Cover Image: Run Time

Run Time

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Member Reviews

Oh how I wanted to love this one. The premise hooked me immediately! Upon listening at first I didn't like all of the narrators, except for the main female narrator and then I had trouble following the storyline and how the "movie" script was presented - which took a while for me to catch on to. Once I did, I unfortunately just didn't care for the storyline at all. In the end I decided that I'm just the wrong reader for this book.

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While I hold no animosity toward this book, I can't give it anything more than a 2. The structure of a story within a story within a story - all mirroring each other - is intriguing in theory, but a slog in practice. The screenplay we're reading alongside Adele's story would have been the more interesting story, but instead we take half the book to get to anything remotely scary.
I can say that the reveals in this are not something I've read before, but they also sort of feel like reveals for the sake of reveals. There's even a bit at the end where characters discuss horror movies and how creepy things are less creepy and sort of unsatisfying once you have the reasonable explanation at the end. I'm sure it was meant well, but it read like an excuse. Normally I would appreciate the meta-ness, but the book wore away at any good will I had. I think Howard is a benefit for the thriller space, doing things no one else is doing, but this one missed the mark.

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Thank you for providing me with a copy of this book.
I run out of time so sorry I wasn't able to finish this just as yet, I will edit this review soon as I finish.

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Catherine Ryan Howard is a total auto-read author for me. I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by her thrillers and RUN TIME is no exception.

The story focuses on a struggling actor, Adele, who finds the opportunity to revitalize her career after taking the role as a lead in a new film. Unfortunately film shooting doesn’t go as planned. Adele is shooting in rural Ireland (West Cork), and the production team is pretty low budget. What’s the worst that could happen?

RUN TIME follows a story-within-a-story format that I loved in THE NOTHING MAN so if you liked that way of storytelling, you’ll enjoy this one! This is a fun, fast paced thriller that you won't want to miss.

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I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It was creepy and actually made me feel things the entire time - especially as a woman. Catherine Ryan Howard hits it out of the park again.

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Run Time is every horror movie come to life! It's also about a book about a movie based on a book, somewhat convoluted to get your head around!

It would have been so much fun to read this in an isolated cabin in the woods. I loved the setting--dark, rainy, isolated, and no cell service. The story was slow and suspenseful, so the atmosphere really carried the creepy feeling. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the movie set setting, especially a horror movie.

The story itself is interspersed with scenes from the movie script, and while I really enjoyed this multimedia way of telling the story, it was confusing at times. I listened to the audiobook of Run Time, and sometimes when I picked back up I wasn't sure whether the scene I was in the middle of was the plot or the script. I'm sure this would have been easier to keep straight in a physical copy!

Unfortunately, the ending fell a little flat for me. I can't say why, I just wanted a little more from it than we got.

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I was hopeful and highly anticipating reading this one, but it was a letdown. I've been trying to think about how to review this for a while and I keep coming up blank. It was a meh read for me, personally.
Sorry to say it was disappointing for me. It's a story, inside a story, and so forth, but it felt like it might be too much. It also went on kind of long. It has some good parts to it and there are others that would probably like it and enjoy it, so if you like this author or this kind of story, then definitely check it out.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for letting me read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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What a bummer.

I was super excited to read this book because I am obsessed with this author. However, I am sad to say it was just a meh read for me. It's a story, inside a story, inside a story but it almost just felt like too much maybe? It also felt SUPER long and dragged out. Maybe if it was shorter and some things were cut, I would have enjoyed it more. Definitely a let down but I still look forward to reading more of her books.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I went to university to complete film studies, and so there is so much that really spoke to me about those who love the medium of cinema. The suspense was fantastic. The mood was perfect. It had me guessing until the very end. So many wonderful twists and turns. Fabulous commentary on film and set life that really resonated with me. A wonderful read, for film fans especially, but also for those who just love a great thriller.

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I enjoyed the story line overall, even though I felt it was predictable at times. I have not read a plot like this and thought it was fun it was different. Such a fun mystery to go through with the main character.

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I'm a huge fan of Catherine Ryan Howard. So when I was given a chance to read Run Time, I was thrilled. What makes this even more exciting is that this is set turning the filming of a movie- perfect! I highly recommend this novel for all fans of thrillers and mysteries.

