So a couple weeks ago I posted what I should read next and The Drift was recommended by a lot of people so I decided to give it a shot and I really enjoyed it! I started off by reading it and then switched to audio for the last half of the book. I enjoyed it both ways, but especially on audio. The narrators did an amazing job of really performing this story. This story had lots of action and lots of cliff hangers throughout. I enjoyed the atmosphere in this one as well as the alternating view points in this one. This is a perfect wintery read if you like books filled with action and are a fan of survival stories/post apocalyptic horror.

Thank you to @prhaudio and @penguinrandomhouse for my copies!

I have read most of C.J. Tudor's books including her recent short story collection and have been a big fan of each of them. Therefore, it hurts my heart to have to say The Drift was a bit of a struggle for me. I just found myself confused so much of the story as there were three different disaster stories happening in alternating chapters. Each had a different narrator, and the reader is never sure until close to the end how the three stories are going to be tied together. I am the kind of person who normally always prefers a book over a movie, but the plot in The Drift would definitely have worked better as a movie for me since between chapters I would struggle to remember which story I was in and who each character was to the story.

I think people who love post-apocalyptic novels will enjoy this book. I am usually one of those, but maybe my attention span just wasn't there for this one. The thriller aspect was good. The survival action/adventure aspect was definitely good: people trapped in a broken down cable car, a wrecked train, underground bunkers, snow, wolves, etc! There was a lot to love about The Drift, and I want to make sure my review reflects that. I enjoyed how the stories tied together at the end. The last 15% of the book I really was all-in, staying up incredibly late to finish the story.

In summary, I think The Drift is going to be a hit with most readers. who love the genre. For me, who is a casual fan of post-apocalyptic novels rather than a die-hard, it was just good.While I prefer the styles of her prior novels, I LOVE to see an author stretch themselves outside their own box, and CJ Tudor has definitely succeeded in that here.

The Drift is a good thriller that I think people will enjoy. As a post-apocalyptic book, this should have been right up my alley. It was okay, but nothing really clicked/connected for me. I was kind of invested in the characters of Meg and Hannah but really couldn't do the same with Carter, which, as he is the MC, was a big miss. It meant the end fell flat for me and that sucked. The twist I've seen a lot of people mention in their reviews was also flat because of the above. All in all, I will definitely continue to read books by Tudor and I already know a few people I will recommend this one to, it just didn't work for me.

This post-apocalyptic, zombie-type book will appeal to fans of The Last Of Us. We follow three people, Meg, Hannah, and Carter as they struggle to survive catastrophe.

"Ultimately, there is only one day after another. Some good, some bad. There are moments of unexpected pleasure and times of unbearable grief. For every action there is an opposite. For every piece of good fortune, a random bit of shitty luck. Every silver lining has a cloud. The devil was an angel once."

These three characters are all grouped with other characters who are fighting for their lives. In addition to the zombies and terror, lack of food and other resources, it is also freezing during a snowstorm. This book will keep you on your toes, as each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, and because it rotates among the three POVs, you wont learnt the fate of you character for three more chapters. That tactic definitely keeps the pages turning!

This story has amazing atmosphere, secrets, thrills, and horror. Some parts are downright disturbing. Then there are some parts that are actually funny. If you are a fan of The Last of Us, you will not want to miss this one!

Special thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for this Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read "The Drift" by C.J. Tudor on NetGalley. I was immediately drawn into the book. It is broken up by chapters, each telling the story of 3 different people, Hannah, Meg or Carter. They are all living in a time of a viral pandemic that is changing the world. The entire time I was reading I kept waiting for their stories to come together, which they do eventually in a twist I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed this story and from about half way through until the end I couldn't put the book down!

“You’re either a good guy or you’re a survivor.”

This was a very challenging book. It has not one, not two, but three different locked room locations with a whole set of characters each. This is a nightmare for someone like me who has trouble keeping characters straight. It also starts with very little information. As someone who likes to go into books blind, this was pretty fun for me. Even if I was very confused for the first half of the book.

Once the book hit it stride and the puzzle pieces started falling into place, it really took off for me. Once I knew one important detail, the rest of the story started making more sense.

I really can’t say enough good things about this thriller. It’s probably not for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It just took me a little bit to get into. I loved how unpredictable it was, and the way it comes full circle in the end.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

In a post-apocalyptic world, what would you do to survive?

The Drift is the story of Hannah, Meg, and Carter, all trying to survive in a world post-pandemic. Carter is a worker at The Retreat while Meg and Hannah are trying to get there. Hannah is trapped in a bus crash and Meg is trapped in a cable car. All three are trying to survive the snowstorm. And if the snowstorm doesn’t kill them, The Whistlers may.

