I’ve read Goldin’s previous books before and this one is probably my favorite. The plot reminded me so much of the movies Before I Go To Sleep and Memento, which i both love!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Megan Goldin for an e-ARC of this book which publishes 8/9/22!

Liv wakes up in a taxi on her way home with no recollection of anything. When she arrives in her apartment, strangers are living in it and she’s told she no longer lives there. As she finds her phone to call for help, she discovers a knife covered in blood and writing on her hand that says “Stay Awake”. As she comes across the news, she sees a crime investigation where the scene shows the same message written on the window. This tells her that she might be involved, but cannot piece her memories together.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I was definitely invested in this mystery to find out what happened. It’s a whodunnit page turner and the short chapters were definitely something i loved about it. Although I feel like the revelations were a bit flawed with plot holes that became very convenient towards the end. A great mystery overall, that’s binge worthy and gripping!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘈𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘤 𝘔𝘊𝘴, 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰, 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘎𝘰 𝘛𝘰 𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱, 𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺

What would you do if you woke up in the back of a cab, with a bloodstained knife and no memory of the last two years of your life? You've scrawled notes all over yourself to "stay awake!" and, oh yeah, you later see on the news there's been gruesome murder and those same words were written on the wall in blood?

Y'all, this was one heckuva ride. Talk about fast-paced and action-packed, there was not one second of this book where I wasn't thinking "dude, what?" Seriously, if you like to fly through your thrillers, this is the book for you. I also really enjoyed the unraveling of Liv Reese, the main character - both of her life (see: where did two years go?) but also of her story and history. And I really enjoyed the female detective, Darcy Halliday, who was working her first murder and had a point to prove. Strong female characters with a side of murder are my jam.

It finally happened. After nearly 3 years of dodging the proverbial bullet, I finally tested positive for COVID-19 last week. It took me about a week to overcome the worst symptoms, and I thankfully only have a lingering nasty cough. However, one benefit to being forced to isolate is that I've had ample time to catch up on reading. Megan Goldin's novels The Escape Room and The Night Swim were some of the best thrillers that I read in their respective years of release. This put her newest book Stay Awake, out today, among my most anticipated reads this year. Lucky for me, Goldin's publisher generously provided me with a copy of Stay Awake to review. I found the work to be the perfect form of escapism as I suffered through the worst symptoms of this illness.

Liv Reese awakes in the back of a taxi having more questions than answers. Her amnesia is only further pronounced as she steps up to the door of her apartment and is greeted by strangers. Who are these people in her home? The tenants seem as confused as she is, and they quickly close the door. Liv goes into her pocket to retrieve her phone but instead pulls out a knife covered in blood. Her phone is nowhere to be found. Liv's hands are adorned with hastily scribbled messages like a random phone number, "Don't open the door", and most startling "STAY AWAKE".

Incoming homicide detective Darcy Halliday has been partnered with department veteran Jack Lavelle. Beyond the usual newcomer/veteran dynamic at play, the pairs' boss has tasked Lavelle with vetting Halliday for future promotions. Halliday has a history of working for the state department, a past that is understandably shrouded in mystery. Halliday and Lavelle don't have much time to get to know each other before they are called to the scene of a gruesome murder. The brutal stabbing would be bad enough, but it is the message scrawled on the window of the room in the victim's blood that chills everyone to their core. STAY AWAKE!

Megan Goldin is fast becoming known for her ability to produce compelling standalone thrillers, and Stay Awake further cements that status. She's crafted the perfect unreliable narrator in a character who loses her short-term memory each time that she sleeps. The novel alternates perspectives between this woman who is attempting to compile the events that lead her to this point with that of the detectives investigating a murder in which she is the prime suspect. Goldin sprinkles in flashbacks to her protagonist's past, giving the reader insight into the person she used to be. This provides some much-needed depth to a character who is otherwise stuck in a repetitive loop of insomnia and paranoia. The short chapters and fast pace make this the kind of can't-put-it-down read that I've come to expect from Goldin. I did see the ending coming well before the big reveal, but it did little to deter my enjoyment of getting to that point. Stay Awake is another solid thriller from an author who is already one of my go-to writers in the genre.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a cross between Memento and Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson.

