Written by Olivia Syat, Sharon, Massachusetts Olivia Syat is a senior at Sharon High School. She has a passion for learning, volunteering, and special education. She is a leader in her community through programs such as friendship circle, E.D.A.F, teen speak out, and pathways. She hopes to go into a field pertaining to special educationContinueContinue reading ““Gripped Part 3” is a Portal into the Mind of a Teenager”
Tag Archives: gripped book series
“Gripped 3” is Another Must-Read for Middle School & High School Students
Written by Sophia Coggeshall, Marshfield, MA Sophia is a senior at Marshfield High School in Marshfield, Massachusetts. She is a competitive Irish Step dancer who has competed several times at the Regional, National, and World Championships, and she also plays on the Varsity Field Hockey team for her high school. With a great passion forContinueContinue reading ““Gripped 3” is Another Must-Read for Middle School & High School Students”
Teen Novel “Blindsided” Shares Important Truths About Addiction & Recovery
Written by Katherine Nally, Scituate, Massachusetts Kate is a senior at Scituate High School. She is actively involved in a variety of extracurriculars, with a clear passion for serving others. She has ventured twice to West Virginia with the Appalachia Service Project and looks forward to doing more service trips in college. She is alsoContinueContinue reading “Teen Novel “Blindsided” Shares Important Truths About Addiction & Recovery”
New Y.A. Novel is too Relevant to be Ignored
The topics in Gripped Part 2: Blindsided by Stacy Padula are too relevant in teenage culture to be ignored. Blindsided is an amazing book that should be read by all high school and middle school students. The topics portrayed are relevant and important for all teenagers to hear, as it is wise to be informed about the consequences of…
New Y.A. Novel Addresses Prevalent Issues in Teenage Culture
Article by Katherine Nally of Scituate, Massachusetts. Recently, parents have been sheltering their kids more and more, especially regarding the books that they read in middle school. Three of my favorite books that I read in middle school have been banned because they were considered to have sensitive topics that kids cannot understand. The reality is that this is what is happening in teenagers’ lives, and it needs to be addressed.
New Young Adult Novel Accurately Represents the Hardships Commonly Faced by Teenagers
Gripped Part 2: Blindsided by Stacy Padula, is yet another book in the Gripped series that accurately represents the hardships faced by many teenagers. This book also shows how substance use that starts for fun or for experimentation can turn into a dangerous habit that changes every aspect of a person’s life.
Marshfield Senior Recommends Teens Read New Novel About Addiction
From reading Gripped Part 2: Blindsided, kids can learn how one seemingly harmless decision can lead to a series of drastic, uncontrollable consequences. Not only does the book reveal the dangerous, addictive effects that drugs have on teenagers, but it also reveals how drugs can cause both relationship and mental health problems as many of the characters in the novel become distant with their friends and family and suffer from extreme anxiety as a result of the drugs they have become entangled in.
Jordan Dunkin, the Black Sheep of “Gripped” or Not?
Article by Michael Farinacci—Medfield, Massachusetts Michael Farinacci Since Gripped Part 2: Blindsided, Jordan Dunkin has been, by far, the most intriguing character in my opinion. At the University of Notre Dame, he has a high GPA, has joined the Catholic club, and is starting at wide receiver on one of the best football teams inContinueContinue reading “Jordan Dunkin, the Black Sheep of “Gripped” or Not?”
Gripped on “Gripped” – Why Teens Will Love This New Book Series
As a young adult, I can relate to Gripped by Stacy A. Padula because I have witnessed firsthand some of the same issues within my own high school and friend group that the characters in the story have been through. I am at an age where the curiosity of experimentation along with peer pressure drive people to try things and do things that often lead to difficult and even dangerous consequences, and I have seen how one bad decision can lead to an immense amount of turmoil, as experienced by several of the characters in Gripped.
