Megan Goldin never disappoints. I was hooked from beginning to end. I definitely recommend Stay Awake.

3.5

Megan Goldin shows how precious sleep and memories are when murder is a foot:

Every time Liv falls asleep, her memory is taken away from her, but she does know where she lives. So when a Taxi drops her off at her place she knows that Amy will explain everything that is going on. But when she arrives at her house, strangers are living there and Amy is gone. She tries to find her phone but it is gone too. That is when she starts to notice writing on her hands, telling her to Stay Awake, trust no one and other messages. When she catches the news later that day, there is a murder in a building with the words Stay Awake written in a red liquid on the window, the same words on her hands, that is cannot be a coincidence. Liv cannot remember anything from the day before, but could she have murdered a man. Could this man have held the key to her memory loss. Liv needs to retrace her life and steps in order to figure it out, but there is someone who knows everything and they want to make Liv forget permanently.

This is the third book that I have read by Goldin and I liked that it is a very different concept that the other two but has the storytelling element I enjoy of two timelines getting closer and closer together. If you have seen the movie Memento (by Christopher Nolan...highly recommended movie), and this is book has very similar elements in it, with Liv loosing her memory every time she falls asleep. Due to the fact that Liv looses her memory every time she falls asleep the book can read a bit chaotic (and redundant) at times, as Liv goes through several of the same thoughts and moments each time. I am happy that Goldin decided to introduce another time frame as well as character to help balance the chaos.

I enjoyed that there were several cat and mouse aspects throughout the book; You have Liv and her memory, Liv and Det. Halliday, as well as more information is revealed to the reader you realize that there is a third cat and mouse game afoot as well. However, I did think that Goldin revealed some information too early on in the book, and I was able to predict the twists that were coming.

I really enjoyed Det. Halliday's POV. I thought that it was well thought out and her as a Det. did not want rush to any judgement, even when pushed by a more senior detective to change her mind. While Det. Halliday was pressured to make some moves that she did not think was right she always challenged the order, in a respectful way. I liked that she was not a push over. I will say the shooting scene would never ever ever happen in real life. That is not what any officer, military training or not is taught. I would read another book that had Det. Halliday either as the main character or in the mix some how.

This was a good book and I have enjoyed all three of the Goldin books that I have read so far. I am very much looking forward to what she comes up with next..

Enjoy!!!

Book Review: Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Stay Awake is a psychological thriller about a woman whose memory resets to two years prior each time she falls asleep. When she is seen leaving a crime scene police delve into her background to try to track her down before it’s too late.

When Liv Reese wakes up in a cab it’s a completely different season, her hair is a foot longer and she doesn’t have a purse or phone. Someone new is living in her apartment and her roommate is nowhere to be found. For the next day Liv will wander the streets of New York trying to piece her life back together. Meanwhile, two Homicide detectives are trying to find the mystery woman with the long hair who left a dead man behind in an Airbnb. Since this isn’t the first time Liv has been discovered near a crime scene she immediately becomes the prime suspect. Stay Awake is told backwards by a very unreliable navigator.

Amnesia plots are probably the most frustrating devices for a reader. Each time Liv falls asleep we have to watch her start all over again trying to remember what happened to her. In the beginning it was the juicy kind of plot I enjoy but by the end I just wanted her to go use the computers at the library and Google her own name so we could end this. Once we know the killer and the motive the plot gets even more convoluted and I was ready for it to be over. I never felt like Liv was an underdog to root for or even a smart cookie that took her life back through grit and street smarts. Even in the flashback scenes before her psychological break she was kind of a sad sack that didn’t see how the people that were supposed to love her were taking advantage.

Overall, this was an average psychological thriller with nothing new to offer. There really wasn’t enough for me in either plot or character and I found it very forgettable.
3 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Ms. Goldin kept me guessing the entire time I read the book. While I did feel like the book was too long at times, I loved the two different timelines! If you're looking for a mystery, then this book is for you. Like "The Night Swim", it does not disappoint.

Another fantastic read from Megan Goldin! She has quickly become a favorite author, and this book has really cemented that!

There were so many twists, so many turns, I had whiplash by time I was finished reading! Start to finish, I couldn't stop guessing what was happening, and of course I was still surprised at the end!

Goldin has such a solid grasp at writing dual time lines that keep you wanting more by giving just enough that you connect a couple dots, but still can't see the whole picture too soon! I think that's my favorite part of her books, and I really can't wait to see what she comes up with next!!

