Novel Ink: Hidden Treasures (2)

I'm sure we all have those books that we absolutely LOVED but it seems like they aren't very popular. So I decided to start a feature here on the blog that will allow me to spotlight some books that I have loved that I feel don't get a lot of recognition. My plan for this feature is to share the cover and summary of the book along with the first sentences or paragraphs and if it's a book that I didn't write a review for, I will probably also throw in a few reasons why I loved the book along with links to find out more about the book.

This week's Hidden Treasure is:

Countdown by Michelle Rowen

3 seconds left to live. Once the countdown starts, it cannot be stopped.

2 pawns thrown into a brutal underground reality game.

Kira Jordan survived her family's murder and months on plague-devastated city streets with hard-won savvy and a low-level psi ability. She figures she can handle anything. Until she wakes up in a barren room, chained next to the notorious Rogan Ellis.

1 reason Kira will never, ever trust Rogan. Even though both their lives depend on it.

Their every move is controlled and televised for a vicious exclusive audience. And as Kira's psi skill unexpectedly grows and Rogan's secrets prove evermore deadly, Kira's only chance of survival is to risk trusting him as much as her instincts. Even if that means running head-on into the one trap she can't escape.

GAME OVER

IT'S CALLED NYCTOPHOBIA. I LOOKED IT UP once. It's the official term for an abnormal and persistent fear of the dark. I've had it ever since my parents and sister were murdered during an in-home burglary while I hid under my bed.

In the dark I couldn't see anything; all I could hear was the screaming.

And then the silence.

So, yeah. I've been scared like hell of the dark ever since. Go figure.

Unfortunately, that's where I found myself when I opened my eyes. Frankly, I didn't remember closing them. I'd been in the mall, I remembered that much. I'd just lifted a new pair of shoes - my old pair was worn out since all I do is walk everywhere in the city, day in and day out. This pair was nice. Red. With strong laces that, if necessary, could double as a weapon.

The streets were tough sometimes. Especially at night. Especially in the dark.

Light right now.

But this wasn't the street, I knew that much. I was inside. Somewhere.

Choking panic began to flood my body. I knew freaking out wouldn't help, but sometimes you can't stop yourself - or reason with yourself - when you're in the process of freaking out.

I felt a pinch at my right wrist and reached over with my other hand, trying to feel my way through the inky blackness. It was a metal cuff. Attached to a chain. Attached to the smooth, cold metal wall behind me.

What the hell is going on?

I wrote a review for Countdown so I don't want to go into all the details but here's a little snippet from my review.

Countdown was an amazing adventure that didn’t have a dull moment throughout the entire book. This book was like Saw, The Condemned and The Hunger Games all rolled into one. If you like your books with a strong MC, non-stop action and a little bit of romance on the side, then this book is for you.