Woooooah. I absolutely loved the format of this. A book about a movie being made about a book. Super intriguing. The inclusion of the movie scenes was a really neat element. I did get a bit confused at times, but it could have just been due to my focus and not the book itself. I did feel like the beginning bits really slowed down the overall plot and when I finished and looked back, it felt too drawn out and like it didn't add that much to the overall story, in my opinion. Once the plot switched locations it got very eerie and atmospheric and I LOVED IT. Overall there were a lot of parts I enjoyed but the ending felt a bit rushed and disconnected. I did enjoy this novel, but it definitely wasn’t my fav.

Adele is an Irish born actress down on her luck, living in LA going after that big break. She’s hopeful for the days where she can quit her job working at a grungy hotel and be a big name actress. When a phone call comes in the middle of the night asking her to return home to be the lead in a new thriller movie, she realizes this could be it, the movie that puts her on the scene. Once on set, she starts to question what’s going on around her. Things don’t seem to be adding up, and stuff starts happening that parallels the spooky book that the movie is based off of. Is she paranoid? Or is she right to be questioning everything?



*potential spoiler*
The gaslighting in this novel was INSANE. For the majority of the book it didn’t bother me but towards the end it got to be too darn much, like my goodness. It didn’t affect my rating or anything, but definitely stuck out!

I would’ve loved this book a lot more if I could’ve understood the thick accent. I get it was part of it, but I needed subtitles during some of it. Otherwise enjoyable.

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.

Well, this book is getting so many mixed reviews and now ai can see why. My head is still trying to comprehend what I just listened to. I really liked it for about 70% and then as the ending was being revealed I found myself shaking my head a lot. I didn’t hate the ending but it was a bit much, even for me.

The premise of this book was interesting. A book inside a screenplay, being made into a movie. It was a little confusing at times on audio if you aren’t paying 100% attention, although they did a really good job at making the distinction between reality and fiction. The narration was really well done and ai loved the accents.

Adele was such a frustrating character! I just wanted to shake her!

The story was creepy and clever, but I felt the ending let it down a bit, the reasoning for what was happen just a bit weak.

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced listening copy of Run Time to read. It is out now.

This was my first audiobook and it was perfect to listen to the Irish accents in the thriller Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard. I loved listening to the main character tell her story about life as a struggling actress and taking a role in her home country of Ireland. Things start to freak her out and she encounters lots of difficulties with the entire male crew. This was a fast paced story and it kept my interest because it went from the character’s story to the story she’s acting in! All of the movie references and production terms were a plus. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the audiobook of #RunTime #NetGalley

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!

I was hooked from the start with this creative, creepy thriller. I found the main character easy to root for, the atmosphere chilling and the twists surprising and well-executed. Read this if you enjoy story within a story/meta plots with a tinge of psychological thrills and women empowerment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this advanced 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!

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. The phenomenal narration added to the tension. Thank you to @blackstonepublishing and Blackstone Audio for these 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!

The premise of this was something I haven’t seen before and so I was curious. It had its pros but it also had a lot of cons.
Adele Rafferty is an Irish actress working in a hotel in America after a series of bad breaks. After one particularly bad audition, she vows to give up on acting. The very same day she gets a call offering her the lead in an indie movie being filmed in Ireland and thinking that this could be the opportunity that turns everything around, she takes it.
It doesn’t take long for Adele to realize that things onset are not as they are meant to be and she starts to see life imitating art in the script she is acting out. Is she being paranoid? Is the script haunted? Is her past chasing her?
There was sooooo much repetition! Things happen in he movie. Happen in the book. Happen in the other book. Was this in the movie or was this in the book? And as I was listening to it, there was a lot of descriptions of “cut to” scene 62 and “interior cabin” and it just kind of fell all over the place to me. And as I was getting towards the end, and more chapters kept coming, I found myself saying out loud “No! There can’t possibly be more book! How much more is there left?”
I think lots of people will end up liking this one, it just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my 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.

Lots of creepy feels with this intense and fast-paced thriller! Adele is an actress who finds herself without work and looking for her next gig. Having had a breakdown on the set of her last show, she feels she will unlikely be cast in anything anytime soon, until she receives a phone call and a contract to star in a top-secret production in her home country. Once she arrives to the movie set and signs a non-disclosure agreement as to the location and making of the horror movie, filming abruptly begins. She finds she is the only female cast in a production crew of 8 in a very rural, isolated and down-right creepy location. Weird things start to happen in a similar fashion to the script and all the creepy feels and twists start from there. This one sucked me in quickly and kept me entertained all the way through. 4-stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I’m sad to say that I did not love this book. It honestly started off great and I thought I was really going to enjoy it. But it ended up falling very flat for me.

The main plot and storyline were gripping and kept my interest for quite a while.

Scene:
Adele Rafferty is a struggling actress in L.A. who is trying to make a new name for herself after a disaster on her last film in Ireland. When she gets a last minute invite to star in a horror film in West Cork, Ireland, she jumps at the opportunity. But things quickly turn into a nightmare as Adele begins to experience things from the movie in real life. She soon fears for her life and wants out. But that quickly seems to be a hopeless desire and she fears making it out alive is not going to happen.

I was really wrapped up in the “terror” until what was happening was revealed and why. Then it became completely unbelievable and eventually just boring. At one point, two of the characters even admit this. There’s a few mentions of a mythological creature that seems to be a threat to some characters, but the storyline literally goes nowhere and has no bearing on anything , like it was thrown in at the last minute in an attempt to make the book more interesting. It didn’t work. The links between some of the characters past and what is happening in the present, weren’t convincing at all. It felt like the author threw in a lot of different ideas to add different levels of drama, hoping one would stick and bring the desired result of a “thriller” novel, but it just ended up making the story convoluted and disappointing.

