I Can't Sleep

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.

**Review will appear on my Instagram blog in two weeks, will update the links then**


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 wherever 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, publishers for the eARC.

I quite enjoyed this , read it very quickly as I was intrigued as to what was going on . The idea of this theme was good and it progressed at a steady speed . I loved the ending as it all came together quickly within the last few pages. I would definitely consider reading more from this author in the future

Becky has a traumatic past. Something happened few years back and since that incident she is unable to sleep. She has been suffering from insomnia and no drugs could cure her. When she decided to enroll into a college far away from home she thought that being among unknown people would help her live a normal life. But happiness was never in her fate. Strange things started happening with her which made her question her sanity.

The book is nicely written and keeps you hooked till the very last page. The curiosity to know what exactly happened to her won't let you put it down. The story helps you understand what a patient suffering from insomnia really has to go through. It gives you an insight into the lives of the people suffering from it. Most of the times people use the word 'insomnia' very casually but once you read the book you would understand the sufferings and inconveniences of the patients dealing with such a cruel disease. The plot is beautifully weaved and lets you keep guessing. At times it really gets creepy which i definitely loved being a fan of crime thrillers and murder mysteries. Overall it was a good and engaging read.

P.S I will update the link to my blog within a few days.

An absolutely fast paced thriller about a woman who’s life spirals out of control. I s gripped from page one and finished it in three days.

The author knows exactly how to ramp up suspense and pace and wrap it all up with a breathtaking finale.

I would definitely recommend

I Can't Sleep by J E Rowney is a gripping psychological thriller. Becky Braithwaite, a young introvert suffering from insomnia is the protagonist in the story. Struggling to move on her life by forgetting her past, Becky finds no one, but herself can help her. She lost her brother in a car accident and the story shares the tragic events happens in Becky's life after she finds that someone is stalking her. Traumatized by her past, Becky really wants someone to share her problems and worries and she want others to accept her as she is. This book is very well written and clearly explains the stress and struggle an insomniac would encounter.
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The twisted and tangled thoughts of Becky is scary and it scares me a lot. I felt like I'm her and being an insomniac is terrible!! This book was so good and I never expected such an amazing twist in the story. Through the life of Becky, the author clearly portrays the importance of love and care should be given to a paranoid person.

This is the first book I’ve read from JE Rowney, and I believe it’s also her first thriller. She totally kills it.

Becky Braithwaite can’t sleep. She is a freshman at Wessex University- Becky has suffered some tragedy, but we don’t know what it is. All we know is that she can’t sleep. She becomes friends with Cally, one of the girls in her dorm, and it seems like maybe Becky will have a promising future. As she and Cally begin to become closer friends, strange things start happening to Becky. She is convinced that someone is stalking her, but nobody believes her and there is no evidence. Is Becky imagining things due to sleep deprivation? Or is someone actually coming for her?

The ending will really surprise you. My only gripe is that I was still left with questions!

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my free e-ARC In exchange for an honest review.

Becky can't sleep. She's being haunted by the ghosts of the past. She's a broken girl, doesn't matter how much she tries, she can't fit in.

After the tragic events Becky tries to start afresh. To fulfil her brother's dream she enrolls in University and starts journalism course and moves away from home to live on a campus.
The girl's lucky to have really cool house mates. They get on well. When her next door neighbour Cally finds out Becky suffers from insomnia she very understanding and offers her support.

The stress caused my the change of the environment makes Becky even more edgy, her sleeping problems get worse. She's constantly exhausted and starts doubting herself. She's being paranoid about someone constantly watching her. Feels threatened as she receive silent calls from the unknown caller.

She feels like someone is taunting her. The chain of unexplainable events makes her question herself even more. Everything that's happening around her seems unreal.

I read this book almost in one sitting. I loved that the story was narrated by the main character. We could take a deep look inside of her mind.
It was gripping read, a real page turner. I enjoyed every minute of it. It kept me guessing right till the end.

The only thing I can fault this book is a few unexplained things. I guess it will give me a sleepless night trying to figure out if I missed out on something.

Overall, I think it's worth reading. The lovers of psychological thrillers will definitely enjoy it.

First up I would say that this book is a quick read, I would catagorise this book as a novella.

I Can’t Sleep is told from the first person perspective of Becky Braithwaite as she begins her first year at university. Becky has had a severe form of insomnia, triggered by a traumatic event which she is still struggling to come to terms with. Which, we as the reader slowly get information about as the story unfolds.

It’s a thriller, where we, as the reader try to understand Becky’s world and try to determine, as she also tries to determine, if she is indeed being harassed and stalked by someone, or if the incidents Becky is experiencing are due to her sleep deprived mind being utterly confused.

This booked hooked me in right from page one and I really enjoyed the story… then by about 88% in, I really started watching the page count…considering it was coming to an end, but REALLY wondering where this story was going…what is happening here?

