I've been a long time fan of Liane Moriarty so getting this preview was a treat! While most of Moriarty's books seem to fall in the thriller category, this veered more towards a mystery with a dash of potential magical realism.

This plot centers around a woman on a plane tagged as "The Death Lady" after proclaiming how and when her fellow passengers will die. A handful of passengers who were given predictions of early or unnatural deaths are followed in alternating chapters opposite a first person account of the Death Lady's own life story. I loved the character building of Cherry (The Death Lady). She was slightly awkward in a quirky, humorous way and it made smile. The story of the passengers often centered on questions of choice and freewill vs fate and destiny. The account of Cherry's life was an often heart gripping tale of love and grief. The balance was perfect for me and it earned a solid 5 stars from me!

I am a HUGE Liane Moriarty fan, so I was incredibly excited to get the chance to read ‘Here One Moment’ before the publication.

The premise of this book was extremely intriguing. A seemingly normal flight is suddenly disrupted by an old woman predicting ages and causes of passengers death’s. Count me in!
The beginning of the story was everything I wanted it to be. It was eerie finding out the different ages and death predictions. Some people getting the prediction of living into their late 90s and dying of old age, others within a few years and dying from things like drowning, workplace accidents, or car accidents.

The middle of the book is where it lost me. There were waayyyy too many characters. It was extremely hard to follow, and could have been 100 pages shorter for a more impactful story.
Not all of it was bad, though. Moriarty did an exceptional job of building worlds around these characters. Each page you read, you expected the predictions to come true for that character. The ending was wholesome and taught a very important lesson. I can never complain about that.

I feel like this would make an AMAZING tv series.. and almost felt like she wrote this for it to become one?? I would for sure be thrilled if it does go that direction, though!

‘Here One Moment’ will be published on September 10th, 2024

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review!

4.5 stars. This was so fascinating to read. I loved going back and forth between the airplane passengers and Cherry. I'm not sure how I would do if I was told when and how I would die. Great writing, great characters. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book - I loved it so much! I loved that it was set on a plane and although it took me a few pages to get used to how it was jumping around a lot between different characters - I loved how everything came together in the end. It reminded me of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman & Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - I just love that interconnected and heartwarming style of book that is at the same time such a compulsive page-turner.

On an ordinary flight from Hobart to Sydney, Australia, passengers learn how and when they are going to die. For some, their deaths are far in the future — but for others it’s much sooner. The woman who made these predictions soon becomes known as “The Death Lady” and many passengers are left with a feeling of unease.

During the flight we are introduced to a handful of passengers and find out their predicted fate. After the flight we get an intimate look into their lives — and how they continue to go about their days.

The chapters jump around to the POVs of different characters, including “The Death Lady.” I became so invested in each of the characters. A lot of the chapters leave off on little cliffhangers, leaving me glued to the book.

This is a book that makes you reflect on life and what’s most important to you.

Liane Moriarty is a master storyteller. I had no idea how everything would come together, but it really couldn’t have ended more perfectly.

“Everyone loves a particular version of you and when that person is gone that version goes with them.”

🔆 Genre: Contemporary fiction
💙 Steamy rating: Mild
🔆 Profanity: Moderate

One ordinary but delayed flight changes the lives of six passengers when a physic predicts their age of death and cause of death. Some predictions are fairly soon. The passengers’ lives intertwine as they fear their demise is coming and desperately try to change their presumed fate.

I love Liane Moriarty’s quirky storytelling. She has a way of bringing her characters to life. This book introduces many characters right out of the shoot, so I suggest you write them down to keep track of them. The story starts out slow as you develop an understanding of the six characters and the psychic - their past, their future, and fear of their death. It’s told in first person by the psychic and rotates in third person for the other characters. I was engaged in the character’s lives the entire time. The last 30% flew by quickly. This book did have sad parts, but it wasn’t completely doom and gloom. Don’t let my trigger warning completely scare you off.

Triggers: So much death, car accident, heart attack, Cancer, grief, psychic predictions, misogyny, alcohol abuse, and infidelity

Thank you @netgalley and @crownpublishing for the advanced copy of Here One Moment. Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors, and I enjoyed this one.

