Humm...Not sure where to start with this one other than the fact that I had a lot of mixed feelings about the story and although I didn't love it I didn't hate it but, for me I just could not connect with the characters as they were like-able but, not love-able.

I thinks the bottom line is that these authors did not give you enough time to bond with these characters if you had already read some of the previous books in this series you might have already known somethings about them but, for us just coming into the series we new very few facts about them other then a few things that were mentioned in passing so this did not give a chance to get to know more about their past of present other that the facts of what clan they worked and belonged to and what they did for a living although we rationed out how this couple was already connected to one another . The other thing that did not work for me is where was the part that engaged the readers emotions because I felt that every move made just felt clinical as well as cut and dry.

For example though my eyes

Isabella is forced to go under for the CIA really being blackmailed and although they tried to give her some tools to protect her they were not enough and Isabella already knew what kind of man she would be dealing with and expected that she would have to make personal sacrifices so she wanted to have a choice in giving something like her virginity away to someone she loved without it being taken from her.The whole scene just played out and it was like no feelings were even involved at all and for me and doing the whole deed was just like they were going through the motions and it was like their was no connection between the characters at all. This should have been down right hot and scorching for this couple as she was secretly in love with Marcellus for years and even though Marcellus never admitted it he lusted after her for years so where was all the passion the fire the build up in their coming together ? Their intimate moments should have been explosive!

After everything that Isabella endured at the hands of a monster she just seems to go on with her life as if nothing tragic/sick/painful just happened to her as their is no breakdown ? no emotional pain?nothing?she showed no emotions what so ever and even after her explaining and Marcellus hearing her story that man should have been a raving lunatic out for blood and revenge and wanting vengeance "yes", he was pissed but, he should have wanted to be the one to take out anyone who hurt her and we understood that others parties involved had a stake in what was happening and not that we expected him to carry out any of these things because of the circumstances but, he sure as hell should have wanted to do these things to avenge a women who belonged to him and in there lies yet another problem when I said I felt no emotional attachment to any of these characters he was a made man in the mafia for christ sakes and then you had the fact that not once did I hear these two main characters say I love you face to face.

I know this book is fictional and sometimes as readers we have to keep reminding ourselves when reading stories like this and that their not real but, the reason we read stories with fictional mafia related characters is for the fact their filled with danger and suspense and a whole lot of hot alpha men then you have the twisted plots and the excitement and plots that engage the readers emotions to the tune you have a personal stake in their outcome an so forth and all these things just fell flat for me in this story because I felt all these things were missing from this ongoing story.

Although this story was not personally for us it was enjoyable enough to pass the time and we did like the fact the we were indeed surprised that the CIA had another fish on their hook as they say to do their dirty work for them and that was a big surprise that we didn't see coming of who that person was "so", we did indeed love that part.

It's seem that what I can tell from emails today from NetGalley and Edelweiss that various publishing companies are back at work today...;)

Publication Date: March 5th 2015 from Little Brown Book Group UK.

Source: Netgalley

On a sunny spring morning the settlement of Kahukura in Tasman is suddenly overwhelmed by a mysterious mass insanity. A handful of survivors find themselves cut off from the world, and surrounded by the dead. As the group of try to take care of one another, and survive in ever more difficult circumstances, it becomes apparent that this isn’t the first time that this has happened.

So, what to say about Wake then. Well firstly I read this in a day, got extremely annoyed every time I had to do other things, so utterly utterly addictive was it that it really should come with some kind of warning. Not only because it will take over your life for a while but because afterwards you may find that you have a heightened perception of your surroundings and not necessarily in a good way. The type of novel that will come back and haunt you when you least expect it, those of course being the very best ones..

Theresa is a police officer and witnesses a helicopter crash. Upon heading off to search for survivors, she gets interrupted by the insanity of others – quite literally. Everyone in Kahukura has gone mad and they are busy killing themselves and each other – when the dust settles, Theresa and an eclectic bunch of other survivors must band together to try and stay alive as there seems to be no way to leave the settlement.

This is highly intriguing and a terrific mix of horror, speculative ficton, drama and fantasy – Elizabeth Knox writes absolutely beautifully and with such a deft touch that you are absorbed immediately into the tale, it will engulf you completely and refuse to let go. Some of it is horrific, descriptively speaking there is nowhere to hide from the horror of a group of previously normal people suddenly becoming violently unpredictable and that is just while the scene is being set – what happens next is, in its own way, even more frightening, whilst at the same time terrifically engaging.

As the surviving bunch take stock of their situation, come together and get torn apart, it is brilliant brilliant stuff. The relationships forming are key to everything and as things develop it is impossible to put aside. Sam is one of the most enigmatic and terrifically drawn characters I have found in fiction recently – and she is not the only one who will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

As someone who does not know New Zealand well, I thought the sense of place was terrific, it really put me right there, I could feel the surroundings and go on this journey with Theresa and co as if I had lived there all my life. The wildlife, the backdrop,  all comes to vivid, authentic life in the hands of an author who is a magical weaver of words – the entire novel is so elegantly constructed I genuinely thought it was a work of genius.

Overall a terrific read – and the great thing for me is, as this is my first novel from Elizabeth Knox I have a lovely little backlist to get to. And get to it I will.

Highly HIGHLY recommended. Although possibly not for the faint of heart. Scary, intuitive and perfect.

Happy Reading Folks!

Highly disturbing, brilliant characterisation, stunning scene setting and absolutely addictive - impossible to put down I read this in fits and starts over the course of today. I was very annoyed every time I had to do something else! Highly Recommended. Full Review to follow during Review catch up of all my holiday reads.

Can't put it down. Weird yet SO addictive.