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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
The plot just wasn't as intriguing as I thought it would be. The heroine wasn't compelling.
The worst part was unfortunately the narrator of the audiobook. She over-emphasized every other word and her voice made the character sound constantly annoyed or appalled at everything. It was very distracting.
The worst part was unfortunately the narrator of the audiobook. She over-emphasized every other word and her voice made the character sound constantly annoyed or appalled at everything. It was very distracting.
Stuck between a 4 and a 5. Loved the premise and couldn’t put it down, but I really wanted a little more of the “why” when the ending was revealed
It was good, but it was too much back and forth towards the end. I figured out who did it and I was ready for the story to wrap up.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 rounded up. This was very meh. Not much excitement throughout and the ending was verrrry lackluster. I didn’t mind the detective. It made you want to know what was happening, though.
I love mysteries that start fast and keep that pacing throughout. They’re perfect for pulling me out of reading slumps or book hangovers. All that to say, Stay Awake from Megan Goldin started with intrigue on page one, and it was the perfect book to pull me out of my latest book hangover. The story Stay Awake begins with the main character, known as Liv, who has lost her memory. We quickly realize she must stay awake to avoid losing her memory again. This synopsis may sound familiar to anyone familiar with anterograde amnesia, and there were moments when I was reminded of the movie, Memento. That said, Stay Awake provides an extremely unique twist on amnesia tying in a murder mystery and the mystery of how/when Liv lost her memory. Add to that dual pov’s (mc & detective) & dual timelines (past and present) and the story becomes incredibly interesting. Definitely worth bringing it beachside, if you’re looking for suspense.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Horribly boring. DNF at about 25%. It just feels like everything is going nowhere, and we keep hearing the same thing seven times over.
Review edited on June 9, 2025:
Downgraded from 4.5 stars to 1 star. I don't support z*onists.
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I received an ALC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
WOWWWWW this was UNPUTDOWNABLE. When Liv Reese goes to sleep, she wakes up with no memory of the past 2 years of her life. Her hands and arms are covered with scribbled messages to help her remember. As she tries to piece together her memories, Liv finds herself accused of a crime she doesn't remember committing. If you've seen the movie Memento, then you're already familiar with this type of amnesia.
I LOVE the way the narrative unravels, slowly feeding you with bits and pieces, and forcing you to keep turning the pages. That's what made the story so addictive. Despite the amnesia trope, it didn't feel repetitive whenever Liv had to re-learn about her past. I did get frustrated that it took Liv forever to finally use Google to do some basic searches about the people she was trying to find. She should have probably written "GOOGLE SEARCH" on her hand 😂
Parts of this story creeped me out SO MUCH omg. I had chills listening to the audiobook at night. The culprit's identity is actually so obvious - right there in your face obvious LOL. But this very obvious clue is hidden among a million red herrings. It also doesn't help that the main narrator is unreliable. There was only one red herring that was left unexplained and ironically, it was this particular red herring that fooled me for the longest time. But hey, I'm proud of myself for eventually figuring it out 😂
I highly recommend this one on audio! Both narrators were so good!!
P.S. Loved the ending iykyk
Downgraded from 4.5 stars to 1 star. I don't support z*onists.
------------------------------------------------
I received an ALC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
WOWWWWW this was UNPUTDOWNABLE. When Liv Reese goes to sleep, she wakes up with no memory of the past 2 years of her life. Her hands and arms are covered with scribbled messages to help her remember. As she tries to piece together her memories, Liv finds herself accused of a crime she doesn't remember committing. If you've seen the movie Memento, then you're already familiar with this type of amnesia.
I LOVE the way the narrative unravels, slowly feeding you with bits and pieces, and forcing you to keep turning the pages. That's what made the story so addictive. Despite the amnesia trope, it didn't feel repetitive whenever Liv had to re-learn about her past. I did get frustrated that it took Liv forever to finally use Google to do some basic searches about the people she was trying to find. She should have probably written "GOOGLE SEARCH" on her hand 😂
Parts of this story creeped me out SO MUCH omg. I had chills listening to the audiobook at night. The culprit's identity is actually so obvious - right there in your face obvious LOL. But this very obvious clue is hidden among a million red herrings. It also doesn't help that the main narrator is unreliable. There was only one red herring that was left unexplained and ironically, it was this particular red herring that fooled me for the longest time. But hey, I'm proud of myself for eventually figuring it out 😂
I highly recommend this one on audio! Both narrators were so good!!
P.S. Loved the ending iykyk