Nick is a rising senior at Boston College High School who’s interested in sports and fitness. He’s been on the varsity wrestling team for 3 years. At school, he is the president and founder of the Bible Club, and he is the captain of Bowman House, participating in leadership activities in and out of school. Over the summer, Nick works at SNAP camp, a special needs camp, enjoying being able to help out others. In his free time, he likes watching sports and hanging out with friends and family. He plans to major in Health Sciences in college with dreams of pursuing a career in medicine.
Q&A with Nick
- 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 this novel should absolutely be read in middle school and high school because of the heavy topics it addresses. The novel gives readers an idea of how drugs, sex, and other heavy topics can affect people’s lives. Reading about these topics in a classroom setting can help better students’ understanding and perspective about the consequences of some of their actions which will lead to them making better decisions.
- What can kids learn from reading this book?
Kids can learn a lot from reading this book but most importantly I think they will learn that their decisions, especially when drugs are involved, can affect not only themselves but the people around them. Through characters like Taylor, Chris, Jon, and many more we see how drug use can damage friendships, families, and especially a person’s future. It also teaches that relationships and really anything have to be navigated through with very thoughtful decisions due to peer pressure.
- How has your opinion of Taylor changed from the beginning of the series until the end of book 2?
My opinion of Taylor has not changed too much from the beginning of the series to the end of book 2. I feel bad for him because he genuinely wants to get better and is trying so hard to turn his life back around after his injury and his journey with drugs. I also liked seeing how he and Mark want to reconnect, showing Taylor has interest in rebuilding lost relationships. I’m scared for Taylor since the FBI is investigating which can lead to him getting back wrapped up with bad and dangerous people and I hope Mark doesn’t get put in a dangerous position because of this.
- How has your opinion of Chris changed since the beginning of the series?
My opinion of Chris has changed a ton since the start of the series. I don’t think he is as responsible as he used to be, trying a bunch of drugs affecting everyone around him, possibly due to losing Lisa. At the same time, I gained a bunch of respect for him when he broke up with Lisa because he realized he was not good for her, showing he did mature a bit.
- After reading books 1 & 2, are you rooting for Cathy to end up with Jason or Marc?
Right now I am not fully sure who I want Cathy to end up with. Jason makes Cathy happy, but their relationship seems a bit toxic with drugs being involved. Marc seems more responsible and mature, but I have not seen enough of him and Cathy together to judge yet. I am leaning a bit more towards Marc just because the path Jason and Cathy are going down with drugs can be very dangerous.
- What are your honest thoughts on Chris and Lisa’s relationship?
At first I thought Chris and Lisa’s relationship was very unhealthy, especially when they did molly together which is basically what restarted their relationship again. I think what Chris is trying to do is good, isolate himself from drugs and just recover, getting himself in a good mental head space. On the other hand I think Lisa should just enjoy herself and continue getting better after the loss of her father.
- Who are your two favorite characters so far in the series and why?
I think right now Marc is one of my favorite characters because it just seems like he is very mature, bright, stays away from drugs and alcohol, and genuinely cares about how his decisions will affect the people around him. I also love Taylor despite all his struggles with his injury and drugs. He has been through a lot and acknowledges his mistakes, knows he needs help, and is putting a lot of effort towards getting clean. He stopped drug dealing and is trying to build back the relationships he lost.
Book Review
Gripped Part 2 continues the very intense, engaging, and authentic storytelling that made Gripped 1 so captivating. This series is one of few series that does not sugar-coat very real and relevant issues. The series covers many real life struggles such as drugs, peer pressure, toxic relationships, and mental health. From start to finish, you are following different friend groups seeing how each person’s decision, big or small, can affect the entire group. The multiple storylines keep you constantly wondering what will happen next and the novel continues the gripping and fast-paced style.
What stood out to me the most was how interesting it was to see characters develop. My opinions on many characters changed from the beginning of the series to now, especially Chris and Cathy. The ending was amazing, leaving me wondering about so many things. I am so excited to see how Marc and Taylor’s situation will play out. I would recommend this book to anybody, but especially middle-schoolers and high-schoolers due to how meaningful the novel can be. It teaches important lessons about drugs, relationships, peer pressure, and how choices can shape not only your own life but also the people around you.
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