Bubble World by Carol Snow

Name: Melissa “Cleo”

Grade: 11

Title & Author: Bubble World by Carol Snow

Impression: Good; Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: When Freesia helped her sister at the party by jumping in the pool with her.

Favorite: character? Why?

Freesia. Despite the lies behind Bubble World, you could tell she was smart and observant about the things going on around her. She was also always generous to those whom she considered friends, and in the world outside Bubble World she was polite to everyone, even though the people in the real world didn't live up to her expectations, both physically and personality wise.

Summary : Freesia lives in Agalinas, an island town in Bubble World, an online virtual reality program that's supposed to be providing its users with a first class education. One day, the program starts experiencing malfunctions, and she wakes up to find herself in a bubble in the real world, looking nothing like the gorgeous avatar she was endowed with in Bubble World, and with family members who vaguely resemble the avatar family she had in Bubble World. Freesia must now get used to living in the real world and interacting with real people, although she intends on returning to Bubble World. Things go haywire though, when Bubble World is exposed as a fraud. Now, Freesia must get used to the real world, her real family, and actually learning things in school.

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name: Paris D.  Nickname:  Rare Diamond

Grade:  11

Title & Author:  The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Impression: Good

Recommend: Yes

Favorite part: When Nere found out that she was a science experiment gone wrong, I mean she thought that she was a normal gal until one day Nere found out that she has powers and when she found that out it was wicked and totally crazy.

Favorite character:

Nere was my favorite character, she is brave and inspiring. I like that she is so brave and urges others to move on and battle the govt.

Summary:  So the Neptune project is a about Nere a young teen who finds out her DNA was genetically altered by her mother! now she must go into the depths of the ocean to fight alongside other teens who have been the victims of their parents dumb experiments. Eventually they fight the govt. to retain their ocean and save their lives and they must do this all before it's too late.

Additional feedback: Can't wait for part 2 of The Neptune Project

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name: Jake F.

Grade:            10

Title & Author:         The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Impression:        Excellent

Recommend:      Yes

Favorite part: I enjoyed the part when the Neptune kids went to the smugglers' makeshift village in order to obtain more spear darts. This part was exciting and added more depth to the idea of dystopian future.

Favorite Character:     My favorite character was Robry because he was always very upbeat even though he was in a serious situation. Robry had a strong spirit despite being one of the youngest kids.

Summary:      Long into the future with little hope for human survival a group of scientists decide to genetically alter children so that they can one day live deep in the ocean. Nere, and her friends must sink or swim if they want to make it to the underwater colony and stay safe. This is an exhilarating underwater adventure.

Additional Feedback:           I would recommend this book to any person who enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy. The Neptune Project has a similar feel to it and I really enjoyed reading it. I'm sure you will too.

The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Name:  Melissa R.

Grade: 11

Title & Author: The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke

Impression:          Excellent

Recommend:         Yes

Favorite Part: I enjoyed the whole novel so much that I find it hard to select one part as my favorite; however, I really did love when Nere's mother GLADLY sacrificed herself, proving that she did love Nere as a daughter, rather than just as an experiment.

Favorite Character: My favorite character was Dai. I just find him hilarious, with how he teases Nere and reads her mind even when she doesn't want him to. I also liked the darker aspect that there was to his personality.

Summary: Nere is a young girl who grew up in a small coastal village in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian America. She always was different from those around her, with her weak eyes and lungs. One day, she finds out from her mother that she is part of the Neptune Project, a group of young people who were genetically altered as embryos to live in the ocean and keep humanity alive. When Nere's mother is killed, Nere and her companions must rely on help from the dolphins Nere has trained to help them reach their ultimate goal; Safety Cove, a safe haven for the Neptune Project children, built by Nere's father. Nere and her friends must brave shark-infested waters, attacks from boats, and other unforeseen dangers presented by the ocean.

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.

Rootless by Chris Howard

Full Nam: Mrs. G
Title & Author: Rootless by Chris Howard
Impression: Good

Recommend: Yes
Favorite part: Great cover. Banyan was the main character, a young hero, fighting to find his father, and the last forest. Every time Banyan came upon a battle and had to fight his way out, I could hear Indiana Jones music playing in the back of my head. Chris Howard was also very kind to skype our book club and he was absolutely wonderful. Bravo Mr. Howard if you can keep teenagers reading you are on top of the trees. Looking forward to book two. Highly recommend this book. Thank you Chris
Favorite character: Banyan: The Banyan tree grows in India and Bangladesh and is held sacred in both places. The tree begins life as an epiphyte on a host tree, gathering its nourishment and water from the air. As it grows, its lateral branches send down supporting roots that become absorbing roots when they reach the ground. Eventually, the host tree is smothered as the banyan continues to send out more branches and roots. The mature Banyan's canopy may cover an area more than 1,000 feet in diameter. The stems below the canopy form a kind of columned room.
Summary: Banyan a young tree builder living in a world with no more trees and the only food source is corn begins a journey to find his father and the last forest. On his journey he meets mysterious people, who are not trustworthy, and fights pirates and locusts along his way. Running out of time, running out of space, running, running, running. Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring trees back.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Name: Naorin H. Grade Level: 11
Title & Author: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Impression: Good
Recommend: Yes
Favorite part: My favorite part was reading the letters from Dante because he changes so much after he goes to Chicago but he never forgets Ari.
Favorite Character:  My favorite character was Dante because he's such a lively character and he firmly supports all his beliefs and acts on them.
Summary:

Ari has always been a loner until one summer when he meets Dante. Dante teaches him how to swim and they become best friends. One day, Dante and Ari get into a car accident. Ari saves Dante's life but nearly dies himself in the process. They're bond is as close as ever and continues to strengthen with every obstacle thrown at them.

