First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC.

This is a fast-paced thriller with a message for humanity about our failure to acknowledge the damage we are doing to our home, our planet, and our future as a species.

This book is set in the near future, and in it, Blake Crouch explores the morality of using DNA manipulation to help humanity survive its own destructive behaviors which threaten to end our time on this planet. Logan and Kara, brother and sister, represent the two sides of the argument he presents here. At one point, Logan says, "We don't have an intelligence problem. We have a compassion problem. That, more than any other single factor, is what's driving us toward extinction." This dichotomy is the motif throughout the novel, and it is not subtle. In fact, I think for some people it may be a bit preachy, but I think subtlety is at times overrated, especially when, like so much science fiction, it is closer to reality than we want to admit. I will say that the science was a bit overwhelming at times, but I think you can still enjoy the story without fully understanding all the technical aspects because Crouch also explores the humanity of the characters, especially Logan.

If you like a lot of action with some philosophy mixed in, you will really enjoy Crouch's latest novel, "Upgrade."

I loved this -- it was almost literally “unputdownable”. Blake Crouch is such an inventive writer!! He's on my automatic "must read" list now.

I’ve been reading Blake Crouch’s work for over a decade now. And while I can’t remember if it was Abandon or Snowbound that I read first, I do recall instantly becoming a fan of his work. And over the years he’s continued to thrill and entertain me with his amazing tales. Well I’m thrilled to say his newest book Upgrade is right up there with the best of his stories. In a way this book reminded me very much of the movies Lucy and Limitless, where man (or in the case of Lucy woman) pushes the boundaries of what humans are capable. In Upgrade after an accident during a lab raid, Logan Ramsey, finds himself becoming the next step in human evolution. It’s a thrilling fast-paced story with very real, complex characters and as with many of Blake’s work it’s loaded with high concept science, in this case genetics, and Blake does an excellent job of breaking down those concepts in a way that’s easy for us to understand. Thanks so much to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Upgrade.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upgrade-blake-crouch/1140385126?ean=9780593157534&bvnotificationId=a8627b29-0232-11ed-b592-0a0bd0983579&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/212871262

https://www.amazon.com/review/R25KTSUIFBG9NK/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

A bomb alters the DNA of Logan Ramsay upgrading him to a "super" soldier in a war he didn't know he'd fight against his sister. This action thriller is top-notch and read at such thriller pace. My adrenaline was pumping just as fast as Logan's. Imagine if you are able to tap under resourced areas of the brain and body - its NOT unfathomable.

The ending is very profound, leaving you with words that haunt this novels conclusion. I am not typically a SciFi reader, but Upgrade's drama and action mixed with SciFi worked magically.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy to read and review.

As usual, Blake Crouch delivers another mysterious, action-packed, mind-bending sci-fi thriller that is imaginative and stands out from the other novels in the genre.

The novel takes on some heady subject manners. It’s set in the near future and there is a worldwide famine caused by a genetic engineering experiment gone wrong.

My only complaint about this novel is that the author sometimes goes off on a tangent and comes off pretty preachy. But he didn’t do that too much to distract from the fun parts of this book.

It’s a good story that’s well-crafted and will keep you reading to the end.

With his vivid imagination and extraordinary creativity, Blake Crouch puts a fresh and original spin on this mind-blowing, engrossing and mesmerizing sci-fi UPGRADE.
From the first page, I was instantaneously drawn into this fascinating sci-fi world of Logan Ramsay where I was constantly shrouded in mystery and stunned by the unexpected twists and turns..
Life is endlessly surprising…
I truly appreciate NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for the gifted copy of UPGRADE which I loved it as much as I loved DARK MATTER, if not more.
#NetGalley
#Upgrade

Wowza- this is a non-stop action and intrigue sci-fi thriller!

Hear me out friends- if you’ve followed my Instagram page for any amount of time- you’ll see that Sci-Fi is not a genre I read much. Maybe you are the same- sometimes reading and trying to figure everything out makes me feel really unsmart (is that even a word?) If you are the same - rest assured that this author does a great job of introducing scientific concepts in a way that is easy to digest. Even if you don’t understand every nuance- you still have plenty of information to track the story.

