Shiver by Allie Reynolds Blog Tour

 I heard of Allie Reynolds novel Shiver at the start of this year but so many books, so little time meant that I never got around to reading it . . . until now.

This month sees Shiver being released in paperback which means more us get the chance to experience what I now know is Allie's debut novel and I'll say before even beginning my review that this book is extremely well written!

When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can't seem to let go.

The five friends haven't seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don't know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.

In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.

Before the story starts, the prologue left chills up my spine. 

Intriguing and terrifying all at the same time. I had an immediate need to devour this book (my husband literally had to pull me up to bed).

The tale is based around Milla and some of her estranged friends, Curtis, Dale, Brent and Heather. They have all been invited to a reunion at Le Rocher. Milla thinks that Curtis invited her whilst the remaining group believe that it was Milla who set up this get together. 

It's been ten years since they've seen each other, last time they set eyes on one another was when they were competing in a snowboarding championship. 

A tragic accident left one friend paralysed and another simply gone, missing and this unfortunately meant that these once good friends separated.

Until now.

Finally reunited at what appears to be a deserted ski resort. Nobody seems to have any idea who has arranged this "reunion" and as details are slowly revealed it becomes clear that everybody on this mountain has secrets that they'd like to keep hidden but as the guilt sets in, mistakes are made and the world of snowboarding is revealed to be far more cut-throat than anyone could ever have thought. 

The story is skilfully told through alternating chapters, we get the full force of present day dramas as well as being taken back to ten years ago when Saskia (Curtis's sister), Curtis, Milla, Dale, Heather and Brent were much young. Confident and extremely eager. Each with the same goal to become professional snowboarders. 

In both past and present, risks are taken and there is always a feeling that they'll do anything to progress and I guess in the end that turns into do what it takes to simply survive.

This story is atmospheric and claustrophobic all at the same time.

A brilliant portrayal of a cat and mouse chase. Fast-paced and suspenseful, I was forever thinking keep your friends close and your enemies closer!

Shiver is an epic wintery thriller. With it's snowy setting and its dubious cast of characters, this is a sensational debut novel that offers nail-biting drama from the first page right until the very last sentence.

Those finishing paragraphs, I could never have predicted them, inserts shocked emoji face.

Follow the rest of the blog tour for more thoughts on Shiver.