I was fascinated by the concept put forth in this book. So much of the medical terminology was beyond my ken; it did not slow me from devouring every page, impatient to see each 'improvement' of our main character. Is this much of human DNA truly mapped? An engrossing & wonderful speculation of the future of post-human kind.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for and advanced copy of this book in exchange for review.

This was my third Blake Crouch book and it did not disappoint! It is obvious that he puts extensive research into his books and it's heavy on the science. His books are fast pace and incredibly thought provoking. Upgrade is a cautionary tale of DNA manipulation and a warning for the future. At times, I found it to be a bit slower than my favorite Crouch book, Dark Matter, but it was still a page turner. Fantastic!

I don't read a lot if sci-fi but I am a huge fan af Blake Crouch. Reading his books always makes me feel like my dad is with me. He passed away 10 years ago and he was a huge sc-fi fan. I really wish he was alive so we could read and discuss these books together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of this novel I’m exchange for an honest review.

This is my third Crouch novel; Dark Matter is one of my all time favorite books and I thoroughly enjoyed Recursion. Upgrade was good but not amazing. I loved the frenetic pace of his last two books; this one seemed to be much slower at times and missing some of the intensity I’ve come to expect. I also wish there had been a better showdown in the end - perhaps because a big one had happened earlier. Just nitpicking.

I really enjoyed how Crouch ended the story and the route he chose to take Logan Ramsay down. Humanity’s own worst enemy is itself and, to me, that’s what Crouch was trying to highlight in this story. Well done.

The research he does for his books is always admirable and Upgrade is no different. While I’m unable to fact check the accuracy, all of the genetic talk and rational is very well done. He certainly became knowledgeable on multiple avenues of gene science but explains it very well during the narrative without very overdoing it.

Overall I did enjoy the book - if this was my first Crouch book I’d pick up another one. If you enjoyed his previous books, I recommend picking this one up too!

Blake Crouch always tells a good tale. In ‘Upgrade’ he’s in the future dealing with genetics. The ability exists to change a person’s DNA to make them almost physically unstoppable.. As such the ‘changer’ and the ‘changee’’ can face lengthy prison sentences. Our main character Ramsey Logan and his sister underwent genetic change as children. Ramsey has served his prison time and now helps hunt down those who illegally sell such changes. His sister on the other hand works with the dark side and is making a power play. It’s up to Ramsey to stop her.
In ‘Upgrade’ Couch has woven an intriguing tale. It can get bogged down with bits as to what amino acid was changed and where and why but the pace is enough to keep the reader’s interest.

I absolutely loved this book. Right from the start, I was hooked. Crouch wastes no time getting right into the plot. I also liked how it was broken up into multiple parts as things started to change for Logan. This book is clearly a message about the current state of our planet and society, which I enjoyed. The ending was also great, as not everything worked out perfectly, which would’ve been unrealistic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci fi, especially with potentially realistic portrayals of the future.

What if your body could be stronger or your brain smarter​ than any other human being. Would you do it? In the new action packed Sci-Fi Thriller, Upgrade, it’s all possible, but is it the right thing to do?

Logan Ramsay works for GPA, an organization stopping the illegal gene editing happening all over the world. When one mission goes wrong he finds himself waking up in a hospital bed, in complete quarantine. As time passes he realizes he’s smarter, faster and now he’s the guy they want to hunt. My favorite part of any super hero movie is when the character undergoes their “transformation”. This book did not disappoint! At times it felt like it went a little over my head with all of the scientific terms, but it really added to the overall feel of Logan getting an upgrade.

Logan has a complex past. His family has secrets that kept this story constantly taking twists and turns. While he was able to turn his emotions down, we as the reader couldn’t and even with all the action there was plenty of heart.

While the middle of the book slowed down for me, I still couldn’t put it down. The constant need to know what would happen kept me enthralled. Even with most of the story talking place with only Logan we get a good amount of side characters that each open up new turns in the plot. ​

The Epilogue turned this book into a 5 star for me. Even though this story is fiction there are some very real elements of human nature that make you think. Blake Crouch really touched on the parts of humanity that are both ugly and beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley and ​Ballantine Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

***Book of the Month for March 2022***

Thanks to both the author and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review an e-ARC via NetGalley. Blake Crouch continues to crush in these sci-fi thrillers. Upgrade felt completely different than his other books while still having the same aspects that make it a “Crouch book”. You can certainly feel the inspiration for this book from the last few years while I believe it will still feel fresh for new readers as time passes. I love how fast paced and action packed his books are. It’s such a nice palette cleanser from my typical epic fantasy reads. If anyone can recommend other authors like him, please do.

Reading Blake Crouch always gives me mixed emotions:
Thrills - his plot development is amazing. You care so much about the characters (ok, not so much the sister in this book). I always feel as if there’s a clock in the corner ticking away, racing toward the end of the world - I raced through this book!
Wonder- How, how, how, does Crouch a) come up with these ideas, and b) research then so thoroughly to make them realistic - and I truly believe this plot will happen in my lifetime!

Upgrade was a fascinating, breathtaking thriller. If he were alive, I think a book co-written by Michael Creighton and Blake Crouch would be an all-timer. But for now, I’ll just sit and wait for Crouch’s next work of literary thrills.

