We were perfect together. Until we met. MishaI 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 … 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 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 readers 18+.
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If I could give this book ten stars I would! I loved everything from the cover to the very last word written. I just want to read this book over and over again! Simply fantastic! The story, the characters, their journey… every twist, every turn. Loved it all!
Loved it! Read in one sitting!
Every once in awhile a book comes along that makes such a huge impact on the reader, that you know you’ll read it again and again, its characters and message staying with you for days, weeks, months to come. Punk 57 does this and more.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought this, I just knew everyone was reading it. As I fluctuate through book slumps I was looking for something to pull me out of my latest one. Ten hours later, the last page turned, my slump is gone, my heart is pounding, and for the first time EVER I sort of wish I was back in high school with Penelope Douglas’s words close to my heart so I could be me because I do me better than anyone.
The characters in this book are memorable, but it’s Ryen who stand out and makes the biggest impact. Though the book is told in alternating, 1st person POV, this really feels like Ryen’s story. Misha feels almost complete, even as the book begins, but it’s Ryen that grabs a hold of you, screaming out for help and for someone to actually see her. She’s every one of us, whether we were the popular kid, the outsider, or those that just operated under the radar. As Misha challenges her, demanding the true Ryen emerge, the reader is left with the sense that we can all do better if we just be ourselves.
While Misha felt complete to me, it doesn’t diminish his story in the least. The surprises of Punk 57 are his and even when you begin to suspect the twists and turns, the anticipation of revelation doesn’t go away. Making this book even better is the absolute chemistry between these two characters who sizzle from their first meeting.
In the society we live in, rife with bullying and the sense that we want those around us to reflect us rather than themselves this is an important book. In a time when people play off other’s fears in order to make themselves feel better, this should be required reading…
But…
Caveat:
Before you run out and buy this for your teenager, know that there’s some pretty hot sex in Punk 57. I was actually a little disappointed, not because it wasn’t written well-it was. It’s the fact that it’s explicit enough that I’d never recommend it for a high school aged reader (and, yes, I know it’s a New Adult, not YA). But, damn, Punk 57 could blow away the YA world!
This fantastic, detailed, excellently plotted and written story is brought wonderfully to our ears by Laurie Catherine Winkle and Maythew Holland. They skillfully narrate with confidence, conviction and true emotional subtlty, with a style I found totally riveting.
Penelope Douglas has, again, written a story which I just cannot put down. She writes books that are memorable and complex, characters that have depth and heft. All her books merit rereading and relistening, and I will definitely want to return to this one.
Spanish:
Este libro lo empecé por la noche y hasta que no lo acabe no pude dormir, con tantas incógnitas me hacía que avanzara página a página hasta el final. Sé que me estoy perdiendo de leer muchísimos libros de esta autora, pero me tengo que poner ya leerlos.
Ryen y Misha se conocen a través de un programa de amigos por correspondencia cuando son niños y durante 7 años crecen y se unen mucho, intercambiando sus sentimientos y su día a día. Una noche Ryen y Misha coinciden en una fiesta, pero él es el único que se da cuenta de ello y lo deja pasar. Desgraciadamente la tragedia golpea a la familia de Misha, poniendo su mundo al revés. Ryen mientras tanto sigue enviándole cartas como era usual, pero Misha ya no le vuelve a contestar y esta teme que le haya pasado algo. Misha en cambio, todavía tambaleándose, pero buscando recuperar un pedazo de su pasado, se inscribe en la escuela de Ryen con un nombre falso, pero lo que ve de ella no es lo que ella le mostró en todas esas cartas. La realidad resulta ser mucho más fea que la fantasía.
