Liv Reese is in a living nightmare. She’s woken up in the back of a New York taxi with no idea of where she is of how she got there. Her arms are covered in messages written in ballpoint pen – STAY AWAKE, WAKE UP, DON’T TRUST ANYONE, DON’T ANSWER THE PHONE – but she doesn’t remember writing them or what they mean. The last thing she remembers is answering the phone at work but her work colleagues tell her she’s been working in London and when she goes home to the apartment she shares with her best friend Amy, there are strangers living there.

Megan Goldin’s latest thriller is a totally addictive read. While Liv is trying to work out what is happening to her, the police are investigating a murder where WAKE UP has been written in blood on the window. The police investigation is told in chapters alternating with Liv’s story, both in the present where Liv is struggling to stay awake and make sense of what is happening to her as well as the past that led to her leaving New York.

The police investigating the murder, new Detective Darcy Halliday and experienced old hand Jack Lavelle are a good combination. Both smart and determined to solve the case, the intuitive Halliday not wanting to leap to conclusions and Lavelle following the evidence but willing to listen to her. Liv’s story is a tad repetitive as she is living in a nightmare, constantly confused, trying not to fall asleep and going over old ground again and again, but once what has happened to her in the past comes into focus and the shadows start to resolve it becomes a lot more interesting. It all falls into place with a thrilling ending making this a very addictive read.

Truly another superb thriller by Megan Goldin.

Stay Awake was a major page turner with back and forth timelines piecing everythjng together. After I read The Night Swim I knew I wanted to read more by this author because the writing style and depth of characters really do create a wonderful reading experience even if you catch the twist beforehand.

Stay Awake had my heart pounding. Not so much because of action but more because of the nail biting and suspensenful moments that make you question everything and have you at the edge of your seat.

Seeing Liv go through what she did in what seems like a 24-48 hr time period, falling asleep a major points and then forgetting it all over again was trippy. I'm amazed that she handled it so well to be honest. Her and the Detective did so much in a short amount of time in their POV's that some things feel a tad rushed and other times it felt like so much happened.

When the twist came, I was mad at myself for not catching the signs before the reveal. After I finished reading it, I began to see all the little hints throughout that I usually would have caught. I did feel though that the actual culprit was a bit cliche. The book also got a little repetitive at times, but that makes sense because while I was reading it was like me saying "didn't we just do this" but that makes sense for the book when its focused on amnesia.

I really did enjoy this one and thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for my own and uninfluenced review.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a Law and Order: SVU episode in book form. Stay Awake follows journalist Liv Reese, who suffers from a rare form of amnesia and is caught between two separate murders. This story kept me turning the page unable to guess the twists and turns. One of my favorite thrillers of the year! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy.

Stay Awake is an entertaining thriller, very reminiscent of the movie Memento, for anyone who remembers that. Liv wakes up with no memories of the last 2 years. As the plot unfolds, we learn why she's buried these memories. There are a couple red herrings, and it keeps you guessing til the end. Whatever happened to Shawna the cat? Overall a fun read.

What a thriller! It had me guessing from page one and I COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN! Gave me huge Flight Attendant vibes, while at the same time being completely unlike it. I throughly enjoyed learning what Liv had forgotten along side her and finally watching all the dots connect! If you are a thriller lover- read this immediately!!! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. 4.5/5 ⭐️

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.

A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night.

My Thoughts:

As we follow the journey of a traumatized woman in Stay Awake, we are definitely intrigued…and unable to stop reading.

Liv had a great life until someone tried to murder her. After awakening from a coma, she is plagued by amnesia: every time she awakens from sleep, her short term memory is erased.

The story flips back and forth in time, from two years ago with events leading up to Liv’s trauma, to recent days and weeks as she tries to piece things together.

The tale also alternated between Liv’s experiences and the detectives pursuing the case of a recent murder that eventually connects to some of what has happened to Liv.

I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.

***My e-ARC came to me from the publisher via NetGalley.

I absolutely could not put this thriller down. The short chapters made it so easy to read and I flew through it. I loved that I truly couldn’t predict how everything was going to play out and I really enjoyed the multiple points of views- it kept things interesting the whole way through.

The only reason I’m not giving this 5 stars is because I felt the ending was too abrupt and I wanted a little bit more. BUT this is one of my new favorite thrillers I will recommend to everyone!

