This book had great characterization, excellent story telling, and made me want to keep reading. I will continue to read from this author and look out for their new releases.

This book had so much potential but it was just flat. What I found out about myself with this book is I don’t enjoy reading from the POV of unreliable main characters especially ones as stupid as Liv. It would've been helpful if she wrote more helpful things on her body other than “stay awake” and not wondering around the city.
The conclusion left me with more questions than answers. For example, who was stalking Liv and why before the murders? Did I some missed it?

I believe this is the second book I’ve read by Goldin and of course I will read future books. I loved The Night Swim.

Picture 50 first dates but much darker and no ukuleles and Lucy is in danger. I love this concept. The bouncing around between two years ago and two weeks ago and the present may give some readers a headache but this read just took a few a digits and kept on reading.

I love books by Megan Goldin, and this was no different. Thank you so much for sending my way to read and review!

OK, so I have mixed feelings about this one.

I loved the idea of the amnesia premises. I adored Detectives Halliday and Lavelle. Halliday made the book and is the reason why I continued to turn the pages. The detectives are why I gave this book 3 stars. Well them, the who done it, and the fact I actually finished this one, since I seem to be DNFing a hell of a lot of books lately.

On the flip side, Liv's character drove me freaking nuts. Some days her character felt too stupid to live. And yes, I'm fully away she suffers from amnesia due to a traumatic event. But lord, this chick didn't make very smart moves or decisions 90% of the time. Never asked for help. Ran when she should have stayed. Wrote dumb shit on her body instead of pertinent info. Etc.

On top of that, the book was repetitive. And not just in the fact we live a good chunk of Liv's days over. The writing needed an editor and proofing. If all the repetitive sentences were taken out this book would have been much shorter. Due to this, the pacing sometimes felt off.

The two twist: I figured out one of them rather quickly. However, I did not figure out the who done it. Which looking back, the signs were there.

If I'm being honest, while this was just an okay read, Stay Awake probably isn't a book I would recommend to a friend. There just wasn't enough parts to it that wowed me or made me fall in love. With that said, no two people read the same book, so if you choose to settle in with this one, I hope you have a much more enjoyable ride than I did.

Stay Awake plays so many mind games and I literally couldn’t get enough! I loved this book so much!

Liv stole my heart from the very first page. The tangled web of her past had me in a choke hold. I found myself racing through to find out the truth. I really don’t want to say much because I feel like you need to go into this one completely blind to fully appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish. And boy do I think she accomplished it.

I feel like this is a book I’m going to think about for many years to come.
5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

another knockout from Goldin! she has quickly become a new favorite thriller author and this one did not disappoint! it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite thriller movies, Memento, and i could not put this book down!

I really enjoyed the Night Swim by this author! This title Stay Awake was not as strong as...it fell short for me. Hard to follow at times and just didn't pack a punch.

So this was a quick and easy read. Interesting enough to keep your attention and see where’s it’s going.
The main character Liv was a bit insufferable. The decisions she made and the actions she took made no sense at times. I understand her entire world is throw off every time she wakes up, but come on, you have to at least still have some common sense. This one was a bit of a let down after loving “The Night Swim”, however if you’re like me and enjoyed Goldin’s previous books then reading this one for yourself could be worth it.

This was a very suspenseful book! Luv has a memory problem. Something bad has happened. And nothing is what she remembers. As more things start to happen, she tries to put the pieces together to figure out what has happened to her.

I'm torn on how I feel about this book because it was an entertaining mystery and most of the ending surprised me, so that's good. On the other hand, Liv's chapters became so painfully repetitive and she kept doing the most frustrating things. Every time she came across a person who could give her answers or helpful information she would decide to just leave without asking questions instead. I have trouble believing someone in her situation would act this way or make these choices. I also have trouble believing someone could write so much info on their hands and arms without it getting smudged. Notes, phone numbers, addresses... How big are her arms?? Is she not sweating at all while she runs all over town freaking out? I know that we were supposed to experience her having the same thoughts each time she woke up, but after a while I just wanted it to end. I found her pre-memory loss backstory chapters annoying as well. Had it not been for the chapters with the detectives solving the case, I might have given up.

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for this egalley.

