Page 10 - JANUARY2023

Page 10 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM January 2023 Community Book of the Month: Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
By Brittany amalfi
Punk 57 tells the story of Ryen and Misha, two friends who were paired together in a pen pal program when they were younger. The two began writing to each other nonstop, telling the latter all of their stories, se- crets, and heartaches. Through a pen and paper, these two be- came soulmates. However, after a tragic accident unknown to Ryen, Misha stops writing alto- gether.
After picking up the pieces of
what seemed like a heartbreak- ing ending to their written con- nection, Ryen decides to move forward in her life. But when the new guy Masen shows up at her school, Ryen’s seemingly perfect image is threatened. With Masen constantly in Ryen’s atmosphere, making her high school life a liv- ing hell, Ryen’s unsure of how to handle the situation. But that’s not the only thing Ryen doesn’t know. She also doesn’t know that the mysterious new boy is actu- ally none other than her long- lost pen pal, Misha.
When Misha gets to Ryen’s school on a secret mission of his own, he’s devastated to find out that Ryen isn’t who she said she was in all of her letters over the years. From falling in love over letters, Misha’s feelings are re- placed with anger as she proves to be everything he despises: popular and self-centered. On his mission to uncover secrets about his family life, Misha, or as everyone knows him as “Masen,” begins to intertwine with Ryen’s life, and he soon finds out that even though she is everything he hates, he can’t stay away from her.
I think the most exciting part about this book was Ryen and Misha’s letters to each other. They were filled with all of their thoughts, hopes, dreams, and whatever else came up along the way. Their relationship was so complex and deep for two souls who had never actually met. Two teens were able to get
own! Just like their written re- lationship, Ryen and Misha’s physical relationship was also intense and complex. Misha despised who Ryen acted to be, especially when he knew who she really was. So once they officially met, anyone could guess that they didn’t have the best relationship. But that’s when character develop- ment comes into play. As Ryen and Misha begin to interact more in the physical world, they start to peel back layers of who they are, and they fi- nally see the person they used to write to.
Written in a dual POV, the reader really gets a deep dive into both of these characters’ brains, and I’ll admit, there were some profound thoughts in their heads. Ryen and Misha are both fascinating people, and I think that is what kept the story so en- gaging.
to know one another and form a deep connection through the written word, and books like that keep a reader engaged.
I’ve always been a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story, but when it goes from friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, well, that’s just a whirlwind on its
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