Gripped: Your Personality is What's Holding You Back

by Jason Donnelly

If you're not offended by the first line, we're good to go. If you are, go to the cover and read the quote from my mom. The book is a social media satire (FICTION) about the way we're currently being sold everything we consume. It used to be ads, now it's each other. Enjoy this book with a nice Evian water. ;-) P.S. there's a lot of masturbation. 

"Jason Donnelly's words slap you around like a horny Grizzly bear."
-Scott C. Rogers, Publisher at Black Coffee Press

"Part cautionary tale, part satire, and always dysfunctional, Gripped is a hilarious and disturbing story of angst, delusion and the basic human desire to connect. If Kurt Vonnegut and Sarah Silverman had a literary offspring, it might look something like this."
-Richard Thomas, author of Staring Into the Abyss

"Donnelly proves he is a true artisan of literature, fashioning from man's insecurities a puzzle box of a story where the dark underbelly of life is explored, and the pursuit of happiness is a road tarred with absurdity and wit."
-Craig Wallwork, author of The Sound of Loneliness

"Gripped holds a mirror up to America's narcissistic social media self-obsession. In our modern culture of ME ME ME, Donnelly dances on the line of comedic grace and brutal honesty to show how ugly personal growth can be."
-Michael Paul Gonzalez, author of Angel Falls

"Donnelly is lampooning American consumerist culture, a culture that is, in itself, a kind of masturbation, so it makes sense that the main character is a masturbation addict. With prose that is spare and clear, he avoids heavy-handedness with his message by lacing the novel with humor and verve."
-CL Bledsoe, author of Man of Clay and The Saviors

"The powers of consumerism and masturbation compel you! Gripped is the new slacker novel for the rebelling automaton in us all. Funny, fast, and slyly unconventional, Jason Donnelly must be stopped before it's too late."
-Paul Tremblay, author of In The Mean Time

"Just finished Gripped by Jason Donnelly, a dark tale of control, of Mark McCarren, that's two C's and two R's... and an 8 week program. It is funny while having a malevolent darkness through it."
-Jonny Gibbings, author of Malice in Blunderland

Genres: Fiction, Humor

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2013

About the author

Jason Donnelly is a writer in NYC. He has an MFA in creative writing and a horrible amount of debt from a University in Pennsylvania that shall not be named. Over the years, he's held the title of juggler, college recruiter, adjunct professor, headhunter, copywriter, and is currently an associate creative director.

You can also check out his t-shirt website at www.thecasualcult.com

Reviews

[Nesreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be perfectly frank, this deserves more like a 2.7 stars rating. Weeeeelllllll.. I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy it.. because I did. Its funny, its light, and I liked the way the protagonist is portrayed. Do I recommend reading it? Not necessarily.. but if you do just don’t expect much.

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy fuck. This was amazing. It was so good I didn't even think about the rating, it just went to five stars, no questions asked. And then I got paranoid. And now I feel like posting on Goodreads is wrong, so this book was a success, I'd say. The author takes you on a journey to make yourself a better person... a better version of yourself, if you will; but focusing on all that is wrong with the world and our society. Or that's how I read it, anyway and I obsessed over it so much I actually got angry when I was done. I cannot really say much more without spoiling the plot, so I'll just say there's a lot to be read between the lines and Jason Donnelly definitely knows how to keep you hooked to them like a drug. Fantastic.

[Mollie Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't tell you the last time I read a book as fast as I read Gripped, simply because I didn't want to put it down. I'm glad I started reading it in the afternoon- if I had started reading it before bed, I would have been up till the wee hours of the morning trying to finish it.

The writing style is great- it was like I was sitting there having a conversation with Mark (the main character). I'm not always a fan of books written with what I would consider conversational prose, but for Gripped, it works perfectly. Anyone who's ever been unsure of where they were in life (and haven't we all been there at some point) can find something that they identify with in this book, even if some of us can't identify with (parts of) Mark's daily routine.

The book won't be released to the masses till September, but it's definitely worth adding to a fall reading list (what, you don't make reading lists for seasons other than summer?)

[Kriss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilt, anger, happiness - Feelings invoked "Gripped"

Before you go any further you have to do two things in order to properly enjoy this review:

Go do a search YouTube for "dexys midnight runners come on eileen" specifically hosted on "wilder eduardo rojas lucana·" channel and listen to it while you are reading in it's completion(or click here http://youtu.be/oc-P8oDuS0Q). If the video ends before you finish reading this review, start it again, the song is a must. This song will change your life for the better, and will make this review even more impactful on your life. Trust me, I know what I am talking about!
Nod ... did you nod? By nodding, you agree to not share where you heard about the Program from! Just... well, you did not hear it from me!! (Never thought you would read that on my site, huh?)