I love Megan Goldin. She does such a wonderful job hooking me in her stories. I loved this book as it has a really likeable narrator that you can't help but root for.

For fans of the movie Momento, you'll find yourself jumping timelines in the story and working to piece it all together. I love being a deceptive in books trying to solve the puzzle before the end of the book. This book led me on a great adventure.

Really enjoyed this novel. Story was very interesting and engaging. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommend!

This is a heart-pounding novel that will captivate readers from start to finish. The author skillfully crafts a suspenseful narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns, ensuring an enthralling reading experience.

The story introduces readers to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. As the plot unfolds, their lives become intertwined in a high-stakes game of danger and deceit. The author expertly maintains a sense of suspense throughout the book, keeping readers guessing and eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to create a palpable atmosphere of tension and unease. The author's vivid descriptions and attention to detail transport readers into the world of the story, making them feel as if they are right alongside the characters, experiencing the thrilling events firsthand.

"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." What does this mean, why is this written on her hands? Did she do this to herself , did she do something she does not even know about, will she get her memory back? Have to read this book to find out. Such great engaging story from beginning to end , also a quick read, fantastic book. Give it 4 stars. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and the author in exchange for a review.
Published 8/9/22

This thriller set in NYC was a hit for me. It starts out with Liv Reese waking up in the back of a cab with no recollection of how she got there, no phone, no purse, and no idea why there is writing in ink all over her hands and arms. Liv suffers from a rare form of amnesia where her brain resets every time she sleeps - and she can't remember anything that has happened in the last two years. Liv tries everything she can to stay awake, from No-Doz pills to caffeine drinks. We follow Liv as she tries to piece together the events of the last couple of days, weeks, and years.

I loved the premise of this book and it started off with a bang and pulled me right in. The book slowed down in the middle and got a little repetitive when Liv wakes up and has to discover everything all over again. But the ending picked up again and I enjoyed the way the author wrapped everything up. I definitely had a different suspect in mind throughout the book and was a little surprised at the reveal. And I really liked Detective Darcy Halliday and enjoyed her character throughout the story.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Stay Awake is yet another thriller that features an MC with memory problems, but this time, instead of a substance abuse problem, the cause is psychological. Every time the MC falls asleep, she wakes up thinking it's two years prior. It reminded me of Drew Barrymore's character in 50 First Dates.

I appreciated the short chapters. It was a quick read because I had to know how it would pan out. However, there were many moments where I almost rolled my eyes into the back of my head. There is always an expectation that suspension of disbelief is required when it comes to thrillers, but this novel went beyond the normal.

These were a few plot points that annoyed me the most:

-I may not be a LEO, but I know enough to know they would never publicly release a killer's calling card on an unsolved murder.
-The media does not give a moniker to killers over one murder.
-As you get further along in the book, you'll be able to figure out what's going on, but almost every chapter ended with a character about to learn pertinent information, only to find out it was unavailable. This was extremely frustrating.
-The basic details of high-profile murders can be found online, especially when they happen in a large city like New York. It's ridiculous that the detectives could not find ANY information until they got their hands on the police case file. Of course, they received it towards the very end.
-I've worked in NYC for 10 years. There's zero chance anyone is getting past building security to enter an office without a visitor or work badge.
-The novel takes place in NYC, but based on the descriptions, it was evident that the author wasn't too familiar with the city.

Overall, I found this to be a silly novel, but I will give Megan Goldin one more try, as I heard Night Swim is much better.

Started off strong, but about halfway through Is where I got lost. Add in the fact that the ending was just too nicely put together, and a few forced things to get the plot moving, and you have yourself a mediocre book.

I will say though, this author really knows how to set a scene! I will definitely read her previous book to see if it’s better!

Fantastic thriller that keeps you guessing and trying to put the pieces together. I really love this author and enjoy everything they put out

This was an expertly plotted thriller that will cause you to stay awake until you read the very last page.

Liv wakes up every day not remembering who she is and finds messages of “Stay Awake” written on her arms. She sees a news story of a murder with the same message written in blood on the window and Liv finds a bloody knife in her possession. The story then alternates between past and the present, where she spends the day trying to piece together clues only to do it all over again tomorrow.

I was blown away by this one and read it in two days. I literally couldn’t put it down.