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.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

C.J. Tudor knows how to write a horror story and The Drift is no exception. This book was not at all what I was expecting; it leaned a little more dystopian but I still really enjoyed reading this book. Perfect book to snuggle up with on a cold winter night!

🦠🦠🦠🦠.5 / 5

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhousegroup for proving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Holy 👏🏼 shit 👏🏼 There’s literally 100 emojis to choose from to rate this book because so much craziness went down—and I was here for it. This had all the things: locked-room mystery (x3), thrilling action, apocalypse, dystopia, horror, witty humor, and so much more! I had no idea how the three points of view were all connected or where the story was headed, but I was utterly shocked at the end and impressed by Tudor’s ability to tie everything up in a nice little bow. I don’t always include in my review that interested readers should check the trigger warnings before delving in, but I feel obligated to mention it here because this story was gruesome and I’m sure isn’t for everyone. However, if you’re looking for a book that will mess you up, look no further!

This book kept me totally captivated from start to finish.

It's a kind of dystopian thriller, with shades of mystery and locked room scenarios. There are three threads: Hannah is on a bus headed to The Retreat, when the bus careens off the road during a massive snowstorm. Carter is at The Retreat and their power is failing, they are down to a bare minimum of staff and trying to figure things out. Meg is a former police officer, trapped in a cable car in a snowstorm, with no rescue in sight.

How all of these separate storylines come together is brilliant and engrossing. I loved when the pieces started to click for me, my mind was spinning in the best way. This book is atmospheric, filled with action, and also shades of horror. There are a few things that weren't completely explained in the end, but overall this is a not-to-be-missed thriller that will keep you up at night. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars. This novel sucked me in from the very first sentences.

A virus has taken over the world. It's incredibly infectious - many are dead, but some survive in a state no one would want to be in. Amidst this apocalyptic backdrop, several people try to survive the impossible. And realize something strange is going on. The three storylines come together in the end in a satisfying way, although this book is bleak - filled with death, gore, attempts at revenge, and not much hope for redemption. That being said, it's such a fantastic read!

"Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. During a hasty escape from a secluded boarding school, her coach careened over a hillside road during one of the year's heaviest snowstorms, trapping her inside with a handful of survivors, a brewing virus, and no way to call for help. If she and the remaining few want to make it out alive, with their sanity--and secrets--intact, they'll need to work together or they'll be buried alive with the rest of the dead.

A former detective, Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car suspended far above a snowstorm and surrounded by strangers in the same uniform as her, with no memory of how they got there. They are heading to a mysterious place known to them only as "The Retreat," but when they discover a dead man among their ranks and Meg spies a familiar face, she realizes that there is something far more insidious going on.

Carter is gazing out the window of the abandoned ski chalet that he and his ragtag compatriots call home. Together, they manage a precarious survival, manufacturing vaccines against a deadly virus in exchange for life's essentials. But as their generator begins to waver, the threat of something lurking in the chalet's depths looms larger, 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 threat--one that threatens to consume all of humanity."

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

“If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, it’s also a one-way street. No going back.” -C.J. Tudor
THE DRIFT by @cjtudorauthor
This book will chill you to the bone both physically and mentally. The Drift is a tale of cold weather survival in the midst of humanity’s fall. Three icy locations, three groups of strangers fighting for their lives, and three locked room murder mysteries. A bus has gone off the road and down a hill in a snowstorm, a cable car is stopped a thousand feet in the air as temps drop below zero, and a research facility where volunteers go knowing their is little hope of making it out alive.
I was so captivated by this cast of characters with their secrets knowing that no one can be trusted and with the settings that make you curl up with a blanket. Several times I had my stomach in my throat as people stood next to open air drops with wind blowing all around. (I’m not typically afraid of heights, but this was dizzying) I could also feel the joy whenever the dog Dexter showed up to be near his humans. But I think this is the only time I have felt the odd sensation of smiling as one of the characters I like dies.
- “There were times, Carter thought, when being a survivor really sucked.”

This book was weird, in the best way. However, it was also a bit confusing because we were just suddenly thrown into a world with a virus we didn't know anything about. I loved that we got three perspectives, but I felt like there was information I was missing. I wanted to know about the academy that the coach came from, I wanted to know what the team was doing at the retreat, and I wanted to know more about the virus and how it affected the world. This book was set some time after the virus, but it felt like we were already expected to know all the facts regarding it. I liked how things all came together, and the reveals all made sense. Overall, this is a book I will thinking about for a while.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor
What a cleverly written book. It had it all, suspense, horror, and tons of action. The chapters were short and concise, and the pace was quick. I enjoyed everything about this book.

The story involves three locations. - a bus evacuating students who have supposed to have been clear of a virus that is rapidly spreading, a cable car with a group of strangers and the place both groups were heading called “ The Retreat”
Nothing is at it should be - the bus crashes and it may have been planned as well as having two infected students in board. The group on the cable car is stuck midway and when they awake after apparently bring drugged, one of the group is dead. At The Retreat one of the group goes on a grocery run and returns to find dead bodies. How do these groups tie together and who is the murderer in their midst?
CJ Tudor cannot write a bad story and this is no exception. Be forewarned when you start this book you need to have a warm blanket and a warm drink nearby because you will be transported to the snowstorm each group is in. I read this book in one sitting and I did not see any of the twists coming. This author is a must read for any fan of thrillers or mystery novels.
Thank you to the publisher and #netgalley for the free e copy. “The Drift” is available now!

