This book caught my eye because of the unique plot. It started off a bit slow for me and the unlikeable-ness of the characters made it difficult to fully dive in. However I am glad I stuck it out because I ended up overall enjoying the book. I enjoyed the overall tone of the book and the contrast of humour in such a dark situation was the best part. The writing itself was very well done and I found it to be very witty!

I LOVED the concept and a lot of the execution of this book, but didn't love where it ended up going in the end - that said, I still overall enjoyed reading it!

I feel like this had some real Andy Weir/Project Hail Mary and John Scalzi/Starter Villain vibes with the sad trombone male protagonist who is unwittingly thrust into a trying situation and forced to become his best self whilst making snarky comments and feeling inadequate. Like both of those books, there were some genuinely super funny moments, even though mediocre white dudes feeling sorry for themselves are the pretty much the opposite of my love language. The GirlBoss Beach Body by Lilyanna lady and her insane (and inane) preacher husband were by far my favorite characters - everything they said was HILARIOUS.

Three-Point-Five Stars Rounded Up, DO Recommend

I found the premise of this book unique and interesting. However, some parts were slow and many of the characters so unlikable that I would put the book down for awhile. The twist was fun.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend was such a unique read! Post apocalypse setting with a slew of unlikeable characters paired with a snarky main character. I struggled with the pacing a bit for the first half, but once a hidden mystery was hinted at, I was racing to the last page to see if I was guessing correctly. This book was absolutely dripping with satire.

Readers who enjoy White Lotus, apocalyptic fiction, or find themselves thinking "wtf" at the general population from time to time - this book is up your alley.

I received an ARC from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I borrowed this one based on the premise and wowwowwow, was I impressed by this wildly entertaining debut novel! I was pulled in from the first chapter and enjoyed each and every page of this even when I was shaking my head and hating on certain characters; tbh, I couldn’t turn the pages of this dark comedy quickly enough.

Definitely not a ‘zero stars, do not recommend’ from me - this was fantastic and I can’t recommend it enough ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m already looking forward to reading whatever MJ Wassmer writes next!



Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC

What a neat book. It had a unique premise, which I think was acutely reflective of certain aspects of our current society, but it was presented in a coy and humorous way. While I found the main character to be a bit annoying at times (due to their glass-half-empty approach to the world), the supporting characters and plot kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happens next. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the eARC of this book!

Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for the eARC of Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by @wassmerwrites in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Dan is enjoying his tropical vacation with his girlfriend Mara, and it is the perfect 82 degree day when the sun explodes. This scenario was not in the travel book. The question lingers for all of us: how would you respond to the apocalypse in paradise? This book answers that question and so much more, filled with a gracefully executed existential humor that will keep you turning the pages in endless delight! Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend is unapologetically actually a five star, would recommend to anyone and everyone read!

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of publication!

This book was an interesting, dystopian, omg the world is ending kind of book. This could definitely be a movie with the right budget and writers. I do not recommend you read this at your next resort vacation, but a chill day at home is an ideal setting for it. Could you imagine, the sun just disappears without a trace? The center of our universe that powers everything? Like what? The characters are great and you immediately know who you will like and dislike. And its crazy how the smallest pleasures in life can be vanished in an instant, really makes you think.

I had so much fun with this book! Between the lovable characters, comical writing, and fast paced unpredictable plot, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Playing with the idea of an apocalyptic setting with modern characters and humor is a fun premise where many books set at the end of the world can be super serious and a bit dull. The perfect book for getting out of a reading slump, this book keeps you on your toes and having a good time.

