What do you think?
Rate this book
In an Instant
ŷ Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2020)Life is over in an instant for sixteen-year-old Finn Miller when a devastating car accident tumbles her and ten others over the side of a mountain. Suspended between worlds, she watches helplessly as those she loves struggle to survive.
Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?
Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on…even when it seems impossible.
Impossible choices are made, decisions that leave the survivors tormented with grief and regret. Unable to let go, Finn keeps vigil as they struggle to reclaim their shattered lives. Jack, her father, who seeks vengeance against the one person he can blame other than himself; her best friend, Mo, who bravely searches for the truth as the story of their survival is rewritten; her sister Chloe, who knows Finn lingers and yearns to join her; and her mother, Ann, who saved them all but is haunted by her decisions. Finn needs to move on, but how can she with her family still in pieces?
Heartrending yet ultimately redemptive, In an Instant is a story about the power of love, the meaning of family, and carrying on…even when it seems impossible.
319 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2020
41.1k people are currently reading
97k people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Redfearn
11books2,055followersSuzanne Redfearn is the award-winning author of Six novels: Hush Little Baby, No Ordinary Life, In an Instant, and Hadley & Grace, Moment in Time, and Where Butterflies Wander. In addition to being an author, she’s also an architect specializing in residential and commercial design. She lives in Laguna Beach, California, where she and her husband own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza and Beer. You can find her at her website, , on Facebook at SuzanneRedfearnAuthor, or on Instagram at SuzanneRedfearn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,342 reviews
September 12, 2020
This book was an Amazon First Reads choice for me and it had me from the moment I started reading it. Finn is such a delightful character, sixteen, happy, athletic, smart as a whip but thinking she messes everything up. Her mother is a shrew of a lawyer and her dad is the full time caretaker of her mentally disabledhulk of a thirteen year old brother. The rest of the family is made up of Aubrey, who is getting married in five months, and Chloe, her goth eighteen year old sister, inseparable from her tennis playing goth boyfriend. The marriage of Finn's mom and dad is barely hanging by a thread and as they leave for a three day vacation in the snow covered mountains, her moms swears that the marriage is over.
Along for the trip are Bob and Karen and their spoiled teenage daughter and Mo, Finn's best friend. Aubrey has stayed home but the rest of the family, the neighbor's family, Mo, and a young man needing a ride, fly over the mountain side when the camper that everyone is riding in, has to swerve to miss a deer. The damage is devastating, with Finn caught in a limbo that is death but not quite, being able to follow the other characters as they try to survive the wreck and then as they try to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional consequences of the wreck, their actions and reactions, their guilt and overwhelming grief.
This story was so good and it makes you think at every turn. Could you put another child's welfare above your own child, in an event where every action could mean life or death, losing or keeping a digit or a limb? Just how selfish would you be when it could be a matter your life vs another person's life. So much guilt, grief, and pain and so many secrets by everyone. Finn is a helpless bystander to all of this, not knowing why she can still see her family when she knows she is dead. I'm to thankful that I chose this book as my First Reads pick.
Published March 1st 2020
Along for the trip are Bob and Karen and their spoiled teenage daughter and Mo, Finn's best friend. Aubrey has stayed home but the rest of the family, the neighbor's family, Mo, and a young man needing a ride, fly over the mountain side when the camper that everyone is riding in, has to swerve to miss a deer. The damage is devastating, with Finn caught in a limbo that is death but not quite, being able to follow the other characters as they try to survive the wreck and then as they try to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional consequences of the wreck, their actions and reactions, their guilt and overwhelming grief.
This story was so good and it makes you think at every turn. Could you put another child's welfare above your own child, in an event where every action could mean life or death, losing or keeping a digit or a limb? Just how selfish would you be when it could be a matter your life vs another person's life. So much guilt, grief, and pain and so many secrets by everyone. Finn is a helpless bystander to all of this, not knowing why she can still see her family when she knows she is dead. I'm to thankful that I chose this book as my First Reads pick.
Published March 1st 2020
February 7, 2020
Moving, poignant, and ultimately redemptive, is an unforgettable tale about grief, mortality, and what it means to be human. I really don't want to say too much about this story, because it would be a grave sin to ruin a perfectly wonderful reading experience for those wishing to pick up the book, but I'll say this: I cried, I sobbed, and I couldn't put this book down. Seriously, I read it in a single sitting. This is a book I won't soon forget, and as a daddy's girl myself, I most intensely related to Finn and Jack's arc. sobs some more Please do yourself a favor and get your hands on this book as soon as physically possible! This is my first read by the author but certainly won't be my last.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
November 23, 2019
In an Instant....thank goodness I had tissues on hand.
In an Instant, lives are changed forever. Sixteen-year-old Finn is dead after a tragic car accident. Finn keeps vigil, watching as those she loves struggle to survive and move on with their lives.
Add me to the list of people who sat down and read this book in one day. Whew! I won’t tell you anything else about the book except that it is a moving, thought provoking look at what loss does to an individual and to a family. The choices and sacrifices people make to survive. The tears shed and the grief that comes after tragedy. For me this was a tearjerker. I didn't want to put this book down as I wanted to know what would happen next. How these people and families would cope. This is also a character study on human nature - what will people do to survive. Will they go against their nature or will their true nature be shown? When ordinary people are put in extraordinary situations, what choices will they make?
Grab some tissues and a comfy spot to read as this is absorbing, emotional, engrossing, moving, and thought provoking. It is well written, and nothing felt rushed or drawn out. Don't stop reading when the book ends, the Author's note is informative and tells of her own childhood story of survival.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
In an Instant, lives are changed forever. Sixteen-year-old Finn is dead after a tragic car accident. Finn keeps vigil, watching as those she loves struggle to survive and move on with their lives.
Add me to the list of people who sat down and read this book in one day. Whew! I won’t tell you anything else about the book except that it is a moving, thought provoking look at what loss does to an individual and to a family. The choices and sacrifices people make to survive. The tears shed and the grief that comes after tragedy. For me this was a tearjerker. I didn't want to put this book down as I wanted to know what would happen next. How these people and families would cope. This is also a character study on human nature - what will people do to survive. Will they go against their nature or will their true nature be shown? When ordinary people are put in extraordinary situations, what choices will they make?
Grab some tissues and a comfy spot to read as this is absorbing, emotional, engrossing, moving, and thought provoking. It is well written, and nothing felt rushed or drawn out. Don't stop reading when the book ends, the Author's note is informative and tells of her own childhood story of survival.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 6, 2021
This is one of the best, outstandingly emotional, heart wrenching and extremely thought provoking books of the year!
When I reach the half of it: I put my book down and start crying: I cried for the dead characters, I cried for the ones stumbling between life and death who lost their sanity after the tragic accident, I cried for the characters who suffered to move on and punished themselves with self flagellation! This book is something so intense, raw and realistic that crushes your soul more than three times a regular poignant story can manage.
We were firstly introduced with Finn Miller, sweet, sixteen years old girl, having 3 siblings who are polar opposites of her: Chloe is cool, artistic, unpredictable, Aubrey is more domestic, people pleaser, getting married in 3 months, Oz: on the verge of mental disease, 13 years old boy who needs to be controlled for his unexpected violent tendencies.
Finn tried to connect with her mother Ann who is tough, smart lawyer, perfectionist. But it seems like only Aubrey can truly form a bonding with her. But at least she has close relationship with her dad Jack who lately doesn’t get along with their mother.
Instead of Aubrey who excuses herself for the dinner invitation with her fiancée’s family, the entire family including Finn’s best friend Mo ( hardly gets a permission from her over protective mother who has bad premonition about their trip)Chloe’s love of her life Vance, their neighbors and long time friends Uncle Bob, Aunt Karen, their spoiled, attention seeker daughter gather for the mountain trip. And a young, charming man Kyle, whose car has been broke down, joins them.
Throughout their road trip, suddenly a dear jumps down the road and Jack loses the control of the car AND...
From now on our narrator and the story’s protagonist Finn watches over her family, her dear friend as a trapped soul as they are also trapped in the car. Yes, Finn dies after the crush. And so many decisions have been made at that night because everyone’s priorities were at different places.
Ann walks out to find help, accompanied by Kyle, leaving her dead daughter and badly injured husband and her son Oz behind. Chloe follows Vance who doesn’t want to get trapped in the car, left behind to die.
