Is it Lexie’s guilt over ignoring her sisters phone calls or is she really seeing her dead sister in the pool she drowned in. And who are these other people? Her aunt’s imaginary friend who would come out of the pool and play with her? And what about the old stories about a hotel that used to be here and the little girl who drowned, are they true? And what does that have to do with her sisters death? And what is it about the water in the pool that comes from the spring? Does it have powers?
And in 1929 there is Ethel who just wants to be a mother and if the springs help then so be it. But are the waters as healing as she hopes?
Narrated by, Joy Osmanski & Imani Jade Powers both narrators did a great job at bringing these women to life!
McMahon once again keeps me on the edge of my seat with the ghost story. I loved the dual time lines and how they meshed together. McMahon never disappoints!

4 stars

This paranormal fiction is told with split timelines in the 1920s and present day. The central focus in the story are the mysterious springs that seem to have healing powers, but the locals swear they’re cursed.

On the 1920s timeline, we meet Ethel as a newlywed in 1929. She is desperate to have a baby, but hasn’t been able to get pregnant. During a stay at the Brandenburg Springs Hotel, the wife of the owner urges Ethel to make a wish to the springs. After trying many old wive’s tales and superstitions already, Ethel whispers her desire for a child to the springs. She soon learns the “curse” of the springs is that it doesn’t give without also taking away...

On the present day timeline, Jax is left to deal with the aftermath of her sister, Lex’s, drowning at the Sparrow Crest, which is the property now located at the springs. On the surface it seems as thought Lex was in a state of mania due to her bipolar disorder, but could there be more? I’m trying to learn more about what happened at Sparrow Crest, Jax digs deeper into the history of the property while also reminiscing about her childhood.

Jennifer McMahon knows how to weave a spooky, supernatural tale in a believable way. I enjoyed listening to this book! The narration was also great. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy for me to listen to in exchange for my honest review.

I do want to clarify the genre of The Drowning Kind, since I started listening to the audiobook think I was getting a thriller. This is a suspense and light horror novel. Some people have shelves this as paranormal on Goodreads, but I think it is a bit of a spoiler to either agree or disagree with that.

The Drowning kind is a duel perspective story that follows a modern woman who is returning to her childhood home after her sister passed away, and a women in 1929 who was recently married and longs to have a child. As the story progresses who discover how the two stories are linked.

I don’t want to give anything away, but the story from 1929 focuses on a spring that is rumored to have magical properties. If you go into the water and express your deepest desire, it will come true. This is where the possible supernatural elements of the story come into play.

I really enjoyed the suspenseful tone of the story. I really liked the ending. The Drowning Kind is a solid read, and anyone who enjoys creepy houses, family dynamics, and possible supernatural elements will enjoy it.

There are definitely some trigger warmings for self harm and alcoholism in this story. There is also a pretty big focus on mental health, especially concerning bipolar disorder.

I received this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a typical dark twisted novel by Jennifer McMahon, if you like that....you'll enjoy this book. There're 2 main stories (past and present) which are intertwined. Both stories are equally captivating. I personally would have wished for a different ending, but logically, it was the right ending.

Both narrators did an excellent job, I really enjoyed listening to the chapters with Ethel Monroe (in the past).

Thanks NetGalley, Jennifer McMahon, and Simon & Schuster Audio for the ARC

Family history runs deep in this creepy story of a spring that is is said to help with aliments. But these things come with a price. What are you willing to risk, to heal your sickness, help you child walk or even have a child.
Jax is a social worker with family experience with mental illness. When her younger sister Lexie drowns in the pool of spring water. When she finally returns to Sparrow Crest, she needs to know and understand what was going on with her sister.

This had a fantastic creepyness to it. Just enough of the wondering what was going on with the spring and the water. Could it really help people? and was the cost always so high? The pace was perfect and I loved how the story switched back and forth from the past to the present. It had this tone of mystery and wonder what could really be in that water? I liked that we learned about the family dynamic and how they reacted to one another. The past slowly telling you the families history with the spring until the end when it all get connected. The ending was so satisfying.

