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The Sidewalk's Regrets
Seventeen-year-old Sacha McLeod isn’t looking for someone to rock her world. But when she hears the boy in the music store play the guitar, the music thrills her and she falls hard for Dylan and his sound.
Sacha finds herself spending less time with her violin and more time with this guy. Her plans for her violin-virtuoso future—and her self-confidence—are shattered when she screws up the audition for a summer music program. Failure isn’t something she’s had to face before, so when Dylan asks her to spend her vacation with him in the city, she lies to her parents, pretends she won a place in the summer school, and secretly moves in with Dylan.
She’s expecting romance, music, and passion, but when she finds herself playing second fiddle to Dylan’s newly acquired drug habit, she realizes despite what the songs say, sometimes love isn’t all you need.
Sacha finds herself spending less time with her violin and more time with this guy. Her plans for her violin-virtuoso future—and her self-confidence—are shattered when she screws up the audition for a summer music program. Failure isn’t something she’s had to face before, so when Dylan asks her to spend her vacation with him in the city, she lies to her parents, pretends she won a place in the summer school, and secretly moves in with Dylan.
She’s expecting romance, music, and passion, but when she finds herself playing second fiddle to Dylan’s newly acquired drug habit, she realizes despite what the songs say, sometimes love isn’t all you need.
- GenresYoung AdultAddiction
263 pages, ebook
Published February 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Kate Larkindale
14 books126 followersHaving spent a lifetime travelling the globe, Kate Larkindale settled in Wellington, New Zealand. An arts administrator, fitness instructor, film reviewer and mother, she’s surprised she finds any time to write, but doesn’t sleep much. As a result, she can usually be found hanging out near the espresso machine.
She is the author of contemporary YA novels The Sidewalk's Regrets, An Unstill Life, Chasing the Taillights, My Murder Year, Standing Too Close and Stumped along with several others that no one is allowed to see. She has also written one very bad historical romance, which will likely never see the light of day. She is working on several more YA novels that may or may not ever be finished…
Her short stories have appeared in Just Above Water anthology, Halfway Down The Stairs, A Fly in Amber, Daily Flash Anthology, The Barrier Islands Review, Everyday Fiction, Death Rattle, Drastic Measures, Cutlass & Musket, Kissed anthology, Just Me anthology and Residential Aliens, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 23, 2019
Talk about an unlikely couple! Sacha and Dylan met in a music store, but the accomplished violinist and the guitar playing rocker couldn’t have been more different or so seemingly perfect for each other. For Sacha, the over-protected prodigy found Dylan to be that spark that was missing in her regimented life. Will the world of rock bands and Dylan be the life that Sacha has craved or will it be the beginning of a trip to hell and back, filled with self-destructive actions, denial and heartbreak?
THE SIDEWALK’S REGRETS by Kate Larkindale is a stark look at the downward spiral of two people so blindsided by their love for each other they missed the train wreck they were heading for. Drugs, drink and the unfettered freedom of life as a rocker and the loss of self-control are a stark reminder that, no matter how you feel for someone, together, disaster lay ahead.
An eye-opening, heartbreaking saga of young love at its worst. Dramatic and as difficult to put down as it was to read! kate Larkindale has piled on the teen angst, the teen rebellious side and proof that just maybe there are boundaries in place for a reason!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Evernight Teen!
Expected publication: February 1st 2019 by Evernight Teen
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
THE SIDEWALK’S REGRETS by Kate Larkindale is a stark look at the downward spiral of two people so blindsided by their love for each other they missed the train wreck they were heading for. Drugs, drink and the unfettered freedom of life as a rocker and the loss of self-control are a stark reminder that, no matter how you feel for someone, together, disaster lay ahead.
An eye-opening, heartbreaking saga of young love at its worst. Dramatic and as difficult to put down as it was to read! kate Larkindale has piled on the teen angst, the teen rebellious side and proof that just maybe there are boundaries in place for a reason!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Evernight Teen!
Expected publication: February 1st 2019 by Evernight Teen
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 20, 2019
*Warning this book has themes of explicit drug use.
The violinist and the guitarist
Sasha isn’t rock and roll but when she meets Dylan her usual takes a different tune. Dylan is in a band and an aspiring guitarist. There connection is instant.
Sasha is hoping to spend the summer at a music camp but when life throws her a curveball she ends up going on tour with the band. Dylan has a secret. He’s become addicted to something other than music. What starts as fun young love turns into something more.
This book has a bittersweet ending and stirred my emotions (which isn’t something that happens often I like the happy go lucky kind of books). It was an enjoyable joy ride with a tainted story. It kept me hooked even though it’s something different for me and I was happy with the ending.
4 stars out of 5. It had a slow start but an interesting read.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The violinist and the guitarist
Sasha isn’t rock and roll but when she meets Dylan her usual takes a different tune. Dylan is in a band and an aspiring guitarist. There connection is instant.
Sasha is hoping to spend the summer at a music camp but when life throws her a curveball she ends up going on tour with the band. Dylan has a secret. He’s become addicted to something other than music. What starts as fun young love turns into something more.
This book has a bittersweet ending and stirred my emotions (which isn’t something that happens often I like the happy go lucky kind of books). It was an enjoyable joy ride with a tainted story. It kept me hooked even though it’s something different for me and I was happy with the ending.
4 stars out of 5. It had a slow start but an interesting read.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2019
This isn’t your typical teen romance. it seems like it when you first start reading. Boy meets girl, boy plays guitar and girl is entranced, mind you, Sacha is no groupie, and what follows is an intense love story that starts innocently enough, but ends in heartbreak.
I would classify this book as mature YA bordering on NA due to the subject matter. There is sex, drinking, and drug abuse, and it’s more appropriate for the 18 plus crowd. I just want to throw that out there before you recommend it for your 16-year-old.
