O-M-G Megan Goldin has done it again with Stay Awake!

When Liv Reese woke up with no memory of what happened, I knew I was going to be in for a wild ride. Waking up with a bloody knife, no cell phone, and her hands covered in scrawled messages, everything Liv perceives to be normal is not. Who is she? Why is someone living in her apartment? Why is everyone different at her office? Where is her roommate?

Told in alternating timelines, I loved seeing the story evolve from the erratic, yet engaged narrator. Liv is desperate to know what happened but surrounded by messages like trust no one, don't talk to the police, stay awake. Who does she trust and where does she go for help?

With no memory, Liv's constant guessing and slowly unfolding past, I had no idea the whole time who was the bad guy, Goldin kept me wondering until the very end. This fast-paced, different take on whodunit, and let me tell you- I had no idea. This one's going to be big!

#TheMironMonologues #MeganGoldin #StayAwake #whodoneit #mysterybooks #thriller #summerreads #crimebooks

I really enjoyed Goldin's other novel, but this one was just not it for me. I thought the main character was obnoxious and annoying. That being said, I really enjoy unlikeable or flawed characters, but this one was just flat out annoying. I thought the mystery behind it was OK, nothing earth shattering and honestly, I saw it coming. I can appreciate thrillers where I can guess the mystery, but overall, I just didn't enjoy this one. I will pick up this author's next book, but I was really just bored with this one.

Liv Reese wakes up in a taxi with no idea how she got there. When she reaches her old apartment, there is a new couple living there who know nothing about her and say they've been living there for years. When she calls for help, she notices her hands have the odd message "Stay Awake" written on them.
Two years ago, Liv had a dream job writing for a trendy magazine, a loving boyfriend, and a roommate who also was her best friend. The life she's now thrown in seems nothing like what she remembers. And worst of all, there has been a murder in a nearby apartment with the words "Wake Up" written in blood on the window. She happens to also have this phrase written on her hands as well and has no recollection of what she did the night before. It turns out Liv has a strange memory disorder associated with a past trauma. Every time she falls asleep she forgets the past two years of her life and is transported back to that day in her office right before the trauma happened. Although, she can't remember what she did, there is someone else who knows and they want her to forget permanently.
I really enjoyed this book. It constantly kept me guessing and the culprit was not easily identified. It was a great original storyline. I knocked it down a star because it was a bit slow in some areas and very repetitive. I understand the repetitiveness was needed based on the storyline but that didn't make it any less annoying. Overall, it was still a great read! I also enjoyed The Night Swim by Megan Goldin so she has definitely made a fan out of me. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The title Stay Awake is very appropriate as I did not want to go to sleep so I could finish reading this book.

I was quickly pulled into the story and could not turn the pages fast enough. Liv loses her memory every time she falls asleep and writes notes on her hands to help her remember. The last thing she remembers is answering the phone at her work office which actually happened type years ago. It seems she was at the scene of a murder and is the primary suspect, and it’s apparent that someone is trying to harm her. She doesn’t know who to trust or what’s going on. Can she remember what happened before it’s too late?

Although there were a few little things that seemed to fit a little too neatly, I thought this was masterfully told and I felt the ending was satisfying and tied up all the loose ends. This is a must read for thriller fans.

What an excellent book! This is my third book by Goldin and it did not disappoint. The way she weaves her plotline is excellent and the characters are well established and likeable. By the end, I didn't care is Liv had done the crime or not, I just wanted her to figure it out and be okay. Wonderful story, amazing characters. I can't wait for the next one from Goldin!

Wow what a page-turner! I was looking for a fast-paced and thrilling read and this hit the spot. Liv Reese wakes up knowing nothing about her life over the past two years and we know nothing right along with her. The journey to discover what's going on and who's after her is thrilling and unnerving and I loved finding everything out just as Liv was. I liked the back and forth between Liv's unknown present and her past where we slowly start to get more details. What a ride this book was!

