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I Can't Sleep
“I can’t sleep.
Not since June 16th, 2018.
Not since what happened…”
Traumatised by the events of her past, exhausted by insomnia, Becky Braithwaite believes that a new start will help her to recover.
She leaves home to fulfil her brother’s dreams, and honour the life he never had…
but she soon finds that escaping from the past is not as easy as she imagined.
Is her fatigued mind playing tricks on her, or is danger really lurking in the shadows?
This unputdownable psychological thriller will keep you turning the pages to find out the truth.
Not since June 16th, 2018.
Not since what happened…”
Traumatised by the events of her past, exhausted by insomnia, Becky Braithwaite believes that a new start will help her to recover.
She leaves home to fulfil her brother’s dreams, and honour the life he never had…
but she soon finds that escaping from the past is not as easy as she imagined.
Is her fatigued mind playing tricks on her, or is danger really lurking in the shadows?
This unputdownable psychological thriller will keep you turning the pages to find out the truth.
Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2020
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About the author
J.E. Rowney
39 books814 followersWriter.
Visit my website for previews, further information.
http://www.jerowney.com/
"I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."
Visit my website for previews, further information.
http://www.jerowney.com/
"I always dreamed of being a writer, until I realised that I was. Then I started to write."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
September 29, 2020
Rebecca Braithwaite (Becky), 18 years old, is in her first year of university. She shares a flat with three other first year students. She cannot sleep. Since her older brother, Jordan, died a couple of years ago, in circumstances we are not privy to until nearly the end of the book, Becky has suffered insomnia. Oh sure, she survives on micro sleeps which add up to a handful of hours a day but it is not enough.
Still, she is tackling her journalism course with as much gusto and dedication a chronically sleep deprived person can muster. But weird things are happening. At first it’s the crank calls where she can hear breathing but no one talks. Then she feels she is being watched. She feels her space is being invaded. But it all sounds so silly when she tries to explain it to her friend or to campus security. Is someone screwing with her? Or is her sleep deprived brain conjuring up paranoid delusions? There is a sense of creeping menace as the situation comes to a head. Then the ending! That ending...
It was a quick read, not particularly original or deep but nevertheless enjoyable and quite engaging. While I haven’t read many books where insomnia is almost a character, the result is still a classic example of the unreliable narrator. And it works well - I really wanted to know how Jordan died and whether Becky’s paranoid imaginings were just that, or dangerously real. This book will appeal to those who like a quick psychological thriller that is not too complicated. While I often prefer a more complex story, this sort of quick read is also excellent for a change of pace or as a circuit breaker from heavier and more demanding texts. Thanks to Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and J.E. Rowney for a copy. My opinions are my own.
Still, she is tackling her journalism course with as much gusto and dedication a chronically sleep deprived person can muster. But weird things are happening. At first it’s the crank calls where she can hear breathing but no one talks. Then she feels she is being watched. She feels her space is being invaded. But it all sounds so silly when she tries to explain it to her friend or to campus security. Is someone screwing with her? Or is her sleep deprived brain conjuring up paranoid delusions? There is a sense of creeping menace as the situation comes to a head. Then the ending! That ending...
It was a quick read, not particularly original or deep but nevertheless enjoyable and quite engaging. While I haven’t read many books where insomnia is almost a character, the result is still a classic example of the unreliable narrator. And it works well - I really wanted to know how Jordan died and whether Becky’s paranoid imaginings were just that, or dangerously real. This book will appeal to those who like a quick psychological thriller that is not too complicated. While I often prefer a more complex story, this sort of quick read is also excellent for a change of pace or as a circuit breaker from heavier and more demanding texts. Thanks to Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and J.E. Rowney for a copy. My opinions are my own.
July 10, 2020
An intriguing title and for 2020 I think sums a lot of us up at least some of the time, the title definitely got my attention
A quick read, one of those books you started and needed to finish to find out the what, why, how and when
Becky has insomnia, bad life altering insomnia and it is described in a way that makes you realise just how debilitating a condition it is....but there is a reason Becky has it, a life changing event that has affected her and her family for the past 2 years...She has now moved to Uni and hopes for a ‘fresh start’ and maybe some actual sleep
The book then takes you on her journey through the first few weeks of Uni and what happens to her there as events get scarier and she becomes more paranoid
The ending was a surprise and not as I had expected
An interesting original idea and something different to think on/about
A quick read, one of those books you started and needed to finish to find out the what, why, how and when
Becky has insomnia, bad life altering insomnia and it is described in a way that makes you realise just how debilitating a condition it is....but there is a reason Becky has it, a life changing event that has affected her and her family for the past 2 years...She has now moved to Uni and hopes for a ‘fresh start’ and maybe some actual sleep
The book then takes you on her journey through the first few weeks of Uni and what happens to her there as events get scarier and she becomes more paranoid
The ending was a surprise and not as I had expected
An interesting original idea and something different to think on/about
April 5, 2025
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Kate Parry
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Kate Parry
April 23, 2020
Sooooooo fucking GOOD!!!
Our MC Becky thinks someone is stalking her, but can't trust her own sleep deprived brain to process what's happening around her.
Lots of totally normal, (and yet) completely fucked up stuff happening to create a compulsive read.
Get your hands on this; you will not regret it!!!
Much love to J.E. Rowney for my DRC.
Our MC Becky thinks someone is stalking her, but can't trust her own sleep deprived brain to process what's happening around her.
Lots of totally normal, (and yet) completely fucked up stuff happening to create a compulsive read.
Get your hands on this; you will not regret it!!!
Much love to J.E. Rowney for my DRC.
October 10, 2020
I Can’t Sleep is a new psychological suspense novel about an English university student struggling after the death of her beloved older brother. If you like unreliable narrators, and don’t mind being kept in the dark about key information for no particular reason other than to create plot tension, you will probably enjoy this. I’ve stayed away from this genre for a while as I was sick of the same old rehashed tropes, but was seduced by the positive reviews and promise of a killer twist at the end. I should’ve followed my instincts.
Becky Braithwaite has recently started university, and hopes that the move away from home will help ease the crippling insomnia that started two years earlier with an incident that killed her brother, Jordan, but she refuses to talk about it to anyone, not even her kind flatmates or psychiatrist. When she starts receiving silent phone calls, hearing someone call her name then disappear, and feeling that someone is stalking her, she fears she is losing her mind. What terrible secret is she hiding, and can she get help before it’s too late?
This is told in Becky’s increasingly paranoid and repetitive first person present voice: at times it reads as if she’s telling someone her story - so the present tense doesn’t really make sense, but the rest of it reads like the tedious rambling internal monologue of an insecure selfish brat who is desperate for people’s good opinion but can’t be bothered to do anything to earn it. She almost takes pride in refusing to tell her therapist anything. She earns some sympathy for revealing how she was bullied at school for possibly being a lesbian, then loses it with her callous disregard for the feelings of her parents - she’s irritated every time her mother reaches out and promises to try to remember to call her. Delightful. It’s about three quarters of the way through before we find out what happened to Jordan, and the reveal is rather a let down. I can’t talk about the ending without spoiling it but will just say I felt cheated.
I think reading this so soon after listening to Normal People was also a mistake - I really need to stay away from self-consciously damaged navel-gazing students in fiction as there are enough of them out there in real life. There’s also a lot of gratuitous swearing and a brief mention of animal abuse thrown in for shock value. The best thing I can say about this was that it was short - more than a novella, but a quick enough read for me to push through to the end, and competently written. Note to self - no more psychological “thrillers” - also I was amused by Becky’s own musings about the repetitiveness of the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
I Can’t Sleep is published on October 16th.
Becky Braithwaite has recently started university, and hopes that the move away from home will help ease the crippling insomnia that started two years earlier with an incident that killed her brother, Jordan, but she refuses to talk about it to anyone, not even her kind flatmates or psychiatrist. When she starts receiving silent phone calls, hearing someone call her name then disappear, and feeling that someone is stalking her, she fears she is losing her mind. What terrible secret is she hiding, and can she get help before it’s too late?
This is told in Becky’s increasingly paranoid and repetitive first person present voice: at times it reads as if she’s telling someone her story - so the present tense doesn’t really make sense, but the rest of it reads like the tedious rambling internal monologue of an insecure selfish brat who is desperate for people’s good opinion but can’t be bothered to do anything to earn it. She almost takes pride in refusing to tell her therapist anything. She earns some sympathy for revealing how she was bullied at school for possibly being a lesbian, then loses it with her callous disregard for the feelings of her parents - she’s irritated every time her mother reaches out and promises to try to remember to call her. Delightful. It’s about three quarters of the way through before we find out what happened to Jordan, and the reveal is rather a let down. I can’t talk about the ending without spoiling it but will just say I felt cheated.
I think reading this so soon after listening to Normal People was also a mistake - I really need to stay away from self-consciously damaged navel-gazing students in fiction as there are enough of them out there in real life. There’s also a lot of gratuitous swearing and a brief mention of animal abuse thrown in for shock value. The best thing I can say about this was that it was short - more than a novella, but a quick enough read for me to push through to the end, and competently written. Note to self - no more psychological “thrillers” - also I was amused by Becky’s own musings about the repetitiveness of the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
I Can’t Sleep is published on October 16th.
July 11, 2020
Review for 'I can't sleep' by J. E. Rowney
Read and reviewed via an ARC Copy
This is the second book that I have read by this very talented author and it most certainly won't be my last.
This book was very well written and I found the characters very strong and believable meaning I managed to connect with the story and felt like I was really in the book. This was helped by the excellent descriptions.
I was immediately hooked from the first page until the last and found it a true page turner. It is filled with suspense and mystery and leaves you questioning who is behind it all. I was not expecting the ending at all which gives it bonus points from me, nothing worse than a crime thriller where you know the ending before you even get half way through!!
This book was set in the UK which is always a bonus for me as I live there!! This book is an excellent psychological thriller that I highly recommend to fans of mystery and suspense or anyone looking for a good read!!
