While this was a good novel and did well at building suspense and keeping me on my toes, under no circumstances did it need to be 66 chapters. It had goodbyes but it was honestly just way too drawn out for me to really get interested in it. I thought about DNFing it multiple times or even skipping ahead chapters because it was so slow.

*3.5 stars

After loving this author's previous book, The Night Swim, I knew I had to snag this one! Stay Awake follows Liv Reese, a woman who loses her short term memory every time she falls asleep. When she wakes up, her last memories are from two years ago. On top of that, she has these chilling messages written all over her hands, telling her to stay awake and not to trust anyone. Basically, I would describe this as the thriller version of 50 First Dates, if the main character is trying to solve a murder.

This was certainly an entertaining book, and although I feel like I've been reading lots of insomnia books lately, I still found myself wanting to pick it up to find out where it was going. I really liked the detective, Darcy Halliday--I found her character to be really interesting and intelligent, and I would love to see more of her.

I did find the book to be kind of repetitive, which was necessary for the story, so I have mixed feelings about that. I also found the changing perspectives/timelines to be slightly confusing. Overall, I liked it, didn't love it, and I don't really think it's going to leave a lasting impression on me.

If you like books with an unreliable narrator, rookie detectives trying to prove themselves, and multiple perspectives/timelines, check this one out!

Many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Usually when reading thrillers, the reader is very aware of the character's history and how they got from Point A to Point B. How did this totally normal person with a regular 9 to 5 job suddenly shift to a fugitive on the run? You usually find out pretty quickly. This book kept me in the dark for about 80% of the journey, and I loved every minute of it!

The frightening idea that people know who I am while I believe they are total strangers is utterly mind-boggling, and Megan Goldin executes this fraught situation so well. While a premise like this one could turn away readers, instead, it was interesting enough to keep my attention and dropped hints at just the right times.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book: Stay Awake
Author: Megan Goldin

I feel like when people say “I couldn’t put this book down” they mean it figuratively. Well, I literally could not put this book down. I read it straight threw and it did not disappoint!

We meet Liv in the midst of a crisis. She wakes up in cab and can’t remember how she got there. Last she remembers it was Summer and she was at her office. She has an ominous feeling that something isn’t right and the cryptic messages scribbled on her hands don’t help…I really don’t want to give anything away so I don’t want to say much more except for - DEFINITELY PICK UP THIS BOOK!

I’m staring to believe Megan Goldin can do no wrong! Love her books!

Many thanks to Megan Goldin, St. Martins Press and Goodreads for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase on August 9th, 2022!

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC, I devoured this fast-paced thriller within 24 hours and enjoyed every minute of it!

Liv Reese wakes up in a mysterious apartment, next to the dead body of an unknown man and a murder weapon in her hands. And absolutely no memory of how she got there. Messages written in her own writing on her hands warning her to "Stay Awake", she soon discovers that every time she falls asleep her memory resets. She begins the race of a lifetime to discover what really happened, with the challenge of her memory loss impeding her along the way, before she is pinned for a murder she doesn't even know if she committed.

Stay Awake was such a well thought out and planned thriller, down to each detail. I loved the complexity of the story and the writing that kept me enthralled with each page. The plot line in and of itself was intriguing, but the added layer of her falling asleep and losing her memory made it that even more captivating. Each time she's awake, Liv discovers new pieces of information but with the fear that she will lose them if she falls asleep. She's pounding caffeine, only adding to the intensity, trying to fight sleep and fight for her life. All while writing messages on her hand to help her, but losing the context each time she wakes, much to her detriment. As I was reading I really appreciated how many pieces were carefully intertwined in Liv's race for the truth.

I have to admit, I did see the ending coming about partway through, but that did not change how much I enjoyed the story and putting together the pieces along the way.

Stay Awake is a twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller using the tried a tried-and-true formula - amnesia. But this time the concept of memory and an unreliable narrator is turned on its head, because our main character doesn't just wake up with no memory of the last two years, her memory resets itself every time she falls asleep. This might be the most interesting aspect of the story - that the progress made by Liv every day as she tries to sort out why she woke up with a bloody knife in her hand and why she's suspected of murder. Where are her best friend and boyfriend? Why doesn't she work at the magazine anymore or live at her apartment? The reset of her memory means the narrative is told in fits and starts, so her progress towards resolution is non-linear, even as we the reader can compile the clues. This is in addition to the alternating timelines and point-of-view. Overall, an very addictive read!

It is hard to imagine waking up in a world that is two years in the future yet two years in the past. You have not a clue this is the case and no one around you to help you reset and understand what is happening. This is the life of Liv Reese. She suffers from a form of amnesia which causes her to lose her memories after she sleeps. The condition is not a fictional one. Being aware of this when awake, Liv lives off of multiple forms of caffeine in order to prevent sleep. She even writes herself messages on her arms and hands to help her navigate life in case she does fall sleep. Add to this that a murder has taken place where a message is left in the victim’s blood which bears a message that she has written on herself. What is her connection to this crime?

