What do you think?
Rate this book
The Drowning Game
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Award-winning author Dusti Bowling masterfully crafts a wild ride on Arizona’s Salt River in this thriller inspired by Hitchcock’s
Vertigo that’s perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.
It’s the late 1990s, and seventeen-year-old Christian is content with his summer plans to work and hang out with his cat, when he gets a phone call from his best friend that will change his life forever. James invites Christian to Arizona for a whitewater rafting trip, even though he knows Christian is terrified of water. But James is persuasive, and Christian relents.
In Salt River Canyon, the heat is scorching, and so is James’s pretty girlfriend, Freya. However, something seems off between the couple as bitter words fly. When James and the others disappear in the second raft, Christian and Freya are left to face the rapids alone. Disaster strikes when Freya falls into the river, and Christian is frozen with fear.
One year later, Christian is still wracked with guilt over Freya’s death. Now, he’s a freshman at Arizona State University, and he thinks he sees Freya on campus. It can’t be her. Freya is dead, after all. They found her body. Didn’t they? Christian follows Madison, the girl who looks like Freya, everywhere. He was certain Freya had died that day, but now he’s certain Madison is Freya. Will he ever find out what’s real? Or will his obsession be his downfall?
Vertigo that’s perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.
It’s the late 1990s, and seventeen-year-old Christian is content with his summer plans to work and hang out with his cat, when he gets a phone call from his best friend that will change his life forever. James invites Christian to Arizona for a whitewater rafting trip, even though he knows Christian is terrified of water. But James is persuasive, and Christian relents.
In Salt River Canyon, the heat is scorching, and so is James’s pretty girlfriend, Freya. However, something seems off between the couple as bitter words fly. When James and the others disappear in the second raft, Christian and Freya are left to face the rapids alone. Disaster strikes when Freya falls into the river, and Christian is frozen with fear.
One year later, Christian is still wracked with guilt over Freya’s death. Now, he’s a freshman at Arizona State University, and he thinks he sees Freya on campus. It can’t be her. Freya is dead, after all. They found her body. Didn’t they? Christian follows Madison, the girl who looks like Freya, everywhere. He was certain Freya had died that day, but now he’s certain Madison is Freya. Will he ever find out what’s real? Or will his obsession be his downfall?
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Dusti Bowling
21 books1,370 followersDUSTI BOWLING is a USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of books for children of all ages.
Dusti's books have won the Reading the West Award, the Sakura Medal, a Golden Kite Honor, the William Allen White Children's Book Award, and have been nominated for a Cybil and over sixty state awards. Her books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, Kirkus, Bank Street College of Education, A Mighty Girl, Shelf Awareness, and many more.
Dusti currently lives in Arizona with her husband and three daughters.
Visit her website at www.dustibowling.com
Dusti's books have won the Reading the West Award, the Sakura Medal, a Golden Kite Honor, the William Allen White Children's Book Award, and have been nominated for a Cybil and over sixty state awards. Her books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, Kirkus, Bank Street College of Education, A Mighty Girl, Shelf Awareness, and many more.
Dusti currently lives in Arizona with her husband and three daughters.
Visit her website at www.dustibowling.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 19, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC
"The drowning game" was a suspenseful read. Sure, a bit confusing at times, but engaging. We follow Christian, a seventeen-year-old boy, whose life and psyche are completely changed when Freya, his best friend’s girlfriend, loses her life while whitewater rafting. Or has she? It is very fast-paced, it's great for the tense atmosphere of the story. It is this tension that makes it particularly gripping. I would have loved a slightly more developed second part, as the ending and resolution especially felt a bit rushed. However, the character psychology is well-developed, especially the in-depth description of Christian's emotions and him being in what he describes as the "grey area". My feelings towards him kinda went up and down, especially in the middle of the second part who “the bad guy”actually was started was ambiguous, or so I thought.
"The drowning game" was a suspenseful read. Sure, a bit confusing at times, but engaging. We follow Christian, a seventeen-year-old boy, whose life and psyche are completely changed when Freya, his best friend’s girlfriend, loses her life while whitewater rafting. Or has she? It is very fast-paced, it's great for the tense atmosphere of the story. It is this tension that makes it particularly gripping. I would have loved a slightly more developed second part, as the ending and resolution especially felt a bit rushed. However, the character psychology is well-developed, especially the in-depth description of Christian's emotions and him being in what he describes as the "grey area". My feelings towards him kinda went up and down, especially in the middle of the second part who “the bad guy”actually was started was ambiguous, or so I thought.
May 1, 2026
Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for an eARC to read and review before publishing.
I am a huge fan of Dusti Bowling, but, unfortunately, I was disappointed with The Drowning Game. For me, the pacing felt disconcertingly off. I never truly felt rooted in the characters or why I should be caring about what was happening. The resolution felt rushed and incomplete.
I will continue to read Dusti's writing, but this one just wasn't for me.
I am a huge fan of Dusti Bowling, but, unfortunately, I was disappointed with The Drowning Game. For me, the pacing felt disconcertingly off. I never truly felt rooted in the characters or why I should be caring about what was happening. The resolution felt rushed and incomplete.
I will continue to read Dusti's writing, but this one just wasn't for me.
June 21, 2026
A thrilling ride on the whitewater of Arizona’s Salt River as well as thru the twists and turns of a college freshman as he navigates guilt over a girl killed on that same river but now apparently walking around his college campus.
