Dystopic apocalyptic fiction with a touch of horror driven by a global pandemic.

Narrated by 3 different characters, the novel focuses on survival in a world that has been changed by a virus that keeps mutating and infecting. Students bound for safety are stranded in the snow after their bus crashes. A cable car with workers going up the mountain to volunteer at the Retreat stops halfway up to the control station. In the former chalet, the staff at the Retreat are tested by dwindling supplies and power failures. Hannah, Meg, and Carter are willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive. Everyone has a secret and all are lying.

This was OK but I didn't find it suspenseful or compelling. Many characters, but they were dropping so fast that I didn't invest much into them and couldn't work up the empathy needed to care. The Whistlers were much more interesting to me and I would have preferred to read about them rather than the 3 sets of people in the bus, cable car, and chalet. The sketchy details about the virus and the pandemic left me wanting more. Much of the action and all that happened required a great deal of suspension of disbelief. Lots of blood and gore if that's your thing. A few twists and turns along the way to a reveal and the sort of unsatisfying conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I went into this book expecting one thing and getting something entirely different. As an end of the world story, I should have been prepared for anything, but I never imagined creatures called “Whistlers”. The fact that this is told from three wildly different points of view added to the drama and expectation. I was scrambling to connect the dots before the author revealed all but I never came close. With dark twists and turns that blew me away, I found myself totally enthralled with this story.

This book had a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the plot and slowly putting everything together throughout the book. It also had some good creepy vibes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and CJ Tudor for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Drift coming out January 31, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A group of students from a secluded boarding school find themselves trapped in a damaged cable car high above the mountains during a snowstorm with no recollection how they got there.

Hannah awakens to metal and shattered glass. Her coach slid off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together in order to survive. 

Meg awakens in the cable car with five strangers and no memory of what happened. They are heading to a place known only as “the Retreat.” Meg realizes they may not all make it as the temperatures plummet and tensions rise.

Carter is looking out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions live in. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s darkness threatens to escape. Their weakened bonds will be tested when the power finally fails indefinitely. 

Each of the dangers Hannah, Meg, and Carter face are part of a bigger puzzle. There is an even greater danger hiding in the cold and darkness. Will they be able to survive the freezing temperatures long enough for help to arrive? Or will the danger overpower them?

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. Overall, I loved this story! I definitely enjoy stories about survival in the elements. I thought the writing was suspenseful and dark. There was a lot of action and fast-paced tension between the characters. I think post apocalyptic books are a lot of fun and one of my favorite genres. However, there was some parts of the book that seemed a little too closely related to reality and what happened in 2020. I didn’t really care for the vaccine debate. It just seemed like it didn’t really go with the survival in the snow story. But overall, it was a good read.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys survival thrillers!

3.5⭐️ - this was an intriguing premise and each storyline was interesting. My favorite thing is how everything came together - that was done SO well. I just wish I'd been a little more emotionally connected to the characters. I enjoyed the drama, but didn't necessarily care when anyone died. Which might be a good thing I guess, since the book was not afraid to go there...

Oh, my! My mouth is still open and my jaw is hanging open after reading this apocalyptic novel about survival. Three different groups have survived a catastrophe and are now facing heavy odds about continuing to survive when faced with severe weather and a killer virus. I must say that I was puzzled a great deal during this novel, but in a good way. I just could not figure out how they would survive or if they would. Without giving anything away, the three groups cannot survive without each other but they don’t know that at first. Their discovery of how they are connected made reading this book chillingly entertaining and reminiscent of Stephen King or other great horror writers. I really wanted to read the book in one sitting but it is too long for me to do that, so I read as quickly as my dedicated reading time allowed. This is a book that one needs to set aside time for because once you start it, you will not want to put it down until you find out the ultimate fates of Meg, Carter and Hannah. I did not really relate to any of the characters, but they were all realistic. The plot was well-written and held my attention with its creative twists. This is not my regular kind of romantic suspense that I read but it is one that held me captive. I would say it is part thriller, part horror and all suspense.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

THE DRIFT by C.J.Tudor is my first book by this author, and I was totally blown away by this adrenaline-driven, fast-paced, and chilling thriller!

THE DRIFT was made of three equally suspenseful and gripping stories that are connected to the same destination with a controlled destiny at the end.

The talented C.J. Tudor has brilliantly crafted this high-octane thriller that is full of suspense and twisted plots, that will keep one on the edge of his/her seat!



#NetGalley

#TheDrift

Well this was certainly a twisted book. There’s three storylines and at times it was a bit hard to keep everything straight. It’s still a page turner full of secrets and surprises. It’s a book that I probably wouldn’t have normally picked up to read but I did end up enjoying the story.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Hannah wakes up and finds out that her coach has fallen on its side over a hillside road and stuck in the snow during a snowstorm. There is no way to call for help. . The driver of the coach is missing and she is with others who are trying to survive.

