By: Christine Riccio
So, before I read this book, I didn’t know there was a way to do college wrong. But apparently. There is. Let me explain.
Shane’s been totally missing out on the college experience. I mean, sure, she’s acing her pre-med studies, getting straight A+’s in all her classes, and her parents are over the moon about it. But seriously, this girl hasn’t made a single friend, heads home every single weekend, and romance? What even is that?
Her life’s been all about dorms, dining halls, and classes on repeat. Time’s ticking, and she’s in need of a change. So, she’s off to shake things up by going to a new country. Shane’s signed up for a semester (creative writing) abroad in London. She’s set on fixing all her college mistakes: making friends, going after a boy, and seeking out adventure!
Easier said than done. Soon, she faces 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.
Ok, so I really recommend that you don’t read past this point if you haven’t read this book yet.
On the plane ride here, Shane manages to get haggled by a red headed stranger. Shane is having a great time in London, and she’s absolutely thrilled with her amazing flatmates. Babe has become her new bestie. While Shane and Sahra are good friends, their relationship isn’t as close. Additionally, Shane values her friendships with both Atticus and Babe, often turning to them for advice. Pilot is the cute boy that Shane’s after. So, overall her trip starts off amazing with a trip to Rome, Paris, and Greenwich. She’s good friends with Pilot now. She’s interning for a travel magazine: Packed! For Travel! But then, things start heading down hill. Shane’s parents start asking about the ‘pre med program’ she’s in. They would freak out if Shane told them that she is actually in a creative writing program. She finds out that Pilot has a girlfriend named, Amy. And Amy’s about to visit in a while. She also sees red headed lady again at the Starbucks.
Also Shwednesday is born in this book. Shawarma Wednesdays sound…interesting. I’m not really sure what shawarma is though. But if anyone has ever tried shawarma let me know how it is down in the comments! Anyways, Shane loves shawarma now. And guess what? She saw Ms. Red-Headed Lady again at Rome! Then, a week or two after Paris, Amy (the girlfriend) comes to visit. And then there’s other terribly surprising meeting that ends up in a lot of cursing, shouting, and tears. And after said shocking visit, Amy finds Shane’s diary where Shane wrote everything (her time with Pilot) and Shane is finally done with this semester. She misses classes. She quits from her internship.
When it’s finally time for Shane to go back to the US, she decides that she needs to confront Pilot. She goes back to their flat. but he doesn’t answer when she knocks. She texts. He doesn’t answer. When she finally lands in the US, she’s working in her dad’s office.
6 years later (2017)
It’s been 6 years. Shane’s on her way to becoming a gastroenterologist. Babe is Shane’s best friend. She’s dating a guy named Melvin. After an interview for a medical program, Shane decides to visit Pilot, who is working a couple miles from where she is right now. So she goes to where he works. He freaks out when he sees her. When he comes down, Shane invites him for coffee and he agrees. She has transited from an online stalker to a real, physical stalker. Go, Shane…
They go to a ‘hidden coffee shop complete with a hidden elevator.’ And then guess who she sees as the barista? THE RED HEADED LADY!!! But she doesn’t realize it’s her. It’s been, like, 6 years since Shane’s seen this lady. So she goes on, telling Pilot how Melvin asked Shane to marry her, and she said she has to think about it. And then Shane asks Pilot how he felt towards Shane during the study abroad. And he freezes. Shane remembers who this lady is but stays calm. Pilot says that he’s till together with Amy. And Shane says,“That’s not what I asked.” They stare at the table for a while as they get their coffee. Then Shane says that she felt something during the study abroad but thinks she’s making those feelings up and that she’s looking for closure. And do you know what Pilot’s answer was? “You’renotmakingitup.” Then they get into an argument and go into the elevator to leave.
The red headed barista says goodbye and Shane yells at the lady to stop following her. Then they get on the elevator. Shane and Pilot start going down, but then, the elevator suddenly stops. Shane starts freaking out because she has an interview in an hour. There is not fire escape alarm. There is just one button. And that’s down. When they give up, Shane asks Pilot if he remembers their conversation from study abroad: if they could go back in time, where would they go? Before they had a said the Constitutional Convention and a Beatles concert. Now, Shane says she’d go back to January 2011. The study abroad. Then the elevator start creaking. Shane screams.
When she opens her eyes, she starts screaming again. Because she’s sitting in front of her old computer, Sawyer (he died at the end of 2011, she got a new computer, Sayid) and back in her flat from London. She finds Pilot, and he thinks that she paid someone to recreate their old flat. They get into another argument. Finally they come face to face with Sahra and Atticus, who she hasn’t seen in years. Atticus says that they got to London, England today. That mean they are really back in January 2011!!!! *cue extremely loud and dramatic gasps*
They see the red headed lady and possible spirit guide again. They question her about this and she says that when they go to Rome in 3 days, they will find a button. When they press it, they’ll be back in 2017, with no memory of them time traveling. I was like, is this Airport Lady/ Starbucks Barista/ waitress/spirit guide some kind of wizard?? How did they go back in time? Finally, Pilot yells and Shane that it’s all her fault! That she needed closure! How is this any of Shane’s fault? She didn’t know this would happen!!! When they go to Rome with Sahra and Babe, they (more like, Pilot) looked everywhere for the button. And they find it in the most unexpected place.
I’ll leave you guys with that. I don’t know about you but I think Pilot is so ready to get back to his life with Amy in 2017. But I’m glad they give an epilogue at the end. But I think there are a lot of similarities between Shane and Christine (the author),
Shane Primaveri – white, blonde, socially awkward, reader, writer, ENTHUSIASTIC NERD, studied abroad, Italian, blog name: FrenchWatermelons19
Christine Riccio – white, blonde, socially awkward, reader, writer, ENTHUSIASTIC NERD, studied abroad, Italian, YouTube channel name: PolandBananas20
Hmm, something looks familiar…OH YEAH, EVERYTHING.
But that’s alright because I have never been on PolandBananas20. I found this after some researching.
This review is getting really long, so I do need to bring it to an end. I hope you guys read this book and have a fantabulous week.
XOXO
Aaradhyaa
#TimeTravel
#CollegeDoneRight
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