Review Detail

What I Loved:

This was such a compelling story. I devoured it in less than a day, and the hours I spent away from the book were also spent with the story and the characters taking up space in my head, demanding that I finish reading their story. I loved the entire set-up. I don't want to give too much away, but most of the book takes place inside West's head ... he doesn't have dialogue until nearly the end of the story. He's slipping in and out of consciousness, and so the story unfolds in dreamlike bits interrupted by flashes of reality. I found the storytelling to be absolutely captivating, and as the book went on, I was totally invested in figuring out what was wrong. (Because slowly, but surely, I could see that something was WRONG with the reality West thought he was living.)

I appreciated that the medical aspect of the story (the hospital setting, the lingo, the steps taken to get West on the road to recovery) all felt very authentic. The author paid close attention to all aspects of her worldbuilding.

The characters all come to live off of the pages as well. Even the ones we barely see. Ms. Busby has a gift for effortlessly creating vivid characters to populate her world. Most importantly, she has a gift for helping her readers feel connected to the main characters.

What Left Me Wanting More:

I would've liked a tiny bit more closure at the end, although I can understand that West felt enough closure to be able to move forward. Other than that, I was completely enthralled with this story.

Final Verdict:

BLINK ONCE is a captivating story that is both intimate, haunting, and ultimately hopeful. I highly recommend it.