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Twice Lived
Torn between two families and two lives, a troubled teen must come to terms with losing half their world.
Two Worlds. Two Minds. One Life.
There are two Earths. Perfectly ordinary and existing in parallel. There are no doorways between them, no way to cross from one world to another. Unless you’re a shifter.
Canna and Lily are the same person but they refuse to admit it. Their split psyche has forced them to shift randomly between worlds – between lives and between families – for far longer than they should. But one mind can’t bear this much life. It’ll break under the weight of it all. Soon they’ll experience their final shift and settle at last in one world, but how can they prepare both families for the eventuality of them disappearing forever?
Twice Lived is a novel about family and friendships, and about loss and acceptance, and about the ways we learn to deal with the sheer randomness of life.
Two Worlds. Two Minds. One Life.
There are two Earths. Perfectly ordinary and existing in parallel. There are no doorways between them, no way to cross from one world to another. Unless you’re a shifter.
Canna and Lily are the same person but they refuse to admit it. Their split psyche has forced them to shift randomly between worlds – between lives and between families – for far longer than they should. But one mind can’t bear this much life. It’ll break under the weight of it all. Soon they’ll experience their final shift and settle at last in one world, but how can they prepare both families for the eventuality of them disappearing forever?
Twice Lived is a novel about family and friendships, and about loss and acceptance, and about the ways we learn to deal with the sheer randomness of life.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 20, 2024
5 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 29, 2023
I was really looking forward to this book based on the premise, but the execution unfortunately fell entirely flat for me.
There are lots of examples, but a few issues really stuck out to me. The construction was sloppy (why were only the parents in therapy/support groups, even if the children tended to settle sooner? Why didn't anyone introduce the children to other shifters ever?). The world was poorly imagined (why would characters shift to random places instead of shifting to the "other Earth" equivalent of where they are--and if they were shifting to random locations, why were all those locations conveniently in the same city and not on the other side of the planet?). There were also some tense switches that were pretty obviously unintentional, and I can only hope that they were fixed before the book goes fully to print.
Other than perhaps Georgia, most of the characters were interchangeable and bland. Tell me something interesting about ANY of Canna's friends or even Jackson, for that matter. For an author who stated that they preferred focusing on character over place, only Canna and Aidha were really developed in a compelling way. Lily and her Hallmark family left me not only annoyed by their overall saccharine portrayal, but irritated by Lily's selfishness and entitlement. And please, authors, don't try to write a child unless you understand children developmentally. I had no clue what age Lolo was for most of the book, especially when she was speaking with a really advanced sentence structure but she could still be picked up and flown around by everyone in the family.
The end was the cherry on top of my disappointment. I won't say anything explicit about it, but it was dropped like a bowling ball in the last pages and left me only thinking for the rest of the night about how frustrated I was by the book as a whole. Like so much of the rest of the narrative, it felt like a cop out to a complicated problem. Laying in bed until four in the morning grudgingly going over ways I would have loved the premise if it had been executed differently was not a good time.
This book was a really good idea begging for a more skilled treatment. It felt like the movie adaptation of a favorite book, where great ideas, a potentially intriguing universe, and characters with compelling potential are squandered into 90 minutes instead of getting the longer-format attention they deserved. The premise either required more pages or more focus to get an effective execution.
As a bookseller, I will usually abandon an ARC I'm reading if it feels like it's not going anywhere and grabbing me, simply because I have so many other books I need to pay attention to so I can effectively talk about titles with readers. So I will say that the idea was compelling enough to encourage me to stick it out until the end in the hope that the tide would shift. At many junctures I saw ways in which it could redeem itself. Unfortunately, I would instead say that this title ends up being my least favorite book that I've finished not only this year, but in a really long time. It will go on my list of great disappointments of 2023.
There are lots of examples, but a few issues really stuck out to me. The construction was sloppy (why were only the parents in therapy/support groups, even if the children tended to settle sooner? Why didn't anyone introduce the children to other shifters ever?). The world was poorly imagined (why would characters shift to random places instead of shifting to the "other Earth" equivalent of where they are--and if they were shifting to random locations, why were all those locations conveniently in the same city and not on the other side of the planet?). There were also some tense switches that were pretty obviously unintentional, and I can only hope that they were fixed before the book goes fully to print.
