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headbangerhijabi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Okay so it's been a few days since I finished this book; I think I've finally collected my thoughts. I gotta say, it was a roller coaster of a book.
FIRST OF ALL IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE HEADSPACE TO READ ABOUT SUICIDE/SUICIDE IDEATION, NEGATIVE SELF TALKING, ANXIETY, PANIC ATTACKS, AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It is a really great story, but if you are not in a good place mentally to handle that it can be a lot. I haven't had a book make me cry in less than 50 pages in a long time but this one did.
I'm going to put the rest of the review below the spoiler
So my thoughts.
1) i saw a lot of other reviewers complaining that Isla's anxiety almost seemed like a whole character. Like it was the villain waiting in the wings. And here's the thing, Anxiety irl presents like that a lot of the time. I have a little voice in my head that tells me a lot of the same shit that Isla was thinking to herself. I've gotten better but that whole "second character who's job is to belittle you" is very accurate to how my anxiety can present itself. One of the tricks I use to keep her at bay is to treat her like a Starbucks Karen. Isla's anxiety is a lot more severe than mine is but this story is about her learning to stand up to her own mental Karen, Ewan helps a lot but at the end of the day Isla is the one who needs to stand up to Karen.
2) I love Isla and Ewan's relationship. He's great at pulling her out of her shell, and she's someone that Ewan feels like he can be himself around. I get the feeling that Ewan feels judged by a lot of people in his life, and as a second gen kid in an immigrant community that feels so accurate. Being able to follow along with a conversation but not being able to contribute is definitely something that resonated in my personal life. Also, the way their little nerdy banter plays off one another was ADORABLE AF
3) I love the entire premise of the story and the writing was great! my ONLY complaint is that it wrapped up way too quickly. Maybe it's because this is a debut author, and she's still finding her stride, but to have the resolution to Isla's second attempt at resetting the timeline be sequestered to the Epilogue made it feel a bit rushed. I like that the overarching story was that Isla needed to learn to accept herself even when bad things happen, but at the same time we had to sit through the bad timeline where Ewan was gone and we got almost nothing from the good timeline where everything works itself out.
4) I LOVED EWAN. I even wrote in the margins when he first got the call from Future!Isla that if he was the one who dies I would riot. AND I FUCKING DID. the first 89% of the book I flew through in like a day and a half. The like 10 pages from the Accident to when Isla realized she could call him again took literally FOUR HOURS of me pacing and crying and screaming and cussing to get through š
5) I love that Future!Ewan was able to get Isla to a place where she was able to step out of her comfort enough to meet him in a different way than they had originally. I love that she was able to learn how to accept the issues that would come, and that Current!Ewan was quick to learn how to work with her quirks. Their relationship felt real. Ewan made mistakes, so did Isla, but they worked through them in a way that didn't feel too "Hollywood we've got five minutes to wrap it up" which I think is why the ending felt so jarring. like I didn't want to have to read the hospital scene again, cuz ooff, but if there was a few more scenes, like maybe their wedding or them moving in together after the accident would have been nice. (OR even an announcement that "the accident was x amount of years ago"). I do love that Isla did get to have her moment with the gallery, but I wanted a bit more......
6) I do wish we got more of Ewan's POV chapters. Like I would love to have a Future!Ewan chapter where he realizes what's happening with the messages. Or even just a bit more of Current!Ewan's thoughts. I also REALLY want to know if Isla ever actually tells Current!Ewan about Future!Ewan and Future!Isla...... like what was that conversation even like?!?!?!
Overall solid story, the rushed ending was my only real gripe.
FIRST OF ALL IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE HEADSPACE TO READ ABOUT SUICIDE/SUICIDE IDEATION, NEGATIVE SELF TALKING, ANXIETY, PANIC ATTACKS, AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It is a really great story, but if you are not in a good place mentally to handle that it can be a lot. I haven't had a book make me cry in less than 50 pages in a long time but this one did.
I'm going to put the rest of the review below the spoiler
So my thoughts.