I myself, obviously well over 18, found the story captivating. The beginning of their relationship was nostalgic and made me long for the throes of first love. Unfortunately, that’s short-lived when Sacha joins her love in the city and finds out he’s developed an alarming habit. What’s a young woman to do? She’s desperately in love and has no experience with any of this. I don’t want to risk spoiling it, but let’s just say I was more than shocked with the turn in direction of the story, but no less enthralled.
I found this book well-written, evocative in the extreme, and refreshingly unexpected. The ending really threw me, and if I have any issues with this story, it’s how things ended up for Dylan. Trust me, it’s not what you expect but it sure is more realistic. Still, I had hope for something else.
If you like conflict, and realistic drama with your romance, then I think you will enjoy this book too.
Rating… A
I would classify this book as mature YA bordering on NA due to the subject matter. There is sex, drinking, and drug abuse, and it’s more appropriate for the 18 plus crowd. I just want to throw that out there before you recommend it for your 16-year-old.
I myself, obviously well over 18, found the story captivating. The beginning of their relationship was nostalgic and made me long for the throes of first love. Unfortunately, that’s short-lived when Sacha joins her love in the city and finds out he’s developed an alarming habit. What’s a young woman to do? She’s desperately in love and has no experience with any of this. I don’t want to risk spoiling it, but let’s just say I was more than shocked with the turn in direction of the story, but no less enthralled.
I found this book well-written, evocative in the extreme, and refreshingly unexpected. The ending really threw me, and if I have any issues with this story, it’s how things ended up for Dylan. Trust me, it’s not what you expect but it sure is more realistic. Still, I had hope for something else.
If you like conflict, and realistic drama with your romance, then I think you will enjoy this book too.
Rating… A
July 7, 2024
I wrote this book and it's among the most personal stories I've ever written. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
June 20, 2019
Song vibes
Kids, drugs are bad!
Ah, this book. So many things I could say about it. Overall, a great book I enjoyed reading, emotionally heavy loaded and with strong, sharply drawn characters. I am not much into books which deal with music and musicians so I picked this out on a whim: having indulged into Where She Went, I thought a book which approaches a similar subject but also touches the issue of drugs was a potentially good read. And I was right. It is my two cents that in a society still heavily afflicted by addictions of various ways, continuing to explore their nature, the motivations of people who do it.
How it goes down
Sacha, violin prodigy and Dylan, rock musician, fall for each other. Then drugs happen and everything spirals completely out of control. Recently, the pop scene exploded with the news of Demi Lovato's overdose, after several years of being clean. Ariana's Grande ex, Pete Davidson, met his early death out of similar reasons. We were all baffled to how this could have actually happened. The book attempts to provide at least a potential answer for the fictional world. As Dylan slowly descends into desperation, the drugs offer the perfect lifeline.
Then, there is also the idea that drugs go hand in hand with creativity. All musicians in the book seem to have their performance enhanced by the drugs, and their absences remain to be felt like a real, physical void.
The descent into addiction, clearly perceived by the readers on the outside as such, becomes, in the novel, an insidious force which befuddles those who engage in it. Isn't it how it always goes, oh, but I am not addicted to it? "I grab the windowsill to keep standing." "He nods without meeting my eye. “Heroin. Not much, though. I’m not … hooked or anything." And as the descend gains speed and they turn into former shadows of selves, the eternal promise is always there, the illusion you are still in control: "It’s the last time,” he promises as he slides the needle into his flesh. I can see the self-loathing in his face, in the way his eyes won’t meet mine. I know how he feels."
The good
There are plenty of things which make this book quite splendid:
-The characters. Certainly a highlight of it. I dislike when books just throw characters at you, characters you aren't supposed to like or hate, characters you can simply ignore because they are incredibly one dimensional. In Sidewalk Regrets, you have a plethora of people navigating throughout the book but none is easy to ignore. Dylan's band members, Sacha's friends and parents, her music teacher, they are genuine people, whom we could meet at any corner of our streets who all add important bits to the story.
-The protagonists. For most of the book, I loved Sacha and Dylan, although I know they are not without a fault. They are brilliant musicians, kind souls, who share a beautiful thing before the addiction rears its ugly head. And man, is it ugly.
-The portrayal of drugs.
He hasn’t touched junk and I know he’s suffering. I see the way he shivers despite the warm weather, how carefully he moves on his aching joints. And I feel for him. This pain must be unbearable. Especially when he knows how to escape it.
Mostly, the topic is handled with care. We get to understand it as a physical need ourselves, as if we could be in the book, be the characters, partake their entire emotional spectrum. Rather than just judging, we are compelled to be empathetic, especially as, for some of us, it is quite easy to relate to the characters.
-The music's treatment is amazing. Multiple times, rather than seen as a hobby, it is described as a real life-altering force.
The music works its way into my chest, forcing my pulse to alter, to beat in time. Dylan’s guitar wraps around me, the notes slashing at my flesh, flaying strips from it, leaving me raw and exposed, bleeding. I gasp for breath between songs, needing the moments of quiet to gather my senses before the next assault
-The writing style just flows like a breeze. The author has a way with her words and The sensations rumbling in the pit of my stomach now and then helped me establish a real emotional connection with it.
The bad:
- The entire plotline of addiction on Sasha's side feels more than a little bit chaotic and underwhelmingly handled.
-The denouement of their relationship.
Uplifting at times, heartbreaking at others, Sidewalk Regrets is the book I didn't know I wanted to read but I am so happy I decided to.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kids, drugs are bad!
Ah, this book. So many things I could say about it. Overall, a great book I enjoyed reading, emotionally heavy loaded and with strong, sharply drawn characters. I am not much into books which deal with music and musicians so I picked this out on a whim: having indulged into Where She Went, I thought a book which approaches a similar subject but also touches the issue of drugs was a potentially good read. And I was right. It is my two cents that in a society still heavily afflicted by addictions of various ways, continuing to explore their nature, the motivations of people who do it.
