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mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
5+ stars.
Not a long review, just a smallish one to express my feelings. I don’t want to spoil anything in this book, and a lot of things are easily spoilable and it would be a shame if people found out stuff without having read the book.
After a year wait, we finally will find out who the killer is, we find out who this mysterious person is who is targeting people, not only DGM, but also other people close to them.
This book starts pretty much immediately after events from the previous book, though due to the fact there is almost a year between the first and the second book, I was a bit confused at some stuff happening. So I had to retrack at times to check what I missed, but after a few chapters I got back in the story and time just flew by. I just couldn’t let this book go. Every page, every chapter brings a new revelation, a new twist, a new turn. Nothing is as it seems. I really had great fun trying to puzzle out and figure out the murderer/killer. In the end I had 2 suspects, and I can happily say that 1 of them was indeed the killer. Did I mind that I figured/narrowed down the list of suspects? Nope, I actually loved it. Loved that I was able to puzzle the pieces together, loved that I was right.
Of course the writer didn’t make it easy to figure out, and be warned, she will throw you off course quite a few times. You would think the murderer is finally revealed and then BAM nope, that isn't the one. :)
The switching of POV was done really well, I generally like it when POV switches happen at the start of the chapters, but at times I can also like it when it is just done randomly through a chapter. However this depends on how the characters are written. Are they easily distinguishable? Do they have a personality and voice of their own? Do they just pop out of the pages and speak to you? There are various things that can make and break a random POV switch in a chapter. Luckily, the writer for this book did a great job on it. Every character is different and they are all so much fun and so interesting.
Unlike the previous book, this one features almost no pranks, instead it focusses solely on finding the murderer, stopping murders from happening. Because, you might think that everything is now A-okay, but that isn’t it. The guy who threatened our group is back and he is back with a vengeance. This time even our girls aren’t safe from him.
I really hated the police in this book. Dear Lord, and those are the guys supposed to protect and help people. Well I am sorry, but I wouldn’t trust them with my life. Bleh, horrendous. :\
The ending? It was just freaking amazing! If the book isn’t convincing you (though I wonder how it could not), then the ending will just drag you in and leave you stunned.
Next to all the death, murders, threats and whatever else is going on, we also have some romance. And I have to say it fitting with the story, it made it a bit more personal, a bit more fun. It gave something extra in a time that the girls really could use someone who they can love and can confide in.
All in all, this is one series I would highly recommend to everyone!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Not a long review, just a smallish one to express my feelings. I don’t want to spoil anything in this book, and a lot of things are easily spoilable and it would be a shame if people found out stuff without having read the book.
After a year wait, we finally will find out who the killer is, we find out who this mysterious person is who is targeting people, not only DGM, but also other people close to them.
This book starts pretty much immediately after events from the previous book, though due to the fact there is almost a year between the first and the second book, I was a bit confused at some stuff happening. So I had to retrack at times to check what I missed, but after a few chapters I got back in the story and time just flew by. I just couldn’t let this book go. Every page, every chapter brings a new revelation, a new twist, a new turn. Nothing is as it seems. I really had great fun trying to puzzle out and figure out the murderer/killer. In the end I had 2 suspects, and I can happily say that 1 of them was indeed the killer. Did I mind that I figured/narrowed down the list of suspects? Nope, I actually loved it. Loved that I was able to puzzle the pieces together, loved that I was right.
Of course the writer didn’t make it easy to figure out, and be warned, she will throw you off course quite a few times. You would think the murderer is finally revealed and then BAM nope, that isn't the one. :)
The switching of POV was done really well, I generally like it when POV switches happen at the start of the chapters, but at times I can also like it when it is just done randomly through a chapter. However this depends on how the characters are written. Are they easily distinguishable? Do they have a personality and voice of their own? Do they just pop out of the pages and speak to you? There are various things that can make and break a random POV switch in a chapter. Luckily, the writer for this book did a great job on it. Every character is different and they are all so much fun and so interesting.
Unlike the previous book, this one features almost no pranks, instead it focusses solely on finding the murderer, stopping murders from happening. Because, you might think that everything is now A-okay, but that isn’t it. The guy who threatened our group is back and he is back with a vengeance. This time even our girls aren’t safe from him.
I really hated the police in this book. Dear Lord, and those are the guys supposed to protect and help people. Well I am sorry, but I wouldn’t trust them with my life. Bleh, horrendous. :\
The ending? It was just freaking amazing! If the book isn’t convincing you (though I wonder how it could not), then the ending will just drag you in and leave you stunned.
