Jared’s Book Nook

Jared is a senior at Sharon High School. He is a photographer/videographer with a passion for sports and media production. He has worked with several sports teams, and in doing so, he has built a successful brand for himself in the past year. Jared is a member of his school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and has held multiple leadership positions within the world’s largest pluralistic youth group movement, BBYO.

Book Reviews

“The Truth We Never Told” is an eye opening book that speaks to many of the struggles that young adults face today, while introducing an intriguing plot and characters that are easy to become emotionally invested in. The book’s underlying storyline is the thrilling journey of a childhood fantasy ruined by the realities that many young adults struggle to talk about. By introducing such necessary conversations, “Gripped” provides young readers with an entertaining yet eye-opening story that spreads awareness about important topics including substance abuse and mental struggle. 

Despite covering the seriousness of these struggles, the book also provides suspense through the form of hope which serves as an important reminder to readers that despite the struggles the characters face, they continue to fight to improve their situations. I look forward to continuing to read this series, and highly recommend the book to teenage readers searching for a captivating, moving, and meaningful story.

“Gripped, Part 2: Blindsided” is a captivating sequel to the series’ beginning in which the development of each characters’ backstory leaves the reader unable to put the book down. Through their past experiences, the lives of each character becomes more clear with every chapter and drastically changes how each character appears to the audience. 

Additionally, the story touches upon extremely important topics that middle and high school students need to read about now more than ever. The story elaborates on the prequel’s rampant drug use, and helps both the reader and characters to recognize that the “experimenting” that takes place is incredibly serious. This important message carries a lot of weight in today’s climate and tells a story that readers need to hear in an extremely engaging format. 

“Gripped Part 3: The Fallout” is an eye-opening read that shares the significance of the struggles young adults go through. The intriguing sequel to the first two books in the “Gripped” series discusses incredibly important topics while diving into the social scene of Montgomery Lake High, ultimately demonstrating the book’s incredibly important underlying message that substance abuse can happen to anyone. The story shows a collective of students fall into the dangers of substance abuse through extremely diverse paths that all lead them to the same place. Despite this, Gripped 3 highlights recognition by many of the characters of their struggles and attempts to change for the better. 

This book carries extremely important social messages about the nature of substance abuse, peer pressure, and mental health struggles while engaging readers in a captivating story. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in just three days as a result. I 100% recommend it to young adult and adult readers!

Gripped 4: Smoke and Mirrors is an important and engaging addition to the Gripped series that is a perfect follow-up to the last 3 books! The story ties together elements from the stories of the last 3 books creating a cohesive continuation of the story in which elements from the previous three books blend together to create a more complete view of the characters and their current situations. The nonlinear telling of the story is extremely well done, and creates an engaging and interesting read that leaves its audience constantly wanting more. 

Additionally, Gripped 4 builds on the important themes presented in the last three stories by highlighting real problems faced by teenagers including substance abuse, mental health, and relationship struggles. Through these lenses, Gripped teaches teens the negative impacts of harmful coping strategies and pushes the message that anyone, from any background, can fall victim to addiction. This story serves as an important warning to teens everywhere while also being an interesting and appealing read that I would recommend to teens and parents alike.

Interviews with Jared

July 2024: Gripped Part 1

1. Who would you recommend Gripped Part 1 to and why?

I would recommend Gripped Part 1 to an extroverted person who is passionate about reading, as I feel that a lot of the situations and scenarios that the characters face are very visually dependent and an empathetic extrovert may have an easier time putting themselves in the shoes of the characters. 

2. How do you as a young adult relate to the story?

I as a young adult relate to a lot of the conflicts that arise within the story and the struggle to handle difficult changes that occur within social groups. I have found myself in very similar situations to many of the characters in which I was not always comfortable with things that my friends decided to try and struggled with how to handle those decisions. Additionally, I think that the constantly changing friend groups seen in the book are a reality that most middle and high school students can resonate with. 

3. What did you like best about the story?

My favorite part of the story is the fact that I think almost anyone can find at least some part of a character that they identify with, as the characters come from different walks of life and interpret similar situations very differently. 

4. What message does this book send to readers?

This book shares with readers the complications that come with substance abuse, the prevalence of illicit substances within young communities, and the struggles that many people have that may not be apparent to everyone around them. 

