"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.

Not long after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. The plane is soon flooded and sinks to the bottom of the ocean, with a dozen passengers who have survived trapped inside. A major rescue operation is launched. One of the key leaders is professional diver Chris Kent who has a personal connection to the mission: her daughter Shannon and soon-to-be ex-husband Will are 12 of the survivors. As precious time ticks away, and the rescue mission faces various setbacks, Chris fights to reach Shannon and Will, just as they, and their fellow passengers, fight to survive.

This is a terrific book. It is both a great thriller and a powerful story about family and connection. It kept me fully engaged from the first page to the last.

Highly recommended!

"The Drowning" is an absolutely gripping and stress-inducing read. This intense thriller dives deep into suspense, keeping readers hooked with its heart-pounding narrative. The author weaves a masterful tale, skillfully crafting a story that captivates from start to finish. With every twist and turn, "The Drowning" delivers a relentless rollercoaster of emotions, making it an amazing and unforgettable literary experience for those who thrive on edge-of-the-seat storytelling.

Another incredible story from TJ Newman. Drowning gripped me from page, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Between this and Falling, I might be a little nervous next time I board a plane.

A wild ride from start to finish! In addition to keeping my heart besting, I learned so much about the science of the possibilities laid out in the plot. Great story about human behavior in the face of life or death decisions.

This book definitely keep me on the edge of my seat. It started off with a bang and did not let up until near the end. I really had a good time reading this and trying to guess what would happen next.

This was excellent! A plane goes down and mayhem ensues, but when some people
Stay onboard, this novel takes a twist from other similar plots. Great character development and unique angle as a rescue plays out with no time to spare.

After reading and loving Falling back in 2021, Drowning was one of my most anticipated reads of this year. Did I enjoy it? Yes… did I love it as much as Falling? Unfortunately not. Falling was a five star read for me, whereas Drowning didn’t quite make the same impact.  
 
As with Newman’s debut, she knows exactly how to grab the readers attention with the very first sentence. I was instantly hooked and had no trouble turning the pages throughout the whole book. Her writing is fast paced, and the story is centred around an aircraft which crash lands in to the sea. Most people’s worst nightmare right? There’s so much suspense and drama, a lot of the book was spent on the edge of my seat!  
 
From a flight attendant’s perspective, it was an interesting read to see how the crew dealt with the terrifying situation. I did however find a lot of the navy jargon unnecessary, there’s A LOT of it and I found myself skimming over the majority of it. I definitely enjoyed the chapters in the aircraft more as opposed to the rescue operation chapters for this reason. We get to know the trapped passengers well, and you’re rooting for them the whole way through to make it out alive.  
 
I’m intrigued to see what the author comes up with next and I’ll definitely be reading whatever she publishes in the future.

Definitely don't plan to read this if you're traveling anytime in the near future...
Holy moly, this was quite the thriller. I found myself holding my breath on multiple occasions, praying for the passengers. You can tell that the author did her research (and used her experience) when writing this. 10/10 would recommend.

**I received this advance copy free from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Not as good as the first but I enjoyed this fast paced thriller. I’m not sure where else the author can go, however. It’s kind of done now.

How could anyone not give this book 5 stars? I need to go back and read some reviews because I don’t get it. This book was AMAZING! I was on the edge of my seat literally the whole time. I read this book -in.one.sitting- that’s how good it was!

This book was amazing. I love T.J. Newman. I was captivated and quickly sucked in. The characters were likeable and the book was fantastic.

An action pack thriller story. The story grabs your attention from the start and doesn’t let you go or catch your breath until the very end. The author does a fantastic job with the plot and character building. Quite the page turner. I enjoyed the roller coaster ride of excitement.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This new book by Newman is about another plane disaster, but one where a plane crashes into the ocean. It centers around a few central core characters including passengers, crew, and a pilot, plus the efforts made outside of the plane to save them. Much like her first book, I read this in one sitting. Newman's own career as a flight attendant lends a very knowledgable and believable amount of details regarding airplane features and functions. She put in a vast amount of research regarding methods for how to save people underwater and the involvement of the military. Whether this is something that could have been pulled off in real life was not something I continually questioned while reading, With the detail and writing style, it was just a given in my opinion. I recommend this book for those who enjoy tense thrillers and books about how others react when lives are in danger.