Member Reviews
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. Sometimes, with Moriarty's books, it takes a while to get to the point and you spend teh whole book in a state of anticipation. I don't think this book was any different but the choice to tell us the story with a flashback from the protagonist, Cherry and then from the point of view of the people on the plane, was genius.
With each chapter, you just wanted to know about them and what happened and what will happen to them. I especially loved how the character connections came together in the end. As someone who is sensitive to death topics, I'd be remiss to not mention that it could be a trigger warning as it evoked a lot of morbid thoughts.
I would definitely recommend this book and can already see this being adapted to screen.
The premise immediately piqued my interest and I couldn’t wait to read more! A woman on a flight starts predicting age and cause of death for several passengers. After the flight, the story alternates between this woman (Cherry) and some of the passengers POV’s as they navigate life post-prediction.
I truly thought I would love this book, but sadly I didn’t. I didn’t completely dislike it, but I didn’t really get the point of the story overall. The length of this book is daunting. The switching between characters is difficult to follow. The chapters with the woman (Cherry) are full of a lot of unnecessary detail. This book was not what I expected....
3.5
This book was an interesting read because of the topic and it definitely got me thinking about my own mortality. (Which, is not always the best for someone with anxiety so read with caution!) I do think that were a lot of characters and I enjoyed reading all of their POVs. I do wish that each chapter had a name and a cause of death just to help remember who was who and what their story was. (As this was an ARC, maybe the final book will have something like this!)
I loved all of the death predictions. How some were happy and how some were downright scary - Death by Intimate Partner? Yikes. However, I do feel like the ending left some to be desired. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away any spoilers.
I think if you like Liane Moriraty's other books then this one will be just as enjoyable for you! I would recommend it based on the storyline alone and I do think most people will not find the ending as underwhelming as I did.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I loved and hated this. Hate, because I don't like thinking about stuff like that. But maybe that's part of the problem for me. Anyway, love, because the characters and story were enthralling.
I enjoyed this one much more than Moriarty's previous release.
Seemed much more... human. But raw. And strangely, funny.
This book was not for me but it may be your kind of Book.
I was hooked with the blurb but feel like the story fell short. (at least for me)
I was looking forward to more from the passengers and not as much from Cherry which the story centers on more.
That ending though finished crushing my thoughts on the book. I was expecting it to be magical and it wasn't.
Yes, I liked the message of life being there one moment and not the other but felt it could have been delivered differently.
Still rating 3 stars since it's well written even if not for me.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing an opportunity to read ahead of publication through an ARC.
First off, I will say that I'm a fan of Liane Moriarty's books, but wow, this one became my new favorite! It has those short, addictive chapters that are so easy to squeeze into little moments and make it wholly unputdownable. I had it with me on a weekend trip, and I was reading it while walking, in Ubers, and on elevators. I simultaneously did not want it to end but HAD TO KNOW how it would end. I loved so many characters and was so invested in their interwoven stories. There were certain cliffhangers that left me frantically reading so that I could get back to them. In between, I constantly thought about the different storylines and what I thought was going to happen. What surprised me most is that many of these storylines weren't as predictable as I'd initially thought, and stories/characters where I'd been less invested came back in big payoffs later in the story.
I'm going to stay intentionally very high-level in my review because I don't want to spoil a single part. That being said, a very significant plot point takes place on a plane, and I happened to read this while flying, which was a striking coincidence that opened up a whole other level of contemplation and "what if" thinking. In my opinion, it's a FANTASTIC book to pick up before a trip for that reason.
Structurally, I loved the blending of a first-person narrator and many third-person storylines. While I started out being less invested in the narrator, the more their backstory unfolded, the more I could relate and empathize and found myself enjoying it.
The book provides an incredible exploration of the human condition. It is at once sad and hopeful. I found myself jotting down really interesting quotes and passages to discuss with friends once they've had a chance to read the book. I recently crossed into my forties, and this book was so thought-provoking in examining how we spend the time we're given, what really matters, and the beauty of hindsight in the value of our experiences and relationships. The characters were relatable, and I felt like I could see myself or people I've known in different seasons of life throughout the story.
“Here One Moment” falls into a rare category for me of exceptional books that remind me why I love reading. The pieces just fall into place one by one. It twists. It turns. At the end, I found myself wanting to reread it all over again with the new lens of knowing the outcomes and discovering all the hints and foreshadowing. I actually cried when it was over. It will make you think about your life in new ways and question how much of our lives we can control, and what may be destiny. I know I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
It's an intriguing story right from the first sentences-the way she goes back and forth between the death lady and the various stories and how they're webbed together is fascinating, dark, and even fun at times. It definitely makes one give a lot of thought to their own mortality and those of the people they love. I read it over a weekend, it was easy to inhale it while still thinking about the questions about life and death that it raises. Very satisfying read.
