Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me with an ARC of The Drift by C.J. Tudor. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

This was my first time reading CJ Tudor but certainly won’t be my last. While some reviewers labeled this book as horror, I found The Drift to be a seat of your pants, can’t slow down, compelling thriller with some great twists and surprises. Set in an alternative present day, we are presented with three “locked-in” settings as a snowstorm barrels down and a pandemic has changed the landscape. There’s no cure for this new pandemic and almost all infected will die or morph into savage beings, but the real threat isn’t necessarily coming from the outside. This book has a LARGE cast of characters and I will admit it was hard keeping track of who’s who and what secret they may be hiding, that drawback is also a plus, as it keeps the reader turning the pages and trying to connect all the dots. While it seems the three stories are all about surviving the elements, there’s more than meets the eye.
This book would make for a great screen adaptation as the writing is atmospheric and action packed. Pick up a copy today or do what I did and download the audio! The multicast narration was FANTASTIC and really added to my overall enjoyment.

This book is written about 3 separate people.
Hannah awakes to find herself in a bus that has been involved in some type of accident. The survivors are trapped and can't break the windows or find the driver.
Meg realizes she is in a cable car that is stuck way up in the mountain and the people also trapped are all freezing and scared..
Carter is in the chalet. But something is not right.
This horror story slowly connects all three characters.
I am not a fan of horror stories and didn't realize that this was one until I started reading.
I do thank the author,publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited for this one since The Burning Girls is one of my all time favorite thrillers, but unfortunately this one fell a little bit flat for me. I loved the apocalyptic atmosphere and the idea that a virus similar to Covid is what caused it. I also loved that there were three "locked room" mysteries to tell the story. Eventually, though, it all got to be too much. There were too many characters and SO much happening that I was just super confused by the end. I think my biggest issue was that up until the 70% mark, I thought that the three different storylines were happening at the same time, so when I realized what was happening at the end, and that there was actually quite a few years in between each of the events, I was left even more confused. I'm not sure if this was done on purpose to try and make the twist a bigger surprise, but I feel like it still could've been a surprise even if it was made more clear that the timelines weren't happening simultaneously. I'll still absolutely pick up more books by CJ Tudor because she has a great way of building the suspense and building unique storylines, this one unfortunately just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books and C.J. Tudor for the chance to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book! It hooked me immediately and didn't let me go until the last page! I could not put this book down and I absolutely loved it! This was my first C.J. Tudor book but it definitely won't be my last. I loved the multiple pov's and short chapters, it had the perfect amount of suspense and horror without being too scary. It was just perfect! Can't wait to check out her other books!

5 stars for me!

I struggled with this one. When I read about this book, I figured it would have been perfect for me. I love a good horror mystery, but I just couldn’t get into this book.

From the get go, I felt lost. I understand that’s how you were supposed to feel, but it never seemed to get better.

The lack of character development/backstory made me confused on why I should get attached to the characters. Then between the three POVs, I kept confusing which character in each POV and who they were. I feel like I can typically grasp these things, but I just couldn’t follow along in this book.

I have also noticed I don’t like when books try to slide in a political agenda that is a touchy subject. I guess I didn’t think this book was going to feel like going through the pandemic all over again. There were discussions on vaccinations, quarantining, etc.

This book just felt slow. Maybe if I listened to the audiobook I would have had a better experience.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. This is a post-apocalyptic thriller that takes place in the middle of nowhere, in a snowstorm, during a massive unknown pandemic. There are three different storylines and even though each one was interesting, it was driving me crazy trying to figure out how they were all connected. But the connection, once revealed, was quite clever and pretty twisty. Tudor did an amazing job with the snowstorm. I could almost feel how cold it was. And one of the storylines involved people trapped in a cable car in mid-air. I am scared of heights, so these sections made my stomach lurch as though I was the one trapped. Kudos to the author for that. This was a fantastic read!

CJ Tudor delivers big time on this blood bath of a thriller. This one isn’t for the faint of heart if death isn’t your thing…but all my fellow seasoned thriller readers will have no trouble.
This is told from 3 different situations taking place where a group of individuals are somehow tied into a school for a very dangerous deadly disease where there is no cure.

I loved how the book was laid out and thought the ending was phenomenal when it all came together. Definitely one to pick up.

I really enjoyed this thriller that starts off with a group of students trapped in a bus after it flips over in a crash during a heavy snowstorm with what appears to be at least one victim of the deadly virus that is gripping the world. At the same time, a group of people wake in a cable car that is supposed to be heading towards “the retreat” when the power goes out leaving them suspended with no signs of help. In a large unmanned facility a group of people are facing power issues of their own, trying to keep people infected with virus out while keeping up a supply of medicine that may help them from being infected. This book is quite dramatic, intense, and very suspenseful. Well worth the read.

