I love all books I’ve read from this author, and this is no exception! This plot felt all too real with the current pandemic and that made this even more fascinating to me. I really enjoyed the main characters development throughout the book, I really felt for him and the difficult situations he was put in. I would say is my second favorite Blake crouch book and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

I am a very fast reader and love reading new and exciting books from authors I haven’t sampled before. Recently, I was offered an opportunity to review a science fiction novel by Blake Crouch called Upgrade. I wasn’t entirely certain what it was about, but I knew it involved fiddling around with the human genome to create a “better” human. Based on the goings on in the world today, I was definitely interested in reading this book.
Upgrade takes place in a future Earth in which the science of genetic engineering is considered dangerous thanks to past mistakes that have led to planetary devastation. Logan Ramsay knows all about it firsthand – he was involved in his mother’s genetic engineering experiment that was designed to save the world’s grains but ended up destroying them instead. Years later, Logan is now a member of a law enforcement agency that hunts down scientists performing illegal genetic engineering experiments as penance for his mother’s deeds.
While on one such hunt for illegal genetic scientist activity, Logan is ambushed. When he comes to, he discovers that he has changed – his cognitive functions have been heightened and his healing powers have increased exponentially. It isn’t long before Logan realizes that his genome has been hacked, but to what end? Logan soon learns that his genetic upgrade has something to do with his mother’s legacy. What’s worse – his upgrade is just the start of something big she had planned for the fate of humanity. Should Logan intervene and prevent the evolution that is about to take place, or should he just lay back and enjoy the ride?
As with a great many science fiction novels I have read in the past, Upgrade deals with the ethics of genetic engineering and the arrogance of humans. This book is a tad different though based on the time in which it has been published. This is an Earth that has endured COVID-19 and the various theories surrounding the virus. At one point, it was thought that COVID-19 was genetically engineered, and this has yet to be proven or disproven. We are living in a world where scientists are viewed with skepticism and distrust and Blake Crouch perfectly incorporates this all in his book. He also does a great job displaying the arrogance that some higher intellects have – generally believing that they are the only ones with the right answers – that nurtures the skepticism and distrust in average citizens.
Upgrade is an intelligent reader’s novel. There are some complex ideas at play in this book and some readers might get lost in all of the genome, RNA, DNA, etc. talk if they are not up on the latest in genetic science. That being said, there is great deal of action and intrigue to be had as well thanks to Logan’s law enforcement background, his sister’s military background and the unknown factor behind the upgrade. No one can be trusted and everyone is a potential enemy until the final moments of the book.
I was left on the edge of my seat while Logan hunted down who was behind his upgrade and then tried to stop the upgrade from spreading. You just never knew who was willing to go along with the conspiracy or what kind of new dangers Logan would find himself in while trying to level the playing field. I read this book in a matter of a couple of days and loved every minute of it – perfect testimony to the exciting and descriptive writing style and storyline created by Blake Crouch. Upgrade was definitely a fun read!

Thank you so so SO much to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an eARC copy of Upgrade by Blake Crouch in exchange for an honest review. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I am so ecstatic that I got to read it early and promote this incredible book!

CW: gun violence, violence, explosions, blood, gore, combat, murder, suicide, torture, climate change, extreme weather events, genocide, pandemic, medical content, confinement, death of a parent (not on page), death of a sibling (on page), grief, car accident, police brutality, jump scares

I don't want to say too much about the plot, because as with all Blake Crouch's books, I think the less you know about the book going in, the better it will be. We're following our main character Logan Ramsey as he goes on an epic journey to understand what has happened to him and why. Logan is in a race against time to save humanity from an impending pandemic with dire consequences. He has lost everything in pursuit of saving humankind from losing the very thing that makes us human.

Wow wow wow. This is Blake Crouch's highest stakes book yet, and if you have read his other books, you know that's saying a lot. This is an action-packed, philosophically challenging journey of epic proportions. This main character is deeply passionate and empathetic, quite literally holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. He carries his burden with the tact and urgency surpassing all the best heroes I've ever read. My heart was at once broken and proud for this man and all he would sacrifice for the sake of others.

I sped through the first 70% of this book and then had to make myself slow down to savor its conclusion. At the end of this book, Logan's victory comes with a lot of pain, but Crouch crafts a beautiful conclusion, bringing emotional resolution, hope, and a call to readers in toward empathy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It goes beyond being a source of entertainment and becomes an astonishing love letter to humanity and all that makes us what we are. It is a conversation piece. It is a stepping stone to action. Please do yourself a favor and pick up this book on its release date, July 12.

Blake Crouch takes us once again to the near future, where we've already moved past the devastation of climate change and are now killing people off in the millions via unchecked genetic engineering -- even the best of intentions can go spectacularly wrong via the unintended consequences of playing god with DNA.

So much so that the government has set up an agency to go after illegal scientific research into genetics, of which Logan Ramsay is an agent, despite having served a prison term for his own role in rogue genetic experiments run by his super-genius mother that resulted in mass death and starvation.

