I didn't love this. It started our promising but the constant banter and meandering made for a slow read. I had a hard time not imagining the author as the main character and I wish there weren't quite so many pop culture references. The references took disturbed the flow of the story sometimes for me.

I was so excited to read it,it was one of my most anticipated read of the year and I was so happy when I got the earc.


I liked it,not at first ,at first I tougbt it was okay nothing much,then I got a little bored and then finally I started liking it again.

The writing style is pretty good,I like the main character ,Shane,but I dont care about pilot much even if he had some nice moments that I liked .
3.5 stars

This was really great for a debut novel! I loved Shane and Pilot as characters and they were so sweet and adorable together. I liked the friend group, but in the second half even though supposedly Shane gets to know them better you don't see as much from them and it seems like you missed out on that. There were also times mostly in the 2011 part where it was obvious that the author was trying to force the fact it was not current time, for example using Angry Birds seemed really forced and awkward, and sometimes song references seemed unnecessary but were added to emphasize the time it takes place. Other than that I thought Shane was super relatable and I loved her so much, she almost seems like a role model for younger girls or girls in high school.

Again, but better 3.5⭐️
Shane is me. Literally me. Socially awkward, needs lists and goals to try and accomplish anything and did I mention awkward.
This is full of humor and life and no more kiss blocking.
Shane is on her way to college, abroad. Ooh fancy and she has the goal to have a life and have fun and she is trying, really trying but do it better.
Right when everything is going great, her internship, friends, almost kissing Pilot... her parents show up find out she was lying to them. She is not here for premed. Finally we understand why she cant send any of those postcards. She is forced to go back home to New York leaving what she hoped would be a start of her new life.
Then we take a 7 year jump and her life seems to start again with a second chance with Pilot. To do it again but better this time.
I found myself drifting from the second half of the story. I liked that Pilot and Shane connected again but I felt disconnected with them and the they which was disappointing.

Overall I instantly connected with Shane and her journey. There is also something so satisfying about the main character trying to write a book or loving to read and write. It connects the reader more with the character, well it does in my case because I want to publish a book one day.
The characters were also very realistic and believable in the first half but sort of got away from real in the second. In most contemporaries there is always a character or two that is just too perfect and too wonderful and everything falls into place but this didnt have that. And it was so refreshing. I felt like i jumped into Shanes life and got to experience London with her.
I also liked that not only are we following Shane but we are seeing her journals and her entries for her internship. It gives the story another view while staying on track and getting to the point faster than explaining everything. But that being said I wanted less of the notes and little entries and more story. Yes more things can happen but at times it felt like I was just rummaging through someone’s desk drawer pulling out old notes.
I liked Shanes excitement for her internship but I wanted to see more of a story and dialogue of her working there and what was happening not just little notes.

My favorite line:
Demon, demon. Too close to my face.

Thank you so much to St Martins Press via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of Again but Better by Christine Ricco . This will be released on May 7 2019.
All opinions are my own.

I loved this!! It was absolutely adore and such a fun read. I loved the way the characters interacted together, their traveling adventures, and how it was told in two separate parts. Thank you for letting me read this title early. I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

I want to start off by saying that I am so proud of Christine for writing this book. I watched her whole writing journey on her YouTube channel and I'm so happy I got an ARC of this book.
This book follows a girl named Shane who she decides to study abroad in London. Her life has been predictable in college and she has wanted to do it right this time. While studying abroad, she learns with courage and some magic that she could accomplish her goals.
I really loved Shane in this book. She was such a relatable main character and I connected to her pretty much immediately. I found that her voice was so distinct and she constantly made me laugh. I always wanted to know what Shane would do next. I found her to be a compelling main character and I loved her growth so much.
The story overall was really intersting to me. I have not read anything like it, especially in contemporary. That being said, I do want to say that I am not a huge contemporary reader. I really liked what Christine did with the story line of this book and found myself really interested in the plot as well. The chapter titles in this book were also so fun to read. I won't say here what Christine did but I really enjoyed it.
The reason it's only got four stars is because I did feel there was some technical glitches and like sometimes things were a bit too easy. It didn't have that totally special feeling that a favorite book gives me either. I was intrigued by the plot but not enough to be thinking about it after I put the book down for the day. I really enjoyed the plot a lot but I need a plot to suck me in. Christine did say that she wanted people to laugh and feel good after leaving this book and with that, she succeeded with me.
I thought that this was a fantastic book for Christine's first book. I am interested to see what she is going to produce in the future. I really enjoyed this boo and I would definitely recommend picking it up.