How it goes down
Sacha, violin prodigy and Dylan, rock musician, fall for each other. Then drugs happen and everything spirals completely out of control. Recently, the pop scene exploded with the news of Demi Lovato's overdose, after several years of being clean. Ariana's Grande ex, Pete Davidson, met his early death out of similar reasons. We were all baffled to how this could have actually happened. The book attempts to provide at least a potential answer for the fictional world. As Dylan slowly descends into desperation, the drugs offer the perfect lifeline.
Then, there is also the idea that drugs go hand in hand with creativity. All musicians in the book seem to have their performance enhanced by the drugs, and their absences remain to be felt like a real, physical void.
The descent into addiction, clearly perceived by the readers on the outside as such, becomes, in the novel, an insidious force which befuddles those who engage in it. Isn't it how it always goes, oh, but I am not addicted to it? "I grab the windowsill to keep standing." "He nods without meeting my eye. “Heroin. Not much, though. I’m not … hooked or anything." And as the descend gains speed and they turn into former shadows of selves, the eternal promise is always there, the illusion you are still in control: "It’s the last time,” he promises as he slides the needle into his flesh. I can see the self-loathing in his face, in the way his eyes won’t meet mine. I know how he feels."
The good
There are plenty of things which make this book quite splendid:
-The characters. Certainly a highlight of it. I dislike when books just throw characters at you, characters you aren't supposed to like or hate, characters you can simply ignore because they are incredibly one dimensional. In Sidewalk Regrets, you have a plethora of people navigating throughout the book but none is easy to ignore. Dylan's band members, Sacha's friends and parents, her music teacher, they are genuine people, whom we could meet at any corner of our streets who all add important bits to the story.
-The protagonists. For most of the book, I loved Sacha and Dylan, although I know they are not without a fault. They are brilliant musicians, kind souls, who share a beautiful thing before the addiction rears its ugly head. And man, is it ugly.
-The portrayal of drugs.
He hasn’t touched junk and I know he’s suffering. I see the way he shivers despite the warm weather, how carefully he moves on his aching joints. And I feel for him. This pain must be unbearable. Especially when he knows how to escape it.
Mostly, the topic is handled with care. We get to understand it as a physical need ourselves, as if we could be in the book, be the characters, partake their entire emotional spectrum. Rather than just judging, we are compelled to be empathetic, especially as, for some of us, it is quite easy to relate to the characters.
-The music's treatment is amazing. Multiple times, rather than seen as a hobby, it is described as a real life-altering force.
The music works its way into my chest, forcing my pulse to alter, to beat in time. Dylan’s guitar wraps around me, the notes slashing at my flesh, flaying strips from it, leaving me raw and exposed, bleeding. I gasp for breath between songs, needing the moments of quiet to gather my senses before the next assault
-The writing style just flows like a breeze. The author has a way with her words and The sensations rumbling in the pit of my stomach now and then helped me establish a real emotional connection with it.
The bad:
- The entire plotline of addiction on Sasha's side feels more than a little bit chaotic and underwhelmingly handled.
-The denouement of their relationship.
Uplifting at times, heartbreaking at others, Sidewalk Regrets is the book I didn't know I wanted to read but I am so happy I decided to.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2019
Kate Larkindale’s The Sidewalk’s Regrets is one of those books that surprised me in all the best ways. I thought I had everything figured out, I rolled my eyes at the naivety of some of the characters, only to find myself surprised by the way everything played out. I love it when books surprise me, and this one certainly did.
The Sidewalk’s Regrets is a book that hooked me from the very start. I was sucked into this one from the very first page, and in no time at all I was powering through in my quest to find out how everything came together. The characters and their development intrigued me, the storyline and the places we would go had me hooked, and the realistic portrayal of teenage life left me unable to put the book down.
At first, this seemed like it would be a simple love story. However, it quickly morphed into more. It is a story with so many layers, so many elements interwoven in wonderful ways, and you will find yourself feeling all kinds of things for the characters.
I want to say so much about this one but can say so little. The tiniest of details will result in spoilers crumbling down around you, as everything is connected in such fabulous ways. Just know, there is plenty to enjoy about this one. There are countless ways in which you’ll be sucked in, and the story will linger with you long after you’ve finished.
Without giving spoilers, I just wish to say the way things ended was my favourite part of the book. I enjoyed so much of it, but I was surprised by the way things finished. It is not how most stories in this genre end, and I adored the way we were given something different. It was way more realistic than many endings, and I adored this.
There is no doubt in my mind, I’ll certainly be reading more Kate Larkingdale in the future.
The Sidewalk’s Regrets is a book that hooked me from the very start. I was sucked into this one from the very first page, and in no time at all I was powering through in my quest to find out how everything came together. The characters and their development intrigued me, the storyline and the places we would go had me hooked, and the realistic portrayal of teenage life left me unable to put the book down.
At first, this seemed like it would be a simple love story. However, it quickly morphed into more. It is a story with so many layers, so many elements interwoven in wonderful ways, and you will find yourself feeling all kinds of things for the characters.
I want to say so much about this one but can say so little. The tiniest of details will result in spoilers crumbling down around you, as everything is connected in such fabulous ways. Just know, there is plenty to enjoy about this one. There are countless ways in which you’ll be sucked in, and the story will linger with you long after you’ve finished.
Without giving spoilers, I just wish to say the way things ended was my favourite part of the book. I enjoyed so much of it, but I was surprised by the way things finished. It is not how most stories in this genre end, and I adored the way we were given something different. It was way more realistic than many endings, and I adored this.
There is no doubt in my mind, I’ll certainly be reading more Kate Larkingdale in the future.
