Thursday, May 30, 2013

Blog Tour: Girl With Guitar by Caisey Quinn (Review)

My stop for the Girl With Guitar blog tour, hosted by HardCover Therapy:

For this tour I'm doing a review. I practically jumped on the chance to do so. lol. Hope you'll all enjoy it! =D





Title: Girl With Guitar
Author: Caisey Quinn
Series: Kylie Ryan #1
Publication: May 22nd 2013
Genre: New Adult
Format: e-arc
Cover Rating: 5/5 (Love it!)
Overall Rating: 5/5

Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

  
After Kylie’s dad dies in a freak accident, he leaves her with nothing other than her crazy step-mother, Darla, and the ability to play guitar. When Darla kicks Kylie out and she loses her job all in the same day, she hops a bus to Nashville determined to make her late father’s dreams come true. Waitressing and saving her pennies to record a demo, her big break comes when she’s asked to join a tour going down the tubes with once platinum album-selling country music superstar Trace Corbin. But touring with Trace is hardly a dream come true since he’s pretty much drinking his career down the drain. If Kylie can’t pull Trace out of his rut, he’ll pull her and her dreams down with him.



Even though I know it's wrong, you turned my life into a country song and I keep playin' it, on repeat.


Ah, where to start? First of all, I love this author. Adore her. She is awesome. I read a paranormal book she wrote under a different name. Christabel by Suzanne Sullivan. I was blown away by it so I knew I wanted to read more books of her. Whether or not they are the same genre. I actually haven't read too mant New Adult books yet because my main genre has always been paranormal types of books. But I really wanted to know if this one was going to be as good as her other book. Guess what? It was even better! 
Also when I checked out some reviews of it on Goodreads I was thrilled to see how possitive they were. 4 stars, bam! 5 stars, bam! It got me even more excited to read Girl With Guitar and I'm so glad I read it! Personally for me this is one of the best damn books I've read so far in 2013.

Girl With Guitar is about eighteen-year old Kylie Ryans, who feels first and thinks second. Her passion and dream is music. She wants to make it big as a country star. 
When Kylie's bitch of a step-mother, Darla, kicks her out of the house after her dad died in an accident, she leaves her home town to go to Nashville to make her and her dad's dreams come true. As she starts waitressing to save money to make a demo, a chance presents itself to join a tour with Trace Corbin, hot shot country music superstar. This would be the perfect opportunity for Kylie. Maybe even her big break! If only Trace wasn't hell-bend on destroying his carreer by drinking his troubles away and hooking up with girls. It might just be the end of his carreer entirely and ruining any chance Kylie has to even start out.

As soon and as short it was, I got hooked by the prologue. I'm not kidding. I read it and I had to put my Kindle down to take a moment for myself and trying to not burst into tears. It was a kind of sad beginning but perfect and beautiful. I knew I was going to love this book and that there would be no turning back for me now.

Other than the prologue the thing that kept me reading was definitely the main character, Kylie. I love her! Why can't more characters be like her? She's sassy, doesn't think before she acts. Like what's been said in the book, she feels first and thinks second. Her love for music might be rivaling even my love for books.


She's also so courageous. Life kept throwing crap at her but she fought on to make her dreams come true. You can't not admire that about her. She's a fighter and puts Trace in his place, as he deserves when he acts like a total asshole. You go, girl! 
Which brings us to one of the other favorite things in this book, if not the favorite thing...

Enter Trace Corbin, country music super star! 



Trace Corbin should come with a warning label: highly addictive.


What can I say about him other than; hot damn! 



That man brings sexy to a whole different level with his singing, shirtless cooking and mud fights! 
But of course, he's more than just a pretty face. Under all his troubles, drinking, flirting and overall jackassness there's a decent guy there. One who really cares about his family, even when he did go through hell in his childhood, and Kylie. And of course his music. 

Okay, and yeah, he was hot as ten hells and could sing a girl's panties right off of her.

