Reading challenge category - 2024 Flourish and Blotts: History of Magic - Harry Potter: Mentions Harry Potter. "the man was old, but not, you know, Dumbledore old." brief, but i'm counting it.

The epigraph at the beginning of the book: "I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking. This sets the tone and expectation for the book.

On a flight from Sydney to Hobart (Australia), the passengers are in for a surprise. After a bit of a delay that already has people amped up, the flight takes off. An unremarkable woman then stands up and begins reciting the age of death and cause of death for every single passenger. She comes to be known as "the Death Lady."

The Death Lady, Cherry, is our main character of sorts. We get her life story in chapters, interspersed with chapters that are from the point of view of other plane passengers - but all of these are in the present, after the events of the flight. When Cherry's predictions begin to come true, like that of her 'psychic' mother, Madame Mae, before her, the passengers make different choices for their lives. This connects back to the epigraph - do we make our own destiny, or is it predetermined?

I love that the cover is the imagery of the butterfly effect and how it fits with the story of all of the characters' lives intersecting and affecting one another.

I was invested in the start of this book, but from 20-40% in, it lagged. About half-way through, it picked back up and I was engaged until the end. I feel like some of the points of views could have been edited down or removed entirely. I liked getting Cherry's full past and present to show all of the facets. I even shed a few tears by the end.

While this isn't my favorite book by Liane Moriarty, I enjoyed it. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this new book from Moriarty. I thought the focus on the different after-effects on the passengers was well done, and reminiscent of some John Marrs novels. I did not enjoy the main character's back story as much. She felt very unlikeable and her point of view seemed unimportant. It does make you think a lot about life and death.

Love love loved this book. I’m a big fan of this author and was a little nervous after this felt like a bit of a slow start. However, it picked up and it was so great. The characters were dynamic and beyond entertaining.

“It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on Earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had.” - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

An ordinary flight between two Australian cities becomes life altering when an elderly woman walks down the aisle predicting the manner and time of death for each of the passengers. What is initially dismissed as nonsense is looked at differently when some of the predictions come true. The Death Lady, as she has become known, has caused ripples well beyond that flight.

It’s best to go into this book blindly and allow the story to unfold. It does so slowly at first, but be patient. The payoff is worth the investment. This book has been compared to The Measure, but other than the basic premise of being told when one will die, the plots are nothing alike. It’s a revelation when all the pieces fit together. Liane Moriarty has written another page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

In Here One Moment, a woman tells all of the passengers on a flight how and when they are going to die. And then the book proceeds to follow the stories of a few of the passengers and the “Death Lady”. The book sucked me and consumed me. It was gripping and so emotional and deep. The various characters were so well developed and so multi-dimensional that I found myself so invested in all of their lives and so anxious about whether the predictions would come true. It was so well done, with so many passages that I wish I wrote down to remember. Things about living in the moment, about not taking anything for granted, about the power of love. It was a long one but so worth the investment.

I have enjoyed most of Moriarty's books, but this one fell mostly flat for me. The premise was fantastic, and I can see this being a GREAT TV show, but it was just so slow, and I felt like we spent too much time on the plane. The book, like many before it, asks: what would you do if you knew how and when you would die? I think another issue was the enormous cast of characters, and how quickly we change between each. It was hard to get situated in one story before changing to the next.

dnf at 40% this book was absolutely obnoxious. endless rambling stream of consciousness. I think Moriarty was trying way too hard here. if you liked The Measure you might like this. I did not like The Measure.

Wow, this book! I was admittedly a little skeptical going in - even though the unique premise was like catnip to draw my attention, I’ve only ever read one other book from Liane Moriarty and it was only “meh” for me. But it only took mere seconds for Here One Moment to have me completely hooked and unable to set it down. As a perfect combination between a propulsive plot and thought-provoking themes, this one is sure to end up on my list of favorites of the year!

In my opinion, it’s best to go into this one with only the vaguest knowledge of the plot, as the beauty for me was watching all of the details and storylines unravel and come back together with each short chapter. So just to set the stage: the novel opens on an airplane, where a mysterious woman starts doling out predictions of how and at what age each passenger will die. What follows from there are alternating perspectives between multiple passengers on the plane as they go on with their lives after receiving their predictions, as well as the “Death Lady” herself.