Stay Awake

A Novel

By: Megan Goldin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date 9 August 2022

General Fiction (Adult)/ Mystery & Thrillers

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to first thank both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press forgiving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

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 now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That’s when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and 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, the same 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 as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget―permanently.

Book Review:

I loved this book and gave it 5 stars. This is her second book I have read and need to read the one book I own but haven’t read yet. This book is totally different than her Escape Room book, which I also enjoyed.

In this book Liv wakes up in the back seat of a cab (I know it says so up above) with no idea why the weather is colder, and the leaves are no longer green. The last thing she remembers is a phone call she received at work and dashing out of the office.

As you continue reading the book the author takes you through out Liv’s life and what happened in the time she lost. You are also learning what she is going through and the confusion that she is trying to deal with.

There is a new detective who sees the clues leading towards her, but she isn’t convinced that Liv did it. She can’t explain why just a small feeling. This leads her into doing a more detail research into Liv’s past. What she discovers leads to more questions and more digging.

I like how the book gives you a timeline at the beginning of the chapter, so you know where she is taking you.

You are even given a clue at the beginning of the book who the real killer is, if you are a paying attention. I wasn’t really when I first started the book but realized it when the killer was revealed.

first off, I love Goldin’s writing style, she knows exactly how to hook us into her story. second, I had so much secondhand anxiety for Liv! I couldn’t imagine forgetting everything every time I woke up. her emotions were so overwhelming to me, I felt so bad for her. third, the twist was great. I’m sure some of you who have read this one guessed it, but I was so engrossed in Liv’s life that I didn’t even have room to think about what was gonna come next. I think if I really thought about it I could’ve figured it out, but I’m happy how it turned out for me!

thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my eARC!

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a mystery with a very unreliable lead character. Liv has a condition that when she sleeps she forgets everything that has happened in the last 2 and a half years of her life. She is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her. This is a fun who done it? and What happened mystery. The plot reminded me of the excellent Christopher Nolan film Memento where a man can not from longterm memories, and must place notes and rely on tattoos to remember, but if someone knows your condition it can be messed with. This is what is really intriguing about this book, you don't know who to trust. The story is told with us following Liv and the perspective of two detectives that are solving a murder with everything pointing at Liv. The opening for this story hooked me right away, we fell the character's confusion and was intrigued by the found bloody knife. I feel like the novel did repeat it's self just a bit too much, as a reader I get it she has no memory, lets do more with this concept then going into places and being confused. It was a bit overstayed but it does stop and they get into lying about not knowing what is going on which is way more interesting. This story takes place in 24 hours and a lot goes on which is good for the pace of the book. I was able to guess the killer at about the 60% mark, and I was kind of bummed about it. There is a couple of red herring characters and events but was able to see through them once all was revealed. I was able to guess the killer early but I still had fun with this novel. I read Stay Awake thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advanced reader's copy. Stay Awake is published on August 12 2022.

The Plot Summary: Liv has just woken up in a cab and can not getting in the cab. She has no phone no ID put has a a wad of cash and a bloody knife wrapped in a bloody shirt. She also has saying written on her body like stay awake, don't trust anyone and wake up! Liv shows up at her apartment to find a couple living up there that she has never met. When she looks in he mirror she sees a person she doesn't recognize. Detective start investigating a murder but can't seem to find the murder weapon but they do find a bloody message that reads wake up!

What I Liked: The premise is really good and hooked me right away. The twists there a couple that are really good. The modern Art scene is pretty terrifying and written really well, where it made me a tad uneasy. The pace of this book is really fast with small little chapters that lead and compel you to read the next one. I liked the mystery especially the what happened part, once I read that I was able to solve it. I liked the conflicting detectives' theories. I liked the explanation for Liv's condition and the psychology behind it. The title really works and I really like the cover art.

