Get Mad, Then Get Over It

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot 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.

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. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.

Two stars is generous for Get Even. While I applaud the diversity of the four main girls, the biggest question I’m left with – even with a crazy cliffhanger – is WHY?

Get Even is confusing from the get go, jumping around from girl to girl for what seems like an endless amount of time. Eventually we make it through all 4 girls and I realize why there are usually only 3 girls in a friendship – there is way too much going on, and it’s presented in a way that works as the story goes on, but not so much for meeting all the girls.

After that, there’s just so many vague hints and so much finger pointing I can take. It took me forever to finish Get Even, because nothing really happens. Towards the end, we’re finally going to get some answers – and instead get a cliffhanger ending. I doubt I will be continuing the series, and I probably need to break up with Gretchen McNeil.

Get Even is billed as The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars. I would say Get Even is almost exactly Pretty Little Liars (the show – I haven’t read the books), but it’s zero, and I mean ZERO, The Breakfast Club. Maybe half the story takes place in the school, and even then: it’s a private religious school, everything is centered around a play – not detention, and The Breakfast Club is iconic. Almost 30 years later, and it’s still influencing movies today! I quote The Breakfast Club fairly regularly in my real life – I doubt anyone will be doing the same for Get Even.