I so enjoyed Newman's Falling a few years ago that I had to read this book. I was not disappointed. It's one of those books that is so intense you don't want to put it down.

I like the way the characters in the book interacted with each other. Imagine being in a live or die situation. How would one react? Probably the way some of the people acted in this book. I won't go into any detail because I hate spoiling books for others. Suffice it to say it's a wild, rollercoaster ride.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. This review provides honest feedback.

This book was so riveting and suspenseful, it completely absorbed me. I felt like I was there and was completely terrified as I turned each page. The author has such a knowledge of aviation, disaster, and the sea, it felt like the story was being told by a seasoned expert. The story was unrelenting in impactful events crashing together like brutal waves. Excellent book! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, and the author, T. J. Newman, for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of "Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421 (A Novel)." "Drowning" is the second novel I have had the privilege of reading by Ms. Newman. The plot ensues, with Flight 1421 departing from Hawaii and crashing into the Pacific Ocean six minutes after takeoff. Whew! While reading this novel, I held my breath several times while praying for the passengers trapped on the submerged jetliner and waiting impatiently for the elite team to develop and implement a workable rescue plan. The "Jaws" theme kept popping into my head. LOL!

Ms. Newman does a great job developing the characters and providing their backstories, connections, etc. This novel has non-stop action, multiple twists and turns, and cliffhanger chapters. Ms. Newman did a great job explaining the technical aspects of the deep-sea rescue, and the resolution was predictable in some instances but satisfying.

"Drowning" has a May 30, 2023, book release date, and I encourage you to rush to the bookstore and purchase this book.

Drowning by T.J. Newman is the definition of a page turning holiday read , perfect poolside or on the beach, though maybe not if you have a fear of flying. Readers of Newman's previous best seller Falling will know to expect plenty of drama and action and they will not be disappointed.
Six minutes after take off a commercial flight crashes into the pacific ocean off the coast of Hawaii. At first it seems like a disaster, but not yet a catastrophe as passengers make their way to the emergency exits and off the plane, but when one of the engines explodes ,the plane starts to flood and the only option is to close the doors trapping some passengers and crew inside as they sink to the bottom of the ocean. With time and air both running out, it is going to take a rescue of truly epic proportions to save those on board.
This is a thrilling set up for a book, with a built in ticking clock as we are constantly reminded of how many hours and minutes of air is left on board, and between this and the claustrophobic nature of a sealed metal tube, the tension remains high from beginning to end. Newman really leans into her history as a flight attendant to make the setting and characters more believable. Speaking of characters, no matter how dramatic a story set up is, the thing that really gets a reader invested is characters that they care about, and once again the author excels. Sure it might be implausible that the only woman who could possibly come up with a rescue solution would have a daughter and ex husband trapped on board, but this trio of characters are the emotional core of the book ( with an honorary mention to Ira and Ruth - you'll understand if you read) .
I wanted to devour this book in one sitting, and if life and work had not got in the way, I probably would have.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

I loved this book. It is a suspenseful fast paced read. The characters felt so real that I was truly rooting for them. It had me feeling so many emotions as I was reading. After reading this I am so glad we don't have any plans to travel by plane this summer!


Thank you Netgalley and Avid Reader Press for the e-arc.

It isn’t often that I hold my breath while reading a book. Ironically, I did that many, many times while reading this book. It seems like an outlandish premise. A plane crashes and a small group is trapped as it sinks to the ocean floor. There is a rescue mission that seems impossible, characters you can’t help but love, and tears as you sit on the edge of your seat. This is a “what would I do if it were me/“ kind of book. I read it in one sitting and am now looking into buying the last book by this author.

if I could give this book a million stars I would. I haven’t read a book that made me feel so anxious before. I have a strong resolve for all things, this hit somewhere different. 12 people are trapped in a plane near the bottom of the ocean 😳. This book, has a very Titanic impending doom feel to it. Once the decent happened, there was no turning back and by each page just when things seemed to slow down, something else would happen.

I went through every emotion reading this. I was mentally, emotionally and physically anxious. Needing to know what will happen next, this resulted in me finishing in less than 2 days. This novel was at the same time, incredibly heartbreaking. That ending did me dirty. I haven’t cried in a novel in a while, I had ugly mascara tears. I would recommend this novel 100 times over. This read will be staying with me for a while. INCREDIBLE

Oh. My. Heavens. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in one day, but I woke up early today and started reading DROWNING by T. J. Newman. I could not put it down. I carried the Kindle with me all day—to the gym, the post office, and the bank—just in case I had a minute to read. This electrifying thriller snares the reader from page one. It’s an adrenalin rush like I haven’t experienced in a while. A time or two, I realized I was holding my breath, usually at the intervals when the writer posted the amount of oxygen left in the cabin.

