Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. T.J. Newman has become a favorite author. I read almost this entire book in a single sitting (on the edge of my seat the entire time). It's action-packed and ridiculously propulsive. I won't be surprised if this book gets turned into a movie like her first two.

This was hard to read unfortunately. I love the other books but this one was hard to stay engaged with. I just felt bore unfortunately.

Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for providing me this e-ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.7

✨A pilot has a heart attack at 35,000 feet and crashes a plane into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota. This disaster is rated as a Level 8, worse than Fukushima and Chernobyl.

❓How would such a catastrophic event impact the small town of Waketa?
❓How would firefighters respond first in this situation?
❓How deadly can a nuclear radiation be?

✨This story is a deeply emotional journey, with every character portrayed beautifully. Each character supports the others in overcoming the crisis. A plane crash can isolate an entire town, especially with a nuclear plant involved, where radiation makes help almost impossible. From start to finish, the story made me laugh and cry, moving me to tears.

✨I learned a lot about nuclear plants from this book, including how potassium iodide helps to protect their thyroid and that radiation can’t be transferred from one person to another once ingested. The book beautifully depicts loss, grief, strength, and the saving of lives. I’m excited to explore more works by this author.

T.J Newman is back with another flight gone wrong thriller, but this time it follows one of the most unthinkable scenarios: a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. Now the community must come together, with many life or death rescue situations, to save the town and what could be a global disaster.

I was on the edge of my seat during this entire book, switching between my physical copy and the audiobook. The audio production was gripping with special sound effects for plane announcements, countdowns and phone/ walkie talkie calls. This transported me right to the scene and made the fast paced story come to life. Overall a highly emotional and gripping thriller with a fabulous cast of characters that show us the best of humanity.

Thank you Hachette audio and Little Brown for the early copies!

Such a fun and wild ride. It was made even crazier to me because I live where the book takes place! This author rights super fun and suspenseful books, and they are always a fun experience to read. I gifted a copy to my dad as he loved this author!

Wow! TJ Newman continues to write books that keep you on the edge of your seat. The event in this story happens in the first few pages and the aftermath is what happens in the rest of the book. The details, the characters, the drama--all top notch. This will be one of my top books of 2024, hands down. Thanks for the advance copy.

Wow! What an exciting, emotional book!

As with Newman's other books, the thrills start on the first page and do not let up until the end. A pilot has a heart attack mid-flight and sets forth a chain of events that seems unimaginable. Parts of the plane hit a nuclear power plant in Minnesota and the events that follow will test all involved.

It's best to just let this book unfold rather than spell out a huge synopsis. You know what you're getting with a TJ Newman novel--these are rapidly paced thrillers that combine the best of humanity with the worst of situations.

I listened to this as an audiobook and did not want to stop listening until I reached the end. I was anxious with anticipation, and I also laughed and cried at many things that happened. If you're looking for a breath-holding, tense, action-packed novel, then move this to the top of your list immediately.

I need a moment to compose myself after finishing this book. It's been quite some time since a story has moved me to tears. T.J. Newman delivers an action-packed emotional rollercoaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you're familiar with Newman's previous work, you won't be disappointed!

A pilot has a heart attack and crashes a commercial airliner into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota, causing a national crisis. The disaster is rated as a Level 8 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, surpassing previous major accidents like Fukushima and Chernobyl. Ordinary people in the town must come together to save their community and possibly humanity as a whole.

The characters in this book are silent heroes who face tough decisions and keep you grounded as the story spins out of control. It's a reminder of the importance of togetherness, bravery, and sacrifice in the face of adversity.

I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list. Just be prepared for a gripping and emotional journey that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. Let's hope this story serves as a cautionary tale rather than a guidebook for what could happen in the real world.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Little, Brown & Company for digital ARC. I am forever grateful, because this book will be talked about for a long time. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for the advance review copy!

This thrilling story is fast-paced and exactly what I expected. It may not be the best written thriller to ever exist, but it's entertaining and may have unlocked a new fear... It's a book you can easily binge in a single sitting (if your heart can handle the ride!). If you're looking for a tense thriller that reads like a heart-pounding disaster movie, this is it!

