I dreamed of who I used to be.

Of who, or what, I might become.

This right here. This is what I've been waiting for. With Upgrade, Blake Crouch has finally written a successor worthy of Dark Matter.

You might think that I have some sort of rigorous, scientific method for determining what makes a 5-star read for me. But honestly, it's just a feeling. I get this tingle that goes from the back of my head all the way down my spine. And when I feel it, I know that I've found something special and worth savoring. And that's what happened here.

When I think of a great science fiction story, I think of something bold and imaginative, capable of surprising me and challenging my preconceived notions, one that reaches to the root of what it means to be human, and takes us on a journey of where we've been and where we're going. And this story is all that and more.

Just like most Blake Crouch novels, this book feels accessible, even to those readers who don't normally indulge in the genre. And a large reason is because it reads like a thriller. It's relentlessly paced and utterly riveting, and I can't imagine trying to put it down once I've started. Every chapter held surprises and revelations, and even when I thought I was getting an inkling of where it might be headed, it still managed to prove me wrong.

While the science in here is interesting, I suspect most readers will connect with it for far more reasons than that. It seamlessly blends a whole bunch of interesting and timely topics, from philosophy to ethics, evolution to the environment, that elevates it from just a story that passes through one's mind to a story that's truly arresting and memorable.

I've noticed that Crouch is particularly adept at putting the reader in the shoes of the main character. We feel his pain, understand his choices, and appreciate the difficulty of his dilemmas. And it makes me wonder, what would I do when given such impossible choices? Would I have what it takes to sacrifice everything to do what needs to be done? I'd like to think so, and it's definitely an interesting thought to contemplate.

A word of caution here. I normally include a small tease of the story I'm reviewing, but you'll notice I haven't included any such information here. It's because even that little bit feels like a spoiler. In fact, I've been careful not to allude to anything that happens in the entire story, and that's on purpose.

I went into this completely blind and absolutely loved the initial pages as it set up the premise and got into the heart of the story. There were so many things that surprised me and those reveals contributed so much to the delightful experience of reading this book. After I finished, I read the blurb on the back, and it pretty much gives it all away. So my suggestion is to skip the blurb altogether and just go right into it. You'll be glad you did.

Ever since Blake Crouch came out with Dark Matter, I've been waiting patiently for another book of his that will grab me just as much. (Recursion wasn't it, unfortunately.) I wanted another that would work on so many levels: a riveting and unputdownable thriller on the surface, but also thought-provoking and scientifically intriguing, and relatable to every reader even though the premise is so outrageous. And it seems my patience has finally paid off.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.

Gosh, I'm slightly shocked that I didn't love Recursion. I've been looking forward to this ever since I read Dark Matter, so to say I'm a bit disappointed is an understatement.

(Note: As usual, this is a 100% spoiler-free review. However, I couldn't talk about the book without referencing some events in it. But I haven't figured out how to do spoiler tags on my blog yet, so where it says "(view spoiler)," the actual spoilers can be viewed on my Goodreads review, here.

The premise is certainly intriguing enough. Detective Sutton is investigating False Memory Syndrome, where the victims suddenly come into possession of vivid, intense memories of lives they've never lived. Ten years prior to that, we also follow scientist Helena Smith as she works on creating technology that will allow dementia patients to store memories and access them at a later date.

That all sounds good, but then we get to the crux of the science for this book: (view spoiler) This is explained by some odd interpretations of quantum mechanics, but the explanation doesn't actually work for me. Obviously, being that this science fiction, there's a lot of leeway on what could be real. But unfortunately, the way it's explained in the book can't ever be real. (view spoiler) Also, the science doesn't make sense, even within the book's universe. (view spoiler)

The story is very ambitious, maybe a little too much so. Along with the scientific impossibility, there's also a lot of scientific jargon and philosophical musings meant to sell the reader on this idea. But it just comes across as a lot of mumbo jumbo, at least to me.

However, I'm willing to stop being a wet blanket and suspend my scientific disbelief, if only the rest of the story was great. But the rest was over-the-top too. The thrills felt artificially amped up, with lots of random craziness thrown in just to keep it all going. It soon became exhausting. (view spoiler) This happened multiple times. My eyes rolled so hard, I might've bruised them.

No doubt following up Dark Matter is a tough task. And I wonder how much of my feelings of this book is tangled up in my love for Dark Matter and my high expectations going into this. Also, writing about (view spoiler) is extremely challenging, and this just didn't gel together into a cohesive story for me.

Still, even for all my complaints, I guess I did find it to be decently entertaining, if a bit silly, for the most part.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

This moment slips past unnoticed.

The end of everything I know, everything I love.

If there ever was a science fiction story that could appeal to everyone, this is it.

Jason Dessen was living the normal happy life with his wife and son when one night, a stranger abducts him and knocks him out. When he comes to, everything has changed. How will he survive and get back to the life and the people he loves?

Okay, that's a pretty measly teaser, but it's all I can say without giving anything away.

This book blew my mind when I originally read it. But to be fair, I went into it almost completely blind. Not only did I not know the story, but I somehow didn't even realize what genre it was. So when strange things started happening, I was really REALLY surprised.

Even though this book is science fiction, it reads like a thriller. It's fast-paced and relentless in its drive to propel the plot forward. The action never stops, and the intensity just builds and builds. Every time I think I've got a grip on what's going on and where the story is headed, something happens that I didn't see coming.

This book is the rare one that's got something for everyone. It mixes together a variety of genres—science fiction, thriller, suspense, mystery, and romance—and it does so seamlessly. Even if you're not normally a sci-fi reader, it's worth considering this book. The concepts in here are accessible to everyone, and it's really the perfect introduction to the genre.

At the core of this story are questions that everyone can relate to. What happens if we made different choices in life? What about the road not traveled? And how much would we sacrifice to be with the ones we love?

I can't think of another story quite like this. It's worth the journey to discover it for yourself.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!