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This one was super atmospheric. Creepy, isolated and sinister. I’m sad to say this is all I really enjoyed about this one. I was super disappointed and wouldn’t recommend it to a friend. The storyline/ plot is super slow and couldn’t keep my interest with its super long length at 520 pages. I really enjoyed 56 days and was underwhelmed with this one. Hoping this authors next release will be better.

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Run Time completely misses the mark on what it advertises itself to be and feels like the encapsulation of the low grade/budget horror movies it pokes fun of a little bit. This is most definitely one of the weaker works of Catherine Ryan Howard and just felt really off to me while reading and lacked a lot of depth. But Run Time is still very easy to skim through and can provide some smaller thrills, it ultimately just falls short on a bigger payoff.

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Unfortunately, I have been locked out of my netgalley account for a few months and was not able to see which books I had on my list, in order to properly read and review. I do apologize and am doing a 3 for neutral. Will update once I’m able to obtain a copy and read!

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Dnf @ 50%

In a turn of events no one saw coming, I’ve had to put this one down half way through. I cannot seem to push through the extremely slow pace and repetitive form of storytelling. I know that CRH is an incredible author, one of my favorites, and I will continue to yell about how awesome she is from my roof top and consider this a blip on the radar.

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I devoured 56 Days by this author and loved every moment. This book was also just as entertaining but a little more predictable. Still a very solid gripping thriller.

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Catherine Ryan Howard does it again! Run Time was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022 so when my request was approved on NetGalley, I was one very happy lady!

A desperate actress returns to Ireland for a second chance; a lead role in a low budget horror movie being filmed in a remote part of the country! But when strange things start happening, and life begins to imitate art, is it all too good to be true?

I absolutely loved this book, and it takes the crown as my favourite Catherine Ryan Howard book to date! It was so, so good! Run Time was honestly such a perfect October pick; a scary psychological thriller that'll have you questioning everything! The story was so captivating and gripping I found it near impossible to put down! As always, nothing is as it seems which is an aspect of these novels that I adore and makes each one new and exciting.

At times, I found myself genuinely scared reading this. The claustrophobic feel of the isolated setting and the unsettling events unfolding really make for a horror movie-like read. And I love me some horror movies!

Thank you again to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Catherine Ryan Howard for this digital copy! If you're looking for a thriller to pick up before the end of the year, make it this one!

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This was a gripping thriller.

I really liked Adele’s character from the beginning. She is a realist and sarcastic. She takes responsibility for her actions and fully accepts how her own decisions have impacted her career as an actor.

She jumps at the opportunity to film in Ireland, on a closed and secretive set away from the prying eyes of the media. This could be her chance to kick start her career, get out of her dingy apartment in LA and out of the hospitality industry.

Everything about the situation is creepy! Adele is playing a character who is on a ‘romantic’ break in an isolated cottage. While her character Kate reads a book about a couple on a romantic break where sinister and dark things start happening.

The lines between fiction and reality become increasingly blurred as Adele is immersed in Kate’s story. The nighttime shoots and jet lag and to the sense of instability as most of the book takes place at night during story weather. The crew is small and Adele is the only woman so she feels even more isolated. With no phone signal and only intermittent contact with her friends outside of the set her paranoia soon sets in.

This is twisty and clever. I was never sure which of the characters I could trust; even Adele is not always the most reliable narrator. There is clearly something more to the abrupt end of her film career and the details slowly begin to emerge.

I won’t give any spoilers! But this book definitely kept me guessing right until the very twisty end.

Thank you Netgalley for my gifted digital copy of Run Time.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Howard and Blackstone Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit worried by the length of this one since it seemed that her others weren’t quite this long, but I enjoyed this one so much. It’s such a good idea and I love a good slasher/horror movie so the premise was right up my alley! I liked that the story was told using a script and what was currently going on. I would recommend to those who enjoy Howard’s writing!

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I’ve seen some excellent books featuring films being made about books plot lines lately. Unfortunately this one didn’t hit the mark for me. I had a hard time following and feeling drawn into it which isn’t the norm for me with this authors books. Iris an easy read but the plot moved a bit slowly and I just felt like it was leading up to something bigger than what was to come. Hoping I click better with her next book!

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