Tag Archives: Montgomery Lake High

Looking Ahead to Gripped Part 2 with Michael Farinacci

Last month, Michael Farinacci of Medfield, Massachusetts—a junior at St. Sebastian’s School—read and reviewed Gripped Part 1 by Stacy Padula: the first installment in a young adult book series that highlights the perils of prescription drug abuse. Before beginning to read Gripped Part 2, Michael answered a couple questions about what he was most looking forward to uncovering in the next installment.

Rebecca Ronning of Brooklyn Tech Reviews Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told

Gripped Part 1 by Stacy Padula tells the gripping story of a star student athlete who let a mere setback turn into a major addiction. It exemplifies the importance of understanding that nobody is safe from drug abuse, not even the classic golden child, and expresses the unfortunately realistic young ages at which this abuse starts.

Joanna Dakoyannis Reviews “When Darkness Tries to Hide” by Stacy Padula

The second book in the MLH series, When Darkness Tries to Hide, is a riveting story that continues to follow a group of high school teens through their lives. When a tragedy strikes their group of friends, it causes many of them to take a step back and re-evaluate their recent actions and behaviors. The story demonstrates how impactful our actions, both good and bad can be on others around us.

May’s Q&A with Kyle Banker of Beaver Country Day School

Kyle Banker of Needham, Massachusetts is a senior at Beaver Country Day School. He will be attending the University of Miami in the fall as a biology major. This month, Kyle read “The Right Person” – a young adult novel by Stacy Padula – and shared some insightful feedback.

May’s Q&A with Michael Farinacci of St. Sebastian’s School

Michael Farinacci, a junior at St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, Massachusetts, read and reviewed Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told—the first book in a young adult series that examines the perils of prescription drug abuse amongst teenagers. After reading the novel, he was asked a series of questions about its main characters. His responses are below.

Michael Farinacci Reviews Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told

The book Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told investigates the complicated social lives of young adults ranging from middle-school to college. The story follows numerous people throughout their lives outside of school and demonstrates how difficult decision can be for young adults, and the consequences that these decisions have. The book deals with drug abuse, relationships, and the effects of miscommunication as it follows the lives of the children from Montgomery Lake, while brilliantly setting up the rest of the series.

“Gripped ” is A Must-Read for Teens Who Want to Know The Truth About Street Drugs

We caught up with Rebecca Ronning, a junior at Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn, New York, to ask her some questions about the first book in the Gripped book series by Stacy Padula. Rebecca was just chosen as the book series’ Intern of the Month for May of 2019!

Jennifer O’Sullivan of Dover-Sherborn High School on “When Darkness Tries to Hide” by Stacy Padula

When Darkness Tries To Hide, is another book by author Stacy Padula that aims to help teenagers navigate the trials and tribulations of high school. I think that all types of teenagers would benefit from reading this book. Although this book is based on faith and how it can help people escape the painful clutches of addiction, teenagers who are both struggling with addiction or suspect that a friend may be struggling would benefit from the book.

May’s Q&A with Joanna Dakoyannis of Dover Sherborn High School

Although this book would be most relevant to teenagers and the struggles they might face in high school, I would recommend this book to anyone who feels that they are struggling with something. Teens and adults alike who are trying to find themselves or answers to their place in life would benefit from reading When Darkness Tries to Hide because it would help them look at their situation from a faith based perspective. This book shows that regardless of how terrible you think your actions or situation may be, there is always hope and the ability to change.

Stacy Padula Releases 3rd Edition of Her Young Adult Top Seller “The Right Person”

Growing up in the shadow of two NFL-destined cousins, Chris Dunkin has high hopes for his own future in football. However, a drug addiction threatens to destroy everything he has worked hard to attain. When Chris…

Q&A with Joanna Dakoyannis on “The Right Person” by Stacy Padula

Preteens and teens would benefit from reading this book in many ways. One way they would benefit from reading it is that it would give them an insight into what high school is like, in a very real setting. The setting of the book could be any high school in the area in which I live. It might also help them if they are going through a similar situation as one of the characters in the book, and could help them feel as if they are not alone in dealing with their similar social issue.

“The Right Person” by Stacy Padula Shows How Faith Can Benefit Teenagers

Throughout The Right Person by Stacy Padula, loyalty and faith were common themes in many scenarios. Several characters had certain desires but knew that they had to stay loyal to a person or to a commitment. Additionally, God being a place of strength became increasingly apparent as the story advanced.

“Gripped” by Stacy A. Padula is a Must Read for All Ages!

I would recommend Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told by Stacy A. Padula to people of all ages—but especially to those around a similar age to the characters, which is middle school and high school. The book touches on topics that everyone can relate to in some way, making it versatile enough for everyone to be interested in the story.

An Exceptional Book I Recommend to Teens & Preteens

Joanna Dakoyannis is a junior at Dover-Sherborn High School. She enjoys creative writing, traveling, going to the gym, running track for her high school team, and cheering on her team at school sporting events. She plans to be a science major in college and hopes to eventually attend dental school. Joanna read Montgomery Lake High #1: The Right Person by Stacy A. Padula and wrote the article below, sharing her honest thoughts and recommendations.

“Gripped” by Stacy Padula is a Book All Middle School & High School Students Will Enjoy Reading

Article by Elizabeth Harvey of Needham, Massachusetts. I would recommend Gripped Part 1 to Middle and High School students, as it is a quick and easy read that immediately captivates the reader. There is a lack of books and information about drugs and alcohol that provide insightful information put into a context that teenagers will find both entertaining and educational; making Gripped Part 1 a perfect book for Middle and High School students.

Q&A with ASU’s Nick Alva on “Gripped Part 1” by Stacy Padula

Nick Alva, a Communications major at Arizona State University, read Stacy Padula’s #1 New Release Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told and answered the following questions about the novel.Who would you recommend Gripped Part 1 to and why? I would especially recommend Gripped Part 1 to both middle school and high school EnglishContinueContinue reading “Q&A with ASU’s Nick Alva on “Gripped Part 1” by Stacy Padula”

Looking Ahead to Gripped Part 2 with Kyle Banker

There are a few different storylines running through Gripped Part 1 because it is setting up the rest of the series. What storyline do you find the most interesting and why?I think that the storyline between Cathy and Jason is most compelling to me because of their dual perspective of how they see the dramaContinueContinue reading “Looking Ahead to Gripped Part 2 with Kyle Banker”

Why Parents and Teens Should Read “Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told”

Article by Elizabeth Harvey of Needham, MA Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told by Stacy A. Padula is an essential book for both parents and teens alike to read. The book follows multiple characters through a fast-paced and impossible to put down storyline that dives into the subject matter of addiction, specifically teenageContinueContinue reading “Why Parents and Teens Should Read “Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told””