Berls
Written on Sep 30, 2016
Full review will be available on blog, Fantasy is More Fun
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The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars in Gretchen McNeil’s witty and suspenseful novel about four disparate girls who join forces to take revenge on high school bullies and create dangerous enemies for themselves in the process. Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Karen M. McManus, and Maureen Johnson.
Bree Deringer, Olivia Hayes, Kitty Wei, and Margot Mejia have nothing in common. At least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think.
The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.
But when their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them.
As the unlikely group searches for the killer, they also uncover secrets and lies that rock their tenuous friendship to the core. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.
- ISBN10 0062260855
- ISBN13 9780062260857
- Publish Date 5 March 2020 (first published 1 September 2014)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 8 April 2024
- Publish Country US
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc
- Imprint Balzer and Bray
- Format Paperback
- Pages 400
- Language English
Reviews
Full review will be available on blog, Fantasy is More Fun
limabean74
Written on Nov 28, 2014
My Review:
I am really glad I got to read this book. I LOVED it, this is my first book from Gretchen McNeil, this will not be my last book from her. I plan to read many more, I loved her writing and wow can she tell an amazing story. I don't even know were to start in this review I really loved this book and I can't wait for the next one.
The story is about 4 girls, Bree, Margot, Olivia and Kitty, I adored all 4 girls, they are a part of this group DGM that pretty much goes after bullies but things take a turn and now the group is charged with murder and they need to keep themselves a secret and find out who the killer really is to clear DGM's name.
I thought this story was amazing, it had a few slow parts that I kind of wanted them to move it along a little, I also developed some trust issues with pretty much everyone in the book, I also think I loved all the guys in the story and hated the bullies in the book. I think at some point we have all known an Amber, I know I did.
I felt for the characters, cheered them on and I was worried about them as the story progressed. The end I did want to scream, I can deal with cliffhangers and this one was done well but not having the next book is going to drive me crazy, I CANNOT WAIT to see what happens next.
I pretty much new this book was going to be a 4 star for me in the begining because of the amazing story and the fantastic characters. I almost gave it 5 stars but the slow story progression in the middle made me bump it down a star.
Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my review
Hope you have a great day and Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life
Leah
Written on Aug 23, 2014
The ending of Get Even is probably one of the worst, most annoying cliffhangers ever because it was like most episodes of Lost – zero answers. Nothing, nada, zilch. We don’t know who’s threatening the DGM girls, we haven’t narrowed the suspect pool, and people are dead. It’s like the worst version of a Pretty Little Liars book, ever, but I’ll admit it had me hooked. And dying for the sequel. I needed it like yesterday. I’m literally dying to know who is behind it all, and why. And there are so many threads left hanging, I have no idea how Gretchen is going to tie them all up! There was more going on in the novel than I expected, and it was quite nice for it to be a bit more complex than I expected.
I liked how the novel immediately dived into the heart of the DGM philosophy. I figured we would start at the inception of the group, but we meet the gang as a DGM plot is in progress, and we eventually learn how the four girls came to start the group. Bree, Margo, Olivia and Kitty, four people who would never usually hang out together, making it the perfect group… Until one of their marks is found dead, and they’re framed for his murder. I liked the addition of the envelopes filled with photos, they added an extra layer to proceedings, and new connections to everyone involved. I would have loved to have known more about DGM’s exploits – all things considered, we only got 2 of their revenge schemes, and only 1 was fully realised. But murder takes precedent, and I liked how the girls starting investigating who had actually killed Ronny.
I wasn’t immediately entranced by Get Even, and I considered putting it down, but it soon got under my skin and I was soon as determined as the girls to figure out what had happened and who was behind it all. I suspect it’s someone at their school for sure as it’s also based around the play Twelfth Precinct the school is putting on, and which everyone seems to be involved in. But I honestly have no idea who is the killer and who’s threatening the girls. McNeil has done a wonderful job of not making it obvious who the killer is, which is quite a good skill. Although I’d love to get her in a room and make her spill the beans…
Get Even was such an intense, frustrating read. The payoff in Get Dirty had better be worth it because there is a lot riding on it. 2015 and the release of Get Dirty can’t come quick enough for me. It reminded me of the early Pretty Little Liars books, which a frantic, fast paced energy (before the books became too much; I read up until 8 and I called it). I’m hoping Gretchen calls it on 2, if only because I don’t think I can do another cliffhanger like the one in Get Even. I literally wanted to harm someone… But I just know the next book will be even sweeter with so much left to answer!
Ashley
Written on Aug 4, 2014
Well that was disappointing.
