Although I loved the premise of Stay Awake, the new thriller by Megan Goldin, the book just didn’t work for me.

It starts out strong: Liv Reese wakes up in a taxi and returns to her apartment, where she finds strangers living there. She has a bloody knife and messages written all over her hands, reading “Stay Awake”.

I loved the movie Memento so I was intrigued by a mystery with a similar idea, where the protagonist loses new memories every time she falls asleep. I also enjoy stories that jump around in time, flashing back between present day and a previous crime, which is the structure this book follows.

Unfortunately, the writing just wasn’t very strong. I like character-driven stories, and I never got a handle on Liv or the two police detectives who are tracking her down. Liv makes strange choices right from the start (for example, after she realizes that strangers are in her apartment, she gets her hair cut and goes to work) and was hard for me to relate to (she assumes her cat is dead and just…doesn’t seem to care?). The police officers as well have very stilted dialogue, explaining very simple concepts to each other as if they’d never investigated a murder before.

I did find this to be a very quick, easy read, and got through it in one night, but overall I was frustrated with the experience. I think readers who are intrigued by the premise and are more interested in twists and turns than character moments will likely enjoy this a lot more than I did.

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

Tight, sinister, and gripping!

Stay Awake is a propulsive, intense mystery that introduces us to Liv Reese, a disoriented, troubled young woman who, after waking in the back of a cab with a pocket full of cash, a bloodied knife, arms covered in messages to not fall asleep, and no idea how she got there, finds herself visiting old jaunts and doing whatever she can to try and remember and piece together the last two years of her life since the day her life was violently turned upside down and her memories all but disappeared.

The writing is taut and brisk. The characters are resourceful, confused, and persistent. And the plot told using a mixture of flashbacks and alternating POVs unravels quickly into an intricate, action-packed tale full of twists, turns, secrets, surprises, questionable personalities, duplicitous motivations, manipulative actions, parasitic relationships, violence, and ruthless murder.

Overall, Stay Awake is an unpredictable, chilling, entertaining tale by Goldin that was a little nutty in all the best ways while also being engaging, engrossing and impossible to put down.

I feel like I’m constantly saying I don’t like thrillers, and then reviewing thrillers that I’ve loved. "Stay Awake," Megan Goldin’s new novel, is another one to add to this list. What would you do if you lost all of your memories every time you fell asleep? That’s exactly what, Liv, the story’s protagonist is trying to fight off. Liv’s memory blackouts interrupt her whole life, and finally start to get her in trouble. This story had me on the edge of my seat until the very end and I would recommend it whether or not you’re particularly fond of thrillers. Lovers of Goldin’s “The Night Swim” will enjoy!

Holy man! This book was something else. I never knew which way it was going to twist or turn. I loved it so much. I loved that story flipped back and forth in time...leaving tidbits of information with each chapter. The story came together perfectly. I could not help but but myself in the main character shoes and wonder what all of that would be like. What a scary and wild ride. There was a very satisfying ending too. A must read for thriller lovers.

PS I was able to both listen to and read this book before publication. I loved both formats and feel that audiobook lovers are really going to love how it was performed. Either way to read this book you will love it!!!

Stay Awake was a completely entertaining mystery from start to finish and one of the best thrillers I've read this year. The horror and confusion that Liv experienced every time she opened her eyes was palpable on every page. She was a believable suspect/victim and I enjoyed going along for the journey to discovering the truth about her past. I really enjoyed the "behind the scenes" perspective with the detectives, and the working relationship that we saw develop between Lavelle and Hallady. The story kept me guessing until the very end and it brought a satisfying conclusion with the hope that Liv might someday remember her past and resume a normal life.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review Stay Awake.

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no memory of how she got there. She forgets the last two years every time she falls asleep. The police are looking for her as a suspect in a murder she doesn't remember committing.

This was such a fast paced thriller with an unreliable narrator. Such an interesting way to follow someone in figuring out the truth. This is an enjoyable thriller that will leave the reader wanting to find out what really happened along with the main character. Since the main character keeps forgetting things when she falls asleep there ere some repetitive parts in the story as she retraces the first steps several times. There is some skipping around in time from two years ago, when she was first trying to figure out her past, and present day. Most of the time these time jumps were easy to keep track. I did find myself thinking there were a couple of things that contradicted what had already happened in the book only to realize that it was just a different timeline. So a couple of time it got confusing and I had to check myself. Overall, it was such a fun thriller that never let off the gas peddle.

I would recommend this book for fans of fast paced thrillers with unreliable narrators with high stakes.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a fast paced thriller. I bumped this up to four stars because I binged it in a day and really wanted to know what happened but it was not as strong as The Night Swim by the same author. There were aspects of this that I loved, but I think it was almost too short? The motive didn't feel adequately explained/fleshed out and the ending was abrupt.