🙌🏻 This was an enjoyable thriller! I love when I read something that also educates me on a psychological disorder, and in Stay Awake, the main character experiences short term amnesia, so each time she falls asleep she wakes up with no recent memory. When she awakens she finds she has written notes to herself urging her to “stay awake” and other information that she’s not able to otherwise retain. How terrifying would that be, to not know what year or season it is, where you currently live…or not recognizing yourself because your typically short hair is now much longer?

📖 Typically I am not a huge fan of the unreliable narrator but Goldin executes it flawlessly in this instance. I loved the merry-go-round of emotions and uncovering the events as she did, all the way back to the night of the trauma that landed her in the dissociative fugue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC and audiobook.


Description from NetGalley:
Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night.

Oh man, I was nervous for Liv the entire time. The premise delivered on the entertainment The narrator did a good job. However, it would have been nice if the past Liv and present Liv were more distinct. The detective POV was fun. I had a good, entertaining time, which is definitely why I read thrillers.

Overall: 4/5

A super fun thriller that did keep me confused for a good chunk of it but once I figured out what was going on I really did enjoy it and had a lot of fun figuring out what was going on

Thanks netgalley for a copy for review.
Not as good as her other novels was kind of convoluted. Still like the author.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Published: August 9, 2022
St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 345
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Megan Goldin is the author of The Escape Room, a 2019 thriller that Lee Child called "one of my favorite books of the year" and Harlan Coben called "thrilling and unforgettable." Megan's new novel The Night Swim. Before becoming a novelist, Megan worked as a reporter covering the Middle East and Asia for the Reuters news agency, the Associate Press, the ABC, and other news outlets.

“It feels as if I’ve been catapulted into the future.”

Liv is working at her dream job, getting better and better topics to cover, and enjoying living with her roommate and best friend, Amy. Both women are happily dating, Marco for Liv and Brett for Amy. Life is almost perfect. Until Liv wakes up and doesn’t remember anything, she knows she needs to find Amy and Marco and get help. Until she notices the writing all over her hands and arms…

I loved how this novel was written! So cleverly played, and the story unfolded so beautifully. I love that as the pages turn, the story gets deeper and more complicated, and just when I thought things were falling into place- we hit a twist.

The character development was beautifully done, and Liv was so well curated. I loved her journey and how she was portrayed. Darcy was the best additional female lead. I loved her honesty, integrity, and bravery.

I would love to see a series develop from this novel with the detectives. There was so much chemistry and a genuine partnership. Lavelle was a great character, and I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Darcy.

This was a fast-paced thriller that I could not put down. The story was wild, the writing was fantastic, and I was bummed to finish.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book!
CAWPILE:

Characters: I enjoyed the characters but I do wish that the side characters had more depth. Like I wanted to know more about Harry the bartender, Ted, Amy, and Detective Halliday. We knew bare basics about them, but I guess that also plays into the fact that Liv is an amnesiac and doesn't really know them in the present. She knew Ted and Amy in the past, and Megan also added chapters that weren't in Liv's POV so not sure why there could have been more depth to them. Liv as a main character is fascinating, and I wanted more of the science behind what was happening to her because that concept is fascinating, and it's not the normal amnesiac story.

Atmosphere: We don't spend too much time in one place or time for that matter to build a lot of atmosphere. Liv is on the run for most of the book, and you feel like you're on the run with her.

Writing; The writing was fine. I really had no complaints about it.

Plot: The plot was fascinating to me. A woman is thought to have committed murders but was never convicted partly because she's an amnesiac who only forgets things when she goes to sleep (hence the name of the book). Her condition is really what sets this book apart. I want to do more research and see if this is an actual thing that happens to people now.

Intrigue: This book had me hooked with the twist on the amnesiac story. I wanted to know everything about the past murders to the present murder, and how it all linked back to Liv. Megan definitely knew how to write a book that had you hooked.

Logic: I'm not sure how logical Liv's condition is. It's wild to me that she was on the run for as long as she was with how much she had against her.

Enjoyment: I really enjoyed this. It's a solid thriller to kick off the spooky season. 3.5/5 stars.

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no memory of how she got there or what she did the night before. She has bloodstained hands and a knife in place of her phone. Soon she’s on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing while trying to piece together what happened to her over the past two years.

