"Worst Case Scenario"

Worst Case Scenario by TJ Newman

Goodreads Giveaway Win

Pages: 312 Genre: thriller

Rating: 4.5 Star

"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."

A pilot has a heart attack mid-flight, causing the plane to plummet into to Waketa, Minnesota, an unremarkable place except for its nuclear power plant. Which is right where the main part of the plane lands, making this small town Ground Zero for a potentially-catastrophic nuclear event. Ordinary citizens are thrust into an unimaginable disaster where they will all be tested to the extreme in order to keep everyone safe.

I absolutely devoured this book. It's already not very long, but the action and, in some cases, the literal countdown really pushed the story along. I am already a little afraid of flying, so I was worried this book would stress me out too much (although that wouldn't be the book's fault — I knew it was a thriller going in). However, I thought that Worst Case Scenario balanced fear and stress with moments that were sad and even heartwarming. It was an emotional reading experience, but it wasn't working too hard to prove itself as a thriller, it just was.

Admittedly, there were some times I got lost in all the technical talk. I didn't know anything about power plants or nuclear energy when I started the book and I don't know anything more now, but that didn't take away from the experience. I was able to follow along enough to understand the stakes and what the characters were being asked to do, which is really all that matters. There was enough emotion involved that the details weren't too important.

The characters were the selling point. I really loved them. Having the book set in an incredibly small town was smart as it emphasized both how high the stakes were and how connected everyone really was. And all of the main characters were so engaging, and I felt so strongly for them.

Obviously, this truly is the worst case scenario. Absolute nightmare fuel, and so well executed. If you want a quick read that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time and characters that are breaking your heart over and over, I would recommend this book for sure.