Thank you to Gallery/ Scout Press and netgalley for my review copy

“The Drowning Kind” by Jennifer McMahon was an interesting read.

This chilling psychological thriller kept me up at night and I dared not turn off my lights 🙀

A beautiful blend of the past and the present. A tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry, a haunted pool and its influence.

The Drowning Kind is an adult paranormal thriller about a family that has both gained and lost loved ones to the waters of the natural springs on their property in rural Vermont,

The book is told in alternating POV’s between current day Jax and Agatha in the late 1920’s. Jax has just received the devastating news that her sister Lexie has drowned on the grounds of their ancestral family home. And Agatha is starting to suspect that her blissful marriage might be one without any children. As Jax seeks answers to her sister’s sudden death Agatha discovers an unusual solution to her infertility. Both women, born generations apart will have to face the consequences of asking the waters for miracles and what it might take in return.

The Drowning Kind is spooky and atmospheric and similar to books like Pet Semetary it asks what would you do to save the people you love even if it means sacrifices you can’t imagine. The reader feels for all characters because each woman is both drawn to and repulsed by the springs. They can’t leave it behind but they also can’t bear to see what is looking back when they stare into it’s dark depths.

I highly recommend this one for readers and audiobook listeners that like their thriller with a side of paranormal horror and family drama.

My audiobook copy was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for review purposes.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Audio, and Jennifer McMahon for my audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: When Jax, a social worker, receives nine missed calls from her sister, Lexie, Jax assumes Lexie is in one of her manic episodes. Jax has pushed her sister away for the last year for these reasons. But the next day, Lexie is dead. She drowned in their deceased grandmother’s pool they swam all their life. When Jax arrives at the estate, she discovers Lexie was looking into the history of the property and their family.
From another view point, in 1929, thirty-seven year old Newlywed, Ethel, is desperately hoping for a child. Her husband whisks her away to the newest hotel with a spring to get her mind off their current infertility. Ethel learns that the spring will grant wishes but she doesn’t realize the spring also takes.

Rating: 3.75/5

I was really excited to listen to this audio on my long commute to work! I was interested to find out more about the story because the synopsis seemed to give a lot of information away. As the story unfolded, I learned the story had more twists to come! The story gave me a Tuck Everlasting vibes with a creepy spin- even better!!

I found it interesting of the two perspectives from 2019 and 1929 as it was a long time between. At first, I thought I wouldn’t be interested in Ethel’s side. I found her to be very interesting and I emphasized with her infertility issues. I sure was rooting for her and her husband to have a child!

I found Jax to be very relatable at first, especially professionally as a social worker. Her career was very fitting and made perfect sense for the story! When she arrived to Sparrowcrest, I found her to be more difficult to relate to. Her grief was as normal as grief could be, but there was almost too much detail at time that seemed unnecessary. I also felt some of the chapters for Jax were very long and I found myself hoping for the next chapter.

The story; however, was intertwined beautifully and I loved the flashbacks of Jax and Lexie at Sparrowcrest. I felt as there was a cliff hanger that made the story really interesting. **SPOILER ALERT**
Did Declan really call the house phone? It was this in Lexie’s mind?? Beautifully done to make the reader question.

Overall, the story was a haunting, eerie, slow burn, but worth the ending. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming although I was really unsure how the story would unfold. I will definitely remember this story anytime I’m near a body of water and likely get chills. And remember, be careful what you wish for.

I'll start off with saying it was an interesting idea and all, but I did not find myself caring for any of the characters. I liked the eerie atmosphere and how natural springs are said to heal you but there's a cost down the line (unknowingly for some). The characters seemed flat to me and some questions were never answered so I still don't know how or why things occured. Also, Jax is supposed to work with individuals with psychiatric disorders and keeps referring to her sister as going crazy.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with this audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster audio for the ARC of this audio book.

Jax pushed her sister Lexie away for over a year to get away from her manic episodes. She moves away and ignores her phone calls. One day when Lexie calls and Jax decides to call her back, she gets no answer. The next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. Jax begins digging into the history of her grandmother's estate and learns others have drown in that same pool. It has been said that the pool grants wishes, but not without taking something in return....

