Went with the audio for this, and Scott Brick did a good job bringing the pace and action to life in this one.

An attempted store robbery, a bus crash. A tragic death that was not only a drowning, but a complete freezing beneath the frozen lake. When John Reiff wakes up in a scientific lab, what should be an absolute miracle, he has no idea where he is, or who he can trust—nor does he know why he has this sneaking suspicion that things are not as they seem. As the events of the novel progress, the reader just might find out that everyone has secrets.

I listened to this one while reading I Was a Teenage Slasher, and the thing that stuck out the most was the authors’ completely different decisions: this one features incredibly short chapters, over 100 total. And while that could easily turn your night of “just one more” into a never ending sequence of more, I did find the shorter bits to be hard to digest as there was a lot of science, as well as a lot of confusion. As a plot structure, it makes perfect sense, as we know and find things out as John Reiff begins to, it just didn’t fully grab me. Until one particular line at the end of chapter 44 completely hooked me. Like I actually said, “alright I’m all in.” And while I won’t spoil it, I’m excited for readers to get into it.

With how technothriller the blurb sounds, I was surprised with how dystopian this was. The world outside of the lab is shambles of what once was. War, famine, inflation, the use of AI—has turned the world into a husk. People died, starved to death, while the richer got richer still. So of course John Reiff has been roped into something completely corrupted! A guinea pig to a bigger scheme.

I really enjoyed the mystery of this one, as well as the fact that almost everyone was hiding something different. The commentary of where it seems we are headed was nice as well, although a bit jarring as this is rather near, near-future. While the end did go a bit action thriller on us, it was entertaining throughout and I enjoyed the ending a lot. I’m glad to see there’s a planned sequel.

Loved the begining. Then it got s bot slow and at times weird. Then i loved it again. A mix of twists and turns paves the way for an action-packed novel. Grumley does well, creating tense moments and uses his speculation to fuel the fires. I enjoy the mystery injected into the story and can only hope that Grumley has more to come as the series progresses. I also eager to see where things are headed.

If you like an action-packed and propulsive story this one is for you.

Deep Freeze was a wild and crazy ride from start to finish, fast-paced, twisty and intriguing. I loved the mix of scifi and suspense and that it kept me guessing and thinking the whole time.

Thank you Forge Books and Macmillan Audio for this gifted copy and complimentary audiobook.

𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲 releases tomorrow February 9, 2024.

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This was an interesting take on cryopreservation but also a bit scary, I am glad we can't do this in real life. We can't, right?! I can't wait to see how things end up in the next installment of this book, I really hope that they figure out how to turn around the re-freezing issue and that John makes it!

Deep Freeze
by Michael C. Grumley
Narrated by Scott Brick

Rating 4.2/5.0 Stars

First off, Scott Brick narrates. So I already knew I would get pulled into the story because Scott Brick doesn't narrate bad novels. Deep Freeze by Michael C. Grumley is Book 1 in the Revival Series, and I am definitely waiting for Book 2! The book starts off with a bang, as John Reiff stops a convenience store robbery and gets on a bus. Next thing you know, the bus has plunged into a freezing cold river. He doesn't survive.

John Reiff wakes up in a hospital and can barely move. He tries to figure out what is happening, but the truth is more surprising than you think. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but Mr. Grumley has crafted a fast-paced sci-fi story that takes you by the hand and doesn't let go. John realized quickly that he had some allies in the hospital that he woke up in. It quickly becomes apparent that not all is as it may seem, and secrets are being withheld. That, along with John's visions of things that occurred in the past, leaves him trying to stay alive long enough to figure out what exactly happened to him. Scott Brick, as always, brings the characters and story to life with his exceptional voice and talent for narration.

Thank you NeyGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the chance to review this ARC!

Deep Freeze is the first book in the Revival series from Michael C. Grumley, and I am eagerly anticipating the next release, as I simply need to know where the story goes from here!

