conklings's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 stars. An explosive thriller that kept me turned mg the pages. I didn’t rate it 4 or higher due to some of the plot feeling fanciful. Bill, Carrie, and Jo were all likable heroes.
marissas_bookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Made a great distracting audiobook read while out for a long run!
leahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to libro.fm for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
CONTENT WARNING: detailed description of a plane crash, gore, blood, mention of pedophilia, mention of death of a child, chemical attack
I have to admit that after reading this I will probably never be able to just casually walk onto a plane and feel safe ever again. If you aren’t comfortable flying, this isn’t a book for you.
While this isn’t a typical story that is full of gasp-inducing plot twists, it is a story that held my attention and kept it, poised on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what is going to happen. Bill Hoffman is a pilot who typically has a good home life, although he gets into a little argument with his wife before leaving for a flight from LAX to JFK that he is covering for someone else. Normally, he’d touch base with her before taking off, but she doesn’t pick up.
Once his flight is up in the air, he gets an e-mail from her, showing that someone is holding her and his two children hostage. And all Bill has to do to ensure their safety is to kill everyone on the flight. What is he going to choose?
It sounds like such a basic premise, but the author managed to weave an incredibly compelling story with realistic characters that I couldn’t help but become attached to. It was tense, well-written, emotional, and full of action. The characters shift around a bit, giving us a little view of everything. We get to see things through Bill’s POV, as well as one of the flight attendants, Bill’s wife, the FBI agent who draws attention to this entire situation, and even a few other characters, making this a multidimensional story.
All in all, it was a well-crafted story that kept me listening late into the night just to find out what happened next. It’s not just gratuitous violence, though, which is what kept me intrigued the most. It had an underlying point that truly made me think about how we view the world and what happens outside of our little bubble, and the message of this book is one that is going to stick with me long after finishing this … along with feeling a little less comfortable stepping on a plane.
CONTENT WARNING: detailed description of a plane crash, gore, blood, mention of pedophilia, mention of death of a child, chemical attack
I have to admit that after reading this I will probably never be able to just casually walk onto a plane and feel safe ever again. If you aren’t comfortable flying, this isn’t a book for you.
While this isn’t a typical story that is full of gasp-inducing plot twists, it is a story that held my attention and kept it, poised on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what is going to happen. Bill Hoffman is a pilot who typically has a good home life, although he gets into a little argument with his wife before leaving for a flight from LAX to JFK that he is covering for someone else. Normally, he’d touch base with her before taking off, but she doesn’t pick up.
Once his flight is up in the air, he gets an e-mail from her, showing that someone is holding her and his two children hostage. And all Bill has to do to ensure their safety is to kill everyone on the flight. What is he going to choose?
It sounds like such a basic premise, but the author managed to weave an incredibly compelling story with realistic characters that I couldn’t help but become attached to. It was tense, well-written, emotional, and full of action. The characters shift around a bit, giving us a little view of everything. We get to see things through Bill’s POV, as well as one of the flight attendants, Bill’s wife, the FBI agent who draws attention to this entire situation, and even a few other characters, making this a multidimensional story.
All in all, it was a well-crafted story that kept me listening late into the night just to find out what happened next. It’s not just gratuitous violence, though, which is what kept me intrigued the most. It had an underlying point that truly made me think about how we view the world and what happens outside of our little bubble, and the message of this book is one that is going to stick with me long after finishing this … along with feeling a little less comfortable stepping on a plane.
librariann's review against another edition
3.0
I really really wasn't going to read this one, even as I saw it pick up hype.
I do not do well with peril on planes, I thought to myself. I would really like to NOT have to overcome my fear of flying again.
Then I learned it was written by someone from my (very small) alma mater.
Dammit, I said to myself, I must read this.
So I listened to the audiobook.
It's a cinematic summer popcorn flick in a book. It has everything you could want in a linear narrative HEROES OVERCOME ODDS story. Very accessible to teen patrons who are looking for a PG-13 action adventure STARRING FLIGHT ATTENDANTS!
Exactly what is purports itself to be, with just enough social justice awareness to distinguish it as something written in the 2020s. Don't look at it too hard.
I do not do well with peril on planes, I thought to myself. I would really like to NOT have to overcome my fear of flying again.
Then I learned it was written by someone from my (very small) alma mater.
Dammit, I said to myself, I must read this.
So I listened to the audiobook.
It's a cinematic summer popcorn flick in a book. It has everything you could want in a linear narrative HEROES OVERCOME ODDS story. Very accessible to teen patrons who are looking for a PG-13 action adventure STARRING FLIGHT ATTENDANTS!
Exactly what is purports itself to be, with just enough social justice awareness to distinguish it as something written in the 2020s. Don't look at it too hard.
sherylcat's review against another edition
4.0
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. I rounded up because it kept my interest and I zipped through it quickly. And I really think it would make an exciting movie. But it was predictable, and didn't quite development the characters to where you cared about them. I felt like there was more to a few characters, but left a bit incomplete.
laura_litandflicks's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5/5 Stars)
Suspenseful right from the start, Falling keeps the reader invested the whole way through. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. However, I didn’t love the way the flashbacks were used without any transition. The abrupt start of a scene unrelated to the present was often confusing until I realized it was a flashback.
The author also was a flight attendant herself, which makes for realistic descriptions of both the setting and the thoughts and feelings of the crew. The book was a fast-paced and enjoyable read but do not read this on a plane or in the airport.
Full review on my blog at litandflicks.com
Suspenseful right from the start, Falling keeps the reader invested the whole way through. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. However, I didn’t love the way the flashbacks were used without any transition. The abrupt start of a scene unrelated to the present was often confusing until I realized it was a flashback.
The author also was a flight attendant herself, which makes for realistic descriptions of both the setting and the thoughts and feelings of the crew. The book was a fast-paced and enjoyable read but do not read this on a plane or in the airport.
Full review on my blog at litandflicks.com
nikkilking's review against another edition
4.0
Page Turner
This was an absolute page turner that had me finishing it within several days. I enjoyed it. Great character development.
This was an absolute page turner that had me finishing it within several days. I enjoyed it. Great character development.
lazymuggle's review against another edition
4.0
Well done T.J. Newman
I can't remember the last time I hooted and hollered this much while nursing a knot in my stomach and tears in my eyes.
I can't remember the last time I hooted and hollered this much while nursing a knot in my stomach and tears in my eyes.
trutiffany's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't read a book this fast since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Great book. Hard to put down.
jackyobrien6's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so action packed! This is a literal page turner that I couldn't put down. I was going to knock it down to 4 stars because it isn't a unique plot line and the writing is nothing special, but it was too good to do that! I flew through this book in two days. If you want to just get lost in a good book for a while, this comes highly recommended!