I absolutely loved this take on the post-apocalyptic zombie story. I’m a big fan of Tudor’s previous work but this one is definitely my new favorite. It was tense, twisty, and action packed, with just enough heart to keep you worried about your favorite characters.

THE DRIFT
C.J. Tudor

There are three distinct scenes to differentiate between, twenty-three characters to keep track of, and an entire world to build, which didn’t leave much room for enjoyment.

There were too many characters to effectively develop a connection with each of them. The bigness of the structure of the story bogged down the book and led to this being a mediocre experience when it could have been something else entirely.

The characters who were not dead were dying in multiple locations, it felt like the world was ending and I did not care. Which seems almost difficult to do. I have read Tudor before, and the experience was very different. I will try Tudor again but will check for high character counts before picking it up.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and Penguin Random House Audio for the advanced copy!

THE DRIFT…⭐️⭐️⭐️

An exciting book. Full of twists and turns. This takes place in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies. However, this book primarily deals with people in three different times, with a twist to the zombies.

First, there's Hannah. While Hannah is on a bus with her fellow college students going to safety from a zombie-creating virus, their bus crashes in the wilderness and her group has to find a way to survive being locked in a bus during the winter. Then there's Carter, who lives in a scientific facility that is supposed to be safe, but things start to fall apart. Last, Meg goes to a scientific facility to be used as a lab rat, but the gondola traveling up the mountain stops, and her group has to figure out how to survive the cold. Meg and Hannah are the most compelling stories as their danger is more present with them having to survive in isolated locations during the winter. Carter is shrouded in mystery about himself and what is happening in his facility.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

A dangerous virus has affected the nation. People without the virus are trying to survive. The environment is harsh, and the people are desperate.

The Drift is different than C.J. Tudor’s other books, but it’s enjoyable. There are three different stories happening, and how they connect makes for an intriguing read. The setting is a cold, bleak apocalyptic world. The characters are unique.

A dark and tense thriller. Recommended for fans of apocalyptic and survival thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A wintery thriller following three people in desperate survivalist situations during the apocalypse.

Somehow I'd missed the apocalypse element when I requested the book, but I'm glad I did because I'd have been worried this was a pandemic book, which it's not--it's more I AM LEGEND, and definitely delivered. But CJ Tudor wove together three wintery thrillers into one layered story that worked beautifully. I can't say much without spoilers, but I was delighted at how the three POVs finally came together.

This is my second book by CJ Tudor, but it won't be my last. I'm thrilled to check out her other stories.

This novel unspools several different threads that dovetail (or really, collide) together in a wonderful ride. Tudor always knocks it out of the park, and I can't wait to see what HBO makes of this novel. I don't know if they optioned it or if anyone else has. But they should!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

oh my god this book is FANTASTIC!!! I was genuinely hooked from page 1. (the eyeball.... IYKYK). The author was able to seamlessly weave the 3 POVs together, and despite there being a ton of characters, I never felt confused. It's an action packed book, but she still crafted characters I care about. I love when authors GO there (don't get attached to any one person!) and she definitely takes it all the way. This was somehow my first book by her, but I will definitely seek her out again!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I loved this book! It was atmospheric and dreadful. I enjoyed the different settings. Isolation within isolation levels unlocked! The cold weather added to all the feels.

◇You might enjoy this if you like
-Zombies
-Isolated locations
-Multiple timelines

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Hannah awakens in a coach that has crashed over a mountainside. She and fellow passengers were making a hasty escape from their remote boarding school, where a virus was brewing. Meg awakens in a cable car suspended on a mountain, with no memory of how she got there. She and the other passengers recall they were traveling to a mysterious place called the retreat. Carter lives at the retreat, and spends his days making a vaccine against the deadly virus that plagued the world. But the generator that powers this place is failing, and what’s locked downstairs should not get out. We see all the mysteries unravel and the stories blend together in a novel about a deadly virus, zombies, and possibly the end of the world.

C.J. Tudor is a master at creating entertaining horror stories. This one checks all my boxes. Edge of your seat excitement. Mysterious post apocalyptic setting. Zombies. What is not to love? There are multiple perspectives and timelines, so its kind of fun trying to piece together how they relate to each other as you progress through the story. It does lead to a fun payoff in the end. At first it was a little difficult to keep track of the separate perspectives, but it becomes easier over time.

If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric horror read, this would be a great winter read on a snowy day. This book has cemented C.J. as an auto read author for me, and I can’t wait to continue to work through her back log.

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.

This was a crazy and quick read. It keeps you in its grip so you have to keep turning pages until you finish. Highly recommend it.

This book started off strong, and I literally was a rocket to the moon until the very end of the book. It's like horror/dystopian/apocolypic genres all rolled into one book.
There are 3 main characters who have different storylines in different locations that converge into one awesome story. I did need to jot down a few notes about who was who, etc. So, keep a pen & paper handy or your notes app open.

