TJ Newman has a gift for keeping you on the edge of your seat and making sure you enjoy every minute of it. There isn't a book of hers that I haven't read in a single sitting, not just because they're so well written (they are) but because my anxiety and blood pressure are through the roof if I don't find out what happens asap.

In addition to her incredible ability to write a gripping story, there's so much heart, triumph, and vulnerability in her characters. Honestly, I'd read her grocery list. But you'll want to read Worst Case Scenario. Another big hit from an auto-buy author.

The author's note at the beginning made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up! It all felt so realistic... which is truly chilling. As not a science or history lover, the book had a bit too much in it for me. But overall was very quick and entertaining!!!

Thank you NetGalley, T.J. Newman and Little, Brown and Company for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

**Features:**
- A fast-paced action thriller
- Focuses on community, choices, and sacrifices in the face of disaster
- Countdown to catastrophe and the struggle to avoid it
- Small town setting

It was a normal, quiet day in the small town of Waketa, Minnesota until large pieces of a Boeing 757 came crashing down, creating chaos and destruction on a scale the town has never seen. But this is hardly the true disaster. Most of the doomed plane fell directly into the Clover Hill Nuclear Power Plant, causing catastrophic damage to the structures used to manage the volatile material within. Functionally cut off by all of the destruction, the power plant workers and community of Waketa have only 16 hours to stop a global catastrophe.

If you are looking for an action movie in book form, this one is definitely for you! It is a nonstop race against the clock and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The story bounces between plant workers, firefighters/first responders, teachers, families, and the US President as they all work together to save the world from a nuclear disaster. There is definitely a core cast of characters, but it takes a little bit to start getting a sense of who they are because of how quickly the story goes from one perspective to another and how many other characters are involved. However, I never felt lost at any point and learning how all of these people are connected throughout this journey was part of the fun. I don’t know enough about nuclear power plants to say for sure, but it seems like Newman really did her research to properly explore this ‘what if’ scenario in a way that is both accessible and realistic. Overall, this book really hooked me and is a wild ride action thriller lovers won’t want to miss!

**Organized chaos**

If I had to choose a word to describe the vibe of this book, it would be “chaotic”. It quickly jumps from character to character as the story unfolds and not all of these characters are part of the core group we end up getting to know. The frequent switching is a clever way to get a much broader view of the situation, but it can also feel disorienting and chaotic. Especially at the beginning of the book. However, this chaos feels purposeful and really puts you into the moment. Just like the characters, you’re made to feel like there is too much going on and it's hard to figure out what the logical next step is going to be. As the core cast of characters becomes clearer, the structure feels less chaotic but the situation stays complicated and Newman handles this subtle transition really well. Still, I can see readers who don’t like too many characters getting a little overwhelmed with this read.

**There’s no “I” in “team”**

This is a story about a community and the everyday heroes that step up in a crisis. Newman has a talent for highlighting the humanity of each character whether they are only on a couple of pages or on 100. As we see the core cast from different perspectives, we get a good sense of who they are and what they mean to each other. However, despite going on an emotional rollercoaster with these characters, I would not call this a strong character novel. This story is more about people coming together to overcome impossible odds rather than the journey of a few individuals. The fact that Newman managed to create something with this much emotional impact and that felt so human without truly going in-depth on any particular character really speaks to her talent as a storyteller. That being said, readers who enjoy in-depth characters will probably still be left wanting a little more.

WOW! WOW! T.J.Newman has written another edge of your seat thriller/suspense novel. Worst Case Scenario is definitely one of the best books of the year!

The pilot of a plane flying from Minneapolis to Seattle suffers a heart attack, the co-pilot is knocked out during the descent and the plane with 295 on board crashes into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota. The residents are now facing radiation exposure, and there is also the possibility of a fire emitting dangerous fumes over the Midwest. In addition there are other occurrences, car crashes, people killed and a 5 year old boy trapped. Fire Chief Steve Tostig is working with Nuclear Emergency Support specialist Joss Vance to try and contain any fallout. The action unfolds within a 16 hour countdown.

The author includes many voices and plots as we follow along. There is plenty of action and emotion. I recommend clearing your day to read this book, once you start you cannot stop, the pages practically turn themselves to find out what happens next. If this is your first book by this author, great choice, but definitely read her two previous novels, Falling and Drowning. I can' t wait for her next one!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Little Brown and Company, for an ARC. The review is my own.

