Timmy Weiss Reviews “The Battle for Innocence” by Stacy Padula

Review by Timmy Weiss—Weston, Massachusetts

The Battle for Innocence by Stacy Padula is an enthralling read that middle schoolers and others could benefit from.  It flashes back to the lives of the Montgomery High students when they were in 7th grade where they had different friend groups and interests.  Through this time some of the characters are challenged by their faith in God and whether they can stay away from dangerous paths some of their friends are taking.  Many bad influences plague these 7th graders and cause them to continuously make poor decisions.  Only a few have the strength it requires to abstain from these behaviors.

The book focuses largely on Chantal and her struggles to trust that she needs a relationship, but also focuses on Chris and how much of a partier he was at such a young age.  Due to the differences in the characters’ lives there is a lot a reader can learn from, so they make the correct decisions in these difficult situations.  I’d recommend this book to middle schoolers so they can learn where they can find the strength to avoid careless distractions like alcohol and drugs.  I’d give this book a 5/5 because it kept me interested throughout and taught me how to use God to my advantage in tough times and how to notice and thank him in the good times.

About Timmy Weiss

Timmy is a recent graduate of St. Sebastian’s High School. He was a varsity tennis and varsity soccer player, as well as a part of MPA (men with positive attitudes), the newspaper named The Walrus, and the peer mentoring club. He enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, volunteering, and going to sports games. He plans to study communications within the renowned SI Newhouse School at Syracuse University.