If I didn’t already know before I started reading this book that it started out as a podcast, I never would’ve guessed it (no, I haven’t listened to the podcast) because this book simply sings as a post-apocalyptic, speculative suspense thriller with a healthy sprinkling of occultism and horror. Not to mention, it’s got jokes! That’s right–this book isn’t super ponderous and weighed down by its terrors and world-ending circumstances all the time–there are some genuinely humorous, witty, and morbidly funny moments all throughout the book too. Those humorous moments do a lot to lighten the pressure and mood that comes from watching each of our main characters fight off encroaching madness while trying anything and everything to not fall asleep (while fighting their own personal demons), they’re flying by the seat of their pants to figure out where to go and what to do before their bodies give up without their consent, and we get to read short vignettes from all over the world (and even one on the ISS) ranging from tender to horrifying as people go about their last hour or less awake before they close their eyes not knowing they won’t open again. Without that well-timed and well-written humor sprinkled throughout the text like glitter on a craft room floor this book would’ve felt far too heavy to be as entertaining and accessible of a read as it is.

I don’t agree with this book being marketed as a horror and suspense thriller novel. I think that’s doing The Edge of Sleep a grave injustice because it’s just a little horror and a little suspense thriller and a lot of other things that are just harder to market. I find it to be closer to speculative fiction (that genre between science fiction and magical realism that holds elements of both but doesn’t quite fit either) with post-apocalyptic and occult themes. However, speculative fiction novels are niche and harder to market to a wider audience, so I can’t blame St. Martin’s Press for wanting to reach the horror and suspense thriller readers (which is a larger market in the early summer). So even though I believe the book is being marketed incorrectly, by doing so St. Martin’s Press has given this book a chance to be seen and picked up by people who might not have given it a chance otherwise. After all, it’s a quirky novel about a terrible, world-ending event.

I love how accessible and entertaining this book is for the subject matter and format. Everyone can relate to sleep issues, no matter what their age. Same thing with dreams, both good and bad. I bet most people, like me, have wondered what it would be like to be the last person alive, or one of the last people alive (thanks to Night of the Comet (1984) for giving me a lot of good ideas on that score). The book isn’t weighed down by jargon or a ton of worldbuilding. The most complicated thing a reader may need to pay attention to is Dave’s (our primary protagonist) dreams and nightmares. Even those scenes are fascinating because the picture behind the words is painted so well: you not only can visualize what Dave is seeing, but you can identify and empathize with Dave as he experiences these visceral emotions and endures intense trauma anytime he falls into a micro sleep and the nightmares and terrors come like they have all his life. The book does a great job of grabbing your attention from the start by opening in the middle of one of Dave’s nightmares that then shifts to a dream before he wakes up and we’re introduced to his mundane real life and his hilarious co-worker, Matteo. It’s Matteo who carries the vast majority of the comic relief throughout this book and he deserves a blue ribbon or gold star for being the MVP of character development. Out of every character in this book he’s the one who experiences the most growth and is the most supportive of doing what needs to be done, even though he’s got his own demons to fight.

This book has a subplot I’m kind of ambivalent about: Millie and Eli. Millie and Eli are not with our main traveling group. They’re on their own and I just kind of think they could’ve been left out of the whole story unless there’s going to be a sequel to this novel and they’ll play a larger part in it. There was some wiggle room left at the end for a possible sequel, but I would really need to see the summary to determine whether or not it sounds like a good idea, because in my mind this book is great all on its own.

I think this is a great summer read. It’s trippy, tense, inventive, bold, sad, weird, engaging, entertaining, and light on the horror. However, it is heavy on the death. Like, over eight billion deaths. The end of the world, you know?

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Horror/Occult Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic/Speculative Fiction/Suspense Thriller

As sci-fi merging slightly toward horror, The Edge of Sleep is an interesting take on the genre. The book really kept my interest up until about midway through, then it became a bit harder to care about the characters. I didn't like Dave, his friends, or care what was happening to them. I may try this book again in the future, but for now this just didn't work for me.

I can see this appealing to many fans of the genre.

Oh wow this started off strong! I really had no idea what to expect but found that I was unable to put it down!

