When I requested this ARC, I didn't realize that this was a rerelease from Crouch's backlist but I'm so glad that I discovered this title. In Run, people exposed to the Northern Lights become violent. The MCs are a family of four on the run from this violence.

This was an entertaining read but Crouch's writing has clearly improved in the intervening years since this title's original release. A funny, frothy thriller but nothing exceptionally original.

This book was emotional whiplash and stress in written form. I spent most of the book feeling the panic of the characters and wanting to know what on earth caused their world to devolve into chaos and craziness. Read if you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic novels or if you’re looking for a book to raise your heart rate to unsafe levels.

Blake Crouch is one of my favorite authors and I really wish this would have worked for me, but unfortunately it didn’t. This was obviously one of his earlier books because it just didn’t have the same vibes, but that’s okay! It shows that he has grown so much! This was a family oriented thriller that was pretty gripping with each chapter ending with a cliff-hanger, but this is very repetitive and felt more like a mob/action movie. I prefer his sci-fi dystopian tales, so this just wasn’t a new fave of mine but I still liked it a bit. He’s still a fantastic storyteller and writer but the ending was also pretty ambiguous. Overall, not terrible and I do recommend it, but also not a new favorite.

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book was originally published 13 years ago, but it could have been written last week. In a country filled with political division and then a major viewing of the northern lights (hey! sound familiar?), people start behaving erratically, attacking and killing those around them. The reader follows a family trying to escape the violence. Parts are a tad too unbelievable, and I wish there had been a clearer resolution the initial problem, but it was a thrilling adventure that feels a bit too realistic/possible.

Thank you Random House Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC of this insane survival/horror read!!

I love Blake Crouch, and this one didn't disappoint! HOWEVER--you *will* be disappointed if you go in expecting a deep understanding of sci-fi that are prevalent in his other works. This one isn't about the science or navigating the science. This one is about *surviving* it.

What would you do if seemingly overnight, your neighbors and friends suddenly became blood thirsty, violent people? If they were hunting you to torture and kill you? But...it's not just your neighbors and friends. It's a large portion of the entire United States population. We have a nationwide purge that lasts for months and weeks, but not everyone is impacted--you only become a monster if you saw the lights. And if you didn't? You better run.

Y'all this book basically solidified that I will not do well in any sort of apocalypse scenario. I absoLUTELY do not have the will to live through anything even remotely resembling this. And I'm saying that in the "good" times--forget it if I was actually living this scenario. I was HOOKED from the first page and couldn't put this down. Because as much as I don't want to live it, it absolutely feels like you're part of this family of 4 running from something you don't understand to a place you don't know is safe.

Are the characters loveable? Not really. Was I necessarily cheering for them to survive? Also know. Do I 100% expect to look at reviews and read how awful everyone found the FMC? SURE DO! But that's honestly one of the best parts of this--how do you react when the world falls apart around you? How do you cope? When everything devolves and you just need to SURVIVE--what kind of person are you willing to become to keep your family safe?

The short chapters, the time jumps, and the dialogue all make you feel as though you're living through it too. The suspense is amazing, and it's violent and gruesome without being overly gory and "ick" inducing. If you read James Patterson's "Zoo" and wondered what it would be like if people were the ones impacted--this book is absolutely for you!!

Blake Crouch is an auto-read author for me. It doesn't matter what it is, if he wrote it, I will read it. So I was very excited to receive an ARC of Run. I had high expectations after Dark Matter and Recursion, but unfortunately, Run wasn't up to par with them.

Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting premise, and was entertaining, but I felt like it kept repeating. They run, they stumble upon the 'bad' people. They hide. Then they run some more. Then they hide, etc. Then suddenly, it is just over?! How?! Why?!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Run in exchange for an honest review.

Theme/Tropes: Thriller, Survival Story, Apocalyptic Sci Fi

This book is nothing if not a story of enduring love and survival. As a global events causes people to go into a murderous frenzy one family must try to escape and survive as the world falls apart.