1) i saw a lot of other reviewers complaining that Isla's anxiety almost seemed like a whole character. Like it was the villain waiting in the wings. And here's the thing, Anxiety irl presents like that a lot of the time. I have a little voice in my head that tells me a lot of the same shit that Isla was thinking to herself. I've gotten better but that whole "second character who's job is to belittle you" is very accurate to how my anxiety can present itself. One of the tricks I use to keep her at bay is to treat her like a Starbucks Karen. Isla's anxiety is a lot more severe than mine is but this story is about her learning to stand up to her own mental Karen, Ewan helps a lot but at the end of the day Isla is the one who needs to stand up to Karen.
2) I love Isla and Ewan's relationship. He's great at pulling her out of her shell, and she's someone that Ewan feels like he can be himself around. I get the feeling that Ewan feels judged by a lot of people in his life, and as a second gen kid in an immigrant community that feels so accurate. Being able to follow along with a conversation but not being able to contribute is definitely something that resonated in my personal life. Also, the way their little nerdy banter plays off one another was ADORABLE AF
3) I love the entire premise of the story and the writing was great! my ONLY complaint is that it wrapped up way too quickly. Maybe it's because this is a debut author, and she's still finding her stride, but to have the resolution to Isla's second attempt at resetting the timeline be sequestered to the Epilogue made it feel a bit rushed. I like that the overarching story was that Isla needed to learn to accept herself even when bad things happen, but at the same time we had to sit through the bad timeline where Ewan was gone and we got almost nothing from the good timeline where everything works itself out.
4) I LOVED EWAN. I even wrote in the margins when he first got the call from Future!Isla that if he was the one who dies I would riot. AND I FUCKING DID. the first 89% of the book I flew through in like a day and a half. The like 10 pages from the Accident to when Isla realized she could call him again took literally FOUR HOURS of me pacing and crying and screaming and cussing to get through š
5) I love that Future!Ewan was able to get Isla to a place where she was able to step out of her comfort enough to meet him in a different way than they had originally. I love that she was able to learn how to accept the issues that would come, and that Current!Ewan was quick to learn how to work with her quirks. Their relationship felt real. Ewan made mistakes, so did Isla, but they worked through them in a way that didn't feel too "Hollywood we've got five minutes to wrap it up" which I think is why the ending felt so jarring. like I didn't want to have to read the hospital scene again, cuz ooff, but if there was a few more scenes, like maybe their wedding or them moving in together after the accident would have been nice. (OR even an announcement that "the accident was x amount of years ago"). I do love that Isla did get to have her moment with the gallery, but I wanted a bit more......
6) I do wish we got more of Ewan's POV chapters. Like I would love to have a Future!Ewan chapter where he realizes what's happening with the messages. Or even just a bit more of Current!Ewan's thoughts. I also REALLY want to know if Isla ever actually tells Current!Ewan about Future!Ewan and Future!Isla...... like what was that conversation even like?!?!?!
Overall solid story, the rushed ending was my only real gripe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Vomit
jaelh's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
linnypesto's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cancer and Emotional abuse
louisekf's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
amobrien's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.
Wow! I was so amazed with Twice in a Lifetime. I love when stories can manage to be both heartbreaking and hopeful. I also loved these characters and the relationships they form both romantically and platonically. Overall, it's an amazing read! I highly recommend it, but please check content warnings before diving in.
Wow! I was so amazed with Twice in a Lifetime. I love when stories can manage to be both heartbreaking and hopeful. I also loved these characters and the relationships they form both romantically and platonically. Overall, it's an amazing read! I highly recommend it, but please check content warnings before diving in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Grief, Death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
kari_f's review against another edition
4.0
Itās SO important to see a variety of people represented in media, and I appreciate that this book exists. There are some very heavy topics that our main character deals with, including crippling anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, parental abuse, grief, and traumatic brain injury.
But.
There is also so much lightness to the book, with romantic banter and tender friendship and characters working hard to become better and stronger versions of themselves.
Plus, time travel, of course.
The description likens this one to a cross between Oona Out of Order and The Time Travelerās Wife, but Iām not sure I agree. Yes, there is a time aspect, but it was quite different than the premise of Oona and had the healthy personal development that TTTW lacked. As far as time travel comparisons go, Iād almost say this one is more like a combination Emma Straubās This Time Tomorrow and the movie The Lake House. Add some of Matt Haigās The Midnight Library to this and youāll have a feel for the time travel and emotional impact of this book. (Of course, Twice in a Lifetime has so many aspects that are uniquely its own!)