Summer before his senior year in high school, Christian’s best friend convinces him to join a group on a rafting trip down the Salt River as one last nod to childhood before they will begin making some serious life choices. But the dynamics among the four boys and one girl are fractured: Christian and James have not really been best friends and the two have both changed a great deal since he had to move away from Arizona and to Minnesota after his father died, James and his girlfriend Freya spend more time fighting than expressing any affection for one another, and James’ private school buddies Scott and Daniel seem to be staying out of their way and going along with whatever James suggests. Misgivings simmer but when Christian discovers that the Arizona group has failed to include life jackets or helmets, they begin to boil but James always has seemed to be able to convince others that everything will be fine. While on the proposed 3 day trip, the fighting between James and Freya almost becomes physical and she and Christian begin to partner in everything until the two decide that not only should they separate from the other three boys for safety reasons but because they are developing feelings for one another. Just before the end of the water route, a rough patch of water throws Freya from the back of the rubber raft and she disappears. Christian freezes and huddles at the bottom of the raft when he realizes she is not behind him and 6 days later, her body is discovered. In the aftermath, Christian muddles through his senior year, wallows in guilt and, wanting to feel what Freya felt, periodically salts the water in his tub and plays what he calls “The Drowning Game.” With the help of a counselor, he recovers to a place where college back in Arizona, as far from water as possible, is possible and after finding an apartment, a job and a girlfriend, starts to think of things outside of a dead girl. That is, until he sees her on campus and information from a freshman forensics class stirs up questions about an event he thought he had moved past.
Arizona is typically a setting for books by Bowling, middle grade titles such as Canyon’s Edge and Across the Desert, and she has always made the sights and sounds of the state come alive with her words and in this YA title, will make readers feel the jolts of whitewater toss raft and occupants, the heat of the desert sun and on the campus of Arizona State University, the hustle of student life. Christian’s angst over his inaction when Freya fell from the boat and died is palatable and coupled with the death of his father, it seems reasonable that he would struggle with those same readers hurting for him and wondering if he really is going “off a cliff” with his obsession over the Freya lookalike. Bits of forensics are built into the story as well as plenty of musical references and events of the 1999 timeframe, including worries over Y2K and the feared financial collapse it was supposed to bring. Romance between Freya and James, Christian and Freya, and then Christian and Nikki is threaded throughout but not in such a heavy-handed way that The Drowning Game would be shelved in any other genres except thriller, action-adventure or possibly mystery.
Outstanding choice for grades 7-12.
*Profanity: none
*Violence: nature’s whitewater, plenty of yelling in anger and fear/thrills, a wielded knife and gun, death in the water; none is graphically recounted or particularly bloody
*Sexual content: none (Physical expressions are limited to kissing, hand-holding, cuddles and all characters remain clothed.)
*Representation: predominantly Caucasian cast; varying economic levels from struggling financially to extremely wealthy
*LBGTQ+: none
*Underage alcohol use: Drinking is part of the rafting trip while the group is all 17 and there is one college party where the predominantly college freshman group is drinking.
Note: With the ever-increasing level of profanity and sexual content in YA titles, I am curious about how well this title is received by teens. This retired librarian loved the book and its thrills and chills, but will the target audience feel like it lacks something if the rafters aren’t screaming cuss words at the top of the lungs or if the kisses don’t go further than that?
Thanks for the eARC, Union Square and Co. and Edelweiss!
Summer before his senior year in high school, Christian’s best friend convinces him to join a group on a rafting trip down the Salt River as one last nod to childhood before they will begin making some serious life choices. But the dynamics among the four boys and one girl are fractured: Christian and James have not really been best friends and the two have both changed a great deal since he had to move away from Arizona and to Minnesota after his father died, James and his girlfriend Freya spend more time fighting than expressing any affection for one another, and James’ private school buddies Scott and Daniel seem to be staying out of their way and going along with whatever James suggests. Misgivings simmer but when Christian discovers that the Arizona group has failed to include life jackets or helmets, they begin to boil but James always has seemed to be able to convince others that everything will be fine. While on the proposed 3 day trip, the fighting between James and Freya almost becomes physical and she and Christian begin to partner in everything until the two decide that not only should they separate from the other three boys for safety reasons but because they are developing feelings for one another. Just before the end of the water route, a rough patch of water throws Freya from the back of the rubber raft and she disappears. Christian freezes and huddles at the bottom of the raft when he realizes she is not behind him and 6 days later, her body is discovered. In the aftermath, Christian muddles through his senior year, wallows in guilt and, wanting to feel what Freya felt, periodically salts the water in his tub and plays what he calls “The Drowning Game.” With the help of a counselor, he recovers to a place where college back in Arizona, as far from water as possible, is possible and after finding an apartment, a job and a girlfriend, starts to think of things outside of a dead girl. That is, until he sees her on campus and information from a freshman forensics class stirs up questions about an event he thought he had moved past.
Arizona is typically a setting for books by Bowling, middle grade titles such as Canyon’s Edge and Across the Desert, and she has always made the sights and sounds of the state come alive with her words and in this YA title, will make readers feel the jolts of whitewater toss raft and occupants, the heat of the desert sun and on the campus of Arizona State University, the hustle of student life. Christian’s angst over his inaction when Freya fell from the boat and died is palatable and coupled with the death of his father, it seems reasonable that he would struggle with those same readers hurting for him and wondering if he really is going “off a cliff” with his obsession over the Freya lookalike. Bits of forensics are built into the story as well as plenty of musical references and events of the 1999 timeframe, including worries over Y2K and the feared financial collapse it was supposed to bring. Romance between Freya and James, Christian and Freya, and then Christian and Nikki is threaded throughout but not in such a heavy-handed way that The Drowning Game would be shelved in any other genres except thriller, action-adventure or possibly mystery.
