Book Review (sort of): Countdown – Michelle Maddox

I started this at around 10 last night and an hour after I’d got up this morning (I’m off work today) I finished it.  While I am generally quite a fast reader I do think that is a testament to just how good this book is.  I haven’t read a book that quickly in quite a while.

I’ve been a fan of Michelle Maddox’s alter ego Michelle Rowen since I read Bitten and Smitten, which I devoured in an evening, but it’s with this book that she has made the leap onto my MUST buy list – where she’s in the very good company of Kresley Cole, Karen Chance and Kelley Armstrong to name but a few*.

The book is non-stop action from start to finish, I simply couldn’t tear myself away.  I really wanted to get some writing done last night but when I put the book down to try, I only managed 12 words before I had to turn the laptop off and go back to reading.  The pacing and storytelling just drags you in, and any time when you’re not with Rogan and Kira is time wasted.

Michelle’s voice excellently gets across the urgency and tension of the situation her characters are in but she still manages to inject some of her trademark humour.  And speaking of her characters; I’m totally in love with Rogan.  He’s a deliciously tortured, sexy mixed up hero.

Oh I suppose I should have said a little bit about what the book is actually about really shouldn’t I?  Give me a break, this is the first time I’ve tried to do one of these (hence the “sort of” in the post title).  The Countdown is about a terrifying game that orphaned street thief Kira is thrust into against her will, where to lose level is to die.  She’s been teamed with the mysterious, convicted murder Rogan and they must work together – there’s the small matter of separating more that 90 feet killing them – to get through the game.

There’s evil robots, computer geekery, a couple of rather steamy bits and fights to the death.  What more could you want in a book?  How about messed up characters with depth who are just perfect for each other?  Check!  Tight writing that sweeps you into the story?  Check.  This is a superb book that I’d recommend to anyone, no matter what genre they normally prefer.

*I didn’t intentionally pick only authors who’s names begin with K, they were just the first ones that sprang to mind – spooky…

I must be stopped!

I’ve just ordered 10 books. 10! I do not need 10 more books. I already have enough books waiting to be read to last me a year or two. I’m probably heading for 100 books on my TBR pile – no exaggeration. I really need to stop this compulsive book buying.

So, for the next 3 months (I was going to say 6 but I know I’d cave on that) I am not allowed to buy any more books, and I’m going to make a concerted effort to get the TBR pile down. I want to read at least 12 books in that time. I would make it a higher target but I do actually want to get some writing done too, and maybe possibly have a social life. Please…

Blogistential Crisis

I have two blogs. This one and an anonyblog where I witter on about what I get up to, whinge about my dismal love life, reveal my deepest darkest secrets, occasionally talk about quite racy topics, all that self indulgent crap you see so often on the blogosphere. (Okay, place your bets, how many more words can I shoehorn the word blog into?)

The thing is, this puts me in a bit of a quandary about what to post where. I think if I talk about writing exclusively on here, it will get boring rather quickly but I don’t want to abandon my old blog and post things that would normally go on there here either. Oh I don’t know, I guess I’ll just have to see how things develop.

There’s always reading as well as writing, I don’t talk about books on the other blog. I’ve not been reading much this week but I did finish The Darkest Night, the first in Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. It was quite dark and very sexy, there was a certain shower scene that had me contemplating getting in touch with an ex-boyfriend and seeing if he fancied a drink… ;o)

On the writing front, I had a novel idea yesterday that gave me goosebumps. Which I think has to be a good sign.

Theft I tell you

Isn’t it annoying when the authors of books you read build time machines, come and steal your ideas – damn these mind reading, quantum physicist genius author types – then scoot back to when they came from, spin your germ of an idea into gold and write a fabulous book that makes you feel like sulking for a week because it was your idea damn it?

Forever Odd

For some reason, this just doesn’t seem to be holding my attention.  I normally really enjoy Dean Koontz books and I liked Odd Thomas so I’m not sure why Forever Odd isn’t doing it for me. 

I’m finding Odd slightly annoying and the plot a little boring.  That may have more to do with me than Mr Koontz though because I can see that it’s probably not as dull as I’m finding it – there’s murder, a rescue mission, ulterior motives to be discovered – but I still can’t help wondering why he keeps writing more and more Odd Thomas books rather than getting on the third Chris Snow book that’s been rumoured for years.

I hate to give up on books but part of me just wants to ditch it and start another book.  I have so many books waiting to be read that it feels daft to be wasting my time reading a book I’m not enjoying.  I’ll have one more push and try to finish it today but I think I’ll start another book tomorrow regardless.

Stray

I’ve been reading Rachel Vincent’s blog for a couple of weeks and I’m slowly but surely making my way through her archive too because I think it’s well worth reading for her writing tips.  I’d had Stray on my Amazon wishlist for quite a while but finding the blog prompted me to order it.

It came yesterday and I’ve had my head buried in it since.  It’s brilliant.  I’m only about a third of the way through but I think it’s wonderfully written and the plot is excellent.

I dream of one day having even half of her talent.

EDIT: I finished reading Stray and the rest of the book didn’t disappoint.  Her prose and “voice” had me hooked to the very last page.