YA Fiction Novel Shows the Long-term Effects of Drug Abuse

Emily Han is a junior at Oliver Ames High School in Easton, Massachusetts. She is the captain of her varsity field hockey team and a leader on her club team, Lead The Way. She is a member of National Honor Society and a founder of the PAWS Club and an active member of the Jimmy Fund Club. Her hobbies include scuba diving, exercising, and volunteering at local field hockey clinics and with Save The Bay. She hopes to major in Environmental Science and play field hockey in college.

Written by Emily Han, Easton, MA

The book, Gripped Part 3, by Stacy Padula, is an amazing continuation of her thrilling series. As we continue to learn about the multiple stories that continue to develop with individuals’ drug use. We see characters change their personalities, morals, and relationships, some are unaware of the power of drugs and alcohol, while others recognize it and attempt to change for the better. Gripped Part 3 makes kids aware of longer term effects as the series continues.

We see how easily people can become willing to try hard drugs and things they would have never considered. Characters go from never considering even drinking or smoking, are now doing those and worse with very little hesitation. This book especially touches on peer pressure, from friends, boyfriends, and popularity in general. By reading, teens can learn how to deal with these potentially devastating decisions by reading about how they affect the characters who parallel people they know in their own lives.

Eighteen-year-old Marc Dunkin has received word from a detective that his oldest brother Taylor is a person of interest in a highly confidential case headed by the Boston Police Department. They know Taylor’s clean; they know he wants out of the game; and they want to help make that happen. However, their “help” will come at a cost–one that may put Taylor and his entire family in grave danger.

Twenty-three-year-old Taylor Dunkin is trying to get his life back in order after an opiate addiction wreaked havoc on his once promising athletic future. Getting clean was a difficult feat, but breaking free from the Bilotti crime ring will present an even greater challenge.