4.5 stars

Whew what a ride this book was!!!

Much like the author's previous book, Falling (which I loved), Drowning sucks you in IMMEDIATELY and you're off. It was very, very hard to put this book down and even with a lot of life things going on I managed to finish it in just over a day.

As a fan of the movie Titanic, the few easter eggs throughout the book also amused me.

Overall this was the perfect book to kick off summer reading with. If you're looking for a break from the traditional beach reads but still want something quick-paced this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was an exciting thriller that started when an airplane with over 90 people on board crashes and sinks into the Pacifie Ocean near the Hawaiian islands. I like that the main characters are a small family - Will and his young daughter Shannon and his estranged wife, professional diver Chris - around whose personal life the drama revolves.

Suspenseful, unpredictable, and filled with interesting personalities under extreme stress, the novel looks at human nature trapped in difficult circumstances as well as the physical reality of attempts to save people trapped in an airplane under water.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this nail biting adventure.

Fast-paced, thrilling, tense and action-packed - Drowning is an absolute must read. I devoured the author’s first book, Falling, and was similarly hooked by her newest masterpiece.

There is nothing to dislike about this book - the characters are deeply developed and realistic, the story ensures your heart is in your throat until the end, the chapters are short and punchy. As with Falling, you can see the author’s years of experience as a flight attendant shine through the vivid situations and scenes she has created.

I am terrified of flying yet confusingly find everything aeroplane related fascinating, so even though this story is yet again my worst nightmare (even more so than Falling as I’m scared of the deep dark blue too!) I could not put it down and was completely engrossed in the fate of the passengers of flight 1421. There is a serious race against time element which adds an extra layer of tension and a frenzied need to get to the end.

This book gets 4 solid stars from me: there were a couple of instances that felt particularly convenient and manufactured to fit in with the plot toward the end but overall Drowning is exactly the nail-biting, compelling question of survival in the face of disaster that I was hoping for.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is my second book by T. J Newman after devouring Falling so I went in with high expectations and excitement. This book stressed me out and snatched my hairline in the greatest way possible. I was on the edge of my reading seat and I have zero regrets. Just a mere 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. The plot then thickens as we read on as the elite rescue team led by Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife has no option than to work together to save their daughter. It took me on an emotional ride and made me believe in the resilience of the human spirit. Everyone must read it and preferably before and n=not mid-flight.

I’ve heard that this book will be made into a movie, and I definitely understand why. The premise is perfect for the screen: Likable characters, being trapped inside an airplane under water and the nearly impossible task of getting the passengers out of there.

For the most part I loved the book. The only thing that made it less perfect for ME was all the tech stuff, which left my mind wandering and frankly made me feel a bit stupid. When I looked past however, there was so much going on that I still thought about what would happen next when I couldn’t read. It was also emotional, especially segments dedicated to Will and his daughter. There were moments when the characters realized what is important, and you just felt for them in their predicament. I also liked how capable and intelligent Will was. It was obvious that he would stop at nothing to save his little girl. Her mother also has a central role, and her ingenuity was impressive.

The last chapters were intense. So much was going on, and the author even tightened the suspense by a storm that also made the conditions on land challenging. At some points I wanted to pray, and I was tense from all the anticipation. I could almost not stomach the intensity of it all.

Compelling thriller. I'm scared of flying and drowning and small spaces, so this was a lot of worst nightmares packed into one book. Enough interesting stories of smart people working together to keep the tone more hopeful at times.

Flight 1421 plunges toward the ocean. You’d think that would be the hook, the big plot twist. Not even close. When the plane falls from the sky, that is just the beginning of an incredible story of survival, friendship, love and loss.

Will is accompanying his daughter Shannon to camp when their plane dives into the ocean. His only goal - save her. Will makes the decision to close the doors of the plane instead of jumping onto a life raft, trapping him, his daughter, other passengers and crew inside the plane. This book explores their fight to survive from inside the plane and the efforts of those trying to save them from both land and sea.

This is a fast-paced read you won’t want to put down. I swiftly fell in love with these characters (well, most of them). I cried and laughed as if I was stuck inside the plane with them all. I stayed up late into the night, holding my breath, furiously turning the pages to find out if they would make it out alive. No matter their fate, this book made ME feel alive and appreciate every breath of fresh air. It’s quite possible you will, too. Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is my favorite galley to date.