I have a love-hate relationship with Gripped. It's one of those books that makes you feel guilty. The kind of guilt sits at the bottom of your gut in a pool of acid just festering into another bleeding ulcer to match the one from stress which was brought on by trying to stay on top of the "Joneses" or the latest best and greatest brand... you know what I mean? That stress you put on yourself, making sure that you got the right brand to go with hair shampoo to go with your hair product to make sure that it blends in with the glimmer of eye shadow that you bought to go with the new lip balm because that's what Cosmo said would be the best …to go with your new look you know the one that you found when you were flipping to the magazines at the massage parlor that also gets chemical peels on the side … which you read on Yelp was safe and took ten years off your face *taking in a deep breath* and where you also go get your eyebrows threaded because Susan from your Twitter feed saw the local Weather Girl… Yep it was, those feelings. The one you get when you know no matter what you do you will never be able to keep up but if you do not try … *face smashing into desk… repeat*

Gripped is a satire, a candid dark comedy with Donnelly throwing the reality in our faces and shoving it down our throats at what has been happening over the last two decades of viral marketing, crowdsourcing, branding product placement and the internet has caused it to be something we all have to have it or face the consequences. Gripped presents this is a literal and bleak metaphoric sense but at the same time, it really is not world of advertising is always been something that drives everything forward it's a way to get people to purchase things even when they don't have anything during the depression after the stock market crash the only way consumers were going to byword to basically be tricked into thinking that their lives work mother lives were miserable and this product was going to make their lives better. Our main protagonist is like tens of thousands of other cubicle monkeys face to paste a smile on and buy the corporate line. Day in and day out. Something had to break soon and as we learned from the first line, on this, the first day of the rest of his life, he was going to be in for one hell of a wakeup call, if he believed in omens

“I came on my cat today, again”

Pick your jaws off the floor, I choked on what I was drinking and couldn’t stop laughing the rest I read. This guy was a mess as he constantly masturbatated his way through life. I kind of got annoyed but I realized, again, it was another one of the authors messed up metaphors. Seriously bugged the crap out of me till I slept on it a couple weeks each time I would think about the book and some of the scenes I would laugh more, be less irate and more awe inspired at his insight and clearness. Clever bastard!

Though this was a story of Marky..Mark, and learn how his life changes, as long as he follows the corporate line from outside his cubical… it really was a general statement and message to all of us. It hit really hard and home for me. I felt guilty, I felt mad and then the biggest winter storm I have ever dealt with in 10 years of living in Alaska hit and we lost power. I actually finished it up while we were sheltering in the basement one night. Looking up at Geoff I said “Oh honey, it was so horrible” and I had tears running down my face and he said why and I told him the premise and he said is it really horrible or is it because you feel horrible sometimes because you market all day long convincing people your authors are the best, their books are the best and they should buy something they may want but that they didn't necessarily need.

He was spot on. My grandfather talked about this all the time and he was a man of high integrity but he ran one of the biggest advertising companies on the West Coast I grew up the father is a boy or a mother as a special-ed teacher and a volunteer and parents were activist said who drove to support the arts in the Indies and a grandfather who wasn't in the advertising business and also who taught me to never stop learning how to do something which is why I know I do always with thanks but I'm going off of mine at any rate my grandfather always said that to be a mad man you really have to be a bastard in this industry.

I think this is one of those books which should be read this just for the wakeup call of the horrifying possibilities of where this world is headed. Told in a dark comedic fashion it could almost be a horror story and definitely fits the genre bending and challenge the synopsis promises.

Oh… PLEASE don't tell them don't tell them who told you about it because you know what happens to people tell you about the secrets behind the Program? Just, keep it to yourself *pointing* STOP looking so intently, just smile and laugh and say out loud “Oh that was a funny meme” they have eyes everywhere.. and remember… Well you didn't hear from me on to say *whispering*

8.5 stars out of 10

[Tony McMillen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote this review for DigBoston.com you can check that version out here:

http://digboston.com/boston-arts-thea...


“I came on my cat today, again.”

Thus begins Jason Donnelly’s tightly wound satire Gripped: Your Personality Is What’s Holding You Back.

This slightly alarming opening salvo is followed quickly by, “On. It’s not like I used the cat.”

Phew, for a minute there, right? Wrong! There is no relenting here. This book comes at you with the momentum of a diabetic elephant strapped to a grand piano tumbling down a staircase that’s greased with butter. Oh, the ivories. Seriously, this book gets you laughing from the first page. Even on occasion when it lets up on the funny to give you something meatier to consider, it never fails to keep the reader glued to the page.

Gripped finds resonance easily by picking apart our advertising-saturated, social media-addicted, consumer-led modern lifestyle.

This is not uncharted terrain, obviously. (Watch Bob the Builder. I mean, really watch it.) But it’s something anyone who’s ever worked a job they hate or been sucked into online life can relate to. What makes Gripped stand out and be so compelling is the voice Donnelly brings to the party. Namely the voice of Marky, our narrator.

