Thank you @littlebrown for this ARC of Worst Case Scenario (out now!)

It’s spooky season y’all so it’s time for a very haunting review!!! After I read this book I googled so much information about nuclear reactors that I am probably on a list (: it is fine I am fine and we will probably all be fine.

This, like every book TJ has written, has scorched me down to my very bones.

The moments of levity woven into such outright horror and dismay make everything so much starker and more human. Every character she writes tugs on my heartstrings and brings tears to my eyes.

Tragedy after tragedy after tragedy hits, from the changed love between two friends, to the strained father-son relationship in the wake of the loss of a wife and mother, to the I uninhibited determination and grit of a firefighter reaching for a little boy in a van. Every scene is gut-wrenching and yet again and again you feel both the flicker of hope and the sinking fear that it will be short-lived.

And yet, in spite of that, the underlying current is of human connection and the resilience that can be found in the absolute whirlwind of a worst case scenario. The knowledge that yes, when it comes down to it, there will always be people who both know what needs to be done and are willing to do it for the sake of others, sometimes at great personal cost.

TJ Neman does it again with palpable energy that flows off the pages and grips you with icy terror as you imagine a harrowing scenario written all too close for comfort. It’s bold and beautiful.

When a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant in rural Minnesota, the first thought is a terrorist attack. But the more information that comes to light reveals that while it was an accident, the domino effect to the nation will be catastrophic.

As the town of Waketa comes together to help its citizens and prevent the power plant from going into a full Cherynobl meltdown, the new President is forced to make some difficult decisions.

💭My Thoughts:
…ummm just go read this book. It was heart stopping! No joke, in the first chapter my jaw dropped and I gasped and that continued through the rest of the book! TJ Newman does it again, with another bingeworthy thriller.

WOW! T.J. Newman's books just get better the more she writes.

I enjoyed Falling, adored Drowning, but Newman takes it to a whole new level with Worst Case Scenario. This author creates nightmares you didn't even know existed in your brain by tackling the concept of a plane crash hitting a nuclear plant. I also loved this book because it was set in Minnesota (although I had a heck of a time trying to find out where the fictional town of Waketa would be...perhaps she was thinking Big Lake or Monticello based on her description?)

I will continue to gobble up T.J. Newman's books...they are written like a movie you imagine in your mind...fast-paced, nail biting, edge of your seat kind of reading.

Bravo!

I found this to be an incredibly entertaining story. I love disaster stories, and this one did not disappoint. I could tell the author put a lot of effort into getting information about nuclear plants, their hazards, and their maintenance. I have no complaints, only one suggestion. I would have preferred to have fewer main characters, though Ethan, Joss, Steve, Dani, and the citizens of Waketa kept me cheering for all of them.

Oh my gosh! Please don't ever stop writing books!! This author has such a unique way of grabbing your attention, getting your heart pumping, terrifying you and then hitting you in all the feels - like how do you even do this??

This story was no different - from the first pages I was engrossed in this story. I picked a Sunday to read because I knew I would read right through and not be able to put it down and I was right.

It is crazy, its so immediate. I dove in, the facts are given, then this crazy incident starts and therr is debris flying everyone, you heart rate rises. Its terrifying and exhilirating and just everything I want in a thriller. I connected with the characters and felt every single emotion while reading and when its over - I just want to read more.

I will easily recommend these author to anyone and everyone. Its a way to work through these fears that are actually kind of real but a long shoy at happening.

Thank you!!

What a THRILLER this is from the first page and all the way through! Do you want a book that is explosive, riveting and heart-stopping? This is it! I don’t think my heart has stopped pounding since finishing! Pick this one up if you’re looking for an action-packed, hold-on-to-your-seat story that will have your heart racing! You will appreciate the small-town heroes that risk their lives to save others. I loved the way the author wrote another thrilling plane story and I chose to listen to this as an audiobook and the narrator, Joe Morton did an excellent job. He really delivered the believability and I got goosebumps and was tearful few times. I highly recommend this.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for a free digital copy of Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman. This book was a rollercoaster ride of excitement and heart. I couldn't stop reading. It was a thrilling ride. The book brings you into the mind of certain characters and really draws you in. It wasn't just thrilling, it had heart too. Parts scared me, left me devasted and worried, and other parts had me wiping away tears. I recommend this book! It was awesome!

Start this one only if you have time to finish it because prying yourself from it will be almost impossible. T.J. Newman does it again in this heart pounding, action-packed and emotional thriller. I bought a copy for myself as soon as the book came out.

This book was fantastic. I loved the concept! I've read all this authors works and she really knows how to keep us readers entertained and on our seats. Only issue I had was the boy in the van; I'm not sure why. It just felt a bit out of pace for a while there. But the rest was good. I love how it tied together. And I enjoyed seeing how people reacted in such a dire situation.

I have enjoyed TJ Newman's books in the past but this one wasn't my favorite of hers. There are several scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat and I was very anxious to get back to certain characters and stories. This just feels like it's leaning so hard into the 'worst case scenario' and I think this is just me, but the story just felt like there was never a win and it was getting more and more depressing and anxiety inducing, but not in a good way. Over 300 people die in the first chapter and they are never mentioned again!

Pulse Pounding Nail Biting Thriller With Some Powerful Dusty Rooms. Wait. An author known for *airplane* tales is writing a book that takes place 99% *on the ground*? Yes. And she does a damn fine job of it to boot.