5. There are a few different storylines running through Gripped Part 1 because it is setting up the rest of the series. What storyline do you find the most interesting and why? (For example: Taylor and the police, Cathy and Jason, Cathy and Chantal, etc.)

I find Taylor’s situation most intriguing because it covers an extremely high-scale topic that takes a story that many young kids fantasize about having and smears it with the struggles of reality in a fashion that is complicated and interesting. 

6. Gripped Part 1 sets up the rest of the series but leaves a lot of things “hanging.” What are you most curious to uncover by reading Gripped Part 2?

I am most curious to uncover how Taylor will choose to respond to the Police’s outreach to him, given his desire to leave the drug industry and the complications that come with it, as well as his dependency on many of those same substances. 

7. About the characters…
   1. Who do you feel bad for and why?
      • I feel bad for many of the characters in the story for different reasons. I feel bad for the Kagelli twins because of the difficult situations that they are put in that test their faith and morals against peer pressure. I feel bad for many of the characters in the book, notably Jon and Taylor, because of the dangerous choices they have made that tear their lives apart (on very different scales). I also feel bad for Lisa, whose secretly difficult life becomes uncovered at the end of the book when her life changes forever due to the death of her father. 
   2. Who frustrates you and why?
      • Jon frustrates me due to the way in which he struggles with peer pressure and allows alcohol to hurt those around him. 
   3. Who do you most relate to and why?
      • I most relate to Marc in the way that he cares deeply about those close to him and is incredibly invested in their wellbeing. 
   4. Who do you like and why?
      • I like Jason due to his thoughtfulness, willingness to take accountability, and unapologetic tendency to speak his mind. 
   5. Who do you dislike and why?
      • I dislike Jordan Dunkin for introducing such young kids to alcohol and enabling them to participate in activities they are far too young for. 

August 2024: Gripped Part 2

1. The drug use and sexual content in this book will surely get it banned from schools, but the topics are too relevant in teenage culture to be ignored. Why do you think this book should be read by kids in middle school and high school?

I think that kids in middle and high school should read this book because it speaks to issues that play a serious role in the lives of young adults and addresses these problems in a manner that demonstrates to the audience the true danger of substance abuse. 

2. What can kids learn from reading this book?

From reading this book, kids can learn about the power that drugs have to destroy relationships and futures, and end lives. 

3. How has your opinion of Taylor changed from the beginning of the series until the end of book 2?

At the beginning of the series, I looked upon Taylor largely with anger, having learned from the present day storyline the impact of his choice to sell drugs to high-schoolers. Now, however, I see Taylor with significantly more sympathy, having learned how much Taylor has lost in his life and seeing his desire to become a better person. 

4. How has your opinion of Chris changed since the beginning of the series?

My opinion on Chris, similar to Taylor, has become significantly more sympathetic as the story continues, as I appreciate his ability to take accountability while also feeling bad for his tendency to take responsibility for issues that are not entirely his fault. At the beginning of the story, I saw him as a bad influence, but I now see him as someone that tries to please others to a fault, and understand his pain. 

5. After reading books 1 & 2, are you rooting for Cathy to end up with Jason or Marc?

After reading books 1 and 2, I am rooting for Cathy to end up with Marc, as Jason is a bad influence on her, and the two of them are almost always able to justify their actions, even when accountability is necessary. 

6. What are your honest thoughts on Chris and Lisa’s relationship?

I think that Chris and Lisa are good for each other. Chris’ ability to step away from Lisa to protect her says a lot about Chris’ genuine care for her and demonstrates to me why I feel that the two of them ultimately are good for each other and can be helpful to healing each other’s struggles, they just make misguided decisions in the process. 

7. Who are your two favorite characters so far in the series and why?

My favorite characters in the series so far are Marc and Taylor. I appreciate Marc’s strong morals and adherence to doing the right thing despite the countless opportunities to make other choices that surround him. I also admire Taylor’s self-recognition and resilience despite being in a tough situation. 

September 2024: Gripped Part 3

1. This book touches upon the use of Adderall, acid, marijuana, alcohol, and Xanax. For that reason, parents may not want their children to read the novel. However, the author feels there is much to be learned. What do you think tweens and teens could learn from reading Gripped Part 3 that would be beneficial for them?

I think that it is important for teens to read this book and learn about the content discussed because they will eventually be exposed to the material discussed in the story regardless, and this book provides a strong warning away from the substances listed above. If warned against reading this book, parents cannot control how their children are naturally exposed to these substances and cannot control the connotation their children interpret around drugs as a result. 

