Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this e-arc!
Liv thinks she is going on a trip of a lifetime, only it isn’t what she expects!. A dream quickly turns into a nightmare in this suspenseful debut novel. This book gives me murder mystery vibes with a big splash of Greek mythology. A solid 3.5 stars out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was super excited to read a mystery taking place on a cruise ship! A ship is a closed off location I was excited to feel a claustrophobic type of mystery.

The book opens as Liv and her friend Will go on a luxury cruise ship for SeaMester- a study abroad program before the head to uni in the fall. I did not like the characters and even the protagonist, Liv, who was meek and shy, did eventually get a stronger personality towards the end. I felt the cast of characters kind of blended together and was hard to differentiate between them at time. I liked the idea of the Siren influencers being a ‘mean girl’ type group, but the almost everyone looked down on Liv as the scholarship girl and not good enough or rich enough to be there.

Will and Liv get into a fight on the first night and the next day he disappears; the staff claiming he’s in quarantine due to illness. As the days progress Liv tries to check on him and also starts to hear and see strange things around the ship.

I found the book to be a little slow paced; it was a slow burn type mystery. Even with the characters and the abrupt ending I did enjoy it overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for a free digital copy on exchange for an honest review. This book will be published 1 JULY 2023.

A creepy, fast paced YA mystery about a group of students spending a semester on a cruise ship. Liv is the only scholarship student amongst a bunch of rich kids and influencers, and things start to get weird right off the bat. When her best friend Will goes missing the first night, Liv is convinced that something terrible happened to him, but no one seems to believe her.

This was actually pretty dark at times and I was definitely creeped out. There are cults, sea monsters, sacrifices, and sirens. It had me on the edge of my seat and I really had no idea what was going to happen. While I enjoyed the story and was thoroughly entertained, I found Liv to be a little too gullible at times and I wasn’t sold on any of the side characters - I wish Liv’s relationship to Will was developed more. The ending also wasn’t very satisfying (unless it’s a series?), but I would recommend this if you want a quick spooky read.

Thank you to Random House for the Arc!

2/5 stars

What I liked:


When I first read the blurb for Those We Drown, I was excited to read a horror-mystery set on a cruise ship. Although I liked the overall premise, the execution of it isn’t quite where it needs to be.


What I didn’t like:


The two biggest problems I had with this book was the execution of the mystery element and the character development. For the mystery element, it didn’t read much like a mystery since I was able to figure out the mystery within the first 40% of the book, and so did the protagonist. I was hoping that maybe I was wrong and that we were being misled, but that unfortunately wasn’t the case. Liv, the protagonist, was piecing everything together from the start, but the only “mystery” that was created came from her writing herself off as “crazy” after every strange encounter. Because of this, the suspense was lacking and the cliffhangers didn’t pack much of a punch like they should’ve.
As for the character development, a majority of the characters are rich and arrogant, and their entire personalities revolve around those two characteristics. When they were first introduced, there were a few things that distinguished them from one another, but as the story went on, those unique traits were quickly forgotten since the characters ended up being written all the same—too similar personalities and rude mannerisms. This made it difficult for me to connect with any of the characters. Also, the romance Liv gets drawn into seemed to be written in a way that was supposed to be more of an enemies-to-lovers, but they simply had no chemistry whatsoever, and during their interactions it definitely felt very one-sided. Liv would mention via her thoughts that she took a romantic liking to him, but nearly all of her body language and actual dialogue said otherwise, making her character feel inconsistent.

The ending of the book (not going to spoil with specifics) didn’t feel complete. The climax was very anti-climatic, and I was waiting for it to pick up, but it didn’t. When I read the final chapter, I thought there was a scene missing initially. It felt like it cut off mid-scene, but after reading it through again, it seemed like an unpolished ending that was hurriedly written, leaving me disappointed.


Overall:

This is probably my least favorite book I’ve read this year. It has a neat premise, and I wish I could’ve enjoyed it, but the execution needs work.


*Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Those We Drown is a captivating and excited me from the get-go. The premise of this story is following Olivia - or Liv - as she travels on a luxury cruise ship with several wealthy influencers for a "seamester." One of Liv's dear friend's Will is also aboard the ship -- and although that should be comforting to Olivia who doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of them, things with Will become very strange...

I usually don't enjoy books that are too modern filled with timely references, but I actually enjoyed the shout outs to Gilmore Girls, The Bachelor, and Instagram. I thought the author was clever in the way she delivered information and instead of being hokey delivered a quality piece that stands on its own two feet.

It's hard to figure out who you can trust and what information is factual. As the story continued I started to pick up on the clues that are sprinkled throughout - different references that align with the big picture.

This novel was absolutely puzzling - and even upon the conclusion I'm not sure that I'm satisfied. I'm hopeful that there's a sequel, because I need to find out what's happening!! What a cliffhanger to end with, Ms. Amy Goldsmith!!

I highly recommend this for those looking for an easy yet mysterious read - this book will go by quickly!!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn't influence my review. This was such a unique take compared to the usual books I read, and I haven't read a horror in a while!
Tropes: seafaring dark contemporary, murder mystery, horror
Would definitely recommend this book.