Liv wakes up in a cab dropping her off at her apartment except when she tries to enter the apartment a different couple is living there who have no idea who she is. She also finds a bloody knife in her purse with no recollection how it got there. We then learn that two years have passed since Liv's last memories. The book also has a POV of two detectives investigating a murder that involves Liv. The POV of the detectives as well as flashback scenes start to fill in the blanks of how we got to the present day.

This book was hard to put down as you are eager to learn what happened in the prior two years that Liv does not remember. The book did a good job of filling in the pieces of the puzzle without confusing the reader.

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a cab and is dropped off at her home. A strange couple answers her door, claiming that they live there now. She has no purse or phone on her. In Liv's pocket is a wrapped up knife covered in blood, which she has no recollection of having. The backs of her hands are covered in writing. One that she can make out says STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago Liv was a successful writer at a magazine in NYC. Today she's completely lost in a city that used to feel like home. On the news broadcast is a murder scene with words written in blood that look just like the handwriting all over her arms. Liv can't remember where she was or what she did the night before. She can't even remember any of the past two years. Now Liv is on the run from a crime she isn't sure she committed. But someone knows what she did and that person will do anything to make her forget.

Wow! I don't even know where to begin. This book literally had so many parts that left my jaw hanging wide open in pure shock and saying what the heck just happened. The concept of losing your memories, being on the run, and trying to figure out who you are was absolutely brilliantly executed. I was on the edge of my seat. The flashbacks took us back to 2 years prior and added depth to Liv's character, helping us as readers learn more about Liv's story. I also liked the added pov of Detectives Lavelle and Halliday who are trying to solve the murder and find Liv as she is on the run. This was an intense psychological thriller, and one you will not want to put down. You will be just as confused as Liv is for most of the book! But slowly, like a puzzle, piece by piece, things begin to fall into place and make sense. If you are looking for an intense, action packed thriller then this is the book for you.

Megan Goldin writes fast paced thrillers that will keep you glued to your seat and awake at night. She creates such intricately woven stories that keep you guessing until the very end!

This newest release is no different. In this story the reader is introduced to Liv. Every time Liv goes to sleep she forgets everything. Her mind is locked in place to two years ago when a horrific crime occurred and altered her life. Each time she wakes up, Liv has to relearn everything. The writing on her hands and arms is meant to help her out of her fog but only partially succeeds. The people Liv comes across everyday only provide vague clues and their assistance only confuses her more. When a murder takes place with a message written similar to that found on her own hands Liv is able to ascertain one thing beyond a doubt, she's in trouble.

Once you start reading this book don't plan on doing anything else. An epic page turner that is sure to please even the most reluctant thriller/suspense reader.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Liv is such a sympathetic character making it easy to be drawn in by her plight. This expertly crafted story has plenty of twists which will satisfy thriller fans. Another excellent read by Megan Goldin!

I had a fantastic time with Megan Goldin's previous two books, so of course I couldn't resist the invitation to read her newest story Stay Awake. The fact that the blurb itself is fascinating and that it promised an amnesia angle AND murder only made me want to read it even more... I had such high expectations for this book, and I'm happy to announce that they were more than met. I was hooked as soon as I started reading, and I couldn't put it down. I literally finished it in one sitting!

While it's true that a thriller with an amnesia angle isn't exactly new or original, the way it's incorporated into the plot in Stay Awake did stand out for me. The repetitive dissociative fugue where the main character forgets everything that happened during the last two years every time she goes to sleep is fascinating, and it definitely helped taking this plot to the next level. You are left wondering what first triggered her amnesia and what is going on in the present... Especially with her waking up in the possession of a bloody knife and the news of the murder soon after. The fact that she keeps forgetting everything added a lot of tension and suspense to the plot, and it made for some excellent plot twists too.

Stay Awake is basically part gritty psychological thriller and part detective thriller. The story switches between the POVs of Liv Reese and detective Darcy Halliday, which gives the story more dept and enables us to learn more about what is happening in the present. On top of this, we also have Liv's flashbacks to two years ago to help slowly unravel what happened to her that made her forget everything... The three storylines are balanced perfectly, and work very well together. The police investigation made for a nice contrast with everything that is going on with Liv; balancing the very real murder case with the more abstract and psychological.

Both Liv and Darcy make for great main characters, and I liked how the two complemented each other. There was something about both of them that made me root for them almost immediately, and I simply HAD to keep reading to discover what really happened to Liv. It was such a fascinating journey following Liv around and unearthing little nuggets of the truth along the way... The twists are very well done, and I never did discover who was behind it all. There is an intensity to the whole plot, but that tension only escalates until the story reaches its explosive and very successful ending. What a way to wrap things up!