The book is told from alternating timelines and the narrator has a unique case of amnesia that is exacerbated by her insomnia (part self-induced/part actual condition). It makes for a compelling and unique way to tell the story, but I wanted more.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy.

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no clue as to where she is or how she got there and no memory of the past two years. Her hands are covered in pen, including the message: Stay Awake. When she sees a newspaper article of a crime scene with a similar message, Liv worries that she might have done something bad and tries to put the pieces of her memory back together.

This was a fast-paced and addicting book that I thought had a good intensity to it that kept me wanting to turn the pages. Written in multiple POV with multiple non-linear timelines, I did find myself slightly confused at trying to follow the timelines, but still enjoyed trying to put the little bits of information together that were slowly revealed. I found this to be interesting as it touches on amnesia and memory loss that made me really feel for Liv because I couldn't imagine being confused like that. It also made you question whether or not you could believe Liv at all and how unreliable she was. At times in the middle, things felt a little repetitive but I think that also added to what Liv was going through with her memory issues. While the ending wasn't overly shocking, I still wasn't able to guess it. I would have loved a little more as to the why for the ending though!

Overall, I enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller with short chapters, multiple timelines and perspectives with an MC who has amnesia and memory loss issues that will leave you on edge and wondering who can be trusted, check out Stay Awake (out August 9, 2022)! The Night Swim still remains my favourite by Goldin. I definitely want to pick up The Escape Room soon and will read whatever Megan Goldin comes out with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I quite enjoyed both the premise and the pace of Stay Awake. This was a dual POV novel with the main storyline associated with Liv Reese, a food writer for Cultura magazine who, due to a significant trauma event, wakes up having forgotten everything in the last two years. The other point of view is from the perspective of the police detectives investigating a murder that Liv is suspected of perpetrating.

This was an enjoyable thriller which left me guessing as to who the villain was but whose motive, in the end, is never quite fully explained. Still, I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great thriller. The murder mystery and Liv’s inability to remember what happened is compelling. The detectives investigating and the New York setting are interesting and provide a rich layer to the story.
It is a quick read and is reminiscent of Criminal minds or an Law and order type of show. If you enjoy those shows you will enjoy this book.

This was such an original and engaging read! It was very well-written - my heart was racing as the plotline unfolded. The character development was somewhat stiled, but partially due to the main character's memory issues which did not allow her character to progress. I enjoyed the two timelines and thought they were well-connected at the end of the story. Overall, I had a fantastic time reading this book!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Murders, Mystery, and total confusion. And yet it had me from the very beginning. I listened to it on audio while I worked and read from my kindle when I got home. I suggest both but I loved the audiobook because of Imogen Church narrating it. She’s so good. And January LaVoy was also narrating and I’m a huge fan of both of them.
I read The Night Swim and really liked it so I was excited about this.
The author did an excellent job laying out the plot and kept me guessing. I didn’t find it predictable and I stayed interested in the side characters. What was happening? Who was dead? And why?
Highly recommend it, overall this is a high 4 ⭐️ for me.
Thanks Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

Liv Reese is disoriented when she wakes up in a cab and asks the driver to take her to her apartment. She notices writing on her arms and hands. She also notices she doesn’t have her keys. She figures her roommate, Amy, will let her in but an unfamiliar couple comes out instead. Stumbling around the city, Liv tries to piece together what she last remembers, which is receiving a call at her desk at work. When she goes to her office building, she doesn’t recognize anyone but they recognize her. She sees a news report about a murder that shows a window at the scene has STAY AWAKE written on it, the same message on her hands.

Through past and present perspectives, we begin to unravel the truth of what has happened to Liv, and her understand the trauma of her past. We also get the perspective of the detective investigating the murder, which works to increase the tension in the novel.

This is an edge of your seat kind of thriller. I was so anxious for Liv. Her condition puts her in constant danger. I think the various perspectives contributed to the overall story. I liked the detectives and the way the investigation intersected with Liv’s storyline. A few times, I was a little lost in the timeline but that’s a product of reading too quickly. Some of Liv’s actions and thoughts are repetitive as she tries to figure out what happened but I think it’s a case of her returning to the familiar as she is lost and alone without two years of memories. She is scared and worried and doesn’t trust anyone, which she reminds us over and over.

I think this is worth your time if you like thrillers and are willing to go along with explanations where you may need to suspend some disbelief. I couldn’t stop thinking about this story and I needed to know what happened. I think the ending is satisfying and I can’t wait to see what Goldin writes next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC to review.

Stay Awake was such a fun thriller. For once, I felt there was a legitimate reason to go back and forth in time, which was appreciated since flashbacks usually become annoying. The mix of the past story and the present worked well. My single complaint is, if you were paying attention, it was pretty easy to guess the killer. But I could ignore that while I enjoyed the story unfolding. I give Stay Awake 4/5 stars.

