A new author for me and I am so glad to have taken a chance on this book. Edge of your seat suspense through out the whole book. Excellent writing that kept me into the story throughout. I just couldn't put it down. You just never know what was going to happen next. Definitely one not to pass up.

This was non-stop action almost from the very first page. I was never bored and I couldn't wait to see how the ending turned out. Some of the male characters made me roll my eyes at how heroic they all acted, but of course it was for the sake of the story, and we know that Jo is the real shero. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it. Feel free to use this wherever it's useful -

"Looking for a reason to be afraid of flying? Yeah, neither was I. This one will quickly remind you just how vulnerable we are from the moment we step into a plane until we're safely back on the ground. An unputdownable thriller."
—J.D. Barker, NY Times bestselling author of A Caller's Game

Falling was quite the ride! I "flew" through this book, and it was gripping from beginning to end. Faced with an impossible choice, the plane or his family, Bill Hoffman commits to getting his plane on the ground as well as protecting his family. The characters in this book are so so good, and you'll feel their emotions as they embark on this journey together.

Usually, books like this are filled with unrealistic details, but Newman's knowledge as a flight attendant really comes through. That is probably the strongest part of this book. Though it is an outrageous premise, she makes it feel real. It's one of the more unique books I've ever read.

I'll put it like this: sometimes you want a nice filet mignon, sometimes you want to microwave a hot dog. This is the microwaved hot dog of literature, but damn is it good.

The only thing that kept it from 5 stars is the "message" of the book and motivations of the terrorists. I felt like it was a little forced and difficult to believe.

There are 149 souls aboard Coastal Airways Flight 416 and its destination doesn’t matter because it is destined to crash. The CaptainBill and his flight crew, Jo, Big Daddy and Kellie will have to work to make sure that crashing is not an option.
But what they do not know is that the Bill’s family has been kidnapped and if he doesn’t crash the plane, his wife and two children will die. There are definitely a few surprises in this book and a lot of tension as the last one third of the book races to its end.
Knowing that this book was written by a former flight attendant makes it an even more harrowing read. Tension filled, but good.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher, Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.
The comments and review are my honest opinion.

Are you looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and biting at your nails? This is that book. I truly admire all flight personnel that get on the planes and take care of the passengers on a regular basis. Although I am not a horrible flyer, it is not something that comes naturally to me and can be a bit unnerving. This book took that plane ride and turned it on its’ head.

Although the first few pages is very graphic in nature, the rest of the story does not follow that pattern. I was so absorbed in the story and did not want to put it down until it was finished.

I don’t want to give away spoilers but I will say that although I understand why the author used the kidnapper’s background the way that she did, I was hoping for more of a personal connection between him and the pilot and his family.

All in all, I recommend this read but not if you are reading it on a flight.
4.5 stars

I really cannot say in strong enough terms how much I loathe this book. The author really does everything she can to not only justify terrorism but act like it’s ok. I wish I were exaggerating. This was not just a thrown in reason to justify the character’s choice to be a terrorist for the plot but rather the author over and over again hammers the point and tries to justify it. She repeatedly tries to act like terrorists are sympathetic. No. Choosing to kill innocent people is not ok. Does not matter where you are from and what has happened to your country or your people, which of course the author makes very clear is the fault of America. She even has the victims agreeing with it and sympathetic. It’s disgusting. It’s truly sick and made even more so by an author who claims to have been a flight attendant herself. Where is her sympathy for the pilots and flight attendants killed on 9/11? I never would have read this anti-America and pro-terrorist crap if I had known. Shame on the author, publisher and editors for supporting this.

FALLING is reminiscent of airplane disaster/suspense movies like CON AIR or AIR FORCE ONE, and it manages to capture the high suspense/fast pace of those kinds of films. It had me completely hooked the moment I started reading it, diving into the action almost immediately and keeping the suspense levels high. I enjoyed the structure, jumping between Bill's storyline as he tries to maneuver through the terrible choice he is supposed to make, to his wife Carrie as she tries to keep a cool head for herself and her children at the hands of their kidnapper; to flight attendant Jo as she tries to keep the cabin calm and in control as more information starts to get out to the passengers. The story has a very cinematic feel to it, and while it was kind of hit or miss as to whether we really got to know our characters outside of what was happening in the moment, I was invested in what was going to happen. I also appreciated that Newman made an effort to show motivation behind the people who have taken the plane and Bill's family hostage, as it would be easy to just paint with broad brushes to create this situation (I was relieved, however, that Newman opted to not go in the direction of the 'Middle Eastern/Muslim Terrorist' trope). Instead, while it's true that what they are doing is absolutely wrong, we get insight into shared trauma of their culture and people and how they are trying to get justice. And yes, there were still some moments that felt a little jingoistic, but honestly I thought that Sam, one of the culprits, was the most compelling character in the book (a may or may not have cried during a few moments in the present and in his past).

FALLING is addictive and entertaining as heck. It is sure to be a hot book this summer, though I recommend maybe saving it for a time that you aren't going to be traveling by plane.

Oh my goodness this book was incredible!!! I was hooked from the very beginning where it starts off as a nightmare. Wow, Newman really knows how to write a killer story that will engage all readers. There were so many cool twists. Definitely recommend!

I'm stunned this is a first novel, and it took so many tries to get this, for a lack of better terms, off the ground. What a riveting and fascinating thriller. This book starts the thrills and suspense from the jump, and doesn't let go until the last few pages. I was worried this novel would add to the stress I feel while traveling on planes. But I think TJ Newman did a good job of writing in a way that it didn't cause any long term fears. Her knowledge of being a flight attendant really opened my eyes to nuances within the industry I wasn't aware of before now. I really can see this being a major summer blockbuster movie. I'm thrilled this talent is coming out of Phoenix, where I live.