This was a really fun read. There were a few sad parts but you gotta have them to appreciate the story. It’s a bit suspenseful, has some mystery to it but leans closer to literary fiction or women’s fiction IMO. It’s got a little bit of everything & when Liane Moriarty is your author, you know the writing is SUPERB. Not many books can make me LOL but this one truly did! It could fall under many genres, as I suggested , but just know that if you enjoy reading fiction pick up Here One Moment up & you’ll enjoy it IMMENSELY!!
Liane Moriarty is one of my must-read-as-soon-as-a-new-book-comes-out authors, so I was excited to read her newest novel. This is about a woman on delayed airplane who gets out of her seat, points at each passenger, and predicts their age of death and cause of death. The book then follows both this woman (both before and after this flight) and some of the passengers that we learned about during the flight. We learn how the predictions play out as well as how the characters themselves are affected by what they were told.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down, especially once I passed the 25% mark. Moriarty has a talent for creating nuanced, humorous, real characters who you can't help but root for. The side characters were also so well written they felt like real people, many who I wished I could know. I want a Michelle and a Ned in my life, they were just so well done. I also liked learning how the some of the characters' lives intersected both before and after the flight. I found the ending to be perfect. It made me smile.
I've been thinking about this book and the characters for the last day since I finished, and I bet you will be too.
Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This is Liane Moriarty at her finest. A heart-wrenching, heart-warming story of a maybe-fortune teller predicting the ages and causes of death of passengers on a flight causes chaos, connections, growth, I hope the inevitable adaptation does it justice.
I could not put this book down! I enjoyed reading the different chapters from each character’s point of view. The way that the lives of the strangers who all met on the plane continued long after the flight reached its final destination, had me hooked. I had to keep reading to see where it would lead next. Next to Big Little Lies, this is one of my favorite books of Liane’s. I would highly recommend!
Another great book from Liane Moriarty that I really enjoyed. “Here one moment” follows a group of people on a flight where a psychic/clairvoyant goes from passenger to passenger telling them when and how they will die. At first people believe that this woman is just crazy until some of her predictions begin to come true. The story then hops between the backstory of the psychic (Cherry Lockwood) and that of each of the passengers after the flight. You find yourself wondering does Cherry really have this power or is this all just a coincidence. Is this indeed their fate or can it be changed?
I found this an intriguing read having the characters question what they would do differently if we knew our time was limited.
The story starts with a rather tedious first chapter that harps on what the "lady" is not—plain and forgettable could sum it up. However, once you push past that redundant beginning, the story takes off quickly, and I found myself unable to put it down. The characters' lives were intricately crafted, each with their own ups and downs that made them feel real and relatable.
Cherry stood out as the most developed character, and I thoroughly enjoyed following her journey from start to finish. The book is rich with emotions on every page, drawing you into the characters' worlds and making you ponder deep questions about life and death.
One question that lingered with me was: do you want to know when you're going to die? The book explores this from multiple angles, presenting both sides of the coin. Even after finishing, I'm still unsure what I would prefer. This book is a thought-provoking read that keeps you engaged and makes you reflect on some profound aspects of life.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love all of Liane Moriarty's books and was thrilled when I saw this was coming out! This absolutely lived up to and exceeded my expectations based on what I've previously read by her (which is almost all of her books).
The book opens with a mysterious woman on a plane from Hobart (Tasmania) to Sydney walking the length of the cabin telling almost all the passengers and one of the crew how she expects them to die and when. The remainder of the book follows a handful of the passengers as they grapple with this information and also follows the backstory of the "Death Lady," as the woman on the plane becomes known as, and how she arrived at this point to predict deaths for her fellow passengers.
The plot is heartwarming without being maudlin (despite the way it begins!), and feels like a self help book in that it shares ideas that are applicable to the reader's real life without being preachy or detracting from the story. The plot is also completely unexpected in that none of the character journeys went where I thought they were going to go. Books are so much better when they are not predictable.
I also loved the overall theme of fate and is it literally completely pre-determined or can you take action to change your fate when you get new information. This really gave me a lot to think about in terms of my own life and agency.
So glad to read another fantastic book from Liane Moriarty and I was bummed when I reached the end, only because I was sad to leave the book.
Many thanks to Crown Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.
"Here One Moment" by Liane Moriarty presents an intriguing premise where passengers aboard a routine flight unexpectedly have their fates foretold by a mysterious psychic. As the predictions start coming true, the story delves into the complex reactions of those who learn they have limited time left. Moriarty's skillful storytelling weaves together humor, contemplation on life's uncertainties, and a diverse cast of characters.
While some may find the pacing slow at the outset, the book gradually builds tension and curiosity as readers are drawn into the lives of those affected by the psychic's revelations. Through short, engaging chapters and multiple points of view, Moriarty explores themes of destiny, mortality, and the human response to the unknown. "Here One Moment" offers a thought-provoking read that combines mystery, wit, and profound reflection on the fragility of life.
