I loved the premise and execution, which I thought was quite clever. The whole filmception/bookception messed with my mind and was super fun to read! Add an atmospheric and isolated setting into the mix, and you bet I was super into the story. I also liked some of the book's commentary on pop culture, the movie industry and horror films.

Unfortunately, the third act and reveal was a letdown after all that build-up.

✨ "That's the problem with mysteries... They only exist because you don't have the answers. When you get them... all the mystery gets vaporised... Whenever the explanation comes, whatever it is, it can't live up to those 'What the hell is going on here?' moments at the start."

This quote pretty much sums up Run Time, so props to it for being self-aware at least? I also feel like Adele remained largely unchanged throughout, especially as a character who spent most of the book being scared and manipulated. I so wanted to see her take some control and turn the tables on everyone, but alas.

The book's merits were also bogged down by clunky writing like:

✨ "The box wasn't a box, but a bright green cooler bag, the kind my weekly meal-prep supplies had been delivered to my apartment in when I was trying to lose weight for a role that I ended up doing at the exact same weight I'd been when I'd auditioned because I didn't have any weight to lose."

and

✨ "...on to the set of Final Draft, the film a man who wasn't really Steve Dade was directing but it wasn't really that film he was making at all."

I mean, technically there's nothing wrong but it's so unnecessary. Sad to say, it took away some of my enjoyment of the book.

I've read two other Catherine Ryan Howard novels and this one would be around 3 to 3.5⭐. I think I like Run Time better more than 56 Days but The Nothing Man is still my favourite.

"Based on a terrifying true story. That hasn't happened - yet."

Adele Rafferty, once a successful child actor in Ireland, moved to Los Angeles to try her luck there after a series of failed projects. Struggling to be cast in any movie or show, she has almost lost all hope when she received a call that could change her life: she could be the lead in a horror movie, called Final Draft, set in Ireland. She excitedly accept, but once on set she starts to notice weird things happening and Adele starts to worry about her safety... What's really going on?

This is the first book by Catherine Ryan Howard I had the pleasure to read and I have to say, my favorite thing about this book is indeed the writing! The story, the characters and especially the locations are so well described that I could picture them clearly in my head while reading Run Time. Because of this, I'll definitely check out her other books!

The plot is quite articulated: without giving away too much about it, you'll read about an actress who is reading the script of a movie where an actress is reading the script of a movie. It may sound complicated, but thanks to the structure of the chapters it's not too difficult to follow. Unfortunately most of the tension built during the first half of the book gets lost in the second half, to the point where almost nothing happens for several pages (chapters?), besides following the train of scared thoughts of a struggling woman. The ending was also not as satisfying as I hoped, but still not too bad.

Overall Run Time is a good fast-paced thriller and, despite the repetitions, it was quite entertaining. I especially enjoyed its atmosphere and the main character.
I'd recommend this if you enjoy reading about characters trapped in uncomfortable situations for a long time, stories within a story and the final girl trope.
3 stars.

* I'd like to thank Catherine Ryan Howard, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a lengthy popcorn thriller, but the audio actually felt pretty quick! The setting was fantastic and I liked the story within the story, but sometimes found it unvaried.

My second CRH book, after 56 Days. An Irish actress whose last film ended in disaster takes a role in a secret horror film. Hoping to make her triumphant return, Adele agrees to step in for the lead at the last minute on the set of “Final Draft”— which is being shot in a remote location outside Cork. Adele is happy to sign the NDA. After all, it works best for her if no one knows she’s working again. She’d rather have the splashy surprise when the film is released.

But when Adele gets to set, things are off. The crew is tiny and Adele seems to be the only cast member. Her script is incomplete and out of order. And someone is definitely messing with her belongings. But for what purpose? Told through alternating chapters narrated by Adele and pages from the script, the tension is heightened as Adele’s experiences mirror those of her character. I liked the intertextual aspect of the story and I was curious to find out what was going on. At times I felt the narrative dragged though and the final reveal was a bit unbelievable. Overall an engrossing read and well-written too— I’ll be checking out this author’s backlist for sure.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Run time by Catherine Ryan Howard is a good time. Howard plays off of the usual slasher and unreliable narrator tropes, but with a heavy dose of meta: The movie, Final Draft, is based on the book by the same name seen through the eyes of the actress, Adele, playing the woman in the movie can all be a little hard to follow, at first, but the reader should catch on after a while. While, in the end, it may not be the most original, it definitely has the type of twists and turns that make it a page-turner. It is an entertaining thriller with legitimately scary moments that help elevate the plot twists along the way.