A night security guard and his best friend discover a terrible fact: people are dying in their sleep with no known cause or explanation. As they work to figure out what’s causing the deaths, the security guard begins to realize the only way to fight the mysterious murderous force is for him to face his worst nightmares. Authors Jake Emanuel, Willie Block, and Jason Gurley bring a popular podcast drama to the page in the sometimes interesting, semi-successful book The Edge of Sleep.

After a night shift, Dave Torres is exhausted but he knows that going to sleep is the worst thing he could do. He’s suffered from night terrors since childhood; even a stint in a psychiatric hospital couldn’t help him. Dave would like nothing more than an uninterrupted night of rest, but he also knows it might be easier to ask to win the mega lotto—or get back together with his girlfriend, Katie.

His best friend and coworker, Matteo, convinces Dave to go to a party after their shift, and Dave agrees with reluctance. When they arrive at the party house, though, they both realize something is horribly wrong. The party is long over, but the people who they find passed out in the house aren’t just asleep. They’re dead.

Dave and Matteo take two victims from the party to the nearest hospital where they meet Linda, a no-nonsense APRN. While Dave and Matteo were freaking out at the party house, Linda watched as the attending physician on call was freaking out at the hospital. Running for home to check on his family, the physician leaves everything behind. Now Linda is the one in charge, but there are only so many patients she can check on and they all seem to be dying at alarming rates.

Meanwhile, Dave has been trying to get in touch with Katie. He still loves her, and he knows he has to warn her about this awful illness. Dave manages to get through and convince her to join their group at the hospital. There might only be four of them, but four is better than nothing.

Linda decides she has to try to figure out what’s attacking people in their sleep and why, and Dave and Matteo volunteer to help. Katie runs into Ruth, a former nurse and the mother of a fellow alcoholic. Ruth is in the hospital for her cancer treatment and, surprisingly, hasn’t fallen asleep yet, which means she’s still alive. Soon enough, though, Ruth figures out that something isn’t right, and Katie tells her what’s happening.

As Linda, Katie, Dave, and Matteo use their skills, their common sense, and their own fears to try to unravel the mystery behind the illness, the clues start to point to Dave and his nightly battles. Although it’s the last thing he wants to do, Dave understands that he might have to do the one thing he really doesn’t want to do—go to sleep—if anyone left has a fighting chance of staying alive.

Authors Jake Emanuel and Willie Block created the podcast series that inspired the novel of the same name; here author Jason Gurley joins them to bring the horror-science fiction story to the page for readers who prefer that medium. Despite comparisons to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the story here varies (although both are set in the fictional California town of Santa Mira.) The Edge of Sleep works on some levels but not all.

The authors spend too much time describing how the illness manifests itself in various people. The individual vignettes, while interesting, would have served the story better in shorter form with possibly a few cut out altogether. Also, a subplot about two characters in Boston suffering from sleep disorders (a paraplegic named Eli and a woman, Millie, who rescues him from his apartment) offers some interesting perspective but is, at times, distracting from the main story with Dave and his gang.

A character’s death doesn’t make much sense and in hindsight proves that person didn’t contribute much to the plot overall. The abrupt ending seems to set up for a sequel, but readers aren’t left with a cliffhanger. They’re pushed over the edge wholesale with no warning. The result is a jarring sensation that might confuse some and frustrate others.

The narration carries the story in many places, showcasing the writing talents of the authors. Unfortunately the emphasis on the premise takes away from everything else, including the characters. Those who might want to read a horror novel that is less gory and more creepy might like this one.

I enjoy a good horror book and this one certainly had a very interesting concept. The whole population dies when they fall asleep and a cast of characters who have yet to fall asleep for various reasons are left to solve the mystery.

I was initially hooked and was invested to find out why everyone was dying but then things turned more erratic and weird. This may have been a plot device, as characters were becoming more sleep deprived chapters became shorter and punctuated. However, I didn't care for it and found it hard to follow.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a chance to review this arc.

If you want a book that will terrify the living daylights out of you, this is the book for you! Maybe it's because I mostly read this book at night before falling asleep or maybe it's because we're just coming off a global pandemic? Either way, this book game me the heebee jeebies in the best way!

Getting down to it, I really enjoyed the simplistic writing style, the funny characters, and the whole concept of the novel. It really reminded me of my husband's favorite horror movie, 28 Days Later. It had that sort of end-of-the-world vibe to it. I laughed way too hard at Matteo's incorrect pop references and I definitely teared up at some of the stories of the people and families that didn't survive the night. I had a whole lot of emotions with this one! I can't speak on how this compares to the podcast, but I totally buy it as a standalone book.