This book opens as a convenience store robbery is taking place, quickly followed by a passenger bus avoiding an accident and instead plummeting into the freezing river below; army veteran John Reiff quickly becomes the hero in both events. From there, the readers heart rate returns to normal as we learn about various scientific tests taking place, which John Reiff is again part of. Slowly the truth begins to unravel with shocking twists and a lot of action along the way. (If you liked Razorblade Tears, you might want to give this one a try!)

This is a book that makes you question scientific ethics and mortality in a fascinating near-future world, while backed by a griping plot. Short chapters, sometimes only a page, are crafted perfectly to speed the story along, allowing the twists and reveals to have the utmost impact. This book simply fascinated me!

The audiobook narrator (Scott Brick) did a good job of heightening my intrigue, his voice ramping up as the plots pace quickened. The opening scenes were narrated with rapid-fire succession, and I know the rush that was created will stay with me for some time. I suspect this type of book is in Brick's wheelhouse as his delivery and timing are dramatic but not overdone.

This is the second thriller with sci-fi/fantasy elements I have read this month, and I'm quickly becoming one of the biggest fans of this sub-genre! I'm excited to see where Grumley takes the characters and learn more about the world he has created as the ending of this book had me instantly craving more!

Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, Forge Book and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Scott Brick does the narration. That in itself should tell you to buy this book on audio. The man is a great narrator.
The story was good too although there are some surprises as you listen. If you like science with your thriller with a dose of dystopia this book is for you.
There is a bit of meandering preachiness towards the end but all in all a great listen,
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! I went into this book without knowing what to expect but I am so glad that I decided to take a chance on it. I believe this is one of those stories that is best to go into as blindly as possible, so I will avoid anything that could be considered a spoiler in this review. The twists and turns of the story were fun because they came as a complete surprise and I don’t think that the book would have had the same impact if I had some ideas about what I could expect. I found this book to be an incredibly entertaining read.

I liked John Reiff from the very start of this story. It was immediately apparent that there was more to this man than we saw on the surface. As we met other characters, I was never quite sure who should be trusted. A lot of things are not as they seem to be initially in this story and I had a great time just trying to figure out what the next twist might be. There was enough action worked into the story to keep things very interesting.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Scott Brick did an amazing job with this story. I have enjoyed this narrator’s work in the past and thought that he did an exceptional job with this story. He did a great job of differentiating the various characters in this story with the voices that he used. I found his voice to be very pleasant and I found myself wanting to listen to this book for hours at a time. I am certain that his narration added a lot to my overall enjoyment of this story.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done story that crossed over into several genres. I was excited to learn that this is the first book of a planned series and cannot wait to read more of the series.

I received a review copy of this book from Forge Books and Macmillan Audio.

3.5🌟
Army veteran John Reiff’s life is about to change forever. One moment he’s riding a bus, the next he wakes up in a hospital (of sorts). But something just doesn’t feel right…

Now he needs some answers…how did he get here? Why can’t he simply leave? And most importantly, who can he trust?

Loved the premise!

I really enjoyed the first half with the set-up of the accident and John’s awakening.
As the story progressed, I became a bit lost in the expertise of what all the scientists were attempting to accomplish. But that’s just me… sometimes I struggle keeping up with sci-fi🤪

I listened to the audio and thoroughly enjoyed the narration provided by Scott Brick.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio 🎧

Deep Freeze by Michael C. Grumley begins by following main character, John, as he does a series of good deeds before boarding a bus that will never make it to its final destination. When he wakes up in the a hospital bed unable to speak and severely weak, John trusts the doctors to help his recovery. When John's perception is revealed, this fast paced thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.

This is the first in the Revival series and I feel like Grumley left the door open for the series to continue without giving such a cliffhanger that the ended let me down. I enjoyed connecting with the characters and I appreciated that Grumley wrote the characters in a way that allowed growth from the beginning to the end.

I am excited for the next book in the series and I appreciate Forge for the gifted ARC and Macmillian audio for the gifted ALC.

