Notre Dame Academy’s Ksenia Nenacheva Reviews ‘Gripped Part 2: Blindsided’

Ksenia Nenacheva is a student at Notre Dame Academy, graduating in 2027. She is a dedicated student-athlete who competes in swimming year-round while balancing her academic interests in history, English, business, and global affairs. She enjoys learning about different cultures, communication, and the ways businesses and organizations connect with people around the world.

Outside of school, Ksenia is passionate about mental health advocacy, community involvement, and personal growth. Over the past several summers, she has participated in educational programs in Italy, where she studied business and communication while helping younger students develop language skills. She enjoys traveling, exploring new opportunities, working on passion projects, and spending time with friends and family. In the future, Ksenia hopes to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, combining her interests in business, communication, and creativity.

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Q&A with Ksenia

1. Why do you think this book should be read by kids in middle school and high school?

I think Gripped Part 2: Blindsided should be read by middle and high school students because it deals with problems that can realistically affect teenagers, including peer pressure, substance abuse, relationships, and trying to fit in. Even though some of the content is mature, the book does not make these situations seem harmless; instead, it shows how quickly bad decisions can affect someone’s friendships, family, and future. Chris, Taylor, Cathy, and Jason all experience different consequences from their choices, which can help younger readers understand that these problems are not just things that happen to other people. I think the book could also start important conversations between students, parents, and teachers about situations teenagers may actually encounter.

2. What can kids learn from reading this book?

Kids can learn that the choices they make can have consequences that are much bigger than they expect. Chris is a good example because he originally wants to be the person who makes everyone have fun, but his partying and substance use eventually affect Lisa, Jason, and the rest of his friends. Taylor also shows that even when someone realizes they have made mistakes and genuinely wants to change, getting out of a bad situation can be extremely difficult. Overall, the book teaches that recognizing a problem and asking for help is important, and that someone’s mistakes do not necessarily have to define their entire future

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

My opinion of Taylor has changed a lot since the beginning of the series. In the first book, I saw him more as someone who had made terrible choices and allowed drugs to take over his life, but in Book 2 I started to understand how complicated his situation actually was. He is trying to get his life back on track and return to football, but he is still trapped in the drug operation he became involved in, even when he is trying not to use drugs himself. I feel more sympathy for him now because he knows what he did was wrong and wants to change, but he has put himself in a situation that is much harder to escape than simply deciding to stop.

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

My opinion of Chris has changed because Book 2 shows more of the reasons behind his behavior. At first, I mostly saw him as the fun-loving party person who introduced his friends to drugs and encouraged them to make bad decisions. After learning more about his childhood and how he used partying to cover up feeling lonely and neglected, I understood that there was more going on beneath his personality. His experience after the party also forces him to realize how serious his choices have become, and I respected him more when he decided that he needed to step away from drugs and work on himself.

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 Jason. I understand why Marc would seem like a better choice because he is caring, responsible, and tries to protect the people he loves. However, Cathy and Jason have a stronger history and a connection that seems more natural, and they understand each other in a way that Marc and Cathy do not. They definitely have problems, especially because both of them are dealing with their own struggles, but I think they still genuinely care about each other and have the potential to work things out if they make healthier choices.

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

My honest thoughts on Chris and Lisa’s relationship are that they care about each other, but their relationship became unhealthy because of Chris’s choices. Chris encouraged Lisa to participate in things that were not good for her, and his problems started affecting the way he treated her and their relationship. I actually think Chris deciding to take a step back from Lisa was one of the more responsible choices he made because he realized that he needed to work on himself instead of continuing to pull her into his problems. I could see them possibly being together again someday, but only if Chris genuinely changes and they are both in a healthier place.

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

My two favorite characters so far are Marc and Chris. I like Marc because he is one of the more stable characters and genuinely wants to help his brother Taylor, even when Taylor has made choices that hurt their relationship. He also tries to do what he thinks is right instead of simply following everyone else. Chris is my other favorite because his character has so much development; even though he makes some really bad choices, his near-death experience forces him to look at what he has become and realize that he needs to change. I think both characters are interesting because they are dealing with difficult situations but respond to them in very different ways.

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Book Review

Gripped Part 2: Blindsided by Stacy A. Padula was an exciting and realistic continuation of the first book. I liked how the story showed the consequences of the characters’ choices and how their decisions affected their friendships, families, and relationships. Chris’s character development was especially interesting because he starts off as the fun-loving party guy but eventually has to face how serious his choices have become. Taylor’s storyline was also interesting because he wants to change his life and return to football, but he is still caught up in the consequences of his past. I also enjoyed following Cathy, Jason, and Marc because their complicated relationships added another layer to the story. Overall, I would give this book 5 stars because it kept me interested and made me want to find out what would happen next. I think the book is especially meaningful for teenagers because it addresses peer pressure, substance abuse, relationships, and the consequences of making bad decisions while showing that people can learn from their mistakes and change.