Al principio me parecía muy sweet como ambos se escribían y como tantos años se guardaron las cartas, y en parte, me recordó al Diario de Noa. Sinceramente me mantuvo enganchada en todo momento por el hecho de que no sabia el motivo a que se debía la tragedia ocurrida, necesitaba saber que pasó. En cuanto a los personajes, al principio me creí a Ryen y su faceta de niña dulce, hasta que se ve como es una persona que de no ser aceptada a serlo toma una transformación en su vida que le hace hasta hacer bullying (tema que me pareció perfecto que estuviera en el libro) hasta conseguir su lugar en el instituto. Misha, en cambio, es un músico intenso y un buen tipo, es muy duro con Ryen al principio, lo que puede ser difícil de leer o se puede comprender, pero lo compensa más tarde y con todo lo que está pasando, entiendes totalmente.
Eso si, el final WTF no me lo espere para nada, sabia que tenia que ver con la desgracia, pero no llegue a tal punto de imaginarme eso, o sea, no se me paso ni por un instante por la cabeza.
Rate:
English:
I started reading it at night and until I finished it I didn’t go to sleep, with so many unknowns, it made me move forward one page at a time until the end. I know I’m missing a lot of books by this author, but I have to read them.
Ryen and Misha meet each other through a correspondence program when they were kids and for 7 years they grow and unite a lot, exchanging their feelings. One night Ryen and Misha coincide in a party, but he’s the only one who notices it and lets it go. Unfortunately, tragedy hits Misha’s family, putting their world upside down. Ryen meanwhile keeps sending him letters as usual, but Misha didn’t answer her again and she’s afraid that something has happened to her. Misha however, still staggering, but looking to recover a piece of her past, enrolls in Ryen’s school with a false name, but what he sees of her is not what she showed him in all those letters. Reality turns out to be much uglier than fantasy.
At first, it seemed very sweet to me as both were written and how many years the letters were kept, and in part, it reminded me of The Notebook. Honestly, I was hooked at all times by the fact that I didn’t know the reason why the tragedy occurred, I needed to know what happened. As for the characters, at first, I believed Ryen and her facet as a sweet girl until she sees herself as a person who really is, she takes a transformation in her life that makes her even do bullying (perfect that it was in the book) until she got his place at the school. Misha, on the other hand, is an intense musician and a good guy, he’s very hard with Ryen at the beginning, which can be understood, but he makes up for it later and with everything that is happening, you totally understand.
The end I didn’t expect at all, I knew it had to do with the misfortune, but I didn’t imagine that.
Rate:
I loved this story. Very differently written. I could identify with the heroine, Ryen. This a story about a boy & girl that where paired up in the fifth grade as pen-pals and have developed a tight friendship through their senior year. They unexpectedly meet having never seen each other before. This a story of high school struggles, bullying, friendships and the things kids will do to preserve themselves.
I like how the beginning of this book starts with their letters. You do tend to open up more through writing. My husband and I wrote tons of letters to each other in school, and I kept them. I love the evolution of Ryen. I love how Misha is just comfortable in who he is. I love the dirty scenes, the will we get caught moments. And since I read the Devils Night books first, I love the moments those characters were mentioned.
I loved Misha and Ryen! Such a cute story to read. I loved the whole pen pal concept. It was fresh and original and kept me turning the pages. I love how it brought in Will and Michael and Kai for a scene from the Corrupt books. I have quite the obsessions with the Thunder Bay boys. 5 graffiti stars!
Well, that is another Penelope Douglas book I started and finished in one day. I couldn’t put it down, even when I should have to gone to bed. I was intrigued with the premise of this one and couldn’t figure out how it was going to play out. This storyline surprised me a few times but I was in love with Misha from the start. Ryen was very likable to me even if on the exterior she acted like a stuck up brat. I could see through that by being inside her head. She was at war with herself and you could feel the struggles through the words. Misha was so very broken after the first night he met Ryen and it was understandable why he distanced himself from her. It was inevitable with the love they shared that nothing would keep them apart in the end though. This story was beautiful and I am in love with these characters. I loved getting a glimpse of the DN characters too.
This got me right in the feels.
The years of writing letters, only for Misha to cut Ryen off without a word. I felt her frustration and sadness through the pages.