And some truly earth shattering and unacceptable thing happens at that night: People make choices to save their loved ones in expanse putting the other ones� lives into danger.
What happens next? Finn is restless soul and most of her family members and her best friend have no intention to let her go. She has to see how her loved ones crumble into pieces, hurt themselves with pure grief, loss their sanities, showing mentally and physically different reactions to deal with their pain. Will they deal with the consequences of their choices? Will they learn to make peace with themselves and continue to accuse their loved ones to cover their self loathing tendencies.
Till they find their inner happiness and closure, Finn’s soul can’t leave them.
This is such a tear jerking, heartfelt story which shakes you to the core and those characters� stories stay with you forever.
One of the best books of the year and I already add to my all time favorite books list!
The epic conclusion made me cry but also warmed my heart with so much hope.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TO READ THIS AMAZING NOVEL! And don’t forget to read the author’s note to learn how her real life experience pushed her to pour down her own feelings into this story.
I’m giving blazing, life changing, sensitive, epic , absolutely well-deserved five stars!
I cannot wait to read more works of the author!
When I reach the half of it: I put my book down and start crying: I cried for the dead characters, I cried for the ones stumbling between life and death who lost their sanity after the tragic accident, I cried for the characters who suffered to move on and punished themselves with self flagellation! This book is something so intense, raw and realistic that crushes your soul more than three times a regular poignant story can manage.
We were firstly introduced with Finn Miller, sweet, sixteen years old girl, having 3 siblings who are polar opposites of her: Chloe is cool, artistic, unpredictable, Aubrey is more domestic, people pleaser, getting married in 3 months, Oz: on the verge of mental disease, 13 years old boy who needs to be controlled for his unexpected violent tendencies.
Finn tried to connect with her mother Ann who is tough, smart lawyer, perfectionist. But it seems like only Aubrey can truly form a bonding with her. But at least she has close relationship with her dad Jack who lately doesn’t get along with their mother.
Instead of Aubrey who excuses herself for the dinner invitation with her fiancée’s family, the entire family including Finn’s best friend Mo ( hardly gets a permission from her over protective mother who has bad premonition about their trip)Chloe’s love of her life Vance, their neighbors and long time friends Uncle Bob, Aunt Karen, their spoiled, attention seeker daughter gather for the mountain trip. And a young, charming man Kyle, whose car has been broke down, joins them.
Throughout their road trip, suddenly a dear jumps down the road and Jack loses the control of the car AND...
From now on our narrator and the story’s protagonist Finn watches over her family, her dear friend as a trapped soul as they are also trapped in the car. Yes, Finn dies after the crush. And so many decisions have been made at that night because everyone’s priorities were at different places.
Ann walks out to find help, accompanied by Kyle, leaving her dead daughter and badly injured husband and her son Oz behind. Chloe follows Vance who doesn’t want to get trapped in the car, left behind to die.
And some truly earth shattering and unacceptable thing happens at that night: People make choices to save their loved ones in expanse putting the other ones� lives into danger.
What happens next? Finn is restless soul and most of her family members and her best friend have no intention to let her go. She has to see how her loved ones crumble into pieces, hurt themselves with pure grief, loss their sanities, showing mentally and physically different reactions to deal with their pain. Will they deal with the consequences of their choices? Will they learn to make peace with themselves and continue to accuse their loved ones to cover their self loathing tendencies.
Till they find their inner happiness and closure, Finn’s soul can’t leave them.
This is such a tear jerking, heartfelt story which shakes you to the core and those characters� stories stay with you forever.
One of the best books of the year and I already add to my all time favorite books list!
The epic conclusion made me cry but also warmed my heart with so much hope.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TO READ THIS AMAZING NOVEL! And don’t forget to read the author’s note to learn how her real life experience pushed her to pour down her own feelings into this story.
I’m giving blazing, life changing, sensitive, epic , absolutely well-deserved five stars!
I cannot wait to read more works of the author!
March 8, 2021
Let me be the 27,319th person to say hollllllyyyyyy balls this was a phenomenal, gripping, 5-star read!!!
So many other adjectives come to mind about this story of a horrible winter car accident and its aftermath. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. Hard.
You can analyze a book for its prose and its plot. Susanne Redfearn’s prose is solid, but it’s the plot of In An Instant that really grabs hold of you. A reconfigured camper carrying a group of family friends swerves to miss a deer on an icy road and slides down a mountain in the middle of a blizzard. Sixteen-year-old Finn is killed instantly, and readers see what unfolds from her other-worldly perspective.
We become flies on the wall as the survivors first try to stay alive and then try to deal with the consequences of the choices they made in the process. We throw stones at the characters for their actions and then realize the old saying is true - everyone’s house is made of glass. Are we any different?
In An Instant is a very moving novel about what’s forgivable if not forgettable. It’s nearly perfect, though I do wish a few of the teenage characters had made some other decisions at the end. But if I judged them for their actions, I would have missed the point.
This and Redfearn’s other novels are available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program. In An Instant also includes WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format. (As of 3/8/21.)
Review previously posted with my other recent great reads at
So many other adjectives come to mind about this story of a horrible winter car accident and its aftermath. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. Hard.
You can analyze a book for its prose and its plot. Susanne Redfearn’s prose is solid, but it’s the plot of In An Instant that really grabs hold of you. A reconfigured camper carrying a group of family friends swerves to miss a deer on an icy road and slides down a mountain in the middle of a blizzard. Sixteen-year-old Finn is killed instantly, and readers see what unfolds from her other-worldly perspective.
We become flies on the wall as the survivors first try to stay alive and then try to deal with the consequences of the choices they made in the process. We throw stones at the characters for their actions and then realize the old saying is true - everyone’s house is made of glass. Are we any different?
In An Instant is a very moving novel about what’s forgivable if not forgettable. It’s nearly perfect, though I do wish a few of the teenage characters had made some other decisions at the end. But if I judged them for their actions, I would have missed the point.
This and Redfearn’s other novels are available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program. In An Instant also includes WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format. (As of 3/8/21.)
Review previously posted with my other recent great reads at
July 24, 2020
My reviews can also be seen at:
Oh wow�
I’ve enjoyed Suzanne Redfearn’s previous novels so I wasn’t surprised that I enjoyed this one too. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. I thought this was an incredible novel. Both devastating and heartwarming, this novel is now on my favorites list.
Sixteen-year-old Finn Miller is on vacation with her family and best friend when a tragic car accident changes all their lives forever.
Because I listened to this audio so quickly, I didn’t take a lot of notes. There was no way I could stop once I started listening. I finished it in just one day. However, I still wanted to write something to try to show just how amazing I thought this book was.
“Regret is a tough emotion to live with, impossible to move on from. Because what’s done is done�
My heart was in my throat throughout most of this novel, but it was totally worth it.
Thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, In An Instant, is an amazing story of tragedy, survival, family, and the power of love.
Another 5 star novel by Suzanne Redfearn!
Oh wow�
I’ve enjoyed Suzanne Redfearn’s previous novels so I wasn’t surprised that I enjoyed this one too. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. I thought this was an incredible novel. Both devastating and heartwarming, this novel is now on my favorites list.
Sixteen-year-old Finn Miller is on vacation with her family and best friend when a tragic car accident changes all their lives forever.
Because I listened to this audio so quickly, I didn’t take a lot of notes. There was no way I could stop once I started listening. I finished it in just one day. However, I still wanted to write something to try to show just how amazing I thought this book was.
“Regret is a tough emotion to live with, impossible to move on from. Because what’s done is done�
My heart was in my throat throughout most of this novel, but it was totally worth it.
Thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, In An Instant, is an amazing story of tragedy, survival, family, and the power of love.
Another 5 star novel by Suzanne Redfearn!
March 31, 2020
you know how sometimes GRs recommendations can be a little� off? well, the side bar told me i would enjoy this because i liked a book about mt. everest. this story has absolutely nothing to do with mt. everest, but the high average rating caught my attention. and after finishing this, i can understand why everyone has been loving this.
this is very ‘the lovely bones�-esque. the reader is given a fly on the wall perspective as finn sees how those close to her deal with a horrific accident and the consequences of everyones actions in days that follow. its a story of survival, grief, coping, and ultimately letting go.
i really enjoyed the story, especially after reading the authors note and knowing certain aspects of the story are based on a past personal experience. im not really one for ‘omnipresent� narration, but i thought it worked in this case. the writing is quick and easy and the pacing of this is really quite good. i feel like i read this in the blink of an eye.
this is definitely an easy book to recommend to others!
