This book is so wildly creative! I don't think I've read anything remotely similar to it and I'm dying for the sequel

This book has such a unique premise and I really enjoyed it! It starts out relatively confusing but the world building fills in the gaps the more you read. I loved this whimsical elements, too. I recommend this one!

First, thank you to Netgalley for the gifted e-book and the opportunity to read. The concepts in this book were fascinating and the way time and privilege are connected and discussed is timely and thought-provoking. I unfortunately ended up DNFing this at about 30%. I felt disconnected from the main characters and didn't feel like I was going to be connected to them enough to proceed. Additionally, I realized that the FMC was 16 and the MMC 19 years old, and since this is intended to be a romantasy, that felt inappropriate. While there is a time travel element here, it didn't seem like there was a way to resolve this sort of gap in a way that was going to make me less uncomfortable with it. I am choosing not to give the book a star rating on my GR review as I did not finish the galley.

Fascinating world and system!

The story begins immediately, when 17 years old Margo on her way to her new school’s boarding house in Dublin. She was on a train, and the next time she wakes up, she finds herself on a train that looks completely different and she encounters a strange man with half moon tattoos on their faces. His name is Moon, and he is a salesman in this new world who travels around the world to sell various things.

The fact that each city/continent has different hours per day is what makes the world so fascinating. And a day still a day. So you can age faster. From that, hence the skipshock.

Skipshock focuses on how Margo and Moon eventually embark on a mission to bring Margo home. Their journey has a slow pace, so after reading about 200 pages, I became bored. The twists are predictable and sometimes frustrating because they keep ignoring obvious signs. Until it’s too late.

Another thing that bothers me is the unnecessary chapter changes between Moon and Margo. Chapters titled 'Moon' use Moon's POV, but for Margo, it uses a third-person POV. So, what's the point of naming the chapter after Margo anyway?

Despite its predictable outcome, the ending was pretty good. It arouses curiosity for the next book.

I absolutely devoured Skipshock! I didn’t intend to start reading it until closer to publication, but I picked it up by mistake because I wrote the dates down wrong and couldn’t put it back down, lol! This was a CAPTIVATING story and such a unique adventure.

If you liked The Lunar Chronicles, Divergent, and hints of a Hunger Games-esque divided society, then you will love this book. The unique concept of traveling between worlds with different lengths of days and lifespans was so intriguing, and the fact that we flee with the characters through several of this worlds was such a fun concept!

Moon and Margo stole my heart. They’re thrown together by circumstances out of anyone’s control, and thrust into an underground movement to save the worlds, and I loved the character growth throughout the story for both of them.

With its richly imagined fantasy/sci-fi/mystery/adventure plot line, and a slow burn romance, Skipshock is an absolute must-read!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the early edition of this book! All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!

When I started reading this book I had no idea that it would consume me and all of my waking thoughts. The writing and opening chapters reminded me of Italo Calvino's "If On a Winter's Night a Traveller", and I literally could not stop reading. Margo and Moon are so well developed in such a short space, and I love them and their story. Caroline has created such an intricate and fascinating universe, with terrible violence alongside incredible tenderness and humour. I will never stop thinking about the characters and I'm counting down the days to get back to them!

To be honest I forgot about this one completely. Read maybe 3 chapters, put it down, and I guess I never picked it up again. Unfortunately never maintained my interest. That being said, it wasn’t necessarily bad. It’s just not for me. That’s all, folks

Not what I was expecting but definitely what I needed. This story was written so gorgeously. I felt every word was purposeful and added to this memorizing story. I loved the different POV so much. The slow burn romance and the blockbuster ending. This is a must read!

Skipshock is a portal fantasy world where our teenage heroine Margo Madden is off to boarding school, only to find herself on the wrong train. Sitting in her seat is Moon, a travelling salesman, who takes her under his wing and into the revolution.

This book has everything you could want from a good fantasy. The worldbuilding is detailed and the mechanics have all been worked out - seasons, cultures, customs, industry. My personal favourite is the clockwork city but there are plenty to choose from.

The plot is fast paced and immersive. I wouldn't say I couldn't put it down but I did find myself losing hours at a time. At over 300 pages, Skipshock is on the longer side but at no point did it feel tedious. The little details were woven into the narrative without the typical infodump which many fantasy authors are prone to.

The characters are memorable, flawed and feel realistic (despite their unnatural skin tones!) I have very few criticisms. Moon is your typical, brooding, male love interest but with his backstory, it comes across as human rather than cliché. I would have liked some LGBTQ+ representation somewhere but to be honest, relationships don't appear much throughout.