Rated 5/5 on Goodreads and Amazon (I loved it)
#ICantSleep #JERowney
Read and reviewed via an ARC Copy
This is the second book that I have read by this very talented author and it most certainly won't be my last.
This book was very well written and I found the characters very strong and believable meaning I managed to connect with the story and felt like I was really in the book. This was helped by the excellent descriptions.
I was immediately hooked from the first page until the last and found it a true page turner. It is filled with suspense and mystery and leaves you questioning who is behind it all. I was not expecting the ending at all which gives it bonus points from me, nothing worse than a crime thriller where you know the ending before you even get half way through!!
This book was set in the UK which is always a bonus for me as I live there!! This book is an excellent psychological thriller that I highly recommend to fans of mystery and suspense or anyone looking for a good read!!
Rated 5/5 on Goodreads and Amazon (I loved it)
#ICantSleep #JERowney
March 30, 2021
Just wow. Never expected that ending
I feel very lucky this year that 99% of what I’ve read I’ve really enjoyed
I’m not the fastest reader but I got through this book. I look forward to reading more from this author
I feel very lucky this year that 99% of what I’ve read I’ve really enjoyed
I’m not the fastest reader but I got through this book. I look forward to reading more from this author
June 6, 2021
I loved this and ripped through it, easily reading it in two sittings, I just couldn’t put it down... I want to start by saying that I HIGHLY recommend this thrilling and fun read.
In regards to the ending, I’m a little conflicted as to how I feel about it. On one hand I enjoy the twistyness of it after reading the ending and then the epilogue, and having to decide which of two conclusions the answer to it all could be... but at the same time, that really annoys me. I would prefer a conclusive ending. Not only that, the ending was just, I don’t know, it fell a little flat, which is SUCH a shame because the entire rest of the book was excellent.
But here is my dilemma, you see, this read was EXCELLENT and I felt flutters of excitement and ‘wow, what!!??’ at the end, and I put the book down feeling thrilled, so that’s a pretty good ending isn’t it? This is why I’m conflicted about the ending.
This is a fun, absorbing and twisty read that is enjoyable and so absorbing that it is hard to put down.
In regards to the ending, I’m a little conflicted as to how I feel about it. On one hand I enjoy the twistyness of it after reading the ending and then the epilogue, and having to decide which of two conclusions the answer to it all could be... but at the same time, that really annoys me. I would prefer a conclusive ending. Not only that, the ending was just, I don’t know, it fell a little flat, which is SUCH a shame because the entire rest of the book was excellent.
But here is my dilemma, you see, this read was EXCELLENT and I felt flutters of excitement and ‘wow, what!!??’ at the end, and I put the book down feeling thrilled, so that’s a pretty good ending isn’t it? This is why I’m conflicted about the ending.
This is a fun, absorbing and twisty read that is enjoyable and so absorbing that it is hard to put down.
July 24, 2020
I received a copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Unless I’ve simply forgotten a previous read, I do believe I Can’t Sleep by J.E. Rowney is the first psychological thriller I’ve ever read. I absolutely adore the genre in movies, so when I saw this book featured an LGBTQ+ main character, I jumped onboard with both feet. Luckily for me, it was worthy of being my first-ever read in a genre I will likely start keeping a closer eye on.
I loved the tension weaved into this story. It kept me turning the page and the gears in my brain spinning. I guessed—to an extent—the ending fairly early on, but not exactly as it played out. And there was just enough mystery as to whether what was happening on page truly was happening or if it was all in Becky’s head, that I couldn’t be sure my guess was accurate. So, I was delightfully on edge the entire read. Not usually something I say with a smile on my face, but I am apparently here for the heart-pounding thrill.
As a completely new reader of the genre, I can’t speak to how the ending played out in comparison to other stories with similar themes and constructs. However, I’ll admit it was a tiny bit of a disappointment to me. After being on the edge of my seat the whole book, the ending felt like a clunky and disingenuous resolution. And one I guessed fairly accurately rather early on. Still, because this story was written with an unreliable narrator and left the reader wondering with every flip of the page, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that I was able to predict the ending. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who decided to lean one way rather than the other based off the information provided.
I would recommend this to any psychological thriller lover, but I think it’s also an excellent gateway read for those who might be intrigued by the genre but never found themselves motivated enough to dip their toes in.
Unless I’ve simply forgotten a previous read, I do believe I Can’t Sleep by J.E. Rowney is the first psychological thriller I’ve ever read. I absolutely adore the genre in movies, so when I saw this book featured an LGBTQ+ main character, I jumped onboard with both feet. Luckily for me, it was worthy of being my first-ever read in a genre I will likely start keeping a closer eye on.
I loved the tension weaved into this story. It kept me turning the page and the gears in my brain spinning. I guessed—to an extent—the ending fairly early on, but not exactly as it played out. And there was just enough mystery as to whether what was happening on page truly was happening or if it was all in Becky’s head, that I couldn’t be sure my guess was accurate. So, I was delightfully on edge the entire read. Not usually something I say with a smile on my face, but I am apparently here for the heart-pounding thrill.
