Megan Goldin wakes up a previously used plot -- one where the main character wakes, and does not know where she is. She knows who she is, which is different from many of the previous books with memory loss, but she recalls a world from two years ago, and knows nothing of what has happened since then, including why she is in the back of a taxi cab at the moment of her waking. She tries to go home, but finds that other people are living in her house, and she is without a purse or phone or any idea of where to go. When she uses a phone to call them, her best friend and her boyfriend do not answer. The only clues she has are the things that she has written on her own body, including the words "Stay Awake." She is appalled when she discovers that a murder has taken place and those same words are written in the victim's blood on the window where he was murdered. Nothing is as it seems in this thriller, and Liv Reese, our heroine, must figure out what is going on before the police, or someone sinister catches up with her.

I have enjoyed all of Megan Goldin's books that predate Stay Awake and this novel was as good or better than her previous ones. The only negative is that I started to get a little tired of Liv waking up and having to reorient and figure out what was going on. I wanted to shake her and fill her in, but I was along for the ride for each of these moments where she wakes up and has to figure things out. Thankfully, she is a pretty amazing, smart woman, even when her memory keeps on failing her. It is hard to figure out how she will get out of the mess she finds herself in, so this is a tough book to put down until you get to the conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Stay Awake was gripping and suspenseful up until the very end. This psychological suspense novel delivers!!
Even though story is told in multiple timelines, Goldin’s characters are very well drawn.
I hope this is the start to a long list of exciting reads from this author.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Goldin's Stay Awake is a harrowing psychological thriller that gripped me as a reader. I stayed up half the night just to finish it in one sitting because of the sense of urgency that Goldin creates. Liv wanders around New York City scared and confused as she tries to piece together the last two years of her life while also running. But what (or who) is she running from? Better yet, who is she? And what is she capable of? As anxieties rise and accusations fly everywhere, the truth seems like it's a thousand miles away. Everyone is searching for the truth, but no one seems to agree on what that may be. You may think you know exactly what's going on, but even as the truth sits right in front of your face, Goldin manages to redirect you until you doubt yourself. Goldin's ability to communicate with her readers is incredible. Her well-dropped clues threaded throughout the story will make you wonder how you ever missed it--how you were ever misdirected in such an obvious way. This story may appear to wrap up nicely with a bow, but after you close it, you'll realize how much you still want to know. There are some minor plot holes, but in Goldin's case, it works for her. It makes this chilling story follow you despite your best efforts to accept the answers you've been given and walk away.

The premise of the book is unique. To have one's memory erased and starting a day over and over again at the same point is horrifying. That's exactly what happened to Liv. Liv is unique and her character is easy to love. The plot could have been a little stronger. The reason why liv lost her memory was weak compared to the overall storyline. Overall, it was a great read.

Thank you to Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that Megan Goldin had a new book out, I knew I had to add it to my TBR right away! Stay Awake is an amazing thriller that is poised to become the next big bestseller of 2022. The story revolves around Liv Reese, who wakes up one day and realizes she has no idea where she is. She tries to go home, only to find that other people are living there. Her best friend and boyfriend aren't answering their phones. What is going on? Why is nobody where they should be? And is someone trying to kill her?

Here is a chilling excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Soft warm light beckons from the partly open apartment door upstairs. I ache with a crushing longing to go up there and resume my life. The only way to do that is to convince them to let me in.
“I’m so sorry for the mix-up,” I grovel. “It’s been one of those nights! I’ve lost my purse and my phone.” My body shivers in the cold. “Can I at least use your phone to call my boyfriend, Marco, to come and get me? It’s freezing out here.”
The woman gives me a death stare. I could die of hypothermia on the doorstep for all she cares. Her boyfriend is more sympathetic.
I look up at him, my eyes wide and pleading. He hesitates and then pushes open the street door to let me in..."

Overall, Stay Awake is an absolutely amazing, unputdownable thriller. I found myself forgoing sleep and food so that I could finish this book. One highlight of this book is how exciting it is. The action starts on the first page when Liv is trying to figure out why she's in the back of a taxi, and the action doesn't let up until the last page. Another highlight of this book are the amazing twists and reveals. I wasn't expecting the ending at all. Thrillers that are this perfect are hard to find, so don't miss out! If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in August!

