Written by Megan Farinacci, Medfield, MA
The book Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told by Stacy Padula is an eye opening novel that touches on the important issue of drug abuse among teens. Taylor Dunkin, a former all-star athlete at Montgomery High and quarterback for Northeastern’s football team, struggles with a painkiller addiction. Ultimately, this leads Taylor to become a drug dealer for students at his former high school. The story discusses the lives of those around Taylor and how his decisions with drugs have affected their own lives. Many of the characters turn to drugs to cope with various issues in their own lives.
This unpacks many different issues in our society today, but mainly focuses on drug abuse in young adults. While this novel discusses important issues and is informative for young adults, it is also an enjoyable read. Each chapter leaves you wanting to know more about the characters lives and what may happen next. This book is action packed and never leaves the reader bored. I highly recommend this book.
“Invigorating, engaging and a must read. The characters in The Gripped Series diligently tackle the essence of forces that can limit greatness within.” – LaTonya Pinkard of Netflix’s Emmy-winning series Last Chance U
In high school, Taylor Dunkin broke more records than any other athlete to step foot in Montgomery, Massachusetts. As a sophomore in college, he was ranked by ESPN as one of the NFL’s top 100 prospects. However, his aspirations came to a jarring halt when a knee injury and two surgeries left him sidelined.
One year later, Taylor is a person of interest in a highly confidential investigation headed by the Boston Police Department. He has entangled himself in a crime ring notorious for pushing opiates, cocaine, and benzodiazepines on local college campuses.When Taylor’s younger brother Marc discovers that Taylor is behind the copious drug supply circulating around Montgomery Lake High School, he sets off to not only reverse the damage Taylor has caused, but also save his lifelong role model from becoming a casualty of America’s deadly opioid epidemic.
About Megan Farinacci
Megan is a junior at Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. She is a member of the Varsity Cross Country and Varsity Lacrosse teams at NCDS. She also plays club lacrosse for Mass Elite. She is involved in her school’s health science, yearbook, and running clubs. She has a passion for art and is currently studying 2D design. Megan also enjoys traveling. Over the summer, she traveled to Guatemala with School the World where she helped build a school for a community in need. Her favorite subjects are science and English. She plans to study science or nursing in college.
Books by Stacy A. Padula 
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