I’m still trying to decide how I feel about this book. It sucked me in right from the beginning and I read it quickly. But I felt that Meg and Hannah’s storyline were fairly similar: trapped somewhere and trying to escape. It was interesting to see how all three character’s story intertwined. This book is definitely a horror book with a lot of gore. I can see this as an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

I did find it interesting that in the Acknowledgment section, Tudor said she came up with the idea for this book in 2019, before Covid was even a thought. Always read the Author’s Note and Acknowledgment page. You never know what kind of info you will find there. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

When a pandemic ravages the world, three different points of view detail the unraveling of humanity as we know it.

<u>The Drift</u> was a wildly grotesque, fast-paced thriller that had a predictable/somewhat disappointing conclusion. Ultimately I dropped this down to 4 stars because while I loved the writing and the character development, I couldn't quite get over the obscene gore and the anti-climactic conclusion. I feel like Tudor almost set this up to be a series? I expect a sequel at this point because that ending just left me with more questions! Overall this was still so fast paced and disgustingly fun that I had to give it a solid 4 stars.

Unpopular opinion I was super bored reading this book.

Yes it was interesting at times but I found myself putting it down a lot and struggled to finish it. I was waiting to be scared and never quite there. There were also a lot of characters to keep track of which I’m not a fan of. Maybe this would have worked better as an audiobook for me?

Hannah wakes up in a mess after the bus she was on crashed trapping her and a few survivors in a snow storm. Meg wakes up dangling high above the snowy mountains in a cable car with a group of strangers who can’t remember how they got there. Carter is stuck in a ski lodge hoping the generator doesn’t go out. There’s something hidden in the basement that wants out.


The Drift is available January 31, 2023.

Thank you netgalley and randomhousepub for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I as very excited to get a copy of The Drift, as I have been a big fan of Tudor’s other novels. This one, unfortunately, missed the mark for me. The alternating time lines were hard for me to keep up with along with the multiple names for the same character. Additionally, there were political undertones shining through that were not of interest to me.

My heart is still pounding

What just happened ? I’m an adult, how did a book shake me to my core ? Well, when you are C.J Tudor, you know how to skillfully craft a book that will consume and frighten even the coldest of folks.

I know I know. This is crazy . I can read Stephen King and not even bat an eye but I tell ya, this one is good, real good .

The Drift is a gripping thriller that will have you closing your eyes in fear of what will come next . Be prepared to be thrown on the ride of your life (literally) .

I think you should find out for yourself …

Teaser :

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together to escape—with their sanity and secrets intact.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as “The Retreat,” but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive.

Carter is gazing out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s depths threatens to escape, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

❄️Book Review❄️
*
Summary: Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together to escape—with their sanity and secrets intact.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as “The Retreat,” but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive.

Carter is gazing out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s depths threatens to escape, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater danger—one with the power to consume all of humanity.
*
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
*
My thoughts: thank you @netgalley and @cjtudorauthor for allowing me an advanced copy of this one! It was released January 31st so run to pick up this amazing book! Highly recommend this one if you love post apocalyptic action reads or are also obsessed with the show The Last of Us 😍seriously this book is so much fun, you will never guess how all these stories are interconnected. Every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, it was just truly an addicting read!
*
QOTD: do you enjoy post apocalyptic or action books?! I’m a big fan 😍
*
#thedrift #cjtudor #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #bibliophile #booknerd #bookworm #bookwormsunite #bookish #bookobsessed #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinst

3.5 stars

I haven’t read many post-apocalyptic horror thrillers. It’s not a genre I’m naturally drawn to. But when I received an early copy of C. J. Tudor’s newest novel, "The Drift", I didn’t hesitate to accept it. I’ve read and enjoyed her last three releases, and I figured that if anyone could make me love a novel set in a world where a deadly virus runs rampant, either killing most everyone who contracts it or turning those who endure it into creatures called Whistlers, it would be Ms. Tudor.

But I was wrong. And it’s not because the novel isn’t page-turning, brilliantly plotted, or exciting. It is. "The Drift" is clever and thrilling in all the right ways. It’s an entertaining tale of survival, skillfully depicting what we, as humans, are willing to do to others in order to live.

So no, it’s not the book. It’s more a me thing in that certain aspects of the story left me a little sickened. Tudor tries hard to make the novel gritty, and while she succeeds in this, she takes it too far. There is one scene at the very end that I simply could not stomach. I didn’t need to read THAT.

But even though "The Drift" is not my favorite Tudor read, I know that more greatness is coming. More stories are heading my way – stories that I will love.

And I can hardly wait to read them.


