Just minutes after takeoff the engine of Flight 1421 fails. Soon after the plane crash lanes into the ocean off the coast of Hawaii. While most of the passengers scramble to get off, Will senses more danger in getting off the plane versus staying. Him along with 11 other passengers, including his daughter, close the doors to the plane. But their hope to safely float quickly turns deadly as plane sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

Jumping from the perspective of a handful of the passengers this had me 100000% on the edge of my seat the entire time! Talk about INTENSE. The actions starts on page 1 and doesn’t let up until the final chapter. Literally this was a FANTASTIC SUSPSENE READ! Tons of action and character building I binge read this entire book in four hours. Thankfully it was a Friday night, but make sure you have time to read the entire thing at once! This would be a perfect quick vacation read, but may I suggest not reading it while flying!

I didn’t read T.J. Newman’s debut Falling but I have already added it to my immediate TBD, because Newman’s writing is just phenomenal. While the ending was fairly predictable, I still loved every single minute of this book. All the stars!

Drowning comes out May 30, 2023. Huge thank you to Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

This is one of those books that will have you at the edge of your seat from start to finish. Similar Newman’s debut Falling, Drowning was another airplane drama filled with action and suspense, but I truly appreciated how different the plot was. I loved the character development, the vivid descriptions and the various POVs. The audiobook was also performed in a duet style, which was amazing as I felt like a movie was unfolding with the back and fourth dialogue and male/female narrators.

I loved this book so much! It will leave you biting your nails, sitting on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping pages, wanting to know what comes next. The whole book just takes place in a couple of hours, so it is incredibly fast-paced. T.J. pulls you in and does not let go until the last page, and even then, you'll be left thinking about the story.

I enjoyed T.J. Newman's Falling immensely, so I was so excited to receive an arc of Drowning. Drowning was good but not as compelling a read as Falling. The main problem for me was all of the technical jargon. I understand that a book such as this one needs technical language, but there was just so much of it. There were parts I skipped over or didn't understand because of it. I am still a fan and will definitely read the next book, but the technical language brought it down a star. Thank you to Avid Reader Press and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster) for an ARC.

Drowning is pegged as an aviation thriller, and I thought it would be a lot more chilling than it aw. It didn’t feel suspenseful for me and I am someone who hates and fears flying. This novel is more like a sappy romance, unfortunately.

Some parts of Drowning seemed unrealistic, like when some passengers wrote a message in a bottle. However, the author added some character nuances and mannerisms that provided some comedic relief.

There were many weird depictions of grief, like when the MMC and a female character hear his young daughter talking about her dead sister, and the female character asks, “do you miss her?” I mean, who doesn’t miss their deceased child on the daily? I don’t get that question. It was a botched attempt at sappiness.

The ending did not redeem the book as I’d hoped. If you love sappy stories with light suspense, go for it. If you are looking for a true thriller, pass on this one.

I will say that the content is very well informed regarding aviation and diving.

Wow, what a ride! I literally only stopped reading this to sleep, and picked it right back up in the morning and finished the book in less than 24 hours. I loved “Falling,” and this book is just as good. This one will make a good movie, too. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can not describe how much I enjoyed this edge-of-your-seat thriller! Drowning is the sophomore novel by flight attendant turned author T.J. Newman. I loved her first novel, Falling, and am so pleased that this second book is just as good, if not better! Will and his young daughter are onboard a flight leaving Hawaii that has engine trouble. This duo will lead the charge in helping save passengers from the drama that ensues. I don't want to give away the plot but suffice it to say that once you pick this book up you will not be putting it down until you've reached the final page. I've already recommended it to many readers and encouraged them all to place their pre-orders. Read and enjoy!

Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced copy of this book. 5 STARS, A MUST READ.
Falling was amazing, and drowning absolutely did not disappoint. What a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Out of the gate this grabs the reader. There is NO slow burn..this novel literally begins with an explosion.

The story follows Will, his daughter , Shannon along with the passengers and crew of Flight 1421.
The reader meets the cast of charactersas Flight 1421 is forced to "ditch"into the Pacific Ocean. Their survival depends on rescue endervors whose team includes Chris,the wife of Will and the mother of Shannaon. With so much to lose, Chris is determined to save her family at any cost.

This sophmore novel by T.J. Newman is sure to become a best seller for 2023 and a potential box office hit !

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ability to read this ARC.

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. T.J. Newman delivers not only an intense pressure driven story but also well-developed characters as well. I became so involved with the twelve diverse survivors, I found myself yelling, crying and holding my breath during the tense action along with them. A breathtaking, edge of your seat thriller, prepare for a late night/early morning with this gripping, claustrophobic, page- turner!