July 24, 2019
This book is... I'm not even sure how to describe it. Raw, visceral, at times vulgar in ways which perfectly fit the subject matter. I don't know how to explain the things it made me think and feel, though of course I'm about to try.
To start, however, I will say that I'm extremely torn on the fact this is presented as Young Adult literature and aimed at teens. On the one hand, it contains things which would easily get a movie the R rating in the US. On the other hand, it's a topic which is very real to far too many teens and one which shouldn't be treated with kid gloves. But on the mysterious third hand I seem to have grown for the sake of making an extra point, I'm not sure if I feel that the way this book handles topics of drugs, sex, drinking, lying, and addiction is necessarily the right approach to take when marketing toward teens. It's almost romanticized, almost glorified, and I think the biggest reason I get that impression is the many, many chapters dedicated to drug use and deception vs. the rushed handful dedicated to recovery and moving on. (Not to mention the way everything is tied up in a neat, little bow and Sacha ultimately considers the worst fall of her life to have been experience which improved her musical talents and style.)
Do I think that this book should have shied away from details? Nah. Do I think it should have cut down on the drug use? Quite contrary, actually; I felt that the spiral from casual usage to addiction shouldn't have been summarized in a couple paragraphs and instead should have been covered more to give a more realistic glimpse into the way drugs grasp onto a person and drag them down into addiction without them even realizing before it's too late. My complaint is more that I wish a more comparable amount of time had been spent on recovery; as-is, the ending feels rushed and therefore not as satisfactory as it otherwise could have been.
Overall, this book was... a peculiar experience. I like the story it set out to tell and I like the gall this author has in deciding not to shy away from topics like these in teen literature. In a sea of romanticized, abusive relationships, we need a more realistic take on teenage lust-turned-"love" and the message that even the most straight-laced of kids can fall into addiction given the right circumstances is not a bad one. I just really didn't find Sacha and Dylan's love to be all that believable, myself.
Well, no, it was believable at first. In fact, I thought it was very cute how Sacha fell into a crush so easily because she liked the music Dylan played. I just didn't like how this crush and hint of lust became "I love you!!!" in a couple of weeks and "I would simply die without you!" in a month. It was toxic and creepy and kept me rooting for the relationship to fail at times because it just weirded me out how quickly they were obsessed with each other when all they seemed to have in common was a mutual love for music.
It doesn't help that the thing they had in common is also the thing which kept me skimming, glazed-eyed, every time it came up in the book: talk about music, how it sounds, how it works, how to play it, etc. I'm a listener of music, not a performer or a writer of it, thus it went a bit over my head (or simply bored me) at times.
Then there was Sacha. I actively dislike her, and that began after the first handful of chapters. She's the worst kind of selfish person: the kind who thinks she's selfless because she doesn't like taking full advantage of others but has no trouble deceiving, manipulating, and using others while complaining about how they're all so selfish the second their lives stop revolving around either her or the plan she thinks their lives should follow. Throughout the story, she left a wave of destruction and hurt in her wake and often said and did contradictory and hypocritical things to the point it had me wondering if perhaps the author herself was creating plot holes rather than just portraying how wishy-washy Sacha is. Even now, I can't decide whether to fault the character or the author entirely, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
I will say, though, that I suffered through my grievances with Sacha because I wanted to see how the story ended. I wanted to see what happened - and especially how Dylan handled his addiction problem (for that reason, I feel a little cheated by the ending but also glad that we do get a glimpse of how he fares).
Sacha... frankly, she could have been eaten by a shark and I wouldn't have cared, not after the insensitive, ignorant, and stupid way she treated her boyfriend with regards to his addiction. Because that's Sacha McLeod: use up the things which benefit her then throw them away when a new whim comes along then cry about missing the things she threw away. Rinse and repeat.
In the end, I can't say that I regret reading this book. I can't even say I disliked the story. I can definitely say I disliked the narrating character and having to view the world through her eyes, but it didn't deter me enough to make me quit reading. And ultimately, there are absolutely people like Sacha in the world. There are whirlwind romances like hers with Dylan. I imagine it's fairly common amongst teens to mistake the thrill of enjoying someone's talent as loving them, or think the burning touch of lust is actually eternal love. But unlike so many books aimed at teens, this one takes that kind of love and shows just how toxic and dangerous it can be For that, and for tackling the topic of drug addiction, I think I have respect for this book.
Would I read it again? Probably not. But the characters will stick in my head for a while, I believe, and the story made me feel an entire gamut of emotions.
((Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens. This review is left voluntarily and is not incentivized.))
To start, however, I will say that I'm extremely torn on the fact this is presented as Young Adult literature and aimed at teens. On the one hand, it contains things which would easily get a movie the R rating in the US. On the other hand, it's a topic which is very real to far too many teens and one which shouldn't be treated with kid gloves. But on the mysterious third hand I seem to have grown for the sake of making an extra point, I'm not sure if I feel that the way this book handles topics of drugs, sex, drinking, lying, and addiction is necessarily the right approach to take when marketing toward teens. It's almost romanticized, almost glorified, and I think the biggest reason I get that impression is the many, many chapters dedicated to drug use and deception vs. the rushed handful dedicated to recovery and moving on. (Not to mention the way everything is tied up in a neat, little bow and Sacha ultimately considers the worst fall of her life to have been experience which improved her musical talents and style.)
Do I think that this book should have shied away from details? Nah. Do I think it should have cut down on the drug use? Quite contrary, actually; I felt that the spiral from casual usage to addiction shouldn't have been summarized in a couple paragraphs and instead should have been covered more to give a more realistic glimpse into the way drugs grasp onto a person and drag them down into addiction without them even realizing before it's too late. My complaint is more that I wish a more comparable amount of time had been spent on recovery; as-is, the ending feels rushed and therefore not as satisfactory as it otherwise could have been.