Next to all the death, murders, threats and whatever else is going on, we also have some romance. And I have to say it fitting with the story, it made it a bit more personal, a bit more fun. It gave something extra in a time that the girls really could use someone who they can love and can confide in.
All in all, this is one series I would highly recommend to everyone!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
indigoivee's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, I much preferred this book to the first one.
The thrilling second installment deeper delves into the lives of a group of friends who are not only mad but also afraid. With Margot in a coma and Bree stuck in juvie, Olivia and Kitty take it upon themselves to unmask their dangerous tormentor. However, their theories are turned upside down when a shocking secret is revealed by Ed the Head, leaving the girls questioning everyone's motives.
The suspense and mystery in "Get Dirty" keep us on the edge of our seats. The author skillfully weaves a complex plot that keeps us guessing until the very end. The characters face personal struggles and setbacks, adding depth to the story and making it a little more relatable to readers. The author also tackles themes such as friendship, love, hidden identity, and social justice, creating a multifaceted narrative.
Each character brings their own unique voice and experiences, allowing readers to understand their motivations and fears.
The writing style is engaging and fast-paced, making it difficult to put the book down. The dialogue is sharp and witty, adding humor and authenticity to the interactions between the characters. The author skillfully balances the suspenseful moments with emotional depth, creating a well-rounded reading experience.
Overall, it is a thrilling and captivating.
Favourite quote: “Sure, he was a sociopathic serial killer, but he loved her, and more importantly, he’d made her feel as if she was worth being loved.“
The thrilling second installment deeper delves into the lives of a group of friends who are not only mad but also afraid. With Margot in a coma and Bree stuck in juvie, Olivia and Kitty take it upon themselves to unmask their dangerous tormentor. However, their theories are turned upside down when a shocking secret is revealed by Ed the Head, leaving the girls questioning everyone's motives.
The suspense and mystery in "Get Dirty" keep us on the edge of our seats. The author skillfully weaves a complex plot that keeps us guessing until the very end. The characters face personal struggles and setbacks, adding depth to the story and making it a little more relatable to readers. The author also tackles themes such as friendship, love, hidden identity, and social justice, creating a multifaceted narrative.
Each character brings their own unique voice and experiences, allowing readers to understand their motivations and fears.
The writing style is engaging and fast-paced, making it difficult to put the book down. The dialogue is sharp and witty, adding humor and authenticity to the interactions between the characters. The author skillfully balances the suspenseful moments with emotional depth, creating a well-rounded reading experience.
Overall, it is a thrilling and captivating.
Favourite quote: “Sure, he was a sociopathic serial killer, but he loved her, and more importantly, he’d made her feel as if she was worth being loved.“
supermomcrazytown's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars only because I found the beginning a little slow. So... I totally figured out who the killer was close to the beginning of the book, there was one clue and it was seriously minor. I wasn't sure if I was right or why this person had become the killer... but I was pleased to know that I was right. I finished the last 60% in one sitting... it was seriously so good!!
anxietygirl89's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
4.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Don’t Get Mad Duology is a fun YA mystery in the vein of Pretty Little Liars, with plenty of intrigue and twists and turns, a dash of romance and a nice helping of back-stabbing to go on the side. I decided to go ahead and review these two books together since I read both books in the duology one right after the other. The book follows a group of four girls who have very publicly (but also secretly) been getting back at their school’s bullies. They formed a group called DGM (Don’t Get Mad) that exposes the truth about their peers – and sometimes their teachers – but the school administration is hot on their tail. When one of DGM’s targets ends up dead, DGM is the prime suspect, and the girls have to discover who the real killer is before their own identities are exposed. Of course, that proves difficult to do when the killer starts coming after them. They find that their identities may not be so secret after all!
What I loved:
Short and sweet.
I was really glad that this was just a two book series, and the mystery didn’t drag on forever. One book to set things up – and to get the girls into a world of trouble – and one book to bring other characters into the fold and to wrap up the mystery. It was perfect!
The girls.