Other than perhaps Georgia, most of the characters were interchangeable and bland. Tell me something interesting about ANY of Canna's friends or even Jackson, for that matter. For an author who stated that they preferred focusing on character over place, only Canna and Aidha were really developed in a compelling way. Lily and her Hallmark family left me not only annoyed by their overall saccharine portrayal, but irritated by Lily's selfishness and entitlement. And please, authors, don't try to write a child unless you understand children developmentally. I had no clue what age Lolo was for most of the book, especially when she was speaking with a really advanced sentence structure but she could still be picked up and flown around by everyone in the family.
The end was the cherry on top of my disappointment. I won't say anything explicit about it, but it was dropped like a bowling ball in the last pages and left me only thinking for the rest of the night about how frustrated I was by the book as a whole. Like so much of the rest of the narrative, it felt like a cop out to a complicated problem. Laying in bed until four in the morning grudgingly going over ways I would have loved the premise if it had been executed differently was not a good time.
This book was a really good idea begging for a more skilled treatment. It felt like the movie adaptation of a favorite book, where great ideas, a potentially intriguing universe, and characters with compelling potential are squandered into 90 minutes instead of getting the longer-format attention they deserved. The premise either required more pages or more focus to get an effective execution.
As a bookseller, I will usually abandon an ARC I'm reading if it feels like it's not going anywhere and grabbing me, simply because I have so many other books I need to pay attention to so I can effectively talk about titles with readers. So I will say that the idea was compelling enough to encourage me to stick it out until the end in the hope that the tide would shift. At many junctures I saw ways in which it could redeem itself. Unfortunately, I would instead say that this title ends up being my least favorite book that I've finished not only this year, but in a really long time. It will go on my list of great disappointments of 2023.
February 29, 2024
The book was fine. The plot was a really cool concept, but the writing was kind of boring. The ending was highly disappointing
January 18, 2024
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, sadly, it’s a 3. UNLESS there's a second installment announced (fingers crossed!)
Representation: POC Characters (including main characters), LGBTQ+ characters (including main characters)
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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, sadly, it’s a 3. UNLESS there's a second installment announced (fingers crossed!)
Representation: POC Characters (including main characters), LGBTQ+ characters (including main characters)
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2024
4.5*
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.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
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.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
November 23, 2025
Science fiction aside, this is a double story about friends, family and near future loss. Read on a whim, I liked it... until that ending.
The main character has two lives, in two completely unconnected worlds, and she physically "shifts" between the two uncontrollably, with no warning. These shifters are rare, and usually stop doing this and "settle" while much younger. Lily/Canna is a completely different person on each side of the shift, with few memories of the other side. So in addition to the story of her friends and family dealing with loss (and eventual complete loss), the main character is also dealing with future loss.
Outside of the science fiction, the world building is pretty solid. In addition to the main characters, the story takes both mother's point of views (this shifting began in utero !?). To do this, the author and publisher used different fonts. I liked the differences, but never internalized which font for which character by the end; fortunately there were other hints about the frame of reference.
Like The Twilight Zone, the science fiction may only be here to loosely disguise the actual focus. Near as I can tell this is family and loss, but I was never certain. Last year I read The Other Valley and had a similar response. My review and rating have nothing to do with how "realistic" the science fiction is, but wow, this one is out there. Shifting mid pregnancy? We've seen this character physically shift to an unknown location - tied geographically to the other place? How does that work for infants and toddlers? Perhaps a paragraph about what the characters (or their scientists) know would have helped.
This book was a quick read and around 4 stars for me until that ending. I'll wrap my final thoughts in a spoiler tag.
I'm glad I read this author, who I hadn't seen before. She has one other novel available, along with a novella and perhaps some short fiction? Will likely check those out.
The main character has two lives, in two completely unconnected worlds, and she physically "shifts" between the two uncontrollably, with no warning. These shifters are rare, and usually stop doing this and "settle" while much younger. Lily/Canna is a completely different person on each side of the shift, with few memories of the other side. So in addition to the story of her friends and family dealing with loss (and eventual complete loss), the main character is also dealing with future loss.
