Wow! I was thoroughly invested and incredibly stumped. I love to try and guess the “bad guy” when I’m reading. I’m so glad my original guess was wrong. The fact that liv had amnesia made this book so good because anytime she fell asleep she forget but each time she woke up we got more information. I thought it was very well done and I can’t wait for Megan’s next book!

Overall, this thriller was not for me. I thought the premise was very intriguing and unique, but the execution lacked something. The ending felt lack=luster to me, after all the twists and turns throughout the book. And some of the twists seemed out of place and not fully finished at the end.

However, just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try. I've seen some great reviews for this one, and think it'd be a good popcorn thriller for others.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

Well this was incredible. It’s one of those books that keeps moving and you’re just gripped by every second as you’re trying to put everything together. And while looking back on it now hindsight says I probably could’ve seen this ending, but man was I taken on a twisted path. I never landed on the ending, never fully guessing it. This was incredibly twisty and a great psychological thriller. One of my favorites of the year!

Another solid thriller from Megan Goldin! Over time, I've come to dislike the "unreliable female narrator" trope, but Goldin offers a unique perspective on this one, and it definitely worked for me. This book literally kept me guessing the entire time, and I liked how it went back and forth in time. Maybe it's because IS likeable; you get the sense early on that she is a good person. You know something bad has happened to her, and you can't help but root for her and hope she ends up okay. The concept of her being an insomniac was interesting, particularly because studies have shown how important sleep is for our overall health, including our mental and emotional health. The fact that she was also an amnesiac was also interesting; imagine forgetting two very crucial years of your life every time you go to sleep. Stay Awake is very fast paced and it was a quick and entertaining read. This might just be one of my favorite thrillers of the year! Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early copy of this book.

If you are looking for a thriller you can’t put down, this is the book for you. I read it in 2 days and would have finished quicker if I hadn’t been busy on vacation.

The story is narrated by Liv Reese, who is suffering from amnesia and can’t remember anything once she falls asleep. It is good in both the past and present which made me want to keep reading to see what was happening. It kept me guessing up until the very end!

Definitely a very fast paced and great thriller- I recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

REVIEW

Stay Awake ~ Megan Goldin

READ IF:
* You love a good night’s rest.
* You’ve come home from a night out and wondered where your belongings are!
* There’s a bartender somewhere that knows your name.

SUMMARY: Liv Reese wakes up disorientated in the back of a cab with a bloodied knife and writing all over her hands, reading “Stay Awake.” She soon realizes that she has no idea what had transpired over last two years.

When a newscast reports a murder by stabbing accompanied by the message “Stay Awake” written in blood - Liv can’t help but see the connection. She soon finds herself not only running from the police but also trying to piece together the last two years and why she can’t remember any of it.

REVIEW: I have read Megan Goldin’s previous two novels (The Night Swim and The Escape Room) and enjoyed both. This one gave me major “Seven” vibes - it’s felt dark and grimy and had a bit of a frenetic pace with moving timelines and perspectives. The concept alone is a smart one and appreciated the effort from Goldin to write something so different and dark.

One issue for me - it was too long. I felt like the same thing just kept happening over and over and I found myself about halfway through waiting for a break in the plot to move the story along. Then the end kind of came and it was like wham, bam, done. All that mess and then it just tied up real quick. Left a bit to be desired but I enjoyed most the ride. If you haven’t read Goldin’s books yet they are definitely worth taking a look.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Stay Awake" was the 1st Megan Goldin novel that I've ever read & it didn't disappoint.
Ms. Goldin did an exceptional job at keeping me on the edge of my seat, dying to see what would happen next.
She kept me guessing at every turn.
I loved the way she told the story by jumping around the 2 different timelines (present time & 2 years ago) & how she ended up connecting them to each other.
I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a unique thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and audio ARC of this!

Memory loss is particularly frightening to me in and of itself, after watching my Grandma go through dementia, so this thriller was uniquely terrifying. The idea that someone could be coming to hurt you and you don’t know who it could be? Shudder. Kept me on the edge of my seat, halfway holding my breath while I read the second half of it.

Well you know I have never read an amnesia lead thriller and it’s safe to say I’m a big fan!

I enjoy a good Megan Goldin twist and the ending did not disappoint! I was not excepting it!

I really enjoyed the timeline jumps and the multiple POVs! Usually they are hard to follow but it really made sense for this thriller! I read this book so fast! Would definitely recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ebook for my honest review!

"Lack of sleep does horrible things to a person's mind, it can make some people psychotic."