I almost stopped reading this book. Sudden death hits close to home many times over for me. But I powered through and appreciate the purpose and message of this novel. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

I was so thrilled when I got this ARC of Liane Moriarty's soon to be published book from NetGalley! I was not disappointed. This book is filled with characters whose lives converge for one flight that connects them in an unexpected way. I enjoyed following the various passengers as they went on with their lives and how the events of the flight effected them and connected them. Meanwhile I thought it was so perfect how Moriarty also spoon fed us the back story of the woman who made the flight so unique. Just so well done. There are so many characters to cover and yet we come to know them all in such interesting ways.

It was a regular day, with regular people going about their regular lives, when everything changes for a group on a short flight from Hobart to Sydney, Australia. First, the delay - the wait to fix a small part on a plane causing people’s days to be thrown off, getting most of them annoyed, and by the time the plane departed, everyone was already waiting to get off.

Then, a woman gets up and starts pointing. “I expect pneumonia, age 103.” “I expect catastrophic stroke, age 72.” “I expect old age, age 100.” “I expect heart disease, age 84.” “I expect pancreatic cancer, age 66.”

On through the entire plane, as a harried flight attendant tries to keep order (“I expect self-harm, age 28”) the woman gives her predictions to every single passenger. But who is she? She looks like a regular woman - elderly but fit, dressed nicely, lovely hair - someone’s grandmother, perhaps. Soon though, this woman is “The Death Lady”, after the plane lands and people realize the magnitude of what happened during that 90-minute flight.

Most of the plane’s occupants will live long lives and die of “normal” things like cancer or heart disease. But there are also people, mostly young people, who will die tragic deaths…soon. The fascinating thing is some of these deaths will be preventable now that the people know, but “fate can’t be fought”. They can try to change things, but what is destined will happen. Or is it possible to change your destiny…?

Not long after, the first passenger dies, exactly as predicted. Then another, and another. The Australian Psychics Association condemned The Death Lady’s actions, claiming she is a charlatan, but so far, her predictions seem to have merit. As for the woman herself? She doesn’t know what to believe; she’s embarrassed the whole thing happened and hopes nobody finds out who she is, as the press is having a field day with the story.

I’m going to make my own prediction right now. I expect this book to be in my top five of 2024, if not my favorite book of the year. Only time will tell, but this was very unique, thoughtful, entertaining, heartbreaking, heartwarming - it was all the things. This was a long book, but I wished it had been longer. I love thinking about the Butterfly Effect, the Chaos Theory, whatever you call it if you believe in it, and this book definitely will have you thinking. A flawless five stars for this one!

(Thank you to Crown Publishing, Liane Moriarty and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released September 10, 2024.)

I couldn't put it down!

The premise of Here One Moment, a "psychic" on a plane predicting strangers' causes and ages of death, initially sounded a bit woo-woo to me; but what makes this book captivating, like all of Liane Moriarty's books, is her characters. She could write a book about people waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles and make it a fascinating read. So, whether you're interested in clairvoyance or think it's absolute nonsense, you will be drawn into the story and dying to know these people's outcomes. In some cases, I started to wonder if this woman not only predicted these deaths, but helped to cause them. It was intriguing to hear the passengers' backstories as we wait to see if they'll die according to The Death Lady's predictions.

Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This is the third book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed each immensely but this one has quickly moved to the top of the list. I couldn't put it down! The story is fast paced and you quickly want to devour all of it! The story is so unique and the characters are so likable and relatable that you are quickly engaged. I would highly recommend it.

I’m not a Moriarty fan. Her books are usually too long and drag on for me. However I loved this very unique idea and therefore picked it up; but man could this be any slower??? There were also way too many characters and therefore I didn’t connect deeply to any of them. Good concept, poor execution

Do you believe in Fate, Luck, Destiny or Coincidence? The concepts of Fate, Luck, Destiny, and Coincidence are fascinating and have been debated for centuries. Whether or not someone believes in these concepts often depends on their personal philosophy and experiences.

The book masterfully engages with these themes, particularly through the character of the "Death Lady" and her predictions. This central element prompts readers to reflect on how external suggestions or forecasts might influence personal choices and perceptions. If a prediction is made, does it alter our actions to align with or defy that forecast? The psychological impact of such foretellings can significantly shape one’s journey, potentially shifting the course of their path.

Through its narrative, the book challenges readers to question the extent of their control over their destinies. It invites contemplation on whether the unfolding events are the result of inescapable fate, random luck, a predetermined destiny, or mere coincidence.

