The Edge of Sleep

by Jake Emanuel, Willie Block, Jason Gurley (Primary Contributor)

What if the whole world fell asleep...and didn’t wake up again?

Dave Torres, a night watchman in a placid coastal town, knows all about sleep troubles. Since childhood, he’s battled terrors and nightmares. Sometimes those battles leak into his waking life, with disastrous consequences for those he loves. Now Dave lives alone and self-medicates to neutralize his dreams. It’s not much of a life, he knows.

The morning after Independence Day, Santa Mira, California, is so quiet Dave can hear the ocean from miles away. Traffic signals blink from red to green over empty intersections. Storefronts remain locked up tight. Every radio station whispers static.

And all over town, there are bodies, lying right where their owners left them. Dead right where they slept.

Dave―along with his ex-girlfriend, Katie, his best friend, Matteo, and Linda, a nurse he’s just met―struggle to unravel the mystery before sleep overtakes them all.

Except the answer to the mystery might lie in the one place that frightens Dave His twisted, unnerving dreams. Now Dave and his friends must straddle the liminal boundary between life and death as they fight to save everyone they’ve ever loved―and to keep their eyes open.

Because if any of them falls asleep now, it will be the last thing they ever do.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy, Audiobook

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 20, 2023

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here’s what I can say with some certainty. Something is happening. Case in point: WZPE’s AM news show usually ends at 8am. Not today. They’ve basically got the phone lines wide open, and people are calling in by the hundreds. The last caller just sobbed, “They’re dead, they’re dead, they’re dead,” and disconnected.
There are TV and radio stations all over the state that just . . . aren’t on the air at all.
From my window, if I elevate my chair, I usually have a great view of the mile-long gridlock at the intersection of Monaghan and Wolcott. The traffic lights there aren’t even working, but the intersection’s just . . . dead. No cars that I’ve seen.
Usually by now my upstairs neighbor is jazzercising. But the whole building is strangely subdued. I haven’t heard a single other person.
Perhaps it’s my overactive imagination . . . but I really don’t think that’s the case.
If you have any information about what might be happening, I’ll see you in the comments.
—Posted by Eli Broder, 7/4/25 9:12am

Dave Torres is a security guard at Daxalab. He and his co-worker and best friend, Matteo Leon, are having a bad night. After their shift they head, quite late, to a party only to find the guests mostly gone already. Of course, some are more gone than others. Like the one on the couch whom they had thought was passed out. Turns out he had passed on. Dave goes looking for their host only to find him in bed, in no better shape than the couch stiff. What is going on? And why are the roads so empty?


Willie Block and Jake Emanuel - image from Deadline.com

Off to the hospital they head, to see that the bodies are handled, or, out of the frying pan…The body count there is impressive, and growing. They meet a tough nurse, Linda, who is doing her best to keep it all together, but things are clearly falling apart. Dave gets that sleep is the trigger and desperately calls his ex to warn her. Katie finally joins them.

A large room, lined with storage bins and shelves, has been transformed into a morgue. Shoved along the west wall are gurneys bearing zippered white bags. Human-sized bags, arranged haphazardly, as though they were rolled into the room and released to drift where they may. Which is exactly what happens next: An orderly in a white smock bangs into the room through an adjacent door, back first, then drags a fresh gurney into the room, pivots, and releases it, sending it spinning across the floor. It thumps into another gurney, and both roll in separate directions. The orderly, not pausing to admire his handiwork, disappears through the door again.

So we have a small group that sets out to decode the situation. There is a separate pair. Eli Broder (of the opening quote) is confined to a wheel chair. Boston is quiet, too quiet. His online messages begging for information on what is happening receive scant response. Millie is a narcoleptic coder, in the process of being fired from her job, who finally responds. She goes to him and they face the situation together.


Podcast episode 3 - the Black Triangle - image from Markiplier Wiki

These are our two primary threads. Third is a lookback for Dave to events from this childhood. He has had sleep issues all his life, for which he has received some serious medical intervention. His miseries include nightmares about an elephant and a whale since he was a kid. When his dreams slip into the waking world, his life becomes seriously troubled.