I sort of adored this book. Like, a LOT! Even the ending...which was not my normal cup of tea. The twists were exciting and the characters were interesting and I enjoyed the pace of the book. I also, oddly enough, felt like the right things were examined closely , while the unnecessary things were sped past exactly as I wanted them to be! Not sure how the author knew I would want that to be the case, but thanks, Christine Riccio for intuiting that so perfectly for little ol' me!

Oh, and the settings were spectacular! Descriptions that were clear but not so gushy as to be off-putting...and just cool. It was just a cool read. I dug it. ☺♥

From the description, I thought I would like this book. I've read several books entailing a study abroad romance and have enjoyed most of them. However, this one just didn't work. It was too unpolished, if nothing else. I realize I received an ARC that is still being edited, but I don't foresee that the book will change the way it would need to.
The overall plot was fine. Shane is in a study abroad program, finds a boy she has a crush on, blows it with him, then there's a big dust up with her parents, and then we're several years in the future. She realizes that she messed up when her current boyfriend proposes and just happens to be in the city where her study abroad crush now lives. They meet up for coffee in a magical cafe, and get the chance to redo their time together in Europe. It's cute, and the turmoil that Shane faces in deciding whether or not to hit the reset button seems realistic. However, little else does.
I've been to college and was very much an introvert. I pursued a sensible major, tried to make friends, and finished up my degree. I never did the study abroad thing, but I can almost guarantee that the London/Europe escapades would not have occurred in the same fashion. College programs have RAs and planned outings for groups. I would think that would be doubly so for students in a foreign country. I also imagine that an internship would not leave time for playing on a phone or texting. There would have to be set paramaters so that the student in question would earn the grade, even if it is a pass/ fail course.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this novel, aside from the simplistic nature of its writing, is the entire portion where Shane manages to lie to her parents about the entire program. In my experience, parents who are that concerned with your future would also be doing their own research, looking through the literature you print, and would likely do more than just pay the bill without checking behind the student. The entire "I made a brochure with a premed program" plot does not seem feasible.
So, if you're in the mood for a semi-unrealistic book about study abroad, check it out. Otherwise, I'd check out something else.

I absolutely adored this book, and it kept surprising me as it didn't follow the normal YA troupes. This story was not what I expected, it was even better. I'm going to be talking about this book for years and years to come, and giving copies to all my friends. This was more of a complex, emotional story that surpassed other travel stories you'd like are similar to it.

I studied abroad for a semester in London in 2014 and started college in 2011 when this book was set. The author captured what it was like to be in college during that year *perfectly* and it is so similar to my own experiences and insecurities that I think she and I should be best friends.

The first half of this book felt so similar to my own study abroad experience I started crying from happiness and surprise as I found a way to relive some of my favorite memories and feelings while reading. The story is about Shane who takes a risk going to study abroad so she can be brave in a new place since she hasn't out figured things out at home yet. That's all I expected the story to be. But then the second half of the book is a twist on the time travel troupe which itself is a twist on the travel/road trip troupe. Shane gets a second chance with the guy she hasn't stopped thinking about since they were abroad and missed their shot to express how they felt. I loved reading as both characters I loved from their initial rush of witty banter and chemistry get to have the greatest ever life redo and find how to be the best version of themselves that had been possible all along. It is about choosing yourself, choosing your relationships, and making big moves.

I would've loved it for the empowering unique story it is on its own. But it will forever be a special story to me because I identify so strongly with the setting both in college in 2011 and the cities they traveled to while abroad. This is the most authentic story on how it feels to travel and study abroad that I've had the privilege of reading.

As always thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to receive a copy. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it. I really did try liking this book. I felt as I was re-reading Anna and the French Kiss but with a mid plot twist. I did not enjoy the writing and it took my a long time to read this book because I just could get into the story. I was extremely disappointed.

