What if time isn't on your side?

Margo's seemingly ordinary train ride details quickly when she finds herself, with seemingly no explanation on a different train, with a strange boy who bears a mysterious moon tattoo. His quick thinking pulls them from immediate danger, but the deeper she delves into the mystery of her new reality, the more she realizes that her presence in this alternate world is tied to a much darker, more dangerous political web—one where power, corruption, and control go to extreme lengths to squash dissent.

This book offers a not so unrealistic commentary on government overreach, the isolation of those who resist, and the harsh realities of living under oppressive regimes. What stands out most is how the story balances its intense political themes with a touch of hope: Margo and her new allies show that, even in the most hopeless of circumstances, solidarity can spark change and embracing what makes you different can be the key to opening doors and rebuilding connections.

The world-building is both fascinating and terrifying, particularly the concept that your geographical location directly impacts how you age. The exploration of this idea is captivating, especially as Margo and others undergo physical transformations after spending too much time in the disorienting "two-hour day" world. I also give so much credit for tackling real-world issues often skipped in fantasy—specifically the impact of a fluctuating biological cycle on women, which would be the absolute worst in some of the places we visit over the course of the book.

Margo is very relatable and you can’t help but root for her to find her way back home. Her cautious approach to the strange world she’s thrust into makes her an instantly sympathetic and completely believable as I too would trust no one while attempting to learn how to navigate this unfamiliar reality. The dynamic between her and Moon is one of the highlights of the book. Though Moon's past is shrouded in secrecy, his knowledge of the strange new world they both inhabit makes their partnership intriguing, even as their relationship evolves into something more complex. The alternating perspectives between Margo and Moon offer a deep exploration of their personal struggles, making the stakes of their journey feel all the more personal as they move from a business agreement to something a bit more.

The novel builds tension leaving plenty of unanswered questions by the end. With its strong character development, intricate world-building, and thought-provoking social commentary, this book is a must-read and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel to see where we will end up next!


**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Wow! This was definitely a great premise for a story & loved the POV’s that felt so real and interesting.

I absolutely felt so much love for both Margo and Moon, their struggles including grief & work hardships were familiar. I never got to know my dad, and wished I had, so this was something I could connect with. The vivid imagery and writing style was beautiful as well, I could imagine each scene so well captured.

However, I felt it was missing something, and the multiple callbacks of “nobody could do a job like this” felt a bit redundant for me personally as a small peeve.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for this arc in exchange for a review. I definitely enjoyed it.

I read this book in as an ARC in exchange for a review and it's a banger! Caroline O'Donoghue is one of my favorite writers and this is very different than her other books, but I really enjoyed it. It's YA Sci-Fi which might feel like an odd genre for Caroline for any Sentimental Garbage listeners but after reading I really appreciated the unique world, fascinating relationships, and exciting implications. I think it lost a star for me because I really didn't realize it was a part 1 of a duology (or trilogy?) - it ended on a cliffhanger which was a bit of a shock (no pun intended). But I so enjoyed the adventures of Margot and Moon and I can't wait to see where the next installment will take us.

This is a masterpiece. This is my favorite NetGalley ARC I’ve read. I…. simultaneously have no words and too many. I innocently got pulled in by the stunning cover and thought I’d give it a try.

Caroline O’Donoghue takes you on a wild ride through multiple worlds. The plot had serious potential - it had me wondering if the writing would deliver, and it ABSOLUTELY did. If you choose to follow Margo and Moon be prepared to fall in love with them both. There are so many secrets left to unravel here!

I loved the multiple POVs, but steady writing style. Nothing was flowery, but it had beautiful prose, well-placed. Meaningful language. I immediately need the physical book so I can put all my color coded notes on my favorite quotes.

I’m so thrilled to say the ending undoubtedly means there will be a book two.

(Side note to NetGalley that this book did not transfer well to the kindle. I don’t believe there were actual typos, but rather an error. Mostly words with the letter F were affected and half of each word would be missing. Each page had between two and six of these words.
ie: “find” would be “nd”, “flitting” was “tting”, “fire” was “re”. This did make it quite difficult, as I had the deduce what word it was, but I did eventually realized the NetGalley reader did not have this error and read it on the website instead. My rating did not take this into account!)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book x

It is the story of Margo who is on train to go to Dublin, but at some point during the trip she finds that she is no longer on the same train. There are new few people on this train and one of them is Moon. He is a salesman and travels between several world as a job so he sees that Margo does not belong in his world.

I quite liked this book! The concept was interesting and nice to read. I figured out a lot of the twists before the end, but I’m not really bothered by that.

I feel like the love story wasn’t really needed as I wasn’t particularly attached to them as a couple, but I liked their dynamic!

I don’t know if I would read the second one but it was a well-written and enjoyable read!

Margo, a troubled schoolgirl, is trying to start over after her father's death, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Moon, a traveling salesman who navigates a network of train lines connecting parallel worlds. As Margo joins him on his dangerous journey, she discovers that time moves differently depending on which direction they travel altering her very perception of life and death. As the two grow closer, Margo must grapple with the toll time takes on her, the secrets Moon has, and her place in the universe.

This book was a wonderful breath of fresh air and I enjoyed every second of it. It was magical and intriguing with a beautiful story at its core. I loved how immersive the writing is and I never wanted to stop reading. Once I was done, I just knew this book will be one that I will be thinking about for a long time. I will definitely be re-reading when it comes out!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc.