Member Reviews
My favorite book of 2024! I loved this book! All of the characters were so relatable and I loved how it bounced back and forth between them. This was my first book by this author and I found her to be so witty. This book has left me just staring at my TBR pile because I have no idea what I will read next that could even compare to how good this book made me feel when I finished it.
I seriously could not WAIT to read this book and then once I started it, I could not wait for it to be over. The premise was promising; a captive audience of airplane passengers , each targeted by a woman purporting to know their age and manner of death. The often wordy descriptions were superfluous to the story and took away from any mystery. By the time the first prediction came true, this reader was ready to gather everyone into a new airplane and just send it off to never neverland. No thank you.
Honestly I wasn't sold on the story at first but I'm glad I stuck with it because there were so many great connections and overall messages in this story. Live life like you're dying, because we are all mortal and never know when or how we will die. It could be tomorrow in a car accident or of old age when we've turned 99. I thought it was interesting to see how each individual's predictions impacted their lives and most of them, for the better.
Here One Moment" by Laine Moriarty takes you on a riveting journey through a single plane ride in Australia, blending multiple POV into a rich tapestry of human experience.
As passengers from diverse backgrounds and reasons board the flight, the narrative unfolds through various lenses: a mother with her two children, a newlywed couple still in their wedding attire, a father missing his daughter's play, a young man returning home after a friend's funeral, and a teenager flying for the first time.
At the heart of the story is the daughter of a renowned fortune teller, who is on the brink of a personal crisis—or perhaps an out-of-body experience—foretelling the lives and deaths of those around her.
With its intricate storytelling and emotional depth, this novel offers a thought-provoking exploration of fate, connection, and the impact of a single moment. How would you react? Would you get off the plane and change your life? As the mom with the two kids learns that her son will drown by the age of seven. What if you thought you would die young so you haven’t invested enough - would you call your investors and get that sorted? Would you leave your new husband because of the risk that he might kill you - what is its the next husband because it’s not to happen for some many years?
Or would you believe this woman? Would you track her down? Demand more answers?
This book could make you think - if you are that type of person about what your life could and might not look like if you did or didn’t take those chances.
I was a little lost reading the multiple POV chapters because they weren’t mark - I wish the author had added those instead of having to figure it out myself.
This unique book grabbed and held my attention. The topic, a woman predicting the age and cause of death for people on the plane, was not one that I thought I would enjoy but in Liane Moriarty's hands I found it engaging, thought provoking and enjoyable. I found myself questioning if I believe in psychics and what I would do if someone predicted my age and cause of death. Would I change my behavior and lifestyle or would I laugh it off? Told from multiple perspectives the chapters were often quite short and it was easy to think "just one more chapter". I enjoyed seeing what the characters would do with their predictions and discovering how they were linked together. I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this one, it was more of a slow burner than a fast twisty thriller. And to be honest, I don't think I'd categorize it as a thriller, rather it's more of a domestic fiction. I found the multiple characters somewhat confusing but as I read on, they became easier to remember and it was interesting to see their development throughout the course of the novel. Liane Moriarty is hit or miss for me but I'd recommend this one!
Here One Moment is a classic Liane Moriarty book--characters from completely different walks of life who end up being connected by one event and through mutual relationships. The message of the book--we are only here for a little while so live each day like it's your last--is one that will resonate with readers! This is a book I would recommend to a friend and plan to read again!
This book pulled me in immediately!
Passengers on a flight receive predictions about their age and manner of death from a “crazy” psychic.
The book follows a few of the passengers as they cope with their prediction and the choices they make regarding their future. There are also flashbacks of the psychics grief-stricken life.
Although this book grabbed my attention immediately, the rest of the book is pretty “predictable”. Nothing outside the imagination. 3 1/2 stars
It's crazy to see how one moment in time can change your entire life. I was on the edge of my seat reading this book just waiting to see what would happen next! Liane Moriarty never misses!!!
I liked the plot. A woman goes down the aisle on an airplane giving out cause of death and age of death to each passenger on the flight. Even to a baby. There were quite a few storylines so it was hard to keep track of names. There was also a lot of fluff that was unnecessary to the story. I actually had to skim through some of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crown Publishing and Liane Moriarty for an ARC of "Here One Moment".
5⭐️ Here One Moment
Alternate Title: Psychic on a Plane
"Chaos theory is the idea that a tiny change now can result in a large change later... 'Could the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?'
That day, on the flight from Hobart to Sydney, I was the butterfly...I was an agent of chaos."
Such a well crafted storyline that connects all the dots and brings the story full circle in too many ways to count! Told from multiple points of view alternating between the psychic and six of the plane passengers days and months after the event, this mysterious, thought provoking book was definitely a worthwhile page turner!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
I liked the premise of this book immediately and I was really looking forward to this read. However, as weirdly as it may sound, only the middle was good. The beginning was so incredibly slow, and then the denouement happened too fast! It wasn't bad, but I really feel like it could've been handled better.
As someone relatively new to thrillers, I have to say this book was absolutely incredible! It’s hard to put into words—the story is a wild, twist-filled ride that you won’t want to stop.
Each character—and there are quite a few—is unique and essential to the plot. I was impressed with how the author weaved everything together, ending in a brilliant way!
If you're a fan of thrillers, this is a must-read!
Would you want to know when and how you will die, if someone could tell you?
