2.5.

I just finished this one & figured I’d go ahead & share thoughts while they are fresh. I have mixed opinions on it! For the first 25% or so, I was loooving it. The plot has similar vibes to The Measure by Nikki Erlick which I really enjoyed back in 2022. The Measure was so unique that it’s one I’ll always remember; I was hoping this one would be the same way. The psychic plot & death predictions were in fact unique for me, but I was definitely craving more action, & maybe even a bit more suspense with each character’s story. When our psychic MC gives her predictions on the plane, it created a sense of excitement, & I was expecting with the multiple character perspectives that I would get to see how each of their fates played out in a way that incorporated maybe a tiny bit of thrill? Maybe my expectations were off, but the final 75% (or after the plane ride) was pretty boring & slow. It definitely seemed to get more character-focused, & the excitement dwindled.
I did enjoy the ending & think the meaning of the book was heartfelt. Personally, I think this book could’ve been at least 150 pages shorter. For a book that’s over 500 pages, I just need more action.

HOWEVER - this one is in the running on Goodreads for Readers’ Favorite Fiction, & it’s standing at a 4.11/5 rating overall at the moment…. So you can take my thoughts with a grain of salt if you’d like. 😂

I don’t personally recommend it, but I don’t discourage you from giving it a try if you like character focused & slow-burn fiction.

I was sucked in from the start of this new book from a favorite author. The premise is that an old woman on a plane walks down the aisle telling each passenger how and when they will die. Then the first prediction comes true. As the remaining passengers realize the woman could be right, they have to come to terms with their own mortality and choices.

There were so many intermingled stories here that it was hard to keep track of everyone through the middle section of the book. We learn about many of the passengers’ lives, and also learn about the woman who made the predictions. I really liked the part that was her story, but bogged down in all the details of the other passengers. The ending was great - so clever and satisfying - so I’m glad I kept reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I thoroughly enjoy all of Lianne Moriarty's books. This one for very thought-provoking and had all the complex issues of "what if" placed in front of you as the reader to make your own choices or submit to fate. We are challenged to look into our risks or perceived risks to come up with a fight , flight or freeze reaction to our life predictions. What would you do if you "knew" when your last day is? Would you take risks if it was way into the future? Or would you fight like crazy if it were very close? There are scenarios in this book that take on these questions and you'll be along for the ride to see how theirs unfolds. I did find this particular book a tad hard to follow. Could be that I took longer to read this than others, but I kept wondering who was "talking" in the chapters (are there are many). I think a lot of this could have been pared down a bit, but I did like the premise and the life lessons. Never a disappointment, in my book....

This book was riveting, exiting, sad, elating. You are hooked right from the beginning when the "Death Lady" gives her predictions on the plane. The multiple points of view made you feel the emotions/anxiety of each passenger. You were cheering for them, being nervous for them, and hoping the outcome would change. I also appreciated Cherry's backstory and how all of her history lead to her actions on the plane that fateful day.

This was so compelling. On a stressful, delayed flight, a passenger walks down the aisle and predicts the cause of death and the age of death for the other people on the flight. As the first predictions come true, it changes the lives of many of the passengers. I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen.

I am a long time fan of Liane Moriarty. I love how quickly her books suck you in and hold you there. Needing to know what comes next. He last few have fallen. Little flat for me, but this one was an easy 5 star. It had me turning pages because I had no idea how she was going to resolve everything. I highly recommend this book.

What a concept! Imagine you are on a plane. You have your reasons for being there, things that you are thinking about and have settled in. Imagine that in the midst of whatever you are doing, a woman stands in front of you and tells you when you will die and of what. How would you react? How intense would that be? This is the monumental basis for Moriarty’s latest novel. No spoiler-she spectacularly pulls it off.

Get to know many characters. They are of different ages, sexes, experiences. How will they move forward when they have this information? Will it be true? Who is the woman making the predictions? Read this long (500 plus pages) novel that is divided into many short sections to find out. See if it will change you.

