Again, But Better

“I’m leaving the country because I have no friends.” So begins the sweet, honest, and utterly relatable debut novel, Again, But Better. While not all of us have jetted off to a foreign country in hopes of traversing our troubles, we’ve definitely all experienced those feelings of being adrift and alone.

Meet Shane, a 20-year-old college student who’s a wiz in the classroom (pre-med, anyone? oof), but lacking in social skills. Her dating life sucks, she has no friends, and instead of partying it up with her classmates, she spends weekends at home with her parents (womp). Taking matters into her own hands, Shane embarks for London with her eyes on a new internship, a smooch or two, and maybe even a sip of alcohol. Naturally, nothing goes as planned. But maybe that’s a good thing??

Readers anticipating this book likely know as much about its author as they do about its synopsis. Christine Riccio is a talented content creator with a fervent YouTube following. She’s also been a fierce advocate for reading since she was a very small human, so it’s extra exciting to welcome her—and her sparkling, inventive debut novel—to the BOTM YA community. But whether you’re reading to keep up with the convo on Twitter, or simply looking for your next favorite romantic comedy, you won’t be disappointed. Again, But Better is a knockout.

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.