User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
4 StarsI haven't been in a reviewing mood lately.
I have had a lot going on at home and at work...plus I think I have an ear infection that I have been assuming was a headache or something else for a while now.
For some reason - I blame the blonde - I had it in my head that only kids got ear infections.
Being that I had ear infections on the frequent regular as a youngling - and had tubes in my ear twice - you would think this option wold have occurred to me much sooner.
Oh well.
Maybe I'll get some cool drugs.
Happy Thanksgiving to me.
Anyway, about this book....
I love me Penelope Douglas.
She is on what is becoming a very short list of auto-buy authors for me.
There is just something meaty about her characters and her writing that make her books oh so chomp-able.
This one was different from her other books in that I initially loathed her heroine.
LOATHED.
Seriously though, I found a lot of Ryen's actions to be pretty fucked up.
She was a bully.
And she stood by in silence while bigger bullies did some major bully shit.
Now at NO point was I considering a DNF - The story was still good and I trust PD.
I had a feeling she was going somewhere with all this...and she was.
In the "Note From the Author" section at the end of the book, Douglas says something that I think is worth sharing:
"We romance readers can be very hard on our heroines. We often see ourselves in those roles and compare their decisions to the decisions we would've made instead. We tend to judge them more harshly than we do the heroes, because we hold them to the same expectation we hold ourselves."
My first reaction to this?
My second?
I was
totally holding this poor 17 year old girl to the standards of my 34 year old mature *snort* self.
And I now realize I do this a lot - in all the books I read.
And I'm sure a lot of you do too. We are all human, after all.
I'm sure we would all act differently as teenagers - care about certain things less and other things more - if we knew then what we know now, as they say, no?
So, to ask Ryen to act as a 17 year old according to how
I would act in her position is pretty silly of me.
I think of how much I have changed just from my late 20's to my 30's...
...how much I have learned...
...and I am amazed at myself for thinking a 17 year old should have the AWESOMENESS that I have fought so hard for.
That I had to suffer for.
That I have started to WRINKLE for.
Pfffft.
Bitch needs to EARN her own knowledge.
So thanks for the self-awareness check PD.
I am expecting WAAAAAY too much from my heroines *wink wink*
And an attempt at more patience and understanding for my future heroines might result in my enjoying even MORE books.
Which is always a win.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Wut wut?
Penelope Douglas, you say?
Teenage drama-angst, you say?
Asshole alpha teen H, you say?
Sign me the F up, I say.
Rating: really liked it
eventually we all have to weigh what we want more: wanting back what we had or wanting what could bethe goodTo start, this book completely wrecked me. It was one of those stay-up-til-2-but-wait-please-don't-end kind of reads. There was so much that I loved about this, and I'm sure this review isn't going to be entirely objective, but bear with me.
This book is about the difference between being accepted by the "acceptable" people in your life/school/society and having the courage to accept
yourself no matter the consequences. It's also about honesty and friendship and luuuuuurve.
I loved so much about this book. I really loved that the author chose to make the main characters pen pals as a way of back story. You're not wondering why the characters are attracted to each other and yet the author doesn't have to do much to convince you of why they are. I loved that Ryen is not really likable and that her friends are too faced. It's a common trope in NA but it worked well with the theme of the book instead of being slut shame-y. I loved the sex in this, it was never too much.
And I love Misha. Sweet, sweet, precious bean.
the badI'm pretty blinded by my love of this book but I'm going to warn people that it's not exactly without problems. As in, this book is problematic. The way that the MCs interact with each other in the middle of the book is wildly hot but I can see how some people might not like the elements of danger and/or violence. The violence is not at all domestic but there were some situations that might leave others a little unsettled.
Also some of the conflict in the book might be a little contrived/cliche/predictable. Didn't bother me in this circumstance, but might bother others.
But I think all of the above is entirely subjective and depends wholly on what you find acceptable in books. Don't knock this until you try it though.
Rating: really liked it
Fuck booktok for tricking me.
Rating: really liked it
why would this ever be one of the most hyped up books ever. i want to wash my eyes with bleach and lost all recollection of reading this book thank you.
Rating: really liked it
The torture is finally over.
It all started when I needed a quick ebook to read during my commute to and from work (hardcovers aren't really public transport-friendly). I didn't realize this was the same author of Bully until today, otherwise I wouldn't have picked this up at all. I was tempted to DNF it SO MANY TIMES, but I decided to finish it so I could write a proper review because I feel like someone needs to speak up about everything that's wrong with Punk 57. I can't believe all the 5-star ratings.
