What if you got the opportunity to study abroad on an all expense paid luxury cruise ship you should take it right? Wrong. Olivia “Liv” has won a scholarship to an all expenses paid opportunity to study abroad luxury cruise ship The Eos for a semester. She is absolutely excited and can’t wait, she’s also going to be reunited with her ex best friend Will who hasn’t spoken to her since the night their friendship changed. Yet the moment she steps onto the ship she realizes just how out of place she is, all the other students are wealthy and attractive individuals, and Will is distant, it also doesn’t help that there are a group of three mysterious and gorgeous influencers knowns as the Sirens on board too. Liv also begins hearing and seeing creepy things... and then Will gets sick and disappears and no one will let her see him. Other students begin disappearing too and despite the fact that Liv can hear and see things and people that shouldn’t be on the ship no one else seems to believe her. Can she escape or will she have to pay the price? The story is meant to be a greek mythology inspired one with sirens and horror and a bit of romance but honestly, it was all over the place. The romance was not great, in fact I could do without it altogether because Con was just so bland and irritating. Liv on the other hand spends the majority of her time just trying to save her friend who doesn’t even want to be her friend. Then the book kind of abruptly ends after the reveal of what is on the ship and what is going on. I was kind of just left with a “wheres the rest of it” kind of feeling. Overall, this was a miss for me, which is unfortunate because I went in with such high hopes for a cool horror story with sirens on it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of this book. I liked the concept of this book which is why I requested it, unfortunately I did not like it at all. The dialogue in the books was very forced. I am not sure how old the author is but the things the characters were saying was very that Steve Buscemi meme. I also didn't think the plot was explained well enough and yet it also seemed way to simple, for example the baddies of the ship are literally named the baddies (no spoilers but as soon as you meet the characters, you'll be like oh gotcha). And after all that, I didn't appreciate the ending. It felt like the author left off a couple chapters.

Those We Drown is an atmospheric YA horror/thriller with an interesting setting and premise that, unfortunately, I don't think it quite lived up to. Those We Drown follows Liv, a senior from a working class background who wins a scholarship to attend a semester at sea onboard a luxury cruise ship. She is immediately at odds with the rich, privileged other members of her Seamester group, even her childhood friend, Will. Within the first night Liv beings to see strange visions on the ship and hears a voice telling her that the sea provides if the sea is fed.

I think the atmosphere was done very well in this book. The luxurious cruise ship gives a trapped and almost claustrophobic feel that is at odds with the gleaming, expensive exterior of the ship. However, that was my favorite part of the book, and it wasn't enough to save the book. I will admit that I am not usually a fan of YA thriller, but the teenage relationship drama in this book really took me out of the thriller aspect. I couldn't care less that Liv is pining over some rich asshole while her bestfriend is probably dead and she doesn't seem to care despite claiming to.

However the thing that annoyed me the most about this book is that it was supposed to be about gaslighting, however Liv was really gaslighting herself the entire time. She would constantly acknowledge that something was wrong or weird in a situation, and then instantly say "No, never mind, this is fine and normal!" When Liv did speak to other people they only had to say "Don't worry" in the least threatening way possible to get her to back off. And she always did. The entire time I desperately wished that Liv would fight for herself or for her friends just a bit more. And she rarely did.

Overall this book was not my favorite, but I do think that it will be a hit for those who really enjoy atmospheric YA thrillers,, particularly those that involve things lurking in the deep.

A delightfully slippery thriller, THOSE WE DROWN, kept me reading until the early morning hours and checking strangers for pitch-black eyes for a few days after. The paranoia and eerie atmosphere Goldsmith creates is deliciously palpable; this book will be the perfect way to cool off during the hot months of summer vacation.

This was creepy, unusual, weird, and oddly sinister at times. It was also incredibly captivating. I wasn't sure how well it would be considering it's a fairly short book, but there was still plenty of detail.

I wasn't sure if I was gonna like this one but turns out I really, REALLY did!