Outside of the science fiction, the world building is pretty solid. In addition to the main characters, the story takes both mother's point of views (this shifting began in utero !?). To do this, the author and publisher used different fonts. I liked the differences, but never internalized which font for which character by the end; fortunately there were other hints about the frame of reference.
Like The Twilight Zone, the science fiction may only be here to loosely disguise the actual focus. Near as I can tell this is family and loss, but I was never certain. Last year I read The Other Valley and had a similar response. My review and rating have nothing to do with how "realistic" the science fiction is, but wow, this one is out there. Shifting mid pregnancy? We've seen this character physically shift to an unknown location - tied geographically to the other place? How does that work for infants and toddlers? Perhaps a paragraph about what the characters (or their scientists) know would have helped.
This book was a quick read and around 4 stars for me until that ending. I'll wrap my final thoughts in a spoiler tag.
I'm glad I read this author, who I hadn't seen before. She has one other novel available, along with a novella and perhaps some short fiction? Will likely check those out.
February 27, 2025
Eine junge Frau wechselt zwischen zwei Welten - in beiden ist sie eine andere Person und hat andere Familien & Freunde. Aber irgendwann wird sie in einer davon bleiben müssen. Interessantes Konzept; die daraus entstehende(n) Welt(en) haben sich für mich nicht fertig ausgearbeitet angefühlt, das Buch bleibt sehr auf der persönlichen Ebene. Das Ende war für mich auch nicht befriedigend oder final, das kann noch ewig so weitergehen...
June 2, 2024
I will freely admit that I'm amused by the people saying that the world building here sucks, because West has always been more of a vibes over lore writer. Would I have liked some more information about the different worlds, and how they figured out more about shifters? Absolutely. However, I feel like that wasn't the main focus of the story. I'm also a huge sucker for font differences being how the different aspects of the story were told. This leans heavy into craft to tell the story of two girls who share a body that shifts across different universes, and what happens as they come to the time where the oldest known shifters start to settle, and the people around them. I also liked the inherent challenge of the ending, because you don't always get to know why it happened, just that it happened this way and you have to live with it now. Pick this up from your library!
December 7, 2023
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!
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!
July 20, 2024
I didn’t pick this book up right away. The first time I read the description I skipped by it. The next time, I decided to try it. I went in prepared to do my best to accept the facts of the story and not think about it or challenge it too much. It is fantasy after all. I liked the idea that the book centered around emotional concepts of acceptance and loss. I’ve lost many people in life and grief is hard even when the loss is not a shock. Also, my son is moving out of the house and 6 hours away in 2 weeks. So, I’m facing a massive life transition, one in which acceptance will be a useful tool.
I’m a mother and my son is 22. I probably related more to the mothers in the story than to the character of Lily and Canna. I cared for her and often wondered how her parents were okay with knowing so little about her life on the other side of the shift. So little in fact that it is only at the age of 16 that they realize their daughter sees themselves as having two distinct identities. My son brought up an interesting fact about the development of personality. That our individual personalities aren’t formed until after 11 or 12. Before that we have multiple personality centers and no unique sense of self. It’s interesting to apply this to why older shifters feel they are two people. Each life they live is different and as they age they’d develop a personality based on each environment. It would make sense that they would feel like two people. He’s no developmental expert just a smart person. I knew the book likely wouldn’t explain too much about the shifting specifics or mechanics bc that wasn’t the point but I did find myself interested in it as a concept and would’ve liked a few extra details.
I read the book with interest bc I was unsure of what the ending would be. I like the feeling of getting to the end and being surprised. Well, this book did that but I still felt disappointed and also a lack of full resolution. Perhaps that was fully the point though, shifters and their families cannot and do not get full resolution to their lives so why would we as readers get it? I echo what many reviews say, will there be a follow up book. If not, I imagine I have to accept that Lily and Canna were in fact one person, not two. And Georgia now must adapt to mothering the personality who identified as Lily and grieve the loss of the daughter she knew, Canna. Cynthia and Jackson will likely never know what happened to Lily and who she grows up to be. They knew so little of her life in that world, she’s just gone from theirs. That really would make a compelling story.
Side note, my son just graduated college with a degree in Physics and also math and he wants to know why all the scientists haven’t figured out how to open a portal between worlds. He thinks they are slackers.