The passengers of a plane didn't get to decide the answer to that question, when a woman later called the "Death Lady" predicted the age and cause of death for every person on the flight. Many wondered who she was - a psychic? Some brushed it off, some laughed it off, some became upset or anxious. But when passengers started to die in just the way she predicted, everyone began to panic. Some people made huge changes to their life. Some questioned if there was a way to avoid the prediction, like quitting your job for a year to avoid the workplace accident, stop driving to avoid a car accident, or signing your baby up for swim lessons to avoid drowning.
I really enjoyed reading about how the story played out, and I thought it was interesting that part of the story was told from the point of view of the "Death Lady." What led to her making all those predictions that day? I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how they handled their predictions.
I received the ARC for this book, but I'm a little late in getting my review out, since this book was published this month. I definitely recommend this new book by Liane Moriarty!
I was looking forward to read this book for months a d I am very sad that I can only give it 3 stars.
The book was way too long it could have been in my opinion 100 pages shorter BUT the biggest let down for me is the ending.
I was on edge and looking forward to see how it ended and it didn’t. Was flat, the ending did NOT match the tone of the book at all.
Disappointed
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Liane Moriarty's newest novel, Here One Moment. When several passengers are delayed on a flight and already distressed, an older woman walks up the aisle and matter-of-factly informs them of the date that they will be dying and the cause of death.
After the flight, the supposed fortune teller is nowhere to be found and several passengers are faced with the unwanted information that their demise is imminent... for some, they will be gone before their next birthday. Will Ethan die in an assault even though he's never been in a fight? Will Eve be the victim of domestic violence despite the fact that her husband is kind and mild-mannered? And will Timmy drown at the age of seven even after his mother starts his swimming lessons at six months?
Here One Moment is a thought-provoking look at how people choose to live their lives when faced with the possibility of death knocking at their doors. This is an excellent book club book selection and another home run for Liane Moriarty. I hope this becomes a miniseries because I can already picture the characters!
Liane Moriarty's latest novel, Here One Moment (2024), is a gripping exploration of fate, free will, and the human obsession with control over the unknown. The story begins on an ordinary domestic flight where a mysterious woman, later dubbed “The Death Lady,” makes astonishing predictions about how and when each passenger will die. While some dismiss her as a crank, others are shaken when her prophecies begin to come true, forcing them to confront their mortality and make life-altering decisions.
Moriarty’s strength lies in her rich character development and her ability to weave multiple storylines together. Readers are introduced to a diverse cast, from newlyweds to an overwhelmed mother, each grappling with how to respond to their foretold deaths. These interconnected stories tackle profound themes like grief, love, and the tension between destiny and free will, all wrapped in the author’s signature blend of suspense, wit, and poignant social commentary.
Much like her previous hits (Big Little Lies, Apples Never Fall), Here One Moment delivers an addictive narrative that keeps readers hooked with its twists and moral dilemmas. Fans of Moriarty's work will find her latest offering just as thought-provoking and entertaining, while newcomers will be drawn in by the book’s blend of psychological tension and relatable human emotions. This novel is poised to become yet another bestseller and could even inspire future screen adaptations.
This book was a little long and dragged on at times, but the good parts were so very good. I loved the concept of the plot. It is crazy to think how it really is a small world out there and how one action can set another is motion.
I’ve been a fan of the author for some time. I say that with some reservation, because there were a couple that I couldn’t seem to settle with. But I keep going back because here writing engages me.
This one grabbed me at the beginning—-who wouldn’t be fascinated with the idea of hearing a prediction about their age and manner of death? The many rabbit trails we traveled to trace some of the airline passengers who were present for these pronouncements took awhile to find. I was concerned for all of them! Imagine hearing this, especially if your death date was said to occur soon? At a young age? By some dreaded disease or horrible accident? So following their stories was a large part of the book, but we also learned about the lady who did the foretelling, and finding out about her and her story occupied as much of the book as the those of the passengers.
The only negative for me was that the book seemed to drag about 2/3 of the way through. There were quite a few characters to track! But it picked up at the end and came to a conclusion that brought a few tears to my eyes.
Four bright stars! I recommend! This could be a miniseries too.
*My thanks to NetGalley for the gifted digital copy of the book. My opinions are my own.
One never knows what will happen when a flight is delayed. Usually, this just causes people's plans to be derailed a bit but on one particular flight from Hobart to Sydney, the woman who later becomes to be known as The Death Lady, travels down the aisle of the plane and recounts for each passenger she passes, when they will die and how it will happen. People don't know how to react to this... how would you? Some think it is a joke, but others are worried, especially after a few predictions end up coming true.
This is one of the best books I have read by Liane Moriarty. She does such a wonderful job creating each character and making them real. You feel their emotions and see what they are experiencing, and it is almost like you can step into their lives with them as they are so crystal clear. Each chapter was from a different character's POV. Cherry, dubbed The Death Lady, can be found in every other chapter as her story unfolds. On the opposite chapters, we get to know a number of the passengers and how the predictions effect their lives. Her telling of their stories is gripping, edge of your seat, intelligent and sometimes humorous, so you get a little bit of everything in this novel. If you have loved Liane's previous novels, you will adore Here One Moment. It also may change the way you think about how you want to live your life. What if someone told you that you were going to die within the next year? What would you do?
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this amazing novel in exchange for my honest review.