Another #bookofthemonth book read the month I received it (and thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the gifted ecopy). Upgrade, by Blake Crouch, is available now!

I’m not a big #scifireader (and I’m total transparency, I didn’t care for Dark Matter and didn’t read Recursion) but I couldn’t put this one down! The science wasn’t too hard to follow and the storyline kept me completely engaged. Upgrade made me think about the potential repercussions of messing around with genetics and DNA, even with the best intentions.

Wow, just wow, this was a thriller that never stopped. The highest respect to Blake Crouch for writing a book that pushed my mental understanding to it's limits. I've been a fan since reading Dark Matter a few years back and love the science fiction Blake Crouch dreams up. The technology and science of Upgrade mimics real life, and here that is scary as all hell. As with many, if not all, of Blake Crouch's novels, he creates a futuristic world that is mesmerizing and fills it with great characters that you can't help but love.

The main character in Upgrade is Logan, and his character arc is nothing short of amazing. Imagine having your natural abilities modified to make you smarter, faster, etc. What would you do if one day you could remember every conversation you had, or figure out complex math equations. The possibilities are endless and intriguing. Logan has several upgrades that are more and at the same time less than what he expected or could imagine. All of the pluses of an upgrade are met with an equal number of minuses.

While Logan puzzles out the mystery of who, why and how such changes to his genetic code are possible, it become clear humanity may be in great danger. Natural resources have become scarce and the environment is a mess. Upgrade takes many changes in direction and working to solve the case was a challenge. I love a book that makes me think, holds my attention and won't let me put the book down. Upgrade was all of this and more, I recommend it highly.

Action-packed techno thriller!

Logan Ramsay has been genetically enhanced without his knowledge or permission. As he gradually discovers that he is better at everything -- from concentration to physical abilities -- he also finds that he has been targeted for this upgrade by someone from his past. And there are bigger plans for the rest of humankind on a simply terrifying scale. Only Logan can stop the worst from happening.

This is the type of book that I was desperately needing -- so fast and fun with events coming at a furious pace that left me turning the pages wildly with anticipation. I love science, and this involved gene manipulation, so it was everything I hoped it would be and intensely satisfying. I liked the main character, and I can just see this as a movie on the big screen. There are some moral lessons within and I found it quite interesting what evolved from Logan's super mind concerning what the most important thing would be for the continued existence of homo sapiens. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend. I can't wait for this author's next book!

2 words: “𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬.”

⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: It’s the future. Cray-cray actions have happened (no spoilers!) and Logan Ramsay finds himself “upgraded” in a body that has amazingly sharp skills, in every aspect, but someone is behind the upgrade and Logan is going to find out who, forcing him to face a legacy he’s spent his life working against while trying to understand. The problem is - what if the upgrade is a GOOD thing for humanity? What side is Logan really on?

💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Here’s the scary part about this book - this all seems like it could REALLY happen! What if our bodies and brains were upgradable like our phones? 🤔 Boom - you’re smarter, stronger, faster. Ta da! But technology has risks. And pitfalls (yup like the 80’s video game). And massive advantages. This is what makes the entire book a head-scratcher of medical ethics.

The book is cerebral; you’re going to need your brain and might lose some minutes (ok hours) Googling about genetics (fascinating!), but it’s not so bogged down in science that it loses its thrill, and this I’m discovering might be a Crouch trait because like Dark Matter, I was pulled in, churned and spun like a centrifuge, and spit out the other end contemplating , “What just happened?” And loved every minute!

I figured out the book takes place in 2069 (from the mention of the a building and it being 101 years after it was completed, quick Google and voilà, wow I’m so smart!) so it’s just enough in the future to make you worry and simultaneously creep you out completely.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Science-Fiction Thriller

😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: I’m not a Sci-fi reader and loved it so I’d say if you enjoy fast-paced action with an amazing story? Don’t pass this up!

🙅‍♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: If you are hardcore against Sci-fi.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for making me eyeball bees and ice cubes.

Upgrade, the latest book by Blake Crouch is a well-written, intricately woven thriller that will keep you quickly flipping pages from beginning to end.

Logan Ramsey, son of a scientist who caused the greatest tragedy in history, awakens one morning to find himself feeling different. As the day(s) progress, he realizes he's becoming better in every way. He has more physical strength and abilities, his senses are more acute, his mental capacity has grown immensely; his DNA has been hacked and he's been upgraded. But by whom, and for what purpose?

The plan, created in an attempt to ultimately save the planet, and already set in motion, is to upgrade all of humanity despite terrifying consequences and collateral damage. Logan realizes he's the only one who can stop it. Can he do it in time? Should he? What is the best hope for humanity?

