When you started crying giving that beautiful speech I too started crying. I feel everything you felt. Thank you for giving many of us a voice and for being you.
As a 19 year old now who just switched from nursing to English, this is a book I needed. I don't get to read about people my age often anymore, so it was nice to read about someone my age going through the same problems of being an adult but being a child still. thank you.
There are not enough books about being in college or even right after college, so many books are either in high school or they are full adults. As someone who is 24, since I went into college and graduated I feel like there has been this huge gap where nothing is really about THIS time in my life. Everything (maybe because this time sucks, but I would still like to read about it). Books, movies, tv shows, it all seems like everyone skips over your early 20s
@@hotjanuary I do read a lot of new adult books too, but I find there really are not too many of them either. Its also kind of hard to search for them, like if you search "new adult" I find that you get a lot of adult books that are NEW not "new adult".
Christine tearing up really hit hard as someone who has been watching her for seven years. Again, But Better really resonated with me because I read it during the time that I decided to switch career paths. I was originally set to be an ADED English teacher in the US, but switched over to Teaching English as a Foreign Language with the intent of living and working abroad. The prospect of choosing a career that moved me out of my native country, especially to one that speaks a different language, was absolutely terrifying to me. To read a story about someone going through the same things that I was, it was really the best kind of reassurance that I could have gotten. I didn't want to be miserable pre-time loop Shane, and this book helped confirm my beliefs that you have to go after the things that will make you happy. Thank you, Christine.
“It feels young”. I have never felt more related to a book than this. I also went to college way behind my friends in experience and is terrifying to hear everyone talking of stuff you’ve never seen or done, and just pretend that you have cuz shame can tale you to other things that you may not be ready for... Not everyone is the same, and we all have different timing for the things we’ll do in life. Every new experience is SO exciting no matter the age. I had my first and only boyfriend at 18 and it didn’t last long just a couple months and now I am 25 and it still hits me like a teen when I like a guy and he sits next to me. The “young” is the feeling, not the person, and that’s ok.
I'm in my teens, and I always feel like the protagonists in YA books seem to be doing so much more with their lives than I've ever seen people around me doing. All of the books with 16-year-olds going on adventures that change their lives makes me feel so young even though I might even be older than them. It was so great reading about someone who is in college in a setting that seems so plausible. Like I don't think that my high school experience is anything like most books about high school, but what happens to Shane seems so real.
I'M COMMENTING SO MUCH BUT I CAN'T GET OVER THE SHEER AMOUNT OF IMPORTANT THINGS SAID HERE?? MY BRAIN IS EXPLODING THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE VIDEO THANK U QUEEN
Thank you so much for addressing the age thing. I’m so similar to Shane with the never having a romantic relationship at 20 (in five days) with insecurity about it. There’s no characters in early 20’s
omg christine when you got emotional over us meeting you i remembered the times we've met (i went to bookcon 2017 & 2018 and the harry potter house competition at comic con in 2017) and felt so soft because you were always so lovely and i was so happy to talk to you and i remember after comic con my mom pointed out that you remembered me which made me so happy because you met so many people at bookcon and i'm sure there were events in between when you met other viewers yet you remembered me because you're just such a wonderful human also i love how much of yourself you put into shane, it helped me connect to her more and feel closer to you and i also love it when people put a lot of themselves into their art, i love it when stuff is personal so despite the sexist bullshit i hope you remember there's NOTHING wrong with making characters like you P.S. i can't believe its been a year since ABB went out into the world! i've been here since you started chronicling the journey of writing the book and i remember being so excited for when the day would come when i could read it, and how i enjoyed the book so much. i'm overdue for a reread, because it was some wonderfully fluffy stuff (which i feel like we could all use rn) sorry for such a long comment anyway love you & i'm v proud of you
You captured what it’s like to live through your first few years of college so well. And when I read the book I was going through an awkward internship too lol. I felt very seen in that sense.
I'm 20 now and never been anywhere near a relationship or found anyone in university I've even liked so I extremely appreciate the age choice of this book and that it isn't a 16 year old finding the love of her life ect... not that those books aren't valid. I've also signed up to do study abroad and I'm so terrified but excited I don't even speak the language haha but I will jump
When I was reading ABB and I found something that reminded me so much of Christine I was so happy!!! I was like "oh this is SO her" that's part of the reason I loved it so much because it felt like a real person the fact that people are angry about that makes me so sad
Again, but Better came out at the perfect time for me, right when I was finishing my first year of college. I was lucky to have had an amazing roommate who is still one of my best friends, but what I realized once I moved out of the dorms was that I was still hiding, just hiding with a friend. Freshman year I joined a club where we read submissions for an undergraduate literary magazine, which was a big deal for me in terms of putting myself out there, and it was really hard to see that even though I put myself out there I was not finding my people and still felt very alone. After that hit, I was very reserved sophomore year, especially since I didn't live with my friend anymore, and I just kept feeling like I didn't deserve to apply for all these internships because there must be someone out there better than me to fill them. In the spring, I finally took a leap and applied for an internship at a publishing press....which was then cancelled because of coronavirus!!! Which was another huge blow to my ability to try!! But when I came back to my parent's house after my university moved online due to the virus, I decided to reread Again but Better and it helped me so much to remember that just because I'm scared of trying things doesn't mean I can't try them or don't deserve to want them. I also recently just found out that I'm going to graduate a year earlier than expected, which came as a bit of a shock and I felt like I'd wasted my college experience not doing enough for myself. But with seeing what Shane went through, I know I can keep going and it is never too late to keep going after the things I want. Finally, I just want to say Christine, when you were tearing up about the people who lived in books because they didn't think they could have their own adventures, I just want you to know that you were the person who made me feel less alone about that stuff for all these years. I've been watching you since middle school and your enthusiasm made me feel like it was okay to love books and art and that it's okay to want to create my own. Thank you so much. I can't wait to read your second book. WOW THIS WAS LONG SORRY
I just have to say: thank you so much for writing a character like Shane. I am currently a freshman in college and feeling just like she did. Shane is the first character I've ever read that I have seen myself so strongly in. It's so comforting knowing I am not the only person who's having that fabulous college experience right on the first go ❤
“You can do more than what you think you can do” I resonate with this so much!!!!! My first of college went by fine, but the second I was so so so so lonely. I had not fiends in college and my high school friends that I’m still in contact with were making their own friends and groups in their colleges and I just wasn’t. I am in a major that I love but at the time I was regretting every decision I had ever made. I kept thinking I should’ve studied something else, I should’ve gone to a different college, or that I should’ve have gone to the same college as my friend. I didn’t really know anyone that was in the same major as me. The following year I kinda decided I would attend orientation for this organization on campus that’s specific to my major. It was a random decision but I had nothing to do that night so I just went. That one night CHANGED MY ENTIRE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. I realized that so many of these people were in my classes. It’s how I met the friend group I have today. It truly is all about taking that big step and although it may seem scary it can be so rewarding. I was terrified of talking to people too. Too scared that I would come off as weird. But when you find the right people, you feel at home and a lot less afraid of everything. College is so intimidating but it doesn’t have to be.
That whole discussion about being in college and never experiencing romantic moments with someone you are interested in is INCREDIBLY REAL to me. I’m 20 and a junior in college and I’ve never felt that. The insecurities that attack you because of it are crazy, but then I remember that 20 is still incredibly young and that I have time to find “my person”. It’s just a hard pill to swallow when everyone around you has had that experience. You begin to blame yourself for no reason. Really appreciated the in depth response to that.
When she started crying I started crying too. So many people were mean about the comparisons to her and Shane 💖 I love you Christine. You've changed so many readers and writers lives. I'm sorry for all the harsh judgement.