Outstanding choice for grades 7-12.
*Profanity: none
*Violence: nature’s whitewater, plenty of yelling in anger and fear/thrills, a wielded knife and gun, death in the water; none is graphically recounted or particularly bloody
*Sexual content: none (Physical expressions are limited to kissing, hand-holding, cuddles and all characters remain clothed.)
*Representation: predominantly Caucasian cast; varying economic levels from struggling financially to extremely wealthy
*LBGTQ+: none
*Underage alcohol use: Drinking is part of the rafting trip while the group is all 17 and there is one college party where the predominantly college freshman group is drinking.
Note: With the ever-increasing level of profanity and sexual content in YA titles, I am curious about how well this title is received by teens. This retired librarian loved the book and its thrills and chills, but will the target audience feel like it lacks something if the rafters aren’t screaming cuss words at the top of the lungs or if the kisses don’t go further than that?
Thanks for the eARC, Union Square and Co. and Edelweiss!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In the summer of 1999, Christian is surprised when his friend James calls him out of the blue and demands that he go on a white water rafting trip with him on the Salt River in Arizona. Christian and his mother moved to Minnesota after the death of his father from cancer, and his life has been pretty boring. There's not much to do but work at Taco Bell and play video games, so he finds himself reluctantly agreeing, since James has already bought his planet ticket. He doesn't tell his mother the trip involves the water, since he had a previous unpleasant incident, but just says they are going camping. When he arrives, James introduces him to his girlfriend, Freya, as well as Daniel and Scott. The trip seems ill-planned, since there are no life jackets, little food, and only three sleeping bags, but there is a cooler with beer. Christian finds Freya to be very attractive, and when she and Christian decline to go over one of the falls and instead portage around, the two have some heart-to-heart conversations about James' treatment of her. The trip doesn't go well, and ends with Freya getting washed off of the raft and drowning. Christian, frozen with fear, doesn't jump in to save her. He's not charged with her death; it's ruled accidental after her body is found. Christian hopes to attend college in Minnesota, but is only accepted into Arizona State. He's just as glad to be away from the water. He gets an apartment and starts classes, including one on forensic science. He starts dating Nikki, but things start going poorly after he sees a girl who looks just like Freya. He becomes obsessed with her and follows her, which leads to the police delivering a restraining order. Madison Barton may say she's not Freya, but what's the real story? Fans of April Henry will absolutely adore the dark twists and turns!
Strengths: I absolutely loved Christian, and thought that his relationship with James was completely realistic, and that the twists and turns this takes are completely dependent on both the characters and their history together in a way that is rather brilliant. The rafting trip ended halfway through the book, and I was a bit confused. That's it? Now Christian just goes off to college? Ah, but that's where things REALLY get interesting. Definitely dark and psychological in ways I can't really describe without ruining the suspense. I loved the depiction of college classes, the apartment, and Nikki; young adult books used to have characters in college more than they do now. The most brilliant part of this is that Bowling was circumspect in her use of language and situations. There is some drinking, and there is a brief make out scene where Nikki tells Christian to stop and he does, but there is no mature language or anything else that would make this inappropriate for more mature middle school readers. The 1999 setting ads a little bit of interest, and also does away with the difficulties that cell phones would have caused with the plot.
Weaknesses: This did catch me off guard a bit, perhaps because of the cognitive disconnect between Bowling's Sir Edmund and Aven Green books and the much older and darker content of this title. There was no reason for the father to have died; people move to different states all the time for work or to be near family. I also personally could have done without the depiction of Christian pretending (?) to drown himself in the bathtub to replicate what Freya would have experienced, but he never seems to be very serious about causing himself harm. That detail does cause the book to have a warning note, and would be the main reason to think critically about having this in a middle school library.
What I really think: This is a fantastic book for readers who enjoy April Henry's many dark mysteries or Van Draanen's The Steps. Ms. Bowling has done many different types of excellent books, but I really think she has found her niche with this new book, and I hope that she continues to write more upper middle grade/young adult mysteries! After much reflection, I will be buying this for my collection.
In the summer of 1999, Christian is surprised when his friend James calls him out of the blue and demands that he go on a white water rafting trip with him on the Salt River in Arizona. Christian and his mother moved to Minnesota after the death of his father from cancer, and his life has been pretty boring. There's not much to do but work at Taco Bell and play video games, so he finds himself reluctantly agreeing, since James has already bought his planet ticket. He doesn't tell his mother the trip involves the water, since he had a previous unpleasant incident, but just says they are going camping. When he arrives, James introduces him to his girlfriend, Freya, as well as Daniel and Scott. The trip seems ill-planned, since there are no life jackets, little food, and only three sleeping bags, but there is a cooler with beer. Christian finds Freya to be very attractive, and when she and Christian decline to go over one of the falls and instead portage around, the two have some heart-to-heart conversations about James' treatment of her. The trip doesn't go well, and ends with Freya getting washed off of the raft and drowning. Christian, frozen with fear, doesn't jump in to save her. He's not charged with her death; it's ruled accidental after her body is found. Christian hopes to attend college in Minnesota, but is only accepted into Arizona State. He's just as glad to be away from the water. He gets an apartment and starts classes, including one on forensic science. He starts dating Nikki, but things start going poorly after he sees a girl who looks just like Freya. He becomes obsessed with her and follows her, which leads to the police delivering a restraining order. Madison Barton may say she's not Freya, but what's the real story? Fans of April Henry will absolutely adore the dark twists and turns!