🎬 A R C • R E V I E W 🎬
•
Title: Run Time
Author: Catherine Ryan Howard
Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
Run Time is a popcorn thriller told from the point of view of Adele - an actress who just got an offer to play the lead role in a movie “Final Draft”. Throughout the book you also read the screen play for the movie “Final Draft” which is eerily similar to a book in the screen play titled “First Draft”. In the screenplay you see that the actor is noticing similarities between the book and her life, same with Adele and the screen play. Seems a bit confusing but it’s easy enough to follow.
•
It’s a bit of a slow burn and there was some repetition between the screen play and Adele’s POV. That wasn’t anything that took away form my reading though. I liked how it was written and I felt like I read through it quite quickly. I found this one to give me the goosebumps multiple times throughout the story leaving me feeling a bit on edge. The pacing definitely picks up towards the end and left me with some definite anxiety.
•
The twists or “big reveal” if you will were really good, I liked where Howard went with this one and thought it was the perfect ending to this book. I especially liked the ending to the screen play.
•
Overall, this was a great read! This was my first by Catherine Ryan Howard, but I can definitely say I’ll be going back to read the rest of her work. Run time was just released yesterday and I definitely recommend this one to all popcorn thriller lovers who have a love of movies.
•
Huge thank you to @netgalley @blacstone and @cather for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
•
Who is an author that once you read one of their books you had to go and read their backlist?
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#netgalley #netgalleyreview #fourstarrview #earcreview #electronicadvancedreaderscopy #astorywithinascreenplay #ascreenplaywithinanovel #epistolarynovel #eeriesetting #perfectbigreveal #movieturnednightmare #runtime #catherineryanhoward #blackstonepublishing

While on my travels, I managed to read Run Time. I was lucky enough to have both the book and audio so I read and listened together for much of the book.

So I have to admit, I went into this one blindly. I saw the book on Netgalley and requested it immediately based on the fact that I love the author and her previous books. This book was good but I wouldn't say it's my favourite of hers. If you've read this one, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

This one did actually surprise me, which is an increasingly rare feat for thrillers/mysteries! There were a few times I wanted to reach into the pages and shake Adele, or literally everyone around her. But ultimately I found myself clenching my teeth and urging her on while I read.

Adele Rafferty left her acting career behind and struck out to start anew - literally as far from her old stomping grounds as she could. But when LA proves to be less fruitful than she hoped, and she finds herself beginning to accept that her soap-opera stardom was all she would ever get - opportunity strikes.

Back home, she’s wanted for a horror film so secretive that the production team can be counted on one hand. Final Draft is being filmed in total isolation in the forest of West Cork, with dismal cell service and not a single familiar face.

But it’s the opportunity she’s been looking for, so Adele signs the NDA and allows herself to be rushed out into the frigid solitude of the film set.

But shortly after arriving, parallels between the script and real life grow a little too strong, and it looks like Adele’s golden opportunity may very well have been too good to be true.

The premise to this book sounded so good and promising--about an actress, Adele, who gets cast to star in a horror movie, but then eerie things start to happen and the acting begins
to mimic real life. Is it all in Adele's head, or is something more sinister happening?


👍🏻𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉
𝐼 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒𝒹:

-The dark, sinister, & atmospheric setting
-The main character, Adele.
-The author did a great job with atmospheric
writing and setting up for the creepy vibes.
-The claustrophobic & isolated setting
-It takes place in Ireland (I love books that are set in foreign countries!)
-It was a fun & entertaining read


👎🏻 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒𝒹:

-The ending felt rushed-it was messy and not well put together, and it left me feeling very underwhelmed
-It moves rather slow, and I found myself to be bored at times.
-Unrealistic ending
-Long and drawn out
-The flow & layout of this book did not work for me

I love all of the author's previous books, but this one fell a bit short for me compared to her other books, although it was still an enjoyable read.

I loved the concept of this book with going between a screenplay and the POV of the leading actress on the film. The screenplay was really interesting with how it featured a book. It was all very meta. It kept me intrigued and guessing what would happen next. I was on the edge of my seat and really loved the Ireland setting.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Although the ending of this one is way over the top and not very believable, I really enjoyed the lead up to it and the overall atmosphere of the book.