� 4 stars
this is very ‘the lovely bones�-esque. the reader is given a fly on the wall perspective as finn sees how those close to her deal with a horrific accident and the consequences of everyones actions in days that follow. its a story of survival, grief, coping, and ultimately letting go.
i really enjoyed the story, especially after reading the authors note and knowing certain aspects of the story are based on a past personal experience. im not really one for ‘omnipresent� narration, but i thought it worked in this case. the writing is quick and easy and the pacing of this is really quite good. i feel like i read this in the blink of an eye.
this is definitely an easy book to recommend to others!
� 4 stars
May 16, 2021
Wow!! I listened to this audio. This just might be the best book I've read/listened to this year. The narrator was outstanding and the story and writing is so moving and incredible!
This is a story of a family who is involved in a tragic car accident on the way to their skiing holiday. The story is told by Finn, a sixteen year old who horrifically loses her life and watches over her family while they grieve and try to piece back their lives.
This is a very touching and powerful story. Extremely thought-provoking! I think this is another book that would make an excellent movie!
This is a story of a family who is involved in a tragic car accident on the way to their skiing holiday. The story is told by Finn, a sixteen year old who horrifically loses her life and watches over her family while they grieve and try to piece back their lives.
This is a very touching and powerful story. Extremely thought-provoking! I think this is another book that would make an excellent movie!
February 10, 2020
If you are an Amazon Prime member, and you haven’t selected your book for FEB yet, because you weren’t sure which one to choose...let me help you out!
THIS book should be your choice!
It was CHILLING!
YES, it is reminiscent of “The Lovely Bones� as we have 16 year old, Finn, narrating from the omniscient view, as she is caught between this World and what comes next, but the similarities end there.
Swerving to avoid a deer on a cold, dark night, a camper careens off the road, plummeting over the mountainside. The occupants have cell phones but cannot get service.
Freezing cold temperatures will prevent them from surviving the night, if they survive their injuries...if they survive at all.
“Desperate people do things they wouldn’t normally do�
This story is about the choices each survivor will make, that night...out of guilt, fear, cowardice, or strength and how these choices affect their lives after the accident.
Short chapters kept the pace FAST and the tension HIGH.
I cried more than once.
But, I smiled and cheered too!!
And, as other reviewers have said, reading the “author’s note� at the END of the book is a MUST!
Highly recommended!
THIS book should be your choice!
It was CHILLING!
YES, it is reminiscent of “The Lovely Bones� as we have 16 year old, Finn, narrating from the omniscient view, as she is caught between this World and what comes next, but the similarities end there.
Swerving to avoid a deer on a cold, dark night, a camper careens off the road, plummeting over the mountainside. The occupants have cell phones but cannot get service.
Freezing cold temperatures will prevent them from surviving the night, if they survive their injuries...if they survive at all.
“Desperate people do things they wouldn’t normally do�
This story is about the choices each survivor will make, that night...out of guilt, fear, cowardice, or strength and how these choices affect their lives after the accident.
Short chapters kept the pace FAST and the tension HIGH.
I cried more than once.
But, I smiled and cheered too!!
And, as other reviewers have said, reading the “author’s note� at the END of the book is a MUST!
Highly recommended!
January 9, 2021
Imagine two couples - long-time friends with teen children going on a fun ski trip to the mountains in an RV, only to end up in a catastrophic accident that strands them in a bitter cold blizzard with one dead and others in serious need of help. Compound this dire situation with two choosing unwisely to leave for help during the worst of the storm.
What happens when you go from never really thinking about your life to suddenly realizing every decision you make could be the difference between life and death for you or someone you love? Where would your priorities lie, and who would you show preference to if danger was at your door? What lengths would you go to, to save yourself or your family?
If we go by this book, the answer is likely not as selfless and noble as we’d like to think we’d be. When survival is at stake, some people can be downright ugly and without conscience, and others might act in more subtle ways that still reveal motivations that are less than pure.
This is the scenario that greets our two families - the Millers: Jack, Ann, daughters Chloe and Finn, and disabled son Oz, along with their friends the Golds: Bob, Karen and daughter Natalie. Along for the ill-fated ride is Finn’s best friend, Mo, Chloe’s boyfriend, Vance, the Miller’s dog Bingo, and a young man, Kyle, they gave a ride to when he got stuck in the bad weather. No spoiler here because it’s in the blurb, sixteen-year-old Finn is killed, and now she finds herself looking over the different members of the trip, in the immediate aftermath and as life moves forward, seeing their pain and struggle as secrets unfold, guilt and regret come, and reckonings happen.
I said in one of my updates, “Is it wrong to have murderous thoughts toward a book character?� There is one character’s choices that had me imagining a variety of the most painful and unpleasant ways they could not so dearly depart us. This character brought out straight-up seething contempt. I won’t go into details, but I think unless you’re a member of the undead with no blood coursing through your veins or you are actually missing a beating heart, you will likely feel some measure of rage as well. It may be especially triggering or painful if you have a child with disabilities, as I do.
This is a really solid, emotional, well-told story that explores the messy dynamics of family and friends, and the different ways people cope or don’t cope with personal tragedy. It’s angering, it’s so sad, it’s hopeful, it’s sweet, it’s life-affirming, but it’s also humbling, because as much as I’d love to think I’d be a better person than some of the members of this trip, I just don’t know, and that’s not a comfortable place to be. Finn is an absolutely delightful character and her ability to travel freely between the different characters and see into their psyches and circumstances enables the reader to see things from her POV and feel the emotions through her, which I really liked. Mo is also a wonderful character, and I love her character arc. The only downside is that it’s hard to watch people suffer, and this book is a LOT of suffering in different ways.
Btw, read the Author's Note after reading the book. Thanks to my friend Jayme for that advice!
This is my second book by Suzanne Redfearn and it definitely won’t be my last. I highly recommend this one!
★★★★ ½ (rounded to 5)
What happens when you go from never really thinking about your life to suddenly realizing every decision you make could be the difference between life and death for you or someone you love? Where would your priorities lie, and who would you show preference to if danger was at your door? What lengths would you go to, to save yourself or your family?
If we go by this book, the answer is likely not as selfless and noble as we’d like to think we’d be. When survival is at stake, some people can be downright ugly and without conscience, and others might act in more subtle ways that still reveal motivations that are less than pure.
This is the scenario that greets our two families - the Millers: Jack, Ann, daughters Chloe and Finn, and disabled son Oz, along with their friends the Golds: Bob, Karen and daughter Natalie. Along for the ill-fated ride is Finn’s best friend, Mo, Chloe’s boyfriend, Vance, the Miller’s dog Bingo, and a young man, Kyle, they gave a ride to when he got stuck in the bad weather. No spoiler here because it’s in the blurb, sixteen-year-old Finn is killed, and now she finds herself looking over the different members of the trip, in the immediate aftermath and as life moves forward, seeing their pain and struggle as secrets unfold, guilt and regret come, and reckonings happen.
I said in one of my updates, “Is it wrong to have murderous thoughts toward a book character?� There is one character’s choices that had me imagining a variety of the most painful and unpleasant ways they could not so dearly depart us. This character brought out straight-up seething contempt. I won’t go into details, but I think unless you’re a member of the undead with no blood coursing through your veins or you are actually missing a beating heart, you will likely feel some measure of rage as well. It may be especially triggering or painful if you have a child with disabilities, as I do.
This is a really solid, emotional, well-told story that explores the messy dynamics of family and friends, and the different ways people cope or don’t cope with personal tragedy. It’s angering, it’s so sad, it’s hopeful, it’s sweet, it’s life-affirming, but it’s also humbling, because as much as I’d love to think I’d be a better person than some of the members of this trip, I just don’t know, and that’s not a comfortable place to be. Finn is an absolutely delightful character and her ability to travel freely between the different characters and see into their psyches and circumstances enables the reader to see things from her POV and feel the emotions through her, which I really liked. Mo is also a wonderful character, and I love her character arc. The only downside is that it’s hard to watch people suffer, and this book is a LOT of suffering in different ways.
Btw, read the Author's Note after reading the book. Thanks to my friend Jayme for that advice!
This is my second book by Suzanne Redfearn and it definitely won’t be my last. I highly recommend this one!
★★★★ ½ (rounded to 5)
December 9, 2020
Your whole life can change in an instant.
