This was a gripping story that kind of scares the crap out of me. I don't want to be anywhere near anything nuclear, but being close sounds irrelevant to our doom if something happens. This tells several different stories at the same time. I read and listened to this book. I think I should have started out reading it though due to a lot of characters. The narrator did one heck of a great job, there were special sound effects and extreme suspense in the story. Several times I found tears in my eyes at the frustration and horror of the story. The only down fall of the book was all the technical jargon and scientific information, but it does sort of have to be part of the story to be able to tell the story. I've read all of this authors books and I will continue to gobble up what ever TJ puts out next. Thanks NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and listen to this great story.

This is the third heart-pounding thriller by T.J. Newman, and it is just as good as the first two! Here the unthinkable happens: a pilot has a heart attack in mid-air, and the plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. The action quickly moves from the plane to the ground, and the main characters include the power plant employees, first responders, and people who live in the nearby town. Together they try to avert disaster, on a tight deadline. This is exactly the fast-paced thriller that readers have come to expect from this author, a former flight attendant. yet, it is also heart-warming and funny when appropriate. Thanks to NetGalley I had the opportunity to review both the ebook and the audiobook, and I can highly recommend both formats.

way too many characters and way too descriptive of the human flesh in regard to the nuclear plant, just felt very graphic to me I had to set this aside because I couldn't get over the extreme narrative that didn't move the plot forward

Worse Case Scenario was an excellent book, five stars but also a terrifying book. The research the author put into learning about the effects of radiation and the cascade of disaster. Every moment felt real, the events felt so real that I did not need to imagine then nor did I want to.

​The characters were believable. Some adults panicked. Some adults kept a cool head. The kids were confused, scared, and angry. Their behavior was correct relative to their circumstances. The author kept the events moving and the tension building.

I live between two nuclear power plants, one of which had a major accident when I was a teen and has since been shut down. Nuclear power and possible scenarios has interested me no matter how unlikely. I recommend Worse Case Scenario as an excellent thriller book to read.

​I received a copy of Worse Case Scenario from Netgalley. After reading the book, I wrote an honest review.

​#Netgalley #TJNeewman #WorseCaseScenario

I'll read anything TJ Newman writes - the narrators are captivating, I'm left with something to think about but not in a horrifying way, and the level of detail makes me feel respected and not taught down to. Wonderful. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read for review.

Holy guacamole - this book is intense! I know we’ve all read in reviews before that “this book had me on the edge of my seat” and we all kind of eye roll because really? But really! This book had me on the literal. edge. of. my. seat.

I know less than zero about nuclear power. But I do know that a plane crashing into a nuclear power plant is probably not a good thing. I appreciated when one of the characters asked for the situation to be explained to him like he was 5 because I knew they would be breaking this down to my level. I quickly realized I didn’t need to understand much of the technical stuff because things were moving so quickly and the tense action was paired with emotional moments throughout.

Racing heart, teary eyes - this book was such a great read.

WORST CASE SCENARIO is a gripping high-stakes thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish!

The story revolves around a harrowing plane crash that plunges into a nuclear power plant in rural Minnesota, but rather than focusing solely on the crash itself, Newman masterfully shifts the narrative towards the urgent mission of averting a catastrophic meltdown.

Newman's background as a flight attendant lends authenticity to the aviation elements of the story, while her vivid descriptions and sharp pacing ensure that tension builds steadily throughout. The characters are well-developed, each facing their own battles as they rally to save not just themselves, but also the surrounding community from potential disaster.

The duality of the plot—a plane emergency intertwined with a nuclear crisis—creates a uniquely intense atmosphere where every decision is a matter of life and death. The suspense is expertly maintained, making it difficult to put the book down. A thrilling ride from start to finish!

Thank you to Little Bown & Company for the gifted copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

The one guarantee with TJ Newman is that you’ll know what you’ll be getting when you pick up their books. In true fashion, Worst Case Scenario was no different and started off with a bang!
I loved the plot line of the book initially. There was so much that could be done with it and it really started off really well. The plot splits into three directions, two of which were entrapping and intense. The third, I honestly could have done without and skipped most of that story line. The storyline between the firefighter father and his son…..whoa. Very well written and brought all kinds of emotions!
While reading this book, I had a lot of flashbacks from the Chernobyl documentary/dramatization. A lot of similarities as well as the suspense, trial and error, etc.
Overall I think it’s my favorite TJ Newman book and I honestly felt like it ended too abruptly. I could have kept reading for another 100+ pages.