This story was incredibly propulsive with a sort of mystical quality, bringing an underlying sense of dread throughout but in the best possible way. I always say that my favorite kind of books are the ones that “make you think and make you feel”, and this one brought both of those things in spades. I felt every emotion from sadness and anxiety to happiness and hope, and everything in between. The philosophical themes that the story brings to light largely revolve around how you may or may not live your life differently if you received a prediction of how/when you were going to die, and brings a powerful message to live every moment to the fullest. I was fascinated and riveted from start to finish, and all 500+ pages went by in the blink of an eye but at the same time brought characters and their stories that left a lasting impact. Each character was unique, well-drawn and with a personality all their own, and I was invested in every single one. With a diverse cast of characters and such a philosophical underlying theme of contemplating life, I think that most all readers will find something to enjoy in this one.

With some vibes of The Measure by Nikki Erlick, along with a splash of John Marrs’ thrillers, Here One Moment hit all of the marks for me and then some. I wish I could read it again for the first time, and I think it has such wide appeal that I can’t wait to gift it to all of the readers in my life. It’s a book that is going to stick with me for a very long time, and would make a perfect book club pick. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good i didnt even notice how long it was! I was hooked from the beginning. I also loved the short chapters!

"Here One Moment" by Liane Moriarty is an enthralling, thought-provoking masterpiece that deftly combines mystery, humor, and philosophical questions about fate and free will. The novel centers around an ordinary domestic flight that becomes extraordinary when a mysterious passenger—later dubbed “The Death Lady”—predicts how and when several passengers will die. What starts as a strange, seemingly meaningless moment quickly spirals into something far more chilling when her predictions start coming true. Moriarty expertly builds tension as the passengers grapple with their fates. Some are told they have long lives ahead, while others face a much nearer expiration date. The characters’ reactions are deeply human—fear, denial, acceptance—and Moriarty explores the profound psychological effects of knowing one’s future.

The novel’s strength lies not only in its suspenseful premise but also in its rich character development and sharp, often humorous, social commentary. Moriarty raises intriguing questions: if you knew your future, would you change how you live? Is fate inevitable, or can it be altered?With her trademark wit and insight, Moriarty weaves together a gripping narrative that will keep you guessing until the very end. "Here One Moment" is a brilliant, page-turning meditation on destiny, control, and the fragility of life. An unforgettable read, and my favorite by her to date!

I am a big fan of Liane Moriarty and devour her books. Her pacing is always spot on and I usually fly through the book. Be warned, this is a long one at +500 pages. It kept me interested with a mystery around a woman who predicts the deaths of all those aboard a flight home. Then some of the predictions start coming true. I wish this was maybe 200 pages shorter but otherwise a good one.

3.5 stars (because it was too long) but rounding up to 4.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Crown Publishing | Crown & Netgalley.

“If you knew the future, would you try to fight fate?”

Liane Moriarty does it again. Something about her books just hit different. This book is 500+ pages but I haven’t flown through a book this fast in so long. I could not stop thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading.

On a flight from Hobart to Sydney, an older woman walks around predicting the age of death and cause of death for each passenger. When some of the passengers start dying in the manner she predicted, they start to worry their prediction will come true next 🫢

More about this book:
⏲️short chapters
🗣️multiple interconnecting storylines
🔮fortune telling
❤️heartfelt

Liane Moriarty is back! She has been one of my favorite authors for more than 15 years. All the fame and success she found in Hollywood is more than deserved! But last couple of books have been a disappointment to me. This book though, it’s soooooo good! I loved every word and was so disappointed it’s done. One of my top reads of the year, for sure! This is the book I am planning on pushing to people.

I was given an advanced reading copy via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. One day, a seemingly ordinary group of people board a delayed flight from Hobart to Sydney that changes the way they will view their lives forever. With alternating perspectives telling the story and multiple heart wrenching nuances, I found this book to be incredibly poignant. This story meanders through so many plot points that truly will shift your perspective. This book will change the way you think about the people you love.

It was supposed to be a quick flight, a little over an hour as they plane goes from Hobart to Sydney in Australia. It was almost entirely full, so even with a 92 minute delay, there was no place for the passengers to wander to. As the flight attendants tried their best to keep everyone sane and quiet, finally, the minor repair is taken care of and they can actually get moving. And then, towards the end of the flight, the lady got up from her seat and moved throughout the cabin.

As the lady made her way down the aisle, she looks at the other passengers and starts talking. One by one, she tells them how they will die and when.

While the passengers are stunned for a moment, the lady goes back to her seat and falls asleep for the remainder of the flight. She sleeps until almost everyone else has left the plane, and the flight attendant, Allegra (prediction: 29, self-harm), wakes her up and tells her that it’s time to deplane.