Strengths: I absolutely loved Christian, and thought that his relationship with James was completely realistic, and that the twists and turns this takes are completely dependent on both the characters and their history together in a way that is rather brilliant. The rafting trip ended halfway through the book, and I was a bit confused. That's it? Now Christian just goes off to college? Ah, but that's where things REALLY get interesting. Definitely dark and psychological in ways I can't really describe without ruining the suspense. I loved the depiction of college classes, the apartment, and Nikki; young adult books used to have characters in college more than they do now. The most brilliant part of this is that Bowling was circumspect in her use of language and situations. There is some drinking, and there is a brief make out scene where Nikki tells Christian to stop and he does, but there is no mature language or anything else that would make this inappropriate for more mature middle school readers. The 1999 setting ads a little bit of interest, and also does away with the difficulties that cell phones would have caused with the plot.
Weaknesses: This did catch me off guard a bit, perhaps because of the cognitive disconnect between Bowling's Sir Edmund and Aven Green books and the much older and darker content of this title. There was no reason for the father to have died; people move to different states all the time for work or to be near family. I also personally could have done without the depiction of Christian pretending (?) to drown himself in the bathtub to replicate what Freya would have experienced, but he never seems to be very serious about causing himself harm. That detail does cause the book to have a warning note, and would be the main reason to think critically about having this in a middle school library.
What I really think: This is a fantastic book for readers who enjoy April Henry's many dark mysteries or Van Draanen's The Steps. Ms. Bowling has done many different types of excellent books, but I really think she has found her niche with this new book, and I hope that she continues to write more upper middle grade/young adult mysteries! After much reflection, I will be buying this for my collection.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I kept seeing this come across my dashboard, and I confess I originally requested it thinking it was middle grade. It’s definitely YA, but I could definitely see my former 7th and 8th graders reading it. Actually now that I think about it, this would have made a stellar read aloud for 8th grade during my Hitchcock unit! (which I don’t think they’re doing anymore, woe)
Our main character is Christian. He grew up in Arizona, but moved to Minnesota after his father passed away. He’s kept in touch with his best friend James throughout high school, and when James calls to invite him on a rafting trip the summer before they’re both about to start senior year, Christian reluctantly agrees. He’s afraid of water, and still reeling from a previous rafting trip in the 8th grade when he nearly drowned. But he wants to see James, and also meet Freya, the girlfriend James can’t stop talking about. But when he arrives, the vibes are weird. James and Freya seem to be at each other’s throats, plus there’s these 2 other dudes coming along who seem like jackasses. Christian quickly starts falling for Freya in that very teenaged way - what’s interesting about this is that we usually see this kind of instalove relationship from the girl’s side, so it’s at least somewhat refreshing to watch a teenage boy get all moony over a girl he barely knows. On the second day, the group gets separated - Christian refuses to go over the Quartzite falls, so he and Freya portage the raft and supplies while the other 3 go over. But they aren’t at the designated meetup point, so Christian and Freya continue on without them. But then they hit some really bad rapids - Freya falls out, Christian panics and can’t save her, and Freya drowns (all of this is in the blurb, so I don’t consider it a spoiler). Christian is wracked with guilt - if he were braver he could have jumped in and saved her! And no amount of logic will talk him out of it, even though it’s clear that if he’d jumped in after her, they BOTH would have drowned. James didn’t bother to pack life jackets OR helmets, so they were already tempting fate.
Christian tries to get over the experience (Freya’s body is pulled out of the river about a week later, so he has some closure at least), and decides to return to Arizona for college. Things are going well at first - he’s excelling in his forensic science class, he reconnects with his middle school crush - but then he sees a girl in his psychology class who looks *exactly* like Freya. He starts obsessing over it - logically he knows Freya died, but he starts twisting himself into knots coming up with alternate scenarios for how she might have survived. But the deeper he falls down that rabbit hole, the more dangerous it gets.
I can’t say more without giving away spoilers, but I really enjoyed this ride. It’s a spin on Vertigo, which I haven’t seen in ages, and it definitely has some Hitchcock vibes overall. Christian is reminiscent of Rachel in Girl on the Train - just getting in deeper and deeper and knowing it’s self-destructive and dangerous, but unable to stop himself from doing it. I also love that this takes place in 1999 - it’s necessary for plot reasons; there are a few things that would fall apart in the smartphone era. We were really in a 90s thriller renaissance for a hot second a couple of years ago, and I still dig that particular setting. Plus if this ever gets made into a series, the music will be excellent. Finally, let me state for the record, and all of the anxious pet owners like me - Christian has an orange cat named Zia. At NO POINT is Zia EVER in anything remotely approaching danger. She also doesn’t play a super significant role in the story, but she’s around enough and important enough to Christian that I started to worry something bad might happen to her. She’s perfectly fine.
I have a couple of small logic quibbles I’ll get into after this is published, but overall I found it really entertaining.
