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okevamae's review
3.0
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.
torikellner's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
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!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
andy5185's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
It's hard to write a recommendation for this one because the premise is so strange. Two girls that share one body. They shift in between worlds. Each has their own self, own sets of parents, own lives but they exist swinging between two places. It's mind bending. The pace of the book is great and I did enjoy the characters. The concept is so intriguing it kept me reading.
thestoriedblog's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
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.
itsneilcochrane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I was super fascinated by this concept and I read this book hungrily--only to be disappointed by an abrupt cop-out of an ending. I literally thought my DRC had been corrupted; I waited to write my review until after I could confirm in the print copy that it really ended that way. Frankly, I'm disappointed that I ordered copies for my store before I finished. Some people might like the ambiguous, non-traditional ending, but I did not.
smkraatz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
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