Upgrade is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that follows a man who had been genetically upgraded. This book is so much fun and so intense. I couldn't put it down. Blake Crouch has done it again and knocked it out the park. He's taken the complex ideas of CRISPR to tell a compelling story about what it means to be human. Highly recommend!

What would you do if you could upgrade your brain to be the most efficient machine on the planet? Would you be able to solve all of the world's problems and perhaps end suffering as we know it? Or would that merely enhance our innate desire to conquer over others? In this thrilling speculative fiction by Blake Crouch, we learn the lengths that people are willing to go.

I was skeptical at first when I heard about the concept for this book. I was thinking of the movie Limitless, where the character was able to take a pill to enhance his brain function for a specified period of time. There were some chases and thrills, but at the end of the day an unimpressive movie and thus a concept I didn't care to revisit. But Crouch does it again with his writing and puts a new spin on a topic that I was a bit dubious about.

The book focuses on Logan and his sudden "upgrade" to his brain, and the plot dives deeper and deeper as the reader is caught up on the troubles with this near-future society. There's great use of showing and not telling, unlike other future-society stories that wastes pages and pages of exposition explaining how we got from point A to point B. Crouch shows us this world beautifully without sacrificing the story itself.

Another strong book from Crouch. Personally, my favorites are still Dark Matter followed by Recursion, but this is a top three from his library of work.

I've had a lot of DNA-related things in my life lately - the other day I learned a bit about my own ancestry when my mom received the results of a 23andme kit (fascinating!), a friend's mom (adopted) met her bio-mom for the first time and I met one of his newly discovered cousins, I've been listening to the audiobook of The Match by Harlan Coben (IYKYK) and, finally, UPGRADE by Blake Crouch.

Blake Crouch is the author of one of my favorite novels I've read in the last ten years - Dark Matter - and I loved Recursion as well. I was busting at the seams when I heard he had a new book on the way and was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced copy of Upgrade. is another dive into a complex subject matter that Crouch manages to render understandable and thrilling for mainstream readers like me.

Of his three latest novels (I have not yet dug into the Pines series), Upgrade is most like an action movie. I will not spoil it, but in our main character's journey to get to the truth of his unwilling genetic modification we experience chases, hand-to-hand combat and action set pieces worth of a major blockbuster (I hope the film adaptation makes it out of development... still waiting on that Dark Matter adaptation over here). For an action movie fan like myself, this was outstanding.

At the heart of Upgrade is the question of how to save humanity - and who will do it. Until the end, I wasn't really on anyone's side - or, rather, I saw the sides of everyone involved. Like a few other "near future" novels I've read recently, what Crouch presents doesn't seem THAT far off. I, ultimately, felt very satisfied by the conclusion of Upgrade and found myself nodding along with the narrator's final words.

For my fellow Blake Crouch fans, Upgrade will be a homerun - an excellent companion piece to his previous works. I can't wait for the next one! Many thanks to Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really enjoyable read - once I started it I didn't want to put it down! Definitely a new favorite author!

What is there to say about a Blake Crouch book that hasn't already been said? His books are accessible sci-fi for those of us who don't normally read the genre. How he marries sci-fi and thriller so seamlessly I will never know, but he has done it again. I would even venture to say that I enjoyed this book more than Recursion which was my favorite of Crouch's novels until now. Make sure you start this book when you have plenty of free time because stopping it to go engage in real life is more difficult by the page.

Is Upgrade my favorite book of the year? This book was hands down beyond amazing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blake Crouch makes science cool. He brings difficult sciences like genetics into his stories and makes them easy to consume through stories that are gripping.

Upgrade is no different. This story is action-packed, character-driven, twisty, addicting and emotional. Its a story you'Ill want to devour in one sitting.

This book will easily win best science fiction for the year.

You guys have to read this!

If you liked, you'll love:
🎬 Selfless, Gemini Man, Marvel Movies
🎮 Detroit Becomes Human

Thank you NetGalley, Blake Crouch, and Random House Publishing for this ARC! Upgrade hits shelves July 12, 2022. Pre-order it now! You need this book on your shelf!

Let me start with I love Blake Crouch, but this did not do it for me. It felt rushed and unfinished as well as predictable. He usually takes me on a ride to somewhere I never thought I would be. This is why the book played out disappointing. But I will read anything this man writes and I will still purchase the book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

A book that makes you think and feel, Upgrade is another incredible work by Blake Crouch and a definite contender for book of the year. In a world where genetic modification is illegal, Logan, the son of a notorious geneticist, works to identify and apprehend those working in the black market of gene modification. Logan’s life is suddenly upended when he is violently ambushed during a raid and undergoes a mass alteration of his genetic makeup. After excruciating pain and isolation, he quickly realizes the immense power of his new brain and body but can sheer intellect and strength save humanity?

