I enjoyed this to an extent. The premise was amazing and there were so many gripping elements in the story. I love survival themes in thrillers. However, the characters and even the writing itself seemed a bit too stiff. There were times when I lost interest, but I still wanted to see how the book would end as a whole. I think fans of the genre and the author will like this one.

Trying to survive in the face of imminent danger to life’s continuation can sometimes bring people to the very edges of humanity and the events within C. J. Tudor’s The Drift demonstrate this through three people’s stories at the end of the world.

Awaking in a crashed coach full of students from the Academy traveling toward The Retreat, Hannah takes stock of the damage around her and tries to think through how best to survive in their harsh, desolate surroundings with the limited resources they have available to them and the storm trapping them; working together proves to be process fraught with distrust as they all have secrets and personal agendas driving their actions. On their way to The Retreat in a cable car that stopped on its ascent during a storm are a group of people who wake to find one of their number dead; Meg, a former detective, recognizes familiar faces in the car and realizes there’s something bigger, and possibly more insidious, going on than any of them signed on for. Within the abandoned ski chalet that became The Retreat, Carter works with an odd group of people to survive in their remote location while manufacturing valuable vaccines against a virus that’s taken the world over; power problems, exacerbated by a storm, drive the group’s tenuous bonds to their breaking point and when the power fails truths come to light in dangerous, surprising ways. Hannah, Meg, and Carter all face similar issues of isolation and survival, but they each are but one part of a much bigger puzzle and threat to humanity at large.

The story is an engaging, clever puzzle with pieces of information and aspects of character backstories slowly unveiled as time is played with to pique and maintain interest and the eventual connection between the characters and their situations strewn across time and locations demonstrate a persistent fight for justice and survival in the face of struggles, human and natural, that are all too familiar – a viral pandemic wreaking havoc on life and socio-political dynamics that emphasize the power that wealth and privilege have in determining who survives and by what means. Told through three rotating points of view that depict a form of closed room mystery narratives, a much larger, and interconnected, story develops as details linking them together are slowly revealed to satisfyingly tie the threads together. While many of the numerous questions raised throughout the stories, which provided propulsive tension, are addressed and resolved, there are still some things that were noted, particularly around the rise of the virus that changed their world and some specifics of the characters' backstories, that remain unanswered, leaving some frustrating loose ends.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

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

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


This book is way outside my usual choice of reading material and I readily admit the fault is my own for requesting it. I thought it was going to be a mystery but it is so much more than that. It is very detailed and gory and just not something for me. I did not find any of the characters to be someone I cared about and out of a sense of responsibility I felt I had to keep reading. But ,honestly I finally gave up about half way through. Now those of you who like this sort of story will most likely love it but sadly I admit it is just not for me. The story is a post apocalyptic one of trying to survive in a world where everyone is for themselves. I have read several other books by this author and really liked each one of them but this one missed the mark for me.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Hannah, Meg and Carter are complete strangers that hope to survive the dangers that they are in. This book lagged at times.

This was my first time reading this author’s work. It was a crazy ride! I had no idea what or where this storyline was going, but it was fast, intriguing and had me engaged.
Well done. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

I have really enjoyed Tudor’s other books, so I was so excited to pick this up. Fair warning, it is much darker and more horror based than her past books. That being said, I loved it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I was surprised at how all the storylines came together. It’s a little unnerving reading about a deadly virus after covid, but I think that made the story seem even more plausible. I definitely recommend for horror and thriller fans.

This is probably the most satisfactory book Ive ever read. From beginning to end its extremely engaging. And that ending. I'm constantly disappointed in endings, but this ending is perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Some of the characters are lovely and some not so much. But I enjoyed hating the bad ones. About 75% through, I was so astounded by what I read, I said a bad word. It blew me away. This whole book blew me away. I know I'm going to read this again.