The characters - especially Liv, (I loved her) – were colorful and engaging and I have an unapologetic soft spot for Con who isn't the cookie cutter of love interest we usually see in YA.

Best of all, was how unpredictable this book was, and I really enjoyed the themes that were presented. The splash of Greek mythology also added something special, especially as there are so many by-the-numbers retellings out there rn (although this was not a retelling).

How could I forget the setting! A glamorous but eerie cruise ship, full of weird and creepy old people. At points, this kind of gave me Midsommar vibes and every time I thought I knew what was happening, I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. It was not afraid to be scary but without just describing gore.

Last of all THAT ENDING. My jaw was on the floor. I can see how people might not like it but I am tired of neat, let's wrap everything up in hugs and rainbows endings and so loved that the author WENT THERE.

I will be definitely checking out whatever Amy writes next!

I flew this book in two days! I had to find out what was happening next -- whether Liv was actually imagining all these dark and sinister things or whether they were truly happening!

Creepy, unusual -- the horror of the ocean aspect mixed in with the Greek mythology vibes -- I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I have never read a book quite like this. I went into this blind with no knowing what I could expect. I was drawn in by the characters right away. I enjoyed how the author made the narrator very unreliable. I questioned the reality of what was occurring.

My only dislike is that I wish there was more storyline about the Sirens, how they got where they are and how they have adapted. I am fascinated by how they chose a cruise ship. I would love a follow-up book that is from the Siren POV.

This book pulled me on right away with a unique siren spin. I haven’t really seen anything with a boat since the movie Ghost Ship way back so this was a real treat! I also loved the characters!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I went into this book hoping it would run along the same vein as 'Into the Drowning Deep' by Mira Grant and I am happy to say that it did, sort of.

Things that worked for me:
Spooky, no where to go, atmosphere
Descriptive horror.
Pacing (Slow for around the first 10% then it took off running)
I genuinely felt for the MC and wanted her succeed

What didnt for me:
SO. MUCH. GASLIGHTING.
The ending was VERY abrupt and alot was left up to interpretation
I wanted there to be more SPOOKY/HORROR elements, the main character spends alot of time running around the ship.

Overall, a solid 3 star read. Forever looking for the next spooky ocean read!

Those We Drown was addictive. I was just the right amount of intrigued and just the right amount of chilled. Amy Goldsmith has us journeying out on the Atlantic with Olivia—it’s Liv, actually—a scholarship recipient on a SeaMester cruise with five rich teens, a sketchy chaperone, three professional Influencers, and a ship full of other—mostly elderly—passengers who we get to know far less.
The story leans a little heavily on certain tropes: gaslighting male love interest, awkward poor girl who wishes she was like the popular kids, etc., but it was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Additionally, while the characters could come across as flat from time to time, my heart truly ached for Adora by the end, and I think Goldsmith accomplished something by making that happen.
I am a little concerned by the ending, because it left off on a cliffhanger while still feeling like there may not be enough story to warrant a sequel..? I am interested to see if this ends up being a standalone or not.
Wonderful debut by Amy Goldsmith! And thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press, and the author for an eGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This book drew me in right away and kept my attention the whole time. I loved how creepy and dark this book was! I really enjoyed it and think this is a perfect spooky read for any time! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

I knew very early on that The Sirens would turn out to be....sirens. It was quite obvious. A fast read though. I thought the back and forth between Con and Liv was weird. Lets kiss and have this sweet moment than in two seconds I hate you go away you think i'm crazy. Then it's all good again when we see each other next. Very up and down and strange. I absolutely hated the ending. How can you have them escape the boat and then not tell us if the sirens die, and if they do, does the ship sink? How do they explain the dead kids onboard if it doesn't sink? What happens to Con now that his dad has been revealed to be this monster of a dad? How does Liv go back home and deal with Will's dad and the made up story about how he died?

Unless we're gearing up for a sequel (which honestly I would only pick up to answer said questions) then this book isn't high on my list.

I have a deep love for horror and all things ocean, so this book immediately appealed to me. It only got better as I started reading, and I couldn't have been more excited!

