REVIEW: "Powerless: The Shadowing" by Jason Letts

Have you ever felt different from others? What would you be willing to do to prove yourself? Where would you draw the line?

Mira has been through a lot. Within the past year, she has discovered that there's a whole world out there she has never experienced and she's also found out some startling things about herself and her family. She has had to work harder and smarter than everyone else just to keep up, and her recent victory against her peers has finally earned her some respect and helped establish a place for her in the world.

But Mira's journey is only beginning. In the second book in the "Powerless" series, Mira finds herself in situations that force her to see herself in a different light, just as readers will see her in a different light. The Mira we knew in book one is evolving into someone we might not recognize, and this evolution will irrevocably change her.

In this darker and more intense installment, we follow the graduates into their "shadowing" experience. They are each to work with his or her own mentor to further develop their special talents and train for their imminent entrance into the mysterious war. Most of the shadows have had mentors picked out for them already, but Mira needs to find someone. She finds the perfect mentor (she thinks) in Flip Widget, the author of the books that have been Mira's lifeline. When Flip reluctantly agrees to take Mira on as a shadow, she embarks upon an grueling, and sometimes confusing, training that takes her places she never expected. The experience gives her powerful tools even as it destroys some of the truths she holds dear. Is she strong enough to survive? Or is she truly "powerless?"

One of my favorite things about this book is the opportunity we are given to explore each of the main characters in much more depth. The first book told the story mainly from Mira's point of view, and we experienced her classmates through her eyes. In this book, we get to experience them a little more closely, from their own unique perspectives. Not only does this character development make them more interesting to us, it also gives us a broader perspective of Mira's world and what she is up against in her journey to establish herself and become whole.

Just as before, the author leaves us hanging a bit at the end, just enough to make us shout "When is the next one coming out?" This is definitely a series to watch!

4.5 /5 stars