Thank you very much for this eARC that was generously provided by the publisher and author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

While I absolutely loved T. J. Newman's previous books, this one just didn't do it for me. I felt like there were too many characters. I felt like there were unanswered questions and I wasn't satisfied with the ending. I had to force myself to keep reading and while there were interesting chapters, a lot of them bored me. It just didn't feel like her normal work, it reminded me of an off the wall Stephen King noval, and I was sadly disappointed.

I have read and enjoyed both of Newman's previous books. She has a knack for setting up horrific tragic plane stories - everyone's worst nightmares - and turning them into compelling, engaging, and ultimately uplifting tales of derring-do. For me though, this latest installment felt fundamentally different. It felt much more melodramatic and over-the-top, like a Michael Bey movie where every plot point is designed to elicit a larger gasp. But where the earlier books all had a fundamental pathos - a familial connection and heart - this one seemed to lack that.

It's not that there aren't families at the story's core, just that those elements felt like they were incidental to the action and drama this time, rather than the central point. It made it tougher to connect to the story. As a movie, that type of storytelling works better I think - and that's what this one felt like to me: the latest summer blockbuster, a "sh*t blows up" story, rather than a novel about people and impossible situations and choices. That's where it lost me.

I just couldn't connect to this one. If you're looking for non-stop aggressive terrifying activity, this one has that in spades - but if you, like me, like to see action tempered with character-driven storytelling, maybe try her earlier books...

Gosh this was so good! But I knew it would be. I’ve learned that each TJ Newman release is absolutely must read for me, as soon as I possibly can.

This was a fast-paced, gripping, white knuckle disaster story set in small town US when a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. Three major plots converge into an intense, explosive ending. I barely breathed the entire way thru.

Reading a new TJ Newman books makes me feel like I’ve run a marathon. I LOVE a full-body reading experience like I get with her books. Just as I expected from this author after feeling the same way with her previous two releases. So intense, so fun to read.

This book is personally responsible for keeping me awake until 3:30 in the morning because HOLY COW I couldn't put it down.

When a plane crashes into a nuclear reactor (that alone should already have you wanting to read this book), the small town of Waketa, Minnesota becomes the center of the world as the small town crew tries to prevent a melt-down that would change the life as everyone knows. it.

This is a high-action, high-stakes thriller that is so exquisitely written. T.J. Newman introduces many, many characters, but at no point was I ever confused about who was who and who was responsible for what. Every character is likable, and you're wanting every character to make it. There are many POVs, which just adds to the understanding of the entire situation that is happening. The explicit descriptions of the events that are happening create a vivid image that is better than most big Hollywood action movies that you see. This feels like one giant American flag away from becoming Michael Bay's next blockbuster. It's that good.

I don't even have words to explain the emotions I felt throughout this book. Just when you think things will be ok, the rug is pulled out from under you and you fall into an even deeper feeling of dread, grief, and the absolute need to read another chapter. The last few chapters will have you holding your breath, but the coda will allow you to release it in such a satisfying way that you'll be so grateful you read such an excellent book.

There is a theme of parenting and the legacy that entails throughout the book which can really tear at your emotions. There are parts of the book that are very graphic, including depictions of car wrecks, plane crashes, and radiation poisoning. I think this book is for anyone who enjoys character-driven action thrillers, especially ones where women are the heroes.

TJ Newman has perfected the book version of a summer movie blockbuster: thrilling action, heartfelt characters, tense situations. This book has all of it. As well as adding to my life a before unthought of fear about planes and nuclear reactors.

If you need a very fast paced and action packed read, look no farther then any of her books but especially this one.

I was going to give it 5 stars until the end. Spoiler alert: one character dies but their last thought isn’t about the lives of the town they’re saving, all they’ve done in their life but the fact that they’ve never had children. In our current world where childless cat ladies like myself are considered by some to have worthless lives and should have less rights compared to mothers this really really ticked me off. I’ll read her next book but it made me glad I didn’t buy this one.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

TJ Newman does it again and has truly amped up the stakes, both thrillingly and emotionally. While this thriller doesn't take place on a plane, it will still keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through the flight.

Published by Little, Brown and Company on August 13, 2024

Worst Case Scenario is the latest offering from disaster novelist T.J. Newman. The disastrous series of events begins with a commercial jet pilot’s heart attack. Unfortunate coincidences (like the co-pilot getting stuck in a bathroom) cause the plane to crash. T.J. Newman once worked as a flight attendant so it isn’t surprising that a flight attendant makes heroic but futile efforts to save the day.

The jet crashes into a nuclear power plant in the small town of Waketa, Minnesota. The reactors are undamaged but the crash leads to a series of problems, including a ruptured dry cask that is storing nuclear waste and a severed distribution line that has left the plant without power. Cracks are causing water to leak from a pool that holds spent fuel rods. Diesel generators keep cooling pumps in operation, but the generators will soon be underwater. The plant is on its way to becoming Minnesota’s Chernobyl.

