Written by Maya Daly, Duxbury, Massachusetts
Gripped Part 2: Blindsided by Stacy Padula continues on with the journeys of various teenagers wrapped up into dangerous relationships with drugs and alcohol. This book proves to be a compelling read, taking the reader through the troublesome lives of the young teens of Montgomery Lake High School. As these teens are exposed to a partying scene from a young age, they find themselves wrapped up in drugs, alcohol, and other mature situations before they have even entered high school.
One of the main families involved in this is the Dunkin family, a family of many talented athletes who have bright futures ahead of them. However, this book proves the fact that drugs can impact anyone, no matter what outside factors they may have in their lives as shown through the stories of Chris and Taylor Dunkin. Chris, the younger cousin of the three older Dunkin brothers, who gets exposed to drugs and alcohol in middle school and then finds himself addicted before even entering highschool. And Taylor, the oldest of the Dunkin siblings, develops a serious opioid addiction after a serious knee injury, which turns into a dangerous situation involving the law and crime. Along with the many other characters, Chris and Taylor show the audience that drugs can take over the lives of the most unlikely people and just how easy it can be to become “gripped” by drugs.
Stacy Padula’s story, Gripped Part 2: Blindsided is a 5/5 star read, as it is a captivating and revealing story on the dangers of drugs. An important read for people of all ages, this book shows how drugs can become a prominent factor in anyone’s life, even those who it would be least suspected of. The novel is able to keep the reader curious and engaged with each chapter, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
Fourteen-year-old Chris Dunkin is known for being the life of the party and everyone’s favorite friend. Despite his amicable nature, he carries around deep-seated pain from his childhood that he frequently numbs with alcohol and drugs. After hosting a party, Chris awakes with a strange vibe running through his body and no recollection of the previous night. When he learns the horrifying truth of what his night entailed, the trajectory of his life is changed forever.
About Maya Daly
Maya is a junior at Duxbury High School, where she is a member of the Varsity Rowing Team. In school, she is a part of the yearbook club, Best Buddies club, and Habitat for Humanity. She enjoys studying English and history, and plans to major in one of those subjects in college.
Books by Stacy A. Padula 
You must be logged in to post a comment.