I don’t want to write a spoiler here in my review, so from here on out I am going to be a bit vague…

The ending does have a twist, a twist I was not expecting at all (which was great) but also confusing and left me with more questions than answers. At first I simply did not like the ending because I think it does not work, or make sense being written from a first person perspective. I didn't think it worked.

Then I gave myself time to digest the book a bit more and have a think overnight about it. I really don’t understand exactly what happened at the end of the book (what was ‘real’, what was not ‘real’?) …and again, the first person perspective still REALLY bugs me at the end…but, I started to wonder, what if that is the exact intention of the author?

What if, with the theme of the book being focused on uncertainty, confusion and mental health that we are meant to be left wondering…wondering ‘what did I just read? what happened…?’ So, what if we are meant to be left confused? And if we are meant to be left that way…what an absolute genius ending!

To sum it all up…I do recommend this book to anyone seeking out something quick to read, that can also really get you thinking about the ‘what ifs’.

This book is not easy to read, if you have no prior knowledge of the true effect of insomnia. Several times I found myself backtrack to make sense of what had just happened. When the truth hits you, it hits you hard. I’m trying to express my enjoyment of “I Can’t Sleep” without spoilers and it’s hard. It is hard because almost every page has a minute detail of what our main character is experiencing.

This is a riveting read, unlike anything I’ve read in a long time.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy of “I Can’t Sleep”.

I can’t Sleep is a fascinating read about a girl, Becky who struggles with insomnia as her past is still hunts her. Is Becky’s brain really tricks her, or someone is after her? A kind of fast paced book that most of us want to finish in one sit eagerly chasing after more and more. The reader can get involved very quickly with the characters and the story itself. Absolutely number one read for anyone who likes thriller and mystery genres. After this book I’m looking forward to read more from the author.

#ICantSleep #NetGalley
Thanks NetGalley, BooksGoSocail and J.E. Rowney for an early copy to review.
A short fast intense gripping thriller that will keep you up till you know what's going on. The ending is sudden and you will keep questioning yourself along with Becky regarding all the events. Did that really happen or her sleep deprived mind created all this?
I loved it and do recommend it.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read an ARC of this gem.
"I can't sleep" is so relatable, i've battled insomnia most of my life and your brain isn't set up to deal with not having time to rest. It plays games with you.
This book beautifully captured those moments and thoughts. Its clear the author must have struggled at some point to know how to write so clearly about it.
The beginning half of the book I was just nodding along like "Girl, same" and then little things kept happening that made her question everything. Although we don't find out until the end of the book the details to just why, she can't sleep, its pretty obvious... Which doesn't take away from the story at all. Just when you think you know the end... You don't.
Keep this one on your radar for Halloween 🎃

TW: suicide, mental health, death, stalking, drinking.

A well written fast paced psychological thriller. Told from Becky’s perspective. Becky is a young woman who suffers from insomnia following the death of her brother. The story see how this impacts on Becky’s daily life. What is interesting is that from only reading the book from Becky’s point of view, you don’t understand until the end of the book how little information you are receiving about why she is is the way she is. The ending of the book was nice surprise as I hadn’t expected it but, I would have liked a little more of an expansion on the ending to allow for complete closure from the story as I had a couple of questions unanswered at the end. But all in all a fantastic read.

This book is a gripping psychological thriller,which will take away the readers into a completely different world.
When a tragedy strikes Rebecca Braithwet ,it changes her life forever.She confronts a paranoical situation and starts becoming a victim of insomnia.She feels some one is following her,someone is trying to harm her.How she tries to come out of this problems forms the basis of this story.
Narration is brilliant and simple.Readers are taken along with all the sufferings that Becky goes through,her sleepless nights,her mental sufferings,her internal conflicts and her fears.
Ending part is the most interesting one.The plot develops into a beautiful suspense thriller,with a completely unexpecting twist .
I loved the whole concept and the cover page is intriguing .

As an insomniac, I was drawn to this book and fascinated to read the treatment of this issue which can have such an impact on a person’s quality of life. This book genuinely kept me guessing. While it was fast paced throughout, I think it was wrapped up a little bit too quickly at the end. A really gripping read - highly recommend for people who love psychological thrillers.

Rebecca can’t sleep. It’s been 2 years and every time she closes her eyes she sees his face. Her beloved brother, whom she loved more than anyone. One fatal night changed her life forever. Now at Uni away from home, she is hoping to get better. She feels like someone is watching her, in fact, she’s sure someone is stalking her... or is she imagining it because she can’t sleep. No one at uni knows her past. She doesn’t want anyone to know either.

This book held my attention, I kept wanting to know more.

