Cover Image: Adrift

Adrift

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Member Reviews

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the plot of this story! It was very interesting to have a dystopian world in the future plagued by global warming. It wouldn’t be that far of a stretch to see the world coming to that and I would probably want to have my memory wiped away and travel somewhere else too! If you like dystopian and science fiction, give this book a try!

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Adrift by Lisa Brideau begs the reader to question who we are without our memories: do they indeed make us who we are?

Main character Ess wakes up alone on a sailboat with no prior memory of how she arrived there, or who she is and despite finding a warning note advising her to start over and not look back, Ess is desperate for answers. Although Adrift is clearly a thriller, it is also very much speculative fiction, embracing climate fiction along the way.

Beautiful morals are interlaced throughout the plot, anchoring the reader and becoming the mooring to floating adrift; reminding us that the storms we weather make us stronger with each turn of the tide.

There is heaviness, nuances, and metaphors, but this book is written in a way that is approachable and easy to follow along with.

What a unique and incredibly thought-provoking book! I finished it two days ago, and I've been pondering and considering it ever since, constantly finding ways to bring its themes into conversations.

-character driven
-philosophical
-science infused

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the complimentary copy to read and review.

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Ess wakes up on a sailboat with no memory of who she is or how she got there. When she finds a note cautioning her to start over she sets off on a journey to figure out exactly what that means. She finds herself on the tipping point of figuring out who she once was and who she could potentially be. Was expecting a thriller - but this is more of a survival novel. My expectations got the best of me here.

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"Adrift" by Lisa Brideau captivates with its enigmatic storyline and a protagonist, Ess, waking up in the Pacific Northwest with a mysterious past.

The narrative weaves a thrilling tale of self-discovery, blending elements of climate fiction with Ess's personal journey. The chilling clues and the constant sense of being watched add layers of suspense, making it a compelling read.

Brideau's skillful character development shines through in this galvanizing odyssey, urging readers to ponder the choices we face in a rapidly changing world. A four-star review for its gripping plot and thought-provoking exploration of identity and environmental challenges.

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Absolutely loved this book. The twist and turns were absolutely fantastic. It reminded me of the movie called Adrift as well, with Sam Claffin and his fiancé/wife that was inspired by real events.

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Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eARC of Adrift. All opinions in this review are my own.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. I was close to DNFing when I was 100 pages in and felt like I still had no clues as to what was happening to Ess. I think I was expecting this to be more of a thriller than it was. I liked the setting and the premise of Ess waking up with amnesia, but I felt like the ending didn't quite live up to what the beginning set up.

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I enjoyed this book. It’s funny how it was able to stick with me. I started reading this book Back in May, got away from reading for quite some time yet I still had this book with me when I picked it back up to finish it.

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Adrift is a futuristic climate catastrophe novel with an Interesting and mysterious story line that includes some scientific and medical aspects as well. A psychological mystery that contained lots of interesting sailing details. Well written and enjoyable.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book and the opportunity to provide feedback.

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Usually not my kind of book, but I took a chance & loved it. Loved the setting. Was fast-paced with lots of action. Highly recommend.

Ess wakes up alone on a sailboat in the remote Pacific Northwest with no memory of who she is or how she got there. She finds a note, but it's more warning than comfort: Start over. Don't make yourself known. Don't look back.

Ess must have answers. She sails over a turbulent ocean to a town hundreds of miles away that, she hopes, might offer insight. The chilling clues she uncovers point to a desperate attempt at erasing her former life. But why? And someone is watching her...someone who knows she must never learn her truth.

In Ess's world, the earth is precariously balanced at a climate tipping point, and she is perched at the edge of a choice: which life does she want? The one taken from her―and the dangerous secret that was buried―or the new one she can make for herself?

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Sarah or Ess as she calls herself wakes up in the middle of the water, on a boat, with no memory of who she is and where she is or what is going on. After having a panic attack she starts searching the mysterious boat she is on and finds a license, an ID for her, maps and more! But there is also a note stating to basically start a new life and to not go searching for who she is. But Sarah doesnt want to do that, she wants to know what is going on. After docking and spending some time on a remote island she decides to go to the bigger city of Nanimo to hopefully find out what is happening. After arriving in their waters her boat is boarded and searched by Harbor Authority where she meets Hito. Through her journey she meets Hitos wild sister and together they embark on this journey of finding the truth. But is the truth really worth finding?

I enjoyed this book but it was a little too slow for me. This was pinned as a mystery thriller to me and I was excited to get into it but as I started to read it felt more post apocolyptic science thriller than anything. The timeline didnt make much sense and I didnt realize until much later that they were not in the current time period. It was definitely interesting at moments and there were moments of thrill and excitement but it was not consistent enough for me personally. The character development though was very well down and I enjoyed watching the transformations they all went through and faced! That was interesting to me.

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What a page turner! As the mystery unfolded, I became more and more invested in the fate the characters. New facets of the mystery and the characters keep emerging over the course of story, making for a very engaging read. The richly detailed settings serve as characters themselves. The near future is likely even nearer than described, creating a highly entertaining as well as thought-provoking book.

