Liv Reese's memory is wiped clean every night, she is desperately trying to stay awake! She knows that she is in danger, that someone is after her...but can't remember who or why.

Because Liv has no memories, it takes a while for us as the reader to get a handle on who all the players are in this one. We are piecing things together along with Liv. I like that this book is told through dual timelines, so we can get a glimpse into the past.

This wasn't my favorite of Goldin's, I much preferred The Night Swim but this was not a total miss for me. I did like Liv and her resilience to find out what was happening to her. I liked the police investigation side of things. It was a nice break from the confusion of Liv's memories.

As far as the audio, this was a win. The narrator brought the story to life.

This book gave me major Before I Go to Sleep vibes. It is a similar concept. So if you enjoyed that book, you will enjoy this one.

"Stay Awake" by Meg Goldin — get ready for a ride.
The novel follows Liv Reese as she awakens with a bloody knife wrapped in a t-shirt. She has no memories of how she got there or the past two years due to a memory loss issue. Liv soon finds herself in the center of a murder investigation as she races to figure out who's the identity of the real killer before they get — all while doing everything she can to stay awake. Solid narrator in the audiobook version too.
This thriller is full of suspense, unexpected twists and unpredictable characters. Goldin unfolds the plot expertly with multiple non-linear timelines for the big reveal. It's an enthralling read that thriller lovers shouldn't miss.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing this advance copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

🔊Song Pairing: Losin’ Sleep - Merkules

💭What I thought would happen:

Honestly Megan Goldin became an auto buy author after The Night Swim

📖What actually happens:

Liv Reece wakes up with no recent memories..but is on a park bench and it’s very chilly…odd for mid summer heat wave…but why are there fall leaves. She doesn’t live in walk up anymore…where is her cat! Why aren’t her best friend Amy and boyfriend Marco answering?!

While Liv tries to get her memories figured out, there is a murder being investigated. Very odd as on the window written in blood is STAY AWAKE. One single stab wound to the victim and no sign of struggle. What does this murder have to do with Liv?! Why is stay awake written on her knuckle?

🗯Thoughts:

I looooved The Night Swim. It was my absolute favourite thriller from the fall. This book while good didn’t give me that same feeling but it’s okay.

Stay Awake is like that person you always see at parties and like very much because they’re young, fun and beautiful. The kind of person you want to be friends with but they’re aloof; you never quite know what they’re thinking/feeling and if they would actually have your back but you’ll always think of them fondly. That’s this book. Walking chaos.

If you have anxiety, get ready…it’s going to be cranked up to 11 until you’re finished this book. I was confused many times throughout with a couple specific characters and the addition and removal of one in particular. Plus, some of the timeline had me like wtf day are we on right now?! Had me in a tizzy!

I look forward to other’s reviews. I wonder if I’d felt different if I’d read this instead of listening.

Excellent! The best psyche thriller I’ve read in a long time with such a refreshing and original plot! Also my two favorite female narrators. This one really kept me guessing and turning the page!

This is an absolute must read! When the book opens we find Liv in a taxi cab headed to her apartment. The problem is that she has no memory of how she got there or really the last two years of her life. Soon we find that a man is dead and Liv is holding the knife. The story takes off from there and we are in a for a wild ride!

What I loved:
short chapters
alternating timeframes from past to present
multiple POV's - both Liv and the detectives investigating the murder
the way the author brings us in and we unravel the pieces as Liv does - genius plot!
breadcrumbs - enough to keep you moving along but still keep you guessing

The only quirk I had with the audio is that the Liv POV seemed to be narrated slower than the detectives so I found myself constantly speeding up the narration and then having to slow it back down again the next chapter. Again a minor quirk but just a little off-putting.

This is a solid psychological thriller that’s fast-paced and unique with a premise that I haven’t read before.

With flashbacks to a traumatic event that took place 2 years ago and the present, which unfolds in a 24 hour period, the timelines were woven together seamlessly.
Everything about this storyline just WORKS. It’s a game of cat and mouse with alternating points of view from Liv and the detective, Halliday, who’s trying to find her.
I devoured this audiobook in less than 24 hours!

