
Member Reviews

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!
#worstcasescenario #netgalley #littlebrownbooks #thriller #thrillerbooks #heartpoundingread #bookreview #arcreview #bookreccomendation #bookstagram

Wow. This was non-stop action! I mean the minute you thought you could breathe, you were wrong. So much happens and let me tell you, the tugs on your heart strings are immense. Highly recommend!

Wow! What a thrilling thriller. I previously enjoyed a different book, “Falling” by T.J. Newman and while intrigued by the concept, did not experience the same excitement I experienced with this book. Therefore, my expectations were, admittedly lower when I first received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy.. However, this book was overwhelmingly great and a solid 4 star book. The book follows a cast of characters after a plane crashes in (and around) a nuclear reactor. The resulting story line follows the characters as they attempt to prevent a large explosion threatening to create a North American nuclear winter. Newman does an excellent job weaving numerous storylines together and keeping each one as individually as interesting as the book overall. Character development, story line, emotional excitement, drama as individual topics all exceeded expectations.
Thanks to Netgalley, T.J. Newman and the publisher for the Advanced Reader copy.

In T.J. Newman’s newest situational thriller, a plane crashes into a small town in Minnesota. It isn’t a typical Midwest small town, however, because this plane also crashes into a nuclear power plant within the town’s boundaries. Worst Case Scenario spans a period of sixteen hours while the employees of the power plant, local firefighters, and even the nation’s president work together to minimize the damage from this catastrophic event.
I truly have no notes for this book. From start to finish, T.J. Newman keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what will happen, who will live, who will die, and what the fate of the city will be. It reads just like a movie – the scenes are so visual, and the sequence of events timed so well that it plays out in an extremely entertaining fashion.
The events are tense and nerve-wracking, but there are also moments of humanity that will bring you to tears. There is a wide cast of characters, but not too many that you will find yourself lost or confused. The characters all seem very realistic and down to earth. You will root for them the whole time, and cry when some are lost to the tragedy.
I whole-heartedly rate this book five stars, two thumbs up, 100% satisfaction. I will recommend this book to everyone and anyone – even people who aren’t really into reading. I think this book is a perfect book to hook new readers and enthrall even the toughest of critics. Reading Worst Case Scenario is well worth your time.

Thank you to NetGalley, T.J. Newman and Little, Brown and Company for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Newman has quickly become an auto buy author. This writes the best thrillers and allow us to feel all the emotions while reading. This was unputdownable and I flew through it. I was obsessed with the characters and the ending has me in tears. So beautiful and page turning.

I had not read the TJ Newman books previous to this one but I have heard wonderful things about all of them. I was so pleased to be approved to read the ARC from Netgalley and got right into it.
I was all in from the first paragraph!
This is a suspense action packed full book! It had me on turning page after page to find out what happens next. It had me a gasping with surprise, literally having tears from the emotion, and crying out "no don't do that!" and every other emotion in between.
Like I said already, just wow! This is definitely could be my best book read of the year!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this book!
And TJ Newman.... you are incredible!

This was a fast paced thriller and I have really enjoyed all 3 of her books. Well written and kept you turning the pages.

If T.J. Newman writes it, I will read it and let me tell you this is the best one yet.. A plane crashes into a power plant which becomes ground zero, it is absolutely the worst case scenario. I absolutely loved this book and found it very hard to put down this roller coaster of a ride. 5 stars she did it again!!

Wow, this book is intense from start to finish. This was my first novel by TJ Newman, and I immediately purchased her other books when I finished it. If you like page turning, catastrophic suspense, this book is for you. I found myself going “OMG!” Out loud on several occasions.
What would happen if the worst case scenario happened? That low likelihood of occurrence but high impact situation that probably never would… but if it did would have catastrophic impact on a massive scale? That’s what happens in this book. Shock, awe, valor, sadness, and joy. What a book.
Trigger warnings on this one… probably don’t read while flying on an airplane, driving in a car, or working in or near a nuclear facility….
Also recommend you go into it with the knowledge that this is going to be relentless devastation- be prepared!
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.