I LOVED this book. I haven't loved a book this much in a while. This was my in flight read for my flight back to Dallas from an amazing vacation in New York City with one of my best friends today. I loved the book so much that I have to write about it today...after a very jam packed vacation and being completely exhausted because I love it *that* much. The first part of the book was cute and I enjoyed the references to some of my favorite bands and tv shows, but it was part two that made me completely swoon. I would describe this book not as a young adult novel, but as the book version of a rom-com. I love everything about it! Shane is a relatable character as she faces early adulthood and college and finding her own place in the world, something that is scary for most people, and I am head over heels for Pilot. If you are in love with love stories, like to laugh out loud, enjoy a book that makes you swoon or delight in references to alt rock bands from the late 90's/early 2000s, read this book! You can purchase your copy in May or pre-order it now on Amazon.

I struggled between a 2 and 2.5 stars for this one, so I think I am going to round down.

Fun fact! I actually met Christine years ago, and I had no clue she was a prominent figure in the book community until people kept running towards her. We were at the Cassie Clare midnight release party for City of Heavenly Fire in NYC, and she was three people in front of me in line.

I only realized who she was later when Alexandra Bracken posted a screengrab from a video they did together, and I was shocked.

Honestly, I think her personal journey is amazing, and she has opened a lot of doors for the book blogging community. It is great to see such a unified following, and I am so happy to celebrate her successes even if I do not watch her channel. (Though now that I’ve read her book, I am considering about it!) However, this preface was not just to tell my anecdote, but also to explain that I do not know Christine as a person. A lot of people had very different experiences than me because they follow her, but I think my view is a little different compared to her fans who recognize Christine in parts of this novel.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s begin!

Shane has lived her life contently for the past two and half years, though she hardly has any friends and she is only studying something that would make her parents happy. And though she had to lie to her parents in order to get into the creative writing study abroad program, this is finally her chance to get a fresh start.

She hopes that she’ll finally make friends or kiss a boy. She dreams of doing all the things her social anxiety kept her from, and this is the opportunity she has been waiting for all along.

But maybe the fresh start doesn’t go exactly as she wanted it. When the chance to relive the whole study abroad experience comes six years later, will Shane go back to fix her mistakes? Or will she live complacently with the regrets she still has years later?

This book is a love letter to bookworms everywhere who aren’t always the most social or brave creatures. In fact, I saw myself in Shane constantly – including her inability to stop talking our favorite boy named Harry – and as someone torn between the practical part of her brain (I’m a biomedical engineer!) and the creative part, Shane's character arc really resonated with me. It is here that I think the novel shines brightest because it is easy to feel stuck until you finally have that one defining moment that says ‘this is how my life is going to turn out’.

Good thoughts:

*YES, ALL TOO WELL BY TAYLOR SWIFT HAS ALL THE FEELS. This got mentioned once in the book, and I haven’t been able to turn this damn song off since then. It has ruined me.

*Shane is a strong female character. She has dreams and aspirations, and she is unwilling to let anyone stop her (even if it takes her a while to get to that point!). I physically whooped at one point in the book where she realizes that it is up to her to figure everything out. And she takes time to get her life in order before launching herself back into the dramatic up and downs that come with YA problems! I loved that.

I had a few issues with this book:

* the names – I’m sorry, I tried to get over this one, but I can’t. I can’t take the romance seriously because the love interest is named Pilot Penn and goes by Pies. Don’t get me wrong, the obscure name thing is a classic YA trope that is seen all over the place, but this novel is a repeat offender. Our supporting cast is rounded out by Babe (we don’t find out her real name until much, much later), Sahra (pronounced Sarah?), and Atticus (this one I support because I love How to Kill a Mockingbird).

* the dialogue was very unrealistic – even when they are supposed to be much older. You are telling me they didn’t mature at all in those six years? I am twenty-four, and I almost feel like the main characters were geared more towards being 17 instead of being 20/26 (especially in part two).

* Pilot dates someone for SIX YEARS and then the day after he breaks up with her, goes on a weekend date to Paris with someone else? After he was so against it? Also he technically cheated on his girlfriend during parts of the novel? I could not bring myself to cheer on this ship simply because of that.