Surprisingly this is my first CJ Tudor book and I cannot wait to read more by her cause this book was a chilly stunning thriller.

Could not finish at 42 percent. I really loved CJ Tudor’s other books but there were a few things that made me give up. This alone bothers me because I hardly ever not finish a book.

One thing was, I felt like a came into the book in the middle. There were so many characters and I felt like had been tossed in, not knowing who anyone was.

The other thing I had a problem with was the mother losing her daughter and cursing God. I don’t have a problem with that, per se, even the strongest faith filled people question. However, I felt the author was just downright vulgar about it. I didn’t like that and don’t want to see it. To each their own.

Third, not only were there too many characters, I was 42 percent in and still didn’t even care about any of them. I hope Ms Tudor has the best success with all her books but also hope she gets back to her usual formula. I’m sorry I didn’t finish it, but, as always, appreciate the opportunity.

A complex, dystopian, apocalyptic mystery full of blood, guts and gore. Well written but not exactly what I was expecting, at least not to this extent! A deadly virus, demented survivors, frigid snowstorm, and everybody pretty much trying to kill everybody else. Ugh. A depressing, distressing tale.

There is something about a good snowed in thriller that makes me wish for snow. Maybe not to the extreme that is in this book, but I’d be happy with a few inches. If you’re like me, and are craving a more white winter, read this book and let your imagination take you there.
The Drift is a post pandemic, apocalyptic isolation thriller. There is only a fraction of the worlds population living, and most have the virus that makes them zombie like. There is a Walking Dead vibe, with the constant fear of being attacked. The difference between this story and The Walking Dead, is the government is to feared as well.
Three narratives, all in totally different isolated settings, propel you through this book at a fast pace. I was on pins and needles, turning pages quickly to see what happened next. Thrilling and suspenseful, with some large twists, this book is a white knuckled ride.

Yes, Yes, Yes! Thank you C.J. Tudor for another great entry! The Drift was so well-done. Books like this are truly why I read.

This book is told from multiple viewpoints and throughout the entire story, I kept wondering how they would all pull together. I had theories. Of course I did because I ALWAYS have theories. It's half of the fun. But let me tell you, my early theories were so off base and I love that they were. I love nothing more than a good surprise.

The Drift was a post apocalyptic/dystopian read with a heavy horror tone because of the gruesome factor that existed. The premise of the book is that a virus has ravaged the world and either killed people or left them mutated into beings referred to as "whistlers." The virus is highly contagious. So much so that drastic measures have been taken if people have been exposed even if they aren't showing symptoms. Those who have survived are living in a hard, cold and unforgiving world.

I'm not going to tell much more. I would advise that you go into this one blind and enjoy the ride. Even when you wonder where it's going, just keep going. It will all make sense in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I absolutely loved this book, although in some ways it felt like a bit of a departure for C.J. Tudor’s style. The plot is much more action than character driven. We find our main characters or groups of characters essentially trapped in three very different and isolated locations. The story progresses as the characters react to new revelations and things that he been done to them. The result is a very fast paced thriller with several unexpected reveals that tie the situations together perfectly. Highly recommended.

I love snowstorm thrillers and this didn’t disappoint- I read in a day and that tells you all you need to know!

I rated this book a 3.25. The story was good but the story got confusing and there were too many characters to keep track of. It was still a good book.

A snowstorm, a virus running rampant and fighting for your life is the way this story starts. There is also three plot lines that intersect in this thriller that will keep you wondering as to who might survive and the why of what is really happening.

This book was on fire. Completely unputdownable. A deadly virus, a snowstorm, a bus wreck, a stranded cable car, and some shady things happening at a remote mansion known as The Retreat. This rollercoaster of WHAT DID I JUST READ, will tie you in knots. You will be gobsmacked as the story unravels and the horror that exists with the turn of events. C.J Tudor takes it to an all new level of terror in this edgy thriller. Five stars all around

The nitty-gritty: C.J. Tudor's latest is an action-packed dystopian thriller that rubs elbows with the horror genre. Tense, scary and atmospheric, this was a fun one!

To call this story “crazy” would be an understatement, but perhaps if you’ve read C.J. Tudor’s books before, you'll know what I mean. This was my first book by the author, and despite a few issues, I had a hell of a time! Readers who aren’t afraid of graphic violence, characters getting killed off right and left, zombie horror and epic twists will probably have just as good a time as I did.