As a completely new reader of the genre, I can’t speak to how the ending played out in comparison to other stories with similar themes and constructs. However, I’ll admit it was a tiny bit of a disappointment to me. After being on the edge of my seat the whole book, the ending felt like a clunky and disingenuous resolution. And one I guessed fairly accurately rather early on. Still, because this story was written with an unreliable narrator and left the reader wondering with every flip of the page, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that I was able to predict the ending. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones who decided to lean one way rather than the other based off the information provided.
I would recommend this to any psychological thriller lover, but I think it’s also an excellent gateway read for those who might be intrigued by the genre but never found themselves motivated enough to dip their toes in.
July 14, 2020
Insomnia. The silent killer. The mind that gets no adequate rest can get up to all sorts of things. At the very least it makes for a classic unreliable narrator. And that’s what you have here, an 18 year old university freshman (or is it freshwoman these days) thoroughly traumatized by her beloved brother’s death two years earlier and completely addled by lack of sleep, our protagonist stumbles through her days in a sort of hazy daze and, no matter how much she strives for some sort of normalcy, becomes increasingly more and more paranoid that someone might be after her. There are mysterious occurrences, voices, phone calls…or are there? That’s the thing, she just isn’t all that sure of her reality and neither can the reader be. You get to find out, of course, it is a fairly short book and it gives you a double whammy of an ending too, almost ambiguously so, but then again, very much along the lines of what you might have expected. So it’s a reasonably prototypical female thriller, although there’s no split narration or any of that, it’s a pretty straight forward first person descent into madness and it works pretty well for what it is. Despite the characters’ young ages, this definitely doesn’t read YA, so kudos to the author on that. And the claustrophobic atmosphere of uncertainty, inability to trust one’s own experiences, the constant exhaustion, the fear, the liminal sort of consciousness levels…that’s all very well rendered and makes for a fairly compelling read. It might have done with a more nuances or more twisted of an ending, but, you know, for the time invested, it’s fine, it worked. Made for a decently entertaining quick read. Thanks Netgalley.
March 28, 2020
At a first impression, this book really appealed to me as I love psychological thrillers. However, I found the main protagonist difficult to relate to. She has obviously got severe psychological issues triggered by events in her past, which are exacerbated by insomnia, and I found it difficult to like her, although not because of her issues. This may be due to the 30 year age difference; normally the characters in the books I read are more my own age.
The storyline was gripping, and I had just started to really get into it, when I realised I was almost at the end of the book! The ending was quite abrupt, and left me with more questions than it answered. It almost felt as though the author had had enough, and couldn’t be bothered coming up with a proper conclusion, so she left her readers to make their own minds up. Sometimes this can work in books, but not so much in this case.
Overall I enjoyed it, but for me it would have been so much better if the ending had been expanded, and proper conclusions drawn. I’ll still look out for more books by this author!
The storyline was gripping, and I had just started to really get into it, when I realised I was almost at the end of the book! The ending was quite abrupt, and left me with more questions than it answered. It almost felt as though the author had had enough, and couldn’t be bothered coming up with a proper conclusion, so she left her readers to make their own minds up. Sometimes this can work in books, but not so much in this case.
Overall I enjoyed it, but for me it would have been so much better if the ending had been expanded, and proper conclusions drawn. I’ll still look out for more books by this author!
March 6, 2021
I like the idea of the book, but feels so much like an unfinished book. The ending was unexpected, to be fair, though I guessed half of it very early into the reading.
Full review to come.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full review to come.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2025
Disappointed!
July 23, 2020
I'm not usually a psychological thriller type reader. I'm much more of a romance reader. However, I stumbled across this book and decided it was a must-read. I'm not even sure what it was about the description, but it did it for me.
As someone who doesn't generally read the genre, I can't compare this story to others within the psychological thriller category. All I can do is give you my honest impression and explain how it made me feel.
So, that being said... I was on the edge of my proverbial chair almost all the way until the end. If nothing else, I'm pretty sure this book has just opened me to a whole new world of genre reading. It will not be the last psychological thriller I read. Not by a long shot.
However, once I actually got to the end, I was... disappointed, to say the very least. All the tension and drama and ohmygodwhat'sgonnahappennext that went into the first 90% of the book just fizzled out into nothingness. It all felt like it was for nothing.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As someone who doesn't generally read the genre, I can't compare this story to others within the psychological thriller category. All I can do is give you my honest impression and explain how it made me feel.
So, that being said... I was on the edge of my proverbial chair almost all the way until the end. If nothing else, I'm pretty sure this book has just opened me to a whole new world of genre reading. It will not be the last psychological thriller I read. Not by a long shot.
However, once I actually got to the end, I was... disappointed, to say the very least. All the tension and drama and ohmygodwhat'sgonnahappennext that went into the first 90% of the book just fizzled out into nothingness. It all felt like it was for nothing.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 2, 2020
An advance reading copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I Can't Sleep by J.E. Rowney is a psychological suspense novel, full of twists and turns, it will leave you guessing until the very end.
