It hurts to give this book just two stars but I really can't give more.

I honestly had such high hopes. I love Christine's videos and she seems like such a lovely person herself and I wanted to love her book. I also loved following her journey of writing this book and getting it published. I was excited, though also a little nervous when I started reading but I quickly grew annoyed with this book.

The first thing I noticed was the forced quirkiness in this book which I hated. It didn't feel natural and genuine at all. Most of what the characters did or said was super cringy and it made me so uncomfortable reading it. I also quickly realised that Shane felt like Christine. Not only did she feel like Christine, she WAS Christine and I couldn't unsee that. The whole time I read the book I saw Christine and not Shane. I mean...I get that every author puts something of themselves into their book(s), but here it was just exaggerated. A reader should be able to see the character while reading a book and not the author.

Unfortunately, I was also never really pulled into the book which has a lot to do with the writing style. It just didn't flow the right way and the dialogues made me put the book away because they felt so unnatural. All the pop cultural references also got on my nerves at some point. There were just way too many of them

I think what put me off the most, though, were the one-dimensional characters and how immature they all felt. I know that barely anyone is really mature when they are just 20 but these characters didn't feel like they were 20 at all. They actually all felt like immature children which I hated! I also couldn't connect to them at all. Shane could've been such a relatable character but I was never able to connect to her emotionally and her actions were inexplicable.

To me, the book also felt pretty rushed. Nothing was ever really explored. Instead, Christine rushed through everything. This way the book was definitely very easy and quick to read but the story was also underdeveloped. I wish Christine would've taken more time to explore certain situations. This way she could've showcased some awesome friendships but unfortunately, they also fell flat to me.

I have to say, that I liked Part 2 of the book a little better. It was still rushed, but certain key situations were a little bit more explored like the internship. I also really liked the idea of the novel and the setting. I myself went a year abroad but the experience was a little bit different and my life, unlike Shane's, didn't change from one moment to another like that. I wish Christine would've explored the struggles of going abroad a little bit more.

I definitely had a lot of problems with this book but I didn't end up hating it. There were still quite a few moments that I enjoyed but in general, I felt that the execution of this book was lacking and it could've been so much better. This is definitely a book I won't be reading again.

** spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars
The time travel aspect took me by surprise but the title really makes sense now!
I enjoyed the book but sometimes the drama felt a little too much for me, unfortunately. Still a very enjoyable read though.

I grew up with Christine's videos, her personality and her excitement were truly captured in this story!
I loved it from start to finish and it is definitely going to amaze everyone!

A great idea for a plot with a great message of applying yourself completely to your goals. However, the story itself felt clunky in its execution. It seemed like the story was trying to check certain boxes which made the diversity feel more more like token and not well done diversity which distracted from the overall plot rather than adding to it. Some of this might be chalked up to a debut so if the author publishes another I would give it a chance via a library etc.

Again But Better was a good read, similar feeling and premise as Anna and the French kiss. In the first half the MC has this nervous energy that took some getting used to, but it gets endearing when you do and there's a twist a little over halfway through that I did not see coming but that was amusing. Towards the end there's a wonky bit that didn't feel consistent with the story that far, the focus shifted abruptly, and I got a bit confused. The whole book revolves mostly around one aspect and suddenly she doesn't talk or even think about it at all? I wish I could let something go so completely too! But in the end, the author manages to straighten out the story, I really liked the ending and I definitely enjoyed it as a whole!

WOW. I am obsessed with this book. From the first Harry Potter reference, I knew I was going to love it. Riccio’s writing style and Shane’s voice are absolutely hilarious and there were times when I felt like she was inside my brain. Shane is a totally lovable and entirely relatable character. All of her bookish fandom and pop culture references killed me, and I just loved the way her mind worked. I was rooting for her to come into herself the whole time and I loved watching as she figured out what she truly wanted. As someone who fell in love with London on my own travels, I was so excited to be transported back and was definitely living through Shane’s study abroad experience. Her flatmates were such a great grouping of characters who all had their unique, fun quirks. Babe with her Disney obsession and aspiring actor, Atticus, were my favorites. Then there was Pilot Penn, Shane’s crush. Their dynamic and chemistry were fantastic and while there were moments that he made me mad, I totally understood the conflict. I think my favorite thing about this book was reading their witty, flirtatious banter. There were several swoon-worthy moments that had my stomach all fluttery. The big twist in the middle of the book caught me totally off guard and seeing it play out was so exciting. As you can tell, I just really loved this book and I have very little, if any, negative comments. From the romance to the friendships, to the wanderlust, and finally discovering who you are meant to be, this book knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait to see what Riccio does next.

