The game is taking my lives!!

When I start the game, I click on the level that I’m on to play it. Then another screen pops up & I click play or continue or whatever. Then the same screen pops up for a second time. I click play again. Then the game freezes in the in between screen like it’s going to take me to the level but it never does. The only way to get out of that screen is to force close the app. However, by doing this it uses up a life even tho I never played the game. This will go on 3 or 4 times until I’m almost out of lives. This is SO HIGHLY ANNOYING. I almost want to quit playing the game because it never works half the time. Does anyone else have this issue????