Love this book! Excellently written and leaves you wondering throughout the book as to what really happened. The characters health issue is not something I’ve seen really used in the books I’ve read. So major kudos to the creativity on that part! Great Book! Thank you for choosing me to read it!

Imagine waking up and thinking it’s summer only to discover it is Fall and 2 years later! A gap in Liv’s memory could either land her in prison or could end up getting her killed. She has to figure out what happened 2 years ago before she falls asleep again and the only clues to help her and to keep her safe are written on herself. This book could definitely be a movie. I couldn’t put this one down.

This book was so interesting! Loved the concept of having to stay awake and it really makes you want the MC to find answers before she falls asleep again! A nonstop thriller that will keep your attention from start to finish with a well thought out plot.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for this ARC! I found this book riveting and fast-paced. It kept me up all night reading about the protagonist's struggles with her memory while fearing for her life and kept me completely immersed. It struck the right balance of mystery and intrigue without the violence and gore. Excellent read! Highly recommend

Stay Awake was a fun book to read. It reminded me of Memento, a movie from years ago in which the main character has memory issues, so leaves clues for himself on his body. Liv wakes up in a cab, with no idea how she got there. She returns to her apartment to find other people living there. She finds ominous writing on her hands and arms, including the directive to STAY AWAKE, as well as a knife covered in blood in her pocket.

This exciting start just continues to have fun twists and turns as a murder happens, detectives get involved, and Liv tries to piece together her lost memory. It definitely kept me engaged. At times, I wanted to shake Liv. But, given her memory issues, it's realistic that she would be a flake in moments. If you like stories told with a bit of reverse order, you'll like this one.

Energy drinks, caffeine pills, and espresso martinis fuel a post-traumatic condition where every time Liv Reese falls asleep, she forgets the past two and a half years of her life. Her job is not the same as she remembers. She was working in NYC last she knew, and doesn’t remember moving to London. She doesn’t know the people she knew from there or the people living in her and her roommate Amy’s flat now.

All she knows is that there’s a jumble of confusing notes penned all over her hands and arms and a scar in her abdomen that she has no idea where it came from. She also doesn’t remember fleeing a murder scene, but there’s a bloody knife in her pocket and the words “wake up” written in the victim’s blood on the window; a similar message to those written on her hands warning her to stay awake.

How can you not want to read that book?

Does the story hold up? For me, it did. There are alternating viewpoints between Liv then, Liv now, and the detective working the homicide, and the three work together to form a cohesive and well-paced plotline written in the author’s signature engaging narrative style. Who can you trust when you can’t even trust yourself? A fast-paced read, for sure, and one I have no problem recommending. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my Advance Reader’s Copy.

Since reading the Night Swim, Megan Goldin has quickly become one of my favorites and Stay Awake did not disappoint. What a ride trying to figure this one out! Loved the story told between the main characters point of view as well as the detectives point of view and the story was painted between then and now narratives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Stay Awake.
Liv Reese wakes up, over and over again, not knowing what's going on and realizing she doesn't remember anything that's happened for a little over the past two years. Her apartment isn't hers, she looks different, she can't find her friends, her boyfriend and more alarmingly, she has a bloody knife on her and she doesn't know where it has come from. Darcy Halliday is a detective trying to break into the homicide unit. One morning she gets a call to investigate a murder scene, a man has been murdered and oddly, there's a message in blood on the window, "Stay Awake". Darcy is committed to solving the case, and how it involves Liv Reese.

I love thrillers, and I was immediately interested in this plot! SO saying that I finished this book almost in a day!(maybe 2 but hey I have things to do lol) This book is very fast paced it will keep you turning the pages! which is a plus! I was a bit conflicted because I'm not much into a detective POV but the author did a great job in making them likable. Also I thought the plot twist was predictable (I thought I knew who was "stalking" Liv) but oh boy I was wrong I never saw the plot twist coming! The only thing I am missing is I needed to know more about Liv we are left hanging at the end.

This is a very inventive thriller. I was hooked on the premise right from the start and was compelled to keep reading. The idea of a short term memory complex is terrifying and added a layer of tension throughout the story. I did not guess the ending and appreciated the surprise. I could have used some more explanation on the motive behind the culprit but other than that this is a must read!

A solid psychological thriller that keeps readers engaged through the very end.

Stay Awake is the first novel I've read by author Megan Goldin. This story reminds me so much of the movie Before I Go To Sleep (2014) starring Nicole Kidman. Same premise that a vicious attack has led to the protagonist to suffer from amnesia and unable to form new memories.

A woman suffering from a repetitive dissociative fugue. Everytime she falls asleep and wakes up, she has forgotten everything except her life two years ago.

The story is told in the present within 24 hours through the main character Liv Reese's point of view and detectives Halliday and Lavelle. While alternating past and future fashion until you get to the climax similar to How To Get Away With Murder. I do like this way of story telling however in this book it takes more concentration on my part as I have to remember what happened before the current chapter I was reading. And because the next chapter doesn't flow from the previous chapter it gives the feeling of a cliffhanger each time you finish a chapter.

