𝕣 𝕒 𝕥 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/𝟝

Have you ever read a book you just didn’t want to end?

𝕤 𝕪 𝕟 𝕠 𝕡 𝕤 𝕚 𝕤 : We follow two timelines (which is quickly becoming my favorite trope). One in 2019, where social worker, Jax, receives nine missed calls from her sister, Lexie. Lexie is manic and is not always in touch with reality so she doesn’t answer, but the next day Lexie is dead. She has drowned in the pool of her grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives to go through her Lexie’s things she realizes Lexie was doing research on the dark secrets of her family’s estate and pool. Intrigued, Jax gets wrapped up in the trying to uncover family secrets held for years and the mysterious properties of the pool.
The second timeline is in 1929, following Ethel Monroe who is wishing desperately for a baby. Trying to distract her, her husband whisks her away to a resort where the natural springs are said to have healing properties. While there, the hotel owner’s wife tells Ethel to make a wish in the pool for what she wants most....let’s just say...be careful what you wish for.

𝕥 𝕙 𝕠 𝕦 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕤 : I LOVE THIS BOOK. Goodness Jennifer McMahon has done it again. This ghosty book was so creepy and atmospheric. I didn’t want to finish it because I was enjoying the mystery and intrigue so much. I would have to stop reading at night sometimes because it was quite creepy. The ending was so good, in my opinion, and I love how the two timelines twisted together. It had me guessing the sanity of everyone involved till the end. If you like darker, gothic tales I’d say pick it up!

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon was an easy to listen to audiobook thriller. I am admittedly very picky about thrillers and am sooo tired of the "crazy female" trope that is so overused in thrillers. Could this story have been told without bipolar characters? It feels like a cheat for creepy ambiance rather than trying to represent a real mental health disorder and tell a good scary story.

Overall, this is a fine thriller. It's a bit creepy, nothing gross or overly scary. It was easy to follow, even as an audiobook. It's a dual timeline story that is told through two women who sound different enough to tell apart but not so different that it's jarring while listening to them.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

“They say the springs give miracles, but they always take something in return.”

After not answering several of her bipolar sister’s frantic phone calls, Jax receives news that Lexie has drowned in the pool of their grandmother’s home, a body of water that has already caused tragedy for their family. Their story intersects with that of Ethel Monroe, who, in 1929, married at an older age and struggled to conceive. Her husband takes her on a getaway to a hotel with springs that are said to have healing powers. While there, Ethel makes a request of the water that will bring the old idiom to life: You must be careful what you wish for.

This is my third experience with a Jennifer McMahon book, although my first time reading something she’d written was roughly fourteen years ago. I don’t remember that one very well. It hasn’t even been a year since I read The Winter People, though, so I can draw parallels to that book, as both stories largely encompass the power of grief. You need not worry that the books are too similar - they aren’t - but they both show how very human it is to long for something and to refuse to let it go.

If you’ve read McMahon’s books before, you know to expect a ghost story. While other authors have disappointed me with paranormal aspects, I feel McMahon always seems to get it right. Nothing is overly terrifying, but there is a consistent unsettling vibe throughout the tale.

I did feel that Lexie’s character could have been better developed. The bipolar component wasn’t necessarily inaccurate, but it did seem like a stereotype was embraced and she wasn’t anyone outside of that. The perception that she was unreliable did successfully mirror societal prejudices. I thought that was a fair representation, although it’s one that always makes me sad.

I loved the overlapping concepts in this story - how the things we want the most and the things that can heal us might have consequences that only hindsight reveals, along with the idea that grief can make us desperate and irrational, bringing repercussions of its own.

I thought the ending was especially well-done, chilling not just because of its ghostly nature, but because it genuinely brought all of the foreshadowed consequences to the surface and required a bit of careful observation, while still leaving certain things slightly ambiguous. I truly enjoy this kind of thought-provoking conclusion and I think it’s one that will spark a lot of interesting conversations!

Jennifer McMahon has certainly earned her name as a paranormal writer. She really knows how to develop an in depth story in intoxicating ways. Without a doubt, the ghosts of The Drowning Kind will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

I am immensely grateful to Simon and Schuster Audio and NetGalley for my audio review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Drowning Kind is probably my favorite Jennifer McMahon book to date, and I've read all but two of her works (Promise Not to Tell and Island of Lost Girls). My request to read this book was declined, but I was thrilled when I received the notification that I won the book in its audio format. As a rule, I prefer narration by one narrator, but I found the use of two to be appropriate in The Drowning Kind. Having two narrators was effective in keeping the alternating between past and present(ish) fluid and not confusing. With that being said, however, it does irk me when simple words and phrases are mispronounced, such as, "To err is human, to forgive is divine." One narrator was correct and one repeatedly said "to er." A very minor detail, but I feel the need to point it out because readers (listeners) DO notice the minute details.

