A unique premise is harder to find as more thrillers are pumped into the market, but Stay Awake was one that actually seemed to try something different. This entire story - as do most thrillers - needs the reader to completely set aside the disbelief that someone who forgets everything they’ve done over the last two years when they fall asleep could live a functional life alone. Let alone travel overseas and manage to snag a New York apartment in the midst of all this. But if you can swallow that outrageous setup, it’s an incredibly interesting way to create an unreliable narrator that doesn’t rely on drugs or alcohol. Liv is not some suburban wine mom suspicious of a cheating husband - she’s an incredibly exhausted woman whose disorientation is believable and lack of sleep is entirely relatable.

A few chapters into this book, I thought it could be a rare 4-star thriller for me. It drops Liv directly into the action as she awakes with no memory in a cab, in the sprawling landscape of NYC. It’s the perfect setup for the kind of anxiety-inducing plot points I come to this genre for, and carried that momentum forward about halfway through the book. However, the story eventually falls into this cycle of Liv constantly running into people in her old life and hearing them explain the same thing to her ad nauseum. Coupled with the fact that we get flashbacks to her life two years ago anyways, these interludes seemed completely pointless and just dragged the narrative along.

While I don’t think the dual timelines worked here effectively, I do think the second POV from a detective working a murder case Liv is the number suspect of did. This was the right choice in giving Liv’s backstory in a way that didn’t seem info-dumpy, as we had a character that could actually do this investigation themselves. However, it continued to highlight the fact that there were just too many storylines telling the exact same story.

What Stay Awake delivers with its refreshing premise, falters a bit in executing this setup in a way that doesn’t feel like a repetitive loop of the same disorienting events. I would still recommend this for the premise alone, even if the twists and turns of the novel weren’t remarkable and the page count could have been condensed. It was enough to make me interested in Megan Goldin’s other releases, to see if she has a history of these kind of out-of-the box thriller pitches.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

A big thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Megan Goldin for an ARC of this book.
Liv wakes up in the back of a cab not remembering anything except her last memory: her desk phone ringing and her answering it. Now she's covered her hands and arms in notes, including one that says STAY AWAKE. Unraveling the meaning of all the writing, and discovering why she can't remember anything leads her down a dangerous, and potentially deadly, path.
In this book, we follow Liv, trying to figure out who she is and what's going on, and a detective pair who are investigating a murder. Where their paths cross and how they interconnect is such a wild ride that will keep you entertained from start to finish. I really enjoyed Megan Goldin's writing style and the multi-POV , multi-year timeline set up. I had an inkling of who was involved in what, but it was such a good page turner, I read it in one sitting. Parts of this one definitely gave me an unsettling feeling, especially about being watched, and the conclusion was solid. My only complaint is that the ending did feel a bit too neatly wrapped up, and a tad rushed, but still worked within the plot, and it did leave me wondering if it was meant to be a little open ended.
The Night Swim was one of my favorite books of last year, and (so far) this one will probably be on my favorite's list this year too. Will continue to pick up anything and everything by Megan Goldin.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Whenever Liv Reese falls asleep, she wakes up with no memories of what happened in the present — she’s taken back to 2 years ago, unable to remember anything past that. In an effort to prevent that from happening, she downs shots of caffeine and writes “STAY AWAKE” and other important messages all over her hands and arms. One night, she wakes up with a bloody knife in the back of the cab, freaks out, and tosses the knife away, and begins to run. But who is she running from? And why?

This was an exciting and thrilling book that kept me on edge for the majority of it. The premise was excellent, and I loved the detectives in here. It was pretty fast paced too, although the ending seemed a little rushed, and it was a little repetitive at times. I enjoyed the changing timelines and POVs with each chapter, as it kept me more engaged.

I currently have The Night Swim by Megan Goldin currently sitting on my shelves, and I can’t wait to dive into that one next. Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out on August 9, 2022!

Maybe 4 and ½ Stars ✨.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copies of Stay Awake.

What I Loved-

✨ The Audio- Imogen Church & January LaVoy.
Are you kidding me?!
They hired the best of the best for this audiobook.
If I were Abby Lee Miller- these ladies would be at the top of the pyramid.
They're both fabulous.
They both did a magnificent job.
Highly recommend this book on audio.

✨ The Dual Perspective- I loved following both Liv and Darcy. I enjoyed both perspectives equally and the piecing together of the mystery was done masterfully using both characters.