A thoroughly thrilling and engaging read, I highly recommend it!

My thanks to Ballantine books for permitting me to read an e-ARC of the book via NetGalley. Publications was 7/12/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own are are freely given

I’m trying to think in what genre I would characterize Crouch’s new fast-paced novel. It’s not one I would normally read, but I’ve been completely drawn in by it. I think it’s kind of a dystopian, sci-fi medical thriller. It’s a bit scary to read in this age of wave after wave of COVID. But Crouch is a very good writer who involves you in the story and makes you care what happens to these characters, and to the world.
The hero of the story, Logan Ramsey, is the son of the scientist who developed a giant leap forward in gene-editing, which has created a black market for all kinds of nasty things. Logan is now an agent for the Gene Protection Agency, a new branch of government dedicated to finding and catching those who break the federal law against using this technology.
On a raid in Denver, he is hit by an ice IED. Thinking at first there are no lasting effects, he soon finds out that he has been “upgraded” in every way, strength, stamina, intelligence, memory, and analysis.
I can’t say too much more about how the story unfolds without being guilty of being a spoiler. But the action is fast and furious. I find I’m developing a bit of a taste for for thrillers, and this one was not a disappointment at all. I thought the author had to be a scientist who had done super-extensive research. I understand, instead, that he has had very good people advising him. The science in the book is not dull. Nor is the philosophy. It will make you think about what we all want for the future of our planet.
Do be sure to read past the epilogue to the “Three years later” chapter. I have mixed feelings about it, but it will keep me thinking for a long time.
I look forward to reading more by this author. I feel quite sure that this particular novel has a movie in its future. I’ll be there.

Well written, fast paced sci-fi/dystopian novel about gene manipulation. I couldn't put it down. I literally read it in one day. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an advanced reader copy.

3.5 rounded up. Upgrade has an interesting and unique plot filled with suspense. I was glued to it, enjoying every word until the last 25%. The long action scene was a bit hard to follow, losing me in the technical jargon and excessive detail. It could be that I was distracted while reading so I definitely wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it.

Blake Crouch is able to take the complex and make it understandable. Reading this book will not only increase your IQ but it will make you more attractive and compassionate.
Hopefully that convinces you to read this book because it explains why humans keep destroying the only world we can live on, while entertaining you with a thought provoking, action packed, hard science story that will have you by the throat as you try to decide who is right and who should be dead.

This was fine. It wasn't good or bad but not what I was expecting it of the plot. The characters, setting and prose were in similar style to other works by Crouch which is fine because I did find a good amount of enjoyment from Recursion and Dark Matter, but where these differ is in the amount of scifi elements I got out of them.
Upgrade starts with a lot of promise. Clearly a ton of research went into setting up the story. I loved the idea of underground DNA splicing because it gave me a bit of Cyberpunk vibes. Unfortunately that wore off quickly when the book transitioned from a strong scifi to a more action drama that felt like a screenplay draft. I know that there are fans of that sort of blend and so this would be a perfect book for that person. For me, it just wasn't what I was expecting or hoping for. Because of that it's a middle of the road read for me.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a thriller about Logan Ramsay and what happens when he realizes that his genome has been hacked. He is faster, smarter, sharper. He's almost super-human. Why has someone done this to him? Who did this? Logan has to stop this from happening to everyone else in the world. This story read like a movie, and it was a lot of fun if a little too applicable at times. Highly recommend this and Blake Crouch's other books. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Upgrade is a science fiction novel about a man trying to stop a global plan to “upgrade” every human’s DNA but at a huge cost.
Logan is a married father of one and member of a government team that hunts rogue scientists when an explosion on the job infects him with a mysterious illness. After he recovers he finds that he is faster, stronger, smarter and tougher than he was before. His search to discover what happened to him and who is responsible will force him to look at people within his own circle and unearth a devastating plan to make everyone just like him. But the costs will be too high and only Logan can stop the worldwide “upgrade”.
This is a fast paced futuristic novel that makes the reader question what it is to be human and what we are willing to give up to be “better”. Although there are a lot of intense action scenes there are also powerful moments where Logan is faced with difficult sacrifices as his “upgrade” pushes him beyond his family bonds.
I highly recommend this exciting new science fiction novel for its thought provoking premise and full-throttle action. It is fast-paced, violent and has some heart-breaking moments about humanity and our future on this planet.

Upgrade is another solid science-fiction thriller from Blake Crouch. It had my heart racing throughout most of the book. I really enjoy how he takes these complex "science" principles and makes them into a fictional world but yet you believe that this could happen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballatine Books for the electronic copy.