The story takes place in the aftermath of a terrible viral pandemic. Society has broken down and those who have managed to stay healthy live in fear of becoming infected. Most victims die, but some survive, although their lives are never the same again. The story takes place during a fierce winter snowstorm and alternates among three different groups of people who are all in dire straights and struggling to survive.

First there is Hannah, who is on a bus with other students, when the bus crashes into a snowdrift, trapping the survivors inside with no cell phones, food or water. The bus was headed to a safehouse called the Retreat, where those who don't test positive for the virus can safely quarantine. 

Next, Meg wakes up in a cable car, suspended high above a snow covered landscape. She doesn’t remember how she got there, and she’s stuck with a bunch of strangers. Even worse, there’s a dead body on the car, and the cable car has stalled, leaving them all stranded with no way to get out.

Finally, Carter works at the Retreat, a secluded mountain research facility funded by a man named Professor Grant, a brilliant virologist who established the Retreat in order to find a cure for the virus. But things at the Retreat are breaking down. The generator is failing, and the electric fences that keep out the Whistlers have gone down. Even worse, Carter finds one of his coworkers, a girl named Julia, dead at the bottom of the Retreat's swimming pool.

All three groups of characters are connected in surprising ways, and as events begin to spiral out of control, their storylines begin to converge. 

That’s about all I’ll say regarding the plot, as half the fun of The Drift is to experience the craziness for yourself. Tudor sets her story during a winter snowstorm, and this make the stakes even higher, because there is the real threat of freezing to death, especially for Hannah and Meg who are both stuck in their respective conveyances with very few resources. Add in all sorts of dangers, and you have the perfect recipe for a fast-paced thriller. What kind of dangers, you ask? Well, first we have the Whistlers, those infected by the virus who haven’t died and who lurk in the nearby woods. With their pale skin and emaciated appearance, Whistlers are violent and terrifying. Then there is the Department, the shady government agency that’s trying to kill anyone who becomes sick. There’s a character named Jimmy Quinn who has a deal going with Carter, and although he’s the ultimate caricature of a mob boss, I was so worried for Carter and his coworkers whenever Quinn popped up. Finally, you have the individual characters, most of whom cannot be trusted, and they might be the worst danger of all. Except—there's also that pesky virus that's extremely contagious, so the characters really don't stand a chance. 

I really enjoyed the three main characters, especially Meg and Hannah. Meg’s storyline is the most emotional, because of a tragedy in her past that she’s unable to recover from. Hannah just happens to be the daughter of Professor Grant, the man who founded the Retreat, so everyone thinks she can get her father to help rescue them, but Hannah also knows what kind of man her father really is. I loved this dynamic and it added even more tension to the story.

Carter’s storyline was probably my favorite of the three, however, and also the bloodiest. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed it so much! Carter and the others he lives with at the Retreat have a little bit of freedom, although there are dangers outside the walls. For example, in order to get food and other supplies, they have to ski down the mountain once in a while to trade with Jimmy Quinn, and those scenes were so tense!

So what didn’t work for me? Well, I think I’m sort of getting pandemic fatigue in fiction, because it seems there’s no end to pandemic stories. Here, I felt the pandemic itself was a little “hand wavy” if you know what I mean. I never fully understood all the details of the sickness, how it was transmitted and which people became Whistlers and which didn’t. In other words, the “rules” of the sickness were kind of a mess. I think a lot of readers won’t care, though, since the action and tension were so good, but for me, I had a lot of questions about the virus that were never answered.

The story is confusing at times, especially in the last half as the pieces start to come together. Tudor has a lot of elements to juggle, and while she did a great job overall, there are a lot of reveals in the last half that were very hard to keep up with.

My last complaint is that the story is sooo far over the top at times, it got to the point where each time someone died, I had to stop myself from laughing, it became so ridiculous. I do understand that’s probably what the author intended, but still, there’s a tipping point for me and The Drift veers into the absurd quite quickly. 

Despite all that, I had a blast reading this book. C.J. Tudor doesn’t hold anything back, so if you’re craving adrenaline-fueled storytelling with an overall creepy, dystopian sensibility, then The Drift is a must read.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

This is my 3rd book by the author, and what always amazes me about their writing is how atmospheric it is. I could feel the cold, the snow, and desperation. There are three points of view that the story is told from, and as I kept on reading I saw how they came together, and intertwined with themselves. There were many "unlikeable" characters, but they were unlikeable in a way that you wanted to see where their questionable decisions would take them.