Zero stars do not recommend was a great book. It really kept me intrigued throughout the whole thing, I did not want to put it down. I will most definitely be buying this book just to read again. The ending was a complete twist and not at all what I had expected. I will most definitely be recommending this to anyone who asks for a good book to read. 11/10

I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of twists and turns and the last 1/3 of the book had me turning the pages. There were definitely moments that weren't as entertaining but ultimately a good read

Imagine you are at an all-inclusive resort and the sun just melts away. This is an apocalyptic tale that is surprisingly funny and so different from my usual read.The sarcasm, the character stereotypes- it definitely grabbed my attention. And there were lots of plot twists and character development.
It was written as satire- and I’m glad I knew that going in- it made me enjoy it a lot more.
For a debut novel from MJ Wassmer, whose self-proclaimed passion is “writing silly things” - I can’t wait to read more.
4.25 stars!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc!

This was freaking hilarious from the first sentence. I did guess the twist, but it was still executed well. The character development was great. The writing was easy to follow. There were several movie references and even a Stephen King reference, which cracked me up. If you’re looking for an easy mindless read, pick this one up when it’s published on August 6th. It’s highly entertaining. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys apocalyptic books and going on vacation on a deserted island. Overall, I had a blast reading this.

10/10 for the cover 😍


Thank you to MJ Wassmer, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest voluntary review!

I'll say it - I didn't expect for a book about the world ending to be funny, I have been proved wrong. 

Don't get me wrong, there are serious moments in here too, but the author has a great mix of both. This gives the whole story a more relatable feel. The characters are really well sorted out and you really get a sense of who they are… for better or worse.

Plus, the twist in the story really make it a worthwhile read! There was a few times reading it where I had to go “wait, what!?” Before continuing on.

I have already suggested this book to a friend!

3.5 Stars.
Well, this book caught me by surprise, in a good way. I was not sure what to expect, as I chose it solely to complete my A-Z challenge. The premise of the story is on an apocalyptic event and how humans will show up in such an event. The writing was witty and displayed how by nature humans tend to group up or find a “tribe” in difficult times as a way to survive. The characters and the setting were well written. The author did a good job of showing how people have both a shadow and a light side and how a situation can exacerbate which side a human will tap into when in the face of a challenging situation. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would recommend for someone looking for something different, yet light to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book! I loved the small nuggets of home I picked up from reading- TN stand up! The plot thickened as it moved along. It was witty and quite controversial in some aspects. The character development was interesting to follow as we neared the end. I will say that it felt like the book dragged on aimlessly for a minute which made me put it down for days at a time, I just became bored with reading it after-while.

I was drawn in to this book by the cover and the title. I went into this book blind as I do most books and I am so glad I did. It was fun discovering the characters and watching their development throughout the book. I really enjoyed the humor the wit and the plot twists oh my! I love a book set in a post apocalyptic world. It had so many twists I didn't expect and just had me needing to keep reading so many times. This book definitely sucks you in and makes it hard to put down. Loved that it was different than most of the books that I usually read. I will definitely need a copy for my book shelf.


Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Not at all what I was expecting, but everything I wanted. Dan Foster may be my new favorite fictional character.

Wassmer has clearly spent time with Southern mega-church folks, because some of his characters could have been biographical. Absolutely hit the nail on the head.

In fact, his characterization of each social subset was nearly perfect - a testament to the author's travels, colorful acquaintances, or simply that he's a very skilled writer.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page, and am eagerly anticipating Wassmer's future efforts.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

This is a hilarious book about one man navigating the potential end of the world while stranded on an island resort with a bunch of panicked vacationers.

Dan is on vacation with his girlfriend at an island resort when the sun explodes. But the world doesn't immediately end, curiously enough; they're just plunged into darkness. There's some panic, of course, and then when reality sets in, Dan has to figure out who he can trust and how to get them all out of this situation. Told through Dan's hilarious, often sarcastic and self-deprecating voice, this is a very funny look at how the potential end of the world might go. I loved all the commentary on class differences -- it was so spot on -- and how vividly the characters are drawn. 5 stars, would recommend this book to anyone looking for a funny and thought-provoking read.

This is not my typical genre but the title looked interesting.

A couple go on vacation and while on vacation - the sun explodes. Follow along as they figure out what to do and whether they join an alliance to get necessities and survive.

Interesting book. Funny and dark!