In M.J. Wassmer's debut novel, Zero Stars Do Not Recommend, slacker Dan Foster and his girlfriend Mara are on vacation at an isolated island resort. When the sun explodes, the guests panic (obviously) and shenanigans ensue. Trapped on the island for at least two weeks until the planes return to fetch them (will the planes even be able to fly without the sun?), the guests devolve into a grown-up version of Lord of the Flies as they fight for control and resources. Who better to grab the reins of control than the leader of a huge multi-level marketing company. I mean, of COURSE she's a villain! The other guests have to decide if they will fall in line or risk their health and safety to rebel against the resort elite.

This was an interesting idea and I really enjoyed the set up and the ending. It's in the middle of the story where things got a little slow, however. There were times I was simply bored by machinations of the resort guests. It was weird to think that the end of the world might be that predictable. I was rarely surprised by the action of the resort guests, whether they were at their worst or their best; people are people and stressful situations bring out the extremes in their morals, values and behaviors.

I liked all the characters, even the villains and felt that Wassmer understood who he was writing about. There are clues about the ending along the way for readers who look for them, but I think you can also read this book and be completely surprised where the story takes you. Fortunately, this book is not worth zero stars; I'll give it three stars with the warning that if you read this while on vacation, stay alert!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Net Galley, and M.J. Wassmer for the early release. This book will be released to the public on August 6, 2024.

*Review posted to Goodreads, Blog review will post closer to publication.

This book had me laughing almost from the first page. It was quite a pleasure to read an apocalyptic story that was actually funny even though it was also quite dark. This is a satire on how humanity would function under extreme duress and it totally met my expectations. I so want to believe that people would behave better, but in reality I know that things would go pretty much like this book.

The story is totally told by Dan and he was quite the character to spend the book with. He is a reluctant hero, who really fights to not be put in the spotlight, but ends up there anyways. He has a lot of self doubt and doubts about his relationship with his girlfriend, Mara. But he works through a lot of stuff in this book and shows a lot of growth by the end. I really liked Dan and was rooting for him to survive.

There are many other characters involved in the story, but they are mostly underdeveloped caricatures of ordinary people. That is not to say that I didn’t like any of them, I did. I just wanted a little bit more from some of them. I really liked Lillyanna Collins, a fitness pyramid scheme cult leader, who pretty much sets herself up as the dictator of the island. She was a hoot and even though she was very over the top, I really appreciated how she thought she was trying to do a good thing.

The writing was the best part of the book. I loved the satire and the witty comments and conversations throughout the book. This was at its heart a book about class warfare and how quickly people and humanity can fall apart under stress. There is a lot of social commentary and you kind of can predict what is going to happen pretty early on. I mean even the way the resort is set up is a huge hint that something more sinister than the apocalypse is going on. The pacing is perfect and it is a book you could easily read in a sitting or two. I found it very hard to put down, as I really wanted to know how it all ended.

If you are looking for a quick fun read to take on your vacation, this would be a story that I would definitely recommend. It is fun and witty as it takes on a very dark topic. This is a debut, so there are a few issues, but I will be keeping an eye out for this author’s next book.

Four Stars, I definitely recommend!

A fun Lord of the Flies x White Lotus romp that honestly should not have a cover like this. Wassmer manages to make a main character who’s insufferable, honest, mediocre, and heroic that you can still root for.

many thanks to sourcebooks landmark and netgalley for the advance reader copy.

Dan and his girlfriend Mara are off enjoying a vacation in the Bahamas when the sun explodes, and as expected, things go to pot reeeaall quick.

Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but it was a fun and quirky apocalyptic summer read, and I honestly loved it.

When I read the summary of this book, it made me excited to read it. The plot is unique and humorous.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

“Always get the pretzel. ”
Here are reasons to read the Sci Fi book:

Island Resort - Dan and Mara are in the Bahamas at the opening of a new resort
Sun explosion - and while they are on the beach, the sun explodes
Power struggle - with the darkness and cold setting in, and no way off the island, a power struggle ensues
Escape - can the people on the island survive to make it out alive.

My rating for this book is Zero Stars, Do not recommend. Just kidding, I gave it 4. This book was a fun time because even though in the back of your mind, you are pretty sure you know what is happening, watching the characters get to the realization and deal with the elitist vacationers is just so entertaining. The author’s writing style is so campy, and despite it being semi sci fi, it’s very humorous and enjoyable. Your next beach read? Let’s hope your sun doesn’t explode.

