I think this is probably a very good story for readers of intense thrillers, where nothing makes sense and nothing seems real. I had a hard time finishing it. It just was not enjoyable to me. It is fact was pretty upsetting. Again, for readers of this type of thriller it was probably very good.

What's happening to Liv Reese is something that nightmares are made of. Every time Liv falls asleep, she can't remember anything that's happened in the past two years. As she tries to put the pieces of the missing periods of her memory together, the clock is ticking - she's a person of interest in a murder that she's uncertain if she actually committed. What's even worse - there's someone who's out to get Liv and because of her memory lapse, she can't put her trust in anyone.

Stay Awake had such a unique and terrifying plot. I can't imagine losing the memories of the past two years of my life every time I fall asleep. I loved how Liv would get so close to figuring things out and leave herself clues as to where to go next. This had a cat and mouse vibe where not only is Liv trying to allude the police, but also some unknown person who wants her dead or framed for murder. Stay Awake kept me turning the pages (and reading past my bedtime).

A murder she doesn’t remember committing. A killer she doesn’t remember meeting. Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that proves memory can be deadly. A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night, whether because you just can’t put it down or because you are too scared to fall asleep…

I finished reading this one in August, but it is still very much still in my mind and memory - it was THAT good! So incredibly good! I flew through it in ONE DAY! Clear your calendar and be prepared to lose sleep, you are not going to want to put this one down. Trust me.

I honestly do not have a single bad thing to say about this book. I loved everything about it and have been recommending it to everyone. This really needs to become a movie!

This has a great storyline; it might be compared to Groundhog Day, but without the laughs. Oh, and it's not the same day--Liv just doesn't remember anything of the past 2-ish years--every time she wakes up. There's a couple of minor weak points and an ocean of red herrings (are they delicious, anyone know?) But this fast paced story had me rooting for both our female MCs, Liv and Detective Darcy Halliday. I think Megan Goldin is going on my auto-request or buy list!

What would you do if you woke up one morning only to discover years, not hours, had passed? Well this is the premise of Megan Goldin’s latest thriller, Stay Awake.

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi one night with no recollection of how she got there. Confused and exhausted, she tries to go home, only to find someone else living in her apartment. With her phone missing and a bloodstained knife on her person, Liv is feeling desperate and scared. Then Liv notices the words on her hands that contain a simple, yet loaded message: stay awake.

Rattled by the mysterious inscription, Liv is suddenly in a race against the clock to determine what happened to cause her to lose so much time, and what she can do (if anything) before her remaining time runs out.

I always feel guilty bailing on a book, especially one that comes with such anticipation. Unfortunately that’s what I ended up doing with this one. Perhaps I can be swayed to go back again one day, but ironically I didn’t stay up late at night wanting to read this one.

What’s the last book you tried that didn’t live up to the hype?

I loved The Escape Room and The Night Swim by Goldin and had been anticipating Stay Awake. It did not disappoint!

Liv Reese is our main character and it is clear she suffers with at a minimum, some amnesia. She shows up at her apartment, only to find out she no longer lives there. She is shocked to see hand written notes on her skin that include the words: STAY AWAKE. Liv is confused, anxious and seems to be a little unreliable. I wasn't sure if I could trust Liv. Goldin takes us back and forth from past to present and we learn about Liv's old life and actually her old success. In the present, we learn of a gnarly crime scene that has Liv questioning if she could have been involved. I was on the edge of my seat and really was unsure what to believe, all the way until the end. This was fascinating.

I love Megan Goldin books but I wasn't crazy about this one. I found it hard to follow at times and I unfortunately found myself skimming at parts.

I really enjoyed the author's other books, so I was excited to read this new release! The synopsis is what pulled me in as well, it seemed like it was going to be a page turner. While it ended up being my least favorite by the author so far, I still enjoyed it.

It took a bit to get to the action, but when it did...there were a few fun twists. I recommend getting it on audio if you can, because it was an easy listen. 3.5/5 stars!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Awake-Novel-Megan-Goldin-ebook/dp/B09CNG1KLG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Stay+Awake+A+Novel+by+Megan+Goldin&qid=1666289076&sr=8-1



Ok, I have to confess, I actually listened to this book on a long road trip where I needed to STAY AWAKE! HOLY CRAP! This book definitely kept me awake!! I am glad that I had my seat belt on! This book was like the movie Momento and a Mission Impossible rolled into one book. I was on the edge of my seat through every chapter! Liv Reese is our main character and we follow her through her journey of recollecting her memories throughout the book. Be prepared to be that person screaming at the book you are reading! I was driving and this book had ALL of the feels. It has betrayal, loss, love, murder and so much more!

Can you imagine waking up and not knowing where you are? HAHAHA-yeah we all have probably done that once or twice after a night of drinking, but this is way more than that. Waking up daily and not remembering how you got where you are, what you did last and trying to retrace your steps to only come up with nothing in your brain, but words written all over with notes everywhere. Not knowing who to trust, numbers you dial that go to someone else. Everyone you know is no longer around, the things that you thought you knew aren't real.
This book was the most titillating thing that I have read in a while. It has taken me such a long time to read a book lately because so many books are just eh-this book kept me on the edge of my seat and fully awake. I read this book in one sitting, obviously, it was a long road trip. I had to stop at a rest stop and was so upset because I had to pause the book while I went in. I felt like a little kid being pulled away from my Saturday Morning cartoons to eat breakfast. I am now going to stalk this author to find out what else they have written and when their next book comes out!!

This thriller was good, but nothing too special about it. The idea of waking up and not remembering anything of the past two years was done well.

