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jlennidorner's review
5.0
I found this book to be very enjoyable and packed with emotion. The ending is absolutely beautiful, full of peace and hope. There's a richness in the characters that makes them feel real. Lucy is a teenager, her brother Tony is a young man in college-- the book switches between their point of views with Tony being odd chapters and Lucy even ones. It's interesting within its genre because of what Lucy experiences. Also, while there are LGBTQIA+ books with characters who know themselves, this one has a character who is discovering his preferences and his feelings about them. ("Questioning.") I bought this book on sale at Amazon. I know this author from Operation Awesome. My review is honest with unbiased opinions. I recommend this book to fans of YA and New Adult who are looking for a clean read. (There is drinking and minor drug references, but intimate scenes are "fade to black.") Also a good read if you've been through a loss, are questioning your attraction preferences, love music, or love high-diving.
I don't read a lot of drama books, but I was drawn in by the "back cover" description of Tony's character. As far as I can tell by Google, Sartre's Suitcase is a fictional band (mentioned in the story-- other bands mentioned are real, and many of the CDs are ones I've listened to also).
Excerpts I especially enjoyed:
It's music to wrap yourself in during your most vulnerable moments.
It's a permanent void I can only hope will grow smaller and less painful. (The paragraph is about grief. It's a strong truth and wonderfully well-written.)
There's also a moment in Chapter Nineteen with Tony assuming a doctor to be a he, and Lucy correcting him that the doctor is a she -- that part made me laugh.
The end of chapter four made me cry. I've lost too many people in the last 24 months. So this book, where these two young people are experiencing such grief, it really grabbed those emotions I've been experiencing lately. And chapter nine, gees Kate, I think your book should be bundled with a box of tissues!
I read the whole book because I had a feeling about what Lucy wasn't remembering, and I was mostly right. I would read something from this author again. (Two of her books are on my wishlist, in fact.)
Tony has dark blue eyes like his father, dark hair like his mother, and is tall. Lucy has blonde hair like her dad, dark coffee-bean eyes like her mother, skim milk skin, and is very thin "all bones." Kim, Lucy's best friend at the start of the book, is Korean.
Some ways to describe this book are tragedy, realistic fiction, tear-jerker, fast-paced, inspirational, meaningful, and excellent characters. The title is used in a paragraph (page 26 in my Kindle). It felt well-edited to me. The best setting in the book is the beach. Tony's goals start with his future as a professional diver and getting a degree in medicine, goals that are about him, but evolve to goals about being closer to his sister and Jake, goals that are about his relationships. Lucy's goals revolve around music, and the obstacles in her path reflect that in ways that aren't totally clear until the very end. It reminded me a little of the 90s tv show "Party of Five," but with only two siblings.
Coach McGinley, like all too many real coaches, believes that everyone is a female, as he calls his male dive team "ladies." (I've known such coaches, and have gotten suspended for not answering to the intentional misgender.)
Society could benefit by using this book as a jumping-off point for a discussion about straight, gay/lesbian, bi, pan, etc. Does being in love with just one person (m/m or f/f) automatically make you a gay/lesbian? Or, if also being attracted to others (m/f) mean you're bi? The book only lightly touches on the question. But it would be an excellent way to open a discussion.
The Bechdel test would note that Lucy does talk to another named female character, and the discussion is focused on music.
I don't read a lot of drama books, but I was drawn in by the "back cover" description of Tony's character. As far as I can tell by Google, Sartre's Suitcase is a fictional band (mentioned in the story-- other bands mentioned are real, and many of the CDs are ones I've listened to also).
Excerpts I especially enjoyed:
It's music to wrap yourself in during your most vulnerable moments.
It's a permanent void I can only hope will grow smaller and less painful. (The paragraph is about grief. It's a strong truth and wonderfully well-written.)
There's also a moment in Chapter Nineteen with Tony assuming a doctor to be a he, and Lucy correcting him that the doctor is a she -- that part made me laugh.
The end of chapter four made me cry. I've lost too many people in the last 24 months. So this book, where these two young people are experiencing such grief, it really grabbed those emotions I've been experiencing lately. And chapter nine, gees Kate, I think your book should be bundled with a box of tissues!
I read the whole book because I had a feeling about what Lucy wasn't remembering, and I was mostly right. I would read something from this author again. (Two of her books are on my wishlist, in fact.)
Tony has dark blue eyes like his father, dark hair like his mother, and is tall. Lucy has blonde hair like her dad, dark coffee-bean eyes like her mother, skim milk skin, and is very thin "all bones." Kim, Lucy's best friend at the start of the book, is Korean.