Liv and her best friend, Will, are invited to take part of an amazing opportunity to take a "SeaMester" on a cruise ship. While Liv isn't entirely excited about being out on the ocean, she's grateful to be taking part in this academic dream experience. But things start going wrong very quickly, and it only escalates the longer she's on the ship.

Greek mythology plays an important part in this story, and usually I'm a little worn out with retellings, however this is incredibly unique and I love how the author laced mythology with her modern horror debut.

It also left a lot of breadcrumbs that made me think, "Oh I know where this is going" and I'm delighted to say that the story continuously blindsided me and left me guessing whether or not I was possibly as unhinged as Liv. Either way, the story was believable in the sense that something was obviously and incredibly wrong, or maybe Liv was just very, very sick. I couldn't decide most of the time, and when I thought I was leaning one way, the story effectively kept pulling me the other way.

Spoiler free remark about the ending, however - I think it will leave a lot of people wanting, but I commend the author for ending as she did, because I appreciate when an ending isn't "safe".

Thank you so much for the ARC opportunity and I'll definitely be looking out for future books by Amy!

My first Meh of 2023.

I was so excited for this book because of the description and the cover is gorgeous! But I was so bored by this book.

We have a girl on a cruise ship when people start disappearing everyone thinks she is crazy. This book was just not exciting. It was the same thing over and over. It didn’t start getting good until the last 80% - 90% of the book.

The ending just ends. I felt like we got No Resolution and I am left with so many questions.

I highly enjoyed this. I love book that take place around the sea it did remind me of one of my all time favorite books i read last year ao when i won a giveaway to read this early i was so geeked out. I read this in 8 hours in one day i enjoy the characters and the plot had me on the edge of my seat it was different from any other novel these days

I enjoyed this book. It has a good atmosphere and is well written. I found the characters to be annoying at times, but it’s YA and I think that might be why. Overall, it was a fun read.

I really struggled with this one. I love the setting and premise, but the style didn't drag me in. I'm not sure how it'll do with a YA audience. I put it down and picked it up again several times, hoping to be drawn in and I wasn't. I did force myself through. The book is creepy in parts and the atmosphere is built well.

I think the characters are beginning to develop but they're not fully formed yet. Who is Liv? Who is Con? There was a big emphasis on wealth and social status that I think sacrificed now character development.

Best part: The semester at sea setting; it really gives the author so many things to play with.

This book has such a fun and cool concept for a young adult thriller at sea. I love the idea of it taking place during a semester at sea. It's a setting that I really haven't read before so it was nice and refreshing. I loved the creepy atmosphere of this book and how it takes sea related things and turns into horror aspects. The entire time I was reading this book it was a 4 star read until the very end. The ending was just so open ended and felt incomplete. The ending made it drop down a star unfortunately. I really enjoyed the book as a whole, I just wish it would've ended differently.

I really enjoyed Those We Drown! Thank you to Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s get into it:

This. Was. Great.
When I first read it was about a cruise ship o really didn’t know what I was in for. Liv was a true likable character. I felt like I could immediately relate to her as she joined this cruise liner and felt out of place surrounded by the hyper wealthy. The Instagram style influencers rang so true to real life.
Liv gets an awesome opportunity to partake in a Seamester but she realized the cruise ship is shady once her friend goes missing. The entire trip is her looking for her best friend and unraveling the fact that a group of Sirens and wealthy people have made a deal with the ocean to provide 7 souls in exchange for youth and blessings.
The pacing was great and the spooky factor was spot on. I found myself thinking about the characters throughout the day when I wasn’t reading.
I also loved the mythology factor. The author played on The Iliad in a way I’ve never seen before. WE NEED MORE CHICKEN SIRENS! I loved it.
My only con was that every single character had a nickname as they were introduced. It was hard to keep track for a bit. However, once she dropped the “I’m Frankfurt the 115th but call me Jared,” I was fine. Not a huge con, but something that pulled me out of the story for a bit. Overall, I really loved this.