reading the second book of Emily Wilde and I love it more than the first one - the first started a bit too slow for me - so highly recommending checking the second! Its fun and cosy, a bit more romance too
ahhh i am sooo excited for this video! 🤗
powerless has been on my tbr for a few months and i'm curious what you're going to say about it!
hiiii leonie! i took a year or so hiatus from reading in 2022, but still loved watching booktube... in september 2023 you posted a video reviewing the 'all for the game' trilogy and i was so intrigued that you were going to review a series that has a special place in my heart (my favorite found family so far, god i love them sfm🥺)
the king's men was the last book i read before not reading for a bit and i chose to reread the series after seeing your video. (she has a new book come out recently, in jean monroe's perspective:,)
anywayyy, long story short, thank you for helping me get back into the lovely world of reading!! i have been watching your videos for a few years now and absolutely adore your content! i'm so proud of all that you've accomplished over the years and that you try new things (like the writing class). thank you for being entertaining, kind and inspiring!!
omgggg im waiting for that book to come out in physical form, this was a sweet comment lmao(:
my heart literally singsssss when you upload a new video
Such a good articulation around 25 mins about the trend of starting off romantasy as characters being “opposed” but actually the romance is so present and obvious from the start, and so there’s no satisfying build up or payoff! I DNF’d A Fate Inked in Blood because of this.
Re: Bride. Shamelessly loved this one. Had such a fun time reading it. 5 stars. But it’s definitely a “to each her own” situation! I’ve recommended it to friends with major caveats 😂
I am just so happy you feel this way about Powerless. The writing style and just the writing itself was do juveline I felt like I was reading kids creative writing homework
I told my brother (who is a teacher) to read some of the chapters, and even he was confused with some of the writing style. 😂
Honestly, I get what you said about Powerless, but the thing is that i loved it despite that! Its fun and I really loved it!
oooooh I am so excited about this notion template!!! I have been wanting to start using notion for a while because I see you and other creators use it and it looks like such a fun and creative way to get organized and excited about reading. I have been holding back because I was kind of intimidated about building a system from scratch, so it is so nice to have your template! the cozy animations are everything 🥰 thank you!!
I loved Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia. I'm reading the sequel next month and I'm so excited.
I have found the magic formula to get through "cringey" books that I am curious about : I read them in a language that I master at a high beginner/low intermediate level. I've read several Ali Hazelwood's books in Italian this year, including Bride and have enjoyed them a lot (and a lot more than I would have if I had read them in English or French, my first language). Granted, I probably miss some of the banter but I also avoid most of the cringe so that's a win for me !
Great video!
wait, that’s a great idea…
Great idea, just need to learn a new language now
I've been doing that with cheesy YA books in Czech and German! Maybe I should migrate to romance... 😂
great video as always, but like, damn, house aesthetics off the chart, love it so much
Love to actually follow how you use Notion, I’ve been wanting to switch to that for books and my job but I find it so intimidating
I love when Leonie whips out the whiteboard, you know things are serious when it happens 😂
Your bride review is lowkey making me want to make it my next read LOLL
I loved powerless and my heart ACHES hearing you absolutely trash on it and it makes me want to cry. I so wish you could love it. also I listened to it on audio for the first time reading it and that was really good.
"wet carboard" "no build up" IM GOING TO CRY
I loved Bride. It was so funny! Misery's dry sense of humor is amazing. And I just adore werewolves and vampires!
I still need to read Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
omg i hope you read the Wayhaven Chronicles!! I'm genuinely curious how you'd perceive the story and plot with all the characters
Bride was so much fun! I laughed so much during the book and I actually loved the romance. I'm so glad you were safe at home when you got to the knotting scene 🤣🤣🤣 I just put Encylopedia of Faeries on my TBR. Loved this video!
I read Emily Wilde's last summer and it felt like the author just dragged all my favorite things out of my brain and made a great book
I was so happy, and book two was also great
i loved powerless mostly because my expectations werent high and i never read the hunger games. i can also easily overlook flaws if the reading experience itself is amazing (i flew througb it as well). Save to say that it is not the best book but i think if you are not expecting it to be THE best fantasy but need something quick and fun you can actually enjoy it
sometimes you need something silly ig
I completely agree with you
This is just a theory so take this with a grain of salt, but i thonk part of the reason so many people loved powerless is because THEY got the buildup, but not in the book. Many of those people watched at least some of the authors tik toks about writing it, so they got snippets of the book and felt buildup to reading it, making the romance FEEL like it had buildup. It doesnt 100% make sense, but it makes some sense. (And as one of those people, i can say that the buildup problem wasn't as noticeable for me, my problem was more with world building and the length)
For me, I enjoyed powerless but hadn’t seen any tik tok’s before hand to build up to the romance. Although the book missed the mark somewhere with me, like maybe the ending or something with world building. I guess I wasn’t into the politics of it. However I loved it most for the romance and it gets big points for that.
I read Powerless mostly because the author lives in my state and ended up giving signed copies to my bookstore. Happy to support a local author and get a signature on top of that! I didn’t have too many expectations going in because I didn’t look into it much. I enjoyed the flirtiness (but not the nickname aspect, which usually I’m neutral/positive about haha) but I agree, I wish there was build up to it. Also felt like the trials weren’t as fleshed out as much as I’d like. They felt too inspired by the hunger games but without as much depth. Very interesting concept though. I have mixed feelings, so I plan on reading the next book (whenever it comes out) to see how I feel. I have one dark window on my tbr as well 😊
I so jeloussss i wanna signed copy
The most interesting idea in it is the main character pretending to be psychic and how impressive that is, but it was executed very poorly and with how the main character normally it's hard to believe she pulls it off, the auther set her up to be quite deceptive in the beginning but most of the time she's very blunt and doesn't have a filter😅
You are so fortunate to have bookstores where you live. I live in a city with over 100,000 people and we have three used bookstores (two which are very small) and that's it.