Overall, this book was... a peculiar experience. I like the story it set out to tell and I like the gall this author has in deciding not to shy away from topics like these in teen literature. In a sea of romanticized, abusive relationships, we need a more realistic take on teenage lust-turned-"love" and the message that even the most straight-laced of kids can fall into addiction given the right circumstances is not a bad one. I just really didn't find Sacha and Dylan's love to be all that believable, myself.
Well, no, it was believable at first. In fact, I thought it was very cute how Sacha fell into a crush so easily because she liked the music Dylan played. I just didn't like how this crush and hint of lust became "I love you!!!" in a couple of weeks and "I would simply die without you!" in a month. It was toxic and creepy and kept me rooting for the relationship to fail at times because it just weirded me out how quickly they were obsessed with each other when all they seemed to have in common was a mutual love for music.
It doesn't help that the thing they had in common is also the thing which kept me skimming, glazed-eyed, every time it came up in the book: talk about music, how it sounds, how it works, how to play it, etc. I'm a listener of music, not a performer or a writer of it, thus it went a bit over my head (or simply bored me) at times.
Then there was Sacha. I actively dislike her, and that began after the first handful of chapters. She's the worst kind of selfish person: the kind who thinks she's selfless because she doesn't like taking full advantage of others but has no trouble deceiving, manipulating, and using others while complaining about how they're all so selfish the second their lives stop revolving around either her or the plan she thinks their lives should follow. Throughout the story, she left a wave of destruction and hurt in her wake and often said and did contradictory and hypocritical things to the point it had me wondering if perhaps the author herself was creating plot holes rather than just portraying how wishy-washy Sacha is. Even now, I can't decide whether to fault the character or the author entirely, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
I will say, though, that I suffered through my grievances with Sacha because I wanted to see how the story ended. I wanted to see what happened - and especially how Dylan handled his addiction problem (for that reason, I feel a little cheated by the ending but also glad that we do get a glimpse of how he fares).
Sacha... frankly, she could have been eaten by a shark and I wouldn't have cared, not after the insensitive, ignorant, and stupid way she treated her boyfriend with regards to his addiction. Because that's Sacha McLeod: use up the things which benefit her then throw them away when a new whim comes along then cry about missing the things she threw away. Rinse and repeat.
In the end, I can't say that I regret reading this book. I can't even say I disliked the story. I can definitely say I disliked the narrating character and having to view the world through her eyes, but it didn't deter me enough to make me quit reading. And ultimately, there are absolutely people like Sacha in the world. There are whirlwind romances like hers with Dylan. I imagine it's fairly common amongst teens to mistake the thrill of enjoying someone's talent as loving them, or think the burning touch of lust is actually eternal love. But unlike so many books aimed at teens, this one takes that kind of love and shows just how toxic and dangerous it can be For that, and for tackling the topic of drug addiction, I think I have respect for this book.
Would I read it again? Probably not. But the characters will stick in my head for a while, I believe, and the story made me feel an entire gamut of emotions.
((Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens. This review is left voluntarily and is not incentivized.))
August 26, 2019
https://bookmesometime.wordpress.com/...
TW: Drugs. {I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily}
It’s a very dark, beautiful, emotional, tragic but also full of hope kind of book. As it’s written on the front cover “Despite what the songs say, sometimes love isn’t all you need.“
Kate Larkindale is a contemporary Young Adult novel writer who lives in New Zealand. She also wrote “An Unstill Life” and “Stumped“.
Sasha McLeod is the main character of this story, she’s 17 years old and dedicates her life to her violin lessons and her music. Her life is going to change and will take a complete different turn when she meets Dylan in a music shop. It’s love at first sight and she would do anything to be able to live this love story. Sasha is a really smart and well-behaved teenager who wouldn’t do anything without her parents aproval but very quickly her relationship takes over all her good maners and lying becomes natural.
She is working hard to get into a music class during the summer on the other side of the country, but when she doesn’t get through she prefers to lie to everyone and pretend she got in to live her life in the city with Dylan and his bandmates. She expect this summer to be all sparkles, love and about music but really that’s when her life starts getting very different and messy compared to what she’s normally used to.
I first thought it was gonna be one of those typical teen romance, where the really smart girl falls in love with the bad boy, and it all goes super quickly because it’s obviously love at first sight. But no! Not at all! At first I was a bit disappointed because the story and mainly the love story was going very fast: they meet, first ‘date’, first kiss, and then they are together but I quickly understood that it was all done on purpose so the author could go way further into the story and build them a proper relationship with its ups and downs. I wasn’t expecting the story to get so dark and explicit about the use of drugs which made me sometimes really uncomfortable reading it because it was so well written that I was so into the book and that I was kind of feeling what the characters were feeling. Also, I really enjoyed the writing of the author which was very lyrical sometimes and as the books is all really centered about music (Classic and Rock music) it was amazing and beautiful to read but also very heartbreaking.
I would recommend this book to any dark romance lover, and even if this book as been classified as Young Adult I think it should be changed to older readers due to the explicit use of drugs even though the author shows and prove you can ask for help and recover if you really want to.
5/5 ⭐
TW: Drugs. {I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily}
It’s a very dark, beautiful, emotional, tragic but also full of hope kind of book. As it’s written on the front cover “Despite what the songs say, sometimes love isn’t all you need.“
Kate Larkindale is a contemporary Young Adult novel writer who lives in New Zealand. She also wrote “An Unstill Life” and “Stumped“.
Sasha McLeod is the main character of this story, she’s 17 years old and dedicates her life to her violin lessons and her music. Her life is going to change and will take a complete different turn when she meets Dylan in a music shop. It’s love at first sight and she would do anything to be able to live this love story. Sasha is a really smart and well-behaved teenager who wouldn’t do anything without her parents aproval but very quickly her relationship takes over all her good maners and lying becomes natural.
