Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Stay Awake" was the 1st Megan Goldin novel that I've ever read & it didn't disappoint.
Ms. Goldin did an exceptional job at keeping me on the edge of my seat, dying to see what would happen next.
She kept me guessing at every turn.
I loved the way she told the story by jumping around the 2 different timelines (present time & 2 years ago) & how she ended up connecting them to each other.
I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a unique thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and audio ARC of this!

Memory loss is particularly frightening to me in and of itself, after watching my Grandma go through dementia, so this thriller was uniquely terrifying. The idea that someone could be coming to hurt you and you don’t know who it could be? Shudder. Kept me on the edge of my seat, halfway holding my breath while I read the second half of it.

Well you know I have never read an amnesia lead thriller and it’s safe to say I’m a big fan!

I enjoy a good Megan Goldin twist and the ending did not disappoint! I was not excepting it!

I really enjoyed the timeline jumps and the multiple POVs! Usually they are hard to follow but it really made sense for this thriller! I read this book so fast! Would definitely recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ebook for my honest review!

"Lack of sleep does horrible things to a person's mind, it can make some people psychotic."

Liv Reese has got it all: a great job at a lifestyle magazine, a great Brooklyn apartment, an amazing roommate/best friend and a hot Italian boyfriend. ... or does she? After waking up confused in the back of a cab, she arrives at her apparrment and is baffled that another couple lives there now, claiming they've lived there for years. What happened and why did Liv blackout and lose her memory? And better yet, why is there a bloody knife in her pocket and are her hands covered in messages like "STAY AWAKE" and "WAKE UP"?

"What do I have against sleep?"
"You're afraid of what you do in your sleep."

This book has a great premise and it's executed well. The short chapters, multiple POVs and flashbacks make it an absolute page turner. It also definitely added to the suspense and fast pace of the book. I loved how the flashbacks brought out my detective and had me looking for clues about whodunit. I'm happy to report I did figure out the guilty party quite early on, but that didn't take away my doubts completely. Somehow Megan Goldin still had me second guessing myself here and there.

"Everyone has roles to play. Sometimes we don't know it until it's too late. You were given a choice, Liv. Every choice had a consequence."

I will admit that sometimes the book got a bit too repetitive for my taste. But I guess that was necessary considering the main character forgets everything every time she falls asleep. The author still kept me totally hooked, though, cause I finished it in one sitting.

If you love fast paced psychological thrillers and movies like memento, I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for providing an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating: ★★★ ½

Stay Awake
Megan Goldin
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


There’s a famous quote from “Catch 22” by Joseph Heller: “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” How appropriate for Liv Reese who awakens in the back of a cab confused and concerned for her safety.

She has absolutely no recollection of how she got in the cab or where she’s going. The cab pulls up to a brownstone and the cabby announces, “We’re here.” Standing on the porch, she realizes she has no keys or purse, but recognizes the building as her and Amy’s apartment. She pushes the intercom buzzer and encounters a strange couple occupying “her apartment.” The woman is none too happy, and quickly becomes peeved at Liv’s insistence that she lives there, and threatens to call the police.

Once back on the street in tears and her head throbbing in confusion, she notices black ball-point markings on her hands: STAY AWAKE… DON’T SLEEP … TRUST NO ONE … DON’T TALK TO THE POLICE, EVER.

After a quick search, she realizes she has a large wad of cash in her jeans, and a lump in her cardigan pocket. Reaching into her pocket she retrieves a T-shirt, after opening it, discovers a blood-stained knife. Bewildered, she quickly rolls it back up and dumps it in a nearby trash can. Still confused, she looks down and notices on her wrist the written name and address of a place: Nocturna.

Her next cab ride deposits her at a bar. She walks in and is greeted by a smiling bartender by her name. Apparently, she was actually there several hours ago and learns that she has “a memory problem,” hence the messages on her hands. When she falls asleep, she forgets “everything” that has happened to her. The bar TV blasts breaking news of a murdered man and the message: WAKE UP was written backwards in his blood on a window. It is quickly evident that she has a gap of two lost years. There has been a traumatic event that has created insomnia and paranoia and eventually a memory wipe. She has to find her best friend Amy and her boyfriend, Marco. Is she dangerous or in danger? Why are two years gone from her memory?

