4.5 stars

The Drift by C.J. Tudor is a horror novel, about a virus that takes over the world.....note that this is not a COVID-type virus.  COVID is nothing compared to this one!

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Penguin Randomhouse Canada and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
There is a virus out there killing the population, and all survival is questionable. DRIFT (Department of Research into Infection and Future Transmission) seems to feel that the only way to stop the spread is to shut down the carriers - permanently.  Even that isn't a perfect solution, as they have been using some of them to create a vaccine.  Not sure that is working too well either.

During a major snowstorm, the bus Hannah was travelling in careened off the road, flipping a couple of times before landing on it's side.  Of the twelve passengers headed toward safety and "The Retreat",   only seven survived the crash.  But they can't get out of the bus, and they'll have to work together to try, or they'll be buried alive.  But they all have secrets, and they are all lying about something.

During a major snowstorm, Meg awakens to find herself in a cable car, suspended far above the ground.  The others in the car are strangers, and they are all wearing the same uniform.  All they know for sure is that they were headed to "The Retreat".  No one remembers getting on the cable car.  When they realize one of the passengers is dead, Meg, a former detective, tries to discover what happened.  But they all have secrets, and they are all lying about something.

Carter has been living at The Retreat with a number of others.  In exchange for their rather luxurious lifestyle living in a ski chalet, they manufacture a vaccine against the deadly virus, which they exchange for essentials.  But they all have secrets, and they are all lying about something.


My Opinions:
WOW...that was good.  Nothing was as it seemed.  The author brought the stories of Meg, Hannah and Carter together in quite an unexpected way.  That twist was really unexpected.

Be aware that there is a lot of blood, gore, and death in this one.  In some ways it's reminiscent of The Walking Dead....Whistlers instead of Zombies, but....

The story is about survival, but it's also about hopelessness, fear, loss, and wanting revenge.  It was somewhat depressing, but totally gripping nonetheless.  I have such mixed feelings about this book.  Part of me wants to know more....how it started, how the Department was formed, how they determined  "supplies" were acceptable....  Part of me wants to know what happened to Eva!

Overall, this was definitely worth reading. If you are looking for an Apocalyptic read and are not sick of reading about a virus, this one is for you.  But be prepared for a rather dark, atmospheric and tense read.  I loved it.

Wow! The Drift kept really kept me on my toes!

A deadly and mutating virus is at the heart of this book, which, before Covid, would have seemed like science fiction; now, anything is possible. The world in this book has become a very different place, with danger of infection and mistrust of others. Most of the characters are headed to "The Retreat" when a major snow storm hits. They either become trapped in a crashed bus, or in a stopped cable car dangling part way up the steep mountain. The characters who are already at The Retreat are dealing with a serious crisis of their own. If the virus, cold and snow wasn't enough, there are wild animals and red-eyed mutated humans called "Whistlers" everywhere!

The story is told through three narrators: Hannah, Meg, and Carter. Each of them has a back story and things they don't want the other characters to know. Each narrator's section ends with a mini cliff hanger, which kept me up very late, desperate to find out what happened next.

Tudor is very good at creating tension and propelling the story forward. There are so many twists and turns in this book it will make you dizzy! If you are looking for a book containing elements of an apocalypse, survival of the fittest, fast-paced action and danger, then this is the book for you!

I would sincerely like to thank NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for allowing me the opportunity to read this arc.
#NetGalley #DoubledayCanada #CJTudor #TheDrift

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Canada for this read!! This was so interesting right from the start. Easy to read and very funny as well as enjoyable. I like how it was parallel with what is happening currently. It was fairly long but a fast read because it was interesting.

Another great thriller by one of my favourite authors , this one was hard to put down and I read it in one day. Told in three POVs, the story more so a bit slowly at first but then picks up . Not to be missed

Another hard to put down story by this author. I read this on a snowy Sunday in basically one sitting. As always with C. J. Tudor’s books, the story unfolds slowly and your realize nothing was as you thought it was. My one challenge was the large number of characters in the story - although as they start to die off one by one, it’s a little easier to keep track of them

What a rush! The author has delivered a fast paced and deliciously wicked tale. The characters are well rounded and come across as believable, whether you love them or hate them. This provocative, somewhat dark and twisted story grabs you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

4.5/5 stars!

This was my first experience with C.J. Tudor’s writing and I was pleasantly surprised with the creative and unique storytelling. I will definitely be circling back to her backlist to see what other goodies she has in store.

THE DRIFT is told in the perspectives of three ordinary people who are risking everything for a chance at redemption. It’s a post-apocalyptic story where a deadly virus has irrevocably changed the world as we know it.

The three character perspectives are markedly unique each with their own setting within the story, all working towards survival. This was perhaps the element of the story that most intrigued me as I tried to figure out how each perspective fit amongst the others. The characters are dynamic and well-written, each guarding their own secrets, and ultimately each demonstrating bravery and courage in the face of the unknown.

