This book was WILD and I loved every second of it. Talk about twisty, fast paced completely binge worthy. Definitely a must read for thriller fans!

This thriller is razor sharp! An interesting premise, multiple POV’s, likable detectives, an unreliable narrator.

Liv Reese wakes up without her memory each day. Something traumatic happened in her past, she may have killed someone recently, and she can’t piece together all of the puzzle. Detectives Lavelle and Halliday are working a murder case and piecing this puzzle together from their end. When the culmination is their intersection, fireworks of action unite! Fast paced, chilling, and with memorable characters this was a very entertaining read!

Review to be posted to https://www.instagram.com/minsabookworm closer to publication date.

I had high hopes for this book because I enjoy Megan Goldin’s work.

The storyline fell short for me. Liv Reese has an unusual form of insomnia, in that, she has lost two years of memories, after her roommate and boyfriend are murdered and she was nearly killed in the same attack. The murderer is still at large and seems to be “hunting’ Liz. She cannot remember anything once she falls asleep. She writes “Stay Awake”, and other notes, on her hands with a marker…that is just weird. Instead of seeing a doctor, see binges on “no doze” and caffeine, so she won’t fall asleep. She keeps a journal with daily notes, so why act like a teenager with marker all over your hands? Overall, Liv acts like a child, not a responsible adult. That’s where the story started to lose me. I wanted to write on her hands…”Grow Up”.

Somehow, she manages to book a flight from London, where she has been living for the past two years, despite her amnesia. She doesn’t bother to get professional help on her own? Her ex-fiancee ends up murdered as well, with her in the same bed, while trying to help with her situation, and he is the one who actually gets her to a doctor. Of course, someone is trying to frame her for that murder. This is a long repetitive story of Liv going back to old places…her apartment, her office…she keeps calling her dead boyfriend’s number…but, does she ask anyone for help? NO. When the murderer is revealed, it seems implausible that he had not been the primary suspect all along. And, then, of course, in the end, Liv’s memory is fine. Oh, and, of course, another guy shows up…to save her, I suppose.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable psych thriller that kept the pages turning! I definitely was invested in the main character staying awake so she would not lose her memories yet again! Reminded me very much of the 2000 movie, Memento. Although I still liked the author’s The Night Swim a bit better, this was a solid story!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a page turner! From the first page, I was hooked! This storyline kept me interested and intrigued the entire time. The plot line flipping from the past to present worked well to develop the characters and storyline. The plot twists had me gasping. I appreciated the accurate medical facts and descriptions that helped tease out the issues being faced. I was excited to find time to sit down and read this book. Thank you for the advance copy. I cannot say enough good things about this- excellent read!


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58724748

I loved this book. I stayed awake to finish because I had to know what happened. Liv Reese has a type of amnesia which causes her to forget everything from the past two years when she falls asleep. She doesn't know who she can trust as she has notes written on her hands advising her to trust no one. The story weaves between present-day and prior to Liv's memory loss. This is a great book for a rainy day, a book club, or for anyone who loves books. I was sad to finish this book but was pleased with the ending. "Stay Awake" is definitely worth staying awake. to enjoy.

5 STARS

AMAZING Thriller!!! My First 5 star Thriller this year!! And boy, was I searching for one!! Pub date is not until August, but I couldn't wait! Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an e ARC of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin. BUY THIS BOOK!! It is that Good!! Great writing, great character development, Could not put it down. There were no superfluous characters to muddy the storyline and no random plots that didn't connect to the main character. JUST READ IT!!! I will try to remember to come back near the pub date to add a few more insights.
#NetGalley

This thriller is like nothing I've read before! I was guessing up until the end and I really liked that it wasn't predictable. I enjoyed not knowing what was going to happen next while the tension and suspense built up.

I can't imagine waking up in a cab and having no idea what is going on. This is what happens to Liv. She has to navigate a world she remembers nothing about. Her most recent memory is from two years ago and she is clearly missing some pieces of the puzzle. She doesn't know what to do, where to go, or who to trust. I was trying to figure out the mystery right along with her.

The format switches between multiple points of view but not in a confusing way which I appreciate. Sometimes all the back and forth makes the story hard to follow for me but this one wasn't. I also thought the ending was great and I don't say that lightly. It's not often that I like an ending. Even books I like tend to leave me unsatisfied or disappointed but I found this one just right.

This was interesting - some good twists and turns and definitely kept me guessing. I did think the main character did some fairly dumb things, all things considered, but tried to rationalize them in terms of the plot. Definitely a good read

You wake up in a strange cab at 3am. You’ve no idea how you got there, or where you’re going. What do you do?

