In the Blink of an Eye# NetGally#
Jesse Blackadder
St Martin’s Press

This was the first book that I have read by the author, Jesse Blackadder. I was thoroughly involved in the storyline right from the start. Imaging what it would be like to lose a child in such tragic circumstances made it hard to read in some parts of the story. The story is told by the three main characters: the Mum, Dad and teenage son.
I found myself sympathing with each character at different times in the story. But, I had a hard time understanding the mother the most. She came across a little bit cold and self centered and it was hard to warm to her. Toward the end I found myself cheering for the family to come to a cohesive conclusion and mend their family. I did not realize until the end that the author had experienced this same loss of a child in her own family. That brings it close to home and a difficult topic for her. I thoroughly champion the campaign to bring safer control over backyard swimming pools. 4 stars
I wish to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGally for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

In the Blink of an Eye is a pretty good read. It is not an easy read but one that I could not put down. I give it four stars.

In the Blink of an Eye is the latest book by Jesse Blackadder. Ms Blackadder tells us the story using points of view from the three main characters. In the Blink of an Eye isn't a feel good novel. At times I found it very dark and heartbreaking. I was given an early copy to review.

Originally titled Sixty Seconds! Two-year-old Toby is a late addition to the Brennan family. His parents Finn and Bridget had given up hope of having another child when he arrived, fourteen years after his brother. I "ached" for each of them.

Can't read this book. It goes from 5% to 17% then to 67 and 100. Cannot rate a book that you can't read.

Like our earlier mystery, this book allows the reader to look behind the scenes at a family, to see dysfunction and the truth, no matter the cost. It takes a tragedy like no other to show the cracks that are turning into ravines in the Brennan family. And once opened up, can they be fixed, or is there a permament divide. It may be up to the courts to decide the family's fate. This is an interesting look at what happens to a family when what is normal changes overnight to a surreal nightmare they can't seem to escape from, and one you will not want to put down, once you start it!

This is a poignant story of tragedy, loss and the aftermath. We hear the story from fathe, mother and brother. The characters were complex and their interaction, or sometimes lack of it, were well explored. We could empathise with them all. A very well told story.

This fascinating novel, based on the authors own experience with loss, shows the different stages of grieving the family members- mother, father, teenage son have to go through to come to a kind of equilibrium. It also shows how within ‘the blink of an eye’ the normal life of a family can be forever lost. I felt all the l emotions from guilt, remorse and blaming are clearly and convincingly depicted. Nevertheless, it is not a depressing book as acts of incredible kindness and forgiving play a major role. I could not put it down as I got engaged and wanted to know how this family coped.

"In the Blink of an Eye" takes you through the stages of grief and blame. Jesse Blackadder takes us along on the journey no parent wants to travel.. The family suffers an unthinkable loss, and we can feel their pain and loss. It is a well written and thought our journey that you will not be able to put down until you know how things well turn out for the family that you have come to care about because Jesse Blackadder made us care for them.

This was a well written, interesting, sad book. An unspeakable tragedy and how it affects each member of this family. Unfortunately, the family wasn't very likeable, with the exception of Finn. I didn't care for Bridget, I found her self centered and mean. Jarrah was your typical angst ridden teenager, and his self discovery was no big whoop. While I found the story quite compelling, I just couldn't really care about them, or what happened to them. My favorite thing about the book was the setting in a part of the world I know nothing about, and I spent some time googling to find out more. This book wasn't a stinker, but it wasn't a hit either. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is terribly sad and hard to describe. The family is very dysfunctional. Of all the characters, I like Jarrah the most and Finn the least. Jarrah - the oldest son - is basically neglected throughout the book and Finn - the father - seems to make so many decisions based solely on his own feelings and needs.
I do understand that a terrible tragedy took place, but the book seems a little rushed or short or something. There were too many stories going on. I think the reader might be better served if the pace were slowed down a bit. Everything takes place in about 5 weeks.

This is a deeply moving book written in an engaging, compelling style that almost begs to be read and understood. The unspeakable tragedy which shakes the Brennan household happens out of the spotlight, as these things tend to do, but the aftermath is visible, raw, shared with all and sundry, again as these things tend to be.

As a species we need to apportion blame, but when that blame is so all encompassing, so soul destroying we also need to find redemption. In a period of just over a month we see how one tragedy, suffered by three individuals in a similar way effects them all differently.

I loved how the author used perspective for each character. First, second and third person narratives aren't usually put side by side so successfully but here it gives the reader an insight into feelings, emotions and reasoning as individual as the characters themselves.

Losing a loved one sets you apart, how do you deal with it, how do others deal with you? This is captured in some of its many forms and I found myself warming to those on the periphery of the story as much as those right in the middle.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this novel thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review and recommend it highly. I was a little wary to start with as having suffered a loss, not the same but potentially as devastating, I was unsure if my experience would somehow be lessened or magnified by reading a fictional account of a topic I've tried to avoid. I needn't have worried however, as the writing, the understanding, the acceptance of there being no right or wrong way to handle things kept my memories where they've always been and I am so glad I took the chance to read and enjoy this beautiful book.