Sadly, the twist was predictable but mostly due to excellent foreshadowing. The ending feels purposeful, as though the whole book has built to it. A surprise would have been nice but this felt 'right'. I cannot abide an ending which feels like it has been cobbled together at the last minute out of blu-tac and a piece of string.

I can't wait for the next book. While this is labelled as Young Adult, it's YA in the way that The Hunger Games is YA. It's a book which everyone from 13 and up can enjoy with the potential for global success. It doesn't feel like it's written for teenagers. This is a solid novel which I wouldn't be surprised to see hit the big screen.

This review will be published by Pending Plays on 2nd June 2025.

Okay what the heck was that ending! I need the next book ASAP.
Really loved the character development from both Margo and Moon. The pacing was solid, and the story was interesting and fresh.

Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley <3

A really fun YA fantasy with romance (but I wouldn't really call romantasy) with a unique premise!

In Skipshock, how much time you have in a day-to work, love, live, and sleep-is dependent on the world in which you reside. Time is truly a privilege, and, as in reality, the privileged of Skipshock work to keep their hold over the less privileged. I was really impressed with the world building; the premise is not overly complex or convoluted and is very immersive and interesting. The author was also able to balance serious themes and a lovely romance without creeping out of the YA domain. One particular highlight to me was that the overarching conflict of the story was not against one evil mastermind villain but, rather, against a system built against those with little to no advantage.

The story is told in a dual POV, each with their own definitive voice. The main characters were both easy to like, flaws and all, and their growth over the course of the story was really endearing. I liked the supporting characters and felt surprisingly attached to them despite the relatively little focus on all the different cast in the story. The themes of community-building and activism felt very organic because of relationships and interactions amongst characters. It felt like most of the characters were women, which made their comradery seem all the more real to me, because women do the uniting.

The writing was very straightforward but I could clearly envision and imagine the worlds and people. The simple manner of prose let some of the poignant insights and details really sneak up on you. The narrative also wasn't bogged down by unnecessary fantasy jargon. It was very easy to get sucked into the story and lose track of time (ha). I'm usually pretty iffy about cliffhangers but I think O'Donoghue wrapped the story in a satisfying way while leaving me excited and guessing for the next book.

I don't normally read YA, but I really loved this. Skipshock is definitely a book to read quickly and then be left pondering long after. I am jazzed this a duology (really the perfect series length) and can't wait to read the next! I think anyone who has been wanting a change in pace in fantasy will enjoy this.

Thank you, Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink and Walker Books US, for the arc!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss and Walker Books for providing an eARC, and YABC for providing a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know why, but going into this book I felt like it was going to be BIG Addie LaRue vibes, and it kinda was. But not in the way you're expecting.

Skipshock by Caroline O'Donoghue is a YA fantasy novel that follows the unexpectedly intertwining lives of Margo and Moon. Margo is a troubled schoolgirl. After the death of her father, she’s on her way to a new boarding school in a new city. Moon is a salesman. He makes his living traveling through a series of interconnected worlds on a network of barely used train lines. They never should have met. But when Margo suddenly appears one day on Moon’s train, their fates become inextricably linked. If Margo wants to survive, she has to pass as a traveling salesman, too—except it’s not that easy. Move north on the train line and time speeds up, a day passing in mere hours. Move south and time slows down—a day can last several weeks. Slow worlds are the richest you live longer, your youth lasting decades. Fast worlds are sharp, cruel, and don’t have time for pleasantries. Death is frequent. Salesmen die young of skipshock. That is, if they’re not shot down by the Southern Guard first. As Margo moves between worlds and her attachment to Moon intensifies, she feels her youth start to slip between her fingers. But is Moon everything he seems? Is Margo?

What I loved most about this book was it's writing style. O'Donoghue sets ups the world of Moon and Margo with sweeping language that transports the reader further into the story. In that the reader is almost another character in O'Donoghue's world. And the details are nothing short of amazing, in that every little piece O'Donoghue shares is important.

One thing I did have a problem with, was the romance. Which I know is something I always have a problem with, given I'm not much of an avid romance reader (main or sub plot wise). Margo and Moon's budding relationship was indeed sweet and sweeping, but I thought it almost seemed instant-lovey, in the sense that they could have used a few more in-depth conversations before fully committing. But hey, that's probably just a me thing.

Overall, I have never read a book quite like Skipshock, and I cannot wait to read the sequel. And I will be wallowing until it eventually comes out. Curse you O'Donoghue for leaving it at THAT ending!