Investigating one such rogue operation, Logan is blasted by a bomb, but not any ordinary bomb -- this one infects him with a genetic upgrade that turns him into a super-hyper-ulta-mega-man with boundless intellect, limitless memory, unheard of physical prowess, and (here's the main point) total control of his emotions.

The difference between Upgrade and, say, Peter Parker turning into Spiderman because of a mutated spider's bite, or Kal-El endowed with superpowers because of a different colored sun, is that Crouch takes us on a deep dive into the actual science of genetic engineering that might in theory make this possible -- to the point of listing many of the affected genes.

I always love getting a healthy dose of actual science in my science fiction (even though this might be too detailed for some readers). And I always love when futuristic worlds are actually a reflection of our own contemporary world and its issues, as is the case here.

Beyond that, Upgrade is basically a double chase, where Logan is trying to hunt down the villains while being pursued himself by various powers that be. The McGuffin -- the genetic upgrade -- plays itself out relatively early. The big reveals are handled early on, leaving Crouch a good chunk of time to let the consequences play out -- this could have backfired, but doesn't.

No matter what you like out of your sci-fi thrillers, you're likely to find it here -- real science, believable action that rarely goes too far over the top, interesting philosophical and moral issues that relate to our own world within a well-built futuristic world. And very readable, a true page turner.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, although I can't necessarily gush about how much I loved this book, because it just isn't that kind of book, I can enthusiastically award it 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5, for being thoughtful, engrossing, even educational.

Looking forward to the next entry, which seems inevitable, Crouch having left open enough loose ends and a path forward even though this story is completely wrapped up.

Thank you Random house Publishing and Netgalley for an advance reader copy of Upgrade in exchange of my honest review.

Upgrade was a well written, keep you at the edge of your seat, science fiction thriller. I had a hard time putting this one down.

It’s about what happens when scientists think they could change the fate of the world by changing people. Changing the genes of people to make them smarter, stronger, and with less emotion.

Blake Crouch delivers yet again in this mindblowing new thriller about an ordinary man who undergoes a startling transformation (and fears that all of humanity might be next). 5 enthusiastic stars for this fast-paced, captivating read.


Many thanks to Delrey Books & NetGalley for the eARC.

WOW what a great book. It harkens back to the old science fiction stories that turned into blockbusters! Blake Crouch builds a realistic world and a situation that you may want for yourself!

Logan Ramsey is trying to keep his head down and stay out of trouble. Years ago he was implicated and incarcerated for his mother's failure. A helpful virus she created grew out of control and plunged the world into starvation. Now Logan is out and just trying to make amends when he is exposed to a new virus. At first there are no issues. Slowly, however, he realizes that he is getting faster physically, mentally and these "upgrades" while amazing, are not by choice.

The government catches on and attempts to study him. They think that his experience is a harbinger of a worse virus and that this incident may signify the return of Blake's genius mother! It's a crazy, lightning fast story filled with science and fantasy and I loved it all. If you dream of new abilities, saving the world, or just love a sci fi tale, then Upgrade is for you!
#RandomHouse #Ballantine #Netgalley #BlakeCrouch #Upgrade

I love all the books I have read by Blake Crouch. I think they are so smart and hit the science fiction need right where I need it to hit. However, I didn't quite get there with this one. It was entertaining, full of action, and about a futuristic topic but I just didn't quite like it as much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this book in two days, and would have finished it sooner if my schedule would have permitted it! A fast-paced, sci-fi thriller that will leave you questioning what makes us human, and what are truly the most important aspects of humanity. I love a sci-fi book with a biology focus, and this packed interesting science with loads of excitement and engaging characters. An absolute must-read for any sci-fi lover!

Another great read by Blake Crouch. I’d rate this one as not quite as great as Dark Matter or Recursion, but only because of the latter third of the book or so. It started out so strong I thought it might be my favorite of his yet, but it got a little slow in the second half and the ending felt rushed and not terribly satisfying. It was a complete 180 to the character’s development to that point, so I was surprised and a bit disappointed. But overall a great read.

I always approach a Blake Crouch book with a mixture of genuine anticipation and equally genuine fear that my brain will pop and I'll be overcome with the need to sleep with the lights on and question my own reality. This book doesn't disappoint in any aspect. As much as I said WTF over and over again while reading I couldn't stop turning the pages. If you enjoy Crouch's work in general you'll enjoy this one as well! If you need me I'll be over here questioning my own existence...

Dark Matter was the first Blake Crouch book I've read. I had heard of him before but I didn't read his previous books because I didn't think they would be something I would enjoy. Fast forward to finishing Dark Matter, the first words out of my mouth were "I will literally read anything else this man comes out with." Now fast forward again to the release of Recursion. Upon release I was waiting for my copy of the book to get here and within a couple days I had it finished and was devastated I didn't have more. I'm in the exact same boat with this newest book. I almost regret applying to get an advanced copy through Netgalley because now I'm left with an empty hole where this book was. Of course I can read the finished copy when it releases (which I will) but I'm never going to get that rush from the 'first read' which is sad.