Logan is a highly complex character who is oddly relatable despite his superhuman abilities. For much of the book, he has very minimal human interaction but I never felt tired of hearing his thoughts. I loved how the narration shifted from slow but thoughtful to rapid and profoundly aware as Logan underwent his genetic change.

The storytelling brilliantly balances scientific knowledge and human emotion. There were many times when I stopped to think about the state of our current world and what might happen if the public had access to genetic modification programs. Although there is plenty scientific jargon and interesting “what-ifs”, the emotional component of this book is what really spoke to me. I was fully invested in Logan’s story and concerned about the outcome of his future world. Upgrade is another fabulous addition to Blake Crouch’s repertoire and quite possibly my favorite of them all.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with e-galley!! It was an honor and a joy to read it early.

**3.5 stars rounded up**

This book started out so strong. It was an incredible concept with likeable characters, and felt very tense and heart-wrenching at the same time. I was hooked from the beginning in this futuristic world with the terror of humans having destroyed the world, and the ability to alter our genes and DNA. It's a scary concept to think about. However, towards the middle of the book this turned into Logan's wild goose chase to find Kara and stop her from following in their mother's footsteps and finishing her plan for the human race. It got incredibly science-y, to the point where it felt like it was taking away from the plot. I don't have an issue with lots of scientific jargon or concepts, I read Dark Matter and Recursion and they were both 5 star reads for me, but this one just felt like too much. Overall it felt like a whole lot of build up for not a whole lot of pay off. It felt a little unfinished at the end. The epilogue made me a little emotional though, when Logan finally got to see his family again. I was happy to see he still got to be in his daughter's life, at least for a little while. The compassion upgrade seemed a little forced and random at the end, since throughout the entire book Logan is trying to stop Kara from upgrading the human race, but not really having another plan to try and fix it until much later.

Very good hard sci fi book Lots of action Has allot of hard science init but not too overwhelming because it is e explained pretty well. thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to review this book

Blake Crouch has become one of my favorite Science Fiction authors, I would put him in the same category as Michael Crichton for exciting reads with new ideas. Ugrade focuses on the world of gene manipulation, what it could mean for our future as human beings. The main character Logan becomes trapped in a genetic engineering upgrade that he didn't ask for. Now Logan is on a mission to find out why this has happened, and what happens if it falls into the wrong hands.
I loved the concept of this book and learning bits of the world of genetic modification. The Logan character was easy to get invested in and follow the journey he was thrust upon. My only disappointment was the final 25% of the book really just became a giant chase scene with explosions, gun fire and SWAT teams. I really wished it could have delved further in the DNA science that was being dealt with.
4/5 Stars. Thank you to #Netgalley and #BallantineBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOWOWOW. Heart rate 213 BPM.

Adrenaline pumping through my blood during this entire book. It is so good and so fast paced and fun. Thrilling and exciting. Blake Crouch has done it again with Upgrade. He has such a knack for taking complex ideas and making them simple to digest. I am not going to go into the plot because I think it is more fun going into this book not knowing too much, but I will say it was the most fun I have had reading this year. I would try to read before bed, but just reading this book would get me so pumped up that I couldn’t sleep.

The writing is beautiful and the story interesting, I highly recommend!

I found none of Recursion's poetry and passion in Upgrade, this scattershot novel based on an already tired concept. The protagonist is genetically upgraded against his will only to be plunged further into chaos as he finds himself the only person capable of stopping a plot to inflict the same fate on countless others. There's inherent drama in the story, but the character development and frustrating lack of satisfying action sequences leave the plot bare, offering nothing beyond being plausible. Descriptive and scientific lists pervade the novel; even when describing movement and action within an otherwise intense scene, Crouch somehow manages to make it tedious to understand the arrangement of all the elements. Culminating in an meaningless resolution, the story hints at profound ideas of society and virtue while never really confronting them in any enlightening form. The author is clearly capable of great things, but this may be a more casual effort.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the Arc.

This was a really fun and exciting read. Going in, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew that I loved Blake Crouch's writing style and storytelling so I was excited to see what he came up with for Upgrade. To be short, I was not disappointed.

The underlying premise of unlocking the secrets and mysteries of DNA sequencing and upgrades gave this book and storyline a ton of potential. Starting with the tragedy of the elder Ramsey and her mistake that caused world-wide impact set up the future storyline wonderfully. I felt the break to the main storyline was a bit rush and under-developed, however I do not believe that it impacted the overall story negatively. I would have liked a bit more development of their mother's survival, the work she had been doing, her ultimate death (again), and her wishes for her kids and the world. It was explained enough, but I felt like it could have been explored a bit more to provide more depth.