The Drift..SO SO good! Immediately drawn in to this book. Has everything a thriller lover is looking forward...lots of mystery, lots of suspense and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommend!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If mysteries and thrillers are your thing...then this is your book! Add shades of catastrophe, dystopia, apocalypse, and the fight for survival--the result is a page-turner that will keep you engrossed from the first page to the last.

C.J. Tudor does a fantastic job of telling three distinct, yet interconnected stories. This was one of those books that surprised me. Twists and turns are always there in mysteries, but seldom is a puzzle laid so intricately that I am surprised at where we land.

The book's description says: "The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle." That is so very true, just about every piece of the puzzle fits in the end, even if you didn't think it essential when you originally read it.

Highly recommended. One of the best books I have read this year. I am now adding C.J. Tudor to my list of favorite authors.

#TheDrift #NetGalley #Ballantine

This was a crazy ride. I was drawn into this world instantly. It wasn't hard to imagine people in the world today as these characters.

I loved how the three perspectives unfolded as the book progressed. Definitely pick this one up.

I loved it! I was drawn in immediately. The way the events unfold is brilliant. It's not hard at all to imagine the world becoming this. Each character had such devastating experiences throughout their life leading up to the moment that they meet that you hope so hard that they'll make it through that tragedy too. When all the stories finally lined up I was stunned. My mind is still reeling. Excellent book!

Seems to be a good balance of forward plot movement and character development. If it continues as the first 10% did, our patrons will generally enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

A group of students is stranded during a deadly health crisis and in the grips of a brutal snowstorm. In an evacuation gone wrong, these young people wake to confusion and the aftermath of a bad accident. They ultimately find themselves battling a mysterious disease, the harsh elements of nature, and each other in order to survive.

I read this one during a cold snap, so it made the thought of being in a remote area fighting for life and limb in the bitter cold ever more vivid. This narrative created suspense, a style that felt somewhat reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel. A sometimes chaotic story that provides an entangled bundle of evidence to be gathered by the reader . . . a stage set that is isolated and wrought with peril, random clues, and a curious cast of characters thrown together in dangerous times.

There’s plenty of action and carnage throughout this chilling apocalyptic thriller.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Drift for my unbiased evaluation. 4 stars

This novel follows three different characters, each in unique and terrifying situations. As they all fight for survival, each one struggles to keep their sanity and secrets intact. But always lurking in the background is something much more frightening that may make their survival futile.

Utilizing each chapter with unknowingly connected characters within the novel was an approach that made it more enjoyable to read and was a fun addition to your typical end-of-the-world plots.

Overall, it was a decent and quick read for what it was. But unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of this novel. The characters were hard to connect with, and the plot direction was sometimes predictable. While I tried hard to like the book, this genre and style of writing aren’t my usual go-to.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was gripped right from the start, there was just the right mix of tension and intrigue to keep me riveted. I liked getting the different POVs and all the characters were interesting.

Very interesting take on a world after a very contagious and dangerous disease takes over (sound familiar?). Great character development and atmospheric - all the snow will make you wish for a fire.

The story had such a smooth flow, and I loved every second.
All those delicious twists and turns. I was surprised multiple times and the ending.... what!
I definitely need to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book wasn’t what I thought it would be. It didn’t mesh with my reading tastes. There was so much death. It goes through three different time periods. I’m sure fans of this genre will love it. Unfortunately I’m not one of them. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor is a superb and engrossing read with a great plot and engaging characters. Well worth the read!

I was super happy to get a copy of The Drift by C. J. Tudor, as I enjoy post-apocalyptic stories. The story switches between different groups of people, which feels like three different stories and gets confusing. The author brings the story together, but by the time you get to that point, you are exhausted and don't really care anymore about the characters. I struggled getting through the book and skimmed several chapters.

What I found thought-provoking was the question in the book, "What did I achieve? What did I make of this tiny space carved out in time?"

There are definitely readers out there that will love this book, and I would recommend giving it a try, but overall, this book just didn't hit all the marks for me.

#TheDrift #NetGalley @atrandom