The plot is masterfully written, delivering an easily bingeable story with many unexpected twists that culminate into a unique and engaging read. I slowly began to put the pieces together as the grand reveal was being revealed, but I was still quite shocked by the result.

Honestly, an excellently written novel that’s definitely worth the read!

To be noted, this novel can be a gory and graphic from time to time so tread carefully!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, DoubleDay Canada, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.</i>

Thanks @netgalley for read number 15 of 2023. I saw @jordys.book.club write about this book, and I knew that I had to read it. Living in a pandemic right now, you could see some parallels to some of the medical information discussed. That said, this book was unlike anything that I’ve ever read before. It was disturbing at times, incredibly action-packed, and I was floored more times than one. The twists kept coming, right until the very last page. I could not put this book down. I absolutely loved it. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me! #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

⭐️⭐️⭐️

* Thank you to @netgalley and @penguin for providing a digital copy of The Drift in exchange of a honest review.

Well it wasn't what I expected! We are following three different stories that ultimately will come together but it felt too stretched for my liking. It was a little confusing, and I would have prefer if all the story would have taken place at the "retreat". It is a story about a virus (yeah.. pretty much covid) but in an apocalyptic degree.

I enjoyed The Chalk Man, and The Other People was just ok for me. I am still probably going to read The Burning Girls just to see if I can get another 4+ stars from this author.

Captivated. That’s what I was by this book.

I devoured. I gasped. I backtracked and reread.. and I STILL missed vital clues on who our culprit was!

I’m trying to formulate my thoughts but words are escaping me. I will say the book kind of reminded me of The Walking Dead? The Whistlers felt eerily similar to a Whispers/Walkers hybrid. The Quinn’s gave me Sanctuary vibes. I don’t know but I enjoyed myself.

Wow, what a fantastic winter thriller!! It took a little bit at the beginning for me to remember who was in what location, but the descriptions were very helpful. How everything tied together was fantastic, (I only realized what was happening JUST before it was revealed.) but I was left with only one minor question - who was Jimmy Quinn? I'm assuming just a random violent thug? Everything else was answered wonderfully. I love when there aren't any loose ends in a story!

Review - 3.5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley for a copy of this book. I enjoyed all three storylines and each one kept me captivated. I was pleasantly surprised how they were all tied together since at first you think it may all be the same timeline due to the winter storm. I would 100% want to see this as a movie and think it would adapt well to it.

One repetitive concept in all three storylines was the character missing something and it is niggling in the back of their mind and they know they should figure it out. This concept happened too many times and across different characters (Hannah, Meg, and Carter) which made them seem too similar.

I appreciated how each storyline wrapped up and Tudor is not afraid to kill characters that seem likable. But, if you are looking for a happy ending in any of these storylines you are not going to find that here.

TW: Death, Gore, Body horror, Child death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Animal death, Rape, Adult/minor relationship
4.25 stars
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I picked this up blindly and assumed it was a story about being isolated/trapped during a winter storm. Although this book touches on that aspect, it is a story of survival in a post-apocalyptic world, I love how the plot still focuses on human survival rather than being a story focusing more on the Whistlers and escaping from them.

In each chapter, we focus on a different tale of survival; Hannah (who is on a coach bus that has crashed), Meg (Trapped in a cable car with a suspicious group), and Carter (who lives in an abandoned chalet and seems to have the most resources, but not everyone can be trusted). At first, it seems as if there are a lot of characters as each setting has multiple people trapped, but since each pov is mainly set in the same area and always told via the same person it starts to clear up as you read.

As the book went on I was a little on the fence as part of me wondered if all of these POVs were connected. The main factor in each situation is a place called The Retreat and it's the goal for our characters to get there. At one point I gave up thinking they were connected and just assumed the book was three short stories combined into one! Once I found out how all POVs were linked together I was shocked, the author did a great job at tying it all together and had my head spinning with theories!
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I would to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pub Date: January 31st, 2023

Three storylines of people stuck in precarious situations during an outbreak. Who survives and who becomes a whistler. The way the stories start to enter twine and meld keeps you turning the pages. The ending was both great and leaving you with so many unanswered questions. Overall the brutal winter atmosphere, sickness and people trying to survive made this a must read. I want more.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

Talk about a page turner! From the very start, this book will leave you hanging – literally – on edge, wondering what’s next. Short, action-filled chapters, each with a cliff-hanger, set the pace and keep the momentum going as pieces of a puzzle come together with jaw-dropping revelations.

Told from three different perspectives, this apocalyptic tale had me rooting for each of the main characters. Hannah, a med student trapped in an overturned coach with a handful of her peers during a blizzard, searches for a way out while tending to passengers who survived the crash. Meg, an ex-cop, wakes to find herself suspended in a stalled cable car with several others, a winter storm buffeting them as they struggle to remember how they got there and try to figure out a way to escape. And Carter, seemingly safe from the weather in a secluded chalet with his companions, deals with the problem of securing groceries and keeping the power on while avoiding a threat in the surrounding woods.

