In an Instant Paperback – March 1, 2020

• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★• General Overview: The novel follows the story of two families who are caught up in a serious, tragic accident high in snowy mountains and the lengths that each individual go to to survive. The book takes the ingenious idea of narrating the aftermath of the crash from sixteen year old Finn’s PoV. It’s ingenious because Finn dies in the crash and therefore she takes on an almost omniscient role and the book becomes a sort of fly-on-the-wall exposé of the crash victim’s broken lives.•What did I think?: This book was an absolute page turner for me! I picked it off of the recommended shelf on Kindle Unlimited and I am so glad that I did! ‘In an Instant’ is such a beautifully written novel that tackles grief and how different people cope with traumatic events. Everyone reacts differently and this book shows the gambits of emotion from all sides and the emotions hit the reader as you read it.I was intrigued to find out that Suzanne Redfearn had inspiration from an event in her childhood when writing this novel. You can tell that her raw emotion from her memories really helped fuel the tone of all the characters as they navigate through the traumatic events that unfold.There are so many characters in this book and the author does an amazing job at going into detail of how each character is feeling emotionally and coping with the traumatic events they all just went through. Because of this, it is so easy to become attached to these characters and feel the emotions that is being portrayed by their thoughts and actions.There are also some plot twists in the story that I personally didn’t see coming and I’m a sucker for plot twists. There were moments where I was mad, sad, and shocked at some of the outcomes. Suzanne Redfearn did such a great job at using suspense to keep us locked in and turning the pages to see how everything would turn out.This is a novel that really asks questions about what we as humans are capable of doing to each other. It dares to look at our darkest thoughts of purely self preservation and asks the reader do you know what you would do in these most bleak of moments? No one character in this book is left guilt free. They all experience shame on some level at how they survived and because they survived.• Do I recommend this book?: Yes! This is one of those books that really the less you know about it the better. While the prose may not be that beautiful with an awkward narrative initially, this is still definitely worth a read if you’re in the mood for a character study type novel as the most thought provoking themes truly reveal themselves after approx 1/3 the way through.

What I initially thought was going to be just a coming of age/family drama turned out to be so much more. It would be wrong to give away any plot details. The story needs to be read and experienced firsthand by the reader.Some of the factors I liked best were the perspective from which the story was told; the depth of realistic emotion and scarcity of sentimentality; the overall quality of the writing; and the believable portrayals of people coping with grief, anger, and guilt. Upon reading the author’s comments at the end of the story, the realism and honesty in which it is told becomes even more apparent and understandable.Perhaps because of the perspective of the character who tells the story, the book is very visual and would make a compelling movie but only if the depth of purpose is maintained and it’s not turned into something lesser.

A truly gripping story. Each character in the book is deeply affected by an accident and, subequently, the variety of repercussions that will change their lives forever.The author weaves a powerful tale based on a tragedy that affects each character in a different way and it makes the reader question "what would I have done?"I was mesmerized by this story, a true work of literary excellence. It is right up there with the best novels I have ever read. Poignant. Believable. Surprising. Tear-jerking. Smile making. Breathtaking. This book made me feel every emotion known to humanity. It quickly awakened my emotions and immediatlely pulled me in.Thank you, Ms. Redfearn for a great read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written novel that illustrates multiple facets of human interaction and behavior. I will keep this one.

Every so often a book comes along and stamps itself on your soul, and this story definitely did that to me. If I could rate this one a million stars, I would. Wow. This book. This. book. I'm just going to say that even though we're only about two and a half months into the year, this one will be on my best of the year!It's so hard to completely discuss this book without giving away spoilers, and you really want to go into this one with very little information. Masterfully written and with such glorious prose, you'll find yourself mesmerized and so caught up in this family's tragic saga that you will not be able to let go until you know the end. This story is powerful and poignant, begging readers to question everything they ever thought they knew about themselves and others even those they trust."Nothing is as it was. The pretense of valor, her own and others', has been decimated and the ugly truth of human nature revealed."This is a heartbreaking and truly unforgettable exploration of our own humanity. Split second decisions are made all the time, yet some of those result in ramifications that leave a legacy built on the consequences of those choices. As characters confront their own survival, the ultimate healing comes with forgiveness and not just to others, but to oneself as well. The road is not the same for everyone, but it is a breathtakingly emotional journey, especially as readers travel that path with them."Like everyone else, she is stumbling forward, one foot in front of the other, not always in the right direction but staggering on just the same."The narrative is incredibly spiritual. There are so many moments scattered throughout that ask us to question our mortality and an afterlife, especially for Finn as she lingers between two worlds. Ultimately, Finn helps us to understand that it's okay to feel sad, but always remember to celebrate the time you had together with a loved one so their presence is never forgotten."Carry me inside you as a light that brightens your world and makes everything better."This is one of those perfect reading experiences that will always hold a special place in my heart. I have so much love, respect, and appreciation to the author for sharing this story (be sure to read the Author's Note at the end). As hard as it was to pick up the next book on my schedule, we learn so gracefully from In an Instant that life marches on, so onward I go, but the memory remains.Many thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours and the author for providing me with a free copy of the book for review. I loved it so much I purchased my own physical copy. This is my honest and thoughtful opinion.