He and Kylie are something. Right from the start their conversations or I should say bickering screamed sexual tension! I love that. 
He can't believe Kylie actually stands up to him. No one ever really does and when they get to know each other better they both see that there's more to each other than the eye meets. This makes for one hell of a New Adult book if you ask me. 

One of my favorites scenes was this one moment (I'm not going to say too much because I don't want to spoil it for other but I just gotta say something) where Trace sings to Kylie one morning because it means so much to her. I was literally flailing my arms like a demented muppet because I felt so much emotions and just ahhhh! THE FEELS!




The writing is so damn good, I can't get over how good Caisey writes! I had to slow myself down because I didn't want to finish it in one setting. I wanted to savor this book so I could read it for days. It was hard but I managed to slow it a little bit at least. Caisey Quinn has a way with telling a story that some authors, who have written so many books don't even get close to. Seriously! There were also lyrics written into it, songs that Kylie wrote herself, and I found myself, even when they were not real life songs that I know, to have them in my head and almost singing them. Something like that never happened to me but I loved it. So pleasantly surprised I was!

 I felt like I knew these characters for years when only I knew them for a few days. I cared for them, and not only Kylie and Trace. There were so many loveable characters, like Trace's sisters. Especially Rae, she's the cutest. I also loved Tonya, who gave Kylie some pretty great advice that actually landed her the gig of the tour. Also Trace's manager Pauly was awesome and so kind to both him and Kylie. I cared for them all.
And boy, will I miss them. So I gotta say, I'm so glad there's coming a second book (called Girl on Tour). I can't wait to find out more about Kylie and Trace. 

I must also mention the romance. I almost always need romance in a book and in this one if definitely did not disappoint. The sexual tension was making me nuts. Pulling in and pulling away! Just argh! When when they did got together it was perfection!
Until of course all hell broke loose and I wanted to smack both Kylie and Trace for not getting their act together and make them see how perfect they are for each other and how they should be together. 


Anywho... I might not know a lot of country songs and music yet but this book has gotten me to start to love this genre. I never really felt for it until Girl With Guitar. I gotta admit I'm a little obsessed now with this music. When Caisey Quinn mentioned Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and Jana Kramer I couldn't help but laugh because for the last few days I have been listening like crazy to songs by all of them. And I so love their music! So thank you, Ms. Quinn, for opening a whole new world of music for me. 

I also listened to Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson and Hard to Love by Lee Brice as they are mentioned both in Girl With Guitar and on Caisey Quinn's website and I must say those songs are perfect for Kylie and Trace. They've both been on repeat a A LOT and I especially love Hard to Love, it's so Trace. <3

Girl With Guitar is a perfectly, cute read with steamy romance that makes me want to listen to country music on repeat non-stop. Kylie and Trace have a powerful attraction that makes me sigh and swoon, combine it with their shared love for music and you have fireworks!
I loved this book immensely and I would recommened it to everyone I know! I mean it, go read it now! You will NOT be disappointed in the least.






God, those eyes. Take cover, they said, because the storm was here now.
Damn, the boy could sing. And Lord, those jeans. Oh no. She was becoming a Trace Corbin fangirl. She could feel it happening and she was powerless to stop it.
You're not a nice boy," she said pointing a finger at him. "Never said I was," he told her as he leaned in dangerously close. Kylie breathed in the clean familiar scent of cologne and him.


Caisey Quinn lives in a suburb outside of Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She wears cowgirl boots most of the time, even to church. Girl with Guitar is her first novel. She is currently working on the second book in the Kylie Ryans series, Girl on Tour. She can be found online at: www.caiseyquinnwrites.com

Find Caisey also on:

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Book dreamcast:


I must say, this dreamcast is dead on for me too, personally. I especially like Jana Kramer for Mia. I actually saw her in my head as Mia too. =D


Book Playlist:

I love this soundtrack! Most of these songs I already have on my iTunes and they did remind me of Girl With Guitar.


