I have to say, this book is a rollercoaster of emotions! From the very beginning, I was drawn into the protagonist’s journey through the ups and downs of life, love, and everything in between.

Wassmer’s writing is sharp and witty, with a perfect balance of humor and heart. The protagonist’s voice is so authentic and relatable that I felt like I was reading the diary of a close friend. The book tackles some heavy themes with grace and sensitivity, but it never loses its sense of humor. There were moments that had me laughing out loud, and others that made me pause and reflect.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its honesty. The protagonist doesn’t shy away from sharing their raw, unfiltered thoughts and experiences, which makes the story all the more compelling. It’s a refreshing take on the struggles we all face and the resilience it takes to keep going.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and think, “Zero Stars Do Not Recommend” is a must-read. MJ Wassmer has crafted a story that is both entertaining and deeply moving.

This one was super funny but in a dark and extra over the top way! I found myself laughing along at how ridiculous the circumstances of this book were. But with that said, it also sort of slowed down for me about a third of the way in where it just sort of felt like more of the same.

Absolutely love the cover and title of this book!

An interesting premise and fun title. It struggled to hold my attention, but I appreciated all the humor.

Picture being on vacation and BAM the sun explodes and disappears- what next!? Dan Foster finds himself facing this impossible predicament when he away at a grand opening of an island resort with his girlfriend, Mara. With no access to internet, phones, or the outside world, all of the people staying must figure out how to survive. Overnight, the wealthy guests manage to get their hands on all the food, medicine, and the armed security guards of the resort and through a well-spoken MLM "boss babe" Lilianna and her pastor husband turn dictator persuade and force the others to get in line with their regime. Dan knows he has to escape this island and will do anything he can to get his girlfriend Mara back home. With the help of other guests, they find an old airplane. Will he be able to push the other guests fate aside and do what it takes to get him and Mara back home?

This audiobook was insanely entertaining. Combining the skills of Stephen R. Thorne, the amazing narrator, who did such an amazing job at giving each character a distinct voice and the gripping story by MJ Wassmer- I was instantly hooked. Most stories I read that deal with the end of the world, are post-apocalyptic so I loved this change of getting to read through the apocalyptic event and the direct aftermath. The characters were all so real and I could picture each and every one of them. The addition of adding an MLM dictator and religious figure using their combined skills to convince others to get in line with their regime is hauntingly accurate to current events and show how people will act against their own best interest in supporting leaders like them. So that aspect started off hilarious to me but quickly sobered me up when looking at the real world. Great read and I look forward to reading and listening to more from both the author and narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for an advanced copy of the audiobook!

This is less an apocalypse book than a satirical social commentary. A mild Eat-the-Rich/Lord of the Flies hybrid. And funny, with characters that will have you cheering.

Things are not as they seem as the island resort where Dan and Mara are vacation is plunged into cold and darkness after the sun "disappears". Astute readers will pick up on the clues given and realize what is happening as you fly through the pages. Wild, quirky read that does get a little heavy handed but doesn't disappoint.

Audiobook is well narrated and a joy to listen to.

Dan and Mara are excited about their two-week vacation to a brand new resort on a private island in the Bahamas. But almost as soon as they arrive, the sun explodes, leaving them and all the other people on the island stranded in the dark. Things quickly devolve into chaos. The inhabitants quickly break into separate and opposing groups as supplies are hoarded by the wealthiest and Dan, who has always been a slacker with bit of a low opinion of himself, is shocked to find himself the reluctant leader of a rebellion by the rest who oppose them..

Zero Stars Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer is his debut novel and what an exciting, addicting debut it is. In many ways, this is a very dark tale with some shocking events but Wassmer lightens it with a strain of humour running through it. The characters are well-drawn on both sides of the class divide and Dan makes for a flawed but very likeable anti-hero. I did find the ending somewhat bittersweet but, overall, I loved this one. Definitely a fun read, perfect for fans of Jason Pargin or, really, anyone who enjoys a dystopian tale but with some laugh-out-loud moments.

I received an audiobook of this novel from Netgalley and RBmedia in exchange for an honest review. It’s narrated by Stephen R Thorne who does an amazing job of giving individual voices to a large and diverse cast of characters.

I wanted to love this. The premise was unique, but unfortunately, it did not work for me. Typically, terrible characters work for me. They can be complex and riveting when written well. Unfortunately, none of the characters worked for me. I think this was a case of the wrong book at the wrong time, so if the premise sounds interesting, I would give it a try.