In the weeks and months that follow, the passengers have to decide what to do with the information they’ve been given. Do they make changes to their lives, or do they ignore what the lady said, believing it to be an act of some kind, a desperate bid for attention? They each have to decide for themselves what to do with the information.

The woman predicted to die from cancer goes to her doctor to get tested. The man predicted to die in a work accident ponders taking a year off from work to focus on his family and friends. The mother who was told her son would die at 6 by drowning signs him up for swimming lessons. And they all think more seriously about their mortality, about the purpose of their lives, about how to live better.

And then, a viral video of a car accident. The teenager driving had been on the plane, had been predicted to die in a car accident. Her friend who was also in the car, the one who had ben filming, was also hurt but survived. She was the one who made it public that the woman on the plane had predicted the accident.

Not long after that, an elderly couple, retired doctors, die in close succession of old age. They had also been on the plane. They had also had their deaths predicted. And now, everyone is looking for “The Death Lady,” and feeling the weight of her predictions on their head.

But as anyone knows who has been on a few flights, life never does go quite as predicted. And neither does a novel by master storyteller Liane Moriarty. As these characters wrestle with how to live their lives under the weight of their new knowledge, they experience love and loss, strength and grief, and through it all, the will to live stays strong.

Here One Moment is an exceptional story of humanity and its strength. It is filled with heart and spirit, hope and determination, as these characters find their lives intersecting through their search for answers. This heart-warming and healing novel takes a chain of devastating events and turns them into a triumph. There are so many characters to root for, and just when you think the story is over, there is more hope and strength and love to come.

I have been a fan of Moriarty’s books for years, and I have loved them all. But this one is genuinely something special. It’s a leap into the best of what makes us human, what helps us connect, what gives us hope, what heals our spirits. This is a story that can restore and revive, heal and reveal, and help us fly during difficult times. It’s simply a must read.

Egalleys for Here One Moment were provided by Crown through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think it creates great discussion points about life and the choices we make that impact it. I believe this book would be really good for a book club.

4.25 Stars!!

“It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on Earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had.” -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

The premise of this novel is about someone on a plane going around telling all the passengers their age of death and cause of death and then showcasing how that impacted their lives. It poses the question- if you knew your future, would you try to fight fate?

There are a lot of POVs in this one. I was able to follow along pretty easily, but would’ve liked the chapters to have the name of the individual to make it even easier to follow along. There were definitely some individuals I connected to more than others.

This is a long book, but most all chapters are pretty short so it makes it for easy reading and you fly through the chapters.

Overall found it to be a very authentic, heartwarming and compelling read and definitely recommend checking it out!💙

Liane Moriarty and I go way back! Well in terms of my reading life anyway. She’s been my auto-read authors for many years so it’s no surprise that Here One Moment was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. And I’m thrilled to report that she delivered once again!

Imagine you were on a short domestic flight and a random person gets up and starts telling every passenger the age at which they’ll die and their cause of death. What would you do?

In Here One Moment we get to follow a few characters impacted by such an event. Including the person who delivered the predictions. One of my favorite things about Liane’s writing is his character driven her stories are. I always get emotionally invested. And there are guaranteed surprises in store. It’s such a treat not being able to guess where things are headed. All the while wondering about destiny, free will, and how we live our lives!

Cherry, our only first person narrator, had my heart for many reasons but especially because her neurodivergent brain and her love of math. I had to chuckle a number of times at her nonlinear storytelling because it felt so relatable.

This is a thought provoking literary mystery perfect for book club discussions! I ended up in 3 chats about this book because I have so many thoughts and feels about it 🤓

Thank you @crownpublishing and @netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Oh so good!!! Moriarty has a way of sweeping the reader into her story from the very first word and then holds us captivated until the very end. With her newest book, Here One Moment, Moriarty, takes us on a flight that is about to change the lives of those onboard when an older lady tells each passenger what she expects they will die of and their age of death. Is she a doddering old fool, OR does she know what she’s talking about? As we follow a few passengers from that plane, we see the way her predictions have changed their lives, some for the better, some not so much and the fear that ensues when one of her predictions comes true. With its unique premise, delightful cast of characters and perfect ending, this book is one that you will have a difficult time putting down. Set time aside to read this one … it might end up being a long, but perfectly spent night!! Thank you to Crown and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Liane Moriarty is an auto read for me so I was thrilled to get this ARC. I have read all of her books and the plot of this one really drew me in! I feel though like this one dragged a little and there were many characters to keep track of and their stories. This is hard for me. I will say it will make a great series as it is easier to visually follow many characters. Other than that, it was a good read but not my favorite from this author.