One thing I wished was a longer āfalling in loveā build-up period for our protagonists. It felt a bit rushed to me, as did parts of the conclusion.
As someone who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks (though not to the level of our protagonist), itās lovely to see a character who has a host of mental health conditions and is still lovable and bright and creative (even though she doesnāt always see herself as such). Seeing how she views herself versus how others view her was fantastic, and itās clear to me that the author has had personal experience in this area.
Do check the trigger warnings for your own mental health. My anxiety was pretty high as I read the book, so if your anxiety is triggered by reading about the anxiety of others, just be aware of that. This isnāt really an escapism sort of novel. It was worth it though, and I really enjoyed the book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for this advanced copy!
But.
There is also so much lightness to the book, with romantic banter and tender friendship and characters working hard to become better and stronger versions of themselves.
Plus, time travel, of course.
The description likens this one to a cross between Oona Out of Order and The Time Travelerās Wife, but Iām not sure I agree. Yes, there is a time aspect, but it was quite different than the premise of Oona and had the healthy personal development that TTTW lacked. As far as time travel comparisons go, Iād almost say this one is more like a combination Emma Straubās This Time Tomorrow and the movie The Lake House. Add some of Matt Haigās The Midnight Library to this and youāll have a feel for the time travel and emotional impact of this book. (Of course, Twice in a Lifetime has so many aspects that are uniquely its own!)
One thing I wished was a longer āfalling in loveā build-up period for our protagonists. It felt a bit rushed to me, as did parts of the conclusion.
As someone who struggles with anxiety and panic attacks (though not to the level of our protagonist), itās lovely to see a character who has a host of mental health conditions and is still lovable and bright and creative (even though she doesnāt always see herself as such). Seeing how she views herself versus how others view her was fantastic, and itās clear to me that the author has had personal experience in this area.
Do check the trigger warnings for your own mental health. My anxiety was pretty high as I read the book, so if your anxiety is triggered by reading about the anxiety of others, just be aware of that. This isnāt really an escapism sort of novel. It was worth it though, and I really enjoyed the book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for this advanced copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
starklinqs's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC! God, at first I was delaying with reading this book, Iām not going to lie. I kept telling myself I wasnāt sure about the writing and that I was just going to read it later (and this was only a few pages in, I donāt know why I was hesitating so hard LMAO).
Then I finally got out of my book slump and forced myself to start again, and I did not put the book down once (literally, I started getting thirsty and started walking down the stairs trying to watch the steps and the book at the same time). This book isnāt perfect of course - the time travel is only loosely described (which I forgive sins I loved everything else so much) and while itās not necessarily a flaw, I cringe a little when main characters obsess over their looks/not being pretty enough. But god, I loved Ewan and Isla so, SO much. I was invested in their story through and through, and I liked them both as characters. They both have their own sets of flaws, but are lovely and love each other so much, and itās just SO wonderful seeing Isla and exploring her nervous disorder and all the pain and struggles that come with that while still reiterating that YES, sheās worthy of love. Sometimes I felt frustrated at her in a way that mimicked how I get frustrated at myself, and it was just so very true to form and relatable. I could honestly go on for ages about this book, but to keep it short I just loved it so much. I would read another book about these two, and I know Iām going to reread their story again.
Then I finally got out of my book slump and forced myself to start again, and I did not put the book down once (literally, I started getting thirsty and started walking down the stairs trying to watch the steps and the book at the same time). This book isnāt perfect of course - the time travel is only loosely described (which I forgive sins I loved everything else so much) and while itās not necessarily a flaw, I cringe a little when main characters obsess over their looks/not being pretty enough. But god, I loved Ewan and Isla so, SO much. I was invested in their story through and through, and I liked them both as characters. They both have their own sets of flaws, but are lovely and love each other so much, and itās just SO wonderful seeing Isla and exploring her nervous disorder and all the pain and struggles that come with that while still reiterating that YES, sheās worthy of love. Sometimes I felt frustrated at her in a way that mimicked how I get frustrated at myself, and it was just so very true to form and relatable. I could honestly go on for ages about this book, but to keep it short I just loved it so much. I would read another book about these two, and I know Iām going to reread their story again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Cancer
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