I have, a lot of feelings about this book. There's a lot of ways to feel about this book and they can be good and they can be bad and truthfully they're a bit of both because I don't love it and I don't hate it either.

It was a good first novel for someone to publish and I'm proud of her putting everything that she had into this piece of work. I haven't watched many of her writing vlogs because I didn't know how much I wanted to know about it before I got into reading it myself but you can tell how much love was in there from the start and there is a lot to respect from that.

Getting into the actual novel though; I think she may have put all of her personality into her Main Character, and projected just a little bit, with factors of naming things the same way that Christine does.. I don't think she gave any of the characters much personality in general, but if she maybe had more time to do drafts and rewrites it would have been a fully developed story where every main character actually has a name. I don't like the fact that one of the most important characters in the book didn't get a name, they just referred to her as 'the red haired lady' and we never found out more about her or what she was and I feel like that should have been an important part of the plot but it wasn't!

I think that, she had a blast writing this book, and I feel like for a first book, contemporary, it's good that she enjoy what she did. I liked the general plot, and the ways that it moved along; it was fast paced and I was able to read it in an entire day when I couldn't sleep and that's a good sign for other readers. Especially when they're huge fans of Christine and everything that she's done with her life..

I'd recommend this to someone if they liked rom-coms and this is a pretty good rom-com, put into a book.

Shane felt like she had done college all wrong, and believed a semester abroad in London would be her second chance at doing college the RIGHT way. All started out well, but things began to fall apart, and ultimately, Shane eschewed her own desires and dreams to follow the path chosen by her parents.

Don't worry folks, this was not where the story ended. In fact, this was where I really became invested in Shane's tale.

I absolutely fell in love with the Shane I met in the second half of the book. She was wiser and making better choices for herself. She became more focused on her dreams, her desires, and her future, and wasn't going to allow herself to get off track, as she had in the past. I loved her determination and her drive, and admired that she learned from her missteps, and made an honest attempt to do it better the second time.

I had a lot of fun with Shane and the gang, and especially loved traveling throughout Europe with them. Riccio included great sites, and did an admirable job taking us along on the trip. The blog posts were a little extra, which I enjoyed and thought helped us get to "see" Shane even clearer.

Other things I enjoyed:

• This was a great entry into YA-goes-to-college. The characters are older (20), but it read YA, and Shane experiences a great deal of growth, as I expect, of any YA protagonist.

• The romance! This romance was up and down, so hold on to your heart. I did adore these two together though, and was hoping it would work out the entire time.

• Do yourself a favor, and beware of spoiler reviews. I had no idea about this BIG thing that happened in this story, and was so pleasantly surprised by it.

• The ending was so, so, so good. My face hurts just thinking about it, because I can't keep the smile off my face.

After an OK start, this book took off for me in the second half, and I am really happy I stuck with it. It was a fun story of following your passion and blazing your own path, which is something I have no problem getting behind.

Like most people around, I used to watch Christine on YouTube and, therefore, got quite curious when seeing that she had a book coming out. I don’t really have an opinion on the fact that BookTubers are getting published, it’s just awesome for them!

When it comes to Again, But Better, I found it just okay. I struggled with the writing at times as it felt a bit underwhelming. However, I can definitely see potential in Christine’s writing and do believe that she’s a good writer, it just felt a bit rushed and meh in this one at times.

Regarding the story, I really liked the concept and the first part but the second part, although interesting, threw me off by its execution; I was confused by some aspects and not fully satisfied by the resolution of it all.

The characters were okay but I found our MC, Shane, to have some strange - almost over the top - reactions to what was happening to her. I did connect with her for certain things though. The romance between Shane and Pilot was cute although fast and confusing sometimes.

All in all, Again, But Better is a nice book with an interesting, enticing concept but the execution left me meh. I’m still looking forward to what Christine comes up with the next time as I think she has talent and potential.

So, that was cute.

You know what to expect from a rom-com. I know you do, because you’ve probably seen Notting Hill multiple times and are weirdly obsessed with love. Or maybe that’s just me... I don’t know, it’s not important, let’s move on. You know to expect the big kiss, the electricity when they touch, the big fall out. But when a rom-com is really good, none of that matters, because at the end of the day it’s just nice to read about people falling in love and being funny. It’s a fact. And I liked reading about Shane falling in love.