I couldn’t stop reading until I found out just who Punk was and until Ryen found out who Misha was…so basically I binged on this book.
Highly recommend!
This book was full of surprises. I like that it kept you guessing on things but answers it all over time. I liked the push and pull of “Masen” and Ryen. How they fought and bickered and how hot it was when they combusted. I loved how faithful Ryen was to writing her letters
An unconventional friendship can have the ability to alter your life in the most unexpected of ways. For Misha and Ryen – their friendship began with a letter to each other as pen pals in elementary school. Those words upon paper would forever provide the other with a strength that would lead them through even the darkest of days. Neither gave in to the temptation of meeting for fear that it would forever change the way they looked at one another.
That change was closer at hand than either could imagine. With such unusual names and the reality of living in neighboring towns, their paths were bound to cross. While out promoting his band, Misha meets Ryen at an event. Although he never gives her his name, Ryen often thought about the guy that took a few selfies with Ryen that night. For Misha – meeting Ryen would alter his perception on life in the most unexpected of ways.
With the changes that come about from that fateful night, Misha finds his quest leading him to cross paths with Ryen again. Unbeknownst to Ryen – everything that consists of her daily life was about to change in ways that she could never imagine. Through it all, Ryen still sends her letters to the pen pal that has been there throughout the years.
First let me confess – Punk 57 has been on my ‘to read’ list for quite a while. Why haven’t I taken the dive before now? I am not sure, but I was definitely reflecting on how I let this one slip through the cracks on me!! The plot of this story is definitely one that is unique in nature. A tale of two pen pals that find their paths in life crossing in an unexpected way. Well….it’s definitely more captivating than implied, but I can’t give you everything!!
Everything about the journey that Misha and Ryen are embarking upon kept me glued to the screen. The ups and downs in both of their lives left me wondering how the saga would unfold. There were times where my brain was constantly trying to figure out the ‘end result’. Then the ‘secret’ that was left towards the very end of the book happened. Hmmm…..I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming!! It’s amazing how life leads you to where you need to be at just the right time. This book will bring you towards the path that Misha and Ryen must travel to find their place in the world.
Punk 57 is definitely a book you should experience reading. Prepare yourself for the heartache, bullying, betrayal, mistakes and loyalties that will guide Misha and Ryen to their future. Will it be the journey either intended to discover? Find out for yourself when you unravel the secrets that exist between the covers of Punk 57!!
Childhood pen palls for seven years..they are the best of friends, confidants and tell each other everything. Ryen and Misha have never met..despite living 30 minutes apart and they never plan too!
Both are hiding secrets from each other..and yet being so honest… until a chance encounter and a heartbreaking trauma sets the two them on a collision path.
Well this is the second book I’ve read by this author… and I freaking loved it!
The blurb was interesting and as soon as I started this book I was sucked in and unable to escape.
Ryen wasn’t your typical heroine, she’s the mean girl..the bitch… but oh my god she was just so well written. A contrast of dark and light hiding the real her from the world. Being a teenager sucks, but high school sucks worse.. I didn’t like the things she did but I understood why she did them… and despite her outward mean girl persona she really was not a mean girl…misguided but not mean.
Misha… now he was also fantastic, I really liked how strong his sense of self and character was….and my heart broke into a million pieces for him.
This book was phenomenal, the originality, the story, the emotion and pain and angst was just so well crafted that I was literally blown away… not normally something that happens to me when reading young adult!! And certainly not what I was expecting! And my little book Pimp brain was shunted off to happy reading land never to return.. at least until my book hangover becomes tolerable The chemistry and energy that bounced between Ryen and Misha was just electric and I loved their interactions. The wit, the fights and the chemistry… I loved every page.
Read this book… you won’t regret it!
I. Loved. This. Book. I don’t know why I waited so long to read it! So much goes on and with every little bit given, a new twist is told and you don’t get many answers til the end. I had to reread it immediately with the answers in mind and it was even better the 2nd time around. These are characters that will stay with me for a while. If you haven’t read this book, you’re truly missing out.