This is going to win prizes. I forgot about time and and I forgot to eat for 5 hours straight. This book ruined me in the best possible way and I am so glad I got the chance to read it. These characters became real to me, and I had so many moments where I either laughed out loud or tried to talk to the book. I love it when I can feel the joy the author has writing it, and this was no exception. Wonderful read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This book has cemented itself as one of my new favourite reads, by far. Currently at the top of my ranking list for the year, and I won't be surprised if it holds that place through to the end.

Caroline O'Donoghue is a true master of worldbuilding. Everything about Skipshock is interesting and well thought-out, from the concept of worlds with differing day-lengths to the intricacies of individual cultures. The plot is riveting, the writing is engaging, and the characters are an absolute delight.

If I could rate this higher, I would. Five stars feels meager for such a brilliant read. The official publication date can't come soon enough, and I will be eagerly counting down the months until the next book is announced. With any luck, I'd adore reading an ARC for that as well.

A brilliant novel. Could not put it down. The world is so intricately crafted, yet so appealing and digestible despite complexity. The tension between characters is great. The plot moves at a great pace and is engaging throughout. All plot points are relevant and not a word is wasted.
Cannot get over the world building and how interesting it is. Absolutely adored it and cannot wait for the second one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, in return for an unbiased review.

I loved O'Donoghue's 2023 novel "The Rachel Incident," so I was excited to read her newest book. However, "Rachel" is a fiction novel for adults, which is a genre far outside O'Donoghue's typical genre- YA sci-fi/romantasy. Which is what "Skipshock" is. This is not my genre.

So my 3-star review is a reflection of my overall dislike of this genre- in other words, "it's not you, it's me." I am not the target reader of this book. But if you enjoy YA, sci-fi/alternate worlds, and a bit of romance, this is a well-written, engaging book with vivid worldbuilding and characters. It just wasn't for me!

A side note- this ARC was incredibly hard to read because it was in .pdf format only,

Oh this was GOOD!! I've never read anything by Caroline O'Donoghue, but I've heard great things.

Margo is on a train to Dublin, until all of a sudden she's not. This is where she meets Moon, a traveling salesman who travels between worlds. Without giving anything away, ill just say this is SO interesting and kept me interested the entire time. Full of adventure, tender moments, and extremely well executed magic system, and a lovely romance I would highly recommend this to both teens and adults!

Skipshock is a captivating and innovative fantasy novel that offers both emotional depth and thrilling intrigue. Caroline O'Donoghue’s fresh take on time, grief, and connection will appeal to readers who enjoy complex, character-driven stories with a touch of the mystical. This book sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting continuation in the duology, and fans of O'Donoghue’s work will not be disappointed.

The synopsis was better than what I read. I think the idea was phenomenal but when it came to execution, this is where the book suffered the most.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

First off, thanks to author Caroline O'Donoghue for this fantastic book. For real. I fell in love with this and need the next please ma'am (please please please I need the ARC for the second before I get skipshock). Also, yes, this book ends on a cliffhanger, and that's ok, because it is WORTH IT. When this comes out in June 2025, I'm getting a physical copy for keepsies.

Ok I am done fangirling and now for reviewing. This lovely fast-paced Romantasy is about a teen girl named Margo who honestly seems a bit troubled and, on her way to school in Ireland she takes a train and magically ends up in a different world of worlds and meets handsome Moon, a Lunati salesman. Margo finds out she's not even in her own world and this world of worlds that is connected by a (it seems magical) train system. Margo wants to go home but that is difficult because the Southern worlds are trying to shut down the ability to travel for the Northern Worlds. Also, all these worlds have different lengths of days, so time is VERY important.

The writing style in this novel is phenomenal and it's told between Margo's and Moon's switching POV's which I love because getting different perspectives from different characters and this story being a shining example, it adds so much depth to the story itself. I fell in love with every (almost, because some you love to hate) character in this book because they have depth, they grow, friendships and relations between characters bloom and they draw you in.
The world(s) of this story are intricate, and each have personalities of their own which makes reading this book so much more engaging. Also, the explanations were enough to build these worlds, without taking away from the plot, characters or the pace of the story. The romantic part of this book was a slow burn but not slow enough to get fed up with it. The action and adventure were perfectly paced as well.

If you made it here...this book is 5 stars for a reason and that should be reason enough to buy this book and devour and love it as much as I did. I'm so grateful I got to review this ARC and to immerse myself in this story.