It sounds confusing. It's about a book inside a screenplay being filmed as a movie. Although the premise is a tad convoluted, I listened to this as an audiobook and the full cast makes the entire thing come to life and flow better than I did when I switched to reading it on the page. This is a prime example of an audiobook being a superior medium to experience this book, as it helps the reader to visualize much better rather than sorting through whether you're in the script or the movie filming.

It is told from the first person POV of Adele Rafferty, an Irish actor who made a name for herself growing up in a soap opera, but whose meltdown on the set of her last movie made her persona non grata in the industry. She moved to the US in order to pursue acting away from the scandal. However, just as she's about to give up on her acting dreams, she gets a call to star in a very hush hush project in remote Ireland, so she returns to take the role. Remote is an understatement, and she gets a text right before losing all connection that warns her to turn around because she's in danger. As things progress, it appears that the text message might be right--or is it?

I'll say that the journey was better than the resolution in this case. I really enjoyed my listening experience, but the explanation and motivation for what was happening was lackluster. I can forgive that because the overall plot was original and kept me glued to listening even when I had other things to do. I also really liked Adele and was rooting for her success throughout.

There are some good twists throughout, some of which I had figured out and others I didn't. Despite its over the top climax, this novel is fast paced and gripping.

I'm a huge fan of Catherine Ryan Howard and I look forward to her next book!

Run Time is a well-paced, creepy mystery thriller with a storyline that builds beautifully with each page I read and ends with a thrilling, shocking conclusion. I was n the edge of my seating; second guessing how this would end. Run Time is a captivating read that is highly original and superbly entertaining.

After The Nothing Man and 56 Days, Catherine Ryan Howard is a must read author for me and I flew through Run Time in a day. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the free review copy.

Adele is an actress who has been struggling to get work after something that happened on the set of her last film. When she gets a call about a horror movie being filmed in the woods - low budget, fast time frame, remote location with no cell service - she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to make a comeback and finally have her big break! Only when she rushes to set and filming begins…she learns things might not actually be what they seem.

This was a fun read and I would also recommend the audiobook - very well done!

Wow wow wow. This is why I always tend to give authors three chances to wow me. 56 Days and The Nothing Man were lackluster at best for me. This one right here, seems tailor made for me. I love anything set in the film industry. I will say that I wish this once went deeper into horror, and tends to feel more mysterious than anything else. However this did not stop me from devouring this one like a buttery bowl of popcorn.

This book in 3 words: Perplexing. Meta. Wild. 

Adele, a once up-and-coming actress, is struggling to keep her acting career alive. An opportunity falls into her lap, which checks all of her boxes, and takes her from LA back to her home in Ireland. For Adele, this could be her big break or it could break her. 

As an avid reader, I'm a sucker for a story within a story, in any capacity. Run Time also features excerpts from scripts and books - I love a mixed medium delivery. I thought the plot/characters were easy to keep straight and the execution was well done. 

Run Time feels like an elaborate puzzle, carefully constructed and finished by Catherine Ryan Howard. Mostly plot-driven, but paired with incredibly strong moments of doubt and confusion, the reader is grasping at straws and theories from start to end. 

The story grabs hold of you. There were times where I was feeling a bit panicked and out of sorts, mimicking some of the characters. It's also like you hit a point of the story where it's impossible to put it down - like you're stuck in this hole wondering what's going to come next. I love any type of thriller which DEMANDS to be finished. 

I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this atmospheric thriller. I am a sucker for anything horror movie related. This one is a book within a book within a movie. Super meta. There were several points throughout the story that I was worried for Adele and felt myself holding my breath, waiting for what would happen next. The writing is fantastic and very descriptive. My only gripe is that it went on for bit too long. I really enjoyed the ending and how it was wrapped up. The narration was fantastic and conveyed the emotion and terror of the characters. I would highly recommend this engaging and suspenseful book!

This was kind of a bizarre thriller that was great at times and then ended up far too convoluted. Everything felt a little too ridiculous by the end, which was a shame as the first half of the book was really good. Adele's story, the isolated woods setting, and the premise of a low-budget horror movie was good, but then it got lost in too many things at once which brought the book down in my opinion.

AAAAHH😱!! This book had me so freaked out y’all, I was a nervous wreck 😆. *DO NOT* read this one alone late at night. (Or I guess *DO* if you enjoy the heart palpitations 🙃.) This thriller got under my skin in the best kind of way. I could not read it fast enough🖤.