Punk 57 – a roller coaster ride you don’t want to get off! Scratch that – can’t get off. Misha, Misha, MISHA! For me, his character made the book and keeps you reading when you totally hate Ryen. Seriously, you will. BUT when you can’t stand her, keep reading!!! Because that’s the point. No Spoilers, but I’ll just say I love the message Penelope Douglas gives with Ryen & Misha and that she was brave enough to tell it, even knowing we might give up on Ryen. Start it, don’t give up – you’re gonna love the ride!
“So don’t ever change. This is a big world, and when we leave our small towns, we’re going to find our tribe. If we don’t stay true to ourselves, how will they recognize us? (Both of us, because you know we’re in the same tribe, right?) And even if it’s just the two of us, it will be the best.”
And that’s when I was stabbed……right in the heart. There’s this beautiful, sweet little girl-Ryen Trevarrow. She’s awkward, shy and a wannabe popular, cool kid in the school.
Why are they not allowing her to be their friend?
Are they laughing at her?
Why can’t she sit with them?.
Her only true friend is Misha Lare, whom she hasn’t seen yet. She opens her hearts and invites him in, talks to him via letters, spills her guts, reveals her true self and just lives.
“She’s my muse, and she has to know it by now. I’ve been using her as a bouncing board for years, sending her lyrics to read.”
He, on the other end hangs on to her every word, turning them into lyrics, trying to ease some pain from his life. A sensitive relationship develops between them and since it’s not bound by superficiality or physicality, its more intense, more permanent…..or so it seems. Cause one day it’s cut off abruptly!
The plastics are happening and hip and she wants to be with them, so she ditches her bestie Delilah and dons a new Mean-Girl skin and crosses over to the popular side. She soon becomes the reigning queen of high school,coveted, wooed, pursued and emulated by her peers. Then in steps Masen Laurent. A thorn in her side who quickly moves to diamantle her throne, bringing her down to the ground with a thump and getting a rise out of her every time they’re in the same proximity!!
“And then when I found out she was popular, not an outcast, and a cardboard cut-out, not at all original, I became angry. She led me to believe those things, and my muse was a lie.”
All the while there’s a Punk breaking and entering the school at night spray painting graffiti and ominous messages on the walls. Boy!! Am I glad I’m out of the tortorous HS!!
“You know, I turned into this,” I tell him, my voice cracking and an ache settling behind my eyes, “because I was a kid and I thought there was something more. I traded friends I didn’t think were good enough for friends who really aren’t good enough.”
I won’t tell anymore…go read the book
I’m not a fan of HS/YA romances but I read because a) I’d promised PenDoug, and b)I knew it had a dark edginess to it, which I love chugging. I’m so glad cause I’d have otherwise missed reading something which resonated so much with me. It was as if Pen had seen MY life and seen MY struggles
Eerily I’ve lived through this!
The mood was very poetic but hard hitting. I could feel a lunar luminescence to the story. Fresh, glowing, romantic. Dark side is just lurking round the corner, waiting to eclipse.
As the tides turns, so does the moon.
As the events unfolded so did Ryan & Misha’s personalities unfurled.
“Alone.
Empty.
Fraud.
Shame.
Fear.
Close your eyes, there’s nothing to see out here.”
Her writing is so exceptional, I felt every word, every line in my soul.
Pen keeps the pace smooth and unhurried. We get to feel the vibe, friend the characters and savour the nuances of emotions. She puts a lot of effort into bumping heads and bumping (uglies) pretties. They are at loggerheads and yet passionate in beds. Love to put each other down and embrace to hold each other up. A conundrum with condensed Love.
“Fifty-seven times I didn’t call,
Fifty-seven letters I didn’t send,
Fifty-seven stitches to breathe again,
and then I effing pretend.”