Again, but Better just came along at the right time when I needed a solid few hours of reading about somebody else’s problems that were just about big enough for there to actually be a plot. Though it may not be to everybody’s taste, Christine sprinkles in a generous amount of pop culture references (hello, reference to Taylor Swift's All Too Well as being universally able to emotionally wreck people) but also winks to her own youtube channel, which I actually found adorable. It made me want to travel Europe (I live in England! It’s possible! I blame Christine for my future money troubles!) and it made me want shawarma so badly, a feat even the avengers didn’t manage in 2012.

It's a solid debut and I can honestly say I'm excited to see what Christine writes next as she grows as a writer. If Again, but Better can keep me up until 4am, even with problems I had with it (How do all these college students afford multiple trips abroad? Why are they all named like... that?) then I guess I better prepare for another late night when her second book drops. Imagine if you will, me lying in bed having stayed up until the early hours reading this book when I really probably should have been applying for publishing internships, when, to my absolute horror, Shane ALSO started doing things she shouldn’t be doing when she was supposed to be doing publishing internship things. Consider me called out. Imagine me in the dark, blinking slowly as I try to decide between finishing the book like I wanted to and learning this very important life lesson. I finished the book, because of course I did. But I then lovingly crafted a cover letter for an internship, so you see life is all about balance (and shawarma and Taylor Swift songs and books about people falling in love).

Oh my god, this is amazing! I loved that this book focused on College and how to navigate adulthood when you're still young. Such a great debut!

I ended up enjoying this book a lot more than I thought that I would the first third of the book is kind of slow but it’s definitely worth it to keep on reading. This book is also not at all what I expected it to be and would be a perfect summer read especially for those of us who love pop culture references/ book references.

*Thanks to the publisher for accepting my request in exchange of honest review. Full review will be posted in my blog on April 29th :)*

First thing first, I finished the book with the smile on my face and hugging my kindle. I just want them close in my heart. From the first chapters of the book, it’s already intriguing since the story surrounds with a girl, her name is Shane to study premed at college to please her parents and to become a doctor. But she really loves writing, so she travels to London to study creative writing to chase her dreams and conquer her greatest fears on making friends and finding love! I can’t tell more because I don’t want to spoil it! SORRY!

This is what I really can say about the book. It’s absolute greatness! I’m such a great fan of YA Contemporary / Romance reads like this because it gives me this happy ending that I’ll forever to remember. Also I love the characters already from the start. Shane is a reader and a blogger, I quickly connect my life to her life easily. I love her bravery going to abroad with no connections and she survives! Her friends – Babe, Sahra, Pilot, Atticus – gosh! Such great friends that surrounds her! There really great in helping each other out, the bond they make, it’s really unforgettable! I seriously want to hug them in real life – if they’re real! The books and TV series that are mention in this book have this great impact to the story as well. I didn’t see those coming in this book at all, a great surprise indeed. For romance and love things, I love every bits of it. Like I wish I could just highlight the whole book because of the chessy line that put in this book. I got the chills in my spin and roller coaster emotions of this romantic story. I sometimes caught myself saying “Ohhhhh” and “Ahhh” and smiling and crying and giggling at public places. I just can’t forget any of it.

From the first page of this book, I knew I was going to love it.

First, let's start off with the writing- It reads so much like Christine that you know it's her right off the bat. It was a little eery how similar the quirks in the writing are to Christine's personality in real life. Her voice is so strong and unique, and it really sets her apart.

Christine also uses a variety of allusions to popular tv shows, books, songs, etc. in this book which made me feel super nostalgic. There were, at times, a few too many pop culture references that sort of distracted me from the story, but the majority of them made me smile.

As far as characters, I really loved them. They all felt so different and distinct. The cast was diverse (racial and sexual orientation), and they felt so relatable. The dialogue between them was incredibly real. I truly felt like I was amongst my own group friends when reading this.

Shane is a character I could relate so much to with her clumsiness, socially awkward tendencies, and passion for writing. When I was reading this, I really saw myself for a variety of reasons, and I’ve never felt so understood in a book before. I fell in love with her character, and I wanted to continue to read about her life. She's a blogger (what a coincidence), her parents have very high expectations for her (could this be more relatable?), and she travels abroad to London (the number one place to visit on my bucket list).

When the book was over, I was genuinely so sad to leave her and the rest of this cast.