Marky is the gentleman who begins the novel by yet again accidently ejaculating on his feline companion Spike. He is your typical office drone, likeable underachiever, single guy living in America. He’s also quite droll and full of wry observations like:

“Maybe the life of a cat involves nothing but wondering when food comes and if they will ever have sex with another cat. From here, I can see the positive and negative to both sides.”

But Donnelly knows how to write him with enough heart and detached longing that Marky never becomes too smug or inhumanely clever that he’s merely a caricature or a cartoon character. He’s a real guy with real problems, and he happens at times to be quick with the quips.

But Snarko Marx he is not, thankfully.

At the start Marky is aimlessly lost in an everyday rut of waking up, wacking off, and wringing his hands at work. Through a series of highly suspicious circumstances he escapes cubicle purgatory and finds himself without work and/or purpose. This all changes when he is approached by a bizarre, seemingly clandestine self-help program called, well, The Program.

Once Marky gets with The Program (get it, oh, never mind) the novel shifts gears from an Office Space-style workplace comedy into a nearly Pynchonian absurdist conspiracy romp.

The first change this hermetic organization makes with Marky is forcing him to go by “Mark” from then on. They also tell him what to do, what to read, what to watch, what to buy, what to wear, and even what to eat. And it all seems to work. Mark even meets a woman named Emily (this threatens to make his wackoff napkin cat jealous) thanks to his newfound outgoing nature (due to the instructions of The Program), and he and Emily begin dating. But Emily has her own secrets and Mark can’t help but wonder what she’s hiding from him.

As Mark works his way through The Program and gets deeper enmeshed in its machinations, his and Emily’s relationship also becomes frayed and at times batshit weird. The way Donnelly handles the increasingly dangerous world of The Program and the quiet, painfully funny and at times just painful disintegration of Emily and Mark’s relationship makes me think it has a touch of the Coen Brothers‘ best work in it. It’s reminiscent of The Coens’ distant, slightly off approach to humor and the way they heighten the ludicrousness of life’s complexity in a way which can make you chuckle and ache at the same scene.

Donnelly has the same spirit in this work when he covers the meaninglessness of human suffering and the failure of people to properly communicate.

It informs the damaged grace of lines like:

“I guess that’s what a relationship is, believing each other, even when it doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

Which is the real trick of this novel; it delivers a staggering amount of existential crisis and cautionary tale righteousness without ever losing its zip and dark sense of comedy. Equally as impressive is that Mark/Marky doesn’t become an unlikable-heart-of-darkness, Bret-Easton-Ellis-stock-character type as is wont to happen in these sort of stories. Instead, Donnelly keeps Mark interesting and multifaceted as the character works his way up through The Program while simultaneously looking for a way to bring the damn thing down. Donnelly manages this and never resorts to making Mark just as pitch black as the world he lives in. We still root for Mark, even when his own ignorance and arrogance are what keep him a cog in some unfathomably wide-reaching, humanity-stomping machine. After all, that’s something we can all relate to.

[Gripped: Your Personality Is What's Holding You Back is published by Perfect Edge Books. You can purchase it on Amazon]

[Ryan Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a tough one for me. There is enough of a solid concept and quirky humor in the book to make me enjoy it, but there was also more than enough repetitiveness and odd writing choices throughout to make me lose interest for brief lapses. When the writer gives running commentary on his character's dislike for poorly-spelled text messages, as well as varying masturbation slang, constant mention of the "Three S's", his judgmental cat, the nightly doses of sleeping pills, as well as the mention of what song comes on first thing in the morning, it really adds up after a while. Enough to make the reader question just how much material is really in the 270+ pages.

I enjoyed the chapter layout immensely. Too often when the events in a novel take place over a period of time, it's frustrating as a reader when you don't immediately know how much time has passed from chapter to chapter. In Gripped, each chapter is one day in a long span of consecutive days. Absolutely no confusion there. I found myself loving the main character (Marky) at the beginning of the book. His exploits at his menial office-type job are painful in a very entertaining way. You even want to root for the poor bastard.

What I found odd was that Marky seemed like a different character once he'd begun his relationship with Emily. It was too drastic a shift from the "downtrodden, can't-get-anything-right office schmuck" to the "upbeat, positive, full-of-hope-and-love boyfriend." But maybe that's intentional? Perhaps it's a commentary on how we change when we're in new relationships? There is some "future glimpsing" from Marky's standpoint at the beginning; when he first meets Emily he states how she will eventually "ruin everything." He notes, "I'm about to meet a mistake." However there is no such foresight into the nature of The Program itself (or at the very least, the more horrific aspects of it), which I found contradictory and confusing.

In the end, my best guess is that this is a story about a guy who sucks at life, is threatened by a subversive organization to turn things around - which he does, playing by their rules no less - and then realizes that he's happy and fulfilled in the end. Is there a life lesson here? Is this what satire is? Am I supposed to feel like I've just been the victim of social media propaganda? I'm really not sure, but maybe that's the whole point of it all.