The story follows young student Becky, always the outcast, she spent her teenage years being tormented by bullies, having only her brother for support and guidance.
When tragedy strikes, Becky is left traumatised by the death of her beloved older brother, leaving her suffering from depression, anxiety and most of all insomnia.
Laying awake all night and with no medications helping, Becky only manages to have 5 minute micro sleeps, sometimes at the most inconvenient times.
Hoping for a fresh start, Becky decides to leave home, to fulfill her brothers dream and study journalism at college.
However she soon finds out, that leaving the past behind isn't as easy as she thought, as strange things start to happen and she has a feeling she may be being watched.
Unsure if someone is out to get her, or if her sleep deprived mind is playing tricks on her, Becky struggles to make sense of everything that is happening.
I have given this book 3.5+ stars ⭐⭐⭐
While I did find the story a little slow and the main character an unreliable source and difficult to connect with, I certainly didn't see the twists or the ending coming.
It is worth persevering for.
I Can't Sleep by J.E. Rowney is a psychological suspense novel, full of twists and turns, it will leave you guessing until the very end.
The story follows young student Becky, always the outcast, she spent her teenage years being tormented by bullies, having only her brother for support and guidance.
When tragedy strikes, Becky is left traumatised by the death of her beloved older brother, leaving her suffering from depression, anxiety and most of all insomnia.
Laying awake all night and with no medications helping, Becky only manages to have 5 minute micro sleeps, sometimes at the most inconvenient times.
Hoping for a fresh start, Becky decides to leave home, to fulfill her brothers dream and study journalism at college.
However she soon finds out, that leaving the past behind isn't as easy as she thought, as strange things start to happen and she has a feeling she may be being watched.
Unsure if someone is out to get her, or if her sleep deprived mind is playing tricks on her, Becky struggles to make sense of everything that is happening.
I have given this book 3.5+ stars ⭐⭐⭐
While I did find the story a little slow and the main character an unreliable source and difficult to connect with, I certainly didn't see the twists or the ending coming.
It is worth persevering for.
July 26, 2020
Great book that really makes you think. I thought I would just dip in and out of this one whilst reading other things, but I was very wrong - I couldn't put it down and finished it in one afternoon. It's one of those books where nothing really happens but everything happens all at the same time. On the surface it's a day to day story of a girl getting used to being at university after a number of terrible things have happened to her, but underneath it's so much more.
It ill definitely leave you a little bit unsure of what you think you know about the storyline. Rowney has written a really good book that explores many complicated issues but inspires you to keep reading.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It ill definitely leave you a little bit unsure of what you think you know about the storyline. Rowney has written a really good book that explores many complicated issues but inspires you to keep reading.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2020
I read an ARC of this book on Kindle. I really wanted to like this book. I love the concept. Becky can't sleep because of the death of her brother. She blames herself. The opening of the book drew me in right away. But then... nine chapters of the same information over and over again. Becky can't sleep. She feels guilty. The author seems to be deliberately obfuscating by never telling us what happened to the brother until the final chapter. Nothing actually happens until Chapter 11.
Having said that, this book is well-written. The language is clear and engaging, the settings are solid and easy to picture. I honestly think this could have been a great short story. As it is, it's just an okay novel.
Having said that, this book is well-written. The language is clear and engaging, the settings are solid and easy to picture. I honestly think this could have been a great short story. As it is, it's just an okay novel.
January 2, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is set to be published in October 2020.
"I Can't Sleep" by J.E. Rowney made for a very disappointing read.
It's neither a thriller, nor a mystery and definitely not a suspense novel. It's exactly what it says on the cover and - sadly - nothing more: the self-pitying inner monologue of a whiny, completely passive teenager who complains non-stop about her insomnia and does pretty much nothing else. For the WHOLE book.
She also has very poor vocabulary (has the author ever heard of something called a thesaurus?) and no logic thinking at all. "I realised that I was sitting in silence, and that I probably looked like an idiot. I think a lot about what other people think. Apart from when I don't. Sometimes I don't think about that at all." This paragraph is one of many examples of both flaws.
The narration drags on and on and on about the tiniest, most insignificant details of the protagonist's boring days, and nothing much happens.
Basically, the protagonist is the walking and talking caricature of the sulking, moody teenager, she "can't be bothered" to do just about anything. She repeats it again and again.
Yes, there are A LOT of repetitions in this novel. And typos. And grammar slipups.
And let's not even go into how many times the word "f#@k" is used. I counted it three times in one paragraph, six times in one page... I understand there can be swearing in a novel, but ANY word that gets repeated that often is going to annoy me, not just the word "f#@k".
As for the supposed thrill, or mystery, it's a pure travesty, and the "big reveal" in the end is anything but that.
And please, don't tell me this is an LGBT novel, because it's not! Just because a couple of characters obscurely imply in passing that they might - or might not - be attracted to people of the same sex? That's not enough to make a story an LGBT novel!