Oh yes! *dreamy sigh*



Here's a little guest post from Caisey!
Enjoy! =D

Why I Heart Country Music

Girl you make my speakers go BOOM BOOM. –Luke Bryan

Some people call it hillbilly heartbreak music. Others call it beer and break ups. I call it fu*#ing fantastic. I should warn you up front, my brother is an Actual Musician, as in, he’s In A Band. I, however, am tone deaf. My brother is not a fan of the country music and is more into progressive metal and classical. Yeah, he’s the black sheep. Whaddya gonna do? But he knows his stuff about music and all I know is what feels good to my ears. And my soul. Call it what you want, country music can elicit some serious emotion.

Just because I have to mention her, (you have to when you talk about country music, or I think there’s a fine or something) Taylor Swift’s Fifteen would have made a huge difference in my life if I’d heard it when I was actually fifteen. Instead of twenty-six. But it brought back my hellacious freshmen year of high school and y’all, that was some stuff I’d wrestled, shoved, kicked, and drank out of my memory. Or so I’d thought.

Lee Brice’s Hard to Love makes an appearance in my debut novel, Girl with Guitar, because if my husband and I had a song, that would be it. We got married too young and before he’d gotten a handle on a very serious drinking problem. Whoa, okay, I didn’t actually mean to tell y’all that. But there it is. And we’ve been married seven years, together for nine, and we made it through. But when that song comes on the radio, he reaches over and grabs my hand and I squeeze his. Hard. Every time. Sometimes my eyes get watery. Because neither of us have forgotten how hard those first few years were and how much stronger we are for having gotten through them.

I heart country music because it’s men in tight jeans, cowboy boots, sitting on tailgates around the bon fire, playing guitar, drinking too much, loving too soon, and breaking your heart. Pretty much the story of my life y’all.

Some of my favorite artists are George Straight, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Hank Williams Jr, and of course Luke Bryan, who is basically the template for my main character Trace Corbin in Girl with Guitar.

I get that it’s not for everyone. Just like death metal isn’t for everyone. But I love it. It’s a part of me, and it will probably show up in every book I write in one way or another. Like Kylie, I can’t always find the right words for every situation, but I can almost always find a country song with lyrics that fit. 

For the record, I listen to lots of different types of music and also enjoy Adam Lambert, The Civil Wars, The Lumineers, Christina Perri, Rihanna, Third Day, Thousand Foot Krutch, Red, Flyleaf, Fireflight, and a few others, including some most people have never even heard of. But I blame that on my brother. ;)


I’ll be back to check in on comments if any of y’all want to chat about music. Warning: Once you get me going I may never shut up!

Thanks for having me!


Shameless Self-Promotion: My debut novel, Girl with Guitar is available now! I am currently working on Girl on Tour, the second book in the Kylie Ryans series. I don’t have an official release date yet, but will post on my site www.caiseyquinnwrites.com as soon as I do! Keep an eye out!


Caisey Quinn is a New Adult author living in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She wears cowgirl boots most of the time, even to church. Girl with Guitar is her first novel. It’s available now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.





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*Fangirled out*







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4 comments:

  1. Okay, now I'm the one having ALL THE FEELS. Wow. I can't even...just wow. Even if you had said the book was crapity crappy crap, the fact that you started checking out country music (AND LIKED IT!) makes me so many kinds of happy. But as it is, I'm beyond thrilled that you loved Kylie & Trace's story.

    And, er, about that other book. Look at you, connecting the dots. ;)If I ever "OFFICIALLY" release it, I'll make sure you get a very special copy!!

    Big hugs to you for your kind words and for participating in the blog tour!

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    1. I was worried this review was a little to crazy but I meant every word and can't wait for Girl On Tour and any other books you'll write in the future!

      Thank you!!! =D

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  2. I shall always think of you as a demented muppet now. xD Love your review as usual Steph and Trace sounds like a hot book boyfriend!

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    Replies
    1. Seriously, Jenn? xD Thanks! And you have got to get to know Trace!

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