Is It Possible To Stay Awake Forever?

What would you do if you had to stay awake or not remember the last two years of your life? Imagine waking up in a strange place every time you fall asleep, not knowing where you are, what you have done, or even what year it is. Liv Reese knows what it’s like, but she has to remember by reading the notes she has written on her hands and arms. Her best friend and her boyfriend are the only two people who can help her, and they’re nowhere to be found. There is someone who doesn’t want her to remember, though, and plans to make her forget forever.

It is a terrifying thought that this could actually happen to a person, and as you read you begin to realize the horror you would feel if it happened to you. Some parts of this novel will have you holding your breath as read, other parts are a bit repetitious, but the premise is so meticulously presented that you will not want to stop reading.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of Stay Awake.

Stay Awake is my third Megan Goldin book and I think it’s my favourite! I also LOVED Night Swim and was a big fan of the Escape Room. She just keeps getting better with each book.

In Stay Awake, Liv Reese can’t seem to remember what happened before she woke up in a cab. There are strangers living in her apartment, she doesn't have her phone or wallet and has a bloody knife in her pocket. As it turns out, Liv has been through some pretty awful trauma and every time she falls asleep she wakes with no memory of the last 2 years so she has no idea why she has the knife or what she may have done with it

I was enthralled with Liv and this story from the get-go, right through the very last page. Stay Awake is a slow burn, with a bit more of the story unfolding in each chapter. I throughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend to anyone who likes thrillers/suspense novels, actually I recommend it to anyone who likes a good book. It's going to be a hot summer read!!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Stay Awake in exchange for an honest review.

I have just finished reading Stay Awake by Author Megan Goldin

This is the second book that I have read by the author, and I am a fan. This is a great book with great characters.

The Main character Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a cab with no memory of how she got there.

The storyline is about murders, and mind loss, and a very intriguing one indeed.

I had a bit of hard time getting enough time to read this one, as I started it Christmas week, and with all the busyness of the season had little time to devout to it. However, once my schedule relaxed – I could not put it down.

If you have not read anything by Megan Goldin before – pick this one up, as you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Megan Goldin and St. Martin's Press for my advanced copy to read and review
#NetGalley

In Stay Awake, Megan Goldin once again thrills and chills in her latest psychological thriller. Imagine every time you go to sleep you forget everything from the last two years. Liv Reese just wants to resume her life as a magazine writer but everyone is different and they say she no longer works there she was in London. She doesn’t remember London, she doesn’t remember where her scar on her abdomen comes from, or the bloody knife she threw away. A murder in a short term rental,has detectives looking for a killer who wrote the chilling words Stay Awake on the window in the victim’s blood. Liv is the leading suspect but she doesn’t remember the victim. A murder suspect in danger, a killer from the past is after Liv if she can only remember the day she was attacked. Action packed and spooky, this story added a phobia I didn’t know I had but I would never want to wake up and forget the day before. Another heart pounding thriller that will make it a little harder to fall asleep at night. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought I guessed the ending but there were so many shocking parts that really threw me off. I binged it on a cross-country plane trip, it made the time fly by (no pun intended).

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Megan Goldin's newest novel, Stay Awake.... and stay awake all night I did, to finish this unpredictable thriller in one sitting.

Two years ago Liv had a boyfriend, a fun-loving roommate, and a job as a food journalist at a popular magazine. After a terrifying tragedy strikes, she finds herself unable to remember any of the events following that horrible day. Liv writes herself notes on her hands and leaves post-its around her apartment but still can't make sense of the chaos that seems to follow her. In a timeline that goes back and forth, we see how Liv's inability to remember anything about her life from one day to the next puts her in constant danger. Who can she really trust, and who may be trying to hurt her? As detectives begin investigating the murder of her former fiance, Liv quickly becomes a suspect... but will her memories prove her guilt or her innocence?

Five stars for one of the most unusual, complex and gripping thrillers of the year.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Liv Reese is suffering from a unique psychological issue. When she falls asleep she doesn’t remember anything that’s happened in the past. Because of this she does whatever it takes to stay awake including drinking tons of caffeinated drinks and pills to help her stay up.

One day she awakens not remembering anything. She doesn’t know where she is, how she got there and she has no phone or money. She walks to where she thinks she lives with her roommate Amy only to find out she doesn’t live there anymore.