Plus, his ‘girlfriend’ was the most one-dimensional plot devices I’ve ever seen.

* the writing tending to pay more homage to references than the actual story? Even though the characters were in their twenties, I felt like I was reading middle grade. I physically cringed *so much* during this book. My poor roommate kept getting interrupted while she was reading Sarah J Maas so I could quote parts of the dialogue to her.

Also, the author compared Pilot’s eyes to green olives at least four times, and I could not handle it.

All in all, I thought this was a quick read, and I did find it fun (when I wasn’t physically cringing over the ridiculousness). I think Christine’s fans will like the book, and that’s awesome! Personally, I think there are other contemporary YA books out there that are much easier reads, and I would recommend those books over this novel :).


Thanks to Wednesday Books at Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was lucky enough to have been selected for an eARC copy of Again, but Better from Netgalley! I’ve been following Christine on booktube for years and so this book was up on my TBR anyway. But I’m so happy I got to pick this up earlier, and I’m still going to buy this book when it comes out.

Christine has been really mysterious with her writing and I get why – it’s special when it’s just your own creation and it could change so much in the drafting process. My novel is not even the same story when a friend of mine read it five years ago. But because Again, but Better was so mysterious, I had no clue what it was about – except that it was ‘contemporary’. If anyone follows my dusty little blog still you know that I read mostly fantasy so I wasn’t slated to love this book. BUT I DID.

What’s it about? Well, the book's synopsis is actually stellar for once in giving you a run down. For the most part. I’m hesitant to give spoilers because if you’re a watcher of Christine’s videos then you know you can’t mention a certain thing because then you’re waiting FOR THE THING. IT RUINS THE THING. Maybe that was even too much, if you get it.

Anyway, this book is great for those who are bookish. Shane calls her notebooks Horcruxes, she talks about her love for Cassandra Clare books, Harry Potter and the Da Vinci Code. Her love of books and writing really shines through with this novel. The writing itself feels like how Christine talks in her videos. It’s definitely a book to pick up if you’re an avid watcher of her channel.

All I’m gonna say is, it’s not your average contemporary novel. And I don’t mean it in that sensationalising way headlines use to rope readers in. Again, but Better is about a character struggling find her dreams, who wants to discover herself, love and live her life to the fullest with all the struggles that come with that. She starts off at the age of twenty and we also see her life later at twenty-seven too. It’s full of quirky jokes and shows Christine’s own love for Cassandra Clare’s humour. It’s a cute, fun read and if you love contemporaries and perhaps a bit more, then ADD IT TO YOUR TBR!

Lamppost. (You’ll know what I mean on May 7th when this book comes out!)

---

Also here's a non-spoiler-y quote that shows off Christine's humour:

"I jump around, baptizing everyone in the vicinity with my drink."

Shane goes to a club and dances and this quote tickled me. I hope you guys enjoyed the review and it was informative but not too spoiler-filled. :) Happy reading!

Again, but Better by Christine Riccio reads like a fanfiction. Ridiculous names, no character motivations, the main character reads as if they're a freshmen in highschool not in college.

What if you could go back and relive your life? What would you change? Shane and Pilot get to find out in this new YA book.

Prior to reading, I had no idea that the author was a YouTuber. I am not familiar with her work but from other reviews, I gleaned that this novel was heavily inspired by her own life (without the time travel part, I’m guessing!).

Overall I enjoyed this book and looked forward to reading it. There were some things that irked me (which I’ll address below) but it was a fun and easy read, dealing with themes like leaving home, following dreams, and finding love.

Things I liked:
- references to early 2000s music (though some of the lyrics were wrong, hope they’ll be corrected!)
- Shane’s focus on herself and her own goals in the second go-around
- the chemistry between Shane and Pilot

Things I didn’t like:
- the sudden and random way that time-travel was introduced
- the lack of development in the secondary characters, particularly Babe, and Shane’s parents
- making Amy into a villain
- unrealistic depiction of students being able to afford to eat out and travel all the time
- lack of development of Shane’s backstory

***I received an Arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
Dnf at 32%

2 stars

Welp, that was disappointing. Again, But Better is popular booktuber Christine Riccio, AKA PolandbannansBOOKS on YouTube this is her highly anticipated debut novel.