✨ The Plot- So well executed. I am seriously impressed. From the very first page I was sucked into this story and immediately invested.


✨ The Writing- This book was so easy to follow. I listened to Stay Awake in the span of one day. From the time I woke and into the evening. I could not stop listening.

Overall- I cannot recommend this book enough. I am officially a Megan Goldin fangirl. I look forward to reading more by this author.

4 1/2 stars

This book was really good but lost a star for the ending. There were so many unanswered questions and the book just kind of stopped. I didn’t guess the killer until the end but I’m not very good at those things so no surprise. Overall a very good book but the most important question didn’t get answered. What happened to Shawna?

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC of Megan Goldin’s STAY AWAKE!

Liv can’t sleep. It’s not like she has trouble and needs an Ambien - she literally can’t fall asleep. Ever since a tragedy that happened two years ago, every time Liv falls asleep, she awakes with no memory of recent events. Her mind takes her back to the day of this horrific tragedy.

So, when Liv wakes up covered in blood, with notes all over her body telling her to stay awake and to not trust anyone, that’s a problem.

I loved this book so much that I finished it in one sitting. It has one of the most unreliable narrators that I’ve ever read. Goldin uses that to her advantage and creates a twisty thriller that leads you down a rabbit hole of distrust of every single character.

Publication day is August 9th, so be sure to pick up this fantastic thriller!

Stay Awake is an odd mash-up between Memento and 50 First Dates, without the goofy Adam Sandler jokes (I say this affectionately). Maybe it could have used those jokes, actually? This book certainly needed an injection of something unexpected, perhaps a strange statement to make about a book where the protagonist has to relearn her basic life details after every slumber.

Unfortunately, the plot was repetitive, the protagonist in a constant state of panicked confusion, and the two detectives fitting squarely into their pre-assigned roles (ambitious young detective and square-jawed, "I prefer to work alone" elder detective). The side characters often present little resistance, completely surrendering after a little pressure and giving up all the convenient information they possess. Goldin will occasionally drop in basic information about how a investigation will proceed that anyone could have learned from Law & Order episodes twenty years ago.

Like any book with poor characterization, I read with a glass-eyed distance, waiting patiently for the twists and turns, sort of like riding a disappointing roller-coaster, never smiling or screaming as it drops. I hoped that the author had made the plot convoluted enough that the ending would surprise me. Even the denouement, however, fell flat as a Wheat Thin (please sponsor me, Wheat Thin).

This book is a very unusual murder mystery. If you are someone who loves a great mystery then you are absolutely in for a treat. This book is full of suspense, wonderful characters and one that keeps asking this question foremost in your mind, “who did it?” The main theme of this one is a girl who wakes in a taxi in New York and does not know who she is and how she got there. In the news she learns of a murdered man and that the police are looking for her as a possible suspect. She cannot remember anything about it. She flees and for the next two years whenever she falls asleep and awakens the next day she remembers nothing about those days two years ago. Did she kill the man? Did someone else? Was she there? More murders follow and did she have a part in them as well? A team of detectives is trying really hard to solve the mysteries and one of them has a hard time believing that Liv could have killed anyone. When she remembers bits and pieces she writes them down or makes notes on her hands, arms etc but once she falls asleep it is all gone again. The notes say Stay Awake, Trust No One etc. Is someone really stalking her? If so, why? You may find you do not want to go to sleep either until this mystery has been solved. I highly recommend this book. I want to read other books by Megan Goldin. I loved this one.

Thank you @netgalley for ALC of Stay Awake. This book starts off intense and it stays intense the whole book. Liz has a medical condition that she loses her memory whenever she wakes up. The story is told in present and 2 years ago when her memory lapse happens as well.

This book kept me guessing and kept me interested. The narrator was perfect for the book.

This was a spectacular thriller. I couldn’t put it down. I loved the whole conceit of it and the multiple POVs and timelines worked really well!

Wow!! I wouldn't want to be Liv Reese!! Very unique storyline, unforeseen outcome, gripping...definitely recommending to my thriller loving friends.

Thanks NetGalley, Megan Golding and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!! I really enjoyed it.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: August 9, 2022

Considering the multiple points of view and timelines, this was relatively easy to follow.. Liv wakes up disoriented and we find out that she loses her memory every time she falls asleep—kind of like a mystery version of 50 First Dates. Add in a few murders and this psychological whodunnit will have you guessing until the end!