Sometimes I read so many books that I just don't remember the premise when I start a book. And with The Drift, it's one of those books were once you get into it you are kind of like, oh, wait! It's like the time I went to see From Dusk Til Dawn and didn't realize it was about vampires.

The Drift is an amazing book, but just fyi, it is a little apocalyptic. Although really, it's just a story about a pandemic that was a just a touch more deadly than our most recent one. And its appropriate because in Tudor's last book, A Sliver of Darkness, a collection of short stories, she explains that her novel was due but she opted for the short stories instead because the pandemic was distracting for her. How appropriate that the next book should explore this theme.

I'd love to divulge details about this pandemic in the book, but I feel that it would give away important plot points, so I will stop there.

Early on in the book, we are introduced to three sets of characters in three settings. And as the story slowly unfolds in these parallel situations, it's up to the reader to start to pull together the common thread, and try and figure out what (or who) specifically holds them together and what order these stories have taken place in. So this element is definitely interesting and a lot of fun for someone who always likes to try and figure it out before the end of the book.

The Drift is a great read for anyone who likes putting the pieces of a puzzle together. It kept my rapt attention from beginning to last page. Special thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finally!!! This is the C.J. Tudor story I've been waiting for.

It has been a decade since a pandemic swept the world and this story follows three people trying to survive in the most inhospitable circumstances.

Meg awakens in a cable car dangling over the mountainous terrain while a snow storm rages outside. She isn't alone. Who drugged them and brought them here? Who can she trust, if anyone?

Hannah awakens after her bus crashes in the snow storm. She and other students were trying to make it to safety at The Retreat. Some of the students perished in the crash and the others, turns out, may be infected.

Carter works with a few others at The Retreat which seems safe enough until other residents start turning up dead. The generator is about to die and any security they once felt they had has blown away like the snow swept wind.

This book had it all. Action, suspense, and all the horror you can imagine. As if a pandemic of epic proportions wasn't bad enough then add in a snow storm, Whistlers, and an untrustworthy bunch of people - some armed and some most definitely dangerous. I was between biting my nails and peaking through my fingers the entire time I spent with this book. Not only that but this book is CLEVER in the best way possible. A victory for Tudor to be sure. This is my third book by her but it's the first one to WOW me and, trust me, I was WOWED!!! ALL. THE. STARS!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.

Actual Reading Experience:
Wow…just wow! I can't say much about this story, but wow, because it would be so easy to give away a spoiler without meaning to, and trust me, you will not want that at all. Because the shock factor of this story is worth the wait and my brevity. I will discuss the story's characters, narration, pacing, and setting in the appropriate sections. Still, I'm going to leave my review there.

The rest you will have to find out for yourself.
Characters:
Hannah is a medical student who is holding on to some big secrets. She is haunted by the words of her father, who is a much different person than she is though he is also a doctor as she is studying to become. She is selfless and self-sacrificing as the good of the many dictates she should be. Still, she is also strong and resilient, with enough knowledge to make her understand the realities of their situation more than most.

Meg is a tragic character in many regards. She used to be a police officer and approaches the many mysteries of what's happening to them with the eagle eye of a law enforcement agent. But her secrets could be a game changer for everyone stuck in that ski lift.

Carter is also a tragic figure. He lost half of his face to frostbite, and the description of how he looks genuinely is unimaginable. He ended up at the retreat by chance, not by design like everyone else but has proved to be a valuable team member. He has befriended the dog that lives at the retreat, which makes him easily a more sympathetic character than he might otherwise be.
Narration & Pacing:
The narration is done in the third person, with each storyline focusing on the point of view of a particular character in that storyline. The students on the bus storyline focuses on Hannah, the ski lift story focuses on Meg, and the retreat story focuses on Carter. This works exceptionally well and holds up the very creative technique used to tell this story perfectly. It's always clear and makes the pace faster because there are mini cliffhangers at the end of most chapters. You have to get through two more chapters before you find out what happens, but of course, you have two more mini-cliffhangers you want to resolve, so you can imagine how fast you will want to read.
Setting:
The setting for all three plots is a snow-filled remote area high in the mountains. Beyond that, nothing more is told. Is it the same general location? The reader doesn't even know that. Just that all three places are very cold, very snowy, and very dangerous.
Read if you like:
Shocking thrillers
Survival stories
Atmospheric to the point of claustrophobia

Wow! Well, I had to read this in a day. You have three stories woven together about three groups of people that have found themselves in deadly situations, the only connections being trapped in snowy areas and there is an infection going around...and lots of secrets to be unraveled. You can definitely feel the pressure and fear of these people from Hannah and the others stuck in an overturned bus, to Meg and her group in the cable car. Carter's story is interesting too, being at The Retreat with an odd bunch and death all around. Makes for a very exciting read, especially when it all comes together and you can go "ahh, I get it now!"

So, yes, it is a good thrilling story, best to be read in one sitting.