Donnelly is a terrific writer, a young writer who embraces the use of technology in his work. He is superb at writing the "blossoming relationship" side of characters and I would not hesitate to read further works of his that tread into this realm.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gripped recounts the experiences of Marky McCarren, slacker and office clown. Before long, his clownish behavior has landed him in sufficient hot water at work to lose him his job.

Enter "The Program." After watching a late-night informercial and calling in for more information, Marky finds himself enrolled in the Program, for free. They immediately set about changing his habits for the better.

But all is not right in self-helpsville. The plan's instructions include some thinly veiled threats, and they know an awful lot about Marky's life.

Fans of the Stephen King story "Quitters, Inc." or the Michael Douglas movie The Game will see immediate similarities. But Gripped takes this tried-and-true beginning and turns into its own animal by the end. It's an enjoyable blend of humor, mystery, a dash of thriller, and wry observations about modern life.

The book isn't without its problems, however. The rising action is a bit too long of a slow build, in my opinion. Too much of the middle of the book is similar to what's around it, making it feel monotonous. The writing itself could be better, as well. Sentence structure is frequently awkward. Similes sometimes don't quite make sense. And the use of commas is absolutely atrocious.

All in all, I found Gripped an enjoyable read, and a decent freshman outing for Donnelly. I look forward to seeing where his wit takes us next.

[Jonny Gibbings · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant satire, an intelligent read and a dark tale of control, of Mark McCarren... that's two C's and two R's... and an 8 week program. Donnely spins a wonderful malevolent darkness, a hilarious yet poignant tale of how disjointed society has become. Gripped is darkly witty read that leaves you thinking about the humour. It's cinematic flow crying for film treatment.
Gripped is a rare in that it has that perfect blend of smart insight, prose and base humour:
"I remember what the most interesting part of being a farmer has to be, watching cows pee."

A very, very good read that polarizes social media.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who finds herself on the other side of the equation, working in advertising and social media, I can assure you (not that it's reassuring) that this book is disgustingly spot-on. Thankfully, Jason Donnelly brings his graphic realism and humor to take the edge off. Marky's point of view is surprisingly real and honest, and relatable every step of the way. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and I can't wait to see more from Donnelly!

[Rowan Marx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. After reading it, I kind of feel like a tool about posting on goodreads! This book had the feel of David Sedaris meets 1984. Both of whom/which I adore, respectively. Grab yourself a cold Evian, and read this book!

[Leonard Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Jason, brings up questions about social medias' impact on our daily lives and makes you think are we any better off with it. It's bold, humorous and yet has something everyone can relate too. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Gripped.

[Nai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, the perfect grip, whether it’s on a baseball bat, office life, or well, even your cat.

I like challenges, and this book has become my tongue in cheek challenge.

If one picture could sum up all my cynical thoughts on state of society, it would be this one:


The link with the rest of the pictures is pretty amazing if you want to enter the time toilet while you’re in your cubicle.

If you’re not familiar with that photo, it’s people standing in a bread-line. The irony shouldn’t be lost on anyone, and that, right up there, it’s not that different today. Today, our societies just hide it a little better. We have food banks instead of bread lines, and in Canada have changed ‘unemployment insurance’ to EIA (Employment Insurance Assistance).

The change of names didn’t actually ‘change’ anything, but I bet it took a marketing team at least 3 years to come up with that new acronym and have it approved by our PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). I’d also bet that all that money could have built a few good homes and bought bushels of groceries for a number of ‘at-risk’ people in our society.

In case it isn’t clear, this book makes me want to rant. It makes me want to scream at the world about all the wrongs, and how to fix them.


LET ME OUT OF HERE!!! I HAVE IDEAS!!!

Yes, I intend to attempt to use that photo for all the perfect edge tours. I’m SORRY if you dont’ like STAR TREK, but it’s seriously a great social commentary.

THERE, I said it. Star Trek can fix the universe.

And, I’m a NERD.

I dont’ have a cat thought, so it’s never in my vomitas projectile area. (metaphorically, or otherwise). Though wait, does that mean I’m the metaphorical cat, girlfriend, summarily known as the pussy?

For clarification, that word doesn’t actually have a negative context in the UK, and in Canada, we choose to use it as either. Canadians like having things both ways. “Puss-Puss” is a term of affection, and can be directed at your cat, girlfriend, boyfriend, or other person you like to hold and pet a lot cuz they’re soft and snuggly.

More about the Book aka, The Review

If you’re stuck in a rut, and tired with day to day life, your cubicle, your cat, and routine, this is definitely the book for you. I can think of a few great friends who would find this book just as humorous as I did.

The constant reference to the cat, who might be a metaphorical partner/girlfriend was highly amusing, and much more intriguing if you know that the nick-name for a cat (pussy) has a number of culturally significant meanings. (UK/Canada/US).

