Angelina Tzeng Reviews “Gripped 2: Blindsided”

An Interview with Angelina Tzeng of Braintree, Massachusetts

Angelina is a senior at Braintree High School, a member of the Class of 2026, Student Body President, and an active leader in her school and community. With the desire to help others, she has been a member of the Student Council club for three years and also an officer in the Future Medical Professionals club at her school. Angelina is also deeply involved with volunteering, as she is a youth leader at an Asian Youth Association called OCA where she mentors younger children while also planning cultural festivals and activities for the Asian community. She also plays club volleyball and the clarinet while maintaining a part-time job as a waitress at a senior living center. With a strong interest in Health Sciences, Psychology, and STEM, Angelina aspires to pursue a college degree in the field.

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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?

This book should be read by kids in middle and high school due to the realities of what happens in this book. Although it may be harsh for children to read it is necessary that they subject themselves to these things before experiencing them in real life. This book can be a great learning opportunity for children.

2. What can kids learn from reading this book?

From reading Gripped Part 2 children can learn about how to protect themselves from being pressured into using certain drugs. They can also learn how to protect themselves from certain bad situations. It is beneficial for kids to read this book. 

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

I have more empathy for Taylor after book 2 because we get to see more of his side of things. Since we get to see how he turned out the way that he is now it is easier to accept how he eventually turned out to be. Taylor is a very deep character in the book. 

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

Chris transforms from a seemingly typical, carefree teen into a complex, vulnerable character facing a real crisis. His development shows the dangerous progression of addiction, and how untreated emotional trauma can drive someone further down a destructive path. I have more empathy for Chris now.

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

Personally I am rooting for Cathy to end up with Jason because I know how much he loves her from the future clips. Jason can seem like a bad influence from this book, due to his drug use, however we know from the future that all he wants to do is protect Cathy. He loves her. 

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

I think that their relationship is quite toxic. Lisa and Chris only got back together in the first place after he pushed molly on her, which is quite toxic. If you only get back together with someone because you’re high does that really mean you like them?

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

My two favorite characters are Cathy and Chris because they have so much depth to them. Cathy is struggling mentally and dealing with her new drug use, meanwhile Chris is dealing with his broken home life along with the same drug use. They both have family and drug problems. 

Angelina’s Book Review

Gripped Part 2 by Stacy Padula was super intense- in a good way. I couldn’t stop reading once I got into it. Chris Dunkin, who seemed like just a fun, popular guy in the first book, really changes in this one. You find out that he’s been dealing with a lot emotionally, and it makes sense why he starts going down a darker path. It was sad, but also eye-opening.

I liked how the book didn’t sugarcoat anything. It shows how addiction doesn’t just happen overnight and how it can affect everyone around you, not just the person using. The flashbacks were a cool way to see how things built up for Chris, and I started to feel bad for him even when he made bad choices. It felt real, like these could be kids from any school. This book is definitely worth reading if you’re in high school. It gets you thinking about how easy it is to get caught up in bad situations and how important it is to check in on your friends. I can’t wait to read the next one- I need to know what happens next.