As per usual, McMahon's writing captivated me from the get-go. The relationships and connections between the main characters, past and present, were well written and believable. My only complaint about character development is Declan. I do not think that he was an important (or necessary) contributing factor to the story. In my opinion, the book would have been just as good without his presence at all, but perhaps it would have been even better if Declan's role were larger, not just a prop running in the background and inserted here and there when it seemed to work.

Overall, I would suggest this book to my reader friends and family, and have already done so. Four stars from me as the Drowning Kind is what I consider to be a good haunt / ghost story.

Something’s in the water… and it’s not a crap ending this time!

With The Drowning Kind, Jennifer McMahon has turned me from a hater to a believer. I’ve only read one other book by her, and she ended it THE LAMEST WAY POSSIBLE (per my GR bio: conclusions that rely on a character pulling out a gun in a kitchen or some such place while he/she neatly and conveniently answers all your questions about who/what/when/where/how/why). I was so turned off I skipped her next few novels, but early buzz for her latest convinced me to give her another shot.

I’m so glad I did.

The Drowning Kind is an atmospheric dual timeline thriller. Readers follow Jax in 2019 as she deals with the aftermath of her older sister Lexie’s drowning in the pool of their family estate. Those chapters are intermixed with others set in the 1930s, which reveal the history of the mysterious pool. It's fed by a natural spring and is said to have magical, healing powers, but those powers come at a price. For every gift it gives, it takes something in return.

Sound spooky? It is. McMahon does a fantastic job weaving the two timelines together until they merge in an ending that’s so creeptastic I had to read it twice.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Joy Osmanski and Imani Jade Powers. The reading is slow enough that I had to play it on 1.75 speed to make it sound normal. The performances are good, though I do think The Drowning Kind is the type of book that wants to be read in a dimly lit room, by a fireplace, if you’re able. Or you could read it while lounging by a pool, but beware… there might be something in the water.

This review and more bookish content can be found on my blog at https://www.confettibookshelf.com/

My thanks to the author and Simon & Schuster Audio for the gifted advance listeners copy to review. The Drowning Kind is slated for US publication in April 2021.

I really wanted to like this book. However I saw every twist and turn coming. It didn't help that the narrator's choice of voice acting for specific characters was a bit off in their tone. Especially when they were portraying the male characters. The historic female characters were the best voice acting of the book. Unfortunately I just could not really throw myself into the book because it was foreseeable and the male characters voices made them so unlikable that I could not connect with them.

I received this for an honest review on Netgalley. This novel t, but taakes place in Vermont near a lake that has healing powers, but takes lives for those powers. People drown and our seen at night. This story is told through the viewpoints of two characters, Jax and her great-grandmother, Jax is writing in 2019 and her great-mother is writing in 1929-30. T.his was a great way to tell the same story across generations as the people who drowned showed up at night to claim their friends. The pool is a prison for the living who need its waters to stay alive and the dead that it has claimed as the souls do not rest..

💫📖𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 📖💫

📖The Drowning Kind
👩🏻‍💻 Jennifer McMahon
📅 pub date: 4/6/21

🌟𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻: no reviews yet
🌟𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀: 4.19/5
🌟𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴!

🏊🏻‍♀️𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: ( from Amazon) When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property. And as she dives deeper into the research herself, she discovers that the land holds a far darker past than she could have ever imagined.
🏊🏻‍♀️𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝: I loved how the story went between present day and past and how the story intertwined. The chapters were quick and it was a easy read.
🏊🏻‍♀️𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝: I think people will ever love or hate the ending, I was the latter. I felt like I climbed a mountain and was left at the top ( no spoilers here!!)
🏊🏻‍♀️𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐠𝐥𝐲 : Overall, I think the book was written very well, the ending just wasn’t for me. I think other people may really enjoy it though.

🌟 𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.8/5

This haunting, atmospheric book really took me away! The eerie setting feels as much a character as the people are. I really liked how the alternating time periods gave bits of information that I had to unravel and make connections with. I had to work to figure out how the characters and setting around the late 1920s tied in with those of 2019.
The Drowning Kind introduces us to Jax, who has just come back to the house her grandma left to her sister, Lexie. Lexie has drowned in the pool here at Sparrow Crest. Jax is shocked, as she has strong connections to this place and pool herself since she & Lexie spent their summers here as kids. And, we find out that there has been another family drowning here as well. So why did their grandma stay here, and Lexie thereafter?
When the story takes us to Ethel and her experiences in 1929, we learn about the Brandenburg Springs Hotel and their opportunity to stay there. The hotel's spring-fed pool has made it a very popular spot, where the water is believed to have healing properties. But does the pool only give, or does it also take away from those who come near it?
There are so many intriguing details and events in this book, and continuing on to find out the truth about the pool and those who are close to it in both timelines is a pulse-pounding ride that I was excited to keep up with until I finished! I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and really liked both narrators. This is one book you won't soon forget!

