What a great book? This was my first by TJ. I’m not a big fan of planes and now I’m really not! This was suspenseful, nervewracking, and out of this world crazy! It’s a must read!

Super fast paced book that had me on the edge of seat throughout! Loved that there was no build up and it went straight into the disaster. The short chapters helped with the pace.

I was rooting for the passengers and hoping they survived. Will was a great father and definitely the brains of the story. Shannon and Maia were my favourites, I loved they looked out for each other. I felt so sorry for Kit as she had all the pressure!

I’ve heard that this book will be made into a movie, and I definitely understand why. The premise is perfect for the screen: Likable characters, being trapped inside an airplane under water and the nearly impossible task of getting the passengers out of there.

For the most part I loved the book. The only thing that made it less perfect for ME was all the tech stuff, which left my mind wandering and frankly made me feel a bit stupid. When I looked past that however, there was so much going on that I still thought about what would happen next when I couldn’t read. It was also emotional, especially segments dedicated to Will and his daughter. There were moments when the characters realized what is important, and you just felt for them in their predicament. I also liked how capable and intelligent Will was. It was obvious that he would stop at nothing to save his little girl. Her mother also has a central role, and her ingenuity was impressive.

The last chapters were intense. So much was going on, and the author even tightened the suspense by a storm that also made the conditions on land challenging. At some points I wanted to pray, and I was tense from all the anticipation. I could almost not stomach the intensity of it all.

Overall an enjoyable thriller that will satisfy the reader!

The beginning of the story is less engaging than the second half. Once the characters are developed its easy to root for them. Seemingly well researched, the rescue attempts make sense and are detailed without being too much to take in. Action and sentiment are well balanced. A good read.

Copy provided by the publisher w NetGalley

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book. T.J. Newman has done it again. From the first few pages to the last it was a hell of a ride. Love the characters and interactions between all of them given the situation. If you want a good thriller this is it. Looking forward to more from this author.

There was so much hype surrounding this one, it actually made me reluctant to read it. But it turns out the hype was merited, this was great fun. I describe it as a cross between the Poseidon Adventure and the Martian. The technical aspects were fun, I could’ve used more character development, but the pacing was fast enough that in the end, I couldn’t put it down, even though everyone felt a little one dimensional.

Wow!! This gripping book was so intense and had me not wanting to put it down! I loved how this was written between different passengers POV. I loved learning about the passengers lives as well.
This was such an emotional read that literally has you on the edge of your seat! I definitely want to read Fallen by TJ Newman but may wait until I get home from flying ✈️next week!! I highly recommend this book!
And if y’all are following the missing submarine story…you definitely need to read this!!!! I find it so crazy that this book comes out and then this missing submarine happens!!! It’s like I just read this story and it is partly happening for real 😳🥹

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster and @avidreaderpress for the advanced eARC in exchange for my honest review

O.M.G. What a book! “Drowning” is a riveting, fast-paced thriller that takes place over the course of just a few hours from the time a commercial jet crashes off the coast of Hawaii with 99 souls on board until the incredible conclusion. Told from multiple points of view but primarily from that of Will, an engineer flying with his 11-year-old daughter Shannon on her way to summer camp and Chris, his soon-to-be ex-wife, the absolutely brilliant depiction of what happens on the plane and in the water makes me hope that there’s a movie coming. A terrific followup to “Falling,” I finished this in two days and I can’t wait to see what TJ Newman comes up with next. The audio is terrific as well. Five solid stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy.

TJ Newman's FALLING was such a great read that there was no doubt I'd have to read DROWNING and boy, it is GREAT too. The thrills start on page one and do not give up until the end.....the end you'll never guess. Newman built the tension and kept the pressure on throughout the rescue efforts. This was one of my "sound effects" books. Throughout the book, I keep a running commentary of Oh, no and OMG and many, many more. Should it be made into a movie, I'd have to watch to see if my "mind movie" is better than theirs. In other words, Drowning is an all around reading experience that you really should not miss!