Meg is a former detective and she wakes up to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car hanging high in the air during a snow storm. She is with a bunch of strangers. They do not remember how they got there.

Meg and Hannah are heading to the Retreat.

Carter is an employee at the retreat. He is at a ski resort with his crew.

This book is in the horror apocalypse thriller genre. It did not scare me at all. Everything that happens in this book happens during a pandemic. The pandemic is so different.
If you enjoy the horror apocalypse thriller genre and enjoy pandemic books then this one might be your kind of book.
I was disappointed with this book.

There is a lot of blood and gore which does not bother me and it's a little dark also. I love dark books but I really didn't enjoy this world. I did not know that this was about a pandemic and I don't like pandemic books.
I enjoyed the Hannah parts of the book. It was my favorite part.
I did enjoy the clever ending and how it all wrapped up.
I love this author and can't wait to read her next one.

I want to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, C.J., and Ballantine for an advance copy of The Drift.

Humanity is in trouble. A virus has ravaged the world and those remaining are doing everything they can, for better or for worse, to fulfill why they believe they are still alive. Hannah has been involved in a bus accident leaving her boarding school, heavy snow has trapped her inside with a few survivors…and a few deceased, some passengers having contracted the virus prior to departure. Meg comes to in a cable car on her way to a government building known as The Retreat, however the cable car is stopped in mid-transit and there is a dead man on board, leading her to believe there may be something beyond the snow storm preventing their car from continuing to its destination. Carter lives at an old ski lodge with a random group of survivors where they manufacture the vaccine and distribute it to the only store still open in exchange for supplies. But when the power goes out, Carter realizes that there may not only be threats lurking outside, but inside as well.


This is my third or fourth ARC of CJ’s and I hope I continue to be on the lucky list, I’ve never been disappointed in her releases.

The Drift was a survival story with very tense, horror-inspired moments that kept me in suspense through its entirety.

It’s hard to review this one without giving major plot details away and also because it’s polarizing in how it made me feel. It’s hopeless, and yet hopeful at the same time. Far and away one of the bleakest dystopian novels I’ve read, maybe in part because it hits close to home given the pandemic aspect. These three stories are intertwined in a way that I did not see coming. The one criticism, which could not be avoided in order to tell this story, was the sheer number of “main” characters to keep straight. We have three storylines, but each has a handful of characters that are pivotal to each of those stories, and it did get difficult to keep them straight at times. Luckily, I was enjoying this book so much, I barely put it down so I wasn’t far removed from what was going on at any point.


It’s also hard to describe how I feel about the characters. Were they likable? I don’t know. Were they awful? Not really, but some had their moments. I think that’s the fun part of a survival story, people go back to their most basic instincts - kill or be killed; do what needs done to keep yourself and loved ones safe and alive, everyone else be damned. I do think that while this story was plot-driven, CJ did a great job at giving us some depth to the characters and investing us into these people for better or worse.

Overall I really liked this book. It was thought-provoking, it made me sad and feel hopeless, it made me smile and gave me hope, it made me angry with the government (just kidding, that is nothing new)…but I think it is an accurate description of how I lived through our pandemic. There were moments that I wanted to throw the towel in and was convinced we’d never live a normal life again, and moments where I knew we’d get through it because for all of the flaws of humanity, we are resilient.

THE DRIFT by C. J. Tudor is a story about a world destroyed by a terrible sickness that continues to concentrate power in a few enormous entities. Through the entwined stories of three individuals threatened by a massive snow storm and all seeking the questionable safety of the Retreat were a smooth surface of comfort and ease is the overlay of deceit and manipulation. While the shifting points of view helped to create a larger picture and understanding of the new world disorder complete with death, horrors, and untrustworthy allies, I did not feel connected with any character, instead reading at a breakneck pace to see who survived and how and what drove the whole chaos of the new world. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Tudor weaves together three scenarios effortlessly and manages to leave the reader on the edge of their seat as each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. This book was not what I was expecting and not something I would usually choose to read. While I wasn’t overly fond of the story and the gory scenes, it’s speaks volumes to Tudor’s writing skills that I was engrossed enough to finish! Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book is trippy. We follow 3 groups of people - one group of students that get stuck on a bus on the way to The Retreat; one group of adults stuck in a cable car also on the way to The Retreat; and finally a group of people that are already at the said Retreat. So you know that the stories will eventually intersect, but the how is what really makes this book. And while each group has some big, life and death issues occurring, the undercurrent is that a virus has out the world into a tailspin. As the story progresses, you learn more about what is happening in the world all while the characters fight for survival. I definitely recommend this, especially if you like apocalypse stories mixed together with a mystery.