Stay Awake
by Megan Goldin
Pub Date: August 9, 2022
St. Martin's Press
* Thriller
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. In the vein of SJ Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep and Christopher Nolan’s cult classic Memento, Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that plays with memory and murder.
I love the cover on this book! The novel is written from the point of view of both Liv and Darcy, two of our central characters. There is also a dual timeline!!

Liv Reese wakes up in a cab with no idea where she is headed or why she is in a cab!! When she heads to the apartment that she shares with her friend Amy – she is blown away when she finds that two strangers now live in that apartment.
The characters were very well developed. I felt so much fear and empathy for Liv. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be so confused and disoriented due to a lack of sleep. The author does a good job of portraying Liv’s feelings.

Detectives Halliday and Lavelle are both determined and intelligent and are trying their hardest to solve a murder case while also tracking down a possible suspect. I love strong female characters and Darcy was whip-smart and very detail-oriented. I highly recommend this book! It's one of the best thrillers I have read this year.
5 stars

***I was provided an advance copy of this book for free by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Here it is...***

This book was a damn good time. I've never read a Megan Goldin book before, but I will definitely be checking out her other titles. The writing was excellent and the plot and characters were well-developed. Dual timelines, dual perspectives, and the unreliable narrator were all done flawlessly. Don't know too much about this one going in. Just jump in and enjoy the ride!

I loved this book! I think the idea was unique and interesting. I don't know if this is a real type of illness, but it is horrible to think about. The author did a good job with the repeating parts without making them so repetitive. I almost felt like I had memory loss because I was confused and didn't know what was going on. I couldn't figure out how or where this one was going. I really enjoy the character of the female detective and I hope the author writes another book with her. I think she has great potential of being the MC of a series. There were some very creepy and scary sections where my heart was pounding. I thought the ending was just right for the book. This is a favorite read of the year so far for me and I recommend it.

I received a digital copy of the book and also an audiobook version of Stay Awake. I can say that I enjoyed it better as a digital copy than as the audiobook.

The story gets a bit repetitive, but overall it was a quick and easy read. I look forward to reading more from Megan Goldin.

Liv Reese wakes up in a cab with a bloody knife, and can’t remember what happened the night before — or any of the events of the past two and a half years.

I listened to the audiobook for this and for the first half the amnesia plot felt repetitive and annoying (maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad reading it?). Once you get to know Liv and her world that she’s trying to make sense of, the story is more engaging and suspenseful as she tries to remember what’s happening before getting caught up with the police.

There are some twists along the way, but overall this was just okay for me. I’m disappointed since I loved The Night Swim, but this one didn’t quite hold my interest.

Thanks Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my advance listening copy.

Every time Liv Reese falls asleep her memory resets to just over 2 years ago. Goldin’s novel opens as Liv finds herself in a confused and compromised state. The storyline takes off like a racehorse and keeps running to the very end even when the parallel NYPD investigation chapters are interspersed. Some plot points are a bit too convenient and not quite as clever as I hoped, but found it nonetheless entertaining. I particularly liked the atmosphere as well as the detective pairing and would like to see them solve other crimes together.

This was a really good thriller, it kept me on the edge of my seat. The premise was an interesting one with lots of uncertainty, an unreliable narrator and plenty of twists and turns. This was my first book by the author and I plan on reading more. We didn't get fully developed characters but the memory loss was a unique aspect that made for a fun ride.

I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but was immediately intrigued by the comparison to Christopher Nolan’s movie, Memento. I love that movie and was excited to dive into a story with a similar vibe. It did not disappoint!

Every time Liv Reese falls asleep, her memory resets to two years earlier. The story starts with Liv waking in the back of a cab, confused, with no idea how she got there or where she’s going. She finds a bloody knife in her possession and discovers she has cryptic messages, like STAY AWAKE, scrawled all over her hands and arms. This begins a roller coaster ride of discovering Liv’s lost memories along with her, including what happened in her past that led to her unusual case of amnesia.

I’m a fan of stories with unreliable narrators, but only if it’s done well, and this is definitely an example of it being done well! I really enjoyed the characters, especially Liv and Detective Darcy Halliday. The story goes back and forth between their POVs, and I thought it was extremely well done to keep the reader interested and constantly picking up on new information to try to figure out what was going on, but also still keeping the suspense of wanting to know more. This psychological thriller is super exciting and will keep you on the edge of your seat, anxious to know how it ends… as well as how it began.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!


(I will also be posting this review on Facebook and Instagram 2 weeks before it releases.)