This book was such a beautiful romance!  Every now and again I'm in need of a great, fun romance and this one really took the cake.  I loved the characters - they were so much fun and the novel itself was a great story.

Cute,  fluffy YA Romance.

I seriously adored Archer. The teasing,  The adorable awkwardness... And how he didn't play games.

Kassidy was fun, though less of a full character. The focus on her phobia and past friendship consumed her.

They were pretty adorable together though, and I definitely feel like they had chemistry.

The friend interactions, both on social media and off, were fun and felt pretty genuine. The way her side was prose and his side was texts and FB was different and gave the whole thing a more lighthearted vibe.

Which sort of made her issues with her friend feel a bit heavy, especially near the end. I think getting more sooner might have helped that, as well as maybe skipping her final goodbye.

All in all, a very quick read that fits in well with the genre.

This was a very cute story. It seems more appropriate for teens than adults,. but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Would like to see more books by her. Thanks for the opportunity.

A fun, angsty young adult contemporary romance with great characters. But way too short! I really like Amber Garza's writing and I felt the storyline had been clipped back. This could be a very good read it the story was expanded and further developed.

I cannot begin to imagine the stress that would come with being a twin of a super star.  As the oldest of four, two of my siblings being boys, there were plenty of girls who were just friends with me to get close to my brothers. It is annoying and the source of a lot of my trust issues when it comes to friends. I cannot imagine how bad it would be with someone who was famous in the family.


It is hard enough being famous but being mistaken for your twin who is famous and not being able to have any privacy has to be a special type of torture. You didn't sign up for it but you are gonna get it.


The angst in this book was very relatable. As I said before I had my own trust issues because of people only being friends to get close to my brothers and the author nailed it with Archer's insecurities. 


I liked how realistic the uncertainty of dating in high school and all the questions that came with it. Does she like me? Is this flirting?  Is this a date or are we just friends? 


As a mom and a married woman I don't have to deal with these problems anymore so it is a nice reminder of what single life use to be. I read this book in one setting, it was the perfect bit of cute summer read that made laying out in the yard soaking up the rays bearable.

Sweet, romantic mystery, and a page-turner to boot, this coming-of-age story was very well-told.

Kassidy is battling demons, so she changes school and starts to act "out of character". At a concert, she meets Archer Devlin, pop star Ross's twin brother. When she doesn't "recognise" him as his brother, they strike up a friendship that soon becomes something deeper. But Archer is also battling demons, and it doesn't take long for the two to collide...

The writing was fresh - alternating between Kassidy's story being narrated in prose and Archer's side told through texts/ social media posts - and done well, keeping my on my toes but also ensuring that I kept tearing through the book. The romance was sweet, but it was the mystery and coming-of-age elements that elevated this book. Recommended!

This was the cutest book I've read in a long time! Great characters, and an amazing plot! The end was spectacular!

I liked the idea of a rock star romance involving twin brothers, and the cute, fresh feel of a teen novel.

This was a a really cute idea for a story and I did like it, I just didn’t love it. I liked how the texts and social media posts parts are laid out, I was worried that it was going to get confusing but it was actually very easy to follow. The characters were okay but I wasn’t drawn to any of them, I wasn’t rooting for them with every page turn. It took too long to get to the bottom of their issues and by the time it did, I didn’t really care anymore.
	I think one of my biggest problems was that it all seemed so childish. Everything that happened between Archer and Kassidy seemed to be a big drama, even the most trivial of things. It was all just a bit silly. Don’t get me wrong, they had their cute moments that I really enjoyed reading, but I found myself shaking my head at them more often than not. I would’ve liked to have seen more moments of interaction between the two main characters as well and a little less focus of Kassidy’s past.
	Nothing stood out as being memorable about this book, there were a lot of typical YA cliches and nothing to make it really stand out. It’s worth a read if you have a spare couple of hours and want something simple and light-hearted.

I'm sorry, but I did not finish this story. I decided to quit around 30% in to the book. I wasn't connecting with any characters and I wasn't enjoying it.

This was a quick, super cute read about two insecure people who find the strength to fall in love with each other. At times, I will admit, I was left infuriated at the characters when their lack of taking the time to listen to each other left them both in a tangle of misunderstandings. Though they seemed perfect for each other, these misunderstandings had me wondering if they were truly good for each other. However, I'm not going to give the ending away. I will say that with the fun jokes, hilariously unforgettable dialogue and a pretty darn epic first date I have to say that this book's "journey" was every bit as satisfying as its ending. Definitely recommend for those who love a fun upper teen romance!