“I can’t sleep. Not since June 16th, 2018.Not since what happened…”

Becky hadn't slept for longer than a few minutes for 2 years, since something happened to her brother. Now she's paranoid, scared and someone is stalking her, messing with her mind and maybe they're also out to get her...or is it all a figment of her insomnia?

A bit self absorbed (as expected from a first person narrative), slow burning thriller with an unreliable narrator who doesn't even trust herself. Well worth a read and I liked the ending.

#netgalley #icantsleep #jerowney

(Also shared on good reads but it wouldn't connect on this link)

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!

Review for 'I can't sleep' by J. E. Rowney

Read and reviewed via an ARC Copy

Will be available to purchase from the 16th October

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

Becky has insomnia, bad insomnia, debilitating, life affecting sleeplessness. But she is trying to get on with her life and starts Uni. But there's the shadow of her brother's death looming over her. The event that started her spiral into, well, her disconnection from the real world some two years ago. Her insomnia brings paranoia with it and she starts to struggle with reality. But is she really in danger or is her imagination going into overdrive?
This is a relatively quick, short read but it definitely packed a lot in. With little waffle or padding, the story gets on with itself very well. Characters are well drawn and all act their parts well.
There's the intrigue of what happened to Becky's brother on the night that started all her troubles. She obviously has some unresolved things to deal with, even with the therapy that she has already undertaken. She relies on medication to try and get through the days... along with power naps! I found this side of things very realistic. Her obvious mental troubles and whether the things that were happening were real or imagined... But as we delved into her past, as the truth of what happened two years ago started to be revealed... well... I'm not giving it away... but it'll hit you like a sucker punch!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Shutter Island on sleeping pills is the best description for I Can’t Sleep.
Bloody hell I’m terrified after finishing this! The big twist is magnificent, I had to take a five minute breather before I continued reading. It’s not a long book but I promise it isn’t lacking in any other way!
I’ve been thrilled and entertained and that’s all you can ask for at the end of the day!

Buy this book! 4/5

First thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book by JE Rowney but won't be my last! This was a fast paced read and right up my alley. The main character Becky Braithwaite had a traumatic experience in 2018 where her older brother died. She's not been able to sleep since and has seen multiple doctors and psychologists to try to help her deal with her trauma and be able to sleep again. She's trying to start out on her own away from her parents and leaves for university. She's living in residence and starts to feel like she's being stalked but isn't sure if it's symptoms from her insomnia or if things are really happening. This had a few twists that I really enjoyed and kept me guessing back and forth on whether it was in her head or actually happening and if her roommates were as genuine as they all seemed. Would highly recommend if you want a quick psychological thriller.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A good read with an unexpected twist.

When Becky goes to university she sees it as a way to get help to help her finally put her past behind her. She hasn’t slept since 2018 following the death of her brother. She thinks someone is stalking her, calling her name and watching her. Is this really happening or is it because she is paranoid from the lack of sleep.

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 the review copy. My opinions are my own.

This book had great promise, and I was super keen to read it but I feel at some points it did let me down a little bit.

The book is based on Becky a journalism student who experienced a traumatic event in her life that turned her into an insomniac, who throughout the book becomes increasingly more paranoid and jumpy.

From the get go I was intrigued by this book, but I do feel a lot of that came down to us not knowing what said trigger event was and obviously wanting to know... That being said, as the book built up we were able to piece together elements of said event.

As the book was written entirely from Becky's POV I felt we didn't get to see much of the other characters, which was a good thing as it made us super aware of how little Becky observed and how her life had been overtaken by her insomnia.

The writing itself was good but I do feel the author tried a bit too hard to build suspense into every sentence. The chapters were the perfect length though and helped me devour this book in a day!

The ending was what put this book so high in my rating, I had goosebumps when I was reading it and now I have no idea what to trust or who to believe when I think back on everything I read during it...

I wouldn't say this is the best thriller I've read but it definitely pulled me and made me question everything I had read previously.

Firstly I just want to say that this is an ARC so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This book is about a young woman who has just started university after the tragic loss of her brother and how she struggles with insomnia. It is written in first person and feels very much like reading a diary and it is a really interesting spin. Rowney drip feeds you little bits of information that help you build up a picture about Becky, or so you think, and then just when you think you've figured it out she blows your mind at the very last chapter in a huge reveal that leaves your mind racing with questions. It is such a great read! The only reason I dropped it down a star is because it is a slow burner up until the end but I highly recommend giving it a read. This book is due to be published on 16th October so keep your eyes peeled for it.

I Can’t Sleep by J.E. Rowney is depressing, disturbing, and dark.

Traumatized by the loss of her brother, Becky has been unable to sleep for months. Depressed and unsure if her mind can be trusted, Becky sets out to prove that someone is stalking her.

I have never read a book that demonstrated depression so well in the main character. As I was reading the book, I felt as if I was suffering from insomnia and depressed. The author did an awesome job of building up the suspense as the reader slowly learns what is going on in Becky’s world. The ending was quite clever, and I didn’t see it coming.

