From the Bookshelf of Turning Pages At Midnight…

Punk 57

Penelope Douglas

Start date: October 21, 2019

Finish date: October 25, 2019

Discussion: Buddy Reads

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What Members Thought

Oct 22, 2016 Michelle marked it as to-read

Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review

~Review to Come

...more

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Nov 17, 2016 Julie rated it really liked it

To be honest, I'm trying to shy away from books set in high school 'cause they usually don't appeal to me anymore. Sometimes, I find the characters unrelatable (who are mostly just sex-crazed teenagers), their problems are too petty, and the plot (which is usually about a nerdy girl and a bad boy who hate each other's guts at first but fall in love in the end) has lost its originality.

But I have to say, Punk 57 was an exception. I'm just so glad I gave this book a try (even if my inner 26-year To be honest, I'm trying to shy away from books set in high school 'cause they usually don't appeal to me anymore. Sometimes, I find the characters unrelatable (who are mostly just sex-crazed teenagers), their problems are too petty, and the plot (which is usually about a nerdy girl and a bad boy who hate each other's guts at first but fall in love in the end) has lost its originality.

But I have to say, Punk 57 was an exception. I'm just so glad I gave this book a try (even if my inner 26-year old self is telling me not to).

The female lead (Ryen) is not your typical, likeable heroine. She is a liar, a poser, a coward, and a bully. While it may have been hard to like her, I think her character is what makes this book different and a lot more in touch with reality. Not that everyone would admit to this, but I'm pretty certain that at one point in our lives, we have been insecure and alone, and felt the need to be accepted. So, I couldn't really blame Ryen for wearing a social mask in an attempt to fit in, all the while believing that people will only accept her if she chose to act in a particular way.

I've read Bully, which was another work of Penelope Douglas, and it was...okay (not something that makes me want to read her other books), so naturally, I didn't have high expectations when I started this one. But I was really surprised to find myself hooked from the first few pages.

I think it was mainly because of the hand-written letters that Ryen and Misha (the male lead) were sending to each other for seven years. In this day and age, there's something very special about hand-written letters - you pick up a pen and paper, write your thoughts for another person by hand, purchase a stamp, physically drop your letter to a mailbox and wait for days until the other person receives it. They're timeless, personal, and tangible, in every sense of the word.

I also love the spray-painted messages in the school walls, and the lyrics (I wish someone can turn the lyrics into a song, so I can actually listen to it for real).

The only issue I have is that I don't really like it when any of the main characters is lying in the story, 'cause it tends to get too dramatic whenever the other person finds out about the lie (and let's just say...there's a lot of lies and secrets in this book). At least there was no cheating, so the lying didn't interfere so much with my love for the book.

That concern aside, this book is a hit for me, with its beautiful writing style and a powerful message that permeates through the story. ...more

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Jun 07, 2021 Bree rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars for this high school bully/ hate everyone but you/ pen pals romance. Kind of a different vibe for P Douglas but I don’t want to give more away- read it!

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Apr 17, 2018 Milena rated it really liked it

Couldn’t put it down!

This was my first book by Penelope and it won’t be the last. I picked it up after seeing it recommended in a group and people were raving about it. It definitely lived up to the hype and I will be reading more by this author.

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