Here One Moment is unlike any Liane Moriarty book I’ve read!! She is a master story teller when it comes to weaving unique characters, telling a thrilling tale and just solid writing techniques.
Diving into a genre more akin to contemporary fiction than her usual thriller lead books, I found Here One Moment equally as thrilling even without it being in that genre. It begs the same questions we all ponder at one point in life and lets a myriad of characters answer from their individual perspectives.
Riveting and beautifully written, Moriarty gives readers a solid and thoughtfully crafted new book. I did think it was a bit unnecessarily long but do understand with such a large cast of characters we need ample time to get to know them individually for the end to have the impact it does.
Wow! This long, fascinating saga is a mind-bending mystery with mystical, dramatic, and philosophical elements. It delivers a powerful message, advising readers to live their lives fully in their limited time, defying the odds and beating the reaper by challenging statistical consequences.
When I read the blurb, I was intrigued: a woman of indeterminate age, with no specific attributes and an unremarkable appearance, stands up during a delayed flight and counts to three. As if in a trance, she begins predicting the dying age and cause of death for each passenger. This unnerving display is a shock to the random people on the flight.
Some of her predictions are truly terrifying, like the one for the beautiful Indian flight attendant Allegra Patel, who is predicted to die at 28 from self-harm on her 28th birthday. Or Paula Binici, who learns that one of her children will live to 100, while little Timmy will die at age 7 from drowning. Could this really be possible?
Civil engineer and workaholic Leo, who is restless about missing his daughter's performance in a school play, learns he will die in November in a workplace accident.
Middle-aged couple Sue and Max O’Sullivan are also shocked. While Max is predicted to live into his 90s, Sue is told she will die in a few years from pancreatic cancer, despite being a nurse who regularly checks her health. How could this happen?
Ethan Chang, sitting with his broken and bandaged arm, has just attended his close friend Harvey’s funeral. He is told he will die after his upcoming birthday from an assault, even though he isn't the type to get into bar fights. Could trouble find him?
Let’s not forget the honeymooners still wearing their wedding attire, Dom and Eve. Dom is predicted to live until 100, while Eve is told she will be killed by Dom at a young age. Could this really be true?
This eccentric woman, Cherry, is an actuary knowledgeable about deaths and the daughter of Madame M, a famous clairvoyant. What if Cherry also possesses her mother’s powers? What if she accurately predicted the exact dates and causes of these people's deaths?
When three people die as Cherry predicted, the remaining passengers on the plane become nervous, especially those predicted to die in a few months. Should Leo quit his job to avoid the workplace accident? Should Allegra seek psychological help to prevent possible self-harm, even though she feels fine? Should Paula push her son Timmy to learn to swim before walking to prevent his predicted drowning? What about Ethan, who may be threatened by his roommate’s boyfriend?
As I read this long journey, I found myself crossing my fingers, hoping to save some of the characters I quickly grew attached to, wishing they wouldn't die as Cherry predicted.
I loved Cherry’s story, her peculiar, quirky, intelligent ways, her connection with her long-gone dad, her psychic mother, and her eccentric aunt. I admired her choices to live a long and fulfilling life, her happiness, and her losses. The triggering situation that pushes her to make predictions about strangers on the airplane, turning her into the “Death Lady,” is both fascinating and complex. Is she a charlatan or a guardian angel giving people a chance to reinvent or review their life choices?
Overall, I loved all the characters, starting with Cherry. I appreciated the philosophical and realistic approach of the author, who blends determinism and intuition to introduce different lives and the million paths they can take. This is absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year, and I highly recommend it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for sharing this amazing book’s digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I am conflicted on this one. I really wanted to love it as I've loved most of Liane's books, but this one fell a little flat for me. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.
As always, Liane's writing is so easy to read and I flew through my reading of this book this past weekend. I loved the premise of the book, but I think where I struggled the most was the characters. I didn't feel very strongly about any of them in one direction or the other, and I think that might be the thing that would have tipped it up the star scale for me. After sitting on it for a few days, I think it was just too many points of view for me, even though I love a multi-POV story. It was a little difficult to keep names straight at first, and I think that prevented me from really losing myself in the story from the start.
This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
If you were told how you would die, would you change anything? Would you believe it?
This is the story of Liane Moriarty’s new novel and it was definitely a compelling read. From the beginning you get completely captivated by all the different characters and their lives and stories. There is lots of unexpected moments and twists which made for an engaging read.
The only thing I might have wished for was names on the chapters as each chapter is a different character. Though it was almost always quickly apparent who was narrating each, it still would have been nice.
Overall I very much enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others.
Liane Moriarty books are hit or miss for me. I either love them or hate them. Unfortunately, this one is a "miss." The story was so convoluted that I couldn't even finish it.