She is working hard to get into a music class during the summer on the other side of the country, but when she doesn’t get through she prefers to lie to everyone and pretend she got in to live her life in the city with Dylan and his bandmates. She expect this summer to be all sparkles, love and about music but really that’s when her life starts getting very different and messy compared to what she’s normally used to.
I first thought it was gonna be one of those typical teen romance, where the really smart girl falls in love with the bad boy, and it all goes super quickly because it’s obviously love at first sight. But no! Not at all! At first I was a bit disappointed because the story and mainly the love story was going very fast: they meet, first ‘date’, first kiss, and then they are together but I quickly understood that it was all done on purpose so the author could go way further into the story and build them a proper relationship with its ups and downs. I wasn’t expecting the story to get so dark and explicit about the use of drugs which made me sometimes really uncomfortable reading it because it was so well written that I was so into the book and that I was kind of feeling what the characters were feeling. Also, I really enjoyed the writing of the author which was very lyrical sometimes and as the books is all really centered about music (Classic and Rock music) it was amazing and beautiful to read but also very heartbreaking.
I would recommend this book to any dark romance lover, and even if this book as been classified as Young Adult I think it should be changed to older readers due to the explicit use of drugs even though the author shows and prove you can ask for help and recover if you really want to.
5/5 ⭐
February 5, 2019
A little while ago I received an review request for ‘The Sidewalk’s Regrets’ by the author. Although I hadn’t read a lot of YA Contemporary novels in a while now, there just was something about the cover of this book and the book description that made me want to read it. And I’m glad I did.
But this is definitely not an easy review to write. I finished reading this book last night, and it keeps going through my mind. And it’s just hard to write down what I really felt about this book. For one, it made me think back to my early teens, which isn’t a time I like to think about at all. Secondly this book made me angry, sad, laugh, overall confused. This book made me feel all sorts of emotions. When a book makes you feel so many different things, not only good things, and makes you want to keep on reading at the same time.. I can only say one thing.. Bravo to the author!
In ‘The Sidewalk’s Regrets’ we meet seventeen year old Sacha. Sacha is a musical prodigy who lives a very save and controlled life. All she ever wanted was to be a great violinist. So she practices every day for hours, her parents do everything they can to take her to every class and every event she needs to go, and she doesn’t party or just hangs out. Accept for the occasional girls night with her best friend, but nothing to bad. So when ‘naïve’ Sacha meets guitarist and rock band member Dylan her world changes instantly. Sacha soon finds out her world has been very small, and there is a lot more to figure out. For one rock music, love and bars.. but also drugs and lies.
From the moment I started reading I couldn’t put this book down. I just had to know what would happen to Sacha and Dylan. There where many moments while I read this book that I was almost screaming to Sacha, to make her take another decision and to let her see the so obvious signs. But I soon realized that the signs she missed about drug use etc. are probably all signs we wouldn’t see either as a seventeen year old in love. The writing in this book was easy to follow, and kept you hooked to the pages.
The romance between Sacha and Dylan was so relatable. I loved reading how in love they were, and how much they wanted to be together even though Sacha’s parents seemed so against it. There love was sweet and intense and I wished so many things for them.
And the drugs.. well I’ve never used drugs but as a nurse I’ve seen people with drug addictions. And it’s definitely something that is dangerous, and inviting and just something I wished people wouldn’t have such an easy access too. The author described the ‘high’ in an fascinating way. I could almost understand why someone would want to take another ‘hit’. Almost..
‘The Sidewalk’s Regrets’ is an intense read that will probably keep me thinking for a while. It’s a lot different from all the romance novels I’ve been reading lately. But this book is definitely a good one. And although I thought about this book as a 4 star read when I finished it.. I’m going for 5 stars! A book that still keeps me thinking about it so much, even after I finished reading it deserves 5 stars.
But this is definitely not an easy review to write. I finished reading this book last night, and it keeps going through my mind. And it’s just hard to write down what I really felt about this book. For one, it made me think back to my early teens, which isn’t a time I like to think about at all. Secondly this book made me angry, sad, laugh, overall confused. This book made me feel all sorts of emotions. When a book makes you feel so many different things, not only good things, and makes you want to keep on reading at the same time.. I can only say one thing.. Bravo to the author!
In ‘The Sidewalk’s Regrets’ we meet seventeen year old Sacha. Sacha is a musical prodigy who lives a very save and controlled life. All she ever wanted was to be a great violinist. So she practices every day for hours, her parents do everything they can to take her to every class and every event she needs to go, and she doesn’t party or just hangs out. Accept for the occasional girls night with her best friend, but nothing to bad. So when ‘naïve’ Sacha meets guitarist and rock band member Dylan her world changes instantly. Sacha soon finds out her world has been very small, and there is a lot more to figure out. For one rock music, love and bars.. but also drugs and lies.
From the moment I started reading I couldn’t put this book down. I just had to know what would happen to Sacha and Dylan. There where many moments while I read this book that I was almost screaming to Sacha, to make her take another decision and to let her see the so obvious signs. But I soon realized that the signs she missed about drug use etc. are probably all signs we wouldn’t see either as a seventeen year old in love. The writing in this book was easy to follow, and kept you hooked to the pages.
The romance between Sacha and Dylan was so relatable. I loved reading how in love they were, and how much they wanted to be together even though Sacha’s parents seemed so against it. There love was sweet and intense and I wished so many things for them.
And the drugs.. well I’ve never used drugs but as a nurse I’ve seen people with drug addictions. And it’s definitely something that is dangerous, and inviting and just something I wished people wouldn’t have such an easy access too. The author described the ‘high’ in an fascinating way. I could almost understand why someone would want to take another ‘hit’. Almost..
‘The Sidewalk’s Regrets’ is an intense read that will probably keep me thinking for a while. It’s a lot different from all the romance novels I’ve been reading lately. But this book is definitely a good one. And although I thought about this book as a 4 star read when I finished it.. I’m going for 5 stars! A book that still keeps me thinking about it so much, even after I finished reading it deserves 5 stars.
May 15, 2020
Music is its own kind of drug.
Kate Larkindale really can write a novel that deals with drug abuse, addiction, love, victory, and hardships. I was really taken for a ride through this story with Dylan, Sacha, Marty, Noah, and the whole crew. I felt very connected to the motives and lives of these characters. They fall into love and then experience the hardships, right? Typical YA romance, but Larkindale takes it one step farther. She adds a reality check, ad how being famous is not what its always cut out to be. There are always temptations and obstacles in the way of your own dreams.
I was feeling every note that Dylan and Sacha were playing through the piece. I was so anger through the drug addiction and the rise to fame, but I feel that those emotions really drove this book to a five star rating by me.
I definitely recommend giving it a read if you like reading about bands, music, drug addiction, and romance in the YA genre. It hits you in the feels, so be ready. 5/5 stars!
**I received a review copy for free, and am posting a review voluntarily.
Kate Larkindale really can write a novel that deals with drug abuse, addiction, love, victory, and hardships. I was really taken for a ride through this story with Dylan, Sacha, Marty, Noah, and the whole crew. I felt very connected to the motives and lives of these characters. They fall into love and then experience the hardships, right? Typical YA romance, but Larkindale takes it one step farther. She adds a reality check, ad how being famous is not what its always cut out to be. There are always temptations and obstacles in the way of your own dreams.
I was feeling every note that Dylan and Sacha were playing through the piece. I was so anger through the drug addiction and the rise to fame, but I feel that those emotions really drove this book to a five star rating by me.
I definitely recommend giving it a read if you like reading about bands, music, drug addiction, and romance in the YA genre. It hits you in the feels, so be ready. 5/5 stars!
**I received a review copy for free, and am posting a review voluntarily.
February 1, 2019
This one is a good read. It's kind of a heavy read. Sacha is a good girl who spend most of her time playing violin. She meets Dylan at the music store. He plays the guitar in a rock band. They are complete opposites but have a great chemistry. Their relationship builds quick. Dylan's band is gaining popularity and Sacha starts giving up more of herself for Dylan. Sacha is a very relatable girl. At some points I just wanted to shake her and tell her not to follow Dylan. Dylan is a good guy. He isn't mean vicious or mean to Sacha. They both just end up doing things they never planned on. I liked how it all turned out for Sacha but I didn't think I got all the closure I wanted with Dylan.
June 13, 2020
Thank you to BookSirens for giving me a free copy.
Trigger warning: drug abuse.
I wasn't very enthusiastic about this book at first because it seemed like the standard teenage ''good girl meets bad boy'' novel. But it quickly revealed itself to be much more.
Sacha, a violinist, meets Dylan, a guitarist, in a music shop and this meeting sets off a chain of events that she may or may not be able to come back from. The drug abuse scenes were quite graphic and hopefully will put off readers who have been tempted by drugs.
I liked that it was more realistic than most teen romances. Sacha was quite annoying though and I felt that she was a spoilt brat who had no idea how lucky she was. Dylan wasn't very good for her.
Trigger warning: drug abuse.
I wasn't very enthusiastic about this book at first because it seemed like the standard teenage ''good girl meets bad boy'' novel. But it quickly revealed itself to be much more.
Sacha, a violinist, meets Dylan, a guitarist, in a music shop and this meeting sets off a chain of events that she may or may not be able to come back from. The drug abuse scenes were quite graphic and hopefully will put off readers who have been tempted by drugs.
I liked that it was more realistic than most teen romances. Sacha was quite annoying though and I felt that she was a spoilt brat who had no idea how lucky she was. Dylan wasn't very good for her.
February 4, 2019
I had to really gather my thoughts before trying to review this one. So much happens in this book and although it only consists of 263 pages, it felt like so much more!
I was not a fan of Sacha and I am not sure why her and Dylan hit it off to begin with? She just seems very immature to me and Dylan just seemed way more mature. I do feel that she redeemed herself at the end and I admired the tough decisions that she had made.
I adored Dylan but while I felt that Sacha was too immature, I also felt that he was not good for her. They didn’t share the same goals. She was set for college while he just wanted to play in a band. Yes, they had music in common but it just seemed to end there.
While I was not a big fan of them together, I was still entertained while reading to just see all that they go through as a couple. Which is way too much for their young age but I did enjoy the story all the same.
If you enjoy the “opposites attract” vibe, then this would be a great book for you! I did enjoy it even though it was way intense for a younger audience but great for a bit older crowd.
Thanks to the author for this copy in exchange of an honest review.
I was not a fan of Sacha and I am not sure why her and Dylan hit it off to begin with? She just seems very immature to me and Dylan just seemed way more mature. I do feel that she redeemed herself at the end and I admired the tough decisions that she had made.
I adored Dylan but while I felt that Sacha was too immature, I also felt that he was not good for her. They didn’t share the same goals. She was set for college while he just wanted to play in a band. Yes, they had music in common but it just seemed to end there.
While I was not a big fan of them together, I was still entertained while reading to just see all that they go through as a couple. Which is way too much for their young age but I did enjoy the story all the same.
If you enjoy the “opposites attract” vibe, then this would be a great book for you! I did enjoy it even though it was way intense for a younger audience but great for a bit older crowd.
Thanks to the author for this copy in exchange of an honest review.