Liv Reese has got it all: a great job at a lifestyle magazine, a great Brooklyn apartment, an amazing roommate/best friend and a hot Italian boyfriend. ... or does she? After waking up confused in the back of a cab, she arrives at her apparrment and is baffled that another couple lives there now, claiming they've lived there for years. What happened and why did Liv blackout and lose her memory? And better yet, why is there a bloody knife in her pocket and are her hands covered in messages like "STAY AWAKE" and "WAKE UP"?

"What do I have against sleep?"
"You're afraid of what you do in your sleep."

This book has a great premise and it's executed well. The short chapters, multiple POVs and flashbacks make it an absolute page turner. It also definitely added to the suspense and fast pace of the book. I loved how the flashbacks brought out my detective and had me looking for clues about whodunit. I'm happy to report I did figure out the guilty party quite early on, but that didn't take away my doubts completely. Somehow Megan Goldin still had me second guessing myself here and there.

"Everyone has roles to play. Sometimes we don't know it until it's too late. You were given a choice, Liv. Every choice had a consequence."

I will admit that sometimes the book got a bit too repetitive for my taste. But I guess that was necessary considering the main character forgets everything every time she falls asleep. The author still kept me totally hooked, though, cause I finished it in one sitting.

If you love fast paced psychological thrillers and movies like memento, I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for providing an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating: ★★★ ½

Stay Awake
Megan Goldin
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


There’s a famous quote from “Catch 22” by Joseph Heller: “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” How appropriate for Liv Reese who awakens in the back of a cab confused and concerned for her safety.

She has absolutely no recollection of how she got in the cab or where she’s going. The cab pulls up to a brownstone and the cabby announces, “We’re here.” Standing on the porch, she realizes she has no keys or purse, but recognizes the building as her and Amy’s apartment. She pushes the intercom buzzer and encounters a strange couple occupying “her apartment.” The woman is none too happy, and quickly becomes peeved at Liv’s insistence that she lives there, and threatens to call the police.

Once back on the street in tears and her head throbbing in confusion, she notices black ball-point markings on her hands: STAY AWAKE… DON’T SLEEP … TRUST NO ONE … DON’T TALK TO THE POLICE, EVER.

After a quick search, she realizes she has a large wad of cash in her jeans, and a lump in her cardigan pocket. Reaching into her pocket she retrieves a T-shirt, after opening it, discovers a blood-stained knife. Bewildered, she quickly rolls it back up and dumps it in a nearby trash can. Still confused, she looks down and notices on her wrist the written name and address of a place: Nocturna.

Her next cab ride deposits her at a bar. She walks in and is greeted by a smiling bartender by her name. Apparently, she was actually there several hours ago and learns that she has “a memory problem,” hence the messages on her hands. When she falls asleep, she forgets “everything” that has happened to her. The bar TV blasts breaking news of a murdered man and the message: WAKE UP was written backwards in his blood on a window. It is quickly evident that she has a gap of two lost years. There has been a traumatic event that has created insomnia and paranoia and eventually a memory wipe. She has to find her best friend Amy and her boyfriend, Marco. Is she dangerous or in danger? Why are two years gone from her memory?

Cut to the murder scene, where detective Darcy Halliday is first on the scene, having answered a page while jogging to the precinct on her morning run still in her running gear.

She had been transferred to Homicide on a six-month temporary transfer status, and is eager to lead her first investigation. She served in the military for six years with distinction during multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. She paid her dues after joining the NYPD with two years on patrol, followed by stints in other departments. (An intriguing character that merits further appearances.) Next to the location, is Detective Jack La Velle, a seasoned, grizzled veteran, with the department’s highest solve rate, who detests having a partner. The victim reposes in a peaceful pose on the bed, with a single stab wound just below the rib cage. No blood splatter, no wallet, no cell phone, no identification, and no signs of a struggle. Written on the window, backwards: “WAKE UP.”

The chapters alternate between Liv’s point of view, in the present and two years ago, as she desperately attempts to unravel her predicament. Also in the present, Detective Halliday and her partner investigate the murder and attempt to track down Liv, with Darcy stubbornly holding out for the possibility of Liv’s innocence, even though she’s the prime suspect.

Megan Golden crafts a compelling and chilling thriller that catapults the reader with breakneck speed along a twisted path with multiple unexpected reveals to a shocking denouement. Someone wants to make sure Liv doesn’t remember, but why?

