Q&A with Nicole Kroon on “Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors”

An Interview with Nicole Kroon—North Andover, Massachusetts

1. Who would you recommend this book to and why?

I would recommend Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors by Stacy Padula to kids or young adults who are struggling to escape the societal peer pressure to do drugs, vape, or drink, or even to people who are constantly exposed to those things through school, social media, or friends. This book is a great source of both information and inspiration for people to read regarding substance abuse, as it tells a realistic story about the risks of using drugs and how people are able to become clean after lots of drug use. This can either warn people away and keep them from getting addicted or make them know they’re not alone and that there’s a way for them to turn things around even when their life seems like it’s in ruins. 

2. Why do you feel the topics covered in the book are relevant for teenagers?

I feel like the topics covered in the book are relevant for teenagers because of all the exposure to drugs, vaping, and drinking that they’re getting nowadays. When teenagers are constantly seeing these things at school or on social media, it’s inevitable that some of them develop a curiosity towards them that could potentially lead to an addiction. Many teenagers have the attitude that nothing they do relating to drugs, vaping, or alcohol is really that bad or will actually have any consequences. But this story shows them what happens when they take things too far and makes them realize that it’s not worth it to risk destroying lives just for the sake of getting high. 

3. Why should parents read this book?

Parents should read this book because they need to know what their kids could be going through and the reasoning behind their actions. When parents understand the reason behind kids using drugs, then they can understand how to help them stop or prevent it from happening in the first place. Through this book, parents get a glimpse into the mindset of a teenager and what they’re thinking as they go through their lives and experience the peer pressures to drink or vape. 

4. At this point in the story, what are you most curious to uncover in Gripped 5?

At this point, I’m most curious to uncover how Taylor is able to get out of selling any more drugs without him or his family being hurt. I’m still not sure yet if I trust Donny and I don’t know if going to sell one last batch of drugs was a good idea for Taylor to do. However, I wonder how it will all play out with Marc, Jordan, and Cathy trying to find him and instead being told to go back home by Mr. Dunkin and what he knows about Taylor’s drug dealing. That’s what I’m most curious to find out about in Gripped 5. 

5. What did you like best about this book/what kept you wanting to turn the page?

I really wanted to know if Jason would be able to stop taking Adderall and if he and Cathy would break up. I know they do at some point, but every time I think it might just be the last straw in their relationship they stick it out and stay together, despite Jason’s continued use of drugs. I’m really curious about whether Cathy will be able to get him to stop taking Adderall or if their breakup finally gets him to realize he actually has to do something about his problem. 

6. What did you like about the writing style/setup of the story?

I loved how it flipped between different characters’ stories and ended each one with a big cliffhanger! It made me want to skip ahead to find out a character’s ending, but as I kept reading I would just get sucked into the next character’s story! I also liked how each person’s storyline tied into all the others, creating a big interconnected plotline that was super fun to read. 

7. How has your opinion of the characters evolved overtime? Specify what you now think of the following people after reading Gripped 4:
   1. Luke: I think that my opinion of Luke has changed in a similar way to how Cathy’s opinion of him has changed. While at first I just saw him as a drug-taking/dealing party boy, I’ve realized there’s another side to him. He really does just want to be friends with everyone and have a good time, and he thinks he’s doing everyone a favor by getting them free drugs. But I can also tell that he really doesn’t quite yet get how much he’s messed up other people’s lives and I think he needs to work on that before I can really like him. 
   2. Jordan: My opinion of Jordan has definitely improved as the series goes on. I used to think that he didn’t care about hurting other people’s feelings (like the incident with Michelle) and did lots of drugs for fun. However, now I can tell that he does care about people, enough to constantly check in with Taylor and even try to get their parents to realize what a big issue Taylor has. I think he’s much more responsible now, and has the dedication to actually work hard for something that he wants (like football) instead of just goofing off and partying. 
   3. Taylor: My opinion of Taylor has gone up after seeing that he was making a real effort to get out of both taking and selling drugs. He’s putting his life potentially on the line to finally try and fix the mess he’s made, showing that he’s realized he has a problem and is trying to fix it. While he’s far from perfect at least he’s making an attempt, which is more than some other characters have really done. 
   4. Jason: I used to think Jason was a fun, kind, and interesting person, but after this book, it’s obvious that he’s gone down a bad path. He’s unable to stop taking Adderall, even knowing what it’s doing to him and Cathy, and what he’s done to his friends because of drugs. This has caused me to lose trust in him and I can’t really like him as much as I used to. For me to be able to like him again he’d need to realize how big of a problem he has and get the help he needs to fix his life. 
   5. Cathy: While not as much as my opinion of Jason, my opinion of Cathy has also gone down. I can’t support her decision to stay in a relationship with Jason when it’s so obvious that he’s hurting both her and himself, and Cathy needs to find the strength to get out of the toxic relationship she’s in. I appreciate how she’s starting to comprehend how much she and Jason have messed up, and she’s at least making an effort to get Jason to stop taking so many drugs (even if it seems a bit misguided). I still like Cathy as a character a lot, but she needs to stick up for herself and break up with Jason if she’s ever going to start repairing her life and rebuilding her future.

About Nicole Kroon

Nicole is a junior at North Andover High School and will graduate in 2025.  Her favorite subjects in school are math and biology.  She loves reading and traveling with her family and enjoys going on challenging hikes.  Most recently she visited Iceland, where she hiked on several amazing trails.  Nicole is a varsity runner on the Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track teams at her school, and she also volunteers in the Youth Track and Field program.