Here’s another winner from T.J. Newman! She has a way of writing thrillers that is cinematic, and I’m not surprised to hear that her books are being adapted into film. There are a lot of technical elements in this book, but they’re broken down that make it easy for an ordinary person to follow. I eagerly await the author’s next book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Worst Case Scenario by T.J Newman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

In true TJ Newman fashion, this book had me at the edge of my seat from the very first page until I closed the book for the very last time and whispered"W.T.F" to myself. Every book I've read from this author is so highly anxiety-inducing and this is no exception.

Falling: airplane freakout as the plane is inevitably heading toward the earth
Drowning: An airliner hits the ocean and sinks terrifyingly slowly
Worst Case: An airplane hits a nuclear power plant, and ground zero is terrible.

If you haven't done so yet; I'd highly recommend picking up this series that can also be read as standalone.

Buckle up. Hold onto your seats, and prepare for an adrenaline rush.
Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for the ARC

I was so excited to get the approval email from NetGalley for this book! Newman knows how to write a fast-paced, heart-wrenching story. I really enjoyed this one!

When a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant, everyone in the town must come together to survive and prevent a disaster. We don’t learn a lot about the characters, but I was very invested in their outcomes. Children also played a big role in this story and their scenes kept my heart pounding!

The disaster scenes are emotionally raw and grisly. Newman did a good job describing what happens when a plane breaks apart and crashes. I wish we had gotten a few more rescue moments, but I know that isn’t always possible with a plane crash. The sacrifices the characters make show the strength people have to save others.

Overall, this book had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The short chapters and thematic scenes make you want to read it in one sitting. This one is different from her other two novels since the action mainly takes place on the ground. Definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own. This book will be available on August 13, 2024!

Read if you like:
​🏃‍♀️ Fast Paced
✈️ Disasters
🤝 People Saving
😬 Edge of your seat!

As a former Flight Attendant I was excited to dig into T.J. Newman's newest thriller! I finished this in one day! It was an exciting quick read! With a rescue effort in addition to the nuclear power plant disaster, I felt like I was getting 2 stories in one. I preferred the rescue effort to the actual main plot of the power plant, which at times was too descriptive about the workings of the plant. I also felt there were a few too many characters and the story lacked on information about the actual airplane crash and victims. I liked how the small town and it's people came together to help each other in a time of crisis and the heroes that stepped up. Thank you Little Brown for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Once again, TJ Newman does it with an edge of your seat thriller!
The book starts with a pilot who has a massive heart attack and dies instantly. The flight quickly goes down and lands near a nuclear power plant. No one immediately knows the damage the plane has caused, but it's evident that it will likely cause a nuclear disaster.
This book kept me reading and I loved the characters. The author had me rooting for them from the beginning. Definitely on par with her other books. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!!

4.5 Stars
What a roller coaster. The adrenaline is pumping from page one and continues until the very end. I was hooked! A plane crashes into a nuclear power plant - from there is a race against time until an even bigger catastrophe strikes - 10x worse than Chernobyl ever was.

We see the community rallying together to help everyone in need.. we have ultimate sacrifices and bravery from our heroes. The emotional impact as you literally become so invested in each person's lives is high. Definitely shed several tears.

Every time I turned the page to a new chapter I heard the '24' theme song countdown in my head. Ha

The ending resolution is implied so that's the only thing I wish maybe would have had a bit more clarity on. Other wise I loved this book and definitely recommend if you like high intensity/disaster type suspense.

A commercial airline pilot has a widow-maker heart attack while at 35,000 feet. There are 295 souls on board, when the plane crashes into a nuclear power plant in the small town of Waketa, Minneapolis. This sets off a terrifying chain of events that will take the combined courage, ingenuity, and determination of a brave few to save not only their community and loved ones, but the fate of humanity at large.

I love this author's books. She writes the best thrillers, hands-down. I can not only say I definitely don't want to ever fly again, but right now, I don't even want to leave my house. I couldn't put this book down. I got chills from some of the scenes, I shed tears, I was on the edge of my seat through the entire book. Now I just want to hug every member of my family and tell them I love them. This is a book that is going to stay with me for a long time. I can't give you a higher recommendation than that. You are going to want to read this....trust me!

Pros: T.J. Newman's books are so much fun to read because they are plot heavy but are also filled with characters who are easy to root for. Like her other books, Worst Case Scenario feels like a situation that could happen and is grounded in reality . . . but hopefully will never happen. I read this book both on Kindle and audiobook and thought it was great in both formats.

Cons: I am the con here because I timed my reading of this book just a few days before flying. T.J. Newman's books probably need to be read with distance from flying.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this book.