**Thanks so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!** 

what i liked
Parts of the story include text messages and updates on social media, which is an aspect from books that I always love. It's very different and changes the pace of the storytelling a little bit, which is great.
Archer isn't the one in the band, which I found to be very different. A lot of times, books with bands include a main character from the band, but this was unique. Instead, it featured a twin brother of one of the bandmates. 
This book was a really easy read. That's why I am a sucker for Entangled Crush books.

what i disliked
It may just be that I've been reading a lot of contemporary novels lately, but at times I found the romance to be a little childish and immature. That may just be a personal issue though!

This book was a little too slow for me, it didn't keep me engage. It took a while before the story even got my attention. It was ok, but I did enjoy the ending.

Fun and charming tale that reader's will fall in love with. What do you do when you've been burned by love before? Do you trust your heart and take a chance or let love slip through your fingers? Archer has been burned by girls before who were using him to get to his famous twin brother so it is understandable that he is a little hesitant to believe that Kassidy might be into him. Kassidy is dealing with her own messed up life and isn't sure if she is ready to open up and make herself vulnerable. It is a twisty and turning path that Archer and Kassidy take and readers will be rooting for them to find their "happily ever after". Definitely recommend.

I loved the premise of this novel. I liked that the main character wasn't in the band himself, but had enough fame because of his twin brother and he was over it. A chance meeting between a girl who was not a fan of his brothers, but at the concert led to immediate sparks. These two characters had a sweet relationship and it was steady and slow in its unfolding, but believable and real feeling. There wasn't a ton going on, but I liked the simplicity of this novel. I got the romance and I got the emotions from the characters.

In an Oyster Shell – A heartwarming romance that is sweet and will keep you turning the pages.

The Pearls – The concept of the story was really cute. The main love interest is not the boy in the band but the brother. Kassidy’s feelings for the brother make this story sweet and desirable to read. The story about the boy not in the band is very interesting, creative, and well-executed.

There was a great cast of characters. The main characters were strong and a distinctive and had their flaws that made them relatable. The supporting characters were funny and quirky. They added depth to the story.

The romance was the star of the show. It was sweet they really got along well. There were a few snafus but they work them out. It’s one of the better romances I’ve read in a long time.

I'm Not In The Band

Amber Garza




Why have I never read Amber Garza before? I loved I'M NOT IN THE BAND so much that I read it in one sitting! That says a lot doesn't it? Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and was so involved in all the characters lives. Kassidy Milton finds herself at a Playlisters concert with her sister, Sophie. While trying to find something edible at the snack bar she bumps in to a dude named Archer. Archer just happens to be the twin brother of Ross Devlin, the lead singer of the Playlisters. Since Kassidy tells Archer she is new to his high school and has no friends there, he persuades her to give him her phone number so he can show her around when school starts.


Kassidy knows she just met Archer but can't help but feel that Archer is a good guy. I'M NOT IN THE BAND is how Archer deals with having a famous brother. It is also the story about finding yourself and growing up. I found myself giggling out loud while reading this sweet and fun story. Kassidy tries real hard to make friends when she gets to school but it seems as if most of the girls hate her because of her friendship with Archer. She also suffers from panic attacks but tries not to let Archer see them. Once he does realize what is going on, he really tries to help her get through them and that is when my heart was filled with Archer. He was almost perfect for Kassidy and you wont be able to help yourself from falling for him.


I'M NOT IN THE BAND addresses some serious issues, but not too much that you feel depressed reading about them. But they do feel very real and you even might find yourself relating to many of them. Being in the shadow of others is a big one for me. Not long after starting I'M NOT IN THE BAND, I was praying that Kassidy would trust her instincts and not push Archer away. Would Archer ever be able to get out from his famous brother's shadow and realize that Kassidy truly likes him? Amber Garza put my emotions on a crazy roller coaster ride and I loved every minute of it! I'm excited to go back and read the rest of her books!

Another Entangled Crush series. I actually was sad when this one ended. It was sweet, honest, and had character depth. The two many characters each struggled with their own insecurities. If they continued with another book in this story I would totally want to read it. So enough with my gushing, here is some of the overall synopsis of the book.