I had the pleasure of alternating between the ARC and the audio version. The two narrators, Church and LaVoy brought to life the multiple characters in the theatre of my mind and enhanced the intrigue, ongoing confusion and escalating tension and suspense in this twisty and riveting thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and loved all of Megan Goldin’s books. This is another intense thriller. Liv has amnesia and every time she wakes up she has no memory of the last two years. She is confused about the writing on her hands telling her to stay awake among other things. Liv does begin to realize she is wanted for a murder but she stays on the run not knowing who to trust or where to go. This was definitely a wild ride and the suspense starts right at the beginning of the book. I did figure out the big twist fairly early on but I still really enjoyed the book and I was interested to see how all the pieces were going to fit together. This is definitely a page turner!

After being in a bit of a reading slump these last couple months Stay Awake is exactly what I needed! This book keeps truly keeps you reading with every chapter getting better!

The book is told in two POVs, Liv and Detective Halliday with multiple timelines. She does a great job with the flow of the story, I was never confused.

I was pleasantly surprised I didn’t find the book to be repetitive due to the nature of the plot. Each chapter builds nicely with lots of suspense and twists.

I went into this book blind and I definitely recommend you do too!

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this digital copy in exchange for my honest
review!

BOOK REVIEW ‘STAY AWAKE’
…
★★★★

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the e-Arc.

Imagine finding a bloody knife in your pocket with handwriting all over your hands to STAY AWAKE…

I’ve been such a fan of Megan since her prior novel ’THE NIGHT SWIM’ (clap). I haven’t read ‘THE ESCAPE ROOM’ and am definitely moving this up ASAP. ’STAY AWAKE’ did NOT disappoint! There are quite a few mixed reviews out there but I gave it a solid four stars based on many things:

Short chapters
Multiple POV’s (detective and MC)
Unreliable narrator/amnesia trope
Writing style (pace and rhythm)
Binge worthy (read in 2 sittings)

I looooooove unreliable narrators. That is all. Officially out now! Definitely a must read - you will not have an issue staying awake.

I love Megan Goldin and this book didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t set it down!

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no recollection of how she got there. When she heads home a stranger answers and claims they live there now and her roommate Amy is nowhere. How long has time passed and why does Liv have a bloody knife on her.

The intense build in Megan’s stories always get me. So full of twists, and ones I don’t see coming, which are refreshing. This book is what psychological thrillers are about. It’s fucked up but well done. Definitely a book worth the read, especially for all the build up.

A fast-paced thriller, this book was extremely enjoyable. I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. The premise was extremely unique and deeply intrigued me. I liked the main character and felt her despair as well as her bewilderment. I did not guess any of the twists and turns. The book was well-written and very engaging. I recommend this book.

Rating: 3.5/5 🌟

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Megan Goldin, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Stay Awake gave me Memento vibes and the suspense, as well as the short chapters made this fast-paced psychological thriller hard to put down!

I did predict the ending, so it didn’t exactly blow me away, but it kept me hooked throughout to see if my theory was correct. Stay Awake jumps between different timelines and the POVs of Liv Reese and Detective Darcy Halliday, which was well-done for most of the book, but did get a bit confusing at times. I liked the characters, and thought they were developed very well. The end was anti-climatic for me and it should have been a bit longer and more suspenseful at the end <spoiler>when Halliday arrived at the warehouse</spoiler>. There were some plot-holes, for example the explanation behind Liv’s condition and how she managed to move back to New York alone didn’t make too much sense. I would have liked some more closure in the end and not having some questions answered bothered me, like <spoiler>what was the deal with Kevin?</spoiler>

Overall, Stay Awake is a good psychological thriller that’s hard to put down until you have all the pieces put together! This was the first book I read by Megan Goldin, and I will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future !

Liv Reese has a good life. A decent boyfriend, a wonderful best friend, a job she loves.... and no memories of how she lost it all.

It's hard to describe this book without spoiling it for potential readers... so just go out a read it yourself!
It turned out to be a much more exciting thriller than I anticipated!
Memory loss... overused plot device? Not this time. It is deftly weaved into the story in such a way that it feels fresh and engaging.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one! Liv was such an interesting character, and I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. I was surprised by the outcome, which I love. Solid 4 stars for this one. I definitely want to read this author again.

I think memory-loss stories are not for me. It's too chaotic and I just find myself wanting to give the person so many solutions instead of focusing on the story. I enjoyed the back and forth POVs between the MC and the detective, combined with the flash backs to the past. However, I guessed pretty early on what had happened and would happen and unfortunately that made this book feel too long waiting for the reveal. I think many people will enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me.