As someone who has actually worked in the nuclear waste disposal area (at the Savannah River Site, where I sat yards away from tanks containing tens of thousands of gallons of nuclear waste and worked on putting the information-and-control spreadsheet (yes, spreadsheet) online), having a *touch* of knowledge of the field only made it that much more terrifying... because I knew exactly what some of the devices Newman speaks of were. (Specifically, the dosimeter badges. Never had to wear one myself, despite going into certain areas a time or two, but remember the training all too well - the "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" badge in particular.)

Even without having worked a touch in an adjacent area of the tale though, this is one of those disaster tales that starts off in the middle of the action... and never really slows down. After the introduction where we see the plane going down, from there the tale takes place entirely ground-based, but with a strong countdown clock that is actually calculated within the tale and is used to great effect, going down to the final moments.

Perhaps Newman's greatest strength in this particular tale though is in *not* making any "superheroes" but instead showing everyday people in every day situations (yes, including nuclear power generation and nuclear waste management) doing their best with what is in front of them and trying to avert catastrophes big and small. Newman even manages to "humanize" her (fictional) President of the United States in ways not often done well, yet here is.

And about those dusty rooms... man, the hits just keep hitting. There are *several* points here where if your eyes don't get misty, I question whether they *ever* do. Newman sprinkles these moments throughout the book, but in a couple of scenes are particularly strong indeed - nearly to the point of needing an audio version of the text to get through them.

Overall truly an excellent and fast read - despite being 300+ pages, you're not going to want to put it down.

Very much recommended.

I haven't loved the other books by Newman. I thought they were just ok. But this one gripped me from the getgo and I couldn't wait to continue reading. I found all of the information completely fascinating and it caused me to look up more about nuclear power. Great read.

T.J. Newman delivers another high-concept thriller, with this pulse-pounding, high stakes story that is plausible and terrifying. Worst Case Scenario centers around an unimaginable crisis and the real time reaction by all the characters in play. Newman pulls you in with great pacing and cinematic descriptions that had me flying through this book. What I really enjoy about Newman's writing is not only are you in unimaginable situations where choices are life or death, but the characters are complex and you learn their motivations and explore why they make their choices. Despite not knowing a lot about airplanes or nuclear - anything - I thought Newman did a great job bringing me in and understanding what was at stake. I definitely recommend for those that like tense, high stakes action, and where deeper questions about sacrifice and human nature are explored.
Thank you Little, Brown and Company for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕤𝕥 ℂ𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕊𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕠
𝗧.𝗝. 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗻
Thriller
336 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
A pilot dies, and tragedy ensues.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
Parts of this plane come down on a nuclear plant. I know nothing about this topic except that it is something you don’t want to happen.

I like that the author kept it realistic in that everything didn’t turn out hunky dorey for everyone. I can’t imagine a real situation would come out smelling like roses either.
Once the plane crashed, the story focused on the nuclear plant and another situation at a bridge that was struck by a piece of the aircraft. I really could’ve done without the bridge portion.

Worst Case Scenario moved along quickly and gave me the heebie-jeebies as people tried to prevent the worst from occurring. I was undoubtedly on the edge of my seat as I read.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Holy crap!!!!! What a RIDE this was! I felt like I was smack dab in the middle of an action movie a la Independence Day or Die Hard. I was at the edge of my seat for this entire book.

This story is about a flight that crashes into a nuclear power plant, which would be terrible on it's own, but with the specific damage that takes place it is a race against the clock to learn the extent of the destruction and stop what could have catastrophic worldwide implications. It is told from multiple points of view, beautifully weaved together to give you the best picture from all of the angles.

T.J. Newman is such a visual writer, her descriptions of scenes are like art. Not only does she put you right there in the moment, she is a master at building suspense and keeping you on the edge of your seat from the very first sentence. Her ability to shine a light on the human experience, spanning the range of emotions. Through this story you feel the terror of the flight crew, the shock of those on the ground watching it happen, the urgency of the plant workers and rescue crew, the anxiety of those in the briefings trying to find a solution. But, overall you feel a strong theme of love, goodness, sacrifice and resilience in the face of adversity. If you have never read one of her books before, do yourself a favor and RUN to the store to grab a copy, they only get better! This is my favorite read of 2024!

New fear unlocked. T.J. Newman is back with another action packed book detailing a catastrophic event. Her pacing is so, so great! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved how this follows many different characters throughout the day and events that unfold. Newman is able to make you feel for all of them and this community that they represent.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

What happens when a commercial airliner meets a nuclear power plant?

An ordinary day turns into a nightmare for the people of a small Minnesota town, & the ramifications of the possible spread of the radiation has global ramifications. To prevent the unthinkable from becoming even worse, the employees at the nuclear facility will have to band together with the local firefighters, school teachers, & other citizens on one adrenaline-filled & unforgettable day…

Wow I wish I’d had the time to read this in one sitting because it was INTENSE. The possibility that with the right set of circumstances this could actually happen is disturbing, but the message of the book is ultimately hope, & community, & the determination it takes to not give up. I love that the author is a former flight attendant, I feel like that added an extra layer of authenticity to the parts involving the airplane.

Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown & Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

☢️ Book Review ☢️
Worst Case Scenario
By T.J.Newman
Published: 8/13/24
Genre: Thriller

This is another heart pounding thriller from T.J. Newman. Along with the fear and heart palpitations, you should expect some heartbreaking moments in this novel, too. Not everyone is going to survive when a commercial plane crashes into a nuclear power plant, and it’s not sugarcoated in these pages. It’s disastrous and even the survivors will never be the same. The effects are far reaching and long lasting. Like any life-altering event, it’s unimaginable, until it’s not. Scary! I’d recommend reading this novel if you enjoy exploring doomsday scenarios and you liked Falling & Drowning. I’m rating this one a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for the opportunity to read the digital arc!

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