For starters, it's sexist AF. There's slut-shaming and name-calling among girls and also from guys. There isn't a single female friendship in the entire book. Girls are here to hate and humilliate each other as well as being humilliated by guys. Some of the things that get said without anyone battling an eyelash are outrageous. I was SO pissed. The main MC literally calls the main FC the worst things in the English language and he manhandles her and all of it is sexualized/romantized. The author had a chance to call the guys out on their sexist shit and instead chose to turn girls on each other and made them all complacent and docile for the jerkfaces. This is 2016 for fuck's sake.
Another issue I had was the portrayal of bullying. Ryen is a bully and so are all of her friends. Misha hates her for it yet he is a bully too. Your classic violent alpha male who thinks he is better than everyone else but isn't. I hated both characters with a passion. Not because they were antiheroes as the author puts it, but because their behaviour is praised by her many times. Tell me how it's good for a guy to call a girl a stupid c*** (among other things) and be making out with her the next day. How is that hot? How is he being all possesive and demanding and demeaning hot? It blows my mind. The rest of the male characters (save for two or three) were equally disrespectful and disgusting.
Also, this book might be confused with 50 Shades of Grey, High School Edition. The sex is, for lack of a better word, cringe-worthy. These kids are barely 18 and you're trying to tell me they have the sexual life of an experienced adult. In the car, in the middle of a drive-in, in the school library, in a house with the mother one room away... You actually want me to believe real teenagers would do that. Okay. And it's sooooo graphic. I have no problem with that in other situations, but I just don't think it fits the YA genre.
In conclusion, I'm really unhappy I wasted several days of my life on this book. It pissed me off beyond belief because it sends so many negative messages about girls: hate on each other, be compliant to guys and don't stand up for yourself because god forbid you act like a 21st century, independent, self-confident woman. It's so much better to let your man speak for you and think every other female is out to get you. Right. No, thanks.
Rating: really liked it
Please tell me where I should've started liking this romance, was it between the part where he called her a cunt or when he threatened to hurt her pointing scissors at her throat?
Rating: really liked it
this is like a badly written wattpad story, I don’t get why it’s hyped AT ALL. 2 stars for the smut and the smut only.
Rating: really liked it
can i get a refund
Rating: really liked it
listen loud and clear, you stupid cunt. I’m done talking to you, and I’m done looking at you.
I don’t think I'm really that much of a romantic person but I do know one thing for sure. When they created the word "romantic"
^THIS is not what they meant. I mean really?
stupid cunt ?
And you're telling me the protagonist fell for the guy who calls her stupid in every opportunity he gets. You know what? Maybe he is right. If any girl simps over a guy who continuously reminds her how much of a brainless shit she is, then that girl
is stupid. Or worse.
There are so many things wrong with this book. If I make a list it would probably make a record or something. Here's "some" of them:
- sexism. This book took sexism into another level. Nicely done.
- guys are treating girls as "sexual amusement". You're telling me this is how a 17/18 year old acts? We've all been through that age. We have all survived highschool.
This is not how high school kids act.Please.
- Misha hates Ryen because she is a bully. When he himself is a bully. And I fail to see his point here. Maybe I'm just dumb.
-also, this book felt less like a romance more like a pity party. Forgive me if I never felt any sympathy for these characters.
- girls hating on each other. All of them are lying and cheating and talking behind their
best friend's back. There is not one true friendship in this book.
- bullying your crush is definitely romantic. Hah.hah.hah. very funny.
- also let's tell her
you kinda taste like shit
cause that's how win people over. How cute.
- Misha thinks he is better than everyone else. Because he hates a "bully" so he himself became a "bully" in order to "bully" the "bullies". Hmm. Makes sense.
Also, here's a really cute fluffy romantic scene you don’t wanna miss:
He reaches for something, and then my scissors from my desk is pointing at my face. I freeze, staring at the tip.
Yeah, real love. What a match. Eat me.
Rating: really liked it
➳My mind is blown away... My emotions are running everywhere... My body is reacting with tingling feelings... But most of all, my knowledge is well aware that Penelope Douglas is the true definition of THE best NA/Romance author! 