What an intriguing idea! Logan Ramsay's mother caused worldwide starvation and so many deaths trying to create locust that would help grow a crop. But things go wrong in science sometimes. She then kills herself and Logan, who was helping her, has to deal with the consequences. He does jail time and then decides to work for the Gene Protection Agency, stopping others from manipulating genes. It all is going well. He is married and has a daughter. Until the day he walks into a setup and is hit by ice that makes him superhuman. Someone has targeted him and his sister to become these super humans to save the world from extinction. But even though the powers are good right now, what's to stop them from mutating on him or others. Some may live but many others would die. So what makes you human? is it your physical assets or is it that empathy that makes you care for your fellow humans? How far will anyone go to achieve what they believe is right?

This is such a great book! I was totally fascinated by the thoughts it brought out in me. You might need a dictionary for some of the scientific words. Thank goodness for Kindle!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a copy for review.

I love diving into the mind/writings of Blake Crouch. Upgrade is his newest thriller, blending science and technology in a way that feels eerily real. This fast-paced tale is the perfect read this summer.

Blake Crouch’s newest tale dives into the world of genes and altering them. We meet Logan Ramsay, an agent in a post-apocalyptic world after the Great Starvation. His mother geneticist Miriam Ramsay attempted to help rice farmers, genetically changed a bug and caused a biblical famine.

In Logan’s world, modifying or enhancing genes is forbidden. While on a mission to find an underground lab, he is hit with a bomb. He appears fine, but slowly understands he’s received an upgrade.

The tale that unfolds was brilliant from the slow buildup of his abilities to who orchestrated it delivered nail-biting suspense. I liked Logan. He loves the study of genes and the endless possibilities but also understands to potential for abuse and catastrophic consequences. He’s clever, highly trained and facing multiple enemies.

Crouch does his research. The thread on gene modification or enhancements could have been ripped from today’s headlines. He weaves a tale of possibilities and presents potential outcomes all while writing and developing a suspenseful, fast-paced, down-to-earth tale that invites readers from all genres to dive in.

Upgrade will entertain you while making you ponder our future. As you might imagine, Crouch is an auto-buy and was one of my most anticipated summer releases. The book is available in ebook, hardcover and audiobook. I highly recommend you grab this! It’s perfect for the beach or late night reading.

This was seriously intense and horrifying. The thoughts of our world turning to this science is almost too realistic. At some points there was a bit too much science for me but in all I liked it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

This was easily my favorite novel by Blake Crouch. He sticks to his sci-fi thriller genre all while taking the stakes to a higher level and pulling on my heartstrings. He manages to take a science heavy novel and turn it into a talk about compassion and how we have managed to desensitize ourselves as a species to the suffering of humans that are outside of our immediate tribe.

I loved every second of this novel. Quite easily the best piece of sci-fi I have read in years.

Blake Crouch has done it again! This author never fails to provide a fantastic reading experience.

In Upgrade, we follow Logan Ramsay who’s working for the GPA; an organization protecting the world from gene editing. He’s trying to right the wrongs his mother, Miriam Ramsay, left this world too.

I don’t want to say much more as I believe it’s best to go into this (and all of Blake’s books) as blind as possible. Just trust you are in great hands.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Blake Crouch can do no wrong!!

Every time I pick up a Crouch novel, my adrenaline starts pumping. He is so gifted at taking such complex subject matters and presenting them to readers of any demographic in a way that is easily digestible and exciting.

Upgrade is, on the surface, a book about genetic makeups and viruses, but deep down it is so much more than that. It’s about human nature, empathy, the ego, and family. When Logan Ramsay’s genome is hacked at the start of the novel, Crouch takes us on a wild ride of trying to navigate how humanity may never be the same due to this “upgrade.”

One of my favorite things about Crouch is that he doesn’t dwell on the sides of the novel that aren’t as important to the bigger picture. He won’t go into too much detail in dialogue, he’ll let the reader kind of come up with the stories and histories of the main characters themselves, while providing enough scientific facts to make it feel like you’re learning about an entirely new subject. Overall, this book was so exciting yet sad, because you can’t even deny some of the similarities of the fears from the pandemic we have been facing as well. I will continue to read everything Crouch writes.

I’m a fan of Blake Crouch and once again was drawn in by Upgrade, his newest page turner. Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency in the not-so-distant future when he starts noticing changes in himself. Humanity has already endured a Great Starvation, can they survive a new virus and genome alterations? A sci-fi thriller that will have your heart racing until the last page.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.