The battle between brother and sister and the ultimate decision for what is best for the world was intriguing. It added a great dynamic to the story that could have been told without it, but it would not have made it as engaging. I know their relationship was not strong and there was some history, but again, I would have liked to explored their past a bit more to provide some context and additional character development. That being said (again), it did not take away from the overall storyline.

The climatic ending felt a bit rushed but got to the point and closed things up nicely. Again, I would have liked more here, but it was exciting and fulfilling nonetheless. I liked that the epilog wrapped things up well with the family and left their relationships on a good and closing note.

Putting all of the "short comings" I mentioned in to the book would have made this a long one, so I understand why it was done. However, I could see this book broken in to 2 books to fully explore the characters, their history, the past, and how things played out throughout. I think it would be interesting to explore the backstory with the Ramsey family as a prequel, but not sure there would be enough content for a book.

Overall, very happy with the read and thoroughly enjoyed Upgrade.

UPGRADE is a breathless read. It isn’t mind-blowing at times, it’s relentlessly mind-blowing, as the story unfolds in a wild time of rampant gene editing. In classic Crouch style, this thriller also has real heart. It is an important addition to the conversation about what it means to be human, about the value of love and pain.

Blake Crouch does a fine job of creating sci-fi stories with backgrounds that can lead to the possible plausibility of events happening, This particular novel delves deeply into the science of DNA and the human genome. It's heavy on the scientific jargon and that could bog you down if you aren't that invested in that particular info and just want a story that grabs you. It took me to 25% in the eBook to really get interested, but once I got to that point the story really picked up.

A fine story with a chance for you to gather quite a bit of information on gene mutation. If that's not your thing, try skimming over those paragraphs and hang on to the actual story.

I read this book as a recommendation from NetGalley. It took me a couple of attempts to start reading. Then I couldn't stop.
What happens when your life is shadowed by something your genius mother did? You go to jail and then attend to live your life upon release under a different name. Logan's mother caused a global disaster that is still affecting the world. He works for a government agency that is trying to stop the manipulation of genetics. On a job a blast puts DNA into him. It causes him to Upgrade . Smarter, faster, and stronger. Who is behind this? Can he stop it?
Great sci-fi book.
Thanks NetGalley for a book that makes me think. A little scary, but at the same time full of possibilities.

My favorite thing about Blake Crouch’s books is that they make you feel really smart. He has a way of making complex science accessible for the reader. Upgrade is my first 5 star book this year and will be at the top of many must read lists!

Logan Ramsey is the son of a genius scientist, Miriam Ramsey. Miriam miscalculated the implications of a experiment and inadvertently killed millions globally. Logan is currently working for the GPA which is a government agency fighting against gene editing (which has become way too commonplace).

Without giving too much away, Upgrade is full of action, mystery, science and “save the world” vibes. It will leave you questioning human nature and the path we are all on as global citizens. This book is a must read especially for those who don’t typically read science fiction. Blake Crouch makes science fun, accessible and also a little scary. It sometimes hits too close to current events and makes you wonder about our world.

A big thank you to Blake Crouch, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy! When Upgrade is out in July 2022, run don’t walk to get your copy!

This was a super page-turning science fiction story, though far more reminiscent of the Wayward Pines series than his more recent novels. It is wildly propulsive, particularly so in the first half. While heavy on science explanations, those parts are easily skipped over, and the plot is fast-moving enough not to require them.

Just as in Wayward Pines, there is not much character building/development, and you are mainly just in the main character's brain as he fights his way through the world, but it is a wild ride if you don't think too hard about it. I also loved the realistic near-future part dystopian world setting.

4 stars!

This was my first ever ARC read and my goodness, it did not disappoint. I've been an avid Blake Crouch fan since The Wayward Pines trilogy, and Upgrade was certainly just as intriguing, fast paced, and entertaining as any Crouch book I've read.

The story follows Logan Ramsey on a "Limitless" style journey of growth (literally and figuratively) after an attack on his genome. I absolutely loved the detailed explanations of genetics, chemistry, biology and other fascinating areas of science Crouch sprinkles throughout the novel; the pharmacist in me was taken back to my days of misery in class learning about the biochemical makeup of drugs. However, in this setting, it held my attention instead of putting me to sleep. Crouch gives you just enough that it's not overwhelming, and he really includes them to aid in the context of the story. At times it did feel a little lecture-like and/or preachy, but I was moving through the book so fast I barely noticed.

Without question a 5 star read for me. I don't think he could possibly write anything I WOULDN'T give 5 stars to. Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.