This one felt a little like watching a watching the latest Borne movie. Intrigue, suspicion and heart palpitating tension. This ended up being such a quick read because I couldn’t put it down. The concept of gene mutations enhancing the human species was so interesting and timely. Set in a future society- there is a task force (GPA) to deal specifically with gene editing. Interspersed with the drama and action are intense relationships, unmet expectations and failure. This would make a great book club discussion!

I highly recommend this one. And it has maybe one of the best last lines ever:

“What do you call a heart that is simultaneously full and breaking? Maybe there’s no word for it, but for some reason, it makes me think of rain falling through sunlight.”

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC to read and review.

Logan Ramsey is haunted by his family history, hoping to use his job to make up for the past. After a mission gone wrong, he finds he feels different-very different. His abilities have changed dramatically. His entire genome has changed dramatically. And now he may be the only one who can stop what's about to descend on humanity, while being forced to decide if he should even be trying to stop it at all.

There is so much science in this book. I am not typically a science fiction reader, especially not when the science gets technical. But I loved this book. Crouch has this amazing ability to make science fiction that is not only accessible to readers like me, but that is absolutely gripping. I could not put this book down.

I really liked Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, and was interested in picking up more of his novels. I was only able to get through half of Upgrade, but think many Sci-Fi or Blake Crouch fans would still enjoy this book. There was a lot of action in the first half of the book and when I think about where the novel is going in the second half of the book it sounds interesting, but at this time it is not holding my attention. I plan on revisiting the book at a later date, but wanted to provide feedback closer to publication date. I think part of the reason Dark Matter was much more successful, and attention grabbing was because of the alternate universe plot, which always interests me. I think my problem with Upgrade is that it feels more virus-related with the way the story deals with altering people's DNA coding. I have always been anti-virus/germs in the stories I consume. I do still think there is an audience for this book and hope to finish it eventually.

I'm a huge fan of Recursion so I was looking forward to Crouch's next book! I enjoyed this one a lot and will continue to read his books even though Sci Fi isn't my usual genre.

Y’ALL………

If you’ve been following for even a month you will know that Blake Crouch is my new favorite author and this book was my most anticipated read of the summer.

AND IT DELIVERED. Literally Blake can do no wrong. He has this unique way of blending dystopian sci-fi with mystery that is fantastic. UPGRADE takes on genetic engineering vs his others books that focus on time travel. He always has an overarching theme of “What If?” present in his books. The settings he create are so real and force us to think carefully about what our futures hold. It’s like realistic fiction.

I loved the way he made the science of this book understandable and fascinating. 5 stars. Read it. Buy it. Give Blake your coin.

This was my first Blake Crouch book but it will not be my last. I loved all of this book and I flew through it and did not want to put it down.

I couldn’t wait to read this book, so I didn’t and raced through it. I’ll post my full review closer to the publication date and update my review here.

July update:
Having read this book some months ago, I found it has stayed with me. While part of the premise of the book may be similar to “Flowers for Algernon” it is a vastly different book. One may say the question this book is attempting to answer is: what happens when humans become super-intelligent?

The book is fast-paced, and I read it quickly. There is a bit more “preachiness” than one would want, and there are some similar tropes, or formula to the overall arc of the book. Yet, there are a couple of themes that can be pulled out and are concepts worthy of deeper consideration.

The obvious one, yes, what if humans become super smart, would we lose our humanity, our emotional connection to others? This may be pertinent as we approach technological advances, with computer AI and possible integrating humans with computers. Also, one could ask: why allow something to happen to others that would vastly change their life without their consent? Even if it is for the better? And ultimately, is it better?

The end may leave an opening for a sequel, but we shall see. If there is one, I will definitely grab that book.

Summer reading, for me, has become synonymous with Blake Crouch sci-fi books. Based on his previous gems that I read in the summer - specifically Recursion and Dark Matter - mere talk of a new Crouch narrative in the late winter got me into must-have mode. Not wanting to wait, I was thankful for Net Galley for releasing an advanced copy. And while I started it right away, life had other plans, as it so often does, and I ended up fittingly finishing it in the summer.

Upgrade is a solid sci-fi book. A true rating would be 3.5 stars but I rounded up for the Goodreads scale. Though I’ll admit I didn’t read this book day in and day out, part of that was because I was busy and part of that was because this plot lacked the urgency of Crouch’s other stories I came to love.

