I listened to this one straight through on our road trip and I was fully engrossed in the story. It did slow down a bit in the middle, but it still held my attention in anticipation of later events.

This is told in dual POVs and timelines. We get Detective Halliday’s POV investigating the murder connected to Liv, as well as Liv’s POV in the present and right before her memory loss. I thought it was a nice balance of amnesia thriller and police procedural.

I can’t even imagine the frustration of forgetting everything every time you wake up. I do think her notes to herself could have been more helpful and overall it was pretty repetitive, but the concept was interesting enough to keep me engaged.

This is totally worth picking up if you like thrillers with an amnesia plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review!

Like many others, I really enjoyed Megan Goldin's "Night Swim" so I eagerly anticipated her next thriller. "Stay Awake" did not disappoint! Liv Reese is suffering from a mysterious form of amnesia where she forgets everything every time she falls asleep. Her only clues are written all over her hands. This was fun, twisty and fresh and a great summer read.

This was very close to being a four-star read until realised just how many things were unresolved… there’s nothing that bothers me more in a thriller than unresolved plot points. Why didn’t we get answers into who paid the guy and why to do all those weird things to Liv? I don’t think it really made sense in context of the big reveal as to why Brett would be messing with her like that. It wasn’t even addressed. I honestly would’ve loved it if that had all been Kevin and he/the guy he paid had seen the murder while they were being creeps and they ended up teaming up with Liv! Ya know? But there were others too: e.g. resolve regarding Zee/Q. Reminded me of the Silent Patient in the way that red herrings were introduced for the sake of distraction, but never had any plausible resolution which I think is what makes for a true high-quality thriller.

On the positive side: absolutely a page-turner, reminiscent of Memento and a darker 50 First Dates, and I loved the dual POV. The weird stalker stuff happening to Liv fully creeped me out and a thriller always get a gold star for that in my books. I’m not mad I read it at all!

I think more time could’ve been invested on the back-end of the book, even if it meant condensing some of Liv’s chaos running around or the detective work.

The author’s writing was a little distracting at times - there were many passages that were repetitive and maybe I’m a terrible person for saying this but if espresso is spelled expresso MULTIPLE times in a book… come oooooon.

Side note… I would’ve liked to have seen Krause get what was coming to him, that misogynistic prick. Another loose thread that felt like it should’ve been wrapped up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc

This book is all about the amnesia trope and it pulls it off well. The story starts is a great hook and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The main character, Liv, is realistic and you feel for her. I liked her and following her journey. This is a thrilling read. If you love fiction with twists and turns this is a must-read!

Let me start by saying this book had me hooked from the start! I have read so many psychological thrillers lately that have felt predictable, but Stay Awake was anything but that! Liv wakes up in the back of a cap with no recollection of how she got there. This cycle continues each time she wakes up, and it only gets more puzzling. The twist is worth the wait. This book kept me on edge and kept me guessing. I highly recommend giving it a read!

Where to start?
I loved Goldin’s book “The Night Swim”, so I thought I would also love this one. I mean, a woman who blacks out and then wakes up with life around her being different? What an interesting premise. However, it fell flat quite early on.
It started out strong and I was intrigued. However, the writing started to feel repetitive and frankly, like someone unpracticed in writing novels was writing it. I don’t remember Goldin’s writing being like this. It started to annoy me, and I sadly DNF’d at 9%.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Imagine waking up and not remembering anything from the last two years. And imagine that happening every time you wake up! We follow Live Reese as she struggles to make sense of her current situation. With strange messages written on her walls and her body, she doesn't know who to trust and where to go next. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced thriller, this book is definitely for you. I couldn't recommend this book more!

I listened to the audio version and the narrators were perfect for this book! The storyline captivated me from the very beginning and the mystery kept me guessing almost to the end. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m adding her other books to my TBR list immediately!!

Lib wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. As she arrives at her apartment, she realizes that everything is not as she remembered. When she discovers her hands are covered in scribbled messages, she realizes there are much larger pieces of her life that she has forgotten.
As Liv struggles to figure out what is true and what is not, she finds herself in the middle of a murder with her as the prime suspect.
Highly recommended. I was hooked early on and loved the flipping from past to present as the story unfolded.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review

It took me a while to get into this book. It starts off incredibly confusing (which I know is part of the point), which was a bit frustrating. However, I’ve enjoyed Goldin’s other books, so I stuck it out. Once I got pulled into the story, the pace was fast and the plot engaging. Because it was a bit hard to follow at times, the twists were harder to see coming. Another solid thriller from Goldin.

This book is written in a past and present style from the view points of Liv and Detectives. You slowly gets answers during each flip of time and you will think you have it all figured out....WRONG!!! Trust No One and Suspect Everyone!!!!! I sure did and still had my OH SHIT moment!!

I highly recommend this book to all my thriller, mystery or any reader for that matter. It will grb your attention and not let go!

Wow! I loved this very unique, very edge of the seat thriller. I definitely didn’t guess the outcome. The main characters days were repetitive so I highly expect some people to say the book was repetitive, but that was exactly what was needed to give the feel of what the Mac was going through day after day. I loved it!