I really liked and connected to all four girls in DGM (though I had the least connection to Kitty), and I liked how all of them were very different and yet brought together by the DGM cause. We got to see the story from each of their POV’s (and in the second book, we got a new POV – but I won’t say who that is because it feels like a bit of a spoiler). Margot was possibly my favorite of the girls – a bit of a computer nerd who feels kind of invisible. Then there was Olivia – hanging out with the popular crowd and trying to feel like she belonged, even though someone in her crowd was often the DGM target. Bree was the rebel, who just wanted to break away from the strict confines of her political family, and Kitty was an upstanding member of student government and a jock. Each of their girls had a personal reason that they had joined DGM – something that they felt they had to atone for (or something that happened to them that they wanted revenge for). We learned their stories throughout the two books and got to see why they felt like they needed DGM.
The guys.
Throughout the books, we also got to know a few of the guys, who ended up being entangled in the DGM murder mysteries, no matter how hard the girls tried to keep them out of it. John, Bree’s best friend; Ed the Head, who likes to make a buck off of the student body in any way he can; Logan, Margot’s crush; and Donte, Olivia’s ex – they were all pulled into the mystery. My favorites were John and Ed the Head!
Lots of twists and turns.
Like any good mystery, this book kept you guessing about who was really behind the murders. The girls find lots of misleading clues and head down several wrong paths before they discover the truth. While I did have a good guess at who the killer was (which turned out to be right), it was really just a guess – I was never sure, and there were plenty of times when I thought it could be someone else. Getting to that final conclusion was a bumpy but enjoyable ride!
The negatives:
Unrealistic.
I found it a bit unbelievable that their were two teenage characters in this book that could basically hack into anything – police databases, school records, etc. Very handy. Also, everyone wanted to solve this murder – not just the DGM girls but also the (horrible and cartoonish Catholic) principle of the school, Father Umberti and the (also horrible and cartoonish) Coach Creed and his group of students. Apparently no one thought it was actually the police’s job to solve murders.
The romances.
Romance definitely wasn’t the focus of these books, but I wasn’t a fan of the elements that were there for the most part. There were three different romances in the book (maybe four?), but there was only one couple that I was really interested in (and the non-couple that counts at the fourth romance). The other two were just blah and insta-lovey. Luckily, romance was just a tiny part of the books, so I was okay.
Revenge.
I sometimes wondered a little bit about DGM in general. First off, the group got revenge on bullies by publicly humiliating them (though I will say that the humiliations generally seemed pretty tame) – I guess I was a bit torn on how I felt about that, but I will say that some of the things that the people they were getting revenge on were doing were pretty horrendous (why on earth did this school have so many utterly disgusting teenagers?!). And then there was the girls reasons for joining DGM. One of the girls felt horrible about exposing her friends’ cheating – the overall message seemed to be that she had done something really horrible to her friend (and the others who were cheating), but I couldn’t help but feel like that was a bad message. Really, if someone knows that there is a massive cheating ring going on and that people are trying to pull others into it, I don’t think they should have to feel all that terrible for telling someone.
So, overall, I really enjoyed these books. While this wasn’t the most realistic depiction of crime solving, it was a fun ride! I give both books 4/5 stars!
***Disclosure: These books were provided to me by the publisher and/or NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
The Don’t Get Mad Duology is a fun YA mystery in the vein of Pretty Little Liars, with plenty of intrigue and twists and turns, a dash of romance and a nice helping of back-stabbing to go on the side. I decided to go ahead and review these two books together since I read both books in the duology one right after the other. The book follows a group of four girls who have very publicly (but also secretly) been getting back at their school’s bullies. They formed a group called DGM (Don’t Get Mad) that exposes the truth about their peers – and sometimes their teachers – but the school administration is hot on their tail. When one of DGM’s targets ends up dead, DGM is the prime suspect, and the girls have to discover who the real killer is before their own identities are exposed. Of course, that proves difficult to do when the killer starts coming after them. They find that their identities may not be so secret after all!
What I loved:
Short and sweet.
I was really glad that this was just a two book series, and the mystery didn’t drag on forever. One book to set things up – and to get the girls into a world of trouble – and one book to bring other characters into the fold and to wrap up the mystery. It was perfect!
The girls.
I really liked and connected to all four girls in DGM (though I had the least connection to Kitty), and I liked how all of them were very different and yet brought together by the DGM cause. We got to see the story from each of their POV’s (and in the second book, we got a new POV – but I won’t say who that is because it feels like a bit of a spoiler). Margot was possibly my favorite of the girls – a bit of a computer nerd who feels kind of invisible. Then there was Olivia – hanging out with the popular crowd and trying to feel like she belonged, even though someone in her crowd was often the DGM target. Bree was the rebel, who just wanted to break away from the strict confines of her political family, and Kitty was an upstanding member of student government and a jock. Each of their girls had a personal reason that they had joined DGM – something that they felt they had to atone for (or something that happened to them that they wanted revenge for). We learned their stories throughout the two books and got to see why they felt like they needed DGM.
