19 books we can’t wait to get our hands on in 2019

Again, But Better – Christine Riccio

Anyone in the book community is aware that Youtube has become a major platform for readers, with many of them using it to create video reviews and other book-related content geared toward bibliophiles. “Booktubers” are a major part of the publishing world these days, and it’s no surprise that some of them are embarking on their own writing and publishing journeys.

Christine Riccio, also known as polandbananasBOOKS, has been working on her first novel for the past year or so—a process that readers can track through her writing video series. The final product of her work will finally be released in May of next year, and Again, but Better sounds like everything her subscribers hoped it would be.

A contemporary story aimed at young adult readers, Again, but Better follows a girl named Shane through her transition into college—though, according to the book’s synopsis, Shane is doing college “all wrong.” Introverted and lacking self-confidence, she hasn’t made many friends during her college career. She doesn’t wander far from her dorm, dining hall, and classrooms while she’s on campus. On the weekends, she tends to head home.

Unhappy with the way college is going, Shane decides she’s in need of a change. She goes the drastic route and decides to sign up for a semester abroad, hoping that living in London will bring her out of her comfort zone. Unfortunately, when the realities of being outside of that comfort zone hit, they hit hard. Shane must find the courage to survive her anxieties before they consume her.

Again, but Better sounds relatable for anyone who’s tried to change for the better, and really, who can turn down a book set in London? It comes out on May 7, and it sounds like the perfect balance of emotional and feel-good reading for springtime.