AGAIN, BUT BETTER by Christine Riccio (PolandbananasBOOKS) // A Rare Book Review # 2

Note: Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me an ARC review copy of Again, But Better. 

I finished this book two days ago (two nights ago, actually) and I’m still trying to figure out how to say what I want to say without sounding mean or nasty. Like people actually want this book to fail because it’s made by a successful booktuber/internet personality, and we know her and love her so much. I for one have been following Christine’s youtube career since it’s inception in 2010, and haven’t stopped since. When she first announced that she was writing her debut novel, I followed pretty much every Writing Video because not only did I believe that she had (has) the talents to transition into publishing novels, but also she has such a passion for books and reading that I don’t see from anywhere else.

Granted, the writing isn’t piss-poor, but the incessant amount of pop culture references (specifically 2011 pop-culture references), started to drive me crazy. Also, the amount of song lyrics…. Christine couldn’t have described the song without having the characters obnoxiously scream them into the abyss?! Additionally, I didn’t feel the environment in which London took place; I didn’t feel like we were in London, but merely watching snippets of the city and other cities Shane and her friends visited. I didn’t feel immersed in imagery, similes, metaphors. This book could have taken place in New Jersey (where Christine is from, and also where I’m from!), and it wouldn’t have been any different. But at the same time, I knew walking into this book that the writing wasn’t going to be of the essence of The Great American Novel. Most debuts don’t have that kind of luck, except if you’ve been working on the same book for 5-6 years, developing your craft hardcore.

Ok so on to the characters. I’d already spoke on Shane, so I’ll go on to the others. There’s Pilot, her love interest; and her roomates Babe, Sahra, and Atticus. There is also Pilot’s roomate Chad. These people (with the exception of Pilot) were pretty forgettable. I liked Babe, but I didn’t know her enough as a character to root for her, either. There is a little more information about her in Part 2 2017, but it’s still not enough. Sahra is invisible; and Atticus is the drama major who is mostly too busy with his own life to join in on the adventures they had. Not much else I can say about them, I’m afraid. But they weren’t bad or awful, by anymeans. With the exception of Chad; because there was a moment between him, Shane and Babe that was so rude and awful.

Pilot. What can I say about our dear, ol’ Pilot Penn?

Pilot ain’t shit.

He’d started out as a nice, cute, funny, kind of sweet guy that Shane had a crush on. But it could only stay as a crush because he had a girlfriend back home. However, he didn’t even let the group of friends know himself; I think Atticus (or was it Chad?) who let it known about Amy, Pilot’s girlfriend. And while I’m not okay with what is now known as emotional cheating, I didn’t hate Shane like everyone else did. She was being called a homewrecker/whore/boyfriend-stealer by other reviewers, and I didn’t see it. I still don’t see it; Pilot was the one with the girlfriend. Not Shane. Pilot was the one who kept leading her on and practically kept dodging everyone’s questions about Amy, until Part 2 2017. So if anyone should be mad at anyone, it’s Pilot. Additionally, Pilot showcased more of his ain’t-shit-ness in Part 2. He’d gotten a bit better at the end, but by that time, I was already so done with him and knew how the story would end. I imagine that if this story continued in 2018-2019, Shane and Pilot would have been broken up again. Because I did not see the character development between the 6-year time jump. Shane and Amy deserve better than this manipulative, singer-songwriter, one-time Youtube sensation.

Also, in Part 2, there was another moment between Shane and her cousin Leo, who was a closeted gay person. She helped him and was there for him during his own breakup and homophobic father. Even though it was through Facebook chat, I felt their connection, and I thought that was really sweet of Shane to help him.

I could go on and on about this book, but I need to let my fingers rest with all of this typing! All in all, this wasn’t terrible, but it just wasn’t very good. It was just….ok.

To tell you the truth, if Christine were to write a second book (or even do this one Again, but better!) I’d read it because I do think she has a talent and a way with words. Her words just need extra cleanup and way less pop-culture references. 

Have you read Again, But Better? What are your thoughts on the book and Christine’s debut as an author? Comment below!