Ultimately, this exploration of Fate, Luck, Destiny, and Coincidence provides a rich and engaging backdrop for a compelling story. It encourages readers to ponder the complex interplay of these forces and their influence on the human experience, making for a thought-provoking and captivating read.

Thank you so much to Lane Maria try as well as her publishers for sending me an Arc copy of this book. I loved her book titled Nine Perfect Strangers and excited to read this book.

Told from a variety of views, Here One Moment follows the lives of the main protagonist, Cherry a.k.a. The Death Lady, and the people whose lives she impacted whiled sharing a plane ride. The novel addresses the age-old question of predestination vs free will and leaves the reader to question their views on these topics. Seeing how ones chose to change/fight/address their "predestined" course made for an interesting read. It took me awhile to remember all of the characters that Moriarty introduced but she did an excellent job of reminding the reader of their back story as she wove it into the current narrative.

And I love how the end wrapped everything up but more in an "a-ha" kind of way and not with a perfect bow.

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty. Thanks to @crownbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An ordinary flight turns into much more when a passenger begins predicting other passengers deaths. A group of them are not far off. Can they change their destiny?

Another favorite from Liane Moriarty! There are several characters in this one but they are all very well developed. I was excited every time a new chapter with a different character started. The chapters are short. It’s very cleverly done as many small, seemingly meaningless, parts end up blending together and holding meaning. The story has a lot to say about determinism vs. free will and how our decisions may make significant changes.

“You won’t necessarily win against fate but you should at least put up a fight.”

Here One Moment comes out 9/10.

HERE ONE MOMENT
BY: LIANE MORIARITY

ABOUT 3.25 Stars!

I've read Liane Moriarity's novels in the past and was disappointed with her writing. This turned out to be the case with her latest novel, called, Here One Moment. I guess I was hoping that with time I might possibly enjoy her newest one. I thought my past experiences of not liking her other books must be bad timing, since timing plays such an important role in how we feel while reading a novel. I agree with another reviewer who said that this 512 page door stopper actually felt like it was more like 1,000 pages. I never consider skimming or DNFING a Net Galley ARC because I hope that at sometime it will improve if I keep reading. The premise was very intriguing and this would have been so much better which I will explain in my next paragraph.

I don't even want to ask you the question that the thesis of this novel is based on since the answer is so predictably trite and such an obvious choice. Here it is: If you were told when you were going to die and the cause of your death would you take measures to live differently? I know that I would. That is what the main point of this novel is centered around. There are a few reasons why this was such a slog to get through.

There is a plane full of passengers aboard a short flight from Hobart to Sydney, Australia. The plane arrives safely with no fear of turbulence to frighten the passengers that they almost could not have survived their flight safely. Instead a nondescript older woman named Cherry Lockwood (not Cheryl), gets up out of her seat mid flight, pointing her finger towards all passengers telling them what age they will die and their cause of death. None of the passengers will be able to remember her other than one woman who is named Paula, who knows that she's seen this woman before but can't recall where or how she knows her. Paula is told by this death woman that her baby named Timmy who was screaming inconsolably will die at age seven from drowning. This is quite upsetting news for Paula because she believes it. Another man named Leo is told that on his upcoming birthday he will die in a work place accident. He is already stressed out from the plane being delayed that he will miss his daughter Bridie's musical performance in a school play. He is an engineer that works on construction jobs and his wife Neve who when she learns of this prediction is frightened. Another couple who are already quite elderly are told that they will die at 103. They are the Baileys who are both doctors who work together in the same hospital.

A young girl is told that she will die before age twenty in a car accident. An older couple in their sixties are told that the wife named Sue will die at age sixty six from pancreatic cancer. That type of cancer is one of the worst to prevent since by the time you realize the symptoms it's usually too late to intervene medically to prevent it from being vigilant about getting treated. Sue happens to be happily married with children and grandchildren that she loves. She is also a nurse who takes good care of her health. Another young couple named Eve and Dom who are wearing their wedding attire are told that Dom, the groom will kill Eve by death of him choking her. She tells a young man named Ethan that has his arm in a sling from a broken wrist that he will die at a time near in the future that results in a fight or brawl. Lastly, she tells a flight attendant who is in charge of the cabin crew that she will die shortly from self harm. Basically, Cherry has just turned all of these peoples lives upside down with some believing her predictions as if she is a fortune teller. The people who aren't concerned do end up upsetting and, worrying their family members who they inform, which causes them to be scared enough to avoid the death predictions by trying to intervene what the terminal predictions is by modifying their life habits or plans.


