If it's possible that there is a category if dark comedy horror this book is it. It's corny as hell and seriously funny so be prepared for a book completely out of the ordinary.
Joan, the main character, finds herself trapped underground with her horrible boyfriend and crush while a zombie apocalypse rages above ground.
Go into this book, knowing it's goofy, the main character is awful and it's all in good fun and you'll be just fine.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had to DNF it about half way through. I couldn't stand the main characters egotistical ways and manners. She never changed or grew or developed during half the book so I grew tired of reading about her.

This book was not what I was expecting unfortunately. DNF at 70%

*review contains spoilers*

Joan of Apocalypse follows a self-absorbed aspiring actress trying to make her big break in Hollywood. After yet another audition, she gets some of the best news of her life: a callback. Unexpectedly giddy despite feeling dragged down by her metalhead low-life boyfriend, Joan decides to attend an event of his favourite band with him. Once in the the Vault, an underground hideaway for the band's lead singer, something terrible happens on the surface: a zombie apocalypse. This new and looming terror is threatening Joan's first chance at an actual gig. Determined, she won't let a simple apocalypse stop her from landing one of the biggest roles of her career. The reader then follows Joan on her violent journey to seize her starring role with the help of an aloof and handsome stranger.

The first few chapters, I was so on board with the story and the writing. Joan is a HORRIBLE person, but she is also a riot to read about. The characters felt campy, and the storyline was extremely outlandish. The idea that she not only wants to go back to the lot where she auditioned to claim her role during a literal zombie apocalypse but then becomes an actual coordinated deadly zombie assassin was fun to think about. The origin story of the virus was also in my opinion, pretty strong. I loved the idea.

However, what did not work for me, was the lack of character development. I was really expecting some sense of self-awareness around the mid-way point. That moment never came though. She continued to be selfish and vapid and hyper-focused on being hot and famous. I think because she was never actually actualized as a character, this also contributed to the lack of chemistry with the main love interest. On that note, the main love interest was the plainest character I have ever encountered in any piece of media. Genuinely, he lacked so much personality, and I know that the author was potentially doing this intentionally to make him seem more mysterious, but it was to the point where he was just a blank slate.

I also recognize that this book is written from the first-person-perspective, and therefore we can't really trust anything that happens because Joan is so egotistical, she warps every interaction and encounter that happens. The story became a big mess of action with zero character development. Which is just not for me.

If you like fast-paced plot focused books with little character development this may be for you. It's also quite funny if you can look past all the horrible things the main character does and puts others through.

Thank you NetGalley, Chloe Lukas and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF

A promising concept with a premise that absolutely roped me in, and I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but as soon as I set my sights on the cover of 'Joan of Apocalypse' I absolutely FELL IN LOVE! Like, a Joan-of-Arc modern retelling in a zombie apocalypse, perfect for fans of The Last of Us and Shaun of the Dead! I think I had my expectations a little high, and while I pushed myself through the first chapters, I got to 34% of the book before I realised that this novel isn't for me :(

I really wanted to enjoy this book because I love zombie apocalypses and darkly comedic literature, and unreliable narrators, and I'm a HUGE FAN of The Last of Us . . . but this just wasn't my piece of cake. This book has great potential, but I wish it was paced a bit more better. I loved how it got into the action after a few chapters but establishing the backstory and characters could have been done a bit more better. My main criticism is that there was not enough SHOWING, and too much TELLING. Especially in the action sequences, there was so much telling that it threw me off, mostly because I couldn't really feel the protagonist's emotions all that I was reading was where she was going, where she jumped, where she turned, etc.

I needed more, since the premise was so interesting and had potential, but the execution just wasn't it. I wanted to at least finish it, but I couldn't.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

I love zombie novels-- I've read good, great, and not so great, but I am genuinely so in love with the genre I enjoy most of them regardless!
The one pet peeve I have in a dystopian book is when the MC/society/author are in the pursuit of a comic lens in the face of an apocalypse to the degree that it feels irreverent to real life horrors. I love irreverent comedy in most forms, but this just didn't sit right with me.

The author wrote in a way that was super evokative and descriptive, and unfortunately the reality of current life showing through the novel overtly and unironically made me too uneasy to continue, DNF @ 32%.

Oof okay. I was sucked in by the cover, and the comparisons to Fleabag and Shaun of the Dead, but I just did not gel with how this was written and so DNF'd at 35%.

We're following Joan who is an aspiring/failing actress as a zombie apocalypse breaks out just as she gets her first audition call-back. Unfortunately, Joan is such an unlikeable and crass character, with an even worse boyfriend, when we first meet her which I could’ve gotten behind, but the writing came across quite OTT/campy in a way that that I found cheesy rather than funny. It reads very fast-paced in that we don't seem to spend a lot of time in each 'scene', which isn't a negative in itself, but didn't help when trying to distinguish all the characters that were introduced within a short space of time.

