4.5

thank you to walker books for the e-ARC

this was a fresh and inventive YA science fiction with a good balance of worldbuilding, character growth and coming-of-age, and meaningful relations, platonic and otherwise.

my favorite piece here was the core scifi mechanic, where different worlds experiences days at different timescales and therefore world determines life expectancy, healing, wealth, and power. I think this was just such an inventive “what if” question that gave rise to some really interesting politics and resistance.

fairly classic and enjoyable YA characters with a friend-to-romance subplot that complemented the plot well. lots of great moments of community and solidarity throughout as well.

Skipshock is compelling and immersive, with wonderfully original worldbuilding. I love the concept of this book, and the way the world was crafted was just really clever. I love the idea of there being worlds out there with different hours in a day, and the sickness that comes with adjusting to that. I think I wanted to love the characters more though. There were some deaths sprinkled throughout that I felt should have affected me, but I was pretty unbothered. I also didn't love the romance in this, as the relationship between Margo and Moon honestly felt like a deep friendship rather than something romantic. I think if the chemistry between the two of them was better or if I felt more attached to the side characters I would have enjoyed this one more. The ending was WILD and unexpected. If you enjoy YA/sci-fi, you'll probably love this one. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

An epic fantasy romance to carry you through the summer! From the first page I was hooked and now I'm left wanting more!!

“Skipshock,” by Caroline O’Donoghue

I’m not a huge fan of portal fantasies but I did like Alice in Wonderland topsy turvy vibe and nonsense of the world, like 6-hour days, very interesting. The salesmen plot of the book was very unique and stand out. The book was good overall but not really my type of vibe in a book. 3 out of 5 stars.

-Portal Fantasy Sortof
-Quirky

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

I thought that this was done really well. I felt like the romance and concept for the story complemented each other pretty well. And, with compelling such compelling characters and plot, I was really hooked by this story. The narrative voice in this story was clear and I really liked that the writing style wasn't flowery or dense. I'm really excited to see how the story unfolds in the next installment, and I'm intrigued to see more world-building and further character development.

I enjoyed the uniqueness of this book. I loved the level of detail in this book. This book lives up to the hype.

I really enjoyed this storyline. The world building was interesting and made me think. The characters were well thought out and showed good growth throughout the story.

I started this novel and was instantly enthralled in the world that O'Donoghue created! I have read almost all of her other books and I am super excited to sell this new title!

I love a time travel fantasy novel and this was done extremely well!

This was such a unique read. The depiction and way that time is depicted and how it changes slowing sne quickening as you travel north I found to be very unique. The world building and intricate details of the storytelling was definitely my favorite part about to book. I also really loved the main character Margo, we follow her as she departs on a train from Dublin to go to her boarding school, where she meets a salesman named Moon. They have to work together to literally save time itself. There is some minor romance but u also found the character development to be incredibly well done

Skipshock grabbed me from page one and didn’t let go! Set in a universe where time is literally currency it delivers a thought-provoking and emotional journey through a multiverse of train lines, fast and slow worlds, and heart-wrenching choices.

The world-building is nothing short of phenomenal. Every detail—from the slow, sun-soaked boardinghouses to the brutal fast-track cities—is rich, layered, and completely immersive! The mechanics of time travel, skipshock, and the culture of the Salesmen felt both terrifying and mesmerizing, giving the whole book a pulse-pounding urgency.

Margo and Moon are unforgettable protagonists. Margo’s coming-of-age arc is raw and relatable, while Moon’s desperation and vulnerability anchor the more surreal elements of the story. Their relationship builds slowly and tenderly, with just the right amount of ache and hope to keep you hooked.

This isn’t just a love story—though the romance is beautifully done—it’s about time, grief, survival, and what it means to find your purpose when the clock is literally ticking.

I highly recommend Skipshock for fans of lyrical sci-fi/fantasy, unconventional world-building, and emotionally rich storytelling!

To me, Caroline O'Donoghue has very much always been *that girl*, and SKIPSHOCK only solidifies her status as such.

While I've loved all of her previous work, this is, undeniably, in many ways, perhaps her most intricate and ambitious. SKIPSHOCK reads so easily that it seems deceptively lighthanded, which is all the more proof of O'Donoghue's skill, as it is no easy matter to make a story so intricate feel so easy-going. This is at once the kind of book that requests to be devoured in no time, keeping the reader turning page after page needing to know what happens next to our heroes, *and* the kind of book that demands you to slow down and chew on what you're reading. Underneath the deceptive light handedness, there is such depth of worldbuilding and thought behind each detail of the story.

SKIPSHOCK will take you on an adventure, but it will also force you to deconstruct and analyse the systems that hold up any world - our complex relation to privilege, time, youth, freedom of movement, and systems of power. It will force you to ponder upon whether it is possible to squeeze in or stretch out a life in as many hours as are available to you.

Breath-taking on a first read, but you know as you're flying through it that this book will offer more depth upon reread after reread.

