Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
4 / 5 Stars
340 Pages
Originally Published in 2022
Finished Reading on September 14, 2024
When Liv Reese wakes up in a taxi with no memory of the last two years, things quickly spiral out of control. Her hands are inked with cryptic messages, including one that says Stay Awake. Her apartment is no longer hers, her phone is missing, and the news is reporting a murder with her name tangled in the headlnies.
In this psychological thriller, Liv must piece together the fragments of her memory before the truth catches up to her. And before she forgets again. I picked up Stay Awake on a weekend when my brain felt like it needed a good jolit. And WOW did this deliver.
Between mom life, work, and my eternal battle to stay awake past 9pm, this book felt eerily relatable (minus the amnesia and murder, of course). If you’ve ever juggled so much that you forget what day it is, Liv’s panic will hit a little too close to home.
“Stay awake. Stay awake. Stay awake.”
What I Loved
The memory loss plot was brilliantly executed. Every time Liv woke up confused, I felt the disorientation right along with her. Megan Goldin does a fantastic job of building tension without overwhelming the reader. And the dual timeline structure made the mystery feel layered and compelling.
The inclusion of a detective’s perspective gave the story even more dimension. It balanced Liv’s chaos with a grounded investigation. I found myself completely sucked into the unraveling of her past and the urgency of her present.
“The truth is slippery, especially when your own mind is working against you.”
What I Didn’t Love
It took a little time to get fully immersed in the story. While the early confusion is intentional, it made it hard to connect right away. It mirrors Liv’s own experiences, so I totally understand why; it just took me a little to get into the story.
I also felt that some of the supporting characters, particularly those tied to Liv’s past, could’ve used more development. Their motivations and relationships were a little hazy. This dulled the emotional impact of some key revelations.
“Memories are like shadows – sometimes they disappear when you need them most.”
Final Thoughts
At its core, Stay Awake is about the terrifying fragility of memory and how our identity can unravel without it. It explores the idea of trusting yourself – even when your mind is working against you – and how the past ha a way of creeping back into the present no matter how deeply it’s buried. It’s also a story of resilience, especially from a female lead who’s determined to reclaim her narrative despite the chaos.
This book is for readers who:
- Love psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators
- Enjoy stories told through split timelines or dual point-of-view
- Appreciate books that start with a bang and keep you guessing
Stay Awake is the kind of thriller that plays with your perception until the very end. With a chilling premise and relentless pacing, it’s perfect for fans of Before I Go to Sleep or The Girl on the Train.
This was a solid 4-star thriller read!
What’s a thriller you couldn’t put down no matter how late it got?
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