kricketa's review against another edition
2.0
i'm listening to the audio version, and unfortunately it's not the same reader who did an incredible job reading "the dirty girls social club." i cannot even begin to fathom why they would choose a reader for this book who does not know spanish. my ears are in agony, but there's no print copy at my library and i want to find out what happens next.
so, now that we've established that the reader sucked- the book was not that great either. it seemed like valdes-rodriguez took all the growth the characters experienced in the first book and reversed it so that they were being idiots about the exact same problems they resolved the first time. sure, it's realistic human behavior, but makes for an annoying sequel. amber/cuicatl was the only character i didn't want to smack in the face this time around, which is weird because i totally did in the first book.
although i did like what happened to roberto.
so, now that we've established that the reader sucked- the book was not that great either. it seemed like valdes-rodriguez took all the growth the characters experienced in the first book and reversed it so that they were being idiots about the exact same problems they resolved the first time. sure, it's realistic human behavior, but makes for an annoying sequel. amber/cuicatl was the only character i didn't want to smack in the face this time around, which is weird because i totally did in the first book.
although i did like what happened to roberto.
impybelle's review against another edition
3.0
The problem with DGoT is that half the time most of the characters are painfully unlikable. This is lessened when each character is seen through their friends' eyes, but when it's time for a chapter in their own voice, they become painful to read.
Oddly enough, this doesn't stop the book from being a fairly quick read and by the end most have grown and changed, at least a little.
Oddly enough, this doesn't stop the book from being a fairly quick read and by the end most have grown and changed, at least a little.
jmendiola1214's review against another edition
4.0
I think I enjoyed the second book more than the first - maybe because they are in their early 30s in this one ! Lots of drama and mostly happy endings!
deweydecimator's review against another edition
4.0
"The Sucias are here again, and as you read this story - you want to drink it in like a top shelf mojito (or at least hope it's happy hour so you get 2 for 1). I love all the characters (even the ones I don't want to like) and how they all develop and change. They've moved on in their lives from the first book, and are having new adventures. I really enjoyed the structure of the book -- each character is her own narrator, which makes the story more complete. And like with many friendships -- we all view thing differently, so having the various characters tell the story gives us the readers the full story. [return]Like the first book -- I enjoyed the attitude of this book and can't wait to see what the Sucias are up to in the next book."
shinychick's review against another edition
3.0
The sequel to "Dirty Girls Social Club," Rodriguez picks up with the six friends (Usnavys, Sara, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Amber/Cuicatl, and Lauren) five years after the first novel. All of the girls have been getting on with their lives, but getting into trouble along the way - cheating, bad health habits, staying/sneaking around with bad men. A weekend away together brings some of the issues to the forefront, and we find that they haven't changed much - or at least some of them haven't, or think they haven't. A good read, as the first made me love the characters, no matter how badly they behaved, and I mostly loved them this time around, too.
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
1.0
I eagerly anticipated this sequel to "The Dirty Girls Social Club." I even pre-ordered it from Amazon.com because I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. "The Dirty Girls Social Club" was witty, edgy, fun and well-written. I had hoped that "Dirty Girls on Top" would be much the same. I was sorely disappointed.
To put it bluntly, "Dirty Girls on Top" sucked. The entire time I was reading this book I wondered why Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez had come to hate her characters so much. She turned each and every one of them into a character I despised. I had enjoyed Usnavys as a sassy, indulged woman. She turned into an obese, unfaithful wife. I loved Lauren's quirks and slightly crazy character. She is now a over-the-top crazy, experimental lesbian. I admired Rebecca's organized, "perfect" lifestyle. She turned into a robot. Elizabeth and Selwyn had such a cool relationship; when the book ended Selwyn had abandoned the baby she and Elizabeth had adopted and Elizabeth conveniently began dating a woman from around the corner after having cheated on Selwyn with Lauren. Cuicatl/Amber changed from an edgy musician into a woman obsessed with her Mexican heritage. And Sara, who watched in horror as her husband killed her beloved housekeeper, actually began to date him again.
The author took these characters who I had loved so much and turned them into pathetic, unlovable women. The story was painfully predictible. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I groaned as each character made yet another bad decision.
I fear that Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez may be turning into the next Patricia Cornwell. Let's hope she redeems herself with her next book.
To put it bluntly, "Dirty Girls on Top" sucked. The entire time I was reading this book I wondered why Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez had come to hate her characters so much. She turned each and every one of them into a character I despised. I had enjoyed Usnavys as a sassy, indulged woman. She turned into an obese, unfaithful wife. I loved Lauren's quirks and slightly crazy character. She is now a over-the-top crazy, experimental lesbian. I admired Rebecca's organized, "perfect" lifestyle. She turned into a robot. Elizabeth and Selwyn had such a cool relationship; when the book ended Selwyn had abandoned the baby she and Elizabeth had adopted and Elizabeth conveniently began dating a woman from around the corner after having cheated on Selwyn with Lauren. Cuicatl/Amber changed from an edgy musician into a woman obsessed with her Mexican heritage. And Sara, who watched in horror as her husband killed her beloved housekeeper, actually began to date him again.
The author took these characters who I had loved so much and turned them into pathetic, unlovable women. The story was painfully predictible. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I groaned as each character made yet another bad decision.
I fear that Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez may be turning into the next Patricia Cornwell. Let's hope she redeems herself with her next book.
natalye's review against another edition
2.0
This was another quick, entertaining read in the chick-lit genre, and I enjoyed it for it's ability to seamlessly transitions from viewpoint to viewpoint, giving each of the characters her own developed voice. I was initially irritated by the writing and dialogue which is a base of English with Spanish phrases and slang thrown in for flavor, but eventually I got used to reading it. I'm not certain how realistic the whole book actually was, and it was a mindless read in that there wasn't much to it that wasn't already right on the page. So yeah, kind of cheesy and girly, but I still enjoyed it enough to consider reading the author's other works in the future.
Began: January 21, 2009
Ended: January 25, 2009
Page Count: 324
Began: January 21, 2009
Ended: January 25, 2009
Page Count: 324
skoore's review against another edition
3.0
The book is ok a little to long i think. Towards the end it was good. The Middle was not so good. I will read part one to see if its better.
sharkyjess's review against another edition
2.0
I was very disappointed with this novel and having a read of few other reviews it seems I am not the only one.
I really enjoyed the first book and so was very excited to see its sequel in the library. After only a few pages I really struggled to get through it. The characters all became caricatures of themselves. I can enjoy books without liking the people in it but in this novel they were just too extreme to sympathise with in anyway. Many of their actions were just bizarre! I understand the need for poetic licence but really there were just too many coincidences that the plot was completely unbelievable.
It did pick up a little bit towards the end (or maybe I was just relieved it was over) but due to how much it dragged for me I can only really give it two stars. Such a shame!
I really enjoyed the first book and so was very excited to see its sequel in the library. After only a few pages I really struggled to get through it. The characters all became caricatures of themselves. I can enjoy books without liking the people in it but in this novel they were just too extreme to sympathise with in anyway. Many of their actions were just bizarre! I understand the need for poetic licence but really there were just too many coincidences that the plot was completely unbelievable.
It did pick up a little bit towards the end (or maybe I was just relieved it was over) but due to how much it dragged for me I can only really give it two stars. Such a shame!