Get Even actually starts off with potential. Actually, it started off confusing with four different girls that I kept getting mixed up... but the potential did slowly weave itself in. But after about the halfway point, things went downhill. And by the ending, they tanked completely.
Even though Get Even isn't that long (320 pages) it felt long. I think it's because we kept being strung along with suspicions but no real clues. Who's the murderer? I don't know. The girls kept sitting around thinking, "Who is it?" and making suspect lists, but really no one had no idea who it was. I felt like I was being strung along but never really given any real clues. This made the book feel long and boring after a while.
And on top of that, Get Even is just incredibly unbelievable. There's this high school, then a kid from that high school gets murdered OUTSIDE of school, so naturally the principal of that high school practically takes over the murder investigation.
"The authorities have no leads at this time. They've failed, which means it's up to us to find [the] killer."
He rounds up the school bullies and tells them, "Catch DGM and do whatever it takes to force a confession."
"One year of free tuition," Coach Creed said. "To whoever can force our suspect to confess to his involvement with DGM."
He condones violence in order to get that confession. He allows the sports coach to use class time to instruct the students on how to find and catch DGM.
"I want you around campus during class, before class, after class. All the time, got it?"
"Got it!" Rex said.
"And I want lists of students who have been exhibiting any kind of suspicious behavior," Coach Creed continued. "Nervous tics, unexcused absences, isolationist tendencies. Work in groups. I want a comprehensive suspect list by the end of the period."
I mean, really? Since when is a school allowed to run a murder investigation? And then the coach starts throwing around DEATH THREATS to the students and no one does anything about it.
"By the authority of Bishop DuMaine Preparatory School [...] I demand that you cease and desist this illegal gathering and submit yourselves for punishment."
"We're exercising our First Amendment right to free speech!"
"There are no rights at this school"
"I'll fucking kill you!" Coach Creed screamed. "I'll do it! I swear to God!"
It was all just so much drama. Unbelievable drama with teachers/authority figures getting involved, normal high school drama, stupid bullies... I don't know. I just felt like I was too old for this or something. It was just stupid drama that I really don't like to be part of.
But the worst part by far was the ending. Get Even is a perfect example of a book that should have been a standalone. This book didn't even have a cliffhanger; it was cut off before the story even got there! We don't even find out who the killer is at the end. We start the book with zero information and we end it with just as much—nothing. No leads, no real suspects, NOTHING. That made the book feel like a waste of time.
The ending just made me feel like, "What was the point of that?" There was no resolution whatsoever, and there wasn't even anything to get me excited about the second book. I was actually about to give Get Even three stars until the ending. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. Three stars felt like a fair rating. But then when it ended with no ending at all—just cut off in the—
Amber
Written on May 7, 2014
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This review was originally posted on Books of Amber
Raise your hands if you enjoy revenge stories. Keep them raised if you love a good mystery. *jumps around with arms waving madly* That’s pretty much what Get Even is. A revenge story in which someone gets murdered, which sparks off a giant investigation and mystery. My kind of book, don’t you think?
I would like to state before going in that Get Even is very similar to Burn for Burn, at least at first. There’s a group of girls who have nothing in common other than the fact that they’re seeking revenge on their fellow students who have wronged people. However, I still really enjoyed Get Even and I think that it is able to hold its own. I prefer Burn for Burn, but I don’t want to overload this review with comparisons of the two books, so I’ll leave that there.
The major flaw of Get Even is the character development. I didn’t really get a feel for any of the characters, and had a tough time telling them apart. I didn’t get into their backstories (did they have any?) and their relationships with each other and with other secondary characters felt shallow.
That said, I clearly enjoyed Get Even because I gave it 3.5 stars. In this instance, I don’t care about the characters being under-developed because the mystery is so bloody good.
I like to call myself Sherlock Amber, and yet I have no idea who could be behind the murder. McNeil’s books are a mixed bag for me. I was pleasantly surprised by the mystery and reveal in Ten, but I thought 3:59 was fairly predictable and I could tell what was coming. Now, with Get Even, I have absolutely no clue. I don’t even feel like I have picked up on enough clues to put together any theories. This has never happened before, unless I have been disinterested in the story, and I am really intrigued by this series now. I love stories that keep me guessing!
Get Even is a book where revenge and murder meets Rich People and High School Drama (two of my favourite things!), and it’s definitely one that I will be rereading again soon so I can make notes. I am going to have so much fun trying to figure out the mystery, I know it! And I have to recap it after it’s released for Recaptains, so I have the perfect excuse.
While I don’t think Get Even is the most original book out there, it’s still a lot of fun and is definitely entertaining. Especially ifyou’re like me and like being kept in the dark! I would recommend it because it’s thrilling and intriguing, even if the characters are kind of blah.