They all figure out in short order that going to sleep is a bad idea. To sleep, perchance to dream? Nah. More like to sleep, perchance to die. Each group goes through challenges in progressing to understanding, and getting, geographically, from where they are to where they want to be. Ergo, road trips. During these, we get more insight into the characters. As they begin to glean some truths behind the sleep-bomb that appears to be wiping out humanity, it becomes harder and harder to function, even to think, as their fatigue become profound. How long can the primaries remain awake? Where can they find answers to the why and how of it all? Even if they find answers will they retain consciousness enough to actually do anything about it?


Podcast episode 6 – The Dream - image from Markiplier Wiki

The story is set, primarily, in Santa Mira, California. No, it is not a real place, but it may, still, sound familiar. That is because the fictional place has been used in many films.

Santa Mira felt like a fun nod to Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, a huge influence on the show. And we think it’s a cool tradition that many writers and creators have used the same town. - from Paul Semel interview

The 1956 version of Invasion was set in Santa Mira, as was E.T., a Dean Koontz novel, Phantoms, and several Sharknado sequels.

Edge all began with an eight-episode podcast, the first season airing in 2019. I have listened to some of the podcast, although not all of it, reluctant to spoil the read. There is a link to that in EXTRA STUFF. It was adapted for TV, filmed in Vancouver in 2021. I was unable to find definitive intel on where that might be available. A second podcast season is slated for release this year (2023). Emanuel and Block, authors of the podcast, already rewrote the podcast for the TV series, and with this novel, it is yet another version. They tried to keep it fresh with each rewrite. They even brought in a fresh set of eyes in Jason Gurley to help out. To keep themselves sane, they made changes with each rewrite, so you can expect that this book is not slavishly attached to the original podcast.

After working on The Edge Of Sleep for so long, and in so many different iterations, we needed a fresh set of eyes. Jason had some really creative and cool ideas to expand the story. - from the Paul Semel interview

The authors include a considerable list of one-off characters who struggle with fatigue, and succumb. Were they added for texture, or to establish them for future episodes?


Podcast episode 7 – The Pit - image from Markiplier Wiki

The main characters had at least a bit of depth to them, but only Dave was really developed enough to hold much interest. On the other hand, if one looks at this as the first part of a longer series, it is usual to introduce the characters and plan on developing them later.

There are elements that are creative and intriguing, having to do with dreaming, sleep disorders, and things too spoilerish to note here. On the other hand, there are some significant downsides. First is that the ending, while offering some resolutions, feels like too much of a cliffhanger. Explanations were interesting but far too sketchy. If you are interested in continuing on with this series, by all means, dive in. But if you are looking at The Edge of Sleep as a stand-alone read, you are likely to be very disappointed. The characters had a bit of depth to them, but only Dave was really developed enough to hold much interest. On the other hand, if one looks at this as the first part of a longer series, which it certainly is, it is usual to introduce the characters first and develop them later on. While it had conceptual bits that were satisfying, my bottom line on The Edge of Sleep was that it was a bit of a snooze.

“Mama,” Davy, the child, moans.
“This is your fault,” the beast says. Its trunk searches out Davy’s face, presses slick against his cheek, exhales hot, sour breath into his hair. “I warned you, didn’t I.”
Davy looks down at his pajama shirt. Something beneath bulges. Utter panic consumes him as he clutches at his shirt, trying to hold it away from his skin. He looks wildly at the thing above him.
“I can’t stop it now,” the elephant grunts. Its mouth unhinges, and a thick river of mustard-colored bile streams onto Dave’s legs. “I wouldn’t if I could. You aren’t a good boy.”
Davy, blinded by pain, cups his hands over his chest in time to catch the small elephant that bursts from his breastbone. Yellow foam rises in Dave’s throat; he can’t clear it to breathe.
The small elephant stretches in Davy’s little palms, glistening and damp. Davy’s vision blurs; he’s suddenly terribly sleepy, and his hands fall limp.

Review posted - 07/28/23

Publication dates
----------Hardcover - 06/23/23
----------Trade paperback - 8/27/24

I received an ARE of The Edge of Sleep from St. Martin’s Press in return for a fair review. I was able to get some shut-eye between reading sessions. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.



This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!

