"We were perfect together. Until we met."
Misha
I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me. In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.
It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever...
And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.
Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am. We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?
Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?
F*ck it. I need to meet her.
I just don’t expect to hate what I find.
Ryen
He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch. Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should've gotten his number or picture or something.
He could be gone forever. Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.
Punk 57 is, as per author Penelope Douglas, a new adult romance novel published in 2016. It recounts the story of Ryen and Misha, who've been penpals for years but have never met. That did not prevent them from becoming best friends, though. The story is told in both of the main character's POV, so the reader is given quite an insight on how their minds work.
The truth is it had been a long while since I picked up a book that I could honestly not put down. I started it at about 4pm and ended up going to bed when I finished it at 5am. It's intense, it grips your insides so fucking tight and doesn't let up. Usually, when I've read books that contain bullying and assholery, it's the male character that does all the fun shenanigans; one of my favorite things about this particular book is that she is the villain, and oh how utterly hate-able she was! Loved that. Because honestly, we rarely get told a story in which that cheerleading bitch is the main character, we rarely know their minds.
Misha is the most awesome, badass character, and I loved that he put her in her place. I loved the way he pushed back and demanded more from her. More depth, more courage, more fight. He was perfect. Their interactions were full of feelings, it's like I could feel their energy dripping from the pages of that book. If you're too sensitive, though, I should warn you against the slight tint of erotica portrayed in the sex scenes. Regarding Ryen, I liked the vulnerability of her but... I'm not sure I liked the fact that she needed him in order to change. I guess we're not always able to grow on our own, but I like that trait in a female character and I didn't see it here. She grew, but I'm not sure she would've without him. This is a very real issue, though.
The author took some very real situations teenagers face and stamped them all over the story. Thinking back to my high school years, it was difficult standing on your own, figuring out who you wanted to be, and how to get there, at the same time trying to keep your friends and family in a balance. You do make bad choices, you do have regrets. And eventually, you need to figure out a way to grow the fuck up, without screwing up the rest of your life. Mrs. Douglas did that. With this story she showed us the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I lived for it!
All in all, Punk 57 has 4.8 inconspicuous stars.
The truth is it had been a long while since I picked up a book that I could honestly not put down. I started it at about 4pm and ended up going to bed when I finished it at 5am. It's intense, it grips your insides so fucking tight and doesn't let up. Usually, when I've read books that contain bullying and assholery, it's the male character that does all the fun shenanigans; one of my favorite things about this particular book is that she is the villain, and oh how utterly hate-able she was! Loved that. Because honestly, we rarely get told a story in which that cheerleading bitch is the main character, we rarely know their minds.
Misha is the most awesome, badass character, and I loved that he put her in her place. I loved the way he pushed back and demanded more from her. More depth, more courage, more fight. He was perfect. Their interactions were full of feelings, it's like I could feel their energy dripping from the pages of that book. If you're too sensitive, though, I should warn you against the slight tint of erotica portrayed in the sex scenes. Regarding Ryen, I liked the vulnerability of her but... I'm not sure I liked the fact that she needed him in order to change. I guess we're not always able to grow on our own, but I like that trait in a female character and I didn't see it here. She grew, but I'm not sure she would've without him. This is a very real issue, though.
The author took some very real situations teenagers face and stamped them all over the story. Thinking back to my high school years, it was difficult standing on your own, figuring out who you wanted to be, and how to get there, at the same time trying to keep your friends and family in a balance. You do make bad choices, you do have regrets. And eventually, you need to figure out a way to grow the fuck up, without screwing up the rest of your life. Mrs. Douglas did that. With this story she showed us the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I lived for it!
All in all, Punk 57 has 4.8 inconspicuous stars.
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