"I Can't Sleep" by J.E. Rowney made for a very disappointing read.
It's neither a thriller, nor a mystery and definitely not a suspense novel. It's exactly what it says on the cover and - sadly - nothing more: the self-pitying inner monologue of a whiny, completely passive teenager who complains non-stop about her insomnia and does pretty much nothing else. For the WHOLE book.
She also has very poor vocabulary (has the author ever heard of something called a thesaurus?) and no logic thinking at all. "I realised that I was sitting in silence, and that I probably looked like an idiot. I think a lot about what other people think. Apart from when I don't. Sometimes I don't think about that at all." This paragraph is one of many examples of both flaws.
The narration drags on and on and on about the tiniest, most insignificant details of the protagonist's boring days, and nothing much happens.
Basically, the protagonist is the walking and talking caricature of the sulking, moody teenager, she "can't be bothered" to do just about anything. She repeats it again and again.
Yes, there are A LOT of repetitions in this novel. And typos. And grammar slipups.
And let's not even go into how many times the word "f#@k" is used. I counted it three times in one paragraph, six times in one page... I understand there can be swearing in a novel, but ANY word that gets repeated that often is going to annoy me, not just the word "f#@k".
As for the supposed thrill, or mystery, it's a pure travesty, and the "big reveal" in the end is anything but that.
And please, don't tell me this is an LGBT novel, because it's not! Just because a couple of characters obscurely imply in passing that they might - or might not - be attracted to people of the same sex? That's not enough to make a story an LGBT novel!
July 26, 2020
I CANT SLEEP"
I was sold just by the title as I myself suffer from episodes of insomnia on quite a few nights.
An edge of the seat, fast paced, unputdownable psychological thriller.
The story tells us about the debilitating effects and the mental state of a person who loses the privilege to sleep.
The protagonist, Becky hasn't been able to sleep normally since last two years due to a tragic event that took place. She struggles with consternation and it hampers with her daily activities to the point that she cant seem to be certain about anything anymore. She tries to leave the past behind and embarks on a fresh start by joining a university far away from her city. Being an introvert she doesn't really have many friends and leads an isolated life. Soon, some weird things start happening and you cant really understand whether they are real or our unreliable narrator's mind is playing tricks.
What I liked about it (4/5 stars)
- Page turner, short read, devoured it at once (good for getting you out of a reading slump)
- Chatty narrative
- Mystery/ Thriller punch keeps you hooked
- You wont be able to anticipate the ending. (I am usually quite good at that )
I do low key wish that the ending could have been better.
If you are someone who likes a good mystery and are looking for an intriguing, adrenaline filled read definitely pick this one!
If you cant sleep , start reading "I cant sleep".
Thankyou @NetGalley and @JERowney for an arc of this book.I would definitely look forward to reading more from the author.
I was sold just by the title as I myself suffer from episodes of insomnia on quite a few nights.
An edge of the seat, fast paced, unputdownable psychological thriller.
The story tells us about the debilitating effects and the mental state of a person who loses the privilege to sleep.
The protagonist, Becky hasn't been able to sleep normally since last two years due to a tragic event that took place. She struggles with consternation and it hampers with her daily activities to the point that she cant seem to be certain about anything anymore. She tries to leave the past behind and embarks on a fresh start by joining a university far away from her city. Being an introvert she doesn't really have many friends and leads an isolated life. Soon, some weird things start happening and you cant really understand whether they are real or our unreliable narrator's mind is playing tricks.
What I liked about it (4/5 stars)
- Page turner, short read, devoured it at once (good for getting you out of a reading slump)
- Chatty narrative
- Mystery/ Thriller punch keeps you hooked
- You wont be able to anticipate the ending. (I am usually quite good at that )
I do low key wish that the ending could have been better.
If you are someone who likes a good mystery and are looking for an intriguing, adrenaline filled read definitely pick this one!
If you cant sleep , start reading "I cant sleep".
Thankyou @NetGalley and @JERowney for an arc of this book.I would definitely look forward to reading more from the author.
July 13, 2020
Haunted by what happened in the past and suffering from insomnia, Becky moves to a new place, with hopes to graduate and start over anew. But soon strange things start happening, there are shadows lurking inside her room, and outside her window, someone keeps calling her name but don't show their face. Is her mind playing tricks on her? Has someone followed her from the past? Or is it something more sinister?
Absolutely gripping from get go, a quick, and fast paced thrilling ride. It's the kind of a book that you finish in one sitting and then gape at the wall once you've finished it. It's exceptionally written and has a spooky feel to it. This'll legit put you on the edge of your seat and will have you guessing throughout. And the ending will make you think, rethink, and overthink, just what you read. I kinda like such stories where the ending is left to the reader to take whereever they want, but I desperately wanted to discuss this ending with someone to make sense of it all, I guess I'll just wait 😅. Absolutely recommended if you are looking for something short and thrilling, but beware of how the ending will come at you 😄
Thanks to Netgalley, author and pblisher for the eARC.
