Didn’t like the split narrative within the chapters. I couldn’t tell who I was following. But Imaybe that is my problem and not the book. However I felt as though it would have benefited from being separate chapters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Joma West, it was no surprise to read another strong concept-heavy narrative that dissects different facets of humanity - this time with grief. West does not shy away from how imperfect people are with the ones they love, especially when they have to anticipate grief. With its shocking ending, this will also be divisive but for me, it will always be worth it.

I thought I would like this much more than I did. The pacing was good, but it took me a while to get into the story because it felt like Canna and Lilly were in two different worlds. That actually might have been the point?

Definitely interesting, it just didn't hit the way I expected.

Twice Lived by Joma West is a really interesting story focused on two main characters–Canna and Lily. Who are actually the same person as they are a shifter but they, unlike many other shifters in this AU, feel like two different people shifting between two different worlds. I did feel like it took a little while to get into the story, you get some of the background through the mothers attending support groups for parents of shifters. It's a really interesting idea once you get the gist of it but it does take some time. I also found the ending reaaally compelling and worth the slow start. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC. I am anticipating reading this soon and reviewing on my socials.

I loved this book - I loved the premise, the articulation, and the execution. Two have two lives, as two people, yet one body?

At first, I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy the book; the ARC font was rough the first couple of chapters, but you eventually got the hang of which font was who as you went.

I need to know if there's going to be a second book, or if this is a standalone that hangs on what seems to be a cliffhanger.

I’ve never read a book with a premise like this and I was completely invested in the characters from the very first chapter.

Think about if we were all surrounded by shifters or you were a shifter where you went back and forth from one side of the world to the other? You come and go, you have your people on both sides, you have likes and dislikes thats are different depending on which side of the shift you’re on. I really enjoyed thinking about this. This was a book that really had me thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it and I loved that. There are sci-fi elements and that was also enjoyable. There are quick chapters and dual POV as well

4 ⭐️

Thank you @torbooks for the early copy!

Gosh, where do I even begin? I loved this book, and was hooked from the start. It was incredibly emotional, and I found the concept so intriguing, and the execution equally fabulous. In Twice Lived, some babies are born with the ability to “shift” between parallel worlds. There’s seemingly no rhyme or reason to who becomes a shifter, or the whys and hows, just… that it happens. And parents have to live with it. As for the shifters themselves, most settle in one world in early-to-middle childhood, and that’s that. Obviously, it leaves a huge hole in the parents’ lives, but there is simply nothing to be done.

Canna and Lily share the same body, but they absolutely do not think of themselves as the same person. Canna lives in her world, with her mother Georgia, and Lily lives with her parents and sister in hers. Canna has some great friends while Lily is more of a homebody, and they are simply just two very different people. Problem is, the oldest known shifter was 19 when they settled, and Canna and Lily are getting perilously close, devastating both of their families as well as each girl.

We take the journey with both Canna and Lily as well as their respective mothers as they navigate this trying ordeal. Not only that, but the reader is also following them on a journey to better understand shifting in general, which is tremendously fascinating. The whole book is incredibly thought-provoking, and so very thoughtful in terms of the relationships both girls are desperate to keep, goals they want to achieve, and simply their desire to hang onto their very selves. My only minor gripe is that I would have liked the ending to be a bit more fleshed out- it was kind of quick and I was hoping for a bit more, but overall, this was wonderful.

Bottom Line: So emotionally fulfilling, with an amazing and unique premise that sucked me in from the start and never let go.

Straight up, this wasn’t for me. What I liked: The pacing was well done. I wasn’t too bored with either POV of Canna or Lily, which helped me get through the book. Both Canna and Lily have strong support systems, which for this world is a definite must. What I didn’t like: The concept of shifters was just not delved deep enough for me. I get that the focus of the book is more character-driven, but it just wasn’t enough. I wanted to know more about how shifters existed in both worlds and their impact on society. There were far too many questions that Canna only just started to explore by the end of the book. I also just couldn’t connect enough with Lily’s POV. She frustrated me with her lack of desire learn more about her shifter abilities. What I loved: Canna’s POV was great! She is a character I could resonate with and her integrity had me rooting for her. Her friends were wonderful supports. Her mother’s experience was so understandable and she was so supportive no matter what. Overall, I really was intrigued with the concept, but there wasn’t enough here to resonate with me and want me to keep reading.