Summary from Goodreads

Shane has been doing college all wrong. Pre-med, stellar grades, and happy parents…sounds ideal -- but Shane's made zero friends, goes home every weekend, and romance…what’s that?

Her life has been dorm, dining hall, class, repeat. Time's a ticking, and she needs a change -- there's nothing like moving to a new country to really mix things up. Shane signs up for a semester abroad in London. She's going to right all her college mistakes: make friends, pursue boys, and find adventure!

Easier said than done. She is soon faced with the complicated realities of living outside her bubble, and when self-doubt sneaks in, her new life starts to fall apart.

Shane comes to find that, with the right amount of courage and determination one can conquer anything. Throw in some fate and a touch of magic - the possibilities are endless.

Things I Liked:
There honestly wasn't anything that I really liked or enjoyed, specifically about Again, but better.
I liked how the characters had really unique names.
Some of the dialogue was funny and quirky

Things I didn't Like:
Dialogue was super cheesy and basic.
I felt like there was a lot of filler stuff, like really long descriptions or just parts that really weren't necessary. Like the journal entries or the postcards.
In the 32% of the book that I read, which I know isn't a lot, but it was enough for me to see where the book was going. It was really boring and nothing was really happening.
I feel like other than this story being set in London there wasn't anything special or really original about his book that set it apart from other YA contemporary romance out there, to me this was just a very typical ya romance.

Overall
I felt that this book was really over hyped and boring. I was personally really, really excited to read Again, but, Better as I watch a lot of Christine's videos and have been following her writing journey for quite sometime. However, Again, but Better just really wasn't for me. But I can definitely see other people reading this and loving it. Once again HUGE thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Again, but Better comes out May 7!!

I went into this book not knowing anything about the author. I found the cover and description intriguing but was unable to finish the book. It's just... not good. I'd rather not get into my reasons for not liking it because I don't want this to turn into a bash-fest on this first-time author.

My initial struggles with this book were with the writing. This writing put you right in the moment, from the dialogue, to the music playing and the emotions felt in a very dry way. I think it was also hard as Shane (MC) was really struggling to find herself and it was uncomfortable to read.

BUT THEN. Plot twist ! Let's just say now I understand why it was written the way it was written. It still felt frustrating for almost half the book though.

Christine must be a very nostalgic person, because this idea of re-playing things in your head to make it better is very heartfelt. You know she speaks from experience has she pinpoints with exactitude all the feels. It's something I used to do a lot (dwell on the past) so this was kind of a dream story.

I've got one major issue with the book though : the romance ! & Most of the book surrounds it. The characters had a great complicity, but it doesn't change the fact that this guy can be such a jerk/coward. If you're really meant together maybe it shouldn't be THAT HARD.

Also, if I were to change one thing, I'd give more attention to Shane friendship with Babe at the beginning. We're told they're friends, not shown, which makes it a bit hard to believe, until very father on the story when they finally get a bit more quality time together.

To conclude, this isn't my type of book at all but I really wanted to read Christine debut and I'm glad I did. I had a lot of fun (and shoutout to that LOST love).

So the premise of this book - essentially a re-do of an important part of the main character's life once she's a little older and wiser - is something that really appealed to me. I think about the same thing all the time, and reckon a lot of other people could relate. However, the delivery is a bit shaky.

There is so much in this book the appeals to me, personally; the teen aspect, the travel aspect, even the time travel. However, there are so many clichés -- clumsy heroine who wants to become a writer, attractive musician love-interest, overbearing one-dimensional parents, stylish best friend. The characters don't seem to go any deeper than that.

DNF at 10%. I intended to at least get 25% in before DNF’ing, but why force myself when I knew I wouldn’t finish no matter what? This was absolutely painful to read. I love Christine’s book talk videos, and I was hopeful to enjoy her actual book, but it reads like an inexperienced and immature ten year old wrote it. The dialogue is some of the worst I’ve ever read, and from what other reviewers are saying, it doesn’t get any better in the remaining 90%. The cover is pretty, and I’m sure it’ll be an instant bestseller, but this one is not good, guys. It’s straight up bad! But if you end up liking it, I’m glad someone does! 1/5 stars.