I just finished Deep Freeze by Michael C. Grumley. I have to say it was just okay. The first half was very hard to get into. I wanted to give up but the second half made up for it. Overall a 3 star audiobook. It's a cross between a thriller and sci-fi. It reminded me of Blake Crouch's books. The narrator, Scott Brick, was phenomenal.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audiobook copy. #netgalley #deepfreeze

Short, action packed chapters read by Scott Brick (who is amazing) brings this very impressive concept of cryogenics and how this will/can affect our future. Book 1 in the Revival series see Army Veteran John Reiff’s life come to an end in a terrible accident where he plunged into freezing water.
But…. That’s not the end of John. And he knows he is being lied to. But who to trust and why is he being lied to. A lot of loose ends, but I cannot wait for Book 2.

A lot is promised in Deep Freeze's summary. A sci-fi thriller exploring "humanity’s thirst for immortality" within the bounds of cryogenics. A man being lied to by his doctors. Secrets, puzzles, and a mysterious person or group behind it all. For the most part, it meets these measures. Unfortunately, Deep Freeze was not the book I wanted it to be.

The summary for Deep Freeze is written from John Reiff's perspective, but I wouldn't call him the main character in the book. The main character in this book is Rachel, a vascular surgeon. Rachel and her colleagues are working in a secret lab to try to reverse cryogenically frozen patients. Their first human test subject is John Reiff, unbeknownst to him. 

Rachel is one of the only women characters in this book, and her characterization is honestly a mess. Her personality shifts with the wind, making her feel completely unbelievable. To have such little female representation in the book and then for it to be haphazard was so disappointing. About 70% into the book, we learn that the world has actually hit a dystopian era and that it has been that way for quite some time. How a young woman like Rachel was able to become a medical doctor, let alone a vascular surgeon, in a dystopian society is not explained.

However, the most significant flaws in Deep Freeze, for me, revolved around the animal test subjects. I'm pretty open about the fact that my main potential "no" when reading is animal death, particularly companion animal death. In Deep Freeze, Rachel has various animal test subjects that she cares for. These animals include mice, rabbits, a pig, a small dog, and various-sized monkeys. She even names one of the monkeys after her grandfather. I will not spoil what happens to them, but I will say that not all of them survive. I was not prepared for these deaths. I probably should have known after they were first introduced and just stopped reading then. Alas, next time I will be better prepared. 

Audiobook:

The audiobook was a redeeming factor of this book. I enjoyed the narrator, Scott Brick. Scott Brick is in Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame, so it's no surprise I liked his narration. He narrated Crichton's Jurassic Park, which sounds like a fun time. 

Final Thoughts:

Man, I wish I had loved this. I really wish I had. I do think there is a reader base for this author - it's just not me.

If you are looking for a sci-fi thriller, consider the story of Army veteran, John Reiff. One night, trapped inside a bus that plunged into a freezing river, he dies. So when John wakes up, there are many questions. As John regains consciousness, he attempts to figure out what happened as he works to talk, eat, and walk again. The one thing he is certain of is that the doctors are lying to him. For me, this was an outstanding premise and while the story took a while to get going as the set-up in complex, once the action started it did not stop. The characters were well drawn and get you to care about what happened to them. There is something very intriguing about John’s character. The secondary characters really added to the story also. I really appreciated the scientific details as well as the action sequences. The setting, plot, and pacing worked well for me and I needed to know what was going to happen next. This was a quick and thought-provoking read. Narration by Scott Brick obviously helped me devour this book. Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review. (4.5 stars)

Deep Freeze was fast paced and easily listened to. I received this book as an ALC and ARC. Honestly, I enjoyed the book more as an audiobook but maybe I just wasn’t in the right mind set for the book. The narrator was Scott Brick and he really kept me invested in the story. If I was solely reading the book I’m not sure I would have finished the book. But now I am interested to see what happens in book two. There were twists and turns that kept my attention and overall I can say I enjoyed the book and will probably have to listen to the second book. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Forge books for the advanced copies and the chance to review it honestly.

Happy reading!