Some ways to describe this book are tragedy, realistic fiction, tear-jerker, fast-paced, inspirational, meaningful, and excellent characters. The title is used in a paragraph (page 26 in my Kindle). It felt well-edited to me. The best setting in the book is the beach. Tony's goals start with his future as a professional diver and getting a degree in medicine, goals that are about him, but evolve to goals about being closer to his sister and Jake, goals that are about his relationships. Lucy's goals revolve around music, and the obstacles in her path reflect that in ways that aren't totally clear until the very end. It reminded me a little of the 90s tv show "Party of Five," but with only two siblings.
Coach McGinley, like all too many real coaches, believes that everyone is a female, as he calls his male dive team "ladies." (I've known such coaches, and have gotten suspended for not answering to the intentional misgender.)
Society could benefit by using this book as a jumping-off point for a discussion about straight, gay/lesbian, bi, pan, etc. Does being in love with just one person (m/m or f/f) automatically make you a gay/lesbian? Or, if also being attracted to others (m/f) mean you're bi? The book only lightly touches on the question. But it would be an excellent way to open a discussion.
The Bechdel test would note that Lucy does talk to another named female character, and the discussion is focused on music.
francica's review
4.0
An emotional rollercoaster is how I will describe Kate Larkindale's "Chasing The Taillights".
Lucy and Tony were siblings in the prime of their youth having to deal with the loss of their parents in an accident. The loss of parents at any age is painful, but when they die suddenly it is even more devastating. The book was written from both the perspective of Lucy the teenager, who survived the accident with her parents and Tony the older, athletic, college student brother who, overnight had to take up the responsibility of his younger sister, who he knew very little about personality wise.
When I was reading the book, I was thinking about people in general going through loss. What I found interesting was that neither of the siblings did not seek counselling. I am not sure if this was deliberate, but the way these two were struggling especially Lucy really said to me that young people in similar situations should seek help. The downward spiral that Lucy went through was testament to that. It was really heart wrenching to read about when she finally remembered the details of the accident, the guilt, the shame, and the recklessness wow it was really real to me.
What I liked about Tony, was that although he was grappling with college life, diving and personal life, he still stepped up to care for his teenage sister. I really liked too how this author through Tony gave me a different take on dealing with loss. The ending was really wonderful as well.
Much thanks to Ms. Larkindale for sending this book for review.
I really enjoyed this book.
Lucy and Tony were siblings in the prime of their youth having to deal with the loss of their parents in an accident. The loss of parents at any age is painful, but when they die suddenly it is even more devastating. The book was written from both the perspective of Lucy the teenager, who survived the accident with her parents and Tony the older, athletic, college student brother who, overnight had to take up the responsibility of his younger sister, who he knew very little about personality wise.
When I was reading the book, I was thinking about people in general going through loss. What I found interesting was that neither of the siblings did not seek counselling. I am not sure if this was deliberate, but the way these two were struggling especially Lucy really said to me that young people in similar situations should seek help. The downward spiral that Lucy went through was testament to that. It was really heart wrenching to read about when she finally remembered the details of the accident, the guilt, the shame, and the recklessness wow it was really real to me.
What I liked about Tony, was that although he was grappling with college life, diving and personal life, he still stepped up to care for his teenage sister. I really liked too how this author through Tony gave me a different take on dealing with loss. The ending was really wonderful as well.
Much thanks to Ms. Larkindale for sending this book for review.
I really enjoyed this book.
excessivenarwhal's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
richellemelynda's review
5.0
Chasing the Taillights is a phenomenal and emotional read. It follows Lucy and Tony through the loss of their parents and how it changes the siblings both individually and their relationship with each other. `This book is about grief and loss, but also about the ties between family, and how when tragedy happens it can bring people closer to those who have drifted apart. Lucy having gone with her parents to a mutual friend’s wedding wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of what happened since the arrived at the wedding. Tony, having missed the wedding due to his demanding schedule for dive practice and university, gets a call from his uncle’s partner tell him to come home in the middle of the night. After learning of the loss of their parents, Lucy and Tony navigate what this means for them. At 16, Lucy needs a guardian and her parents wished it to be her uncle. however, Tony and Lucy decide that her staying with the uncle they never really got to know just didn’t feel right and decide that Tony will be transferred guardianship of his sister. Tony is now juggling his sister with trauma and her health, a demanding university schedule, his practices for diving as he is expected to be a champion, his friendship with Jake and also the grief his feels having lost his parents. How many balls will drop as Tony navigates through all of this? Will Lucy end up falling through the cracks?