Hey Christine, I just wanted to say that I loved your book. When I was reading it last year. I was at the hospital with my grandad. He had a heart surgery and the recovery wasn’t going very well. When I think about that time I realized that your book and other books really got my mind of it. I just started reading last year and found your channel. It’s funny I found your channel on the day your book came out. Your probably not going to see this but Thank you for making videos they really make my day.😀. Btw my grandad is healthy now 👍🏽
'Lampost' humour is best humour. EDIT: Loved your novel, Christine. Really, though, your talent with words was already plainly evident from your video about Hurricane Sandy . So glad you're getting published, now, and I'm looking forward to your next novel. Happy book-iversary! : )
This is really relatable to me, for so so long throughout my school years (i'm now a high school seniors) I never really knew what I wanted to major in, I thought maybe english, but almost by default? And I thought being a teacher might be an ok career. But then I found out that you can major in musical theatre (my passion) and now I csnt wait for college i'm so excited!
I'm still unbelievably proud of you, Christine. Both the book AND this video made me cry because before Again, But Better, I felt like I had no one who really understood me. I see so much of myself in Shane and I just want to say thank you for that :)
After coming out of a two year reading slump, I’ve finally gotten around to reading this book, and I’m so glad I did. It’s not that often I read books about characters around my age who are just trying to figure their life out. I’m so used to reading about teenagers who have these special powers or abilities, so once I finally read your book it was so refreshing to read about a character who I could relate to more. After finishing this book, I feel inspired to take more risks and really reach for my goals in life. Thank you Christine for making this book. I loved it so much and didn’t know how much I needed a book like this in my life ♥️
Oh my goodness Christine, this video brought me to tears. I don't even know how to put into words how much you, your videos, and ABB has meant to me. You've guided me through my entire young adult life. I took all of your advice and wisdom with me to college and it paid off. I met my best friend and turned her into a TV / book loving human. I wasn't ashamed of the things I liked, and it allowed me to meet people who thought I was interesting and passionate! I also reached out and joined organizations, events, and applied for opportunities. I'm a student ambassador on my campus now! Thank you for writing a book that represents us, the readers. I am giving you so many virtual hugs. I really hope I get the chance to tell you eventually the even bigger impact you have had on my life. I'm sure you have some idea, you've known me since I was 12, but there's so much I have to thank you for that I haven't had a chance to tell you yet in person as a bit of an older human being. Hopefully I'll be able to one day. I hope you're doing well during this time and I can't wait to read the next book!
Thank you for addressing the whole "the main character is just a self insert" criticism. I've seen people say that in a few places when talking about your book and I never understood why that is a bad thing. I loved reading the book and seeing bits of you in it, it made it so much more personal and real. Like you said, this is how art gets made! People create stuff that related to issues they've gone through. You would never hear someone make the same criticism about Looking for Alaska even though that story mirrors John Greens life and personality at that time in his life FAR more than this mirrors yours, and again that was his debut book and it means a lot to him as it should. As this book should mean a lot to you. Thank you for all that you do!
On the subject of you being/being like Shane -- ABB is unmistakably your voice and reading it was like watching one of your videos. And I think that's a testament to just how great it is. It's like when you hear Adele on the radio and you don't know the song but you know its Adele because there's just no possible way for it to be anyone else. Shane may be all of us book nerds, but you gave her a voice -- thanks for that haha
Reading ABB was how I discovered Christine and her videos, and I'm so glad I did. Shane and Christine both remind me so much of myself, and I have never read about a character that was more like me than Shane. Watching how Shane grows throughout the story helped me realize that I can do the same. I am so thankful that ABB did this for me, and I can't thank you enough, Christine, for your amazing speeches in this video and for writing a book that makes me more courageous and speaks more to my soul than any other book I have ever read before. ABB will always have a special place in my heart ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for fighting for all of us with this book!! Thank you for pushing back on the publishing industry when they said 20 was too old for YA because it's NOT. After watching the videos of you creating this story, actually reading it was so amazing. Knowing you as well as I can from the internet did make reading the book more special. I felt like I was reading a book that my friend wrote, and I felt the community of booktube in it as well. Knowing you doesn't lessen the book's value, it increases it. THANK YOU
As a 19 year old who is just now finishing a really tough first year of college, this book just hit me in every part of my feels. I feel like when you struggle in college you’re kind of supposed to pretend the opposite, that you’re living life and everything is fantastic, even when you really just feel alone. I honestly just appreciate this story and how many other people I can see commenting about having similar struggles, it makes it feel so much more normal than society likes to make it seem
Christine, I am transferring to a different college in the fall and I want to say that your book is actually a huge source of inspiration for me. Shane's journey is so relatable and optimistic and I didn't notice it until I was going through exactly what she went through so THANK YOU for writing it!!
This book is reading into my soul. I kept getting really mad through the beginning, but I realized it’s because of how much I relate to what’s happening with Shane. I feel like I’m processing my own experience lol. And I love it. This middle part is SO CLEVER. I’m freaking out. Will be reading non stop until I finish. I didn’t know how much I needed this story
I really needed this video today. During quarantine I've realized that my major (political science) is something that I've been studying for the wrong reasons and that my love for tv/film and storytelling through books are things that I want to explore more in university. But as a 19 year old it's really hard to separate myself from my parents influence over me. It's honestly such a relief to hear someone who I think is very successful saying this stuff about how uncertain people are at my age.
Christine🥺 I teared up at this video, especially when you were talking about criticism. As an author experiencing A WHOLE LOT OF HECKIN SELF DOUBT and a very lonely college student who had a #miserable first year, this really hit hard. I am sending you all the love & virtual hugs in the world. You are an inspiration to all the little shy and introverted readers and writers all over the world.
I’m balling at the 25-30 minute part because everything you’re saying is so true. I hate that people even hate on you for that because that was something I loved. Shane Primaveri is probably the most relatable character I have ever read to the point where I would cry at parts in the book because I related so deeply. I honestly don’t think there is any way Again, But Better could be better. I find it amazing that you put so much of yourself in the book because I think it lets readers like me relate even deeper to the book
Thank you for writing ABB. It is hard for me to describe how much this book means to me. I read the description, and my first thought was wow this is my life story. Before I finished the first chapter it was already my favorite book. I have never related to a character more then I relate to Shane. I also found booktube through this book. I don't have a lot of friends and family who read, so finding this community of other people who love reading as much as I do has been so great for me.
I think this book taught me a lot of things but the main thing was that I wasn’t alone, and that realisation made me cry but for the first time in a really long time it was a happy cry. Thank you.
Yes yes yesssss about firsts being exciting no matter your age, I read this when I was 21 & it didn’t read young to me, I just thought Shane had a really energetic and charismatic character and the writing reflected that 😊
I loved your book so much and I related so much to Shane!!! I’m 20 and I just finished my third year of uni. I went to an all-girls high school, so relationships are new and something I haven’t experienced yet. As a 20 year old, Shane did not read young! Her inner dialogue is like any of us trying to figure out life. This book helped me feel like I’m not the only one to be 20 years old and never been on a proper date. It reminds you that university and college is about figuring out yourself and your ambitions. That it’s okay to feel lost and to make the best of your time to better yourself. I just want to thank you for writing a book that has a college age protagonist like Shane. Because we don’t get enough of them, and it’s a pretty important time in someone’s life 💕
Honestly I can't thank you enough for this video, or even your videos in general, I guess. Seeing you talk honestly and emotionally really just reinforces how much I appreciate you and your channel, and honestly i'm feeling a little lost on where to start with this whole video, because so so so much of it was important. Being vulnerable in general is a hard thing, so I can't imagine what it's like when you showcase it online. I just want to say again that I really really appreciate this and you and that there are so many people here who feel the same!! WE STAN A LEGEND!! Sending you all the love Christine!!