I loved every minute of this book!

I thought it was going to fall apart during the climax but it kept getting better and better. Every chapter has a new twist and it kept you guessing right until the end.

It’s refreshing to have a book that you can’t predict the end

I really enjoyed Megan Goldin’s previous book “The Night Swim” but this one did not capture my attention in the same way.

Unique and twisty. I would recommend to anyone tired of all the cliches in the mystery/thriller genre.

Stay Awake is the newest thriller from Megan Goldin. Liv is struggling. She wakes up in a cab with no memory of how she got there. When she reachers her apartment a stranger is at the door claiming it isn't Liv's apartment. Liv quickly realizes that she remembers nothing from the past two years of her life and that's not good. She also appears to have committed a crime. So many unknowns make for a very tantalizing story. Read and enjoy!

Stay Awake is gripping and tense thriller that revolves around Liv Reese who wakes up in cab with no memory of how she got in cab, someone else is living in her apartment, she finds a bloodied knife in her pocket with letters scribbled Stay Awake in her hand. Last she remembered, it was summer she was working in office and got a call and now it’s winter, 2 yrs later. And then she sees the news of man murdered with a message on the window “Stay Awake” she has a feeling she is connected with the murder.

I loved the concept of repetitive amnesia. I couldn’t imagine how it must feel to forget everything that happened in life as soon as we fall asleep and wake up with no recollection of what happened or what you did in last few hrs or months or years.

First half of the story is slow but it sure creates tension and suspense. It gives detailed view on Liv’s life, both past and present, and helps in knowing characters both detectives and people in Liv’s life more. Second half picks up the speed with more revelations. It was interesting to know the connection between the victim and Liv. I had my theory and guess and I was partially right. Right about what might have happened two years ago but my guess about who was the stalker was wrong but I was also right the stalker is the murderer. If I have stuck to my reasons I might have guessed the identity of the murderer as soon as the second half started but author managed to mislead me and forget that reason entirely and go on with the story. So that is plus point and I have to say it made me kick myself for not figuring out the culprit earlier when it was revealed in last couple of chapters.

Why 4 Stars-

At some points story is dragging, also repetitive because of Liv’s amnesia which made it slow. I also kept thinking how Halliday didn’t recall she talked to Liv when she was asking around with her photo. I agree she was looking for person with long hair but after going through old case file, I think with her ex-military background, she should have recalled her brief conversation with Liv later. I also find it hard to believe there was no one in Liv’s life who cared for her, who would help her with her amnesia. I get her hesitation and distrust of the police but what she had against hospitals and doctors who could help her!

Overall, Stay Awake is atmospheric, gripping, and enjoyable crime thriller with interesting concept of rare amnesia. I sure recommend this if you don’t mind pace but I loved previous books by the author more.

I have loved previous books by this author (read Night Swim in one sitting) but, the repetitive amnesia story line in Stay Awake did not work for me.

4.5/5 Stars

Stay Awake starts off at 100 miles an hour and simply does not stop. I loved The Night Swim also by Megan Goldin, so my expectations for this were pretty high. We are dropped into the action on page one and it was so easy to get swept away. All of the elements of amnesia, murder, and secret histories combined to create a very suspenseful atmosphere and claustrophobic sense in the reader. I typically don't like unreliable narrators in my thrillers, but Liv was easy to root for, even though her decisions could be frustrating at times. Additionally, the combination of Liv's perspective with the detective's complimented each other well and gave just the right amount of information to keep the reader engaged, While the plot could be pretty unrealistic at times, it was still solid enough that it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Stay Awake was one of my anticipated releases for the year and I’m pleased to share that it did not disappoint. I was hooked almost immediately.
This story follows Liv Reese, who suffers from a memory condition. Every time she falls asleep, she forgets. When she wakes, it’s a if she’s been asleep for two years and everything is different. The story starts with Liv waking in a taxi with a bloody knife in her pocket.
I think my favorite aspect of this story was the timeline jumps. I’m often not please with how time jumps are done, but with this book, it alternates between past and present. In the past, it’s telling one specific story leading up to something, but in the present there’s a mystery to solve outside of Liv’s memory issues.
The story also has a second perspective. There is a murder early on, so we also follow Detective Halliday while she’s trying to solve the murder. The connections between the two characters were really engaging. By telling two different sides of the same story, one version missing massive amounts of details, it felt like I knew more than the characters did and so, I obviously guessed the whole time I was reading. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns and whatnot.

Stay Awake is an edge of your seat thriller. Keeps you turning the pages and guessing at every turn. My first read by this author and it definitely won't be the last.

😴Book Review😴
Stay Awake
By: Megan Goldin
⭐️⭐️⭐️/3.5 stars

A murder she doesn’t remember committing. A killer she doesn’t remember meeting. Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that proves memory can be deadly.

Imagine not being able to remember what happened in the last 24 hours. How about the past two years? Liv Reese wakes up everyday and cannot remember where she is and what happened the day before.

Liv Reese was a successful writer for a magazine, thriving and in a relationship. Two years ago something happened that was so traumatizing that she no longer has any recollection from that time. Everyday that she wakes up it seems like she finds out more devastating news about people she once knew. Where is her best friend Amy? Her boyfriend Marco? Who the heck is Ted?

When she becomes a suspect in a murder she knows its up to her to find the answers. Written all over her arms and hands are cryptic messages telling her to, "Stay Awake!" The countdown is on to find out who the true murderer is before they find her.

Intriguing, suspenseful, and kept me pulled in throughout the whole book! A great who-dunnit!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review