Written by Joanna Dakoyannis, Dover, MA
Gripped Part 2: Blindsided is a must read for teens in middle school and high school. It is an easy read with a story that keeps you eagerly turning the page. In following the lives of the characters, Blindsided demonstrates how damaging peer pressure can be to a teen’s life. Some of the characters, using their faith, are able to abstain from drugs, alcohol, and sex. The theme that it is never too late to turn your life around is reiterated in this story, as it is in the other books in the series.
Gripped Part 2: Blindsided is a fascinating continuation of the story centered around a group of teens about to enter Montgomery Lake High School. They are influenced by older siblings and peers who are involved in drug and alcohol use. Taylor, the older sibling of Marc and Jordan Dunkin, is deeply entangled, even becoming a drug dealer. His story continues in this installment of the series, showing how he tries to turn his life around. Simultaneously, the book follows the lives of several younger characters, Lisa, Chris, Jason, and Cathy, who are about to enter high school. Over several months, we see their downfalls and self-realizations that they are on the wrong path in their lives. Gripped Part 2 is a captivating extension of the series that gets five stars.
About Joanna Dakoyannis
Joanna Dakoyannis is a senior at Dover-Sherborn High School. She enjoys creative writing, traveling, going to the gym, running track for her high school team and loves cheering on the team at school sporting events. She plans to be a science major in college and hopes to eventually attend dental school.
More Articles by Joanna:
New Young Adult Book Takes a Startling Look at Mounting Social Pressures Amongst Teens
New Fiction Book Series Takes a Compelling Look at Teenage Substance Abuse in Massachusetts
An Exceptional Book I Recommend to Teens & Preteens
Q&A with Joanna Dakoyannis on “The Right Person” by Stacy Padula
May’s Q&A with Joanna Dakoyannis of Dover Sherborn High School
Joanna Dakoyannis Reviews “When Darkness Tries to Hide” by Stacy Padula
July’s Q&A with Joanna Dakoyannis on The Aftermath by Stacy Padula
“The Aftermath” is an Encouraging Book for Teens
Joanna Dakoyannis on The Battle for Innocence
The Battle for Innocence is An Eye-opening Book for Teens
The Forces Within by Stacy Padula: an Excellent Teen Read
Joanna Dakoyannis’s Interview on The Forces Within
New Teen Fiction Book Teaches the Importance of Healthy Relationships
Books by Stacy A. Padula 
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