Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Run Time

The beginning of this was really interesting and I liked the premise, I definitely was not too suprised by any plot points and it went exactly where I thought it was going the majority of the time. The middle had a big of a slow section for me where it felt like the same thing over and over, the end while picking up was not enough of a "twist" or interesting development for me. I liked how easy this was to read and the incorporation of script pages within the text.

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bleaksalad's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As someone who has read many thriller/horror/mystery books, I thought Run Time was a breath of fresh air. Even though the concept isn’t exactly original, I was pleasantly surprised by how the author made it feel new and captured my interest.

One of my favorite features of this book is that there is a story within a story WITHIN a story. Though it can be a little confusing, I thought that this triple layer of storytelling that’s dispersed throughout the pages was genius. Trying to figure out how the pages of the movie script foreshadows what’s going to happen in the main plot was super fun.

The issue that kept Run Time from being a full 5 star read for me is that it felt like something bigger was going on for 75% of the book. Honestly I was a little disappointed when everything was revealed. The way Adele talks about what happened on her last movie set was hyped up so much just for it to be way less exciting. But, in retrospect that might be intentional for the ultimate reveal?

Overall, I really liked Run Time. If you’re looking for a creepy, atmospheric read with some Hollywood flair this book is definitely worth your time.

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thebookishnerd_'s review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I had high expectations going into this book, I love all things horror and reading about the acting industry. The premise seemed great and the first 100 pages kept me engaged and curious to see where things went. A story within a story, love it. However, around the midway point, the story became dull and repetitive. With the events happening to her, being the exact same as the script shown 10 pages before, I found myself skimming over it, knowing what happens already. Showing the script removed any tension because we knew how it was going to turn out. The latter part of the book felt so quick with everything being revealed, twist after twist. Some make no sense. The final big plot twist that was supposed to explain everything, even before the events of the book came out of nowhere. A complete left turn that felt flimsy. Overall, it was a decent read. I'd recommend if you want a quick easy read that will keep you interested. Maybe for those new to the genre. But not for the more seasoned thriller readers.

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kstericker's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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sleeson's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The narrators were great, however they could not save this novel. It was way too long. Too much of an intense build up for the silly ending that was revealed. I’m sad because I have enjoyed other novels by Howard. This one not a lot. Moderate cursing.

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hailsbooknook's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

TW: Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, Toxic friendship, Murder, Death, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Blood, Violence
3.75 stars
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A book, within a book, within a book. At first, Run Time may seem a tad confusing but once you start to iron out the details and figure out what is real, and what is part of the book it starts to make more sense. At one point in her career Adele Rafferty had it all, now, she has a hard time finding a job after an unfortunate event that happened while on set of her last film. Out of the blue she gets a call from a number back home, and it seems to be the opportunity of a lifetime - she's being offered the lead in a film without even having to audition. The only thing? She has to sign a NDA as the film is super hush hush, and the filmmakers don't want anyone knowing about the film.

Adele has been getting cryptic calls and messages warning her not to go to the set as it'll put her in danger, she chooses to brush it off as she needs the money. As soon as she arrives on set things seem a little off, none of the crew is there to greet her, other than Donal, who has just been hired on as well. The second she does meet the crew they are all distant towards her and basically act like she's not there, it doesn't help that the director also seems to have a specific way of doing things but no one is questioning it. Soon after her arrival she starts to find clues that perhaps someone had been there before her, things start happening to her that were in the book, and with the texts she's been getting things just don't add up. As she starts to question everything, it's clear that she's pushing her luck.

The story takes a turn and it soon becomes a story about survival as it appears that she's in danger, the pacing was so fast and I just wanted to get to the bottom and figure out what was truly going on. At one point I didn't know who I could trust as the story spiraled out of control, I really liked how parts of the book were added to break up the plot and give you a look at what was to come!

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ahixon1's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

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