A quick, chilling read with an eerie setting and supernatural twists. The audiobook narrators read slowly and deliberately, adding to the suspense of the story. The dual narration ties together nicely, but Ethel’s chapters felt a bit repetitive after a while. What makes the book is the gothic backdrop of the house & pool. 3.5 stars.

This was my first book by Jennifer McMahon and it did not disappoint! I will be adding more books by her to my wish list.

The method of using two storylines (I am a huge fan do dual timelines) to convey the story of Jax and Lexi is very captivating. Jennifer McMahon starts with the story of Jax and Lexi's (sisters) complicated relationship. Jax ignores her sister's calls during a manic episode, the result of which leads to Lexi's untimely death. Jax immediately returns to her hometown to investigate what led to her drowning. The next story unveiled is that of Ethel Monroe and her struggles to conceive a child. The story takes us to a Hot Springs that heals and most importantly grants wishes to those that visit. Jennifer MaMahon intertwines the two stories seamlessly - as a reader, we were given just enough information to think we knew what happened in the past and how that affected the present storyline. I loved the unfolding of the spring's secrets, family history, and the discussion of Lexi's medical condition. The story does take on a bit of paranormal - which I typically shy away from but this was done so well that I was hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed trying to piece the stories together, trying to guess what comes next and how the story will be closed. Can't wait to read my next one by Jennifer MaMahon. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read The Drowning Kind.

The Drowning Kind is a thriller told by two narrators over two time periods. The story was intriguing and the characters were well-developed. This book is perfect for thriller lovers who shy away from violent or gory storylines. It was propulsive, twisty, and suspenseful. The Drowning Kind was equally enjoyable in print as it was as an audiobook. Give this one a try!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for permission to listen to an ARC of this book, The Drowning Kind.
However, I was unable to download it. I tried on multiple devices. I wrote Netgalley to see about contacting the publisher and they said no.
So I'm sad, it looks like a good book.

Thank you Scout Press for an advanced reader’s copy!

I have never read any Jennifer McMahon books, so I’m not sure how this will compare. ‘The Drowning Kind,’ has a dual timeline: one focused on Ethel and Will in the 1920s/30s, and the latter is present day with Jax who is mourning the loss of her sister. The stories intertwine through the spring/pool at Sparrow’s Crest. The water is said to create miracles, but must take something in return.

I read/listened to this very quickly as I wanted to know what would happen. I felt like any sense of mystery was resolved quickly, and the rest of the novel was seeing how the characters’ lives played out. It was definitely good, but I wouldn’t know how to classify this book but if you are expecting a thriller/horror, it may disappoint.

If the plot interests you, it was definitely an enjoyable read!

Lots of triggers I will list below.
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TW: Self-harm, drowning, mental health, manic episodes, bipolar disorder, multiple child deaths, infertility, M.S., discussion of gunshot wounds, fire, deaths by fire, suicide.

While I enjoyed a lot of this, it definitely wasn't a 5 star read for me. This was my first by Jennifer McMahon and I was quite intrigued with the creepy, spooky sound of this mysterious thriller.
What I did enjoy about this was how intricately woven the timelines were with the setting and how atmospheric this felt in the way the author described it. She did an excellent job of making this feel creepily scenic and it gave me the heebie jeebies at times.
However, I found this to be a bit disappointing because it was slightly repetitive and I could not seem to connect with any of the characters. The ending was also a bit anticlimactic and I didn't feel all that surprised or mind blown by the epilogue. I would definitely give this author another chance though because it seems like I'm in the minority that didn't love this.

This book gave me such a creepy vibe... kids playing dead in same pool their Aunt died in. I’m not sure why the grandmother still had it. I didn’t much care for the narrators voice in this one. Inflection was okay but voice was nasally.

3.5
TW: self-harm, suicide, death of child, infertility

This is great for fans of quiet, slow burn horror,but it also could be a "supernatural thriller" depending on how you want to categorize it. It's full of atmosphere and the dual narrative really pushes the story forward. I felt much more invested in the first timeline, but that in no way took away my enjoyment from the book. I'm saying that because her first book, there was a whole timeline I actively disliked and I didn't care the book because of it. I'd recommend it for readers who want a "room temperature" book as far as creepiness goes.