November 28, 2019
i received a free e-book in exchange for an honest review. i absolutely loved the book! it held my complete attention since its very first page & i glided through the pages until Sacha tried out the drugs. while it was expected where the story was headed, it was still devastating to watch. it was a relief to finally see her facing the demon & put it to rest. the book brought tears to my eyes, seeing Sacha & Dylan's suffer. though painful, it was also so very beautiful..
February 10, 2019
A gorgeous, dark and painful love story. Dylan and Sacha broke my heart in so many different ways. I kept thinking things were going to move in one direction, but they'd veer off somewhere unexpected. It's very real and raw and I wish I hadn't seen so many love stories that went this way in real life.
October 1, 2019
I was on the fence about how I would feel reading this book. My thoughts would either be love or hate. Turns out I really enjoyed it. I thought Sacha was a believable character who ends up making some tough decisions about her life. This is a young adult book with the subject of drug abuse and alcohol abuse. With lots of real life problems included. Reviewed by Jennifer
3.5 Stars
3.5 Stars
April 4, 2019
To read my full review please go to https://opinionatedbw.blogspot.com/20...
Nothing about the blurb or the cover of The Sidewalk's Regrets prepared me for how dark this book was. I was expecting the usual teenage drama, and instead was given a seriously ominous and depressing story that delved far deeper into drug use than I had been anticipating. Even now I am unsure of how I really felt about this book, but I will say this, it had me thinking about the story and the characters for hours after I finished reading it. It was haunting.
Nothing about the blurb or the cover of The Sidewalk's Regrets prepared me for how dark this book was. I was expecting the usual teenage drama, and instead was given a seriously ominous and depressing story that delved far deeper into drug use than I had been anticipating. Even now I am unsure of how I really felt about this book, but I will say this, it had me thinking about the story and the characters for hours after I finished reading it. It was haunting.
March 13, 2019
Full review here:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Music and addiction, Sacha's priorities change when she meets Dylan. Suddenly, the violin that has ruled her life so far is left in the corner and she is consumed by Dylan's music and the world surrounding him.
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Music and addiction, Sacha's priorities change when she meets Dylan. Suddenly, the violin that has ruled her life so far is left in the corner and she is consumed by Dylan's music and the world surrounding him.
July 13, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Sidewalk’s Regrets was a bittersweet, coming of age story. This is not your typical YA Romance, it is so much more! The story shows how easily it is to fall in love and let it dictate your common sense.
I loved the dynamic between the characters and how drugs, greed and lies can tear your whole world apart, until you don’t even recognize the person staring back at you!!
Dylan a struggling musician falls for straight laced Sacha, a shy and beautiful violinist. They’re love story was sweet and beautiful until it wasn’t .
This story was a current of choppy waves, threatening to rip them apart and I held my breath till the end!
The Sidewalk’s Regrets was a bittersweet, coming of age story. This is not your typical YA Romance, it is so much more! The story shows how easily it is to fall in love and let it dictate your common sense.
I loved the dynamic between the characters and how drugs, greed and lies can tear your whole world apart, until you don’t even recognize the person staring back at you!!
Dylan a struggling musician falls for straight laced Sacha, a shy and beautiful violinist. They’re love story was sweet and beautiful until it wasn’t .
This story was a current of choppy waves, threatening to rip them apart and I held my breath till the end!
January 14, 2020
A longer version of review was published on my blog Lost in a Good Book
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author for review
CW: Drug use
I was pleasantly surprised by the direction this story took. It wasn’t the rock and roll summer story I was expecting, though there were a few tropes like instant love, but from a “first love at seventeen” approach the infatuation and impulsiveness makes sense. The narrative starts off slow as we are introduced to Sacha and her world of classical music. Her sheltered music life gets a jolt when she hears the music of Dylan for the first time and she is thrown into this rock and roll world. From there the story starts rolling and soon it has a nice flow which is maintained through the rest of the story.
Sacha’s mindset and her goals are explored quite well through this and you see how her reasoning and her justifications change with each new experience. It’s one way to see it as her constantly changing her mind, but it makes more sense that she justifies things to herself, especially given her situation and her desire to stay with Dylan. The depiction of drug use is well done and a very apt description from what I have read elsewhere. It is a key part of the story and there are moments where using drugs is described in action and character reaction. Larkindale also shows the gradual descent of usage, the way it starts off small and soon grows into something bigger. It also shows how easy it is to actually fall and how you can go from top to bottom fairly fast.
This is a story revolving around one summer, but Larkindale takes it beyond that as well and you see the characters grow and find out who they are. I loved how the story ends up, the experiences of the characters makes this story and seeing how the story ends is satisfying once you have gone on this journey with them.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author for review
CW: Drug use
I was pleasantly surprised by the direction this story took. It wasn’t the rock and roll summer story I was expecting, though there were a few tropes like instant love, but from a “first love at seventeen” approach the infatuation and impulsiveness makes sense. The narrative starts off slow as we are introduced to Sacha and her world of classical music. Her sheltered music life gets a jolt when she hears the music of Dylan for the first time and she is thrown into this rock and roll world. From there the story starts rolling and soon it has a nice flow which is maintained through the rest of the story.
Sacha’s mindset and her goals are explored quite well through this and you see how her reasoning and her justifications change with each new experience. It’s one way to see it as her constantly changing her mind, but it makes more sense that she justifies things to herself, especially given her situation and her desire to stay with Dylan. The depiction of drug use is well done and a very apt description from what I have read elsewhere. It is a key part of the story and there are moments where using drugs is described in action and character reaction. Larkindale also shows the gradual descent of usage, the way it starts off small and soon grows into something bigger. It also shows how easy it is to actually fall and how you can go from top to bottom fairly fast.
This is a story revolving around one summer, but Larkindale takes it beyond that as well and you see the characters grow and find out who they are. I loved how the story ends up, the experiences of the characters makes this story and seeing how the story ends is satisfying once you have gone on this journey with them.
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