This book is violent and graphic at times as it is a book for those who loved the survival aspect of shows like The Walking Dead. It lives up to the name Run as this is what most of the book is about. I found myself engrossed in their survival story and wanting to see an happy ending for this family. The end was worth the wild ride and the endless ups and downs. I felt myself cheering for Jack and his family as they beat the odds.

This is not a light hearted story and please take care of yourself if you as sensitive to certain themes. I could see this being a tough read for some audiences but overall I did enjoy it. The writing style, character development and the overall story made it hard to put this one down.

After reading Crouch's most recent works (Upgrade, Recursion, & Dark Matter), I was extremely excited to be offered the opportunity to read RUN. At first, I was not impressed by the first few chapters of the book. I felt as if I was dropped into the middle of a book with presumed character development and no real hint at where the book was going to lead. I honestly thought I had missed reading something like a prequel. After those first few chapters though, I got into the plot line and was so curious about what would happen to this family that I couldn't stop turning the pages. And then, THE ENDING! Down to the last sentence. What a suspense! I understand this was Crouch's first novel, but I am curious as to why they decided to re-publish it (that piece of information was not included in the acknowledgements). I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Crouch's work and wants to see how it started, and for anyone who wants to thrilling ride of a book that is both exhilarating and downright horrifying.

This was my first book by Blake Crouch and I enjoyed it! I will definitely read more books from him.

It has been a long time since I read an entire book in one day, but with this one I felt like I needed to. This is a terrifying book that seems like it could be all too real in our current world. Humans have become monsters that are on a rampage to kill others that they deem “not like them” in the most violent ways. The gore and a few other minor issues are the reason that I didn’t give 5 stars. This is the story of a family trying to survive and get away from the horrible wasteland that has become the of the United States. It is violent, scary, gross, and very intense; but, also tells the story of how trauma can bring people together. I had to know what was going to happen so I just kept turning the pages. It also helped that I have really enjoyed others book by this author. Grab this one if you’re not easily disturbed!

I rarely DNF books, but I did DNF this one at 40%. I just really wasn't enjoying the storyline. I LOVED Dark Matter, and went into this being excited to read it. There wasn't any background or leading information about the family, we just immediately jump into this apocalyptic world. I didn't connect with any members of the family, I was just dreading reading it. The story felt pretty repetitive as well. I will stick with Blake's later work & continue to read his new upcoming releases.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Crouch is back with a rerelease of a 2011 fav! This is dystopian fiction with a survivalist plot line, flawed characters, and fast paced action. Readers who enjoyed Dark Matter and Recursion will appreciate the familiar elements layered throughout this story.

fast paced post-apocalyptic thriller that was hard to put down. We dive right into this world that is suddenly falling apart due to massive amounts of violence. A family goes on the run to avoid being killed, and to try to find a safe place. Along the way we find out a bit more about what made everyone go wild and the family survives a lot. It was fast paced and enjoyable, my only wish is that we understood a bit more the "why" of how the violence came to be. The explanation was very general and I wish it was explained in more detail, but I still really enjoyed the ride!

SO DAMN GOOD! Blake Crouch originally self-published Run back in 2011, but it’s being republished this month with Random House Publishing Group and wow, it’s a ride. This was action-packed, and I was anxious every single moment. There was one tiny moment of relief, but even then, I was just waiting for the next thing to go wrong. This story terrified me so much that I couldn’t read it before bed. It’s not your typical demons, possession, or slasher horror. It’s real-life, this could actually happen, “what would you do in this situation?” kind of horror.

People have literally lost their minds, and you’re following a family trying to survive what feels like an impossible situation. It’s violent, it’s terrifying, and it’s so damn good. I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a short, quick read for spooky season that will keep you on edge the entire time, Run is perfect. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of Crouch’s republished novel.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

DNF @ 48%. I was excited to read this - as this is going to be a re-release for one of Blake Crouch's previously published books from 2011. Unfortunately this feels nothing like a Blake Crouch book. Upgrade and Dark Matter are both 5 star reads from me, with Dark Matter being one of my absolute favs ever. The best part about his writing is the character development and the descriptive action scenes.