Loved the super short chapters, the fast pace, and the overall concept of cryogenic freezing even though it felt like there were some holes in the world-building? Like society collapsed and is still a mess, but there are enough resources to run a secret research lab? I did NOT love that the main female character (Rachel) - despite being a supposedly super-smart research scientist - was a dithering moron in every situation requiring her to make a decision to move quickly and not stand around bickering whilst waiting to be shot at/blown up. Her bonding and relationships with the research animals was also quite odd.

That said, Scott Brick's narration was - as always - perfect, and I'd definitely be interested in listening to the next book in the series to see what happens.

(( NOTE: ISBN 9781250331588 is not registering on Goodreads ))

Talk about peeling layers off of an onion... wow. This book kept going and going with new information slapping you in the face with every new chapter. I will definitely be reading more from this author. I took a couple of stars off just because I felt like the anticipation never really found its peak... no resounding climax to the story. Nevertheless, this was good stuff.

🎧DEEP FREEZE by Michael C. Grumley and read by Scott Brick is a near future speculative fiction ride!

Waking up, not knowing what is going on, where you are, and having unclear memories is what happens to a man named John Reiff. At the same time, we see from the doctor's perspective the cautious excitement of John waking. Both Reiff and the doctors have secrets about what is happening and as the layers of truth are revealed, the danger mounts for everyone.

I loved how this story started with John waking up with no concept as to what is happening to him. The realizations that come as the story progresses, both for Reiff and the doctors, held perfect tension while propelling the story forward. I loved the various perspectives and felt like this might be one of Brick's better narrations. He did a fantastic job taking me into Reiff's mind as he dealt with his reality. I did listen to a couple chapters more than once to make sure I didn't miss something as the action was quick and I needed to pay better attention to those details! This was absolutely a me thing, and if I wasn't multitasking, it would have been fine.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this look into the motives and means for pursuing immortality. It was a fascinating look into the cryogenic concepts inside a compelling suspense! Thank you to @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for Tor Forge for this great story and letting me share my thoughts! Keep an eye out for this perfect winter read when it comes out on January 9th!

I'm so excited about Michael C. Grumley's new REVIVAL series. Friends, you know how much I love cold weather thrillers, and Deep Freeze is a fantastic techno-thriller you won't want to miss.

Again, I went in half-blind. I read the blurb a while back and don't recall the details. To my shocking horror, the hero at a gas station who calmly thwarted an armed robbery reboards a bus on a wintery night. Then an accident occurs and the bus goes into the river.

Now, the hero being a hero has to make sure everyone gets out of the sinking bus... yes you guessed it. He was trapped and I was outraged!! 🥶🤬

Mr. Grumley knows how to pull all the feels with this character. He had me hooked within four short chapters. It's intense throughout, but I won't spoil it. It's much more fun to find out the who, what, where, and when! Each reveal will make you want to know more. This is a fast-paced and totally gripping biotech thriller that keeps me guessing. To be continue'ish ending though...ugh! 4.5⭐

I read the first half and listened to the rest and enjoyed both formats. Having a book is definitely helpful for me to see the unfamiliar scientific words and Scott Brick is fantastic (see my Scott Brick shelf) so both are a win-win!

Thank you Robert Davis for inviting me to read DEEP FREEZE, Forge Books, and Macmillan Audio for the DRCs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Forge for a chance to listen to this advance copy of Deep Freeze. in exchange for my honest review.

If you're a fan of plot driven stories that read as if you're watching a movie, this will be a better fit than it was for me. The writing is solid and easy to follow.

Fans of the author's earlier works will no doubt enjoy the narrator, Scott Brick. I found it more melodramatic than I cared for.

The book is written from an omniscient, distant viewpoint, meaning you're never really feeling or hearing what any character is experiencing. For many readers, this will be very appealing. I found it left me feeling uncaring about what happens to the characters, particularly the protagonist, John Reiff. The writing voice was for my neutral to mechanical.

This was my first Michael C Grumley book and I was drawn to the description as well as having my interest piqued by knowing he is a previously self-published author who snagged a wonderful deal for this first traditionally published book. That's pretty rare in the writing world! Bravo for him and I'm sure fans of his style will love it.