Pilot was a little bland at first- your typical YA love interest. There were a few times where I really wanted to slap him/shake him/push him down some stairs, but by the end, I loved him. He was just adorable, okay?

As far as the rest of the characters, I really did enjoy them all. I loved Babe and Atticus and Sahra. Chad I could do without, but his character was done really well, too.

There is so much to say about the plot that I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’ll begin by saying that it was very well developed and had so many elements to it. It began as a very common contemporary novel, which is exactly what I expected. But then things changed completely.

The novel is broken up into two parts- 2011 and 2017.

The first half follows Shane as she goes to London for a semester to travel abroad. The book really tells the story of her finding her true passion but having to deal with the consequences of lying to her parents about it, falling in love, traveling for the first time, and making new friends/experiences. These are all things that I love seeing in a book, but seeing them together? The book was honestly made for me.

It definitely dragged on at a few times, and the story was beginning to get a bit boring.

The second half was the complete opposite of what you would expect, though. I did not see the plot twist coming at all; it completely caught me off guard.

I’m not going to say much more because I don’t want to spoil it. This book was, however, again, but better.

I do want to mention, though, that there is cheating in this book- at first it’s only emotional, but eventually there is one kiss. While this is a downside, it did not deter me completely. It is up to you to decide if you want to proceed knowing this.

Romance, travel, finding yourself, and a hint of magic- this book really has it all, and does it well. Could not recommend it enough.

And as Christine’s debut novel, I think it lived up to its standards. She is only going to grow as a writer from here, and I can not wait to see what else she puts out into the world!

(to be posted on www.jessicacwrites.com on 4.25.19)

***Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review***

You know, it’s crazy how much a book can resonate with you. Appearance wise, a book is simply a collection of words typed upon pages of paper. But, books are so much more than that. Books have the ability to mold themselves into just what the reader needs at that moment. For me, this book was Again, but Better. I wasn’t expecting to connect with this book on such a deep level nor did I expect to love it as much as I did.

Before I started reading this book, I saw a ton of mixed reviews which, I won’t lie, made me leery. I went into this book expecting to give it 3 stars; I thought I would enjoy it but not connect with it. Boy, was I wrong.

Again, but Better is not only a phenomenal debut but an incredibly easy read. This book sneaks up behind you to firmly take hold of your feelings along with your attention until the very last page.

At first glance, this book appears to be about first love. Friends, it is so much more than that. This story is about finding yourself, facing your fears, and choosing the uncertain path over the safe one. It’s about being true to yourself along with your hopes and dreams. Again, but Better is about finding your voice.

Shane is a 20-year-old college student studying pre-med. However, she isn't studying it for herself; her parents forced it upon her. They believe medical school is the best career path for Shane because it will provide her with a stable job. Not only is Shane not passionate about science or medicine, but studying has also taken over her whole entire life. She has no friends, no fun college experiences. This leads her to study abroad in London for a semester. Shane hopes that this time abroad will allow her to accomplish everything she should have the past two years in college. And maybe just maybe, it will help her conquer her fears.

For me, this book hit home. I’m a 21-year-old college student who isn’t 100% certain on my career path. This book made me question myself: what do I want? Who do I want to be? What are my goals?

In conclusion, I recommend everyone give this book a try. It surprised me so it might just surprise you too. Again but Better never failed to make me smile, laugh, cry, cringe, and groan in annoyance. I felt every emotion while reading this book which is the true test of any book.

Again, but Better by Christine Riccio is a YA Contemporary/Romance which I received as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from @NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

SYNOPSIS | Shane is a 19 year old American girl studying premed at college, more to please her family than because she is passionate about becoming a doctor. Her true passion is actually writing and she decides to do a study abroad semester in London focusing on creative writing. For Shane, this is the perfect opportunity for a do-over. A chance to reinvent herself, to make new friends and most importantly, to see whether writing is something that she wants to try and do as a career.

MY THOUGHTS | I started reading this before I went to bed and the next thing I know I have finished the book and it is 5am in the morning! Simply put, I flipping loved this. I immediately pre-ordered a signed hardback edition from Barnes & Nobles and I looked up her book tour dates to see if she is coming to Pennsylvania (she is!). As I am originally from England (but moved to America five years ago for a work opportunity) I thoroughly enjoyed the nod to the different cultures (e.g. the references to the US packaging pasta in boxes whereas in the UK pasta is packaged in bags). There was a few moments where I was genuinely chuckling out loud and I was so invested in Shane and Pilot's relationship. Would I recommend this to everyone I know... lamppost (that will make sense if you read the book!).