This was a new narrator for me, and I did enjoy his narration.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Although the book's premise sounded intriguing, I wasn't particularly fond of the narrator after listening to the first few chapters of the audiobook. Before I can provide a more thorough assessment of the narrative, I believe I might need to read the book or ebook in its entirety rather than listening to the audio version.

This was a wild ride. I actually did have a hard time getting into this book. It’s so different than my usual. Ultimately though, I found it to be quite entertaining. It was outlandish, sarcastic, a bit irreverent, and quite the adventure.

I would first of all like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC of "Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend" by MJ Wassmer.

It took me a moment to get into this audiobook, but once I did, I enjoyed it.

Zero Star, Do Not Recommend, is a story about a post apocalyptic world where the two MCs are stranded on a tropical island where all the guests of the posh resort make rules and learn to survive the apocalypse.

I feel like the narrator did a good job with the different characters within the story, all in all, I enjoyed this story.

This was such an interesting read!
The characters are well developed and relatable.
Narrator Stephen R. Thorne did a wonderful job with the characters' voices.
Overall I enjoyed this book.

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

The premise of the book sounded interesting but after getting through the first few chapters of the audiobook, I just wasn't really a fan of the narrator. I think I may need to read the actual book/ebook instead of listening to the audiobook and then I'll be able to give a more accurate review of the story.

Wild story. Narration utilizes different voices well to create a fun experience. Will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

Normally apocalyptic novels and shows stress me out and I don't really enjoy myself however this novel was incredibly witty and well phrased. The characters were brought to life by a fantastic narrator who really got into how obnoxious hilarious and endearing the characters are. This novel shows the absolute misery and Chaos which ensues at the end of the world, and how the human nature at its core will be split into survival and selfishness versus compassion and respect for the greater good. Absolutely hilarious book with such dark and meaningful undertones. Our anti-hero and his cast of strangers turned allies and enemies, takes us on such a journey that despite the awful conditions at the resort, I didn't want it all to end.

Thank you to RecordedBooks and @netgalley for the ALC! This was the most unique book I have read all year. I didn’t expect to be not only thrilled by the dystopian action and compelled by the story, but also hysterically laughing.

The narration was great, all of the characters were so lively and distinct. What a story, with many twists and turns, and pauses for me to finish laughing, this was incredibly fun! Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend is actually a book I highly recommend!

Personally, this novel didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The audiobook format may have contributed to the difficulty I had in following the story, especially with the numerous characters. Even by the end, I was still slightly confused about a few. The story itself didn’t grasp me either. I feel I was missing a certain depth of character, and the action wasn’t enough to excuse that aspect. It was certainly an interesting premise but fell short for me.

3.75 stars rounded up

Picture this: you're on a tropical vacation and the sun explodes - just *proof*, gone. Do you take charge and figure out how to make sure everyone can find a way to survive, find a way off the island to reunite with your family, or just make the most of what time you have left? I found myself laughing throughout the book while also really thinking about how I'd handle the situation. The psychologist in my LOVED this. Plus, I was obsessed with the songs mentioned throughout (Fight Song; Awesome God!).

Dan, perpetual under achiever and average guy is on holiday with his girlfriend when the sun explodes. Trying to cope with the world coming to an end, will Dan finally step up to the plate or will he run away and hide?

A group of fun, charismatic characters, and an apocalypse like scenario, what could go wrong? It’s interesting to see how those on the island react and act when the sun explodes and who steps into what roles. I did find myself almost giving up around the half way mark, more so it just wasn’t to my liking, but I had he audiobook as well and decided to listen and that helped me get through to the end. It’s fun but has more depth to it then just a raunchy comedy.

Enjoyed the audiobook more than the physical book.

Wow! If I had a nickel for books about spoilers but if you read it then you know, I'd have 2 nickels this week. I loved the concept and the author nailed the boss babe, like so well that I hoped for her demise. The only negative I have is how Mara was written, now I get that women can act like how she was but damn she was so annoying. She put herself into extreme danger more than once and didn't give a shit about herself or her companions. She was too "I need to save everyone else" and not enough "I want to survive too"

Quirky and crazy dystopian story about the collapse of society and the magic of MLMs. I really enjoyed the social commentary, twisty plot and snarky character development. This is great for fans of Jason Pargin and Stephen King, equally.

Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for my copy. These opinions are my own.