When a man is found dead in hotel in a suspicious fashion the police start investigating. Early on things quickly point to Liv being the number one suspect. It’s a race against time for the police to find Liv and for Liv to find out what has happened to her.

This book was very different from the authors other books. I don’t think I have read anything with a similar premise which was refreshing. I like how the author wrote the story that made me confused about what was happening which is how Liv felt too. As the story unfolded things became much clearer and the ending was great. I had no clue throughout what happened to Liv and who killed the man in the hotel. This was a fantastic read that I finished in just over a day and I would suggest you pick this one up right away.

Stay Awake borrows the same basic idea from the film Memento. The MC has a very specific type of amnesia, so she writes notes all over her hands and arms to help herself once she wakes up.

There was a murder. Some are convinced she did it, while others are convinced the killer will come back to finish her off. Either way, her story is a crazy ride. The conclusion, however, fell flat for me.

There were so many suspects, but the true answer to this book's riddle barely even resonated with me. I simply didn't care enough about the true suspect to be shocked or anything like that. Much of the book was in 5-star category, but the ending was 2 stars, at best. Overall, I'll give this one 4 stars because of how much I enjoyed the rest of the book.

Book received for free through NetGalley

This book was amazing. Loved the way it jumped around both between perspectives and throughout time. Amazingly written and fun and scary to follow along.

I loved Night Swim by Megan Goldin and Stay Awake is totally different but just as good. I would give it 4-1/2 stars if I could. The main character Liv Reese has a rare form of amnesia that causes her to lose her memory of the past two years every time she falls asleep. She can’t remember anything about a traumatic event that happened to her two years ago. The chapters go back and forth in time between the present and two years ago. As the story unfolds, the reason why Liv lost her memory becomes clearer and everything that led up to the traumatic event is revealed. Megan Goldin’s writing is excellent and the book was very hard to put down. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from the start, couldn’t stop reading, needed to find out what happened! Definitely a page turner.

If you're sick of slow burn thrillers, read this! Very interesting thriller which you may not figure out until the reveal.

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi cab with no memory of the present day. She has writing all over her hands and arms. She doesn't know why she has a bloody knife in her pocket.
I loved that this book was told in two timelines. One is the present day where Liv is trying to piece together her life and the other is two years prior to her memory loss. This is a fast paced thriller and although Liv forgetting everything after she falls asleep was kind of repetitive, I read this quickly and enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

An expertly plotted thriller that will cause you to stay awake until you read the very last page.

Liv Reese wakes up in the middle of the night in NYC, in the back of a taxi…with no recollection of how she got there. She has writing all over her hands, and it’s her handwriting: messages telling her to “stay awake”, amongst other things. She has no phone on her, but finds a bloody knife in the pocket of her cardigan. She goes to her apartment, only to find strangers living there.

Detectives Darcy Halliday and Jack Lavelle (whom I would love to see again in a future novel) respond to a call of a murdered man found in an apartment building. He apparently died sometime overnight. The victim’s blood was used to write a message on the floor to ceiling window.

Liv is shocked to learn of the crime, and that the bloody message on the window matches one of the messages scrawled on her hand. Unfortunately, Liv doesn’t remember the last two years of her life. Every time she thinks back, the last thing she recalls is being in her office at work…two years and three months prior.

As the detectives make progress on their end, Liv looks to find out how she may be associated with this victim and what happened to her…but if she doesn’t stay awake, she might die.

I’m a huge fan of author Megan Goldin, and this did not disappoint. She proves here that her storylines are quite versatile, so fans shouldn’t go into this one expecting the same tone as her previous efforts.

The story is told in multiple timelines, and Goldin manages to juggle all of them and create a cohesive story that is unique and thrilling. While I wasn’t confused by the jumping around, I did pay close attention. I also appreciated that the story could’ve easily become repetitive given the nature of the plot, but yet never felt stale or rehashed. Each chapter gives us a little more knowledge than the last…until the puzzle is complete.

I wasn’t expecting the ending, but I also wasn’t surprised by it. It worked, and didn’t need to be an “OMG” moment. The story as a whole is crafted with precision, and Goldin continues to impress me. I couldn’t put this one down, and I hope other readers feel the same.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for a widget of the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 8/9/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com