STAY AWAKE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

💤I read The Night Swim at the very beginning of this year and loved it! I was so excited to read Megan Goldin’s latest thriller that published last week! While I enjoyed the overall story, this one wasn’t as big of a hit for me.

💤Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Liv wakes up in the back of taxi with no memory of how she got there. When she arrives at her apartment, she finds strangers are living there; strangers who claim Liv hasn’t lived there in over 2 years. She has no idea what’s going on, no cellphone to contact any of her friends, and has a bloody knife in her bag. The only clue are the words “STAY AWAKE” written in pen on her hands. The news channels across the city are reporting on a gruesome murder that took place, and Liv can’t shake the feeling that she was at the murder scene. If only she could remember what happened…

💤The concept of this one was very intriguing to me! The idea that all of your current memories are reset every time you fall asleep is terrifying. However, I didn’t love the way the story was executed. I know that the constant repetition was there because Liv can’t remember anything and so she’s hearing the same details about her life every time she wakes up. But it started to get frustrating reading the same information over and over throughout the book. I still enjoyed this story overall, but thought it dragged at times. I have two more of this author’s backlist books to read and I definitely plan on reading them soon!!

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a narrator and the novel. This book did both.
Stay Awake don't sleep you forget everything when you sleep. This is the premise of this novel and it will keep you guessing until the very end.

I really liked the premise of this story but I didn't find the execution to be quite thrilling enough. The story kind of dragged for me and I found it to be a bit slow and repetitive. There were times when I heard a sentence and thought huh, I feel like she's said that before? Which makes sense since she forgot everything she's said before but for a reader it's a bit tiresome. I also got a little confused at times on which timeframe we were in - it was hard to keep track at times since Liv didn't seem to know either! Overall I enjoyed it but I didn't love it - I will also say that the second half of the book was much stronger than the first,. I've loved other books by Megan Goldin and will continue to read what she puts out, but this sadly wasn't a hit for me.

Wow!!! This book was so incredibly twisted that I was hooked and needed to find out what was happening.

I wish that I would have taken notes to keep her story straight because of her memory issues. So it was wonderful to feel her emotions and feeling discombulated as well.

This is seriously one of the best thrillers I have read in a long time!!!

Well done, Megan! I loved every page!

Okay, so the first 30% of this book was a tad slow going for me with the mysterious story building, but once you get a solid Idea of the then/now storyline, IT GOT GOOD! It was super edgy and I couldn't listen to it at dark. I loved the premise of the 50 Blinds date, but make it a murder mystery, and I loved it! My only qualm was I felt the ending was predictable and a bit boring, but overall, an amazing thriller I totally recommend!

The narrators Imogen Church and January LaVoy both did amazing jobs of narrating to add to the mystery/ suspense. I loved their voices and they totally added to the story!

Brief Plot: Liv has woken up without a memory of where she is, when it it, and what's happened for everything in life to change. She soon discovers she's two years ahead of her most recent memory, and has blood on her hand and hand written notes to tell her to stay awake. When she learns she is wanted for murder, she has to learn what's going on, but every time she falls asleep, she forgets everything all over again.

Thank you NetGalley & McMillian audio for an eARC copy of this audiobook!

I'm so glad I listened to the audiobook during the daytime, or else I probably wouldn't have been able to fall asleep. This story kept me on my toes the entire time, constantly trying to figure out what tragic event happened to make Liv lose her memory. I can't imagine having your mind reset to a specific day in your past, every time you fall asleep.

With plenty of plot twists and moments you won't expect, you'll be questioning who to trust, and whether she's safe with anyone she interacts with. The author did an amazing job of telling the story, while not confusing you with the time jumps as it unfolds. Loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to suspense lovers!

I really enjoyed this one, it was quite the ride! It kept me guessing until the very end. Another hit by 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.

This book was a wild ride!! Imagine waking up in a taxi with no clue where you are or how you got there—oh and there is a bloody knife 🔪 in your coat pocket. This is how this story starts and it only gets crazier from there. Without telling too much imagine 50 first dates with a murder and no humor—that sums up what Liv Reese is going through . She sees her hands and arms covered with notes to herself and she doesn’t know who to trust.
I really liked the way this story was told and enjoyed the pace.

The narrator was also excellent and a perfect match for the story—well done.

Solid 4 stars ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review
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Suspenseful, well paced, kept my attention all throughout the book. I enjoyed the storyline and the twists. Will definitely read more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley for the audio eARC.

"The unique plot of STAY AWAKE reeled me in and kept me in its thrall until the very end!"

My full review is posted on FreshFiction.com.

First of all I love this cover and the blurb on the book drew me in; they are both so strong!
I was taken aback by the repetitiveness of the whole plot, although, I understood the story line was about this forgetful health condition, I couldn’t keep up with the timeline at times.
Once I was over trying to figure out the plotline, it was good and everything came together. The first part was slow burned and the second half was where the thriller came to fruition. I feel this book was entertaining.
I also feel this book would better to be read in a physical or ebook form rather than an audiobook because is easier to go back a check if need to.

I enjoyed this one. It did get a tad bit repetitive, but I enjoyed the twist at the end. I thought the way her memory loss presented was unique and did find myself wanting her story to continue at the end.

