This was one of the most fun yet ridiculous books I’ve read in a while. Granted with the title like this, you knew it was going to be an interested read. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend tells the tale of what happens when you go on vacation with your significant other to a remote island in the Bahamas and the sun explodes. Yes, the sun exploded or rather looked like a running egg or melting butter. Those are real descriptions from the book which make so much sense by the end. Bravo Wassmer for working fun details in from the very beginning. The cast of characters vary so much across the island but it made for a great read (except Lilyanna, IYKYK). Being trapped on an island with Lilyanna can be its own dystopian novel. Mara however is everything I love in a FMC while Dan is delightfully clueless while somehow leading the resistance. I felt the plot was fairly well paced considering the topics it addressed. There was also a nice blend of humor mixed in which this book really needed. This was the story that knows how to walk the fine line without going so far as to be cheesy. While I guessed the big reveal, I thought it was perfect for this story. Wassmer provided us with enough clues to figure it out but did it in such a way that it was still exciting to read about once you knew. I read this via audiobook, and it was an absolute delight. I can’t recommend Thorne’s narration enough. It added perfectly to the overall ridiculousness (in a good way) that is this book.

Ugh, I hate a middling review of an arc, but, since Netgalley trusts readers with advanced copies in exchange for honest opinions.....this was just an ok. Would I read it again? Probably not. It started out well, was different than expected, then just got weird.

Zero Stars feels like it doesn't fit into any one genre - perhaps intentionally? But, I think it may end up a middle of the road (or worse) read for some because of this confusion.

The publisher has called it Literary Fiction and uses the blurb: "White Lotus meets Kevin Wilson in this whip-smart social satire about a man who finds himself trapped on an island resort after the sun explodes, and suddenly must choose whether to save himself from the chaos, or help the fellow guests make it off the island alive."

Not gonna lie, I adored White Lotus and had high hopes this would be similar. In no way shape, form or fashion is this anything like White Lotus, so remove that from your expectations. Since the "sun explodes" I also had hopes this would be somewhat post-apocalyptic and survivalist, but it doesn't ever get there. My closest comparison would be Animal Farm meets The Righteous Gemstones.

And can I pause for a moment? The sun explodes. But, here they still are and they have daily schedules and evening entertainment? I'm married to a physicist and when I asked him what would happen if the sun exploded. Without hesitation he said "it would destroy all life on this planet including the amoebas."

I won't go into details of the plot except to say this brand new resort on a Bahamian island brings in all guests on the same day, for the same length vacation, planes drop and leave and even before nature explodes, it's confusing. The initial lol for me was when the main character was describing his accommodation selection (buildings A, B or C had different price points) and they didn't choose building A because "we aren't the Kardashians"). Much of the book is an inner dialogue from a 29 year old underemployed man who has a sense of humor some will enjoy. Some will not.

Glad I read it, won't re-read, unsure I would tell anyone in my circle to read it.