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

I have read all (I think!) of Liane Moriarty’s books, and this one might be my new favorite. From start to finish I was hooked.

The story is of the people on a plane flight. They have lots of different stories and different lives, but then a woman (whose mom was a successful fortune teller) on the flight gets up and starts predicting the ages and causes of death for every person on the plane, ranging from murder at a young age to peaceful old age deaths past 100 years old. No one pays much attention until some of the predictions start coming true, then people are tasked with determining what they believe about fate and free will.

We get the story of the passengers intermixed with the story of the “Death Lady”, in true Moriarty fashion, with multiple POVs that are often connected. She does a brilliant job moving from person to person, with just the right amount of suspense and hope and sadness. The short chapters make for a quick and engaging pace, and the characters are so interesting and compelling. I found myself seeing little parts of myself in so many of them.

I loved the bigger philosophical questions about our role in our own lives, and how much is up to fate and how much we determine. I love the interweaving of the mystical and the mathematical, and seeing how socially and psychologically people handled the news of their own death. Great on a macro and micro level.

The premise and set up of this were right up my alley. I appreciate any story concept that makes you consider what you would do if you knew when you'll die and a message of making the most of the time you have.

Starting this on an airplane was smart because when Cherry, who will later be known as "The Death Lady," starts predicting when and how every passenger will die, they can't escape her. It was a compelling way to start the book. The rest allows you to follow everyone and see how they are coping after their predictions, alternating with Cherry's story leading to the day of the flight. One thing Moriarty knows how to do well is write a LOT of characters. She did this well but ultimately, I didn't love the overall execution of this. I became weary of Cherry's chapters- I did like learning her background but the point came where I wanted a more concise telling of that, and more time spent with the other passengers. And even that could have probably been shorter. I didn't enjoy the second half as much as the first. I didn't love the conclusion, but I appreciated the epilogue, so it was all a toss-up.

Ratings
Story Concept 5/5
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 3/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 3.5/5

This book was not what I expected at all but in the absolute best way possible. I have always been a fan of Liane Moriarty since I picked up "Big Little Lies" several years ago. Since then, I've read her entire collection of works and I think this one is working up the ranks to be my new favorite.

"Here One Moment" asks the question "can you fight fate?" and allows for the reader to answer that question for themselves. I love the multiple perspectives from each important member of the flight and the fact that the chapters always ended on a note where I was anticipating when that character's next chapter would pick up. I also enjoyed hearing from the main character directly in her own chapters.

The way Moriarty laid out this novel was pure perfection and really gets the reader to consider both perspectives and all points of view regarding the future. It also allowed me to think long and hard about my own future and whether or not fate plays a key role.

Truthfully, I loved every second of this novel and it made me fall in love with Moriarty and her writing all over again. What a wonderful introduction into her collection of works.

I have read all of Liane Moriarty’s novels. I gave 5⭐️ ratings to What Alice Forgot, The Husband’s Secret, and Big Little Lies. I did not particularly enjoy her last two books (Apples Never Fall and Nine Perfect Strangers), but Here One Moment is terrific. It has a unique plot, so I can’t write a lot or I will give away too much. Things you should know: 1) It’s long (512 pages), but it doesn’t drag like Apples Never Fall. 2) There are a lot of characters. There were times I had to figure out who I was reading about. But, all of the characters are needed and well-written. 3) It is a wee bit dark at times. Quite a bit of death. Again, I can’t really explain without giving away too much.
I loved this book. It’s quirky and poignant. I was a little misty eyed at the end. Moriarty is just an excellent writer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thought this book had some really profound and interesting moments and I'm glad I read it. Ultimately, it had the same flaw that all Moriarty books have for me and that is that they start so good, get me so excited to read, and then go off track and I lose that excitement. As someone who doesn't believe in fate or fortunes, that probably contributes to my lower rating too. Still a good book! Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love Liane Moriarty's books and was very grateful to have a copy of this one. The beginning seemed a little aimless (especially Cherry's story) and I was not sure how things were going to come together. But soon I became enthralled in all the stories and then the ending and everything came together to beautifully. I really loved this one and will enjoy reading it again.