[Advanced Reader Copy received through NetGalley]

Thank you Netgalley for the Advance Copy

There was a time that this book would have gotten 5 stars from me. And I mean that in a good way, this was peak urban fantasy say circa 2016/7.

This was a fun read but ultimately for me it felt a bit forced, like very hashtag let's do it for the gram FMC got on my nerves a bit too much? The writing, the 'relationships' and the catch at the end didn't work for me, but maybe this is not for me at the end of the day.

It was a fun read but overall a bit empty for me. Calling it fleabag with zombies was such a stretch but it did get me to request the book!

I really wanted to have fun with this but I just rolled my eyes the entire time and decidedly did not have fun. I loved the idea, the execution just didn’t work for me personally, as evidenced by the fact it took me forever to read this 🥲

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A “damn” fine and darkly humorous book!

Joan of Apocalypse is so fun and written so well that I actually felt for Joan, who is on a mission to be a winner at any cost. The book has great character and story building and is filled with lots of non-stop action, twists, and turns, which makes for such a fun and memorable read. I’ve never both loved and hated a character as I do Joan, which just goes to show how well she’s written.

The story is very witty, from Joan’s intentionally goofy but very funny dialogue to her cringy inner thoughts. I loved when the author poked fun at Hollywood’s badly written movies with the corny dialogue and the overuse of the word “damn” every time a script is being read, which starts in the opening and returns at the end. I’m sure some readers won’t get a lot of the humor and think it’s bad or poorly written but that obviously was the intent.

Thanks to NetGalley and Chloe Lukas for the amazing ARC. I’ll definitely reread the final edit once available in March.

I really tried with this book, but I think the narrative tone and the way the story is told isn't very strong.

Waiting for the zombies to start arriving, but by 20% in, all she has done is gone into a basement with a group of people. There is a woman who is with her boyfriend (could be the love interest), and the female lead is really taken by him. He hardly says anything to her, but she keep eying him up and seems to be on a mission to disrupt their relationship.

It just felt like a long winded story where the details overshadow the plot. Therefore, I DNF'd.

This book is exactly what dreams feel like. Joan’s unrelenting self-obsession is exactly why this story works so well. Not being a loser comes before surviving the apocalypse on her list of priorities and honestly, she’s so real.

Thank you NetGalley and Chloe Lukas for the arc! I couldn’t stop shaking my head at Joan’s antics.

This was a total hate read for me. Couldn't stop reading but also wasn't fully enjoying it but just had to see how the book ended. I know she's supposed to be an unlikable character but it was a little to the max, she also felt very immature. Which makes sense since she is in her late 20's but thinks and claims to be 23. I don't think she had any redeeming qualities and even towards the end of the book it hoped it was all a fever dream........it wasn't. At least we got a sort of happy ending.

This was a mixed bag for me. There were times I was genuinely rolling my eyes or sighing out loud, pausing because what I read was either so incredibly corny or just bad. On the other hand, I lost count of how many times I laughed.

Joan is an up and coming actress, or at least she's trying to be, who lands her dream role when a massive zombie apocalypse breaks out. You won't like Joan - at all. Yet she was almost endearing in how awful and self absorbed she was.

Went back and forth in she's the wooooorst to this might be the funniest person I've read in a minute. Maybe she would have been easier to digest if i wasn't stuck in her head, but I do like how much of a horny mess she is.

The zombies and the apocalypse itself was probably one of the best part. I love a good zombie apocalypse. All of the characters stand out on their own, and there might have been ONE character that was truly likable.

Overall a good read - fast paced and action filled, funny and engaging. Chloe Lukas created a fun and interesting tale. A slightly refreshing take on the zombie apocalypse genre. The writing was great.

If you go into it knowing it's a dark horror comedy and satire, you'll end up having more fun.

I do hope she's Jewish because the parts with Bernie made me slightly uncomfortable and it felt like a caricature of a Jewish man, especially one who is a hollywood agent.

I also think some of it could have been condensed a little. Trim the fat.

Thank you to Netgalley, Chloe Lukas and the publisher for the arc!

Okay this book was pure chaos but in the best way! The Fmc Joan is absolutely insufferable but I also am cracking up at everything she does and says. If you're looking for a comedy, apocalyptic story THIS IS IT! The twists and turns had me flying through this book, just the actions of our fmc had me shook. Such a fun time and fast paced read. Thank you Net Galley for the arc!