I’m a mother and my son is 22. I probably related more to the mothers in the story than to the character of Lily and Canna. I cared for her and often wondered how her parents were okay with knowing so little about her life on the other side of the shift. So little in fact that it is only at the age of 16 that they realize their daughter sees themselves as having two distinct identities. My son brought up an interesting fact about the development of personality. That our individual personalities aren’t formed until after 11 or 12. Before that we have multiple personality centers and no unique sense of self. It’s interesting to apply this to why older shifters feel they are two people. Each life they live is different and as they age they’d develop a personality based on each environment. It would make sense that they would feel like two people. He’s no developmental expert just a smart person. I knew the book likely wouldn’t explain too much about the shifting specifics or mechanics bc that wasn’t the point but I did find myself interested in it as a concept and would’ve liked a few extra details.
I read the book with interest bc I was unsure of what the ending would be. I like the feeling of getting to the end and being surprised. Well, this book did that but I still felt disappointed and also a lack of full resolution. Perhaps that was fully the point though, shifters and their families cannot and do not get full resolution to their lives so why would we as readers get it? I echo what many reviews say, will there be a follow up book. If not, I imagine I have to accept that Lily and Canna were in fact one person, not two. And Georgia now must adapt to mothering the personality who identified as Lily and grieve the loss of the daughter she knew, Canna. Cynthia and Jackson will likely never know what happened to Lily and who she grows up to be. They knew so little of her life in that world, she’s just gone from theirs. That really would make a compelling story.
Side note, my son just graduated college with a degree in Physics and also math and he wants to know why all the scientists haven’t figured out how to open a portal between worlds. He thinks they are slackers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2025
……I haven’t been this mad at a book in a long time.
I went into Twice Lived with some expectations the premise was so intriguing, and I was excited to see how Joma West would explore the concept of shifting between two lives. And for a while, the book had me hooked. The dual-world dynamic was fascinating, and the emotional weight of Canna/Lily’s struggle felt real. West’s writing is immersive, and I genuinely cared about the relationships and the tension building toward the final shift.
But then, the ending. I can appreciate a gut-punch of a conclusion, but this one left me feeling more frustrated than satisfied. It wasn’t just the shock factor; it was how rushed it felt, like everything was building toward something that never fully landed. I wanted more closure, or at least more time to sit with the consequences of what happened. Instead, I was left staring at the last page, feeling like I had invested so much just to be blindsided. On top of that, the final stretch of the book was confusing, I had to stop and reread certain parts just to grasp exactly what was happening, and based on the many reviews I’ve read, I’m not the only one who felt this way.
A lot of readers seem to take issue with the world-building, but I actually had no problem with that. I think the story was meant to be more about the deeper meaning, the character development, the emotional journey, and the struggle of identity, rather than the intricacies of the two worlds. And on that level, it worked. But when a book leaves you feeling more bewildered than emotionally fulfilled, it’s hard not to feel let down.
3/5 stars. A thought-provoking read with strong character work, but the execution, especially in the ending, left me more frustrated than satisfied.
I went into Twice Lived with some expectations the premise was so intriguing, and I was excited to see how Joma West would explore the concept of shifting between two lives. And for a while, the book had me hooked. The dual-world dynamic was fascinating, and the emotional weight of Canna/Lily’s struggle felt real. West’s writing is immersive, and I genuinely cared about the relationships and the tension building toward the final shift.
But then, the ending. I can appreciate a gut-punch of a conclusion, but this one left me feeling more frustrated than satisfied. It wasn’t just the shock factor; it was how rushed it felt, like everything was building toward something that never fully landed. I wanted more closure, or at least more time to sit with the consequences of what happened. Instead, I was left staring at the last page, feeling like I had invested so much just to be blindsided. On top of that, the final stretch of the book was confusing, I had to stop and reread certain parts just to grasp exactly what was happening, and based on the many reviews I’ve read, I’m not the only one who felt this way.
A lot of readers seem to take issue with the world-building, but I actually had no problem with that. I think the story was meant to be more about the deeper meaning, the character development, the emotional journey, and the struggle of identity, rather than the intricacies of the two worlds. And on that level, it worked. But when a book leaves you feeling more bewildered than emotionally fulfilled, it’s hard not to feel let down.