There’s a quote on the author’s twitter page about Vonnegut and Silverman having literary offspring. I couldn’t agree more, and while this book was highly amusing, and comical and dark and satirical it was also very well written. The layout was wonderful, and the constant nagging voice in the back of my head “It’s only your personality holding you back.” made for a stellar read.

I have to relate one story about reading this book. It happened during the first pages. Somehow, when reading the excerpt and deciding to join the tour, I missed the first line (which was rather important) and when I started to read the book after receiving my copy from Novel Publicity I was VERY confused.

I expected a book about society and being fed up with a cubicle, and the sad state of the world, from the eyes of a cynic who knew that only personality holds people back. We’re all encouraged to be passive-aggressive, and live the ‘dream’ with a cubicle, a desk and hours of paper pushing in the waste-land of corporations.

I got all that, but somehow missed the part about the cat. My initial thoughts were “really, is the entire book about washing your cat’s fur from inadvertent mishaps in a bachelor’s pad. After discovering just how much MORE there is to this book than the mundane realities of being a single bachelor, I became an evil partner.

The conversation went something like this:

“What are you reading.”

“A book about corporate America and a cat.”

“Oh, what’s it called.”

“Gripped.”

“That’s an odd title.”

“Actually it makes perfect sense. Just read the first line.”

Watching him read the first line was actually the most enjoyable part, expressions of horror, confusion, amusement, then out right laughter were all experienced in the span of 30 seconds.

Not being a man, in my mind at least, I imagine that’s about as long as it takes most of the time. Unless there’s a cat in the way.

Long story short, he couldn’t stop reading, and I had to buy him a copy of the book too. Turns out men like this one just as much as women do. I’d love to hear the story told from a woman’s perspective, though I’m not sure how she’d aim (or accidentally hit) at a cat in the same context.

In a rather round about way, this book will give you hope, or at the very least make you feel like you’re not alone in your cubicle. There’s life out there, and only one thing holding you back.

And now, a short excerpt/advertisement break to convince you it’s all the same for everyone else in the world. Only your personality is holding you back…

[Harvey Bohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful plot – Could not put the book down

Due to my career, I spend most of my time reading boring engineering white papers or technical books. I haven’t read a good fiction book in ages. I picked this book up with the expectation that, like most fiction books, there will be a lot of fluff in between the chapters. I define fluff as pages that do not forward the plot, character development, and is mainly there to meet a word or page quota. Most of those books are easy to put down and forget. With this book, the first chapter did well to capture my attention. In the first few paragraphs, I had to laugh at the creative opening that I did not expect. Well done. Poor cat.

I will admit, I went to high school with the author and when I read this story, I imagine him as the main character. I see his personality in the main character and to my discomfort, his action to fill those socks up with his special sauce. The main character hates going into his regular job and the personalities he must deal with are amusing. His main boss sounds like a cunt and if he didn’t need the money, he would have left long ago. When his boss was out of town, there was a woman who filled in the spot as acting manager. She threatens to send any misconduct through a report to the boss. It’s the passive-aggressive personality that fills most of these work places and really peaks your interest on how the main character will deal with her. The chapters are lined up as a countdown to when the “program” begins.

Not to spoil the plot, Mark’s (main character) time off from work and self-development is amusing. We’ve all been there and this brings me back to memory lane. Buying new clothes, taking shitty canned meals and making them awesome, and eventually meeting a girl. The book really broke down the relationship as it built and climaxed. You could feel like you were there and cheering it on. We all want a successful, happy story. Parts of the story reminded me of the old days of dating when we would often show our best side in order to impress someone we like. It gives you the warm butterflies to hear how Emily and Mark really like each other. It was interesting to see where it went. The most important part of this character development was Mark taking control of his love life and not putting up with bullshit. Too often, we are soft and tell our loved ones what they want to hear and not how we feel. This often leaves the relationship one-sided and unfulfilling. I can tell that this was straight from Jason’s heart and was real. That wasn’t fiction. That was being a man in your love life.

When the story progresses, Mark finally finds a job and must give his best. Some of my best times in a career were when I lived it day by day. We try our best to plan, but sometimes, life is best when you worry just for the day and give your all. I picked up on the character development. This book would instill confidence in those who struggle with it. Again, this may be a book of fiction, but in the real world, some of the examples by Mark are legit. There were many characters in the book from people I knew in real life. This gave me some warmth and a few laughs. Some of the places mentioned were places familiar to the author.