I finally had the chance to watch this and it has come at the perfect time. Christine, I have looked up to you for years. I remember first watching you in high school when I felt so alone and thinking you were so cool and badass. I remember wishing I had the courage to make videos and was cool enough to be friends with people like you. It wasn't until I was in college that I realized you had felt the same way I did. Knowing that someone else had those same feelings gave me hope that one day my life would turn amazing too. I'm now 23 and still have a lot of stuff to work through, but I'm definitely no longer that girl in high school. As someone who has yet to have a romantic relationship, ABB was a breath of fresh air. I understood just how Shane felt and it made me feel better about myself. The speech you gave in this video about how this book goes beyond your personal experiences was so touching. Thank you for continuing to be someone I admire.
Christine, you should be so proud of what you have accomplished! Don't let anyone take this away from you. Even the most beloved books of all time, even the classics, have received criticism. I know it's hard - God knows I know it's hard - to not let the criticism get to you and weigh you down. But! What matters is that you put your heart and your soul into this book and that you created a story that we can enjoy and learn from. I will continue to support you in your writing endeavors, and I am looking forward to your next writing video and your next book!
Thank you for ABB and representing main characters that are older and feeling those romantic feelings for the first time! As someone who didn’t have a relationship in high school or college, I always had this fear that something was wrong with me or no one would ever like me that way! Still feel like that sometimes at 26. But I remember the excitement and hopeful feelings when even the littlest things were happening with a guy I liked, and I think Shane is so real in that! Also ABB brings back a lot of those wonderfully independent, exploring-a-new-city-alone vibes from my own study abroad experience in Australia. So thanks Christine!! I feel seen!
Thank you so much for sharing this character and telling the story I needed to hear! I'm sorry you got backlash for it but know that it was appreciated by many like me who have been looking to find themselves and their current day struggles in YA books.
Made me nostalgic for my time abroad in London, but also made me remember that I didn't travel as much as I should've. At least I made sure to do lots and lots of London exploration! We for sure need more books like this! I didn't read much more of the description for it past that she was studying abroad in London. The book took all kinds of fun and wild turns. It was such a refreshing book! I'm working on a graphic design certificate at 22-23 after having spent 4 years getting an Anthropology/Archaeology degree. I fully intend to have the two meet up in some way in the future. Maybe I'll work for an Archaeology magazine or textbook. Who knows?
Seeing how passionate you are about the things you love and care about is so motivating. I have always loved reading but I realized early on that most people don't and that made me different. I found it really hard to connect and talk to people. Hearing that you have felt the same way and seeing how far you've come gives me hope for the future. You saying that you haven't always been this outgoing is really helpful, knowing that you put in the work and it was scary sometimes makes me feel less like a loner and more a part of a shy group of people. You are an inspiration, Christine. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us and write this masterpiece. I loved Again, but Better and felt so many emotions while reading it!
THANK YOU for writing this book and feeling so passionately about this age. I totally went through this and needed Shane in my life back then (and now). This video made me cry happy tears!
Considering that I finally read this about two weeks ago, this is a perfect time for this video!! I loved it so much asdjadsj you know it's good when it makes u feel warm and fuzzy lmao. Congrats on the 1 year!!!
I wish I could like this video a hundred times over! You are so down-to-earth and extremely well-spoken! I absolutely loved the book, I read it at just the right time and it was exactly what I needed, I mean I travelled by myself to the US from the UK and had the best summer of my life right after! Thank you truly for being so raw in putting the book out... and with this video ❤️ Not going to lie, I teared up a little :)
I just graduated college today and this was a book I needed my freshman year. I felt the same way as Shane and didn’t feel like I could put myself out there and make friends easily. I so appreciated reading about someone my own age struggling with things that I was able to overcome in similar ways. This book represents a lot of us who haven’t seen ourselves in books before 💛
Omg I started crying with you, I've been watching you for years Christine, since 7th grade when I was a 12 year old girl who felt very alone, finding your videos became a great comfort for me at that age until now, you felt like a friend I could talk to about all my favorite books, thank you so much for Again But Better it really means a lot to so many of us, and please keep doing what makes you happy, your videos are such a joy for me to watch now that I'm 20, and I'll be happily waiting for more books, from you I can't wait to see what more you do with your talent 🥺💕
As an almost 23 year old person I felt seen by Shane. This book was so relatable. I definitely agree that most books either focus on a 16 year old’s experiences or if someone is older it’s completely different. I never thought it read a lot younger than it was. I loved that Shane was a 20 year old girl going through these experiences for the first time. I’m glad this book exists.
Hearing you talk so passionately about your book and writing and your college experience is so inspiring. I'm going to uni in September and I'm so terrified about being out of my comfort zone and having to talk to strangers, but hearing you talk about how you gained the confidence to do those things makes me think I can too. I've had so many story ideas over the past few years and I've wanted to be an author for years but have always kind of been afraid of actually writing those stories. What if I'm not good enough? What if what I have to say isn't worth saying? But this video has made me realise that I just need to do it, or I'll never know if I can. Thank you for being so inspiring. I'm sitting here crying whilst I write this, which is silly I know, but I'm so grateful to have had this 'breakthrough' and realise that in order to 'live my dream' I need to work for it and start writing those stories. I've watched your videos for a couple years now and found a home and a safe place in watching you and other booktubers. Reading (and storytelling in general) is my favourite thing in the whole world, its what I live for, its what makes me happy. So thank you for that, and thank you for being such an inspiration for me
After watching every single writing vlog and having this book as one of my favourites, I am so so excited to watch this. I have loved watching your journey with this book, and I am so excited for your next one!!
I read Again, But Better the day it came out last year, and it made me sob because it felt like someone understood me. It was so raw and emotional and it hit close to my heart. I love that you talked about all of this empowerment in this video and it makes me want to read the book 1000 times more. You are such an amazing creator and you have inspired so many people, including me. Your art is really special, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
thank you so much for writing this book, every time i read it the future just looks a little more open, and this video was amazing, getting to see your explanation of how art is inherently based in the makers experience was beautiful
I know I’m commenting twice, but I just want to say thank you. Now, I’ve never been to college, being fourteen, but I see myself a lot in Shane, especially with how awkward and insecure she is. And her getting on that plane to go do what she wants to do with her life, rather than what everybody wants her to do, just makes me feel so confident. Oh, and when you answered the “Shane/you” question and was trying not to cry, I started crying. That’s a speech that we need, and is so moving, and also I cry whenever anyone else does. But thank you so much for being who you are and writing Again, but Better. Thank you, thank you, thank you. *tentative virtually hugs you, then virtually hugs you more confidently because why not* I’m just going to leave this off here before I start rambling, but leave with one question: do you have any writing advice?
I am so grateful for this book. It was exactly the story that I needed in my life. Your speech about you were not really an outgoing person and talking to us for years about things like Shane went through made me cry. I just relate to this so much. I am not in college yet, but I am going into my senior year of high school. There is just so much that I regret that I missed out on because I was too scared. For years I have loved your videos and been inspired by you. This book and hearing you talk about it has inspired me so much more. So I just wanted to say thank you.
I read Again But Better while abroad in England last summer and as a premed who picked up an English Minor despite criticism I really related to Shane.