As I said, some people dismiss her as a charlatan, but most are frightened and if they aren't their loved ones are. This is where I would have given this book five stars if most of this novel centered on all of these characters. What ruined it for me is all of these characters got a scarce amount of the focusing on them in this long novel. Instead it focuses on long chapters about Cherry's life. I dreaded each time a new chapter would be based on Cherry's whole life which suffered from what a good friend of mine calls the kitchen sink syndrome. I was so not interested in her entire life story which had no further interaction between her and these characters. Her life except for a few concepts was mind numbness boring. I wanted to read more about the frightened families or single people's lives and sadly those chapters were much shorter compared to Cherry.

I dreaded how often I would encounter Cherry's life story each time I read about her life minutia. The only parts of her long history that might have been compelling is when it talked about her mother being a fortune teller which is illegal in this novel practicing as one in Australia. Her mother went by the name of Madame Mae and Cherry didn't believe her mother had the gift of being clairvoyant and thought her mother focused on women who disclosed the fact that they were married to violent or abusive husbands. In that case Madame Mae would counsel these women as if she had a degree in psychology urging them to leave. Isn't that common sense?

If you want to read about every single inconsequential detail about Cherry's first love, her marriages, what they did to entertain themselves like getting drunk every weekend with neighbors, where she went on vacation, how she didn't like children and her attempts to adopt a Korean baby or child to please her Korean mother in law and her own mother. How many times Cherry moved to different locations. The quality of her relationships--then you might love this. She wasn't interacting with all of those people whose lives she affected by her actions on that flight until 95% when you get how things get tied up. Personally, I didn't care about Cherry's backstory or feel bad for her lifestyle disappointments or why she got divorced and how she met her husband who she had a long marriage with because I didn't like her for what she did to shake up the small bread crumbs the reader is offered very little of.

To be fair I did like the mathematical theories and statistical data presented, but it wasn't enough to enjoy the execution of the premise that started out so promising. Maybe I am not a fan of the lack of character development for most of the people who lived in fear of losing their lives. It takes up to 50% when a few of these deaths occur in a long 512 page novel. I don't mind long novels if the content keeps me intrigued enough to keep reading. This is a character driven novel that mostly is filler which Cherry's uninteresting details end up getting developed. There are a few of the passengers who appear to alter their cause of death, just not nearly enough. I can't remember being tortured by having to keep reading a novel that was so flat and feeling as bored or that seemed so blah like as this one. I won't read this author again. Do read other reviews since some people loved this.
I feel that my higher rating which to me is higher than I felt like most of this didn't earn is for the author's sense of humor and for the few scant lines that I could relate to. Also, I could understand in the last 5% why Cherry did what she did by causing so many people so much grief, while she sailed through most of this novel unaffected by her actions which had two positive outcomes in the few pages at the very end.

Publication Date: September 10, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Liane Moriarty and Crown Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#HereOneMoment #LianeMoriarity #CrownPublishing #NetGalley

I really enjoyed Here One Moment from the very beginning. Liane Moriarty has a way of writing characters that feel very relatable and interesting. At first I was worried I would have trouble remember each character (there are many) but, once you get into the meat of the story, it's easy to keep track. The story flowed between the multiple POVs very well and I loved how everything came together in the end. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment is a compelling addition to her body of work, which I've consistently enjoyed. This novel features her signature blend of sharp character insights and intricate plotting. The story, revolving around the impact of a sudden, tragic event on a family, is both moving and thought-provoking. Moriarty excels at creating relatable, flawed characters whose journeys are engrossing. While the novel's pacing occasionally lags, the emotional depth and nuanced storytelling make it a worthwhile read. For fans of Moriarty’s previous releases, Here One Moment continues her streak of engaging and emotionally resonant fiction.

Liane Moriarty is a must read author for me! I was so excited to receive an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Creative and interesting premise as a psychic type woman predicts age and t cause of death for passengers on a commercial flight. I loved the unique storyline, rotating point of views and intertwined characters. Highly recommend!