🛩️Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421
Author: T.J. Newman
Genre: General Fiction (adult fiction)
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
Format: eARC - thank you to @Netgalley and to @avidreaderpress
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like: The Raft, Wreckage

✈️ 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. More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives.
Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.
⏳There’s not much time.
🫧There’s even less air.

✈️Review: this is listed as general adult fiction but I think it qualifies as suspense as well! There is quite a bit of nautical and aviation jargon/lingo that 1️⃣Is very informative and thoroughly known or researched by the author but 2️⃣Takes away from the story. If you aren’t well versed in that department it does seem to get cerebral at times. If that area is your niche, then this book is a must read for you! I felt as though the main characters could have been more fleshed out so as to add a little bit more “feeling” to them and their moral dilemmas. Even so, I still felt my heart strings being pulled by the end of the story. By the end I felt more drawn to the characters and I enjoyed the suspense as well. It read like a rescue mission movie reminding me a little of “The Guardian” with Ashton Kutcher.
The flight attendant turned author’s first novel “Falling” is being made into a movie and I have to say: I cant wait for that to be released! All in all, I definitely enjoyed reading this one and I’ll be watching what this author does next!

I loved the first one of hers so I had high hopes for this one and luckily it did live up to the hype. I really like the writing style and plot of this book.

📚 Drowning by TJ Newman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do yourself a favor and block off the day to read this book in one sitting. You won’t want to put it down. This is a roller coaster thriller of a story about survival and rescue. I was absolutely riveted by the underwater rescue of the boys soccer team in Thailand. The documentary The Rescue about the event was one of the most thrilling and suspenseful movies I’ve ever seen. Drowning was like that, but a fictional story about a the rescue of a group of people trapped in an airplane after it crashed into the ocean. Gripping, thrilling and a bit over the top. I loved it and I really hope they make it into a movie. Thank you so much to @netgalley and @avidreaderpress for this advanced copy to review. Drowning comes out on May 30th and you won’t want to miss it!

A well written fast-faced thriller that kept me engaged throughout. I appreciated the details and POV from the flight crew, especially since the author is a former flight attendant. If you like high tension rescue attempts that make people re-evaluate life’s priorities, you’ll definitely want to give this one a try.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Drowning releases May 30, 2023


Such an exciting and compulsively readable book! This thriller delivered what it promised; excitement, emotions, tears. The perfect popcorn thriller to read on vacation. It's easy to read and the writing style made me feel like I am in the middle of the action.

#netgalley #arcreview #tjnewman

5 stars

Wow. I'm a flight attendant and this book gave me chills. From the very first page I was hooked and stressed for everyone on board flight 1421. I have never read a book that was formatted like this and I felt like I was watching a movie, it was done very well.

Flight 1421 leaves Honolulu and experiences an engine fire followed by a hydraulic leak. Six minutes after takeoff the plane crashes into the water. The plane is sinking and a fire is breaking out. Do you leave and take your chances with the fire? Do you stay on the plane and risk drowning inside to avoid the fire?

Will was the star of the book. A father doing everything he can to protect and save his daughter after losing one child already. This book tugged at my heart and I could not put it down. I know the author was a flight attendant and seeing how accurate all of the situations were just brought the story to life even more. From the bracing for impact, assessing the situation outside the plane, even the passcode for the flight attendants phone was an accurate guess and something that is common.

I felt like I was on the plane with them and kept asking myself what I would do in each of these situations. I also loved the multiple point of views where you learn not only what's happening in the plane, but also during the search and rescue mission. I cheered and I cried. I'm still reeling over this book and I cannot reccomend this enough.

this book is slow and steady. creepy as in you don’t know what’s going on/who to believe. it definitely gave me verity vibes (as in you don’t know who to believe at the end of the book). so conflicted !!!

thank you netgalley for an ARC of this one! what a fun ride

Oh This book was amazing! I could not put it down. I have found a new favorite author. I look forward to more book from T.J Newman. It kept me on the edge of my seat, while reading.

It was a mistake reading the last 13% of this book this morning at the office before starting my work day because now I am red-eyed and sobbing at my desk and feel a massive book hangover coming on but I had no choice because I absolutely could not put it down. This read almost like a screen play and will translate so well to the big screen (I think it says something that the film rights were acquired in a huge bidding war 2 months before publication). Absolutely recommend to anyone who likes books that make your heart race with a strong cast of memorable characters or if you’re in a slump - just be prepared because you are NOT going to want to set it aside.

Pub Date: 5/30/23
Review Date: 5/5/23
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Really enjoyed this book by TJ Newman. Haven't read her before, Will definitely be picking up her first book, Falling, and future books. This book had great, well developed characters, and a great plot. The pacing was fantastic, and it was hard to not start the next chapter each time I finished one. Highly recommend.

Drowning by T. J. Newman is unputdownable. I barely had a moment to catch my breath before another life and death crisis occurred. This fast-paced thriller is accurately described as Apollo 13 underwater. Newman, a former flight attendant,' puts the reader in the plane as it crashes into the Pacific Ocean. The heart-pounding terror and claustrophobia was as real to me as it is to the characters in this book.

I loved this book! It managed to never let up on the action without feeling wildly over the top. It opens with a violent plane crash into the ocean, and that somehow isn’t the most stressful thing that happens. The characters were likable and believable, the plot was stressful, the writing was flawless, and the every scene was obviously well researched.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Drowning by T.J. Newman in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Avid Press…this was such a highly anticipated read of 2023 for me and I feel SO EXCITED and honored that I got an advanced copy. OK…review time!