What links all of them is a deadly virus ravaging the world, and its after effects. Beyond that, their lives are intertwined in ways even they aren’t aware of. Unravelling the mystery of their connection and how their actions affect each other takes the story beyond one of simple survival to a study in the nature of humans. Who is the good guy here?

Heavy on action, suspense, and a riveting plot, the novel is actually character-driven, plunging the reader into the lives of the three heroes. As their past is exposed, so is the force within each that drives them. Alongside the strong characters, the setting has a life of its own. Winter. Mountains. Snowstorm. Seclusion. Something living in the woods.

Filled with more twists and ups and downs than the harsh environment itself, The Drift delivers one shocking revelation after another. C. J. Tudor provides a thrill of a ride, equal parts sci-fi, mystery, and horror, that will keep you guessing. Once you start reading, you won’t want to put this one down.

What a wild ride That was! This is my third CJ Tudor read and my new fav (The Burning Girls was my previous fav 😉). The Drift is an excellent mash up of apocalyptic horror, and terrifying mystery. It’s an edge-of-your-seat kinda read and every chapter is like a cliff hanger… I freaking loved it! All my favourite story bits are in here; strangers in a locked-room, a zombie-like pandemic, who-dunnit, hidden agenda and dystopian vibes. Perfection 👊🏻

Thank you to Penguin Random House of Canada and NetGalley for an advance e-book of The Drift by C.J. Tudor in exchange for an honest review.

The story opens with Hannah awakening to chaos after the school bus she was on crashes on the snowy road, during their escape from a virus that has finally made it to the school. They are trapped and need to figure out a way to free themselves from the mangled mass of steel and then make their way through a hostile land inhabited by those infected by the virus. as well as the hungry wildlife of the area.

Meg awakes on a swinging powerless gondola with 5 others on their way to The Retreat, a research center trying to find a cure for the rampaging virus that turns people into violent beings, as least those that survive being infected. One of the six has been murdered, but by who and with what, they were all searched before being drugged and left unconscious at the onset of their trip.

Carter is one of the caretakers at The Retreat, along with others that maintain and keep the facility running.

The story is told in chapters featuring each of the three characters, each one fighting for their lives amidst lies and betrayals. They are all connected, but the journey to discovering the secrets they keep is a long and twisting road ending with a jaw dropping reveal. If you pay close attention you will be able to find clues that will help you unravel this fast paced compulsively addictive story.

Anyone who likes dystopian, post-apocalyptic stories is sure to enjoy, as well as anyone that likes mysteries and thrillers. The plot is more about the relationships of the characters than about the virus, which is used more as a way to connect them then as the main subject of the story. Even if this book seems to be outside your normal genre, don't be afraid to pick it up, you won't be disappointed!

Three main characters, three locations, three story lines all tied together by a master storyteller. Hannah awakens in a crashed bus, hunted down by the Department. Meg awakens in a stalled cable car hundreds of feet in the air. Carter is a resident of The Retreat during a massive snowstorm. A pandemic rages, humanity has gone to the dogs. A dystopian thriller that puts you on the edge of your seat, C.J.Tudor ties together all the pieces of this wild ride. I would almost rate this as horror more than mystery/thriller. Not for the faint of heart.
#TheDrift#NetGalley#PenguinRandomHouseCanada

I was completely captivated by this book from start to finish. I simply could not put it down.

I absolutely loved how the separate storylines come together and connect. The writing and creativity is top notch.

Additionally, this was a remarkably fast paced thriller. It was disturbing and chilling and made me feel uncomfortable (in a good way) as I was reading along.

I will absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves a thrilling read that will stick with you for days after reading!

📕 ARC REVIEW 📕

The Drift by C. J. Tudor
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Pub. Date : January 31st (for the US. Already out for the UK)

I would like to thank @netgalley, @penguinrandomhouse and @cjtudorauthor for granting me an electronic copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🔪🔪🔪

When I received this ARC, I knew I needed to read Tudor's prior work first. At least one book! And I'm so glad I did because there's was an Easter egg from another story and you know how much I LOVE when it happens! 😍 Now I need to read all of their blacklist to see if I missed something.

This book was so well done! Each short chapter focuses on one character. So, when you finish one, you wanna know what happens to the other one. The pacing was super fast and you couldn't see the next plot twists happening. It was all tied up so well in the end.

I love how Tudor makes you second guessing everything. The characters are real and flawed. That makes everything believable.

And let me tell you, the synopsis gives you only the big lines of what's happening but it's sooo much more than that. No one is safe!

This book.was an easy 4.5 stars. Highly recommend if you're looking for high stake thrillers with a side of decade long pandemic and double lives.