If you like your books a bit quirky and enjoy the main character as the narrator, you will love this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and J.E Rowney for the opportunity to read and review this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book.

I suffer from insomnia and OMG J.E. Rowney has just made it worse! I Can’t Sleep is a mind-bender in the best way. I was kind of thinking it was going in one direction and Rowney slammed me in another direction. I love it! Then Rowney did again! It hurts so good.

Rowney is twisted and it is delicious. I Can’t Sleep is the perfect book to kick off your Halloween reading as there is no gore but there is plenty of fright. There are red herrings, doubt, and possibilities. This is a book I can see made into a movie.

I do not need to write anymore words as I have praised this book enough. Now you need to read it! Start your Halloween off right with this fright.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

This book had me absorbed. It kept me engaged 100% held my attention. It was fast paced and still had depth.
It tugged at my heartstrings and had me hoping, praying that Becky would get the break she so desperately needed.
It looked promising for a while...
And nearing the end I wasn't sure how it could possibly end. My gosh. I wasn't expecting the ending not quite like that anyway.

Becky is at university in her first year studying journalism. She shares a flat with three others.
Becky has insomnia she has had it since her brother Jordan died.
But aswell as surviving on lack of sleep.She starts getting crank calls and she feel like someone is watching her.
She tells her friends and campus security..
Is it all in her head ?
We find out how Jordan died later in the book is this related to what's happening to Becky now.
This book keeps you guessing at what happens to the end.
Thanks NetGalley

Suffering from insomnia is not only frustrating but if you suffer from it long term, it can also have a detrimental effect on both your physical and mental health. I think one of the most frustrating aspects is when you struggle to stay awake before you go to bed but the minute you lie down,you are wide awake and your brain insists that you stay that way,right up until the moment that your alarm is due to go off. That scenario is difficult to live with but at least you do actually manage to get some sleep but just imagine if you had to live without any sleep. Imagine spending night after night after night, wide awake, lying in bed,counting down the hours until daybreak.

Rebecca (becky) the narrator of this captivating thriller hasn't been able to sleep since the terrible night, two years ago when her life and heart were shattered into tiny little pieces. Hoping to change her life and escape her past,she has moved hundreds of miles away from home and is in her first year at University studying to be a journalist. Rebecca was a hot mess which was not really surprising considering the fact that she has spent so much time surviving on short micro-sleeps. All she wants is to be a normal student,fit in and make friends but events from her past have made it difficult for her to trust people. And her feelings of mistrust and anxiety start to increase and build when strange things start occurring and she can't escape the feeling that she is being watched. Is her sleep deprived mind playing tricks on her or is she actually being terrorised by a unknown enemy? The author has cleverly given the book a intimate feeling by writing the story as if Rebecca is telling the story to the reader personally. I had mixed feelings about Rebecca, I loved her wicked witty sense of humour, I felt empathy for her due to some of her issues but there was also the odd moment as the story unfolded where I had doubts about her sincerity and trustworthiness. Apart from Rebecca, the other character who stood out for me was Rebecca's flat mate Sally who came across as a likeable individual and appeared to genuinely care about Rebecca's well being. But was she genuine or was there a ulterior motive behind her actions and behaviour?

This is a extremely well written thriller that had me hooked in from the first page and glued to my kindle, I was so enthralled by Rebecca's story that I read the whole book in one sitting. The truth about the terrible event that changed Rebecca's life was gradually revealed like the stunning colours of the flowers in spring. The characters were diverse and realistic, the plot was intricate and gripping and Rebecca's story had a genuinely shocking conclusion. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this intense thriller. A very enjoyable read and very highly recommended.

Brilliant! I loved it from start to finish.. it gave me chills, I couldn't put it down I wanted to know what happened next it had plenty of twists and turns, the characters was great with a good story, I just really enjoyed reading this book. It has me hooked from the first page till the last, I would highly recommend this book to all #booklovers

This was a pretty good book I liked it a lot didn't expect the twist at the end also had great chracater interaction

I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel but I am glad I stayed. I read it in a few sittings, mostly because it got a bit too intense at some points (which is exactly why I loved this book). I can see this being turned into a movie, I hope someone picks this up because the story is absolutely breathtaking! Thank you for my ARC.

I read this book really quickly, I was desperate to see who was causing Becky to be on the end of so many horrible acts….. to say it left me wanting more would be an understatement! I wanted it all fully explaining to me, I was at a total loss, devastated that someone could go to such horrific lengths to punish themselves.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to net galley for sending me a copy of this book! J.E. rowney has excellent writing and is a wonderful storyteller. I am super excited to read more by this author!

This is an easy book to devour in one sitting, it was really gripping and it kept your attention the whole time