Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Review: Punk 57

Title: Punk 57
Series: None
Author: Penelope Douglas
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penelope Douglas, LLC
Publication Date: October 21, 2017
Source: Bought

“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.

Find Punk 57 online
I feel like I've had a love/hate relationship with a lot of books by this author.  The thing is, I always find myself entertained but either frustrated or annoyed out of my mind by the characters.  The ones in this book were all just so . . . melodramatic?  Especially Ryen and Misha when they were interacting with each other.  Everything just felt so over the top, I found it hard to take seriously.

You can probably guess that most of the problems I had with this book stemmed from the characters.  While they weren't all bad, I couldn't look past the way Ryen acted.  I get that it wasn't her "true self" or whatever, but I'm a strong believer that actions speak louder than words.  And from her actions, Ryen is a total jerk.  I hated reading about how she acted and treated others.  She didn't stand up for those around her and sometimes even became a bully herself.  Because of that, I couldn't really find it in my to sympathize or like her.  In her letters, she was great.  Outside of them, not so much. 

Even Misha at times wasn't very likable, particularly when he was around Ryen.  Like, it seemed like they just brought out the worst in each other, at least in the beginning.  Or rather, Ryen's toxicity bled into Misha the long her was around her.

The plot . . . didn't feel much like a plot, honestly.  It was mainly just waiting to see what would happen next without really knowing what story line we were following.  The big "mystery" in the story was what really drove the plot but the thing is that the readers know the mystery pretty early on in the novel and it's basically just a waiting game to see what the characters will figure it out.  

I know I've listed a lot of negative things in this review but I really did find this book entertaining.  I was invested enough that I finished it pretty quickly.  Despite my problems, I wouldn't say this was a bad book or that I'm even disappointed I've read it.  

“We’re all ugly, Ryen. The only difference is, some hide it and some wear it.”   


Three Teapots


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