Absolutely gripping from get go, a quick, and fast paced thrilling ride. It's the kind of a book that you finish in one sitting and then gape at the wall once you've finished it. It's exceptionally written and has a spooky feel to it. This'll legit put you on the edge of your seat and will have you guessing throughout. And the ending will make you think, rethink, and overthink, just what you read. I kinda like such stories where the ending is left to the reader to take whereever they want, but I desperately wanted to discuss this ending with someone to make sense of it all, I guess I'll just wait 😅. Absolutely recommended if you are looking for something short and thrilling, but beware of how the ending will come at you 😄
Thanks to Netgalley, author and pblisher for the eARC.
August 9, 2020
My Recommendation
Rebecca (Becky) used to have no trouble sleeping. However, she has had insomnia since June 16, 2018! Yet, Becky passed her A levels and went on to Wessex University. This, to prove that what had caused the insomnia would not stop Becky from living her life. (Also that what did happen was not for naught.)
At uni, Becky makes friends with Cally - who also lives in her dorm house. This is difficult because Becky does not want to be "watched" - she wants to blend in...Having just given up on therapy (now 300 miles away from home) Becky still needs her meds. She goes to the uni physician who recommends counselling for the insomnia, but does write Becky a prescription.
To be truthful, Becky never has told anyone the whole true story of what really happened with Jordan. .
Also, she has flashbacks having to do with Jordan, who is now dead. An Overall OK read. Great character depictions.
..
The reader is kept in suspense as to what really happened to Becky and Jordan...
Many Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a chance to read and review
Rebecca (Becky) used to have no trouble sleeping. However, she has had insomnia since June 16, 2018! Yet, Becky passed her A levels and went on to Wessex University. This, to prove that what had caused the insomnia would not stop Becky from living her life. (Also that what did happen was not for naught.)
At uni, Becky makes friends with Cally - who also lives in her dorm house. This is difficult because Becky does not want to be "watched" - she wants to blend in...Having just given up on therapy (now 300 miles away from home) Becky still needs her meds. She goes to the uni physician who recommends counselling for the insomnia, but does write Becky a prescription.
To be truthful, Becky never has told anyone the whole true story of what really happened with Jordan. .
Also, she has flashbacks having to do with Jordan, who is now dead. An Overall OK read. Great character depictions.
..
The reader is kept in suspense as to what really happened to Becky and Jordan...
Many Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a chance to read and review
November 29, 2020
Well what can I saw. I knew all along that something weird happened when her brother died as it caused so much trauma. It's a typical story line but you can't help to get sucked in. At one point I really thought she had gone crazy and was doing all theses things. I liked the ending and how the author left it. I didn't see that happening but it added a good fast paced moment that left you reeling. Unfortunately this happens all the time and I'm just sorry that she will never get justice.
March 21, 2020
Received an Arc copy for review.
I love thrillers but a lot seem to be the same generic plot retold. However this book is different in a good way. Kept me guessing right till the end. Loved the ending. Even though I am now questioning whether I believed anything Becky said.
Definitely will read more by this author.
I love thrillers but a lot seem to be the same generic plot retold. However this book is different in a good way. Kept me guessing right till the end. Loved the ending. Even though I am now questioning whether I believed anything Becky said.
Definitely will read more by this author.
September 4, 2020
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading. I was hooked into the story. J.E did a fantastic job with developing Becky. You could almost feel like you were apart of her world. Going through the pain that she has. J.E really brings up current social issues into a bone chilling thriller. She will leave you at the end of your seat. Turning pages until the final shocker.
February 14, 2021
Unfortunately this was a predictable story with less than ideal tension for a thriller. I was able to guess the culprit not even a 1/3 of the way through, and so it was just a case of biding time until the end.
My thanks to J.E. Rowney and Voracious Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to J.E. Rowney and Voracious Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2020
First, a thank you to NetGalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a strangely difficult read for which to write a review. I very rarely read novellas and I have to say that for such a short books it packs rather unusual punch. Minimal action occurs externally, however, an awful lots happens internally. A few reviewers have indicated that they didn't find the protagonist particularly empathetic - this was not the case for me. Perhaps it's because I've been there done that and I can say with authority that severe insomnia and it's true, a prolonged deprivation of sleep does result in physical and mental lethargy - imagine your brain encased in an enormous cotton ball - and does ultimately lead to a questionable reality. Unfortunately, this particular brand of familiarity did make it difficult to enjoy. However, this is not to say that it's a good book and in this age of mammoth books, it's brevity is a delight!
This is a strangely difficult read for which to write a review. I very rarely read novellas and I have to say that for such a short books it packs rather unusual punch. Minimal action occurs externally, however, an awful lots happens internally. A few reviewers have indicated that they didn't find the protagonist particularly empathetic - this was not the case for me. Perhaps it's because I've been there done that and I can say with authority that severe insomnia and it's true, a prolonged deprivation of sleep does result in physical and mental lethargy - imagine your brain encased in an enormous cotton ball - and does ultimately lead to a questionable reality. Unfortunately, this particular brand of familiarity did make it difficult to enjoy. However, this is not to say that it's a good book and in this age of mammoth books, it's brevity is a delight!
