I rarely read sci fi novels but Blake Crouch and Andy Weir do such a fantastic job that their books are easy to read for the average reader with no STEM background.

This book is extremely fast paced and you will be able to blaze right through it. It’s non stop action and I think it would do amazingly well when adapted into a film. I say when because I’d be shocked if it wasn’t.

Because it’s fast paced, I think the only thing lacking was character development.

I am not generally a science fiction reader, but after reading previous works from Crouch, I knew I had to read this one. Crouch has a way of writing science fiction that is easily accessible to non-scifi readers. The topic of this one, gene editing and DNA, was an immediate draw for me as I loved learning about this topic while in high school/college. I was so interested in reading a fiction take on the topic and see how a sci-fi thriller would take shape. While I knew the overarching topic, I didn't read the plot summary and went into this book mostly blind. I felt that it was the best way to go into this because each twist and turn is surprising and I found myself turning the pages to read more. This book felt super fast paced as the action starts off immediately and continues to build throughout.

I really liked the writing style in this book and I felt that the world created in this book was extremely realistic. While some of the science feels out there, I feel like ongoing research into DNA and genes in real life that make me think that something like this could potentially happen, although I would really hope it doesn't. Logan Ramsey is an interesting protagonist and I liked following his adventures, for lack of a better word, as he is "upgraded" by the very technology his mother experimented with. This book is filled with thrills, family drama, and a pretty interesting discussion on the future of humanity. I would definitely recommend this book to sci-fi fans and also those wanting to start venturing into the genre. I've read a couple of Crouch's backlist books, but will definitely be checking out more in the future!

Blake Crouch has delivered up to the expectations on this one - breakneck pacing, twists and turns and high stakes. Everything I've come to like about his novels. One thing I noticed is that his protagonists, especially male ones, seem like carbon copies of the same old familiar template of a man's man, true to his family, ready to make sacrifices. I would like the author to write more "gray" characters and do a better job with the female characters in future novels.

Rating : 4 out of 5
Blurbs :
“You are the next step in human evolution.”

At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little . . . sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep.

But before long, he can’t deny it: Something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him—even those he loves most—in whole new ways.

The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy.

Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one that will inflict the same changes on humanity at large—at a terrifying cost.

Because of his new abilities, Logan’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. Maybe even something other than human.

And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution?

Intimate in scale yet epic in scope, Upgrade is an intricately plotted, lightning-fast tale that charts one man’s thrilling transformation, even as it asks us to ponder the limits of our humanity—and our boundless potential.

Thoughts :
Another monster of a book! It's amazing! Highly recommend this book for scifi lovers out there!
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Crouch has been a favorite author since I read the Wayward Pines series. He is always innovative and imaginative. This story is both. The protagonist receives a transplant after contracting a virus which makes him continually smarter. It’s a really fun read.

This was a super tough one to put down! The story moved right along perfectly and always continued to flow. Super entertaining and will give readers s great ride and keep them guessing.

My first dip into sci-fi and ofcourse everyone recommends Blake Crouch--now I understand why! This was action-packed and just a really fun time.

"Upgrade" offers readers a compelling glimpse into a potential future, where gene editing reshapes humanity. Crouch's dedication to scientific accuracy enhances the story's immersion and credibility. Crouch's writing is skillful, and the plot maintains a brisk pace, keeping me fully engaged. Talk about a page turner!

While the cat-and-mouse dynamics in the story occasionally feel familiar, and the resolution lacks major surprises, "Upgrade" remains a satisfying read.

What makes this novel stand out is its unique approach to cautionary themes. Beyond the expected warnings about the dangers of unregulated gene editing, the book delves deeper into the perils of prioritizing intelligence over essential human qualities like empathy and compassion. It vividly portrays characters intoxicated by their intelligence, taking audacious risks for what they perceive as the greater good. This subversive exploration challenges conventional wisdom and invites readers to ponder the potential pitfalls of such a mindset. Scarily realistic.

"Upgrade" is a captivating fusion of science and philosophy, encouraging us to rethink the path to solving the world's problems and prompting reflection on the consequences of unbridled ambition and intellectual hubris.

I have read all of Crouch's books, and I'll have to say that this one sits solidly as my second favorite, right after Dark Matter. The lack of the 5th star is due to having questions I'd have liked to have answered.

Thank you to the publisher and Netalley for my review copy.

The Upgrade was an intense read, jam packed with action at every turn and just enough heart to make you hope everything would end well.

I've read most of Blake Crouched novels and this one was not his best. It was engaging enough, but there were no surprises. After the initial set up, it was just action with predictable outcomes. It was a quick read. 3.5 stars, rounded down.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Dark Matter and Recursion, I was disappointed in Upgrade. Rather than a twisty, intelligent sci-fi novel, it felt like one extended chase scene with very surface-level science. I still look forward to Bake Crouch’s next book and hope it gets back to the intelligent thrillers that we’ve come to love from him. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blake Crouch is back with another entertaining thriller, and I'm so glad it's much more "Dark Matter" than "Recursion". It's not particularly breaking new ground, there are definitely books and movies out there that approach this topic with more nuance and complexity, but that's not really what I read Blake Crouch for - I read him for fast-paced, engaging sci-fi thrills, which is exactly what I got from "Upgrade". Impossible to put down!

Interesting read. Gripping and realistic. Some hard to understand technical writing for me at least. I read on my kindle and that helps when you don't know what a word means. I recommend that if you have it. I will say this is not my usual read but one of the best books I have read this year. Jump into this book and be ready for a ride that makes you question our current world and our future. Highly Recommend

This book didn't hit my hopes quite like other Blake Crouch books have unfortunately.

I have always loved how easily you can grasp his previous stories without being a scient nut and this one for me had a few moments that went over my head. Or possibly it was just slower and I didn't fully take it in.

This book to me was interesting at first and very gripping, but throughout somehow went too slow and also too fast? The concept is great - the way the story goes about humanity and if there was a crisis we could fix, but with huge consequences what do we do?
I saw both sides of the coin.

Logan was written very well and the ending did get me. I was selfishly wanting that to happen all along!

Overall still intriguing and think people would enjoy it, but not as twisty, gripping, and easy to follow for me.

This one for me is 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Upgrade is such a thrill ride. It's hard to describe this book without giving away much of the plot, and I definitely don't want to do that. It's best to go in blind and go along for the ride. It'll make you think about the larger consequences of gene editing which is a topic that is already hard to really get a grasp on. It wasn't the strongest ending to me, which is why I'd give it the half star off if I could.

Thank you to Netgally and t he publishers for an ARC copy. I give this review voluntarily.

A part of me wants to say that this book is so cool and fascinating and another part wants to say it's a horror story that is scary and chilling. I don't know what part is in the majority at this point but it is truly a novel that will make you think and examine what is a possibility in our human being's future. Another thought I had was that if our brains are capable of such intelligence then why aren't human beings smarter than where most of us are on the IQ scale? Shouldn't we all be at the minimum of the genius scale by now in our evolution?

What I will say now is that I loved this book and can't wait to read it again. It is definitely at the top of my favorite books I've ever read, probably in my top 10. I am very drawn to books with intelligent characters and themes that make you think. It's set sometime in the future but the author doesn't say how far. My guess would be between 30-60 years in the future. Genetic altering is done so often that they've made a branch of the government to handle illegal tampering with genetics. The main character is Logan Ramsey. At the start of the book he is not genius smart but he's no dummy either. His mom is a genius with a 180 IQ. OK here is where there will be some spoilers so beware.... She believes that the way to save the human race is through intelligence. So she has worked for around 20 years to come up with a way to change both Logan's and his sister Kara's genome. An Upgrade to make them geniuses. Well not only are they geniuses but they surpass their mom's IQ and not by a little. The down side is the more intelligent they get the more emotions and empathy go out the window. The mom has come up with the formula for changing the entire human race with this Upgrade but she hasn't come up with a delivery method. She is hoping that with their upgrades her children with figure that out. Now here's where that action comes in. Logan thinks it's a terrible idea and wants to destroy all the information for the formula. Kara thinks it's a good idea. This is the conundrum. This is where the race begins to either stop Kara or watch the human race transform. It's a great ride. I don't know the accuracy of the science. Are we capable of transforming our DNA now? Will we be capable in the future? What will happen if all the science in this book is accurate and comes to pass? I highly recommend this novel and give it 5 stars.

This is so far my least favorite from this author. I enjoyed it enough but it felt slow and dry compared to his other works. Would definitely still read from this author in the future but this was not my favorite.

I may just be too much of a character driven girl but this was so boring. While I think the science was interesting, it wasn't much of a story to me. I also get completely lost in actions scenes, but we know this about me.

Blake Crouch does it again with a suspenseful, fun book that plays in science fiction. Logan Ramsey finds himself transformed into a man who is smarter, stronger, and more able than anything he could have imagined. He's been infected by a virus and must race to protect humanity from the same fate. Crouch builds an action-packed story, while raising questions about the ethics in science, and what we need, as humanity, to save ourselves. It was a fun read.

Thaanks to #Upgrade #NetGalley for the eARC.

Since I enjoyed Dark Matter and Recursion by Blake Crouch, I of course had to pick up Upgrade by him as well. And luckily, it didn't disappoint! It's a scifi thriller that kept me hooked and engaged through the entire story, and that's really all I want from a thriller!

Definitely one to look into if you're interested in a fast-story!