Hello friends! It’s time to share another book review. I’m delighted to spotlight Unfortunate by Kailey Bright. If you’re looking for a book that gives Hunger Games, Red Queen, and My Hero Academia vibes, I think you’re going to need to grab your copy ASAP. Keep reading to see why!
Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis
Nora is an Unfortunate—born without any powers and born to serve Gifteds: other humans with extraordinary abilities. When a prominent Gifted figure offers Nora the opportunity to attend Galdor Academy, Nora weighs her options: forever remain the property of a Gifted household or experience a semblance of agency at an elite military school for Gifted children. She remembers her unbreakable promise and accepts.
At first, Nora just wants to make her sponsor proud rather than be sent away in a body bag. But once the Anti-Gifted Movement starts an impossible-to-ignore revolution alongside a mysterious terrorist with an unmatched Divine-like power, the Kingdom of Iridion is forever broken wide open.
While Nora hopes she can prove that Unfortunates deserve equity, the AGM are done begging; they intend to bring every last Gifted low who sought to lord over them. Caught in the crossfire, Nora must make a decision—fight back or let the kingdom splinter to ruin.
What I Enjoyed
I’m always a fan of strong, diverse casts, so this book does a lot for me. You have the Gifted and Unfortunates, and we actually meet some good, bad, and morally gray people in both camps. It just makes it even harder for Nora to find people she actually trusts.
I was really drawn to the world-building—I’m still curious why certain abilities are Gifts as opposed to others. If you’re into elemental abilities, you’ll be hard-pressed to decide which ability is your favorite. I honestly thought the history between the Gifted and Unfortunates. It sort of makes you wonder how you would fit in that world. Would we be complacent with the way things are—would we be on the “right side” of that conflict?
Of course, there are some fantastic scenes that I can’t spoil but they’re so beautifully written. Bright excels at writing painful scenes in a way that puts us right in the middle of a huge conflict so we empathize with Nora’s situation. I was invested from beginning to end, and there were multiple times where I wasn’t sure what the “best” solution would be.
My Final Thoughts
Bright stands out like the star she really is—ready to take readers on an unforgettable and ignorable adventure. UNFORTUNATE will have you second-guessing who to pledge loyalty to with every page turn. Readers will certainly enjoy the beautiful writing craft Bright brings to the genre. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
Hopefully, I shared enough to pique your curiosity. Want to get reading? If so, I highly recommend you look up Kailey Bright on social media:
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