DROWNING is the story of a Flight 1421, outbound from Honolulu, which crashes into the Pacific Ocean six minutes after takeoff. The main characters are an estranged couple, Will and Chris, and their 11-year-old daughter Shannon. The father and daughter are passengers on the sinking aircraft, and the mother is a professional diver. T. J. Newman knows how to develop characters and weave a plot that no could ever foresee. It is action-packed and full of suspense. Ms. Newman is a former flight attendant and familiar with the typical routine and protocol during a flight, but she has done much more research on rescue, recovery, and emergency procedures, The reader will be well-informed after reading this book. DROWNING publishes on May 30, 2023. Don’t miss this one, but it is not the book to buy at the airport to read on your flight!

Drowning by T. J. Newman is the second book by this author, and I think it's even better than her first. This one is about a jetliner that crashes into the ocean, and the myriad ways that people work to rescue them. Each character has depth and a humanity to them, and it really made this story more than just a thriller. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT THIS DOWN-SO PLAN ON READING IT IN ONE SITTING!

The emergency landing of an aircraft on water is referred to as a “ditching”.

And, when Coastal flight 1421 departed Honolulu for San Francisco, and lost an engine, that is exactly what the aircraft had to do.

Flames were shooting out of the engine, part of the wing was shredded and systems and back up systems had failed, making it impossible for the pilots to return to Honolulu or reach an alternate airport.

Although an evacuation is initiated, it cannot be completed, and twelve passengers inside the aircraft are forced to detach the slide/raft and close the aircraft door, hoping that they can survive inside until they are rescued, but then the aircraft begins to sink.

16 MINUTES AFTER IMPACT-6.5 HOURS of OXYGEN LEFT IN THE PLANE

Those trapped two hundred feet below the surface in the damaged Airbus:
One of the pilots: Kit
Two of the four flight attendants: Kaholo and Molly
Maia-an unaccompanied minor
Ira and Ruth-an elderly couple celebrating an anniversary
Bernadette-a nurse
Jasmine-a woman donning an inflated life vest
Ryan, a newlywed who is now a widow
Will Kent and his daughter, Shannon
and of course, Andy-the passenger who has been an a**hole since he boarded the flight

There is no precedent for an event like this-though there are ways to rescue those trapped in submarines, but time is of the essence, as the sealed aircraft begins teetering like a see-saw on the edge of an underwater cliff.

TIME IS DWINDLING DOWN

OXYGEN IS RUNNING OUT

Their only chance of survival is an elite rescue team, led by a professional diver and underwater welder, Chris Kent, who happens to be Shannon’s mom, and Will’s soon to be “ex-wife”.

No doubt this will end up being my favorite ADRENALINE THRILLER of the year, as the action begins on page one and it DOESN’T let up. The tension is PALPABLE and the only time I set my Kindle aside is when the tears welled up in my eyes and the words were blurring!

I dare you not to cry!

T.J. Newman’s first book, “Falling” will soon be a major motion picture and I can see why there is already a bidding war to make “Drowning” into a movie, as well! 🍿

The good news?

You don’t have to wait long for the book-publishing on Tuesday May 30,2023.

Thank You to Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I could not put this book down. It was gripping to say the least. I loved reading from all of the different POV’s. I loved learning about planes, diving, rescues and especially about the unsung heroes—the flight attendants and pilots. Would give more than 5 stars. I think I need a Xanax after finishing this book. So good!

Thank you to Avid Reader Press, Netgalley and TJ Newman for the ARC.

I enjoyed Newman’s first book, so when I saw this one I definitely wanted to give it a try. Wow! This was a wild ride. Was it the best book I’ve ever read? No. Was it super well written? Also no. But was it incredibly fun and anxiety inducing and hard to put down? Yes!

If you are looking for a heart pumping thriller definitely look no further than Drowning. It’s one of those books that everything that could possibly go wrong does, but the cliffhangers and suspense were great and I could picture it all so clearly in my head. This would make an excellent movie.

This book took my breath away from the almost instantaneous plane troubles to the ditching in the water and all that ensued. Without giving much away, this book was a page-turner that kept me up reading way past my bedtime because I had to know how it would turn out.

I loved how the characters were developed. I felt like they were friends I was getting to know. I loved most of the characters and was rooting for them with each twist and turn that the story took.