Kate’s writing style was great! The story just flowed and was easy to comprehend. This story isn’t complicated with many plot points but more about the emotions and feeling what the characters felt. The emotion poured onto the page had me going for the tissues more times than I can count. Kate touched on a lot of themes and managed to cover going through grief and loss while coming into yourself and who you are so well. The world was well created – very realistic. The details throughout the world including what university life is like and how things are dealt with in a situation like this was pretty well thought out. I did like the pacing of the book. I wish we actually got to see a flash forward of Tony and Lucy at the end of the novel, but the ending provided so much closure for both them and the reader. This novel really reminds me of the duology, If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I highly recommend this book if you liked that series, or if you are looking for a contemporary read, or a book about how family can see you through the worst moments of your life.
A special thank you goes out to the author, Kate Larkindale, for providing me a copy of this book for review!
Kate’s writing style was great! The story just flowed and was easy to comprehend. This story isn’t complicated with many plot points but more about the emotions and feeling what the characters felt. The emotion poured onto the page had me going for the tissues more times than I can count. Kate touched on a lot of themes and managed to cover going through grief and loss while coming into yourself and who you are so well. The world was well created – very realistic. The details throughout the world including what university life is like and how things are dealt with in a situation like this was pretty well thought out. I did like the pacing of the book. I wish we actually got to see a flash forward of Tony and Lucy at the end of the novel, but the ending provided so much closure for both them and the reader. This novel really reminds me of the duology, If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I highly recommend this book if you liked that series, or if you are looking for a contemporary read, or a book about how family can see you through the worst moments of your life.
A special thank you goes out to the author, Kate Larkindale, for providing me a copy of this book for review!
si0bhan's review
4.0
After enjoying Kate Larkindale’s The Sidewalk’s Regrets, I was happy to dive into another book by the author. As I’d hoped, it was a story I was happy to devour in a single sitting.
I’ll be honest, although this one had me unable to put it down, I didn’t quite feel the emotional connection in the first couple of chapters. Once the big event happened and things started move, it hit hard with emotion after emotion. I fell deeply for the characters, adored the way things developed for them, and was so invested in their stories. There were many different elements to enjoy, many details introduced, and I each one hit hard. It deals with all the hardship of finding oneself during teenage years, along with all the pain of loss.
Without a doubt, this was another addictive read from Kate Larkindale. Packed with plenty to keep you gripped, this is impossible to put down.
I’ll be honest, although this one had me unable to put it down, I didn’t quite feel the emotional connection in the first couple of chapters. Once the big event happened and things started move, it hit hard with emotion after emotion. I fell deeply for the characters, adored the way things developed for them, and was so invested in their stories. There were many different elements to enjoy, many details introduced, and I each one hit hard. It deals with all the hardship of finding oneself during teenage years, along with all the pain of loss.
Without a doubt, this was another addictive read from Kate Larkindale. Packed with plenty to keep you gripped, this is impossible to put down.
bookwormymegan's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia and Homophobia
ravensandlace's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Find this review and others like it at https://aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com
A special thank you goes out to the author, Kate Larkindale, for providing me a copy of this book for review!
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I am going to shout and scream about this book forever. So far, it’s on my top 10 books of 2021. Everything about this book is sheer perfection, from the cover to the characters to the plot. I wanted to drown myself in this book. I didn’t even want to finish it because I knew I was going to be so sad.
This book had everything. It had incredibly messy sibling dynamics, which was done so well. It had grief and mental health problems. It had broken friendships. It had it all and it was all done well. Lucy and Tony were very clearly estranged and it was heartwarming to see them having to come together in the face of tragedy. They had love for each, sure, but to see them having to interact and learn to get along again was just so great.
Tony and Lucy were fantastic characters. I adored both of them so much, I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite. I loved Tony’s POV. He clearly was so confused about who he was as a person and I was rooting for him the whole time. I was hoping he would find himself. My poor sweet Lucy. My heart broke for her. Reading her POV was heartbreaking because of her mental instability after the accident. I wanted to just cry and protect her.
One of the themes of this book is grief and holy cow, it’s a lot. I haven’t been through a lot of tragedy in my life so I don’t have a lot of experience with grief. But wow, I felt myself drowning in the grief. It reminded me a lot of the Song of Achilles with the heartbreak. I knew something was going to happen and I felt this absolute pain in my chest that wouldn’t go away. My heart still hurts thinking about this book.
Overall, I’m going to need every single person to read this book because this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I want everyone to know about this book. I can’t wait to see what else this author does because she has a massive fan in me already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
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