Countdown by Michelle Rowen

October 03, 2013

 
4... 3.... 2.... 1.... “Congratulations, Rogan and Kira, on successfully completing level one of Countdown.”
 
I was fearing that this book would be bland... Countdown at first seemed too normal, too "Been there, done that" But no! The book has a bunch of types in it: It has the countdown and the vibe of SAW, mixed with the games of Hunger Games and the feel of The tournament, all together in a cybernetic game with robots... But Michelle Rowen still managed to keep it original with a hot, deceiving girl who grew up on the streets and a guy fighting for revenge who once had it all. This is good stuff!
 
 
I freaking loved this. This is YA meets dystopian, meets fighting to the death. It's accelerating. It's exiting. It's romantic. And it will make you want to pull your hair out countless times... But most of the time it will fill you with adrenaline, because all the fighting scenes, all the Countdown levels are so well written that it feels like you are inside the book. Michelle Rowen really did an amazing job creating this world and writing it in a way that even I want to be in it.
“I thought you’d leave me to die.” 
“You still think we would have died if we stayed in there.”  
He nodded. “The grinding noise was the ceiling slamming down on the floor. I’m just guessing that might have killed us on contact.”  
I stared at him blankly.
The Colony is the place where everyone could have a fresh start. After their city was struck with the plague, the kids have stopped coming out to play, everyone is living a monotonous life and misery rules the streets. So The Colony is place far away where the corruption hasn't reached, where the depression hasn't had a way to infiltrate. It's the perfect place. And Kira wants in.  I loved that Kira being a street kid had a goal to reach, inside the game and out of it. The Colony was very originally mixed into this book, adding some kind of "Reward" if they managed to complete the Countdown...
 
 
Kira Jordan is a thief, a lost girl. She lost her parents whilst she was young and since then she's been on her own. Who said a sixteen year old couldn't be a badass was totally wrong!!... Kira is the best. She has the basic knowledge of survival after all these years of taking care of herself. I thought that she was a  fantastic character because she kept us entertained. Just when I thought she couldn't pull something off, there she went and blew my mind. She's smart, she's quick and she's tough. And she will have you cheering for her in an instant, because Kira is the type of character that creates and empathy and makes everyone like her no matter what!
“Be very careful, little girl,” he growled. “Very careful. Some secrets can kill faster than any level in this game.”
Us girls always like a guy with scars. I don't know why, we just do. Rogan Ellis is definitely a NO TOUTCH, DON'T LOOK guy. Right from the start he seems a very dangerous guy. Nice, but dangerous. He's introduced as an assassin, who killed nine girls  and volunteered into the game to get out of jail... But I think that nobody is dumb enough to believe that... But throughout the game we get to see the real Rogan and I'm loving it!!! He's kind and sweet, dark and broody. And he's hot. But don't think I liked him only because of his looks. Yeah, looks are deceiving. He will keep a secret right until the very end, a secret that will sure make you rethink the whole book once you know it.
“Maybe not. You’re not all that nice.” It sounded as if he was smiling now. Was he mocking me? 
“I’m not all that nice?” I repeated.  
“Is this a surprise to you? Do you normally charm the pants off the boys you meet? Because you’re failing big-time with me.”
This book is filled with secrets and sharpened with killing games of strength, trust and smartness... One mistake and these characters could die in a second. Kira and Rogan as a team were perfect and even tough they were thrown at each others throats quite often, they never gave up.  Yes, they started to like each other but this book is not just focused on that. I even think that there weren't enough scenes with these two for my taste.... If you know what I mean!!!
 
 
If you think you seen edgy robots, you certainly haven't seen this ones. Man, they were smart as hell... And definitely added an even scarier vide to this story. I think they will surprise many people, like they did with me...
“Humans and their weapons,” he mused. “So violent. So bloody.” He smiled. “And yet, so very entertaining.”
Countdown will make your adrenaline levels boil, whilst throwing in a sweet vive of love in the middle. It's the ultimate book by Michelle Rowen that will win you over in an instant....

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