ℝ𝕦𝕟 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 🎬🎞

★ ★ ★ ★
(3.75 ⭐️- rounded up on GoodReads)

Pub Date: Today 🎉
𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒃:
Movie-making can be murder.

🎞Project
Final Draft, a psychological horror script.

🎞The location
A cottage deep in a forest, miles from anywhere in the wintry wilds of West Cork.

🎞The lead
Former soap-star Adele Rafferty has stepped in to replace the original actress at the very last minute. She can't help but hope that this will be her big break.

🎞The problem
Something isn't quite right on the set of Final Draft. Adele is about to discover that the real horror lies off the page...

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
The author did a good job of coming up with an exciting premise for this book. The book read like a movie 🎥 and that was fun - the narration of the script was spot on.

Overall, the book had a creepy, isolated atmosphere that added to me liking the storyline.

I have been reading a lot of 4 ⭐️ thrillers and I will say this falls into the same ⭐️ rating. The book was an intense and entertaining read with a decent amount of twists and turns.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 🧠 (two of the same 🤷🏼‍♀️)

📚 Book Review: Run Time 🎬
This was such a GREAT BOOK!! I loved it. It was so fun and really creepy. 🫣 I was getting so scared at different parts. The tension was real. I definitely could not listen late at night before going to bed.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and I loved it so much. The narrator, Alana Kerr Collins, was amazing as usual. She knows how to create panic & fear in the reader with her voice. I first heard her when I listened to The Nothing Man. She was so good and really made that story come to life. I love her voice so much. I could listen to her Irish accent for everything I swear. 🤣 But, I listened to Lair’s Girl and now this and she narrated both of them also. I can see why @cathryanhoward uses her. She really IS great. I also just LOVE Catherine’s writing style too. She’s so descriptive but not in an overdone way. She also knows how to write a scene where you are just on the edge of your seat right there with the MC.
So for those that don’t know much about this book I can tell you some things without giving too much away. It’s about an out of work actress Adele, who after looking for work for a year. Then, she was finally offered the lead role in a low budget horror film, called Final Draft. Of course she’s excited and accepts the offer right away. So Adele flies to this remote location, a cabin in the woods, (where else of course, it’s a horror movie 🤣) to begin filming. How cliche right?! But after they begin filming, strange things start to happen. It seems like what was happening to the MC in the movie, was also starting to happen to Adele in real life. Who was behind it though? Or was Adele just imagining it?
You’ll have to read it to find out. But it’s crazy and creepy and wonderful. I really enjoyed this one, as usual. Catherine Ryan Howard knows how to write a thriller. 👏🏻 And I love her books so much. It’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 stars for me!

A special thank you to @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for this early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Run Time Pub Day: TODAY 8/16/22!

Have you read or listened to any books by Catherine Ryan Howard? Which one is your favorite? My favorite is still The Nothing Man.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ALC copy of Run Time, as well an ALC. At 520 pages, it was great to be able to bounce between the audiobook and ebook! Not that I needed help getting through this one, because I somehow binged it in 20 hours 🫣😂 The narrator is a great pick for this read - I sometimes got confused about flipping from real-time to script on audio but got over that quickly.

After reading 56 Days and The Nothing Man, I knew I’d have to read absolutely anything and everything Catherine Ryan Howard came out with next! This one pubs tomorrow and am kicking off my reviews this week with a BANG.

This book is SO unique and atmospheric as one can get - perfect to add to your spooky season TBR. This one is a book…within a movie…within a book. 😵‍💫 Once getting through my initial confusion, I was hooked! I love a book that keeps me second guessing and wondering who can truly be relied on (you might just not figure this one out). Given the book-movie-book concept, I did feel that some of the plot was given away from the start but by the end had completely changed my mind. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As always, Catherine is an auto-buy author for me ✨

I ♥️ @cathryanhoward’s books and her newest novel, Run Time, is no exception! This book within a movie in a book was so unique. Also, the narration in the audiobook made the story easy to understand and follow the plot without confusion. This book switches between the movie plot and Adele Rafferty’s POV. The setting is also amazing: the isolated, wintry woods of Wes Cork, Ireland where the next person outside of movie production is miles away and there is no cell service. Adele starts to experience some of the horrific events in the movie plot, while they are not shooting, which is terrifying. The twists that follow are shocking and make you want to keep reading! I highly recommend grabbing this book when it publishes tomorrow!

Pub Date: 8/16/2022
Rating: 🎞🎞🎞🎞🎞/5

Thank you @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

Summary:
Run Time follows, Adele, an out of work actress. She is about to give up on acting all together but is then offered the lead role in a new horror movie. This movie is very secretive with NDA’s and a skeleton crew. Adele is excited about this new opportunity, however when she arrives to the remote set, she discovered that things aren’t quite right, and the real horror is happening off script.

Review: Overall, I thought this was a fun book with an interesting premise. I thought the beginning was a bit slow but it picked up eventually. I enjoyed the narrators.

Run Time, what a wild ride!! 😅

Former soap-star Adele Rafferty hasn’t worked since an incident on her last project, but a chance leading role in a horror film could be the thing to bring her back from that horrible event.

Once on location in Ireland for the horror film “Final Draft”, Adele starts to experience weirdly similar things that also happen in the script. She starts to freak out and thinks the worst. Could this horror film be real life? Or all in her head!!

I really enjoyed it. Fast-paced, locked room, unpredictable and a unique plot. I really liked the addition of the script scenes, especially during the audiobook. I loved the multiple voice actors. It felt like an actual movie and I didn’t want it to end. I did see the twist coming towards the end, but I definitely enjoyed getting there and then after. Can’t wait to read more from this author!!

Thank you, Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me an eARC and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.