In Upgrade, a story about a future world and time where gene augmentation is an actuality, it’s easy to get lost and/or overwhelmed with some of the scientific terminology. Spending time trying to figure out complex terms took away from the flow and enjoyment of the storyline. The story could have also benefited from more character development. We spend the entire book with our hero/antihero Logan, but I don’t know if we ever got to truly know him. I found myself wondering if I should be rooting for him and the decisions he was making vs. the other characters.

With all that said, how the story ultimately unfolded was satisfying. Crouch is a terrific storyteller, complexities aside, and as such it would be intriguing to see this story played out in a sequel (or told through a different perspective). Though I wouldn’t rank this at the top of Crouch’s books, I’ll still look forward to his next foray.

Blake Crouch is at his best in Upgrade - and I don't say that lightly, because Dark Matter and Recursion were both 5-star reads for me, but Upgrade just feels elevated somehow. Upgrade follows Dark Matter's lead where the story feels at once personal to our main character, Logan Ramsey, but also wide in scope with seemingly the fate of the entire future resting on Logan's shoulders. The story is fast-paced and riveting, and accessible for sci-fi newbies and veterans alike. I'll recommend this one to anyone who enjoyed Dark Matter or wants to test the waters of sci-fi.

There’s a line where sci-fi, suspense, and speculative fiction intermingle. A world that’s not ours now, but if certain events lined up just so maybe it could be. Blake Crouch’s newest release, Upgrade, thrusts us into such a reality. I binge read this in less then a day, so block off some serious time reader friends. It’s a page turner you’re not going to want to put down! Upgrade was a selection in the 2022 Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide, so you know it’s highly recommended!
It is the era after The Great Starvation, a mass famine caused by DNA interference with unexpected consequences. Research and development is now illegal, scientists either imprisoned or monitored by government agencies such as GPA, Gene Protection Agency. During a raid Logan Ramsay, a GPA agent, is exposed to a contagion. Initially he is cleared but slowly he realizes everything has changed. He’s reading and comprehending at unimaginable speed, recalling everything he’s ever experienced and learned. He’s able to recognize and anticipate others intentions and protect himself better. Was he targeted, set up, and by whom? Can he get answers he needs without drawing attention to himself and putting his family at risk?
Thus begins an extensive game of cat and mouse, who do you trust. Overlapping all of this Blake asks the philosophical questions: What is acceptable collateral damage to save the greater good, and who decides what that is? Are there traits to be selectively eliminated from humanity, that are detrimental at this stage of our species? Again, who decides?
I recommend Upgrade for current fans of Blake Crouch, you’re going to be really happy with this one! Also for lovers of fast paced sci-fi suspense. I think there’s a lot to discuss here so this is a fantastic pick for Bookclubs that read this gene.
I received a review copy from the publisher William Marrow via Netgalley.

Freaking Blake Crouch does it again. I promptly bought a hard copy of this one after finishing the digital ARC. It was especially awesome for me because there are several pivotal scenes that take place very close to where I live, and that was excellent. I'm really hoping this is one I can get my husband to pick up. I think he'll love it!

Imagine being upgraded, to this super human, who knows not just everything, but is an all around genius. Sounds awesome, but in this book Logans life changed and it was not for the better. Logan comes from a family of science, and his past comes back to haunt him. I loved the family mystery, and the drama, even the use of scientific terms, I didn’t think I would enjoy the book THIS much. It was easy to understand, and it flowed so easy and got straight to the point and I loved that. I understand now why this author is a fave in its genre. This is a Gene War I don’t think anyone would want to miss.

I devour Blake Crouch novels, and this one was no different. It might be my favorite since the Wayward Pines trilogy.

Timely and so interesting even as a non SciFi type of reader. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this cleaver read we are following Logan , our main character, as he begins to change. He has been given an upgrade and notices changes in his senses. This sets off a chain reaction that only he can stop? I really can’t say more, I think going in blind is best, don’t read too much of the blurb, let the story unfold.
This is science fiction at its best!! It even reads like a thriller at times. So give it a try if you haven’t done science fiction before, the author is great at writing in such a way that it’s meant for everyone.
Such a talented writer, you really are riding along with Logan, and it’s a grand journey! Highly recommend this one!