3.5 rounded up!

this is out august 13, thank you netgalley and little, brown and company for this arc in exchange for a review!

if there’s one thing about tj newman’s books, it’s that the entire time im reading them i feel like im watching a movie in my head. there’s just something about the way she writes that i can so clearly see everything play out and i feel like im there.

this book follows a tragic crash with devastating consequences of a commercial plane into a nuclear power plant near a small town community. as with drowning and falling, i did in fact tear up many times throughout this book.

while extremely heart-pounding and thrilling, there are so many emotional aspects of this book and i loved seeing the connections between families and friends while they race the clock to potentially save half of the united states.

i will say you definitely have to suspend your belief while reading this book and kind of just go with whatever happens and not think too much about the logistics 😅 there were also lots of quotes i found to be a bit cringe at times and over the top

all in all, i really enjoyed this and am glad that it didn’t make me as scared of flying as drowning and falling did 🤣

my review will be posted on instagram on pub day!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
✈️ sci-fi thriller
✈️ short, action-packed chapters
✈️ countdown to “the event”
✈️ heart-pounding rescue missions
✈️ beautiful relationships between characters

TJ Newman sure knows how to suck you into a story right from the very first page! It starts with the heart of the action immediately and there’s literally no way you can’t be hooked immediately. I flew right through this book because I didn’t want to put it down!
I love the format of this book, with each chapter counting down to “Zero Hour” (the time when the major event takes place), and anticipation building with each chapter and every time we get closer to the “event”. Will they stop it in time????
There are so many random facts thrown in this book, and while I haven’t personally fact-checked them, I feel like the author did a ton of research about many different topics to be able to include these things.
I really appreciate Newman’s writing style; there is no fluff or unnecessary detail… it is action packed and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time you are reading.
The book kept switching back-and-forth between 2 rescue missions, which really made for an adrenaline packed story! I have a 4 year old boy myself so one of these rescue missions really resonated with me. I shed a few tears more than once while reading this ❤️
This was such an intense, horrible situation book but the way everyone came together to help out for the greater good was really beautiful. This was exactly the kind of book I needed to read with the way the world is right now.
I really loved all of these characters and there were so many relationships that were beautiful to see: but one father/son relationship in particular was really enjoyable to see. Heart-breaking, but so beautiful at the same time.
I did not expect to shed so many tears while reading a sci-fi thriller (which is not usually my reading style), but I guess that’s why TJ Newman’s book are so loved ❤️ Heart-pounding, edge of your seat adrenaline read with also so much love and goodness between the characters…. This was very truly a whirlwind of emotions and it was one of my favourite reads in such a long time 🩷🩷🩷

What a fantastic book from TJ Newman, AGAIN! This was edge of my seat exciting. I felt for the characters and the whole town as they battle the worst case possible. A jet plane that crashes into a nuclear powerplant. The characters, the situation, had me cheering, laughing and crying. Sometimes on the same page. Newman is a master at creating a riveting story. She manages to keep the story flowing quickly and yet weaves in just enough backstory to keep you invested in her characters. TJ Newman is solidly an auto buy author for me.

Wow. T.J. Newman is such a talented author. This is a fast-paced thriller that starts off with a plane crashing into a nuclear power plant.

Newman has a gift of being able to write a story that will educate you, keep you on the edge of your seat, and make you cry. I could not put this book down. It was thrilling and terrifying. It was raw and heartbreaking.

I cannot say enough good things about the writing. There were no plot holes, or undeveloped characters. The story was deep and gripping from start to finish. The characters were… wow. I found myself cheering them on while reading. They were real. I would want all of them by my side if tragedy were to hit.

Newman is 3/3 for her books so far and I hope she continues writing more. I was so excited to get an ARC copy of this amazing thriller. I was anxiously waiting release day so the fact I got to read early was so exciting!!!

