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.

A gripping page turner! I loved it! I really enjoyed the dual timeline and building mystery and suspense through the novel which made it very difficult to put down. The author did an excellent job making the reader truly experience the amnesia that the main character was experiencing. That being said, I did think the twist was a bit predictable and the villain character was a bit obvious, but the fast action definitely made up for this!

I would recommend this book to fans of city-set psychological thrillers looking for a fast-paced read.

Told via dual story-lines, this novel was a real page-turner. At first I was underwhelmed due to the fact that the main character Liv Reese seemed to not react strongly enough to the distressing situation she found herself in – time and again. Then, as I came to read the police story-line, I became more invested in the narrative and my enjoyment increased. The relationship between the detectives was a compelling one to follow.

I did think the amnesia experienced by Liv was a tad hard to believe, though the human mind holds myriad secrets and coping mechanisms that I have no idea of. A ‘Groundhog Day’ on steroids (perhaps crossed with elements of the TV show ‘Blindspot’), this novel was packed with suspense but was repetitive as you might expect due to the plot.

This is my second novel by Megan Goldin and I appreciate her writing style. In this instance I was less enamored of how the timeline jumped around repeatedly, but overall this fast-paced thriller delivered. Yes, I would read another novel by this author, but no, it wasn’t my favorite of hers.

Megan Goldin’s latest novel will not disappoint! This darkly intense novel has so many twists and turns in it that my head was spinning!

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a cab on her way home. She and her roommate Amy, a doctor, live incredibly crazy lives. When she arrives, she realizes she does not have her key. Although she hates to do it, she begins to bang on the door to wake Amy to let her in. But to her shock and confusion, a stranger answers the door and tells her Amy does not live there.

Her confusion deepens when she tries to find her phone to call her boyfriend Marco and she can’t find it. How could Amy not live there? She just saw her. Then she looks down at her hands and sees writing on them. She has written STAY AWAKE and DON’T CALL THE POLICE. She also sees TRUST NOBODY. Panicking she digs into her coat pocket and discovers to her horror a bloody knife wrapped in a t-shirt. What has happened to her? Did she witness a stabbing?

As we flashback to two years prior, which in her confusion Liv believes is now, we discover Liv was an up-and-coming writer for a popular magazine. She and her roommate Amy were very close, and she had just started dating someone new named Marco. The last thing Amy can remember is falling asleep on the subway on her way to work.

So, with that information she goes back to her office hoping someone there will be able to fill her in on the missing hours. But what she finds is they are all shocked to even see her. She can’t understand why. While there she sees a breaking news story on television. Someone has been murdered and a message was left on the window at the murder scene: STAY AWAKE.

She looks down at her hand and realizes she has done something terrible. But she can’t remember what. And to make matters worse she discovers that IF she falls asleep, she awakes with no memory of what has occurred and seems to revert back to her last train ride. With limited memory, Liv must somehow try and piece together her past and present and what happened to her and why she is unable to remember.

Stay Awake is a fast-paced terrifying thriller with ingenious plot turns and shocking discoveries which will keep the reader in suspense. Once you start this incredibly creative story, you won’t be able to put the book down, so just STAY AWAKE and finish it as fast as you can!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #MeganGoldin #Stay Awake for the advanced copy.

4.5 stars

This was a fantastic, suspenseful read and I was on the edge of my seat until the very end!

When Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi, she has no memory of how she got there. In fact, she has no memories from the past two years. All she has are the messages written on her body to piece together the fragments of her life. The local news, however, catches her attention because of a message left on a window in the victim’s blood…a message she knows all too well. Liv is unsure if she is responsible for this heinous crime, but there is someone who knows, and they are determined to silence her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The author did a wonderful job of not giving away too much too soon and keeping the reader in the dark until absolutely necessary. I was quite surprised by the twist at the end, and I’m disappointed in myself for not seeing it coming. Highly recommend!

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the #gifted eARC of STAY AWAKE!

My three word summary for this book: Far-fetched but fun!

STAY AWAKE is very Momento-esque with a protagonist who loses her memory every time she falls asleep. Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a cab heading to her apartment. Only when she gets there, she discovers other people living there. And then she finds a bloody knife wrapped in her pocket. And writing all over her hands telling her to “stay awake”, “wake up” and “trust no one.”

STAY AWAKE is a wild ride but I had fun suspending my belief and seeing where Megan Goldin would take me! This book is not a devastating social commentary like THE NIGHT SWIM. Instead this book is a thriller for the sake of being a thriller, which sometimes is exactly what I wanted to read at this time in my life.

STAY AWAKE is out now!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4278589950
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Stay Awake was one of the best thrillers I've read this year. I couldn't put it down and I always found myself wanting to pick it back up. I even snuck a few pages in while at work. Short chapters, great plot and very suspenseful. Will be recommending this to my friends.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Disappointed in this one…really enjoyed the previous books that I read by this author but this one let me down. Why? Well, I never bought into it or found it believable. I didn’t warm to the main character, didn’t feel I got to know the detectives on the case, and never really understood the motivation for murder, stalking, attempted murder, and simple solution at the end. What should have been a fast paced, thrilling, suspenseful tale – flipping from present to two years ago while also following th detectives, just didn’t provide the intensity and pull me in as I had hoped. In the end I was underwhelmed. That said, I am hopeful the next by this author will be more to my liking as I gave five-star reviews to both Night Swim and The Escape Room.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

Such an interesting concept. I can't imagine staying awake because when you sleep, you forget everything. Liv Reese wakes up in a cab and doesn't know how she got there. She goes to her apartment only to be told she doesn't live there. She finds a bloody knife in her possession and has no idea where this came from. We find out there has been a murder and he is Liv's ex-fiance (who Liv does not even remember). While the police look for Liv, she tries to figure out what happened. Who killed her ex? Who killed her best friend and her boyfriend? The plot thickens and the ending is exciting and satisfying.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for a copy of this book for review.