The only thing I wasn't sure on was the very ending, with a possible rise of the zombies. Not sure if that should have been left alone, but I guess it opens it up to a follow up book. You do have to suspend a little bit of belief with this one, but if you can, I think you find a really good story line and likable characters just trying to do their best to survive.

I'm giving this one 4/5 stars!

The Edge of Sleep, I had such a hard time reading this book. Yet I forced myself to finish it, sci-fi has never been one of the genre of books that I enjoy reading. Having said that I did think from reading the short sysnosis of the book I thought I may enjoy the book. This book was too far out there for my liking. I would still suggest the book to others because I know not everyone enjoys the same type of books.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

The Edge of Sleep by Jake Emanuel and Willie Block is an exhilarating story that asks; what happens if you go to sleep and never wake up. When you go to sleep? Dave is a security guard who hangs out with his friend, Matteo. After a typically boring night shift, they head out to party. Before long, they notice emergency calls are going unanswered. They head to a hospital and meet a nurse who tells them that patients are going to sleep and not waking up; they are dying.
The story is straightforward, but the suspense is in the telling as we accompany Dave and Matteo on their quest to discover what is happening and how to stop it. The Edge of Sleep is a wild ride into a foreign world where something natural and universally needed means death: a great concept and a fantastic read.

Review: The Edge of Sleep by Jake Emanuel; Willie Block

Have you ever thought of a world where we sleep and never wake up? The concept of the novel The Edge of Sleep is just that. In this novel, humans who sleep are not waking up.

We follow a group of people who either can not sleep or don't sleep once they figure out that sleeping is death. One set of the groups has more coverage than the other. Dave is the main character, and we get to read his short stories throughout the book.

This book is really unlike anything I have read before. I am not sure which genre this book belongs to. I am going to say Scifi and apocalyptic. It's not horror, but it has some highly graphic visual elements that could constitute disturbing. I am not sure how I feel about this book. It's not my usual genre, but the twists and turns kept me reading till the end. I am not convinced with the ending. If you want to read something out of the ordinary, this book is a good choice.

Thank you St.Martin's Press and Netgalley, for this book.

If you enjoy end-of-the-world novels, this one is for you!

Dave, the ring leader of the survivors, is tortured by flashbacks that seem to have some clue about the future, but he struggles to understand their meaning. The flashbacks, sleeping (or should I say dead) bodies, and interspersed chapters of this apocalyptic phenomenon occurring all over the world create anxiety and dread. These feelings are heightened by the short chapters, creating a fast-paced story. With all this stress, tension, and bizarre reality, Mateo (Dave’s friend) offers levity to the story with his continual misuse of words and phrases. One moment I’m stressed out, and the next, I laugh at Mateo. Franz Drameh, our narrator, delivers ALL of this, shocking me at times that the narration wasn’t full cast but simply Franz Drameh's clever narration of all the characters and action. His talent bumped up the rating for me.

Overall, the edginess of this story will be a winner for fans of the podcast or books like Leave of the World Behind by Rumaan Alam.

DNF @ 21%

When it comes to sci-fi and speculative fiction, I'll be the first to admit I often feel out of my element. But I've also always been fascinated by the world of sleep and dreams: a world far beyond our physical reality. The premise of this book caught my attention, as main character Dave learns that he might have difficulty far beyond his sleep troubles. He wakes up to see dead bodies all over town...and later learns that each of these people died right where they were found...and they ALL died in their sleep. Recruiting the help of some of his friends and a nurse, the group needs to solve the mystery and fast - because if ANY of them fall asleep, they just might not wake up.

I tried to go into this with a very open mind, looking for detail and trying so hard to connect with the characters. This fell apart quickly, however, since Dave's friends consisted of a few dude bros who were interchangeable and not too fun to read and whose main shared character trait was screwing up pop culture references (much to Dave's chagrin). The narrative itself is also just very stiff and doesn't feel much like a novel. I'm not sure if hearing the audio would be helpful, but in many ways, this felt like a podcast trying to be a book, rather than a book that could also work as a podcast. There was no flow and rhythm and though I had trouble discerning exactly what was going on, I could tell that if I kept reading my frustration was likely to snowball.