What I Disliked: That I guessed the killer pretty early. I was able to solve this so easily because they did investigate someone who seemed really obvious too me and they weren't even ruled out as a subject, because they weren't even considered. Basic police policy would have them as the suspect. There's a couple moments where I had to suspend disbelief, like the moment I mentioned above, that was the biggest but a couple others.

Recommendation: This is a pretty fun mystery that has a lot of fun twist and turns. The novel has such a good hook that pulled me in from the beginning. I recommend my followers check it out, and tell me did you know who the killer was early like me or did get fooled. I rated Stay Awake by Megan Goldin 4 out of 5 stars. This was my first Megan Goldin but reading this made me want to search out more, I've been told Night Swim is good.

Megan Goldin is one of my favorite authors and The Night Swim is probably my favorite thriller ever. Sooo, needless to say I was super excited to read Stay Awake. Liv Reese, wakes up in the back of the taxi with no memory of how she got there or where she is going. Liv has STAY AWAKE and other messages scribbled all over her body. What is happening to her? What has she done?

Tbh, if I read the synopsis of this book I think I would have stayed away from it. The Amnesia trope and Morgan just don't get along. It reminded me a lot of Don't Fall Asleep and pretty well every other Amnesia book I've read. It was a fun read, and I absolutely love Goldin's writing BUT this trope is just not for me

What would you do if you lost part of your memory every time you fell asleep?

The premise of this book is intriguing, but the repetitiveness of the main characters actions and thought gets very tiring by the end. Her actions were annoying, and far-fetched, between not looking for help once she couldn't remember anything to writing everything on her arms and expecting no one to question her about it. The twists were easy to figure out, including who the murderer was.

I want to thank Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

📖My Thoughts📖

What twisted ride did I just get off of? My favorite genre by far is psychological thrillers. I’ve read some fairly good ones, but when you finish the book and find yourself wondering what just happened when just two seconds prior you were thinking, “OK, we’re at the end and it’s all been figured out”, you know it’s a good book! This book is written in a non-linear narrative but done well, so it’s pretty easy to follow. With some strong Memento vibes, this book has you gripped from the start constantly thinking you’ve got it figured out only to get another wrench thrown in your theory. I really loved this book and I’m pretty sure the last wrench will have be baffled for months to come. If you’re a fan of twisted psychological thrillers, this is a must! Thank you Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Megan Goldin for the opportunity to read and review this great book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I requested this title I was unaware of it having multiple POVs. I don't do well, at all, with that but that's just me. If it isn't an issue for you this might be the thriller for you. I became confused and, after a couple of chapters, I realized that I wasn't connecting with the characters. The premise of her form of amnesia was a problem for me, as well. I was becoming annoyed. By the half way mark I knew I had to skip to the end to find out the who and the why. So, in conclusion, this wasn't my cup of tea.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Stay Awake is a fun thriller that I think would make an excellent tv miniseries. Liv has a rare form of amnesia that takes away her memory every time she goes to sleep. When the book starts, Liv is waking up in the back of a cab with no memory of how she got there, no purse, no cell phone - just a bloody knife hidden in her pocket. When she goes to her apartment, strangers are living there. When she repeatedly tries to call her boyfriend and her best friend, neither answers her calls.

From there - we are on an adventure with Liv as she tries to understand what’s happening. This story took a little while to pull me in - but once it got me, I couldn’t stop and ended up getting the audiobook as well so I could keep reading while I took care of life tasks. This would also be a great choice for a road trip audio (adults only). Thanks to the publisher for the free review copy!

Liv Reese has no memory of the past two years when she wakes up in the back of a taxi. Someone else lives in her apartment, her phone is gone, she has a bloodstained knife, and messages all over her hands. New York City is now unfamiliar to her, and local news reports include a crime scene where the victim's blood was used to scrawl messages. Liv is now on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. Someone out there knows what she did, and will make sure she never remembers.