Our main character is Christian. He grew up in Arizona, but moved to Minnesota after his father passed away. He’s kept in touch with his best friend James throughout high school, and when James calls to invite him on a rafting trip the summer before they’re both about to start senior year, Christian reluctantly agrees. He’s afraid of water, and still reeling from a previous rafting trip in the 8th grade when he nearly drowned. But he wants to see James, and also meet Freya, the girlfriend James can’t stop talking about. But when he arrives, the vibes are weird. James and Freya seem to be at each other’s throats, plus there’s these 2 other dudes coming along who seem like jackasses. Christian quickly starts falling for Freya in that very teenaged way - what’s interesting about this is that we usually see this kind of instalove relationship from the girl’s side, so it’s at least somewhat refreshing to watch a teenage boy get all moony over a girl he barely knows. On the second day, the group gets separated - Christian refuses to go over the Quartzite falls, so he and Freya portage the raft and supplies while the other 3 go over. But they aren’t at the designated meetup point, so Christian and Freya continue on without them. But then they hit some really bad rapids - Freya falls out, Christian panics and can’t save her, and Freya drowns (all of this is in the blurb, so I don’t consider it a spoiler). Christian is wracked with guilt - if he were braver he could have jumped in and saved her! And no amount of logic will talk him out of it, even though it’s clear that if he’d jumped in after her, they BOTH would have drowned. James didn’t bother to pack life jackets OR helmets, so they were already tempting fate.
Christian tries to get over the experience (Freya’s body is pulled out of the river about a week later, so he has some closure at least), and decides to return to Arizona for college. Things are going well at first - he’s excelling in his forensic science class, he reconnects with his middle school crush - but then he sees a girl in his psychology class who looks *exactly* like Freya. He starts obsessing over it - logically he knows Freya died, but he starts twisting himself into knots coming up with alternate scenarios for how she might have survived. But the deeper he falls down that rabbit hole, the more dangerous it gets.
I can’t say more without giving away spoilers, but I really enjoyed this ride. It’s a spin on Vertigo, which I haven’t seen in ages, and it definitely has some Hitchcock vibes overall. Christian is reminiscent of Rachel in Girl on the Train - just getting in deeper and deeper and knowing it’s self-destructive and dangerous, but unable to stop himself from doing it. I also love that this takes place in 1999 - it’s necessary for plot reasons; there are a few things that would fall apart in the smartphone era. We were really in a 90s thriller renaissance for a hot second a couple of years ago, and I still dig that particular setting. Plus if this ever gets made into a series, the music will be excellent. Finally, let me state for the record, and all of the anxious pet owners like me - Christian has an orange cat named Zia. At NO POINT is Zia EVER in anything remotely approaching danger. She also doesn’t play a super significant role in the story, but she’s around enough and important enough to Christian that I started to worry something bad might happen to her. She’s perfectly fine.
I have a couple of small logic quibbles I’ll get into after this is published, but overall I found it really entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Drowning Game
marks a return to YA for Dusti Bowling, an author primarily known for her Middle Grade novels, and it follows Christian, a teenager who lost his father to cancer and moved with his mother from Arizona to Minnesota. He is managing his new life reasonably well, doing fine in school and at his job, with a university acceptance in his future. Then his childhood best friend James calls and asks him to fly back to Arizona for a rafting trip. Christian has a significant fear of water after a past accident, but he agrees to go, partly out of loyalty to James, who has always pushed him to face things he is afraid of.
Once Christian arrives at the Salt River, the trip does not go as expected. James is unpredictable, sometimes warm and sometimes dismissive of Christian's concerns. James's girlfriend Freya is also there, along with two of his high school friends whose behavior ranges from reckless to grating. A tragedy occurs during the trip, and Christian is left shaken by it in a way that follows him home. His schoolwork and family life suffer through the rest of the year, and by the time college decisions come around, the only school that accepts him is back in Arizona.
Christian returns to the state where two major losses in his life took place, not expecting to run into anyone from the rafting trip. His first stretch at university goes reasonably well. He finds direction in his studies and starts a relationship with someone he knew back in middle school. But as figures from the trip resurface, that stability starts to come apart.
The book keeps a mystery running throughout, and the suspense holds steady. Bowling spends real time on the pull of obsession, how it can take hold of someone and what it costs them, while also showing how that same fixation is sometimes the only thing that gets a hidden truth uncovered.
Many thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy of the book
Once Christian arrives at the Salt River, the trip does not go as expected. James is unpredictable, sometimes warm and sometimes dismissive of Christian's concerns. James's girlfriend Freya is also there, along with two of his high school friends whose behavior ranges from reckless to grating. A tragedy occurs during the trip, and Christian is left shaken by it in a way that follows him home. His schoolwork and family life suffer through the rest of the year, and by the time college decisions come around, the only school that accepts him is back in Arizona.
Christian returns to the state where two major losses in his life took place, not expecting to run into anyone from the rafting trip. His first stretch at university goes reasonably well. He finds direction in his studies and starts a relationship with someone he knew back in middle school. But as figures from the trip resurface, that stability starts to come apart.
The book keeps a mystery running throughout, and the suspense holds steady. Bowling spends real time on the pull of obsession, how it can take hold of someone and what it costs them, while also showing how that same fixation is sometimes the only thing that gets a hidden truth uncovered.
Many thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy of the book
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in the late 1990's, The Drowning Game begins with a life changing event for our protagonist, Christian, fraught with excellent foreboding and unease. Readers know from the description that a terrible tragedy is about to unfold, but our Spidey senses tingle with the foreshadowing... Tempers, tension, and hormones fly on the river as some characters see no reason to reign themselves in. After the accident occurs, police lay more doubt and suspicion at his feet in their interrogation, causing Christian to beat himself up, wondering if he could have done more.