You made me cry like three times during this video lol but it was fabulous! Thank you. I strongly relate to getting a late start in Romance and always feeling like I didn't fit in when I was younger. It used to be such an insecurity. I don't think about it much anymore but every once in a while I'll hear or read something like your book that makes me think about it and I really appreciate what I've learned and appreciate what I have now, and how far I've come.
when Christine started crying I started crying because the way she represented Shane and the things she goes through perfectly describes my life (I am 21 and a junior in college), and I APPRECIATED that so much. Anyone that undermines this doesn't understand the true meaning of what Christine has done with her novel, and should watch this video. Thank you, Christine, I hope you see this and know that you have made a difference in my life since I started watching you 5 years ago. This book culminates all the lessons you have been subtly sending us through our shared passion of books: we are not alone
I resonated with so much of what you said in this video, especially how writing a book is how we explain something when there's no other way. Studying abroad was a similar experience for me--when you're abroad, you have to do so many things by yourself and figure out so many difficult situations that when you come home, you're more confident and feel like you can handle so much more. I hope this book inspires more people to study abroad once it's possible again :) I was really hoping someone asked this question but I guess they didn't--what was that new thread that you wove in that you came up with on a plane? I don't remember which book writing episode it was, but I just remember you said that you were watching a movie on a plane and you got this new idea, and you had to write it down really quickly? Hopefully that made sense XD Great video!
Oof I wasn't expecting to tear up several time while watching it. Thank you so much for writing this book! I read it the summer before my junior year and it's been a year now and I feel like I need to reread it
Christine Riccio thank you very much for the joy you gave me with this book, it completely changed perspective of life. It is one of the best books I have read, thank you very much!
the fact that you put so much of yourself in your novel made me love it so much more than i would have it you hadn’t. it made it feel special and like i was in on an inside joke like “french watermelon 19”
My heart...when you started crying I started crying and remembered how I had the best time listening to your book and then I cried when I heard your voice at the end. I was so proud of you and this book was and still is special to me...🥺
The entire time I was reading Again, but Better and while you were describing why you wrote it and how people entering their twenties and feel behind don't get enough attention in YA, I was relating so hard. You truly nailed that feeling of being at that age and feeling like everyone is at a totally different place than you and all the emotions and insecurities that surround it in ABB. Hearing your experiences with it through your videos and reading about Shane's journey was such an important thing to me and has helped me tremendously. Thank you so much for writing this book because I truly believe that it has helped so many people like me!
You are so right about 20 year olds fitting into this category. I read this at 20 about a month after returning from studying abroad in London and it could NOT have been more accurate or appropriate
Thank you so so much for writing ABB! Reading about Shane was the most understood I have felt in a book, and I am so very glad I read it. I finally felt like I wasn't alone in my interests and my insecurities. Thank you so much for being so wonderful and for writing such an amazing book!
I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR WRITING ABB-- this book has such a special place in my heart because it's your debut and because i watched your whole journey or writing it through your book writing episodes but also because i watched your whole youtube journey in general. And you are 100% right- Shane isn't just you, she's so much of us too and I can completely relate to her. ABB came out towards the end of my senior year of high school and i read it and loved it and took note of all the mistakes I didn't want to make it college. A year later and I have now nearly completed my freshman year of college and I reread ABB recently. It was semi painful to see that i had ended up making a lot of the mistakes I so badly did not want to make- yet it was exactly the wake up call I needed. I definitely need to make some changes before so I don't end up regretting my whole college experience, but I'm confident that I'll be able to do it. So thank you. Thank you thank you thank you
you talking about how you made this book for you and for all of us, who have ever felt isolated or scared like shane did. i'm tearing up:') also, i whole-heartedly agree with you. i ADORE when artists and writers place parts of themselves into their art. it makes it more genuine and vulnerable and that's what i want when i read stories. i want to feel something. so thank you for including it!!!!
I love when authors call their books their babies. They put a little bit of themselves in them and then they go out into the world and became their own thing, inspiring others. That’s what this book is to so many people. I got emotional when Christine got emotional because that is how it was like for me.
I am so proud of you Christine and I've been watching your writing vlogs since the beginning of the ABB journey, and to see how strong and passionate you are about your own art it truly, truly inspiring. I hope you're staying safe & well! ❤️
I absolutely loved your book and related to Shane in so many ways. I am 19 years old myself and just finished my first year at college in a different state than my home town. Thank you for being so vulnerable and writing something for those who aren't regularly spoken for. I have been watching your videos for years and am so excited that I finally got to read something of yours! I felt like I was reading something from both my brain and yours all at the same time. Can't wait for your next book!
Wow, Christine, i just... wow. Thank you so much for Again But Better, and thank you so much for being your authentic self; it’s inspired me in more ways than you could possibly imagine! 💛💛💛
Thank you for this video. It’s so heartfelt and insightful. This book was amazing, I read it when I was 18, just starting college, and It definitely made me think about how to approach college and life. And for the record, I love that the main character has similarities to you because you’re awesome.
i listened to the ABB audiobook everyday on my commute to college and it was so nice to resonate with shane on so many different levels, especially about the parents thing. college has been pretty awful for me and i’ve had a lot of times where i’ve put myself out there just for it to fall through, but i want to keep trying. thank you for the things you said in this video, i cried many times ❤️
Thanks for making content for the past 10 years! I have been a fan of you book talks and shadow hunter crack pot theories. Your thoughtful words about listening to the positive is important. We all have enough self criticism and sometimes we forget to cut ourselves a break. I thought your book was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. Thank you for your work and being you!
ABB was all that got me through freshmen year at college. I told myself I needed to talk to people and made a list of things to do over the year and when ever I got sad I just read it again! Thank you for writing a story that was there for me :))))))
I saw your book in one of my favourite book store before all that corona stuff. I live in Germany, it was in the english children and ya book section. I even saw a teenage person reading a copy and laughing out loud.
Christine I hope you see this, I picked up this book during the quarantine and immediately fell in love and just finished it. I am 23 and just starting college, I left home at 18 and joined the military since I couldn’t afford college. I enjoyed it very much and was very happy until I broke my back, this led me to a lot of change. I am married and have my own home but I always struggled finding me. I love my life and am happy in my relationship but I struggled finding who I want to be. While reading this book I learned more about the college mindset and feel better starting it. At the same time I was medical discharged from the military. In a strange turn of events I got a good job at a dream company I never thought I could get. I decided then and there I would go back to school to get a mechanical engineering degree, I feel lost and a bit intimated but this book made me feel incredibly better. I’m sad I have finished it but it felt so good to have a book to show it is hard to find yourself completely in your 20s. My husband has been very supportive through my journey from walking again, to learning and to landing my job at my dream company. He has also supported going for an engineering degree. I wish I could say more but this book tied to me in so many ways. Thank you writing one of my favorite books. 💙
"SHANE IS A LOT LIKE ME, BUT SHE'S ALSO A LOT LIKE YOU." DON'T MIND ME SOBBING IN THE CORNER
martha I’ll join your sobbing!
Christine's background: *watermelons*
Bananas: are we a joke to you
Omg wait- 😨
I mean, FrenchWatermelon19....
nobody told me that the again but better tell all q&a was gonna make me CRY
Same
Same
Mood
When you started crying giving that beautiful speech I too started crying. I feel everything you felt. Thank you for giving many of us a voice and for being you.
As a 19 year old now who just switched from nursing to English, this is a book I needed. I don't get to read about people my age often anymore, so it was nice to read about someone my age going through the same problems of being an adult but being a child still. thank you.
shocked that someone else also switched from nursing to English at 19, woah
I wish I had the strength to switch to English. Congrats 👏👏
I feel this
I feel you! Switched from bio/premed to English during 3rd year
@@kemflan14 omg im switching from premed to english too lmao
There are not enough books about being in college or even right after college, so many books are either in high school or they are full adults. As someone who is 24, since I went into college and graduated I feel like there has been this huge gap where nothing is really about THIS time in my life. Everything (maybe because this time sucks, but I would still like to read about it). Books, movies, tv shows, it all seems like everyone skips over your early 20s
“New Adult” genre has 18-23 year old main characters, though none of the books have been to my taste. Maybe you’ll like them?