July 13, 2020
This book is very gripping. I read it in two sittings and only stopped during the first because I had to do something. This is easily a book I could have read in a single sitting.
The story is very fast-paced and reveals little pieces of Becky's past throughout, only giving you enough to keep you guessing.
During thrillers and mysteries, I always enjoy guessing the ending, and I often end up guessing correctly. But I am always pleasantly surprised when I am wrong, and this book was one of them. The ending was something I didn't see coming and I think it was a great way to end a thrilling book.
A great read, very well-written and developed throughout. A book I recommend.
The story is very fast-paced and reveals little pieces of Becky's past throughout, only giving you enough to keep you guessing.
During thrillers and mysteries, I always enjoy guessing the ending, and I often end up guessing correctly. But I am always pleasantly surprised when I am wrong, and this book was one of them. The ending was something I didn't see coming and I think it was a great way to end a thrilling book.
A great read, very well-written and developed throughout. A book I recommend.
August 24, 2020
A young student has just enrolled in university and started living with three other students. But she is suffering from insomnia and riddled with guilt. She was always a lonely girl but had a brother she loved dearly.
One day she has the feeling someone is saying her name, someone else staring at her. Is her mind playing tricks with her or is someone after her?
It is a short but thrilling read.that keeps you enthralled and wondering till the end.
My friend Marc is gay and he is always telling me that being from a sexual minority most novel characters are heterosexual and that makes it not always easy to relate to them for him. Other people complain that the gay characters in novels and movies are often the GAY characters. In this novel you realise Becky is a lesbian but it is only mentioned or hinted at a few times in the novel (like when her classmates picked at her over it in Grammar school). It is just a small aspect of her like for instance a character having red hair and not something that rules her life.or the story. I like that!
One day she has the feeling someone is saying her name, someone else staring at her. Is her mind playing tricks with her or is someone after her?
It is a short but thrilling read.that keeps you enthralled and wondering till the end.
My friend Marc is gay and he is always telling me that being from a sexual minority most novel characters are heterosexual and that makes it not always easy to relate to them for him. Other people complain that the gay characters in novels and movies are often the GAY characters. In this novel you realise Becky is a lesbian but it is only mentioned or hinted at a few times in the novel (like when her classmates picked at her over it in Grammar school). It is just a small aspect of her like for instance a character having red hair and not something that rules her life.or the story. I like that!
April 1, 2020
This book was sent to me as a ARC read. It was an awesome book. I couldn't put it down.
Thanks for the great read.
Thanks for the great read.
October 21, 2020
I was incredibly impressed with this psychological thriller. It was suspenseful, propulsive, enthralling and addictive. I couldn’t stop turning the page. I just had to know how this story would end. I was also very pleased with how the author constructed the ending. I found the final few chapters had me on tender hooks. J.E. Rowney really knows how to write a tense finale.
This novel follows 18 year old Rebecca Braithwaite who is starting her first semester at Wessex University. This will be her first time away from her parents and is the next step on the natural road to be becoming an adult. But since losing her brother Jordan to a car accident fatality a few years ago, Becky has had trouble sleeping ever since. She has suffered extreme insomnia which she has previously had psychiatric help for.
Unperturbed, Becky looks forward to university as an opportunity to escape her tragic past but things only seem to get worse for her when she settles into her new university life. Over the next few weeks, her lack of sleep gets worse and worse to the point where she starts to feel like she’s being stalked. But is she really being stalked or are her suspicions a result of her sleep deprived paranoia?
For fans of psychological thrillers, you will devour this book. I think more thriller fans should get their mitts on this book as it’s so well written and fast paced and a really absorbing read. I can guarantee you will enjoy the reading experience. But in summary, this author has certainly piqued my interest and I am certainly eager to check out their other books very soon!
Thanks to the author J. E . Rowney and Voracious Readers Only for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
This novel follows 18 year old Rebecca Braithwaite who is starting her first semester at Wessex University. This will be her first time away from her parents and is the next step on the natural road to be becoming an adult. But since losing her brother Jordan to a car accident fatality a few years ago, Becky has had trouble sleeping ever since. She has suffered extreme insomnia which she has previously had psychiatric help for.
Unperturbed, Becky looks forward to university as an opportunity to escape her tragic past but things only seem to get worse for her when she settles into her new university life. Over the next few weeks, her lack of sleep gets worse and worse to the point where she starts to feel like she’s being stalked. But is she really being stalked or are her suspicions a result of her sleep deprived paranoia?
For fans of psychological thrillers, you will devour this book. I think more thriller fans should get their mitts on this book as it’s so well written and fast paced and a really absorbing read. I can guarantee you will enjoy the reading experience. But in summary, this author has certainly piqued my interest and I am certainly eager to check out their other books very soon!
Thanks to the author J. E . Rowney and Voracious Readers Only for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
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