As always, I was drawn to the pretty cover of this book instantly before reading the synopsis. I don’t even know what it is but I think it’s a very simple and attractive book cover!

First things first, I loved how the book was mostly based in London. Let’s face it, there’s not that many books out there, particularly in YA fic that evolve around London. So reading a first timer’s perspective of London was quite refreshing. Then there was the travelling part which I loved a lot. It did remind me of ‘The Geography of Me and You’ with all the places that Shane goes to. I love to explore and travel so this was right up my street. Another thing I liked were the surprises. Admittedly at first, I wasn’t so into this book. It was very cliché and Shane came across as kind of annoying which was quite off putting. I didn’t think it was going to pick up. But actually there were a few parts where it did take me by surprise and I didn’t see the plot twists coming! But I’m not too sure how I feel about this book. There was a lot going on during the entire plot where I did get confused at times and I felt the ending could have been explored a bit more. There were so many characters but we never saw what happen to most of them at the end!

Overall, ‘Again, but Better’ was a good book. It didn’t really excite me but it was a nice different read!

I think this book would appeal to young adults - with the exception of so many 2000s references. They won’t understand the Lost references and some of the other pop culture references. As far as the story goes, it is light, fun and cute. Teens could relate with the character as she navigates through early adulthood.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for letting me read this arc!! I had high expectations going into this book. But I don’t have any words for how much I love this book. This book blew my expectations out of the water. The start of this book was really good but I wasn’t in love with this book yet. What pushed this book over the edge for me was the last half of this book. Not only did it take me by surprise but it was so awesome. I won’t spoil this book but holy shit. Something else I really loved about this book though because I’ve watched Christine’s videos so much I feel like I know her. So when she mentioned her laptop was called sawyer and her favourite show was lost I was like wait a second. I just loved seeing little bits of Christine in the book if that makes sense.

I love Shane and Pilot. I really do. I wasn’t big on Shane at first but as the book went on not only did she grow as a character but my love grow for her. She toke control of her life and I loved watching her do that!! I also just loved the romance so much. This is the first time in a while I’ve read a contemporary and really rooted for the couple to be together!!

Overall you guys need to read this book when it comes out in May! I absolutely loved it and I will definitely be supporting Christine and going out and buying a copy!! This book is definitely worth all the hype!!!

In many ways Again, But Better took me back to being curled up in bed with Stephanie Perkin’s Anna and the French Kiss, one of my favourite romantic contemporaries. Both books have a European/travelling vibe (which always excites me), explore a path of self-confidence and are centred around an adorable and frustrating romantic story line that’s completely addictive. I found myself rapt up in Shane’s story in Again, But Better from the first page as she travelled from New York to London to complete a university semester abroad, a chance she took to chase the dreams her parents have pulled her away from her whole life. When her own self-doubt gets in the way of her fulfilling her goals (writing, making friends and finding romance), a little magic is what she needs to find her true path and happiness.

When I read the summary for this novel, I wasn’t expecting the story to be quite the romantic comedy it is. There is nothing at all wrong with that, as Shane’s romance with The Guy She Likes was definitely the element of the book that made me keep reading way past my bedtime. The romance was adorable, funny and angsty in all the right ways and I absolutely loved it. Which was really a pleasant surprise, as I thought the book was going to focus more on Shane’s independent journey as she finds confidence in herself and her dream of becoming a writer. Christine Riccio does handle that side of the narrative well and in doing so, she showed me a side of Shane I could relate to in my own experiences at university, struggling to make friends and to keep on track with my writing goals and interests. Shane was a very likeable character that many readers will relate to and while I enjoyed seeing the outcome of her own personal journey, her relationship with The Guy She Likes and the way she was truly herself with him was the highlight of the book for me.

At times, I felt the writing style could’ve done with a bit more attention. The pace sometimes felt rushed and Shane’s monologues sometimes felt too simplistic or meandering. Still, Christine Riccio certainly got her characters right, whether they had small or large roles in the plot, and her inclusion of so many references about Europe and pop culture made me happy. There was a certain touch to her storytelling that felt real to me and, for lack of a better way to describe it, made me feel cosy and warm inside. Even when I wasn’t so sure about the inclusion of magic (which was the type of thing that made me think of Suddenly 30 or something similar), I was completely engrossed in the story the whole time and hoped so much that Shane would finally find her true version of happiness.