@@hotjanuary I do read a lot of new adult books too, but I find there really are not too many of them either. Its also kind of hard to search for them, like if you search "new adult" I find that you get a lot of adult books that are NEW not "new adult".
I like some of them but overall I kind of feel like they all blur together.
Bubby707, have you tried searching goodreads listopia for “new adult”?
Christine tearing up really hit hard as someone who has been watching her for seven years. Again, But Better really resonated with me because I read it during the time that I decided to switch career paths. I was originally set to be an ADED English teacher in the US, but switched over to Teaching English as a Foreign Language with the intent of living and working abroad. The prospect of choosing a career that moved me out of my native country, especially to one that speaks a different language, was absolutely terrifying to me. To read a story about someone going through the same things that I was, it was really the best kind of reassurance that I could have gotten. I didn't want to be miserable pre-time loop Shane, and this book helped confirm my beliefs that you have to go after the things that will make you happy. Thank you, Christine.
YAY!!! Happy to have a hand in this video!! Loved all you said in this!!
“It feels young”.
I have never felt more related to a book than this. I also went to college way behind my friends in experience and is terrifying to hear everyone talking of stuff you’ve never seen or done, and just pretend that you have cuz shame can tale you to other things that you may not be ready for... Not everyone is the same, and we all have different timing for the things we’ll do in life. Every new experience is SO exciting no matter the age. I had my first and only boyfriend at 18 and it didn’t last long just a couple months and now I am 25 and it still hits me like a teen when I like a guy and he sits next to me. The “young” is the feeling, not the person, and that’s ok.
44 minutes of christine talking about again, but better???? um... i stan
I'm in my teens, and I always feel like the protagonists in YA books seem to be doing so much more with their lives than I've ever seen people around me doing. All of the books with 16-year-olds going on adventures that change their lives makes me feel so young even though I might even be older than them. It was so great reading about someone who is in college in a setting that seems so plausible. Like I don't think that my high school experience is anything like most books about high school, but what happens to Shane seems so real.
Really ready for the synopsis in the beginning to actually be what book two is about lmao
Last time I was this early was in January 2016 when Christine said, “I’m writing a book!”
I'M COMMENTING SO MUCH BUT I CAN'T GET OVER THE SHEER AMOUNT OF IMPORTANT THINGS SAID HERE?? MY BRAIN IS EXPLODING THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE VIDEO THANK U QUEEN
Thank you so much for addressing the age thing. I’m so similar to Shane with the never having a romantic relationship at 20 (in five days) with insecurity about it. There’s no characters in early 20’s
omg christine when you got emotional over us meeting you i remembered the times we've met (i went to bookcon 2017 & 2018 and the harry potter house competition at comic con in 2017) and felt so soft because you were always so lovely and i was so happy to talk to you and i remember after comic con my mom pointed out that you remembered me which made me so happy because you met so many people at bookcon and i'm sure there were events in between when you met other viewers yet you remembered me because you're just such a wonderful human
also i love how much of yourself you put into shane, it helped me connect to her more and feel closer to you and i also love it when people put a lot of themselves into their art, i love it when stuff is personal so despite the sexist bullshit i hope you remember there's NOTHING wrong with making characters like you
P.S. i can't believe its been a year since ABB went out into the world! i've been here since you started chronicling the journey of writing the book and i remember being so excited for when the day would come when i could read it, and how i enjoyed the book so much. i'm overdue for a reread, because it was some wonderfully fluffy stuff (which i feel like we could all use rn)
sorry for such a long comment anyway love you & i'm v proud of you
You captured what it’s like to live through your first few years of college so well. And when I read the book I was going through an awkward internship too lol. I felt very seen in that sense.
I'm 20 now and never been anywhere near a relationship or found anyone in university I've even liked so I extremely appreciate the age choice of this book and that it isn't a 16 year old finding the love of her life ect... not that those books aren't valid. I've also signed up to do study abroad and I'm so terrified but excited I don't even speak the language haha but I will jump
Why is writing a book with a main charecture that seems like them a bad thing? I love it.
When I was reading ABB and I found something that reminded me so much of Christine I was so happy!!! I was like "oh this is SO her" that's part of the reason I loved it so much because it felt like a real person the fact that people are angry about that makes me so sad
Again, but Better came out at the perfect time for me, right when I was finishing my first year of college. I was lucky to have had an amazing roommate who is still one of my best friends, but what I realized once I moved out of the dorms was that I was still hiding, just hiding with a friend. Freshman year I joined a club where we read submissions for an undergraduate literary magazine, which was a big deal for me in terms of putting myself out there, and it was really hard to see that even though I put myself out there I was not finding my people and still felt very alone. After that hit, I was very reserved sophomore year, especially since I didn't live with my friend anymore, and I just kept feeling like I didn't deserve to apply for all these internships because there must be someone out there better than me to fill them. In the spring, I finally took a leap and applied for an internship at a publishing press....which was then cancelled because of coronavirus!!! Which was another huge blow to my ability to try!! But when I came back to my parent's house after my university moved online due to the virus, I decided to reread Again but Better and it helped me so much to remember that just because I'm scared of trying things doesn't mean I can't try them or don't deserve to want them. I also recently just found out that I'm going to graduate a year earlier than expected, which came as a bit of a shock and I felt like I'd wasted my college experience not doing enough for myself. But with seeing what Shane went through, I know I can keep going and it is never too late to keep going after the things I want. Finally, I just want to say Christine, when you were tearing up about the people who lived in books because they didn't think they could have their own adventures, I just want you to know that you were the person who made me feel less alone about that stuff for all these years. I've been watching you since middle school and your enthusiasm made me feel like it was okay to love books and art and that it's okay to want to create my own. Thank you so much. I can't wait to read your second book. WOW THIS WAS LONG SORRY
I just have to say: thank you so much for writing a character like Shane. I am currently a freshman in college and feeling just like she did. Shane is the first character I've ever read that I have seen myself so strongly in. It's so comforting knowing I am not the only person who's having that fabulous college experience right on the first go ❤
“You can do more than what you think you can do” I resonate with this so much!!!!! My first of college went by fine, but the second I was so so so so lonely. I had not fiends in college and my high school friends that I’m still in contact with were making their own friends and groups in their colleges and I just wasn’t. I am in a major that I love but at the time I was regretting every decision I had ever made. I kept thinking I should’ve studied something else, I should’ve gone to a different college, or that I should’ve have gone to the same college as my friend. I didn’t really know anyone that was in the same major as me. The following year I kinda decided I would attend orientation for this organization on campus that’s specific to my major. It was a random decision but I had nothing to do that night so I just went. That one night CHANGED MY ENTIRE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. I realized that so many of these people were in my classes. It’s how I met the friend group I have today. It truly is all about taking that big step and although it may seem scary it can be so rewarding. I was terrified of talking to people too. Too scared that I would come off as weird. But when you find the right people, you feel at home and a lot less afraid of everything. College is so intimidating but it doesn’t have to be.
this is 30% Q&A and 70% inspirational speech
its great
“no one wants to be in new moon” AHHHH I FELT THAT😂😂😂
That whole discussion about being in college and never experiencing romantic moments with someone you are interested in is INCREDIBLY REAL to me. I’m 20 and a junior in college and I’ve never felt that. The insecurities that attack you because of it are crazy, but then I remember that 20 is still incredibly young and that I have time to find “my person”. It’s just a hard pill to swallow when everyone around you has had that experience. You begin to blame yourself for no reason. Really appreciated the in depth response to that.
