Again, but Better

Book Name

Again, but Better

Author

Christine Riccio

Book Description

Shane Primaveri is on her way to becoming a stellar doctor. She’s premed, has terrific grades, and proud parents. However, the side effects of all this are less positive. She has no friends, goes home every weekend, and romance laughs at how nonexistent it is in her life. Her life seems to have been the same schedule on repeat, and she’s fed up. So, she decides to mix it up and take a creative writing course abroad in London. However, it’s not as easy as it seems. Her parents believe that she’s taking a pre-med course, and she is forced to lie to them every time they talk. Her attempts at seducing a boy (a hot boy) don’t seem to be going all that well. And since she’s been an introvert her entire life, it’s difficult for her to come out of her bubble and open up to the world. On top of all this, disaster strikes towards the end of her course.  A disaster so bad that it changes her life forever, and Shane is miserable. However, what would she do if she were given the chance to start over? Find out how Shane perseveres through her difficult journey, and how everything turns out in the book!

Age Rating

15+

This book is for mature readers. It contains bad language, and the romance is descriptive. There are fights between a family, which can put off some readers. On a more positive side, there are talks about career and life which younger children may not understand. The characters often go to bars and clubs and have alcoholic drinks. One of the characters is gay, and that idea may not have been introduced to younger kids yet.

Good Messages

8/10

This book contains a lot of good messages. Readers learn about the importance of friendship through Shane and her friend Babe’s camaraderie. The message of opening up to new experiences is learned through Shane going to new places such as Paris and Rome and trying new foods and drinks. Readers also learn about the importance of family through the unhappy relationship Shane has with her parents. Readers learn what not to do while trying to have a good family relationship. (There are more messages but it would take me a long time to get through all of them ;))

Violence

3/10

There isn’t any blood or goriness in the book, just some things crashing and breaking. Shane’s chair always falls when she gets up and it makes a loud crashing noise. Glasses and phones are smashed and broken at some points in the book.

Language

Severity: 5/5

There are harsh words in this book. The words used go all the way up to the ‘f-word’, along with ‘b**ch’, ‘sh*t’, ‘a**hole’, and ‘crap’.

Usage: 2/5 

The words are not used as often in the book, only a few times here and there during tense and angry moments.

Romance

8/10

Shane thinks that Pilot (one of the characters) is very hot, and tries to advance her relationship with him towards something more than friends. There is a lot of kissing, and the characters have girlfriends/boyfriends. At one point in the book, one of the characters (not going to spoil who :o) gets engaged as well.

Adult Topics

There are some adult topics in this book. One scene involves Shane and Pilot (one of the characters) getting very intimate with each other, and the author provides a description of what occurs during that close moment. There is also a clear hint towards the fact that Shane and Pilot have sex towards the end of that scene in the book. Shane is approached by a drunk man and is almost forcefully kissed by him.

Tvix’s Take

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK. It’s probably on my own top 30 list. This book is so perfect for teenagers because it captures everything we feel at this time; confusion about careers, confusion about relationships, confusion about friendships. Every time Shane had moments with Pilot, I screamed instructions at her. Every time Shane’s parents forced her to do medical things, I fumed at how controlling they were. Every time Shane and her friends visited a new place, I cried because I’m too broke to go visit those places on my own :(. Oh well, maybe when I get older. ANYWAYS, I could relate to this book so much, and that’s why I loved it so much. I would absolutely suggest this book for any teenager. Also, would anybody like to be my ‘babe’ and come to London with me? (quick hint to something in the book ;))