Nothing will prepare readers for the ending as Christian tries to rebuild his life through the heavy guilt and blame heaped upon him. The accident completely changes Christian's entire world, personality, and perspective. He becomes obsessive, unable to focus on his classes, job, or girlfriend, as the trauma takes over every decision he makes, making this newly established life a house of cards, ready to fall at any moment.
The surprising conclusion will have readers immediately reread the begining to see what they missed, questioning if fault for their assumptions lie within their minds or is due to Bowling's masterful storytelling.
Recommended for readers 13+, see triggers below.
Troupes: life changing event, trying to rebuild a traumatized life, hyper-fixation, big reveal, shocking twist,
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 2/5 🩸
Language: 1/5 👀
Triggers: assault, battery, death, suicidal idealization
Thank you to Union Square and Co. and NetGalley for this ARC!
Nothing will prepare readers for the ending as Christian tries to rebuild his life through the heavy guilt and blame heaped upon him. The accident completely changes Christian's entire world, personality, and perspective. He becomes obsessive, unable to focus on his classes, job, or girlfriend, as the trauma takes over every decision he makes, making this newly established life a house of cards, ready to fall at any moment.
The surprising conclusion will have readers immediately reread the begining to see what they missed, questioning if fault for their assumptions lie within their minds or is due to Bowling's masterful storytelling.
Recommended for readers 13+, see triggers below.
Troupes: life changing event, trying to rebuild a traumatized life, hyper-fixation, big reveal, shocking twist,
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 2/5 🩸
Language: 1/5 👀
Triggers: assault, battery, death, suicidal idealization
Thank you to Union Square and Co. and NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, Dusti Bowling has written quite the thriller that everyone will love. Christian’s best friend, James, has invited him along with his girlfriend,Freya, and friends to go white water rafting. James loves pushing others to go outside their comfort zone, and he knows Christian doesn’t like white water rafting. When they get to the water, Christian meets Freya who seems nervous. Christian can’t believe they didn’t bring helmets or life jackets. When they start out Christian is having fun, but he thinks Freya and James don’t seem to get along that well. James and his friends take one raft one day, and Freya and Christian take the other one. When they hit the falls Freya falls off and disappears. They don’t find her body. A year later at college, Christian thinks he sees Freya. How is that possible? He finds out the girl’s name is Madison. Christian follows her so much she gets an injunction for harassment. One night he says meet me at midnight. When she shows up James is there with a knife. Why? Is Madison really Freya? What ends up happening?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had read it a few weeks ago and forgot to add the review. This is Bowling's foray into YA, which is a markedly different audience and this is markedly different feel- a physical and psychological thriller in which a toxic friendship and a toxic relationship becomes a murder investigation that haunts the one friend.
A whitewater rafting trip without the safety protocols in place meant that Christian and his friend James' girlfriend, Freya, are on a raft together trying to avoid the rapids without life vests and Freya falls in and drowns though the body is not found for quite some time. Christian is haunted by the experience and even after being brought back to his home with his mother and starting college, he then sees Freya around, made complicated by meeting a new girl who knows there's something not right about Christian.
The last third and the resolution is a bit far-fetched but aligns with a lot of other YA thrillers of its ilk. It's a bit disappointing because it had more potential to be a nature thriller and more about the toxic relationship but the distractions with the last third end up changing the overall feel.
A whitewater rafting trip without the safety protocols in place meant that Christian and his friend James' girlfriend, Freya, are on a raft together trying to avoid the rapids without life vests and Freya falls in and drowns though the body is not found for quite some time. Christian is haunted by the experience and even after being brought back to his home with his mother and starting college, he then sees Freya around, made complicated by meeting a new girl who knows there's something not right about Christian.
The last third and the resolution is a bit far-fetched but aligns with a lot of other YA thrillers of its ilk. It's a bit disappointing because it had more potential to be a nature thriller and more about the toxic relationship but the distractions with the last third end up changing the overall feel.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
It's the end of Christian's summer before his senior year, and his best friend James, invites him to come back to Arizona for a river rafting trip. When he gets there, he finds James has two other friends and a girlfriend there. Christian does not approve of the amount of alcohol the boys are consuming, and he gets on the river despite James "forgetting" to bring life jackets. When the inevitable happens, and Freya - the girlfriend drowns, the police rule it an accident and Christian returns to Minnesota. But he can't get Freya out of his mind, and the drowning becomes an obsession.
Usually Bowling's books are middle school appropriate; this one is solidly YA even though the content is mild (no swearing, no sex other than kissing) but James is a bad dude, and Christian is messed up by all of this and is making some really bad choices. About midway through the book, I didn't even like Christian anymore. The twists were unexpected, and the suspense was maintained, so it's a good mystery. I prefer her books for the younger readers, I guess.