Though I'd hoped to dive into The Edge of Sleep, I was glad to stop this one before it SENT me over the edge entirely.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC*

I didn't realize until I'd finished it, but The Edge of Sleep is a novelized version of a serial podcast, that was also made into a TV show. So this is one of the rare cases when the book did not come first.
Knowing that now, this book makes a lot more sense. It felt almost cinematic, the way it was written with frequent perspective and time shifts. The dialogue felt real and the dream sequences were very stream-of-consciousness. I read this entire book in half of a day and really enjoyed it. I did find the ending pretty weird and confusing, so I couldn't quite give it 5 stars.

The Edge of Sleep is based off a podcast of the same name, and I can totally see how this book would work well as an audio drama. It's an end of the world-type novel that’s big on drama and light on details, but a fun read!

It’s about Dave and his small group of survivors who, for various reasons, have not slept overnight. Come early morning, they realize people who fell asleep that night–so, basically almost everyone–never woke up. Yep, they’re dead. That’s not a spoiler, it’s in the book blurb. It’s a heck of a premise, super hooking right off the bat.

There is other weirdness happening: meaningful dreams; strange symbols; and corpses not behaving how they should. The other tension in the book is that all the main characters have to fight to stay awake. Ugh, it was painful to read at times–in a good way! – because it brought to mind all of those times where I’ve been so tired and just badly wanted to fall asleep. Like at the beginning of a boring uni lecture and you start to head bob in the front row in the first ten minutes. It’s torture!

I enjoyed a couple of the other storylines, and the vignettes of people who succumbed to the sleep-death. Despite its strong premise, it didn't quite take me the distance with the plot. It seemed light on the whys of what was happening, and I wanted a deeper exploration of the sciencey bits behind the mass dying. That said, I don’t think this is a book that set out to be too scientific or detailed, so I can’t really fault it.

So as a beginning to a larger narrative, this was a simple, entertaining story. Very plot-based, it stayed at surface level without plumbing the deeper aspects of character or explanation. Given that it’s adapted from a podcast, this probably makes sense. And stick around for the ending because it promises a rollicking Book Two.

Thanks @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC!

The Edge of Sleep is fresh, freaky, and fun! I had no idea where the story would take me, but it was a journey I thoroughly enjoyed.

Dave Torres has issues with sleep since he was a kid. Intense, strange and often terrifying dreams have plagued Dave for years, to the point where he sometimes isn't sure what's real and what isn't. Along with his friend Matteo, Dave works as a night watchman in a coastal California town. The morning of July 5th, Dave and Matteo are coming off of a work shift when the world as they know it changes forever. Anyone who was asleep overnight is now dead, and the bodies just keep on dropping. Dave and Matteo, along with Dave's ex-girlfriend Katie, and nurse Linda, may well be the last people alive in the world. In order to stay that way, Dave has to look for answers in the place that frightens him most: his dreams. Can they all stay awake and alive long enough to save the world?

There are echoes of The Stand in this book, which is high praise to me. The characters are nuanced and well fleshed out. I raced through the pages to try and get to the end as fast as possible and I still wanted more when I finished. The Edge of Sleep has a little something for every horror fan and it's available for purchase everywhere you buy books now! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to review this advance copy.

I would label this book as more Sci-if rather than horror.
A plague has descended upon earth, it causes everyone to fall asleep.
It’s an interesting premise since I have battled insomnia for three decades.
There were parts of the book that made me sleepy since they moved slowly, but overall it’s a chilling prospect.

The Edge of Sleep is without question, one of the most addictive, unique, thought-provoking, wild, creepy, intense and brilliantly crafted dystopian horror stories that I’ve read to date. I freaking LOVED this book.

For context, I picked this one up last night with the intention of getting a few chapters in. I then very literally stayed up, well into the night, to finish it. When I say I couldn’t stop reading it because I HAD TO see what happened next, I’m not exaggerating. It is so absorbing, and the pacing and intensity of the plot suck you right in.

The story is of a night watchman who finishes his shift only to find out that everyone who went to sleep the night before have died. He and a motley crew of survivors are left scrambling for answers and a way to survive….and to not fall asleep before they figure it out.