Did I go into this book thinking I’d give it 5 stars. No.
Did I go into this book thinking I’d be holding my breath as much as the characters? No.
Did I go into this book thinking it’d make me want to cry. Multiple times?! No.
Did I think I’d read it in less than 24 hours? No.
But it’s all true. TJ Newman kept me on the edge of my seat/bed/chair, or wherever I could sit and hold my kindle, because I wasn’t putting this one down. The story played out amazing and the amount of research she put into this book is astounding. Kudos!

Ahhhh!!! That's me screaming after reading this in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. It is pulse pounding and heart stopping (can you be both???) I kept thinking I wasn't going to finish because I was scared. It's a crazy thrill ride from the first sentence but still has a lot of emotional scenes to make it even more compelling. The characters are really good and it reads like a movie. It's so detailed. I don't know when my heart rate will settle! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wowzas! TJ Newman does it again!

This read was Crazy good! High energy! Claustrophobic! Gut wrenching scary! Yes, it deserves all the !!!

I loved this read and will definitely recommend it!

From page one, this book is intense. T.J. Newman doesn’t give you a chance to even get comfortable before your heart is racing. The book centers around Will and Chris and their tension filled marriage, but you also get perspectives from passengers on the plane, the flight crew, as well as the rescue teams. With that many perspectives, you’d think it would get confusing, but it made the stakes higher seeing how everyone was dealing with the plane crash. The scenes in the plane were so intense, I could not stop reading to see if and how the passengers would survive.

I read this book in a day, and could not put it down. Every decision that was made was crucial to survival. I was fully immersed in this book, and wanted to see if or how the passengers would be rescued. You feel so many emotions reading this book: anxiety, fear, sadness, nervousness, and relief. Overall, I enjoyed this action packed book, and was on the edge of my seat from the first page. This book was made for the big screen.

This one I was very much looking forward to. I liked Falling, so to have another “same but different” story was exciting.

I was at the edge of my seat for most of this book. Hearing Will’s backstory really got me invested. At first I had trouble keeping the characters straight, but it got better. I really wish there had been a diagram of exactly how the plane was in the water. I couldn’t always follow what was happening. That’s probably just me!

This summer I’ve tried to pick books outside the typical genres I read. One of the podcasts I listen to highly recommended Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421, and so I thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad I ventured outside of my zone because how else are you going to expand your horizons if you don’t try? But I don’t feel qualified to review it now that I’ve read it.

I found myself skimming over technical, “science-y” parts to get to what I enjoy—relationships. A family is at the center of the book, and I loved reading about them, but I have a sneaking suspicion this book’s goal is to ratchet up the tension. And I bypassed some of that even though the author—interestingly a former flight attendant—had definitely done a lot of in-depth research.

A couple of things didn’t ring true for me. I won’t include what they were to avoid spoilers, but I did find myself saying, “Really?” a couple of times. And, like I say, it could be totally me.

James Patterson called it “the first terrific thriller of 2023,” and who am I to argue with a master author? I’ve decided I don’t want to be gripped in taut thrillers when I’m reading before I go to sleep at night…especially not when I just bought plane tickets for two different trips this year!

But, if you think you might love a thriller about a commercial jet that crashes and sinks to the bottom of the ocean with passengers trapped inside, go for it. I’m giving it 3.5 stars, but you may think it’s a solid 5. All that said, I think it will make a fantastic movie, and I’ll go see it right after that airplane I’m on lands safely.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Flight 1421 crashes into the ocean minutes after takeoff. Some passengers are still inside the plane, alive but, the plane is sinking.

Every odd is against the passengers and the rescue team. Every minute that goes by is another minute something could go very, very wrong.

What will it take to survive....

Doing a little happy dance of joy upon finishing this book because it was just so bloody good!!

I loved Falling by this author but, I absolutely loved this one!

Nerve wrackingly good!! On the edge of your seat shocks and scares! Human nature, love, family bonds and the utter drive to survive even in the most unthinkable situation. I loved everything about this book!

The author pulls you in instantly, the need to know, the cliffhanger chapters, the pure panic I felt at times just made this book even more appealing with each turn of the page! I devoured it! This book ticks all the boxes and I would have no issues recommend this one to anyone who loves a hold onto your pants thriller! It's one hell of a ride!

