When I read @tj_author books, I feel like I am sitting in the front row of a major action packed blockbuster movie. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼, her newest thriller, definitely upholds Newman's reign as the best in this genre. This is a gripping thriller that will take you on a heart-pounding journey through a potential nuclear disaster in a small Midwestern town. I finished it in ONE DAY! We start here with a heart pounding description of an aviation crash, but from there Newman crafts a story that is both intense and emotionally charged. ⠀
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The plot centers around a commercial airliner that crashes into a nuclear power plant in Waketa, Minnesota, triggering a catastrophic crisis with global implications. The narrative follows ordinary people—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, and families—who are thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Their courage, ingenuity, and determination are put to the ultimate test as they strive to prevent a meltdown that could devastate millions.⠀

Newman’s storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with relentless suspense and well-developed characters. The book’s pacing is impeccable, making it difficult to put down. The realistic portrayal of a nuclear disaster and the human response to such a crisis adds a layer of authenticity that enhances the overall impact of the story. I cannot thank @hachetteaudio for the amazing audiobook version of this narrated by the incredible Joe Morton. This book is MEANT for audio!!

𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰 is a must-read for fans of thrillers. T.J. Newman continues to prove her prowess in the genre, delivering a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. Pick this one up for a big Summer thrill!

This book read exactly like how I expect then movie version to go. If you like reading disaster movies, you will like this book!
I appreciate how fast moving Ms. Newman keeps her books. There are a lot of main characters so I was not sure this would work well but it does. Keep with it and it's worth it. Rounded up from 4.5 stars
The narrator was great and animated when needed.. The production is good but there were times when the 'bullhorn would be REALLY loud so I would turn it down, but then I could not hear the narrator well. Maybe a mixing issue?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A full speed ahead thriller in the air (and on the ground) from T.J. Newman. What's the worst thing that could happen on a plane? Well, crashing into a nuclear power plant would have to be right up there. The author imagines the unimaginable in a super fast paced, scary, compelling narrative with a racing pace of suspense that never lets up. There are a cast of compelling characters, including first responders and a young President who is being tested for the first time. The pages (or in my case, the audio) practically turn themselves. Recommended!

At first the prologue of this book really engrossed me but I feel like it fell flat. There was too much technical jargon and it enough storyline happening that it made me feel bored. I am very disappointed as I enjoyed T.J Newmans other 2 books. I also did not love the narrators voice at all.

Propulsive and action-packed — aka just like Newman's other two novels. This one is even more unsettling (in the best way!). Eternally impressed with the research I'm sure had to go into this one! I learned a lot about nuclear energy! The audio is expertly done!

Wow wow wow! This was a fun and electrifying story. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. Highly recommend for anyone who's into high intensity thrillers

This was my first T.J. Newman book and wasn’t quite what I expected. I thought this would focus more on the plane crash events and long-term aftermath, whereas it focused mostly on the nuclear power plant. I enjoyed that it was fast paced and action packed, it kept me entertained and sometimes I couldn’t put it down. There was a lot of technical information surrounding the power plant and nuclear power, which caused me to zone out a bit at times. The ending was also very quick and felt a little unresolved, I actually had to check and make sure I didn’t skip a chapter.

The narration by Joe Morton was excellent- I really liked the use of “special effects” and voice altering. His voice was pleasant to listen to and he did a good job with the voices of different characters. Sometimes his yelling felt a little disingenuous, but overall he gave a solid performance.

Please check out the trigger warnings before reading, some of the subject matter is dark.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Little, Brown & Company, and the author T.J. Newman for the ALC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was WILD and such a fun audiobook. The action was relentless, which made this fly by and had me hooked from the first second. There were nonstop terrible things happening — and just when it seems like all is well, another terrible thing happens. And another. And another. And another.

No spoilers, so I’ll keep it vague, but my only real complaints were: 1) if the melodrama factor could be measured by a dosimeter, we’d all be dead from radiation sickness - it was too much (for me); 2) there were a few situations that felt a bit too reminiscent of scenarios in another Newman book (if you’ve read it you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about).