My sincerest appreciation to C. J. Tudor, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

The Drift was something I didn't realize I needed to read. This is about three main characters each of them are in a predicament that was unexpected. Hannah who is the daughter of the lead scientist at the retreat. Carter who is working at the retreat. Meg who is a former policewoman. Hannah crashes in a snowstorm and is one of the few survivors on the bus but they are trapped. Meg is trapped in a ski lift with others. Carter is staying at the retreat with others.

This was a complex story about survival at any cost when all the craziness of a virus during a pandemic that is changing people and killing them. It made you think about the pandemic we are currently in and the loss of many people who doctor's being overwhelmed had to pick winner and losers. The losers always died. The winners somehow got more expensive treatments that they could afford and survived.

The government action in this story in this dystopian world is not far from reality. If this book did anything but make me think more about reality and what will happen when all things get crazy during a pandemic.

All 3 groups are fighting for their lives from the elements and the virus, but perhaps the greatest threat to their lives comes from within. How long did it take for society to break down? Who is a good guy and who is a bad guy? Is everyone who they say they are? I was kept on my toes, never knowing who to trust. There are evil forces at play, of the human variety. After all, The devil was an angel once. I loved that quote. There is so much truth to that.

What would you be willing to do to survive during a pandemic would you kill someone else for your own survival? Would you be a bad guy or a good guy? So many questions you need to ask yourself after you read this book.

The book took me longer than I thought to read because it weighed heavy on me, and I spent time digesting what I was reading. This book is still impacting me in thinking about everything I just read. I recommend this book if you like dystopian world that is occurring during a pandemic? This was a five-star read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing House for a free copy of The Drift for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Could mankind be destroyed by a new disease? This novel explores an apocalyptical era where Earth's inhabitants die from an extremely toxic and rapidly spreading disease. Three separate scenarios all with the same dynamics.

The government sets up compounds where those afflicted can be quarantined. Old ski lodges are used for this purpose. A good portion of the story centers around survivors being stuck on a chair lift around 250 yards from the ski lodge. Those stuck in the gondola are trying to make it to the lodge but the cables have problems. They are stuck in the air one thousand feet above the ski slope.

The characters are well-developed and the novel points out the selfishness and avarice that people exhibit trying to save themselves. Killing is random and the more selfish of the group tend to become survivors.

Apocalypse on the heavy side of horror. It was well-written and paced but was just a little too much blood and guts for me. 4 stars – CE Williams

Meh. Nothing shocking or thrilling here, just kind of a mess. I’m disappointed as I have really enjoyed other works from this author. This one seemed rushed and not thought through.

This was a little tough to get into since it was multiple settings with multiple characters and I struggled to see the connection. I stuck with it though and was not disappointed when the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

This is a must read! I devoured this in one day. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. There are lots of twists and turns that keeps you flipping thru the pages. The suspense is great.

There's a worldwide Pandemic and The Retreat is a secret virus research lab. They study on the survivors to try and develop an antidote.

This unfolds in 3 different threads told by different perspectives. Multiple POV's were a little confusing at first, but in the end it all made sense.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine books for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved this so much, I purchased a copy from Amazon. I definitely recommend this book.

**4.5 stars**

I have read most of CJ Tudor’s books and I am a big fan. The Drift is her best yet. It’s also very different from her previous books.

Excellent post apocalyptic horror-locked room mystery-suspense-thriller, quite the page turner! Highly recommend! Thanks for the ARC I got from the publisher via NetGalley but as she’s one of my favs I preordered a hardcover copy as well!

Will definitely be one of my top books of 2023.

I did catch one continuity error that did bug me that I was surprised slipped by her early readers and editors but I still loved it.

Three groups of people stuck in different precariously deadly situations. Each one with dead bodies piling up.

This is my first Tudor and it's safe to say I have been missing out. Multiple characters with multiple POVs and twists that I did not see coming. Sprinkle in the horrors of a virus running rampant and the things that virus can mutate... than you're seeing the exact type of thrillers I enjoy!

✔️ Spreading virus
✔️ High Stakes Survival
✔️ Deadly Situations
✔️ Whose the killer
✔️ Redherrings
✔️ Major plot twists

Don't let the gorey horror parts set you back. This is more than that with its elements surrounding human nature, survival and revenge. A thriller at its heart with a pre/post-apocalyptic feeling that makes you sit back and wonder what you'd do in their shoes.

There are some areas that are a little slow or confusing as you're juggling people, places, timelines and scenarios. However, this is so cleverly put together that I enjoyed just about every aspect.

I'd recommend this hard to put down novel to those who enjoy horror/thriller hybrids with a pandemic touch. Thank you to Ballantine for providing a gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own. True rating 4.5/5.