The book was suspenseful to the last page. I think the end opened the door to a part II and I would not mind seeing what happens to the “program”. There are always two sides to a program. Those who it helps and those who hate it. Mark seemed to benefit from it and confirm. This represents what is expected of you from society. Often, when we are young, we expect to shape the world around us. In this book, the main character accepts that the world will shape him. He must do the best he can with what is given to him. Only when you master how the system works, can you make the small changes that have a positive impact on people’s lives. This book was much more than a love story and personal conflict. It was an iliad of love and success. Well done Jason. Take it to the next level. Lead from the front.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I got the e-mail to participate in this tour, I knew that I shouldn’t sign up as I have too many books to read as it is but then I started reading the sample chapters on Goodreads and found that while it was a little graphic, it actually made me laugh. Thus, I continued reading until I found that I really wanted to know where the story was going to take me and so I made sure to get involved with the book tour. Now, having read the book, I am really glad that I did. While parts of the book made me feel a little uncomfortable, I was fully invested in this story and the mystery surrounding it. When I finished, I couldn’t help but feel like I needed more straight away. I will mention now, however, that this book is an adult book and not YA.

How would you deal with it if you walked into an apartment and there was an advert designed specifically for you? With it talking directly to you and, without you even being aware, you’re signed up to take part of this program? When it keeps going well and makes you feel happier and more whole as a person, you’re unlikely to start questioning the program, right? I loved the concept of this book because I know that I would be far too anxious to just do whatever I was told. I loved how it gave you just enough information to keep you on your toes but never too much information to bore you. It was brilliant and you can easily see that Jason Donnelly knows how to keep the suspense building.

I want to say that it took a while for me to like the main protagonist of this book but I cannot. Even with his flaws, Mark is an interesting character to read about from the get go. I enjoyed his narrative and feel that his personality is really the main reason that I kept reading. On the other hand, I disliked Emily from the first moment that we met her and my opinion on that did not change throughout the book – but I am definitely curious about her! Finally, the people behind the program were full of mystery and helped to bring a tonne of suspense to the book. I love how distrusting of everyone you feel by the end of the book.

One of the main reasons I was able to easily read this book was because of the writing style. Jason Donnelly has a very natural style that easily sucks you in and keeps you hostage. It flowed off the page well and just brought Mark to life in a very realistic way that I really enjoyed. I also felt that the setting of this book helped to make it more enjoyable as it was set in today’s world but there was a twist that definitely had me intrigued. I certainly found this book to be well-written ad I can only hope this is not the only book Jason writes!

Overall, this book was one that I found myself enraptured in. It leaves you with many questions and sort of throws you through a loop as well, which not many books do. I also finished the book questioning the world we live in, which is always something that I think is empowering in a book. The characters of this book feel real, the mystery keeps you on the edge, and the writing style pulls you in quickly and keeps its hold on you. This is definitely a book that I would recommend you to read, especially if you enjoy books that tell it how it is and provide you with a truly compelling story. And, to finish in the corniest way possible, this book literally gripped me from start to end.

[Falcon Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There are first sentences and then, there are first sentences. I don’t think I will EVER be able to shake the image conjured by those simple words: I came on my cat today, again. Now that you too will not be able to shake that image, especially any cat owners out there, let me talk about Gripped: Your Personality is What’s Holding You Back by Jason Donnelly.
It doesn’t take long to understand why there’s a sock on the cover of Gripped. I don’t like the term chronic masturbator, so, I’ll simply say that the main character is in touch with his feelings as he goes through his quest of self-discovery. Masturbation jokes aside, (unless you think I can whip out another one?) Mark(y) is a very relatable character. Mark(y) works a job he doesn’t like, working for people he can’t stand, has no real social life to speak of and really has no enjoyment for life save for his bi-hourly releases. I actually lived a very similar existence while I worked in retail. (We even share a pet peeve: annoying text speak. Wut iz txt spk? Yeah… That.)
But it all changes when he ends up in “The Program.”
By surrendering all control of your life and following The Program’s every instruction without question, they promise to alter your life and make you the person you don’t even realize you want to be. Of course, there aren’t any adages out there about absolute power corrupting, so what could go wrong?
Just, wow! There have been very few books that keep me up all night because I have to finish them. Gripped is now among this elite number. I can’t say too much about the plot without giving away some spoilers. But Gripped had me firmly in its grasp from start to finish (ahh the masturbation jokes write themselves) and before I knew it, it was over.
With all this praise, is there anything I was disappointed by? Yes, but it’s such a minor little thing that it almost doesn’t feel worth mentioning. I read Gripped via my iPad and whenever a web address was mentioned in the book, it was there in bright blue hyperlink. Curiosity got the better of me on a few of these links and I clicked. Sadly, Mark(y)’s cartoon website as well as his other website weren’t available for viewing. The other thing was the lack of a real world ManYawna sleep aide. I have trouble sleeping these days and would’ve tried these just based on this book. Of course that’s the genius of a well-written work, you want to actually use the items included in the text.
So, to sum it all up, Gripped is like if someone took Fight Club, Yes Man, The Game, and a spunk soaked sock, threw them in a blender, boiled that mixture and scraped the stuff off the top, and made that into bars of soap that made you feel clean and dirty at the same time. All that aside, a great read that was fun and fast paced

