Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Falling by T.J. Newman

51 reviews

elskabee's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

 In premise this was a thriller that sounded right up my alley, but ultimately the execution didn't work for me. Too many POV's slowed down the pacing at crucial moments and I never connected much to any of the characters. Plus the writing style wasn't one I connected with.
If I hadn't seen the author photo in the back, I would have thought this was written by a man, because it's such a "dad book". So this wasn't totally for me but I can definitely see other audiences enjoying it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Car accident, Blood, Self harm, and Gun violence

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

For fans of movies like Speed, In The Line of Fire, Air Force One, Flightplan

A suspenseful, fast-paced page turner. TJ Newman really knows how to keep the reader engaged. While many of the plot points are predictable, or as predictable as they can be in the realm of disaster flights, I enjoyed it for the most part. It had my adrenaline pumping and I genuinely liked a few of the characters, even when their actions were kinda dumb. 

My main problem with this novel was in regard to the way the terrorist situation was written—Why make the bad guys Middle Eastern?? Very much playing into the offensive stereotype, not to mention unoriginal. It would have been far more compelling and truly unpredictable  to have it be some random white dude with a vendetta against the airline or something. Idk. That, and the overdone reasoning behind the hijacking, just felt like a cop out in poor taste.

I definitely preferred Drowning over this one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Self harm, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, and Gun violence

sophie42's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Death, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Violence and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cursing, Torture, and Vomit

jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

My heart was pounding from beginning to end. I was deeply engaged in the story,  which felt like it could happen here and now. We take our safety for granted and trust flight crews, the TSA, the air traffic controllers, ground crews, and the FAA to ensure the human and mechanical parts of air travel work smoothly. With headlines about plane malfunctions,  frequent flight schedule problems,  and combative passengers, it is easy to forget about the darker threats thwarted without the public even knowing about them.
Newman did a great job humanizing the "bad guys" and demonstrating the complex emotions that can paralyze people in crisis.  Her decision to include the aftermath and trauma of survival levels the story up above the typical beach read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Car accident, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

sarah_amy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

'WHEN THE SHOE DROPPED INTO her lap, the foot was still in it.'

This is the very first line and it kept me on the edge of my seat from then on! Full of suspense and so much plot-twisty goodness! I've been looking for something like this for ages and hit gold. I would have read it in one go but I needed to take breaks from the tension! Oh and the author has experience in being a flight attendant, so you're completely immersed and believe everything that happens. Deserves so much more hype.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime

Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, and Death

perfectcupoftea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Blood, Death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Car accident, Kidnapping, Confinement, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and War

ldpaige's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I have so many thoughts about this book, but I will just say this because this is simply a review.

Read it. Read the damn book. Yes, it will lull a tad, but FINISH THE BOOK. If you love a good thrill and your fear of flying isn't too bad or nonexistent, read this book. All I will say is Jo HAS to be Vivica A. Fox if they EVER make a movie of this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, and War

Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism

r_o_s_e's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Confinement

Moderate: Suicide, Death, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Grief

Minor: Violence, Vomit, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, and Cursing

typedtruths's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Gun violence

Moderate: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Grief

Minor: Child death

booksborrowed's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Bill cannot say no to taking the last minute flight when his pilot cheif asks, even if it means breaking his promise to watch his sons baseball game. Little does Bill know the tension between he and his wife, Carrie, is the least of his worries as he walks out the door that morning. 

'Falling' is an action packed hijacking thriller, keeping my interest from the beginning. The author, a former flight attendant, was able to give the plot a shot of authenticity throughout the plot, even when it seemed outlandish. Her portrayal of the three flight attendants characters made me connect with them more than the rest of the characters in the story, and I truly kept reading to see how Jo faired out. 

There were some action scenes, particularly with Jo's nephew, Theo Baldwin

FBI agent

, that took me aback. The amount of physical abuse that man can take and just keep going had me puzzled. 

Listening to this on audio. The narrator, actor Steven Weber, did a great job capturing the character's emotions and keeping the story from becoming monotone. 

I look forward to reading Drowning by T.J. Newman next, narrated by the same actor. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gun violence, Genocide, and Suicide attempt