Rootless by Chris Howard

Name: Jaden A. Grade: 12
Title & Author: Rootless by Chris Howard
Impression: Excellent
Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: The whole Book!!!!! :)

Favorite Character: I like the character Bayan in Rootless because. He is a strong and determined tree builder, who is looking for his father, in which he finds loyal friends that can help him on his adventure.

Summary: The book is about a young tree builder named Bayan who is looking for his father who was kidnapped a long time ago by Gentech agents. As Bayan is looking for his father he meets people who will help him on his mission to try and get back his father. Bayan will learn some secrets that he will never forget!!!!

Feedback: Definitely read this book!!!!!! :)

Rootless by Chris Howard

Name: Naorin H. Grade: 11
Title & Author: Rootless by Chris Howard

Impression: Good
Recommend: Yes

Favorite Part: My favorite part was when Banyan and Zee first see the bark on the Rasta's chest. This foreshadows much of the information Banyan later finds out on Promise Island. I liked this scene because the idea of wood being a part of the body is such a strange concept and difficult to grasp. I was torn between being amazed and disgusted at the thought.

Favorite Character: My favorite character was Alpha because she is such a strong character. When we first meet her, she is the enemy. However, she develops a relationship with Banyan and he can trust her even though she is a pirate. Her pirate background makes her a true leader, especially in battle.

Summary: Banyan is a nomad tree builder. He travels the nation building trees from scraps of metal for rich people who want a taste of nature in this post-apocalyptic treeless world. He encounters evidence that real trees do still exist and that his father may be found among them. Along with a few comrades, Banyan sets off to find these sacred trees. Together, the team encounters many obstacles but ultimately make it to their destination: Promise Island.

Feedback: I really enjoyed reading about the world of Rootless. It's difficult to imagine life without any trees at all and the adapting of the characters to this world was very interesting to read about.

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Name: Karishma R. Grade: 9

Title & Author: In Darkness by Nick Lake

Impression: Okay

Recommend: No

Favorite part: My favorite part was the ending where Shorty finds out that his sister was dead all the time, but his mother never told him because she wanted him to remain hopeful.

Favorite character: My favorite character was Maeguerite because she is was the one to keep everyone hopeful, during the hardest times.

Summary: The story begins with Shorty being buried under a collapsed hospital. He is visited by a spirit named Toussaint l’Ouverture that takes him to the different periods through Haiti. Throughout the story he tells you about how he got there and what he was trying to do.

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Name: Christine A. Grade: 12

Title & Author: In Darkness by Nick Lake

Recommend: No

Favorite part: I don’t have a favorite part in this book

Favorite character: I didn’t have a favorite character

Summary: Gang member, Shorty, is trapped under a pile of rubble after an earthquake strikes Haiti. We relive Haiti’s past through the view of Touissaint L’Ouverture, a revolutionary that lead a slave uprising nearly 200 years ago. This story is also read through Shorty’s point of view. Dark magic of voodoo and dreams, which is connecting Shorty and Toussaint together, presents itself as Touissaint L’Ouverture remerges into the boy’s body and comes out from the darkness.

Additional feedback: I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. It seemed to drag on and it instantly made me fed up with the story after the first couple of chapters. Although I love history, I hate it when it hinders on and on, which is why I stopped reading the book half way. If you are truly into history and fiction, be my guest and read this book but otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it.

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Name: Naorin H. Grade: 11
Title & Author:  In Darkness by Nick Lake
Impression? AwfulRecommend? No
Favorite part?   I had no favorite part.
Favorite character? Why?  I had no favorite character.
Small summary:  Shorty gets stuck alive under the rubble from a hospital that collapsed during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. He tells his story of how he got to that point as he dreams of Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who led the slave revolt 200 years ago.
Additional feedback: This book was so boring that I couldn't finish it, which means it must be incredibly boring because I always make an effort to finish a book no matter how much I dislike it. It was much too slow and just kept going on and on about things rather than moving forward. The Then chapters were especially boring because they were all historical and I'm not a fan of history.

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Name: Natalie   Grade: 11

Title & Author:  In Darkness by Nick Lake Impression: Awful

Recommend: No

Favorite part: The cover was nice...

Favorite character:   None...

Summary: It was as dry as a dessert.

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Name: Joey B.,  Grade:  11

Title & Author :  In Darkness by Nick Lake
Impression: Okay

Recommend: No
Favorite part? The part when he met the guy from the past for the first time
Favorite character? Why? Shorty because he was very outspoken
Summary:  The book is about a haitian boy trapped under the rubble of a hurricane and he dreams of a man from a long time ago
Feedback:  I didn't like the wording and it jumped around too much