This book, while has a slow start, quickly picks up and when it does you'll be along for a wild ride!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, this book was intense. Megan Goldin’s other books have been kind of hit or miss for me but this was definitely a hit. I don’t think a thriller has freaked me out as much as this one did, the writing on her arms and the memory loss got to me. It’s scary to think that it could happen to anyone. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours, I couldn’t get enough of it. I like how it was told from two points of view, one from our main character Liv and the other from the detective working on her case. Usually I have a preference on which point of view I prefer reading from more but in this case I really enjoyed reading from both of them.

The twists really got me, insert cliche here, but I honestly didn’t see some of them coming. The only reason I docked a star and didn’t give this 5 stars is because the ending felt a little lackluster to me. With the bang that this book started out with and continued for three-quarters I was expecting an epic ending. Still a fantastic thriller that I immensely enjoyed. Megan Goldin is now one of my favorite thriller writers.

5 stars! my first megan goldin book and i’ll be reading more.

one of the most interesting books i’ve read in a long time. added to my all time favorites list.

This was SO GOOD! I loved it from start to finish. It had a unique premise that captivated me from the start. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC of Megan Goldin's "Stay Awake." Although I received approval to read this novel before its August 9, 2022, release date, I only recently had the opportunity to delve into it. I apologize for the delay in reading the book and submitting a review.

"Stay Awake" records the events in the life of Liv Reese, a complex character who wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea how she got there. She discovers graffiti on her arm, saying, "Stay awake" and "Don't trust anyone." She goes to her apartment and finds out that someone else lives there. When she leaves the apartment and attempts to get her cell phone out of her pocket, she discovers a bloody knife. How did it get there? What is going on? She believes someone is watching her. Are they?

The narrative of "Stay Awake" unfolds through alternating chapters, revealing events occurring in the present and two years ago. As the story progresses, you discover there was a murder, and Liv was accused of the crime. Liv has a form of amnesia and is an unreliable narrator, taking the reader on a journey as she tries to understand why she is accused of murder. The novel is filled with suspense, repetition, and unexpected twists and turns, which exhausted me but also kept me engaged. I found myself questioning how many times a person could realistically have multiple opportunities to kill and try to frame Liv for murder. However, I enjoyed the character of Darcy Halliday, a female NYPD police officer who is depicted as intelligent, level-headed, and independent.

Overall, I found "Stay Awake" to be an enjoyable read. It will likely satisfy readers who enjoy suspense and mystery novels.

This one gripped me and did not let go. I felt the main character's anxiety and confusion with not being able to remember what happened and trying not to fall asleep. I was constantly waiting for new things to be remembered or develop in the story. I did not want to put it down.

Ok, so I’m a little late to the party on reading this book. But boy am I glad I finally did get to it. Megan Goldin has done it again - in a genre that’s saturated with the same old storylines, she comes out with a fresh new perspective that will keep you guessing and second guessing who really committed the murders. The story is told in dual timelines that for some books can get messy and confusing, but for this book transitioned seamlessly and not once did I ever guess where I was in the progression of the story.

As the story builds it becomes more entertaining and engaging. Just as Liv is trying to get her memory back and figure out what’s going on, you get to play detective too. There are two things that really make me like and recommend a book - a new storyline I haven’t read a million versions of and when the ending is a surprise to me. Both were the case in this book.

You will want to Stay Awake for this one!!!

My thanks to Megan Goldin, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Although I still prefer THE NIGHT SWIM, I enjoyed this thriller! The dual timeline and POVS kept me quickly turning the page. I'd recommend going in blind and not reading the publisher's summary before reading.

I enjoyed this but not as much as this authors past work. This is definitely more of a paranoia thriller than anything else

Loved this book! Kept me on my toes, and rooting for Liv the entire time. I also loved Detective Halliday, would love a follow up on future cases from her

Megan Goldin wakes up to find messages written on her hands having no idea what they mean. Unable to recall her life the past two years, and with strangers living in what she thought was her apartment, she has to figure out what the messages mean, and back track to make sense of everything. This fast paced thriller had me staying awake late (pun intended) to finish this fast paced thriller.

"Stay Awake" by Megan Goldin is a gripping psychological thriller that plunges readers into the disorienting and terrifying world of Liv Reese, who awakens with no memory and cryptic messages inked on her hands. As she unravels the mystery behind a crime she can't remember, Goldin masterfully blends suspense with an intricate plot, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

My thoughts: I listened to this as an audiobook and found the narrator somewhat off-putting. The thriller itself was just okay for me; it felt a bit drawn out. While it was a quick and easy read, it ultimately left me wanting more.

Have you seen the movie Momento? Well, this was kind of the same thing, but with a woman protagonist. In a lot of ways, I found this book to be predictable but I was surprised with the reveal of the villain. I felt agitated most of the book because the MC was so unlikeable. Obviously she was in a tough situation that was nearly impossible to deal with but I was so annoyed the majority of the book. I wasn’t a huge fan of this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was an entertaining and unique thriller, but by the end it was just a little too repetitive for me.