I went into this book after just having read "The Winter People" by Jennifer McMahon, which is one of my favorites reads! In my opinion, this book isn't as good as "The Winter People", but the book was creepy and left you guessing. Much like "The Winter People" it bounces back and forth between past and present day. The book is very well written and I enjoyed the storyline. The audio book had good narrators as well. If you like Jennifer McMahon's writing, read this book. A great read!

This was the first book I have read by this author. I had seen this book around Instagram and was curious, but didn’t know much about it beyond that. It turned out to be another amazingly creepy supernatural thriller.

I loved the pacing of this book. The chapters switch between present-day from Jax’s perspective and the 1920s from Ethel’s perspective. I enjoyed trying to parse out what the two timelines had to do with each other.

I found Jax to be a reasonable relatable MC. I was uncomfortable with her dismissal of her sister’s rants as part of her bipolar disorder, but I can see how this is a very human reaction to dealing with a close family member who has this disorder. Jax was a social worker, though, so I think I would have expected her to have a bit more patience for Lexie and tried to help her a bit more.

Suspension of belief is definitely required to enjoy this read, as there were some plot holes. However, I found the premise interesting enough to be able to overlook these gaps.

I’ve had mixed feelings about supernatural thrillers in general, and I somewhat prefer when they have real-world explanations to the supernatural elements.

For the audiobook review, these narrators were great. No complaints here!

First line: “The dead have nothing to fear,” Lexie said.

Summary: Lexie and Jackie spend each summer at their grandmother’s house in Brandenberg, Vermont. They love the lazy days in the natural spring pool in the backyard. But they have to follow their grandmother’s strict rules about the pool. But years later after Lexie inherits the house, she is found dead in the pool. Was it an accidental drowning or something more sinister?

Its 1929, Ethel Monroe and her new husband, Will, decide to take a weekend away at the new hotel in Brandenberg. As they arrive in town they hear people talking about the mysterious springs located behind the hotel. Some say the water has healing powers. Others claim it is cursed. The Monroe’s don’t know what to believe as they arrive at the hotel. But after Ethel strikes up a friendship with the hotel owner’s wife she learns that there is more to the springs than even the locals know.

My Thoughts: I loved how the author weaved in the paranormal with the thriller. I could never decide which was more prominent in the story. Is it a ghost story or a mystery? Or maybe it’s both? I was quickly caught up in the mystery of the springs. I sped through the chapters as I read, listened to the audiobook at a higher speed and needed to finish it as soon as I could.

It seems that dual timelines is a big theme lately. Nearly every story I have read in the last few months have had this style. I like it but I do like a simple timeline as well.

I wished we could have gotten more of Lexie, especially the adult Lexie before she drowned. We got looks at her as a child but I wish we could have seen more of her side of the story.

The ending was truly chilling. That last chapter was so well written. I didn’t get the twist until the very end.

FYI: Death, drowning, self-harm, drinking and ghosts.

Jennifer McMahon never disappoints. She is a master of the spooky, unexplained world. The Drowning Kind is a story of two sisters, Lexie and Jackie. Jackie, who is a social worker, has a complicated relationship with her sister who struggles with mental issues. Jackie ignores calls from her sister for several weeks and is horrified to discover that Lexie has drowned in the pool at her late grandmother's estate in Vermont. She travels there to take care of the arrangements and discovers that Lexie had been researching her family history, and the origins of the natural pool on the estate, where Lexie eventually drowned. Jackie gets drawn into the legends regarding the pool, mainly its power to grant wishes.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to enjoy this audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for this ARC!

Overall, I think this was a decent book with an intriguing plotline about two sisters, Jax and Lexie. Jax misses 9 calls from her sister Lexie who is bipolar and Jax assumes that these calls are a manic episode. But come to find out Lexie is dead and drowned in the pool at their grandmother's estate. This story is told in two timelines, the current and the past back in the 1920s. The story follows as Jax is trying to put together what happened to Lexie and she starts researching the history of their family and the property.

