Title :              Punk 57

Author :           Penelope Douglas

Series :            n/a

Release date :   October 21st 2016

Rating :           5 Stars

 

 

Blurb :  “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.

 

Review : Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas was not what I expected it to be – no – I was so much more.

 

I have to be honest judging from the cover and the title I would not have chosen to read this book. But I came across an excerpt of the book. Usually I have not the time to read all the excerpts I get when I prepare BlogTours or ReleasePosts.

 

In this special case something caught my eye in that excerpt- not even sure what it was – but I knew I had to read this book. And of course I had an idea how the story would work but I was careful because I read other books by that author and I knew she masters the art of hiding stuff from the Blurb – placing far deeper meanings in obviously clear plotlines. So yeah – she did it again.

 

This book is not at all about what it looks at first judging from the plot. There is far more. And I was smiling while reading it – in the beginning. But then the author hit a nerv and that shot was hitting really close to home with me.

 

There are only three sides at that point in your life (if you are honest it will always be like that your whole life) – Either you are like Misha, you are like Ryen or you are what Ryen was before she became what she is. Which is the same that Misha could have easily been if he did not have the appearance he had.

 

Some people are just better at hiding it. Or pretending THEY were never like this or IT was never like that for them. But you can lie all you want. When you are alone and you allow yourself to remember…

 

And I allowed myself to remember, I found myself nodding far to many times at situations I knew happened and I admit to crying silent tears. You want to know why ? Because all the way back – when they happened TO ME I asked yourself “Why me?” and now 30 years later I got an answer.

 

I could not agree more with the comment that the internet age and ready cell phones / cameras makes all of this even worse. I do not want to think about the consequences if all the stuff that happened 30 years ago would happen today – it would haunt me maybe in all eternity, it still does even if there is not visible proof.

 

So yeah that story is more than it states in the blurb. And I have to thank the author for writing down what I think many people will find eye opening.

 

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