I really enjoyed this book by Megan Goldin. It kept me guessing until the end. I would recommend it.

Sometimes I really enjoy diving into books that people either love or hate because I just want to see which side of the argument that I inevitably will end up on.

Stay Awake is most definitely one of those books.

I’ve been hit or miss with Goldin’s books. The Escape Room wasn’t for me, but I loved Night Swim. I ended up really enjoying Stay Awake.

Stay Awake is a psychological thriller that is 50 First Dates meets Christopher Nolan’s Memento. Liv Reese suffers from a type of amnesia where every time she goes to sleep (which the reader learns is due to a trauma that she experienced), she forgets everything. The story begins with her waking up in the back of a taxi and trying to return home only to find out that strangers live there, and there’s a bloody knife in her pocket. She also has the words STAY AWAKE scribbled all over herself, which the reader quickly learns becomes the mantra that is said on repeat throughout the story.

Now, if you’re a person that hates repetition then you will HATE this book. Since the only lens that the reader has is Liv’s, the reader learns everything as she does, which means that a lot of things get repeated since she inevitably forgets things when she dozes off. And home girl is not doing herself any favors with loading up on caffeine pills and everything else to ward off sleep since she ends up creating an insomnia induced fever dream more often than not.

I really commend Goldin for taking on this type of storyline because it’s difficult to execute an unreliable narrator in this type of setting. So yes, this story is repetitive, but I found myself really engrossed and wanting Liv to get the answers that she desperately needs. And while I can’t say that I was completely surprised by the turn of events, I found the execution of the story engaging.

And as a last caveat, Memento is one of my all time favorite movies, and I think that Goldin did a fantastic job creating a storyline in a similar sort of vein.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this audiobook ARC. #macmilllanaudio #netgalley

I enjoyed the audiobook. I also read the book as well. It's a good story. I didn't quite connect with the narrator voice. Personally that's something I liked when I listen to an audiobook. But I did up the speed up a bit and that helped. But not a bad read. 3.5

After surviving a brutal assault, Liv Reese suffers from psychologically-induced amnesia. She can't remember anything that's happened in the last two years, and to make matters worse, every time she goes to sleep, the clock resets. Any information learned while she was awake is erased from her memory, including the new relationships she's formed, the life she created overseas, and the fact that she is the sole survivor of and the key witness to a massacre. Armed only with scribbled messages on her hands and arms, Liv must decipher these cryptic clues if she plans to solve the crime and clear her name.

Thoughts on the audio version: While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wasn't a fan of the audio version. There were two narrators, and the actress voicing Liv Reese's character overplayed her confusion, making her speech incredibly slow and drawn out. About a quarter of the way in, I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish the audio version and would have to switch to a physical copy. I decided to try speeding up the narration, which is something I never do, but it did the trick. Once I increased the narration of Liv's chapters to 1.5-2x the speed, her chapters flowed at a natural speaking pace, making it a much more enjoyable read. The only downside is the narrator voicing Detective Halliday's chapters did not speak with a slow drawl, so I had to keep switching back to a normal speed for her chapters. It was a bit tedious, but the plot was worth the hassle. If you're a reader who enjoy both reading and listening, try a physical copy first, but if you're someone who only uses audiobooks, try this trick before giving up. You won't regret it!

Twisty and captivating from the beginning. I read enough thrillers to be hard to impress and this one was pretty great!

Liv wakes up in the back of a cab. She is disoriented and unable to remember anything beyond answering the phone at work earlier that day. When she gets home, she realizes she has no phone and no purse, and cannot get into her apartment. Shamefully she knocks on the door, hoping her roommate won’t be too upset, but it isn’t her roommate who opens the door. Instead, Liv is face to face with a couple who claim they are the owners of her apartment, and threaten to call the cops if she doesn’t leave. Back on the street, unable to remember, Liv is desperate to get some answers, especially after she finds a knife in her pocket and written all over her arms are small notes, including one that says, STAY AWAKE! In another part of the city, a body is found alone in an apartment with a single stab wound to the chest. Investigators are determined to find some answers and bring the murderer to justice.

There was just a lot going on in this novel, making it difficult to put together a description that doesn’t give much away! The novel was a very unique thriller, a solid plot line that jumped right into the action from the first chapter. There were moments that were confusing, but in a good way, that made you want to keep reading and find out how all of the pieces would come together and connect.

I had the privilege of listening to the audiobook version of this novel as well as having a written copy to read. I thought the narration was very well done, clear and easy to follow along, especially with the varying time periods and character perspectives. It was a pleasant listening experience.

Megan Goldin has once again proven that she is writing solid thrillers, this is definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and Megan Goldin for the opportunity to read and listen in exchange for my honest review.

** 4.5 🌟 **

A psychological thriller involving a main character who doesn’t have any memory of what she’s done in the hours prior to waking up. Her memories revert back 2 years to a life she is no longer living. People have died, and she doesn’t remember how or when. Is she a murderer?

I quite enjoyed this (audio) book, as the character development was sufficient to carry the story, the suspense was definitely there, and the evidence and capture of the real murderer was very well wrapped up with no loose ends.

A great read for thriller buffs.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.