I absolutely loved TJ's first book FALLING, so I knew I would love DROWNING, too. But oh my! I could not put this book down. My heart was in my throat the entire time reading. I felt like I was trapped in the plane with the characters. This is the perfect summer read if you are looking for a book to captivate you. But a warning: you won't want to fly after reading this. ;)

I loved this book and happened to read it at the same time the submersible went missing in real life, which was very ironic. I read it in two days because the tension kept building and I could not put it down. It was a little difficult to keep all of the different characters straight.

As Will and his daughter Shannon board Flight 1421, his only thoughts are with getting his daughter to camp safely before returning home. Only six minutes into the flight, everything changes as catastrophic failures cause the pilot to ditch the plane and it crashes into the Pacific. For most of the crew and passengers onboard, they are elated to have survived but unfortunately Will (who works as an engineer) has the foresight to know that their problems have only just begun. With water rising fast and explosions outside ruining their chances of escaping on the rafts, they have only a few hours to get to safety.

Drowning could rival any major blockbuster action thriller, but then I was expecting that from the blurb and from the reviews of the author's previous book Falling. What I was not expecting was for the story to be so emotional. This book just about broke me. It was chilling and heartbreaking on so many levels, but especially for someone who isn't a keen flyer at the best of times, and also as a mother. The thought of things playing out as they did for these characters was too terrible to think about.

The funny thing is, from a technical point of view I have NO idea if any of the things that happened in the story are feasible - but I still believed every part of it. I was right with them every step of the way and it felt totally real to me. It was incredibly dramatic, incredibly stressful and I raced through the story faster than any other book I can remember. I literally picked it up to start reading for the tour, and the next thing I knew I was almost at the end. Believe me, you will not be able to put this book down!

If you are looking for a non-stop thriller that will have your heart racing and breaking at the same time, then this is the book for you.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

A flight from Hawaii goes tragically wrong. All engines have failed. The plane has to ditch into the ocean off the coast of the Hawaiian islands . There begins a catastrophic tale of death and survival. All efforts are made to save the few survivors at the bottom of the sea. Among the survivors on the sunken plane are Will and his daughter Shannon. The deep diving rescuers include Will’s estranged wife who runs a deep sea diving engineering business and who task themselves with the complex and dangerous rescue of the survivors in partnership with the navy and coastguard..
This is a fast based book based on a dangerous rescue and a history of difficult family dynamics between Will and Chris. A good fast read 4 stars

Drowning by T.J. Newman

Holy...wow. I thought Falling was good! Newman's sophomore novel is more intense, with more heart, stronger characters, better dialogue, and for me, it was a lot like the film, Armageddon...but under water. And I loved it!! This time around, passengers on flight 1421 barely get off the ground before the plane starts to fall apart. Shortly after departing from Hawaii, with nothing but the expanse of the deep blue sea all around them, the captain of the plane announces they must ditch. By definition, ditching is a deliberate emergency landing on water, it is not an uncontrolled impact. Ditching events beyond coastal waters are rare, but experience suggests that if the aircraft impacts the water under control, the chance of survival is high. But this is a T.J. Newman novel and that's NOT how things play out for the passengers of flight 1421. The suspense builds and builds until the very end just like you'd expect after reading Newman's first book. LOVED this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for the advance digital copy!

Five BIG stars.

This was such an amazing thrill ride of a book that deftly managed to be both suspenseful, unpredictable, and emotionally engaging all at the same time. "Drowning" felt like I was reading the script for the big budget summer blockbuster that we all wish we could go see, but instead we're at the 112th Marvel remake.

I am so impressed with the way that the author balanced hope and suspense. Realistically, the reader knows this book won't end in all of them not making out of the sunken plane; there is a strong sense of hope and ingenuity throughout. And while some of them must make it, any one character never felt entirely, unrealistically safe. Anyone at any time could go, and that balance really added to the tension that kept me reading!