=============================EXTRA STUFF

Jake Emanuel’s Instagram, and Twitter pages

Willie Block’s FB, Instagram, and Twitter pages

Interviews
-----PaulSemel.com - Exclusive Interview: “The Edge Of Sleep” Co-Authors Willie Block & Jake Emanuel
-----Red Cow Entertainment – Discount Film School - Jake Emanuel and Willie Block, on Screenwriting with Frankie Frain

Item of Interest
-----Season 1 of the show, entire

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Edge of Sleep by Jake Emanuel and Willie Block is a Blend of Dystopian and Speculative Fiction!

The day after Independence Day, Night Watchman David Torres wakes in the quiet coastal town of Santa Mira, CA to find bodies lying everywhere.

Bodies of people who fell asleep and died right where they slept.

Dave self-medicates, he knows it's wrong but it calms him. He has had debilitating sleep terrors and nightmares since he was a child and sometimes they spill over into his life which is never good, especially for those around him.

Is this what's happening now? Are Dave's dreams leaking into his consciousness?

Dave, his ex-girlfriend Katie, his BFF Matteo, and a nurse named Linda have grouped together, not only to keep each other awake but to find answers to this mysterious "sleep death" before it happens to them...

The Edge of Sleep is creative, different, original, and if you've read my reviews, you know that's what I love in a book. To be honest though, this story is pretty bizarre, way-way-out-there. And you know what? It kept me laughing, listening, and curious enough to keep with it to the end. And that ending. I'm still thinking about it. And thinking about it.

I must admit, Matteo's hipster dialogue was off-putting at first. The characters, the story, and the humor grew on me though and I found myself giggling at what funny-guy Matteo would say to straight-guy Dave, and how Dave corrects Matteo's misuse of words. I never grew tired of their banter and I learned to enjoy and appreciate how the humor mixed with the heavy topics balances the 'edginess' of this story. (See what I did there?)

I have both the DRC and the ALC formats and alternated between them. The digital copy is a good tool for referencing the long chapters that have multiple sections. It can get confusing. The audiobook narrator, Franz Drameh, is an amazing voicing talent and one of the reasons I enjoyed the story and the characterizations. I don't believe you would be disappointed with either format but I will say, I re-listened to parts of the audiobook 'just because' of the narrator's voicing-narration skills.

The Edge of Sleep is a unique and fun SciFi ride with a touch of Horror and I'm still rolling that ending around in my head to see what my brain can make of it. I'll think of something and I'm guessing these two authors had a whole lot of fun writing it.

3.75⭐rounded up and I do recommend The Edge of Sleep to readers who enjoy a mix of Dystopian and Speculative Fiction that's just a little bit different like I do!

Thank you to Jake Emanuel, Willie Block, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for a DRC and ALC of this book through NetGalley. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

[Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - why is GR broken? -_-]

DNF @ 21%

When it comes to sci-fi and speculative fiction, I'll be the first to admit I often feel out of my element. But I've also always been fascinated by the world of sleep and dreams: a world far beyond our physical reality. The premise of this book caught my attention, as main character Dave learns that he might have difficulty far beyond his sleep troubles. He wakes up to see dead bodies all over town...and later learns that each of these people died right where they were found...and they ALL died in their sleep. Recruiting the help of some of his friends and a nurse, the group needs to solve the mystery and fast - because if ANY of them fall asleep, they just might not wake up.

I tried to go into this with a very open mind, looking for detail and trying so hard to connect with the characters. This fell apart quickly, however, since Dave's friends consisted of a few dude bros who were interchangeable, not too fun to read, and whose main shared character trait was screwing up pop culture references (much to Dave's chagrin). The narrative itself is also just very stiff and doesn't feel much like a novel. I'm not sure if hearing the audio would be helpful, but in many ways, this felt like a podcast trying to be a book, rather than a book that could also work as a podcast. There was no flow and rhythm and though I had trouble discerning exactly what was going on, I could tell that if I kept reading my frustration was likely to snowball.

Though I'd hoped to dive into The Edge of Sleep, I was glad to stop this one before it SENT me over the edge entirely.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC*

[Jennifer *Nottoomanybooks* · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an early copy of this one!

OUT 6/20/23!