I enjoyed all the words, lyrics, sounds, prologue to epilogue….and every page in between. The letter to Delilah just had me sobbing. I could imagine her reading it, getting a closure. I hope she’s at a successful point in life, happy and safe, tucked in a warm bed somewhere, surrounded by love. Pen is I think a Master in writing Bullies and this book has its fare share. It’s not only girls who’re victims. Awkward, socially inept boys like Manny who don’t have word power to tackle the bullies are so poignantly portrayed, it just broke my heart.
“When does it get better?”
My heart aches. Yeah, when? How long does he have to wait? There should always be hope—we change, our environment changes, and our communities change. It will get better.
I totally enjoyed the book, at no point was I bored or lost interest, the narration was taut and engaging. Tears flowed together with the smiles, passion burned bright with the angst and anger ruled right alongside sentiments.
To every person struggling with depression, complexes, panic attacks, body issues and plain social anxieties, I’d say, and I quote PenDoug:
It gets better, you are important, and you can’t be replaced.
Hang on.
You’ll find your tribe.
Beautiful, simply astounding!
“Life is fifty wrong turns down a bumpy road. All you can hope is that you end up somewhere nice.”
ReRead 02/10/19-02/11/19
STILL ALL THE STARS.
This book is up there. Probably tied for top spot as my favorite book of all time. I wasn’t sure I could say that until I reread it though. And I have wanted to reread this pretty much since I read the last page the first time around. I figured I should give it some time though, and with hearing that Misha would be in Kill Switch I thought it was time. I wasn’t sure if I would like it as well without the element of surprise being there this time, but I still felt all the angst. This is just next level story telling in my opinion. I still love the journey these characters go on and the steamy factor is on point here. I will not tell you anything about this plot because I think if you go in blind, you will enjoy it even more. But I cannot recommend this book enough and I already recommend it ALL THE TIME.
*******
OH MY GAH!! That was freaking amazing! If you have not read this book yet then I implore you to stop whatever you’re doing that I am sure you think is important (but can’t be more important than reading this book) and go pick this book up immediately! I had been saving this book for months but wanted what I hoped would be a good book for December when I was off from work and could just enjoy it. Now, I’m partially kicking myself for not reading it sooner and more so patting myself on the back for saving this for the last book of the year! This book was everything I want in a book. EVERYTHING! So much angst, friendship, personal growth. And books don’t shock me anymore, just does not happen.. especially with romance. This book? SHOCKED. There were several pages that I went and reread and I never do that but one revelation… BLEW MY MIND. I already want to read this book again. I loved the push and pull with Misha and Ryen. Their banter and jabs but then their chemistry. And this story telling?? Penelope Douglas is a freaking genius. I just may have a new favorite for the year. OH MY GOSH! For real, just read this and then try to tell me this isn’t the best shit you’ve ever read. You can fight me. I am not very good at describing books anyway but there is no for me to describe this and do it any justice. Just do yourself a solid and go now. And would I recommend this? I may gift this book to everyone I know for no reason at all.
This book y’all. I had heard good things and knew that I enjoyed Penelope Douglas’ writing but this book was sitting on my shelf and I knew I wanted something good for my last book of 2017. So with a fire built, I get under my blanket and dive in. Y’all. I left my family in the living room and shut myself in my bedroom, yelling to get out anytime, someone tried to interrupt me. I was so engrossed with this story. The angst. The steamy factor. THE ANGST!! P. Douglas writes original stories like you would not believe. Their only common factor is the asshole type males and strong AF female leads. Which I am here for. The only place I’m torn when it comes to this author is wishing she could write faster to put out more books and not wanting her to rush because she delivers such quality when a book does come out. She will forever be an auto buy author for me and this book is so amazing, if you haven’t read it then I implore you to fix your mistake immediately.
“She can be a nightmare, but this still feels better than any dream.”
Angsty, tension-filled entertainment!! I loved the exploration of deeper issues, high school clique wars, and the heat, heart, and shenanigans of the couple!! I’m so glad I finally got to read it!!