➳Penelope Douglas starts of this wonderful story with an even more wonderful prologue. It hooked me for sure! Penelope has this odd/dark/mysterious sense of writing that its rather unique and admirable because you do not read books like these in the New Adult/Romance category very often. They are strange, but also alluring to find. In this story told by two different perspectives of Misha & Ryen- two pen pals that started off in elementary school and for the past seven years have been writing each other about their lives (most of their lives anyways...) both individuals have this connection of eagerness to be with each other, both in the aspect of far away and in close proximity. Misha wants to see her, wants to meet her, and so does Ryen. She wants to put a face to all those fantasies she has of him and herself, wants to have him all to herself and not be alone. That is Ryen's main concern- being alone.
➳Misha, the lead singer of his band is an inspirational person. Through his letters from Ryen he gets inspired to write music, to write lyrics and keep the flow going. They have never met, and Ryen has begged him to never meet so they can keep their friendship sane with no regrets if they ever meet each other. Until that one night, the night that changed everything. Misha finally meets her without her knowing that he is HER Misha, triggering a pull towards Ryen's beauty and not so innocent personality- the opposite personality that she did not portray to him through their letters. Not only did their "encounter" happen, but Misha also lost someone who he truly loves...
➳Even though Ryen isn't being truthful about her personality, her highschool status out does that. She is a bitch, ruthless, acts immature and acts unintelligent just to get a better status of "popular" in her crowd of "friends"- people who are mean and as well ruthless to her (Lyla and Trey). This story is a total highschool dramatic type of scene, the same vibes being portrayed in this story that
Corrupt by Penelope herself also wrote. But Ryen's status comes to a halt when a new kid named Masen is introduced. To Ryen's eyes Masen looks familiar, because in her mind she knows that he is the guy who she met at a party three months ago, the same amount of time that Misha has not written a letter back to her, and the same time that Ryen has found other "activities" to occupy the empty feeling in her heart. What she does not know is that Masen and Misha are more alike than what she may fantasize. Masen is ruthless to Ryen, and treats her like shit. But in the back of his mind he is as turned on as a cat in heat on a steamy sauna hahahaha! He is always bothering her, physically and also mentally because Ryen can never seem to get Masen out of her head, while still think about Misha.
➳When Ryen finally opens up to Masen's misfitting attitude, their chemistry and lust is one that bothers him in a different level, because in the back of his mind he knows that Ryen is thinking about Misha... not "Masen;"
"Longing, because I miss her. I miss talking to her as me.
Lust greater than I've ever known, because we're like this, it's the only time she softens and changes and gives me an inch, and it's a need that's in my head just as much as my body. It keeps me on my toes."
➳He misses her more than he wants to admit... There is this one scene in particular that makes me want to go mental; the car sex scene... HOLY GUACAMOLES! That scene... I was NOT expecting what I read but I'm so glad I wasn't because I felt so surprised an attacked at the same time. I couldn't stop blushing and sweating over this scene. Misha is a master with his hands, and that mouth... DEAR JESUS! **sighs**
➳Something that I found rather EXCITING, is the fact that Penelope never seems to stop surprising her readers. Characters from a different past story make a wonderful and surprising appearance and my stomach kept fluttering every time they were mentioned!
➳At the end of the day, I enjoyed this story as I was expecting it 100%! My hands are getting warm and ready for
Hideaway for Kai's story... Queen PD never seems to amaze me and I am super honored to have reviewed this story as an ARC, and hope that I can for all her writing in the near future! Thank you Penelope for bringing a world full of magic and wonderful romance through your writing and your creativity <3
➳Order:Amazon ♕ B&N ♕ Kobo
➳ARC kindly provided by author Penelope Douglas, in exchange for an honest review...➳Follow Me On:Blog ♕ Instagram ♕ Facebook ♕ Twitter
Rating: really liked it
give me back the hours i wasted mindlessly reading this overhyped book 😭😭
Rating: really liked it
I don’t quite know how to start off with this review.
Simply because I’ve never quite read a fucking book like this one.
That’s Penelope Douglas for you, that woman is in a league all on her own.
I didn’t just love it, I FUCKING LOVED IT!
Not gonna lie I had no fucking clue what this book was about, all I knew is that Penelope Douglas wrote it and that’s all I needed to know. So I went in completely fucking blind and was opened up something very fucking powerful.
This story is POWERFUL and it sends out a very powerful message.
Fuck me I seriously fucking loved it! I couldn’t put the fucker down for a second and haven’t read a book that quick in a very long time.
I don’t want to go into what this book is about as I believe every reader needs to go in with an open mind because trust me when I say your mind and your knickers will be BLOWN TO FUCK!