➡️THOUGHTS:
This book is unlike any book I have ever read. It is out there, a little weird, but held my attention! One night whoever has gone to sleep do not wake up again. They die. We have 4 main characters who manage to stay awake over 80 hours and try to solve the mystery of what is happening, and how to fix it. I definitely wanted to keep reading to see how it ends. Does everyone in the whole world die? What caused it to happen?

I think this one is marketed as a high concept horror novel. While It would be horrific if something like this happened in real life for sure, it wasn’t overall scary. I enjoyed how the novel was narrated in segments by a human on Earth. There were chapters that told mini stories of individuals and what was happening before they fell asleep forever. It was interesting for sure!

The Edge of Sleep started as a podcast and quickly became one of the best scripted fiction podcasts of all time! The three authors turned the storyline into a novel with a fully expanded world and a new narrative. So cool!

[Marialyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't fall asleep for if you do, you might not wake up ever.

Poor Dave, plagued by nightmares, and the only way out of this horror is to self medicate. When Dave awakens the day after Independence Day, he finds his town and all in it dead, lying where they fell, and sending Dave into a nightmare that becomes a daymare. Dave, along with his girlfriend Katie, his friend Matteo, and Linda must find out together what is going on for if they sleep, they will suffer the same fate as others.

Is the secret concealed in Dave's dreams? Sounds like a very interesting premise bu the whole book often turned into a descent into crazytown. All the friends must keep each other awake, as they search for answers. The initial chapters were captivating, but the ending was beyond bizarre.

I listened to this story and perhaps a hard copy would have been a better fit. However, for those who like a mixture of sci fi, dystopian, and crazy, this one might be for you.

Thank you to Jake Emmanuel, Willie Block, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this book due out in June of 2023.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-3.75 Stars
It's Nightmare on Elm Street crossed with Stephen King!

I love horror and I love weird. But the ending was a bit too weird, even for me.

The concept is very similar to Nightmare on Elm Street. Essentially, if you sleep you'll die.

A group of friends (Dave, Matteo, and Katie) and a nurse named Linda are trying their best to stay awake. They found out that everyone who fell asleep last night died. How or why is this happening? No clue! Now they're scrambling to find answers before it's too late.

I like the writing and the narration. However, I didn't like the ending. It left me quite unsatisfied. Everything about the island was weird and not in a good way.

If you're a fan of horror with weird/far fetch endings, you'll probably enjoy this novel.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Jake Emanuel, Willie Block, Jason Gurley, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: June 20, 2023

Fans of “The Stand” will definitely enjoy “The Edge of Sleep” by Jake Emanuel, Willie Block and Jason Gurley.

Dave Torres is a night watchman in a quiet California town. Since childhood, he has struggled with night terrors- night terrors that are so real they have infiltrated Dave’s waking life on more than one occasion. Now, he medicates to get some semblance of rest (albeit broken, choppy and littered with terrifying things), and does the best he can to muddle through a mundane existence with his best friend, Matteo and his (now ex) girlfriend, Katie. But on July 5th, the entire world falls silent. No cars, no people, no noise at all. Dave quickly starts to realize, with the help of his friend Matteo, that as soon as people fall asleep, they don’t wake up again. Fighting to stay awake (and stay alive), Dave, Matteo, Katie and an ER nurse named Linda travel to a mysterious island that Dave sees in his dreams, in hopes that they will finally find peace.

This co-authored novel is creepy dystopian fiction at its best. Sure, it strongly resembled “The Stand” and other end-of-the-world novels of its genre, but it’s so deeply terrifying and utterly believable, I couldn’t help but become instantly addicted.

The novel is told in very short segments, each segment narrated by one of the remaining people on Earth. Although our protagonists narrate a large portion, the reader hears from a few random strangers (who have no connection to the main plot in any way) about their last remaining hours before they fell asleep, never to wake. These parts were interesting, if not completely irrelevant. Normally, space-filling characters would lower the enjoyment of a novel, but the plot won out on this one.

The ending of the novel brought all the survivors together after being led there by the figures in their dreams (again with the Stephen King references), but it had a little twist at the end that had me wanting more. Quick and fast-paced, these three authors have mixed sci-fi with horror, and will no doubt keep readers up late reading (which is just as well anyway…..)

