An interesting and a fast paceid thriller read. An important story that is as relevant today as when it was published. I can't wait to read more from Nikesh Shukla.

Think this tried to shed light on some very important issues, but just not sure it went about it in all the right ways.

I swapped my kindle back in 2018 and am unable to recover this title. I appreciate the opportunity that was given for review but sadly can't complete it for this title. Many thanks.

Nikesh Shukla is a brilliant writer who writes stories focusing on the lives of young people and their different experiences without judgement or talking down to them.

Run, Riot was Nikesh Shukla’s debut YA novel. Described by some as ‘the UK’s answer to The Hate U Give‘, it follows aspiring MC Taran and her twin Hari who live in a tower block in an area that is being gentrified, pushing many of the long term residents out of their homes. When Hari is caught up in a tragedy, they are forced to go on the run. It is a suspense-filled and shocking read that shines a light on police brutality. My only criticism is that I didn’t get to know the characters as deeply as I would have liked, but that is perhaps inevitable in such a fast paced novel.

Thank you for providing a copy of this book for review however I was unable to open the file for this document unfortunately! Apologies.

The UK'S answer to THUG. This is a scary action-packed story of police brutality and community. At times I was lost with too many characters and it took a little while to get into the story but once I did, I had to know how it would end.

This is an incredibly powerful story about community and the power of using your voice. I think that it is a great, impactful story that really hits a popular area of the YA market. Perfect for fans of The Hate U Give.

This is a powerful story of community and using your voice. I adored Taran, Hari, Anna, Jamal and their fight for what is right. This story has moments that induce sadness, fear, anger and hope. Whilst reading this I couldn’t help but get excited for all the young people who will read this book and just GET it. This is the kind of life that is massively under represented in UKYA and I’m so glad this book exists for those young people. The UK’s answer to THUG.

After Taran’s twin brother witnesses a murder, it suddenly becomes a giant game of cat and mouse in their tower block. Them vs the police. Them vs everyone else. Hari and her friends soon learn there’s something else happening in the estate, something that will uproot from everything they knew.

Run, Riot tackles some pretty important topics. Racism, police brutality, corruption and gentrification. It has the makings of being a very compelling book. It was fascinating to read this fast-paced story as these group of kids face these moments of injustice from the very people who are meant to protect them. One death leads to the breakdown of an entire community and exposes a trail of corruption that goes further than anyone expected. I really enjoy how the narrative played how, a minute by minute account of events, over a twenty-four-hour time lapse, with moments of flashbacks. I could definitely see this on TV.

I’m actually struggling to put into words what I didn’t like about this book. I just didn’t connect with the characters nor plot. It just felt bland, and many moments were just so dull to read. It’s not as adrenaline-fuelled you would think it would be. Which was a real shame because I actually enjoy its concept and plot, but I was actually really disappointed in its execution. The plot was gripping, its characters genuinely fascinating to read about but the whole book just didn’t work for me. Which really frustrated me because I was enjoying this and I wanted it to be better, but it wasn’t.

Overall, an interesting read about a group of teens standing up and speaking up for what they believe in. Personally, I think my dislike of this is just from my own personal reading experience/taste, but I still think it’s a book that a lot of people will enjoy, hopefully much more than I did.

Hari and Jamal witness and film a murder of an unarmed man from their estate. A murder committed by police. Soon, they find themselves running and being hunted by the very people who are supposed to be protecting them. They soon discover, along with Taran and Anna, that there is something much bigger happening in their estate.

‘He pushes past so many people in the block whose lives intersect with his own, who live above, below, next door, and in the pockets of everyone else in the building. His friends, they complain all the time about where they live, but are the quickest to defend it if anyone from outside says anything similar. Constantly love-hating this place. We don’t even appreciate how connected we are, Jamal thinks. We’re residents of a block, existing side by side like it’s not a strange thing that we’re all shoved into this space together.’