FUCK ME some scenes had me fanning my muff and running for a cold shower. The drive-in scene, FUCK, it made my vagina hurt.
Misha and Ryen are a filthy pair! I FUCKING LOVED IT!!
I never knew what the fuck was happening reading this story, I had so many questions and theories. Some I guessed and some I was like WHAT THE FUCK!!! It was one motherfucking ride that I never wanted to get off of.
I loved this books, it was different and I fucking love different!!
It was hot, it was crazy, it was bitchy - seriously I wanted to stab some of the characters in the fucking face – It was cruel, it was shocking, it was sad and it was THE FUCKING BOMB.COM
I loved the twist and turns and I loved Misha and Ryen.
WANK BANK MATERIAL.
Rating: really liked it
i think i do a pretty good job at being able to separate things i would tolerate in reality from things that happen in a book. but for some reason, i just couldnt do it this time. ive read problematic romances before and really enjoyed them. but i just couldnt click with this story.
after reading the synopsis, what i really wanted was a story like
‘dirty letters,’ but what i actually got was something more along the lines of
‘vicious.’ the obnoxious bullying and verbal abuse directed to and from both of the main characters really drove me up a wall. to the point where the only emotion i was feeling was annoyance and anger, which isnt really what i want to experience when it comes to my romance stories.
maybe im just becoming too soft as i grow older and the pent-up angst no longer appeals to me? who knows. but regardless of my lack of connection with the content of story, theres no denying PD can write. so i think i would be willing to give another one of her books a try in the future.
↠ 2.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
reread —
4.5 starsme to misha and ryen when they're out here writing
handwritten letters to each other, while im here stuck with the likes of tinder boys who thinks texting "dtf" or "u down 2 netflix n chill" is romantic
must be nice.
anywho. i LOVE rereading this. i just felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me because these were good times.
honestly, im just gonna come out and say it but i miss
this kind of new adult romance where the characters have so much depth and the story is unique and it isn't ruined by unnecessary threesome/sharing/orgies that ruin character/romantic development... too soon? oops.
✧
plot ↳ Misha Lare (H) and Ryen Trevarrow (h) have been pen pals since they were 4th grade and has been exchanging letters for 7 years until suddenly, after they unknowingly meet each other (Misha knowing what Ryen looks like while Ryen doesn't know what he looks like), he stops writing her.
three months later, Misha goes to Ryen's school to solve unfinished business but he also gets to see who Ryen really is. she's not the dorky, nerdy girl he knows from the letters. she's the popular, mean girl bully.
➵
characters can i just say that i absolutely love the depth and complexity of Ryen's character?? she became a bully because of kids making fun of her and she felt alone when she only wanted to belong ughhh it was so sad. it may seem like a small thing but it really isn't.
"My eyes burn with tears, and I'm so tired. So tired of holding back everything I feel and want to say. So tired of being someone I'm not and making mistakes that I didn't have any fun making."
and her character development is so nice to read about. obviously, i lowkey hated her in the beginning because she was a
bItCh but i just wanted to hug her and be her friend by the end. and that scene with Manny? where they hugged each other and told him it was gonna get better? kinda bawled my eyes out in that scene too to be honest with y'all.
and Misha... my god. what a man. tattoos? lip piercing? writes songs?? is in a band? aaand he's
mature?! AND RESPECTFUL??!?!
✨ perfection ✨
➵
romance of course, there was a bit of hate to love in the beginning but the scenes filled with sexual tension which then added to their romantic development? love that.
"She can be a nightmare, but this still feels better than any dream."
and the quotes? iconic.
➵
Misha's "cousin" (spoilers) i actually really loved the cameo of the four (well, three this time) horsemen in this book. i remember the first time i read this i was hoping Misha's "cousin" would be Jared or Madoc or something but now that i've read devil's night series.. ehh. i kinda got excited that his cousin is the one and only,
Will mo'fuckin Grayson but my excitement was kinda surpressed just cuz my mans Damon wasn't here. and that- that is a CRIME.
______________________________
i wish i forgot everything that happened in this book because i really did enjoy this more the first time i read it because i already knew all the plot twists ughhh.
but that said, i
think this is my second favorite out of all pen douglas books?? i don't really know i can't choose between this, birthday girl, or until you. however, i think Ryen and Misha are superior af and dont @ me on this.
* * *
original rating (may 2018) —
5 stars
Rating: really liked it
“romance”??? babe, this is straight up horror