Stunning and heartbreaking. Lives can change so quickly. In the blink of an eye. This book was very emotional and had me engaged from page one. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the Blink of an eye was a very good read. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and made me want to keep reading till the end .i would read this author again

This is the story of parents Bridget and Finn and their son Jarrah, after a family tragedy. For personal reasons, I had a difficult time getting started on the book because of the nature of the tragedy, but once I did, I was drawn into their world.

Blackadder made an interesting writing choice, giving us the story of Finn in the third person, the story of Bridget in the second person, and the story of Jarrah in the first person. It made knowing whose chapter you were in quite easy to follow. But it also was a way to really draw us into the story, as an observer, a participant, and even as an accuser of sorts.

Each character reacts to the tragedy in different ways, and I was drawn to each of them. There are some twists, some legal issues, and a lot of each coping in his or her own way. The story takes place in Australia, so as an American, I was fascinated by the locale, which is described and discussed at length as aspects are relevant to the plot (Bridget is working on saving koalas).

The ending of this book was just right and I'm ultimately glad I got over my initial hesitation and read it.

The story draws you in right from the start. The events tug at your heart, especially the kid Toby and his character. I tried not to hate Bridget, the mother, reserving my judge me till the ending.This is where I was expecting more,a very dramatic twist or change of heart. The plot could have meandered to many different plausible endings but in a way this was unique too. An unforgettable and promising book!
But I did have issues with some typos and some sentences appeared oddly mismatched .The POV of Bridget was a bit difficult to follow...Highly recommend this book for a very satisfying read.

Tl;dr: An emotionally raw, wrenching, and compelling read.

In the Blink of an Eye is like reading scorched earth--it's one of the most honest books about how grief effects people in different ways.

Some like Finn, the main adult male character, react by instinct, grief driving them to protect even as it only serves to isolate him from what's left of his family, especially...

Bridget, his wife, and the main female character, who reacts to the family's loss with rage so deep it threatens to destroy her, even as she's sure everything she's doing is justified, never mind the cost to...

Jarrah, Finn and Bridget's teenage son, who finds himself thrust into adult responsibilities all while trying to deal with his own grippling grief, school and all the changes that happen because of his family's loss, and himself.

Jarrah was, hands down, my favorite. Ms. Blackadder paints a visceral portrait of a teenage boy, awash with grief, grappling with his anger and sorrow all while trying to navigate the slippery slope that is adolescence. I loved every single section devoted to him, and found myself wanting to know what was next for him after the ending--and if that's not a sure sign of a character done right, I don't know what is.

Finn wasn't as interesting to me, but the exploration of his grief and how it drove him to make life altering decisions for both himself and his family while not thinking clearly (but thinking he was) is well done as well.

Bridget's sections of In the Blink of an Eye weren't quite as successful for mr, largely because many of them were written in the second person, a pov that's hard to pull off, imo. I wish Ms. Blackadder had written all of Bridget's section in first person, or kept them all in third.

The choice of the "you" voice is done, I think, because Bridget will be a hard character for some readers to like. She's driven, even before tragedy strikes, largely by anger. She's angry at Finn for reasons I won't name because of spoilers and then afterwards, she is anger personified.

I actually liked that-- we so often think that grief manifests itself through sorrow, but that's just one part of it. Anger is another and Ms. Blackadder has Bridget's anger turn her brittle, cold, and even cruel. She's so lost to her grief that anger is all she has to fuel herself-- and it comes so close to destroying her. I think the second person sections are supposed to help the reader (hey you!) more easily identify with her, but they never quite gelled for me. Maybe I just identify more easily with angry characters??

Aside from the ending, which was so quickly resolved and festooned with a bow, ribbons, and a bell that it went way beyond neat into saccharine for me, this is a fascinating and compelling read. And Jarrah! I just adored him. Also, you know how so many novels open with a deep quote from someone famous? In the Blink of an Eye opens with a quote from a swimming pool guide-- and it totally and completely works *and* is that much more genuine for it.

This was a beautifully written book and I'm so pleased that the download problems were sorted out. The author got into the skin of all of the main characters and they were depicted realistically and believably. The Australian atmosphere was also captured well and I could feel the heaviness of the air in Murwillumbah which echoed the feelings of the characters. Although the book is a work of fiction, I felt so much for the author as she had been through a similar family tragedy and can imagine the impact it would have had for her and for each member of her family throughout their lives.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and I will look out for more works by Jesse Blackadder.

I was unable to read this book as so much of it was missing. It is a shame as it sounded like a good story

Thanks for the early review copy!

I recommend this book to fans of adult fiction. It was well-written, dealt with family issues and also had a intriguing mystery element that made me pick it up.