This gives us none of that. We immediately jump into an end-of-world scenario that is explained very poorly (it could have been more clear near the end but I will never know). The main characters Jack and Dee are both shallow, unlikeable, and miserable. The kids don't bring much to the table except as NPC's that are just kind of there. The only thing I learned about their son Cole was that he sleeps a lot. Naomi wears Chuck's and eyeliner. Half way through the book this is all I know.

Instead of developing the characters, we get repetitive scenes over and over again about the aspen trees, the hairpin curves of roads, and numerous descriptions of loading different guns. The writing was not good. There's really no other way to say it.

The concept was interesting but unfortunately the execution was not.

Alternatively titled “Riding around in my automobile”

Although filled with spooky vibes, the plot (goal) was ill defined with the main characters wandering about exclaiming, “Ah! Ah! Ah!” (paraphrasing)

The characters are also underdeveloped. Why should I care about Jack and family? Even some of the standard tricks weren’t utilized. For example, readers usually cheer for the character that they start with. However, the book doesn’t even start with Jack.

But put away your pitchforks. This was Crouch’s first novel, and he has evolved as an author. For reference, Philip Pullman’s first book was so bad that he doesn’t even like talking about it, and it mysteriously disappears from his biography.

Everyone has to start somewhere. In Run, you can see the seeds of Crouch’s brilliance, but it just isn’t all there yet. And it will. It will. Check out Recursion, Dark Matter, or Upgrade!

Am I screaming? I AM SCREAMING!!

This novel is absolutely INCREDIBLE, y'all. I went into this book blind and having only previously read Dark Matter, I was expecting full on sci-fi thriller, and that's how it's billed! But NO. This book is pure end of the world, apocalyptic horror! And ya girl ATE IT UP.

I could not put this down, it consumed my mind, I didn't want to read anything else and I flew through it. It has all of the traditional elements of a good end of times family horror. Parents having marital struggles? Check. Half of the country gone nuts? Check. Doubts about a child? Check. Lots of running, hiding and panic? Check check check. The moment you think you're safe, just give it a minute!

This book also doesn't have chapters! And while that normally makes me crazy, there are plenty of breaks that make it easy to find a place to stop (but why would you want to?) and it just gave it this absolutely unputdownable quality and made it so easy to breeze through pages.

I freaking loved this one, maybe even more than I loved Dark Matter and I cannot wait for everyone to read this book.

FIVE BIG ASS STARS FOR BLAKE CROUCH AND RUN!

I have loved all of Blake Crouch’s books and I could NOT wait to read this one. I didn’t realize until about halfway through that it’s a re-release of his first novel, and that explained why it wasn’t quite as good as his others. Although I still loved it and couldn’t put it down, there was just something missing.

This was my first time reading Blake Crouch’s work, and I’m eager to read more.

Run is a fast-paced apocalyptic thriller that was hard to put down. I loved the gritty dystopian survivalist plot, and I couldn’t help but root for its flawed characters. While the book is action-packed and suspenseful, at its heart, Run is an emotionally charged story of a family’s battle to stick together amidst the unimaginable.

Read if you enjoy:
🏃‍♂️dystopian survivalist fiction
🏃‍♂️ apocalyptic settings
🏃‍♂️ flawed characters
🏃‍♂️ family drama
🏃‍♂️ fast-paced action

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the gifted eARC.

Run by Blake crouch is an action-.thriller in the vein of early koontz or king. In a post-apocalyptic world, a family goes on the run hoping to find solace from zombie like beings they have taken over. Unfortunately, there is no where to run safe enough…

That’s pretty much the plot-sure there is the ultimate question of what caused this, but this is really a thriller about survival. It reminded me of the early walking dead seasons.

While this is a suspenseful page-turner-you can tell that this is an early crouch, as this is as reissue of the backlist title. The characterization isn’t quite fleshed out as in his more current novels and this is very action heavy with not much substance behind it. His writing has definitely improved since 2011!

This is still a fun page-turner that is a worthwhile read for fans of crouch!

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.