What Goes Up focuses on three teens trying to become part of NASAs newest space program. They hope to be the ones that get to meet the aliens we are now sure do exist, and may see sooner than we expected since strange gravity fluxuations have been found near earth. Rosa is a high performing child of professors, Eddie is the son of a murderer but the grandson of an aerospace genius, and Trevor is..well...Trevor. They first battle it out to see who gets the 2 spots, and then battle for the fate of the planet.
The book was very mixed for me. Mostly I really liked it, but....It felt both juvenile and too mature, as well as well written but also poorly written. I kept wondering if there were 2 authors really. I didn't like that Eddie turned to alcohol when he got upset, and I felt that it was completely unrealistic that they needed to escape the compound to find tampons. No one would allow a teen girl to stay overnight with only men and teen boys around.

With What Goes Up, Kennedy delivers an action-packed thriller that will appeal to a range of readers beyond the expected sci-fi crew. The story is launched in the not-so-distant future at NASA headquarters; here, 200 teens are vying for 2 available spots. While reminiscent of Divergent and The Testing, What Goes Up propels the action with a faster speed; the challenges derived for these candidates are incredibly original, and because the characters are so well-drawn, it's impossible to not feel magnetized as the tests ensue. Neither their rigorous testing nor their comprehensive training could prepare them for what lies ahead. Fasten your seatbelts, What Goes Up will take you on a fast ride. Recommended for grades 8 and up. ~ ARC via Netgalley ~ Lisa Brennan, Middle School Librarian @noveltalk

Diverse cast, completely original story oh and a STEM tie in. Hilarious and action packed, loved it.

I got to read an ARC of this book thanks to Netgalley, and I'm so glad! I'm an astronomy teacher & am always looking for books that my students can read and enjoy, but also learn. This book really fits that bill. I loved the characters, especially that the female characters were smart & strong. I thought the main conflict was an interesting take and I know my students would really enjoy it!