3/5 stars. A thought-provoking read with strong character work, but the execution, especially in the ending, left me more frustrated than satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
Wow, I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. It's the first book that actually got me welling up with emotion especially towards the latter half of the book and the ending - I did not expect it. Canna lives with her struggling single mother Georgia who is constantly taking shifts at the hospital to give what little she can to her teenage daughter. Canna has some great friends and is boisterous and loves adventure. Lily lives an affluent life with her mother Cynthia, father Jackson, younger sister Loretta and her girlfriend Aidha. They are the same age. They are the same person but they don't acknowledge each other as they are shifters in two parallel Earths. There is a small percentage of the population that uncontrollably shifts up until late childhood from one Earth to the other and they have normal lives in each world but then they make the final shift choosing which side to stay on. Canna and Lily, even though they are the same "person" do not know about each other until things start to come to a head as only one shifter has ever kept shifting this late into their teens. Canna wants to stay on her side, Lily wants to stay on her side and "they" are having great emotional trauma in their "shared" mind due to this tug of war. The story is told not only by each of "them" but also by Georgia and Cynthia and the pain they go through each time their daughter shifts and the wondering if this is the final time they will see them ever again. The book really gives you all sorts of feels about accepting situations, losing people, dealing with life and the unforseeable. Loved it. 5/5
December 27, 2023
“Two Worlds. Two Minds. One Life. There are two Earths. Perfectly ordinary and existing in parallel. There are no doorways between them, no way to cross from one world to another. Unless you’re a shifter.”
It isn’t often that I read a sci-fi book that feels like a completely original concept, but West did that for me with Twice Lived. Lily and Canna are shifters that share a body on either side of the “shift.” On one side, the body and mind belong to Lily, and on the other side, to Canna. They lead individual lives and have their own family and friends.
Twice Lived follows both of the shifters and their parents as they navigate the difficulties of Lily and Canna winking into and out of existence at random points. This book focuses heavily on themes of grief and loss, and emphasizes how we should appreciate the things we have while we still can.
I loved the sci-fi aspects of this book a lot and that’s what gets this to book to 3.5 stars for me. I really wish there had been more characters development, and there were some things that could have been explained a little bit better about the shifting itself. I also don’t love endings that are open to interpretation so I found the ending of this one to be lackluster compared to the buildup.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you like sci-fi, multiple POVs across multiple worlds, and themes of shifting or body changing.
**Thank you to @tordotcompub for the gifted copy of this title!**
It isn’t often that I read a sci-fi book that feels like a completely original concept, but West did that for me with Twice Lived. Lily and Canna are shifters that share a body on either side of the “shift.” On one side, the body and mind belong to Lily, and on the other side, to Canna. They lead individual lives and have their own family and friends.
Twice Lived follows both of the shifters and their parents as they navigate the difficulties of Lily and Canna winking into and out of existence at random points. This book focuses heavily on themes of grief and loss, and emphasizes how we should appreciate the things we have while we still can.
I loved the sci-fi aspects of this book a lot and that’s what gets this to book to 3.5 stars for me. I really wish there had been more characters development, and there were some things that could have been explained a little bit better about the shifting itself. I also don’t love endings that are open to interpretation so I found the ending of this one to be lackluster compared to the buildup.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you like sci-fi, multiple POVs across multiple worlds, and themes of shifting or body changing.
**Thank you to @tordotcompub for the gifted copy of this title!**
February 8, 2024
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.
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.
March 31, 2024
Although the first chapter or two made it a little confusing for me to understand the "shifting" concept, once I understood who the many characters were -- I was all in! I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to know more and more about Canna and Lily.
I thought that the author did a beautiful job at making both Canna and Lily very likable characters -- I mean, were they one person after all? You'll have to read to find out. However, I enjoyed both characters so much and their family and friend relationships that I kept wondering HOW will this end? How can this book have a happy ending without someone getting really hurt.
Unfortunately, the ending left me wanting for more, much more. I didn't quite understand it. I am not sure that the ending was much of an ending. So, due to that I can't give this book the 5 stars that I thought I would be giving it early on in my reading.
I still recommend this book to anyone that is interested in reading a science fiction novel, with some fantasy themes -- and yet filled with many emotions of love, fear of loss and loss itself.
