Again, but Better
A Novel
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4.3 • 8 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
**INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**
From one of the most followed booktubers today, comes Again, but Better, a story about second chances, discovering yourself, and being brave enough to try again.
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tired of being a friendless, never-been-kissed parent-pleaser, Shane, a premed student, is ready for a change. After telling her parents that she's headed to a premed course, she instead attends a writing program in London. There, she finds the new start and adventures she'd hoped for: she bonds with her roommates; hangs out with Pilot, a cute boy who seems to return her affection; excels in her creative writing class; and finds a more suitable niche for herself as an intern with a travel magazine. Everything comes crashing down, though, when she discovers that Pilot has a girlfriend, and her parents figure out that she's been lying to them. Unable to stand up for herself, she returns home defeated, but six years later, she's given a magical opportunity to redo the past. A slushy mixture of romance and contemporary fantasy, this first novel by a popular booktuber personality succeeds in conveying how an older, wiser Shane is able to make better decisions. Unfortunately, the clich d plot and underdeveloped characters lessen the book's impact. Shane seems younger than her years, and her undying affection for her verbally abusive father strikes an odd note. What rings truest here is the awe she feels when exploring new territory and falling in love for the first time. Ages 12 up.
Customer Reviews
Love at first look
Finished reading Again But Better by Christine Riccio yesterday and loved it. As soon as I read the synopsis I knew this book had potential. I mean it's a cheesy coming of age novel set during college. If your me what's not to like? I loved Shane and the fact that she was anxious and awkward. I loved that she was passionate about reading and writing. I loved that she loved young adult series and books and referenced them a lot. Yes, there was a cute guy that was a big part of the story, but it wasn't just about him. It was about Shane coming into her own. I didn't even mind the fantastical plot twist that I probably should have seen coming earlier. I definitely recommend this book to any fellow lovers of YA books. In hindsight there are similarities to Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, which I also loved and have read twice, or possibly thrice. So it's no surprise that I loved this too. If you haven't read Fangirl I recommend that as well!