The writing is extremely engaging and the pace lightning-fast, and I literally raced through this book. Unputdownable indeed! Stay Awake turns out to be another highly successful thriller and it shows why Megan Goldin is on my list of favorite thriller authors. I can't wait to see what she will come up with next! Highly entertaining, suspenseful, gripping and basically a rollercoaster ride: Stay Awake is perfect for those who enjoy this type of thrillers. Make sure to clear your schedule before you pick it up though, because you won't be able to stop reading.

I listened to this one straight through on our road trip and I was fully engrossed in the story. It did slow down a bit in the middle, but it still held my attention in anticipation of later events.

This is told in dual POVs and timelines. We get Detective Halliday’s POV investigating the murder connected to Liv, as well as Liv’s POV in the present and right before her memory loss. I thought it was a nice balance of amnesia thriller and police procedural.

I can’t even imagine the frustration of forgetting everything every time you wake up. I do think her notes to herself could have been more helpful and overall it was pretty repetitive, but the concept was interesting enough to keep me engaged.

This is totally worth picking up if you like thrillers with an amnesia plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the gifted copies in exchange for an honest review!

Like many others, I really enjoyed Megan Goldin's "Night Swim" so I eagerly anticipated her next thriller. "Stay Awake" did not disappoint! Liv Reese is suffering from a mysterious form of amnesia where she forgets everything every time she falls asleep. Her only clues are written all over her hands. This was fun, twisty and fresh and a great summer read.

This was very close to being a four-star read until realised just how many things were unresolved… there’s nothing that bothers me more in a thriller than unresolved plot points. Why didn’t we get answers into who paid the guy and why to do all those weird things to Liv? I don’t think it really made sense in context of the big reveal as to why Brett would be messing with her like that. It wasn’t even addressed. I honestly would’ve loved it if that had all been Kevin and he/the guy he paid had seen the murder while they were being creeps and they ended up teaming up with Liv! Ya know? But there were others too: e.g. resolve regarding Zee/Q. Reminded me of the Silent Patient in the way that red herrings were introduced for the sake of distraction, but never had any plausible resolution which I think is what makes for a true high-quality thriller.

On the positive side: absolutely a page-turner, reminiscent of Memento and a darker 50 First Dates, and I loved the dual POV. The weird stalker stuff happening to Liv fully creeped me out and a thriller always get a gold star for that in my books. I’m not mad I read it at all!

I think more time could’ve been invested on the back-end of the book, even if it meant condensing some of Liv’s chaos running around or the detective work.

The author’s writing was a little distracting at times - there were many passages that were repetitive and maybe I’m a terrible person for saying this but if espresso is spelled expresso MULTIPLE times in a book… come oooooon.

Side note… I would’ve liked to have seen Krause get what was coming to him, that misogynistic prick. Another loose thread that felt like it should’ve been wrapped up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc

This book is all about the amnesia trope and it pulls it off well. The story starts is a great hook and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. The main character, Liv, is realistic and you feel for her. I liked her and following her journey. This is a thrilling read. If you love fiction with twists and turns this is a must-read!

Let me start by saying this book had me hooked from the start! I have read so many psychological thrillers lately that have felt predictable, but Stay Awake was anything but that! Liv wakes up in the back of a cap with no recollection of how she got there. This cycle continues each time she wakes up, and it only gets more puzzling. The twist is worth the wait. This book kept me on edge and kept me guessing. I highly recommend giving it a read!

Where to start?
I loved Goldin’s book “The Night Swim”, so I thought I would also love this one. I mean, a woman who blacks out and then wakes up with life around her being different? What an interesting premise. However, it fell flat quite early on.
It started out strong and I was intrigued. However, the writing started to feel repetitive and frankly, like someone unpracticed in writing novels was writing it. I don’t remember Goldin’s writing being like this. It started to annoy me, and I sadly DNF’d at 9%.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Imagine waking up and not remembering anything from the last two years. And imagine that happening every time you wake up! We follow Live Reese as she struggles to make sense of her current situation. With strange messages written on her walls and her body, she doesn't know who to trust and where to go next. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced thriller, this book is definitely for you. I couldn't recommend this book more!

I listened to the audio version and the narrators were perfect for this book! The storyline captivated me from the very beginning and the mystery kept me guessing almost to the end. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m adding her other books to my TBR list immediately!!