I can’t even explain this one (and you should go in blind - its going to make the experience so much better not knowing what to expect), except to say that it is worth taking a chance on. It haunts, the characters are scrappy and you desperately want them to win this battle, there’s laugh out loud moments of levity and the entire time you just want this to be made into a show or a movie because OMG would this make a good show or movie.

This is a must have for this summer, truly. Try it out and then come talk to me about how absolutely, insanely perfect this story ends up being. You won’t regret it. It’s out today, so you don’t even need to wait to find out how much fun this kind of oh-shit-dystopian-future can be to immerse yourself in. Temporarily.

Thank you so much @stmartinspress for the copy. PLEASE, give us more of these characters and this story, I beg.

"The Edge of Sleep" by Jake Emanuel and Willie Block is a Blend of Dystopian and Speculative Fiction!

The day after Independence Day, Night Watchman David Torres wakes in the quiet coastal town of Santa Mira, CA to find bodies lying everywhere.

Bodies of people who fell asleep and died right where they slept.

Dave self-medicates, he knows it's wrong but it calms him. He has had debilitating sleep terrors and nightmares since he was a child and sometimes they spill over into his life which is never good, especially for those around him.

Is this what's happening now? Are Dave's dreams leaking into his consciousness?

Dave, his ex-girlfriend Katie, his BFF Matteo, and a nurse named Linda have grouped together, not only to keep each other awake but to find answers to this mysterious "sleep death" before it happens to them...

"The Edge of Sleep" is creative, different, original, and if you've read my reviews, you know that's what I love in a book. To be honest though, this story is pretty bizarre, way-way-out-there. And you know what? It kept me laughing, listening, and curious enough to keep with it to the end. And that ending. I'm still thinking about it. And thinking about it.

I must admit, Matteo's hipster dialogue was off-putting at first. The characters, the story, and the humor grew on me though and I found myself giggling at what funny-guy Matteo would say to straight-guy Dave, and how Dave corrects Matteo's misuse of words. I never grew tired of their banter and I learned to enjoy and appreciate how the humor mixed with the heavy topics balances the 'edginess' of this story. (See what I did there?)

I have both the DRC and the ALC formats and alternated between them. The digital copy is a good tool for referencing the long chapters that have multiple sections. It can get confusing. The audiobook narrator, Franz Drameh, is an amazing voicing talent and one of the reasons I enjoyed the story and the characterizations. I don't believe you would be disappointed with either format but I will say, I re-listened to parts of the audiobook 'just because' of the narrator's voicing-narration skills.

"The Edge of Sleep" is a unique and fun SciFi ride with a touch of Horror and I'm still rolling that ending around in my head to see what my brain can make of it. I'll think of something and I'm guessing these two authors had a whole lot of fun writing it.

3.75⭐rounded up and I do recommend "The Edge of Sleep" to readers who enjoy a mix of Dystopian and Speculative Fiction that's just a little bit different like I do!

Thank you to Jake Emanuel, Willie Block, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for a DRC and ALC of this book through NetGalley. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. Due to publish 6/20/23.

Get ready to fall down the rabbit hole and suspend reality. This story is a twisty apocalyptic adventure that explores our will to survive and our need for personal connection. A fun and fresh perspective on the-end-of-the-world-as -we-know-it genre, this story might be just what you need to escape reality for awhile.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹you are a fan of shows like The Twilight Zone
🔹 you enjoy books that create their own version of reality
🔹 you like books where unlikely characters join together in hopes of surviving

Characters were an interesting assortment of people who had trouble sleeping. I really liked Linda who was feisty and determined to do what had to be done to get through the horrible situation.

The story flew by as you had to keep reading to find out what was causing people to fall asleep and die. I liked how the author interjected little bits of what people were doing at the time they fell asleep in between the main characters striving to stay awake. There were hints of Stephen King and Dean Koontz throughout the story. The ending was creepy and satisfying even though I long for a part two.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

If you fall asleep you die. That's what Dave, Matteo, Katie and Linda are trying to avoid in this sorta sci fi sorta horror novel that might well be a love it or hate it proposition. They've got to figure out why this is happening before they themselves succumb and no spoilers from me about what happens to them. This has short chapters, which is a positive in terms of getting the reader to turn the pages and a negative because the characters don't feel fleshed out. That said, it's an unusual and entertaining read that while it skips about, proves to be a well rounded portrait of a very strange event. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Interesting read.