Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

72 reviews

kajasversion's review against another edition

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challenging dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The characters are so unlikable and it genuinely felt like torture to read through all that smut. It ruined the whole book cuz of the circumstances surrounding it. Misha is so so toxic and i genuinely can’t see how she forgave him. He was a jerk for no good reason… it was justifiable but only if he would ignore her not the lengths that he went to. This book is equivalent to a shitty wattpad fanfic. I will give this book away. There’s no way I’m gonna own this. 

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ashleereadsbooks692's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25


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luelle_'s review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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riss__reads's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

 Sigh, where to begin. There's a fair bit about this book I really didn't enjoy, so I'll start with the positive: I finished it. Despite my gripes, it had me invested enough to take the time to finish it (albeit after a heavily considered DNF).

What I didn't like? First off, can we stop romanticising abusive behaviour? It's not romantic, it's not something desirable, and I'm so sick of it being the norm in romance novels.
Related to this, I was genuinely rooting for the FMC to get as far away from the MMC as possible. He's entitled, misogynistic, hypocritical and straight up a narcissist. But alas, despite the breaking and entry and assault the book starts with she's in love with him by the end soooo.

Honestly, I'd avoid this book. There's better dark romance out there. 

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madison_sammons20's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


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_youfloweryoufeast_'s review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

3.75 ⭐️

Genre: Dark Romance

Age group : Adult

POV : First person / dual POV

Characters: 3/5 ⭐️

Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️

Setting/Themes: 4/5 ⭐️

Writing: 2/5 ⭐️

Spice : 4.5 ⭐️

• Please check TWs & CWs

• mature language, sexual scenes, sexual harassment, sexual assault, death, loss of a loved one, mental illness, substance abuse, violence, neglectful parents 

• HS Romance

• Tropes : Miscommunication, Revenge, Enemies to lovers

• HEA

Fifty-seven days to not need you
Fifty-seven times to give up on you
Fifty-seven steps away from you,
Fifty-seven nights of nothing but you.”

I went into reading Punk 57 with very low expectations, considering the horrible and problematic views on a non-dark romance book. But I actually quite liked it, maybe it’s because the standard I set was so low, idk. We’ll see. Let’s unpack. 

Ryen. I actually kind of understood this girl. The superficial bully bitch armour to protect the lone outcast child. It makes sense. And I think the drama and the super cliche incidents fit the high school vibe. Honestly, I didn’t particularly love Ryen but I definitely don’t hate her. I get it, is all. 

Misha. I like Misha. Maybe I’m biased Cs he’s a Grayson. (I love my Devil’s Night boys, ok) Misha isn’t all that great but he’s superficially attractive so that’s cool. 

I honestly wished there was more complexity to the characters but then I remind myself it’s set in high school. Giving these teens the benefit of the doubt. And just to remind everyone, there was no sexual content involving minors. Misha and Ryen were both 18. (Pretty Damn young but you get the gist of it) 

Ok that’s it from me. Was it a great book? No. Was the smut good? Yes.



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kyrstin_p1989's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really like the lesson this book teaches about how not to treat other people in the world. I think so often we don’t realize how much influence the popular kids in school have on kids, even at an early age. We forget what it’s like to be a teenager and feel embarrassed because we’re different, but this book reminded me of those feelings, which were a little hard to revisit. There are also some trigger warnings, particularly related to sexual violence. Finally, some people don’t like this book because the characters have sex and they’re teenagers but all the sex that is described is between 18 year old characters, which is technically between adults. Additionally, I don’t know that I’m terribly put off by sex between teenagers because I know that’s real-life. There were some things I thought were repetitive in the book and some inconsistencies in the plot line. Also, I really wondered why Misha always had a condom at the ready, no matter what he was doing. That was weird. But all in all, I enjoyed reading this book and will read more by this author. 

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embus03's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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girlgetsbook's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Bullying. So much bullying. Also I had no idea how many nsfw scenes this book had so was I skipping them, because they didn't really serve the plot, as I did that I realized I was skipping 70% of the scenes. Also they are kids, I don't understand the need to write books/movies/tv shows with teens having sex like this.

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megmccreery's review

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1.0

Anyone who recommends this book is absolutely fucking delusional.

This was written like a 2013 Wattpad fanfic, and while After was a problem, I would beg that this book was 100 percent more of a problem. The girls that say Misha is their dream dude-- do you need help? Are you okay?

Misha and Ryen's relationship is the most toxic and absolutely insane thing I've ever read. Somehow this is marketed as a romance, but it's really just gaslighting, manipulating, and bullying each other into somehow thinking they work together and should stay together. All of the other plot lines that weren't about their relationship are equally insane and so stupid. Ryen's fourth grade thing where she ditched her friend is so dumb. Misha's whole fake identity plot was obscene. And all of this is happening in HIGH SCHOOL. I think people are so blinded by the spice to remember everything else that happened in the actual plot, and the fact that it's all around high schoolers is BAD.

Like 50 pages in, Misha breaks into Ryen's house, steals her journal, threatens to spread the pages around the school, basically attacks her and threatens her with scissors, and then he just leaves. Sir! That's breaking and entering! And assault! Crimes! And Ryen's like not even phased and still continues to interact with him for the rest of the book. I'll leave this review with some of the just ~iconic in such a bad way~ quotes from this book.

"But I have to admit, fucking with her in class today was the first time I've smiled in a while. It's hard to resist." -Misha about Ryen

"What a double-edged sword. Am I angry she's a fake, weak-assed, little liar? Yes. But am I happy she's got the body of a 🌽⭐️? Hell yes. She doesn't have to talk for me to look." - Misha

"I want my deliquent." -Misha

"'You're all over Facebook, shaking your ass and doing body shots. I'm not happy.'" - Misha

"I'm sick of her defiance and how she won't give me an inch." - Misha

"'I wish we would have met in grade school,' I say quietly, smiling to myself. 'We would've played well together. On the playground, I mean.'" - Misha

"He hurt me, and I hurt him, but shit happens and love doesn't change. He makes me happier, he makes me stronger, and he knows everything and still wants me. If he can say the same, then this is it. The real thing. This is us together." -Ryen
(YOU'RE DELUSIONAL)

Also, the epilogue is TERRIBLE. Five years later is 23, and they're married and Ryen is pregnant. And somehow Misha is a rockstar with the band even though his lyrics suck so bad. 



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