This is the intriguing opening scene of Megan Goldin’s latest novel, Stay Awake. Readers are thrust into the mind of Liv Reed, a perfectly normal magazine writer. Well, besides the fact that she has no recollection of the past two years. This would be alarming enough on its own, but we are quickly shown, by a perspective change, that there’s been a murder. “Stay awake” was written in the victim’s blood on his window. And who has that same phrase scrawled over her arms and hands? Liv, of course.

Liv’s chapters are confused and repetitive, but that’s not a criticism. As a narrator with memory issues, she often repeats what she knows, what she last remembers, and often has similar reactions to various events. Frankly, it would feel less authentic if her chapters didn’t have these lapses. Someone with extreme memory loss is not going to be a calm, collected storyteller.

There are three types of chapters: Liz narrating in the present day, Liz narrating in the days leading up to her memory blackout, and a third-person view of the detectives attempting to solve the murder case. This can be a bit confusing at times, but each chapter is marked with a day and time, so the reader is given some sense of orientation throughout.

From Liz’s present and past chapters, we learn that her world has completely shifted on its axis. Two years ago, she was a successful writer living with her friend/roommate, Amy, and is deeply in love with her boyfriend, Marco. Today, she is unable to contact either of them, her apartment is occupied by a new couple, and people she doesn’t know recognize her as a regular customer or acquaintance. The detective chapters feel separate from Liz’s struggle, partly due to the change of first to third-person narration, and partly because for a majority of the book, the detectives don’t actually know who Liv is. They put together a suspect who, to readers, is obviously Liv, but they themselves have no knowledge of her until much later in the narrative.

These chapters are put together skillfully, causing the tension to mount with every page. The past chapters hurtle towards whatever event caused Liv’s memory loss. Liv’s chapters in the present reveal small nuggets of information, as well as Liz’s fear and confusion. The detective chapters slowly tighten the net around Liz. It’s clear to see that all of them will come to a climax, and when they do, it’ll be explosive.

And it is…kind of. I had no idea who the murderer was, and was genuinely excited to find out. The reveal, though, was lackluster. Rather than Liz or the detective putting the pieces together, readers are told from the murderer’s own mouth what exactly happened. He’s kidnapped Liv and tells her everything, even how she messed up his plan. It feels very much like Goldin was worried readers wouldn’t put the clues together, and therefore would need everything spelled out for them. I won’t post the passage, as it majorly spoils it, but it feels very much like a monologue from a mustache-twirling villain. This works in theater, as that is the only way for the audience to access the inner thoughts of the characters. However, in writing, where the author has the ability to indirectly express motive, opportunity, and so on, it feels very flat.

The climax is also very rushed. Everything happens at once, and then the book ends. There’s no information on how any of the characters cope with the knowledge they now possess. The last sentence is simply the closing of a door, where the characters presumably move on to do…something. It doesn’t feel like a cliffhanger. Rather, I got the feeling that the author had decided no more information was needed. This is frustrating, as there are a number of loose ends I’d like cleared up, such as the previous two years of Liv’s life, the relationships she formed, and so on.

Perhaps this choice was made because the characters lack depth. We know the profession of each main character, and that’s about it. Liv loves her job, but it isn’t said why. The detectives are “hardened cop who works alone” and “new detective eager to prove herself”(with some random notes about her military service). Amy is nice. Marco is also nice(though he and Amy purportedly hate each other). That’s pretty much it. The relationships between characters aren’t expounded upon, which makes it harder to care about them.

I enjoyed this book, and recommend it to anyone looking for something to keep them on the edge of their seat. As long as you don’t mind a few loose ends, and a slightly lackluster finale, it’s an interesting enough read.

3.5 stars rounded up

This one was a wild ride! Usually when I read thrillers they all kind of have the same journey. Stay Awake was different. I had entirely no idea "whodunit" or where the book was headed next. It definitely kept me turning page after page to find out.

The premise is very Memento-like circa 2000. Every time the main character falls asleep, she loses her memory of the last 2 years and has to start from scratch to figure out what's going on in her life.

The book was a 5 star read for me until the ending. I think I was a tad underwhelmed with the villain and the way the story concluded after all the time that was invested to get there. But overall, it will still a worthwhile read.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review.-

Hmmmmmmm. I confess to be underwhelmed—BUT I think there’s a lot to merit from this author, and I did have fun.

The pace is snappy, and I enjoyed the story more and more as it went. As more of Liv’s backstory came out, the tension definitely upped and made the book hard to put down. Liv’s memory loss was so interestingly handled—once we understood what was going on with her condition, I could appreciate the story much more.

My biggest issue was the suspension of disbelief needed. Liv consistently doesn’t act how I’d expect someone in her position to act—when faced with shocking changes to her life, she barely reacts. From the first chapter, waking up in a taxi with no recollection of where she is or what’s happening, she doesn’t freak out, or demand to know what’s happening, or try to figure out what happened. Instead, she just… gazes out the window and just hangs out? And whenever she discovered strangers living in her apartment, her workplace completely turned over, that she’d moved across countries, and then even when she runs into random acquaintances on the street, she expressed only the barest hint of surprise. Not the earth-shattering shock I’d have expected. And whenever she was close to getting answers, she would bail?? For that reason, it was extremely hard to get into the story at first.