Falling is a non-stop thrill ride that will terrify readers with it's never-ending, pulse-pounding action!

This book is action packed and I finished it in an afternoon because I needed to know how it all turned out! Bill Hoffman is asked to sub in as pilot, but as he leaves for the airport his family is kidnapped and he is given a choice - crash the plane or his family dies.

This book is quite the thrill ride and Bill's struggle to save his passengers and his family kept me riveted from start to finish!

I received a copy to voluntarily read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Suspense is at it's best in FALLING, by T. J. Newman. Captain Bill Hoffman has accepted a flight assignment on his day off only to find out it is a trap. Once in flight, Bill finds out his family is being held captive and he must make an impossible choice: crash the plane or let his family die. Can Bill find a way to a third outcome or must he accept the awful reality of choosing which people live or die?
This high stakes thriller in the skies kept me captivated from beginning to end. Newman sets up the story well, giving the reader just enough context to get to know the main characters and understand the stakes, but quickly jumps right into the action and doesn't let up until the very end. The cast of characters is great and the sympathy the reader feels for all involved, even the villains, is undeniable. Once the plane is in the air, Newman is masterful in her ability to describe the layout of the plane and all of it's inner workings and I never had a problem understanding what was happening logistically. The plot never gave the reader a chance to breath and settle in, but by constantly raising the stakes and throwing in some monumental twists it didn't matter. By the end, I felt the urge to read faster and faster because somehow if I didn't, I thought something catastrophic would happen. That's how much I got wrapped up in this novel.
After reading FALLING, my bar for defining a good thriller/suspense has forever been raised. I can't wait to read another book by T.J. Newman. Great read!

Rather interesting book. Author clearly is informed of in-flight procedures as well as emergencies. Not very suspenseful but fun.

Bill Hoffman leaves his wife, son and baby daughter in his Los Angeles home to pilot a plane on what appears to be a normal day. However, it becomes anything but normal when the man who comes to fix the cable holds Bill's wife, Carrie, his son and daughter hostage in their home. Shortly after takeoff, Bill receives a message that in order for his family to survive, everyone on the plane must die. Bill is given instructions not to tell anyone about the situation, and that he must crash the plane. The story alternates between the action on the plane and the action at the Hoffman residence. This is a true page-turner. Superbly written. I absolutely loved it!

Wow! This was an expertly plotted nail-biting thriller that I read in one day. The author was a flight attendant so the descriptions of everything inside the plane and cockpit is authentic and accurate. This is a debut novel and high impressive one, at that. As a seasoned pilot starts off on a routine flight to LA he gets a message that he must crash the plane, or his family will die. Also, he is unable to tell the other crew, or alert the police authorities in any way. A terrorist has them bound, gagged and tied to explosives while held at gunpoint and Bill is flying a plane with 140 souls on board, helpless to protect his own family back home. This is a must read for those who love locked room thrillers. I highly recommend it. Fabulous book!

Wow! I cannot believe this is the author’s first book. I was hooked from the first page. Read way past my bedtime. Thought about it when life interrupted my reading. The suspense is riveting, the characters well-developed and believable, the plot tight and the storytelling masterful. I greatly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more in the future. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

WOW! 5 STARS!

Let's play a little game of Never Have I Ever:
Never have I ever read a book this fast.
Never have I ever been able to read multiple chapters without taking mini breaks between them.
Never have I ever stayed up until 4am to continue reading.

This DEBUT novel about a pilot that is forced between choosing to crash flight 416 or saving his family had me on the edge of my seat. Although this book is plot focused with twists and turns, the characters are also very developed. I LOVED the flight attendant Jo.

Do yourself a favor and preorder this book or set your calendar to go buy it on July 6!

Very intense and difficult to put down. Don't read it while traveling on a plane though! A few scenes for me were a little hard to follow and some maybe a little unbelievable, but overall, it was a suspenseful story that I would definitely recommend.

T.J. Newman’s book journey is pretty much every aspiring author’s dream. After dozens of agent rejections, she gets signed by one that goes on to get her a seven figure book deal. As if that isn’t astonishing enough, she then sells the movie rights to the book in another seven figure deal. With that kind of hype, I had some pretty big expectations when I started reading Falling.

The story was incredibly fast paced. We mostly follow the POVs of the pilot, Bill, a flight attendant, Jo, the pilot’s kidnapped wife, Carrie, and an FBI agent, Theo – who also happens to be the nephew of the flight attendant, along with several others that are impacted by the terrorist threat. I thought the transitions between perspectives were well done and really helped move the story along. There are also several flashback scenes interspersed throughout the story that I wasn’t quite as impressed with, but some were definitely necessary.

I thought the characters were likable and easy to root for. While this wasn’t really a character-driven story, I did feel like I got to know and understand them. While I liked them, I didn’t always find them very realistic. With a couple of minor character exceptions, it was like they were all their very best, level-headed, most courageous selves. I think we would all like to think that we would respond well in a crisis, but I think it’s highly unlikely that there wouldn’t be at least a few cracks. Also, while on the subject of characters, I want to say that having one of the flight attendants nicknamed Big Daddy and constantly referring to him as just Daddy made me cringe every single time I read it.

With how much money this story sold for, I was expecting there to be a really fresh take on who the villains would be. I was waiting for some big conspiracy plot to emerge. I was a little disappointed that it ended up just being terrorists that hate America. And the twist on the “back-up” plan on board the plane was my very first guess.

Overall, I did enjoy Falling, but did I find it worthy of that jaw dropping deal? Not really. It was fast paced and entertaining, but even so, it took me almost a week to read it (which is several days longer than a book of this size normally takes me). I thought the plot was pretty formulaic and there wasn’t really anything fresh brought to the table. However, I do think it will make a great movie that I will definitely plan on watching.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars