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Wanting To Find Her Own Way In Life
Trapped follows four women who meet at a freshman assembly and remain friends through college and beyond. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Initially, the concept was a short story about four friends having a girls night in, playing a drinking game. As the ideas for their personalities developed, I realized a short story wouldn’t hold the amount of information I wanted to convey to the reader, thus Trapped was born.
Throughout the novel, the characters are searching for their own identity separate from their past. What were the driving ideals behind the characters’ development throughout the story?
I wanted each woman to have her own identity, but I also wanted them to be relatable. Every woman, including myself, can attest to wanting to find her own way in life on her own terms. We’ve all had some secret that we’ve wanted to keep buried, but as we go through life’s journey, we realize that our past experiences give us insight to make us better.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to touch upon a few things with this novel. Mental illness and sexuality are two major points worth mentioning. There’s still so much taboo around sexuality and mental illness in the black community, and I wanted to normalize the discussions surrounding these topics. Mental health issues need to be discussed, as well as treatment options. No one should be shamed for seeking the help they need. In the same token, the world doesn’t have to agree with the way someone lives their private life, but they should respect an individual’s decision either way. Society would be so much better if people were open to each other’s differences rather than despising others for them.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on the second book of the Trapped series, Released, which will be released in the summer of 2023. Keep an eye out for the beta reader notifications this spring.
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Naomi is on the verge of leaning into her adulthood. An only child in a prestigious family, she attempts to break out of her sheltered life to find herself. When love comes knocking in an unconventional way, Naomi has to choose between her traditionally structured upbringing and her carnal desires.
Arnya finds herself living her young adult life grieving the loss of her mother when a chance encounter at a charity event opens the door for romance. Her happily-ever-after approaches destruction when a past lover emerges, threatening to expose the truth about her son.
Stephanie, the former “church kid,” wants nothing more than freedom from her overprotective, saved-and-sanctified grandmother. When a job opportunity of a lifetime falls into her lap, Stephanie finds herself caught up in a web of deceit—and the arms of her boss.
Jasmine is a natural-born hustler. Her ability to read people goes a long way toward getting her into college—and occasionally into trouble. Jasmine is as carefree as she is calculating, and she makes it a point to keep everyone on their toes. The tide shifts in her world when a thoughtless bet nearly costs her a friendship—and her heart.
Join the krewe on this decade-long ride through girls’ trips, family drama, and uncovered secrets that will have you clutching your pearls, in this spicy novel, New Orleans style.
Trapped
Trapped by Reese is a fiction story about four friends who meet during their freshman year in college when they are assigned to complete a group project together. Naomi Spencer is from an affluent family but had a unique childhood experience that left her anxious in social situations. Arnya Nicholas was raised by a single mother but comes from a large extended family, and she is into computers. Stephanie Stone was raised by her religious grandmother after her mother abandoned her. Jasmine Taylor grew up in foster care, and that experience has left her cynical, but she likes to draw. Despite their different personalities and upbringing, they find that they have a lot in common. But can their friendship last through all life’s changes after the end of college?
I liked that this story was told from the point of view of the four friends, which provided additional insights into the characters’ motivation. Naomi, Arnya, Stephanie, and Jasmine had very distinct personalities and might never have become friends if they were not forced to work together on a class project. At the beginning of the story, Jasmine was my least favorite of the four friends. But as the book progressed and other softer characteristics about her are revealed, I could understand why the other girls became friends with her.
I liked that this book showed several years in the characters’ lives, from the start of college to their lives after graduation. Most of the books I’ve read take place over the course of a few weeks or months and might have a short epilogue that gives readers a brief glimpse into what happens a few years later. This book was an unexpected and interesting change from that. However, this did cause an issue where large chunks of time were skipped over. I would have loved to have seen more time dedicated to the developing relationship of the four friends.
Trapped is a riveting coming-of-age women’s fiction novel that shares the story of four women that meet in college and how their lives are intertwined as they grow up. There is some romance, some drama, and lots of self-discovery as each of the protagonists finds their own path in life.
Pages: 321 | ASIN : B0B16K6FDH
Trapped
August James, also known as AJ, is born to parents who are struggling to make ends meet. His educated mother is addicted to the white stuff and growing up in the projects doesn’t motivate AJ to care much about school. He is a bright and talented student whose good grades come easy. When the urge arises to help his family rise up and live a better life, AJ realizes that he must make sacrifices to make it happen. Is AJ ready to make them?
Trapped is a novel that I found to be surprisingly deep considering the gritty nature of the story. AJ is a character that continued to gain layers as the novel progressed. He’s a character that is representative of many struggling kids that grow up poor. Ted Bagley does a fantastic job of detailing the specific consequences of being poor, the lack of opportunity and education are just a few roadblocks, but the compelling aspects of this novel come in the subtle ways that Ted Bagley is able to combine desperation and resignation into the fabric of society around AJ.
AJ meets intriguing people along the way who each make an impact in his life. All the while themes such as family, friends, honesty and spirituality play a big part in shaping AJ and help him navigate the dangerous streets (in more ways then one) of Chicago. It’s an epic, yet tragic, life that is told with a bit of reverence and lots of charisma.
Trapped by Ted Bagley is a complex reflection of a crestfallen society and the tragic life of young men of color in that society. When their future is defined by where they were born and live, the choices they have are few, but pivotal. Ted Bagley is able to capture this nuance in an authentic way that had me reflecting on these ideas well after I put the novel down. Filled with wonderfully detailed observations, Trapped is entertaining and captivating. I want to leave you with a quote that I think sets the tone well for this novel, “Drugs did not originate in the slums of Chicago, but it definitely thrived there…”.
Pages: 124 | ISBN-10: 1648580610
LITERARY TITAN 