Run, Riot is an important book about police brutality and gentrification. It takes places in real time over one night which makes it a tense and fast-paced read. It is about young people fighting for what is right and standing up for themselves and their community. It’s a tough and brutal read about corruption and greed in society but a very important and relevant book.

It takes place in a tower block and I really loved this and the sense of community it shows. Shukla has managed to create a fantastic group of characters with some great dynamics which you can’t help but care about. At the heart of this, it’s about community, friendship, and family and I really liked that. To say that Run, Riot takes place over a night Nikesh Shukla managed to create some really well rounded and complex characters which is really impressive.

Overall, Run, Riot is a fantastic book about incredibly important topics. It tackles injustice, racism, gentrification, police brutality, and corruption. It is also a book so desperately needed in UKYA and one that I highly recommend. I will definitely be looking out for more from Nikesh Shukla!

Thrilling, exciting, diverse, brilliant. Can't wait to see more fiction from this author in the very near future, I hope! Always a great read, will recommend .

This is a fantastic read that really delves into the brutality of the police and the reality of gentrification. I really loved the characters but I did find the novel rather quick passed which made it hard to really connect with them.

What do you do when the people who’ve vowed to serve and protect you are the ones causing trouble? Sadly, the teens we follow through the course of this novel are forced to find out.
Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
It’s an explosive read, with a growing sense of injustice and anger that builds to an unforgettable climax. I’d like to say we were truly in the realms of something that could never happen, but know that’s not the case.
We follow Taran and her twin through a momentous evening. It begins with the death of a local man at the hands of the police. Asking someone to document what happened and not intervene suggests he knew what was coming - and as we work out the extent to which the corruption has spread the sense of injustice was palpable.

Pacy & political urban thriller which highlights some interesting & topical themes & feels particularly relevant in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy. Adult characters are a bit weak but overall it's strong, thought-provoking stuff.

"No justice. No peace."

Set in England, Run, Riot is a powerful and important read about gentrification, police brutality and young people standing up against the injustices that happen far too frequently while the people higher up are trying to cover them up.

Having read The Good Immigrant which Nikesh was the editor of, I just knew I had to get my hands on Run, Riot and I'm so glad I did because this book is outstanding and an absolute must-read.

I loved the time format. I could really feel the sense of urgency and desperation, and this certainly made me read this book quicker. The events in this book all take place within a night and though it's not an easy read due to the topics it's about it's so worth it. The characters were developed wonderfully and I cared and worried so much about the teens and what will happen to them, and the writing itself kept me gripped.

Nikesh has wrote something powerful and unforgettable here, this book deserves so much attention and I would recommend it in a heartbeat. I often felt claustrophobic while reading this book, but in the best possible way and if you want a book that'll stick with you long after reading it, Run, Riot is the one for you.


Thank you very much to Hodder Children's Books (Hachette Children's Group) via NetGalley for letting me have an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic social commentary threaded into a fast-paced narrative that grips you straight away and doesn't let up until the final chapter.

Run, Riot is a fast-paced and tense YA novel about community, gentrification, and fighting to expose the system. Taran and her twin brother Hari live in Firestone House, a tower block near the centre of the city. It wasn't where they would've chosen to live, but they have friends there and a life. When Hari gets caught up in police violence, the twins and their friends Jamal and Anna find themselves on the run in their own home, in a race to uncover what is really happening to Firestone House and how far the corruption really goes.

The novel is structured predominantly around one night with some flashbacks, which gives it an electrifying atmosphere as the reader is drawn into the world of Firestone House and the frantic anger and fear of the main characters. Shukla has created a gripping bunch of characters, particularly Taran who is chasing her dream of being an MC whilst her brother dreams of leaving the area for the potential jobs of London.

Run, Riot is for fans of books like The Hate U Give who would like a novel set in England, exposing racism, gentrification, and police brutality closer to home for British readers. It is also for anyone who is looking for a carefully-paced YA novel with characters who feel alive and varied, whilst also angry and learning how to effectively fight for themselves and their community.