I'm so happy that you chose to write about a 20 year old struggling at university, because that's literally how I felt when I was reading it,
When she started crying I started crying too. So many people were mean about the comparisons to her and Shane 💖 I love you Christine. You've changed so many readers and writers lives. I'm sorry for all the harsh judgement.
I swear Christine could write a good sci-fi fantasy with that fake description!
Dylan 13 I was just thinking how I would love to see that
24:01-29:50
Replay button for the pure, raw, passionate talk that I think I'm going to need to hear again and again and again.
Hey Christine, I just wanted to say that I loved your book. When I was reading it last year. I was at the hospital with my grandad. He had a heart surgery and the recovery wasn’t going very well. When I think about that time I realized that your book and other books really got my mind of it. I just started reading last year and found your channel. It’s funny I found your channel on the day your book came out. Your probably not going to see this but Thank you for making videos they really make my day.😀. Btw my grandad is healthy now 👍🏽
'Lampost' humour is best humour.
EDIT: Loved your novel, Christine. Really, though, your talent with words was already plainly evident from your video about Hurricane Sandy . So glad you're getting published, now, and I'm looking forward to your next novel.
Happy book-iversary! : )
This is really relatable to me, for so so long throughout my school years (i'm now a high school seniors) I never really knew what I wanted to major in, I thought maybe english, but almost by default? And I thought being a teacher might be an ok career. But then I found out that you can major in musical theatre (my passion) and now I csnt wait for college i'm so excited!
I'm still unbelievably proud of you, Christine. Both the book AND this video made me cry because before Again, But Better, I felt like I had no one who really understood me. I see so much of myself in Shane and I just want to say thank you for that :)
After coming out of a two year reading slump, I’ve finally gotten around to reading this book, and I’m so glad I did. It’s not that often I read books about characters around my age who are just trying to figure their life out. I’m so used to reading about teenagers who have these special powers or abilities, so once I finally read your book it was so refreshing to read about a character who I could relate to more. After finishing this book, I feel inspired to take more risks and really reach for my goals in life. Thank you Christine for making this book. I loved it so much and didn’t know how much I needed a book like this in my life ♥️
❤️❤️❤️❤️ thank you for reading and coming here to share this with me, it means the world 🤗
Oh my goodness Christine, this video brought me to tears. I don't even know how to put into words how much you, your videos, and ABB has meant to me. You've guided me through my entire young adult life. I took all of your advice and wisdom with me to college and it paid off. I met my best friend and turned her into a TV / book loving human. I wasn't ashamed of the things I liked, and it allowed me to meet people who thought I was interesting and passionate! I also reached out and joined organizations, events, and applied for opportunities. I'm a student ambassador on my campus now! Thank you for writing a book that represents us, the readers. I am giving you so many virtual hugs. I really hope I get the chance to tell you eventually the even bigger impact you have had on my life. I'm sure you have some idea, you've known me since I was 12, but there's so much I have to thank you for that I haven't had a chance to tell you yet in person as a bit of an older human being. Hopefully I'll be able to one day. I hope you're doing well during this time and I can't wait to read the next book!
Thank you for addressing the whole "the main character is just a self insert" criticism. I've seen people say that in a few places when talking about your book and I never understood why that is a bad thing. I loved reading the book and seeing bits of you in it, it made it so much more personal and real. Like you said, this is how art gets made! People create stuff that related to issues they've gone through. You would never hear someone make the same criticism about Looking for Alaska even though that story mirrors John Greens life and personality at that time in his life FAR more than this mirrors yours, and again that was his debut book and it means a lot to him as it should. As this book should mean a lot to you.
Thank you for all that you do!
On the subject of you being/being like Shane -- ABB is unmistakably your voice and reading it was like watching one of your videos. And I think that's a testament to just how great it is. It's like when you hear Adele on the radio and you don't know the song but you know its Adele because there's just no possible way for it to be anyone else. Shane may be all of us book nerds, but you gave her a voice -- thanks for that haha
Reading ABB was how I discovered Christine and her videos, and I'm so glad I did. Shane and Christine both remind me so much of myself, and I have never read about a character that was more like me than Shane. Watching how Shane grows throughout the story helped me realize that I can do the same. I am so thankful that ABB did this for me, and I can't thank you enough, Christine, for your amazing speeches in this video and for writing a book that makes me more courageous and speaks more to my soul than any other book I have ever read before. ABB will always have a special place in my heart ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for fighting for all of us with this book!! Thank you for pushing back on the publishing industry when they said 20 was too old for YA because it's NOT. After watching the videos of you creating this story, actually reading it was so amazing. Knowing you as well as I can from the internet did make reading the book more special. I felt like I was reading a book that my friend wrote, and I felt the community of booktube in it as well. Knowing you doesn't lessen the book's value, it increases it. THANK YOU
As a 19 year old who is just now finishing a really tough first year of college, this book just hit me in every part of my feels. I feel like when you struggle in college you’re kind of supposed to pretend the opposite, that you’re living life and everything is fantastic, even when you really just feel alone. I honestly just appreciate this story and how many other people I can see commenting about having similar struggles, it makes it feel so much more normal than society likes to make it seem
Who knew I was going to start crying when Christine began talking about relationships???
Christine, I am transferring to a different college in the fall and I want to say that your book is actually a huge source of inspiration for me. Shane's journey is so relatable and optimistic and I didn't notice it until I was going through exactly what she went through so THANK YOU for writing it!!
This book is reading into my soul. I kept getting really mad through the beginning, but I realized it’s because of how much I relate to what’s happening with Shane. I feel like I’m processing my own experience lol. And I love it.
This middle part is SO CLEVER. I’m freaking out. Will be reading non stop until I finish.
I didn’t know how much I needed this story
I really needed this video today. During quarantine I've realized that my major (political science) is something that I've been studying for the wrong reasons and that my love for tv/film and storytelling through books are things that I want to explore more in university. But as a 19 year old it's really hard to separate myself from my parents influence over me. It's honestly such a relief to hear someone who I think is very successful saying this stuff about how uncertain people are at my age.
Christine🥺 I teared up at this video, especially when you were talking about criticism. As an author experiencing A WHOLE LOT OF HECKIN SELF DOUBT and a very lonely college student who had a #miserable first year, this really hit hard. I am sending you all the love & virtual hugs in the world. You are an inspiration to all the little shy and introverted readers and writers all over the world.
I’m balling at the 25-30 minute part because everything you’re saying is so true. I hate that people even hate on you for that because that was something I loved. Shane Primaveri is probably the most relatable character I have ever read to the point where I would cry at parts in the book because I related so deeply. I honestly don’t think there is any way Again, But Better could be better. I find it amazing that you put so much of yourself in the book because I think it lets readers like me relate even deeper to the book
Thank you for writing ABB. It is hard for me to describe how much this book means to me. I read the description, and my first thought was wow this is my life story. Before I finished the first chapter it was already my favorite book. I have never related to a character more then I relate to Shane. I also found booktube through this book. I don't have a lot of friends and family who read, so finding this community of other people who love reading as much as I do has been so great for me.
When you started getting emotional, I cried. Thank you so much for everything you have said, and continue to say, with your writing ❤
I think this book taught me a lot of things but the main thing was that I wasn’t alone, and that realisation made me cry but for the first time in a really long time it was a happy cry. Thank you.
