Q&A with Grace Gerety on “Gripped 5: Taylor’s Story”

An Interview with Grace Gerety—Duxbury, Massachusetts

1. Who would you recommend this book to and why?
   • I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever struggled with addiction or to someone they love. The gripped series and especially book 5 reveal the truths of addictions and the horror it can lead to. The book also emphasizes the fact that many people struggle with addiction and may help people who are struggling to feel that they are alone. 
2. Why do you feel the topics covered in the book are relevant for teenagers?
   • I feel that the topics covered in the book are vital for teenagers to read about. Teenage substance abuse is a real issue that can be found in highschools across the country. The more information that teenagers have on what may happen if they choose this path of abuse the better. 
3. What important messages does Gripped 5 send to readers?
   • Each book in the Gripped series comes with its own lessons and messages that are very important for every reader to understand. One is that it is important to surround yourself with the right people. Whether it is people who do not use drugs or simply just people who you trust and truly want only good things for you. It is also important to talk things out. For example, if Chantal and Cathy were to talk sooner there would not have been a major rift in their relationship where they did not speak for months. Finally and in my opinion the most important message is to stay away from drugs in any form. The entire series shows how Taylor’s relationships worsened due to his substance abuse.  
4. What are you most curious to uncover in Gripped Part 6?
   • In Gripped Part 6 I am most excited to hopefully see Taylor reunite with his family. I feel that this would be very important for readers to see how although it takes a lot of work and time it will get better when you get clean from drugs and alcohol. 
5. What did you like best about this book and who is your favorite character in the series at this point?
   • I very much enjoyed the last chapter of Gripped 5. I found it to be very emotional and showed a lot of the characters. Because of this Taylor is my favorite character at this point of time in the series. 
6. What do you hope happens to:
   1. Taylor
      • I hope that Taylor is able to be safe. I think that it is very good that he is going away with Jimmy and his brother and I hope that they will help Taylor be able to leave organized crime in his past. I mainly hope that Taylor is able to be happy again whether it is through another chance at football or something different. 
   2. Cathy & Chantal
      • I hope Cathy and Chantal are fully able to move on together. They have missed so much time in each other’s lives when they were not speaking together so I hope they are able to make up for it. I believe that this will happen and they will be able to remain close now with no major issues. 
   3. Cathy & Jason
      • I hope that Cathy and Jason are able to find time to talk to each other again and hopefully become friends. And maybe after being friends for a little while I hope they possibly decide to try to date again. Despite that they had real issues I do believe that they were good for each other and made a good couple. 
   4. Luke & Missy
      • In gripped 6 I would hope to see Missy and Luke bring their relationship to an end. Although they are both good characters I enjoy reading about, I think it would be better for both of them if they broke up. Missy unknowingly puts a lot of social pressure on Luke and in turn, Luke does stupid things to impress Missy. 
7. How has your opinion of the characters evolved overtime?
   1. Taylor
      • I initially thought that Taylor was a horrible person who made the wrong decisions every chance possible and ruined the lives of everyone around him. But since going through the series Taylor has somehow become my favorite character. The strength and want to get better that he shows is incredible and something everyone can learn from. 
   2. Jordan
      • My opinion of Jordan has completely changed since the first book. I originally thought that he was simply not a good kid and did not have a good heart. But through different truths being revealed and Jordan himself growing I can see that he has become a strong and wonderful character. 
   3. Marc
      • Although I have Marc’s character throughout the whole series I still found it wonderful to see how caring and smart he has become. Marc is able to identify the problems that Taylor has caused and will be a good influence on anyone who is around. 

About Grace Gerety

Grace is a senior at Duxbury High School, where she is a member of the Varsity Rowing Team. In school, she is a part of the yearbook club and the Humanitarian Project. Her favorite subjects are science and history, and she plans to major in nursing in college. Grace also enjoys volunteering. Last summer she traveled to West Virginia and worked with the ASP organization, helping with home construction for less fortunate families. Grace works at a local retail shop year-round and has a summer job at a local beach restaurant.