Overall - existing Newman fans should definitely read/listen to this, and anyone who hasn’t tried her books yet, this would be a great (if terrifying) intro!

Short synopsis: The pilot of a large aircraft has a medical emergency crashing the plane into a Nuclear Power Plant.

My thoughts: I was highly anxious with my heart pumping from page one, and it did not let up through the entire book. This is the definition of a high stakes thriller, that left me feeling almost every emotion imaginable.

I loved the alternating perspectives, and the fact we could see so many different situations caused by the accident. The sense of community banding together was inspiring.

I did a mix of physical and audio of this and loved both versions. The audio had special effects for announcements etc that really added to the ambiance of the book. This one will definitely be with me for a long time.

Read if you love:
- Community
- High stakes reads
- Pulse pounding moments
- Desperate measures

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman was released on August 13th, 2024.

I have two very big fears: plane crashes and nuclear destruction, so of course I wanted to read this book. I could not stop listening to the audiobook - the way that the story was read did an excellent job of portraying the many emotions of the various characters and the urgency of the situation. I NEEDED to find out what was going to happen, how they were going to get out of the situation, and it did not disappoint (even if I did end up crying once or twice during the book).

Worst Case Scenario is an addictive and easy bingeable read. I loved Newman's 2 previous books, but this one just didn't do it as much for me. It was a really fast paced read, but it was missing that rush of adrenaline I had from her previous ones. This one takes place on the ground, it follows the people managing the crisis of the plane crash in a nuclear plant. It’s still stressful, but it was missing something for me.

There was also a lot of technical information which for me just made me tune out and slowed the pace of the story. The ending also left me with many unresolved issues, so much was happening and then it just ended. I feel like I didn't get closure on certain aspects and that everything was just magically okay. It is still a good suspenseful read, but I did enjoy the 2 others better.

🎧 The narration by Joe Morton was really good, he kept me engaged. I thought he had a great voice and was good at playing different characters. I really enjoyed the radio portions that came on, those were fun and made for a more engaging listen.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @hachetteaudio & Tj Newman for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Run, do not walk to the nearest bookstore, and buy Worst Case Scenario. Better yet, listen to the audiobook as Joe Morton brings this adrenaline rush novel to life.

I do not normally watch adaptations, but T.J. Newman writes novels that make you feel like you are watching a movie. I am always on the edge of my seat because I can envision every word she writes. Her novels are ones that I would drop everything to see them come to life on the big screen.

Of course there are TW as with all her books. The Worst Case Scenario is about a plane that crashes into a nuclear power plant in a small Minnesota town. Lives are lost and others are fighting for theirs.

Newman continues her streak of writing airplane thrillers. Her knowledge from being a flight attender assists her storytelling in providing a propulsive page turner, that explores what will happen when a plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. There is a lot of technical knowledge that Newman must convey that I found could be a little cumbersome, but readers can ignore the details and still understand the story. I did find it heart-pounding with lots of tension and a positive message for small towns and people that put others ahead of themselves.

Joe Morton’s narration was a great mix of raising the tension while providing a softer touch for the tender, human moments. The use of (Citizen’s Band) radio transmissions throughout was a useful tension builder.

Thank You to Netgalley, Little, Brown & Company and Hatchette Audio for the audio ARC.

Disaster thriller, starts with a plane crash but quickly moves on to the implications of nuclear implosion. Great plot, characters only added to it!

Great audio! Would listen to this narrator again and again.

Wooowwwweeee! This book managed to have me simultaneously on the edge of my seat and tearing up several times throughout the whole book. As a parent, this one definitely tugged at the heart strings for me a few times. I loved how the author really put a spot light on the heroes of the book, and their bravery and selflessness through each scenario. My only complaint was how technical and detailed some of the nuclear descriptions got, it took me out of the story a bit. I alternated listening and physically reading this, and the narrator did a fantastic job creating a tense atmosphere, and bringing some of Newmans scenes really to life. I’d love to see this made into a movie!

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown & company, and Hachett Audio for my ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest feedback!

The small Minnesotan hamlet of Waketa becomes the epicenter of a devastating national catastrophe with worldwide ramifications when a commercial airplane carrying people crashes into a nuclear power station due to a pilot's heart attack at 35,000 feet.
Nuclear catastrophes are recorded on the International Nuclear Event Scale. There are seven levels in all, with Major Accident being the highest level. A Level 8 has never existed. Up until now.

From the very beginning of the prologue, I was captivated. The action in the novel never stopped as the ensemble of individuals tried to figure out what was going on and how to stop the disaster from getting worse.

The writing in this book is excellent, and it is evident how much research went into it. Everything seemed so realistic and scientifically correct—sometimes even too much! Although there are heartbreaking and intensely emotional parts in this book, overall, it's still a great read.

I've read three books by this author, and I can confidently say that Newman is a gifted writer of wild, thrilling thrillers. And although I really adore all of her books, this one is the best by far.

I really suggest listening to this on audiobook. With unique sound effects for countdowns, airline announcements, and walkie talkie conversations, the audio production was captivating and perfectly mixed the exciting plot. The audiobook was well narrated by Joe Morton, and I had a great time listening to it!

Worst Case Scenario is TJ Newman’s third book. Like her earlier books, Falling and Drowning, this one involves a plane crash. However, this time, the plane has crashed into a nuclear power station in a small town in the US. Time is of the essence to save the power station before it implodes. At the same time, firefighters are trying to save the life of a young child who is stuck in his family’s van hanging off a bridge, covered in fuel, after it was hit by part of the plane’s debris.

The story starts off with a bang and there are some good, tense scenes. The child in the van storyline is very well done. However, I found that the nuclear power station storyline required technical descriptions that at times took me out of that part of the plot. I found myself skimming those descriptions.

Having said that, the author does a good job of weaving interesting issues and questions into the nuclear power plant plotline around family, sacrifice, community, the value of one life versus several, and motherhood.

Whoa! Another great action thriller. While this book was not as fast paced as her previous heart pounding books, I still enjoyed it. It was emotional & action packed when each character & their part in the crash aftermath was later out. Talk about research. All of the little details help me feel like I was watching this scenario on the news and glued to my seat waiting to see what was going to happen.

I did have to restart the audiobook soooo many times, maybe all of the characters was too much for me to follow when I didn’t give it all my attention. But the overall production was done very well. Thanks to the author, NetGalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC.

ALC review -

I can't remember the last disaster thriller I've read but I will never forget Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman in audiobook format. Wow, this audio production had me on the edge of my seat in anticipation and several moments of tears. Narrated by Joe Morton, I cannot think of how it could have been improved upon. The intensity of his narration ratcheted up the drama along with sound effects such as radio communications and bull horns; combined the audio was effective and compelling.

I've not read the first two books by the author as I was always flying when they came out and didn't need that added to my discomfort. And, although Worst Case Scenario starts with a plane (crash), it goes far beyond that event to the disaster of both local and global consequences when the plane hits critical areas of a Nuclear Power Plant. If you're a fan of disaster movies that are exciting, nerve wracking, heart strings pulling, this is the audiobook for you. It put me in mind of the years of Hollywood offering movies such as Deep Impact, White Squall, Twister, etc. Annihilation looms while the average community pulls together for the good of both the individual and world at large.

Come for the crash and stay for the heroes.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Was this an edge-of-your-seat thriller? Absolutely! Was narration incredibly well done, including the special effects? Indeed it was! Would this make an outstanding movie? No doubt! So why just the 3 stars, you ask? Well, TBH I found this book incredibly technical, there were too many characters to keep straight, which hindered the character development IMO, and the sub-plots were a bit distracting slowing down the pacing of the story. Overall, It was Ok, but not a favorite.