Yes yes yesssss about firsts being exciting no matter your age, I read this when I was 21 & it didn’t read young to me, I just thought Shane had a really energetic and charismatic character and the writing reflected that 😊
I loved your book so much and I related so much to Shane!!! I’m 20 and I just finished my third year of uni. I went to an all-girls high school, so relationships are new and something I haven’t experienced yet. As a 20 year old, Shane did not read young! Her inner dialogue is like any of us trying to figure out life. This book helped me feel like I’m not the only one to be 20 years old and never been on a proper date. It reminds you that university and college is about figuring out yourself and your ambitions. That it’s okay to feel lost and to make the best of your time to better yourself. I just want to thank you for writing a book that has a college age protagonist like Shane. Because we don’t get enough of them, and it’s a pretty important time in someone’s life 💕
Honestly I can't thank you enough for this video, or even your videos in general, I guess. Seeing you talk honestly and emotionally really just reinforces how much I appreciate you and your channel, and honestly i'm feeling a little lost on where to start with this whole video, because so so so much of it was important. Being vulnerable in general is a hard thing, so I can't imagine what it's like when you showcase it online. I just want to say again that I really really appreciate this and you and that there are so many people here who feel the same!! WE STAN A LEGEND!! Sending you all the love Christine!!
I finally had the chance to watch this and it has come at the perfect time. Christine, I have looked up to you for years. I remember first watching you in high school when I felt so alone and thinking you were so cool and badass. I remember wishing I had the courage to make videos and was cool enough to be friends with people like you. It wasn't until I was in college that I realized you had felt the same way I did. Knowing that someone else had those same feelings gave me hope that one day my life would turn amazing too. I'm now 23 and still have a lot of stuff to work through, but I'm definitely no longer that girl in high school. As someone who has yet to have a romantic relationship, ABB was a breath of fresh air. I understood just how Shane felt and it made me feel better about myself. The speech you gave in this video about how this book goes beyond your personal experiences was so touching. Thank you for continuing to be someone I admire.
Christine, you should be so proud of what you have accomplished! Don't let anyone take this away from you. Even the most beloved books of all time, even the classics, have received criticism. I know it's hard - God knows I know it's hard - to not let the criticism get to you and weigh you down. But! What matters is that you put your heart and your soul into this book and that you created a story that we can enjoy and learn from. I will continue to support you in your writing endeavors, and I am looking forward to your next writing video and your next book!
Thank you for ABB and representing main characters that are older and feeling those romantic feelings for the first time! As someone who didn’t have a relationship in high school or college, I always had this fear that something was wrong with me or no one would ever like me that way! Still feel like that sometimes at 26. But I remember the excitement and hopeful feelings when even the littlest things were happening with a guy I liked, and I think Shane is so real in that! Also ABB brings back a lot of those wonderfully independent, exploring-a-new-city-alone vibes from my own study abroad experience in Australia. So thanks Christine!! I feel seen!
Thank you so much for sharing this character and telling the story I needed to hear! I'm sorry you got backlash for it but know that it was appreciated by many like me who have been looking to find themselves and their current day struggles in YA books.
Made me nostalgic for my time abroad in London, but also made me remember that I didn't travel as much as I should've. At least I made sure to do lots and lots of London exploration! We for sure need more books like this! I didn't read much more of the description for it past that she was studying abroad in London. The book took all kinds of fun and wild turns. It was such a refreshing book! I'm working on a graphic design certificate at 22-23 after having spent 4 years getting an Anthropology/Archaeology degree. I fully intend to have the two meet up in some way in the future. Maybe I'll work for an Archaeology magazine or textbook. Who knows?
Seeing how passionate you are about the things you love and care about is so motivating. I have always loved reading but I realized early on that most people don't and that made me different. I found it really hard to connect and talk to people. Hearing that you have felt the same way and seeing how far you've come gives me hope for the future. You saying that you haven't always been this outgoing is really helpful, knowing that you put in the work and it was scary sometimes makes me feel less like a loner and more a part of a shy group of people. You are an inspiration, Christine. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us and write this masterpiece. I loved Again, but Better and felt so many emotions while reading it!
THANK YOU for writing this book and feeling so passionately about this age. I totally went through this and needed Shane in my life back then (and now). This video made me cry happy tears!
Considering that I finally read this about two weeks ago, this is a perfect time for this video!! I loved it so much asdjadsj you know it's good when it makes u feel warm and fuzzy lmao. Congrats on the 1 year!!!
I wish I could like this video a hundred times over! You are so down-to-earth and extremely well-spoken! I absolutely loved the book, I read it at just the right time and it was exactly what I needed, I mean I travelled by myself to the US from the UK and had the best summer of my life right after! Thank you truly for being so raw in putting the book out... and with this video ❤️ Not going to lie, I teared up a little :)
I just graduated college today and this was a book I needed my freshman year. I felt the same way as Shane and didn’t feel like I could put myself out there and make friends easily. I so appreciated reading about someone my own age struggling with things that I was able to overcome in similar ways. This book represents a lot of us who haven’t seen ourselves in books before 💛
Omg I started crying with you, I've been watching you for years Christine, since 7th grade when I was a 12 year old girl who felt very alone, finding your videos became a great comfort for me at that age until now, you felt like a friend I could talk to about all my favorite books, thank you so much for Again But Better it really means a lot to so many of us, and please keep doing what makes you happy, your videos are such a joy for me to watch now that I'm 20, and I'll be happily waiting for more books, from you I can't wait to see what more you do with your talent 🥺💕
As an almost 23 year old person I felt seen by Shane. This book was so relatable. I definitely agree that most books either focus on a 16 year old’s experiences or if someone is older it’s completely different. I never thought it read a lot younger than it was. I loved that Shane was a 20 year old girl going through these experiences for the first time. I’m glad this book exists.
Hearing you talk so passionately about your book and writing and your college experience is so inspiring. I'm going to uni in September and I'm so terrified about being out of my comfort zone and having to talk to strangers, but hearing you talk about how you gained the confidence to do those things makes me think I can too. I've had so many story ideas over the past few years and I've wanted to be an author for years but have always kind of been afraid of actually writing those stories. What if I'm not good enough? What if what I have to say isn't worth saying? But this video has made me realise that I just need to do it, or I'll never know if I can. Thank you for being so inspiring. I'm sitting here crying whilst I write this, which is silly I know, but I'm so grateful to have had this 'breakthrough' and realise that in order to 'live my dream' I need to work for it and start writing those stories. I've watched your videos for a couple years now and found a home and a safe place in watching you and other booktubers. Reading (and storytelling in general) is my favourite thing in the whole world, its what I live for, its what makes me happy. So thank you for that, and thank you for being such an inspiration for me
Thnx for being so vulnerable and real with us 💖 Pls keep us updated 🙏
Holy shit I never clicked so fast! YAYAYAYAYAY I’ve been waiting for this! I love your book!!!!!!
THANK YOU
After watching every single writing vlog and having this book as one of my favourites, I am so so excited to watch this. I have loved watching your journey with this book, and I am so excited for your next one!!
I read Again, But Better the day it came out last year, and it made me sob because it felt like someone understood me. It was so raw and emotional and it hit close to my heart. I love that you talked about all of this empowerment in this video and it makes me want to read the book 1000 times more. You are such an amazing creator and you have inspired so many people, including me. Your art is really special, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
thank you so much for writing this book, every time i read it the future just looks a little more open, and this video was amazing, getting to see your explanation of how art is inherently based in the makers experience was beautiful
I know I’m commenting twice, but I just want to say thank you. Now, I’ve never been to college, being fourteen, but I see myself a lot in Shane, especially with how awkward and insecure she is. And her getting on that plane to go do what she wants to do with her life, rather than what everybody wants her to do, just makes me feel so confident. Oh, and when you answered the “Shane/you” question and was trying not to cry, I started crying. That’s a speech that we need, and is so moving, and also I cry whenever anyone else does. But thank you so much for being who you are and writing Again, but Better. Thank you, thank you, thank you. *tentative virtually hugs you, then virtually hugs you more confidently because why not* I’m just going to leave this off here before I start rambling, but leave with one question: do you have any writing advice?
