• Age: 14 to 18
• Grade: 9 to 12
• Reading age: 7 to 10

Olivia is living a double life -- high-school student by day, drummer by night. Olivia doesn't know when hanging out in clubs and drinking to appear older and enjoy the music scene became a habit, but she finds herself hungover at school and sneaking alcohol at home. Her bandmates Eddie and Lucas think she is older, and Olivia keeps up the pretence even as her real life starts to fall apart.

When Lucas catches Olivia talking to her friend Raymond in the women's washroom, he beats up Raymond in a jealous rage. With Raymond unconscious and seriously hurt, Lucas tells Olivia that Raymond's criminal brother is looking for them for payback. They go on the run, sleeping in a borrowed van and stealing to get by. Lucas keeps Olivia drunk and off-balance, telling her he loves her and pressuring her to have sex with him -- even when she reveals she's only sixteen. Still, through an alcoholic haze, Olivia sees that Lucas is delusional and dangerous. When she finally discovers that the story about Raymonds brother is a lie, she realizes she has to get out of Lucas's obsessional trap.

Steven Barwin is a middle school teacher. He is the author of Hurricane Heat in the Orca Sport series and several Lorimer Sports Stories novels, including Fadeaway, Rock Dogs, SK8ER and Icebreaker, which was chosen as a Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens selection.

Steven Barwin's profile page

"This entry into the popular SideStreets series is an enjoyably quick read rife with strife, sabotage, and payback, and there is definitely room in the hi/lo canon for a piece about a young musician feeling pressured to move too fast for the emotional high of pursuing her art."

Booklist Online Exclusive

"...a fast-paced story, blending multiple hot-button issues including controlling relationships and substance abuse."

Publisher's Weekly