16-year old Finn is thrilled to be going on a ski weekend getaway with her family and her best friend. There are 11 people in the camper her father is driving. A blistering winter storm slams the roads, and in an attempt to avoid hitting a deer, the camper slides over the cliff of a mountain...and Finn instantly knows she’s dead.
What follows is a harrowing and atmospheric tale as the other occupants try to figure out how to survive in a blizzard, how to get help without cell reception...and, ultimately, how to move forward after the accident. Finn, in some sort of limbo, watches it all.
I was absolutely hooked by this emotional and gripping story from page 1. The accident and the way everyone tried to survive being stranded in a terrible snow storm had me at the edge of the seat.
The aftermath offers a truly unique perspective, as Finn is able to float between scenarios and people. Not only can she see how they are all dealing with trying to move on, but she also witnesses the consequences of their decisions in a horrendous situation.
There were characters I enjoyed. There were also characters who infuriated me with their terrible and selfish decisions (both during the storm and in the aftermath). It was hard to connect with them. However, I also think that is the point author Suzanne Redfearn was trying to show. How do any of us know what we would do if we were in this devastatingly dangerous situation?
This is a fantastic, thought-provoking book that brings out many emotions. Make sure you also read the author’s note at the end.
Review also posted at:
16-year old Finn is thrilled to be going on a ski weekend getaway with her family and her best friend. There are 11 people in the camper her father is driving. A blistering winter storm slams the roads, and in an attempt to avoid hitting a deer, the camper slides over the cliff of a mountain...and Finn instantly knows she’s dead.
What follows is a harrowing and atmospheric tale as the other occupants try to figure out how to survive in a blizzard, how to get help without cell reception...and, ultimately, how to move forward after the accident. Finn, in some sort of limbo, watches it all.
I was absolutely hooked by this emotional and gripping story from page 1. The accident and the way everyone tried to survive being stranded in a terrible snow storm had me at the edge of the seat.
The aftermath offers a truly unique perspective, as Finn is able to float between scenarios and people. Not only can she see how they are all dealing with trying to move on, but she also witnesses the consequences of their decisions in a horrendous situation.
There were characters I enjoyed. There were also characters who infuriated me with their terrible and selfish decisions (both during the storm and in the aftermath). It was hard to connect with them. However, I also think that is the point author Suzanne Redfearn was trying to show. How do any of us know what we would do if we were in this devastatingly dangerous situation?
This is a fantastic, thought-provoking book that brings out many emotions. Make sure you also read the author’s note at the end.
Review also posted at:
July 7, 2021
WoW! Breathtaking And Mesmerizing!
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time!
The haunting story begins with a family happily planning a a daughter's wedding, teens making plans for their upcoming formal, another thinking of upcoming graduation and college while the father and son excitedly get their huge and old traveling van ready for a ski trip over the presidents holiday weekend bringing their lovable dog and longtime friends and daughter along also for this fun and carefree excursion. Unbeknownst to all of them, there will be an accident involving everyone and some will be severely injured and dying while a blizzard will challenge love, loyalty, stamina, heartache, betrayal with devastating conditions where survival means making choices that will eventually cause guilt and regret for some. The impact of the accident is only the catalyst for the aftermath of what is to come when they finally arrive home. Not one life will be left unscathed by this traumatic event and some will come to realize that the people you thought you knew and loved were capable of making very selfish decisions that will have debilitating consequences when the truth is finally revealed.
Suzanne Redfearn's brilliant writing is some of the best I have read. She doesn't overuse words and descriptions where you find yourself fidgeting and yawning, her writing had me hanging on the edge and eager for each new word, sentence and chapter. I was mesmerized and that doesn't happen too often. The story pulled so many emotions from me and sadness with crying was certainly one of them and that rarely occurs while reading a book. I felt myself cheering for some characters while saying out loud to others No, No or Please don't.
Each and every character, (likeable and despicable) were so well developed that I felt the realness and honesty of their personalities and that is powerful writing. I truly loved this book and I recommend it to all readers. Just be sure to have a box of tissues ready. I cannot wait to read another book by this fantastic author!
I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC! The publication date is March 1, 2020.
Readers Don't Miss Out On Reading This Book!
I have given a rating on 5 Breathtaking and Stunning 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time!
The haunting story begins with a family happily planning a a daughter's wedding, teens making plans for their upcoming formal, another thinking of upcoming graduation and college while the father and son excitedly get their huge and old traveling van ready for a ski trip over the presidents holiday weekend bringing their lovable dog and longtime friends and daughter along also for this fun and carefree excursion. Unbeknownst to all of them, there will be an accident involving everyone and some will be severely injured and dying while a blizzard will challenge love, loyalty, stamina, heartache, betrayal with devastating conditions where survival means making choices that will eventually cause guilt and regret for some. The impact of the accident is only the catalyst for the aftermath of what is to come when they finally arrive home. Not one life will be left unscathed by this traumatic event and some will come to realize that the people you thought you knew and loved were capable of making very selfish decisions that will have debilitating consequences when the truth is finally revealed.
Suzanne Redfearn's brilliant writing is some of the best I have read. She doesn't overuse words and descriptions where you find yourself fidgeting and yawning, her writing had me hanging on the edge and eager for each new word, sentence and chapter. I was mesmerized and that doesn't happen too often. The story pulled so many emotions from me and sadness with crying was certainly one of them and that rarely occurs while reading a book. I felt myself cheering for some characters while saying out loud to others No, No or Please don't.
Each and every character, (likeable and despicable) were so well developed that I felt the realness and honesty of their personalities and that is powerful writing. I truly loved this book and I recommend it to all readers. Just be sure to have a box of tissues ready. I cannot wait to read another book by this fantastic author!
I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC! The publication date is March 1, 2020.
Readers Don't Miss Out On Reading This Book!
I have given a rating on 5 Breathtaking and Stunning 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
November 28, 2020
This story makes “My Lovely Bones�, look like a G-rated Saturday morning children’s special.
There is absolutely no comic - or inspiring relief.
It’s simply tragedy, after tragedy, grief after grief, devastating travesties, and grueling details of agony.
It was like pulling teeth, slowly, one at a time, with no Novacaine.
My goodness.... I can appreciate that “In An Instant�, has that ‘can’t look away� thing going for it.... like one hell of a bad car crash � ( ha, there was a car crash)� but to go through the emotions, injuries and the loss of 10 characters is like suggesting family
and friends jump off the Bay Bridge for a jolly good time.
I did a little skimming but honestly I didn’t miss anything crucial of importance.
I didn’t experience one redeeming quality. It also needed some serious editing.
The author paints a morbid
picture of pain, suffering, loss, grief, freezing torture, and death .....
It’s the ultimate semi-suspenseful tragic page turning thriller pumped with a double dose of steroids.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to any of my friends �
however many people love it.
It’s a popular one…but not for me.
There is absolutely no comic - or inspiring relief.
It’s simply tragedy, after tragedy, grief after grief, devastating travesties, and grueling details of agony.
It was like pulling teeth, slowly, one at a time, with no Novacaine.
My goodness.... I can appreciate that “In An Instant�, has that ‘can’t look away� thing going for it.... like one hell of a bad car crash � ( ha, there was a car crash)� but to go through the emotions, injuries and the loss of 10 characters is like suggesting family
and friends jump off the Bay Bridge for a jolly good time.
I did a little skimming but honestly I didn’t miss anything crucial of importance.
I didn’t experience one redeeming quality. It also needed some serious editing.
The author paints a morbid
picture of pain, suffering, loss, grief, freezing torture, and death .....
It’s the ultimate semi-suspenseful tragic page turning thriller pumped with a double dose of steroids.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to any of my friends �
however many people love it.
It’s a popular one…but not for me.
February 3, 2020
I was invited to choose from several books offered via Amazon's February "First Reads" and downloaded this for free. Before doing so, I read my ŷ friend Debra's raving review, which confirmed my choice. On the product page for the book in Amazon it cites that readers who enjoyed the book would like this. Therefore, it wouldn't be much of a spoiler for me to reveal that the narrator of this story is a teenager of 16 who dies early on in the book. This sudden death sets the stage for a riveting account of the aftermath of a horrible accident in blizzard conditions.