If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat thriller, Stay Awake is a must-read read this year. With an unreliable narrator and fantastic twists and turns, Goldin does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing and the suspense high.

Stay awake was instantly addictive and extremely fast paced. In the opening of the book the main character, Liv wakes up not only with her arms covered with black ink warning words but also with a bloody knife in her pocket. While trying to make sense of everything she finds out that there was a man found stabbed to death and Liv has no memory of the recent past and no idea if she could possibly be the murderer. This book is great for all mystery fans but be prepared to stay awake and to not be able to put this book down until you finish it.

I gave Stay Awake 3 stars because although it was a gripping storyline, I found it quite repetitive and I had a tricky time keeping up with the time jumps and perspectives. It probably doesn’t help that it took me quite a while to finish the book and the time in between picking it up may have hindered my reading experience.

I enjoyed The Escape Room by Megan Goldin so I was looking forward to reading Stay Awake but simply didn’t get the same satisfaction from the story.

I will say, I was surprised by the outcome. It was one I hadn’t guessed throughout the reading.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️: murder, stalking, infidelity

Wow what a rollercoaster ride I've just been on. I feel like I may have some mental whiplash. Megan Goldin really hit the nail on the head with The Night Swim and for me this was no different. The premise of losing your memory when you fall asleep is so creepy and I really think Megan followed through on the suspense she built up. She is the queen of dual timelines and the way she weaves the story is so masterful. I definitely think this will be one of the hit thrillers of the summer/fall!

Liv Reese wakes up in total confusion not knowing where she is. She goes to her brownstone apartment that she shares with roommate Amy only to discover that strangers live there instead. She looks for her phone only to discover that it is gone and instead finds a large bloody knife and discovers strange messages written all over her arms such as “STAY AWAKE”. The last thing Live remembers is her life two years ago, she was content with her boyfriend Marco, living with her best friend Amy and enjoying her job writing for a prestigious magazine. As she stumbles through the city trying to re-trace her steps, she notices a murder plastered all over the news with an eerie messaged scribbled at the crime scene that is identical to what she has written on her arms. Could Liv be involved in the murder? Why doesn’t she remember anything? With no answers and the clock ticking, Liv embarks on a dangerous path to find out the truth.

•

This whodunit was the textbook definition of a page turner. I couldn’t put this one down and with each page was falling in more into the rabbit hole to find a murderer. Liv’s memory condition plays an intricate part of the suspense building up to truth which keeps you on edge throughout and was well explained and just worked to help make the story flow. There were times where something could get confusing or a little repetitive so it’s key to read the chapter headings so you don’t get lost as the time frame changes from present, to two years ago and the timeframe leading up to the murder. The story also switches from Liv’s POV to Detective Halliday’s. The build up was great and so was Liv’s character development, there was so much depth to these characters. I will say near the end I was left with A LOT of unanswered questions so if anyone has read this one, send me a DM to discuss! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title is now available to purchase!

Oh my gosh this book kept me on my toes! At first I was completely clueless as to why she needed to stay awake. I couldn't even imagine not having a clue as to what was going on around me. Following Liv through this book had be rooting for her and terrified for her. I finished this book in 24 hours and highly recommend to other readers for a great thrilling read!

I received an advanced reader’s copy of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin from NetGalley and the publisher.

This latest novel by Megan Goldin has some good twists and held my attention throughout. Although the story jumps around between the past and present, I wasn’t confused by the jumps and they were used to reveal hints about the murders from Liv’s disjointed memories. I felt that Liv being an unreliable narrator due to her memory loss made the story more interesting and added to the suspense. There were multiple suspects to keep one guessing who the murderer was and how it all came together at the end was well done.

I have enjoyed Megan Goldin’s previous novels and Stay Awake didn’t disappoint. I’m looking forward to reading her next book.

Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review. One of my favorite authors do not disappoint! Great story!

Liv wakes up in a cab with no memory of the past two years. Her only clue is the writing on her hands.

Are you looking for a page turner? This one fit the bill for me. The book is a dual timeline-the present and two years ago-and dual point of view between Liv and Darcy. The present day timeline takes place over 24 hours and Liv's part is told in first person. The time and date stamped chapter headings add to the fast pace.

I really felt sorry for Liv as she struggled to figure out what was going on, what the writing on her hands meant and who she could trust. I liked Darcy's character and appreciated as a detective she was keeping it open mind on what might be happening. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.