In Drowning by T. J. Newman, a routine flight turns into a nightmare when a plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean, sinking 200 feet below the surface with twelve passengers trapped inside. As water floods the cabin, a desperate race against time unfolds. A small pocket of air keeps them alive, but the clock is ticking.

The story shifts between the passengers fighting for their lives underwater and the frantic rescue team on the surface, working against the clock to save them. Amidst the chaos and fear, the characters reveal their strength, courage, and humanity.

Newman delivers a heart-pounding and authentic portrayal of survival, hope, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. "Drowning" is a gripping, emotional thriller that will keep readers hooked until the very last page.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each bringing their own struggles and strengths to the harrowing situation. The emotional depth of the passengers and crew, combined with the high stakes of survival, creates a captivating human drama. The tension is palpable, and Newman’s background as a flight attendant lends an authentic touch to the aviation details, making the scenario even more believable.

Newman’s writing style is crisp and clear, with short chapters that enhance the pacing. The shifting perspectives provide a full view of the unfolding disaster and the desperate attempts to save those trapped underwater. The sense of urgency and the fight against time are skillfully conveyed, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Wow! This novel is super entertaining. For those with claustrophobia, Drowning might be daunting, but if you can get past a few hair-raising early scenes, you’ll be engrossed in this spectacular thriller.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for a review copy of this book. The opinions are my own.

T. J. Newman is former flight attendant who really brings her expertise into her books, both this one and her debut Falling. I thoroughly enjoyed Falling and expected more of the same with Drowning. I made a big mistake by starting this one during a flight while on vacation. The intensity and vivid descriptions of a plummeting jet made me put the book away until my feet were firmly on the ground! The jet settles on the bottom of the ocean and the rest of the book flips back and forth between the survivors in the jet and the personnel trying to rescue them. Main character Will and his daughter Shannon happen to be onboard. Will's estranged wife is a diver working very hard to come up with a plan to save them. I recommend this to anyone who likes adventure/rescue stories. Newman has published a well written book for sure. I look forward to her next one.

This was a real surprise for me. It reads just like a rescue mission movie. I was sucked in and loved the characters right away. There was such suspense and times I had to keep reading to find out what happened before pausing. There were many moments with so many feelings I found myself tearing up A LOT. And for real crying a couple times. Whoa. I didn’t know what was going to happen. Then there was a couple unexpected twists.
When I started reading I thought, I’m not in the mood for this plane crash book, what was I thinking? But after sticking with it, I’m so glad I did!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC! I’d highly recommend this book.

This book was AMAZING, great plot with plenty of suspense! The storyline was interesting, with great characters!! I would highly recommend this book to everyone!!

Drowning; The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel) by T. J. Newman was not for me, personally. I am still thankful that I got to read this!

Drowning is fast-paced, more-ish novel with each chapter packing an almighty cliffhanger-infused-punch! I need another, another and another!

A very average book for me. I loved falling by this author but this one just felt very meh for me. It was almost like too much was going on.

Wow! This book is fantastic. Well paced and terrifying in the best way that a thriller can be. I took this book on a plane to read without even thinking about the premise - it s=certainly made it more terrifying! Loved it.

Will, an engineer, is always mentally preparing for the worst situations, but he didn't fully anticipate this one. He is flying with his 11-year-old daughter, Shannon, from Hawaii to San Francisco when six minutes after take off, their flight makes a crash landing in the ocean. And when an engine explodes during evacuation, forcing those still aboard to close the doors on the flooded vessel, Will, Shannon, and 10 others are trapped aboard the flooded vessel as it sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

On the surface, the real hope for rescue is in the hands of professional diver Chris, who happens to be Shannon's mom, and Will's soon to be ex-wife. She has to fight through politics and protocol to try and save every one aboard, but especially her husband and daughter.
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Will, an engineer, is always mentally preparing for the worst situations, but he didn't fully anticipate this one. He is flying with his 11-year-old daughter, Shannon, from Hawaii to San Francisco when six minutes after take off, their flight makes a crash landing in the ocean. And when an engine explodes during evacuation, forcing those still aboard to close the doors on the flooded vessel, Will, Shannon, and 10 others are trapped aboard the flooded vessel as it sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

On the surface, the real hope for rescue is in the hands of professional diver Chris, who happens to be Shannon's mom, and Will's soon to be ex-wife. She has to fight through politics and protocol to try and save every one aboard, but especially her husband and daughter.
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I received a complimentary audio version of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the first book of this little duo ‘Falling’ and enjoyed ‘Drowning’ just as much !

This book was SUPER claustrophobic and nerve-wracking . It seriously kickstarted my anxiety multiple times while reading because I seriously COULD NOT imagine going through this .. plane crash in the ocean with only limited amount of air as the plane keeps sinking and sinking … my god NOOOO . 😰😰😰😰😰

The one thing that kinda started getting to me though was the amount of airplane jargon though , I know nothing about planes except the fact that they fly , so a lot of the terms were way out of my comprehension, needed it to be a bit dumbed down for me hahaha ! But , the fact the author is a flight attendant , I mean , it makes sense !

Overall, very good book , would definitely continue to read more of this authors work !