Wow! This is the best thriller of 2022. It pulled me in right from the beginning and I never left the edge of my seat. This is a book I only put down because I didn’t want it to end. This is my first book from Megan Goldin, but it won’t be my last.

Absolutely loved this book. It sucked me in from the getgo and had me guessing all the way to the end. Did not want it to end at all.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was quite intriguing. Imagine being a victim of a heinous crime but having people actually believe you may have been the perpetrator. Then, 2 years later something happens and every time you fall asleep, you awake to no memories of the past two years. The only thing you know is that you have messages scribbled on your hand that tell you to trust no one and to stay awake. How terrifying would that be?

This story is told using multiple timelines and I found that that worked quite well. The reader is transported back in time two years prior (right before the crime occurs and the days leading up to it).. That narrative is intermixed with events occurring in real time. As it all unfolds, the reader discovers what events happened in the past and how they ultimately led to a man being found murdered in a rented room in the present. I definitely thought this was a page turner and I couldn't wait to discover the who and why.

There were a few things that bothered me a bit however. First, I really wish the characterization of the two detectives leading the case was developed more. The reader learns bits and pieces about the pair but I felt like I never really got to know them (which is essential to a murder mystery in my opinion). Second, I felt like a couple threads of the story were never brought to full fruition (and left me with some unanswered questions). Finally, (no spoilers so I'll just be very vague here) I wish I could have had more info about the killer.

I've read two other books by Goldin and really enjoyed them. This author is one I'd definitely recommend and this book is a great place to start!

Very mysterious and frustrating- where you think you are, who you think you know and what you think has happened. This is a very taut and intriguing tale, and one that would be horrible to live through. Well written, fast paced, this story starts off with a bang and keeps going.
There are twists, and while you eventually can see what's coming, it's not as clear you believe.
Horrible people out there,
Fun book, as long as you remember its fiction.

Reading Between the Wines book review #62/135 for 2022:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: Stay Awake
Author: Megan Goldin
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Audio version RELEASES on August 9, 2022!!!

Sipping thoughts: Can you imagine that you wake up and don’t remember the last 2 years of your life. Furthermore, you don’t remember a huge tragedy that involved you, a dead body, bloody knife and an unknown assailant. Or is that assailant you? This Groundhog’s Day modern day replica had me on the edge of my seat to see what actually happened that fatal day Liv Reese lost her memory. I cannot believe I did not figure out who the killer was. It was right under my nose the whole time and I overlooked it. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and really liked the detective Darcy Halliday and could see her character becoming a series. This book Stay Awake made me do just that- Stay awake entirely too long into the night to finish the book.

For those that said it was completely repetitive, yes it was-of course, because every time Liv woke up she would have to relive the moment she realized she has lost her memory of the last 2 years. Goldin's last 2 releases (The Night Swim and The Escape Room) were both 4 stars as well, I can't wait for the next release.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @megangoldinauthor and @StMartinsPress for an advance copy of @StayAwake.

#StayAwake #MeganGoldin #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

What happens when she goes to sleep and why doesn't she remember?
Liv wakes in a taxi with no recollection of where she is or how she got there. She arrives at her apartment to a stranger opening the door and claiming she no longer lives there, forcing her back into the cold outside. When she grabs for her phone to seek help, she notices that its missing, instead she finds a knife covered in blood and notices her hands are covered in pen ink, with scribbled messages like "STAY AWAKE". The memories Liv has is living with her bestie, dating a new man, and writing for a trendy magazine. Now, she's lost and confused. What has she done for the past two years or even just last night? She's horrified to see a news report mention a crime scene where the murderer used the victims blood to write a message on the window. The same message written on her very own hand... Someone knows what happened that night and they want to make her pay. Can she find her memory and piece together what happened that night?
I couldn't get enough of this story! I flew through it, dying to know what would happen next. I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook. The narrators did a wonderful job; You can really feel Liv's confusion and apprehension. I can't wait to read more of Megan Goldin's work. If this isn't already on your TBR, add it now!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Edelweiss+. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Liv wakes up with no memory of the last two years. Notes are all over her skin telling her to stay awake. She also sees the phrase on the news at a murder scene.

I liked the plot and concept of the book. Liz’s plight was really interesting and it made me keep turning the pages. I wanted to find out what happened to her! The murder investigation was not as interesting to me and that was half of the book. It’s a bummer when you find one part of a book engaging and another part just not as interesting but it’s just how it is sometimes.

“Stay awake!”

Stay awake comes out 8/9.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ebook and audiobook arcs of Stay Awake. I was excited to read this one because I also enjoyed The Night Swim by the same author. I liked this one for the most part- it definitely kept me guessing at who might have been the one responsible for the murder. Because of the nature of the main characters memory loss, it did get repetitive at times, but that was also helping build the story. The addition of the different perspectives of the main character and one of the detectives was also a nice detail and kept the story progressing. It wasn't a page turner for me, but an okay book. 3.5 ⭐