The quality of the audiobook isn’t great so I’m basing my review and rating on the content.

Liv wakes up with no memories and a bloody knife in her pocket.
The novel goes between Liv in present and past as well as a Detective who is investigating the murder.
The novel kept me engaged, as I wanted to know what was going on with Liv and her memories, a murder that occurred 2 years in the past, a stalker and the current murder (and how Liv was involved). I kept changing my mind of who the stalker may be and who the real killer was and was surprised by who it turned out to be.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to review this remarkable audiobook. Your kindness is appreciated.

Megan Goldin's audiobook Stay Awake is an intricate story with a list of suspects. To get to the details of the crime, one must suspend belief and play along. Goldin reveals a piece of the puzzle in each chapter to solve the stunning mystery. It is similar to the movie 50 First Dates, but instead of a sweet romance, it is about a woman who is accused of committing murder. It is unclear whether she is guilty or not.

Synopsis:
Liv Reese suffers from a rare form of amnesia. She wakes up every day to a different reality and her memories are erased. In the last two years, Liv has no memory of what happened to her and she must piece together her life day by day. When Liv sees her picture on television linked to a crime scene, she discovers she is wanted for murder. Now she must flee for her life until she can uncover the real killer.

Stay Awake alternates between timelines, but it's easy to follow. As the audiobook progresses, its pace increases resulting in a strong finish with satisfying character development. The audiobook is narrated by the talented Imogen Church and January LaVoy. Listening to the Stay Awake audiobook is a real pleasure because the expert narrators bring the story to life. (4⭐⭐⭐⭐)

My first NetGalley Audiobook!!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for approving me for this book!
I have read all of Megan Goldin's previous novels so I was so excited to get approved!
This book was so very good! Five big fat stars!!
Edge of your seat twist and turns, constantly!
It honestly wore me out at times!
The narrators are two of my very favorite and they both were spectacular!!
Such a wild ride that I highly recommend!

I was very excited to receive an ARC audiobook of Stay Awake and the narrarators were really good. Unfortunately, as much as I tried to get into this story, I just couldn't. Many others have loved and raved about how amazing this book is, so I'm sure it's just me. Please read other reviews before forming an opinion.

As always, thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this book and supply an honest review.

Oh hi! Meet my favorite read by Megan Goldin!

Stay Awake will leave you with a feeling of “WHAT THE F IS GOING ON?” from page one.

I haven't been this invested in a thriller in a long time. Lately it’s been a lot of same old, same old.

But this book, oh boy! Impossible to put down. You’ll simply need to know what the heck is happening.

Imagine if you woke up and had absolutely no recollection of the last two years? Or if you went to work and everything was completely different, with different people all over? Or if you went to your apartment and the couple living these said “Yo, you don't live here”

This is what happened to Liv. And she has things like “Stay Awake” “Do not fall asleep” and “Trust no one”written all over her hands and arms.

I don't know about you, but this is enough for me to pick up a book. This is the kind of story that would pull me out of a reading slump.

OMG amazing book!!! I couldn't get into Megan's prior books but this one was amazing! I feel like perhaps it was the narrator that hit it out of the park. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I listened. I had no guesses as to who the murderer was either. Great plot. Great suspense. Great narration. Highly recommended!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read by this author. The Night Swim being the 1st one and I really enjoyed that one so I was super excited for this copy!! I’m so thankful for netgalley and macmillan.audio for an advance listening copy of this gem! I went in knowing absolutely nothing and loving the unreliable main character.

An unreliable main character is one of my favorite tropes. I enjoyed the narration. But, I went into this book excited from all the hype and set my expectations wayyyy too high and feel like I let myself down. The ending was super anti-climatic and the plot holes were a many. If you’re new to thrillers this is a great book for you. I did enjoy it, so overall I rated it three stars.

Thank you to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

📕 Book: Stay Awake
✍️ Author: Megan Goldin
📚 Genre: Psychological Thriller
🗓 Pub Day: 8-9-2022
Stars : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 My Review: What a THRILL to read! A true psychological thriller that was totally unpredictable. The story of Liv Reese with her rare form of amnesia trying to piece together her past existence daily or at least every time she goes to sleep. Told in alternating timelines between past and present with each chapter leaving you wanting to find out more. I loved the author’s character portrayals as they were relatable yet quite intriguing. An intense page turner that was impossible to put down.