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I thought this was such an interesting premise. A woman wakes up in the middle of the ocean with no memory. She soon learns there are many who are turning up this way and she seeks to try to figure out who she was and what's happening to these others that are also waking up like her.

But this story also had an undercurrent of climate change for the worse. It had storms and mentions of refugees and waiting lists to get into Canada. But what it didn't have was actually living in hardship. It said there were adverse affects from the climate but the MC saw very little of it because she, luckily, woke-up with amnesia in the middle of an ocean that hadn't changed as much as other areas (like Arizona or Texas in the US). There is talk of the high temps elsewhere and the poor medical care, but it's just talk. I never felt it in the story.

The story itself was interesting until I hit about 30%. Then it veered into a romance with very little work on the mystery. It lost me a little, slowed way down, and I felt the disconnect to it. I didn't find the ending satisfying as it had a few but not many answers. Sure, that's life, but a little bit of a let down in a story that was built around a mystery.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

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Import and utterly unforgettable.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Adrift- 3 1/2 stars rounded up

This book was a roller coaster. I found the premise so interesting. What would you do if your memories were wiped? This book follows Ess a woman who wakes up on a sailboat with no recollection of how she got there. All she has is a note telling her to start over. This does not satisfy Ess she goes in search of answers. Along the way she finds chilling clues and more questions than answers. Does she want to go back to her life before or start over? This story explores the idea of what matters most to someone? How will our choices affect our world?

Content: strong language throughout, violence, high action, medical doctor deception, gaslighting, lies

Read if you enjoy:
☁️Thrillers
🤐Secret identifies
🧠Lost memories
⛵Sailing

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark publishing for the ARC copy. All thoughts are my own.

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What an interesting book! Imagine waking up on a boat, alone, not knowing what is happening with a note that advises you to move forward and not to look back. This is the premise of “Adrift”.

This book is a gripping, mysterious slow burn from page one. This isn’t your typical amnesia book and I was 100% onboard with it! It is intriguing, made me learn more about sailing then I cared to and was thought provoking. I would definitely recommend.

I want to thank NetGalley, Lisa Brideau and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

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Adrift, the debut novel by Lisa Brideau, is a gripping psychological suspense driven roller-coaster!

Those who love thrills set on the water, like Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, will likely love this tale. Amnesia, open water, and mysterious notes warning not to look back - and that's just the opening! Grab a lifejacket - or two! And, hold on!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This book was an enjoyable read but it was not the pulse pounding thriller I was expecting. There was definitely a mystery and a twist that I was not expecting. This book is about a young women who wakes up on a sailboat without any memory or knowledge of who she is or why she is on the Sea Dragon. Cryptic messages on the boat advise her not to dig into her past and to just move forward. Of course that is easier said than done. We then see Ess try to figure out her current predicament without revealing anything about her current memory loss. The climate change part of the novel was compelling and quite scary actually. The book is set in the not too distant future and the world is on a rapid spiral towards complete destruction. Refugees are clamoring to get into Canada. I thought that the climate change part of the book while, disturbing as hell, was also the most interesting to me. The love story was really uninspiring but I did enjoy the development of the friendship with Yori. I also really enjoyed the descriptions about parts of Canada that were not familiar to be.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review of the book.

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Grab your cozy blanket and prepare to be transported to the “too-high” seas in this cli-fi mystery thriller set in the Pacific Northwest.

Shortly after Ess wakes up on a sailboat with no idea who she is, she reads a typewritten note telling her to start over and to not look back. Naturally she does the opposite. Searching for clues of her identity leads Ess to sail hundreds of miles over a dangerous ocean alone. Each clue she unravels only leads to more questions.

Make sure to strap your life jacket on tight as Lisa Brideau tackles so many topics in this equal parts slow-burn character-driven narrative on identity & the propulsive page-turning action sequences that take place in a world where oceans are rising & natural disasters cause mayhem. From climate change, finding one’s self, found family, high-seas adventure, medical science, addictions, politics—there is a little something for every reader. Overall I think it’ll make a fantastic beach read this summer. I just wanted more. There’s too many “fish in the sea,” and by fish I mean plot points.

If I were to do a mash-up for this book to give you a overall vibe…
It’s a little Migrations meets a splash of The Light Pirate with a smidge of Upgrade. 🤓
Do you enjoy reading cli-fi? If so, please share your favorite in the comments cause I’m always looking for more recs for this category.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read & review this book.

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This was a really interesting read! And though the book itself wasn't "scary" the thought of this happening to me was terrifying!I loved the writing style, and found the story to be very engaging and well written. I truly felt for that main character Ess! Wow! I love all of the mystery and intrigued surrounding this story. Overall, a great read.

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I actually really loved this book. I loved Ess, even though the name was silly. She was bad ass, powerful and loyal. I loved the banter between Hito and Yori, it reminded me of actual siblings rivalry.

I didn't realize this book was written in the future "2038" so not too far up but so many differences. I liked reading about the other parts of the world and what was going on there, I loved that I didn't get any background news either. So I didn't even realize I was reading about the future until about 25% into the book.

I really loved Ess, and really enjoyed watching her grow, into a better version of herself. I really loved this book

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