Fast-paced, apocalyptic, survival story that reads like a mystery. I've read every CJ Tudor book since The Chalk Man, and loved each one. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Drift. This was a page-turner. Short, concise chapters with quick pacing and impeccable plotting. I enjoyed everything about this book and look forward to my next CJ Tudor novel.

Moving from Hannah to Meg to Carter, this is a tale of horror after a horrible virus has ravaged the world. Hannah is on a coach filled with students that has crashed on an icy mountain road. Half of them are killed and the rest are trapped, with threats both internal and external to cope with. Meg is on a gondola swinging idly far above the ground; there's a dead man in the corner and now way to escape. And Carter is in a facility meant to, well, over to the reader to learn what happens there. The big secret here is how the three are connected. To be honest, I was a little confused by the answer (pay close attention as you read ) but the atmospherics along the way were good, if graphically violent. Tudor made all three of them, as well as some of the others (not all of them, that's for sure) sympathetic and he's good at creating and keeping the tension. The situations, shortish chapters and cliff hangers make this a page turner. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy of The Drift! I devoured this is one day. I loved the short chapters, multiple view points, and fast paced nature of the book. I love a book that has me thinking “what the heck is happening” and this did it for me. Survival meets post apocalyptic future meets mystery and murder. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This apocalyptic thriller is set in a time where a virus has decimated humanity. It is told from the point of view of three different people in three different situations, all fighting for survival. It was fascinating discovering what is happening, and seeing how the groups reacted to the tremendous challenges they were given.

Really, any more than that about the plot would contain spoilers, and my favorite part of the book was discovering things on my own. The story is fast paced, pretty gory, and would be a great fit for people who like survival or apocalyptic stories, especially those who also like mysteries.

4.5 stars! This is my 4th book of C.J. Tudor’s and it’s by far my favorite. I went in knowing almost nothing, just that it was bonkers. Being a fan of Tudor’s and a fan of bonkers, I knew I needed to read this one.

I expected a typical twisty thriller, which I got, but oh so much more. How about a post-apocalyptic, dystopian, horror filled, jaw dropping twisty thriller?!

The story goes back and forth between the POVs of three different people:

Carter is one of the employees of a mountain snow lodge called the Retreat.

There’s Hannah, a medical student, who wakes up trapped in a crashed Coach in the middle of a snow filled wilderness. Surrounding her are other survivors, and a few who did not survive. They were on their way to the Retreat.

Lastly Meg, a former cop, awakes to find herself and several others in a ski cable car heading to the Retreat, but the cable car has stopped high above the snowy terrain with no way to escape.

I’m so glad I really knew next to nothing going into this. Each new revelation was even more delicious than the last!

*Thanks so much to Random House, Ballantine and NetGalley for the eGalley!*

Love C.J. Tudor’s novels and I did enjoy this latest, even though it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. This isn’t a traditional Tudor novel and doesn’t really sit firmly within the supernatural or outright thriller genre, so I think it’s important to know that going into the reading experience. It’s also somewhat disorienting for the first 30-40% as there are three characters and settings we are following and it’s not quite clear what is going on and how it all ties together. This is more along the lines of a lite version of the Stand-following the journeys of these characters as they survive a pandemic at the end of world and try to navigate their new realities-not knowing who or what they can trust or how they can survive through another day. The pacing is crisp as per usual and the dialogue flows naturally and effortlessly. Worth reading for anyone who likes apocalyptic stories-thrillers with a survival element or for the many Tudor fans. Just know going in it’s a unique book in the authors canon and you have to actively pay attention to follow the plot threads early.

Thanks for the publisher for the arc provided via NetGalley.

Thank you to Random House Publishing group for a galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first CJ Tudor book that I have read. I enjoyed this book a d would recommend it to readers that enjoy thriller/horror novels. I found this book entertaining and it kept me reading. I am very interested in reading more from this author.

