Drowning by TJ Newman is hands down my favorite book of 2023. Make this a movie already! This book was so intense and suspenseful and the imagery is perfectly described that it feels like you can see it happening in front of you. It quite literally brought me to tears on several occasions. You will find yourself cheering, sobbing, biting your nails and holding your breath. The book can only be described as a thrill-ride which doesn't let up. Not one part of this story was slow or felt like filler. I couldn't put it down. Thanks Net Galley for the advanced copy!

This heart-pounding suspense selection is a summer blockbuster movie packaged within a book. As for the perfect reader? Kirkus Reviews described it best: "not for the weak-kneed."

T. J. Newman, a former airline attendant, added intensive research and interviews with industry experts to weave a harrowing fictional plane crash off the coast of Hawaii, where a desperate rescue operation takes place to save the twelve passengers trapped inside.

In a desperate struggle for survival, engineer Will Kent and his daughter Shannon find themselves trapped underwater, waist-deep in water. Their only hope lies with an elite rescue team led by professional diver Chris Kent, Shannon's mother, and Will's soon-to-be ex-wife.

The question is if they will rescue them in time as the airplane teeters on the edge of an undersea cliff.

Early readers praised the audiobook performance, although I found it as gripping as the print version.

We have included this novel in our 2023 Summer Reading Guide.

Okay, I'm definitely a minority in here🥲
But this book made my brain overwork!

SUMMARY:
Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. 99 passengers are inside the plane, but only 12 of them are lucky enough to survive after the plane hits the ocean. They need to stay together inside the plane in order to survive, waiting for the rescuer to come and save them. However, will all of the survivors remain alive until the end?.......

List of Survivors:
▪️Ira and Ruth (the old couple)
▪️Bernadette (nurse)
▪️Jasmine (life vest woman)
▪️Andy (blue polo asshole)
▪️Will and Shannon (Father and daughter)
▪️Ryan (newlywed widow)
▪️Maia (unaccompanied minor)
▪️Kit, Kaholo, and Molly (The Crew)
👉IN TOTAL: 12 People

👁️This story is told in third person

🕰️There are Multiple Timelines in here.

MY THOUGHTS:
📌 The premise is all I wanted; I do love aviation (especially airplane), and I'm a big fan of this kind of story, but the execution is the main and biggest problem here.

📌 There are a lot of aviation terms used in this book, so for people who aren't really into airplanes, you might find yourself a little bit confused while reading it.

📌 To be honest, the first 10% of this book was good; it successfully sucked me into the story. And I thought that would work for the whole page till the end, but NAH......🙁

📌 I can picture this book as a movie. It might be a big hit as a movie, but as a book...BIG NO

📌 I haven't read the first book from this author, but as I saw the reviews from her previous work, 'Falling," I had the same feelings as them. So I thought the first book and the second book were quite alike; if you like the first book, you might like this one as well, but if you don't, then stay away from this one as well.

WHY IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR ME:
☠️ It was TOO INTENSE! While reading this book, I felt like I was in a crowded place where I couldn't even breathe. This intensity ruined everything! And made this book become TOO MUCH in every aspect.

Even right from the first page, it was already very intense and seemed to be in a hurry; it began with the engine starting to explode and everyone in panic. Usually, I like this kind of opening, but in this case, I would rather it begin at the airport. When they are about to take off or waiting for the plane....

☠️ My lousy brain couldn't keep up with the story; she refused to think and went blank instead!

So there are two situations here: the first is the survivors, and the second is the rescuer. Both sides are freakin intense and complicated! I found it hard to imagine both situations, which is why I said "It might be a big hit as a movie, but as a book...BIG NO"

☠️ Now, because of those things I said before,
My brain couldn't keep up + The intensity kept building up up and up = At the end, it became such a mess for me!

☠️ It was boringable
AngelFA's Dictionary: Boringable is a situation where I find something boring, but it's still fine. And I can cope with it.

☠️ The more I read, the more I hate this book!
And the characters *DEEP SIGH* somehow I didn't like it either.

☠️ I'm waiting for the author's debut as a romance writer because some of the dialogue is chessy good enough for a romance book

WHERE THE BOOK COULD HAVE WORKED BETTER:
🔍 SEAT MAP, I wish there was a seat map. Though I know what the Airbus A321 looked like, still, if you provide a seat map/plane map, it's much better, isn't it?