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars Thank you to the St Martin Publishing Group Influencer Program and St Martin Press for the free/gifted book for my review. Publishes June 20, 2023.


A quick reading sci-fi novel, dystopic in nature. The world is ending. Out of nowhere a sleeping illness overtakes the world. If you go to sleep - you die!

We follow four people struggling to both stay awake, keep their friends awake, and eventually find the dream city that will be their salvation.

I was pretty happy with this story. It moved quickly, the characters were well fluxed out and there was just enough twists and turns to keep me turning pages. Then we got to the last 30 pages or so. There were other groups of people, besides the four main characters, that I felt were never really brought to a close. And the whole island thing was bizarre. It just did not jell well with me. The final ending left me with questions - maybe it was supposed to - but I am not a fan of that type ending - it just feels to incomplete. The ending does not have to be tied up in a ribbon for me, but definitely more concrete than this was. Just my opinion. Read this one for yourself and determine how you will rate it.

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on an awesome podcast from Qcode (check it out, check them out, fantastic production) this novel poses the question - What if everyone who went to sleep never woke up?

Dave is a night watchman with a terrible sleep disease. It's fairly easy for him to not fall asleep as sleep has evaded him his whole life and he is resigned to live a lonely life. But when he realizes that everyone that does fall asleep one night dies, he is thrown into action as he tries to find and connect with others who might also suffer from sleep deprivation. The question is, can anyone stay awake?
#THeEdgeofSleep #JakeEmanuel #WillieBlock #StMartins

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

The narration of this book was fantastic! I honestly couldn’t believe it was all read by the same person! The voices and characters were all completely different and really helped bring the story to life! I would definitely recommend this book to almost anyone, as the story was enthralling and held my attention from the first moment to the very last! I would love a follow up and am very excited to hear that it’s getting made into a show! I will be watching it for sure and would love more by these authors!

[Lisa Lynch]

DNF at 8%.

The one thing I've learned from accidentally reading several books based on podcasts is that, no matter what they say, these books are not meant for people who are unfamiliar with the podcast.

I didn't know going in that this was a podcast book and never would have touched it if I had.

But also, I absolutely could not stand the dude bro side characters here with their unfunny jokes and painful dialogue that actually consists mostly of the word "bro".

Nope. I'm out.

[Anomaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: This is my review of the audio drama published via podcast format. For my review of the newer novel, published years later, click here. The stories, characters, and events are quite different, but Goodreads has made the 'brilliant' choice to lump it all together.

* * * * * *

Though I consider myself an avid fan of Mark Fischbach's work under the online stage name Markiplier, I'd generally put off listening to The Edge of Sleep because I mistakenly believed it to be a horror anthology and I was well past burnt out on those at the time it was released. I didn't even pay much attention to the news he was filming a televised version, because I figured it'd just be something where he hosted the intros to random, short-form horror stories. Why did I think this? Even I don't know! Maybe my brain got it mixed up with the "no sleep" subreddit and the way that's a collection of short horror stories...? Either way, that's not overly relevant, so I digress.

It's pure, dumb luck that I finally got around to listening to The Edge of Sleep: I had undertaken a day-long, mentally draining task and I needed something to occupy my mind when I finally got bored of listening to music. So, I opened up Podbean, stared at the collection of podcasts in my downloads list, and decided to go with what I hoped to be the mindless comfort of hearing a familiar voice. I never intended to pay attention. I never even intended to listen to the whole thing... But I did, on both counts.

The Edge of Sleep kept me, if you'll pardon the lame attempt at humour, on the edge of my seat. (Except I was not sitting at the time.) Something about the immersive audio experience drew me in from the very start and captured both my attention and my imagination. Even better: I learned that, while I generally can't stand audiobooks because I find them hard to focus on and even harder not to cringe at unless they're voiced by a full cast, this experience does not apply to audio dramas. It felt more like having a movie going in the background, except I had a vague mental reference for Dave's appearance (due to Mark voicing him) and enough ambient information from the podcast itself to piece together something in my mind.