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
I don’t even know where to start, all I can say is Pen Douglas has done it again.
I loved this book so much, it had me hooked from the very first page. I love reading and I love music so when a book incorporates both especially with lyrics being such a big part I couldn’t have read a more perfect book.
I loved the characters, at first I was like I’m not sure I like the two of you, one was fake, one was mean but knowing it’s all facade and their trying to survive I couldn’t not feel for both of them and fell in love. I think for Ryen I saw a little bit of her in me and when it comes to high school and surviving you do what you have to do. It had your popular kids and school and you just try to fit in but at the end of the day they are pricks. The message in this book for me was be who are and don’t be fake and someone will love you and if they don’t love you then they are not worth it and to me that’s what everyone needs to embrace.
I loved the the way this book made me feel there was so many emotions I hated, I cried, I laughed, I just got sucked in. I also loved the twist that had you guessing and I was a little shocked towards the end of the book and the mystery with not knowing Ryen not knowing who Misha was. This book Deserves a 1000 stars
I’m not sure what else to say about this it’s a must read and let’s be honest all of pen Douglas books are a must read if you haven’t read any of hers get onto it and if your waiting for punk 57 enjoy and I can’t wait to see what everyone else thinks.
4,5 stars
“Everyone is ugly, aren’t we? Some wear it and some hide it.”
And Penelope Douglas did it again!
I met the author’s work last year, loved, and almost a year later read all of her books. I love her style – a romance with dark vibe – and then I became a fan. I was dying to read PUNK 57 and I have to thank her for bringing another exciting story with a beautiful message.
The story takes place when the two characters are in the last year of high school, both 18 years old. Misha and Ryen known each other since childhood. In fact they didn’t meet in person yet, only through letters. But these two confide things, open their heart on those letters, and then they become very important to one another. This lasts for 7 years. One day Misha see unintentionally someone on the Internet named Ryen, with the same tastes, and decide to go after her. However, the reality is quite different from what he imagined.
When she removes her makeup, taking off her brave face for the day, do the demons she keeps buried start playing with her when there’s no one else to play with?
I’m not gonna lie here. I was afraid, at first, it would be much like Corrupt and Bully, and although I love these books, we always expect something different. But then I just shut up because the author shows why her books is successful. In fact, the common factor is the writing style, but this story has its own voice.
Misha and Ryen are hiding something. They, at first, irritated me with their attitudes, but we soon find out what is behind all this and, although I wanted to beat them so they could take different decisions, I also understood them. Misha is looking for a release, for freedom, and Ryen is afraid of loneliness. It is easy to judge when we are outside, but who never felt lonely like Ryen? Behind this story there is a beautiful message.
But what I liked most was the last 20%. Even now, that I see that the signs were there, it didn’t even crossed my mind that final surprise. And that made me love even more the book. I love when an author succeed at surprising us.
Of course the characters eventually meet, because if not it wouldn’t be cool, right. And them together is like fire and gasoline. The author has shown in other books that she knows how to write provocative and hot scenes as no one else. And here is no different. OMG! !!! There isn’t many but the ones we get is very well written and detailed. A lot. A lot!!!!!! * Is getting hot in here?*
“No one sees you, baby . Just me. And I want to kiss you.”
“You are kissing me.”
“I want to kiss you in other places.”
Ah! And the author already told that PUNK 57 is set in the same world as CORRUPT. As a HUGE fan of that book, I was waiting for the moment these worlds collide and I confess that I jumped of my bed full of happiness when it happened. But don’t worry. You don’t need to read it first to enjoy this.
PUNK 57 is a hot, exciting, sexy reading with broken characters but you can’t help falling in love with them. It’s a great work of an author that I love. I highly recommend it. Penelope is one of my favorite authors and I can not wait for the next book.. I’m counting the days! lol.
“She can be a nightmare, but this still feels better than any dream.”