Again, but better by Christine Riccio (book review)
Dear reader,
today I will be reviewing my new favourite book of 2019 thus far; Again, but better. Straight off the bat, I fricken loved it. I actually think I liked it more than Carry on which is like woah for me. I loved it for so many different reasons, which I will list below in a very unorganised manner, enjoy.
PS: If you're looking for constructive criticism you will not find it here. I loved the book too much that any minor issues were completely discarded.
PPS: If you want to read this book in the best way, I would say pull an all-nighter and just binge read. I did this, it was great.
Okay, let's begin.
So, to start you need to know that I already love Christine, I've been watching her youtube channel for like 6 years and anticipating this book since it was first mentioned. And I was not disappointed. I think the thing I loved most about this book is that the characters were so authentic. Like, when a 40-year-old writes a book about a teen it's good but it feels ever so slightly off. But with Shane and Pilot, the characters were written by someone around their age so they felt even more real. I also saw Christine shine through in her writing. With her book references and fangirl experiences. That was amazing, It's like when a singers accent comes off when they sing, you know it's them when they speak.
I love love loveee the writing style so much, it's just so Christine! When I figured out the chapters where all 2000s songs I squealed because that's just soooo cool. Every time I recognised the song I played it as I read the chapter, which was such a unique and different experience. However, in chapter 7 I knew that we where gonna find out Pilot had a girlfriend and chapter 7 (part two) I knew they were gonna kiss because I know the song. I didn't mind being chapter spoiled but I think some people may have?? I personally don't think it's a big deal.
I also have to praise Christine again because she knows how to skip the boring bits. For example, when we first started the year again I was so excited by the plot twist but at the same time I was like:
'Oh does this mean we have to go through the whole thing again?' But I was never bored.
Okay so now I'm just gonna go through some bits I loved that I tagged in the book (chronologically).
On page 56 I really started getting into it, before them I didn't really know if it was gonna be really slow.
On page 61 they started Shwednesdays which was so cute! I wanna do shewednesdays now, how have I never heard of it before this? I live in London and never knew about Shawarma before this!
On page 66 I was really proud of Shane agreeing to do all this stuff out of her comfort zone, she was so inspiring!
On page 67, there was this line where Shane says: Maybe I can convert her to constant reader-hood? which is just me to all my friends in a nutshell 😂.
Oh and on page 72 when she's upset but snorts at pilots because he said 'I volunteer' and she thought of the hunger games my love for Shane tripled cause I thought the exact same thought.
On page 82 I feel in love with Pilot cause he just cracks me up 24/7. Him and Shanes Banta is so jokes. 😂 I really liked that about those two, you could tell their conversation was effortless and they just worked. Which is obviously because of the author.
On page 103 I wrote a margin note saying, and I quote: 'I bet she's important.' about the red-haired spirit guide and I was right! Hahahahaahahaha! Screw you, Heather Dukes, telling me I'm terrible at guessing the importance of plot points.
I really liked on Page 137 when Shane has her first proper kiss and its a bit shit because she's trying to say(I think) first kisses aren't always perfect or like they are in the movies, which is so true and more young girls need to hear it!
On page 61 they started Shwednesdays which was so cute! I wanna do shewednesdays now, how have I never heard of it before this? I live in London and never knew about Shawarma before this!
On page 66 I was really proud of Shane agreeing to do all this stuff out of her comfort zone, she was so inspiring!
On page 67, there was this line where Shane says: Maybe I can convert her to constant reader-hood? which is just me to all my friends in a nutshell 😂.
Oh and on page 72 when she's upset but snorts at pilots because he said 'I volunteer' and she thought of the hunger games my love for Shane tripled cause I thought the exact same thought.
On page 82 I feel in love with Pilot cause he just cracks me up 24/7. Him and Shanes Banta is so jokes. 😂 I really liked that about those two, you could tell their conversation was effortless and they just worked. Which is obviously because of the author.
On page 103 I wrote a margin note saying, and I quote: 'I bet she's important.' about the red-haired spirit guide and I was right! Hahahahaahahaha! Screw you, Heather Dukes, telling me I'm terrible at guessing the importance of plot points.
I really liked on Page 137 when Shane has her first proper kiss and its a bit shit because she's trying to say(I think) first kisses aren't always perfect or like they are in the movies, which is so true and more young girls need to hear it!
Page 171: Shanes feeling a bit shit about everything. I thought this bit was written really well because I also felt sad while reading it. Then we move to 2017 which I really liked it gave me big The notebook vibes.
On page 204 I low key thought they were gonna get it on in the elevator but instead, we turned back in time, which was brilliant and I totally didn't expect it. (Shut up Heather.) It gave me huge sliding doors vibes. I liked that Pilot and Shane didn't just except they'd gone back in time and that they freaked out because that's more realistic than just,
On page 204 I low key thought they were gonna get it on in the elevator but instead, we turned back in time, which was brilliant and I totally didn't expect it. (Shut up Heather.) It gave me huge sliding doors vibes. I liked that Pilot and Shane didn't just except they'd gone back in time and that they freaked out because that's more realistic than just,
Oh, we went back in time?
Cool, let's make out!
Cool, let's make out!
I thought the metaphor on page 260 about the princess and the pea was really great. And OMG the opposite game on page 275 was the most adorable thing in the world over then page 373. You know, you know.
Page 276, that move oh my god, I giggled for like 10 minutes.
That was cute but on page 282 where they talk about Lost, I wanted to cry with happiness. Then they mentioned TFIOS and lamppost was born and I actually started crying. Happy tears, I promise!
Then they break up.
'I'm sorry, what!?' where my exact words.
I mean, I got it but I was still devastated. Slowly but surely Shane starts to pick up the pieces of her life and I'm just sitting there at 5.54 in the morning like a proud mama bear. You go Shaney! Oh, and when he almost comes to talk to her about her article, that was so cute.
Then we got to my favourite bit of the whole book. Chapter 27. Marching on. It was 6 am by then and I was just sobbing hysterically as Pilot played a Taylor Swift mash-up for Shane. That was the best thing in the whole world. Then we skip forward and we get the best proposal of YA history other than Isla and the happily ever after. Let's just say I've still got butterflies.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars. (First 5/5 on this blog.)
love
x
(Hi Christine, if you're there. I don't know how your gonna top this book. But I can not wait to see you climb. Your so inspiring. Just know I will lamppost be front in line to get your books. I had trouble trying to work lamppost into a sentence there, sorry if that was cringy. Love you!
xx)
That was cute but on page 282 where they talk about Lost, I wanted to cry with happiness. Then they mentioned TFIOS and lamppost was born and I actually started crying. Happy tears, I promise!
Then they break up.
'I'm sorry, what!?' where my exact words.
I mean, I got it but I was still devastated. Slowly but surely Shane starts to pick up the pieces of her life and I'm just sitting there at 5.54 in the morning like a proud mama bear. You go Shaney! Oh, and when he almost comes to talk to her about her article, that was so cute.
Then we got to my favourite bit of the whole book. Chapter 27. Marching on. It was 6 am by then and I was just sobbing hysterically as Pilot played a Taylor Swift mash-up for Shane. That was the best thing in the whole world. Then we skip forward and we get the best proposal of YA history other than Isla and the happily ever after. Let's just say I've still got butterflies.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars. (First 5/5 on this blog.)
love
x
(Hi Christine, if you're there. I don't know how your gonna top this book. But I can not wait to see you climb. Your so inspiring. Just know I will lamppost be front in line to get your books. I had trouble trying to work lamppost into a sentence there, sorry if that was cringy. Love you!
xx)
