apocalypse

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend

By MJ Wassmer

Coming August 6, 2024

(3 / 5)

Dan, an underachieving average guy, is on vacation with his girlfriend in the Bahamas at a new beach resort. But suddenly they are plunged into darkness, with the sun presumably having exploded. Welcome to the apocalypse.

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend has a satirical approach to an apocalyptic event, so it’s not necessarily something that can be taken completely seriously. The book felt fittingly chaotic, especially as a societal hierarchy formed between the different buildings of guests. A lot of the characters weren’t necessarily very likable, especially in this situation where humanity is at its worst, so I never really connected completely with the main characters. Along the way the story has a bit of a twist to it, but honestly, I had already suspected it, so it probably didn’t have the impact on me that it would have otherwise. There was enough going on in the story to keep my interest, and it felt like a pretty quick read, but it wasn’t quite as much “the book for me” as I thought it would be.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the free review copy of Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

Freezing Reign

By L.A. Goff

(4 / 5)

Freezing Reign is a young adult dystopia book with elements of romance, sci-fi and thriller. The book is divided into 3 parts, the first taking place during an apocalyptic disease, and the next 2 parts taking place 12 years later.

The story follows the perspective of 18-year-old Mirari. She’s a relatable character that I enjoyed following over the course of the book. The book is well written, and the action throughout kept my attention. I thought the concept was interesting, and I enjoyed that I was able to experience the actual apocalyptic event in the first part of the book. The resulting world was also very interesting, and experiencing from Mirari’s perspective worked well. Some of the parts felt a little too hard to believe, but given the nature of this type of book, I guess I can’t expect everything to be completely realistic.

The book is the first in a series but does not end in a cliffhanger. However, it does have an epilogue that hints at what the next book will be about. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am interested in where things go next in the series.

I received a free review copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books, but my review is voluntary and contains my own opinions.

May 20, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Sci-Fi Thriller Young Adult 0

The Prince & the Apocalypse

by Kara McDowell

Coming Soon on July 11, 2023!

(5 / 5)

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! It was one of those books that captured me from the very first page and was so hard to put down, even when it was well past my bedtime, and I was losing sleep. The book flowed beautifully and kept me captivated until the end. Who knew a book about the apocalypse could feel so… fun? There’s action, adventure, romance and a dash of comedy that feels like the perfect combination. And this book filled me with emotions that I could feel long after finishing the last page. I think anyone who likes young adult romance will enjoy this book.

The story follows the perspective of Wren Wheeler, the girl who always had a plan until it all fell apart during her senior trip to London. By chance she meets the (fictional) crown prince of the UK, and when she misses her flight back to the US amidst an impending apocalypse, she asks for his help to get back home to Chicago. It’s quite an adventure from there as the two travel across Europe together. I really enjoyed the pairing of these two characters who seemed so different from each other at first but ultimately brought out the best in each other. The story felt so real and really made me feel. I was so sad for this book to end, and it didn’t end quite the way I would have liked, but… well, I don’t want to give anything away, so you’ll just have to find out on your own.

The Prince & the Apocalypse was my first book to read by Kara McDowell, but I would love to read more of her books in the future.

I received a free advance copy of this book through NetGalley. All of the opinions in this review are completely my own.

May 1, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0