The author was able to put all the pieces together and make everything the clues, characters, and scenes make sense. Kudos to Megan Goldin. The part of the guerilla artist could be a story on its own. It was such a terrifying exhibit that there should be more to it but maybe it was used to throw the readers off and keep them guessing.

I liked and would recommend the book to friends.

*I wrote this review based on a digital advance reading copy that the publisher St. Martin's Press sent me via NetGalley.

This is so good. It's definitely my new favorite by this author. It's like a cross between 50 First Dates and Gaslighting. Without the dates. And Adam Sandler. Just kidding. There's lots of Adam Sandler.

But truthfully, this book will keep you guessing right until the end. I wasn't totally shocked at where it ended up because it actually really did make sense, but I didn't see it coming. And that makes it a strong pick for me. If you're looking for something new, an unusual thriller / mystery, I highly recommend it.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a perfectly-plotted thrilled I devoured in one sitting. The story unraveled in multiple timelines, which kept me glued to my ereader. Every time I looked at the clock and considered going to sleep, the author would drop a cliffhanger that kept me reading. Highly recommend!

This intricately plotted thriller kept me awake. I had to know what happened. Liv wakes up in the back of a cab and has no idea how she got there. When she gets to her apartment two angry people tell her she hasn't lived there for years. She has writing all over her hands that says, "stay awake" and "you forget everything when you sleep". She has a bloody knife in her possession. We follow Liv as she tries to figure out if she is a killer or a victim. There is a dual timeline, so we follow what happened before her amnesia and the unfolding story as she attempts to figure out. what is happening now. It is told from dual points of view. Liv, and the police detectives who consider her a person of interest in a murder. This was a chilling and unique twist on the amnesia trope. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This will be out on August 9th and if you like thrillers I would strongly recommend it!

Thank you St. Martins Press & Net Galley for the chance to read this gem early in exchange for an honest review..

This book is different from Megan’s previous books so please understand that. It took me a minute to to get adjusted to it.. but boy when I did it was golden. Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. We have all had a spell at some point where we simply don’t remember the night or day before. Liv is no exception. It was a great plotted thriller that will have you awake until you finish,

First of all let's talk character names.. Darcy Halliday caught my attention immediately 😍. The detective side of this story was so fun! I loved the relationship between them as they solved the case and would love a sequel based around just the two of them! I enjoyed that side more than Liv just because of the nature of the story, Liv was repeating herself constantly trying to find out who she was. The trail of clues was fun to follow, though I did have questions at the end. I had a hard time understanding the motive of the killer and the involvement of a red herring. I actually chatted with @fullof_lit because we both had the same questions! That being said, it was still a fun and fast paced story I would recommend. I could envision myself at the nocturnal bar watching everything unfold.

Whenever Liv falls asleep she forgets EVERYTHING! Her job is gone, her best friend is gone and she may be a murderer? This story is told from Liz’s point of view and from the detectives point of view and I really enjoyed going back and forth between the two. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the whodunnit but the story to get there was a lot of fun.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an e copy of this novel. Due to be published Aug 23, 2022.

Great book....memory loss, murders, misdirection ~ had my mind made up before the end as to who did it, boy was I wrong. I love a mystery where I can't guess until the writer wants me to know.

It was fast-paced, good character development, detectives/police have conflicting theories, just a great read all the way around.

If you like fast-paced, unique thrillers, check this one out.

This is my first book from Megan Goldin, but it will not be my last! This book was so good, it had mystery, drama and will have you at the edge of your seat! This is definitely a page turner. I was hooked from the very beginning. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride I wanted to solve this case but also wanted to know why things were happening. I would definitely recommend this book if you like thrillers, this will be a must read for sure.

WOW did this book ever have me hooked!! I started reading last night around 6pm and finished in less than 24 hours! What a ride. It honestly freaked me out a little at night so my sleep was pretty crappy. Well done, Megan Goldin!! LOL!

This book is told in multiple POVs, multiple timelines, and centers around Liv Reese who suffers from amnesia that causes her to forget events that happened within the last two years. Her conscious life is filled with fear, confusion, and loneliness.

Megan Goldin has an incredible skill at building tension with her writing. Every book I've read of hers just hooks me right from the beginning. To me, that shows true writing talent. This was a true psychological thriller that kept me guessing who the killer was right up to the end. I actually didn't have any guesses until the last 80%! That's rare for me!

A few things did irk me about this book though and could be due to this being an unedited eARC. You never really knew which POV you were getting when a new chapter started. It would take me awhile to figure out who was talking. I really hope this is fixed when the book is printed.

I also had difficulty keeping track of the timeline, as the story jumps around quite a bit. Without giving away any spoilers, so I'll be vague, there were some common sense details that I questioned in this book (like how she could sleep on the subway/park bench without people around her questioning her appearance. Did she ever brush her teeth or shower?

At any rate, I really really enjoyed this book and will recommend it to everyone who enjoys psychological thrillers!! I probably should have waited before reading it since it's not out until August 9, 2022 (oops!!) but I couldn't help myself.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

This is an excellent thriller. I really enjoyed reading this. I didn't know until the end if the main character was a victim or a murderer. I couldn't put this book down.