The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name:  Hannah C.
Grade: 10
Title & Author: The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Impression: Excellent Recommend: Yes
Favorite Part: I liked Tobin's vain attempt at saving Sara and the ensuing funeral. It showed how reality doesn't always have a happy ending and how human they still were in thought and emotion, despite their need to breathe underwater. Its writing was also realistic, from Tobin's guilt to Penn's grief that "fills the cabin with a psychic pain so sharp it makes my head pound." This realism adds further depth into both the story and the characters themselves.

Favorite Character:  Ooh, I think my favorite character is either Tobin or Thom.

Tobin's the resident medic (I usually hold medics in high regard) and he exhibits great care in keeping everyone healthy. His gentlemanly mannerisms and ability to keep a cool head during emergencies, especially of the medical type, won me over from the beginning.

Thom, meanwhile, is one of those shy teddy bear giants that I'm an absolute sucker for. Despite his apparent shyness, he's more than willing to take on enemies much bigger and nastier than he, if it meant the others would be safe. His courage especially shines in the group's battle with the giant squid.

Summary: Nere Hanson and her teenaged companions are shocked to find out they had been genetically modified to breathe and live underwater. Now, they must journey across the oceans and attempt to find refuge from a dystopian government eager to help them permanently "sleep with the fishes."

Feedback:  While there were a few times that I felt like it was a bit too low of a reading level for me (understandable since this is a middle school level book), the book captured me and wouldn't let me go until I finished the entire thing. The plot was fresh and original, the characters were realistic, and the book went against traditional 'rising-climax-falling' by ebbing and flowing from light events to crucial ones then back to lighthearted ones again. This break from tradition makes the book more grounded, since real life does not follow the storytelling technique of 'rising-climax-falling.'

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name: Kayla Q.
Grade: 9
Title & Author: The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke
Impression: Good
Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: The journey to find Nere's father.The adventure with the new friends Robry,lena and Nere meet along the way.Surrounded by sharks the dolphins do not allow anything to stop them from moving on.

Favorite Character: My favorite character was Robry ,young,caring but yet adventurous and risking.

Summary: It was great i had a lot of fun reading this book.I am a type of person that only certain books that catch my attention will be read.The Neptune definitely did that.Fighting off those who want to capture them,sharks and other great dangerous creatures in the big ocean.Making their way to there new home.

Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name: Courtney R.
Grade: 9
Title & Author: Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke
Impression: Good
Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: I truly dont have a favorite part of the book. I like it all it was a good all around read. I truly have no complaints to the book at all.

Favorite Character: I liked Nore. She was the kind of person i am. She truly is amazing.

Summary: It truly was amazing the book. i loved it i would truly recommend it.

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name: Karishma R.
Grade: 10
Title & Author : The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke
Impression: Excellent
Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: My favorite part was when Nere finds out she is part of The Neptune Project, because I thought it was interesting to see how you think you can something all your life, and then all of the sudden, you're told that you are something completely different. It is like getting told your whole life is a lie.

Favorite Character: My favorite character was Nere's mom because even though she didn't tell them that they were part of a science experiment, she did all of it because she loved her children.

Summary: Nere is a shy girl, who soon finds out that she is one of the kids who had their DNA genetically altered so she can live her life in the ocean to escape the government trying to move everyone inland. In order to reach the Neptune colony, she must swim across the dangerous ocean and try to get passed the government who is going after them.

Where It Began by Anne Stampler

Name:  Hannah C.
Grade: 10
Title & Author :   Where It Began by Anne Stampler
Impression:  Okay
Recommend: No

Favorite part:  I can't say I have a favorite part because the book just couldn't capture my attention enough for me to want to finish reading it. I only read to maybe a quarter of the way through before it started to bore me.

Favorite character: I don't have a favorite character but I suppose the one I liked the best was Gabby's old friends, especially the guy who liked art and (I think) photography.
Gabby struck me as a stereotypical naive, insecure, rich girl whose only goal in life seems to be getting a boyfriend. Her thoughts were hackneyed and dry, the typical cliche of countless others before her. Her mother simply angered me with her shallow vanities. And though I did not read much about Billy, what little tidbits I got practically screamed that this was yet another manipulative, abusive 'bad boy' who was not to be trusted.

Summary: As far as I can tell, a shallow, spoiled, rich girl named Gabby becomes involved in a car accident which leaves her unable to recall anything about events before the crash. The entire book then revolves around her struggle to overcome this amnesia and, far more importantly, become bad boy Billy's girlfriend again.
Feedback: Though it was intriguing to start the story with a car crash, the book quickly fell into the unfortunate pit fall of the predictability that always comes from spoiled, whiny characters possessing shallow desires. I don't recommend reading it.

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Name:  Naorin H.
Grade:  12
Title & Author : Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Impression: Okay
Recommend: No
Favorite Part:  My favorite part was when Huey finally revealed the pictures from that night to Gabby.
Favorite character:  My favorite character was Huey because he was the first one to lose it on Gabby and show her how stupid she was being.
Summary: Gabby gets into a car accident (from drunk driving) and loses her memory of what happened that night. She is convinced that she doesn't have a drinking problem and doesn't believe she needs help. Her rich and popular boyfriend Billy convinces her to play along and pretend she realizes she does have a drinking problem with the help of doctors to get out of trouble. However, he can not be seen with her due to his probation. Her life has changed for the worse and she tries to do whatever it takes to get things back to the way they used to be, before her face was totaled by the crash.
Feedback: I really didn't like Gabby and not in the way that you don't like a villain but actually love them because the story wouldn't be right without them. That was probably why I didn't enjoy the book as much as I might have.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Name: Naorin H.

Grade : 12
Title & Author: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
Impression: Good  Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: My favorite part was when Anya left the party because she was strong to just leave and not stay to do things she did not want to.

Favorite Character: My favorite character was Anya because she changed for the better over time. At first, she did not respect her culture or her family but as Emily begins to mirror her attitude, Anya becomes a better person.

Summary: Anya is an outcast and hates her Russian heritage for it. One day she falls down a well and finds a skeleton at the bottom. She soon realizes she is not alone down there and that the ghost of the skeleton, Emily, is there with her. When Anya is rescued from the well, a bone accidentally ends up in her bag, allowing Emily to leave with her. Emily helps Anya out at school and they become best friends. However, life does not remain perfect for long....

Feedback: I really liked the twist at the end because I did not expect Emily to turn into the bad guy at all.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brogsol

Name: Christine
Grade: 12
Title & Author:  Anya's Ghost by Vera Brogsol

Impression: Excellent
Recommend: Yes

Favorite part: My favorite part was when Anya discovered the truth about the ghost, Emily, and why she actually died.

Favorite character: My favorite character was Emily because although she was a ghost with bad intentions, she was a clever and persuasive individual especially when it came to talking to Anya.

Summary: Anya, a highschool misfit, befriends a ghost who died falling into a man hole and after following Anya home, Emily decides to help her Anya encounter all her troubles in school, especially with Anya's crush. With changes and pressure from this somewhat friendly ghost, Anya discovers that there's more to Emily than there actually is which puts her and others in danger.

Feedback: Irccommend this book to everyone, especially those whoa are comic book lovers :)