What I liked:
-The story switches between two years ago and the present. I love a good dual timeline and this did not disappoint. There’s plenty of background info leading into what causes Liv’s memory loss
-Detective Halliday. She was smart, empathetic, and a good devil’s advocate to her partner, who wanted to pin everything on Liv. She would be the perfect character to build a series around
-Liv. I definitely felt for her. I could not imagine what it would be like to have amnesia and Goldin did an excellent job portraying her confusion and anxiety
-The secondary characters. While not super central to the story, there were a few who moved the story along by helping Liv when she couldn’t remember things

What I didn’t like:
-Liv. She could also be so frustrating sometimes. Whenever she was about to find out something that could help her, she ran away.
-The time frame. The majority of the book takes place over a day - the investigation, lab results, autopsy, arrest. This doesn’t happen in real life

Other than these two minor quibbles, I really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and kept me intrigued the entire time. The reveals surprised me and the red herrings did throw me off a little. If you're looking for a popcorn thriller that will keep you turning the pages, this is it.

Wow what a read! This was such a unique story. I have read Megan Goldin’s previous books and absolutely loved them and this wasn’t any different. I loved the cliffhangers she left us with at the end of each chapter. The story was fast-paced and the characters well developed. I kind of figured out in the middle of the story where this was headed and I was spot on. Bravo for another amazing book!!!

This thriller is about a woman named Liv Reese. Liv wakes up in a taxi with a bloody knife wrapped up in a t-shirt. She doesn't remember what happened or how she got there. We stumble along with Liv as she tries to figure out what happened to her and we stay confused for the entire first half of the story.
The story started to get a bit repetitive and I had a lot of unanswered questions by the time we reached the weak ending. However it was a unique storyline and a fast read.

Imagine waking up in a taxi with no memory of how you got there, where you are going, or why you are now two years in the future....with a bloody knife in your pocket.

Megan Goldin does it again! For those who love suspense, read any Megan Goldin books. I could NOT put this one down. It was a gripping read and the suspense was full on right up until the end. I loved how everything came together.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Before waking up in a cab, Liv Reese’s last memory was of working at her desk on a warm summer afternoon. But now it’s the middle of the night, summer long gone, someone else is living in her apartment, she has odd messages scribbled on her hands/arms, and she finds a bloody knife in her pocket. One of those messages she finds scribbled on herself is Stay Awake, while another is Wake up! which just so happens to be the exact message Detective Darcy Halliday finds written in blood at the scene of a murder.

I hate to sound cliché, but Stay Awake is an out of control roller coaster ride of a thriller. I have to say when I first started reading I was kind of reminded of the movie Memento and the TV show Blindspot. I enjoyed the heck out of this book. It features engaging characters with an absolutely gripping storyline that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. This is one book that thriller fans are not going to want to miss.

I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R28QAWK1SGP6WP/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

A cold wind woke her as she sat up stiffly after falling asleep on a park bench. She looked around, but nothing looked familiar. The sun hadn’t risen yet, so the sky was still dim. Her heart started to race and she rubbed her temples as she tried to piece together what had happened. She grabbed the bag at her feet and found a bloodied knife… what in the world had happened?

Stay Awake follows a main character, Liv, who suffers from amnesia every time she falls asleep. Everything around her is different and everything she thinks she knows is apparently very wrong. She doesn’t know where she lives and she doesn’t know where her best friend is, or where he boyfriend is. All she has are weird messages scribbled all over her hands.

The premise of this book sounded intriguing, but it’s execution was not done well in my opinion. So many details were repeated over and over again to a point I was getting bored. I understand the MC has amnesia, but as a reader I didn’t need everything told multiple times. There are also some parts that were never explained and I was not satisfied with how the book ended either. It honestly didn’t make sense to me.

I’ve enjoyed Megan Goldin’s previous books, but this one wasn’t for me.

While this was a good novel and did well at building suspense and keeping me on my toes, under no circumstances did it need to be 66 chapters. It had goodbyes but it was honestly just way too drawn out for me to really get interested in it. I thought about DNFing it multiple times or even skipping ahead chapters because it was so slow.