[Emily Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the quote from Roberta Donnelly, the authors mother, on the front cover pretty much summed up my thoughts on the book. “After the shock of the first paragraph, I actually liked the book.”
Yep. This book starts of kinda like ‘woah, what am I reading?’, but it’s a seriously good book I promise. (Even if it did forever ruin the song ‘Come on Eileen’ for me.) (thanks for that Jason.)
It took me a while to warm up to the main character Marky, he’s almost too realistic. Most authors sugar coat their characters, ignoring the not so dignified parts of life. We’ve all seen them, characters who never seem to need to go to the bathroom? Well Marky is most definitely not sugar coated, in fact if there’s an opposite to sugar coated then he’s that, as you find out extremely quickly. All the characters are well developed and they all show some serious personality, none of this dull secondary characters who’s only purpose are to move the story along for the main character, even the cat has more of a personality than most secondary characters in other books (yep, the cat was one of my favourite characters).
Your Personality Is What’s Holding You Back, is the program that Marky had never heard of and never signed up for but ends up taking part in. It promises to completely change his life for the better, and his personality is the only thing holding him back.
After I’d gotten over the shock of the opening few lines, I was utterly gripped (haha, see what I did there?), this book was so refreshing. It had a whole different tone to the majority of popular books out at the moment. And it was scary, now this book is by no means a horror but it scared me, the idea of something like The Program being real is totally believable it shook me up a bit. And I really felt the confusion and helplessness that Marky felt throughout the book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and the ending was good drawing the book to a satisfying close. However there was a few things that felt unexplained, making me feel like someone had cut a couple of chapters from right near the end.
But I definitely recommend this book to everyone, it really pushed me out of my comfort zone, it was uncomfortable and edgy, and if the first chapter does seen abit iffy, power through cause it’s definitely worth it.
Now is anyone else craving a bottle of Evian?

[Dakota Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I came on my cat today, again.” Jason Donnelly has given the world his first published novel. Try not to be too critical though, as it is a FIRST novel. Like our soul mates, the beauty is in its flaws. The book is a fast and easy read. Above all though, it is a satirical book full of dark humor, emotion, and pure honesty. Gripped is like Office Space on crack…with more masturbation. Marky is a lonely man that lives in a sordid apartment with his cat Spike. After an infomercial speaks directly to him, his life is changed forever. Anonymous delivery men in suits drop off boxes of Blue Rays every week for Marky to watch in order to follow instructions given by “The Program.” The Program sees everything and it is their goal to improve people’s lives. Donnelly holds a mirror up to our culture down to the latest references in music, brands, movies, and television. If your thoughts while reading this book are “is Jason Donnelly spying on me?” don’t panic, this reaction is normal. A major theme of the novel is: Big Brother is always watching you and it’s even easier now with the latest technologies. Another theme of the novel is consumerism and its effects on our personalities. Marky changes his name to Mark and integrates himself into the culture that he denied for so long with the guidance of The Program. He plugs into social media outlets, buys the latest technologies, he networks, and stays up to date with current events and trends. Marky is so good at integrating that he becomes a symbol and masthead. All the while he fears he will be killed for breaking the program’s rules. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe this novel but if I could select a few, they would be: hilarious, multi-layered, and introspective.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

With an opening line like the one in Gripped, you know this story is going to be...well, weird. And it is. When Marky - wait, let me correct that. When Mark starts following the Program, it sounds like some sort of cult. It reminded me of Jared Leto's mom in Requiem for a Dream when she was glued to the TV buying that diet program but also a little bit of Fight Club because the first rule of the Program is that you're not supposed to talk about the Program. Mark is doing everything the Program tells him to do. He buys a Blu-Ray player, he starts drinking Evian, and he starts talking to random strangers about something he read in the paper to which he now subscribes as directed. And as you're reading, you're wondering why this seemingly intelligent guy is just blindly following this Program and doing what these people tell him to do. Is he being followed? Are people in the Program disappearing or worse? Is it a cult? No, it's just marketing. So we follow Mark as he struggles to comply with all of the rules of the program and as he gets a glimpse of what will happen if he doesn't. We watch him get into a new job and a new relationship, neither of which really make much sense. By the end, you start to realize that Mark is just a puppet and then it dawns on you...aren't we all? Excellent read for anyone involved in marketing and social media or even just curious about how and why it works.

[Bud Hennekes · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Disclaimer - I am a current coworker of Jason's.)

I honestly had no idea what to expect when first diving in - you never know what you're in for when the first line is " I came on my cat again" but I was pleasantly surprised how relatable the main character, Marky, was. The book is filled with hilarious stories of a man who struggles to find himself while taking a crack at the everyday ills of our society. The story was strong enough to where I was entertained all the way through. I quite literally laughed out loud numerous times, and struggled to put the book down on my commute to work.