T.J Newman has come with her second book in just as spectacular fashion as the first one! Her first book, “Falling “
Had a plane in hostage situation. In this new book….a plane leaves the airport full of passengers, crew and jet fuel.
Several minutes later the plane is in the ocean and people are clinging to whatever shred of hope they have of surviving.
As the story unfolds, efforts are made to save them and a family torn apart in other circumstances is reunited.
A terrific, nail biter. Full of action and drama. With the realism you would hope for from a former flight attendant.
Great book. I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

I absolutely could not put this book down. It was even better than Newman's first book. The tension was on point. The believability was there. Exactly what I need in a suspense book. Loved!

✨Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ✨

Drowning 📚 by T.J. Newman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Holy smokes...I'm still processing this one. I devoured this in a few hours - it was impossible to put down. This book is intense and emotional from the first page - I cried and at moments shook my head in awe of what was happening. This is probably the best book of the year for me...

I would not recommend this book if you have a fear of flying and/or frequently fly with kiddos, as it could make for a very difficult read. This book follows a plane crash - its survivors, the people who did not survive, and the people involved in the rescue mission. The themes in this book were emotional as well - grief, divorce, and incredible strength and hope.

I haven't read the first book by this author yet, but it'll definitely be added to my #tbr now!

Thank you to @netgalley and Avid Reader Press/Simon Schuster for the #advancedreaderscopy!

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#justread #bookstack #booklovers #alwaysreading #readersofinstagram #bookreview #instareads #goodreads #bookworm #bookaddict #readersofig #bookreviewer #bookaddict #bookstagram

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
I read this authors first book so I was so excited when I saw she had another book —- and it as another page turner!
Wow! A jetliner crashed into the ocean with people trapped inside,. Will and his wife lost their first daughter and their marriage was struggling, now Will and his daughter are trapped in the plane waiting to be rescued, and as each hour passes there is less and less oxygen.
Wills wife is a professional diver and is on the rescue team. Can they save them in time?
You won’t want to miss this thriller!

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>Drowning</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Newman's latest novel is another thriller set in the aviation world. A flight heading from Hawaii to the mainland crashes just minutes after takeoff. The plane crashes with a full load of fuel into the Pacific Ocean. Initially there are lots of survivors but fierce fires on the surface of the water result in numerous fatalities.

A small group of passengers and crew remain in the airplane cabin as it sinks into the water. Luckily the plane lands on a subterranean shelf, halting their descent. Among the survivors are two children, the pilot, an elderly couple, and an engineer, Will, who still grieves for his deceased daughter while still parenting his living child, Shannon. The survivors aren't badly hurt and a small air pocket keeps them alive but rescue appears unlikely. Their only hope lies with Chris, Will's estranged wife and Shannon's mom. Her specialty is deep water welding and fabrication.

Newman presents a thrilling "what if" scenario that might make readers hesitant to ever fly again. This was a fun read.

I loved Newman’s first novel “Falling,” and, just as with it, “Drowning” kept me on the edge of my seat. It was suspenseful, emotional, thrilling, and fast paced. I don’t know why, but I am drawn to thrillers set on aircraft and have always loved disaster movies. You can bet I will read any book Newman writes.

Flight 1421 has hardly even left Honolulu when an engine explodes, all systems are non-operational, and the aircraft crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Many passengers get out, but the danger that awaits them outside is unexpected and catastrophic. Twelve passengers become trapped inside when the aircraft sinks into the ocean and comes to rest on an unsafe shelf 200 feet below sea level.

Engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are among those trapped in the aircraft. The Navy and Coast Guard have never encountered this rescue scenario. It’s not the same as submarine rescues as there is no docking point on an aircraft. Fortunately, Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife and Shannon’s mother is part of an elite underwater team that can assist with the rescue. But the clock is ticking. The oxygen in the aircraft will soon be depleted. It is a desperate fight for survival. Thus begins an extraordinary rescue operation.

This is also a story of the passengers’ determination to survive and the bonds that form among them. Each passenger must dig deep within themselves and show what they are made of. It is in these scenes that Newman writes with such an emotional depth that the reader feels the characters’ emotions and can fully relate with them.

Once you read the first chapter of this book, you will find it nearly impossible to put it down. How many of the passengers will survive? And what are the rescuers? How many of them will die in their attempts to save those who are trapped? It will leave you exhausted.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.