*3.5 stars

After loving this author's previous book, The Night Swim, I knew I had to snag this one! Stay Awake follows Liv Reese, a woman who loses her short term memory every time she falls asleep. When she wakes up, her last memories are from two years ago. On top of that, she has these chilling messages written all over her hands, telling her to stay awake and not to trust anyone. Basically, I would describe this as the thriller version of 50 First Dates, if the main character is trying to solve a murder.

This was certainly an entertaining book, and although I feel like I've been reading lots of insomnia books lately, I still found myself wanting to pick it up to find out where it was going. I really liked the detective, Darcy Halliday--I found her character to be really interesting and intelligent, and I would love to see more of her.

I did find the book to be kind of repetitive, which was necessary for the story, so I have mixed feelings about that. I also found the changing perspectives/timelines to be slightly confusing. Overall, I liked it, didn't love it, and I don't really think it's going to leave a lasting impression on me.

If you like books with an unreliable narrator, rookie detectives trying to prove themselves, and multiple perspectives/timelines, check this one out!

Many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Usually when reading thrillers, the reader is very aware of the character's history and how they got from Point A to Point B. How did this totally normal person with a regular 9 to 5 job suddenly shift to a fugitive on the run? You usually find out pretty quickly. This book kept me in the dark for about 80% of the journey, and I loved every minute of it!

The frightening idea that people know who I am while I believe they are total strangers is utterly mind-boggling, and Megan Goldin executes this fraught situation so well. While a premise like this one could turn away readers, instead, it was interesting enough to keep my attention and dropped hints at just the right times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book: Stay Awake
Author: Megan Goldin

I feel like when people say “I couldn’t put this book down” they mean it figuratively. Well, I literally could not put this book down. I read it straight threw and it did not disappoint!

We meet Liv in the midst of a crisis. She wakes up in cab and can’t remember how she got there. Last she remembers it was Summer and she was at her office. She has an ominous feeling that something isn’t right and the cryptic messages scribbled on her hands don’t help…I really don’t want to give anything away so I don’t want to say much more except for - DEFINITELY PICK UP THIS BOOK!

I’m staring to believe Megan Goldin can do no wrong! Love her books!

Many thanks to Megan Goldin, St. Martins Press and Goodreads for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase on August 9th, 2022!

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC, I devoured this fast-paced thriller within 24 hours and enjoyed every minute of it!

Liv Reese wakes up in a mysterious apartment, next to the dead body of an unknown man and a murder weapon in her hands. And absolutely no memory of how she got there. Messages written in her own writing on her hands warning her to "Stay Awake", she soon discovers that every time she falls asleep her memory resets. She begins the race of a lifetime to discover what really happened, with the challenge of her memory loss impeding her along the way, before she is pinned for a murder she doesn't even know if she committed.

Stay Awake was such a well thought out and planned thriller, down to each detail. I loved the complexity of the story and the writing that kept me enthralled with each page. The plot line in and of itself was intriguing, but the added layer of her falling asleep and losing her memory made it that even more captivating. Each time she's awake, Liv discovers new pieces of information but with the fear that she will lose them if she falls asleep. She's pounding caffeine, only adding to the intensity, trying to fight sleep and fight for her life. All while writing messages on her hand to help her, but losing the context each time she wakes, much to her detriment. As I was reading I really appreciated how many pieces were carefully intertwined in Liv's race for the truth.

I have to admit, I did see the ending coming about partway through, but that did not change how much I enjoyed the story and putting together the pieces along the way.

Stay Awake is a twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller using the tried a tried-and-true formula - amnesia. But this time the concept of memory and an unreliable narrator is turned on its head, because our main character doesn't just wake up with no memory of the last two years, her memory resets itself every time she falls asleep. This might be the most interesting aspect of the story - that the progress made by Liv every day as she tries to sort out why she woke up with a bloody knife in her hand and why she's suspected of murder. Where are her best friend and boyfriend? Why doesn't she work at the magazine anymore or live at her apartment? The reset of her memory means the narrative is told in fits and starts, so her progress towards resolution is non-linear, even as we the reader can compile the clues. This is in addition to the alternating timelines and point-of-view. Overall, an very addictive read!