This book was not what I expected at all! But what a fun adventure it was reading this book. I have not read anything quite like this book before and I am very happy that I read it. The book was fast paced and I read the entire book over a long weekend. There were some twists and plot points that I predicted and others that completely took me off guard!

The character growth was amazing, there was personal growth for the individual characters as well as relationship growth and that is something that I have not been seeing much of with my recent reads. There were lovable, detestable, and punchable characters that really made the story come together and flourish. While the concept was great, it was the characters that I adored the most! I related with them, cried with them, and got angry with them.

I think I will be recommending this book to all of my friends for when they go on holiday sometime this year, it is a great read and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and MJ Wassmer for an eARC for an honest review of the book.

This was good. It was different than most light summer beach reads I read but I really liked it. It made you think if this happened to you what would you do? Very entertaining.

This was an interesting apocalyptic read with White Lotus vibes from the jump! What would you do if the sun exploded while you were on vacation on a deserted island with no way to contact the mainland?

The characters were well developed, and I certainly enjoyed all their interactions. It was interesting to see whose priorities were what during a time of crisis and how some people never change. Dan, our MMC becomes an unlikely hero when a plane, and possibly their only way off the island, is discovered and he's the man who could save them...

Super great & fun summer read packed with humor.

Dan & his girlfriend, Mara, have just started their vacation at the grand opening of a Bahamas resort. While enjoying their first day on the beach, out of no where the sun appears to explode and plunge the world into darkness. Can they survive long enough to get back to their families or will they meet their end on the island?

I enjoyed this book. I appreciated the tone it was written in and seeing how different types of people react in what appears to be life-threatening situations. I did figure out the twist early on but still appreciated the story building up to it and how the author portrayed different classes and what could happen in situations like this.

Overall I give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you #Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an ARC for my honest review #ZeroStarsDoNotRecommend

This is a book you need to pick up. I didn’t think that the end of the world could be so hilarious, but it was! This book had me hooked from the start, we are dropped right into action, and it doesn’t let up. I read a lot, and I can say that I don’t think that I’ve ever read anything quite like it. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but then I fell in love with the writing and the story. The writing was so well done, I felt like I was right there with the characters where the world ended, and it invoked quite a few emotions. I love it when a book can do this for me, and it takes a lot, but I was rooting for Dan and Mara even when things got pretty intense. I really wasn’t sure how this book was going to go until the final pages of the book, and it was fantastic! Perfect ending and it nicely wrapped up all the loose ends.

I did not realize that this was a debut! I only found out when I went to write my review. My socks are blown off! I can’t believe it

So, while this one is called “Zero Stars Do NOT Recommend” I HIGHLY recommend it!

This is such a unique and interesting apocalypse story and I found it endlessly fascinating. Equally, a commentary on class as it is on survival, Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend is a satirical look at what we will do to survive and protect those we love. Dan and Mara are on their perfect trip when the sun goes dark. Cut off from the rest of the world, the group of vacationers quickly falls into their own toxic community. Dan is driven to save Mara to step up for his past failings. While I would hope that the world would not devolve like this island did, sadly, the craziness seemed inevitable. Dan was the unlikely hero of the story. There were twists that caught me off guard and the ending was impressive. I will be looking forward to what MJ Wassmer writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy.

While the title says zero stars, this was absolutely a 5 star book for me! It isn't often that a book can make me audibly laugh out loud and this one did it many times. I loved the satirical/biting humor and tone that brought levity to a grave situation - the sun exploding (lol). As the resort descended into chaos and Lord-of-the-Flies-esque behavior, we got to see how ridiculous human behavior really is.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer opens with Dan and Mara enjoying a trip to an all-inclusive resort on a beautiful island, relaxing beside the water and enjoying the freedom from their everyday lives and then the unexpected happens: the sun explodes, and the world stops. Soon, Dan and Mara find themselves struggling to survive what will be the last few days of their lives as the temperatures quickly plummet. Their fellow guests find themselves divided, as the rich and famous occupants of building A quickly take charge and commandeer all the food, water, and control the power to the resort. Murmurs of rebellion against the rich begin to grow and soon Dan finds himself a leader for the group. All Dan wants is to keep Mara safe. When a single plane if found on the island, the twists and turns begin.

I highly recommend this novel. It was funny in the right spots, dramatic in others, and it gave me the vibes of an early 2000's sci-fi movie, the kind I found to be a guilty pleasure and you know would still have reruns going today. While Dan deals with his Dan-ness as the world around him crumbles, it gives the other characters time to shine, and while I probably should've seen where the plot was going, I still thought the twist was done very well.

