Member Reviews

The story was absolutely captivating. Dark, gothic, and scary. Dual time; line, mystery thriller with a bit of historical fiction. Now I want to see this book as a motion picture .highly recommended.

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I really liked this book. I liked the history, the back and forth, the mystery, and how it all came full circle at the end. I loved the characters and the storyline. A mysterious spring that grants wishes but always takes something in return. So good. I got chills!! It's been a long time since a book gave me chills.

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It has taken me a while to write this review, mainly because I am still pondering this book more than a week later. I had a hard time stopping listening to it in order to go to bed and sleep. The premise, of a spring/pool that had healing properties and granted wishes, had grabbed my attention and made me request the audio of the book to listen to. The book has dual narrators and connects the present with the past in alternating chapters, sharing the stories of two women and their connection to the mystical pool. Both narrators did a fantastic job in bringing the story to life.

Bit by bit, through Ethel and Jax, we learn of the legend of the spring/pool. That the water has healing properties and that, if you whisper your deepest wish to it, it will grant that wish. However, everything has a price and you have no way of knowing what you’ll end up paying if you make that wish. And what of those who have drowned in the spring/pool? Do they really live on in it, appearing occasionally in order to coerce another soul into it? I will admit, I was not expecting the twist that came at the very end, in the epilogue.

I enjoyed the book. It drew me in and kept me engaged, both in wanting to figure out the mystery of the pool and the connection between the past and the present. The author did a great job of building that connection between past and present to a very satisfying conclusion. The mystery of the pool was less successfully resolved in that there was never really an answer as to how or why it did what it did. Much like life, it just was and you never got to see that how or why. The story was very atmospheric, even creepy at times, and you get to know the characters fairly well. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a read or listen that’s different than the norm.

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This was a creepy, mysterious thriller that, with slight exception, kept me riveted. The story is told through alternating timelines and narration so it's important to pay attention....it can get a little convoluted. It drags a bit in some spots but on the whole is a really well done novel written by an exceptional author. Thank you NetGalley for the audio book version for advanced review.

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3.5 / 5 stars

“The Drowning Kind”, by Jennifer McMahon, like all of McMahon’s books that I have read before, is a dual timeline novel that follows the lives of two main characters that eventually become interconnected. In present day Vermont, Jax is shocked to learn that her estranged sister Lexi has drowned in her pool. Ridden by guilt that she had ignored her sister’s phone calls leading up to her death, Jax travels to the family vacation house where her sister drowned to learn more about her sister and what led her to her death. In late 1920s New Hampshire, Ethel Monroe would do anything to have a baby. Her husband, Will, takes her to a hotel in Vermont said to have access to a spring with healing powers that grants wishes. As the stories unfold, so do many secrets of the spring and pool waters in Vermont, and of Jax’s and Ethel’s families.

The story is atmospheric and eerie. Personally, I preferred reading Ethel’s timeline, but became invested in both as the story progressed. At times, I thought it to be a bit long and repetitive, but overall I enjoyed how the two timelines were eventually woven together.

The narrator of the audiobook, Imani Jade Powers, did a good job with the narration. Throughout the story she preserves the eerie tone of the novel. It was also easy to distinguish between the two different voices in the story, which sometimes is a problem with dual-timeline books in audio format.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to fans of supernatural horror. I would not call it scary, especially for a seasoned horror reader, but it has some creepy moments, and eeriness throughout. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the opportunity to listen to it in exchange for my honest review.

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OMG I am speechless! This book definitely made it to my 2021 Favorites List! And OMG the Ending! It is Awesome! I just loved it! The story pulls you in and I couldn't put the book down. The story follows two main characters set in two different time periods. First in present day, Jax, a social worker that had left her life and family behind to move across country to escape her manic sister, Lexie. Jax couldn't get over how everything was left to Lexie after their Grandmother died including the house and pool which she loved. In 1929, the book follows Ethel Monroe, a newly wed who's only wish is to have a baby and how her and her husband stay at a hotel with a natural healing spring. Both characters have one thing in common, the natural spring and all it's mystery. The water can grant wishes but be careful what you wish for because there is always a price to pay. No Spoilers! I can not recommend this book enough! I want to thank #Netgalley for the early review copy. I really loved this one!

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WOW. This book was amazing, I was sucked in from the very first page. I loved following the two timelines of Jax and Mrs. Monroe and thinking about what price I would pay to save the ones I love. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending of this book but I'm going to sit with it for a while and then decide. I own but haven't read The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon and it has just shot up to the top of my TBR. I'm so excited to explore this author's backlist!

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Creepy and beautiful all in one. This book is so hard to put into one description. One story is about Jax and Lex and another is Ethel Monroe. Both stories revolve around a spring that supposedly has healing properties and the ability to grant wishes. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? You’ll have to read the book to find out. I enjoyed the characters and the way the book goes between the two times. I didn’t love the ending though it’s a fitting ending.

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I listened to this audiobook through NetGalley.

This is the first book I have read by this author. The writing style reminds me of Gillian Flynn.

It is suspenseful and creepy with lots of twists and turns. I am the first to admit that I generally don't believe in stories about ghosts and the like, but this one got me. I am a person that doesn't swim anywhere that I can't see the bottom. Now I believe I never will. I was hooked from the very start. The book fluctuates between the past and the present about a pool that can grant wishes, but the pool gives as much as it takes.

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The Drowning Kind is a supernatural thriller that is super creepy, deeply atmospheric, and twisty in the best way.
I listened to the audiobook version, read by Joy Osmanski and Imani Jade Powers. The book is 11 hours and 48 minutes long.

Jennifer does a superb job blending the past with the present. In the 1920’s we meet Ethal, and in 2019 we meet Jax. We soon find out that both women are deeply connected to the springs. Both characters drew me into the story as I discovered the truth behind the springs.

This is my second book by Jennifer McMahon. I read The Invited in 2019 and loved it. It was one of my favorite books of 2019 so I was delighted to get started on The Drowning Kind.

This was a solid 4 star read for me until the very end and I had to bump it up one more star. The last few pages had a very unexpected twist!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the public, and Jennifer McMahon for the arc!!!

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This had a beautiful cover and I listened to this as an audiobook. Narrated by Joy Osmanski; Imani Jade Powers and the did a decent job.
This was a good creepy, horror suspense novel and at times scared me. I’m not a huge fan of horror but this author did a great job.
The historical part was interesting and I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. I high recommend this if you like scary type books. I feel like this would make for a great scary movie.
Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio via Netgalley for this audiobook. I’ve voluntarily given my honest review.

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I could not put this book down! I loved this b00k because this story was unlike any I have read. The mystery vs supernatural element had me guessing the whole time, and just when I thought I had figured out the outcome, the twist at the end was the cherry on top. If you love mysteries, do yourself a favor and pick this book up.

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This book was amazing! The spooky vibe I got from this was great!
The narrator was everything! I could follow along easily!
I loved the story this book told about the pond! And the different timelines and how they intertwined was great!

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This book had me going back and forth between wanting a copy because a passage was so good to just being alright and ultimately the pacing and the build up are what made this a 3.5 but then the ending/resolution dropped it to a precarious 3. I would be interested in reading more books by the author just to see if this type ending was just their style or not.

I enjoyed the modern characters and I felt like there was enough there to drive a good story but we didn't see all the potential for each character.((it wasn't a character driven book but was almost written like one))

The characters in the past just felt wrong to me, I had just read a book set in the 20's and these characters did not feel as well thought out or written. I think there were two stories going on and they never really connected in a satisfying way.

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This was a creepy, spooky supernatural read! I loved that it was a dual time-line, telling the story through the 1929 view of Ethel and the 2019 view of Jackie. The writing created a very atmospheric feel to the story, truly drawing the reader in. This story is full of twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to receive and review this Audiobook.
I love a good, creepy, ghost story! This book, made me jump when my toast popped up from the toaster, while I was making breakfast!
The Drowning Kind starts with Jax discovering her sister Lexie, has drowned in a pool at their late Grandmother’s estate. The land, where the estate is located, has a spring which feeds water to the pool. The land and the water have a haunted past, which Jax discovers Lexie was researching, prior to her death
The story alternates with present day Jax and Lexie and a family living in the 1920s. This family has ties to the land and the water, where the estate is currently located. The water is rumored to grant wishes, but for every wish the water must take something in return. Would you be willing to have something taken from you, in return for your one, most wanted wish, to be granted?
The author tells this story with just the right amount of creepiness, without making it too scary, or gory. The pool is very creepy, and made me not want to look out my window at my own pool.
I discovered Jennifer McMahon last year, since then, I have been attempting to read every book she has written.
This was my first Audiobook. I didn’t think I would enjoy an Audiobook, as much as a real book, but I was wrong! It was great being able to listen at work and in my car, especially when you are stuck in traffic. The narrators of the story were easy to listen to and really made the story come to life. This book is a must read, you will not be disappointed!
#TheDrowningKind #NetGalley

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This book was AMAZING! I've only read a couple books by this author in the past but I've never been disappointed. This one was just the same. It was a great mix of reality and supernatural and easy to get your mind twisted into the story. The epilogue was bomb. Definitely a must read for those that enjoy suspenseful thrillers with a hint of horror.

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I enjoyed this book! I listened to this as an advance copy from NetGalley. I really kept guessing on how this twisty, horror book was going to end. I am a big fan of the author and the Vermont setting (which most of books are set in). Thank you NetGalley.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This audiobook itself is done really well. The book bounces between two timelines and perspectives but it was easy to follow with (I believe) the two different women narrating or the one who just changed her tone. I enjoyed it and it was easy to listen to.

The story itself was pretty good. We follow a young woman in our current times as she is dealing with the death of her sister and her trying to figure out what really happened. The second timeline is another young woman in the 1910's-1920's and her husband going to a hotel that has a magical spring pool that heals/grants wishes. It was fun to see how the two stories intertwine and how the possibly evil springs affects them.

I found the book to be entertaining and a pretty good mystery. There really weren't any twists or moments that were shocking but I did find the ending to be satisfying. The story was unique to me and the characters were fairly likable. I mostly connected to the woman from the early 1900's and sympathized so much for her and her struggles.

3.5/5

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The Drowning Kind, by Jennifer McMahon, was one spooky, creepy, and suspenseful book! I listened to this on audiobook and the narration was excellent. I had no idea going into this that it was going to be a paranormal listen, but I was completely drawn into the story of The Brandenburg Springs resort/Sparrow Crest pool and it’s “healing powers”. The pool is known to heal and grant wishes, but there is always a price to pay.
The story is told from the perspective of Ethel in 1929 and Jax in 2019. I found both of these characters so interesting, but found myself super frustrated with Jax at times.
And the end. I was like what?????? I went back immediately and re-listened to the last chapter.
I would definitely recommend this one if you like a haunting story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Schuster Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook for an honest review.

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