From the start, we're dropped into first-person narration from Liv's POV. She's written on her hands, and in retracing her steps for the night meets a bartender who knows her, and that she apparently told him that she forgets everything when she goes to sleep. At the same time, Detective Halliday is called to the murder of a man, post-it notes and a bloody message saying "Stay Awake" in the apartment. It's a heady and rapid start to the book, immediately hooking us into the mystery of what happened.

There are essentially two timelines, the present with Liv in her fugue amnesia states and Detective Halliday looking for the killer, and two years ago which Liv can remember. Liv is easily confused and goes along with what she's told as she tries to figure things out, only to forget when she falls asleep. It's a tense situation, especially as we find out more about her past and what was going on before she woke up. Soon enough we know more than she does, especially with the murder investigation. Detective Halliday is an honest and idealistic officer despite her military background, chasing the truth and not taking the easy way out. When it all falls together, it's a satisfying ending and makes perfect sense.

Liv Reese wakes up with no memory of the past two years. There are strangers living in her apartment, and notes written all over her arms reminding her to stay awake and trust no one. This gripping beginning provides a real page turner as the story unfolds between alternating storylines in the past and present. This book was hard to put down as I tried to figure out what was happening and who was after Liv. I enjoyed the storyline and was guessing up until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Megan Goldin for an advance copy of this book. You won’t want to miss this one.

4.5/5 stars

Stay Awake is a riveting thriller that will keep you guessing right until the very end.

The story is told from two amazing female POVs. Liv (1st person POV) present and 2 years ago. And detective Darcy Halliday (3rd person POV). Liv wakes up in the back of a NYC cab with no memory of how she got there. Darcy is a homicide detective who arrives at the scene of a murder.

I was fascinated by Liv's story. And I loved the dual timeline. I was also mesmerized by Darcy trying to solve the case. I was definitely on the edge of my seat trying to figure out this mystery. This was a real page-turner that fans of thrillers will enjoy!

Fastest I’ve torn through a book this summer to get to the ending. Wow! Fantastic writing that leaves you wanting more after the end of each chapter. Explosive action trying to beat Liv to her own memories. No slow moving plot here. You become the detective in this book. Another win from a go to author!

Thank you St. Martin's Press ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
Woah! This was quite the page-turner. I liked the switch between present day and years prior. The storyline was unique and kept me interested until the final chapter. I'd really like to see this represented on film at some point. This will be a great fall/Halloween read this year.

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of cab that’s dropping her off at her apartment - only she finds out someone else is living there. In her confusion, Liv finds a bloodied knife in her pocket and words written all over her hands. Next thing she knows, Liv sees a news update of a man who’s been murdered, and a phrase on her hand showing up inconspicuously at the crime scene. Liv doesn’t know how, but she’s connected to the murder that took place last night. She is now on the run, and can’t remember what’s happened. To make it worse, someone has been taunting her, letting her know that they know the truth.

The writing style changes from first person when we read from Liv’s POV, to third person when it’s the detectives’ POVs. It was different to see two points of views interlaced within a chapter - for example, the detective chapters are mainly told to focus on Halliday, but in that same chapter, we briefly get insight into what’s going on with Lavelle.

The timeline goes back and forth from the present day to two years ago, when Liv’s life changed. Most of the present day takes place on a single day - and wow, Liv has a LONG day.

The title grabbed my attention, and the synopsis seemed up my alley. I should have known to stay away from it when the Goodreads synopsis compared it to Memento and Before I Go To Sleep. I have GOT to stay away from plots that have characters with memory loss/short term memory.

In short - I did not like this book. A big part of that was the memory loss component, but the major reason is due to the writing. The copy I read was unedited, so I’m thinking a good chunk of my issues with the book would have been fixed prior to publishing. There were idiosyncrasies that bothered me and made me feel that Goldin didn’t take notes, or keep up with her story. Essentially, this book felt like the product of a rushed job.

I don’t recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.