Usually Bowling's books are middle school appropriate; this one is solidly YA even though the content is mild (no swearing, no sex other than kissing) but James is a bad dude, and Christian is messed up by all of this and is making some really bad choices. About midway through the book, I didn't even like Christian anymore. The twists were unexpected, and the suspense was maintained, so it's a good mystery. I prefer her books for the younger readers, I guess.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
he thought freya was dead. then he saw her face on campus. now he can't stop following her. 👁️😶
christian: terrified of water. talked into a rafting trip anyway. 🌊
salt river canyon. scorching heat. tension between james and freya. 😬
then disaster. freya falls. christian freezes. 💔
one year of guilt later —
freshman year at ASU.
and freya's face. on a stranger. 😳
they found her body. didn't they?
christian follows madison everywhere.
certain she's freya.
certain he's not losing his mind.
obsession and grief are wearing the same face —
and he can't tell which one is winning. 💀
What a wild ride...a guessing game: is it her or isn't it here? I've been whitewater rafting and it's no joke. This was a fast-paced, keep me on the edge of my seat YA debut by Dusti Bowling. Definite Hitchcock vibes throughout the story...kept me guessing! I loved that it took place at the end of the 90s, pulling in Y2K and all that was going on during that time period. One of my favorite lines was "turns out the internet is a pretty useful tool...I wonder if it will stick around." If only our character knew!
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the e-arc.
christian: terrified of water. talked into a rafting trip anyway. 🌊
salt river canyon. scorching heat. tension between james and freya. 😬
then disaster. freya falls. christian freezes. 💔
one year of guilt later —
freshman year at ASU.
and freya's face. on a stranger. 😳
they found her body. didn't they?
christian follows madison everywhere.
certain she's freya.
certain he's not losing his mind.
obsession and grief are wearing the same face —
and he can't tell which one is winning. 💀
What a wild ride...a guessing game: is it her or isn't it here? I've been whitewater rafting and it's no joke. This was a fast-paced, keep me on the edge of my seat YA debut by Dusti Bowling. Definite Hitchcock vibes throughout the story...kept me guessing! I loved that it took place at the end of the 90s, pulling in Y2K and all that was going on during that time period. One of my favorite lines was "turns out the internet is a pretty useful tool...I wonder if it will stick around." If only our character knew!
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the e-arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review via NetGalley.
This book is generally okay, but I wouldn't say it really blew me away. I had some problems with it, like the use of some words repeatedly, especially early on. As an example, Christian calls James and his friends "douchebags" multiple times in the first few chapters. I found the book to also be very dialog heavy instead of balancing with description. I felt that this often took away from the tense tone, and made some relationships and feelings seemingly come out of nowhere. Christian and Freya, for example, suddenly has strong feelings for one another in part 1 of the book, but there wasn't much to explain why they were interested in each other, and they had barely interacted on page up to that point. I'm not saying the book is bad, but it would do better to let itself linger in each moment more.
This book is generally okay, but I wouldn't say it really blew me away. I had some problems with it, like the use of some words repeatedly, especially early on. As an example, Christian calls James and his friends "douchebags" multiple times in the first few chapters. I found the book to also be very dialog heavy instead of balancing with description. I felt that this often took away from the tense tone, and made some relationships and feelings seemingly come out of nowhere. Christian and Freya, for example, suddenly has strong feelings for one another in part 1 of the book, but there wasn't much to explain why they were interested in each other, and they had barely interacted on page up to that point. I'm not saying the book is bad, but it would do better to let itself linger in each moment more.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
She died a year ago. So why can’t he stop seeing her?
🛶
It’s 1998 and Christian reluctantly joins his best friend on a whitewater rafting trip that ends in tragedy when a girl named Freya dies in the river. A year later, still consumed by guilt, Christian starts college and becomes convinced he’s seen Freya alive on campus. As his obsession grows, he begins questioning everything he thought he knew about that fateful day, and whether the truth is far more complicated than it seems.
🏞️
This was such a great YA debut by @dustibowling It was fast-paced, thrilling and kept me engaged start to finish. I loved the Vertigo inspo too. This adventure story releasing October 13 would work for 8th grade and up.
CW: murder, death, drowning, emesis, alcohol, suicide ideation, mental health issues, theft, grief
🛶
It’s 1998 and Christian reluctantly joins his best friend on a whitewater rafting trip that ends in tragedy when a girl named Freya dies in the river. A year later, still consumed by guilt, Christian starts college and becomes convinced he’s seen Freya alive on campus. As his obsession grows, he begins questioning everything he thought he knew about that fateful day, and whether the truth is far more complicated than it seems.
🏞️
This was such a great YA debut by @dustibowling It was fast-paced, thrilling and kept me engaged start to finish. I loved the Vertigo inspo too. This adventure story releasing October 13 would work for 8th grade and up.
CW: murder, death, drowning, emesis, alcohol, suicide ideation, mental health issues, theft, grief
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Set in the late 1990s, The Drowning Game is a solid YA psychological thriller. A summer rafting trip between friends turns into a tragedy that leaves 17-year-old Christian haunted by guilt, grief, and unanswered questions.
Christian was an easy character to sympathize with. His fear of water, the weight of survivor's guilt, and his growing obsession with finding the truth all felt believable as his grip on reality started to blur.
The story balances emotional trauma with an intriguing mystery, building tension through unreliable memories, lingering guilt, and the possibility that not everything happened the way it seemed.
This is a great thriller for teens! It covers some heavy themes while still keeping it PG.
Thank you, Union Square & Co., and Dusti Bowling, for the #gifted arc copy! All opinions are my own!
Christian was an easy character to sympathize with. His fear of water, the weight of survivor's guilt, and his growing obsession with finding the truth all felt believable as his grip on reality started to blur.
The story balances emotional trauma with an intriguing mystery, building tension through unreliable memories, lingering guilt, and the possibility that not everything happened the way it seemed.