TJ Newman will forever be an auto-buy author for me. Flight Attendant turned author could easily have been a dicey gamble, but she not only hit it out of the park with Falling, she somehow one upped herself with Drowning. I was so worried her sophomore novel would be such a let down after such a smashing success with the first. I. Was. Wrong. This was…better?! Better isn’t the right word, because both are 5 stars for me. What was different that I think the masses will love: the human empathy and connection we found over 200 feet below the ocean’s surface.

I gasped multiple times, need a massage from the tension I had while reading and cried at the end. Happy tears? Sad Tears? Read for yourself to find out! This was fantastic. The writing. The story. The characters. The fear we all have when boarding a flight - it happened - but the collective human spirit of survival and rescue was phenomenal.

I loved it. I cannot wait for her next airplane thriller - please don’t leave us in the air too long, Newman! We need more!

Airplane disaster story written by a former flight attendant and her second book to feature danger in the air. The author's previous book "Falling" was about a crisis faced by a pilot during a flight and "Drowning" is about a different type of air emergency. Set in Hawaii, the book is about an engineer named Will who is traveling with his 11 year old daughter, Shannon, to bring her to a summer camp. Will is separated from his wife Chris who has a very specialized job repairing marine equipment under water. The plane barely takes off when the engine explodes and the plane quickly plummets towards the ground. The captain, a woman named Kit guides the plane into the ocean but the real emergency has just begin.

The majority of the book is about the various passengers and crew members who are trying to stay alive. While some people got out on slides, a number of passengers remained in the plane as it sunk into the water. The passengers included Will and his daughter, a young girl traveling alone, an elderly couple and a young newlywed whose wife died on impact. The group in the plane try to work with the the rescue operations working above to make it out alive. Lots of exciting scenes and detailed technical information. As the Navy and Coast Guard struggle to find a solution, Will's wife Chris comes up with an idea that just might save her family.

Some of the dialogue is kind of corny and expected but I enjoyed the close relationships that formed among the survivors. I did wonder why the cover was so similar to the author's previous book and think it might cause confusion. . It is clear that that the author did a lot of research on airplanes and rescues at sea and I enjoyed reading about the rescue operations. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I don't even have the right words for this book. I almost quit reading after a few pages because the idea of a plane crashing into the water and folks drowning is downright terrifying, but I'm glad I continued. This was the first book in a long time (maybe since Falling) that I physically could not put down. The suspense was done so, so well, and I really felt like I got to know all the characters involved. This one - much like Falling - will stick with me for a while, though hopefully I can push it out of my brain long enough to get on a plane again.

4 1/2 ⭐️s rounded up!

“US Coast Guard District Fourteen to all available boats. Anyone willing and able to assist with survivor recovery of a ditched commercial aircraft, report to the south western coast of Molokai. Over.”

40 years ago I found my 21 year old self sitting in an un-inflated life raft in the basement of The People Express Training Center. As we passed around the survival kit for inspection (shark repellent, anyone?) our instructor in passing said, “We have to go over this, but basically when an aircraft makes a water landing in an ocean, otherwise known as a ditching, no one survives.”

Fast forward to today, where I am collecting my thoughts and resuming normal blood pressure because this book had me on the edge of my seat during every single page. Ms. Newman’s follow up to her wildly successful debut Falling is a propulsive story about the rescue attempt of an aircraft which has crashed and sunk into the Pacific Ocean. The author takes her vast knowledge and experience about aviation and takes it to the next level with layers of Coast Guard rescue and scuba diving adding to the pulse pounding narrative. Well drawn characters provide the human element and are integral to the cleverly crafted plot.

This one is certain to be THE summer thriller this year, and deserves all the accolades. Readers, tray tables and seat backs up…and fasten those seatbelts. You’re in for quite a ride!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Avid Reader Press for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love a disaster film type story and I love to learn "accidently" in fiction and this story gave me both. I felt the panic of the passengers and I rooted for them to be rescued and I learn a lot about "ditching" which is when a plane controlled water landing of a plane. The writing was bit mechanical but the taut story made up for that.

I was planning on taking a night off from reading to watch a little T.V. and then I read the first sentence of this book, and I was hooked. I hardly ever have books that I finish within less than 24 hours anymore because of #momlife but this one was so compelling, and I was able to sneak in some reading after the kids were in bed and then I woke up early to finish it.

This book is going to be everywhere so I will give a brief summary – Six minutes into a flight out of Hawaii the plane’s engine explodes and the plane goes down. Some passengers end up trapped inside the plane – this is the story of their rescue. This is an extremely gripping book that had me flipping through the pages to find out how it would end. I cared about the characters and kept imagining myself in their shoes.

If you love a fast-paced suspense-filled then this one is for you.

What a fantastic read! I read it in under 24 hours and could not put it down. I will be sharing this with friends and family all summer.

Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW!! MIND BLOWN!! PHENOMENAL!! Drowning is an extremely INTENSE suspense/thriller that will grab a hold of you and not let you go! I am talking about full on adrenaline rush and being on the edge of your seat the entire time! Once I started reading I couldn't stop because I had to know what was going to happen next. You ever think that things can't get worse and the next thing you know it does!?! AHHH!! By the end of this rollercoaster of a ride, I was exhausted emotionally and physically. This book is easily one of my favorite reads this year!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Six minutes after take off Flight 1421 it crashes into the ocean. While evacuating an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. The remaining people on the plane are forced to close the doors and the plane begins to sink! Will the twelve people trapped inside be rescued or will they die? They are on borrowed time with every minute that passes due to running out of air!

Is this story just about a plane crash? No, its so much more! The story is about love, hope, loss, second chances and the lengths a parent will go to for their child. The author has a way of making you feel so connected to the characters that you feel like your right there with them. This is my first read by Newman but it will not be my last! I highly recommend this book and it deserves a million stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️