2. Why could adults benefit from reading Gripped Part 3?

Adults could benefit from reading Gripped Part 3 because the material discussed in the book is important regardless of age; substance abuse is a problem that is not exclusive to high school students and needs to be addressed in all contexts. Additionally, this book can bring awareness to many aspects of growing up that high schoolers struggle with including change, social pressures, and substance abuse. By reading about these problems, adults can better empathize with the many struggles of high school that can often be overlooked. 

3. What storylines were most intriguing in Gripped Part 3? What kept you wanting to turn the page?

I think that the dynamic between Courtney and Chris as well as the way that Jason and Cathy began to recognize their changing personalities as a result of their substance abuse were incredible interesting storylines that kept me intrigued during Gripped 3. 

4. As drug use abounds in the series, some characters are trying their best to sober up, while others are getting deeper and deeper into substance abuse. How do you think readers can benefit from reading about Chris’s journey from the beginning of the series until now?

I think that Chris’ journey throughout the series is one of the most important storylines of the series for readers to learn about, as he demonstrates the extreme dangers that come from substance abuse as well as the extreme lengths to which many need to go in order to avoid peer pressure. Chris is incredibly self-aware, and his ability to abandon his friends in pursuit of sobriety shows the dedication to improving himself that makes him such a good character to learn from for readers. Chris not only shows readers what not to do, but also shows that tough decisions are a part of life and the importance of self-awareness. 

5. At this point in the series, what character intrigues you the most and why?

At this point in the series, Marc intrigues me the most, as he is one of the only characters to repeatedly shut down peer pressure and focus on his academic and athletic pursuits at a school in which the party culture is so strong. 

6. What does this book teach readers about why people begin using drugs?

This book shows readers that people begin using drugs for an extremely diverse set of reasons and highlights that substance abuse is a problem that can happen to anybody. 

7. Chris loves Jordan, but Marc hates Jordan. He has slowly been introduced to the reader in the first three books and will play a more significant role later in the series. At this point in the series what are your honest thoughts on Jordan?

At this point in the series, I have tremendous respect for Jordan for his commitment to sports and academics; although he clearly has had an interesting past, he has made his dedication to turning a new leaf at Notre Dame clear and appears to be incredibly successful there.

December 2024: Gripped Part 4

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

I would recommend this book to readers of the first three editions of the series, as it ties together the fragmented stories from the first three stories while pushing the narrative and storyline further and engaging the reader in a way that compels them to read Gripped 5, as well. 

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 relevant for teenagers because they address real issues that teenagers face and pose relatable characters who fall into substance abuse through a variety of reasons and demonstrate the reality that anyone can fall victim to addiction. 

3. Why should parents read this book?

Parents should read this book because it highlights issues that teens face, often unbeknownst to their parents and displays various styles of parenting that are effective and ineffective in order to show parents how to properly handle difficult situations. 

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

At this point, I am most curious to uncover what is happening to Taylor, as he disappears at the end of the fourth book, which intrigued me. 

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

Taylor’s status as missing and mental conflict kept me wanting to turn the page, as, even through the flashback, I kept wanting to make sure that in “present day”, Taylor was safe. 

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

I love the fragmented/nonlinear style of storytelling utilized throughout this series, as I find it much more interesting and a powerful way to deliver information about the characters’ backstories without having to read prequels. 

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

At this point, I feel anger when thinking about Luke, as his need to be liked has taken priority over the wellbeing of his friends, peers, and even people he does not know well. 

2. Jordan

I feel a lot more positively towards Jordan than I had in past episodes, as he really shines through as a reformed and dedicated member of his community who wants to protect those around him. 

3. Taylor

I feel bad for Taylor at this point in time, as he really appears trapped, both mentally and by the dangerous people he has involved himself with. 

4. Jason

I do not like Jason as a character at this point in the story, as, even though his eventual sobriety is alluded to in the “present day” section of the story, he continues to hurt those around him by making reckless decisions during the “flashback” that takes up most of the book. 

5. Cathy

I am very confused by Cathy right now, and I think she is confused by herself as well. She constantly switches her feelings and contradicts herself in ways that leave me lost, often appearing to make irrational decisions by prioritizing her emotions over logic, something she used to be very good at avoiding. Her rash decisions and strange attempts to mislead those around her leave me with a negative, yet confused, view of Cathy.