Liv wakes up in a cab not knowing how she got there or where she’s headed or even who she really is. All she knows is that the words “Stay Awake” and “Don’t Sleep” and several other disturbing notes are written all over her hands and arms. So when a news story appears that shows the killer laving the same message written in blood, she tries to figure out what it could mean to her. Then she finds a bloody knife in her pocket and she has to prove her innocence while trying not to fall asleep so she’s doesn’t forget whatever she’s able to uncover.
The story alternates between past when the events took place and the present where the detectives are working to solve the crime. If you don’t pay attention, you may have to do as I did and have to go back several times and make sure you don’t miss any details.
Now, im going to keep my negative stuff short, but…there are plot holes. There is a LOT of repetition. I get that it’s a Groundhog Day type situation, but there’s times that things are said twice in the same paragraph! Some of the dialogue is too dumbed down-especially the detectives. They come off as not super smart.
All that to say that while there are definitely some flaws, I still enjoyed this story and it kept me on my toes trying to see If she was going to figure it all out.
The thing is, I could get past most of that relatively easily, but the issue that I can’t gloss over was the narration! Over acted, overly cheesy, over dramatic to the point where I was saying to her in my head “you are so fired!” 😂
Thanks to NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin was a book that I was looking forward to, but ultimately, it just disappointed me. It was a confusing plot line (maybe intentionally so, since our protagonist, Liv, has memory loss?) But for me, it was hard to follow, with confusing twists and turns. The characters were kept a arms length, and I had a hard time identifying with any of them.

These kind of "memory loss" books are really difficult to write. This might be better off as a movie, where things would be more easily visualized.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was so great and it had me hooked from the beginning. It was fast paced and i had to STAY AWAKE to finish it and figure out what was going on!

"Stay Awake" grips readers with its intense thriller narrative centered on Liv, who suffers from a rare form of amnesia, throwing her into the midst of a murder investigation. Waking up with no memory of recent events, Liv finds herself implicated in a crime she doesn't understand, sparking a desperate flight for answers.

The novel employs a multi-timeline narrative, alternating between Liv and Halliday, a detective on the case. While Halliday's perspective adds depth, it occasionally muddles the storytelling. Nevertheless, the tension and suspense remain palpable, driving the reader forward as the mystery of Liv's amnesia unravels.

Despite potential disbelief in Liv's condition, the novel's pacing and characterization keep readers engaged. Liv's likability amidst her chaotic circumstances, combined with a cast of intriguing characters and unexpected twists, makes "Stay Awake" a thrilling read that renews faith in the genre.

The story itself was entertaining and good but I did find at times it was a little bit confusing. But I pushed through and the ending made it all worth it. I would highly recommend this book for a good twist and turns.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin was one of the better psychological thrillers I have read/listened to this year. It was quite original in its plot and kept me guessing to the very end. Stay Awake was fast paced and had many twists and turns throughout. The characters were well developed and very believable. I enjoyed listening to both Imogen Church and January LaVoy narrate this suspenseful book. The chapters in Stay Awake alternated between the present and two years prior. I was hooked right from the start and had difficulty pulling myself away from this fast paced and addictive novel.

Two years ago, Liv Reese had been a victim of a very traumatic incident. She had almost died. It had left her in a coma for weeks. She had witnessed something that was so painful and traumatic that her mind blocked it out. This had occurred a little over two years ago. When she woke from the coma, Liv could not remember anything about the night in question. Liv developed a form of amnesia. She moved to London to start over. Now two years later Liv had returned to New York and expected everything to be as it was two years ago. Nothing was the same though. Liv was confused about these changes. She noticed that she had things written all over her hands. The messages on her hands read STAY AWAKE and DO NOT TRUST ANYONE! If Liv fell asleep, she forgot everything and everyone that she had come into contact with prior to falling asleep. Liv came to rely on caffeinated drinks to help her stay awake. One night she woke up in a strange bed with a man she did not recognize. In her hand was a bloody knife. She quickly got dressed and stuck the bloody knife in her coat pocket. The next day, a murder was reported. Liv was the prime suspect. All evidence pointed to Liv. At the crime scene, a man was found stabbed to death. Written across the window at the crime scene someone had written STAY AWAKE with the victim’s blood. Could Liv had committed the murder? Detective Halliday and her partner were busy collecting evidence. It did not look good for Liv.

Stay Awake was the first book I have read by Megan Goldin but she will definitely be on my radar from now on. Megan Goldin proved to be a masterful storyteller in my opinion. Stay Awake was brilliantly plotted. The ending was fantastic. I never saw it coming until it was right upon me. It was most definitely unexpected. I enjoyed how the chapters alternated between past and present day. It allowed for Liv’s prior history to be explored. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Stay Awake and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to Stay Awake through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.