Cut to the murder scene, where detective Darcy Halliday is first on the scene, having answered a page while jogging to the precinct on her morning run still in her running gear.

She had been transferred to Homicide on a six-month temporary transfer status, and is eager to lead her first investigation. She served in the military for six years with distinction during multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. She paid her dues after joining the NYPD with two years on patrol, followed by stints in other departments. (An intriguing character that merits further appearances.) Next to the location, is Detective Jack La Velle, a seasoned, grizzled veteran, with the department’s highest solve rate, who detests having a partner. The victim reposes in a peaceful pose on the bed, with a single stab wound just below the rib cage. No blood splatter, no wallet, no cell phone, no identification, and no signs of a struggle. Written on the window, backwards: “WAKE UP.”

The chapters alternate between Liv’s point of view, in the present and two years ago, as she desperately attempts to unravel her predicament. Also in the present, Detective Halliday and her partner investigate the murder and attempt to track down Liv, with Darcy stubbornly holding out for the possibility of Liv’s innocence, even though she’s the prime suspect.

Megan Golden crafts a compelling and chilling thriller that catapults the reader with breakneck speed along a twisted path with multiple unexpected reveals to a shocking denouement. Someone wants to make sure Liv doesn’t remember, but why?

I had the pleasure of alternating between the ARC and the audio version. The two narrators, Church and LaVoy brought to life the multiple characters in the theatre of my mind and enhanced the intrigue, ongoing confusion and escalating tension and suspense in this twisty and riveting thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for providing an Uncorrected Proof and Advance Audio version in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and loved all of Megan Goldin’s books. This is another intense thriller. Liv has amnesia and every time she wakes up she has no memory of the last two years. She is confused about the writing on her hands telling her to stay awake among other things. Liv does begin to realize she is wanted for a murder but she stays on the run not knowing who to trust or where to go. This was definitely a wild ride and the suspense starts right at the beginning of the book. I did figure out the big twist fairly early on but I still really enjoyed the book and I was interested to see how all the pieces were going to fit together. This is definitely a page turner!

After being in a bit of a reading slump these last couple months Stay Awake is exactly what I needed! This book keeps truly keeps you reading with every chapter getting better!

The book is told in two POVs, Liv and Detective Halliday with multiple timelines. She does a great job with the flow of the story, I was never confused.

I was pleasantly surprised I didn’t find the book to be repetitive due to the nature of the plot. Each chapter builds nicely with lots of suspense and twists.

I went into this book blind and I definitely recommend you do too!

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this digital copy in exchange for my honest
review!

BOOK REVIEW ‘STAY AWAKE’
…
★★★★

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the e-Arc.

Imagine finding a bloody knife in your pocket with handwriting all over your hands to STAY AWAKE…

I’ve been such a fan of Megan since her prior novel ’THE NIGHT SWIM’ (clap). I haven’t read ‘THE ESCAPE ROOM’ and am definitely moving this up ASAP. ’STAY AWAKE’ did NOT disappoint! There are quite a few mixed reviews out there but I gave it a solid four stars based on many things:

Short chapters
Multiple POV’s (detective and MC)
Unreliable narrator/amnesia trope
Writing style (pace and rhythm)
Binge worthy (read in 2 sittings)

I looooooove unreliable narrators. That is all. Officially out now! Definitely a must read - you will not have an issue staying awake.

I love Megan Goldin and this book didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t set it down!

Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no recollection of how she got there. When she heads home a stranger answers and claims they live there now and her roommate Amy is nowhere. How long has time passed and why does Liv have a bloody knife on her.

The intense build in Megan’s stories always get me. So full of twists, and ones I don’t see coming, which are refreshing. This book is what psychological thrillers are about. It’s fucked up but well done. Definitely a book worth the read, especially for all the build up.

A fast-paced thriller, this book was extremely enjoyable. I read it in one sitting because I could not put it down. The premise was extremely unique and deeply intrigued me. I liked the main character and felt her despair as well as her bewilderment. I did not guess any of the twists and turns. The book was well-written and very engaging. I recommend this book.

Rating: 3.5/5 🌟

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Megan Goldin, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Stay Awake gave me Memento vibes and the suspense, as well as the short chapters made this fast-paced psychological thriller hard to put down!

