Tag: C J Tudor

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Gathering

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

First line: It would be wrong to say that life had passed Beau Grainger by.

Summary: In the small Alaskan town of Deadhart, a teenage boy has been found with his throat torn out and all of his blood drained from his body. It appears to the anxious townspeople that the local vampyr community is to blame but before a cull can be initiated an investigation is ordered. Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr attacks, has been called in to discover who the killer is. As tensions rise between the human and vampyr communities Barbara enlists the help of former police chief, Jenson Tucker. However, when another death is discovered Barbara pushed to dig deeper into the town’s history and what she finds may lead her to answers but also more questions. Who is doing the killing? And is it really a vampyr or is a serial killer on the loose in Deadhart?

My Thoughts: When I started reading this I realized that I had not read the description of the story. I saw C.J. Tudor as the author and immediately requested it. When I realized it was a vampire story I was shocked because it was different than their other books but at the end I was not disappointed.

The atmosphere and setting is perfect for a story of vampires. Set in the remote parts of Alaska during the cold, dark winter days there is a vampire stalking the isolated town. However, in this world vampires are a known and protected community. They have some rights as long as they do not harm humans. It is different than many stories about these creatures. But they are still feared by many and hunted by those who fear them.

I found this to be a darkly fun thriller, perfect for a cold winter night. At times I was at the edge of my seat waiting to see how the next scene would unfold. For those who love an atmospheric paranormal story then this is right up your alley. I wish it was coming out in the short days of winter but maybe just turn up the AC, turn down the lights and imagine being stuck in Alaska with vampires stalking through the trees around you. Enjoy!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Drift

The Drift by C. J. Tudor

First line: A watch alarm was beeping.

Summary: Told through three people trying to survive a blizzard in the middle of a pandemic.

Hannah, wakes up after a bus accident. Several people are dead and the bus is stuck in a snow drift. She does not remember how they got here and she has to decide how to help the survivors escape alive. But it appears that the escape methods have been tampered with, leaving the occupants without many options.

Meg, finds herself with other volunteers for the trials, stranded on a cable car, suspended high above a forest in the middle of snow storm. One person has already been killed while they were sleeping so it appears that there is a killer among them. They must out who the killer is and hope they don’t kill again before rescue comes.

Carter has been living at the Retreat for three years helping to keep the place running. The Retreat was once a ski resort but has since been commissioned for scientific research to try and cure the pandemic that is ravaging the world. But as a storm moves in they are increasingly plagued by power outages which could lead to even more dire circumstances.

My Thoughts: I love C. J. Tudor. Her books are always lots of fun and a wild ride. I read a majority of this one in a weekend. I spent hours on the couch in between laundry, diving into the this story that at times felt very close to home. We have recently lived through and are still dealing with repercussions of the Covid pandemic. Each story gave new insights in to the lives of the population and the nature of the illness. It sounds terrifying and once again very similar.

There are a few twists and turns throughout which I really enjoyed. The big one is one I figured out about half way through, before the reveal. I was happy that I caught it but I don’t believe it spoiled anything. I think it made me look at everything closer and pay more attention. I highly recommend this quick read because it will keep you interested and on the edge of your seat. The only thing that would have made my reading experience better was actually having February weather rather than 60s to help set the atmosphere.