It is hard to imagine waking up in a world that is two years in the future yet two years in the past. You have not a clue this is the case and no one around you to help you reset and understand what is happening. This is the life of Liv Reese. She suffers from a form of amnesia which causes her to lose her memories after she sleeps. The condition is not a fictional one. Being aware of this when awake, Liv lives off of multiple forms of caffeine in order to prevent sleep. She even writes herself messages on her arms and hands to help her navigate life in case she does fall sleep. Add to this that a murder has taken place where a message is left in the victim’s blood which bears a message that she has written on herself. What is her connection to this crime?

Stay Awake grabs your attention from the first chapter and keeps you focused. You’ll want to know more. We get to follow the investigation process learning who Liv Reese is, why she has amnesia `and why she is running. Megan Goldin cleverly paces the events in this story in a way that things unfold just when you need them to. A bonus is in our story is we get introduced to a Detective Halliday. For me she is a character keeper. I hope to see her resurface in another book.

This is a dual timeline read following the past and present. I will say that there are a few possible suspects but only one that makes sense. It may be obvious for some. There is one thing that I wish was developed better. There are a few situations involved here so I wish the why was made clearer. It cannot be that simple. Some complexity was needed in the wrap up. I cannot be specific without adding spoilers. That said, I look forward to the author’s next release and some much needed Zzzzzzzzs.

Temporary insomnia awaits. The is one that kept me awake.

My gratitude to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for their generosity in providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

You know how sometimes you just need a propulsive thriller to take your mind off the real world? This one, my friend, will do the trick! I LOVED IT! It’s an interesting premise. Liv Reese wakes up in the back seat of a taxi and doesn’t remember anything about where she’s going or how she got there. And it’s not the first time this has happened. And it won’t be the last.

Ok, that’s all I’m going to tell you about the plot. Trust me, go into this one blind if you like suspenseful thrillers, you’ll like this one! Remember the Drew Barrymore movie 50 First Dates? I loved that movie! Well, this is the psychological thriller version of that, but with no Adam Sandler!

I read this one on my iPad (thanks @NetGalley and @stmartinspress!). Short chapters moving between different timelines and there are two character points of view. There is a female police investigator with an interesting back story, I could see the author bringing her back in a future novel. You’ll breeze through this one, suspecting everyone and trusting no one!

Applause…Bravo for Stay Awake by Megan Goldin. The author has written another fantastic book that I did not want to put down. I absolutely loved this nonstop, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride! A big Thank You to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for the advanced digital copy. Stay awake is an intense, extremely complex psychological thriller about memory loss and murder. The story unfolds in a dual timeline that rotates back and forth between 2 years ago when the protagonist memory loss started, and to the present day murder investigation happening. A gripping, page-turner filled with shocking twist right up until the very end. A summer mystery not to be missed out on!📚📖⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
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 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.

Oh my goodness I LOVED this book!!!!

I really don't want to say too much about this one because I personally say to go in blind. I requested this book off NetGalley and didn't read the synopsis. I only requested it because of the author. And I had so much fun reading this and wondering WHAT was going on and where it was going.

This isn't a scary thriller, but it is riveting and will keep you guessing!

HIGHLY recommend!

*Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for me eARC in exchange for my honest review.*

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't after you." -Catch 22, Joseph Heller

wow this book was literally so crazy !! This is my first Megan Goldin book and let me tell you I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! A lot of the thrillers I've been reading lately have been ok, but this one blew me away!! I have never read a book about amnesia before and it really did have me thinking how scary it would be to not remember a chunk of my life. I also really love the characters... Liv was so unreliable as she couldn't remember anything so and was just trying to figure it all out herself... and Detective Halliday was a Veteran turned detective, and she was so good at her job.. not jumping to conclusions. It was such a fun story!!!

This book had so many great things about it..
-unreliable narrator
-dual timelines
-1st and 3rd person narration
-alternating POV
-crazy twists
-insomnia/amnesia

I am so glad I got this one from Netgalley !! Off I go to get all Megan Goldin's other books!! Highly recommend this one !!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Megan Goldin for an ARC of this book !!