THAT SAID. I did have fun with this book, and would definitely be interested in reading the author’s next book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc!

-A

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This was one of the best thrillers I have read in a while. I was hooked right from the first chapter and on the edge of my seat for the rest of the book!

Liz wakes up in the back of a cab on the way to her apartment, when she gets there she realizes she does not have her purse, phone or keys; she does have a wad of cash in her pocket and a cloth bundle in her arms. She gets out at her apartment and discovers that the bundle of cloth is a tshirt containing a bloody knife, confused by this, Liz quickly discards it. She then rings the bell, dreading waking up her roommate, Amy; but it isn't Amy who comes to the door but another couple who says that it is their apartment. Once Liz sees for herself that this is true, she is truly baffled and then realizes that her hands and arms are full of writing, things like Stay Awake and Don't Fall Asleep.

Liz tries to think of the last thing she can remember, and that is sitting at her desk and answering the phone, but that was in summer and it is now autumn, then Liz sees the date and realizes that is it not only a different season from her last memory but two years later! What Liz doesnt' realize is that every time she falls asleep she forgets everything from answering that phone call in July two years ago until now.

At the same time, there has been a murder and written in blood at the crime scene is Wake Up! The police discover that a woman left the crime scene, and we quickly learn that this may be Liz but is she a victim or a killer. What has caused her memory loss and what really happened two years ago.

I loved this book. Such a good thriller! I love the way this author writes and her stories are sooo good.

This book is one to keep you up at night. What has Liv done and why can’t she remember? I enjoyed going along for the ride and discovering her memories.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fantastic read! I read this in a sitting. I can’t wait for more by author. Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC.

One of the best books that I have read in a while! Such a great read! I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!!

4.5 stars. This was such a great, unputdownable, creepy thriller!! I loved it. Liv Reese wakes up in a cab one late evening (seemingly after a blackout) and goes to the door of her Manhattan apartment to find a couple living there and no recollection of the last two years. The next morning, a man is found murdered with a woman resembling Liv leaving the building and the words “stay awake” written in blood - the same words Liv Reese sees written on her wrist. What follows is a mystery involving a main character with memory fugues.

This was very well done and not predictable. It was so interesting picking up the pieces of Liv’s memory lapses and using small clues to figure out what happened. This book was a fun ride that was compulsively readable. I honestly could have read it continuously for a day.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review

Such a good book, I think people are gonna really love this one. Keep me wanting more the whole way through. Thank you!

I've gotta be honest: at first I thought Stay Awake by Megan Goldin might be a watered-down rip-off of S. J. Watson's 2011 thriller Before I Go to Sleep. To be fair, there are some striking similarities: the heroine loses all memories of the previous day if she goes to sleep; she's surrounded by men who she can't fully trust; someone (who likely caused her memory loss in the first place) appears to want her dead. However, I have to give Goldin props — she took a plot I could've sworn I'd seen before and created a chilling, compulsively readable thriller with plenty of new things to fall in love with (and get freaked out by).

Basic plot (well, a little less basic than the tidbit above): New York food writer Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi one night with no idea where she is or how she got there, and soon discovers that (extremely rude) strangers she's never met before now live in her apartment, she no longer has her magazine job, and she can't get in contact with her boyfriend or her roommate. She's missing her phone. Oh, and she's got a bloodstained knife in her pocket (NBD), and her arms are covered with scribbled messages warning her to "STAY AWAKE."

All in all, Liv is going through it, you guys.

This book is tense and moves at a breakneck pace, which had me racing through it in just two sittings. The desperation to figure out the mystery that is unraveled chapter-by-chapter had me low-key feral. However, there were some things I wasn't a big fan of that I'd be remiss not to mention.

Liv, bless her heart, suffers pretty badly from Dumb Main Character Syndrome, i.e. every choice this confused little amnesiac made had me saying "really, girl?" out loud into my empty bedroom. (Which I know for a fact was empty because this book made me so paranoid I had to check the closet, just to be sure.) There's also a heaaaavvvyyyy amount of info dumping going on, whether it's the people in Liv's life trying to catch her up on, well, everything, or the chapters involving two homicide detectives who are put on the case of a bizarre murder. That irritated the hell out of me, especially because the bones of this story are exciting enough to have created plenty of 'show-don't-tell' opportunities.

But even still, I really liked this one. It was batsh*t crazy (duh) but I really couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was unfortunately my least favourite book of Megan Goldin's so far. While I thought the plot was well executed, I'm just not personally a huge fan of a memory loss plot. I find it a tad repetitive.