The guys.
Throughout the books, we also got to know a few of the guys, who ended up being entangled in the DGM murder mysteries, no matter how hard the girls tried to keep them out of it. John, Bree’s best friend; Ed the Head, who likes to make a buck off of the student body in any way he can; Logan, Margot’s crush; and Donte, Olivia’s ex – they were all pulled into the mystery. My favorites were John and Ed the Head!
Lots of twists and turns.
Like any good mystery, this book kept you guessing about who was really behind the murders. The girls find lots of misleading clues and head down several wrong paths before they discover the truth. While I did have a good guess at who the killer was (which turned out to be right), it was really just a guess – I was never sure, and there were plenty of times when I thought it could be someone else. Getting to that final conclusion was a bumpy but enjoyable ride!
The negatives:
Unrealistic.
I found it a bit unbelievable that their were two teenage characters in this book that could basically hack into anything – police databases, school records, etc. Very handy. Also, everyone wanted to solve this murder – not just the DGM girls but also the (horrible and cartoonish Catholic) principle of the school, Father Umberti and the (also horrible and cartoonish) Coach Creed and his group of students. Apparently no one thought it was actually the police’s job to solve murders.
The romances.
Romance definitely wasn’t the focus of these books, but I wasn’t a fan of the elements that were there for the most part. There were three different romances in the book (maybe four?), but there was only one couple that I was really interested in (and the non-couple that counts at the fourth romance). The other two were just blah and insta-lovey. Luckily, romance was just a tiny part of the books, so I was okay.
Revenge.
I sometimes wondered a little bit about DGM in general. First off, the group got revenge on bullies by publicly humiliating them (though I will say that the humiliations generally seemed pretty tame) – I guess I was a bit torn on how I felt about that, but I will say that some of the things that the people they were getting revenge on were doing were pretty horrendous (why on earth did this school have so many utterly disgusting teenagers?!). And then there was the girls reasons for joining DGM. One of the girls felt horrible about exposing her friends’ cheating – the overall message seemed to be that she had done something really horrible to her friend (and the others who were cheating), but I couldn’t help but feel like that was a bad message. Really, if someone knows that there is a massive cheating ring going on and that people are trying to pull others into it, I don’t think they should have to feel all that terrible for telling someone.
So, overall, I really enjoyed these books. While this wasn’t the most realistic depiction of crime solving, it was a fun ride! I give both books 4/5 stars!
***Disclosure: These books were provided to me by the publisher and/or NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
fcarpenter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
marvelouspyt's review against another edition
5.0
Title : Get Dirty (Don't Get Mad, #2)
Author : Gretchen McNeil
Format : Audiobook
Quick Take: After forming a secret society that takes revenge on school bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers, four very different teenaged girls must discover the killer who is coming after them and the ones they love.
Thoughts : What a sequel! I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting. I mean seriously, how can McNeil end this series with just two books! I need more of DGM! The suspense, the unpredictability, the girl power. This series is everything! Plus, can I just say I love the character Ed the Head!? The comedic relief is just timed perfectly. Really, all of the characters are developed just perfectly for their roles. The plus side is that this series has now been picked up as a Netflix series, that I have already binge watched the entire first season. So hopefully, I can continue to get my DGM fix from the new show.
Recommended for: Fans of Pretty Little Liars
Ratings : Five out of Five Stars
Author : Gretchen McNeil
Format : Audiobook
Quick Take: After forming a secret society that takes revenge on school bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers, four very different teenaged girls must discover the killer who is coming after them and the ones they love.
Thoughts : What a sequel! I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting. I mean seriously, how can McNeil end this series with just two books! I need more of DGM! The suspense, the unpredictability, the girl power. This series is everything! Plus, can I just say I love the character Ed the Head!? The comedic relief is just timed perfectly. Really, all of the characters are developed just perfectly for their roles. The plus side is that this series has now been picked up as a Netflix series, that I have already binge watched the entire first season. So hopefully, I can continue to get my DGM fix from the new show.
Recommended for: Fans of Pretty Little Liars
Ratings : Five out of Five Stars
athena1820's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
readerjenn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.5