I am so grateful for this book. It was exactly the story that I needed in my life. Your speech about you were not really an outgoing person and talking to us for years about things like Shane went through made me cry. I just relate to this so much. I am not in college yet, but I am going into my senior year of high school. There is just so much that I regret that I missed out on because I was too scared. For years I have loved your videos and been inspired by you. This book and hearing you talk about it has inspired me so much more. So I just wanted to say thank you.
I read Again But Better while abroad in England last summer and as a premed who picked up an English Minor despite criticism I really related to Shane.
You made me cry like three times during this video lol but it was fabulous! Thank you. I strongly relate to getting a late start in Romance and always feeling like I didn't fit in when I was younger. It used to be such an insecurity. I don't think about it much anymore but every once in a while I'll hear or read something like your book that makes me think about it and I really appreciate what I've learned and appreciate what I have now, and how far I've come.
PS I Love the watermelon background!
when Christine started crying I started crying because the way she represented Shane and the things she goes through perfectly describes my life (I am 21 and a junior in college), and I APPRECIATED that so much. Anyone that undermines this doesn't understand the true meaning of what Christine has done with her novel, and should watch this video. Thank you, Christine, I hope you see this and know that you have made a difference in my life since I started watching you 5 years ago. This book culminates all the lessons you have been subtly sending us through our shared passion of books: we are not alone
I vote that you work "lampost" into every book in some regard. 😂
I resonated with so much of what you said in this video, especially how writing a book is how we explain something when there's no other way. Studying abroad was a similar experience for me--when you're abroad, you have to do so many things by yourself and figure out so many difficult situations that when you come home, you're more confident and feel like you can handle so much more. I hope this book inspires more people to study abroad once it's possible again :) I was really hoping someone asked this question but I guess they didn't--what was that new thread that you wove in that you came up with on a plane? I don't remember which book writing episode it was, but I just remember you said that you were watching a movie on a plane and you got this new idea, and you had to write it down really quickly? Hopefully that made sense XD Great video!
Oof I wasn't expecting to tear up several time while watching it. Thank you so much for writing this book! I read it the summer before my junior year and it's been a year now and I feel like I need to reread it
Christine Riccio thank you very much for the joy you gave me with this book, it completely changed perspective of life. It is one of the best books I have read, thank you very much!
He asked me if you will get a second part? I will look forward to it :)
the fact that you put so much of yourself in your novel made me love it so much more than i would have it you hadn’t. it made it feel special and like i was in on an inside joke like “french watermelon 19”
I DID NOT EXPECT TO CRY
My heart...when you started crying I started crying and remembered how I had the best time listening to your book and then I cried when I heard your voice at the end. I was so proud of you and this book was and still is special to me...🥺
The entire time I was reading Again, but Better and while you were describing why you wrote it and how people entering their twenties and feel behind don't get enough attention in YA, I was relating so hard. You truly nailed that feeling of being at that age and feeling like everyone is at a totally different place than you and all the emotions and insecurities that surround it in ABB. Hearing your experiences with it through your videos and reading about Shane's journey was such an important thing to me and has helped me tremendously. Thank you so much for writing this book because I truly believe that it has helped so many people like me!
You are so right about 20 year olds fitting into this category. I read this at 20 about a month after returning from studying abroad in London and it could NOT have been more accurate or appropriate
Thank you so so much for writing ABB! Reading about Shane was the most understood I have felt in a book, and I am so very glad I read it. I finally felt like I wasn't alone in my interests and my insecurities. Thank you so much for being so wonderful and for writing such an amazing book!
I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR WRITING ABB-- this book has such a special place in my heart because it's your debut and because i watched your whole journey or writing it through your book writing episodes but also because i watched your whole youtube journey in general. And you are 100% right- Shane isn't just you, she's so much of us too and I can completely relate to her. ABB came out towards the end of my senior year of high school and i read it and loved it and took note of all the mistakes I didn't want to make it college. A year later and I have now nearly completed my freshman year of college and I reread ABB recently. It was semi painful to see that i had ended up making a lot of the mistakes I so badly did not want to make- yet it was exactly the wake up call I needed. I definitely need to make some changes before so I don't end up regretting my whole college experience, but I'm confident that I'll be able to do it. So thank you. Thank you thank you thank you
you talking about how you made this book for you and for all of us, who have ever felt isolated or scared like shane did. i'm tearing up:') also, i whole-heartedly agree with you. i ADORE when artists and writers place parts of themselves into their art. it makes it more genuine and vulnerable and that's what i want when i read stories. i want to feel something. so thank you for including it!!!!
I love when authors call their books their babies. They put a little bit of themselves in them and then they go out into the world and became their own thing, inspiring others. That’s what this book is to so many people. I got emotional when Christine got emotional because that is how it was like for me.
I am so proud of you Christine and I've been watching your writing vlogs since the beginning of the ABB journey, and to see how strong and passionate you are about your own art it truly, truly inspiring. I hope you're staying safe & well! ❤️
Hearing you talk about your writing and your own experiences is so inspiring
I absolutely loved your book and related to Shane in so many ways. I am 19 years old myself and just finished my first year at college in a different state than my home town. Thank you for being so vulnerable and writing something for those who aren't regularly spoken for. I have been watching your videos for years and am so excited that I finally got to read something of yours! I felt like I was reading something from both my brain and yours all at the same time. Can't wait for your next book!
Wow, Christine, i just... wow. Thank you so much for Again But Better, and thank you so much for being your authentic self; it’s inspired me in more ways than you could possibly imagine! 💛💛💛
Thank you for this video. It’s so heartfelt and insightful. This book was amazing, I read it when I was 18, just starting college, and It definitely made me think about how to approach college and life. And for the record, I love that the main character has similarities to you because you’re awesome.
i listened to the ABB audiobook everyday on my commute to college and it was so nice to resonate with shane on so many different levels, especially about the parents thing. college has been pretty awful for me and i’ve had a lot of times where i’ve put myself out there just for it to fall through, but i want to keep trying. thank you for the things you said in this video, i cried many times ❤️
Thanks for making content for the past 10 years! I have been a fan of you book talks and shadow hunter crack pot theories. Your thoughtful words about listening to the positive is important. We all have enough self criticism and sometimes we forget to cut ourselves a break. I thought your book was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. Thank you for your work and being you!
Been here supporting ABB since the writing vlogs!! Love from Pakistan ❤️
ABB was all that got me through freshmen year at college. I told myself I needed to talk to people and made a list of things to do over the year and when ever I got sad I just read it again! Thank you for writing a story that was there for me :))))))
I saw your book in one of my favourite book store before all that corona stuff. I live in Germany, it was in the english children and ya book section. I even saw a teenage person reading a copy and laughing out loud.
Christine I hope you see this, I picked up this book during the quarantine and immediately fell in love and just finished it. I am 23 and just starting college, I left home at 18 and joined the military since I couldn’t afford college. I enjoyed it very much and was very happy until I broke my back, this led me to a lot of change. I am married and have my own home but I always struggled finding me. I love my life and am happy in my relationship but I struggled finding who I want to be. While reading this book I learned more about the college mindset and feel better starting it. At the same time I was medical discharged from the military. In a strange turn of events I got a good job at a dream company I never thought I could get. I decided then and there I would go back to school to get a mechanical engineering degree, I feel lost and a bit intimated but this book made me feel incredibly better. I’m sad I have finished it but it felt so good to have a book to show it is hard to find yourself completely in your 20s. My husband has been very supportive through my journey from walking again, to learning and to landing my job at my dream company. He has also supported going for an engineering degree. I wish I could say more but this book tied to me in so many ways. Thank you writing one of my favorite books. 💙