I thought that the author did a beautiful job at making both Canna and Lily very likable characters -- I mean, were they one person after all? You'll have to read to find out. However, I enjoyed both characters so much and their family and friend relationships that I kept wondering HOW will this end? How can this book have a happy ending without someone getting really hurt.
Unfortunately, the ending left me wanting for more, much more. I didn't quite understand it. I am not sure that the ending was much of an ending. So, due to that I can't give this book the 5 stars that I thought I would be giving it early on in my reading.
I still recommend this book to anyone that is interested in reading a science fiction novel, with some fantasy themes -- and yet filled with many emotions of love, fear of loss and loss itself.
July 3, 2024
Ich bin nicht perfekt begeistert, eigentlich sind das nur dreieinhalb Sterne, aber halbe Sterne scheinen nicht möglich zu sein.
Ich finde, man hätte aus der Idee viel mehr herausholen können. Zu viele Szenen und Kapitel waren mir zu sehr "slice of life" der schlechten Art (die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Lily und Aidha ist maximal langweilig, als ob der eigentliche Plot währenddessen auf Pause stand), aus der Idee mit Eric (dem Jungen, der mit neun Jahren aufgehört hat, zwischen den Welten zu wechseln) wurde quasi nichts gemacht. Auch die Ärzte hätten interessantere Dinge sagen können.
Die Perspektiven der Mütter waren für mich am interessantesten, aber auch die gingen für mich emotional längst nicht tief genug.
Was würde es wirklich mit Menschen machen, die wissen, sie können jederzeit ihr Leben verlieren? Oder ihr Kind "für immer" an die andere Seite des Shifts verlieren? Oder was macht es mit jenen, die beide Seiten des Shifts aktiv erleben (wie Eric), wenn sie von zwei Zuhauses eines für immer verlieren?
Nee, nee. Das hätte viel tiefer, viel konsequenter sein können.
Als Idee aber klasse und ich mochte Canna. Und die Mütter.
Ich finde, man hätte aus der Idee viel mehr herausholen können. Zu viele Szenen und Kapitel waren mir zu sehr "slice of life" der schlechten Art (die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Lily und Aidha ist maximal langweilig, als ob der eigentliche Plot währenddessen auf Pause stand), aus der Idee mit Eric (dem Jungen, der mit neun Jahren aufgehört hat, zwischen den Welten zu wechseln) wurde quasi nichts gemacht. Auch die Ärzte hätten interessantere Dinge sagen können.
Die Perspektiven der Mütter waren für mich am interessantesten, aber auch die gingen für mich emotional längst nicht tief genug.
Was würde es wirklich mit Menschen machen, die wissen, sie können jederzeit ihr Leben verlieren? Oder ihr Kind "für immer" an die andere Seite des Shifts verlieren? Oder was macht es mit jenen, die beide Seiten des Shifts aktiv erleben (wie Eric), wenn sie von zwei Zuhauses eines für immer verlieren?
Nee, nee. Das hätte viel tiefer, viel konsequenter sein können.
Als Idee aber klasse und ich mochte Canna. Und die Mütter.
February 17, 2024
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.
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.
February 23, 2025
I adored Joma West's debut novel (FACE) and wanted to love this one in the same way, but this slow burn of a book never quite came together for me.
West still exhibits masterful (and subtle) characterization through interaction and dialog (and what characters *don't* say) here, and all the characters are real and well-drawn, but the slow burn means that it takes me awhile to care about their struggles (and I probably only had the patience to stick with the book for the whole thing because of how dazzled I was by West's first novel). I'm also left puzzled by the ultimate payoff--while the ending of the book is impactful in the moment, and I did find myself thinking about it for a few days, the message never clicked for me, and I'm not ultimately sure what the work as a whole is trying to say.
West still exhibits masterful (and subtle) characterization through interaction and dialog (and what characters *don't* say) here, and all the characters are real and well-drawn, but the slow burn means that it takes me awhile to care about their struggles (and I probably only had the patience to stick with the book for the whole thing because of how dazzled I was by West's first novel). I'm also left puzzled by the ultimate payoff--while the ending of the book is impactful in the moment, and I did find myself thinking about it for a few days, the message never clicked for me, and I'm not ultimately sure what the work as a whole is trying to say.