That being said, the book wasn't perfect. I found some of the bathroom humor to be a little repetitive and felt the ending was somewhat abrupt. However, despite the potty humor I found the book to be rather motivating.

If you're looking for a good laugh a kick in the ass I highly recommend giving Gripped a read.

[Cory Shoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have this book recommended to me on Twitter. Read the first paragraph and I was hooked. I had no idea where the book was going and that was fine. That's probably what I loved most. Many times through the book I thought I got to the bottom of everything. Nope! Couldn't have been more wrong. Even at the end of the book I thought I'd finally figured it all out and again, wrong. What seemed like a book about a down and out guy became a novel with more meaningful undertones. A look, perhaps, into all of our lives in some way.

Also, the writing style of the author, Jason Donnelly, makes this book so enjoyable. Donnelly never wastes a word in this novel and every sentence is a meaningful one. Read this book and tell everyone you can to read this. Do as the program tells you.

[Erik Twisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that I have to agree with the writers mom that the beginning of the book is a shock but after that the book is amazing. I want to compliment Jason with this great book. You kept me reading and enjoying the book until the last letter.
In my idea this book gives the reader an idea how your life can be changed if somebody else is taking it over. The way Jason describes everything makes you want to read further and let's you think what will happen tomorrow.

I want to thank Jason and goodreads.com to give me the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

Jason DonnellyGripped: Your Personality is What's Holding You Back

[Pavel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast humorous read. First I felt like reading Fight Club. Later in the book the author mentions it himself and I understand that he did it on purpose. Then I felt like watching "The Game". Later I realize that the program has some other "purpose".
Even though the start and end of each day (each chapter is a separate day) were rather repetitive, still I felt like the action was very fast and intensive and I was constantly looking forward what will happen next day.
I was a little disappointed by the end of the book:

Throughout the entire book Mark was doing what he was told to and, even though it seemed that in the very end he was going to make a heroic act, he still did what he was told to do.

[Christina Ulsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my new favorite books. It's extremely well written with a story line that grips you (no pun intended) and won't let you put it down. I think the highest praise I can give this book, though, is that it reminded me of the classic 1984 and probably because it sticks with you and provokes you to think deeply and often about the system or world we're apart of. It opens your mind and your eyes to how often we "go with the flow", slumbering, and not really thinking for ourselves or asking, "Why?". Not only was this an excellent, riveting read, but it's been a huge instrument of growth for me personally and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

[Arthur Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripped is an exciting, fast paced, comedy/social commentary with just the right amount of intrigue, mystery, and horribly misspelled text messages to keep readers on board and turning pages. The characters are well written and less than fully fleshed out by design. They all have a "real" quality to them and could easily be your friends and neighbors, they don't feel like characters in a book. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and I would recommend this book to anyone far enough removed from consumerism and social media to see the humor in it all. Donnelly has done some really nice work here. *I received this book free through goodreads.com's "First Reads" program*

[Darcie Duranceau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual, uncomfortable, and absolutely worth your time! Gripped is a book that pushes the comfort zones of the vast majority of readers – in more ways than one. Yet, the characters are entirely relatable, real, and edgy. Even the cat has attitude.

How does one cope in a changing world, where life is consistently throwing unexpected turns in the road? How does one find comfort in social environments that are already bombarded by marketing ploys and business jargon?

Gripped asks difficult questions and sets them in a fun, fast, difficult-to-put-down story.

[Karen Ling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find the book funny and true, telling about daily life and things we go through, things we can't avoid. Not alot of people admit it but its the fact. Being serious everyday is boring and unhealthy. Angels and devils will always be around, but which step we choose to take will still provide us a lesson in crossing the bridge of life. Keep up the good work Jason. Humans need more of your inspiration and humour.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed Gripped by Jason Donnelly! It was highly entertaining and chalked full of great humor. Donnelly's writing is fast-paced and this was a page-tuner. Thought-provoking tale about the influences of the powerful marketing world, with a "Big Brother" spin. This is a story that includes personal reflection, self-improvement and the struggles faced by most in maintaining self-identity. Well-written and sure to please!

[Christoph Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get an advanced copy and from the first line, I was hooked. Maybe one of the best first lines, or at least screwed up ones I have ever read and that is saying something. But "Gripped" is not just about shock it is saying something deep about self-help and what it means to be authentic. This is definitely in my list of best fiction and satire for 2013.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very modern and far too realistic for comfort. Definitely speaks to society today and how inter-connected we are without intending to be! A combination of The Firm, with a healthy dose of Orwell's 1984 thrown in, I found it somewhat predictable at times but written very well. A bit of a twist in the ending made it worth the read.

[Dominic James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I must admit to be being a bit sceptical after reading the first page, but the story quickly had me hooked. I read and I enjoyed, and all the time I was reading and enjoying I was thinking "This is a classic". A brilliant story and a brilliant satire that captures the zeitgeist perfectly.