reply
Wow. I am notoriously behind. This happens a lot… lol. Sorry this is so late! In my defense, I finished the first 6 chapters of the review on Friday, but didn’t do the last one until just now. But here’s my real review of Chapters 8-14 since I had given the book to my friend over the time I was supposed to have it.
@Raymond: That’s so cool! That we posted around the same time!
Actual Chapter 8-14 (I have the book back. My friend read it.)
Leo and Dex’s friendship is so precious. I like how they were so receptive to the letter just because it had the official lettering on it. I mean, who sends letters? And they ate that up! Now Dex’s confusion at Teagan being so different! Yikes! She’s grown, wearing this whole outfit, and she has “long black lashes.” Wow. She’s twelve years old! I hope that’s from mascara and not from false lashes. That’s something I can’t get over. I can barely stand highschoolers in full glam, full face, all nails done like they’re grown women. Sis, you’re twelve. Read a book. Remember when pre-teens played outside?
Teagan is so rude! And here’s to me thinking I would have liked her! It’s pretty heartbreaking, actually, but I can believe it. Especially since she lives up north in New York. People change. Sometimes at faster paces.
Ronny! Let’s go! Absolutely adored his perspective. He gives a new way to look at the story and he’s more than just some bully-character. But I totally understand his hatred of Mrs. Napier is hindsight! Ugh! His “friendship” with Jackson is real. Now, Jackson doesn’t have to help him with math, but I like how Sharpe’s so stuck-up and egotistical that he’s more focused on his social attitude than being a real friend. He reminds me of Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. All of the nicknames for Dex! I mean, Herb? C’mon! I like the small detail about Dex learning about the T-shirts, and how that works. Very cool, you know?
The creosote! This little adventure was really cool, I like looking at how Ronny’s going to “revenge” “The Ancient One.” Now, Ronny sneaking around and finally seeing the shirt that Dex bought. T-Shirt. That was pretty awesome. Goodness, Dex is so sweet! I can’t believe he shared his food with Ronny for no reason at all! And the little detail of “opening the sweater?” Adorable! I love watching this new friendship bloom! And then Ronny saying that T-Shirt is the only logo that really makes sense. Yeah, I liked Chapter 9.
Gianna coming after Ronny was a great choice. I like the introduction, and the perfect use of “Lol.” Traci honestly seems pretty evil in this chapter. Gianna’s really responsible, I like how she’s curious and kind of stalks Dex, which isn’t very cool. Also, this bus driver is a character. I love this guy! All the old people thinking she’s his girlfriend is adorable. I really enjoy it. I think it’s cool how he doesn’t live with his parents and everything is great between everyone. She’s so aware, too, she realized how she’s a terrible “friend.” Is she even interested in Dex’s personality at all? I feel like Gianna is a Slytherin. Ronny would be one too.
His reaction to her article is so calm and I like how he’s a bit nonreceptive but still listening, kind of. I would’ve ditched her immediately (not that he hasn’t tried.) Gianna’s all proud of it too. Dex’s life is not the public’s business! C’mon guys! Now, Gianna showing Dex The Eyeball with his new student profile was straight out of the Twilight Zone. Imagine you walk into the room of your new school’s newspaper and they’re all obsessing over your life story, writing up your biography like you’re some exotic new toy. So creepy! I would be really upset with Gianna after she pulled this stunt. I think it was agreat end to the chapter.
Ms. Napier is so stuck up here! She has her heart in the right place, but come on! He’s fixing the school because your people are too incompetent to do it themselves. Instead of being appalled, you should be embarrassed and I’d like to see your ears turn red from realizing just how inadequate your school is! Go harass some other student that’s being useless unlike the one doing the job of the adults. Maybe he wouldn’t have to do it if you all weren’t so… ugh. I do like how she appreciates Dex as a person. She knows the other students don’t know his name, and she’s aware of the political climate of the middle school. I like this scene with Ronny where she’s spending time with him. I know she does really care about the students, that I love. So sweet. And the complicated relationship of being “friends” with Dex except he’s not actually Ronny’s friend, Ronny just eats his food. And the creosote! The creosote! That was funny, because he’s right, it’s not illegal to just have creosote in his locker.
The introduction to Old Bossy is awesome. It’s so cool to see the computer-y aspect of this story appear. It really pulled me in and displayed how Dex is a fixer upper and also a scientific genius! The jokes are always funny, and I like how we get to know some more about Leo. It’s awesome seeing how he has so much fun doing this and getting to know more of his backstory. He’s beginning to seem a somewhat important character at this point. I actually get to understand the “best-friendship” between the two of them. Also, great imagery of 17-year-old Leo. That was a great quote to pick! Batman? I like how they’re all these little meaningless phrases, good way to pull in reality to the story. Why’d he randomly call him Mr. Preminger on page 121? Leo’s really good, and it’s showing an obstacle for Dex to really come over. I’m seeing a tall hill that the character is going to have to get past and it makes me so happy to see as a reader! “No charge.” is such a nice little catchphrase! Adorable! And what, Teagan actually talking to
Back to Jackson! Love the thinking in third person. He’s a bit of an icon. He’s so worked up over not being the best on the math team and it’s pretty hilarious. Even Ronny agrees. Nobody cares about the math team. “No offense but we kind of didn’t. We just pretended to.” Sophie is so amazing for saying that. This scene is just really, really funny and a great reflection of what it’s like to be a kid in middle school. Ronny using Dex for the snacks! So real! And it is nice that all of the “popular” kids acknowledge what Dex did fixing the stairs. Oh, this story just warms my heart and makes me feel all happy inside. Jackson’s so stuck up and thinks he’s the center of the universe. I’m surprised him being partnered with Dex wasn’t more of a disaster in chemistry. It reminded me of Roddy & Coopervega in WHATSHISFACE. I think of them often. But come on, the freakout over actual acid burning through Dex’s clothes? I’m shocked he isn’t more shocked (but not really, it’s in character) and Jackson’s being a melodramatic king about it again. Oh, how I adore Jackson. Dex is so funny. “What was the first clue?” About the acid being on him. Now I like this “aha!” moment when Dex puts on the normal-kid clothes and feels like he belongs, a little bit. And he likes it! He enjoys it! And Jackson, lol. I love how he makes it about himself again. He made the loser look better. Yep, always about him.