November 14, 2023
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.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 17, 2024
3.5⭐️
This was a really interesting and unique idea, and I loved the duality of it. I never warmed up to Lily’s side of the world, but really liked Georgia and Canna and loved seeing their relationship with each other and their friends.
The world building here was minimal and left me with questions. The side characters felt very underdeveloped, especially on Lily’s side. Her sister is featured a lot but we don’t even know how old she is, just her name and that she’s younger. The romance felt very insta-love and needed to be flushed out more. The ending wasn’t my fav and didn’t fully make sense to me. It just felt like it went against the few facts we did know about the world.
It’s a quick and very thought provoking read that would make for an interesting book club or buddy read discussion.
Thanks Tordotcom for the ARC!
This was a really interesting and unique idea, and I loved the duality of it. I never warmed up to Lily’s side of the world, but really liked Georgia and Canna and loved seeing their relationship with each other and their friends.
The world building here was minimal and left me with questions. The side characters felt very underdeveloped, especially on Lily’s side. Her sister is featured a lot but we don’t even know how old she is, just her name and that she’s younger. The romance felt very insta-love and needed to be flushed out more. The ending wasn’t my fav and didn’t fully make sense to me. It just felt like it went against the few facts we did know about the world.
It’s a quick and very thought provoking read that would make for an interesting book club or buddy read discussion.
Thanks Tordotcom for the ARC!
March 25, 2024
This story was very interesting to me. Imagine a parallel world that you can only enter as a shifter. Imagine being pregnant and having that child travel to another world. Normally a shifter retains the same personality and memories as they travel from one world to another. Lily and Canna are different. Their memories are separate and distinct. They have to consciously remember important items in the other world. They are over the age that most shifters permanently lived in a world. Which world will Lily and Canna choose to inhabit? Lily, who finally finds love? Canna, who loves life with her working Mom. One world is beginning to understand their problem, the other thinks there is no problem. This book is one to read for different perspectives and I am glad I read it!
March 10, 2024
"Shifting" between life as Canna on one universe and Lily an another, our teen protagonist has been living a double life for longer than most children. (Most others settle years younger. You just have to, you know, go with this premise. It's a thing that just is true.) Now she learns her time will soon be up - she'll need to "settle" in one or the other life. On both sides are family and friends, homes, talents, and a desire to BE. It's a fascinating idea, and I devoured the story. But. I don't know how I feel about the ending. It's sitting wrong with me. I just don't know.
February 21, 2024
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.
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.
October 16, 2025
It was alright. Personally, I didn’t like Lily. I’m not sure why and I really hated her mother. She always assumed she had a bad life on the other side. I wanted Canna to shift and for it to be permanent. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting either and it was kind of a let down. It was surprising but not surprising in the fact that Canna’s reality is the one that Lily ended up in. I feel like there should be more to the end of this book instead of it ending the way it did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
A good idea, very flawed execution. It had a lot of potential, was fairly fleshed out, but overall it seemed like it was just a little extra flavoring on a generic YA plot. I didn't really care for any of the side characters (gun to my head tomorrow, I won't be able to name any of them).
An attempt was made. It wasn't a failure, but it did fall short.
An attempt was made. It wasn't a failure, but it did fall short.
February 25, 2024
The story had a good idea but was not well done. It could have been special but felt too much like other young adult books. The extra details did not add much. I did not connect with the side characters and will likely forget them. It tried to be different but did not quite succeed.
July 20, 2024
3.5⭐️ the concept is very interesting, but the book is weirdly paced and left a lot left to be explored. I think it had a lot of potential to raise some really interesting questions, but the author kept the story small and overly simplistic.
July 21, 2024
I wanted to love this book. Such an original premise but it just kind-of fell a little flat. The whole book is building, building to the conclusion and then... It's all over in just a couple pages. It's fairly anticlimactic and doesn't make a whole lot of sense given the previous 240 pages.
August 1, 2024
Interesting concept. Took me longer than I care to admit to fully follow but as the book went on it all clicked. Then I had to find out how it would end!!! It didn’t end how I had hoped, but it was a good ending.
February 19, 2024
Check out my review on Instagram at readswithally
March 7, 2024
Canna and Lily live in alternate worlds but occupy the same body, which shifts between the two unconsciously.
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