The deceased teenager flits here and there following the various family members and friends describing their actions immediately following the accident. You really find out a lot about people you might not otherwise know in the middle of a crisis situation. Some people are selfish, others are heroic, sensible and resourceful. Oftentimes it's just survival of the fittest. Debra was so right when she said that she couldn't put the book down. I read it marathon style over the weekend, a rarity for me. I had to immediately know how it all panned out.
The writing style flowed easily and this was just a fantastic read. I'll be looking out for this author in the future.
The deceased teenager flits here and there following the various family members and friends describing their actions immediately following the accident. You really find out a lot about people you might not otherwise know in the middle of a crisis situation. Some people are selfish, others are heroic, sensible and resourceful. Oftentimes it's just survival of the fittest. Debra was so right when she said that she couldn't put the book down. I read it marathon style over the weekend, a rarity for me. I had to immediately know how it all panned out.
The writing style flowed easily and this was just a fantastic read. I'll be looking out for this author in the future.
July 5, 2020
A real page turner. This heart-wrenching book kept me engaged throughout most of the book. The end was a bit slower. Otherwise I would have rated it higher.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Thanks to Amazon First Reads for the ebook.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Thanks to Amazon First Reads for the ebook.
March 4, 2020
This emotional book broke my heart, and thankfully, it put it back together again. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I read and loved Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn a few years ago and was so excited to be offered her newest book. Isn’t that cover a beauty, and you all know I love an emotional story. In An Instant broke my heart into a million pieces.
Finn is sixteen years old when she’s in a car accident where she is trapped watching as others struggle to keep alive. The accident rips her family apart as difficult decisions are made. There’s so much feeling in this book. So much to love. A beautiful story about family and healing. I loved it, and I’m happy to tell you that in the end my heart was not just broken by this story. It was mended, too.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: and instagram:
I read and loved Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn a few years ago and was so excited to be offered her newest book. Isn’t that cover a beauty, and you all know I love an emotional story. In An Instant broke my heart into a million pieces.
Finn is sixteen years old when she’s in a car accident where she is trapped watching as others struggle to keep alive. The accident rips her family apart as difficult decisions are made. There’s so much feeling in this book. So much to love. A beautiful story about family and healing. I loved it, and I’m happy to tell you that in the end my heart was not just broken by this story. It was mended, too.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: and instagram:
February 7, 2020
A tight-nit family along with a few friends go on their annual trip to a secluded cabin that has been passed down for generations. Along the way, they swerve to miss hitting a deer. This instant changes their lives forever and their camper falls below the guardrails on the side of a mountain into the snow. Finn, a sixteen year old, is immediately dead, but does not pass through to her next world. She continues to watch her family through survival, rescue, guilt, and grief.
The chapters are short and there are a total of 94 chapters. The first 14% (ch.1-5) of the story were the days leading up to their trip before the accident occurs. When the accident hit, it really picked up. I couldn’t read fast enough. There is a huge “omg� moment that happens while they are fighting for survival. I was astounded, angry, and my jaw dropped when this happened.
At 38 % the rescue is complete but not all survive. (Meaning only 14-38% or ch. 6-35 of the novel was their survival story, the rest is what happens after they get back home.) From this point on the family is drowning in blame, grief, and hate. Guilt radiates the life and relationships of those who survived and a secret is kept about that fateful night. This is the bulk and focus of the story, so for most of the story it is not very happy.
Paranormal aspect- The narrator is dead and narrates all of the story for the family/characters. She watches them while lingering in limbo. (They cannot see her, but she talks to them in their dreams.) Towards the end this narration style got repetitive.
There is some minor mundane stuff that happens like watching baseball games, rescuing kittens…to help them get through their grief. There were hard parts to get through, but there were also cheesy parts. Overall, I really enjoyed it though I would definitely classify this as a young adult novel.
(There is cussing and sex, but not the sexy details.)
The ending Author’s Note is a must read which explains the real story that inspired this fictional novel. Solid 4 stars.
The chapters are short and there are a total of 94 chapters. The first 14% (ch.1-5) of the story were the days leading up to their trip before the accident occurs. When the accident hit, it really picked up. I couldn’t read fast enough. There is a huge “omg� moment that happens while they are fighting for survival. I was astounded, angry, and my jaw dropped when this happened.
At 38 % the rescue is complete but not all survive. (Meaning only 14-38% or ch. 6-35 of the novel was their survival story, the rest is what happens after they get back home.) From this point on the family is drowning in blame, grief, and hate. Guilt radiates the life and relationships of those who survived and a secret is kept about that fateful night. This is the bulk and focus of the story, so for most of the story it is not very happy.
Paranormal aspect- The narrator is dead and narrates all of the story for the family/characters. She watches them while lingering in limbo. (They cannot see her, but she talks to them in their dreams.) Towards the end this narration style got repetitive.
There is some minor mundane stuff that happens like watching baseball games, rescuing kittens…to help them get through their grief. There were hard parts to get through, but there were also cheesy parts. Overall, I really enjoyed it though I would definitely classify this as a young adult novel.
(There is cussing and sex, but not the sexy details.)
The ending Author’s Note is a must read which explains the real story that inspired this fictional novel. Solid 4 stars.
March 12, 2021
I adore this book.
I join the masses in saying this book is such a gift, so beautifully rendered. I experienced such a wide array of emotions from hurt, anger, sorrow, joy. There were times, I thought my heart would break and I had to go get more tissues to wipe my eyes and yet the next moment something would make me laugh, not a chuckle, but a big-bellied laugh.
A horrendous accident, Finn is killed instantly and from there the real story begins as each character makes their choices. Both action and inaction are a choice and so we see who each person is and what they will become.
Redfern, is gifted in her ability to make us not only see the characters, but feel them and as they feel, so do we. As our characters changed I felt I did too. The characters felt so real that I think about them even now. I wonder how they are doing.
“Regret is the most difficult emotion to live with, but in order to have regret, you need to have a conscience: an interesting paradox that allows the worst of us to suffer the least in the aftermath of wrongdoing.�
In the end, this is one of the few books where the ending nears and I stall for time. I’m not ready to say goodbye, nor for the book to end.
I highly recommend this beautiful book to everyone. ❤️ the writers notes at the end are interesting.
“and though I am gone, carry me with you, but only as lightness and never as weight ...
I join the masses in saying this book is such a gift, so beautifully rendered. I experienced such a wide array of emotions from hurt, anger, sorrow, joy. There were times, I thought my heart would break and I had to go get more tissues to wipe my eyes and yet the next moment something would make me laugh, not a chuckle, but a big-bellied laugh.
A horrendous accident, Finn is killed instantly and from there the real story begins as each character makes their choices. Both action and inaction are a choice and so we see who each person is and what they will become.
Redfern, is gifted in her ability to make us not only see the characters, but feel them and as they feel, so do we. As our characters changed I felt I did too. The characters felt so real that I think about them even now. I wonder how they are doing.
“Regret is the most difficult emotion to live with, but in order to have regret, you need to have a conscience: an interesting paradox that allows the worst of us to suffer the least in the aftermath of wrongdoing.�
In the end, this is one of the few books where the ending nears and I stall for time. I’m not ready to say goodbye, nor for the book to end.
I highly recommend this beautiful book to everyone. ❤️ the writers notes at the end are interesting.
“and though I am gone, carry me with you, but only as lightness and never as weight ...
August 24, 2022
2.5 stars.
Overhyped and underwhelming.
A family traveling through the snowy mountainside gets into an accident. One of the children die in the accident and she watches her family struggle to survive.
I had high hopes for this should-have-been emotional, heart wrenching story. This is a well-loved book that I had been looking forward to reading since it’s release a few years ago. Unfortunately I didn’t connect with it other than appreciating the short chapters and the cold, wintry atmosphere the author created. As the novel progressed, I felt the story dragged on and I had to push myself to continue.
It was an interesting concept to have the main character tell the story from her afterlife however, this fly-on-the-wall perspective didn’t flow well for me and felt choppy as she jumped from watching each character. It kept me at a distance and prevented me from feeling fully immersed within the storyline. I felt that the main character was telling me everything that happened instead of having me experiencing it alongside the characters themselves.
Overall, this was a miss for me. It had a YA feel which isn’t my thing and lacked any emotional pull. I am the outlier so I encourage you to check out the countless raving reviews before deciding on this one.
Overhyped and underwhelming.
A family traveling through the snowy mountainside gets into an accident. One of the children die in the accident and she watches her family struggle to survive.