This is a great thriller for teens! It covers some heavy themes while still keeping it PG.
Thank you, Union Square & Co., and Dusti Bowling, for the #gifted arc copy! All opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love Dusti Bowling's middle grade novels, and her YA is no exception. This mystery was twisty, gripping, and compelling. Even as he descends into obsession (and morally dubious areas), you still feel for Christian and want to root for him. Of course, the 1999 references are fantastic as well, with the anxiety of Y2K adding to the anxiety of the thriller itself. While teenagers who have been raised on Bowling's middle grade will appreciate the familiarity of the author, any fan of a good YA thriller will eat this up. High school librarians 100% need to make sure this is in their collection!
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Adding my favorite quote from it as well: "Because the only thing I could think of that would be worse than drowning in the Salt River would be drowning in the Salt River to the sounds of Smash Mouth."
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Adding my favorite quote from it as well: "Because the only thing I could think of that would be worse than drowning in the Salt River would be drowning in the Salt River to the sounds of Smash Mouth."
April 23, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!
My first ARC and what a good choice!
This is a YA mystery/thriller set in 1999 with the looming millennium on the horizon. We follow Christian who reluctantly agrees to go on a white water rafting trip with his best friend James, which changes his life forever. James’s girlfriend dies and no one seems to be as affected as Christian. And then he starts seeing her at college after a year of intense therapy, and he begins to spiral again.
I really enjoyed this book. It was such a refreshing and fast paced read that was engaging and very believable. Definitely won’t be my last from Dusti Bowling.
My first ARC and what a good choice!
This is a YA mystery/thriller set in 1999 with the looming millennium on the horizon. We follow Christian who reluctantly agrees to go on a white water rafting trip with his best friend James, which changes his life forever. James’s girlfriend dies and no one seems to be as affected as Christian. And then he starts seeing her at college after a year of intense therapy, and he begins to spiral again.
I really enjoyed this book. It was such a refreshing and fast paced read that was engaging and very believable. Definitely won’t be my last from Dusti Bowling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2026
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
I really enjoyed this book. From the very start, I was hooked, and I loved how quick of a read it was — I just didn’t want to put it down. It reminded me of a mix between We Were Liars and Verity.
I loved all the twists and turns, many of which I didn’t see coming, and I appreciated how everything was explained at the end rather than leaving you wondering what was true and what wasn’t.
This is technically a YA/teen book, but I think adults would enjoy it as well. I really loved this book and wish I could read it again for the first time.
I really enjoyed this book. From the very start, I was hooked, and I loved how quick of a read it was — I just didn’t want to put it down. It reminded me of a mix between We Were Liars and Verity.
I loved all the twists and turns, many of which I didn’t see coming, and I appreciated how everything was explained at the end rather than leaving you wondering what was true and what wasn’t.
This is technically a YA/teen book, but I think adults would enjoy it as well. I really loved this book and wish I could read it again for the first time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy of The Drowning Game.
I LOVE Dusti's middle grade books but was excited for a YA mystery - kids love those. Actually took me about 30 pages to get into it because I was expecting Dusti's voice and it just wasn't what I was used to. But once I got into it I couldn't put it down. Kids are going to love this, but actually think it's ok for MS. There isn't anything other than a minimal amount of underage drinking that is questionable. So suspenseful - fun read!
I LOVE Dusti's middle grade books but was excited for a YA mystery - kids love those. Actually took me about 30 pages to get into it because I was expecting Dusti's voice and it just wasn't what I was used to. But once I got into it I couldn't put it down. Kids are going to love this, but actually think it's ok for MS. There isn't anything other than a minimal amount of underage drinking that is questionable. So suspenseful - fun read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a copy of The Drowning Game and leave this review voluntarily.
I was hesitant to pick this one up because I wasn't really feeling a murder mystery-esque plot, but this one is done really well. It isn't completely predictable and the trauma aspect is portrayed so powerfully. I will definitely never think of a bath the same way again. There were sweet moments and moments that make you shake your head in disappointment. Plus there is really strong writing.
I was hesitant to pick this one up because I wasn't really feeling a murder mystery-esque plot, but this one is done really well. It isn't completely predictable and the trauma aspect is portrayed so powerfully. I will definitely never think of a bath the same way again. There were sweet moments and moments that make you shake your head in disappointment. Plus there is really strong writing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Good suspenseful story, more adult than Bowling's other books, definitely a YA. Lots of misdirection, confusion, questionable behaviors. The main character, Christian, starts out as a good guy, but as the story progresses his actions get darker and darker. Disturbing to witness. Good writing as always, but I enjoyed her middle grade books more.
Read
June 13, 2026A cleverly crafted, twisty murder mystery. Narrated by Christian who is often spiralling out of control as you feel the story is doing. Then the author brings you out of the rapids and you see more clearly where the story is going. Perfect for fans of complex YA mystery thrillers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dusti Bowling has written some very good middle grade books so I was interested in this YA novel. I am not sure how well it will be received by teens; at times it felt disjointed and I think that was to make you feel like Christian was mentally unwell. The plot was interesting though!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow! This was not at all like the Dusti Bowling I have come to know, but man can she tell a great story! This one was a wild ride down the Salt River filled with nail-biting cliff-hangers. Best suited for older middle school aged kids and up- YA. You will want to pick this one up in October 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A tense read that kept me guessing.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This was full of turns and twists that kept me hooked from the start!
This was full of turns and twists that kept me hooked from the start!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews