Let me start by saying that I loved T.J. Newman’s first two books, Falling and Drowning. These two books had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading, I couldn’t put them down and couldn’t wait to finish them. Unfortunately, I did not have the same experience reading the Worst Case Scenario. The beginning part of the book did grab my attention, a pilot has a heart attack while flying and crashes a commercial plane. Each chapter began with an hour countdown until Zero Hour, I was unclear what it was counting down to. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters and their relationships with each other. I found the President of the United States interesting since he was unmarried and did not have any children. I was trying to imagine that scenario and if it would impact how a President would run a country. I also had some difficulty visualizing some of the crash locations, specifically how the plane’s wing was situated on the bridge and also the trapped minivan. Lastly, there were plenty of details about the nuclear plant and how the plane crash affected its operation. It seemed like the author did a lot of research about nuclear plants, but I did get a bit lost in all the details. The story seemed a little slow for me and honestly did not pick up until about the 80% mark, that’s when the story seemed to get a bit exciting. I wanted to love this book, it fell a little flat for me, but I did like it. Maybe I just had high expectations after loving her previous books, Falling and Drowning. I would be up for reading another T.J. Newman’s book, curious to see what the next commercial plane tragedy she comes up with next.

Synopsis: When a pilot suffers a heart attack at 35,000 feet, a commercial airliner filled with passengers crashes into a nuclear power plant in the small town of Waketa, Minnesota, which becomes ground zero for a catastrophic national crisis with global implications.

The International Nuclear Event Scale tracks nuclear disasters. It has seven levels. Level 7 is a Major Accident, with only two on record: Fukushima and Chernobyl. There has never been a Level 8. Until now.

In this heart-stopping thriller, ordinary people—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, families, neighbors, and friends— are thrust into an extraordinary situation as they face the ultimate test of their lives. It will take the combined courage, ingenuity, and determination of a brave few to save not only their community and loved ones, but the fate of humanity at large.

I struggled to get into this one, but I’ve seen great reviews for it so definitely check those out! I felt like the writing included way too many unnecessary details, including some gory ones. I LOVED Falling and Drowning so I’ll definitely keep reading Newman’s books, but I didn’t connect with these characters at all, making it my least favorite of her books so far.

One Flight attendant is in with the pilot while his co-pilot is using the rest room. Not a major issue under normal circumstances, but when the pilot has a major medical emergency, (Heart attack?) the Flight attendant can't move him and the plane is in a nose dive. To make matters worse, the FA's were just bringing out the carts to pass out snacks, but they can't hold them at the angle the plane is going, and that leads to the carts to block the bathroom door and the cockpit door!

Due to the circumstances the plane is going to crash! And to make it worse is the location where some of the parts of the plane are creating havoc near a nuclear plant! This is all new territory, and there are very few people who may be able to help before things get even worse!

I want to thank NetGalley for the chance to read this book! It kept my attention from start to finish, wondering what would happen next! It truly held my attention from beginning to end!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is my second T.J. Newman novel, (I've already read Falling), and I've had a fun time with both of them. This is a perfect beach or plane book (haha) that feels like a Roland Emmerich disaster movie. That comparison is especially apt in this book where a small town has to come together to deal with a plane that has struck a nuclear plant. If they don't work together they won't be able to stop a nuclear disaster. There are some things that are so unrealistic or aren't perfectly explained but I'd argue that's not the purpose of this book. The stakes are so high and how people act is sometimes cartoonishly one dimensional, but it's still a really fun time.

Maybe don't read this on a plane? Or do, that's totally your choice if you want to freak yourself out.

Another action packed read from T.J. Newman! The action started from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! The writing style makes you feel like you are right there experiencing it all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! What a ride!

Worst Case Scenario kicks off with a shocking disaster—a commercial airliner crashes into a nuclear power plant in the quiet town of Waketa, Minnesota, after the pilot suffers a heart attack mid flight. The result is a national crisis that spirals into more than we could ever imagine in every day life, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages.

T.J. Newman intertwines the fates of multiple characters, each impacted by the disaster, but all uniquely connected to each other.

One of the novel’s strengths is its exploration of how a single event can unleash a chain reaction with far-reaching consequences.

A must-read for thriller lovers! Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown for the ARC.

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This book was so intense! I could not put it down! The descriptions and details were so vivid, I could almost imagine myself in that situation. There were times that I had to fight back tears because of what was going on. This was a very well written book.

TJ Newman has crafted another edge-of-your-seat adventure as this time Coastal Airlines has had a plane crash into a nuclear plant in a small Minnesota town. Worst Case Scenario follows the townspeople, firefighters, and nuclear plant workers as they try to avert a major disaster. I really loved the characters in this book as we watch Dani trying to save one small boy left alone in the accident, Joss who warned everyone that an accident like this was possible, and Steve and Ethan as they butt heads and try to keep the plant from melting down. While Drowning is my all time favorite Newman title, Worst Case Scenario keep the action intense, and the emotions are real. Thank you to Little Brown & Co, and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

Good god T.J…. Always making me sweat when I’m reading her books! Drink this with a glass of wine! I devoured it- I’ll buy anything she writes. Such a great book!

First, may I say how talented I think this author is?!

She does a fantastic job of creating suspense and terror in the various scenes, creating tremendous emotional impact with a single sentence. And she does this super well! Also, she explains the more technical aspects of the story so they are easy to understand for the reader. The characters are easily related to and it is easy to get invested in the characters lives. This is an adrenaline pounding, sad. uplifting, emotional story that touches that special spot in your heart.

If you haven't read anything by this author, I hightly recommend giving her books a try, especially if you like suspenseful contemporary fiction. This is one author who is on my auto read list anytime she releases a new book!

**Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Little Brown and Co, and the author for providing an advanced DRC in exchange for my honest review**

I have thoroughly enjoyed TJ Newman’s other airplane thrillers, and this was no exception! From the onset, the story had me gripped and held fast to the great pacing right till the very end.

This was a gripping story that kind of scares the crap out of me. I don't want to be anywhere near anything nuclear, but being close sounds irrelevant to our doom if something happens. This tells several different stories at the same time. I read and listened to this book. I think I should have started out reading it though due to a lot of characters. The narrator did one heck of a great job, there were special sound effects and extreme suspense in the story. Several times I found tears in my eyes at the frustration and horror of the story. The only down fall of the book was all the technical jargon and scientific information, but it does sort of have to be part of the story to be able to tell the story. I've read all of this authors books and I will continue to gobble up what ever TJ puts out next. Thanks NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read and listen to this great story.

This is the third heart-pounding thriller by T.J. Newman, and it is just as good as the first two! Here the unthinkable happens: a pilot has a heart attack in mid-air, and the plane crashes into a nuclear power plant. The action quickly moves from the plane to the ground, and the main characters include the power plant employees, first responders, and people who live in the nearby town. Together they try to avert disaster, on a tight deadline. This is exactly the fast-paced thriller that readers have come to expect from this author, a former flight attendant. yet, it is also heart-warming and funny when appropriate. Thanks to NetGalley I had the opportunity to review both the ebook and the audiobook, and I can highly recommend both formats.

way too many characters and way too descriptive of the human flesh in regard to the nuclear plant, just felt very graphic to me I had to set this aside because I couldn't get over the extreme narrative that didn't move the plot forward

Worse Case Scenario was an excellent book, five stars but also a terrifying book. The research the author put into learning about the effects of radiation and the cascade of disaster. Every moment felt real, the events felt so real that I did not need to imagine then nor did I want to.

​The characters were believable. Some adults panicked. Some adults kept a cool head. The kids were confused, scared, and angry. Their behavior was correct relative to their circumstances. The author kept the events moving and the tension building.

I live between two nuclear power plants, one of which had a major accident when I was a teen and has since been shut down. Nuclear power and possible scenarios has interested me no matter how unlikely. I recommend Worse Case Scenario as an excellent thriller book to read.

​I received a copy of Worse Case Scenario from Netgalley. After reading the book, I wrote an honest review.

​#Netgalley #TJNeewman #WorseCaseScenario

I'll read anything TJ Newman writes - the narrators are captivating, I'm left with something to think about but not in a horrifying way, and the level of detail makes me feel respected and not taught down to. Wonderful. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read for review.

Holy guacamole - this book is intense! I know we’ve all read in reviews before that “this book had me on the edge of my seat” and we all kind of eye roll because really? But really! This book had me on the literal. edge. of. my. seat.

I know less than zero about nuclear power. But I do know that a plane crashing into a nuclear power plant is probably not a good thing. I appreciated when one of the characters asked for the situation to be explained to him like he was 5 because I knew they would be breaking this down to my level. I quickly realized I didn’t need to understand much of the technical stuff because things were moving so quickly and the tense action was paired with emotional moments throughout.

Racing heart, teary eyes - this book was such a great read.

WORST CASE SCENARIO is a gripping high-stakes thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish!

The story revolves around a harrowing plane crash that plunges into a nuclear power plant in rural Minnesota, but rather than focusing solely on the crash itself, Newman masterfully shifts the narrative towards the urgent mission of averting a catastrophic meltdown.

Newman's background as a flight attendant lends authenticity to the aviation elements of the story, while her vivid descriptions and sharp pacing ensure that tension builds steadily throughout. The characters are well-developed, each facing their own battles as they rally to save not just themselves, but also the surrounding community from potential disaster.

The duality of the plot—a plane emergency intertwined with a nuclear crisis—creates a uniquely intense atmosphere where every decision is a matter of life and death. The suspense is expertly maintained, making it difficult to put the book down. A thrilling ride from start to finish!

Thank you to Little Bown & Company for the gifted copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

The one guarantee with TJ Newman is that you’ll know what you’ll be getting when you pick up their books. In true fashion, Worst Case Scenario was no different and started off with a bang!
I loved the plot line of the book initially. There was so much that could be done with it and it really started off really well. The plot splits into three directions, two of which were entrapping and intense. The third, I honestly could have done without and skipped most of that story line. The storyline between the firefighter father and his son…..whoa. Very well written and brought all kinds of emotions!
While reading this book, I had a lot of flashbacks from the Chernobyl documentary/dramatization. A lot of similarities as well as the suspense, trial and error, etc.
Overall I think it’s my favorite TJ Newman book and I honestly felt like it ended too abruptly. I could have kept reading for another 100+ pages.

I have read and enjoyed both of Newman's previous books. She has a knack for setting up horrific tragic plane stories - everyone's worst nightmares - and turning them into compelling, engaging, and ultimately uplifting tales of derring-do. For me though, this latest installment felt fundamentally different. It felt much more melodramatic and over-the-top, like a Michael Bey movie where every plot point is designed to elicit a larger gasp. But where the earlier books all had a fundamental pathos - a familial connection and heart - this one seemed to lack that.

It's not that there aren't families at the story's core, just that those elements felt like they were incidental to the action and drama this time, rather than the central point. It made it tougher to connect to the story. As a movie, that type of storytelling works better I think - and that's what this one felt like to me: the latest summer blockbuster, a "sh*t blows up" story, rather than a novel about people and impossible situations and choices. That's where it lost me.

I just couldn't connect to this one. If you're looking for non-stop aggressive terrifying activity, this one has that in spades - but if you, like me, like to see action tempered with character-driven storytelling, maybe try her earlier books...