First off, I love when I enjoy an author's sophomore novel even more than their first, and while I thought #Falling was a solid debut but Drowning was a total hit! It certainly isn't for the faint of heart but I think if you read this description first, you would be able to quickly decide if that is you!

One of the highlights was author TJ Newman's ability to write a completely propulsive read, while also tying in an emotional storyline at the same time. It had depth, while also keeping me on the edge of my seat. Add in that TJ is a Flight Attendant turned New York Times best seller...and you have the recipe for a book that reads like a plane crash/rescue action movie!

This one is coming out on May 30th, and I highly recommend adding it to your spring reading list! Thank you to Avid Reader Press for my free review copy.

Pure escapism. You have to suspend belief often, but when you do you will love this! TW for claustrophobia.

The book was incredibly fast paced and tense. I found that I couldn't read it at night because of that, which makes for a very compulsive read. Newman does a great job bringing in her knowledge as a flight attendant into her stories.

I mean, this may easily be in my top 5 of the year. This was SO GOOD. All I can say is go read this one. Without giving too much away - I really enjoyed this book & it kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm SO glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to everyone! I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

TJ Newman's first book read like an action movie. It was intense and kept you on the edge of your seat. This one is even better. I started reading and was not prepared to be sobbing within the first couple of chapters. I didn't want to put it down. I finished it in two days and kind of want to go back and start it all over again. :) I did find the ending to be predictable with the solution, but it didn't take that much away from the story. Newman is definitely a must read author for me!

Drowning was page-turning, but also substantial. In a way that I didn't experience with her debut, Falling. Yes, I loved Falling, but this one was a notch above. The writing was smoother, the stories and the characters went deeper - especially that of our "lead family", Will, Chris and their daughter Shannon.

This was a wild ride, but I never felt panicky. Somehow, Newman knew when to ratchet up the tension and when to break it with a moment of levity.

Also, the blurb on the cover of the ARC says it's like Apollo 13 on eatch. But I kept thinking this book was a better comp for Project Hail Mary. It reminded me of that kind of pacing. Each book took you into the science of what was happening but had you caring so much more for the fate of the people involved.

Finally, I'll say that reading this did not make me afraid to fly. As with Falling, if anything, it instilled MORE confidence in me in planes themselves, and the crews that fly them. It once again underscored how amazing the flight attendants are, and how much we need to respect and revere them when we're flying.

I loved the heart-pounding experience of reading this book and I think it's absolutely going to be the book of the summer. Everyone's going to want to get their hands on this.

I’m so sad to DNF this at 15%, but this is a plane crash procedural, not a thriller. Totally understand why some people will be hooked on this — but it’s just not for me and in my opinion was marketed completely wrong. Please stop marketing suspenseful books as thrillers!

Drowning by T.J. Newman is an intense read. It is like being on a roller coaster ride. A very emotional read about love, loss, and getting back what you want the most. Right after take off the doomed plane has engine failure and needs to a ditch. The only problem is that the poilets have never done one. Once they are on the water the passengers are fighting to escape the plane which is on fire. Will, an engineer soon realizes that if they exit the plan they will all be dead. He and 8 other passingers are the only ones left in a plane that is slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean. With only less than 4 hours of the air supply left will the Coast Guard, Navy, and Chris, Will's soon to be exwife be able to rescue them all in time??? Just like with T.J. Newman's first novel Falling, this is an intense read. I was planning on going on a dream vaction to paridise, after reading this it is now on hold. I do want to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me the paperback ARC. I love getting my box of books from them. To me it's like Christmas morning!

This should be the book of the summer. It is the ultimate beach read. I love that the author, T.J. Newman, did not add in a terrorist plot or even dwell on what causes a plane taking off from Hawaii suddenly crashing near Molokai. It is all about the survival mode and how the surviving passengers stay alive and how their rescuers work to free them from their underwater tomb - the plane itself. Besides a book about grief, "Drowning" is about people at their best and worst in survival mode. It's really well executed.

Publishing on 5/30/2023

Grade: A-

Drowning by T.J. Newman is a highly entertaining, cinematic, intense novel that was a very enjoyable reading experience. The writing style makes this story easy to read and is a true page turner. In addition to the intensity of the story, the character development is captivating and the reader becomes emotionally invested in the characters as well as the story itself. I enjoyed this story even more than T.J. Newman's first novel, Falling, and I highly recommend this to anyone. Thanks to Net Galley and the Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.