Set in a dystopian future in which New York is flooded and the world has recently suffered mass famine due to genetic crop engineering which has gone awry. Genetic engineering is now strictly forbidden and Logan Ramsey is an agent for the government agency that polices genetic modifications. During a raid he is infected by a virus that leads to modifications of his body and brain giving him advanced capabilities. He later learns that he is a prototype for similar modifications to be released on the human species.
The book is crammed with nonstop action, but is also intellectually stimulating. The current science of genetic engineering is taken to the next level. The inevitable questions are raised: how far can we go without suffering cataclysmic consequences? Are such consequences acceptable if the world can be turned from its path that leads to inevitable destruction? The author delves deeply into the philosophical issues of today and the future and comes to a surprising conclusion.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's hard to approach my feelings on this novel, in one respect, it's fantastically written, in another though, I wish it was longer and certain parts could be expanded upon and other things could have been explored a bit more. Overall I really enjoyed it though, just wish there was more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy. Upgrade comes out July 22, 2022.

I enjoyed both Dark Matter and Recursion, so when I saw that Blake Crouch had a new novel coming out this year, I immediately added it to my TBR list. Blake Crouch is a fantastic author that knows how to write a great science fiction thriller. It did get a little heavy on the science at times, but not enough to cause me to want to stop reading. It was easy to keep reading because I wanted to find out what would happen next. Upgrade takes a look at the good and bad of genetic engineering. I really enjoyed the epilogue!! Dark Matter is still my favorite of Blake Crouch’s novels, but he will continue to be a must read author for me. 4 stars!

This was my first Crouch novel and I can say it won't be my last! I loved the thoughtful sci-fi thought experiment of upgraded DNA. This was an excellent plane book, kept me entertained the entire time! I can't wait to share it with my husband when it comes out in print. Thank you so much for an advanced copy.

Set in the future, Upgrade refers to the manipulation of DNA to make superhumans. Normally I don't care for science fiction, but this was better than expected.
The main character is the son of the woman who tried altering the DNA of bugs to prevent spoilage of crops, but instead it caused millions to die of hunger. Her son had participated with her and spends the rest of his life atoning for these actions.
I liked being surprised by some if the actions. Maybe if I were to read more futuristic books I would not have been surprised, but I like the way it was done.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review

A cautionary tale about what dangers can happen when advanced gene editing come into play. As always, Blake Crouch keeps his readers engaged with good characters and timely topics. The ending was great and it makes me curious about what the world might look like in a sequel.

A thriller like not other and a great escape for a lazy afternoon at home or at the beach... quick, captivating and doesnt disappoint

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.

I'm not a huge sci-fi reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Crouch is a terrific writer. The pacing was wonderful, the science was interesting and plausible, and the storyline was interesting. I love that the storyline wasn't unnecessarily drawn out, and the ending pulled everything together nicely. I've watched series' based on Crouch's writing before, but now I'm interested in picking up more of his written work.

I wish I could say I loved this, but I did not. It reads like the novelization of a movie, or a script for a movie. It is written like a movie. Too much action, too many stock characters, too many predictable scenes. I found parts of it quite boring. I never could bring myself to care for the main character or about the Evil Villain and their Fiendish Plan.

Using chess as a metaphor, check. Having the hero climb up the side of a building, check. Setting the big climax in New York, check. (Why why why must it almost always be New York? The poor, mistreated Statue of Liberty.)

I read an advance reader copy, so maybe the book is still in the editing stage. At one point (in chapter 7) our hero meets a random woman named Miranda who embraces him; later on he is hugged by someone from his past and thinks “It was the first nonviolent physical touch I’d experienced since being kidnapped from this building almost fourteen months ago”. The memory of the guy with the perfect memory is not as good as mine apparently. 😊

The premise of Upgrade is right in my wheelhouse and I really wanted to love it. It has nice sentiments about what homo sapiens has done and is doing to the planet, but the story did not work for me. *sad*

I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

Logan Ramsey has spent his entire adult life living in the shadow of the genetic disaster his mother caused years ago. Now, he works for the Generic Protection Agency fighting against genes being altered. When he enters a basement during a raid, there is an explosion and he wakes up in the hospital. There, he learns he was infected with a virus but appears to be normal. But then he slowly starts noticing changes - his mind is sharper and quicker. He needs less sleep and is able to read fast and retain tons of information easily. It becomes clear that his genome has been altered, or “upgraded”. And it was done for a specific reason. Logan risks everything to get to the bottom of what is happening and why.

I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, but I’m glad I gave this one a chance. Though it is heavy on sci-fi and generic terminology, it is also an exciting race-against-time thriller. The love Logan has for his family is real and tangible, and I was surprised to find myself getting teary-eyed a few times. Blake Crouch is able to seamlessly blend the sci-fi thriller factors with the heartfelt story of a family man who wants what’s best for his family and humankind. This was the first Blake Crouch book I read but I want to check out his previous books after this!

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House-Ballantine and Blake Crouch for the ARC! Upgrade releases July 12th.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog books_by_the_bottle shortly.

First off, a HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for granting me early access to my most anticipated book of 2022!
In true Blake Crouch fashion, Upgrade weaves scientific themes, suspenseful plots, and meaningful life lessons that leave the reader with a personal connection to the book second to none.
“I couldn’t do nothing”. Logan Ramsey, a geneticist turned gene protection agent is faced with a huge task: stop his sister from releasing a viral upgrade that will kill a billion people in the name of increase intelligence and way of thinking. Upgrade follows Logan’s journey to not only save countless people’s lives, but realize what is most important in our human race.
This was a book of the year for me. I will forever read Crouch’s books and encourage anyone to pick this book up, even if science fiction isn’t typically your genre. It won’t disappoint.