This was a post apocalyptic, plague-that-wiped-out-most-of-humanity trope. But, this book gave that old trope a refreshing new spin! It had horror, suspense and humor. It also had heart and it was easy to get caught up in each person's lives. Despite whether the person had done good or bad things (mostly both), the reader is left wanting the best for every person.

Sometimes I have a hard time catching up when plotlines mix and match in time and people. While I did have that issue with this book here and there, all together, I really enjoyed it!

I am a fan of this author's work and was so happy and grateful when Netgalley and the publisher approved me to read it! I will always want to read her work! 4⭐️

What a ride! It is hard to give too many details about this book because I would not want to give anything away. Basically, 3 different groups of people are stranded in a snowstorm. The book alternates between each group’s story of survival. There are so many twists with splashes of horror. I can honestly say that I have not read a book like this one which was truly refreshing! I will definitely read more by C.J. Tudor!

What a gripping read! I read about 65% of the book in one day and finished it the next. If it is snowy or cold where you live, it's the perfect time to immerse yourself in this book. The story takes place in the dangerously cold snow. This book is a mix of several different genres: thriller, mystery, dystopian, sci-fi, apocalyptic, horror, suspense and more. I think it will appeal to many readers! I especially love a story with a little mystery mixed in. I would say that this book has the feel of a locked room mystery -- in fact, three separate locked rooms! I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to other thrill seekers

The story is told by three characters in distinct locations:

Hannah wakes up in a mangled bus that has tumbled off the road into deep snow.

Meg awakens in an isolated cable car dangling high above the snow with temperatures plummeting.

Carter is on the couch when he wakes up in The Retreat, a former ski resort and chock full of secrets.

These characters have alternating chapters. This format kept me glued to the page. I found myself rooting for (and worrying about) the main characters. The book left me wanting a little more at the end. Maybe that's the best way for a dystopian book to end. However, if the author decides to write a sequel, I will absolutely read it! I hope that you enjoy this twisty tale as much as I did!

Thank you to Ballantine Books, Random House and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for a review.

Initial Thoughts
I typically love C.J. Tudor's books. But sometimes a book just doesn't work as well for me for one reason or another. I didn't hate this one but I didn't love it like I had hoped that I would. I tend to enjoy the dire kind of scenarios like the one featured in this book but it just fell flat for me for one reason or another. The story is told from 3 different points of view, each dealing with a different difficult situation. I just never found myself to be fully invested in the story. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the trio of narrators did a great job with the story.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon.

This was a really great wintery thriller. You can definitely tell this was inspired by the covid 19 pandemic, but the author took it in a direction that was different enough from actual events. The characters were intriguing, and I always enjoy getting multiple points of views. This story had 3 different groups of people in various dire circumstances. Each group was equally interesting to read about.

Okay this book is wild. The twists. The turns. The incredibly bananas stuff that went down. I have no words. And frankly, I won't be giving you many either, because I don't want to spoil anything here. And I fear that if I tell you too much, I will.

We start with three separate stories/points of view. All are clearly taking place in a world where things have gone off the rails. Folks are getting sick, and other folks aren't being the nicest while trying to survive. Obviously it all goes far deeper than that, but there's a basic gist for you. It's incredibly atmospheric and eerie from the very first page- you know this is a world you'd not do well in, and it really ups the ante for the rest of the book.

And like- there is not much more I can say, except that everything, everything has a point in this story and will weave into another part. The twists have twists basically, and if you're like me and crave a creepyass apocalypse story, you will simply not be able to put this book down. It's definitely a dark book, but also incredibly captivating. I won't tell you anything more, so you should probably just read it.

Bottom Line: This book basically blew my mind, with its incredibly high stakes, eerie atmosphere, and tons of twists.

A riveting horror story about the end of the world as we know it caused by a deadly viral pandemic. Some do survive infection but remain contagious and so need to be kept away from the rest of humanity for the greater good.

The plot is told in three separate storylines with different leading characters. One is Hannah: she is traveling with other Academy students who are heading to The Retreat in the mountains when their bus crashes in a snowstorm. Another is Meg, who is one of several volunteers also headed to The Retreat when the cablecar they are riding in stalls halfway across a chasm. And the third is Carter, one of the workers at The Retreat who was found in the mountains suffering from hyperthermia and frostbite that has destroyed half his face. Eventually these three separate stories merge in surprising ways.

Although the book suffers from a few plot holes and thin characterizations, I have to admit I just couldn't put it down. Like most horror stories, this was totally gory, gruesome and grim. I was finishing it this morning in the midst of our own snowstorm which made it seem even more real! Brrr! Time for another cup of hot chocolate.

I received an arc of this novel from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.