So, what is the story? Well... I don't know how to explain without spoiling it, and I strongly feel that this is a story best gone into without spoilers. At its core, I believe The Edge of Sleep is a tale about a group of deeply troubled individuals brought together by a strange event of apocalyptic proportions. People's morals and inner strengths are tested, as well as the bounds of their loyalties, as they navigate a new world where death is but a nap away. And, of course, there's the main character - David Torres, voiced by Mark - whose backstory is revealed in bits and pieces, leaving a thread of extraneous mystery woven throughout the whole series.

It may hit home a bit much for some, being that the apocalyptic event is of a somewhat pandemic-like nature at first glance and there's an initial underlying theme of paranoia surrounding it, but I urge that anyone annoyed by that remember this was made before the real world went to crap and give it a shot regardless. I promise it's nothing like what you'll likely think from the first couple episodes; there's far more to this than anything grounded solely in the realm of real life possibilities! Once the 'show' grows its legs and starts to take off running, everything slots together in a beautifully-told, intriguing, and deeply engaging package. In fact, it left me wanting more even though the story gets a decent wrap-up and doesn't exactly have a cliffhanger or anything of that sort.

I loved the characters, which are all brilliantly voice acted by a talented cast and feel like real people rather than cardboard cutouts. The underlying mystery is addictive, and the dramatic tension is perfectly paced to keep listeners anxious for more but not stressed out with an overload. The team at QCode did an amazing job in both writing and production; I've since downloaded more of their works and eagerly await listening to those when I get the chance.

[Lisa readandrepeet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this book, it wasn’t for lack of trying. I’m not sure if I’m missing something or if I’m right that it’s just five steps too bizarre and kind of an incoherent mess. The concept was so intriguing, I couldn’t wait to pick it up! Everyone who falls asleep one night doesn’t wake up again. What? Crazy! I’m in. We follow two groups of main characters, one more than the other, and in between our main character chapters we get about twenty different short tableaus of people dying in their sleep. Our main characters struggle to figure out how to survive, how not to sleep, and what the heck is going on.

I have to admit that despite not loving the book overall, each separate chapter was easily read and entertaining. Quick and digestible reading snacks. The concept was so genius and fascinating that the beginning was fun to read! Once the novelty of “everyone around us is dying in their sleep” wore off, however, there really wasn’t any substance left at all.

The writing was quite engaging, I think it was the coherency of the plot and the characters that tanked it for me. I want to believe that the authors do a decent job of making the characters relatable, but not to me personally. Relatable to someone a couple decades younger than me who gets onto Twitter and TikTok more than I do, perhaps. For me as a reader, that’s a problem. When I can relate myself to any well-written character, whether the book is one year old or three hundred years old and whether the character’s life is like mine or completely opposite.. that speaks to a good book. If I need more TikTok experience to relate to a character, it’s not working. That brings us all the way to the end where intriguing became quirky became downright head-scratchingly bizarro dumb.

[Marisa Nazzaro · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a miserable start to my 2024 reading. If I had to read one more “Dispatches from Earth” section, I was going to lose my mind. 3 guys writing a book together is a recipe for disaster.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Audiobook

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @macmillanaudio or an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest
review.

I was really excited for this book based on the book title and premise.

Unfortunately, it seemed a bit all over the place for me. Too much going on and didn’t really hold my interest. There were a lot of characters in this one too which made it more difficult to keep track of what was happening.

Maybe reading a physical copy is better than listening to an audiobook for this particular novel. Sometimes the format really matters.

I absolutely recommend giving this one a chance but don’t recommend the audiobook.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely a lot. The plot and writing style kept me going, while the modern references of tiktok and even Disney songs made me cringe. But overall, this book was absolutely fascinating and reminded me a lot of concept Stephen King would come up with.

I almost wish this book was longer, allowing us more into the lives and depths of these characters. I think with Dave, more could have been seen into his past if the story was more fleshed out.

Honestly though, I couldn't tell if I loved or hated the ending. I just wish we were given more, not just a few short pages of everything being concluded. Other than that though, I would definitely recommend this book to people who love mystery, horror, Stephen King, and anything similar. It definitely kept me interested and I enjoyed the idea and characters a lot!

