Monday, January 9, 2017

Punk 57 - Review

Punk 57

By: Penelope Douglas

Published: October 21, 2016

341 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:
From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Douglas, comes the latest New Adult standalone romance...

"We were perfect together. Until we met."

Misha

I can't help but smile at the lyrics 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?

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 phone 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 a stand alone New Adult romance. It is suitable for ages 18+.
MY REVIEW:
Oh. My! This book....it's wickedly delicious!!! I came across the title in the CoHorts FB group on a Fan Friday giveaway day just before Christmas. The Goodreads summary had me intrigued immediately, coupled with a gazillion people in the group raving about it, I knew I had to get this one. So I did.  At $2.99, it's a steal! I was completely addicted to this book! Standalone's are refreshing these days, in the days of duologies, trilogies and series...but there are the rare standalone occasion's where the story is THAT good that you never want it to end. This would be one of those.

This is gritty, raw, and it's very mature and I'm shocked it's even mildly considered young adult in Goodreads tags - so ignore those categories. Their ages being 18 and being seniors in high school are about the only thing that would fall in the "young adult" range. So if you're younger than 18, please be warned. The content and language is rated on the high side of my "high rating".

In the 5th grade Misha and Ryen are set up as pen pals from two different elementary schools by mistake - his teacher thinking she was a boy based on the name, and her teacher thinking he was a girl based on the name. Living 30 miles apart, one would think they would eventually meet, but 7 years later and a friendship formed through letters, they've never come face to face, never breaking their rules of no social media, pictures or phone numbers. Until all of a sudden Misha stops writing back. 3 months go by with no word. In the meantime of Ryen feeling his absence, she forms a serious attraction to dangerous Masen Laurent.

The heroine of the story is very relatable. There are aspects of her character that I think most females, whether you're in high school, or have gone to high school, can relate to. Ultimately I saw this as a story about wanting to belong - "having a tribe" - friends to share life with. Nobody wants to go through life alone. People want to be accepted. Kids though, teenagers, put too much value on the quantity of friends instead of the quality of friends. I think this is something all readers can relate to. The problem in being overly focused about the numbers, is that sometimes this can turn someone into a shallow person, one begins to see and pick out the quirks in others and become blind to their own flaws. This can cause a person to become mean, following a crowd of bullies rather than standing apart and standing up for the friendless. This story gives hope that having the right friend can show us what true friendships look like, which can start an avalanche of kindness. Be different. Be kind. Speak up. Be you.

Half way through reading I told two fellow IRL friends and readers (of this genre) they HAD to get this. Check it out if you love NA romance!

Top Favorite Quotes:
Anything to not need you, anything to not fall for you, anything to look at a girl who's not you, but baby, there's nothing but you.

"I have no life there if you're not in it. You're part of everything good I've ever done..."

"We're all ugly, Ryen. The only difference is, some hide it and some wear it."

"Don't you get it yet? You don't have to be afraid or embarrassed. No one does you better than you. You can't be replaced. Not everyone will see that, but only you need to."

Language: 3 (high)
Mature Content: 3 (high)
Final Rating: 4.5 stars

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