I had high hopes for this should-have-been emotional, heart wrenching story. This is a well-loved book that I had been looking forward to reading since it’s release a few years ago. Unfortunately I didn’t connect with it other than appreciating the short chapters and the cold, wintry atmosphere the author created. As the novel progressed, I felt the story dragged on and I had to push myself to continue.
It was an interesting concept to have the main character tell the story from her afterlife however, this fly-on-the-wall perspective didn’t flow well for me and felt choppy as she jumped from watching each character. It kept me at a distance and prevented me from feeling fully immersed within the storyline. I felt that the main character was telling me everything that happened instead of having me experiencing it alongside the characters themselves.
Overall, this was a miss for me. It had a YA feel which isn’t my thing and lacked any emotional pull. I am the outlier so I encourage you to check out the countless raving reviews before deciding on this one.
February 10, 2020
5 thought-provoking stars
I kept seeing 5-star reviews for this one, so I had high hopes it would work for me. It did!! If you’ve read the blurb, you already know that the premise is a 16-year-old who has died but some spirit of her remains to watch her family and friends. If you are a fan of “Lovely Bones� I would recommend this one to you.
This one is thought-provoking because it made me consider what I would do in this situation. Would I protect my own family above others? How quickly does the “survival of the fittest� mentality set in? Would I set out for help and make it? Or would I prefer to stay together? So many questions this book raises!!
There are so broad themes in the book: family ties, friendship, loyalty, guilt, grief, love � and we get to experience it all through Finn, the 16-year-old who tragically loses her life. I found it hard to put this book down as I wanted to know how everyone fared after the accident. So many feelings to process!
My advice, read this one!
I kept seeing 5-star reviews for this one, so I had high hopes it would work for me. It did!! If you’ve read the blurb, you already know that the premise is a 16-year-old who has died but some spirit of her remains to watch her family and friends. If you are a fan of “Lovely Bones� I would recommend this one to you.
This one is thought-provoking because it made me consider what I would do in this situation. Would I protect my own family above others? How quickly does the “survival of the fittest� mentality set in? Would I set out for help and make it? Or would I prefer to stay together? So many questions this book raises!!
There are so broad themes in the book: family ties, friendship, loyalty, guilt, grief, love � and we get to experience it all through Finn, the 16-year-old who tragically loses her life. I found it hard to put this book down as I wanted to know how everyone fared after the accident. So many feelings to process!
My advice, read this one!
February 28, 2020
An outstanding Amazon Prime First Read for February! Finn Miller and her family, along with neighbours ‘Aunty Karen� and ‘Uncle Bob�, their daughter Natalie and Finn’s best friend Mo go on a three day trip to the Miller Cabin in Big Bear for skiing, fun and relaxation. Finn is 16, she’s fabulous, lively, clever, a tad clumsy but a truly wonderful character. Her dad looks after her youngest sibling, brother Oz who has learning difficulties, her oldest sister Audrey is getting married, she has another sister Chloe currently superglued to her unremarkable boyfriend Vance. Her mum is a lawyer but seems very disengaged with the family with the exception of Audrey. Aunty Karen is immaculate, Uncle Bob seems kind and a bit of a laugh, Natalie is vacuous and Mo is a smart, adorable clothes horse. They arrive at the cabin safely in the Millers ancient camper van but the weather is clearly deteriorating. Despite this they decide (well, Finns dad does) that they should eat out and off they set, picking up Kyle who’s car has broken down half way down the mountain. The weather suddenly worsens and when a deer appears in front of their van, they crash, go over the side, tumble down and eventually the van rests ....... The unfolding drama is told by Finn.
This book is so well written and the characters are visible on the page. The story is truly fascinating as it’s an examination of human nature, that people are not who they think they are. It’s an insight into when disaster strikes people do not necessarily act how they are expected to and an ugly side of their nature is revealed. Conversely, some surprise us with their bravery and show their true mettle. It’s fair to say this day destroys them all in some way and certainly some friendships and relationships. Finns pertinent observations and heightened awareness brought on by the crash gives the reader a memorable experience.
Many thanks to Amazon for this fantastic book.
This book is so well written and the characters are visible on the page. The story is truly fascinating as it’s an examination of human nature, that people are not who they think they are. It’s an insight into when disaster strikes people do not necessarily act how they are expected to and an ugly side of their nature is revealed. Conversely, some surprise us with their bravery and show their true mettle. It’s fair to say this day destroys them all in some way and certainly some friendships and relationships. Finns pertinent observations and heightened awareness brought on by the crash gives the reader a memorable experience.
Many thanks to Amazon for this fantastic book.
May 9, 2020
This was a mesmerizing account of what happens after. There is a horrific accident which changes the lives of everyone it touches. Some rise to the challenge, some do not. In fact, some act in a cowardly and profoundly cruel way which endangers others. It is a fascinating portrait of trauma and loss.
The only reason, I didn't give this 5 stars is the way the author belittles how profound grief is. In this scenario, the ones who "get over it" quickly are the healthy ones and those who can't are seen as wallowing in self-pity. Everyone reacts differently to loss and those who don't bounce back right away should never be seen as lacking in any way. I would argue that those that throw away or destroy all belongings of their loved ones are those who are lacking in feeling and humanity.
The only reason, I didn't give this 5 stars is the way the author belittles how profound grief is. In this scenario, the ones who "get over it" quickly are the healthy ones and those who can't are seen as wallowing in self-pity. Everyone reacts differently to loss and those who don't bounce back right away should never be seen as lacking in any way. I would argue that those that throw away or destroy all belongings of their loved ones are those who are lacking in feeling and humanity.
September 18, 2020
An incredible ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to “In An Instant� by Suzanne Redfearn!
I never go into detail about the book because you can read about it yourself. What I will say is how devastating life can become after a horrific accident. Redfearn takes us through in great detail how these incredible characters work through pulling the fragments of their lives together. Once again this is a read that has shown me how very blessed I am.
I never go into detail about the book because you can read about it yourself. What I will say is how devastating life can become after a horrific accident. Redfearn takes us through in great detail how these incredible characters work through pulling the fragments of their lives together. Once again this is a read that has shown me how very blessed I am.
February 25, 2021
CW: car crash (2), explicit depiction of death , blatant ableism, death of disabled character
by the 90% mark of this book, i had an entire review written and ready to go; you’ll see it below the dotted grey line. but this is what you must know before going any further:
in an instant EXPLICITLY states that disabled people—disabled children; particularly those with intellectual disabilities—are a burden on their families and loved ones, and are (content warning) .
this is appalling and scary and infuriating and sad and i CAN’T. i do not, cannot, recommend this book to anyone. it is NOT okay. the blatant ableism and traumatizing treatment of the story’s sole disabled character are extremely upsetting.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
i can’t personally give this anything more than2 stars 1 star because in an instant, plainly put, exhausted me.
i just can’t. this book was so bleak, unnecessarily so: i could have done without the other characters taking advantage and ultimately causing the death of for the purposes of advancing the damn plot. i don’t understand why this happened when it was so unnecessary, and it’s distressing and devastating to me.
this book set me on edge when it opened with a car accident. no one was injured, but it triggered memories of when my dad and i were in a car accident, and i just didn’t get off to a good start. then the story progressed and got worse and worse—more and more upsetting.
i understand the desire to realistically portray tragedy, loss, and spiralling grief, but this book just really didn’t sit well with me. a lot of it has to do with the way ’s death was handled. for a long while, it felt like the book was trying to convince us that the man behind his death was somehow making a complex, difficult, and nuanced decision for survival purposes—when in reality, it was bigotry and murder (or “negligent homicide�), plain and simple.
what i don’t understand are the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this novel, to be honest.
in an instant is unrelentingly uncomfortable and openly problematic, from the tragedy of two deaths (both traumatic, but one really upsetting because it felt like it was only there to further the plot); to the despicable, ableist behaviour of many characters (and abhorrent treatment of ); to even finn’s dad making sexual innuendos with his decades-younger nurse.there is ambivalence here, i will concede—and for that i don’t hate the characters; i mostly get them and their actions—but i’m left with neither the energy nor motivation to mine out further nuance.
add to all this some weird essentialist comments about men and women, and use of phrases like “she’s not that kind of girl,� and you have yourself a book that i. did. not. vibe. with. the only redeeming qualities were suzanne redfearn’s relatively readable prose, and mo, who is an incredible friend.