Be careful what you wish for, the water gives and it takes

Four Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book captivated me from the very beginning. Although I’m a sucker for anything spooky, & being set in New England alone helped with the atmosphere & the creep level.
Written in alternating perspectives & dual timelines kept me needing MORE as the story unraveled.
We meet Jax, who is a social worker living in the PNW. She is a country apart from her sister Lex, who is diagnosed Manic/Bipolar. For the first time in her life feels like she can breathe a little bit due to the separation. She loves her sister, but the relationship is WORK.
Jax gets war dialed by her sis one evening & chooses to let her go to voicemail over & over. Come the next morning we find out Lex tragically drowned in the spring fed pool in the backyard of their grandmothers home(which Lex inherited after Granny passed) all the way in New Hampshire. This leads Jax to return to her family home & face ghosts from the past.
Our alternating POV brings us to 1929 where Ethel Monroe, a late 30 something newlywed, is DESPERATE for a baby. Her husband surprises her with a trip to the Brandenburg Springs hotel, which is(you guessed it) fed by the very same springs as Lex’s granny’s house. Ethel soon finds that the springs has mystical properties and can rejuvenate & heal, but this comes with a price. But again, this lady wants a baby y’all. So she goes ALL in.
I have to say, I enjoyed Ethel’s story more, but I like to romanticize the past & tend to get swept up in the language of the time. Also, I wanted to know how the author was going to intertwine these two ladies stories. It was fantastic & haunting & I enjoyed every minute of it!

Thanks to Simon Schuster & NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon is a deliciously suspenseful and haunting story! Told in alternating timelines, we hear from Jax in the present and Ethel in the late 1920’s. They both have something in common – they’ve had intimate contact with a dark bottomless pool that is said to have healing powers.

Jax is a wounded healer, working in mental health and trying to set boundaries between herself and her Bipolar older sister, Lexie. There’s some history in this dysfunctional family and Jax is wrestling with some resentment towards Lexie and her inheritance of their Grandmothers estate, Sparrow Crest. It’s here that Lexie drowns in the healing pool after calling Jax multiple times. Thing is, Lexie is a champion swimmer, so how did she drown in the pool?

Ethel and her doctor husband want nothing more than a child, when they take a trip to Brandenburg, Vermont to visit the Brandenburg Springs Hotel, Ethel finds the locals to be both frightened of and in awe of, the springs. They say it has magical healing powers but it doesn’t give without taking back. When Ethel whispers her greatest wish to the pool, it comes true but at what cost?

This is one of the times when I looked forward to hearing from both characters in their timelines. The characters are so affecting and real, the atmosphere and creepiness keeping me on a knives edge, and I admit, turning on lights and looking suspiciously at my own pond! The plot moves at a perfect pace, keeping the tension mounting and adding in some bendy twists that I did not see coming.

Narration: Joy Osmanski and Imani Jade Powers are amazing narrators; each with the perfect pitch and cadence making this an enjoyable listening experience. They move seamlessly through the chapters with emotive voices that really upped the tension with haunting and believable clarity.

I enjoyed listening to this chilling tale that cleverly explores the deepest parts of wants and longings and the lengths some will go to obtain and keep them. My deepest thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for providing me an ALC to listen to for review.

irst of all, a huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this audio book. Thank you so so much.

The Drowning Kind By Jennifer McMahon. Read by Imani Jade Powers and Shaun Taylor-Corbett. This book broke my heart so many times.
Jax and her sister Lexi are estranged. Lexie has some mental problems and Jax has completely separated herself from her remaining family. Then one day Lexie calls and is manic. Jax assumes she is off her meds again. Her day has been stressful enough so she lets all of Lexie's calls go to voicemail. She'll call her back the next day. Well, the next day Lexie is found dead in the swimming pool of Sparrow Crest, their Grandmother's (now Lexie's) estate. Jax, Dad and Aunt Diane all meet at Sparrow Crest to wrap up Lexie's affairs and decide what to do next.
Sparrow Crest is special. It's built near the legendary springs. Springs that are said to have healing powers. And may be cursed. The story is told between alternating story lines. One starts out in 1929 and is the story of Ethel and her family. Ethel marries later in life to a successful small town doctor. After years of trying for a baby, he surprises her with a trip to the Bandonburg Hotel and it's famous healing springs. (Yes, where Sparrow Crest now stands). Ethel makes her wish at the spring, not knowing it also takes.
The other story line is in modern times, and that of Jax and Lexie. This follows the format of the previous books by Jennifer but that's fine with me, I LOVE IT!
I have a sister, she is 3 years younger than me. Jax's grief and guilt over her sister's untimely death was so real and heartbreaking. I loved the all characters and how they all interacted. They felt real, their pain and loss felt real. All of it broke my heart. I loved the setting and going back and forth between the two story lines then seeing how they connected. I really enjoy this author's work and always look forward to what she does next.