The cover is stunning! The slow pace made it not a real hit for me. The world building is perfect, though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was unlike anything l've ever read before in the best way possible. The concept of universes where time passes differently and certain places literally have more hours in the day is so fresh and interesting. The consequences and privileges that go along with having more or less time are so fascinating as well as the revolution that comes from restricting travel to longer day areas.
I mostly know the author from her superb podcast, Sentimental Garbage where she is a ray of witty sunshine, sometimes loud and with a big laugh. While this book had glimpses of her signature humor, it was pretty far from what I expected. This book was quiet.
Not to say there wasn't action and chaos at times, oh there was plenty of that, but the moments that stuck with me were the quiet ones. A character mulling over how long they'll be alive while alone in the bath, or another character noticing the effects of time on her body while looking at her reflection. These moments were simply stunning. The romance between Margo and Moon was slow and tender and vulnerable. I couldn't get enough.

I was unfamiliar with Caroline O'Donoghue's work as a YA author, having only read her adult fiction but I was so pleasantly surprised to find out that she is prolific as a writer for younger audiences but also massively talented.

Skipshock is a fast paced story about Margo, a teen who boards a train that, unbeknownst to her, will take her between worlds. Moon, will bring Margo into his world's revolution.

This was a truly original, fast-paced story and I could not put it down. Now I just have to figure out how to bide my time until the next installment comes out!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book*

"Skipshock" is a sci-fi/fantasy novel that managed to surprise and fascinate me, something that doesn't happen a lot. It's about places with different times and travellers between them. It is also a story about a girl falling from one reality into another as well as in love. While I did dislike the supposed age difference between the two 'lovers' (I'm just not a fan of age gaps or gaps in terms of maturity or life experience etc.), they were quite sweet together. I would love to read more stories set in this universe, it was really quite unique in terms of world building!

This is a really strange book but in a good way. I haven't read anything like it before.
Margo is taking the train to Dublin and she steps through into a different world.
She meets Moon in the carriage but there doesn't seem to be anyone else on the train.
You feel as if you are in the story with the characters. You get quite lost in the journey.
The relationship between the main characters is slow burn but nice.
The ending? - what can I say I need the next story.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher.

3.5 stars, rounded up. There was a lot to like about this YA romantasy. O'Donoghue has built an interesting world where time is power and the hours in a day change based on your geography. It gets a little confusing at times, but the story follows an Irish teen, Margo, who falls into this other world of changing times. Margo meets traveling salesman Moon on a train, and he helps her, in turn pulling her into a brewing revolution. It's not exactly InstaLove, but it's not far off, either. I definitely could have used more relationship development to buy into their love story. My other quibble is this ends on a major cliffhanger - I guess this is a duology, but I wish I'd known that upfront. It will probably be, for me, at least 300 and maybe as much as 700 books until book 2 comes out. But I will still wait for it, and read it, hopefully finding a recap somewhere to remind me of key plot points in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press | Walker Books US for a digital review copy.

This book was a true surprise.
You follow the story of Margo, who has lost her father and is going through a rough time. Her mother sends her to boarding school far away from home, hoping her daughter will find herself. Instead, she gets teleported to another world where she meets with Moon, a young man from another world. In his world, the days are very different from Earth and time is considered to be a luxurious value. Soon they realize their meeting will have a bigger impact they expected.

Skipshock is part of my top favorite read of 2025, I genuinely loved reading this book. The pages flew by and I could not put it down, to the point I found myself opening it EVERYWHERE!
Truth is Skipshock is very entertaining and fun, yet so profound. The entire idea of this book is nothing like anything I have read in the past and will transport you straight to different worlds, all very different from one another.

The plot, the worldbuilding, the characters, it all fit together in a very wonderful puzzle. Now all that is left to do is beg Caroline O'Donoghue for the second book.

Margo is 16 years old and has been struggling since her father was presumed to have died in a plane crash years ago. She has been struggling with depression and the only thing she has of her father is a silver watch he left her in his will. When she is travelling to her boarding school in Dublin she finds herself transported to a different world while riding the train. On the train she meets Moon, a travelling salesman, who reluctantly helps her. While Moon the salesman is not interested in getting wrapped up with what Margo's presence means, he finds himself at the center of a battle against those hunting her down.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book and the world building the author accomplished. I was fascinated from page one. The pacing for me was a struggle and the ending fell a little flat. I did not feel a romantic connection between the characters at all, it felt like out of left field when they got together. I know this is a first book in a duology, and I feel I did not enjoy the book enough to make me excited and anticipating the ending to this story. Chances are high I will not be picking up the next book in this series.

A wildly imaginative and heartfelt read. The world-building is fresh and immersive, with time as currency and layered political themes that added real depth. Margo and Moon were both compelling in their own ways, and I loved watching their relationship grow alongside the story. Full of surprises, emotion, and wonder. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!