The Queen of Creep strikes again! I've long been a fan of Jennifer McMahon's books, and this one was just as fantastic as all the others. I love how she expertly manages to weave supernatural elements into all her stories in a way that's JUST realistic enough that you 100% believe they could really, truly be real . This believability factor is what makes her books so phenomenal- they're scary because you fully believe they could happen. I will continue to blindly read ANYTHING this woman writes- bring on the next!

I really enjoyed this book so much! When Jax's sister is found dead in her family's pool, Jax ends up going to the house to take care of affairs. As she is there she starts to learn that her sister was researching the family's pool and property history and finds, she's not the first to have drowned in the pool. I was so surprised by how spooky and creepy this story became and loved the tingling I felt as I started to understand what was really happening. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen and that surprise ending had me like - "Whaaat?" This book was a surprise and a delight for me. If you like supernatural, spooky stories you will love this.

Book Review

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narration was excellent, along with the suspenseful plot. I don’t like too many twists & turns with audiobooks, as I feel like it’s difficult to follow along with the storyline. Regardless, the storyline kept my attention, with some plot twists towards the end that were surprising!

Synopsis:

Is there something in the water? This is a dual story-line, with one story line being present day and the other being in the 1920s.

The present day storyline is told by Jax, who stays busy in her job as a social worker. She receives a notification that her estranged sister Lexi has drowned, which prompts her to return to the house they grew up in, the house that Lexi inherited. While there, Jax starts to learn how little she knew about their history within the house & the pool that lies outside.

The other storyline is told by Ethel, who lives in the 1920s with her husband. She is happily married, but desperately seeking a child. When her husband books them a vacation to a new posh hotel that contain magical springs, she decides to put their magic to the rest. Shortly after, she is warned that each wish granted comes with a price.

Thank you NetGalley & Gallery/Scout books for this ARC!

Jennifer McMahon is becoming one of my favorite authors.! This is another fantastic book that I didn't want to end. I listened to the audio version and I will probably read the book version also! I love a book with supernatural elements in it, and this story has plenty. The story is told in the present and the past (1929) about a grandmother's estate with a natural spring pool that grants wishes/provides miracles so people want to swim in it for different reasons - but the pool gives and then it takes. - and has many victims. Yikes! It's also about family and weaves the past and present together. If you like a mystery/thriller with a very creepy vibe, you'll like this book. It was so much fun, and I will be recommending it to friends and family! Thank you #NetGalley for letting me listen to and provide a review for this book.

HOLY EPILOGUE!!!

A few months ago, I read The Uninvited by Jennifer McMahon and I absolutely fell in love with her writing. I am so grateful to netgalley for the chance to read The Drowning Kind in advance.

In this story we are following two sisters and their relationship to the strange pool that has connected them through their entire lives. When one sister faces an untimely death, the other has to piece together the clues of her death before she succumbs to the secrets as well.

This book gave me big Haunting of Hill House vibes—-and I love that. Jennifer paints such a beautiful picture with her writing and her characters in this book are so captivating. Dual timelines are so hard because I think it’s often easy to bore of one storyline but not with this one. We follow two timelines and I was equally captivated by them both.

The only thing that kept me from a 5 star rating was the slower start. I know to expect this with McMahon but I want to warn others so they don’t give up too early! It took a minute to hit some action but it is so worth the background we are given.

I would definitely recommend this book for any thriller or paranormal lover! If you’re a fan of authors like Simone St. James, I think Jennifer McMahon is also for you!

Jennifer has created a world I want to visit, the issue is, I likely won’t survive. With the promise of granting wishes and healing impossible aliments, the Springs at Sparrow Crest sound amazing, almost too good to be true. But as with all great things in life, everything has its cost.

The story follows two women: Ethel, the desperate wife dealing with infertility, and Jax, social worker and sister of the Springs’ newest victim. I thought the two storylines floated effortlessly into each other as things progressed for Jax, they unfolded for us with Ethel.  I do want to note the two narrators were a nice touch, but I found Ethel’s more aloof, but maybe that is the character and on purpose.

I noticed the Springs largely stole women, but maybe that is a feminist approach to the siren-esque mythos. Kudos to the queer and mental health rep! I should mention a suicide TW as it is a small part.

I have one big problem: What happened to Declan? Why was his storyline even important? What did any of that mean? Was it just Jax’s slipping mental state? I feel like this part left more questions than added to the story and could have technically been edited out.

I want to know what happens now. Will the Springs at Sparrow Crest live on? What happens if there are no more victims to feed it? Can the Springs not exist?

For McMahon’s eloquent prose and use of language, I gave THE DROWNING KIND 3.5 stars. I am excited to visit more of her work.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a gifted copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early audio copy of this one.

A creepy pool that has claimed the lives of countless people over the years. The pool supposedly has healing powers but “when the pool gives it also takes.”