If you like cheesy apocalyptic movies or are looking for a fast paced enjoyable read this is definitely the book for you,

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the Advanced Release Copy in exchange for an honest review. The book can be found in stores on August 6, 2004.

I am a historical fiction reader for the most part but this one seemed intriguing so I requested an advanced copy. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I seriously could not put this book down for the whole first 3/4 of the story. I read a lot of it before bed and then had a hard time sleeping. Nightmares or dreams? Not sure but this book definitely lingered into the night. Lots of suspense. I was sucked right into the whole "sun exploding" secret tunnels and mad scientist vibes on the island.

My only criticism would be the "battle scenes" between the different buildings on the island. A few of those could have been left out of the book without any harm to the overall plot. Highly entertaining and was a quick read.

I was happy to see a mostly happy ending for this one.

Starts off with a bang (sorry, couldn’t resist) with a light and breezy tone, and a bit of snark. You think this will be a light and easy read. But as things, and people, unravel it takes on a seriousness that feels real and inevitable – yet it still maintains its humor and ease that make it so readable. The writing isn’t perfect – but for a debut novel it is really impressive. I look forward to this author perfecting that style and tone in future novels.

Dan is a generally likeable and relatable everyman protagonist. As a lazy underachiever, he struggles with the idea of becoming the reluctant hero everyone wants him to be. His feelings of self-preservation and protection vs fairness and greater good are very human. Dan Foster is a perfect imperfect character to head up an apocalyptic satire. And Mara – another fantastic character - is a perfect partner for him.

The plot is a fun ride. It’s The Resort and White Lotus meets Lord of the Flies. Throughout the escalation of action and plot-reveals, I stayed engaged and entertained. I love the title. I love the cover art. I love all the characters. And I enjoyed the twisty, clever plot. It’s escapist fun. Highly entertaining, humorous, and fast-paced; I do recommend for a quick and easy summer read.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book (available on August 6th).

Title: Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend
Author: MJ Wassmer
Format: E-book

Have you ever scoured the reviews of Yelp, Amazon, or some other company to find an over-the-top, hilarious, and slightly deranged review-gone-wrong about someone who obviously is laughing through their tears at how bad their experience was? Now imagine they were talking about a resort in the Bahamas during the apocalypse. That's a little bit of what it was like to read Zero Stars.

Dan Foster persuaded his girlfriend Mara to visit an island resort he saw on a Facebook ad. It was going swell, until the sun exploded and thrust them into a global cooling catastrophe similar to a nuclear winter. Naturally, humans being humans means chaos ensues. Dan has to decide how he wants to cope with his new environment, navigate newly established political alliances, and decide what he wants to do for his final days.

The most striking thing about this book is the writing style. It comes off as stream-of-conscious wit that dives into tangents and makes jokes out of everything. I believe I heard it best from another review that said they were expecting it to get old fast, but it just never did. The writing is spectacular, and soon you realize that the tangent stories that you thought were completely pointless and needlessly detailed were purposefully sprinkled throughout to give backstory, as they get referenced in future passages.

The story is also a good story. I had no idea where the book was going, and kept trying to predict what would come next. My first impression actually ended up being the real ending, but I had given up on that idea multiple times throughout all the twists and turns, so it still felt fresh when I read it. The plot kept me gripped the whole time.

Probably the only part that I could give constructive criticism would be that the main antagonists felt a little bit two-dimensional, and I wish had more depth.

Overall, this is an easy 5 star for me. I've already began recommending it to others. I can't wait to see what other gems this new author comes up with.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't get past the first chapter, although I tried - I really did. Poorly written, it sounded like a middle school student wrote it with no grasp of sentence structure. Conceptually ridiculous as well - the sun exploded? And ran down the sky? I had a hard time suspending reality to attempt reading this book, and gave up.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend has a satirical approach to an apocalyptic event, so it's not necessarily something that can be taken completely seriously. The book felt fittingly chaotic, especially as a societal hierarchy formed between the different buildings of guests. A lot of the characters weren't necessarily very likable, especially in this situation where humanity is at its worst, so I never really connected completely with the main characters. Along the way the story has a bit of a twist to it, but honestly, I had already suspected it, so it probably didn't have the impact on me that it would have otherwise. There was enough going on in the story to keep my interest, and it felt like a pretty quick read, but it wasn't quite as much "the book for me" as I thought it would be.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the early review copy of Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

Fun and quirky concept! I got bogged down in the extreme caricature-ness of the main villain(s), but Dan and Mara are exactly the kind of people I'd like to be trapped with at the end of the world.