Nick Hallal 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 ofContinueContinue reading “BC High’s Nick Hallal Reviews ‘Gripped Part 3: The Fallout’”
Tag Archives: gripped book series
Character Development in the Gripped and Montgomery Lake High Series: Depth, Complexity, and Earned Empathy
One of the defining strengths of Stacy A. Padula’s Gripped and Montgomery Lake High series lies in their approach to character development. Rather than presenting clear heroes and villains, the books build a cast of young people whose choices, motivations, and growth feel layered, contradictory, and deeply human. The result is a style of storytellingContinueContinue reading “Character Development in the Gripped and Montgomery Lake High Series: Depth, Complexity, and Earned Empathy”
Luke Davids: The Character Readers Often Judge First—and Understand Later
Luke Davids is one of the easiest characters to misunderstand at the beginning of the series. On the surface, he is the middleman. The guy who helps move the drugs from Taylor into the high school. The one who makes the substances available to kids who are already struggling. For many readers, that role createsContinueContinue reading “Luke Davids: The Character Readers Often Judge First—and Understand Later”
Chris Dunkin: The Character Readers Love from the Start and Root for Even Harder Later
Chris Dunkin is one of the rare characters who wins people over almost immediately. He’s the life of the party. The charismatic friend everyone wants around. The guy who can light up a room and make people feel like they belong. In the early books, a lot of readers simply like him. He’s fun, loyal,ContinueContinue reading “Chris Dunkin: The Character Readers Love from the Start and Root for Even Harder Later”
Jordan Dunkin: The Character Readers Often Overlook—Until They Can’t
Jordan Dunkin doesn’t usually announce himself the way some of the other characters do. He isn’t the most dramatic presence in the early books. He isn’t the one readers immediately love or immediately hate. For a lot of people, he starts as background noise—the middle Dunkin brother, the fun-loving one, the guy who sometimes seemsContinueContinue reading “Jordan Dunkin: The Character Readers Often Overlook—Until They Can’t”
Taylor Dunkin: The Character Readers Start Out Angry With—and End Up Rooting For Hardest
One of the most consistent things I hear from readers is that Taylor Dunkin becomes their favorite character. That reaction almost never starts in Book 1. The Early Reaction: Anger In the beginning of the series, many readers are simply angry at him. They see a guy supplying drugs to younger kids in Montgomery. TheyContinueContinue reading “Taylor Dunkin: The Character Readers Start Out Angry With—and End Up Rooting For Hardest”
Free Companion Guides for Educators, Youth Groups, & Parents — Now Available
The Gripped and Montgomery Lake High series deal with the real pressures teenagers face—peer pressure, substance use, family tension, identity, and the long work of coming back from damage. These free companion guides are designed to help adults use the books for meaningful discussion and learning. Each guide provides structure, discussion questions, and practical waysContinueContinue reading “Free Companion Guides for Educators, Youth Groups, & Parents — Now Available”
Jason Davids: The Character Readers Root For, Get Frustrated By, and Can’t Quit Watching
If Cathy Kagelli is the most misunderstood character in the Gripped world, Jason Davids might be the most complicated. Readers rarely land in the middle with him. Some fall for his charm immediately. Others want to throttle him by the second book. And a large number do both—sometimes in the same sitting—depending on which chapterContinueContinue reading “Jason Davids: The Character Readers Root For, Get Frustrated By, and Can’t Quit Watching”
Rising Taekwondo Star Chase Fitzpatrick Recommends YA Novel ‘Gripped’
Chase Fitzpatrick is a senior at Hanover High School in Massachusetts. He is ranked 3rd in the United States for the Taekwondo Junior (15-17) Heavy Weight Division and has competed globally. He recently won the Bronze Medal at the 2026 Nationals. He enjoys traveling around the country for competitions and passing his passion onto theContinueContinue reading “Rising Taekwondo Star Chase Fitzpatrick Recommends YA Novel ‘Gripped’”