The Good & The Bad: Gripped’s Protagonist Taylor Dunkin
Article by Jennifer O’Sullivan, Dover, Massachusetts Jennifer O’Sullivan In Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told, by Stacy A. Padula, Taylor Dunkin plays a major role. In the novel, I found the storyline about him and the Boston police department to be the most interesting. To me, Taylor seemed like a really nice, smart,ContinueContinue reading “The Good & The Bad: Gripped’s Protagonist Taylor Dunkin”
New Teen Fiction Book Helps Kids Realize Their Choices Today Matter
As a seventeen year old in high school, I have definitely been exposed to both drugs and alcohol. When I was younger, I watched plenty of movies and TV shows with high schoolers drinking and doing drugs at parties, but I thought that was only something that happened on television. Now, being around the age of the characters in the book, I am fully aware of what really goes on at this age. Kids at my school cannot go a full school day without vaping in the bathrooms, they rely on alcohol to have fun at parties, and prescription pills that are not prescribed to them. A huge focus in our health classes are drugs and how easy it is to become addicted, but students do not want to listen to teachers who seem like they are scolding them. Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told by Stacy A. Padula is the perfect book for tweens and teens because it is a true version of what happens as a young adult. It is a fast-paced and complex novel perfect for teens and parents that is hard to put down.
New Teen Book Educates Kids about Prescription Drug Abuse, but Is It Controversial?
Gripped Part 3: The Fallout 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.
A Look at Cathy, Jon, and Chantal in Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told
Article by Jennifer O’Sullivan, Dover, Massachusetts In Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told, the characters are compelling and easy to relate to. In Stacy A. Padula’s other book series, Montgomery Lake High, Cathy Kagelli is portrayed as a toxic girl who is rude, coldhearted and manipulative. Gripped Part 1 flashes back to Cathy’sContinueContinue reading “A Look at Cathy, Jon, and Chantal in Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told”
New Teen Series Educates Readers About The Root Causes of Substance Abuse
Written by Michael Farinacci of St. Sebastian’s School Gripped Part 3: The Fallout is yet another great addition to the Gripped book series. The book tackles many complex issues including substance abuse, relationships, and the difficult time that is high school and middle school. The story follows many different storylines, which not only makes theContinueContinue reading “New Teen Series Educates Readers About The Root Causes of Substance Abuse”
A New Kind of Teen Book Series Hits the Shelves!
Article by Olivia Syat of Sharon, MA I recommend Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told to young adults because of its ability to capture the reality of middle school/high school. Although the book mainly serves as a tool to help teens realize they are not alone in their struggles, I believe parents shouldContinueContinue reading “A New Kind of Teen Book Series Hits the Shelves!”
A Book Series All Teens Should Start Reading
Article by Jennifer O’Sullivan, Dover, Massachusetts I would recommend Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told by Stacy A. Padula to young adults, especially those who are in high school or are part of a friend group that likes to party with substances involved. I think that this book really shows how easy itContinueContinue reading “A Book Series All Teens Should Start Reading”
Photos from Stacy Padula’s Barnes & Noble Book Signing (August 2019)
Stacy Padula’s books are also available at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kobo, iTunes, & other major retailers Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told In high school, Taylor Dunkin broke more records than any other athlete to step foot in Montgomery, Massachusetts. As a sophomore in college, he was ranked by ESPN as one ofContinueContinue reading “Photos from Stacy Padula’s Barnes & Noble Book Signing (August 2019)”
Sharon High School’s Olivia Syat on Stacy Padula’s Novel “Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told”
The book Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told, by Stacy Padula quite literally “grips” the reader into the story, resulting in the inability to put the book down. It transforms readers into the mysterious, yet intriguing realm of young adults, teaching valuable lessons in a journey through the pages.
Sophia Coggeshall Reviews “Gripped Part 1” By Stacy A. Padula
Once I started reading the book, it was incredibly hard to put down for it is made up of a number of different storylines, ranging from the story of the football star, Taylor Dunkin, who throws his chances of being in the NFL away as he becomes involved in the growing opioid epidemic, to the stories of several different couples who face immense difficulties as they become entangled in drugs and alcohol.
A College Freshman’s Take on “Gripped Part 2: Blindsided” by Stacy Padula
This book will hopefully influence teens to abstain from drugs and alcohol after reading about the effects it has on everyone’s lives. Teens who read this book will also learn what could happen to them if they do end up getting involved with drugs. Similar to Taylor’s situation, drugs can ruin someone’s life after becoming addicted.