This was my first Megan Goldin book & I must say the writing is fantastic. I cannot wait to read more from this author. If intense psychological thrillers are your genre then I highly recommend Stay Awake!

I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version & found it amazing. Loved the narrators!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Megan Goldin & Macmillan Audio for this ARC. This is my honest & voluntary review.

I got through 50% of the book and I just had to stop. I just didn’t Enjoy the narrators for this book. They just didn’t fit with the story. I listen to so man audiobooks throughout the year and narrator can make or break the break. Another thing that kept happening is the book kept jumping around in chapters and I would have to go back and find out where I was.

I did like what I listened to, on the author’s side and I wanted to find out what was going on with Liv and what happened to her. I’m sure when someone picks up the book they will like it. I’m going to rate what I read for the author.

Wow!

Megan Goldin does it again! I loved The Night Swim so was really looking forward to Stay Awake. I’m so impressed that she wrote another thriller- completely different than her last. So many authors use the same format for each book and they can get redundant. No such issue here! She provided so much suspense, excellent writing and a brand new story.

Liz Reese has no idea what has happened in the last two years of her life. She wakes up and everything has changed. Her best friend and boyfriend are missing. She no longer works at her job. Her apartment is inhabited by new people. The words STAY AWAKE are written on her hands. What is going on?

As a reader I was totally captivated. The dual timeline (now and two years ago) made for such a fast paced read. I was desperate to figure out what had happened in Liz’s life and why. I tried to stay a step ahead of the story but couldn’t figure it out- which makes for an awesome thriller.

What happens when she falls asleep? What is she capable of? What happened in those two years or what triggered this?! Is she guilty? Why must she stay awake? Who can be trusted in her life?

Mystery. Bodies. Missing timelines. Suspicious friends. Detectives.

I love the narrator! I found this to be such a great audio book! Dual timelines can be a challenge but this narrator made it flawless to follow along! I always enjoy a thriller audio as it really builds the suspense and this was no different!

Everything you could want in a great read!

This was my first read by Megan Goldin and I thoroughly enoyed it! Gave me Memento and Before I go to sleep vibes.

I love amnesia tropes but I think it's hard to make them original because they're already overdone. This one was entertaining enough and kept me on edge from the beginning. The narrators did a great job with the audiobook. Liv was very likeable and there was that tension and suspense of what happened and what will happen to her that stayed all throughout the story which I really like and is one of the reasons I read thrillers! I didn't think the result was surprising or too twisty and I would have liked a bit more depth to the motive, but all in all, it was a solid, fun, fast paced thriller!

Big Thanks to Megan Goldin, NetGalley and St. Martin Press for allowing me to preview this audiobook.

I mean two heavy hitter narrators wrap your attention from the beginning. The story starts with a bang and then kinda slows down… but once you have about 2 hours left buckle up. Overall good story and content. Big fan of her twists and turns.

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no recollection of what happened. When she gets home, she finds another couple living in her apartment, and finds out she can’t recall the entire last two years. Two years ago, she was living with her best friend Amy, dating Marco and loving her job. When a murder is broadcast on the local news, Liv is terrified to see that the writing on the wall is the same as what she has written all over her hands. What happened last night and why can’t she remember anything?

Escape Room by Megan Goldin was one of my very first physical arcs, and was a 5 star book for me. Since then, any Megan Goldin book is one I need to read asap. This semi 50 first dates synopsis just made me want to read it that much more. I really enjoyed the dual timeline in this story. Current day and two years ago. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what happened that makes Liv forget everything when she goes to sleep. This book was twisty and kept me wondering what was going to happen. I did a mix of the e-galley and audiobook on this one, and the audio was great!

Overall, this was a decent story. The part that I didn’t like is that it was like a return to the movie “Groundhog Day,” and I can’t stand that movie!!! Having to relive each day over and over is boring, annoying, and repetitive.

I listened to the audiobook version, and I would give Imogen church in January Lavoy five stars!! They didn’t excellent job.