Stay Awake grabs your attention from the first chapter and keeps you focused. You’ll want to know more. We get to follow the investigation process learning who Liv Reese is, why she has amnesia `and why she is running. Megan Goldin cleverly paces the events in this story in a way that things unfold just when you need them to. A bonus is in our story is we get introduced to a Detective Halliday. For me she is a character keeper. I hope to see her resurface in another book.

This is a dual timeline read following the past and present. I will say that there are a few possible suspects but only one that makes sense. It may be obvious for some. There is one thing that I wish was developed better. There are a few situations involved here so I wish the why was made clearer. It cannot be that simple. Some complexity was needed in the wrap up. I cannot be specific without adding spoilers. That said, I look forward to the author’s next release and some much needed Zzzzzzzzs.

Temporary insomnia awaits. The is one that kept me awake.

My gratitude to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for their generosity in providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

You know how sometimes you just need a propulsive thriller to take your mind off the real world? This one, my friend, will do the trick! I LOVED IT! It’s an interesting premise. Liv Reese wakes up in the back seat of a taxi and doesn’t remember anything about where she’s going or how she got there. And it’s not the first time this has happened. And it won’t be the last.

Ok, that’s all I’m going to tell you about the plot. Trust me, go into this one blind if you like suspenseful thrillers, you’ll like this one! Remember the Drew Barrymore movie 50 First Dates? I loved that movie! Well, this is the psychological thriller version of that, but with no Adam Sandler!

I read this one on my iPad (thanks @NetGalley and @stmartinspress!). Short chapters moving between different timelines and there are two character points of view. There is a female police investigator with an interesting back story, I could see the author bringing her back in a future novel. You’ll breeze through this one, suspecting everyone and trusting no one!

Applause…Bravo for Stay Awake by Megan Goldin. The author has written another fantastic book that I did not want to put down. I absolutely loved this nonstop, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride! A big Thank You to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for the advanced digital copy. Stay awake is an intense, extremely complex psychological thriller about memory loss and murder. The story unfolds in a dual timeline that rotates back and forth between 2 years ago when the protagonist memory loss started, and to the present day murder investigation happening. A gripping, page-turner filled with shocking twist right up until the very end. A summer mystery not to be missed out on!📚📖⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Synopsis: Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

•
Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

Oh my goodness I LOVED this book!!!!

I really don't want to say too much about this one because I personally say to go in blind. I requested this book off NetGalley and didn't read the synopsis. I only requested it because of the author. And I had so much fun reading this and wondering WHAT was going on and where it was going.

This isn't a scary thriller, but it is riveting and will keep you guessing!

HIGHLY recommend!

*Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for me eARC in exchange for my honest review.*

"Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't after you." -Catch 22, Joseph Heller

wow this book was literally so crazy !! This is my first Megan Goldin book and let me tell you I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! A lot of the thrillers I've been reading lately have been ok, but this one blew me away!! I have never read a book about amnesia before and it really did have me thinking how scary it would be to not remember a chunk of my life. I also really love the characters... Liv was so unreliable as she couldn't remember anything so and was just trying to figure it all out herself... and Detective Halliday was a Veteran turned detective, and she was so good at her job.. not jumping to conclusions. It was such a fun story!!!

This book had so many great things about it..
-unreliable narrator
-dual timelines
-1st and 3rd person narration
-alternating POV
-crazy twists
-insomnia/amnesia

I am so glad I got this one from Netgalley !! Off I go to get all Megan Goldin's other books!! Highly recommend this one !!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Megan Goldin for an ARC of this book !!

This was for sure a page-turner. This story is told in multiple POVs AND has a dual timeline so every chapter ends . We follow Liv, suffering from repeated memory loss, as she tries to figure stuff out (including why she woke up with a bloody knife, why she wrote stuff like “STAY AWAKE” on her hand, and what this murder on the news is about). In the past timeline, we see sketchy stuff happening in Liv’s life that might help us as the reader guess at what happened 2 years ago that triggered this rare form of amnesia in Liv. And finally, the last POV follows two NYC detectives investigating a murder where someone left behind the words “WAKE UP!” written in the victim’s blood. The detective's POV very much felt like a police procedural (which for me was fun).

This book, especially after the 50% mark, did a really good job at STRESSING ME OUT. I also thought this form of unreliable narrator was really interesting because it is just one POV that is unreliable and we know from the very beginning that she is an unreliable narrator (vs the unreliable narrator being the twist of the story).

I really appreciated the short chapters in this book because I feel like it helped the whole book feel super fast-paced which is definitely what I like in my thriller/ mysteries. And while not every chapter was a cliff-hanger, the chapters did end in a way that had me feeling like “wait! I want to stay in this POV/ timeline to figure out what is happening next” but I felt like that about EVERY POV/ timeline.