🔍 Will and Chris
Somehow, I felt their love story was useless.

OVERALL:
This book is not to my liking, but trying to be general here and consider the other things, I think this book deserves at least 2 stars instead of 1 star.

CREDIT:
Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! When the book starts, we meet and get to know the passengers on Flight 1421. You feel like you are on the plane with them and some even seem like they are your friends. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout this whole book! After the plane crashes, Will realizes that the jet fuel all over the water is going to kill them all, and he talks a group of people into staying inside the plane to wait for help. The plane then sinks with them all trapped inside. It is a race between the Navy and experienced government contractors to find a safe way to rescue the survivors trapped at the bottom of the ocean before their oxygen runs out. The epilogue at the end brings this book to a great close while honoring those lost on the flight. It is fictional, but while reading I gained feelings for these characters and was rooting for the best possible outcome. T.J. Newman is a phenomenal author and is great at keeping the suspense and fast paced thrill that keeps you sucked in.

T.J. Newman is back with her next aircraft-set action novel following the success of her last, Falling. Drowning is a thrilling and fast-paced novel that takes readers on a suspenseful journey from air to sea, complete with a full cast of characters and a harrowing rescue mission.

One of the highlights of the book is the multiple third-person points-of-view, which shows the perspectives of both the rescue team and the trapped passengers. The multiple perspectives add depth to the narrative and enhance the sense of impending doom and dread from inside and out. Too, I appreciated the strong female characters in traditionally male-dominated fields. Also, nerd that I am, I appreciated the technical explanations of everything. Newman keeps the plot rolling while also making sure the reader understands what is happening and why.

My least favorite part was a couple major characters: husband and dad Will, an on-board passenger, and Will’s wife Chris, a contractor who becomes a critical part of the rescue mission. They come across as overdramatic in their insistence and smug attitudes toward other ideas. If you have watched the show Manifest (NBC/Netflix), you have an exact idea of Will’s know-it-all dad vibes, which leads him to butt heads with others in his desperate determination to save his daughter. In fact, I could only imagine Josh Dallas portraying Will, so similar does the Ben Stone character feel to Will. I thought the family backstory and the Will-Chris dynamics tend to overwhelm the narrative, but they do give the story heart.

Was Drowning cheesy? Sometimes, yup. Did I roll my eyes? You bet I did. Did I gulp it down in a couple days and enjoy my time reading it? A million times yes. I found myself invested in the passengers' lives and rooting for their survival, amid a rollercoaster of a plot. T.J. Newman knows how to write an airplane disaster experience, both the on-board and the off-board parts. Drowning is a true page-turner, particularly well-suited for fans of rescue and disaster novels. Despite my minor quibbles, this novel delivered exactly what I expected: an adrenaline-fueled, edge-of-my-seat, unputdownable adventure. I can’t wait to see this on screen and to read what Newman writes next.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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!

Stellar thriller from TJ Newman! The actions starts on page 1 and it never really stops! Such a crazy premise, it will have you hooked the whole time!

Well, they’ve done it again! Same as the first, don't read this on an airplane, near an airport, flying over water, or getting ready to fly, or just having flown. But absolutely read it! Fast paced, action packed and edge of your seat suspense.

TJ Newman’s latest book is sure to be a favorite on the beach this summer! DROWNING is another tense thriller centered around a flight crew and passengers that experience the unthinkable when their plane crash lands in the waters near Hawaii.

What follows is a fast paced, creative read that had me racing to see how it would end. Along the way were an array of characters, as well as a backstory on the main characters Will and Chrissy. Newman has a fantastic ability of creating incredibly vivid characters that have their own quirks and personalities. This helped to further build the emotional element as the events unfolded. I also really enjoyed how the author shifted from different perspectives and thought this added to the tension as well.

If you enjoyed Newman’s debut or you’re looking for a suspenseful read, I highly recommend adding DROWNING to your summer reading list! This is the perfect summer thriller for those looking for a quick, entertaining read!

What's the last book that kept you awake all night?

#Drowning did that to me- and right before a busy and long day, but I just couldn't put it ...erm, down!

If you've read #Falling you know what to expect- but this is better There isn't an antagonist to reason with, understand or hate- there's just courage, logic and love fighting against all laws of physics. And plenty of twists- the last one at the very end got me!

OH MY GOD. Honestly, I was freaking out the entire time I was reading this book. So much tension! So much drama! So much action! A PLANE SINKING IN THE OCEAN?! My worst nightmare. Newman is amazing at ratcheting up the tension and keeping you there for long periods of time. I will read anything they write!

I cant believe the emotions I just went through. I am unsure if I would ever want to fly again lol.
I loved all the different perspectives and was on the edge of my seat the whole time!
I am not planning to go back and read his first one.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and T.J. Newman for providing access to this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

Wow. This book is intense and definitely not for the faint of heart. That being said, I devoured it. I felt like I was in the plane myself at times, feeling the same anxiety and fear as the passengers.

Despite the adrenaline rush of the main plot, I could also feel the grief and complexity of the relationships portrayed throughout the novel, which gave it an entirely new dimension.

A definite must-read for thriller lovers!

Wow! This book had me hooked from the very beginning. If you are looking for a fast, exciting thriller that keeps the pages turning, then this is it! Perfect for a summer read. The sophomore novel by T.J Newman (former flight attendant) starts with a commercial flight flying from Honolulu crashing into the ocean. From there, the tension and edge of your seat reading goes on from there. I was hesitant to read this as an anxious flyer but I couldn't devour the words the fast enough. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Press for the advanced reader copy. Out on May 30th

✈️Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 by T.J. Newman✈️

Sooooo will I ever ride in an airplane flying over a body of water again? Hopefully not 😆

This was a heart pounding wild ride! A thriller about a commercial flight from Honolulu to San Francisco that crashes into the ocean and eventually sinks with some passengers trapped inside. Rescue mission ensues!

Written by a former flight attendant, Drowning would be amazing on the big screen and reads like a movie in your mind.

4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @avidreaderpress for an early review copy!

#bookstagram #drowning #tjnewman #bookreview #thrillerbooks #avidreaderpress #drowningbook

Holy. Cow. A HUGE thank you to Avid Reader Press and Netgalley for this amazing read. I really enjoyed Newman's first novel, Falling, but I found Drowning to be exceptional! Within 6 minutes of take off Flight 1421 has to ditch in the ocean, with crew and passengers stuck under water. This is fast paced thriller from beginning to end. I both wanted to savor this read, and read as fast as possible to find out what happens. There's a great group of characters and so much action, this is sure to be a huge summer hit. T. J. Newman will for sure be an auto read author for me for as long as she writes!

Imagine boarding your flight home from Hawaii. You are four minutes into your flight and the engine catches on fire. What else could go wrong? You have to "ditch" into the ocean, but miraculously you live. Passengers have flotation devices on and are heading to the rafts. What else could go wrong? The fire changes course so you lock yourself in the plane. Then what more could possibly go wrong? Plenty dear reader, but you will need to read to find out for yourself. This book grabbed my attention at about page 5 and never let it go.

T. J. Newman has packed this thriller with action, suspense, and a cast of great characters. Each character is introduced seamlessly into the story without unnecessary descriptions. At the end of the book, I realized that she somehow incorporated so many different ways people handle stressful situations, but they fit together so well. I also loved how she made the female characters the focus of the book. All I could think while reading this was, "who runs the world? Girls."

I predict that this book will be a big hit this summer. Be careful if you take this to the beach. You may forget to reapply sunscreen or turn over. I can confidently say that I will continue to read whatever T.J. Newman writes.

What a non-stop action packed thrill ride! This is one of my favorite books this year! I loved TJ Newman’s first book, Falling, but I think I love this one even more!
Just minutes after Flight 1421 takes off from Honolulu, the engine explodes and the plane crashes into the ocean. Twelve passengers still aboard the plane sink down two hundred feet into the ocean and amazingly survive . . . but for how long before their air runs out? An extraordinary rescue operation tackles the almost impossible odds of saving these passengers before it’s too late!
This book was so fast paced, I couldn’t put it down! Run and pre-order this one!

An absolute thrill ride from beginning to end. A plane from Hawaii to Cali goes down in the ocean. Survival and rescue of the passengers on the plane will have you binge reading this with as few interruptions as possible. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy