This was such an interesting book and unlike anything I'd ever read before. You get two main characters and you get both of their perspectives throughout the book. However, it is written in third person which makes it a little hard to really fully get into the characters and I couldn't get into the book for a little while because of that.

That being said, you still get a book full of twists and turns. There were so many points in this book where it took a turn I was not expecting and it led to a completely different path of events that was going to happen. I did enjoy the book once I got used to the point of view writing style.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend was entertaining and thought provoking. The author's sense of humor was fun and kept the book light, yet not too much joking to keep the plot from being believable. The characters were well thought out, and stayed true to their form through out the book. It had some plot twists to keep you guessing. It was thought provoking to keep you guessing what was happening and what was going to happen next. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Five Stars, DO recommend! I had to check this one out based solely on the title. It was definitely a chance worth taking. The sense of humor and sarcasm this book has is unmatched. This plot was very unique and unlike any other that I've read. The main characters were interesting and relatable. Who knew the world ending could be so entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I do not think I was the right person to read this book. I was so intrigued by the premise but the stream of conscience writing of the main character really detracted from the story for me. He seemed very shallow and maybe if I had gotten further into the book I would have felt differently.

Love the idea though

The title alone pulled me in, but the story itself was just as mesmerizing in the most wacky, fun way. In "Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend," Dan and his girlfriend Mara enjoy a vacation on a small, pristine island in the Bahamas. And then, without any warning, the sun explodes, and all hell breaks loose.

I can't imagine there are too many funny novels about apocalyptic events, but this was full of great one-liners. I enjoyed reading how different hierarchies within the hotel formed, which I'm sure is more true-to-life than one would like. The villains were almost cartoonishly evil, but that just made the story even more entertaining.

The book had a great twist, and I plowed through the rest because I just HAD to know how it ended. Overall, this was the perfect quick summer read that I bet would make a fabulous movie.

Zero Stars Would Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer is a hilariously unique tale about a couple on vacation when, quite unexpectedly, the sun explodes. This catastrophe sets the stage for a story that blends humour with chaos, evoking a funny "Lord of the Flies" vibe. Adding to the mix is a quirky MLM pyramid scheme cult leader, making the narrative even more intriguing and satirical.

I absolutely loved the witty humour in the book; it had me laughing out loud multiple times. The banter and one-liners were engaging, keeping the tone light amidst the chaos. It's hard to believe this is MJ Wassmer's first book, as the writing felt polished, and the humour was spot on.

The slow start was a downside, making it a little challenging to get into the story initially. Additionally, there were some formatting issues, which I suspect were due to the ARC version I received.

Despite these minor drawbacks, I plan to buy the book when it comes out, as I'd love to have it on my bookshelf. The humour and unique storyline make Zero Stars Would Not Recommend a memorable read worth revisiting.

Thank you to MJ Wassamer, NetGalley, and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the opportunity to read this novel. It will be on sale on August 6th, 2024.

Dan and his girlfriend, Mara, finally have gotten their beach vacation at a new all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas. Their relaxation plans did not, however, include the sun exploding, and vacation nightmares ensue. Morals, class, and societal norms are all explored in this dystopian travelogue that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

An interesting premise and plot and overall I would say this is a “story” that I enjoyed. Unfortunately, the writing style just felt amateur and parts that I felt like it was goofy comments that were from a teenager show. I enjoyed the twist in the ending and wanted to know what would happen.

Dan and Mara are just beginning their vacation at a brand new resort on a tiny island in the Bahamas when the sun explodes. The resort becomes chaos as everyone tries to find a way off the island, and an MLM boss babe takes over, assigning jobs and rationing food, water, and electricity. Will they get off the island? How long can they survive without the sun?

The first half of this book was a slow read for me. It didn’t quite hook me until about the midway point when things really started to get interesting.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars. It was a little bit of everything - funny at times, dark, mysterious, absolutely chaotic, and I was pleasantly surprised with the twist.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for the advanced copy.

As someone who has read more than her fair share of post-apoc/doomsday/what happens when the world ends type stories, this was a hilarious breath of fresh air. I loved the conceit - the sun explodes! now what? - and the characters were refreshingly normal. Loved the depiction of class warfare between Buildings A. B and C, and the fact that the "big bad" is a Boss-Babe MLM Hun was just totally spot on and hilarious - someone like that WOULD be the most evil. And then the twist ending! I did NOT know where things were going, so the ending really took me for a ride. This was just a fun, funny, satirical ride, in the all the best ways. Will definitely be recommending it to all my patrons who ask me for light and funny reads in the future.

Dan has a reason to be an unambitious curmudgeon-his elementary school aptitude tests scored him as a genius and predicted a bright future, but predictions fail. Now he writes copy for Marvel Maids, a MerryMaids wannabee, and watches his life limp by. But he does have a couple of redeeming qualities which are a smart mouth and his stellar girlfriend, Mara. He takes her to a just opened resort island in the Bahamas for a two-week vacation and as they loll in the pool on their second day, Dan sees the sun explode out of the corner of his eye. The owner of the resort, an incompetent but young wealthy billionaire, tries to calm the hotel guests, but Lillyanne, an ultra-celebrity influencer and self-help guru takes over and gives them work assignments, ration cards, water, and electricity levels based on their socio-economic status. After playing along, getting shafted, and having the temperature get colder and more rainy, the lower-level guests rebel, creating a lethal chaos egged on by a homicidal guard detail. WIll Dan grow a pair before his girlfriend has to do all of the rescuing? And what will it take for the guests to get off the island and back to their loved ones or learn the truth behind this dystopian new normal? This was such a gripping novel that I read it overnight-my "couldn't put it down-ness" level had to be cranked up to 11. I won't give away the ending, except to say that I didn't guess it and it was diabolical...5 stars, do recommend!

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend has the building blocks of a great story, but the pieces don’t coalesce into something that makes it a particularly memorable book.

Average guy (or even below average depending on how he feels about himself at any given moment), Dan Foster is enjoying a tropical vacation with his girlfriend, Mara, when the sun explodes. Tensions between the haves and the have-nots at the elite resort quickly boil over and lead to a dictator-lite situation driven by a pyramid scheme fitness influencer. When opportunities for both escape and leadership present themselves, what’s a mild-mannered guy to do?

From a satirical angle, the book is largely successful. The guests and staff at the resort represent a cross section of humanity. Each is largely a caricature of what readers likely expect of them based on a few offered traits, like New Jersey deli owner or girlfriend of guy with chronic self-doubt. They all react about how one would expect them to in the dire situation they find themselves in at the potential end of the world. It’s funny because it’s probably true.

Where the satire succeeds, other things fall apart. Few characters aside from Dan are developed and some storylines fizzle instead of spark. The humor - particularly Dan’s self-deprecating style - is laugh worthy at first, but eventually became repetitive and stilted. Some subplots aren’t fully explored, which is unfortunate because they would have added depth and intrigue!

Overall, there was enough here to keep me reading to find out how things got resolved, but not enough for me to come up with strong talking points to add it to my readers advisory list.

4/5 Stars!!!

Dan Foster and his girlfriend Mara are at a resort on a remote island in the Bahamas when the sun explodes.... literally. Things only get worse from there when Lilyanna Collins, a fitness pyramid scheme - CEO, takes control of the resort. As temperatures drop and tensions among the vacationers rise, the islanders began to band together in hopes of surviving.
Dan accidentally becomes a beacon of hope but when one six-person plane is discovered that could get them back to the mainland, Dan has choices to make...

Honestly, I requested this book for an ARC because the title made me laugh. However, this book was hilarious, and the author's writing style made it easy to follow and enjoy. NetGalley had a lot of formatting issues that caused me to struggle a bit, but that was not the authors issue.

I really liked this book and highly recommend picking up a copy when it comes out!

A socially relevant story.. stuck on an island: a favorite trope of mine. Apocalyptic: another favorite them. This was definitely different than what I usually read and bent genres but it was original and interesting. Character development was great. I can't wait to see more from this author.

Once again, I've run face-first into the perils of being widely read in a specific genre. This didn't really have anything new to add that I haven't read or watched before, but I still read it all in mostly one sitting when it was too warm to read anything that required too much thought. I look forward to watching the inevitable movie with the group I play drinking games with every Saturday.

I really enjoyed this book. It was witty, with lots of one-liners that kept me smiling, and even made me laugh out loud at times. This book was exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading slump. It’s a debut novel, and I hope this author keeps writing. It’s one of my favorites of the year.

A couple is on vacation at this new resort in the Caribbean. They are hanging out on the beach and having a great time when the sun explodes. Obviously, there will be chaos if the sun explodes, but the author’s descriptive writing on how everything goes down is hilarious. Based on the fact that it takes place on a resort Island, it would make a great beach or pool read.

I was given an advance copy of this book for my honest review. Definitely add it to your TBR list.

Would not recommend, the writing style is horrible. And there was a racist joke within the first few chapters. Not something I can tolerate, so I has to put down and walk away.

This book had a really interesting premise that I think the author explored really well. I struggled to connect to the main character or his sense of humor/worldview but nevertheless felt that the narrative voice was really strong and that Dan’s character came across clearly and strongly. The book handled some heavy topics with humor and plenty of creativity.

While not my favorite, I still had a really good time with this book. I really like plots like these where the point of contention is something completely out of control. I think it was an enjoyable read.

This book had me laughing out loud in the first five minutes! The story was absolutely bonkers, the characters were funny and relatable, and I had no idea how the book would end!

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read an advance copy!