bottom line: i would NOT recommend this book, and i am appalled at the rave reviews it has gotten. this story left me dejected and devastated, and i wish i could scrub it from my memory.
by the 90% mark of this book, i had an entire review written and ready to go; you’ll see it below the dotted grey line. but this is what you must know before going any further:
in an instant EXPLICITLY states that disabled people—disabled children; particularly those with intellectual disabilities—are a burden on their families and loved ones, and are (content warning) .
this is appalling and scary and infuriating and sad and i CAN’T. i do not, cannot, recommend this book to anyone. it is NOT okay. the blatant ableism and traumatizing treatment of the story’s sole disabled character are extremely upsetting.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
i can’t personally give this anything more than
i just can’t. this book was so bleak, unnecessarily so: i could have done without the other characters taking advantage and ultimately causing the death of for the purposes of advancing the damn plot. i don’t understand why this happened when it was so unnecessary, and it’s distressing and devastating to me.
this book set me on edge when it opened with a car accident. no one was injured, but it triggered memories of when my dad and i were in a car accident, and i just didn’t get off to a good start. then the story progressed and got worse and worse—more and more upsetting.
i understand the desire to realistically portray tragedy, loss, and spiralling grief, but this book just really didn’t sit well with me. a lot of it has to do with the way ’s death was handled. for a long while, it felt like the book was trying to convince us that the man behind his death was somehow making a complex, difficult, and nuanced decision for survival purposes—when in reality, it was bigotry and murder (or “negligent homicide�), plain and simple.
what i don’t understand are the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this novel, to be honest.
in an instant is unrelentingly uncomfortable and openly problematic, from the tragedy of two deaths (both traumatic, but one really upsetting because it felt like it was only there to further the plot); to the despicable, ableist behaviour of many characters (and abhorrent treatment of ); to even finn’s dad making sexual innuendos with his decades-younger nurse.
add to all this some weird essentialist comments about men and women, and use of phrases like “she’s not that kind of girl,� and you have yourself a book that i. did. not. vibe. with. the only redeeming qualities were suzanne redfearn’s relatively readable prose, and mo, who is an incredible friend.
bottom line: i would NOT recommend this book, and i am appalled at the rave reviews it has gotten. this story left me dejected and devastated, and i wish i could scrub it from my memory.
July 11, 2021
More was revealed in that single tragic night than most people reveal in a lifetime.
On the surface this book is about a tragedy, a single cataclysmic event that shatters a family and the aftermath of the choices and decisions made over the course of those two days. For me, the most intriguing aspect was what those choices revealed.
…I wonder about this, about whether our humanity is determined more by circumstance than conscience, and if any of us if backed into a corner can change. I saw it that day, none of them turning out to be the people they believed themselves to be.
It was the narrative perspective that attracted me to this book and the haunting quality of each character’s retrospection that propelled me to keep turning pages, but it was the complexity of emotions and thought-provoking questions about our humanity that will stay with me.
What stops us from seeing the best in one another? Do we see ourselves honestly, without the guise of ego? Would you care for someone else’s child the same as your own? How far would you go to save someone's life and risk your own? Do we mire ourselves in sadness over the death of a loved one while forgetting to rejoice in the life that they lived?
I don’t want to be a black hole that sucks away their happiness and makes them cry, and I wish they could see the fullness rather than the void. I am so tired of being missed and of people being miserable every time they think of me. Don’t just try to be happy when you think of me--be happy…Carry me inside you as a light…watching them destroy the life I had is worse. Remember me, I scream. Stop avoiding every memory of who I was.
This book was inspired by an event in the author’s life when she was only eight. How an adult, someone she considered almost family, handled the situation is eerily close to one of the character’s actions and gave me even more food for thought. What are the events that shape us, even the most fleeting?
I found this book deeply affecting and I join the chorus of those who loved it.
On the surface this book is about a tragedy, a single cataclysmic event that shatters a family and the aftermath of the choices and decisions made over the course of those two days. For me, the most intriguing aspect was what those choices revealed.
…I wonder about this, about whether our humanity is determined more by circumstance than conscience, and if any of us if backed into a corner can change. I saw it that day, none of them turning out to be the people they believed themselves to be.
It was the narrative perspective that attracted me to this book and the haunting quality of each character’s retrospection that propelled me to keep turning pages, but it was the complexity of emotions and thought-provoking questions about our humanity that will stay with me.
What stops us from seeing the best in one another? Do we see ourselves honestly, without the guise of ego? Would you care for someone else’s child the same as your own? How far would you go to save someone's life and risk your own? Do we mire ourselves in sadness over the death of a loved one while forgetting to rejoice in the life that they lived?
I don’t want to be a black hole that sucks away their happiness and makes them cry, and I wish they could see the fullness rather than the void. I am so tired of being missed and of people being miserable every time they think of me. Don’t just try to be happy when you think of me--be happy…Carry me inside you as a light…watching them destroy the life I had is worse. Remember me, I scream. Stop avoiding every memory of who I was.
This book was inspired by an event in the author’s life when she was only eight. How an adult, someone she considered almost family, handled the situation is eerily close to one of the character’s actions and gave me even more food for thought. What are the events that shape us, even the most fleeting?
I found this book deeply affecting and I join the chorus of those who loved it.
May 17, 2021
Well, now......
I feel like I'm whistling in a lonely forest. My faint whistle barely breaks into sound.
In An Instant has been loved by so many reviewers here. And I honor what they came away with from this novel. It does tug at your heartstrings and evokes a miriad of emotions.
Suzanne Redfearn begins this almost like a Judy Blume novel. We're circling around the oldest Miller daughter who is at the final fitting for her wedding gown. There's the usual loud and challenging banter between family members as the stage is set. Then of a sudden, a skiing trip is planned with just weeks before the wedding. The Miller bunch and a few guests will be heading toward the grandfather's cabin in the middle of nowhere. Not even the dog will sit this one out.
And then it happens.......An over-packed camper that had its heyday when it was owned by a hippie vagabond hits a patch of ice and careens over the embankment down into a black void. All ten passengers will be impacted by this horrendous accident in varying degrees. Sixteen year old Finn Miller will be the one to lose her life and the story will here out be told in her voice. It's gonna get real from now on.
Redfearn has based this storyline on a personal experience involving her own version of "Uncle Bob". She still has issues after all these years and chose to write about it in the Miller family version. Perhaps it was a healing balm for her. But In An Instant was hit with steroids and the majority of these individuals oozed the blackness of their souls like "snap on, snap off". Honestly, in my mind's eye, there wasn't a redeeming character in the bunch except for poor Finn who was destined to cross to the other side. Redfearn tries to carve heroes, like the mother and father, out of balsa wood. The character of thirteen year old Oz was a travesty. And to settle the score, all lives were neatly wrapped in packages at the end.
I would encourage you to read this offering from Suzanne Redfearn. She'll grab you from the first pages as intended. I just felt that In An Instant held our emotions hostage, but those emotions were grabbed by unworthy hands. Such so-called strong people on the outside held together by rubberbands. Yup, this was a harrowing experience and would make mush out of most of us. But the dark roads traveled were more inventive than realistic. Give this one a chance. You may experience it with far different eyes than I did.
I feel like I'm whistling in a lonely forest. My faint whistle barely breaks into sound.
In An Instant has been loved by so many reviewers here. And I honor what they came away with from this novel. It does tug at your heartstrings and evokes a miriad of emotions.
Suzanne Redfearn begins this almost like a Judy Blume novel. We're circling around the oldest Miller daughter who is at the final fitting for her wedding gown. There's the usual loud and challenging banter between family members as the stage is set. Then of a sudden, a skiing trip is planned with just weeks before the wedding. The Miller bunch and a few guests will be heading toward the grandfather's cabin in the middle of nowhere. Not even the dog will sit this one out.
And then it happens.......An over-packed camper that had its heyday when it was owned by a hippie vagabond hits a patch of ice and careens over the embankment down into a black void. All ten passengers will be impacted by this horrendous accident in varying degrees. Sixteen year old Finn Miller will be the one to lose her life and the story will here out be told in her voice. It's gonna get real from now on.