Liane Moriarty is such a gem. I love the way her books always have intersecting storylines and characters who wind around each other and come together in one way or another. This book is no exception. The story jumps back and forth in time and between characters, following Cherry, a (maybe) psychic who goes into a trance on a plane and predicts the manner and age of death of everyone on it. Most people write her off as a loon, but then a few of the predictions come true. Passengers deal with her predictions in different ways, and as we read about their struggles to contend with such predictions of mortality, we also read about Cherry's own life, which has been marked by hardship and too much death. It's a really touching book about interconnectedness and mortality and living in its shadow.

Thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lot of characters to keep straight but this one was good. It starts with a plane full of people and an older women going down the aisles predicting age and cause of death for the passengers. It then weaves all those stories together into a unique novel.

Thank you to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I know there are all kinds of rave reviews for this book, but I simply could not get into this. There were too many characters, the story did not grab me from the beginning and I was not interested in finishing this book.

This one was slow for me at the beginning… There were a lot of characters to remember, and it took a while for me to get invested in them. But after a while, LM worked her magic and all the characters stories blended together seamlessly. I liked how the story was told from different POV‘s… With cherry being the main characters voice. The story idea is one that’s been around for a while… If you could learn when and how you were going to die, would you? And if you had that information, what would you do with it? This story was a new twist on that old premise… And LM did a good job of exploring the choices people make and the aftermath those choices have on our lives. I gave this one four stars just because some of her others were resounding five stars and this wasn’t quite there! But it was a very good read overall. Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy

The story opens with a quote from Stephen Hawking that sets the stage for a fascinating exploration of fate versus free will. On a short flight from Sydney to Hobart, a woman named Cherry, seemingly in a trance, starts announcing the predicted age and cause of death for each of the passengers. Her chilling statement—“FATE WON’T BE FOUGHT!”—lingers in the air, and from that moment, the tension begins to build. The plane lands safely, but something in the atmosphere has changed. The passengers are forever altered, especially the six individuals whose deaths Cherry predicted.

At first, the writing is sharp and witty, with clever observations about the oddities of airport and airplane behavior. The characters are introduced with just the right amount of depth, and the alternating perspectives between Cherry’s first-person narrative and the third-person view of the passengers add intrigue. While it’s fascinating to learn how each of the passengers is coping after hearing their fate, it begins to feel like a bit too much of a good thing. The narrative meanders, and the emotional weight of each character’s reaction starts to become repetitive. This slower pace made me wonder if I should continue reading, but the premise kept me hooked enough to push forward.

I found myself more invested in the characters as the plot thickened, especially Allegra and her mother, Leo and Neve, and Sue and Max. There’s a genuine emotional connection here that makes you worry for their fates, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the story was still weighed down by too much focus on Cherry.

One major issue with the book is the frequency of Cherry’s chapters. While her backstory is integral to the plot, it sometimes feels like there’s too much of it. I didn’t need to hear from her so often, nor did I need to know as much about her history. These sections bogged down the pace and made the book feel longer than necessary.

The most enjoyable part of the story is when the connections between the passengers start to reveal themselves. Some of the character arcs conclude in surprisingly satisfying ways, and the relationships that develop are heartwarming. The final resolution, while somewhat predictable, ties everything together neatly. But by that point, the journey to get there has felt uneven.

This is a usual plot, but oh what fun it was to read! I loved the many predictions and plot twists. If you knew your future, would you try to fight fate? It delivers a powerful message, advising readers to live their lives fully in their limited time.

I was so excited to find a new book by Moriarty! She ignited my passion for reading again a few years ago when I soaked in as many books of hers as I could. This one was no different. I loved reading about the web of connections between the characters. The book discusses the age old question of, would you try to fight fate if you could? There was an interesting range of perspectives. The chapters were short and sweet. I couldn't put it down!

Thank you to Liane Moriarty, Netgalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.