Talk about a book dragging you into the pages and making you feel as if you're in the story! Goodness but this book did just that. I was so afraid to fell asleep reading and think I would forget...

I won't go into a lot of detail about the book because I think just reading the blurb is enough. I absolutely enjoyed this well written, plot driven, twisted, engaging, sometimes a bit over the top but all together fantastic thriller with a slightly unique bullet point to our unreliable narrator.

I could go on for a ridiculous word count of a review telling you how this book was everything I was looking for and more, but I will leave it at that.

I do have to say one thing, that end did leave me with a smile. I was SO hoping that would happen. When you read it, you'll know what I mean.

Megan Golding is becoming an auto buy/auto request author for me and putting that level of trust in an author is a big deal.

Just do yourself a favor.
Read this.

Out August 9, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

When Liv Reese wakes in the back of a cab with no memory and a bloody knife in her pocket, she must piece together how she got there—if she can.

I really loved Goldin’s previous novel, THE NIGHT SWIM, and I really wanted to love this one too. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me by a lot. I found the constantly changing perspectives jarring, the characters tiresome, and the plot unnecessarily confusing (though the concept is original and definitely part of what drew me to the book in the first place!) Most upsetting for me is the fact that we’re left with, in my opinion, more answers than questions, as well as some wholly unbelievable plot events/resolutions.

This said, I know some people who have really enjoyed this one, and I think it will be a hit for a lot of people. It’s relatively fast-paced (set over the course of roughly a day, and with short chapters), the premise is, as I mentioned, pretty unique and interesting, and the main characters (Liv and Detective Halliday) are both pretty fun. I’ve also heard that the audiobook is excellent and adds a lot to the story, so that might be a way to go if you’re looking to pick this one up!

Recommended if you like: amnesia tropes; multiple POVs/timelines; short chapters.

CW: Blood/death/murder; stalking; mental illness/memory loss; infidelity.

Hi everyone! Today I'll be reviewing the thriller Stay Awake by Megan Goldin.
Every time Liv Reese wakes up, she realizes she has forgotten everything that happened to her in the past two years, and when she is found as the prime suspect in a murder case, she is utterly confused. Did she actually commit the crime? She doesn't remember. But there is someone following her steps, someone who is afraid that she will recover her memory, and wants to make sure that her mouth is shut. Forever...
Wow, I really liked this book. It's quite a page turner, I couldn't put it down. It has an amazing premise, and from the start I could tell it would be an incredible book. Liv is a great character, and it was very interesting and really entertaining to see her development throughout the book. And, though I guessed who the killer was about ten chapters before it was revealed, I really enjoyed discovering little bits of information along the way that confirmed my theory.
You will absolutely love this book if you like mystery books and thrillers.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 founded to 4.
Liv wakes up not knowing where she is, how she got there, or why things seem to be different. She is shocked to see on tv someone was murdered and she looks a lot like the girl fleeing the crime.

I haven't read too many books with memory loss before, especially one that restarts itself every time someone falls asleep. I thought it was an interesting concept. I did think the book was a bit slow at times, especially with Liv repeating the same day over. At times Liv drove me crazy.
The character I liked most was Halliday. I liked having her POV in the book. I also liked her narrator! She did such a great job.

One thing I really liked about this book was I didn't see some of the twists. I thought I had everything figured out, but I was wrong. I also liked the short chapters and the different POVs. Some stuff I didn't like...the dual timelines started to blur together, especially since she was repeating herself. I also think some things didn't add up.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the ebook and audiobook!

Liv wakes up. All she's got are notes on her hands, including STAY AWAKE, and a bloody knife. This is the setup for Stay Awake, and it works in some ways. There's heightened suspense because of the bloody knife and mysterious messages, but there's also sluggishness in how Liv resets every time she falls asleep. Readers are forced to go through things again with Liv as she must figure them out every time. This makes the book move a lot more slowly.

The police officers whose chapters alternate with Liv's help move the story along, and give the reader more information than merely Liv can provide. The ending was also a surprise,which is always nice. I just wish the buildup had been a bit more exciting.

Liv woke up in the taxi with no memory of where she is, how she got there and why instead of her cellphone in her pocket she has a bloody knife. She has no recollection of the last 2 years of her life and her hands are covered with different notes and the main one says “STAY AWAKE”.


Sounds intriguing right? I liked the synopsis and idea for this book, but the execution.. ah. I regret that I didn’t DNF this book. It was soooo much repetitiveness, that I just skim through some pages as it was a word for word what I read 40 minutes ago.

I guessed the culprit quickly, but didn’t find an explanation and motive for all his actions in the book, only partially, which is a huge plot hole. The writing was just not good. I am sorry to say, it was a huge NO for me.
2⭐️/5

Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s press for Advance Readers Copy.