Redfearn has based this storyline on a personal experience involving her own version of "Uncle Bob". She still has issues after all these years and chose to write about it in the Miller family version. Perhaps it was a healing balm for her. But In An Instant was hit with steroids and the majority of these individuals oozed the blackness of their souls like "snap on, snap off". Honestly, in my mind's eye, there wasn't a redeeming character in the bunch except for poor Finn who was destined to cross to the other side. Redfearn tries to carve heroes, like the mother and father, out of balsa wood. The character of thirteen year old Oz was a travesty. And to settle the score, all lives were neatly wrapped in packages at the end.
I would encourage you to read this offering from Suzanne Redfearn. She'll grab you from the first pages as intended. I just felt that In An Instant held our emotions hostage, but those emotions were grabbed by unworthy hands. Such so-called strong people on the outside held together by rubberbands. Yup, this was a harrowing experience and would make mush out of most of us. But the dark roads traveled were more inventive than realistic. Give this one a chance. You may experience it with far different eyes than I did.
February 6, 2020
'You only live once, and no one has any idea how long that once is going to be, so grab on tight and hold on for the ride and don’t worry about it and don’t look back.'
In the aftermath of a tragic and deadly accident, a group of people who came together for a weekend getaway, struggle with their actions and the (sometimes) questionable choices they made. I'll be honest, friends, I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did.
It was poignant, yet lovely.
It was devastating, yet joyful.
It was moving, yet redemptive.
Finn, our omniscient narrator was beautifully pure and refreshing. I adored her voice, just as I did Mo's....Finn's best friend. Actually, I loved the entire Miller family's vibe...with the exception of Ann, the mother. Now, being a mother myself...and particularly a mother of a mentally disabled, puberty-ridden son who reminded me very much of Oz...you'd think I'd have empathized with her. I didn't. I realize everyone grieves differently, and I'm certainly not judging, but her actions during and after the tragedy were so far from what I'd do in the same situation, I couldn't relate to her at all. Not even a little. In fact, I quite disliked her, which is why I ultimately decided to rate this novel 4.5 stars instead of 5.
Nevertheless, is an unexpectedly stunning story. I'm grateful I chose this as my Amazon First selection for February.
Oddly enough, I recently posted a question asking my fellow bibliophiles if they'd rather read a book which makes them laugh, or one which makes them cry. While I'm always down for a good laugh, I chose the book which makes me cry. Why? Because emotionally wrecking your readers requires an author to have some crazy, mad writing skills. You guys, possesses that talent.
I'll be recommending this book to every person I know.
July 4, 2021
Riveting tale of the aftermath of a deadly crash, from the POV of a Dead Girl!
Finn died almost instantly when the camper van transporting her family and friends skidded off a mountain pass. Finn's spirit is still earthbound and she watches as each member of her family makes decisions in the aftermath of the accident that will forever impact all of their lives.
The author tries to be compassionate: tragedy and life and death situations tend to reduce us to our basest nature. Unfortunately, some of the characters in this story will make decisions in that split second of time that they will have a very hard time living with afterwards. Two teams leave the crash site to find help. Only one team will be successful. Finn flits in out out of each scenario, as tension mounts and time is running out for the survivors.
Finn's thirteen year old brother is developmentally challenged. One of the adults who stayed behind makes a decision that has tragic consequences for Oz. My heart broke into tiny, irreparable pieces as Finn's spirit sat by her brother during his final terrible ordeal. Not a dry eye in the house, folks.
Every single person in that car had a testing point. I completely empathized with Finn's father, who, at the end, confessed that part of him was relieved that Oz was gone. Jack had loved his son and grieved his loss deeply, but caring for Oz had consumed the entire family's energy and time, particularly Jack's. Jack would now be free to return to his job as a Yacht Captain, doing the work he loved. If you have been the main caregiver of a severely incapacitated or critically ill loved one, their passing can leave a huge painful hole in your life, but the termination of your willingly embraced burden can also be a huge release. Some caregivers often have trouble readjusting to life once this burden is lifted.
This book sat on my coffee table for quite some time before I could summon the courage to start reading it. I was soon regretting the time I had wasted: this is in no way a gratuitous tear jerker. I read this book in two days and had a hard time falling asleep that first night because my thoughts were still with all of the beleaguered characters in this novel.
Each character learned a very important lesson: grab at life and live it fully. Take a chance on love if it presents itself to you, because you are not guaranteed a tomorrow. I loved Finn's valiant spirit - even from the other side, she was fighting for them all!
I'm giving this highly engrossing read five out of five stars. Highly, highly recommended.
Finn died almost instantly when the camper van transporting her family and friends skidded off a mountain pass. Finn's spirit is still earthbound and she watches as each member of her family makes decisions in the aftermath of the accident that will forever impact all of their lives.
The author tries to be compassionate: tragedy and life and death situations tend to reduce us to our basest nature. Unfortunately, some of the characters in this story will make decisions in that split second of time that they will have a very hard time living with afterwards. Two teams leave the crash site to find help. Only one team will be successful. Finn flits in out out of each scenario, as tension mounts and time is running out for the survivors.
Finn's thirteen year old brother is developmentally challenged. One of the adults who stayed behind makes a decision that has tragic consequences for Oz. My heart broke into tiny, irreparable pieces as Finn's spirit sat by her brother during his final terrible ordeal. Not a dry eye in the house, folks.
Every single person in that car had a testing point. I completely empathized with Finn's father, who, at the end, confessed that part of him was relieved that Oz was gone. Jack had loved his son and grieved his loss deeply, but caring for Oz had consumed the entire family's energy and time, particularly Jack's. Jack would now be free to return to his job as a Yacht Captain, doing the work he loved. If you have been the main caregiver of a severely incapacitated or critically ill loved one, their passing can leave a huge painful hole in your life, but the termination of your willingly embraced burden can also be a huge release. Some caregivers often have trouble readjusting to life once this burden is lifted.
This book sat on my coffee table for quite some time before I could summon the courage to start reading it. I was soon regretting the time I had wasted: this is in no way a gratuitous tear jerker. I read this book in two days and had a hard time falling asleep that first night because my thoughts were still with all of the beleaguered characters in this novel.
Each character learned a very important lesson: grab at life and live it fully. Take a chance on love if it presents itself to you, because you are not guaranteed a tomorrow. I loved Finn's valiant spirit - even from the other side, she was fighting for them all!
I'm giving this highly engrossing read five out of five stars. Highly, highly recommended.
August 26, 2023
4.5�
Genre ~ fiction
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ March 1, 2020
Page Count ~ 333
Audio length ~ 10 hours 43 minutes
Narrator ~ Jesse Vilinsky
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ car accident, death of a child, infidelity, references to suicide, ableism
*older read mini review*
16 year old Finn has died in a tragic car accident in snow storm and is on the cusp of the afterlife as she watches how her family and friends deal with the loss.
Wow ~ tragic ~ intense ~ heart-wrenching ~ beautifully written ~ thought provoking
I love the cover and really hope I get to be a ghost.
I could have went without the mistreatment of Oz, who is developmentally disabled.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me � ~ ~
Genre ~ fiction
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ March 1, 2020
Page Count ~ 333
Audio length ~ 10 hours 43 minutes
Narrator ~ Jesse Vilinsky
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ car accident, death of a child, infidelity, references to suicide, ableism
*older read mini review*
16 year old Finn has died in a tragic car accident in snow storm and is on the cusp of the afterlife as she watches how her family and friends deal with the loss.
Wow ~ tragic ~ intense ~ heart-wrenching ~ beautifully written ~ thought provoking
I love the cover and really hope I get to be a ghost.
I could have went without the mistreatment of Oz, who is developmentally disabled.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me � ~ ~
June 6, 2021
4.5 Stars
CW:
Well that was quite traumatic!
I read it through a mother's lens and therefore spent a lot of time with my heart in my throat and tears in my eyes. The 'trapped between life and death' story has been done before but this one delved more deeply into people's states of mind and so was a much more immersive reading experience. I loved the intense exploration of who people become in life threatening situations. Would you be calm and take decisive action? Would you be scared and helpless in the corner? Would you look at others as a threat to you own survival? A gripping, intense and incredibly emotional book.
CW:
Well that was quite traumatic!
I read it through a mother's lens and therefore spent a lot of time with my heart in my throat and tears in my eyes. The 'trapped between life and death' story has been done before but this one delved more deeply into people's states of mind and so was a much more immersive reading experience. I loved the intense exploration of who people become in life threatening situations. Would you be calm and take decisive action? Would you be scared and helpless in the corner? Would you look at others as a threat to you own survival? A gripping, intense and incredibly emotional book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,342 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.