Hate to be negative but I could rant for days about how bad Powerless is. I continue to be flabbergasted as to how many people rate it 5 stars! I wish all the best for the author in her future, but the fact this book was also traditionally published blows my mind! She was so terribly let down by this publisher, the amount of horrendous editing was laughable. When she took a second to explain to us that the stadium was called 'The Bowl' because it looks like... a bowl... 😑
LOVE Emily Wilde though, loved the second just as much if not more than the first!
Oh, just saw your comment on the sticky buns! I've never seen the word sticky be used so much in a book, I started to send a picture to my sister every time I came across it since it was so common 😭
I finally found people that have similar opinions about Powerless as me. I’m just getting flooded with people that rated it 5 stars on instagram and it started feeling like I was the only one that disliked it, lol. My friend recommended it to me after giving at a resounding 5 stars and calling it the best book she read last year. Needless to say I was extremely disappointed when I read it😭 It was just a trope checklist with absolutely no substance. Everyone seems to love the longing, but imo it dragged out soooo much and just gor repetitive and incredibly boring😅 The characters were so flat and I didn’t feel much connection between any of them. I’m not even gonna talk about the world building and magic system… I’m glad for the people that liked it, but it really wasn’t for me and I’d never call it a good book😅😭
@@megscabinetofcurios Theres a real difference between something being objectively good and subjectively good and a lot of people do not know the difference 👀
First and last time buying a book recommended by tik tok without checking in with my favorite booktubers about it, now powerless is just sitting on my shelf and I'm not sure if I'm even gonna read it.
read it. you'll never know if u don't try!
Well I wish I hadn't read it...
Read it, maybe you'll enjoy it
It’s so horrible, don’t
I don’t understand how the Goodreads reviews are so high… I forced myself to finish it just so I could rate it one star and drag the entire book in my review
The notion template has changed my life. Thank you for sharing!!!
i started using your notion template and i am crying..... this is everything i have always wanted in a book documentation software, thank you so much for your patronage!!!
Love seeing how you use Notion, i just started using it because of you and I love it for school stuff!
Can I say that I just love every sweater you wear in this video (especially the gray one that appears in the last scene)! Any chance we can get a video of you showing us your wardrobe or at least your favorite pieces of clothing? I just love your style!!
"Can I be really mean for a second?"
YES, FINALLY, NOW I am seated.
your channel makes me so happy, i can't explain it
I highly recommend the Young Elites by Marie Lu if you want something similar to Powerless, but better. The young elites is also a disease caused magic system and those with powers are persecuted. It is kind of edgy but it’s so addictive, there’s a corruption arc, and it actually has pretty entertaining political plot. However it is pretty YA so that’s my word of warning.
i’ve read the first one and it was actually a good time! not the best thing i’ve read but certainly entertaining. the second one however… could not get through the first half even
i was already using notion to track my reading but my template was messy and convoluted so i wasn’t enjoying filling it in so i’m so thankful that you shared yours it looks way easier to use ! you also made me want to read emily wilde even more now 😅 great video as always
I'm so glad you finally read Emily Wilde!! I knew you would love it!
watching you while playing genshin impact really makes me feel like i'm living the best cozy life
Thank you so much for the work you provide for the bookish family 💖
So funny to me that, as a US resident, I went out of my way to order a UK cover of Emily Wildes from Blackwell's cause I dont like the US covers but people who have access to the UK covers want the US covers 😅
Thank you so much for the template!!!
I also have a hard time with romances built very quickly and with vague worlds in books, that's why i tend to appreciate very unique worlds and slow-burn romances. So far my favorite books are from the Kate Daniels series from Ilona Andrews. It's urban fantasy. Kate and Curran's relationship is my vibe and i happen to prefer powerful characters but with vulnerabilities and defaults. I have read a lot of YA books and i appreciate it but i prefer more adult (not meaning smut) books.
If you haven't you should try the Kate Daniels series if you're ok with magic/werewolves/vampires etc but very well built. They are my feel good books when i have a slump.
Bride is going to be my next read and i'm really looking forward to it now. It sounds like so much fun 😂
wait thank you so much for the notion!!! i love the template!!!
HOLY LORD!!! thanks for the template 😭😭
I love your critiques omg
Similarly to Powerless and One Dark Window, if you like the idea of a plague giving people powers, you should read The Young Elites by Marie Lu! It's more of a young adult version of this idea, but the characters and world are extremely interesting!
Did CoVid times create all the books about people gaining power from plagues!?
wow i'm actually so excited for the notion template, thank you!!
I read Bride because I needed a dumb, ridiculous romance book to distract me from life and a friend recommended it to me (this was my first Ali Hazelwood book).
I agree that it is self aware and that makes it so much more digestible than a book that is this ridiculous and dumb but that tries to take itself seriously. But some plot points were SO BADLY PLANNED... It made no sense. Some parts of it (especially around 80-90%) were infuriatingly stupid lol. For that reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 3, but surprisingly I would still recommend it to people who - as I did - want to read a ridiculous and dumb romance book
Thanks for sharing your Notion app! Definitely a lot easier than the one I created. Also thank you for the overviews on the books. 😊
the asthetics of all your videos are perfect for no matter what im doing i luv your videos
Thanks for the Powerless review. I was on the fence and you helped me finalize my decision.
It's so great when Leonie posts a video in the evening, bc it means I can decide to keep it for breakfast and go to sleep happy 😊
I love when you mix the reading vlogs with bits of your life c:
Me: *hears Leonie’s review of Powerless* delete from book wishlist.
Those little libraries are becoming popular here in the US.