Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the mystery of not knowing why everyone was acting the way they were and seeing the next moves the family would take. There were twists and turns I wasn't expecting and overall really enjoyed the premise and execution of this book. I look forward to reading more by Blake Crouch in the future!

I was so excited for this arc, as I loved dark matter by this author. The plot/ storyline is suspensful, entertaining, mysterious, and truly nothing less of what you could imagine.

The story follows a family who has to flee their town suddenly in the middle of the night. There is chaos everywhere. All the family knows is that a large portion of the US and Mexico are affected and going on massive killing sprees. Jack, his wife Dee, and their two kids Naomi and Cole come across this new journey while fighting to stay alive.

Talk about a lot of "running" in this concerning futuristic book. By the end, I felt weary from all the scrambling and going. Not my favorite Crouch book, but still entertaining enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the gifted e-arc of this book.

The novel follows a family caught in a nightmarish scenario that forces them to confront their past and fight for survival. Crouch's signature fast-paced narrative and tense atmosphere create an immersive reading experience, as the story unfolds with relentless urgency.

The characters are well-drawn, making their struggles and decisions all the more impactful.

I read this after reading "Dark Matter" and absolutely loved that book. And this is another one of his works that is another great option if you want to read more Blake Crouch. There's not as much science in this one and it's more of a post apocalyptic story. There was a lot more action and gore in this one as well so if that's your thing, highly recommend!

Solid Thriller with a Wild Ride

Blake Crouch does it again with Run! A fast-paced, intense, and full of heart-pounding moments. The story kicks off strong and never really lets up, which makes it hard to put down. The action is brutal, the stakes are high, and the desperation feels real.

That said, some parts felt a little repetitive, and the characters could’ve used more depth. But if you’re in the mood for a high-energy, adrenaline-fueled chase, this one delivers. Not my favorite Crouch book, but definitely worth the read!

I write this review as I sit here, mouth open in disbelief. This book had me in the edge of my seat the entire time! The writing was engaging and hooked me from about second chapter on. I’ve heard this premise before, but the way the author described it and the family dynamic was unique and gripping. Blake Crouch never disappoints.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I do love Blake Crouch, but I didn’t realize this was earlier in his career. If I had known, maybe I might not have gone in with less expectations.

This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but I will absolutely read more in the future from him and continue I’m sure to love other books in the future.

I feel like not a ton happened in this book, and I know I’ve seen a lot of people say that. I never got into this story like I hoped I would.

This was absolutely the most horrifying book I have ever read. It’s terrifying to think that people can just start murdering people left and right for no reason.

The scene that stands out the most was when Jack was at the mass grave site.

Crouch has a way of setting a scene. The scenes were descriptive and gross. I would describe this as apocalyptic horror.

I’m a mother and the thought of having kids with them through this terrifying journey made me have such anxiety. I was on the edge of my seat for most of it and I read it in 2 sittings!!!

Absolutely recommend!!! Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this horrific novel!!!

Everything is second hand here and it fell flat for me. I love Crouch’s work, I just did not love this one.

I've previously enjoyed Blake Crouch's SciFi Thrillers but I've always been weary of his other novels because they're soooo different than what I love from this author. I feel as though I had a reason to be hesitant. Post-apocalyptic books are always a hit or a miss for me and this one was kind of a miss. While the apocalypse was interesting, I didn't really enjoy the point of view we were following it from. I wish we could've seen more people and more chaos, but we were just hearing about it second hand from the main character and the people he meets throughout this book. I know that this was a rerelease of an idie published book and I wonder how different it was from the original. The horror in this fell flat for me and I didn't feel invested in any of the characters but the concept of this was super interesting that it kept me reading. I can give it some slack from it being this author's first book, but it does make me hesitate to pick up some of his older novels/series.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted e-copy.

I have read several of this author's more recent books and really enjoyed them. I really struggled with this one. It was an apocalyptic, stressful, chaotic, horror filled story - and that both worked and didn't work for me. It was suspenseful, yes, but it lacked the polish of his recent works.

I almost DNF'ed but stuck it out because I needed to see how everything ended.

This is a quick read but not my favorite of Blake Crouch. I loved Recursion and Dark Matter by him and this one didn’t deliver the same level of twisty thriller detail he normally writes. I’ll keep reading this author since overall I’m a big fan of his work.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

From the opening line, the book seized me in its relentless grip, refusing to relinquish its hold until the final, breathtaking page. This wasn't just a good thriller; it was a masterclass in suspense, a meticulously crafted engine of anxiety that left me both exhilarated and utterly drained.

Blake Crouch is one of my favorite authors, I LOVE Dark Matter and Recursion, they’re in my top favorite books. However, Run just didn’t feel like a Blake Crouch book.
I still enjoyed it, I love most anything post apocalyptic, but I don’t know if this one will stick with me as much as the other two did!

4.5 ⭐️
Imagine waking up to a world where inexplicable violence sweeps the nation. In this book , Blake Crouch takes readers into this harrowing reality, delivering a thriller that is as unyielding as it is terrifying. At first it seems random murders are happening.
It centers on Jack Colclough and his family, who find themselves targeted after hearing his name on the radio of being a potential victim. They now need to RUN.
I’m telling you this one got my heart pumping!

Genre: Dystopian
Re-Release Date: October 22, 2024
Rating: 3⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of this rerelease!

I was immediately intrigued because I have read a couple works from this author (Dark Matter and Recursion) and loved both. So of couse when I saw that a backlisted title of his was getting a re-release I jumped at the opportunity to read. Friends, I was pretty disappointed, I will preface the review by saying that was probably my fault. Because I read and loved his two other books I assumed that this book would be in the similar vein; science fiction with a hint of dystopia. This read was full on dystopian and it felt like things were coming at me at break neck speed. I did not enjoy this one, I felt that there was a lack of backstory and character development if I'm keeping it real. It defintely made me appreciate the writing style of current Blake Crouch. He's still one of my favorite sci-fi authors, but I probably won't go back to reading his backlist titles.

I love Blake Crouch's books, and this one did not disappoint. It is fast paced, crazy out there topic but so compelling and attention grabbing that I could not put it down.

I quickly became invested in the family and their travails. I found myself screaming out loud at times because I was so caught up in the story and the writing.

So hard to explain but if you love a thriller with some far-reaching ideas - then read this book!!


Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

This story follows a couple, Jack and Dee, and their two children as they are fleeing their state at the start of an apocalyptic situation. They have to overcome many hurdles as they try to reach safety, wherever that may be.

I have mixed feelings about this book because while I enjoyed the concept, a lot of parts felt repetitive and drawn out. The beginning grabbed my attention quickly and I was excited to see how this family could escape their unexpected situation. As I kept reading, there was a lot of them driving down the road, finding a place to stay, then the bad guys chasing them out and being on the road again and not a lot of pivotal plot action. It went on like this until about 60% into the book.

I also don’t think the lights that turned people into killing machines was explained well enough. It was vaguely talked about, but I think it should’ve been more of a focus, especially at the end. That being said, I did find the ending satisfying after having to sit through the rinse and repeat events that took place over the 30 days of fleeing. The story was enjoyable, but was pretty average overall.

This review will be posted on Goodreads on March 3rd, 2025.