Adele Rafferty fled her life as a movie star in Ireland after a disastrous incident on a film set. Now, she’s working as a motel receptionist in Hollywood while chasing her acting dreams. Adele’s ready to give up on those dreams when she’s given the lead role in an Irish horror film. The movie is set in the isolated woods of West Cork, where cell service is scant and there’s no civilization for miles. When bone-chilling events start to mirror the script, Adele doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn.

There is an undercurrent of panic and danger that runs throughout this book. It’s a tense, nail-biting, breath caught in your throat, on the edge of your seat type of book.

I read and listened to this book. Thank you to @blackstonepublishing and Blackstone Audio for the digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review.

Run Time - Catherine Ryan Howard
4.75/5⭐️

Adele Rafferty was once a successful child actor in Ireland, where she performed for years on a popular soap opera. Adele actually got into acting by chance, when she was selected from the crowd by a casting agent at an audition she simply attended with her best friend, Julia.

Julia was actually the actor, but Adele got real lucky that day. The role was on <i>These Are the Days</i>, the soap that she remained on for years. Branching out later on, Adele took a role on a movie and it was a wild success. Unfortunately, as sometimes happens, that success went to her head a wee bit.

She began to resent the soap from holding her back from doing other projects. Feeling constrained she abruptly left. Her next project did not end well. Embarrassed beyond belief and consequentially, partially blacklisted from the industry in Ireland, Adele packed her bags and moved to the United States to try her luck there.

As the hits keep on coming though, that's not a successful venture either. Where once Adele was a big fish in a tiny pond, in L.A. she's more like an amoeba in the ocean. Just when she's about to call it quits on acting for good, Adele receives a call that could change everything and the opportunity is back home.

She's offered the chance to be the lead in a very secretive project. A Horror movie called Final Draft filming in a remote region of West Cork. This could be exactly what Adele needs to revitalize her career. With some minor trepidation, she hops a plane and heads home. Once on location, Adele is surprised by the skeleton crew and lack of bells and whistles. This is quite a small production indeed.

As she tries to settle in, Adele is unnerved. When the screenplay she reads begins to come to life, she's properly freaked out. Seemingly abandoned on set and in a desperate search for answers, Adele fears for her life. Will this be her final cut!?

I had a lot of fun with Run Time. This was my first novel by Catherine Ryan Howard, but I absolutely plan to pick up more from her soon. I was intrigued with this from the very start. First, I need to point out that I did listen to the audio for this and I absolutely would recommend that format.

This novel has an interesting format. You follow Adele in her present perspective and through her reflections on her career leading her up to this point. You also get the screenplay from the movie, Final Draft, the one Adele is returning to Ireland to act in.

In Final Draft, one of the main characters, Kate, is reading a book whilst at a remote cottage on a weekend getaway. You also get the portions of that book that Kate is reading. So essentially, you're reading a book within a screenplay within a book. That's a lot of layers.

Due to the fabulous narration, I found it very easy to keep all of this straight. The multiple narrators kept these sections distinct and easy to follow. Additionally, I love a screenplay included within a book. I know this is hit or miss for people, but for me it is almost always a hit.

I found some scenes in here genuinely creepy. Putting myself in Adele's shoes, I was proper freaked out. It was claustrophobic and disturbing. I had no idea what was happening. I liked how the truth behind the movie was revealed. It was surprising, but also sort of not at the same time. Like once it was revealed, it did make a lot of sense, but I didn't see it coming at all.

Since this has a bit of a nontraditional format, I know it won't be for everyone. Luckily, I found it quite enjoyable. I think if you enjoy Horror in general, gritty-feeling found-footage movies, or just stories that go against the grain, you should absolutely give this one a shot.

For Audiobook Readers, I can't stress enough how fun this was in that format. I'm not sure if I would have felt the same about it had I picked up a hard copy.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing and Blackstone Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This was a real treat for me. The exact type of content I can always get into!

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

Adele is an actress who is struggling to find work out in L.A. When she gets a random call to star in a movie being produced out in Ireland, she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, the movie isn't quite what she had in mind. When things start to go horribly wrong on set, Adele wonders if she made the right decision. What will become of the movie? And what will become of Adele?

✨My Thoughts✨

I really loved how there were scenes from a movie interspersed in the novel. It really helped break up the chapters and kept things from getting stale.

It was quite an interesting storyline. A book about a girl acting in a movie based on a book that is based on another book. 🤯

I think I would have liked Run Time better if I was into the whole acting thing. I have no familiarity with scripts or producers or call times.

Overall, I'm still glad I read it! It was a wild ride that proved to be worth the read.

❓Have you read any books by @cathryanhoward ?