My interview with Emma Pattee on Meg’s Reading Room podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/megs-reading-room/id1761060886?i=1000712399246

Ohhhh how I wanted to love this but I just found it too unsettling and a bit implausible. A pregnant woman is forced to navigate the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and in doing so, reflects on her life and fears of motherhood. Maybe hit too close to home but I was kind of just wanting it to be over and was not a fan of how it ended. On serval “best book” lists so I am in the minority but wasn’t for me.

Set over the course of a single day, an electrifying debut novel from “a powerful new literary voice” (Vogue) following one woman’s journey across a transformed city, carrying the weight of her past and a fervent hope for the future.

This story really hit home with the climate change we’re facing now as a world and especially as a country. Cutting funding and ignoring science will leave us ill prepared to handle disasters as cities, states and countries just as Annie encountered in this emotional story.

Tilt follows Annie, a very pregnant mom-to-be, who is out crib shopping at IKEA when an earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. In the aftermath, Annie can’t connect with her husband and she realizes her only option is to walk, so, she begins the trek. ⁣
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This story is told in present and before chapters — Annie making her way home in the present chapters, witnessing the earthquake’s destruction and reflecting on her life — Her shaky marriage, her unfulfilled professional ambitions while her husband continues to pursue his, and her nervousness about being a mom. The before chapters shed light on how Annie got to the present. ⁣I felt for Annie and what she was going through in the present day as she reflects on her life, yet I couldn’t help feeling frustrated by her acceptance of decisions that led her to “now” too. ⁣

On some level most people can relate to the disappointment when you realize you veered from your intended path. It’s a raw and honest look and that’s why the story hits hard.

An impressive debut and worth checking out.

Thank you Simon Element and Marysue Rucci Books for the #gifted copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was compelling! The setup is a unique take on a disaster story, and the juxtaposition of the outer disaster and all of what the main character is processing outside of that helps make this a memorable read.

Tilt sets up a compelling premise, an imminently due pregnant woman navigating a post-earthquake Portland, but never quite delivers on its promise of suspense or resolution. While the quake looms large, it is more metaphor than plot device, serving to shake loose Annie’s memories, regrets, and buried dissatisfaction rather than driving forward any real tension.

The book explores important themes like inertia, unmet expectations, and the disorientation of early motherhood, but Annie’s passivity and the lack of character development leave the story feeling stalled. The potential for emotional reckoning builds steadily then fizzles out in an ending that feels less open than incomplete. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

We seem to be always assuming we will be at home when a big event like a tornado or an earthquake or another natural disaster occurs, and we plan accordingly. That will not always be the case. In "Tilt" the main character who is 9 months pregnant is caught during a major earthquake in a big box story. The book follows her physical pain and mental agony as she tries to find her way home on foot through completely destroyed city. She, of course, has no communication with her husband and relies on encounters with the people she meets along the way. The book sounds like a disaster novel, but it is much more. It follows the themes of hope and determination in catastrophic circumstances. It will definitely keep the reading turning pages..

So disappointed in this one -- Great start and then went nowhere. Pointless and boring. Writing not great either. So much potential that didn't deliver.

I feel that for a book about such a traumatic event, this one was very anticlimactic. I think that the main character was supposed to be relatable, but she came off as unlikable to me. I feel that, while this may be as close to the truth as we can get from an event that hasn't happened yet, this story didn't resonate with me.

I am so thankful to Mary Sue Rucci Books, Netgalley, Libro.fm, and Emma Pattee for granting me advanced access to this title before publication day. This was a harrowing tale that will resonate with me for some time.

I think this was very smart, compelling and had my heart in my throat a few times. The author deftly wove environmental and massive crisis with internal tumult, and o haven’t been able to stop thinking about this novel. Can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

A tense and suspenseful novel set over the course of one day, following Annie a heavily pregnant woman. She’s trying to find her way home after a massive earthquake hit while she was shopping. I loved the flashbacks interspersed with her journey across the city. This was a great read about human nature in the middle of a massive crisis, and also gave an insight into Annie and her husbands relationship and how it evolved. Really enjoyed it.

While this audiobook kept my interest more than most, I still felt annoyed at parts of it. I hope an earthquake like this never hits Portland. I found the flashbacks to be a little rough. They didn't really reveal any convenient facts, but I wonder how this book would be if it were written chronologically. Maybe it loses some of its drama, but gains narrative flow.

I avoided this one at first because *obvious reasons* but then I kept seeing it everywhere and hearing good things and it's short so FINE. What I did expect was the harrowing and sad bits. What I didn't expect was the intimacy and character focus and dry humor among the pieces. Oh, and the specificity of recognizing the exact routes taken. Like, street by street. Worth a read, but I suggest you copy my technique: Avoid reading before bed.

Loved this short book about a very pregnant woman shopping for a crib when a devastating earthquake happens. Would highly recommend and could be a great book club pick.

I really enjoyed parts of this book. The "big" earthquake was both a real and symbolic part of the story. As a mother, anytime I read about Mother Nature's wrath and the cruel devastation it leaves behind, it terrifies me, so that kept me engaged. However, I feel like once the plot slowed way down at a point in the story and it struggled to pick the pace back up all the way through the end, which was rather open ended and very unfulfilling.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, thrilling adventure, this is a great novel to pick up! Set in a believable near future, Annie is 9 months pregnant and is shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. The rest of the story is Annie's journey through a broken city to try to find her husband with alternating flashback chapters that showcase Annie's life leading up to the earthquake. This is fast-paced and suspenseful but rooted in a future that could exist. Recommended!

Another underrated book to add to your tbr!

Thank you @marysueruccibooks for my #gifted copy!

Annie is 9 months pregnant when she finds herself in IKEA when a massive earthquake hits. Unable to reach her husband, she sets out to find him admist the destruction of the quake. Told in alternating timelines, Annie reflects on her past as she prepares for the birth of her first child and hopes to find her partner alive.

I FLEW THROUGH THIS BOOK!!!! I’m not sure why I haven’t seen it on here, but it needs to be on your tbr. The writing was beautiful and the story was so engaging.

Annie was such a great protagonist and learning about her and her journey was captivating. If you’re looking for a fast, thoughtful read, you should check this one out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What happens if you are 9 months pregnant and there is a massive earthquake? Buildings ( including the one you are in ) collapse, roads buckle, services are crippled. You have no car, no phone and no way to get in touch with your husband. This is the premise that Emma Pattee explores in Tilt. With humor and heartache Pattee writes a page turner that also explores one young mother's maturation.

I was a little torn on how to rate this. It was probably more of a 3.5, but I rounded up. It was intriguing enough to keep me reading and I was able to get through it quickly, but I also just was left without a lot of questions (I’m sure that was kind of the point). I also live in an area that is supposed to get a bad earthquake sometime in my lifetime, so that aspect was a bit terrifying for sure. Annie’s journey home after the earthquake was harrowing and full of devastation, as well as some hope; but, I just don’t quite know how I feel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this.