I think Jennifer McMahon did a good job at character development and describing the pool in when Lexie drowned amazingly. Throughout the story, you actually come to think of the pool as it's own creepy character. The story is a good ghost story. However, I found myself not invested in any of the characters and it wasn't a story that I couldn't put down. In fact, it took quite sometime to finish this audiobook.

Additionally, it bothered me that Jax refers to her several time throughout the book as "going crazy" when she's supposed to be a social worker working with patients with psychiatric disorders. You'd think she'd have more of an understanding of these situations.

OMG! This book is definitely one of Jennifer McMahon's BEST! I loved every minute. So creepy and atmospheric. Jackie is a social worker living in Tacoma, Washington, about as far as she could get from her bi-polar sister, Lexi. Lexi inherited the old family mansion complete w/ fresh springs pool in Vermont. But there is something, ahem, wrong, w/ the pool. Many creepy stories surround it has claimed more than a few lives.
Jax hasn't spoken to Lexi in a year when she gets the call that her sister, the best swimmer, has drowned in the pool. Suicide? An accident? A murder? Can Jax solve the mystery of the pool before it's too late for her?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio version and an early e-ARC.*

I have yet to read a book by McMahon that I didn’t enjoy. She is fantastic at atmospheric creepy vibes-which is what I love.
This book is written with alternating timelines form the POV of two different women. Both timelines are focused on mineral springs water that while offers healing properties and may possibly even grant wishes also takes as it give. Reading this is like waiting for the other shoe
to drop. You constantly feel uneasy and are waiting to see how these stories will connect. The ending was awesome and the narration was fantastic. I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Gallery Books and Jennifer McMahon for my ARC.

The Drowning Kind is a mystery told in 2 different storylines. I enjoy 2 storyline books because I like trying to solve how the characters are connected. This book was no different in that regard! I was constantly trying to figure out how the characters fit into each other’s storylines, I was close, but I did miss some parts. I liked the characters and the bond between sisters. I am not a big fan of “ghost stories” so when it took a supernatural turn, I lost a little interest. I enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a great job with the different characters. I also liked how the book tied up the loose ends in the end. Overall, this book was enjoyable!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I realized that I didn't want to continue reading about servile female characters. The concept is somewhat interesting but the book couldn't hold my interest.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon⁣
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What a dark, creepy and twisty read! ⁣
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The book was a bit of a slow starter for me, which is understandable when developing more than on storyline. I love interconnected stories, getting nuggets of information and puzzling them together. ⁣
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McMahon does a great job of keeping you guessing ,never sure what is reality.⁣
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This is the first book I've read from this author, but it will not be the last.

The narration was good, I believe both narrator voices added to the story, one in sheer unsettling creepiness and the other in love and adoration.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Scout Press, and Simon Schuster Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This ghost story is told from two perspectives: that of Jax, the sister of a young woman who has recently drowned at “The Springs,” and Ethel Monroe, known more as Mrs. Monroe than Ethel, in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The narrative swings back and forth between the two, with the only connection being their location until mid-book when their full connection becomes clearer. Nothing is really completely clear in the book, with events that seem to be supernatural but which the reader, like Jax, attempts to bring under logical scrutiny.

I listed to this book, which is narrated by two women (one for each of the two perspectives). Jax’ narrator brings her no-nonsense approach to life as she is confronted with seemingly impossible events, while Mrs. Monroe’s narrator helps the listener see the character as more ethereal. Mrs. Monroe’s sections move at a slower pace, more reflective of the time, than do Jax’ sections. This is all very well done, with the sections coming together over time but each fully engaging the listener.

The writing about the location is evocative and, whether it is in present times or in the past, the reader/listener will feel as though they have actually been to Brandenburg, Vermont.

There’s a twist at the end of this book that reminds me of a movie from the late 90s that shall remain nameless. If you saw the movie and you read the book, you’ll know what I mean. The reader gets a little warning of what’s coming, but only a very small bit and only at the end of the book. I’m not surprised to see that Simone St. James gave this book a 5-star rating on Goodreads, since there are similarities to St. James’ The Sun Down Motel.