This story is told in dual timelines- in 1929 when a young couple realizes they need the pool after it helps them out and they end up moving near it. The second timeline is present day when the descendants of the couple are dealing with the pool and its a evils as they try to account for terrible things that are happening.

This was a gripping story and I sailed through the audio. Just wanted to find out what would happen.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon was a great listen! I thought I knew how this suspenseful triller would end, but was surprised which is my favorite in a thriller. This book reminded me of The Girl on the Train and The Woman in Cabin Ten, so if you enjoyed those give this one a shot!

The Drowning Kind alternates between present day with Jax a social worker and Ethel during the great depression. Both have a special relationship with a spring fed pool that locals believe has a dark power. When Jax's sister Lexie drowns in the pool Jax's world unravels as she tries to figure out what happened to her sister. Is there something in the water or is all in their heads?

Who else loves ghost stories? Who else loves to visit lakes and other deep, dark sources of water? If so, The Drowning Kind might just give you a few nightmares!

When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead- drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to settle Lexie’s estate, she learns that her sister was researching the history of their family and the property. Suddenly, Jax realizes that the land’s past is much darker than she ever could have realized.

What I enjoyed:
- This book is so atmospheric and spooky. I won’t be planning any trips to Sparrow Chest our it’s insane pool! No way.
- I loved the pacing and the way the book moved between present time and 1929. I’m a big fan of historical fiction and the flashbacks reminded me a lot of that genre. The past truly melted into the present and I was just sucked along for the ride. I didn’t want to pause the audiobook.
- It was twisty! I actually had to listen to the ending twice after picking my mouth off the floor!

I’m giving this one four stars! I highly recommend this one to fans of the supernatural and books like The Sundown Motel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for the Advanced Release Copy in exchange for an honest review. The Drowning Kind is slated for US publication April 6, 2021. #TheDrowningKind #NetGalley

This paranormal thriller literally blew my mind, it was so atmospheric and spooky. The shocking and dark plot had me hooked and I didn't want to put this down, in fact I almost didn't and finished this in two sittings. I've been loving thrillers lately but some of them just blend together, this one totally stands out and I could definitely see myself re reading this in the future. Can we get this as a movie now, please and thank you?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for my free Audio ARC copy of The Drowning Kind. I chose to read and review.

Wow. This is one that will stick with me. It was very hard to stop listening and I loved the pacing and history mystery tangled with the present. I was also happy with the reveals in the plot and the ending. I figured some things out but not everything.

After finishing, I had to just sit for a while and not start another book for a few hours which hardly ever happens to me. I usually go from one book to the next. This is the first book I've read by Jennifer McMahon and I'll be looking at her other books for sure now.

The writing and narration were beautiful and had the perfect amount of creepiness and mystery. I felt attached to all of the characters. I'll be recommending this book a lot!

I. JUST. LOVE. JENNIFER. MCMAHON! Every time I read a new book, I get transported to wherever the story is set...usually some rural-ish Northeastern setting. All her books I have read have such an amazing sense of place. She is also wonderful at creating a creepy, almost haunting atmosphere without meandering into anything too graphic or traumatizing for the reader.

The Drowning Kind was more of what I loved from her. It is the story of Jax, who has become estranged from her sister after her sister inherited the family home. The home is a very gothic mansion with a huge pool that is fed by a natural springs, thought by many to have magical ,healing powers. Jax's sister has just died drowning in that pool after leaving manic messages on Jax's voicemail that Jax had refused to respond to in her jealousy and resentment. Now Jax is back at that mansion and pool and has to sort out what happened to her sister to drive her to the point of dying in such an unlikely way. Can Jax find out without losing herself or her own sanity in the process?

A side story is sort of an origin story of Jax and Lexie's great grandmother, Ethel, who discovered the healing springs of the property when it was part of an exclusive resort hotel. Ethel was 37 and happily married, but very distraught about her seeming inability to conceive a baby. When she is told by a local that if she tells the spring her wish, it will grant it, she half-heartedly decides to give it a try. She does in fact get pregnant almost immediately after. Once her baby is born, she becomes less and less healthy unless given doses of water from that spring. Subsequently, bad things happen to the hotel owners and ultimately these events lead to Ethel and her husband coming to own the property and building their mansion on it, which is how it came to be passed on to Jax's sister.

Both storylines are equally entrancing, I read the whole book in basically one sitting as I was so hooked. Loved the sister relationship dynamic, as well as the unique supporting characters, and the mental illness aspects. I cannot WAIT for Jennifer McMahon to publish whatever she writes next!

