Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Simon Element, Marysue Rucci Books for gifting me a digital and physical copy of this debut book by Emma Pattee. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, she realizes there’s nothing to do but walk. Making her way across the wreckage of the city, Annie experiences desperation and kindness from strangers. As she walks, she reflects on her life.

Be forewarned – this is a total gush review because I could not have loved this book more. And it’s a debut? Even more astonishing. Because this book will make you FEEL – in all capitals – all the feelings about pregnancy, motherhood, marriage, grief, life, love. I adored the way it played out – we get the current events over the course of one day as Annie experiences the big earthquake, then interspersed are the chapters that let us see how Annie got to that day and point in her life. It’s funny, scary, sad, hopeful. It’s a must read!

As someone who tells themselves “Don’t think about The Big One when crossing Portland’s bridges” (but absolutely does every time), I wasn’t not going to read this book. Emma Pattee was a bit genius in choosing to write this story.

In Tilt, a woman named Annie is 9 months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA. When she’s loading the crib onto her cart, a massive earthquake hits. Chaos ensues. After escaping the building, she spends the next 12 hours trying to find her husband and get home. We join her on her journey and we see her reflecting on moments in her past that got her here.

This book does a great job articulating what a harrowing journey Annie must experience after a natural disaster of this scale. Pattee’s descriptions of damage, injury, and hopelessness are brilliant. I wanted to feel more connected to Annie, but I found her character unlikeable. I couldn’t get past the cynicism we saw in her flashbacks, and her negatively-reactive nature in the present. I had a hard time reconciling the character’s voice with some of the more beautiful lines/imagery Pattee presents (especially at the end).

In the end, Tilt feels somewhat disjointed: like it can’t quite decide whether it wants to focus on emotional turmoil, character development, or the aftermath of disaster. While the writing is pretty strong, I was left questioning its true focus. For Portlanders, I think you’ll enjoy the Portland-centric writing.

This was one incredible book! The author did an amazing job at portraying all the emotions and conflicts to the reader. There were several tense moments along with joy and sadness. Annie was a fantastic character all around.

Wow! I did not think I would enjoy an entire novel about a nine-month pregnant lady walking through the remains of Portland after a devastating earthquake, but the writer was so incredible that I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read.

Annie is a playwriter who has acquiesced to instead live her career as an office manager, to support her husband in his hopeless dreams to become an actor. Pregnant and feeling though this new baby will only add to squashing her dreams even more, she reluctantly goes to buy a crib at a Portland IKEA. Since an argument with her husband the night before was heavy on her mind, she thought having the crib completed would be a welcome surprise for the husband who is very excited about their new addition. In the middle of a tense moment with the unhelpful IKEA employee, a massive earthquake devastates the entire city of Portland. No way to contact her husband, Annie sets off to walk through the rubble of Portland to find her husband. As Annie searches for her husband, she meets people and reflects on her life in a way that only a tragedy can open your eyes.

I have read several natural disaster novels lately, but the author wrote the character of Annie so well that I was hooked to walk with her through the remains of Portland and all of the adventures she was forced to endure. The ending was very disappointing, and I would like to know why the author decided to end it this way. I will be listening to author interviews with Emma Pattee and hopefully she will explain her reasons.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element & Marysue Rucci Books Marketing Team with Simon and Schuster Co for allowing me to read the Advanced Reader Copy before the March 25, 2025 publishing date for an honest review. #NetGalley #Tilt @marysueruccibooks @emmapattee

A 9 months pregnant woman is shopping at IKEA in Portland when the big earthquake hits the west coast. She works to reunite with her husband and make her way home.

The author did such a great job of establishing the setting of the disaster and her journey to get herself and her baby, Bean, to safety. The story alternates between the day of the earthquake and different times in the past of the relationship between Annie and her husband. The book is a survival adventure paired with an emotional tale of grief, unfulfilled dreams and a relationship journey. The character development was executed beautifully. This was a fast and enjoyable read. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and @_SimonElement for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I sometimes struggle with non-linear timelines in books but this one was easy to follow with only one protagonist. Annie is a relatable, likeable character. I was almost afraid she wasn't going to make it at the end when she came across the teenagers in the road.
I do wish the cover of the book was pulled more from Annie's story. I imagine the bird is supposed to be one hwr mother created but that's sucha small part of the story.

Tilt is a short story with 2 timelines - one pre earthquake and one post. Annie is 37 1/2 weeks pregnant, shopping in a Portland Ikea then the big one hits. The chaos that ensues as she struggles to get to her husband is very evident in the book, as it is a chaotic book. Just ok for me.

A major earthquake hits Portland, Oregon when Annie who is 9 months pregnant is shopping at IKEA for a crib. Her car was crushed in the parking garage and she lost her phone. Over one day, Annie attempts to get to her husband as she witnesses death, looting, and destruction. The story of who Annie is and her life before today is told in interwoven chapters as Annie tells her story to her unborn child. I liked the immediate story but wasn't as drawn to the parts of Annie's life that she tells to her child

I liked the premise of this book, but it lost me at the beginning when she doesn’t take a ride into the city. I think any survival situation would allow you to trust a a stranger first to get you to safety. I feel like the explanation of the damage should have been more extensive. I have been in many earthquakes, and cars would be working as well as phones that use satellite communication. Her choices made me feel unsympathetic towards the main character, which made for an emotionally detached read.