The Whistlers were mentioned in the book, and I was happy the author didn't dehumanize them. The story was influenced by the pandamic, so this story will not be for everyone. Keep that in mind when looking into reading this book.

My first CJ Tudor!

This was a very thrilling, dare I say horrifying book. Had quite a bit of gore and scenes that gave me chills. For my first time reading this author I’d say it was very enjoyable!

We have three different POVs:
Hannah, Meg & Carter.

All are either at or heading to The Retreat during a pandemic / end of the world.

Very thrilling!

Listen up, people. Have you read C. J. Tudor yet? If not, you are missing out!

I read The Drift when it came out in hardcover, but was very neglectful about typing up my review.

The book is told in three parts. But they intertwine in such a way that the connections aren't immediately clear beyond setting.

A school bus overturns on trip to evacuate a group of students to a place called The Retreat. These chosen few should be safe there. If they can only make it.

Meg was also on her way to The Retreat when she awakens in a stopped cable car. Neither she or her fellow passengers can remember how they got there. But with no power and temps dropping fast, they must find a way to survive!

Carter lives comfortably in a ski chalet. But they live at the mercy of the generator. And when it starts to fail, it means facing the things both inside and outside that put everyone at risk.

Tudor says this was a bit of a passion project. One delayed by but also made possible by the pandemic.

After all, even I as both a reader and agent had my doubts about ever being able to read a post-apocalyptic thriller in the days around and beyond 2020.

But I actually found it a bit cathartic. And by the time The Drift released here in the States, I was more than ready for this particular book!

First, I have a thing for snowed-in reads. And absolutely fits the bill! Which is perfect because it's February and I especially like to read snowed-in books while it's nasty and snowing outside!

The world of The Drift unfolds somewhat slowly through the eyes of these three narrators. And it's in part because of the structure—alternating short chapters between each of these characters means you get snippets of what each of them are experiencing alongside the world around them. And I have to say that the deliberate delay in what is otherwise an exceptionally fast-paced read made for a deliciously agonizing experience!

I desperately wanted to know what was going on in this world. Why the desperation to reach The Retreat. Why the secrecy around the facility!

And the dawning of understanding that begins to set in at a certain point in the reading was truly a wonderful discovery and reveal.

Again, if you've not been reading Tudor, you absolutely need to. There's a new adaptation of one of her works (The Burning Girls), there's a new release (The Gathering) on the horizon, there's plenty of backlist to tide you over, and there's even a TV adaptation of The Drift in the works! Add her to your must-read list today and ENJOY!

From the author's acknowledgements: "There's a lot going on in the book, but at its heart it's about loss and how we hold on to hope and humanity in the face of terrible events."

The Drift is a post-apocalyptic story following three groups of people trying to survive the outbreak of an extremely contagious infection that is whipping out the population. It's high-intensity and gritty and characters throughout will constantly have you guessing who can be trusted when everyone is focused on their own survival.

Thank you to #netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is out now and available for purchase.

I do love a good locked room mystery. Throw in some horror and dystopian elements and I am always going to pick up that book. Too bad this was such a convoluted mess! There is a snowstorm with three different sets of people who are stranded. The reader really doesn't know what is going on for most of the book. I didn't think the plot got interesting until the last 1/4 of the book. It literally took me months to finish as I kept losing interest. I thought there were just too many characters and too many plot lines to keep track of.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor presents a chilling survival thriller that may have bitten off more than it could chew.

The story follows three separate groups trying to survive in the midst of a zombie outbreak and historic snowstorm:

- Hannah, a medical student, who is trapped inside a coach bus.
- Meg, a former police officer, wakes up dangling in a cable car.
- Carter, a worker at a ski resort called “The Retreat,” where power generators are going out.

Now, I do feel like the book does a fantastic job of exploring moral dilemmas and people in desperate situations, and the claustrophobic atmosphere and tension is palpable. Those parts were great!

However, for me, the sheer size of the cast was enough for three different novels, and I feel like it would have made for a tighter, more compelling novel if it hadn’t been bogged down with so many unnecessary and underdeveloped characters.

Thank you, NetGalley and ‎Ballantine Books, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. After she was 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."

Who is going to make it through , who's not going to make it through. Who doing the danger , what danger lies ahead; going to have to read the book to find out. Such a great book, very thrilling and suspenseful. I love cj tudor this would be my 3rd favorite of hers, I give this book 4 stars.
Thanks to netgalley, ballatine books, and the author for an honest review.
Published January 21st, 2023

I love a good survival/post-apocalyptic novel. I thought this story was very creative and loved the flipping between characters telling the story. The chapters had nice cliffhangers that kept you wanting to just read one more (we all know how that turns out). Unfortunately, the ending fell a little flat for me, but overall I enjoyed the read.