BC High Student Leader Reviews ‘Gripped Part 2: Blindsided’
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.ContinueContinue reading “BC High Student Leader Reviews ‘Gripped Part 2: Blindsided’”
Cathy Kagelli: The Character Readers Love, Struggle With, & Ultimately Can’t Forget
If you’ve spent any time talking with readers of the Gripped series (or the Montgomery Lake High books), you’ve probably noticed something interesting about Cathy Kagelli. People rarely feel neutral about her. Some readers call her their favorite. Others admit they wanted to shake her. A surprising number say both—depending on which book they wereContinueContinue reading “Cathy Kagelli: The Character Readers Love, Struggle With, & Ultimately Can’t Forget”
Class of 2027 Gripped Book Series Interns
Sending out a special welcome to our newest interns: Chase, Clare, Julia, Ksenia, and Nick! They will be reviewing and vetting our Gripped series to ensure the books are authentic and relatable to modern teen life. Chase Fitzpatrick is a rising senior at Hanover High School in Massachusetts. He is ranked 3rd in the countryContinueContinue reading “Class of 2027 Gripped Book Series Interns”
BC High’s Nick Hallal Reviews ‘Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told’
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.ContinueContinue reading “BC High’s Nick Hallal Reviews ‘Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told’”
From College Gridiron Glory to a Town Gripped by Secrets
Friday night lights in small-town Massachusetts. Star quarterback Taylor Dunkin was the hometown legend — a high school record-breaker who became a college football phenom, ranked by ESPN as one of the NFL’s top prospects. One knee injury later, everything crashes. Pain pills turn into secrets, secrets turn into dealing, and suddenly the whole town’sContinueContinue reading “From College Gridiron Glory to a Town Gripped by Secrets”
Gripped Character Spotlights: Meet the Hearts of Montgomery
The Gripped series by Stacy A. Padula dives deep into the lives of interconnected teens and young adults in Montgomery, Massachusetts, as they navigate friendship, family, romance, peer pressure, faith, and the devastating grip of substance abuse. At the center are complex, flawed, and deeply relatable characters whose journeys of struggle, growth, and redemption resonateContinueContinue reading “Gripped Character Spotlights: Meet the Hearts of Montgomery”
Notre Dame Academy’s Ksenia Nenacheva Reviews ‘Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told’
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 ofContinueContinue reading “Notre Dame Academy’s Ksenia Nenacheva Reviews ‘Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told’”
July Book Specials
Visit our online bookstore and use the coupon codes below for extra savings this month! Use code BOOKTOK40 at checkout to get 40% off the full paperback series at the Gripped Bookshop Use code BOOKTOK30 at checkout to get 30% off Gripped Part 6 at the Gripped Bookshop
New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson Stars in Announcement Video as Gripped Book Series Heads to Television
Gripped Part 6: The Dunkin Legacy by Stacy Padula Now Available with 5-Star Readers’ Favorite Review, Foreword by TreVeyon Henderson, & Major Award Nominations The Gripped book series by Plymouth, Massachusetts author Stacy A. Padula is being adapted for television by Emmy Award-winning producer Mark Blutman. The latest installment in the book series, “Gripped PartContinueContinue reading “New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson Stars in Announcement Video as Gripped Book Series Heads to Television”
From Boston Chaos to Family Forgiveness: Why “Gripped 5” Is the Best Book in the Series Yet
Gripped 5: Taylor’s Story — ideal for parents and educators looking for impactful YA books that entertain while guiding real conversations
Taylor Dunkin’s “Gripped” Journey: A 4-Part Video Series
This 4-part video series brings Taylor’s powerful story to life in short, heartfelt episodes. Whether you’ve faced your own disappointments, walked alongside someone battling addiction, or simply need a reminder that redemption is possible, these videos were created for you. Watch the full series below. Part 1 – The FallFrom Al-Anon roots and high schoolContinueContinue reading “Taylor Dunkin’s “Gripped” Journey: A 4-Part Video Series”
