Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness!! Fantastic!! This anxiety-inducing, adrenaline-fueled, fast-paced apocalyptic thriller is packed with relentless action and gripping family drama! The tension never lets up, and once you start, you won’t be able to put it down! It’s best to go in blind - just be prepared for a heart-pounding race for survival! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(Read as an ARC)

Honestly, a little hard to get into and then it was hard to put down. I really didn't like the formatting and it felt unfinished/unpolished/unedited (?) with all the mini jumps noted via asterisks. The acknowledgements at the end noted that this was Crouch's first novel and I think that wasn't very surprising. I read Dark Matter by him a few years ago and I liked that one too, but it also was missing something so maybe it's just not *quite* for me even if I enjoyed it overall. It's kind of like they both need a little salt. Fast paced thriller with a sprinkle of sci fi that left some unsatisfyingly unanswered questions, but still good enough and especially for casual readers.

I’m a huge fan of Dark Matter, Recursion, and Upgrade by this author—these books are cerebral, scientific, and complex. They demand your full attention and completely immerse you in their worlds, and I absolutely love them.

Naturally, I was excited to dive into Run, expecting a similar experience. While it had an intriguing premise and a gripping start, it didn’t quite deliver in the way I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong—it’s definitely a tense read, especially in the beginning, but it started to drag toward the end. It just didn’t feel like the type of mind-bending story I’ve come to adore from Crouch. To me, it was more of a generic thriller.

Then I discovered that Run is actually a re-release of a book originally written 14 years ago, in 2011. While it’s clear how much Crouch has grown as a writer since then, I wish NetGalley had mentioned this detail upfront. It would have shifted my expectations going into the book.

That said, if you enjoy high-stakes disaster stories like Falling by T.J. Newman or heart-pounding survival thrillers packed with action and adrenaline, Run will likely be right up your alley. For me, it wasn’t a bad read, but I expected something very different and was ultimately left a bit disappointed. Knowing it was a re-release might have made a difference in my perspective.

Thank you to @netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for the eARC, which I’ve read and reviewed voluntarily.

Okay, my first thought about 53% into this book is "what the ever-loving eff is going on right now?" They are running. Like. The. Whole. Book. Yes, I understand the book is called "run" but this is the author of recursion and dark matter. Extremely cerebral and science-based type stories. And this one is just... running? Sometimes in a car, sometimes on foot. So again I started to wonder what on earth I was reading. What happened to our brilliant author with his mind-bending stories and his jaw-dropping, thought inducing plotlines?

The answer. The author didn't exist yet. This book already came out 2011. No wonder everything that felt so Blake Crouch is missing. This is before he found his voice! If planning a rerelease I do not think it will do well, that's just my opinion though.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoy Blake Crouch so I had high hopes for this. Early on I was not 100% invested in this but it reads pretty fasty so I kept on. This was mysterious and suspenseful and I needed to know what was going on. Definitely sci fi and dystopian horror vibes. Unfortunately DNF at 40% because it was too much for me.

Wow, wow, wow! I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire ride. Blake Crouch puts you right there in the thick of the emotions and chaos of this family. Running for their lives, with people that had been exposed all around them. It's terrifying, emotional, and suspenseful. It was a really enjoyable read, while also making me reflect on humanity in general. Highly recommend!

Even though this is the working of Crouch's earlier work - it was enjoyable! I really enjoyed the simplicity of it. There was nothing for me to have to remember; characters, facts, dates, etc. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat wondering how this family was going to survive day after day. I am a big nerd for any type of movies, shows, books on post-apocalyptic theories. I think they leave everything up for interpretation. This book seriously just jumped right into the action and stayed there. I highly recommend to anyone who just wants a fast-paced, page gripping read. Definitely not like his newer stuff, so go in open-minded.

Heart pounding and relentless, I could not stop reading. I really liked the full circle moment at the end. You can tell however this was an earlier novel from Blake Crouch as his writing and plot skills have improved massively since this.

VERY ACTION AND FAST PACED and it is best to go into this book blindly. The mystery plotline was great and I love Blake Crouch's books so much!

It’s easy to see that this is one of Crouch’s earlier novels, because it has the quick paced edge he does so well but doesn’t quite have the level of depth that I’ve come to expect from him. Regardless, I was on the edge of my seat. I absolutely devoured this book, and I loved the many angles — the relationship between the parents, between the parents and children, and between strangers (what we owe to each other).

3.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books & Blake Crouch for a copy of this book.

3.5⭐️
I liked how in the beginning of this book we jumped right into it, and we’re thrown into this chaos and sudden apocalyptic world that we have to know follow this family try to escape from. However in the middle it started to get a little repetitive, and it felt like we were just following a family on a cross country road trip lol. I feel like I’m still a little confused about some things and some things i wanted answered or clarified but overall it was great! Not my favorite from Crouch but i still enjoy his books nonetheless.

Read Completed 2/27/25 | 2.5 stars | Book #21 of 2025

This was not very good. The writing was intense, fast-paced, and VERY action-based. In fact, there's really not a plot at all. You can summarize the plot in one sentence, and that's all you get from the whole book. RUN is entirely that: running. The main characters flee their home when the entire country starts going homicidal after witnessing an aurora in the sky. Aaaaand. That's it! That's the whole book!

If you like action and don't mind a lack of plot and character development, then maybe this will be an exciting book for you! It really could have benefitted from SOME quiet moments where the characters calm down, share things about themselves, have touching moments, create some other interesting points of the story. It almost happened... once. We didn't get to see the other parts of the book that would have given it depth.

I kind of expected this because Blake Crouch's earlier works just don't seem to have the development that I like of anything from DARK MATTER on, but I still wanted to try it. At least it was fast and kept moving!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of Run by Blake Crouch. I’m a huge fan of Dark Matter, which is one of my favorite books. At times, Run gave me the same mysterious feeling that Dark Matter did. However, the story fell a little short for me overall. At times, it felt a bit too gruesome, and the repetitive nature of the plot left me feeling as though Jack and his family were trapped in a never-ending cycle, like Groundhog Day.

That said, I really enjoyed the concept of the story, and there were moments that kept me intrigued about what would happen next. I’d give this book a 3.5/5 and am still looking forward to reading more from Blake Crouch in the future.

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.