This is your reviewer speaking, "Fasten your seat belts, this book is not for the faint of heart!!" It is a thriller that will keep you in your seat from page one to the very last page! Honestly I couldn't put this book down and I felt I was actually fighting to survive. This is truly the "thriller for the summer" as quoted by James Patterson.

T.J. Newman's first book "Falling" was fantastic, but this one is phenomenal!! I look forward to seeing "Falling" as a film...."Drowning" needs to be the followup film! And...I can't wait for the thrill ride she'll take us on in her next book.

This book deserves a 20 star rating!!!

4.5★s
Drowning is the second novel by American author, T J Newman. Two minutes out from take-off on their flight from Honolulu to San Francisco, Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon watch as the engine of their A321 Airbus erupts into flame. Flight Attendant Molly Hernandez has seen it too, as have many others. Shannon wonders why they’re not turning back to the airfield.

First Officer on Flight 1421, Kit Callahan reports to air traffic control: not only have they lost thrust in engine one, but also all hydraulic fluid in all three systems. ATC clear the runways for their return, but Kit replies “Unable. We cannot turn around. We cannot climb. We have no hydraulic power. We have no control of this aircraft. Don’t give us alternates. Get a rescue team ready to get us in the water.”

Six minutes and thirty- seven seconds after take-off, with ninety-nine souls on board, Flight 1421 crashes into the sea. The Coast Guard puts out an appeal for help: “Commercial fishermen. Private sailboats. Tourist catamarans. Dive boats. Fishing charters. They put their work, vacations, and honeymoons on hold”, but the scene they encounter is horrific: aviation fuel alight on the surface of the water, and many of those who exited the plane via the chutes unable to escape the flames.

As an engineer, Will could see that there was only one safe place: inside the sealed aircraft, and he convinced Kit to seal the doors. Now they were twelve, a mixed bunch: two children, an elderly couple, a honeymooner abruptly widowed, a nurse, a bartender, a salesman, and three aircrew. Not all agreed with this strategy, and they were vocal about it. But when the plane began to sink, things got even more challenging…

Most thrillers require a degree of suspension of disbelief, but Newman, no doubt through her intimate knowledge of the subject, in addition to some thorough research on aspects with which she was less familiar, makes her story so easily believable, readers may hesitate before boarding another plane.

With vignettes supplying the backstory of the passengers, crew and some of the rescuers, Newman’s second novel has a bit of a Poseidon Adventure feel to it, and the lateral thinking required to save people trapped in a plane under water is enthralling. As with Falling, this one grabs you on page one and doesn’t let go. Unputdownable!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Drowning was very good. As a fan of Falling, I have seen so much growth in this book. The story was well-thought out and held you in place while you read. You had to keep reading because there was no room to not know what happens next. I’m a flight attendant and this story terrified me to my core. Really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley & Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
T.J. Newman has done it again and definitely does not disappoint in her second novel. When I first saw the cover, I know that it was a book that I would have to read, and I was not disappointed. As I read, I pictured each of the characters, and I hope that this book will be made into a movie. It would make for great cinema.
There is so much emotion contained within this book, especially in the parts dealing with Will and his daughter. However, the others start to realize what is important, as well. Some of them knew going in what was important as is evident towards the end. Speaking of which, the final chapters were quite intense, filling the reader with anticipation wondering what is going to happen next. This is a definite page-turner that I could not wait to finish but did not want it to end too soon.

This novel is an intense and gripping thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, particularly if you have anxieties related to airplanes and flying. Newman's background as a former flight attendant adds a chilling authenticity to the story, amplifying the fears of claustrophobia and the perils of being trapped in an underwater plane. This edge-of-your-seat reading experience delivers a thrilling ride for those seeking an adrenaline rush. However, please note that this book includes triggering elements such as fear of flying, claustrophobia, and child loss, which may be distressing for some readers.

Thank you Avid Reader Press, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Rating 4.75/5 stars.