"You can always replace your real life friends with better ones, but social media posts are forever." -Joan

Joan of Apocalypse by Chloe Lukas is a fun blend of horror, romance, and dark comedy. The description compares it to Fleabag, The Last of Us, and Shaun of the Dead, and honestly, they weren’t lying. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but this book was a chaotic and entertaining ride.
The main character is full of herself and, at times, incredibly annoying, but she’s also hilarious, which made her surprisingly likable (sometimes). While some aspects of the book were far fetched, it’s fiction meant for pure entertainment, and it delivers on that front.
This book has a lot going on. It’s fun, fast paced, and filled with apocalyptic chaos, all mixed with a narcissistic wannabe actress who stumbles into some funny and ironic luck. Despite its bizarre storyline, it’s definitely a unique take on the zombie apocalypse, unlike anything I’ve read before.
There were moments that had me laughing out loud, while others made me roll my eyes. But overall, if you’re looking for a fresh and witty twist on the apocalypse with dry humor reminiscent of Fleabag, this one is worth checking out.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up

Joan of Apocalypse is a brilliant parody novel that revitalizes the two-decade-old, stale zombie genre, where every zombie book or series episode feels extremely boring, and repetitive. Hardcore zombie fans may not enjoy it but it’s a very well-written, action-packed, and sometimes totally ridiculous story that cleverly parodies the genre and its usual, generic "good person doing the right thing" main characters.

I adore the morally gray Fleabag character and really liked Shaun of the Dead, so Joan felt like a combination of the best of both worlds. It also felt very much like an Austin Powers type comedy with its goofiness which was really fun.

I love that the author took a big risk by putting us inside the mind of Joan, the FMC, who lacks morals, is a narcissist, lives in her past glory, and will do anything to recapture it and not be a loser. Joan is like Fleabag’s sociopathic little sister, and her “sidekick,” Ryan, provides a delicate balance to Joan’s outrageous character that works perfectly. But even he is not exactly who he seems.

The other characters are great—Joan’s agent, Bernie who comes off like a dysfunctional father figure, Brett the old glam metal rocker, and Eddie, the dumb loser boyfriend.

Joan is packed with witty, and some very dark humor. Like most, I’m not easily offended or turned off by risky content, but given Joan’s abrasive personality and the book’s potentially offensive content, those who are easily offended or sensitive may want to skip this one.

Thank you to Chloe Lukas and NetGalley for this ARC!

I really wanted to love this book. The first half was a campy- Shaun of the dead goof time. The last 100 pages were really difficult to get through. The storyline made no sense. I sincerely thought Joan was going to wake up after getting hit by a bus or something and find out it was all a nightmare. Nope. I understand it's supposed to be tongue in cheek but I just didn't find this as funny as the characters in the book did. I love to hate a good heroine with questionable morals but Joan just got on my nerves. There isn't anything endearing about her. I found myself routing for the Ned's to finish her off. I respect that the author tried really hard to create a story that was similar to 2000's comedy action movies, but it just didn't do it for me. I love Zombie apocalyptic stories and have read many many poorly written books that still held my attention because the storyline grabbed my attention. This just was not it. I may be the wrong target artist and completely off but I don't think so.

A dark, female-led twist on Shaun of the Dead, this novel is hilariously unique—a refreshing take on the zombie apocalypse genre, which often leans heavily on humanity-focused plots. The story moves at a brisk pace, free from unnecessary filler or padding to meet a word count. I can easily imagine this being adapted into a wild, action-packed hit movie.

Joan of Apocalypse by Chloe Lukas is exactly the kind of wild, unexpected ride I needed to finish off 2024 on a high note. Described as Fleabag meets Shaun of the Dead, the comparison couldn’t be more spot-on—it hits the nail on the NED (sorry, zombie joke… you'll get it when you read it).

Joan, the protagonist, is an absolute mess in the best possible way. She’s a narcissistic, self-absorbed, delusional, and extremely horny character, yet somehow, I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. The story itself is so outrageous, dark, and, at times, utterly ridiculous, but that's what made it such a blast to read.

One of the highlights for me was Joan’s constant breaking of the fourth wall. Her absurd inner monologue, filled with delusional thoughts while trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, kept me laughing out loud. The humor in this book is dark, but it’s also ridiculously fun. And the side characters? Oh, they add to the chaos—especially Brett, the little pervert I couldn’t help but love.

Joan of Apocalypse is a refreshing and hilarious take on the zombie genre, and I can’t thank NetGalley enough for the early copy. Chloe Lukas crafted a story that kept me laughing from start to finish, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. If you’re looking for something unapologetically absurd, darkly funny, and filled with heart (in its own twisted way), this one’s a must-read.

Easily my favorite novel of the year is by Chloe Lukas, an indie author. If this book gets the attention it deserves by its release on March 25, 2025, I can see this winning many awards.

Joan of the Apocalypse is a wild mix of action, romance, dark comedy, and satire, with a heavy dose of horror and a touch of sci-fi thrown in. It’s packed with characters you’d probably hate in real life, but they’re written so well that you can’t help but like or even love them.
The writing is sharp and clever, and the dynamic between Joan and Ryan is perfect. Most zombie novels drag, but this one is mostly all action while still building Joan and Ryan’s complicated relationship.

As Ryan eventually puts it, Joan is insufferable. She’s so deeply out of touch that you can’t help but feel for her, and she’s totally relatable. The side characters are just as unforgettable and funny.

Thanks to Chloe Lukas for writing the “damn” novel (you’ll get it when you read Joan) and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.