I felt like this book was a very meh thriller, but I know some reader friends who very much enjoyed it! I felt like it had a very been-there-read-that aspect to it. It was just okay for me overall.

After waking up in the back of a taxi with no idea how she got there and discovering that her apartment has been completely refurnished and is occupied by strangers, Liv Reese is in a panic. She doesn't have her purse or phone with her, only a knife stained with blood and written warnings on both hands telling her to stay awake. Two years have passed since the last thing she remembers and none of her loved ones are answering their phones.

The plot cuts between Liv in the present and Liv in the time period she remembers from two years earlier, alternating with chapters from the point of view of New York police officers who are investigating a murder where STAY AWAKE was written in blood on the victims apartment window. I really enjoyed this one. Some of the time jumps were a little confusing, but I think that was because Liv herself is so confused. The author does a great job making it all work, but a couple of times I found myself asking why people who knew Liv from before didn't realize that something was very wrong.

One of my biggest complaints about the domestic thrillers I've read lately is that I don't care enough about the characters to car what happens to them. The more I learn about Liv through her own interactions with others and through the police investigation, the more I wanted her to be okay and hoped she wasn't responsible for that bloody knife.

Wow! What an amazing book! It was one of the best thrillers and it will keep you on the edge of your seat all day long. Once you start prepare to stay in that spot all day to finish! So good!

For the first 40% of the book I couldn't decide if I liked what I was reading and if I was going to continue. Once I got past that I was riveted! After almost dying Liv moves to London and after an accident loses her memory every time she falls asleep. Liv doesn't know who to trust, if she can even trust anyone. As the story progresses we learn more and more of Liv's memories as she learns them. I have never heard of the type of amnesia Liv has, but it is an intriguing idea. I'm not overly thrilled when stories go back and forth between time frames, it gets confusing if you don't notice the header of the chapter where it mentions the time frame. If you like psychological thrillers, this is a book for you!

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I've really enjoyed Megan Goldin's previous suspense titles and was quite happy to pick up her latest - Stay Awake.
Goldin has come up with some great premises and this latest is no exception! Liv wakes up in a taxi with no idea of how she got there. And why there is writing on her hands and arms. And the boldest letters spell out 'Stay Awake." I was hooked!

The reader is alongside Liv as she tries to make sense of what's happening to her. And there's much more than just writing on her arms and hands. She desperately tries to not fall asleep, but it's inevitable. And every time she wakes up, she's back to the beginning. Just imagine yourself in Liv's shoes!

But as a reader, we can remember and start to piece together what has happened to Liv. Or can we? Goldin has woven together a devious plot that will keep the reader turning pages, changing their guess and staying awake late into the night as more and more is revealed. I appreciate not being able to guess the final 'whodunit' early on in a book.

Yes, there's one or two things that require a grain of salt. But just go with it. Stay Awake is great escapist reading, perfect for summertime back porch reading.

Wow - I knew this book was up my alley, but it blew away my expectations. I felt like I was hooked from the first few pages, and blew through in 1 day. I usually am pretty good at figuring out how things are going to go down, but this one I didn't see coming. Now, the culprit was a surprise, but was a little underwhelming - I really wanted a big WHAT? and I didn't get that per se - but I did get a totally satisfying end to an action packed book!

Liv Reese wakes up one night in the back of a taxi with no idea how she got there. Her phone is missing, she has “stay awake” written on her hands and has a bloody knife in her pocket. The last thing she remembers is answering her office phone, but that was two years ago. Liv sees a news report of a murder where the victims blood was used to write “stay awake” on the window. Liv has no idea why she keeps forgetting everything from the past two years or if she has something to do with the murder. As Liv tries to piece together the last two years, someone from her past is working to make sure she never remembers.

This is one of those thrillers that hooked me from page one and had me flying through the pages wanting more. This book gave me such a creeped out feeling of being watched and feeling vulnerable since the main character kept forgetting everything. I really enjoyed the characters Goldin created in this one, especially the detective duo. Overall, if you enjoy thrillers that include the police perspective, then I think you’ll enjoy this one!

Title: Stay Awake
Author: Megan Goldin
Genre: thriller / suspense
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Oh, boy. So many mixed feelings about this one

What I loved:
The main reason this one was four stars for me was because I loved Liv’s character. The way this book was written made me feel for her and care about what happened to her. I was only about 1/4 of the way into this story when I realized I could barely put it down. It was a really quick read and sucked me and kept me reading (way too late last night 😬). Super glad I read it and it was approved for the arc!

What I didn’t love:
I felt like the detectives backstories were unnecessary. Whenever the narrative switched to those two, I felt kind of frustrated. It’s not that I didn’t care, it’s just that that part of the story didn’t really keep my interest.
I also had a pretty good idea of “who done it” fairly early on in the story. This is not always a deal breaker for me, and it certainly didn’t deter me from finishing this one, but by the time I’d finished, I wasn’t super shocked.
Overall, enjoyable book and if you want a story to hook you in and fly through, this one’s for you!