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!

I didn’t finish this book. I was like 100 pages in and it was really boring for me. I also didn’t like the writing style. I think maybe if I were to read this at a different time I might enjoy it but it’s not for me right now. I don’t want to negatively review something I didn’t finish but it was not for me

Twenty Nine year old everyday man Dan Foster is finally going on a vacation to a resort with his girlfriend Mara. Everything is going good until the sun explodes.

Chaos ensues while the resort is run by a MLM woman and her pastor husband. Dan, his girlfriend Mara and other inhabitants of their building are forced to do chores everyday and ration their food.

I did enjoy all the main characters and felt there was character developmemt throughout the book. There was humor and suspense throughout the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes humor, mystery or suspense!

Thank you to NG and the publisher for this opportunity because, despite some of the formatting issues found in the advance e-copy, I absolutely LOVED this insanity of a novel! Out of respect for both the author and publisher's requests, I will not post any spoilers in this review..... HOWEVER— what I will say, and with the utmost of confidence might I add, is that this book most certainly will be a hit this summer once it hits its official pub day. This book's very title draws you in (imho) by its wording alone; the plot is honestly so unique, unlike anything I've ever read before, and immediately engaging right off the bat; and the characters are all very compelling and well-layered/nuanced. As someone who loves sci-fi and dystopian tales, I went into this read completely blind and am so glad I did. Regardless of whether you're a sci-fi fan like myself or not, PLEASE CHECK THIS BOOK OUT! I promise you it's worth it and is just... so much fun. So different. Five stars, would definitely, definitely recommend.

4⭐️! 4 stars, DO recommend!!

This was such a unique apocalyptic story! It was a comedy mixed in with an end of the world disaster story.

I had a good time with this! But the middle was a little slow, and the writing style was hard to follow at times. I did find myself wanting to skim sometimes. But the ending made up for it! Totally shocked me and I love the life messages in this book. It was so real in how humans would react to a disaster like this.

2.0

Setting: Bahamas
Rep: n/a

I'll be honest - there are two main reasons I finished this book: firstly, because I'm trying to read books set in 50 different countries, and secondly because Z is the last letter I need for the alphabet reading challenge. Also, okay, the cover was good and the plot sounded fun. The actual book? Boring and amateur. It felt like it was written 15 years ago, weirdly dated. Also, very predictable.

Laugh out loud funny and SO relatable! The characters are likable and the story is fun and fast paced!

Honestly, probably the easiest 5 stars I have given to a book this year.

Picture this: you’re on a tropical island enjoying your discounted vacation and trying to enjoy yourself for the next two weeks. Then the sun explodes and everything just goes dark. Is it the apocalypse? The end of the world? For Dan and Mara, their vacation takes a turn for the… weird? Worse? Probably a combination of both. How will they salvage their vacation (and possibly save the world)?

If you are looking for a serious take on a crazy what-if scenario, then you are in the wrong place! If you are looking for a funny, crazy, sci-fi adventure that explores who people truly are in a crisis and has some of the best characters I have ever read in a long time, then stop what you’re doing and read this book.

(And next time you’re thinking about taking a vacation, you might want to check the travel insurance and see if it covers “sun exploding.”)

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this fantastic ARC and the chance to write my honest thoughts and review!

It's so refreshing to find a funny book that also has heart and mystery thrown in! I can truly say I LOL'd numerous times reading this story, and was surprised by its many twists and turns too. To me, that's a winning combination: five stars, I do recommend.

In Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend, Dan and his girlfriend Mara are enjoying the beginnings of a two-week vacation at a brand new island resort. The resort is divided into three main buildings, with Building A being most luxurious, Building B being middle-of-the-road, and Building C housing the cut-rate vacationers. Suddenly, their day at the beach takes a life-altering turn when the sun overhead explodes and darkness descends across the island. In the ensuing panic, each building's people retreat to their respective areas, in shock and confusion. As each day after progresses, the true nature of all sides of humanity is on full display, with leaders and underdogs emerging, hoarding, forced labor, violence, and other issues arising, including Dan's internal struggles with where his life currently stands and how Mara sees him. Now, while this may sound dark and dystopian, the story is in fact heartfelt, hilarious, and hugely entertaining, with a fun cast of characters, plot twists aplenty, and a nice study of humans in all our glory.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was weird, witty, and totally unexpected. Don’t let the title fool you; I highly recommend it.

Dan and his girlfriend Mara are on vacation in paradise when the sun disappears, all hell breaks loose, and they’re stuck scrambling to find a way home. Alongside new friends and the resort’s new benevolent dictator slash woo-woo MLM founder, Lillyanna, things get hairy, and we’re along for a wild ride.

This book had it all: laughs, snark, social commentary, and an introspective main character in Dan that had me doing the Leo DiCaprio ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ point more than once. The story took big swings but never took itself too seriously.

I was entertained from start to finish and will never pass on an Auntie Anne’s pretzel again. Can’t can’t believe this was the author’s debut. I hope to read more from him in the future.

Dan Foster is vacationing with his girlfriend, Mara Nichols, at a resort in the Bahamas for the first time in 10 years. Dan, lacking confidence and feeling he hasn't lived up to his potential, wonders what Mara sees in him. Just as he starts to relax, the sun explodes, triggering an apocalypse. Chaos ensues, with the wealthy guests hoarding supplies and dominating the others. Dan must decide whether to escape with Mara or step up as a leader.

This novel captivated me from the description. Dan is a relatable character, once considered "gifted" but now feeling unfulfilled. When disaster strikes and the elite guests take over, Dan becomes an unexpected leader.

The story is gripping, with well-drawn characters and exciting plot twists that kept me reading late into the night. The humorous moments added to the enjoyment. I plan to buy a physical copy and reread it. This is my favorite book of the year so far! Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

What a debut!!! I am not sure I have ever read a book like this before? But, I was hooked from the very beginning. I do think that the middle was a bit long but honestly, there was so much going on that I was still enjoying the journey.

I am seriously in awe this is a debut! I can't wait to see what else comes from this author.

Read this if you like White Lotus, humorous stories, dystopian books and mystery.

I started to read this and instantly I was thinking Huh? This really took me for a loop. I read the synopsis and thought this would be interesting. That is exactly what it was. I was glad to read this as I am always looking for out the box stories for my inquisitive mind. I enjoyed reading this one. It gave me a bit of the sci-fi/dytopian feel but in a small realistic way. It was weird but I liked it anyway.

3.5 stars - Fun premise with some shining moments and a truly dizzying last 100 pages but the middle slogged a bit for me.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend

No, that's not how I feel about the book. It's the title!

Imagine going on vacation in the Bahamas to a grand, new resort. You're sitting on the beach, relaxing with your loved one when suddenly the sun explodes. It actually kind of fizzles out, looking like yolk dripping from an egg. Either way it's over. Your vacation. The world.

That's the situation professional underachiever, Dan Foster finds himself in. What's a guy to do? He's not used to taking charge or being a hero. But soon he might have to. His only goal at first is to get his girlfriend Mara off the island, but almost immediately the situation gets out of control when the A group takes the supplies and control. Somehow people begin looking to him for guidance, but Dan can't do anything. Can he?

This book is all kinds of crazy goodness. You've got action and drama. And more action. It's laugh out loud funny. One on hand it's unbelievable, but I could also see everything happening the same way if the sun ever did explode.

The characters slowly grow on you. There are many different personalities. You will find yourself caring about some and despising others as they represent different sides of humanity.

This debut novel would make an excellent movie. I really hope someone's working on it! Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend will be released August 6. Thanks to Sourcebooks for the chance to read!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200174139-zero-stars-do-not-recommend?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JgSgLNNSQe&rank=1