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I have been wanting to read Jennifer McMahon for awhile, so when this opportunity came up, I had to read it! Thank you to #Netgalley for this advance copy.
💜 What I liked:
The story is told between Jax in the present and Ethel in the past pertaining to one specific body of water in various states. How these women are connected is complex and extraordinary. You don’t always know what is real or imagined.
😱 What I didn’t like:
At points this story (particularly the present) seemed like not a lot was happening. Most of the action and reveals took place in the past. However that didn’t make the twist any less enjoyable.
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
Jax and Lexi have a strong sisterly connection in the present. Ethel, Will, and their new baby Maggie make decisions that influence the present.
🚦 The Ending:
WHOA - didn’t really see it coming too much. But no matter what, I will read anything by this author going forward.
💬 The Narrator:
Joy Osmanski and Imani Jade Powers voice the 2 women and they are fantastic! Great vocal changes for the other characters.
💭 Consider if you like:
Spooky ghost stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

The Drowning Kind is a very well written thriller. Great plot and character dynamics. I recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for the Advanced Release Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy Jennifer McMahon's books. They are creepy, but not necessarily scary. Unfortunately, parts of the book are very repetitive. The middle just kept going over the same points.

This author's works get better and better. I love her work. The gothic elements and buildup lead to a wonderful, spooky tale.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio or my audiobook. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I did I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. The book is told through two different POVs from different timelines. The narration from the past adds an extra layer of creepiness to this already eerie mystery. There were many times I felt a chill while listening to this ominous tale of hope and loss. This story both clutched at my heart and frightened me at the same time. The sense of foreboding and dread is expertly woven into every spooky event leading to a satisfying conclusion. If you like your suspense with a dash of the perfect combination of apprehension and fear, then this is a must read!

I finished this audiobook in two days. It would have been one if I'd had the time. It drew me in from the very beginning. I love a good thriller as well as historical fiction and this has both. I love the dual POV one in the present and one in the past. The way both are connected in the end is a great surprise.

Prepare to jump on a thrilling roller coaster ride, that proves to not only be exhilarating but also creepy and mesmerizing. The story is told with a juxtaposition of two timelines and two perspectives. Social worker Jackie ("Jax") is ignoring a string of somewhat bizarre and disjointed phone call messages from her older sister, Lexie. In the last year she has become estranged from her sister, who has struggled with a bipolar disorder since age sixteen. She assumes she has stopped taking her meds. She receives an expected call from her aunt, that Lexie has drown in the family estates pool. Adding to a long list of other victims of the pool. Jax arrives at the family estates to find the house in a "manic" disarray with papers, documents, and photos strewn all over, along with the house itself to be in shambles. She learns that Lexie has been in a "deep dive" to uncover the history of not only the family but also the property, and especially the "magical properties" of the pool. Jax finds herself inextricably drawn into her own investigation of the events leading up to Lexie's demise. ( Complete with unexpected visions, sounds, hallucinations? and inexplicable events)
The second timeline starts in 1929 with thirty-seven-year-old Ethel Monroe longing to have a baby. Her physician husband suggests a relaxing and romantic get-away to newly opened grand hotel in Vermont. The hotel is showcased with not only its opulent appointments but also a natural spring. Ethel learns that the waters are purported to be "magical" and actually grant wishes. The locals are leery and insist that an equal price is extracted for any derived benefit. Ethel wishes for a child and declares that she would do anything in return.
The two timelines will ultimately converge into an explosive and haunting denouement. McMahon proves to be a masterful storyteller with amazing pacing and mulit-layered characterization leading to compelling narrative, that leaves the reader wanting another mesmerizing tale immediately. An extra dollop of enjoyment was received while listening to this modern-day ghost story with the excellent narration supplied by Joy Osmanski and Imani Jade Powers. It was difficult to turn off the narration and return to every day life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for proving this novel on tape in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com ). ... my rating is 5+. .....

Jennifer McMahon is renowned for creating a chilling story and THE DROWNING KIND is just that! When her sister is found drowned at the family estate, social worker Jax begins to think maybe there was something to her grandmother's warning about that pool. The pool is fed from a spring that is said to have some powerful magical properties. The water doesn't simply give, it takes too.

Jax moved away from her sister Lexie after her grandparents left the family home solely to Lexie. Jax is a social worker but when her sister calls her nine times in a row she shrugs it off as another of her manic episodes that she will deal with tomorrow. In the morning she received a call that Lexie is dead, she drown in the family pool. Jax returns home for the funeral and discovers her sister had been researching the dark past of the family property.
In 1929 Ethel Monroe is a newlywed who desperately wants a baby. Her husband brings her to Vermont and she hears tales of a spring that will help your most fervent wish come true. There are those who swear it had restored their health or ability to walk. Ethel whispers her desire for a baby but never stopped to think of what the cost may be.
I listened to the audiobook and if you like gothic, creepy tales you will enjoy this. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is scheduled for release on Spril 6th but available for pre-order now!