The formula for a disaster novel is to pair the large catastrophe with a smaller one. A wing from the jet smashed into a bridge. Apart from messing up traffic on I-35, the wing destroyed a van, killing the parents of a kid named Connor who remains strapped to his car seat as the van teeters on the edge of the bridge. Firefights try to rescue Connor but burning jet fuel hampers their rescue attempts.

Heroism and self-sacrifice are the novel’s themes. On the bridge, a firefighter named Dani Allen defies orders to get her fire truck to the nuclear plant and risks her life to rescue Connor. Back at the plant, Fire Chief Steve Tostig joins with nuclear-incident first responder Jocelyn “Joss” Vance and plant manager Ethan Rosen to fix the cascading problems, some of which will require one or more characters to perform dangerous stunts, including a swim in radioactive water.

While it is always inspiring to read about self-sacrifice, the theme is a bit overdone in Worst Case Scenario. As characters make choices that will lead to their injury or death for the good of others, they think about the things they’ll be missing when they are no longer walking among the living. All fiction is intended to manipulate the reader, but the best fiction does so with subtlety. Some of the weepy scenes in Worst Case Scenario are so obviously intended to manipulate the reader’s emotions that they lose their effectiveness.

On the other hand, the descriptions of the unfolding disasters are undeniably compelling. Newman takes time to walk the reader through the safety procedures at nuclear plants and creates what seems to be a plausible worst case scenario that might make a plant melt down. Her research is impressive. (Understand that while the story seemed plausible to me, I'm not a nuclear physicist. I lack the knowledge to spot possible errors in her description of nuclear plant operations.)

Newman keeps the story moving at a brisk pace. She builds excitement as the characters race against time. The disaster novel formula is predictable but the obvious attempt to manipulate the emotions of readers is reasonably successful. I willingly surrendered to the manipulation for the sake of learning what would happen next.

Character development is adequate, although none of the characters are memorable. Two characters are in conflict about the decision to have children — one wants to change the world, the other wants to have a family. The realization that it’s possible to do both is another predictable aspect of the story. More insightful is a character’s realization that in the grand scheme of things, his life doesn’t matter much. Freeing ourselves from the illusion that we’re important creates the opportunity to enjoy the brief time we have. That lesson is convincing.

Disaster novels often morph into disaster movies. Newman makes it easy to visualize the plane crash and teetering van, scenes that might be even more attention grabbing on a big screen. The ending emphasizes self-sacrifice that might have moviegoers shedding a few tears. Disaster fans who don’t want to wait for the movie will likely enjoy the exciting story if they set aside their reservations about Newman’s attempt to trigger their emotions with weepy scenes of heroism.

RECOMMENDED

What a fantastic read! This had me at the edge of seat for almost the entirety of the book. I was captivated by the cast of characters and how each person had a role to play in this disaster. I thought the little author's note at the beginning of the story really set the tone for the entire book. Once again T.J. Newman has crafted an excellent thriller!

Written by a previous flight attendant, Newman has come up with a "worst case scenario" regarding a plane crash. What the plane crashes into can be completely devastating, even beyond the life and damage to those on board. This was a full throttle book that kept the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat. There were a few times that the details of story were a bit laborious and confusing, but I was able to dismiss them and catch the overall point of the book.

If you're looking for a quick thriller, this is a great choice (but maybe not on a flight).

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the gifted e-copy.

Wow wow wow! This was a fun and electrifying story. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. Highly recommend for anyone who's into high intensity thrillers

So I don't normally read any kind of thriller but I absolutely love TJ Newman's books. This one is hands down my favorite - I read it in an entire afternoon and literally couldn't put it down. I found it both enthralling and terrifying - I learned more than I ever wanted to about nuclear power plants and what could go wrong. I also just felt so bad for the state of Minnesota and the rural setting even though it was fiction. I honestly think most people would enjoy this book if they like thrillers or heartwrenching action movies. I usually read romance and this is far from that, but TJ Newman does SUCH a good job at moving the plot forward while developing a robust cast of characters. I'll probably be rereading it soon because I loved it that much!

4.5 stars
I was in the mood for something with a little excitement and this met the bill. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will gladly read more. In this novel of small town America, an airplane hits a nuclear reactor with potentially calamitous results. A good disaster book or movie will not only unfold the disaster but creates characters that the reader/viewer cares about and who relate to one another. The author does that well here. About the only criticism I have is that it was a little hard to follow at times (hence, why this is 4.5 and not 5 stars).
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Little, Brown & Company for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.