Liv's best friend disappears on their first night aboard their dream semester-at-sea program—but is he really sick, like everyone says, or is something darker lurking beneath the water?

The twists and turns to this book are amazing. It keeps you interested throughout the whole novel and is very well written. Amy's writing style is also an A+ in my book.

I received an ARC of this book for review.

Going into this book I wasn't really sure what to expect. This story follows Liv during the start of her semester at sea trip. The story revolves around Liv and the other participants in the SeaMester program. The author had me completely invested in Liv's story. The suspense built as people start to go "missing" on the ship according to Liv carried me through the book. I wish that the author spent a little more time giving a little more backstory for the supporting characters. I think a little more backstory would invest us more in the characters revolving around Liv. I feel like one big, missed opportunity is that we don't get more backstory about Will, he's supposed to be Liv's best friend, yet the reader is only given vague information about him. While the suspense carried me through the book, I had so many unanswered questions about supporting characters. It feels like this book is just part of a larger book. Hopefully there's a sequel.

Olivia, or Liv, as she likes to be called, has been offered the chance of a lifetime, traveling aboard the luxury ship, Eos, as part of a Seamester group in Those We Drown.

While the other students aboard are rich and privileged, Liv is not, but she tries not to be intimidated since her best friend, Will, is aboard. Unfortunately, Will hasn’t really been talking to her lately, and he disappears after their first night.

While Liv tries a hard to get answers, she cannot figure out why she can’t see a supposedly sick Will, nor why she keeps having terrible dreams.

The only person who really listens to her is the gorgeous, mysterious Constantine. But does he have anything to do with all this weirdness? What about the mysterious Sirens, rich influencers? And what happened to the girl who disappeared before the cruise, the one Liv replaced?

This was a nice, creepy YA horror story, and I was on the edge of my seat. I liked how people kept questioning Liv’s sanity, making the reader wonder, too. (But of course you knew she wasn’t crazy, and it was really frustrating.)

The ending wasn’t what I really wanted, but fit with this genre. Overall, this was excellent writing, and I would love to read more by this author.

A thank you to NetGalley, Amy Goldsmith, and Random House for the ARC of this novel.

Didn't like the writing style was way too prosey for me. Felt too long too. I was intrigued to read this but in end wasn't what I expected, not bad just not my style.

🦇 Those We Drown Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐

🦇 When Liv gains the opportunity to study abroad a luxury cruise ship for a semester on scholarship, she feels fortunate--albeit out-of-place among the six other wealthy students participating in the Seamester program. When her best friend goes missing their first night aboard, supposedly sick and under quarantine, Liv struggles to focus on anything else. He was last seen with one of The Sirens, a trio of stunning, mysterious influencers promoting the cruise. Between Liv's haunting dreams, strange hallucinations, and outbursts in her attempt to find will, everyone thinks she's sleep-deprived and hysterical...but what if the luxury surrounding them comes at a price?

💜 Amy's Goldsmith's debut novel plays homage to Greek mythology and ancient stories of sacrifice in exchange for wealth, youth, and glory. However, many of the references are a little too obvious. Since the main character is oblivious to most of the references, almost everything needs to be spelled out.

🦇 Liv is a frustrating heroine to follow, too. People spend every second of the novel gaslighting her--even to the end--until she no longer believes herself. The story's trajectory is obvious from the very beginning (anyone who was obsessed with Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes as a child can guess the premise the moment the Sirens are mentioned), yet Liv remains oblivious even when the truth is directly in front of her. Even after a visual reveal, she still wavers between knowing something's wrong and disbelief. There's a lot of inconsistency in the writing as well. For starters, the "students" never spend a second studying. Some scenes jump abruptly without explanation. The same details are repeated over and over, yet there are some occurrences that never get an explanation. The characters are either flat or inconsistent; none are fleshed out. Liv can't seem to decide if she loathes certain characters, has a crush on them, or envies them. While this is categorized as "horror," nothing was scary so much as frustrating.

🦇 Recommended for someone looking for an easy read between more intense stories.

Tropes
Debut Novel
"Horror" YA
Mythology References

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

2.5 rounded up? There really were no redeeming qualities for me. The plot was extremely stagnant and spotty in terms of consistency and fleshed out details. None of it was believable or fully thought through. Did they ever actually do anything for the SeaMester? The ending unraveling in a way that was difficult to picture/buy into & then it abruptly wrapped up.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

Stupidly, before reading this book, I looked at the reviews and I cannot fathom how it has received anything less than 5 stars!

From the moment we met Liv, I was instantly transported into her world and her experience at Seamester.

Yes, it is incredibly frustrating when she experiences things and nobody believes her (that’s the point) and at some times, you do wonder whether she is going insane. As a reader you do wonder who you can trust and I flip-flopped many times about whether Con was all he seemed!

What I was particularly fond of was the beautiful way in which this author tied everything together perfectly in the exciting ending! They beautifully wove Greek mythology into their claustrophobic horror with such ease that I will never look at it the same again.

Lastly, this is the most beautifully written story I have read in a long time. The descriptions in the book were first class and the way this book made me feel as if I was Liv, made it very difficult to put down.

I cannot wait to read more!!!

To be honest this wasn't a good story. There were a lot of plot holes I felt like, and the characters were either two cliche, or they contradicted themselves.
I had to force myself to read this one. I hate leaving bad reviews, but I did not vibe with this book or the main character. I'm not sure what the author was going for here, but it did not work in my opinion.
Perhaps you'll enjoy this book, the blurb sounded really interesting, but I felt like it fell flat. I hope this review helps.

Those We Drown is a mystery and thriller that centers on Liv, a teen who wins a semester at sea aboard a cruise ship where she meets young, rich and famous influencers while searching for her best friend Will who disappears after the first night.

The character descriptions, ambience and dank sea smells contribute to the feeling of dread that something is not right. But it takes pages and pages before the action really kicks in.

Meanwhile, Liv shakily attempts to convince herself and others that she is not crazy. Myth and legends of the sea swirl about along with more passengers disappearing, odd chanting sounds and blurry figures flitting about in a giant fish tank.

But, where is Will? What happened to the others? Just who are Liv's real friends? These questions haunt Liv... and us as readers. It all leads to a creepy showdown reminiscent of a Lifetime TV movie. In fact, it could probably be one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Those We Drown—Amy Goldsmith

A scholarship program onboard a luxury cruise ship is the last place Olivia expects to wind up, but against all odds she finds herself there with her best friend Will and four other kids part of the SeaMester program. As amazing as it is, Olivia can’t shake the feeling something about the ship isn’t right. When she, Will, and the others cross paths with a group of influencers known as Sirens, Olivia’s suspicions are confirmed.

To make it worse, Will ditches her in favor of one of the Sirens and later goes missing. Convinced something happened to him and that the Sirens had something to do with it, Olivia sets out to investigate Will’s disappearance herself. But the more she digs, the more unsettling things she learns—not to mention all the strange hallucinations. Did something happen to Will and the ship is trying to cover it up, or is it all just in Olivia’s head?
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AMAZING book! If I could give it more than five stars I would! This was such a trip, scared the s*** out of me a bit and I loved every second of it! Thewhole set-up gave strong Ghost Ship vibes that were executed in a gloriously theatrical fashion—ie the magician scene and reenactment of Cassandra. The Sirens were so captivating, Olivia’s investigation into Will’s disappearance so compelling, and Olivia’s hallucinations so wonderfully chaotic. Goldsmith’s writing is brilliant and had me questioning my sanity along with Olivia. I was left with the feeling of almost drowning and finally being able to come up for air when I was finished. Absolutely amazing and HIGHLY recommend!

DNF at 20%. WOW I truly despised this book, and getting 20% in was a real test of willpower. Every single character sucked and I could predict the entire plot trajectory from about chapter three. The protagonist felt like Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" come to life, which is an especially bad look in 2023. I am so desperately tired of this 90s girl power mixed with sardonic joss whedon one liners narrative style; it really just reveals the lack of emotional depth on the part of the author and an assumed lack in the reader. Also, I'm assuming the protagonist got paired up with one of the interchangeable rich white men on the ship, despite having conflicting moral compasses and personalities, so congratulations on checking every box of a WattPad story.

2/5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

I wanted to love this book, I truly did but it just fell flat for me. It has an awesome presence and honestly if the whole book was more like the last 15% I would've loved it.

Liv wins a scholarship to learn at sea for 6 weeks on a cruise ship along with her best friend Will. The first night Will mysteriously gets sick and is "quarantined", but nobody seems to care except Liv. Liv is supposed to be smart, but instead she seems the opposite.

Liv then becomes obsessed with finding Will and goes about everything all wrong when talking to other people and everyone acts like she is going crazy while they're trying to sweep Will going missing under the rug.

She enlists Constantine's help, but he doesn't believe her and refuses to listen to her and just blindly goes along with everything.

I was expecting this to be atmospheric and spooky, but instead it was almost 100% tied to the characters which I didn't care enough about.

Liv's dream comes true when she wins a scholarship aboard cruise ship Eos to study with Seamester. And what could make this even better? Her best friend Will is also attending. Liv quickly learns everyone aboard is dripping in money and it's glaringly obvious she is there on a scholarship, but she is still adamant about making the best of it. But on the first night she and Will get into a fight in front of everyone. And the next day, Liv learns Will is sick and has been quarantined. She cannot visit him. Unsure how to handle this, Liv trys to enjoy her time, despite the beautiful and snobby Sirens (influencers who travel cruise ships), and the gorgeous but confusing Con.

When Liv learns that she was a replacement for another girl who was meant to be on the ship things start to happen around her that makes everyone deem her crazy. She still can't see Will. His phone is off. People are disappearing and the lies are stacking up.

This sounded like it was going to be a heart pounding, fast paced thriller. Unfortunately it fell short for me. I know Liv is a teen but I couldn't suspend my belief that she was truly that dumb to be writing things off left and right. The twist was also painfully obvious very early on. Unfortunately, the ending also left many things unanswered and I'm frustrated with not knowing how things ended for many people. Throw in a forced awkward romance and this was not the book for me.