I loved Falling and Drowning did not disappoint! I read it in one sitting and similarly to Falling - I envision this becoming a movie! Loved it - solid 5 stars!

Excellent book. Great (terrifying) concept and held my attention the whole time. Looking forward to continuing to read books by this author.

Wow what a page turner. I felt like I was watching a movie while reading this book and it was very hard for me to put it down. The story is just so enthralling and you need to know what happens next. So much fun. 5 stars!

"Drowning" by T.J. Newman is an adrenaline-fueled thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn't let go. Newman's aviation expertise adds authenticity to the heart-pounding plot, delivering a rollercoaster ride of suspense and tension that will leave readers breathless until the very end.

4.5⭐
Genre ~ thriller
Setting ~ Hawaii & The Pacific Ocean
Publication date ~ May 30, 2023
Est page Count ~ 300 (43+ chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 43 minutes
Narrators ~ Steven Weber, Laura Benanti
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ plane crash, search and resuce

*Don't read this one if you'll be on a flight in the near future or have a fear of flying or while in flight*

Our main characters are:
Will & Shannon, father and daughter, on a flight together when something goes terribly wrong. Chris is the wife and mother, who is also the diver that will go to great lengths to try and save them.

You can tell the author has first hand knowledge of being a flight attendant because this was well thought out with nonstop action! A suspenseful, fast paced thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat biting your cuticles to shreds.

Side note ~ just saw this is going to be made into a movie, whoop whoop!

I was able to listen to an audio copy as well.
Narration notes:
Sometimes it was duet narration and sometimes not, so I would have preferred some consistency on that aspect. Overall, they both did a fine job, though.

I couldn't put this book down. Now I want to read their first book that's being made into a movie. I don't read that many thrillers. I mostly read fantasy, scifi, and horror. The craziest thing is when I began this novel. We flew to the Netherlands for 2 weeks. On the flights over, we sat in the bulkhead, then premium for the Atlantic flight. On the way back, we did the same from the Netherlands to New York. The 2 hour flight from NY to Atlanta, we were in regular seats with me in the center. I wasn't ok. It was very claustrophobic. We were delayed on the runway for extra baggage. I felt trapped. I could feel a panic attack beginning. After 30 minutes or more waiting to push back to begin the taxi, I was spent. I envisioned myself running to first class, paying for upgrade. I even thought about demanding that they open the door and I would take a later flight. It was intense. I had finished my previous book and was debating on what to read next to distract myself. I didn't download a movie or special music because I planned on reading or playing games on my phone. I thought if I could just listen to or watch LOTR, I'd calm down. I couldn't. I scrolled through my books on my kindle. Dark Matter wasn't downloaded yet. I knew I needed something like that. I saw this title and thought it was the worst thing possible to read in this moment. It worked. Reading about people going through a worst-case scenario while I just had a pretend one in my head soothed me. It's completely insane. I read until I fell asleep, then 2 hours or so later, I was off the plane and on the ground. I realized I haven't truly reviewed this book, but I think my story is a great testament to its believability. The day after being home and resting and trying to binge watch tv to relax, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I finished it in one day.
I received an e-arc of this title in exchange for an honest review.

It has been long since I read a thriller, and that's because these days I fall mor under the spell of contemporary fiction books rather than action packed thrillers that seem to have a linear plot line. With all these, I can honestly say this book was quite good, keeping me on the edge until the end

The writing is sharp, evocative, and immersive. I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing their fear, desperation, and hope. The pacing is relentless, never allowing for a dull moment, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. T.J. Newman knows how to keep readers on their toes, delivering surprises that leave you gasping for breath.

This was another great read from T. J. Newman! While it wasn't as good as her first book in my opinion, it had the same characteristics of a breakneck speed thriller with twists and turns in every chapter. There is a lot of talk about deep sea technology which can bog down the story in story in parts, but it's clear the author knows not only plane equipment, but underwater gear as well. Some of the story requires some suspension of disbelief, but it well-written and you will definitely be rooting for the characters until the last page.

"Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside." As children, an elderly couple, newlyweds, and flight crew struggle to stay positive that a rescue team will reach them in time, the suspense will keep you hooked until the last page.

Overall Fast-paced, this Thriller is Uniquely plotted and Entertaining to read.

Drowning is a gripping and hard to put down tale of survival and rescue after a plane crashes into the ocean mere minutes after take-off. This book is intense from the very beginning as the plane loses power and goes down into the ocean. This scene is anxiety provoking and scary. The author taps into a fear that some travelers have - a plane crash.

The book tells the story of the pilot, crew, and several passengers on the plane. Will was traveling with his daughter, Shannon, when the plane went down. His estranged wife, Chris, is a diver who is attempting to save the survivors.

Whew! From the very beginning this book is action packed and tense. The only respite from the non-stop onslaught of tension is when the author takes readers back showing how a horrible loss fractured Will and Chris's relationship.

I enjoyed the show of courage, bravery, sacrifice, and support in this book. This tale of survival also shows triumph of the human spirit, courage, and teamwork.

This book was captivating and pulse pounding. Wowza, what a book! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, turning the pages, crossing my fingers, and feeling all kids of emotions.