My biggest advice is to wait to start this one until you have a chunk of time to read because you won't want to stop. My only regret is that it is over, and I won't be able to read it for the first time. I now need to read T.J. Newman's first book because with this one she has become an autoread author for me.

Thank you to T.J. Newman, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me access to an early reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Flight 1421 takes off from Hawaii and six minutes later it crashed into the Pacific Ocean. As people desperately try to escape, the engine explodes, the plane is flooded, and those who managed to get out deal with a ring of fire. The twelve people who are left in the place are forced to close the doors as the fuselage falls 200 feet into the ocean. Will Kent and his daughter Shannon are on the plane and the only one who can save them is Chris, Will's soon-to-be ex-wife, will she be able to devise a plan to save them all?

This was everything I hoped it would be. Newman goes into fantastic detail about the operation to save the passengers left on the plane even when other plans fail. There were many moments during my reading where my heart raced as the time since the crash grew long and the oxygen in the cabin grew shorter. The only issue I had with the story was misusing the character, Maia. She is an unaccompanied minor and is on the plane with the others. She is mentioned sparingly as if she were a throwaway character who only appears when the author remembers she is there. I think hearing her feelings during the story would have added to the storyline. Despite this, Drowning is a terrific sophomore novel by T.J. Newman and I can't wait to see what's next.

Dear Lord! I am never getting on a plane again!! I've always had a fear of flying, but after reading Falling and now Drowning?! NOPE! This was such an intensely terrifying, heart pounding story that reads just like an action movie. I was immediately hooked and flew through the chapters. I loved all of the characters and how they came together. I experienced a little confusion with some of the technical jargon and the switching between the rescue team characters, but this was a very minor flaw. This is probably due to the book being unedited. For those who have read Falling, this one was even better!! Newman definitely has a talent for writing scary plane crash scenarios. I am already looking forward to her next book!

Thank you to the author, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy to read and review. I loved this. I liked it more than 'Falling' it was incredibly fast-paced. I felt like I was trapped with all the characters waiting for rescue. I felt the plane fall, the water rise as it starts to flood the aircraft. Every move they made.
I just devoured the book. I wonder what TJ Newman will do next. I hope she keeps these airplane tragedies going. Although that might increase some fear in all of us. Some horror and thrills can be good sometimes. Right?
The cover is awesome as well, just like in 'falling'. The cover in any book I think really speaks a lot about a book. I know we've always been told to never judge a book by it's cover. But I disagree with that. The cover is the first thing a lot of us see. Even before a synopsis. It can speak a lot about the book. The cover can not only tell the genre of a book, or even the author if they use similar styles or the same designer, but it helps it bring life to books, and helps attract the reader. That's what attracted me to TJ Newman's books. (As well as many other authors works).

If you're a fan of 'Falling' TJ Newman's first novel, I highly highly suggest you check this one out. Now I read both of her books on solid ground, but if you really want a scared, read it on an airplane, or this one in the ocean.

Happy reading.

I’m definitely a fan! I listened to Falling in 2021 and that book stuck with me and I told everyone to read it.
Fast forward to now and I’ve just finished Drowning and couldn’t put it down! It sucks you in from the beginning and takes you on a wild ride! I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t read fast enough. In spite of it being a thriller there were still touching and/or sad moments that brought tears. Great book! I always feel like I’m watching a movie when I read one of her books.

This was the kind of book that drew you in from the first page and kept you in a chokehold until the end.

Super fast paced, thrilling, nail biting type of stuff.

It had an eclectic cast of characters that I fell in love with (well… except for one.) I loved each of their roles within the story and the little bit of backstory we got along the way.

I felt like the story advanced super well. I literally didn’t want to stop reading.

Liked this one just as much as “Falling.”

Liked this even more than Falling. Super fast read, read I'm half a day. Just like her first book, it reads like you are watching a movie. She is definitely an auto read author foe me! 4.5 stars rounded up.

T.J. Newman is the thriller writer of the 2020's! Following "Falling," her sophomore effort is another non-stop thrills airplane story.

In Drowning, Flight 1421 crashes right after taking off from Hawaii. The chapter about the crash alone will render you speechless! Some of the passengers determine the best way to stay alive is to stay in the floating body of the plane. At first, its seems like a great idea. Then the plane sinks down through the Pacific Ocean.

Prepare to not come up for air as Newman alternates between scenes of the rescue effort and the individuals stuck inside. It is truly a nail-biter and masterfully plotted and paced. If you are looking for a fantastic thriller, Drowning is the THRILLER OF THE YEAR! (Just don't read on a flight)
#Drowning #TJNewman #AvidReaderPress