This is definitely a heartbreaking book, but if you love thrillers, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is without a doubt the most intense and suspenseful book I’ve ever read - just incredible!! My heart was pounding while feeling the emotions of hundreds of people affected by the tragedy as well as the devastating aftermath. An extremely powerful and well-written book…highly recommend. That being said, it evokes all of the emotions and is not for the faint of heart. The in-depth research and descriptions are phenomenal.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What an amazing thrill ride! I was hooked from the first chapter. A roller coaster of emotions. Filled with edge of your seat cliffhangers. The survival of the country hangs in the balance. A great cast of characters, a plot filled with twists and turns. This is a great way to wrap up summer reading.

This is what a summer thriller should be like: characters that feel like people you know and care about, non stop action and breath taking situations, and near terror as it feels like there is no possible way for anyone to survive. My heart rate soared and I found new things to be terrified of, but I loved every moment of reading this book.

YES! My summer blockbuster book! T.J. Newman does it again with one of the most intriguing worst case scenarios - nuclear meltdown.

Everyone who loved HBO’s Chernobyl is going to love T.J. Newman’s new thriller, Worst Case Scenario. In the small town of Waketa, Minnesota disaster strikes as a flight goes down in the most importune area - a nuclear power plant. With the Mississippi River as the closest water source, the clock is ticking for the employees at Clover Hill Nuclear Power Plant to repair the damaged building before an explosion changes the entire world forever.

A great cast of characters with heart and grit, Worst Case Scenario will fan the flames of your American spirit. I You will smirk. You will cry. You will certainly raise an eyebrow with Dr. Jocelyn Vance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and the author T.J. Newman for an ARC of Worst Case Scenario in exchange for an honest review!

T.J. Newman knows how to write a book that'll have you holding on for dear life! Starts off with a bang from the first paragraph and doesn't let up until the last.

Contingency planning for catastrophe can only take you so far which the small town of Waketa, Minnesota finds out when a commercial airliner crashes into the local nuclear power plant. As the hours quickly pass, the threat of a national radiation crisis becomes more real.

Really liked this one but I didn't think it was quite as riveting as Newman's first two novels, Falling and Drowning. In my opinion, this one didn't have the same sense of claustrophobic, heart pounding, breath holding intensity. With that said, I finished in 24 hours because the girl can write some suspense!

Thank you to Little, Brown & Co. and Netgalley for the early copies!

read if you like:
✈️ plane thrillers
🥺 crisis stories told from multiple angles
☢️ nuclear disasters

summary:
I received the audiobook ARC of this book earlier and loved it, so when I had the opportunity to read the book itself, I figured, why not? Sometimes it’s harder to catch some of the details in an audiobook, so I figured it was worth the read.

A quick recap: a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota, and we follow the chaos of the accident from many perspectives — the power plant workers, firefighters, government officials, and teachers at a nearby school. The story counts down in a race against time, and follows these characters as they try to deal with the situation and save the town and themselves.

For some reason, I was far more overcome with emotion reading the book versus listening to the recording. Maybe it’s seeing the words on the page and being able to re-read them. The characters in this book are just incredible. In all of Newman’s books, she does an amazing job of pulling you in, putting you in their shoes and connecting you to them in a way that almost feels tragic. Everyone in this story makes sacrifices, for their families and their community, and it’s heartbreaking to read how each of them put others before themselves. She makes you feel them so deeply, even the President, reporting from hundreds of miles away, and makes you feel a part of the Waketa.

Like the audiobook, the technical jargon about nuclear power plants can be a little bit complex at times, but it feels important to the integrity of the story and more importantly, feels like a parallel to what everyone in the town is facing - this crisis that no one understands.

The ending. Whew. I cried real tears, just like I have in her other books. But it feels so satisfying and complete that it’s hard to complain.

This book will make you feel ALL the feels, I promise. THANK YOU to Little, Brown & Company and Net Galley for the ARC, and do NOT miss this book when it comes out August 13.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the copy of Worst Case Scenario by T. J. Newman. Wow, what an astounding book. The action moves at a breakneck speed, and the countdown clock at the beginning of each chapter adds to the tension. The characters were so compelling and well-written I got attached to them. It’s hard to find a thriller that has genuine emotional impact and this book hit a home run. Do not miss this book.