I did predict the ending, so it didn’t exactly blow me away, but it kept me hooked throughout to see if my theory was correct. Stay Awake jumps between different timelines and the POVs of Liv Reese and Detective Darcy Halliday, which was well-done for most of the book, but did get a bit confusing at times. I liked the characters, and thought they were developed very well. The end was anti-climatic for me and it should have been a bit longer and more suspenseful at the end <spoiler>when Halliday arrived at the warehouse</spoiler>. There were some plot-holes, for example the explanation behind Liv’s condition and how she managed to move back to New York alone didn’t make too much sense. I would have liked some more closure in the end and not having some questions answered bothered me, like <spoiler>what was the deal with Kevin?</spoiler>

Overall, Stay Awake is a good psychological thriller that’s hard to put down until you have all the pieces put together! This was the first book I read by Megan Goldin, and I will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future !

Liv Reese has a good life. A decent boyfriend, a wonderful best friend, a job she loves.... and no memories of how she lost it all.

It's hard to describe this book without spoiling it for potential readers... so just go out a read it yourself!
It turned out to be a much more exciting thriller than I anticipated!
Memory loss... overused plot device? Not this time. It is deftly weaved into the story in such a way that it feels fresh and engaging.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one! Liv was such an interesting character, and I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. I was surprised by the outcome, which I love. Solid 4 stars for this one. I definitely want to read this author again.

I think memory-loss stories are not for me. It's too chaotic and I just find myself wanting to give the person so many solutions instead of focusing on the story. I enjoyed the back and forth POVs between the MC and the detective, combined with the flash backs to the past. However, I guessed pretty early on what had happened and would happen and unfortunately that made this book feel too long waiting for the reveal. I think many people will enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me.

Mystery - 3.5*

Megan Goldin's book usually grab me from the beginning and this book was no different. Liv Reese wakes up and has no memory of how she got where she is. The last thing she remembers is being in her office and answering a phone call. It was summer and now it's late fall. What has happened to her? She has written notes to herself on her hands and arms telling herself to stay awake.

We hop timelines a bit so that we can get Liv's backstory. Two years earlier she is working at a magazine writing articles about food and art. She has a roommate named Amy, a cat named Shawna and a boyfriend named Marcos. In the present, when she tries to find all of them none are where she remembers them being. She has apparently tried to seek them out before as the man who has Marcos' phone number tells her to quit calling.

Meanwhile, a murder has occurred that implicates Liv. Could she have done this? Could someone be setting her up? If she loses her memory every time she goes to sleep is she vulnerable to a killer? Can the cops be trusted?

The story is engaging and a different way to tell a mystery. I really liked it, until about 2/3 of the way through. The story lost some steam and didn't carry the necessary level of tension you need to build an exciting conclusion.

A very solid mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

A mystery man murdered in bed with no ID. A gruesome message written in blood on the window. A woman with a bloody knife who loses her memory each time she falls asleep. Stay Awake is a psychological thriller that weaves the story of the detectives solving the case and Liv Reese in the present day, with scribbles all over her body with reminders to "Stay Awake" and "Don't Trust Anyone" and Liv Reese in the past, leading up to the traumatic day that landed her in the hospital and the inability to retain her memories. Told from these alternating POVs the reader is invited along to figure out whodunit when you can't take any information at face value.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and trying to figure out just what was going on with Liv's memory. Not only is the reader trying to figure out what happened in present day, but the truth about the past isn't laid out clearly either. It was an enjoyable read, but to me it wasn't thrilling enough. There were some red herrings thrown in but I was able to predict the twist at the end, and I'm primarily a Romance reader not a Thriller reader. I kept waiting for another twist that would truly shock me, but it never came.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read an advance copy of Stay awake by Megan Goldin. This was a thriller that keeps you guessing as it starts with Liv waking up in a cab with no clue how she got there, no purse, or phone and the words Stay awake written on her hands. Why are there strangers living in her home and why is she carrying a bloodied knife? This book bounces back and forth between present day and two years in the past. It totally reminded me of the movie Memento, and while I enjoyed it, I did find myself wanting the story to move along at times. However, those that enjoy psychological thrillers will probably really like it.

When Liv Reese looked at her hands, she saw the writing. Across her knuckles, the ink says Stay Awake. She wrote on her hands as a kid, a bad habit her mother had tried to stop. But there are messages all over her hands now, and Liv doesn’t know why.