I have become a huge fan of this author. Her books are heart-pumping, fast paced and edge-of-your-seat stories. This third book did not disappoint. The synopsis was terrorizing enough......What would happen if a plane crashed into nuclear plant? We get our answer.

A small community with a nuclear power plant is rocked by catastrophe and the residents are called to action. The story has a countdown clock as the disaster continues to elevate and difficult decisions are made to save lives. While the story itself keeps you engaged because of the incredible detail of risks and containment of this type of scenario, it is truly the characters that are developed through the timeline that you connect to and hope that their efforts meet the moment. Normal people ascend to a choice of sacrifice to save lives and worst case, all humanity.

This is a thriller of a story that has so many twists and turns until the very end. The prior two books were also great thrillers and worth the read. Buckle Up!!

This is my third book from T. J. Newman and just as the others this one started out at full speed and kept going the whole way through. Great story and great characters with fast paced action. She is definitely someone to check out. All of her books have been ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reads!

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This book hit the ground running with an emergency situation on a plane. As the pilot is in distress things go from bad to worst. As in her other books Newman keeps the pace and the anxiety fast and furious. My heart broke for these characters and the heroes that we meet in our everyday lives that aren't heroes until put to the test. Brace yourself for this one!

From the first page, this book grabs you and doesn’t let go until the very last page. What an absolutely gripping, heart stopping rollercoaster of a read that left me absolutely bawling on the beach where I read it and immediately rushed to GoodReads to give it 5 stars and designate it as one of my top 3 books read this year!

This book starts off with a plane crashing towards the Clover Hill Nuclear Power Plant, and let’s just say things only continue get worse from there. The world has only ever seen 2 level 7 nuclear reactor meltdowns, but after this jet strikes the earth, America is set on the path to experience the first level 8.

Newman has this incredible skill of world building while also folding scientifically accurate elements into the story that lend itself to the books realism, while simultaneously never feeling like learning, while actively steering away from predictability at every possible turn. I don’t even know how to describe this book other than ‘gripping’. Newman’s first two books (also fantastic reads) are already becoming movies, and throughout reading I also couldn’t stop thinking what a fantastic blockbuster this story will make. .

Thank you Net Galley, Little Brown & Company, and TJ Newman for allowing me an advanced copy of this amazing book!

Unlike her first two novels, the action on the plane ends in the prologue. The aftereffects of it crashing in a small town's nuclear power plant is potentially life altering for mid-America and maybe the entire country.

This is a book about a perfect storm of circumstances and the hard choices that have to be made to protect those we love. It's sad and inspiring at the same time. While it isn't as heart pounding as her last novel (Drowning is still the best action thriller I've ever read), this one will make you think about what is important and what you would do if faced with a similar situation.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think you will too. Recommended for everyone who loves a good story.

Not family friendly due to profanity and subject matter.

I have enjoyed the heart pounding reads of T.J. Newman and this one is no exception. Even thought the catastrophe event was caused by a plane falling partly into a nuclear power plant, I am glad it wasn't another story with passengers stuck in a plane. The story literally stars with a bang and doesn't light up from there.
It totally reminded me of the show 24 with the count down on how much time left they have to fix the break at the nuclear plant. I enjoyed the side story of the plane parts landing on the bridge and causing problems there.

The downside to this story is that it's very surfaced without really knowing any of the characters. It was a story about saving the power plant and the kid stuck on the bridge.

The narrator, Joe Morton, did a great job on the pacing and keeping the story super intense.

Thank you @littlebrown @hachetteaudio for a copy of this book.

Read if you like books with:
#️⃣ Multiple POV
⏳ Countdowns
✈️ Plane Crash Plots
🆘 Emergency Response
💨 Fast Pacing

Omg the production of this audiobook was so unexpectedly good with the sound effects with the radioing parts to make you feel like you are listening in on a crackling radio line!

I really enjoyed how the book opens with the POV of the plane crashing and then the on the ground reaction to not knowing what happened even though the reader knows, but watching it unfold and the decisions that are made when accidents occur and we don’t really know anything behind the how or why… also, the way the story looked at the tricking impact in various ways, was so well done especially in the emotional aspect and the many times of decision making and how do you decide with the moral question about one or many being saved.

All in all, this was a thrilling and emotional ride through a tragic accident and it’s impacts and as someone who was in elementary school with 9/11 it definitely brought up those feelings of the omg what happened and what else is coming for me in the well done emotional parts of the plot.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC and ALC copy of this one! I highly recommend it to someone who wants their next bingeable book/audiobook!

TJ Newman does it again. Another thrilling novel and keeps you guessing. A medical event, plane crash and nuclear event seem so unlikely but wow.