This is the perfect time of year to get cozy and up with this horror/thriller. The story takes place in a cold, snowy environment where the climate, the wildlife, the virus, the people infected, or just other people can kill you. In fact, the will to live is all that is keeping these characters alive.

It was hard to keep all the characters straight with three POVs. It does become clear and fit together in the end, but it was confusing in the middle. I can't say any more without spoiling it, but if you read the book, you will know what I am talking about.

Also, for me, a good fiction book can get ruined quickly when the author brings in political groups, political views, or religions, in a derogatory fashion. This applies to either side of the political spectrum or any religion. I am not interested in reading fiction that is trying to influence my feelings or views on political or religious matters. I think I those topics are better off in non-fiction books. When I read fiction, I just want a good story; I don't want to be inundated with divisive political or religious views. That being said, there was not enough of that to ruin the whole book, and I am interested in still reading more from the author.

A virus has led to widespread catastrophe. The name of the game is survival. Those that are not infected, have to live in a dangerous world full of Whistlers. The story is told through three different storylines and main characters:

Hannah was on a bus in the middle of a snowstorm. They were headed to “The Retreat” when the bus crashed. She and several others are trapped inside the push with no heat, no way out, and survivors whom all have their own secrets. The survivors must work together to escape the bus and survive in the harsh outside environment.

Meg is a former police officer. She wakes up surrounded by strangers on a cable car high above snowy mountain terrain. They were headed to “The Retreat” when they were drugged and had their possessions taken. Now they are all wearing the same uniform. Everyone on the cable car seems to have secrets. Will any of them make it out of the cable car alive?

Carter is staying in an abandoned ski lodge with several others. There they manufacture a vaccine for the virus in exchange for items they need for survival. When the generator powering the ski lodge starts going in and out, the situation gets dire.

This was my first book by C.J. Tudor, and she definitely did not disappoint! I was blown away by the plots, characters, and suspense. There were many times I wondered how all of these characters related, but when Tudor finally revealed the connection between the three points of view, I was satisfied. The cold environments added to the danger of the virus. Tudor makes us wonder what does it take to survive? 4.5/5 stars! I can’t wait to read more by CJ Tudor!

DNF at 47%

I just didn’t have it in me to continue to read it. I was really excited about this book but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. The story is too confusing and as I normally like different POVs, in this case it did not work. I kept forcing myself to read it and finally said gave up.

Thank you NetGalley Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and the author for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I could not put this book down! It was such a unique concept and the perfect wintery thriller. The action starts happening right away with the discovering of a possible bomb on board the bus and the murders of Jackson and Karl, and the momentum continues throughout the book.

The element of what happens to people when they are trapped in dangerous situations was so interesting.

Great twists that I did not see coming! The unclear timeline made for great reveals and a unique reading experience. I definitely recommend this book to those looking for a winter thriller. 4.5 stars

Review will be posted on Instagram on 1/31/23 @readwithkendall

Wow! This one really pulled me in from the very first chapter. CJ Tudor knows how to pull together a great story that holds up until the ending. Equal parts thrilling and suspenseful, it kept me up reading and wondering who was going to make it to the end alive!

Survival can be murder…

This brilliant novel is a thriller, suspense, and horror all blended together. It tells a story of survival and the things we do to make sure we get out alive. Gripping, captivating!

I was reminded of the series The 100, and also the movie and book Escape Room, based on a deadly and infectious disease outbreak.

This is not my usual genre, but I am thrilled that it was recommended to me by someone who thought I may enjoy it. She was right! I loved it! Not only was I completely captivated, I was also quite impressed with the talent the author demonstrated with the writing, plot, character development, and consistent twists and storylines that tie together perfectly at the end. I definitely plan to read more books by her!

This is a thrilling and intense novel I could not put down. The writing is propulsive and the plot is interesting and engaging. It can get a little disturbing but it’s not extremely graphic in any sense. I really enjoyed it.

CJ Tudor has done it again with The Drift! If you have read CJ's previous books you will really enjoy this book. There are three points of view in this book and I for one really enjoy stories that are told from different POVs. Post apocalyptic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this one! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book I had to grab because I've read several by C.J. Tudor that I've been impressed with. Yes she writes horror and that's certainly what this one is. This is a story of survival, of pandemic, of what lengths people will go to when threatened, of what lengths science will go to in order to protect "the right ones".

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. I didn't really relate to any of the characters. I also didn't like the scenario, and maybe because it just made me too uncomfortable. I'm sure many people will love it. It does have a good plot and good pacing. However, I found it very disturbing - and maybe that was the point. I will keep reading C.J. Tudor because, as I said before, generally I like her books and her writing.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance copy. This book will be published on January 31, 2023.

I just could not understand this book. Charters are confusing and storyline hard to follow. Not her best work. Thanks NetGalley for advance copy.

"No one ever thinks they're the bad guy. We all kid ourselves that we're the hero of the story. And we're usually wrong."

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Is it too early to be reading virus-related dystopian fiction? 

I say no, especially if it's this good!

I absolutely loved this story! I'm not going to summarize because I think it's better to go in blind and I'm not sure the official blurb is even the right hook for this one. I'd say it's Station Eleven meets No Exit. It's action packed, post-apocalyptic and the arrangement of the story is clever. There wasn't a moment I wasn't entertained, in fact I hated putting it down. There are multiple locked room mysteries that flip back and forth, in what starts off really jarring but it's worth sticking with it. There are multiple reveals along the way that pulls everything together in a masterful way. I liked how the details of the virus and how the world got so disrupted are slowly detailed as the action presses forward. 

I definitely found myself more invested in one timeline more than the others but then I found that switching as the story went on. The chapters are short and switch quickly and every time I was frustrated to leave the story I was in and equally excited to get back to the story I'd previously left. 
This is definitely a departure for CJ Tudor but I loved this more than her others.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

The Drift is one of the most clever dystopian thrillers I've read in a long time.
This giant puzzle includes a medical student trapped in a bus, in the middle of a snowstorm with a group of people she doesn't know; detective Megan stranded in a cable car with a bunch of strangers,suspended above the storm, with no recollection of how they ended up there; Carter, living with his coworkers in an abandoned ski retreat, They all are part of a post apocalyptic, pandemic world full of uncertainty and wariness.
These different storylines will come together masterfully in this gripping, atmospheric book that will keep the reader hooked until the last page.
I've read CJ Tudor previous novel (The Burning Girls) and loved it to pieces. This one, didn't disappoint me.

The Drift is a fast paced intriguing read. This book is more of a thriller/horror. At first I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me but it was so intriguing that I just had to keep reading. I really enjoyed it!



Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine for the digital arc.

Hannah, a student at an elite boarding school being evacuated because of a dangerous outbreak, wakes to chaos and death when her bus crashes in the midst of a snowstorm. Meg, a bereaved mother and former detective, comes to in a cable car stranded high in the mountains with five other seeming strangers, all of them intended to be volunteers at a medical research facility known as "The Retreat." Carter and his coworkers live in an isolated chalet far up a mountainside, tending to a long-term experiment that is reliant on a now-failing generator. All three will need their wits about them as they face off against the people and elements around them if they have any hope of surviving, but as more and more secrets are revealed, it becomes clear that each one is just a piece of a much larger puzzle.

To be clear, this is more of an apocalypse by way of pandemic novel than straight-up horror or suspense, which I didn't know when I started reading. In the last few years, apocalypse novels, especially ones with a pandemic storyline, have not worked for me, so I was surprised to enjoy this as much as I did. Having three narrators and structuring it like a thriller definitely kept me engaged, especially as it became clear that the three storylines were connected (but not in the way I initially thought). The isolated settings for each narrative make them feel like locked-room mysteries (one of my favorite tropes) and the reveals feel earned by the reader, who pieces things together just before they are uncovered. Definitely recommend, but people should know at the outset that it involves a pandemic-driven apocalypse, even as the end of the world happens mostly off-stage.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Drift early in exchange for an honest review.