Girl With Guitar by Caisey Quinn

Title: Girl With Guitar
Author: Caisey Quinn
Series: Kylie Ryans #1
Publisher: Createspace May 22, 2013
Length: 228 pages
Format: ebook

Description from Goodreads:

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.


My Thoughts:

Holy Hunky Country Singers! Girl With Guitar by Caisey Quinn is a new take on the troubled musician stories that have abounded of late in the New Adult genre. Kylie has lead a crappy life. At the age of 18 she has lost her mother, her father, and now thanks to her trashy stepmother her home. What's a girl to do? Move to Nashville and do whatever it takes to make her dream come true. Once in Nashville, Kylie realizes getting discovered is even harder than she thought it would be. That is until a once in a lifetime coincidence and chance comes along in the form of  drinking, womanizing, no-show, tight jeaned hunky country superstar Trace Corbin. Kylie goes on tour with Trace as his opening act. Tempers flare, words cut, sexual tension flies, and hearts are broken in this country romance. Will Kylie make it in this cutthroat business? Will she give up? Will she give up for the love of a guy? Will Trace's bad habits blow Kylie's chances? Will she find love? Will she get the dream and the guy? Or will heartache in true country music fashion make her a superstar? Find out in this awesome book!

I absolutely LOVE this book! I oohed and ahhed every couple of pages. Kylie is an amazing character and I loved how real she seemed. Trace is mean and sometimes downright nasty to Kylie, but the best part is she gives it right back and puts him in his place! You have to love a girl who can stand up for herself! On the other hand is the tender and fragile Kylie. The one who is desperate to make it in the business and who has lost her family. Complementing her character is country superstar/bad boy Trace Corbin. He drinks way too much, sleeps around way too much, and has a tendency to not show up to his gigs too much. Kylie is his last chance to straighten out his career. He resents having her around, having someone tell him what to do, how to act, someone who might actually care about him and not the fame. Kylie and Trace's relationship was truly swoon worthy to read about. They both have their problems (especially Trace), but the best thing is that they don't try to change each other. They push each other's boundaries and help make them better people. Many people might think of country music as one of the more wholesome music genres. I liked how Ms. Quinn showed that it can be just as devious and cold hearted as other types of music. By the end of the book I was happy and sad that it was all wrapped up and ending. I wanted MORE! Then the last couple of pages BAM! There is a SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait to read more about Kylie's and Trace's turbulence in the music industry. I give this book a 5 STAR rating!

Amplified by Tara Kelly

 

Title: Amplified
Author: Tara Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (October 25, 2011)
Length: 304 pages
Format: hardcover

My Blurb/Synopsis:

If you are looking for a fun music/band oriented book give Amplified by Tara Kelly a try. In this girl on the verge of womanhood book readers get a glimpse into the life of Jasmine Kiss. Jasmine is giving living on her own terms a try. She has recently graduated high school, her emotionally distant father is insisting she start college and all Jasmine wants to do is play guitar and relax for once in her life. Her father has cut her off and with only sixteen hundred dollars, her guitars, amps, and a broken down car she has to find a way to survive. None of her prospects seem good until a chance to live and play with a new band comes up. All she has to do is convince the rather reluctant band to let her join. From then on everything should be smooth crooning…if only.

 

My Thoughts:

I really liked Jasmine. Despite not having a plan Jasmine wings it the best she can and I admire that about her. At times she is insecure and self-doubting, but she works it out. I was intrigued throughout the book on how everything would turn out for Jasmine and loved getting to see her grow. All of this is thanks in part to the new friends she makes, Veta in particular. Let me just say that I loved Veta! She is wild, crazy, supportive, loyal, and will tell it like it is. I would love to have a Veta in my life. You can’t forget Veta’s brother and band mate Sean. He is quiet, smart, and a bit of an ass or in other words sexy. The butting heads of Jasmine and Sean was great and you could just feel the chemistry. The other characters in the book were awesome as well. They each had their own extremely unique and quirky personalities that I loved reading about. Believe it or not the ending to this book actually surprised me, but I won’t say anymore (don’t’ want to give anything away). There is also potential for a sequel! One of the only downsides to the book was all of the music/equipment lingo in the beginning. It was a little heavy and confusing, but thankfully it mellows out.  All in all this was a fairly light book and a good quick read. I give this book a 3 ½ STAR rating.

My Thoughts:

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harrington

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (November 22, 2011)

Length: 336 pages

Source: Walmart ( they have some decent books and prices)

Edition: paperback

Description from Goodreads:

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’
Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.
When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.
Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.
Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

My Thoughts:

Saving June was sad, heartbreaking, and beautifully healing all at the same time. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose my sister to suicide and don't want to. Harper's decision to take her sister's ashes to California , fulfilling one of her last wishes was so touching. I have no words. As for Harper's fellow road trippers Laney her best friend, and the ever mysterious Jack Tolan were amazing supporting characters. If I ever go on a road trip I want friends like them along with me. One of the most interesting parts of the book was all of the music talk and the emotions behind it. I was on Google/YouTube constantly looking up all of these songs. I had so much fun discovering new artists and forgotten oldies. During their trip they make various detours and do a little self discovery and growing up along the way. The saddest part was that Harper didn't know her sister like she thought she did. It broke my heart and made me want to go hug my sister. If you are a YA contemporary fan and a music lover you should read this. It was sweet, it was heartbreaking, it left me asking "Is that it?", and it was perfect. Saving June is probably at the top of my reads for this year. I give this book a 5 STAR rating.