She awakes suddenly in the back of a cab and tells the driver the address of her apartment. Liv doesn’t have her purse or her phone with her, and she doesn’t remember right off where she had been. Fortunately she finds some cash in her pocket for the cab. But when she gets to her apartment, her roommate isn’t there. It’s strangers, and they live there. They have lived there for quite some time.

Liv decides to try her boyfriend Marco next, but she notices the name of a bar written on her arm, so she has the cab take her there instead. At the bar, Nocturnal, the bartender recognizes Liv and tells her that when she falls asleep, she loses her memory. That’s why she almost never sleeps, and why she was so exhausted that she fell asleep in the cab.

Liv stays at the bar as long as she can, and then she finds herself a park bench, since she still doesn’t have her purse or phone, and she doesn’t know what’s going on. But when she wakes up again with a start, she is surprised to find herself in the park. And she’s surprised that it’s cooler than she expected. Last she remembers, it was mid-summer, but the leaves are falling off the trees and there is a chill to the air.

Liv decides to try her office. As a features writer for Cultura magazine, she could go to her desk and check her computer. Maybe that would help her remember something. And when she gets there, everyone is really happy to see her. But they’re also surprised, because they hadn’t seen her since she moved to London two years ago. Still, they include her in a planning meeting and set up a makeshift office for her with a laptop. And while they all stop to watch a news report about a brutal murder that had happened, where the killer had written “Stay Awake” in the window, Liv is distracted by a phone call. The man on the phone doesn’t identify himself, but he knows Liv. He says he’ll come to the office to pick her up, which makes her nervous. And then he asks if she still has the knife.

She hadn’t said anything about the knife. When she woke up in the cab, Liv had a knife in her pocket. It was wrapped in a towel and covered in blood. She had thrown it away. But who was she talking to on the phone? And how did he know about the knife?

Meanwhile, the detectives are working the murder. They’re collecting evidence, running fingerprints, checking CCTV footage. And they have found a woman who they think entered the building with the victim and slipped out the back, Liv Reese. Interpol has a yellow alert out for her. The detectives learn that two years ago, she was the victim of attempted murder and now suffers from a condition where every time she falls asleep, her memory resets to two years ago, before the attempt on her life. She had moved to England after she recovered and had been living successfully despite her memory issues. But several weeks ago, something set her off, and she had disappeared from their radar.

Now Liv’s back in New York City. And she’s back in danger.

Stay Awake is the latest thriller from Megan Goldin, and it is full of twists and surprises. Told in parallel stories of past and present, readers go along for an increasingly tense ride as Liv in present day tries to figure out what happened to two years of her life and past Liv is slowly driven mad by someone or something. It’s a struggle to figure out what is real and what is sleep-deprived delusion, and to piece together what this woman has been through. But the skill of storytelling is strong, and it is fascinating to watch this story unfold.

I am mesmerized by this novel. When I started reading it, I thought it was going to go in a very different direction, all typical and obvious for a thriller called Stay Awake. But then it took a left turn. And then it took a detour. And suddenly I was in a very different world than I expected, and it was stunning. There is so much going on behind the scenes in this novel, and the way the curtain is raised to reveal the answers is nail bitingly slow. But it is amazing, as the secrets start to come to light, as the pieces of the puzzle get put into place, and I found myself all tied up in knots as I read it. If you are looking for a truly inventive, original thriller, then don’t go to sleep. Stay Awake.

Egalleys for Stay Awake were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

You might think this is yet another fast paced thriller centered around one major question, with a lot of twists and turns along the way, but it's not. It's a very clever, very different, VERY enjoyable one. Beginning with a woman who wakes up in a cab not remembering anything from the past two years with the words "STAY AWAKE" written on her hands, this book takes the reader on a far-from-predictable ride. Told from a few different points of view which work together to make a complete and satisfying story, this isn't your average murder mystery. Highly recommend!

I loved the concept of this story!! I enjoy a good amnesia story and this one had so much tension and suspense in it. I liked the alternating perspectives from MC and the detectives. I will say though, I felt the background on the detectives was a little forced and unneeded. Towards the end, it felt a tad repetitive, but to me, didn’t take away from the story. I was also really glad there wasn’t a ‘magical recovery’ of the mc. I loved seeing how everything connected in the end. This was definitely one that I read quickly because I needed to know what happened.