Canna and Lily are the same person. Canna and Lily are completely different. Canna and Lily are shifters. Canna and Lily need to settle. Who will win, Canna or Lily?

Canna and Lily are shifters, which mean they can travel from one Earth to another. On one side, we have Canna. She lives with her always working mother and has a close group of friends. On the other side, we have Lily. She lives with her mom, dad, and little sister Lolo. She's more of a plant person than a people person until she meets a new friend. They don't know what causes them to shift, and have no control of when they will shift to the other side. Being 16, they are way past the normal age to settle into one Earth over the other, but settling means people get left behind. Neither can fathom leaving their family and friends. Both have been feeling out of sorts as shifting takes a psychological tole on them the longer it goes on. They need to settle. The only problem is, who gets to settle and who gets left behind?

I really liked this one! It has a very interesting premise and when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about this book and how it would end! As far as endings go, I wasn't expecting that one. It had never even been an option in my mind. I was in disbelief, and not in a bad way. I kind of hope there is another, just so I can see what happens next!

I'm giving this one a 3.75 rounded to a 4.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Some people are born as shifters, living two lives in parallel worlds which they shift between at random, splitting their time between the two. But most people settle in one world or the other in early childhood. This is the story of a teen girl – Canna in one world, Lily in the other – who hasn’t settled yet. And unlike with most shifters, Canna and Lily are distinct and separate personalities. They don’t talk about each other’s lives and try not to even think about them. But lately things are changing, and aspects of one life are bleeding into the other. Settling means one or the other of them will lose everything – but if they don’t settle, they might both be lost.

It took a little time to wrap my head around what exactly was happening, but I’m not sure if that’s down to the clarity of the writing or just me not getting it, but I figured it out after a while. This story explores some interesting territory - family and loss and the complexity of both living while waiting for the other shoe to drop and mourning someone while they are still there. The novel is complex and fascinating emotionally as well as conceptually, because you genuinely like both Canna and Lily and their families, and it feels impossible to choose which one should win out.

Unfortunately, I think the author was caught in the same dilemma and the route she chose was, to me, unsatisfying. I honestly loved this book right up until the end. The ending just felt... like not an ending. Like, I am sincerely hoping that this is the first in a series and they just haven’t announced the next one yet, because if this is a standalone novel, the ending is... disappointment is the wrong word because the story would have to be properly wrapped up for the end to be a disappointment. Instead, it just feels unfinished. The situation was so complicated and I was dying to know how the author was going to bring everything to a suitable conclusion and then... they just didn’t. Would have been 4.5 stars, probably rounded up, but with that ending, it’s a 3. UNLESS there's a second installment announced (fingers crossed!)

Representation: POC Characters (including main characters), LGBTQ+ characters (including main characters)

Thank you @tordotcompub for the #gifted copy of this book!

Talk about a mind bending book! I am always so surprised when authors come up with unique ideas for books. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi but thankful I had the opportunity to give this one a try!

Think about this. Two complete separate earths coexisting at the same time and you cannot get to either of them unless you’re considered a shifter. So for example, a woman can have a baby and then bam…the shifter shifts and ends up in the other earth with no warning to either. A mother without her child. How sad right?! Well Canna and Lily are that person however not willing to accept they are the same person existing in each world. And the crazy thing is they shift with no warning. They struggle to prepare their current world, families and friends that they will one day shift never to return.

How cool is this idea?! I breezed through this in one sitting fascinated by this concept and really thinking about how crazy it would be if this really did happen. Having people pop in and out of your life and random moments. In addition Canna and Lily ultimately ending with one of them surviving! 🤯 The author portrays this sense of impending change so well and I loved the underlying messaging of love, loss and friendships. This book was engaging, riveting, a bit emotional and distinctive! I can’t wait to see what Joma comes up with next!

This was a shorter yet truly enjoyable story! The SF aspects were not difficult to understand and the story was well-paced. The premise had me hooked and I really felt the struggle between Lily and Canna as they navigate shifting. I also felt the pain and fear that their friends and family were feeling as they grasp the possibility of not seeing their loved one. The idea of settling essentially means that only girl will survive, which must have been terrifying to comprehend and the author conveyed that extremely well. The ending was a great twist and as a whole, this book was a wonderful YA scifi read.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I read to the end of chapter 3 (5%). The voice is distinct and it should go over well with the target audience. Likely a solid three stars, four to five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

This is written in a very experimental style that did not work for me—expected something very different.