I expected this book to really work for me, because I love a scenario where normal life is interrupted by something the characters have to survive, especially if they're trying desperately to reunite with their family. Give me anything post-apocalyptic or post-disaster, and I'm here for it. For much of the novel, I was invested and the pages wanted to turn, but as the story progressed I began to lose interest in her plight. I'm usually good with an open ending, but here it felt like a bit of a copout. I would try this author again, but I want her next book to feel a bit more fleshed out.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I read this book during a rare Portland snowstorm, which was probably the most perfect way to experience this story. Patte’s Portland is my own, and reading her extremely-possible (likely?) version of what might happen when the Cascadia Subduction Zone hits while wandering around with our hard-edged, dissatisfied with life, and very-pregnant protagonist was a trip. Like… <i>the Road</i> and <i>Department of Speculation</i> decided to join forces on the same streets I’ve been traversing for decades.

Excited for folks to pick this one up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Annie is alone, 37 weeks pregnant, and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a devastating earthquake rocks Portland, Oregon. Over the course of one day, we follow Annie as she travels across the city searching for her husband while navigating the chaotic aftermath of a natural disaster. Speaking to her unborn child, Annie reflects on her dreams and aspirations, considers the choices she has made, and analyzes her relationships. With transportive storytelling and vivid imagery, this novel unfolds as a poignant exploration of love and loss, new motherhood, sacrifice, survival, and the human response to climate disasters. A propulsive story based on the Cascadia earthquake that captivates from start to finish.

My initial reaction when I read the synopsis of this book was no, I don't think I can handle that right now. I am very glad I changed my mind, as I ended up loving it. I live in Oregon, have heard that "the big one" is coming at any time, have learned earthquake preparedness, and also lived through the global pandemic with a toddler and while pregnant. This book hit close to home.

I loved Annie, and her mixed feelings about pregnancy -- it felt so relatable. I loved the flashbacks as we fill in pieces of her life prior to the earthquake. I was so anxious as Annie made her journey through Portland to find her husband. I couldn't put it down and had to find out what was going to happen.

This book really resonated with me and I look forward to seeing it receive the hype it deserves. I can't wait to read more by Emma Pattee!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

The premise of this story of an earthquake and a pregnant woman in an IKEA store was the initial reason I read the story. The entire story is told within 24 hours and written is a realistic manner. I felt I was with the main character as she navigated the situation.

My only criticism was I wished the author had wrapped up loose ends with certain characters. I was left wanting more at the conclusion.

I’d recommend this book for readers who want a peek at what happens when a city falls apart from a natural disaster and how people react and handle the situation, especially when being pregnant.

Put this on your radar for 2025. It's getting a lot of buzz, deservedly. Was just put on the New York Times' list of books to look for this spring.

Tilt is a difficult book to put down. In alternating chapters, the novel follows a pregnant woman in the aftermath of a colossal earthquake on the West Coast. Her experience is juxtaposed against snippets of life throughout her relationship and pregnancy that show feelings of disconnect between her partner, job, and unborn child. After reading the author’s notes, this novel comes across as an exploration of fear at the prospect of a real earthquake in Portland, and the city’s lack of preparedness for such an event.

The thriller aspect of the novel was very gripping, but I struggled to connect with the main character. I found her frustrating, as well as her decisions or lack-thereof in both timelines. I was largely disappointed in the ending – I found It fairly predictable, and was hoping that it would go in a different direction. I’m glad I had a chance to read Tilt, as it was a title I was really anticipating, but it ultimately fell short for me.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who loves disaster books and lives in Oregon, Tilt was very appealing!

I was immediately drawn into the story and I didn’t want to put it down. I liked how the book alternated between the past and the current timeline to add layers to the story. It was super short so it felt like it flew by. I really enjoyed the author’s writing and was surprised when I found out it was a debut novel. It is incredibly engaging and I cannot wait to read more books by this author!

My only complaint is the end seemed a bit abrupt. I wanted just a little more or maybe an epilogue or something.

Overall- a super enthralling read and one I’d recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The book opens with Annie, nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib alone at Ikea. She's in the warehouse when a massive, catastrophic earthquake rocks Portland. The rest of the book follows her as she searches for her husband across the city and struggles to choose between morality and survival. Annie's not a perfect person, but I liked her and was right there traveling with her, wondering what I'd do in a similar situation. In the author's note, Pattee says what's described in the book is believed to be what will actually happen when a large-magnitude earthquake hits the West Coast. So yeah, here's me halfway across the country adding earthquakes to my list of things to worry about.

Scary as it was, I did really like the book. It was well-paced, with flashbacks from Annie's life interspersing the present-day action. I think both character-driven and plot-driven readers will find something to enjoy, as this book is a good mix of both.

My one minor critique - I would have kinda liked an epilogue!

This book had me totally invested in the main character right from the start. She is pregnant and stuck in the aftermath of an earthquake. It is told over one day in the present with flashbacks to before the earthquake. A quick and suspenseful read. I would have liked to see an epilogue just to wrap up some loose ends, but overall I really liked it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for the free book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Chances are you’ve already started hearing the buzz for this one, and I am so thrilled to join the hype train! This one is so good. Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA (yes, she knows she procrastinated too long) when a massive earthquake hits. The city quickly descends into chaos, and Annie sets out on foot to find her husband across town.

This was the absolutely perfect combination of plot and character development for me and it lives up to the premise. I flew through this in just a few days because of the fast pace and how short the book is. But we also got flashbacks to learn more about Annie and her husband, and the writing was so good I saved multiple quotes (which is rare for me!). I also loved that the book is based on so much research into what will likely happen if or when this earthquake hits, from the length and severity of the shaking to the emergency response to all the other dangers Annie encounters. Even Annie’s path through the city real, which is an element I love in books (I suppose you could take a walking tour if you really wanted to). Don’t miss the acknowledgments that explain more!

There are a lot of books coming out this year, but don’t miss this one!