An Eye-opening Y.A. Read: Angelina Tzeng Reviews “Gripped Part 3”

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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Angelina’s Book Review

Gripped Part 3: The Fallout is an intense and compelling continuation of Stacy Padula’s powerful series. This specific part dives even deeper into the emotional struggles, fractured relationships, and dangerous pressures surrounding teen substance use. The characters feel incredibly real, flawed, hopeful, scared, and determined all at once. Chris’s ongoing journey, Taylor’s high-stakes situation, and the tensions building among friends and siblings kept me completely absorbed. Padula captures the rawness of addiction and the complexity of recovery in a way that is honest and impactful.

What makes this book truly stand out is its ability to educate while still delivering a gripping, fast-paced story. The overlapping plot lines create constant momentum, and every chapter adds depth to the choices young people face today. Gripped Part 3 doesn’t just tell a story, but it opens readers’ eyes to the challenges teens encounter and emphasizes the importance of support, awareness, and honest conversation. This is a must-read for teens, parents, and educators, and it left me eager to pick up the next installment in the series.

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Q&A with Angelina on 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?

Gripped Part 3 can teach tweens and teens important lessons about how quickly substance use can spiral into serious consequences, even if it begins casually or under peer pressure. By showing the impact of drugs like Adderall, Xanax, and alcohol on different characters, the book makes clear that anyone can be affected, and it does not have to be the stereotypical “troubled” type of kid. The book also highlights how these choices strain friendships and also mental health. This novel encourages readers to think critically about their options and to recognize the importance of supportive and healthy influences in their lives. 

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

Adults could benefit from reading Gripped Part 3 because it offers an unfiltered look into the pressures, temptations, and hidden struggles today’s teens face. The book helps adults better understand how substance abuse can begin subtly and why young people may turn to drugs despite knowing the risks. It reveals the complex ripple effects addiction has on families, friendships, and mental health. Overall, it can equip parents, educators, and mentors with greater empathy and insight, enabling them to support teens more effectively. 

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

One of the most intriguing storylines is Chris’s struggle to distance himself from the party scene and choose healthier influences, only to be pulled back by temptation. Taylor’s storyline of balancing his recovery while being investigated for his past involvement with a dangerous drug ring is equally gripping because the stakes feel high constantly. The tension between wanting to change and being trapped by prior decisions creates suspense that makes readers worry about his next move. These intertwined challenges keep the story fast-paced and make you want to turn the page. 

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?

Following Chris’s journey allows readers to see how addiction doesn’t happen overnight, but it grows from small decisions, stress, and the influences around him.  Watching him fight to change, mess up, and still keep trying makes the reality of sobriety feel so much more human and relatable. His progress and setbacks show that recovery is not a linear path but one that fluctuates over time. Readers can walk away with a better understanding of resilience and the importance of making health choices earlier in life.

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

Taylor Dunkin is one of the most intriguing characters because he’s caught between wanting to turn his life around and being trapped by his past with addiction and crime. His attempts to break free while facing pressure from both dangerous figures and law enforcement create constant suspense. Taylor’s internal battle makes him complex and unpredictable, and readers want to know whether he will finally escape the cycle he’s been stuck in. His storyline feels like it could shift dramatically at any moment, and I’m eager to follow his story.

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

Gripped Part 3 shows that people begin using drugs for many different reasons, and it’s rarely as simple as “wanting to get high.” Through characters like Chris, Taylor, and Jason, the book reveals how stress, emotional pain, peer pressure, and the desire to fit in can push someone toward substances. It also highlights how some teens turn to drugs as a coping mechanism when they feel overwhelmed or unsupported. By exploring these motivations honestly, the novel helps readers understand how complex and human these choices really are.

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?

Jordan comes across as a complicated character and someone who clearly has charm and influence, but also carries a darker edge that makes people like Marc distrust him. His presence feels important, yet mysterious, as if he knows more than he lets on. While Chris cares deeply for him, there are hints that Jordan has made questionable choices that may cause future conflict. Overall, he’s intriguing but not entirely trustworthy, which makes his growing role in the story all the more compelling.