[Rosie Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to rate this book. Some parts were so mind bending and interesting that I was thinking, THIS is a 5 star read. Then other parts I was thinking more along the lines of, “this takes away from the book. Now it’s a 3 star read.” The ending had me feeling like I wanted to go down to a two star based on how almost cheesy? it became. Then I honestly thought the epilogue was too drawn out. Personally, when I read an epilogue I want it to be one chapter summing up the story or adding that extra post note that further opens your eyes (an ohhhhh moment) to what you just read. I definitely did not expect 5 sub chapters within the epilogue. Sadly, this was my least favorite part of the book.

All in all, the story was very interesting! I found the storyline unique and fun to follow along with. I’m settling on 4 stars which was more of a 3.5 rounded up.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Edge of Sleep" gives us an interesting premise: what would the world be like if only the sleepless could survive? The morning after Independence Day, many Americans come to a shocking realization — the world is eerily quiet, because just about everyone has died in their sleep. Everyone, that is, aside from the night shift workers and the insomniacs who never slept. Dave, a night watchman who has long battled insomnia and nightmares, soon teams up with others who were unaffected, so that together they can fight off the lure of sleep and solve the mystery of what exactly is happening and who is behind it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this as a refreshing and unique plot line ... at least at the start. The character development was strong, even if there were a few more than I preferred. The ending, though, veered straight into bizarre and felt like a hard careen off-course — too far off course for me to feel like it fit with the rest of the story. Up until then, I was feeling pretty committed, but the ending leaves me a little leery to recommend it. Still, if you like sci fi/dystopian novels and aren't afraid to go too far out there, this might be a good fit for you.

[Karleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of the audio and book.

Unfortunately I made it to 70% and got bored. I feel like this story had such potential but the short clipped chapters threw me off and didn’t help me stay connected to the story. I really wanted to like it since epidemic apocalyptic books are amazing but this fell short.

[Jerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was well produced and the story started off well, but then it turned into a head-scratcher bizarro style endeavor. I'm not exactly sure what I just listened to, but it was not coherent. Is there more or am I just expecting too much?

[Erin Mulhall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad

[Caitlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanted to read this after watching the show and it did not disappoint. Really cool story I can't wait for more.

[spalanai ⛤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

they had way too much will to live—i would have sedated myself immediately to end that way.

x

[Autum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rtc

[Brandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you @stmartinspress, @netgalley and @macmillanaudio, for the complimentary ARC and ALC.

I was so excited by the premise of this book. The Edge of Sleep had a strong start and reeled me in straight away. However, by about 60% I was only still reading it because it was a buddy read, and the audiobook narrator Franz Drameh was excellent, so I didn’t mind continuing to listen. The dream scenes, or flashbacks I’m not even sure, were so weird and I kept trying to make sense of them but couldn’t. There were also some chapters detailing what was happening to various unknown characters as they fell asleep. While it was helpful, it also became too much… I just didn’t need that many scenarios and I felt like it took away from what was happening with our MC's. As for the ending… I had a feeling it would go in that direction, I hoped and crossed fingers that it wouldn’t…. but it did. It was just totally bizarre to me, and I can’t even say I fully understood it.

If you’re interested in this one, I highly recommend the audio.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild and crazy ride!! The first half I was wondering wth am I reading, and in the second it started coming together and making a little more sense. The audio is the way to go as the narrators brought the story to life, and many times I was laughing out loud. (Although I was glad I had the book to follow along and clarify a few things.)

This is a dystopian / apocalyptic read, with some horror elements, it will definitely not be for everyone, I’m still not sure it was for me lol, but I was entertained and have been thinking about it long after I finished.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

[Youmna · Rating 1 out of 5]

First book I skimmed through in ages. Plodding, mediocre writing, too much plot and too little interest.

I was dismayed to find I'd only read 31%; all I wanted to do was get to the end.
Spoiler: Everyone dies. And then everyone becomes a zombie, or zombie-adjacent. Except for the lucid dreamers, who can probably fight The Big Bad... In the sequel. The end. ugh.

[Dannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHERE IS THE REST!?

[Terrance · Rating 1 out of 5]

This. Book. Is. Terr. I. Ble.

[Kai · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5