Kassidy is about to begin her senior year at a new school. It’s not due to her family moving or for getting kicked out of her private school, it was because of an emotional obstacles that has been haunting her regarding her old friends. Her only friend as of late is her sister Sophia. Which isn’t too bad except for her taste in music. Sophia drags Kassidy to a local band boy concert, which is already a struggle for Kassidy. While at the concert Kassidy is on a mission looking for something edible, when rounding a corner she literal runs into a guy. Not being noticed to her she runs into a guy that ends up helping her overcome the road blocks in her life.

Archer is a twin. Not in a cool way either. His identical twin brother is the lead singer of a hot boy band. He has a few problems: 1) being mistaken for his brother and 2) People using him to get close to his brother. He has been burned by one too many girls and struggles living in the shadow if his famous rock star of a brother. Meeting a hot girl that doesn’t know who Ross DAVIS is, is like hitting the jack pot. Finding out that she is going to be attending your high school this year, just puts icing on the cake.

The two of them struggle to understand the attraction they have for one another and how to be honest without revealing all their insecurities. Which becomes problematic. Once the doors of a relationship open it becomes difficult to filter what to let in and what to keep out. Both Archer has to learn to trust Kassidy and lean that not ever girl wants to use him for his brother. While Kassidy needs to learn to cope with the loss of friends that has now paralyzed her ability to overcome her new fears.

This story is lovely and fun. The texting banter, twitter and Facebook post that Archer and his buddies write is classic. I like that the author added those special conversations in, because that helps us as readers know what becomes common knowledge and what is still private to the couple.

I think Kassidy has some beautiful scenes of overcoming her fears. It shows the trust and growth that a person can make when they meet someone that makes them feel comfortable and safe. Her family was so support of during all her struggles. Kassidy’s mother was so funny. Trying to use common teen lingo, and say Hashtag about all sorts of things. Just added nice comic relief.

On Arthur’s end, because the guy was so intense, it was good that his BF Mac was always willing to be the joke of any line. He reminded me of that awkward friend we all have that just makes you laugh at their stupidity, but know they are such a good person.

The story is told from alternating POV’s and lots of social media conversations. Hello it is a Teen Book, got to have that stuff.

Well Lovers, I hope your summer is going well and so far we are off the a great start with all these amazing new books that are available to read, while we relax out in the soaking sun.

#WearSunScreen #BooksWeLoveToRead #SummerReading

I'm Not In The Band is a pretty cute, contemporary romance. Kassidy goes to a concert with her sister to a boyband she's never heard of, and runs into the lead singer's twin brother near the concession stand. Archer is used to having girls fawn all over him, either because they think he's his famous brother or because they think they can use him to get close to him. So, of course, he loves it when this cute girl seems to like him just for himself. And, turns out, they're going to be going to the same school!

The story is told in dual POVs, and it's handled pretty well. The voices feel different. Garza uses different formats (texts, Facebook updates, tweets, etc.) to move the story along and also develop the characters. Kassidy and Archer's relationship starts off as friends first and it's all very cute and sweet.

There are also some great side characters. Kassidy's sister Sophie is awesome, her young-at-heart mother is awesome, and Archer's friends are also pretty great.

However, there is an issue with Kassidy not being "like other girls," which gets annoying. At first she isn't like other girls because she likes Archer for who he is. But then Archer has some real jealousy issues he needs to work through. I didn't like watching him work through them on Kassidy's time, all the while telling her that he thought she wasn't like other girls. 

Should you read it?I'm Not In the Band  is a fun, quick contemporary romance that turns the rock star trope on its head and will give readers a lot of feels. 

Review will go live July 17.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Kris – ☆☆☆☆☆
LOVED this book! Everything about it appealed to me for a young adult read. With just the right amount of innocence but still a bit of steam between the two leads to keep me interested, I found this book highly addictive. Drawing out the ghosts in Cassidy's past just long enough to keep things suspenseful but not aggravating (get to the point already type thing), I found the pacing to be perfect.

Cassidy is trying new things, she's coming into her own person after a tragedy has her rethinking her life. Archer is trying to get out from under the shadow of his famous twin brother, who is the lead singer for the newest hot boy band. Everyone in school wants to get to know Archer only to get close to his twin. Cassidy is the new girl in school, but that's not the only thing that attracts Archer to her.

There's some good young adult strife, some funny tweets and Facebook posts, and great coming of age drama. Very well written, I thoroughly enjoyed it from cover to cover!