The constant crazy that was this book was almost nonstop from start to finish. There was a point in the middle after an altercation between siblings where it slowed down a bit as our main character was trying to figure out what was next but other than that it was insane for a huge portion of the book. The characters had me both laughing and crying (especially at the end) but what was done the best is watching as the upgrade changes Logan. Not in just his interactions with others but with himself. How his inner dialog changes and how he handles situations was done so carefully that it blew me away.

I felt a little stupid reading this book. I know the point of the whole thing was that the upgrade essentially makes him vastly superior and insanely smarter than everyone else and that much was expressed in how the character problem solved and spoke but as a reader I was intimidated when I saw a wall of scientific speak that my brain could not understand. I don't want to go too in depth with what happens after Logan's upgrade because I feel like it will spoil the rest of the book but I will say you won't regret picking this book up when it comes out. I was and still am blown away by how much I have loved the last three books he has released and I cannot express enough how much you should absolutely go pick them up and read them. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

If you are a Blake Crouch fan then you know he likes to ask “what if” and then tell a story about it. “Upgrade” posits a dystopian era not too distant from today, then introduces the “what if” factor.

This story is very science heavy. There is little romance to speak of and the character development is limited to only a couple of people. We follow the protagonist throughout the story with no other POVs, which is fine by me. There is plenty of action, the premise is interesting, and Crouch did a good job exploring the topic and its philosophical ramifications.

Four stars for “Upgrade”. This was an engaging read that draws on existing science and extrapolates to a plausible science-gone-wrong future. While the author does a great job drawing the reader along, the story seems just a little dry. My thanks to Ballantine Books via Netgalley.

#Upgrade #Netgalley #KindlesAllTheWayDown #KatzAllTheWayDown #ifcatscouldread #booksandcats #catsandbooks #booksandcatstagram #catsandbookstagram
#bookstagram #Catstagram #thecatmodel #Rescuedismyfavoritebreed #rescuecatsofinsta #SciFi #dystopian

Upgrade was a page turner for me and I did not want to put this book down.

I loved Logan as a character and found myself cheering for him throughout the book. Cheering for him to “win”. Cheering for him to make the morally right decisions. Cheering for him to find peace.

Beyond the story, this book has left me thinking about how humans can ensure the survival of our species and the philosophy around what humans would do if we could upgrade our DNA - would we use it for good or evil? I think we all know the answer to that.

I love Blake Crouch’s writing and I loved this book. Pick up a copy and read it as soon as it’s available

I have been a fan of Crouches since he was writing with Konrath many years ago, and I found the Pines books amazing and unmistakably original. Dark Matter and Recursion proved he is a writer to be reckoned with. Using the science of genetics, this novels posits man 2.0 if you will, or what it would be like for us to get an upgrade, not of cybernetics but of our own genetics. A fascinating look at science that seems to be within our grasp, if not now then within the next few decades, amazing and frighteningly real.
A perfect blending of Sci Fi and thriller, this will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned or swiped.

While I've read and enjoyed both Recursion and Dark Matter, I left both books feeling like I didn't really know what was going on. Upgrade has a similar brain bending quality, but is slightly easier to wrap your head around. While I don't claim to understand the science behind DNA hacking, I do think Crouch did a great job of discussing it in the style of Andy Weir. This book felt like it could have very easily been ripped from the headlines of the very near future. If you're looking for an unputdownable book this summer, look no further than Upgrade.

4 1/2 stars
The latest science stunner from Blake Crouch has a story that could come out of today's headlines - diabolical DNA researcher takes matters into her own hands unleashing terror and making human hybrids out of her own children. Logan is a good guy who is really trying hard to hide from his famous mother's legacy by working with the gene police but nothing can prepare him for the direction his life has just taken. This is a genetic futuristic Jack Reacher/Jason Bourne/Terminator kind of thriller with a hero we love, super scary science explained in " Genetics For Dummies " writing style and people with freaky super powers. His fans will only be more in awe and I for one will be steering clear of any giant killer wasps I see. Fans of Andy Weir, Ernst Cline and Michael Crichton will be happy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I have really enjoyed Blake Crouch and his other novels in the past. Though I love sci-fi and fantasy, his books tend to have very particular sciences that can be a little bit more difficult to follow. I read Recursion first and LOVED it, and enjoyed Dark Matter, but not as much.

Upgrade has a very similar feeling to his previous two novels. When reading Crouch, you have to dedicate your whole brain. I occasionally felt confused, which can be frustrating when trying to use reading as a tool to relax.

Overall, this was another hit. Enjoyable, and hits on very relevant topics. But if you haven't liked Crouch's previous novels, this might not be for you.

Wow, wow, wow. This book is engaging, substantial, and thought-provoking. I could not put it down, read through the night good. I have yet to read Dark Matter or Recursion but they have moved up on my TBR. By the end of the book, I was holding back tears and a bit torn on the ending, only because of the age old ethical question: should he or shouldn't he?

I already recommended this to my 14 year old because I do think he would like it. I will be talking to my husband next. It's right up his alley, though he is not a big book reader.

This one kept me clinging to the edge of my seat .. so much anticipation and action. 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.